How to Observe and Subdue the Imputed Nature (parikalpita-svabhāva) of the Manas

The imputed nature (parikalpita-svabhāva) of the manas is its universal deliberation and grasping at all dharmas, ceaselessly clinging to all dharmas, relying on the eighth consciousness to cognize all the dharmas manifested by the eighth consciousness, moment after moment remaining in a state of knowing, unwilling to let go of dharmas, sticking obstinately to every dharma it contacts. Past dharmas, present dharmas, and future dharmas all adhere persistently in the mind; thoughts continue without interruption—not a single dharma goes unremembered, not a single dharma fails to stick, not a single dharma goes unclung to. This is the imputed nature of the manas. Because the manas has this characteristic, the mind becomes tangled like hemp and scattered like a monkey, with thought after thought never ceasing; there is no meditative concentration, no ability to focus, and an enormous amount of time and energy is consumed on meaningless dharmas, so that wisdom cannot advance. 

If you have a way to observe these thoughts of the manas, you will realize what dharmas the manas is clinging to and grasping, and you will then have a way to counteract and subdue the imputed nature of the manas, thereby being able to focus the mind and enhance the power of meditative concentration and the power of wisdom (prajñā-bala). How does one observe the imputed grasping and the thoughts of the manas? First, observe the states and mental thoughts that appear in dreams: observe whether these states and thoughts are orderly or chaotic and disorganized, whether they have a focal point, what that focal point is, what it indicates, and what they are trying to do. In this way you will come to understand what the manas grasps at and attends to, as well as the problems existing within the mind. 

Second, at the moment of just waking up, observe what your thoughts are and what your emotions are like. These thoughts belong to the manas, not to the mind consciousness, because the mind consciousness has only just arisen and has not yet had time to generate thoughts and emotions. Third, in meditation, observe the thoughts that come and go. In meditation the mind consciousness has already settled down and has no thoughts, yet within the mind there are still some mental thoughts that will not settle, flickering bright and dim, now light, now heavy, constantly appearing—arising and ceasing, ceasing and arising. These mental thoughts all belong to the manas. 

In all circumstances these thoughts are scattered and unfocused, without stability; most of them are unimportant and meaningless. From this you can understand and observe the imputed nature of the manas. Because of this imputed nature, for beginningless kalpas we have exhausted and wasted so much energy without obtaining the wholesome results we should have obtained. Such grasping everywhere truly costs far more than it gains.

How can one curb and reduce the imputed nature of the manas? One must avoid contact with meaningless and useless people, affairs, things, and principles, minimize contact with various states, and as much as possible screen out the rotten people and rotten affairs of the world and the entangling, tangled human affairs. If you can know one dharma less, then know one dharma less; if you can remain ignorant of something, then remain ignorant of it. Those people and affairs have no meaning at all; they merely waste time and energy and leave impure thoughts in the mind. The mind should constantly adhere to one meaningful dharma, focusing on that dharma without wavering, without interruption, and without admixture. Taking this dharma as the main thread, as the days pass and the practice deepens, the scattered thoughts in the mind will diminish, the scattered mind can be subdued, and once the mind is concentrated and energy is focused and vigorous, wisdom will grow.