The Reflective Power of Manas

The introspective power of the mental faculty (manas) is inherent in all sentient beings; it is merely that the conscious mind (mano-vijñāna) lacks great wisdom and, prior to the transformation of consciousness into wisdom, cannot observe it. Although the mental faculty is aware of all dharmas, it relies on the conscious mind to observe them. If the conscious mind fails to observe something, it remains ignorant. The awareness held by the mental faculty, if unknown to the conscious mind, seems to serve no purpose.

After the mental faculty becomes aware, it must depend on the conscious mind to act. If the conscious mind remains unaware, action cannot be taken. Therefore, all people regard the knowledge of the conscious mind as true knowledge. If the conscious mind is unaware, they consider themselves ignorant; and if they deem themselves ignorant, they declare that the thing does not exist. This is the reasoning logic of the vast majority, yet this logic is flawed. Without great wisdom, sentient beings cannot recognize any of their errors, much less correct them. Since sentient beings fail to recognize their own mistakes and ignorance, unaware that they are trapped within countless misunderstandings, they cannot emerge from these misunderstandings. A perpetual mist obscures their vision, leaving them unable to see anything clearly—this is ignorance (avidyā). The heavier the ignorance, the harder it becomes to gain the wisdom needed to perceive reality clearly, and the more difficult it is to attain liberation.