Is the Discriminating Wisdom of the Manas Inferior?

Although sleep is determined by the manas, the manas does not have a mind that makes the six consciousnesses cease; He has no concept of the six consciousnesses. It is merely that the deliberation (manasikāra) mental factor decides not to further discern the objects of the six sense objects, and the tathāgatagarbha complies. The seeds of consciousness arise ever fewer and ever more slowly, the discernment of the six consciousnesses grows ever fainter, and finally they cease, and so one falls asleep, with body and mind at ease. The instructions issued by the brain and nervous system become fewer and fewer, the body's various metabolic processes diminish, consumption decreases, and the energy within the body becomes ample and full. The manas feels that it can smoothly direct the activities of body and mind without much obstruction, and so it wants to discern the six sense objects and wants there to be activity of the five aggregates. The tathāgatagarbha complies and gives rise to the six consciousnesses, and thus one wakes up from sleep.

From this we can see that the manas's discernment of the condition of the physical body is very precise, and its arrangement of the five aggregates of the physical body is methodical and orderly. If there is rest the next day, it lets the physical body sleep a while longer, in no hurry for there to be activity of the five aggregates; if there is something to do the next day, it lets the physical body get up earlier. The mental activities of the manas are quite complex, sensitive, and flexible; its wisdom is not shallow, nor does it rely on the mind consciousness to accomplish these matters—it operates entirely on its own, without needing any assistant. Who says the discerning wisdom of the manas is inferior? If He were completely inferior, inferior at all times and in all places, what could the entire five-aggregate body still accomplish?