The Struggle Between Mind Consciousness and Manas

Rational people often experience situations where the mind consciousness and the manas struggle and contend with each other. Especially after taking up Buddhist study, once the mind consciousness understands certain principles and reasons, conflicts and contradictions between the two are even more likely to arise, with the mind consciousness wavering in indecision. This is because the mind consciousness has understood some principles and possesses rational thinking, so it has its own ideas, viewpoints, and opinions, while the manas still remains within the habitual patterns accumulated over countless eons and has not broken free from them. Therefore, it will stubbornly cling to its habits and resist obstinately, and so the two will come into conflict and reach a stalemate.

When a beginner in Buddhism, whose manas has not yet been perfumed, does not understand the benefits of studying Buddhism, as soon as adverse conditions arise, he no longer wants to study Buddhism; but the mind consciousness has already perceived the many benefits of studying Buddhism, and therefore delights in practicing and cultivating. Thus the two come into conflict and reach a stalemate, and the mind consciousness will waver in indecision. The one who wants to study Buddhism is certainly the mind consciousness, because the mind consciousness understands the principles, while the manas has not yet understood them. Through studying Buddhism and through contact with other Buddhist practitioners, the mind consciousness knows that studying Buddhism has many benefits—this is the knowing of the mind consciousness. But the manas does not yet quite understand this principle, so when it encounters even a little difficulty, the manas shrinks back and decides to stop studying.

The one that does not want to study is the subconscious, subliminal manas, which is hinting at the mind consciousness. But the mind consciousness, because it has understood the principles, may be relatively resolute, disregarding the manas's hints; or it may waver somewhat and deliberate further. So these two minds are constantly struggling with each other. What is called "struggle" is that the mind consciousness understands the principles and knows what should be done, but the manas does not know and does not want to do it. Because the manas has habitual tendencies, it is accustomed to ease and comfort, accustomed to laziness; it does not want to do many things, and it does not yet accord with the mental factor of diligence.

Because the mind consciousness has studied the Dharma, it knows that indulgence is not good, that ease and comfort are not good, that one should not crave comfort and leisure, and that diligent study of Buddhism is better. So the two consciousnesses do not agree, and the two must engage in mental struggle, deliberating back and forth within. Of course, the one that deliberates back and forth without being able to make up its mind is the manas, and the mind consciousness's thinking function operates together with it. The mind consciousness's thinking is relatively obvious and easy to observe, while the manas's deliberative nature is very difficult to observe; therefore it is said that the manas is the hidden consciousness, buried too deeply. What the final outcome will be depends on which of the two prevails in strength. If the mind consciousness has been perfumed rather deeply, it can withstand the manas's inertia and argue on the strength of reason; through its thinking activity it can persuade the manas, and the manas will then decide to persist in studying Buddhism.

If the manas's habitual tendencies prevail, the mind consciousness has no choice but to comply with the manas's habits, because after all it is the manas that is in charge and has the final say. If the mind consciousness fails to persuade the manas, it must take orders from the manas. The mind consciousness then thinks, "Fine, if we're not going to study, then we won't," and so it slackens. Therefore, our mind consciousness should study more Buddhist teachings and understand more principles, using this to enlighten, instruct, and persuade the manas. Through the mind consciousness's thinking, the manas comes to know that studying Buddhism is actually like this, that it makes sense, and that studying Buddhism is indeed better. Then, no matter what adverse conditions arise later, the manas will also decide to persist in studying Buddhism.

As one studies on and on, the manas comes to understand the principles; it knows that it is indeed good in this way, and its habitual tendencies will gradually transform. The more principles the manas understands, the more it can ultimately realize them. What is called "realization" means that the manas has understood that the principle is truly so—only then is it called realization. If the manas does not know, and it is only the mind consciousness's knowing, that is very superficial and has no decisive effect, and it cannot be called realization.

Even if the mind consciousness knows many principles, its effect is not great, because everything must go to the manas for approval; only if the manas passes it can it be put into practice. After the mind consciousness understands a principle, it submits the report, and when the manas reviews it and finds it is indeed this principle, once He gives the final approval, we will eradicate the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi) and see the mind. Therefore, cultivation, in the end, is cultivating the manas. At the beginning it is cultivating the mind consciousness; once the principles understood by the mind consciousness are implemented in the manas, every Dharma will be realized.