The Struggle Between Consciousness and Manas

For rational individuals, it often occurs that the conscious mind and the mental faculty engage in a struggle, particularly after one begins studying Buddhism. Once the conscious mind comprehends certain principles, conflicts and contradictions between the two may arise, leading to indecision in the conscious mind. This happens because the conscious mind, having grasped some truths and developed rational thinking, forms its own ideas, viewpoints, and opinions. However, the mental faculty remains entrenched in habitual tendencies accumulated over countless eons, unable to break free, thus stubbornly clinging to habits and resisting change. Consequently, the two enter into conflict, resulting in a standoff.

When a novice Buddhist practitioner, whose mental faculty has not yet been influenced, fails to understand the benefits of studying Buddhism, encountering adverse conditions may lead to a desire to abandon the practice. Meanwhile, the conscious mind, having already experienced the various advantages of studying Buddhism, develops an affinity for it. Thus, conflict arises, leading to a stalemate, and the conscious mind becomes hesitant. The desire to study Buddhism originates from the conscious mind because it comprehends the principles, whereas the mental faculty does not yet understand them. Through studying Buddhism and interacting with other practitioners, the conscious mind becomes aware of the many benefits—this is the knowing of the conscious mind. However, the mental faculty, still lacking full understanding, retreats at the slightest difficulty and decides to quit.

The desire to quit stems from the subconscious, instinctive mental faculty, which subtly influences the conscious mind. The conscious mind, having comprehended the principles, may remain resolute, disregarding the mental faculty's hints, or it may hesitate and deliberate further. Thus, these two minds frequently engage in struggle. This so-called struggle arises because the conscious mind understands the principles and knows what should be done, while the mental faculty does not know and resists doing it. Due to its habitual tendencies, the mental faculty is accustomed to comfort, laziness, and avoiding effort; it does not yet align with the mental factor of diligence.

Because the conscious mind has studied the Dharma, it knows that heedlessness is detrimental, that comfort is unwholesome, and that one should not crave ease and freedom; instead, diligent study of Buddhism is preferable. Thus, when the two minds disagree, they engage in internal debate, with the mind weighing options back and forth. Of course, the indecision primarily belongs to the mental faculty, though the thinking function of the conscious mind also operates alongside it. The conscious mind's thinking is more apparent and easily observable, whereas the deliberative nature of the mental faculty is difficult to discern, hence it is called the "hidden consciousness," buried too deeply. The final outcome depends on which of the two gains the upper hand. If the conscious mind has been thoroughly influenced, it can withstand the inertia of the mental faculty, argue based on reason, and through thinking activities, persuade the mental faculty, which then resolves to persist in studying Buddhism.

If the habitual tendencies of the mental faculty prevail, the conscious mind has no choice but to comply, as ultimately, the mental faculty holds the authority. If the conscious mind fails to persuade the mental faculty, it must submit to its direction. The conscious mind may then think, "If it doesn’t want to study, so be it," and thus becomes lax. Therefore, our conscious mind must study the Buddhadharma more, comprehend more principles, to enlighten, instruct, and persuade the mental faculty. Through the conscious mind's thinking, the mental faculty comes to understand that studying Buddhism is indeed meaningful and beneficial, and thus resolves to persist in practice despite encountering adverse conditions.

As one continues to study, the mental faculty gradually comprehends the principles, realizing how truly beneficial they are, and its habitual tendencies slowly transform. The more principles the mental faculty understands, the closer it comes to attainment. So-called "attainment" means the mental faculty genuinely comprehends that this is indeed the truth; only then is it called attainment. If the mental faculty does not know, and only the conscious mind knows, such understanding is superficial, lacks decisive power, and cannot be called attainment.

Even if the conscious mind knows many principles, its effect is limited because the mental faculty must approve them before they can be implemented. After understanding a principle, the conscious mind submits a report; once the mental faculty examines and confirms its validity, He gives the final approval, enabling us to eradicate the view of self and realize the mind. Therefore, in the end, spiritual practice is about cultivating the mental faculty. Initially, it involves cultivating the conscious mind; once the principles understood by the conscious mind are integrated into the mental faculty, all Dharma realizations can be attained.