The Root of Realizing the Dharma Lies in the Manas

Question: Uninterrupted attention (manaskāra) seems to occur when the Dharma teachings have penetrated deep into the manas; only the manas can sustain uninterrupted attention, without letting go moment after moment. In fact, isn't merit precisely the inevitable product of the manas' acceptance or transformation? As long as the manas genuinely accepts and takes on the Dharma, the merit of realizing the fruits naturally arises, and wisdom arises as well—this is a series of naturally occurring events, and the root of realizing the Dharma still lies in the manas. Is that correct?

Answer: That is correct. Uninterrupted attention—"uninterrupted" means without cessation. Only the manas can attend to the Dharma teachings without interruption, throughout the six periods of the day and night, from morning to evening, thought after thought without pause. This requires the mind consciousness to cultivate and study the Buddha's teachings, successfully permeating the manas. When the manas considers the Buddha's teachings to be important, it will hold the Dharma in mind moment after moment, its thoughts never departing from the Dharma, and one day it will certainly realize the Buddha's teachings. If the manas does not hold the Buddha's teachings in mind, the mind consciousness's thoughts about the Dharma will inevitably be cut off, and it cannot attend to the Dharma without interruption.

Using hypnotic methods, one can also make the manas accept something, after which the manas undergoes a transformation. Each person's degree of acceptance and realization of the Buddha's teachings by the manas differs, so the impressions received differ, the transformations differ, and the wisdom differs as well. Therefore, fundamental wisdom still refers to what the manas brings about.