The Four Relationships Between the Manas and the Mind Consciousness

Psychological problems in people are generally problems of the manas. When the manas long goes without understanding or an outlet for release, and has been suppressed for too long, psychological problems arise and manifest as various psychological symptoms. To guide and resolve the manas's psychological problems, one can rely on two things: first, other people who understand psychology; second, one's own mind consciousness. If the mind consciousness clearly understands the psychological state of the manas, and possesses methods for solving problems, along with the ability and wisdom to solve them, it can gradually and step by step guide and release the manas's psychological emotions, allowing the manas to open its heart and understand, dispelling depression and channeling away suppressed emotions.

Generally speaking, there are roughly four kinds of relationship between the manas and the mind consciousness: two situations where the mind consciousness and the manas are in harmonious accord, and two situations where they are not in harmonious accord.

In the first situation, the manas is wholesome and the mind consciousness is also wholesome; the two are in harmonious accord in goodness. The mind consciousness does not go against the manas, and moreover can enhance the manas's goodness. The result is goodness without any hesitation, wholehearted goodness, goodness from the inside out. There is no psychological problem; after doing good deeds, the mind feels even more refreshed. This is great goodness, which can bring great wholesome retribution; the seeds of wholesome karma ripen quickly, and the wholesome retribution is received quickly as well.

In the second situation, the manas is unwholesome and the mind consciousness is also unwholesome; the two are in harmonious accord in evil. The mind consciousness does not go against the manas in the slightest, and moreover will enhance the manas's evil. The two will then join together in wholehearted evil, without any hesitation. After committing unwholesome deeds, one feels even more gratified and psychologically comfortable, feeling no shame or remorse. There is no psychological problem, but this is great evil; the seeds of unwholesome karma ripen quickly, and the unwholesome retribution is received quickly as well.

In the third situation, the manas is unwholesome while the mind consciousness is wholesome. When the mind consciousness wholeheartedly inclines toward goodness, the manas feels uncomfortable and is unwilling to be good, but is forced by environmental pressure to act wholesomely. Psychological problems will then arise in the manas, and afterward there may be regret. Sometimes this psychological problem can be resolved, and sometimes it cannot. This belongs to true evil and false goodness—the essence is evil. If the manas's power of evil is greater than the power of the environment, and the mind consciousness's goodness is relatively weak, failing to influence the manas, so that the permeation is unsuccessful, then unwholesome karma will be committed—this is true evil. But it is not always so. If the mind consciousness is permeated by a good environment, becoming more and more wholesome, and infects the manas, overcoming the manas's evil, then afterward it is possible that wholesome karma will be committed and evil will no longer be done.

In the fourth situation, the manas is wholesome while the mind consciousness has unwholesome intentions due to environmental influences. When the manas is pressured by the environment and forced to act unwholesomely, there will be psychological shadows, repression, and remorse. Sometimes this psychological problem can be remedied through repentance, and sometimes it cannot, and a knot forms in the manas's mind. This belongs to true goodness and false evil—the essence is not corrupted. If the manas's power of goodness is relatively strong and the mind consciousness's power of evil is weak, unable to overcome the goodness or permeate it, then in the end it is the manas's goodness that takes charge and commits wholesome karma. But this does not mean it is always so. If the evil environment persists and the mind consciousness's power of evil grows stronger, the manas may also comply with the mind consciousness's evil and decide to commit unwholesome karma; the manas has then been successfully permeated by evil.