The Difference Between What the Mind Consciousness and the Manas Like

Liking something in the mind can be roughly divided into two levels, or two degrees: the shallow is the mind consciousness's liking, and the deep is the manas's liking. The liking over which one cannot exercise control is the mind consciousness's liking; when one likes something and schemes by every means to obtain it, and takes action to get it, that is the manas's liking. Addiction and fascination, being unable to stop thinking of something moment after moment—these are all the manas's liking. For example, in a family, the head of the household has the final say. Liking something can be the child's liking, or it can be the parent's liking. But no matter what the child likes, the child cannot make the decision; only with the parent's consent can there be a way to obtain what is liked, whereas whatever the parent likes, the parent finds a way to obtain. The child is analogous to the mind consciousness, and the parent is analogous to the manas.

If the mind consciousness's liking influences the manas, and the manas also likes it, or the manas agrees with the mind consciousness's liking, the manas will decide to obtain what is liked and will grasp at it. The mind consciousness's liking is influenced on the one hand by the manas, and on the other hand by the environmental objects of the six sense objects. The manas's liking comes on the one hand from afflictive habitual tendencies accumulated over beginningless kalpas, and on the other hand from the mind consciousness's perfuming. If the mind consciousness's liking does not influence the manas, the manas will simply ignore it; the mind consciousness likes it in vain and cannot obtain it. For example, liking to study the Dharma is first the mind consciousness's liking, and then the manas's liking. If the mind consciousness likes to study the Dharma but the manas does not, there will be no diligence. If the manas also likes to study the Dharma, one will pursue it tirelessly and cultivate and study with diligence. What can be persisted in long-term without being given up is all the manas's liking; what is on-and-off means the manas is not very interested, being led and controlled by the mind consciousness—and when the manas cannot be controlled, it simply runs off.