Can Mind Consciousness and Manas Be Separated?

The manas is the defiled-and-pure basis of the six consciousnesses: when the manas is defiled, the six consciousnesses are necessarily defiled; when the manas is pure, the six consciousnesses are necessarily pure. So if the manas has not eradicated the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi), can the mind consciousness eradicate the view of self? If the manas has not severed the afflictive bondages, has not severed the three fetters, can the mind consciousness sever the three fetters? Since the manas has not severed the three fetters, at the time of death it is drawn by karmic obstructions toward the hells to undergo retribution—where would the mind consciousness go at that moment?

When the manas is at the stage of an ordinary person's ignorance, can the mind consciousness alone become a sage of the first fruit (srotāpanna)? Would such a person be counted as an ordinary person or as a sage who has realized the fruit? Or would it be split into two, divided apart? If someone has harmed oneself, and the manas is extremely obstinately attached to self and insists on carrying out revenge, how should the mind consciousness deal with this matter? When the mind consciousness is clear-headed, understands the correct principles, and has already been influenced by learning, it can reason with the manas and counter-train the manas, thereby suppressing and subduing the manas so that it does not take revenge or commit evil karma. But at the time of death and in the neutrino-body (antarā-bhava), when the power of the mind consciousness is weak, it has no way to lead the manas or persuade the manas.

In a dream, can the mind consciousness guide and admonish the manas? If one cannot even maintain control of oneself in a dream, then at the time of death one certainly cannot maintain control of oneself. What is meant by maintaining control? It means the mind consciousness understands the principles, tames the manas, rectifies the manas, and keeps the direction of the manas well in hand. Clearly, at the time of death and in the neutrino-body (antarā-bhava), the mind consciousness has no way to maintain control of the manas; at that point the manas will be drawn along by karmic power, or drawn along by power of vows, and will not be drawn along by the mind consciousness. So if one's practice remains only at the stage of the mind consciousness and refuses to advance a single step further, is that not very dangerous and unreliable?