The Modes of expression of the Manas

Question: In a dream, two people, A and B, are conversing. A asks: Is there a self within feeling and consciousness? B answers: There is no self. Both the question and the answer are expressions in language by the mind consciousness. So did the manas participate in this question and answer?

Answer: The entire dreamscape is presented by the manas. Through the person A, the manas raises its own question, with the purpose of getting its mind consciousness to think about it and solve this problem on its behalf. That the manas needs the mind consciousness to solve a problem means it has already developed doubt and wants to resolve it, and only then does it produce this dream.

What is expressed in language and words is the function of the mind consciousness. Behind the mind consciousness's expression, there is the manas's decision-making and impetus, and there is the manas's thinking. The mind consciousness is impelled by the manas to express; what is expressed may be the mind consciousness's own view, may be the manas's view, or may be the view shared by both. If the manas has no questioning doubt about this issue and does not want to know the answer, it would not produce this dream.

If the manas already knows the answer to the question, how should it express it when the other party asks? Because the manas has no function of language and words, if He wants to express, first, He does so through the mind consciousness's language, words, and sounds, and the mind consciousness will answer quickly without deliberation, as if without going through the brain or without thinking; if it thinks and hesitates for a moment, what is expressed is generally more the mind consciousness's own view. Second, the manas may express through a mental realm, or what is called a state of experience; the manas will present a realm that represents the manas's thoughts, views, and psychological state. And the deepest realm is usually called a samādhi realm. When the elimination of self-view and awakening to the true mind occur, there appears the samādhi realm of the equal cultivation of Samādhi and Prajñā, which represents that the manas has realized emptiness and no-self. When the manas abides in a samādhi realm, that is seeing the Path.

If the manas has understood and realized that feeling and consciousness are without self, what manifestations will there be in daily life? What differences from before? What mental dispositions and habits have changed?

Bai Xuexiang's experience: The changes in daily life are extremely great; only habitual tendencies will arise from time to time, but they are instantly perceived by introspection, and gradually the habitual tendencies lose more and more of their power. These habitual tendencies are precisely karmic force.

Ru She's experience: One no longer cares about the cognitive disturbances brought by feeling and consciousness, and has no impulse to stir up greedy or deluded thoughts; afflictions rarely arise in the mind, the pace of life slows down considerably, and experiencing people and affairs feels like watching from outside, with a sense of detachment—but I don't know whether this will increase compassion.

A sense of detachment from people and affairs means a certain degree of cutting away from people and affairs, no longer closely adhering to or depending on them. This is a psychological state approaching emptiness, showing that cultivation has achieved a certain effect and one has entered the stage of the four aids to penetration (nirvedha-bhāgīya). After passing through this stage, self-view will be eliminated.