The Decisive Role of the Constant Deliberation of the Manas

The character "审" (examine) in the phrase "the manas constantly examines and deliberates" reveals the mental activity of the manas and also reveals the function it performs. This shows that the manas is not a mere ornament with no use at all; He is a lively conscious mind with a very important decisive role.

When the manas comes into contact with any dharma, it must examine it. Whatever dharmas the six consciousnesses discriminate, the manas must examine them. If the examination is passed, then it makes a decision and handles it. So what role does the manas play in Chan contemplation? What role does it play in eradicating the view of self? What role does it play in seeing the mind and realizing one's nature? What role does it play in realizing all dharmas? It plays a decisive role in all of them.

All dharmas must be vetted by the manas. If the manas has not examined them as qualified, they cannot be handled. From this one can see the dominant position and decisiveness of the manas. When the manas examines, it activates its own conscious activity, continuously considering, deliberating, and choosing. It does not completely obey the views and opinions of the six consciousnesses, nor does it immediately approve whatever the six consciousnesses discriminate. Therefore, everything seen by the six consciousnesses must be made clearly understood by the manas. If the manas does not understand clearly, the examination is unqualified and cannot pass, and the manas cannot make a decision. The eradication of the view of self and seeing the mind and realizing one's nature must both pass through the manas's examination and review. If the manas does not agree, one cannot eradicate the view of self or see the mind and realize one's nature. The mind consciousness's unilateral eradication of the view of self and seeing the mind is only what the mind consciousness itself understands and believes; if the master and superior does not agree, it does not count.

How can one get the manas to arrive at the result and answer by itself? The mind consciousness should analyze and think less, and let the manas deliberate and consider more by itself—this is the most effective. Once the mind consciousness knows the answer, it no longer wants to investigate, and the manas has no opportunity to inquire. In that case, one will never be able to realize enlightenment. Therefore, if one casually asks around for the answer to seeing the mind and casually speaks it out, the manas can no longer apply effort, and then one cannot realize enlightenment. The same applies to the content of eradicating the view of self: one should not ask the master to explain too finely. If the mind consciousness already knows it all, the manas can no longer think, and eradicating the view of self becomes very difficult.

In the phrase "the manas constantly examines and deliberates," "思" (thought) means choosing, pondering, and discriminating; "量" (measuring) means measuring, gauging, discerning, and considering. The mental activities of the manas—examining, thinking, and measuring—are extremely deep and subtle, difficult to detect and observe. Yet His conscious activity is still very powerful, bearing the bearing of a king, occupying an irreplaceable dominant position in the choice of all dharmas.