The Unique Mode of Deliberation of the Manas (I)

The thought-free numinous knowing mind, besides referring to the state of the mind consciousness discerning the six sense objects when it is without thoughts, also refers to another mind that has no verbal or surface-level thinking and analysis, yet can know the realms of the six sense objects as well as dharmas beyond the six sense objects—one that is more agile, more hidden, more profound, more deliberative, with greater power of deliberation (manasikāra) and stronger ability to solve problems. That is the manas.

The manas cannot analyze and think about the realms of the six sense objects the way the mind consciousness does, but the manas has its own unique mode of deliberation, and its deliberative nature is extremely strong. Sentient beings rely mainly on the manas's deliberative nature to make decisions and exercise dominion. If the mind consciousness lacks sufficient wisdom, it cannot observe and know the manas's unique and hidden deliberative nature; the manner and pulse of His deliberation remain unknown to others, and are also unknown to one's own mind consciousness. Therefore many people misunderstand Him and rack their brains over Him.

There are also many times when the manas deliberates alone. For example, suppose one falls asleep at night with a problem unsolved; the next morning, the moment one opens one's eyes, the mind consciousness already knows what is going on—the problem has been solved. There are many problems that the mind consciousness cannot think through clearly and leaves unresolved, going off to do other things; then at some unknown moment, suddenly a flash of inspiration comes—one slaps one's forehead: "Right, that's exactly how it is!" One has figured it out and knows the solution. This is the function of the manas's deliberative nature: He deliberates secretly and silently, and the mind consciousness does not necessarily know it.

Although the mind consciousness has temporarily given up on the problem it cannot solve and no longer thinks about or analyzes it, the manas has not given up; He has been keeping it in mind, dwelling on it, deliberating over it, and pondering it all along. The mental factors (caittas) of the manas have been operating continuously. He does not have the obvious thinking and analytical function that the mind consciousness has, and there are some differences from the mind consciousness's thinking and analytical functions; but exactly what those differences are, even a bodhisattva who has attained the patience with non-arising (anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti) may not know much about them, because this content is extremely, extremely deep.

Whether the manas's deliberation is obvious or not is relative to the wisdom of the mind consciousness. The manas simply operates as He does, without deliberately hiding anything; it depends on whether the mind consciousness has the wisdom to observe and discover Him. The mental activities and operations of the eighth consciousness are also very obvious—just as obvious as the operations of the five sense consciousnesses and the mind consciousness. He does not deliberately conceal Himself; it only depends on whether the mind consciousness has very strong observational wisdom. If the mind consciousness's power of wisdom (prajñā-bala) is not strong, it cannot even observe its own mental activities, let alone the mental activities of the manas and the eighth consciousness.

In fact, there are many, many dharmas that the manas deliberates on, and the scope is extremely broad; what the mind consciousness knows is only a very small part. When the mind consciousness lacks wisdom, it understands nothing at all of the manas's deliberative nature; but whether or not the mind consciousness understands it, the manas still has His own deliberative functions and His own mode of deliberation. For example, when the manas deals with the matter of one's skeletal remains from a past life, the mind consciousness can never know of such a thing, yet the manas can deliberate on his own about how to resolve it. Another example: when the manas enters another person's dream, or expounds the Dharma to someone, or asks someone for something, these are all operations carried out by the manas alone, and in all of them there is the manas's deliberative nature, which the mind consciousness does not know about.

As for the dharmas the manas deliberates on within the six sense objects, He can let the mind consciousness know them, or not let it know them—but this is not a matter of letting or not letting; it depends on whether the mind consciousness has wisdom. There are many times when even a person with wisdom has no way of knowing what the manas is deliberating on. As for the results of the manas's deliberation, sometimes the mind consciousness can know them, and sometimes it cannot; in fact, most of the time the mind consciousness does not know them, due to insufficient wisdom.

When the manas deliberates and arrives at a result, reaching the conclusion: "This matter is very important!"—an important matter must be handed over to the six consciousnesses to execute and resolve; at this time He must find a way to let the six consciousnesses know. If the matter is not important and the manas can resolve it on His own, He will not specifically find a way to alert the mind consciousness to know. When the mind consciousness is rather dull and has little awareness, it does not even know the dharmas the manas has deliberated on or the conclusions He has reached. Even if the mind consciousness does not know, the manas still directs the six consciousnesses to carry things out as usual.

When not a single thought arises, the mind consciousness indeed gives rise to no thoughts, but the manas is not so—His thoughts generally never cease. When not a single thought arises, if the mind consciousness suddenly thinks of a matter and immediately gets up and goes out to attend to it, this is the result of the manas's thoughts turning while the mind consciousness gives rise to no thoughts.