How to Let the Manas Itself Derive Results and Answers

Question: "How can the manas arrive at results and answers by itself? The mind consciousness should analyze and deliberate less, and let the manas do more deliberation and weighing on its own—this is the most effective way. Once the mind consciousness knows the answer, it no longer wants to investigate, and the manas then has no opportunity to investigate."

Previously I saw my master's teaching on the Dharma principles: the mind consciousness should analyze and deliberate more in order to permeate the manas. This seems to contradict the statement above. What is going on?

Answer: At the very beginning, the mind consciousness must do a lot of permeating. Once the mind consciousness has clarified the Dharma principles, it should then set aside the marks of language and words, condensing these principles into a single point and constantly suspending it in the mind. At this point, the manas's deliberation exceeds the mind consciousness's deliberation.

The mind consciousness permeating itself with Dharma principles is like an investigator gathering market information: the intelligence must be detailed. After the materials are collected, they are handed over to the boss—the manas—for review. At that point, the subordinate has little left to do; only when the boss cannot understand something does the subordinate offer an appropriate explanation or supplement. When the Dharma principles are condensed into a single point and suspended in the mind, it means the boss—the manas—is about to review the materials. At this time, the employee should not disturb the boss too much. After the boss finishes the review and arrives at his own conclusion, he makes the final decision and confirms it. This is what it means to realize it.

In worldly law, to convict someone of a crime requires one hundred percent of the evidence. Likewise, when the manas (the judge) raises a questioning doubt, it needs the mind consciousness (the prosecutor) to search for evidence, and the search is complete only when the manas is firmly convinced; only then can the sentence be determined and the verdict passed.