The Concealment and Manifestation of the Manas Is Entirely Dependent on the Observing Wisdom of the Mind Consciousness

The deliberation (manasikāra) of the mind consciousness is overt and easy to observe, whereas the deliberation of the manas is covert and not easy to observe. Because the mind consciousness has a relatively strong power of introspection (pratyavekṣā-bala), the solitary consciousness (mano-vijñāna-eka-citta) can observe some of the operational characteristics of both the consciousness accompanied by the five senses (pañca-sahagata-mano-vijñāna) and the solitary consciousness itself, but it cannot observe them all, because the mind consciousness has not transformed consciousness into wisdom. The Buddha can observe them all, and the wisdom of the varieties of paths of bodhisattvas who have attained the bhūmis can observe most of them.

However, when the solitary consciousness is obstructed by afflictions, lacks sufficient meditative concentration (samādhi), and has not transformed consciousness into wisdom, it cannot observe the operational characteristics of the manas. That is why it must be said that the deliberation of the manas is hidden. In fact, for the Buddha and for bodhisattvas who have transformed consciousness into wisdom, the characteristics of the manas are still fairly easy to observe. Whether hidden or overt depends entirely on the observational wisdom of the mind consciousness, not on the manas itself.

The manas also has self-validating cognition (svasaṃvedana) and possesses a faint capacity for introspection, able to observe its own operational characteristics; but the manas cannot express them, so the mind consciousness (that is, what we call "we") does not know. Since the mind consciousness does not know the operational characteristics of the manas, whether the manas's power of introspection is strong or weak, the mind consciousness still does not know.

Regarding things the mind consciousness does not know, many people's mind consciousness habitually denies them, saying they do not exist. Then, since the mind consciousness cannot observe the Earth's revolution and rotation, one could likewise say the Earth is motionless. Saying so would cause no harm, but it would not accord with the facts. How many facts and truths can the mind consciousness of an ordinary person actually observe? Not many—ignorance is too abundant and too thick, and the obstructions are too heavy. Yet precisely those with the most ignorance are the least willing to admit their own ignorance and the most inclined to trust their own judgments. That is truly helpless.