Liberation Is Resolving the Problem of Manas

Entering meditation and fearing self-disappearance or being unable to return—all these are fears arising from the manas. The consciousness needs to convince the manas not to cling to the five aggregates, for the five aggregates are not real. Therefore, severing the view of self requires the manas to sever it; eliminating afflictions requires the manas to eliminate afflictions; eradicating ignorance requires the manas to eradicate ignorance. All afflictions reside in the manas, and liberation means resolving the problems of the manas.

Numerous examples illustrate this issue: insufficient meditative power and inadequate wisdom prevent one from recognizing this truth. That manas is utterly foolish, yet it clings to consciousness. It remains unaware that the manas itself is on fire, rushing instead to extinguish the fire of consciousness. While the house burns down, it lingers on the periphery—what wisdom is that?