The Smaller the Afflictions and Obstructions, the Greater the Wisdom

Distinguishing the respective functions and roles of the manas and the mind consciousness, and the respective influence each exerts, is entirely achievable. The key lies in what kind of person can achieve it, to what degree, and what kind of person cannot—this depends on each individual's level of wisdom. The level of wisdom is also constrained by the severity of one's afflictions and the weight of one's habitual tendencies, as well as by the depth of one's meditative concentration (samādhi). Wisdom, meditative concentration, and the degree of purity of the mind—these three are intimately related, closely connected, and inseparable.

The nature and functions of the mind consciousness may be relatively easier to grasp compared with the nature of the manas and the nature of the eighth consciousness, but the vast majority of people are still unable to apprehend them and remain in a state of confusion. Why is this so? Mainly because these dharmas are still rather profound and subtle. If one's understanding of Buddhist principles is not deep and thorough, one's knowledge and views are insufficient, one's mind is restless, and one lacks meditative concentration, then one cannot carefully deliberate and engage in contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) on the operation of the mind consciousness itself. Without the wisdom of direct perception, even the relatively coarse nature of the mind consciousness cannot be observed clearly.

Among these, there is also the reason of obstruction by afflictions. When it comes to afflictions, most people only recognize greed and anger, not knowing that ignorance and delusion are also part of the afflictions—indeed the most important part, the root of afflictions. Delusion means the mind-ground is unclear, lacking wisdom and lacking correct knowledge and views; its fundamental cause is also insufficient merit. If there were no obstruction by afflictions, wisdom would be vast and great; the mind consciousness could transform consciousness into wisdom, could understand more principles of the Buddha-dharma, and could directly observe the operation of many dharmas. Such wisdom cannot be described in concrete terms—it is deep, vast, and subtle, beyond the imagination of ordinary people.

As for the functions and nature of the manas, ordinary people, without the guidance of one who has gone before, cannot observe them directly, because the operational characteristics of the manas are too hidden and too profound and subtle. Bodhisattvas at the first bhūmi and above can directly observe a small portion of them; pre-bhūmi bodhisattvas (pūrvabhūmika bodhisattvas), relying on the teachings of good spiritual teachers, may perhaps understand them fairly adequately, and may perhaps experience a little of them. Those who have not yet attained enlightenment, relying on the teachings of good spiritual teachers, can also realize the manas and understand a very small portion of its functions, and can have some experience of them, but it may not yet amount to direct observation.

Pre-bhūmi bodhisattvas find it very difficult to directly observe how, in the course of the operation of all dharmas, the manas and the mind consciousness coordinate with one another and cooperate closely; it is difficult to distinguish, in the operation of the various dharmas, which are the functions of the mind consciousness and which are the functions of the manas; it is difficult to distinguish whether the discernment of dharmas belongs to the manas or to the mind consciousness, whether the deliberation and decision-making regarding dharmas belongs to the manas or to the mind consciousness, and it is difficult to distinguish whether the functions of the various mental factors belong to the manas or to the mind consciousness—still less can they distinguish what mental factors the manas possesses, cannot distinguish what differences exist among the mental factors of each sentient being, or what differences exist among the mental factors of practitioners at different stages. If a pre-bhūmi bodhisattva has mild afflictions, small obstructions, and relatively deep and vast wisdom, they can rely on the teachings of good spiritual teachers to distinguish part of the natures of the manas and the mind consciousness; but those with heavy afflictions and heavy ignorance cannot make such distinctions.