Manas and Vijñāna: Thought and Knowing

Both the manas and the mental consciousness are forms of consciousness; both possess the mental factor of volition and are capable of thinking, reflecting, and deliberating. Since the vast majority of people cannot observe the volition of the manas, they believe there is a difference between the volition of the manas and that of the mental consciousness. They call the volition of the mental consciousness "thinking" and that of the manas "deliberating," asserting that thinking is not deliberating and deliberating is not thinking. If one states that the manas thinks or reflects, they consider it incorrect, claiming it is the mental consciousness that thinks and reflects. If one speaks of the mental activities of the manas, many would say it is wrong, insisting that it is the mental consciousness that engages in mental activities. Therefore, for those who cannot observe the mental activities of the manas yet insist on studying Yogācāra while remaining stubbornly attached to their views, it becomes very problematic.

Why do many say that the volition of the manas is very profound, concealed, and difficult to observe? The reason lies in the fact that sentient beings take the knowing of the mental consciousness as knowing. What the mental consciousness knows, sentient beings know; what the mental consciousness does not know, they do not know. If the mental consciousness lacks sufficient wisdom and does not know the mental activities of the manas or what the manas knows, then sentient beings will not know the mental activities of the manas or what the manas knows. Consequently, they perceive the mental activities of the manas as profound, concealed, and subtle. In truth, the blame should be placed on the ignorance of the mental consciousness. When the mental consciousness possesses wisdom and its wisdom is unobstructed, it can directly observe the mental activities of the manas. Then, the manas no longer seems profound and difficult to understand, nor concealed and hard to know, and misunderstandings about the mental factors of the manas cease to arise.

What would happen if all sentient beings took the knowing of the manas as knowing? If sentient beings took the knowing of the manas as knowing, then what the manas does not know, they would not know. If the manas does not know what the mental consciousness knows, then regardless of what the mental consciousness knows or how many dharmas it apprehends, the manas remains unaware, meaning sentient beings would not know. Consequently, the theories learned by the mental consciousness would be of little use. The manas, moreover, does not know the eighth consciousness (ālaya-vijñāna), making enlightenment even more difficult to attain. In such a case, sentient beings would say: The mental activities of the mental consciousness are profound, subtle, and difficult to know, very concealed and hard to fathom, while the eighth consciousness is even more profound, concealed, difficult to know, with subtle activities.

In reality, whether dharmas are concealed or apparent, obscure or clear, depends on the wisdom of the consciousness, not on the dharmas themselves. When there is wisdom, any dharma is apparent, easy to know, and easy to understand. Without wisdom, even the most apparent dharma seems profound and concealed. Therefore, after the sixth and seventh consciousnesses transform into wisdom, the mental consciousness can directly observe the mental activities of the manas and those of the eighth consciousness, without finding it particularly difficult. The Buddha observes all dharmas with ease; He does not even need to observe to know all dharmas, for He comprehends all dharmas perfectly.

If sentient beings took the knowing of the manas as knowing, they would possess spiritual powers. There might be no secrets between them, and past and future lives would be clear. Thus, they could know causes and recognize effects. Perhaps, to suffer less retribution, they would commit fewer unwholesome deeds. Nevertheless, many still have heavy self-attachment. Even though they clearly know they suffer greatly due to creating unwholesome karma, they continue to create it repeatedly. Those who are frequently imprisoned are like this, unrepentant even unto death. However, because the manas lacks the clear guiding function of the mental consciousness, it is simple-minded and naive. Emotional attachments would become heavier, self-nature would intensify, the mental consciousness would find it difficult to restrain it, the likelihood of creating unwholesome karma would increase, and eliminating the view of self would become even harder.

What would it be like if all sentient beings took the knowing of the eighth consciousness as knowing? The eighth consciousness does not know or perceive worldly dharmas; it does not know self, others, him, or her; it does not see forms or hear sounds; it does not know the objects of the six dusts (sense fields). In such a case, sentient beings would be unable to survive; their six sense faculties would shut down, and they would abide in a state of nirvana. Would this be good? Some might say that under these circumstances, Bodhisattvas could not deliver sentient beings. But at that point, which sentient being would not already be in a state of nirvana, requiring the deliverance of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas? If sentient beings took the knowing of the eighth consciousness as knowing, there would be no need to study the Buddha or the Dharma, nor would there be any distinction between Buddhas and sentient beings.

If all sentient beings took the knowing of the five sensory consciousnesses as knowing, they would be unable to survive, and the world of the five aggregates could not function. This is because the five sensory consciousnesses only cognize coarse sensory objects; they do not cognize subtle sensory objects, let alone understand mental dharmas. They do not know the mental consciousness, the manas, or the eighth consciousness; apart from coarse sensory objects, they know nothing. If they do not even know the mental consciousness, how could they know the coarse objects of the five dusts? The five sensory consciousnesses must cooperate with the mental consciousness to cognize the coarse aspects of the five dusts. But knowing only the coarse aspects of the five dusts, unaware of their subtle aspects, unaware of the objects of the mental consciousness (dharma-dhātu), unaware of mental dharmas, they absolutely cannot sustain life. In short, to know all dharmas, whichever consciousness is taken as the primary knower must possess great wisdom; consciousness must transform into wisdom, and only by using wisdom-consciousness can all dharmas be known.