Attainment of the Fruit Through Manas Ensures Non-regression

The liberation of consciousness cannot sever any afflictive bonds, for the bonds are the fetters of the manas (ego-mind). They stem from the ignorance inherent in the manas. Consciousness cannot substitute for the manas in dispelling ignorance or cutting off the three fetters. The liberation of consciousness fundamentally cannot eradicate the doubts held by the manas; regression is certain in the future. However, when the manas severs the bonds and breaks the view of self, it will never regress or deny this realization. Even when encountering immense adverse conditions, one might lie and claim not to be someone who has broken the view of self, not to be a Bodhisattva, yet the manas within the mind will not regress in its confidence and the insight of wisdom. No matter what, the manas remains steadfast and unwavering, never losing the path to Bodhi.

Regression or not is a matter of consciousness; the manas has no capacity to regress. Its established wisdom cognition does not change due to external forces. Sentient beings, because of that 'self,' cycle through birth and death life after life, suffering for countless eons in hell, yet still have not broken the view of self. How could someone whose manas has realized the fruit and awakened to the mind regress so easily? Is thought so easily transformed? Once the manas realizes the Dharma and thought transforms, it does not revert. Otherwise, even a Buddha could regress to an ordinary being. If the realization of the Dharma by the manas could regress, it would be an exceedingly strange phenomenon. If thought were so easily transformed, breaking the view of self and attaining enlightenment would be extremely easy, and attaining Buddhahood would be extremely easy. Why then would it require the arduous cultivation over three great asamkhyeya kalpas (incalculable eons) to finally become a Buddha?