The Various Thoughts and Emotions of Manas Are Manifested Through the Six Consciousnesses

Currently, many people in society suffer from a depressive psychological state, with even middle school students exhibiting depression. This issue largely stems from karmic forces, while a smaller portion relates to individual causal conditions. The primary symptoms of depression include a closed-off inner state, lack of communication with others, difficulty expressing inner thoughts, and a persistently gloomy and uncheerful mood. Regarding such psychological states, consciousness is often inexplicably unaware—individuals do not understand why they feel so downcast. This arises from obstructed mental states within the manas (the thinking mind).

Because the manas harbors thoughts and emotions that cannot be vented, with no one understanding one's ideas and perspectives—or even knowing how to seek someone to confide in or ask for help—no one can provide guidance. Simultaneously, being unable to communicate with one's own consciousness, and the consciousness failing to comprehend, prevents resolution of the problem. It is this that causes the manas to develop depression. For many, the fundamental cause is karmic—the retributive results arising from events experienced and actions committed by the manas in past lives.

Regarding individual causal conditions: when inner desires remain unfulfilled, depression arises; when the environment fails to meet psychological needs, depression arises. A common characteristic of depressed individuals is thinking too much but acting too little, leading to unrealized ideas and unmet psychological needs. When too many thoughts accumulate, they form a burden, and depression emerges. Depression is also called "frustrated ambitions"—having various desires yet being unable to satisfy them, resulting in low mood, oppression, and gloom.

Some individuals may experience feelings of being utterly lost or not wanting to live. This too is dominated by the emotions of the manas, with consciousness manifesting precisely the mental activities of the manas. "Feeling utterly lost" means the six consciousnesses do not know what to do or how to act, because the manas cannot make up its mind, hesitating and refusing to decide or issue commands. Consequently, the six consciousnesses become anxious and unsettled. When the six consciousnesses express and reflect the thoughts and emotions of the manas, this manifests as their agitation, lack of a core anchor, and sense of having no refuge. Hence, one feels bored and unwilling to live.

When emotions are agitated, the heart rate increases. This too is caused by the emotions of the manas. For instance, the saying "anger arises from the heart, malice emerges at the edge of the gallbladder" illustrates how the manas manifests anger and malice. The heart, gallbladder, and all internal organs are mobilized by the manas through the brain's nervous system. The entire physical body is directed by the manas via the brain's nervous system; the manas can control the whole body and guide all its activities. When consciousness is angry but the manas is not, this is feigned anger—no matter how angry one appears, there is no inner reaction, no behavioral response, or if there is behavior, it is merely a pretense. When there is genuine anger and rage, behavioral actions occur and physical-mental states change. This is the emotion of the manas.