Variations in the Depth of Manas's Permeation

Question: If after hearing a certain insight or learning a Dharma teaching, such as the five aggregates being illusory, impermanent, empty, and without self, one's mind genuinely changes in daily life—whether through major adjustments in work and life, or encountering previously desired objects with significantly reduced greed, feeling very detached—is this considered a transformation of manas?

Answer: This is a change occurring at the stage of practicing the Thirty-Seven Aids to Enlightenment. It indicates that the practice is relatively effective. When manas becomes influenced, the mind begins to transform, shifting onto the Noble Eightfold Path, subduing some coarse and heavy afflictions of greed. The transformation of body and mind, of one's world, is precisely due to the influence and transformation of manas. That is to say, at any stage of practice, as long as manas is influenced, the practice will show results. The Thirty-Seven Aids to Enlightenment must also be practiced until they reach manas; otherwise, it is false practice, not yet on the true path. However, this kind of physical and mental transformation is still insufficient for a complete rebirth, to the extent of being able to eradicate the view of self. Therefore, many who claim to have eradicated the view of self show little improvement or change in all aspects of body and mind afterward; their bones remain unchanged, and their ordinary mortal frame cannot be replaced by that of a sage.

Before attaining the fruition, the Buddhadharma must influence manas. When manas is influenced by wholesome dharmas, it will undergo changes, and body and mind will transform accordingly. This is especially true at the very moment of attaining the fruition; that is what is called the power of samadhi. If, during the process of learning the Buddhadharma, it does not influence manas but is merely the conscious mind absorbing and understanding knowledge, manas will remain as before, and there will be no transformation of body, mind, or world. In that case, eradicating the view of self and attaining the fruition will be far off and uncertain.

Even if manas is influenced before attaining the fruition, if it has not reached a sufficient degree, one still cannot eradicate the view of self or attain the fruition. Therefore, for the transformation of body and mind, the transformation of bodily, verbal, and mental actions, eradicating the view of self, and realizing the mind to see its nature—all require manas to be influenced to a considerable extent. It is insufficient for manas to change only a little. To be completely reborn, manas must be thoroughly transformed, eliminating the afflictions and defilements within manas and eradicating the five grades of deluded thoughts in the desire realm. Only then can the karmic seeds be stored in the eighth consciousness, ensuring rebirth in the wholesome paths of humans or devas in future lives, without falling into the three evil realms. There are still those who stubbornly cling to the notion of attaining fruition through the conscious mind, opposing the concept of attaining fruition through manas, stubbornly clinging without transformation, rigid and unyielding—truly beyond remedy.