The Kleshas Cetasika of Manas

Question: If the emotion of hatred reaches the intensity of gnashing one's teeth, is this a deep-seated hatred from the manas? Is it a reaction of the manas? Does the manas possess the minor derivative defilement of hatred?

Answer: The manas is the sovereign consciousness; all bodily, verbal, and mental actions are governed, commanded, and directed by the manas. The physical act of gnashing one's teeth is an action produced under the manas's direction and command. Regardless of whatever thoughts, ideas, or emotions the conscious mind (manovijñāna) may have, it cannot command or direct the body to manifest the phenomenon of gnashing teeth. By regarding the manas as a normal conscious mind, it becomes easier to understand all its mental activities and avoid misunderstandings.

The manas is the master of the five aggregates (skandhas), perpetually governing all bodily, verbal, and mental actions of the five-aggregate body. Our spiritual practice is precisely about cultivating the manas and transforming it. When the manas undergoes the threefold transformation into wisdom, Buddhahood is attained. If the manas were devoid of certain afflictions (kleśa) and ignorance (avidyā), then spiritual practice would only need to focus on the conscious mind, rendering the manas irrelevant. Cultivating the conscious mind is very simple, effortless, and easy: one merely needs to study the principles, contemplate them with the conscious mind, gain understanding and wisdom, and then mental activities can change and transform. However, in reality, spiritual practice is extremely difficult; it is by no means this simple or swift. Changing oneself is arduous; it necessitates long-term habituation, persistent introspection, and the gradual subduing of oneself through encountering various conditions and circumstances to achieve even minor progress. The afflictions and ignorance within the manas are exceedingly numerous and profoundly deep-rooted, making them difficult to subdue and eradicate; this is why spiritual practice feels challenging.

The twelve links of dependent origination (pratītyasamutpāda), arising from the ignorance of the manas, lead to the subsequent immeasurable suffering of birth, death, and rebirth. This demonstrates that the manas is fully endowed with all afflictions of ignorance. If the manas lacked afflictions of ignorance and only the conscious mind possessed them, there would not be the suffering of beginningless kalpas of birth, death, and rebirth, as the afflictions of ignorance in the conscious mind are relatively easy to resolve. Therefore, one must further contemplate: Where do the afflictions of ignorance in the conscious mind originate?

When we commonly speak of "I," we are referring to the manas; it primarily denotes the manas. When we say "I," it is the manas's thoughts and concepts that emerge. The deeply ingrained, habitual, and deeply rooted thoughts and concepts of "I" are precisely the manas. Therefore, to observe the manas, one simply needs to observe one's own arising thoughts, mental fluctuations, habits, and inertia. "I" is the manas; to observe the manas is to observe the "I." Approaching the practice from this perspective renders it less difficult. The relatively profound, hard-to-discern, and hard-to-observe thoughts and concepts within the mind all belong to the manas. The deeply rooted, inherent habits, afflictions, and wisdom are all aspects of the manas, extremely subtle, difficult to know, and hard to change. The thoughts and concepts of the conscious mind float on the surface; they are easily influenced, readily observable, simple to subdue, and amenable to change. If spiritual practice did not involve the manas, then learning Buddhism would be relaxed and joyful, and attaining Buddhahood would be very swift.

All the functional roles of the manas within the five aggregates can be observed. Only by knowing what the facts are and what the truth is can one definitively state what the manas possesses or lacks—or, to be precise, or to state with certainty. Otherwise, one must adhere to the Buddha's teaching: "Do not trust your own mind." One's judgments are severely limited by the scope of one's direct-perception (pratyakṣa) observational wisdom. When wisdom is insufficient for clear observation, one must diligently practice, striving to attain the ability to observe things as they truly are (yathābhūta) and through direct perception, thereby acquiring genuine wisdom, wisdom of reality, and wisdom of direct perception. Prior to this, doubt remains doubt; one cannot arrive at a conclusion based on reality, so one should refrain from drawing conclusions. Learning Buddhism and engaging in spiritual practice must be based on this attitude to avoid the fault of erroneous evaluation and judgment.

Strive to integrate and connect the Dharma; doing so will allow the meaning of the Dharma to become clear and coherent. No single Dharma exists in isolation; each has a main subject and is interconnected through a main thread. Grasping the essence of all Dharma teachings from an overall perspective makes them easier to understand and master. Learning Buddhism and practicing is not about memorizing rules; it requires linking theory with practice, engaging in actual observation to see if the encountered theories accord with principle and Dharma, and whether they correspond to reality. One must diligently engage in actual contemplative practice (vipaśyanā), observing the functioning of the five aggregates, observing body, speech, and mind. Genuine knowledge arises from practice; practice is the sole criterion for testing truth. This applies to both the Buddhadharma and worldly dharmas. Learning Buddhism is about seeking truth; truth is fact—unchangeable facts that no one can alter. Relying on facts as one's foundation, relying on truth as one's foundation—this is the "relying on the Dharma" (yifa) taught by the Buddha. Only then can one achieve genuine realization and avoid error.