Manas - Verse Eighteen

The object of manas is the mark of a self
found in the field of representations
at the point where manas
and store consciousness touch.

Imagine a person with his back turned towards you. Manas is like that, with its back turned towards the store consciousness. Its mode of perceiving the store consciousness is not in the realm of things-in-themselves but in the realm of representations.

There are three modes of perceptions. The mode of representations and mere images are erroneous modes of perceptions. Only the mode of things-in-themselves is direct perception without distortions and delusions. This is discussed in verse eight.

The subject (the perceiver), the object (the perceived) and the inherent nature (svabhava) are one. Svabhava is thing-in-itself, literally translates to 'inherent nature'. The manas considers the perceiver to be separate from the perceived, not realizing that the inherent nature of both is emptiness (shunyatā). Like the two sides of the coin and the material the coin is made of. They are not separate from each other.

Unable to see this directly, manas pictures the perceiver portion of the store consciousness as the self.

(Based on the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh.)

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