Theoretical Realization and Practical Realization
Chapter One: The Principle of Direct Attainment by the Manas
I. Attainment Means the Manas Directly Attains
Attainment (shizheng) does not solely refer to the realization of seeing one's nature; many dharmas require attainment, whether Buddhist dharmas or worldly dharmas, this is the case. What the manas attains, what the manas personally verifies, personally contemplates and realizes, personally examines—not what the consciousness (manovijñāna) relays or instills, not what the consciousness hears secondhand, not what the consciousness merely learns—is called direct attainment (qinzheng). Dharmas not attained by the manas are neither direct attainment nor true attainment (shizheng). This is because the manas is the master consciousness; it can master all dharmas and connects past and future lives.
Severing the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi) and realizing the Tathāgatagarbha upon seeing the mind are both attained by the manas; they are directly attained by the manas. Mere intellectual understanding by the consciousness alone is superficial realization, not true attainment. Even after seeing the mind, there are still many, many dharmas requiring attainment. But regardless of the dharma, as long as the manas recognizes and confirms it, it is true attainment, including worldly dharmas. The operation of every dharma is directed by the manas. If the operation and authentication of the manas are absent in the attainment, if the manas has not truly attained it, then it is not true attainment. If the manas remains enveloped in ignorance (avidyā) and wisdom has not opened, one is still an ordinary being. The manas is the most crucial link in attaining all dharmas; therefore, true attainment is always related to the manas.
II. The True Principle of Attainment and Direct Attainment
How to prove that consciousness operates at the level of learning knowledge and theory, while the manas operates at the level of direct attainment? Take the dharma of cooking as an example. First, the consciousness must learn the theoretical skills of cooking. Merely learning the theory does not equate to knowing how to cook. For the dharma of cooking, true attainment has not yet occurred. This level corresponds to the understanding (jie) of consciousness, not the attainment (zheng) of the manas.
How, then, to truly attain it? After understanding the theory of cooking, one needs to personally enter the kitchen and personally practice cooking according to the theory learned by the consciousness. The act of cooking involves practical operation, which requires the manas to direct and supervise. If the manas does not understand the theory, it cannot supervise the six consciousnesses to cook. Thus, the manas must repeatedly direct the six consciousnesses to practice cooking. When mistakes are made, the consciousness must contemplate and analyze what went wrong, how to operate, correct, and remedy it. This is the consciousness directing the manas to practice the operation, analogous to the manas's actions before and after severing the view of self.
Once the manas learns the operation, it no longer heavily relies on conscious analysis and supervision. The manas can then proficiently direct the six consciousnesses to cook, becoming increasingly adept and skillful later on. The saying "light carriage on a familiar road" describes the level at which the manas masters a skill. At this stage, it corresponds to the manas shedding attachments, equivalent to the stage where the manas acts automatically and consciously, without the need for conscious supervision and management.
Therefore, it is said that consciousness corresponds to theory, while the manas corresponds to practical operation. Theoretical knowledge known by the consciousness is useless if it cannot also be known and attained by the manas. Only after the manas has actually attained it does it become greatly useful. Direct attainment refers to the manas personally attaining it; it is not knowledge or theory the consciousness learned from elsewhere.
III. After all six consciousnesses cease to exist, there is still an "I," which is the manas. This is the fundamental "I." If the manas has not severed the view of self, then the view of self still exists; one remains an ordinary being with the view of self. At this point, the view of self is identical to the view of self when awake; there is no difference. Because the manas possesses the view of self, it believes that without the six consciousnesses, there is no seeing, hearing, feeling, or knowing; it cannot perceive the six dusts (objects of sense), nor can it act within the six dusts. Thus, it gives rise to the intention to perceive the realm of the six dusts. The Tathāgatagarbha, in response, gives birth to the six consciousnesses. Seeing, hearing, feeling, and knowing appear; the five aggregates (skandhas) manifest, and the manas can once again grasp the realm of the six dusts, grasp the seeing-hearing-feeling-knowing, grasp the activities of the five aggregates. In this way, it becomes bound within the three realms (triloka), unable to attain liberation.
Therefore, to sever the view of self, the manas must simultaneously sever it. Only after the manas no longer has the view of self can various grasping tendencies lessen, the mind be liberated, and the wisdom of liberation arise. Even the view of self after death is the same as when alive. Because of the view of self grasping the five-aggregate body, the intermediate state body (antarābhava) and the five-aggregate body of future lives will continuously arise. Upon rebirth, the view of self remains the same as in the previous life; one is still an ordinary being, and the manas still grasps and clings as before. Therefore, sentient beings experience the cycle of birth and death repeatedly due to the manas's view of self, with karmic results unceasing and birth and death continuous.
If the view of self disappeared as soon as the six consciousnesses ceased, how wonderful that would be! Unfortunately, it cannot. Therefore, merely having the consciousness sever the view of self is useless; it does not solve the fundamental problem. We must find a way for the manas to sever the view of self.
IV. Whether it's the Mahayana path, the Hinayana path, or various worldly principles, the attainment of these dharmas must be recognized and attained by the manas; it must be confirmed by the manas. If it is not confirmed by the manas, but is merely perceived or felt by the conscious mind, then there is no true benefit. This is because the six consciousnesses do not make decisions; the master is the manas. However, this still plays a role in influencing and guiding the manas. The manas is the "I," and consciousness is the function of the "I" grasped by the manas. Therefore, severing the view of self means severing the manas's view of self. Attaining enlightenment also means the manas attains the true self—the eighth consciousness, the Tathāgatagarbha.
The verification of all dharmas entirely depends on the manas, not on consciousness. Theoretical knowledge learned by consciousness does not play a decisive role; it only serves to influence the manas. If the theories learned by consciousness do not influence the manas or cause the manas to attain realization, then there is no karmic merit or benefit. So, what is the difference between intellectual understanding (jiewu) and experiential realization (zhengwu)? Intellectual understanding is only the consciousness's comprehension, not the manas's realization. Experiential realization lies in the manas's attainment and recognition, in consciousness influencing the manas, changing the manas, and eradicating the manas's ignorance. All dharmas are mastered by the manas. Once the manas attains realization, it can subsequently transform mental habits, and we can then attain Buddhahood.
V. The attainment of all dharmas should be the result of direct observation (pratyakṣa), not conclusions drawn from imagination or analysis. What is direct observation? Direct observation is immediate observation, present-moment observation: at the very moment the six sense faculties contact the six sense objects, one directly observes and experiences the arising, operation, and changes (birth and cessation) of various dharmas. Whether consciousness is observing directly, whether the conclusions drawn from thinking are factual, the manas must continuously make judgments. However, judgments are sometimes correct and sometimes wrong because the manas also has its own habits, and coupled with insufficient wisdom, it easily makes wrong judgments. The manas often acknowledges consciousness's direct observation and thorough analytical thinking; only when there is reason and evidence can it inspire the manas's wisdom, and the manas can then confirm the results of its contemplative observation. It generally does not acknowledge consciousness's non-valid (non-pramāṇa) imagination and inference. Consciousness's direct observation is evidence. Only when the evidence is conclusive does the manas approve and agree.
Why is it that we often cannot convince ourselves? It's because consciousness lacks direct observation; without evidence or insufficient evidence, the manas cannot recognize the reasonableness and correctness of what consciousness analyzes and contemplates. It cannot be convinced by consciousness and cannot make decisions based on consciousness's analysis. Thus, consciousness must continuously re-think, analyze, and reason until the evidence is conclusive and the manas approves.
Of course, this includes consciousness's evil or erroneous direct observation, which is actually non-valid (non-pramāṇa), but can still be approved by the manas because it conforms to the manas's ignorance and afflictions (kleśa). The manas is willing to agree; this is the case for those without cultivation. When consciousness gives the manas erroneous teachings, the manas is kept in the dark, unaware of the truth, and takes the non-valid for valid, imagination for fact, while the facts are not so. Yet the manas sometimes goes along with it, forced to agree.
VI. How to Prove All Dharmas Are Tools of the Manas, That the Manas Needs All Dharmas to Resolve All Dharmas?
The World-Honored One (Bhagavān) addresses this question in the Śūraṅgama Sūtra: Before heaven and earth arose, there were only the manas and the eighth consciousness (ālaya-vijñāna). The manas was in a state of chaos and confusion, wanting to understand the dharmadhātu. Thus, it turned outward to grasp and seek. Consequently, the eighth consciousness, in response, gave birth to the universe, the material world, and subsequently the five aggregates and the six consciousnesses, completing the eighteen elements (dhātus). Thus, the manas plays within these dharmas, unable to break through, tightly bound by these dharmas, without freedom or liberation. Finally, when roots of goodness, merit, and causes and conditions are complete, consciousness leads the way to explore the true nature of the dharmas of the three realms, explore the meaning of life, find the path out of birth and death, eradicate all ignorance, return to the true reality, attain great liberation, return home and sit securely, yet having no home to return to. Only then does the world begin to be peaceful, all dharmas return to stillness, all affairs are perfectly resolved, yet there are no affairs at all.
The manas leads the eighth consciousness to create all dharmas of the five-aggregate world, and then uses the five aggregates and six consciousnesses to seek the ultimate truth, dispelling the darkness of ignorance. In reality, it is still the eighth consciousness that completes this entire process. It can be seen that the eighth consciousness is played by the manas to perfection, but the great being (adult) is always magnanimous; what harm is there in playing with the child? When the manas-child gradually grows up and becomes sensible, it no longer plays pranks, no longer drags the eighth consciousness into doing bad deeds, no longer indulges in play, no longer creates trouble out of nothing, and also learns the magnanimity of the eighth consciousness adult, its mind becoming vast and broad. Thus, it becomes still, and the three realms also become quiet. Then, learning from the eighth consciousness adult's magnanimity, it helps other children grow up, all grow up, and all worlds become peaceful.
In fact, all dharmas are needed and resolved by the manas. Consciousness is the tool the manas uses to solve problems; the five sense consciousnesses are also tools the manas uses to solve problems; even the eighth consciousness is a tool the manas uses to solve problems. The manas uses all these tools to solve its own needs and achieve its own goals. Therefore, of course, all problems must ultimately be solved personally by the manas, personally approved by the manas. Only when the manas personally attains all dharmas can it feel at ease and consider the problem solved.
This has already explained the issue of the cultivation and attainment of all dharmas thoroughly and to the end; there is nothing more to discuss. As for whether one accepts it or not, that is a matter of individual merit and wisdom; it has nothing to do with the Buddha Dharma.
VII. The difference between direct experiential realization (pratyakṣa-pramāṇa) and emotional/intellectual understanding (qingsi yijie) is like this: For example, the phrase "All conditioned dharmas are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, shadows..." If one truly attains realization of this, one is a Bodhisattva at the Ten Grounds of Dedication (daśa-bhūmika), soon qualified to enter the First Ground (prathamā bhūmiḥ), becoming a true Buddha's child. However, many people who have not seen the mind or attained enlightenment believe they also understand this phrase and everywhere express their feelings and views, regarding their own views and opinions as direct experiential realization. They constantly boast and debate with others, and some even write books and treatises, presenting grand theories one after another, sufficient to teach others, yet their own minds do not correspond to this.
The actual situation is that these people only have the consciousness's understanding of the superficial meaning of the Buddha's words; they are still very, very far from realization. Perhaps realizing this phrase may require cultivation for nearly one asaṃkhyeya kalpa (incalculable eon), or perhaps still requires cultivation for more than half an asaṃkhyeya kalpa. But why are these people so confident that they understand this phrase? One reason is ignorance, another is arrogance (māna); there is no other explanation. Thus, so-called understanding, so-called knowing, so-called comprehension are fundamentally not attainment, not direct observation, not pratyakṣa. The understanding of the conscious mind can, at most, be defined as intellectual understanding (jiewu), and that is already being overly generous. Perhaps it is still far from intellectual understanding, let alone experiential realization (zhengwu); the distance to realization is even more remote.
VIII. The Distance Between Understanding and Attainment
When watching a horror movie, the consciousness knows it's fake, yet one still feels afraid. When walking on a glass walkway, the consciousness knows it's safe, but the mind is still terrified; some people even dare not lift their legs to walk. Consciousness simply cannot convince itself (the manas) not to be afraid. Why is this? It's because the conclusions drawn by consciousness's discrimination and thinking do not gain the manas's approval. Consciousness advises itself (the manas) not to be afraid, saying all these scary scenes are fake, yet blood pressure rises, heartbeat quickens, and sweat breaks out. The body is controlled by the manas; this shows the manas is still afraid.
Especially when watching an IMAX movie, the consciousness knows all images are on the screen and cannot come out of it; the images are not real, yet the mind feels the images are so lifelike, afraid the car will drive onto oneself, afraid the flying knife will chop oneself, bullets will hit oneself. Consequently, the body unconsciously tries its best to dodge. The body's and mind's behaviors are all directed and created by the manas, commanded according to its habitual cognition, and the mind consciousness makes corresponding reactions. Therefore, without successfully influencing the manas, practical problems cannot be solved.
Is knowing the walkway is safe one's own direct cognition? What use is this knowing? Consciousness clearly knows the person ahead has already walked over leisurely; there is a ready-made example. Why then does one still not dare to stand up and walk over? Consciousness clearly knows the thickness and load-bearing capacity of the glass are very secure. Why then can one not stand up and walk over with a straight body? It's because the reasoning analyzed and thought out by consciousness has not been accepted by the manas; the mind still has a psychological fear of the glass walkway. Therefore, it causes the body to manifest as trembling, feet feeling weak, calves shaking, shivering, even curling up on the path, unable to move a step.
Some people, standing outside the glass bridge, talk all kinds of talk, elaborating extensively. Try walking onto the glass track? Is the body controlled and directed by the manas? Here it can be seen clearly. Consciousness cannot command the body; no matter how safe consciousness thinks it is, it's useless. If the manas doesn't know, it remains terrified and uneasy, all caused by the manas's severe attachment to the body.
From this, it can be seen: Is it useful for consciousness to know that the six dusts are its own inner manifestations (adhyātmika-pratyaya)? Without diligent contemplative practice (guanxing), the emptiness and unreality of the five aggregates and the non-self cannot be truly realized. Knowing and understanding are easy; attainment is very difficult. The attainment of the four fruitions (phala) in the Hinayana all involves physical and mental sensations. The attainment of the various grounds (bhūmi) in the Mahayana also involves physical and mental sensations, including proofs and hints from dreams. Especially the arising of various meditative absorptions (dhyāna), which involve physical and mental sensations even more deeply. The deeper the dhyāna, the stronger the sensations. Above the Second Dhyāna, there is no sensation (vedanā), as the five sense consciousnesses disappear. But the physical body also undergoes significant changes; after exiting samādhi, there are still physical and mental sensations. Why do these sensations appear? It's because the manas directly experiences the Buddha Dharma, knows the true facts, and the body and mind undergo changes; it is the result of the manas's grasping and regulation.
The manas believes in direct experience; it needs to personally know and verify. Others' proofs are useless; one must be able to directly experience it oneself, to know it truly and clearly. The same applies to the attainment of Buddha Dharma; otherwise, it's like talking about food without eating—deceiving oneself and others. Many people know the five aggregates are empty and unreal, yet the manas deep within still considers the five aggregates real; it cannot agree with or implement the results of consciousness's analysis and thinking, still clinging firmly to the self. Therefore, consciousness must contemplate seriously, meticulously observe and analyze repeatedly until it convinces the manas. Only when the manas understands and firmly believes is it the arising of direct experience; otherwise, it's merely inference.
How to make oneself walk across the glass walkway without trembling in fear? One should do this: Before stepping onto the walkway, consciousness must find ways to comprehensively analyze and contemplate the safety of the walkway, striving to think it through thoroughly. Consider inference (anumāna), direct perception (pratyakṣa), and non-valid perception (non-pramāṇa) clearly, proving with reason and evidence that the glass walkway is indeed safe, without the slightest danger. This way, the manas can confirm the walkway is safe, the mind can have confidence, and thus one can muster the courage to walk across. Consciousness must analyze thoroughly, see through the situation, let the manas feel at ease, and the mind can then find peace. When the inner feeling is one of safety, confidence is sufficient, mental preparation is complete, and one feels no longer afraid—this means the manas is convinced. Then one can lift the leg and proceed. How to achieve a state of abundant inner confidence? Rely on consciousness to analyze and think through thoroughly, see clearly and steadily, be ninety percent sure, then act. Only after consciousness has analyzed and thought through thoroughly can the manas confirm, manifesting as calmness and steadiness, enabling one to walk across boldly.
This issue shares the same principle as contemplative practice to sever the view of self. Severing the view of self is also like this: Consciousness must analyze and think through thoroughly, leaving no loopholes, so that the manas completely approves without doubt; only then can the view of self be severed. In contemplative practice to sever the view of self, consciousness must find ways to contemplate and observe the emptiness and unreality of the five aggregates and eighteen elements (dhātus), successfully influence the manas, and make the manas confirm from within that the five aggregates are indeed not the self. At this point, the manas's confidence is sufficient; no matter who says the five aggregates are real, the manas does not agree. To achieve this, consciousness itself must first understand the principle, think clearly, and also give the manas a period of time to adapt and confirm, allowing the manas to adapt to the fact that the five aggregates are indeed not the self, not real.
The manas completely severs attachment to the five aggregates—in the Hinayana, this is the Fourth Fruition Arhat (arhat); in the Mahayana, it is the completion of the Seventh Ground (saptamā bhūmiḥ), entering the Eighth Ground (aṣṭamā bhūmiḥ). The liberation realization of an Eighth Ground Bodhisattva is equivalent to a Fourth Fruition Arhat with complete liberation (ubhayatobhāga-vimukta). The completion of the First Ground is equivalent to a Wisdom-Liberated Arhat (prajñā-vimukta), but a First Ground Bodhisattva does not take the fruition of a Wisdom-Liberated Arhat; the afflictions of thought (vicikitsā) cannot be completely severed. We can infer and imagine to know something about the state where the manas severs the attachment to self, even though we haven't attained it. Then, regarding the manas severing attachment to dharmas (dharma-grāha), we can think about it with inference and non-valid cognition and know the general idea, even though we are even less able to attain it. This knowing and attaining may differ by nearly two or three asaṃkhyeya kalpas. The distance between knowing and attaining is simply unimaginable.
Some people are always proud and complacent just because they know some things. Actually, that's nothing. Even truly attaining very profound Buddha Dharma is not worth being proud and complacent about. Looking across the ten directions and the past, present, and future, even if we cultivate to the state of an Eighth Ground Bodhisattva, it still counts as nothing. Those with shallow wisdom and little experience easily give rise to pride and complacency; their arrogance is deep. People with brains, wisdom, and broad experience do not easily give rise to arrogance because they have seen or know countless people infinitely more excellent than themselves; their vision is very broad.
IX. The manas is the deep and subtle "I." It regards all dharmas as the self; naturally, all dharmas are used by the manas, the seventh consciousness (manas-vijñāna). It regards the five aggregates as the self; the functions of the five aggregates are its own functions. It regards the functions of the eighth consciousness as its own functions. It regards the functions of the six consciousnesses as its own functions. Therefore, all dharmas are used by the seventh consciousness, the manas. Moreover, it continues life after life without cessation; naturally, all karmic results are experienced by it. It constantly thinks "I, I, I" at all times; it is a very clever consciousness, with habits and afflictions gathered into one. Without the participation of the manas, the seventh consciousness, no matter can be accomplished; this is also true for Chan (Zen) meditation. If the manas does not decide to meditate, consciousness cannot meditate. Therefore, the method of Chan meditation is also for the use of the manas. Once the manas is mobilized, everything becomes twice as effective with half the effort. Present more facts and reason to the manas, let it realize that all dharmas are without self. When the manas understands the principle, all matters will be fundamentally resolved, up to the attainment of Buddhahood.
X. Many people talk about true attainment (shizheng) every day. What is called "real" (shi)? Real means actuality; actuality is the direct experiential state of the manas. Whatever state the manas reaches, that is the level of cultivation. The state of consciousness is illusory; it vanishes in an instant, like flowers in the sky with no ground to land on. The manas is the master consciousness, commanding the bodily, verbal, and mental actions of the six consciousnesses. The understanding (jie) of consciousness is not true attainment because consciousness cannot master bodily, verbal, and mental actions.
True attainment requires the manas to attain. For the manas to attain, meditative concentration (dhyāna-samādhi) is indispensable. With insufficient samādhi, the manas cannot deeply and subtly contemplate the data and information provided by consciousness; it cannot thoroughly comprehend what consciousness thinks and understands; therefore, it cannot attain; it can only be the understanding of consciousness alone. Thus, without samādhi, don't talk about true attainment. And if consciousness understands but the manas does not attain, there is no karmic merit or benefit of liberation; it is like virtue not matching the position.
XI. Only the Attainment of the Manas Can Give Birth to Wisdom
Regarding the wisdom power of the manas: All wisdom of consciousness must settle on the manas to be considered successful, to plant seeds, to be useful in future lives. Ultimately, the wisdom power of the manas performs all functions. For the manas to attain fruition, from the first fruition (srotāpanna) to the fourth fruition (arhat), or to see the mind (kenshō), from initial seeing of the mind to Buddhahood, it is all the function of the manas's wisdom. The result of consciousness's wisdom is to make the manas have wisdom, to transform the manas consciousness into wisdom, to be endowed with great wisdom, and ultimately attain Buddhahood.
The difference between the wisdom of consciousness and the wisdom of the manas is: Consciousness has the function of logical thinking, analysis, and inference; it can think relatively abstractly. The manas cannot think abstractly; it must be concrete, have scenarios, have images—the more direct, the better; the more realistic, the better. The manas has little ability for analytical thinking; it struggles with logical reasoning and judgment. In this regard, it relies on consciousness. Other types of perception (pramāṇa) can be completely handled by itself, but of course, assistance from consciousness is best and fastest. Therefore, when there are images, graphics, or present scenarios and situations, the manas resonates more easily, consciousness's memory is more solid, and understanding is also very easy—this is the principle. When the six sense faculties interconnect and function interchangeably, the manas replaces consciousness and also replaces the five sense consciousnesses. The Śūraṅgama Sūtra's description of Mahākāśyapa's perfect and clear knowing, not dependent on mental concepts, explains this principle.
XII. Discovering the truth: If only consciousness discovers it, it's not sufficient; the manas must also simultaneously discover the true nature of the dharmadhātu. Only after the manas attains realization can one distance oneself from false appearances. Only the manas can command the six consciousnesses not to recognize false appearances and to distance themselves from them; the conscious mind does not have this authority; it cannot make decisions. When the manas realizes the false appearances, it can simultaneously decide to distance itself from them. If only consciousness attains realization, it is still useless. As long as the manas is with the false appearances every moment, every second, every instant, consciousness cannot leave the false appearances; bodily, verbal, and mental actions cannot change.
The manas is like a hitching post. Even if it allows consciousness to run east and west, it must still run around the manas post; it is not allowed to run far away. If the manas hitching post moves and shifts everywhere, can the wild horse of the six consciousnesses not follow the manas's movement and stay fixed in one place? Absolutely not. Therefore, the effort of studying and practicing Buddha Dharma must reach the manas to be true effort; only then can one transform one's body and mind.
XIII. Someone said: Uninterrupted attention (wujian zuoyi) seems to mean that after the Dharma meaning penetrates deeply into the manas, only the manas can achieve uninterrupted attention, thought after thought without letting go. Actually, merit (guṇḍ) is the inevitable product of the manas's recognition or transformation. As long as the manas truly recognizes and undertakes it, the merit of attaining the fruition naturally arises, wisdom also arises; this is a series of natural occurrences. The root of realizing the Dharma still lies with the manas.
This view is excellent. Uninterrupted attention (wujian zuoyi): "Uninterrupted" means without interruption. Only the manas can continuously be directed towards the Dharma meaning without interruption, day and night, thought after thought without ceasing. This requires consciousness to study and practice the Buddha Dharma, successfully influencing the manas. The manas considers the Buddha Dharma important and thus constantly thinks about it, its thoughts never leaving the Buddha Dharma. One day, it will surely attain the Buddha Dharma. If the manas does not think about the Buddha Dharma, consciousness's thoughts on the Buddha Dharma will surely break; it cannot continuously focus on the Buddha Dharma without interruption.
XIV. Severing the view of self and attaining fruition is the manas's recognition that the five aggregates are not the self. At the time of seeing the mind and attaining enlightenment (kenshō), the manas not only recognizes the emptiness and unreality of the five aggregates—that they are not the true self—but also realizes the Tathāgatagarbha, knowing that the Tathāgatagarbha is the true self, and that the manas itself is not real. At this point, the manas finds the master, but afflictions and habits are still present, though they become slightly lighter. After the manas knows that the Tathāgatagarbha is the true self, and that all dharmas arise from the Tathāgatagarbha, are all functions of the Tathāgatagarbha, it gradually ceases to claim the functions of the Tathāgatagarbha as its own. Gradually, the attachment to self becomes lighter. Later, it can not only sever the attachment to self (ātma-grāha) but also sever the attachment to dharmas (dharma-grāha). With both attachments completely severed, one becomes a perfectly enlightened Buddha.
XV. Making offerings to a Stream-enterer (srotāpanna) who has severed the view of self yields immeasurable karmic results. If one has only severed the view of self with consciousness, but the manas has not severed it, then if that Stream-enterer loses consciousness (e.g., faints) or at night after falling asleep, he reverts to the state of an ordinary being. Making offerings or rescuing him at that time yields only a hundredfold karmic result. The difference between the two is so vast. This situation is impossible: a person cannot be a sage by day and revert to an ordinary being by night, a sage when awake but an ordinary being as soon as he faints from lack of oxygen.
If Buddhahood were attained only by consciousness, then changing to another set of five aggregates would make one an ordinary being. Buddhas could not manifest in the Sahā world, complete the eight phases of a Buddha's life (aṣṭa-mahā-prātihārya), and attain Buddhahood; they could only become ordinary beings. Then what meaning would there be in our countless eons pursuing Buddhahood? Severing the view of self and attaining Stream-entry would be even more meaningless—one would revert to an ordinary being after sleeping. If one slept for a year without waking, one would be an ordinary being for a year. If one became a vegetative state, wouldn't one be an ordinary being for life?
If seeing the mind (kenshō) is only consciousness seeing the mind, then after fainting or falling asleep, when consciousness ceases, one becomes an ordinary being who has not seen the mind. Even if one is a Bodhisattva on the grounds (bhūmi), already possessing the psychic power of knowing past lives (pūrva-nivāsānusmṛti-jñāna), changing to another five-aggregate body, changing the six consciousnesses, one would still become an ordinary being. In that case, what meaning would seeing the mind and attaining enlightenment have? When could one enter the First Ground and become a true Buddha's child? How then could one still become a Buddha?
XVI. The Tathāgatagarbha manifests all dharmas in response to the manas. Only when the manas understands the principle and attains realization can ignorance be eradicated, defilements removed, and perfect Buddhahood attained. The Tathāgatagarbha does not respond to consciousness because consciousness arises after the manas makes a decision; it does not appear without cause. The Tathāgatagarbha cannot cooperate with a mind consciousness that does not yet exist.
Consciousness is not the master consciousness. If consciousness wants to go east, but the manas wants to go west, will the five-aggregate body ultimately go east or west? It will definitely head west. Because if the manas wants to go west, once the mental factor of decision (cetanā) is determined, the Tathāgatagarbha knows and will cooperate with the manas to give birth to body consciousness and mind consciousness heading west. The head of the household has authority, power, opinions, and decision-making ability; who can shake it?
Consciousness wanting to change habits can only think about it; it cannot decide to change them because habits and afflictions ultimately belong to the manas; the manas itself needs to change; consciousness cannot substitute for it. What if the manas has habits it is unaware of? Consciousness needs to understand the principles more, reason with the manas more. One day, when the manas listens and can reflect, recognizing its own afflictions and habits, it will naturally correct them. Attainment in Buddha Dharma is also like this: Consciousness needs to understand the principles, then help the manas understand. Then both attain enlightenment, both eradicate ignorance, especially the beginningless ignorance of the manas. Thus, both give birth to great prajñā wisdom.
Consciousness understanding the principles is extremely important. Consciousness having skillful means (upāya) is extremely important. Consciousness being clever and sharp is extremely important. Everything consciousness does is ultimately to change the manas. If the manas does not change, everything consciousness does temporarily is useless effort.
Attaining fruition and seeing the mind are also about consciousness guiding the manas to understand the principles. In this process, it is always consciousness learning the Dharma, contemplating, and observing, transmitting all the data, the content of contemplation, to the manas, letting the manas itself weigh, contemplate, and investigate. Only then can the manas truly understand the principles and truly attain realization.
XVII. The actions of the five-aggregate body are dominated and controlled by the manas. If the manas's afflictions and defilements are not influenced and subdued, all bodily, verbal, and mental actions are dominated by the manas's habitual afflictions. Consciousness wants to control its own bodily, verbal, and mental actions but cannot do so. Therefore, seeing one's own unreasonable bodily, verbal, and mental actions, one feels ashamed and blames oneself—actually still blaming the manas—it's just that consciousness doesn't understand this is the manas's problem, thinking it's consciousness's own problem. If it were consciousness's own problem, once consciousness realized it, it could correct it immediately; it wouldn't be difficult. But for the manas's problems, consciousness sometimes feels helpless; it can only study the Dharma more, understand principles more, master more skillful methods to persuade and influence the manas. Only then will the manas's afflictions and habits gradually diminish.
Therefore, awakening to Buddha Dharma, awakening to non-self, awakening to the Tathāgatagarbha—cannot be only consciousness awakening; the manas must awaken. Only then can it consciously act according to the realized principles, gradually removing defilements, returning to the true Dharma, and attaining permanent purity of mind.
XVIII. Not knowing dependent arising (paratantra), how can one eradicate imaginary grasping (parikalpita)? Once knowing dependent arising, gradually one no longer grasps. Knowing the true reality, the power of grasping gradually weakens. Attaining realization of dependent arising, gradually deepening contemplation and observation of all dependent nature, knowing it is mere conceptualization (prapañca), no longer clinging to it, the nature of grasping becomes lighter and lighter, finally disappearing without residue. Contemplative observation after severing the view of self is still very important. Because the manas has not realized dependent arising, it universally discriminates and grasps all dharmas as real and unchanging. Because it grasps them as real, it masters the creation of wholesome and unwholesome bodily, verbal, and mental actions, leaving karmic seeds, experiencing results in future lives, thus birth and death continue unceasingly.
To eradicate the manas's nature of imaginary grasping, one should clearly understand why the manas has this nature. The manas, because it does not comprehend the true reality of the dharmadhātu, does not comprehend the essence of all dharmas, thus wrongly grasps all dharmas as real, as self, as belonging to self, and universally discriminates and grasps all dharmas. If one can reveal what the essence of all dharmas truly is, if the manas comprehends the true reality of all dharmas, then what is left for it to grasp and fuss about? The nature of imaginary grasping will gradually disappear; thus, the fundamental problem is solved.
If the manas does not realize the Dharma, does not comprehend the essence of dharmas, how can it eradicate ignorance and exhaust the nature of imaginary grasping? The fundamental purpose of all dharmas studied and comprehended by consciousness, all dharmas understood and attained, is for the manas to attain realization, to eradicate the manas's ignorance. Only then can the situation be reversed, attaining ultimate liberation.
XIX. Using hypnosis, one can also make the manas recognize the truth; afterward, the manas can undergo a transformation. The degree to which each person's manas recognizes and attains the Buddha Dharma differs; the impact received differs, the transformation differs, and the wisdom also differs. Therefore, fundamental wisdom is still brought by the manas. The wisdom of the manas is called the root of wisdom (prajñendriya). The manas's faith in and reliance on the Buddha Dharma and the Three Jewels is called the root of goodness (kuśala-mūla). The manas is the root.
