Brief Discussion on Material Elements (Draft)

III. Question: If one visualizes a lotus flower for a long time, and the lotus flower appears without moving the mind, is this a subjectively imagined realm formed by the solitary consciousness (mano-vijñāna-eka-citta) grasping at objects?

Answer: A subjectively imagined realm is not form included within the mental-object realm (dharma-āyatana-rūpa); it is not the mental sense-object (dharma-viṣaya) based on the five sense-objects, and it is unrelated to the five sense-objects, yet it is still material form formed from particles of the four great elements. If the lotus flower can appear in the brain, then the manas must still have moved the mind and grasped at it, and the mind consciousness must also have recollected and imagined it; otherwise, the lotus flower of the subjectively imagined realm could not appear. Whether the subjectively imagined realm appears is determined by the manas and is governed by the manas: if the manas wants it to appear, it can appear; if it wants it to cease, it can cease. The mind consciousness, directed by the manas, is also visualizing and recollecting the lotus flower; otherwise, the lotus flower of the subjectively imagined realm cannot appear. It is only that when meditative concentration is deep and contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) is thoroughly cultivated, the subjectively imagined realm can manifest according to the mind's intent; the mind consciousness need not exert much effort, for the manas's recollection alone can grasp forth the seeds from within the tathāgatagarbha.