Compilation of Daily Discourses

Chapter Three: Practical Cultivation and Realization of Manas (2)

X. Speculation Based on Learned Theory is Unrelated to Realization

Question: Take scratching an itch as an example. After the sense faculty and sense object make contact, if mental attention (manasikāra) is applied, consciousness arises (here, manas applies attention first; sometimes manas applies attention afterward). At this moment, manas is directing the operation of the body consciousness. I then thought: Since the seventh and eighth consciousnesses depend on each other (the eighth consciousness requires nine conditions), and manas has already appeared, the eighth consciousness should be nearby. Therefore, it should be that at the moment the sense faculty and sense object make contact and manas applies attention, the eighth consciousness manifests the body consciousness (the third transformative power). Then manas directs the body consciousness to operate and scratch the itch. Regarding the existence of the eighth consciousness in this passage, is it the student’s inverted delusion, or is it merely a problem-solving approach, still very far from realizing the eighth consciousness?

Answer: At this moment, you have neither directly observed the operation of manas nor directly observed the operation of the eighth consciousness. Therefore, what you describe is not fact, but rather contemplation, imagination, reasoning, and speculation based on comparing learned theoretical knowledge. These belong to the realm of non-valid cognition (non-pramāṇa), lacking direct perception (pratyakṣa). Therefore, none of it should be taken as true. This is how those without meditative concentration (dhyāna) study the Dharma: the function of mental consciousness (manovijñāna) is strong and precocious, but it is actually speculation. Even if everything is speculated correctly, it is still merely speculation and cannot be counted as realization.

I have encountered many people in this state of Dharma study. They appear quite intelligent, able to find the key points and focal issues, but then they take shortcuts, using mental consciousness to analyze, summarize, organize, and speculate. However, doing so obstructs their own path of practice and hinders practical cultivation and realization. The result is that cleverness is ruined by cleverness. Furthermore, many people mistake this kind of imagination and conjecture for realization, proclaiming everywhere that they have attained enlightenment and become sages. But this still belongs to the initial learning stage; meditative concentration has not yet arisen. They have not cultivated precepts (śīla), concentration (samādhi), wisdom (prajñā), the six pāramitās of a bodhisattva, let alone the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment (bodhipakṣika-dharma). The causes and conditions for realization are still far from complete. In the Dharma-ending age, sentient beings have little merit; they cannot attain meditative concentration, cannot uphold the precepts, and are unwilling to cultivate merit. They can only engage in dry wisdom (dry prajñā, theoretical knowledge without realization). It is precisely this dry wisdom that most obstructs the path and causes the most delay, often blocking one’s own gate to enlightenment.

XI. How Manas Changes All Dharmas

Question: If I continuously visualize, or continuously recite the Buddha's name or sutras, and when the effort is sufficient, the seventh consciousness is influenced, will it automatically transform and manifest the seeds cultivated through this influence, thereby changing the external environment? Because the external environment is also transformed by the seventh consciousness, right?

Answer: Both seeds and realms are transformed and manifested by the ālaya-vijñāna (storehouse consciousness) prompted by manas. Manas itself does not directly manifest seeds. In the process of cultivation, as long as the power of manas is sufficiently strong and the energy it gains is sufficiently great, the ālaya-vijñāna accords with the intention of manas, and nothing is a problem. Realms change according to the mind of manas. When manas is trained to have very powerful mental strength and is extremely resolute in its single-minded desire to change a realm or achieve a certain goal, the wish will certainly be fulfilled. If the wish is not yet fulfilled, it is because the strength is still insufficient, and more cultivation and accumulation of power are needed. It is like pointing at a stone and turning it into gold – it is because the mental power of manas is so strong that it forcibly changes the stone into gold.

When one studies Buddhism well, the mind becomes good and soft. It doesn’t take long for one’s appearance to change; this is the result of the mind changing. This mind primarily refers to manas, but also includes mental consciousness. The so-called influencing manas means changing one’s own mind. Whether one’s mind has changed or not, what it has changed into, and to what degree – one should be able to know by careful self-observation. In dealing with people and matters, and in cultivating all dharmas, whether it is sincere or just perfunctory pretending, one should be able to observe it oneself. Sincerity always involves manas. Reciting the Buddha's name is divided into true recitation and false recitation. Whether one is truly cultivating or just pretending to cultivate and putting on a show – one should be able to observe it oneself. It is not easy for anything one does to reach the level of true manas involvement; it requires conditions such as precepts, meditative concentration, wisdom, merit, and blessings.

All mental activities are divided into two levels: mental consciousness and manas. For example, to judge whether giving (dāna) is true giving or just going through the motions for show, careful observation can distinguish it. In treating parents, whether it is sincere filial piety or pretense, careful tasting can distinguish it. The cultivation that changes the mind mostly progresses from quantitative change to qualitative change. The accumulation of quantity lies in mental consciousness; the qualitative change lies in manas. Therefore, it is said that mental consciousness is shallow, and manas is deep. If the wholesome roots of manas are deep and its power is great, if it is particularly sincere, it can directly undergo qualitative change, changing everything without needing to accumulate power.

Influencing manas requires long-term perseverance, persistently upholding precepts, generating the great bodhicitta mind, continuously practicing meditative concentration, focusing single-mindedly on tasks, eliminating scattered and random thoughts, concentrating on contemplation, and accumulating much merit and other provisions (saṃbhāra). To subdue the mind, most of the time it requires mental consciousness to deeply contemplate the principles of Dharma and the suffering of the world to influence and guide manas. Occasionally, it requires hitting a wall to force oneself to turn back and change course. Therefore, suffering is necessary for growth. If one does not experience suffering, there will be no mind of renunciation (niḥsaraṇa) or vigorous mind (vīrya), and practice easily becomes lax.

XIV. The Function and Role of AI Robots

Greed, hatred, and delusion are afflictions (kleśa) possessed by conscious minds; material form (rūpa) without a conscious mind has no greed, hatred, or delusion. Although robots are material form without a conscious mind, lacking joy, anger, sorrow, or happiness, and having no greed, hatred, or delusion afflictions themselves, robots not only have material attributes but are also endowed with rudimentary functions similar to a conscious mind, capable of performing rudimentary functions of a conscious mind, which is the function of recognizing text. This recognition of theirs is simplistic, brainless, non-autonomous, passive, and limited. In short, their recognition function is not produced through wisdom-based thinking; therefore, it lacks wisdom and can be conventionally said to possess the attribute of ignorance (moha).

The recognition function of robots is equivalent to part of the function of human mental consciousness, and this function is relatively simplistic, only capable of recognizing textual information, and possessing various simple functions such as collecting, organizing, summarizing, generalizing, storing, and outputting information. Moreover, this information comes from other sources; it is all pre-existing old information, not new information developed by the robot itself. It always outputs others' information; it is always pre-existing old information. It has no self-created new information. Therefore, robots lack wisdom and can be conventionally said to possess ignorance.

No matter how much Dharma a robot can output, it can never act consistently with what it says. It can talk but cannot act. It will always be merely a parrot, merely echoing words. All the information content, it has never realized, nor can it ever possibly realize. Therefore, AI robots fundamentally lack the functional role of manas; they have no capacity for volition (decision-making) and no autonomy.

Some Buddhists are similar to AI robots. Their wisdom is insufficient; they can only use part of the function of mental consciousness, and it is also relatively crude. Mental consciousness uses what it has learned from elsewhere, summarizing, processing, organizing, generalizing, and refining it, then draws a conclusion and considers it their own wisdom. At the same time, arrogance (māna) arises. If this is their own wisdom, then AI robots likewise have wisdom, and moreover, their wisdom is vast, almost omniscient within the scope of existing human knowledge. Humans are not as knowledgeable as they are; similarly, humans are not as knowledgeable as "Du Niang" (a Chinese search engine). Should robots and "Du Niang" then attain Buddhahood before all humans?

Everyone knows the answer: this is impossible. Since it is impossible, the eloquent discussions of certain people based on mental consciousness, which seem logical and well-reasoned, are fundamentally not obtained through their own wisdom, let alone true wisdom. Their words and actions cannot be consistent; they can talk the talk but cannot walk the walk. Manas has no wisdom and has not realized the Dharma; thus, they remain ordinary beings. Only those whose words and actions are consistent possess the direct perception wisdom (pratyakṣa-jñāna) of a sage, which emerges from within their own being and belongs to them personally. This wisdom is extremely precious. With this wisdom, one can transform consciousness into wisdom (vijñāna into jñāna) and ultimately accomplish the Buddha Way. How one should study Buddhism, how one should cultivate and practice, everyone should be clear in their minds.

XV. The Principle of Mental Recitation and Mental Hearing

Mental recitation and mental hearing are not mental recitation and ear hearing. Mental recitation and ear hearing – though called "ear hearing" – is actually not ear hearing. Ear consciousness (śrotra-vijñāna) cannot hear internal sounds; it can only hear the external sound of vocalized Buddha recitation. Mental consciousness (mano-vijñāna) hears both internal (mental) and external (vocal) sounds. Manas, depending on the level of concentration, participates in hearing to varying depths. Mental recitation, without vocalizing sound, involves no body consciousness; only mental consciousness is involved, or manas and mental consciousness recite together. This mental consciousness is isolated mental consciousness (manasikāra-vijñāna). The conscious mind that hears the sound of mental recitation is isolated mental consciousness hearing, and manas also hears together.

There is another situation of mental recitation: manas recites alone. At this time, what can observe is also isolated mental consciousness, and manas also observes together introspectively. Generally, when concentration is not deep and there is no introspective power, isolated mental consciousness finds it difficult to observe manas reciting. Only when concentration is deep can one observe one's own mind reciting the Buddha's name. When reciting mentally, the deeper the concentration, the deeper manas participates in the recitation, and the more clearly and distinctly manas itself and isolated mental consciousness observe the mental recitation of the Buddha's name. This has already reached the state of Buddha recitation samādhi (Buddhānusmṛti-samādhi).

The mental recitation of manas is also reflected in mantra recitation. When reading sutras or reciting mantras, one can also make manas follow along and recite together. This requires meditative concentration. The deeper the concentration, the deeper manas participates. When the mind is quiet, isolated mental consciousness can observe the mental recitation of manas. However, manas has no language, words, or sound; it only has mental recitation. Mental recitation is the mental factor (caitta) of recollection (smṛti). When reading sutras or reciting mantras, one should recite slowly and silently. This is to allow manas to follow along and recite with concentration. When concentration is deep, manas not only recites deeply and concentratedly but also has strong introspective power. Here, both isolated mental consciousness and manas have introspective power; the two are difficult to distinguish. Very deep concentration and a very quiet mind are needed to have the power of discernment, so it is easy to misunderstand the introspective power of the two.

Concentration (samādhi) is precisely the power of focus. To be able to focus without scattered thoughts, there are two methods: One is extremely fast recitation, leaving no time for scattered thoughts; they cannot keep up and thus cannot appear. The other is extremely slow recitation; when there are no thoughts of scattered thoughts in the mind, one becomes single-mindedly focused. However, the first method of extreme speed can only be used temporarily, not for long, because it consumes qi and energy, and physical stamina cannot keep up. The strength of concentration directly affects the degree of manas's participation in all dharmas. The more manas participates, the more it can accomplish things; this is wisdom. Therefore, having meditative concentration and power of concentration is not only useful for Buddhist study and practice but also brings great benefits for survival in worldly affairs.

As long as one applies effort in practice, once one hurdle is overcome, progress will be rapid. I hope everyone can let go of worldly affairs and single-mindedly head towards the Buddha Dharma, seeking the fundamental, not the superficial.

XVI. Why Do Things Still Feel Very Real After Knowing They Are Illusory?

Question: I clearly know that all dharmas are illusory, yet when I see mountains, rivers, the earth, flowers, plants, and trees, why do they still feel so real? The sensations of cold, heat, touch, and pain also still feel so real?

Answer: Your belief that all dharmas are illusory is known based on the theories learned from Buddhist scriptures; it is learned knowledge, not yet realized, lacking direct experiential observation. Therefore, this kind of knowing is equivalent to not knowing. Only after practical cultivation leads to realization, and at the very moment of contacting each dharma, can one personally experience and perceive it. The perception, feeling, and cognition at that time are true, direct, reliable, and dependable. Learned knowledge has no credibility; it cannot be relied upon and is full of doubts. After realizing that all dharmas are illusory, to change all dharmas and be free from all bonds, one needs to cultivate the four dhyānas and eight samāpattis, transcending the spheres of the form aggregate (rūpa-skandha), feeling aggregate (vedanā-skandha), perception aggregate (saṃjñā-skandha), formation aggregate (saṃskāra-skandha), and consciousness aggregate (vijñāna-skandha). Only then can one liberate from all dharmas, transcend all dharmas, and change all dharmas.

Many people, even if they can recite Buddhist scriptures fluently from memory, cannot eradicate the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi), cannot realize the mind and see the nature (realize Buddha-nature), let alone realize the illusory nature of all dharmas. Therefore, eradicating the view of self after listening to a single lecture is pure fantasy. Even listening to a million lectures, one might not even touch the edge of eradicating the view of self. Because this is not something that can be realized merely by listening with the ears. What the ears hear is theoretical knowledge. For theory to become reality, to become one's own direct wisdom (pratyakṣa-jñāna), it must undergo many processing stages. Completing these stages requires paying a considerable price. If one pays no price at all and only listens leisurely, those dharmas are like the wind whistling past the ears, fleeting, leaving little trace. This is on the premise that those dharmas are explained correctly and without error. If there are errors, eradicating the view of self is even more off the mark.

The eradication of the view of self in the Hīnayāna and the realization of the mind and seeing the nature in the Mahāyāna are both wisdom cognition, correcting the previous wrong views. Wisdom cognition alone cannot change the state of the dharmas themselves. The inherent state of dharmas is changed through meditative concentration and the power of spiritual penetrations (ṛddhi). This includes three modes of practice: Śamatha (calm abiding), Samāpatti (meditative attainment), and Dhyāna (meditative absorption). Only after all three practices are perfected can the body, mind, and world be completely transformed into the pure and perfect realm of a Buddha. At this point, the Buddha Way is accomplished. The specific cultivation methods are all in the Śūraṅgama Sūtra.

XVII. The Level of Wisdom of the General Character Wisdom at the Initial Enlightenment

Disciple asks: When one initially awakens and realizes the Tathāgatagarbha, the General Character Wisdom (Sāmānya-lakṣaṇa-jñāna) arises. Using this General Character Wisdom to observe the Tathāgatagarbha, within what scope can one observe?

Answer: This scope is not very large at the initial awakening; the observation is not universal. The scope is within the simple operation of the five aggregates (pañca-skandha), relatively coarse. It is difficult to observe the Tathāgatagarbha in complex operations. Among them, the form aggregate (rūpa-skandha) and the formations aggregate (saṃskāra-skandha) are primary. The feeling aggregate (vedanā-skandha) and perception aggregate (saṃjñā-skandha) can be observed somewhat, but not much or deeply. The consciousness aggregate (vijñāna-skandha) is difficult to observe. All observations are coarse and general, unable to penetrate into details; the observation is not deep or fine.

However, this observation is direct perception (pratyakṣa), meaning present-moment observation. In the very moment the five aggregates operate, one sees if one sees, and does not see if one does not see. One cannot fall into momentary thinking; there is no appearance of language, words, or sounds in between; one does not fall into the state of thinking, analysis, or pondering. Once one falls into thought, it is not direct, present-moment observation. During investigation (vicāra), if language, words, or sounds appear, it certainly means concentration is insufficient; the function of mental consciousness's emotional thinking and intellectual understanding has gained the upper hand, and the function of manas has weakened. This is not the wisdom of direct perception. Therefore, direct perception must involve manas personally being present to observe, discover, and witness; it is not the brain-thinking or brain-supplementing of mental consciousness. Ancient Chan masters testing their disciples would often strike with a stick the moment the disciple hesitated slightly and wanted to use language to describe, not allowing them to fall into intellectual understanding.

The characteristic of mental consciousness thinking is obvious, especially the thinking of mental consciousness alone; it is not direct perception. What is observed simultaneously with manas is direct perception. Mental consciousness plays an auxiliary role, not a leading role. The less its proportion, the deeper the wisdom, the more it is direct perception, the less it can be denied, the less it involves regret, and the less it involves hesitation. Instead, it is very firm, decisive, and without doubt. It can be seen that this kind of direct observation is very difficult, requiring both high skill and wisdom.

After the Sixth Patriarch in the Tang and Song dynasties, it is said that over a thousand people attained enlightenment. There are seventeen hundred Chan gong'ans (koans) left behind. However, not all of these are pure realization; some are intellectual understanding (understanding through reasoning). The specific number cannot be verified or counted. From the few words in those enlightenment verses and the brief dialogues and implied descriptions, because there are no details, one cannot distinguish from them whether it was realization or intellectual understanding. Even if they all had meditative concentration, it does not prove that everyone with meditative concentration necessarily attained realization. Of course, those without meditative concentration certainly cannot attain realization. Realization that occurs precisely when in deep meditative concentration with manas deeply investigating, instantly seeing without falling into mental consciousness thinking, is counted as realization. That which leans towards mental consciousness is intellectual understanding, or may not even count as intellectual understanding. Of course, if it is true intellectual understanding, through cultivating concentration and strengthening the investigative effort of manas, it can transform into realization.

To have this kind of investigative effort, meditative concentration is indispensable. To have meditative concentration, the physical body must have gathered qi. When qi gathers, the body becomes stable; when the body is stable, the mind becomes stable. To gather qi, first, the physical body must be healthy, with qi channels running smoothly, able to form a strong momentum to concentrate the mind. Second, one must not scatter thoughts or fantasize or mentally wander, meaning not grasping at dharmas, meaning being able to let go of worldly affairs. If the physical body lacks sufficient qi, qi cannot be gathered. To have sufficient qi, one can practice qi cultivation, supplement qi, or use dietary or herbal supplements. Once qi arises, one must follow its movement, allowing body and mind to become quiet. Once the qi momentum forms, meditative concentration appears. Therefore, one should still practice early, while the body is healthy and energy is sufficient. Do not wait until old age when appearance declines and nothing works anymore before thinking one should practice. By then, it might be too late; the effort cannot be accomplished. Although it is said that practice is not about cultivating the body, without the cooperation of the body, how can one practice?

A seventy-five-year-old lay practitioner spoke to me on the phone; his voice was loud as a bell, his qi very strong. I heard that his momentum surpassed mine and also surpassed many people in their twenties and thirties; judging by his voice, he could easily live another twenty years. I asked about his meditative concentration. He said it was very good; he could reach the level of investigating with manas, without scattered thoughts, and with a strong sense of qi. I asked about his wisdom state. He asked me about the General Character Wisdom at initial enlightenment, observing the operation of the Tathāgatagarbha, within what scope. Upon hearing this, I understood that in recent years, his skill and wisdom had greatly advanced; his mental capacity and structure were large, his wholesome roots deep; he was a person capable of great achievement.

XVIII. Only by Attaining True Wisdom Can One Directly Accomplish the Buddha Way

If the Buddha Dharma is savored slowly, or called deep investigation, investigating a single phrase can lead to entering concentration (samādhi). This is called using wisdom to induce concentration (prajñā leading to samādhi). While in concentration, the investigating wisdom continuously deepens, and the meaning of the Dharma becomes increasingly clear and penetrating. This is again called using concentration to induce wisdom (samādhi leading to prajñā). Concentration and wisdom mutually induce and increase each other. This is true practice, the most profound practice, the most fundamental practice, and the most ultimate practice. What is attained is true wisdom, wisdom cultivated by oneself. However, such investigation appears relatively slow on the surface, seeming to yield less knowledge. In reality, it is the fastest way of practice, the most direct shortcut. Because practice takes the attainment of wisdom as the ultimate goal; wisdom accomplishes Buddhahood.

Conversely, those who do not understand practice are relatively superficial, only pursuing superficial quantity of knowledge, satisfied with knowing much, understanding much, and learning much. They do not understand the importance of true wisdom, so they do not seek true wisdom. Pursuing quantity and speed, what is learned and obtained is not true wisdom opened by oneself; in reality, they are outsiders to practice. They seem diligent and vigorous, but in reality, their speed is the slowest because they lack true wisdom. Mistaking much knowledge, understanding, and acquisition for wisdom is actually the foolishness of beginners in Buddhism.

XIX. What Mental Consciousness and Manas Perceive are Different

Question: Last night after sitting meditation, I prepared to sleep. Soon it started to rain; the rain hit the glass making a crisp sound. I listened while falling asleep. As I was almost asleep, I felt as if the rain was hitting my skull. Soon it seemed to smash away half of it, leaving a black hole; only half the skull remained. I knew it in my mind but wasn't too surprised, and then I fell asleep. Was this because the concentration from just finishing sitting hadn't dissipated yet, or was it an illusion?

Answer: When getting up from sitting meditation, the mind is quiet, mental consciousness does not stir thoughts, especially before sleep, mental consciousness also does not stir. Manas directly perceives the sound of rain, feeling the sound is very loud, so it exaggerated it, using the metaphor of smashing half the skull to indicate that the raindrop sound was very, very loud. What manas perceives and what mental consciousness perceives are different; perhaps the difference is great. Therefore, the dharmas we usually see are completely different from the same dharmas seen after realizing the true reality; they are even opposite. Only then do we know that all the views and opinions we held before were completely wrong, and we regret it so much we slap our thighs.

Why is it that after cultivating contemplation (vipaśyanā), even though seeing the same breath, seeing bodily activities, seeing the appearances of the six dusts (objects of the senses), what is seen before seeing the path (attaining realization) and after seeing the path, regarding the same dharma, is vastly different? Why is it that drinking water, bathing, seeing forms, hearing sounds, smelling scents, tasting flavors, feeling touches, knowing mental objects – why are the inner feelings and views completely opposite before seeing the path and at the moment of seeing the path?

Before seeing the path, one is so certain: form is form, sound is sound, scent is scent, flavor is flavor, touch is touch, dharma is dharma, I am I. After seeing the path, everything is negated: form is not form, sound is not sound, scent is not scent, flavor is not flavor, touch is not touch, dharma is not dharma, I am not I, person is not person. Why is there such a great difference? What mental consciousness sees and what manas sees in samādhi are completely different. Therefore, saying mental consciousness attains the fruit is a joke; such "attainment" is no different from non-attainment; it is the view of a fool. Sentient beings, the more foolish they are, often the more confident they are. Confident in what? Confident in foolishness.

Before seeing the path, mental consciousness is wildly deluded, thoughts flying everywhere, all kinds of views, long-winded discussions, exceedingly proud and complacent. After seeing the path, mental consciousness finally quiets down; everything must be turned upside down. Those who love to talk the most, who have the most views, who are the most stubborn, are the most inverted.