Concentration Does Not Necessarily Involve Only One Dharma

When consciousness is in a state of concentration, is it truly focused on a single phenomenon? For instance, during Buddha recitation, can consciousness focus solely on the Buddha's name, becoming unaware of other matters? If that were the case, the person would be unable to work, oblivious to day and night, and unaware of directions. Even when entering concentration during seated meditation, it is impossible to maintain only a single thought. Apart from reciting the Buddha's name, one is still aware of being seated in meditation and aware of whether it is day or night. This is not a single thought, yet it is still called entering concentration.

Therefore, the manas (mental faculty) also possesses concentration. When the manas is concentrated, it does not necessarily engage in reception, perception, and cognition toward all phenomena it contacts. Instead, it selectively engages in reception, perception, and cognition toward a small portion of phenomena. This is concentration. If the manas were to engage in reception, perception, and cognition toward all phenomena, then consciousness would arise to cognize all phenomena. In such a case, not only would consciousness lack concentration and collapse, but the manas would also be unable to endure it.

For example, if a hundred people are present before you, the manas can contact them all. If the manas were to simultaneously engage in reception, perception, and cognition toward all hundred people, whose manas possesses such immense energy? Consciousness would be even more overwhelmed. If someone possessed such an ability, one could assign them a hundred tasks to complete simultaneously, and this single person's workload would equal that of a hundred people. Such a person would be a genius. In reality, this is impossible.