The Samādhi of Buddha-Recollection Is Accomplished by the Manas

True recollection-of-the-Buddha meditative concentration (samādhi) is achieved when the mind consciousness, through thorough permeation and influence, leads the manas to recollect the Buddha, and the manas accomplishes the samādhi state in which every thought is the Buddha. It is the state of realizing the fundamental mind, the Buddha, where meditative concentration and wisdom are perfectly fused—possessing both concentration and wisdom. Throughout the entire practice, the mind consciousness guides the manas: from recollecting the images of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas to recollecting the true suchness (tathatā) of the real Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, until finally the manas accomplishes the samādhi of true suchness. The mind consciousness does not recollect, yet the manas recollects; profound meditative concentration arises, and afterwards wisdom is born, thereby realizing the self-nature of true suchness.

The meditative concentration involved combines stillness and activity, with neither aspect neglected. At the beginning, practicing in seated stillness is relatively easier, as the mind settles quickly. Once one has developed skill in stillness practice, the mind also becomes easily settled and focused during activity, because stillness nourishes activity. When one can single-mindedly recollect the Buddha amid the combination of stillness and activity, and meditative power has been cultivated to some degree along with some prajñā wisdom, one can then investigate: who is recollecting the Buddha? That requires a turning point—adding wise contemplation within meditative concentration, which is also called contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā). The thought of the Buddha is transformed into a thought of doubt, doubting deeply, with no other thoughts. One day, the questioning doubt will break open, and one will investigate out who it is that recollects the Buddha.

Many people are unwilling, and also unable, to apply such painstaking effort. A few individuals want to take shortcuts and play clever tricks, pondering and analyzing in their minds, letting emotional speculation and intellectual understanding arise. In the end, they may figure out: isn't the one recollecting the Buddha just That? No matter how they ponder, That is everywhere, present in all dharmas—the Buddha has already openly proclaimed it. You say the one recollecting the Buddha is That, but in fact recollecting the Buddha is still the combined functioning of the eight consciousnesses, containing both the true and the deluded—how could it be just That? Some people then reason that in walking, standing, sitting, and lying down, it is just That—"I have investigated it out; I am enlightened."

But in walking, standing, sitting, and lying down, which consciousness could you leave out and still walk, stand, sit, and lie down? Taking the dharma of the combined functioning of the eight consciousnesses as the dharma of the eighth consciousness operating alone—this is clearly the view of an ordinary person, not the Chan enlightenment of seeing the mind. The so-called enlightenment of the present day—almost everyone's enlightenment is like this, nearly one hundred percent are like this. That is the "enlightenment" of being mistaken (wù, 误), merely deluding oneself. After deluding oneself, afflictions will grow increasingly blazing, arrogance will become ever more prominent, and the afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion will manifest without restraint, because two "selves" have emerged—the result is inevitably this. But one who truly awakens has eradicated the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi), lowers the head, experiences lightness and ease of body and mind, has lighter afflictions, has grown in meditative concentration and wisdom, and the mind is empty and non-active.

Therefore, if you want true awakening and to be responsible to yourself, you must put in genuine effort, truly investigate and genuinely inquire, and not resort to opportunism or love showing off.