The Intellectual Realization of Consciousness May Precipitate the Rapid Demise of Dharma

The awareness and understanding attained by the consciousness alone constitute an intellectual awakening or realization of the Tathagatagarbha. Consciousness inevitably realizes it, but realization by consciousness alone is not considered true realization. True realization requires the simultaneous realization by the manas (the underlying mind). If only consciousness realizes it, then simply hearing someone tell us what the Tathagatagarbha is, where it is, and what its functions are would constitute enlightenment. If this counted as enlightenment, we could simply inform all sentient beings what the Tathagatagarbha is and what its functions are, rendering the practice of the Mahayana path and Chan meditation unnecessary. All sentient beings would then directly awaken and become bodhisattvas. Furthermore, if we directly revealed all the secret meanings at each critical point and every level, all sentient beings would directly realize them. How quickly Buddhahood could be attained then! Why didn't the World-Honored One adopt this method? Moreover, why did he prohibit explicitly stating the secret meanings?

All dharmas are first understood and realized by consciousness before the manas can understand and realize them. This is because the manas lacks sufficient wisdom and must rely on the cognitive abilities of consciousness. Consciousness knows many dharmas, but the manas does not. The manas finds it difficult to comprehend and realize them.

The consciousness of modern people is too clever; they easily grasp principles intellectually. However, the manas is severely obscured by greed, hatred, delusion, and afflictions, creating a stark contrast. If one becomes content with merely the intellectual understanding of consciousness, problems will arise, and Buddhism might rapidly decline as a result. Before the emergence of the Platform Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch, Buddhists engaged in genuine practice, all cultivating concentration and practicing Chan meditation; they never indulged in mere "verbal Chan." After the Platform Sutra appeared, the direction shifted. When people gathered, it was all "verbal Chan." Having read the contents of the Platform Sutra, they all felt they understood Chan and no longer needed to laboriously practice Chan meditation. They believed there was nothing left to cultivate, so they gathered together to engage in eloquent talk without any actual cultivation. People today are even more like this.