Contemplation of the Five Skandhas

Contemplating the emptiness and selflessness of the five aggregates and the eighteen elements requires not only observing the five sense faculties and the five corresponding sense objects, but also observing the six consciousnesses and the mental faculty (manas), including the dharma-objects corresponding to the sixth and seventh consciousnesses. In reality, the mental faculty also corresponds to the five sense objects. If the five sense objects appear but the mental faculty is not interested, it will not give rise to the five consciousnesses to perceive and distinguish the five sense objects; consequently, the six consciousnesses will not know about the realm of the five sense objects or the realm of dharma-objects. The arising of the six consciousnesses is all governed by the mental faculty. The purpose of giving rise to the six consciousnesses is to perceive, distinguish, and process the five sense objects and the dharma-objects. Therefore, the mental faculty corresponds not only to the dharma-objects but also to the five sense objects. In the absence of the six consciousnesses, or when the six consciousnesses are incapable of perception and distinction, it is the mental faculty alone that observes and clings to these dharmas. For instance, regarding the state of the body faculty, the mental faculty, following right after the Tathāgatagarbha at all times and in all places, is aware of all conditions of the body. Sometimes it allows the mental consciousness and the five sense consciousnesses to know, while other times it does not allow the six consciousnesses to know. Even when it allows the mental consciousness to know, the mental consciousness is often baffled.

Contemplating the five aggregates primarily focuses on observing the selflessness of the conscious mind. The main component of the five aggregates is the conscious mind, which is most easily mistaken for a self, while the five sense faculties and the six sense objects are mistakenly taken as "what belongs to me." Recognizing the selflessness of "what belongs to me" is relatively easier, while seeing through the "self" of the conscious mind is the most difficult.

The conscious mind is also a type of dharma, arising and ceasing moment by moment within the Tathāgatagarbha. From the perspective of the Tathāgatagarbha, there is no arising or ceasing; all is the nature of the Tathāgatagarbha. From the perspective of conventional dharmas, apart from the Tathāgatagarbha, all dharmas are subject to arising and ceasing, with phenomena constantly changing and existence and non-existence opposing each other. What changes is not only the moment-to-moment arising and ceasing of the conscious mind, the output, cessation, and return of consciousness seeds, the incessant rise and fall of thoughts, but also the sense objects, which are also changing moment by moment, with the four elemental seeds outputting, ceasing, returning, and material dharmas arising, ceasing, and transforming.

Under the condition of meditative concentration (dhyāna), the dharmas of the five aggregates and the eighteen elements gradually become independent; their mutual adhesion becomes less tight. When independent, they are easily broken down one by one. When adhered together, they are more complex, appear more real, and it becomes difficult to perceive their illusory and selfless nature. In the state of meditative concentration, mental activities become slower and more subtle, the clinging to dharmas is slight, obscurations are reduced, and the true nature of things is exposed before the conscious mind. Therefore, the benefits of meditative concentration are extremely numerous: it can clarify the truth of reality; the perceiving and cognitive nature of the conscious mind becomes more objective, impartial, and wise; it is easy to develop wisdom. It is truly regrettable not to cultivate meditative concentration. Having faith in the Buddha's words and possessing the perfection of precepts, concentration, and wisdom—this is a true disciple of the Buddha.