Can mistaken perception (non-valid cognition) give rise to contemplation and achieve direct realization (niṣṭhābhisamaya)?

Contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) of the Buddha's teachings generally begins contemplation from the realm of direct perception/valid direct cognition, which makes it relatively easy to begin observing. Starting from phenomenal realms that can be easily observed allows contemplative practice to succeed easily and realization to be attained easily. However, this is not always the case; contemplative practice can also begin from erroneous cognition/non-valid cognition, imagination, and thinking. Once the power of meditative concentration (samādhi) strengthens and the power of wisdom (prajñā-bala) also strengthens, one will gradually transition from erroneous cognition to direct perception. Once the realm of direct perception manifests, the erroneous cognition completely becomes one's own realm of direct perception. Once the realm of meditative absorption (samādhi) appears, the contemplative practice is accomplished, and one attains realization of the Path. In this kind of realization, both the power of meditative concentration and the power of wisdom are very deep, so the samādhi realm is not easily lost, the transformation of body, mind, and world is very great, and the benefit is immense.

For example, in the contemplation of the white skeleton, at first one certainly cannot observe the white skeleton; one can only imagine it, or begin contemplation step by step from the observable skin and flesh, gradually turning to the white skeleton. At the beginning, it is the mind consciousness contemplating the white skeleton through erroneous cognition, striving to imagine it. After concentration and wisdom strengthen, the white skeleton will naturally manifest, without the mind consciousness deliberately thinking of it—deliberate thinking will not make it appear. It happens when the mind consciousness truly can no longer think, and it has already penetrated deep into the mind of the manas. In the end, the white skeleton arises from the manas and manifests naturally. The mind consciousness cannot think of it, and even wanting to remove it, it cannot be removed, because this is no longer the realm of the mind consciousness, which cannot control it.

All the various other samādhi realms arise naturally from the manas due to deep cultivation; they are not the realm of the mind consciousness and cannot be controlled by it. For example, when the recollection of the Buddha (buddhānusmṛti) samādhi is accomplished, the sound of the Buddha's name continues without interruption whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down—no-thought, yet cognizing; cognizing, yet no-thought. It is not the mind consciousness reciting, but the manas reciting. The mind consciousness cannot possibly extinguish the Buddha's name, cannot possibly control it, and cannot even control the meditative state of the physical body. From this perspective, all realizations of the fruits, awakening to the true mind, and the various samādhi realms of enlightenment possess both concentration and wisdom; none of them are realms of the mind consciousness—they are all initiated by the manas, and the mind consciousness can only comply, powerless to control them. The mind consciousness may even feel baffled, feel that it is inconceivable; in fact, the manas knows exactly what is happening, hence the composed demeanor, the mind opened and understanding released, abiding in profound meditative bliss (dhyāna-joy), a state of mind beyond description. Take another example: the sixteen contemplations in the Contemplation of the Infinite Life Sutra—from the second contemplation to the sixteenth, all are parts of erroneous cognition that the mind consciousness fundamentally cannot observe, because the mind consciousness fundamentally cannot see the land of bliss (Sukhāvatī), nor its land, water, trees, and so on, nor Amitābha Buddha, nor Contemplator of the World's Sounds Bodhisattva and Mahāsthāmaprāpta Bodhisattva; it can only imagine. These imaginations follow a sequence and method. The first contemplation is a foundation: first, to train concentration and focus; second, to direct the mind toward the land of bliss and resonate with it. After the samādhi realm of the first contemplation appears, the second contemplation is carried out entirely on the basis of the first. Although it is erroneous cognition, it is like pushing a boat along with the current—the water transforms into the jeweled ground of the land of bliss.

After this samādhi realm appears, concentration and wisdom further advance, and the subsequent erroneous cognition realms will naturally come to fruition, becoming one's own realm of direct perception. This continues until the image of Amitābha Buddha, and the images of Contemplator of the World's Sounds Bodhisattva and Mahāsthāmaprāpta Bodhisattva, are all contemplated into appearance, all the images being exceedingly delicate, refined, and incomparably beautiful.

These samādhi realms are actually not imagined by the mind consciousness; the mind consciousness absolutely cannot imagine them—no matter what, it cannot. It is only at the very beginning that one borrows the mind consciousness to imagine a little. Once profound meditative concentration and wisdom appear, the mind consciousness is no longer of much use. After the manas has been steeped and influenced, almost everything relies on the manas. Once the manas stirs, the samādhi realm appears. The tathāgatagarbha absolutely gives face to the manas and absolutely cooperates with it. So the commander-in-chief is, after all, the commander-in-chief, far stronger than the advisors and assistants.

Therefore, with many things, the mind consciousness feels it simply cannot imagine them, feels they are very difficult, feels there is no place to start. This does not matter. As long as you succeed in steeping and influencing the manas, leave the rest to the manas—it is guaranteed to accomplish all endeavors that the mind consciousness cannot conceive of, including becoming a Buddha, the greatest and greatest matter under heaven. In the end, the manas can accomplish it all spontaneously and naturally.