Can Contemplation Initiated from Non-Valid Cognition Achieve Direct Realization and Actual Proof?

Contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) of the Buddha's teachings is generally carried out on the basis of direct perception, which makes observation relatively easy to begin with. Only by starting from phenomena and states that can be easily observed can contemplative practice succeed easily and realization be attained easily. But this is not always the case; contemplative practice can also begin from imagination and thinking based on non-valid cognition. Once the power of meditative concentration (samādhi) increases and the power of wisdom also strengthens, one will gradually transition from non-valid cognition to direct perception. Once the state of direct perception manifests, the non-valid cognition completely becomes one's own state of direct perception. When the state 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, the state of meditative absorption is not easily lost, the transformation of body and mind and of one's world is very great, and one benefits immensely.

For example, in the contemplation of the white skeleton, at the very beginning one certainly cannot observe the white skeleton; one can only imagine it, or one starts the contemplation step by step from the observable skin and muscles, gradually shifting to the white skeleton. At first it is the mind consciousness contemplating the white skeleton through non-valid cognition, striving to imagine the white skeleton. 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 penetrated deep into the mind of the manas; finally the white skeleton arises from the manas and manifests naturally. The mind consciousness cannot think of it, and even wanting to remove it, one cannot—because this is no longer the realm of the mind consciousness, which cannot control it.

All the various other states of meditative absorption arise naturally from the manas due to deep cultivation; they are not realms of the mind consciousness, which cannot control them. For example, when the recollection of the Buddha (buddhānusmṛti) meditative absorption 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, seeing the mind, and the various states of meditative absorption attained upon awakening to the Path all 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 follow along, powerless to manipulate them. The mind consciousness may even feel baffled, feel that it is inconceivable; but in fact the manas knows exactly what is going on, and so one's expression is calm, the mind opens and understanding arises, and one abides in profound meditative bliss (dhyāna-śukha)—a state of mind that cannot be described. Take, for another example, the sixteen contemplations in the Contemplation of the Buddha of Infinite Life Sūtra: from the second contemplation to the sixteenth, they are all parts based on non-valid cognition, which the mind consciousness simply cannot observe, because the mind consciousness simply cannot see the land of bliss (sukhāvatī) or its earth, water, trees, and so on, and cannot see Amitābha Buddha or Bodhisattvas Avalokiteśvara and Mahāsthāmaprāpta—it can only imagine. These imaginings follow a sequence and method. The first contemplation is a preparation: first, to practice concentration and focused attention; second, to direct the mind toward the land of bliss and attune it to the land of bliss. After the state of meditative absorption of the first contemplation appears, the second contemplation is carried out entirely on the foundation of the first. Although it is non-valid 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 state of meditative absorption appears, concentration and wisdom further advance, and the subsequent states of non-valid cognition will also naturally come to fruition, becoming one's own states of direct perception. This continues until the image of Amitābha Buddha and the images of Bodhisattvas Avalokiteśvara and Mahāsthāmaprāpta are all visualized, all of them exquisitely detailed, refined, and incomparably beautiful.

These states of meditative absorption are in fact not imagined by the mind consciousness. The mind consciousness absolutely cannot imagine them—no matter what, it cannot. It merely borrows the mind consciousness for initial imagining. Once profound meditative concentration and wisdom appear, the mind consciousness is no longer of much use. After the manas has been perfumed and saturated, almost everything relies on the manas. The moment the manas stirs, the state of meditative absorption appears. The tathāgatagarbha absolutely gives the manas face 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 all very difficult, feels there is no place to begin. That does not matter. As long as you successfully perfume the manas and leave the rest to the manas, it is guaranteed to accomplish all the endeavors the mind consciousness could never think of—including becoming a Buddha, the greatest and most immense matter under heaven. In the end, the manas can accomplish it all naturally and effortlessly.