The Distinction Between Pratyakṣa and Apramāṇa

Direct perception (Pratyakṣa) refers to the measurement, estimation, and assessment of things or principles that are present, current, and directly before one's eyes. "Present" signifies what is now, immediate, and right in front; "measurement" signifies estimation, calculation, and assessment. Direct perception is thus the measuring, estimating, and assessing of things that exist right before one. When seeing the Dharma, one perceives and knows it immediately at that very moment, able to discern it without further thought or deliberation, especially without relying on mental fabrication, imagination, or fantasy.

Non-perception (Apratyakṣa) stands in contrast to direct perception. It is not direct perception; it does not pertain to the Dharma that is present and directly before one. Therefore, it requires mental deliberation, analysis, imagination, fantasy, recollection, and so forth to be known.

Non-perception also carries another meaning: it is erroneous estimation, consideration, judgment, or measurement, leading to conclusions that are incorrect and do not accord with reality. In truth, all cognition accords with reality only for the eighth consciousness mind and the seven consciousness minds after attaining Buddhahood. Prior to Buddhahood, because ignorance still remains, the seven consciousness minds possess erroneous cognition (non-perception) to varying degrees. The closer one is to the wisdom of a Buddha, the less erroneous cognition one has, and the more one experiences the state of direct perception. The more ordinary a being is, the more they experience non-perception, having little or no direct perception. Even when seeing the mountains and rivers before one's eyes as mountains and rivers, this is still not direct perception but non-perception, because one only sees the illusory appearances, not the essence of the phenomena.

When you have free time, practice meditation (dhyāna) more. Without meditation, one cannot fully and completely understand these profound Dharma teachings. Merely understanding is insufficient; one must not only be able to digest them completely but also extrapolate from one instance to others, citing all analogous examples.