The Principle of Chan Meditation through Transcending Consciousness

Question: Breaking the view of self is a process of repeated, deep, and properly directed contemplation by the consciousness, where the consciousness presents evidence to the manas (ego-mind) demonstrating the illusory nature of the five aggregates (skandhas), ultimately leading to the manas's acknowledgment. This is a cyclical process of presenting evidence, persuading, presenting evidence again, and persuading again. The consciousness gradually presents all the evidence from contemplation to the manas, and finally, the manas acknowledges and accepts it. Is this acknowledgment also a form of "corresponding" (xiangying)? Is breaking the view of self also a form of corresponding with the manas? What is the difference between the meaning of "acknowledgment" (shouken) and "corresponding" (xiangying)?

Answer: Through the consciousness's repeated and profound contemplative analysis, all evidence and grounds are gradually presented to the manas. After the manas deliberates and finds the evidence conclusive, it confirms and acknowledges it. This acknowledgment signifies that the manas has awakened and corresponds with the principle of the non-self (anatta) of the five aggregates. The more ample the evidence and the more direct experiential states (pratyakṣa-pramāṇa) are presented, the more the manas acknowledges and corresponds. This is because the manas accepts direct experiential states and does not correspond with non-valid inferences (anumāna) or imaginings; the manas only requires evidence.

When the manas corresponds with the principle of non-self, it thinks: "Oh! So it is like this." This is because the manas did not previously know that all phenomena of its own five aggregates are illusory. Now, with the evidence laid out before it, it has no choice but to acknowledge this principle. Before this, the consciousness might have known some aspects of the principle of non-self to a greater or lesser extent, but the manas did not know because its wisdom was shallow, its ability to discern states was insufficient, and it was incapable of deep and subtle deliberation.

The content understood through the consciousness's analytical thinking belongs to intellectual understanding (jie wu). This occurs because the power of concentration (samadhi) is not strong enough; it hasn't penetrated deeply into the manas, so the manas does not comprehend the principle. If concentration is strong, the consciousness's thinking can penetrate deeply, reducing superficial understanding. When the consciousness moves slowly, it can mobilize the power of the manas, activating the manas's deliberative nature. Then, once the manas itself understands, the consciousness certainly understands. When concentration is shallow and the analytical component of the consciousness is high, although the consciousness may easily understand, the evidence presented to the manas is insufficient, and the manas's own deliberative power is also insufficient, so the manas does not comprehend the principle. When the consciousness uses less analysis and effort, entrusting more to the manas to exert effort and deliberate more, then the realization (zheng wu) of the non-self of the five aggregates can be attained.

The power of the manas's confirmation is immense. It can transform the mind, change physical, verbal, and mental actions, alter karmic actions, and transform karmic seeds. Practicing in this way is taking a great shortcut. To make the manas exert more effort and attain direct experiential realization (pratyakṣa), one must enter deep meditative concentration (dhyāna), with the consciousness moving less. This is the principle of investigation (canjiu). Chan masters have always taught practitioners to meditate by departing from the heart-mind, consciousness, and mental functions (li xin yishi can chan) – not to analyze, not to engage in emotional thinking or intellectual understanding. However, they may not necessarily understand the profound principle behind this, which is the function of the manas and corresponding with it. Because the operation of the manas belongs to the scope of vijñapti-mātratā-seed-wisdom (weishi zhongzhi), and many Chan masters have not given rise to this wisdom. Therefore, the principle of breaking the view of self is the same as the principle of Chan meditation; it also utilizes the manas, allowing the manas to work diligently and silently to deliberate on the non-self nature of the five aggregates. The consciousness, in deep concentration, thinks subtly and deeply, moving slowly and profoundly. In this way, it can penetrate the manas, and only then can it correspond with the nature of non-self.

By uncovering all the functions, attributes, and roles of the manas, spiritual practice becomes a great shortcut – indeed, the greatest shortcut. We can then practice by leaps and bounds, and attaining Buddhahood becomes extremely rapid.