The Principle of True Chan Meditation and Practice

When practicing Chan investigation, the mind consciousness may be without thoughts, but the manas must never be without thoughts. If there are no thoughts, it is purely the cultivation of meditative concentration, and wisdom cannot arise; therefore one cannot attain enlightenment, nor can one see one's nature.

When one's meditative power is very good, the mind consciousness seems to be without thoughts, but in fact there is still one thought hanging in the heart—that is, hanging in the manas. The manas is investigating, with the mind consciousness cooperating; when the material is sufficient and the data complete, the investigation is carried out primarily by the manas.

If the data is insufficient, the manas will ask the mind consciousness for material and data, and then investigate deeply afterward. This is the true secret of applying effort in investigation; if everyone knew it, it would no longer be a secret. When the manas asks the mind consciousness for material and data, the mind consciousness must engage in obvious thinking and analysis, then hand over the content and results of the analysis and thinking to the manas, and the manas will then carry out its investigation based on this data. We have all had this experience: on the surface we seem to have no thoughts or thinking, but in the depths of the mind there is no real stillness—some mental activity is still deeply hidden there, like the water of the great ocean, which appears calm and still on the surface while its currents are in fact very swift. Such is the manas: deep and hidden, hard to find, unfathomable.

Realization in Chan investigation can only occur under certain conditions of causes and conditions, depending on the respective states of the mind consciousness and the manas. Therefore, an experienced and highly responsible Chan master will observe whether a disciple's causes and conditions are complete; if they are not complete—for instance, if meditative concentration is lacking—he will not begin to guide the disciple, lest the disciple attain only an intellectual understanding and remain unable to be full of vitality for a lifetime. Enlightenment under different Chan masters yields wisdom that differs greatly, and the degrees of realization differ considerably. So the kind of Chan master one encounters precisely reflects one's own merit and causes and conditions.