What Is Called Direct Realization?

Many people talk about realization every day, but what does "real" mean? Real means actuality, and actuality is the direct perception realm of the manas. Whatever realm the manas reaches, that is the level of one's cultivation; the realm of the mind consciousness is illusory, vanishing in the blink of an eye, like flowers in the sky that never touch the ground. The manas is the consciousness that makes decisions, governing the bodily, verbal, and mental actions of the six consciousnesses. The understanding of the mind consciousness is not realization, because the mind consciousness cannot make decisions regarding bodily, verbal, and mental actions.

Realization requires the manas to realize it, and for the manas to realize it, meditative concentration (samādhi) is indispensable. When meditative concentration is insufficient, the manas cannot deeply and subtly deliberate on the data provided by the mind consciousness, and cannot form determination (adhimokṣa) regarding what the mind consciousness thinks and understands; therefore it cannot realize it, and there can only be understanding by the mind consciousness alone. So without meditative concentration, do not talk about realization. And if the mind consciousness understands but the manas does not realize, there is no merit and benefit of liberation—it is virtue not matching one's position.