Lecture Notes on the Sūtra of the Collection of the Father and Son (132)

Contemplative Practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) in Meditative Concentration: The Faculties Are Like Illusions and Sense Objects Are Like Dreams

The faculties are like illusions, and the sense objects are like dreams. To contemplate these dharmas requires relatively deep meditative concentration. Amid various states, in the contact of the six faculties with the six sense objects, one should experience the illusory nature, the unreality, the lack of self-mastery (avaśatā), and the absence of self-nature of faculties and sense objects. Meditative concentration and wisdom must be combined and completely fused together. Contemplate carefully: when the eye sees form, how the eye faculty lacks self-mastery (avaśatā), how the form sense-object is illusory, how it is like a shadow; when the ear hears sounds, how the state of sound is like a dream, how the ear faculty is like a conjured illusion, how it arises and how it ceases, how it performs the function of hearing. When contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) is accomplished, one can realize that the five aggregates (pañca-skandha) are empty and illusory, tranquil and non-arising.

Regarding the contemplation of these dharmas, preliminary understanding does not equal realization. Understanding is relatively easier—the mind consciousness deliberates for a while and feels it has understood—but this is not realization. Realization requires meditative concentration, requires profound deliberation (manasikāra/manana), requires conclusive evidence, and must penetrate deep into the manas in the depths of the mind. Only when the manas accepts and acknowledges it can it be called attaining fruition. What the sixth consciousness (manovijñāna) understands is merely knowledge; without evidence or with insufficient evidence, none of it is realization. It must go through deep and subtle contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā), and only when the manas genuinely acknowledges that principle in the depths of the mind can it be called attaining fruition.

At that time, because one has genuinely realized and acknowledged that the five aggregates (pañca-skandha) are without self and the six faculties are illusory, the mental activities change, and one's view of all things transforms. When one truly believes oneself to be illusory, the mind will certainly undergo change; it cannot remain the same as before, still the same old way. But when it is merely the mind consciousness's understanding, without realization, the depths of the mind do not know that the five aggregates are truly without self; the cognition of self will not change, and the view of the five aggregates remains only at the theoretical level. The mental activities remain as before, the afflictions remain as heavy as ever, and if the three fetters cannot be eradicated, the three evil destinies cannot be avoided.

This is the same as the worldly principle that "seeing is believing, while hearing is unreliable." What one hears from others is equivalent to the mind consciousness's understanding—it has not been verified, so deep down one still feels uncertain and dares not take it seriously. Afterwards, when one sees it with one's own eyes, one truly knows it, and will say: Ah! So that's how it is! At this point, one knows how to handle people and affairs. Seeing with one's own eyes is equivalent to the manas's realization; hearing is equivalent to the mind consciousness's understanding—these are two entirely different levels. The mind consciousness's understanding is heard from others, while the manas's realization is personally witnessed; it is knowledge by direct perception, truly seen.