The Relationship Between Intuition and Chan Meditation

When Chan investigation reaches its final state of inquiry, it is a state of "initial application and sustained examination (vitarka-vicāra)" that is free from the marks of language and words—that is, one has penetrated deep into the manas, and the manas has become involved in the activity of investigation. Intuition is precisely the functional operation of the manas; it is the manas's awareness-nature, the manas's perception. It is not easy to explain clearly in words, because the manas does not correspond to language. The intuitive function of the manas is very powerful and also fairly accurate; many people trust their own intuition.

All the questions in the mind belong to mental sense-objects (inner dharma‑viṣaya). When the tathāgatagarbha manifests these mental sense-objects, the manas contacts them first and knows them first, and then awareness arises; some mental sense-objects the manas can understand in rough outline, only not in fine detail or specificity. Then the manas directs the mind consciousness to contact the mental sense-objects again, to observe the problem carefully and analyze it. At times, the mind consciousness must begin its thinking and analysis in the direction perceived by the manas's awareness, and only at the end is the problem clarified. Often, when the mind consciousness thinks along the direction of the manas's intuition, the problem is solved quickly and rather accurately.

Chan practice and investigation, then, involve the mind consciousness and the manas working together to clarify a question. The mind consciousness needs the cooperation of the manas's intuitive function, and the manas needs the data of the mind consciousness's logical thinking and analysis. Using this data, the manas then adds its own perception and verification, and the problem is settled definitively.

Carry that intuitive perception along continuously—this is both meditative concentration (samādhi) and the activity of investigation, having penetrated into the manas. Most people have had this experience, but they do not understand it and do not know how to make use of it. In deep investigation, the mind consciousness is not employed for thinking and analysis; rather, the manas is quietly and deeply deliberating (manasikāra/manana). He cannot express it, for He does not correspond to words and language. With the mind consciousness providing only slight cooperation, and with the manas as the primary agent, this is the state of investigation. When the mind consciousness is primary, it is the state of thinking and analysis, a level somewhat shallower than the state of investigation; this is the preparatory expedient of Chan practice, and only afterward can the state of investigation appear.