The realization of all dharmas is the result of direct realization (abhisamaya).

The realization of all dharmas should be the result of direct realization (abhisamaya), not conclusions drawn from imagination and analysis. What is direct realization? Direct realization means contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) with valid direct cognition, contemplation directly present—right at the moment when the six faculties engage the six sense objects, directly observing and experiencing the arising, operation, and arising-and-ceasing changes of various dharmas. Whether the mind consciousness is observing with valid direct cognition, and whether the conclusions reached through thinking accord with fact, the manas must continually make judgments; but sometimes its judgments are correct and sometimes wrong, because the manas also has its own habitual tendencies, and coupled with insufficient wisdom, it is prone to judging incorrectly. The manas generally only acknowledges the mind consciousness's valid direct observation and thorough thinking and analysis; only when there is sound reasoning and evidence can it inspire the wisdom of the manas, and only then can the manas confirm the results of such thinking and contemplative practice. It does not readily accept the mind consciousness's erroneous cognition (non-valid cognition), imagination, and inference. The mind consciousness's valid direct observation is itself the evidence; only when the evidence is conclusive will the manas make the final decision and give its assent.

Why is it that in many cases we cannot convince ourselves? Because the mind consciousness has not observed with valid direct cognition—there is no evidence, or the evidence is insufficient—so the manas cannot recognize the soundness and correctness of what the mind consciousness has analyzed and deliberated, cannot be persuaded by the mind consciousness, and cannot make a decision according to the results of the mind consciousness's analysis. Thus the mind consciousness must keep thinking, analyzing, and reasoning until the evidence is conclusive and the manas gives its approval.

Of course, this includes the mind consciousness's evil and mistaken "valid direct observation," which is in fact erroneous cognition (non-valid cognition); yet it too can be accepted by the manas, because it accords with the manas's ignorance and afflictions, and so the manas is willing to assent—this is the case with people who have not cultivated. When the mind consciousness gives wrong instruction to the manas, the manas is kept in the dark, not knowing the truth, and takes for granted the erroneous cognition as valid direct perception, taking what is imagined to be fact, when in fact it is not so. Yet sometimes the manas goes along with it and has no choice but to agree.