What Is the State of Meditative Concentration?

What state is meditation (samādhi)? For example, the state of being in a daze or spacing out. When spacing out, the mind consciousness focuses on a single object, settles on one object without moving, without any superficial thinking activity, while the mental sense-object (dharma-viṣaya) is deeply implanted in the manas. The manas is forced to devote its main attention to this mental sense-object realm, and thus has to deliberate deeply. In this way wisdom can open up, and the source and substance of this mental sense-object realm can be considered clearly and thoroughly. This is the result of the mind consciousness and the manas working together: the mind consciousness deliberates deeply and subtly, while the manas calms the spirit to assist the thinking, personally participating in the deliberation (manasikāra), with the result that meditative concentration and wisdom manifest.

In worldly matters there are many situations like this as well. When encountering a major problem that must be solved, the mind consciousness falls into a dazed state, focused in deliberation, with the mind consciousness moving little, analyzing little, with little emotional speculation and conceptual understanding. Deep in the mind—that is, the manas—hangs onto this major matter, and then the matter can be considered clearly and thoroughly, and the method for solving the problem emerges. Extend the meditative concentration of dazed focus—the longer the better, the deeper it reaches into the manas the better, the less the mind consciousness deliberates the better. When the conditions of time and circumstance are complete, there is no worry about failing to realize any dharma. Why is it that some people cannot understand the Buddhist sutras and the meaning of the Dharma, and cannot understand others' language and minds? It is precisely because they lack meditative concentration (dhyāna-samādhi), so their wisdom is insufficient to be opened up. Lacking meditative concentration is also because of lacking merit (puṇya); the mind is restless and the deliberation is shallow.

The dazed state is not emptiness, not an empty state of no thought arising, not a dull, blank state; there is deep mental activity, similar to investigating a huatou (critical phrase), deeply probing the meaning of the Dharma. When spacing out, it is best to be able to daze the manas into clarity, to pull out the psychological activity of the manas.

Upon encountering a problem, the eyes roll once and then stay fixed and unmoving; the mind consciousness immediately settles, fixed and straight, while deep in the brain something is turning, deliberating—very deep, very hidden. On the surface it appears that there is no deliberation, no thought, but in fact deep down there is activity, just not showing itself. This is entering deeply into the manas, mobilizing the manas: the mind consciousness analyzes little, the manas applies its mind more, personally contacting the dharma, and then the potential of wisdom can be brought forth. This is the principle of meditative investigation (can-chan).

Some people do not understand what meditation is, do not know how to cultivate meditation, and do not know how to use the manas. From now on, try to let the manas participate more in deliberation, with the mind consciousness not deliberating superficially. This is called meditative investigation, and wisdom will certainly be developed. Deliberating on the five aggregates (pañca-skandha), one can eradicate the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi-prahāṇa); investigating Chan, one can see the mind and attain enlightenment; investigating the Buddha-nature, one can realize the contemplation of illusoriness; contemplating the illusory transformations of the seven consciousnesses, one can realize the contemplation of mirages; contemplating that all dharmas are like dreams, illusions, bubbles, and shadows, one can realize the contemplation of dreams—and so with all contemplative practices (vipaśyanā-caryā), one can contemplate with direct perception and realize with direct perception, absolutely not through emotional speculation, conceptual understanding, and imagination.