How to Skillfully Engage in Contemplative Practice

When engaging in investigation, consciousness must thoroughly comprehend the content to be investigated, giving rise to a state of doubt. This doubt should be condensed into a single point and handed over to manas, enabling manas to also generate this doubt sensation. Whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, one must contemplate it morning and evening, refusing to cease until the doubt is resolved.

Why must it be condensed into a single point? Because manas lacks language and analytical capacity. If the entire meaning is not condensed into a single point, it remains entangled with language, rendering manas incapable of investigation, leaving consciousness alone to engage in thinking and analysis. However, the level of thinking and analysis conducted solely by consciousness is relatively shallow and cannot give birth to profound wisdom. That is, without manas participating in the investigation, wisdom cannot arise. The wisdom of consciousness does not play a decisive role. Only when manas also possesses wisdom can it properly grasp the steering wheel of the five aggregates and determine their future destiny.