How to Steer the Vehicle of the Five Aggregates

Journal on the Practice of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness: In the initial stage of my Four Foundations of Mindfulness training, distracting thoughts during meditation were extremely severe, making the practice arduous. Now that this hurdle has passed, I can settle upon the meditation cushion without expending effort to manage coarse, heavy distracting thoughts, abiding peacefully in the breath, and even enter a shallow state of concentration, experiencing a slight sense of separation between body and mind.

However, I find that the concentration (samadhi) and wisdom (prajna) power of my manas (the thinking mind) and consciousness are still quite weak. To use an analogy, it’s like reaching spring when the mountain streams have just passed the dry season; the murmuring flow can only float a small bamboo raft, but is insufficient to carry a wooden boat, let alone be like great rivers with deep waters and surging waves that can carry massive ships and vessels—it is far from possessing that strength. Now I seem to better grasp the meaning of the term “dry wisdom” often mentioned in the Dharma. Like an ordinary person like myself who is new to Buddhism, the consciousness may grasp some principles of prajna (wisdom) intellectually, but when the power of concentration is still very shallow, the so-called “wisdom” is merely the intellectual understanding of the surface consciousness. How could it have even a trace of meritorious effect or true benefit? As my teacher said, such so-called “awakening” is merely “misunderstanding” (a homophone in Chinese). I should sincerely repent for my past self-righteousness and boastful talk.

In the current training, subduing the coarse distracting thoughts only means that the ox of manas is no longer as wild as before; its temperament has become somewhat more docile, yet it remains very lively and restless. Focusing intently on observing the breath while seated is like using the rope of the breath to tie it down more securely, making it less inclined to grasp and wander.

The reason this ox of manas is so restless is fundamentally due to the ignorance accumulated over beginningless kalpas (eons), which mistakes the objects of the six senses (six dusts) as real, treats them as its food, and savors them with relish. Therefore, the shepherd boy of consciousness must, whenever possible, continually remind the ox of manas that the objects of the six senses are false, that the six sense faculties are illusory, the six sense objects are illusory, and that when the faculties and objects contact, the consciousness that discriminates the sense objects is merely a series of consciousness-seeds. Material phenomena (rupa) are empty, mental phenomena (nama) are also empty; the mountains, rivers, and great earth, the self, body and mind discriminated by consciousness are nothing but complex electrical signals of the inner six sense objects within the brain; the layers upon layers of distracting thoughts are merely the illusory, shadow-like mental objects (dharmas) conjured by consciousness itself—not a single dharma has any true reality... Implant this message deeply within the heart, let the ox of manas thoroughly chew and ruminate upon it, hoping that one day it too will suddenly experience enlightenment!

Comment: All coarse and subtle distracting thoughts are nothing but the habitual momentum formed by manas, since beginningless kalpas, recognizing sensory objects as real and persistently clinging to them. It’s like a car speeding fiercely—hard to brake, extremely difficult for consciousness to rein in. Moreover, many people don’t even want to control it, instead indulging it recklessly, pressing the accelerator harder. The consequences are something everyone should be able to imagine. How to tame this vehicle, making it gradually slow down and operate safely and smoothly, is an important topic we should deeply contemplate.

It’s fortunate that we now have the object of observation in the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. It allows manas to gradually shift its energy towards it, gradually settling within it. The vehicle’s speed slowly decreases, no longer jolting. By withdrawing attention from troublesome trivialities and facing just this one thing—the breath—the mind quiets, afflictions settle, and the clear surface water will reflect the true face of the five aggregates (skandhas). One may then discover that the five aggregates are not so real and reliable after all; previously, they were all mistakenly recognized and clung to. From then on, ignorance and afflictions will gradually peel away from the heart, bringing ease, stability, and the reduction and cessation of suffering.

The Four Foundations of Mindfulness is the excellent medicinal prescription prescribed by the Buddha to cure the diseases of body and mind. Just take it with trust, and both physical and mental illnesses will be eliminated, leading to liberation through wisdom. Do not doubt. The Buddha is the Great Physician King, capable of rescuing sentient beings from water and fire. Following the Buddha’s guidance, one will surely reach the oasis on the other shore to rest and settle.

Throughout the entire practice process, consciousness acts like a guide, pointing the direction for manas. Once manas understands the direction and embarks on the right path, it must rely on its own mental strength and wisdom to face all phenomena, to contemplate, to investigate, to discover the truth, and to reverse previous erroneous cognitions. Only then can one attain new life. Consciousness, this co-pilot, merely watches over and assists slightly from the side. Everything still depends on manas itself. After all, the vehicle of the five aggregates must be driven by it personally; consciousness cannot take its place.