The Sutra on the Divination of Karmic Retribution of Good and Evil, Volume II

Original Text: Those who study the observation of consciousness-only should, at all times and in all places, observe all actions performed by their body, speech, and mind, knowing that these are solely the mind. Even when encountering all phenomena, if the mind dwells on thoughts, they should be aware of it, preventing the mind from unintentional mental wandering and becoming unaware. Between every thought, they should observe; whenever the mind engages with an object of thought, they should make the mind follow that thought and become self-aware.

Explanation: Practitioners who observe that all dharmas are merely the mind should cultivate in this way: At all times and in all places, they must clearly observe all mental activities created by their body, speech, and mind, knowing that these activities are nothing but the mind itself, with nothing beyond it. Even when encountering all phenomena, if the mind clings, fixates, becomes attached to phenomena, or mistakes phenomena as real, they should become aware and recognize this, preventing the mind from clinging to phenomena and falling into an unintentional mental state, unaware that it has become fixated and lost its true nature. Between every thought, they must observe; if thoughts arise in the mind that cling to phenomena, they should observe the source of these thoughts, making themselves aware of what their thoughts are, then gather and guard the mind to prevent distraction. This requires employing the introspective power, awareness, and discernment of consciousness to observe and maintain the mind.

Original Text: They should know that thoughts arise spontaneously within their own mind, not that all phenomena possess thoughts or discrimination. It is said that within the mind spontaneously arise views of long and short, good and evil, right and wrong, gain and loss, decline and benefit, existence and non-existence, and countless other thoughts. Yet all phenomena themselves have never possessed thoughts or given rise to discrimination. One should know that since all phenomena inherently lack discriminating thoughts, they are inherently neither long nor short, neither good nor evil, nor even existent nor non-existent—they are free from all characteristics. Observing thus, one knows that all dharmas arise solely from mental conception. If the mind is separated, not a single dharma or characteristic can manifest any distinction by itself. One should thus guard the mind, knowing that there are only false thoughts and no real phenomena, and not allow the practice to cease. This is called cultivating the practice of observing consciousness-only. If the mind is in an unintentional state and unaware of its own thoughts, it is said that there are phenomena existing externally, and this is not called observing consciousness-only.

Explanation: At this point, one should know that thoughts arise spontaneously within one’s own mind; it is not that all phenomena possess thoughts or discrimination. When encountering conditions, the mind spontaneously gives rise to views of long and short, good and evil, right and wrong, gain and loss, decline and benefit, existence and non-existence, and countless other thoughts and opinions. Yet all phenomena themselves have no thoughts and do not engage in discrimination. Therefore, one should know that since phenomena inherently lack discriminating thoughts, phenomena themselves have no long or short, good or evil, nor existence or non-existence—phenomena are free from all characteristics. After observing thus, one knows that all dharmas arise solely from mental conception. If mental conception is absent, not a single dharma or characteristic can manifest any distinction by itself. One should guard the mind in this way, letting the mind know that there are only false thoughts and no real phenomena, and not allow the practice of the mind to be abandoned midway. This is the method of cultivating the practice of observing consciousness-only. If the mind is in an unintentional state, a state of non-awakening, lacking the power of awareness and illumination, and unaware of its own thoughts, then the mind perceives external phenomena as real, and this is not called observing consciousness-only.

Original Text: Furthermore, those who guard and observe the mind know thoughts of greed, hatred, and foolish, erroneous views; they know the good, the unwholesome, the unintentional, and the various sufferings of mental fatigue and worry. If while sitting in meditation, they follow whatever the mind engages with, observing thought after thought, they know that these are merely the arising and ceasing of the mind. Like flowing water or a lamp’s flame, there is not a moment of abiding. From this, they will attain the samadhi of the stillness of form.

Explanation: Moreover, those who guard and observe the mind should become aware of thoughts of greed, hatred, and foolish, erroneous views within their own mind; they should be able to discern whether their mind is wholesome, unwholesome, or neutral (unintentional), and should be able to recognize the various afflictions of mental fatigue and worry. If while sitting in meditation, they follow the mind’s engagement with objects, they must observe thought after thought, knowing that each thought is merely the arising and ceasing of the mind. Like the flow of water or the flame of a lamp, there is not a moment of stillness. In this way, they will attain the samadhi of the stillness of form.

Original Text: After attaining this samadhi, one should next learn to cultivate faith in the practice of shamatha (calm abiding) to observe the mind, and faith in the practice of vipashyana (insight) to observe the mind. Cultivating faith in shamatha to observe the mind involves contemplating the invisible characteristic of the inner mind—perfect, unmoving, without coming or going, inherently unarisen, because it is free from discrimination. Cultivating faith in vipashyana to observe the mind involves perceiving that all internal and external forms arise according to the mind and cease according to the mind; even when visualizing the form body of the Buddha, it is also thus—arising according to the mind and ceasing according to the mind, like an illusion, like a transformation, like the moon in water, like an image in a mirror. It is not the mind, yet not apart from the mind; it does not come, yet is not non-coming; it does not go, yet is not non-going; it is not born, yet not non-born; it is not made, yet not non-made. Virtuous man! If one can cultivate faith in these two ways of observing the mind, one will swiftly enter the path of the One Vehicle. Know that this practice of observing consciousness-only is called the supreme gate of wisdom, for it enables the mind to become sharp, increases the power of faith and understanding, swiftly enters the meaning of emptiness, and gives rise to the supreme bodhicitta.

Explanation: After attaining this samadhi, one should next cultivate faith and understanding in the practice of shamatha to observe the mind, and faith and understanding in the practice of vipashyana to observe the mind. Those who cultivate shamatha to observe the mind should contemplate the invisible characteristic within the mind—perfect and unmoving, without coming or going, inherently unarisen, because it is free from all discrimination. Those who cultivate faith and understanding in vipashyana to observe the mind, if they wish to perceive all internal and external forms, all forms will arise according to the mind and cease according to the mind. Even if they wish to perceive the golden form body of the Buddha, they can accomplish this: the Buddha’s golden form body arises according to the mind and ceases according to the mind, like an illusion, like a transformation, like the moon in water, like an image in a mirror. It is not the mind, yet not apart from the mind; when the Buddha’s image manifests, it is not that it comes, yet the image appears, nor is it non-coming. When the Buddha’s image ceases, there is no form in the mind; the image does not go, yet it disappears, nor is it non-going. The Buddha’s image manifests in the mind; it is not born, yet it arises from nothing, nor is it non-born. The Buddha’s image is illusory, not truly created, yet it is produced through visualization, nor is it non-created. Virtuous man, if one can cultivate faith and understanding in these two methods of observing the mind, one can swiftly approach the path of the One Vehicle. Know that this practice of observing consciousness-only is the supreme method of wisdom, for it enables the mind to become sharp and vigorous, increases the power of faith and understanding, swiftly enters the meaning that all dharmas are emptiness, and gives rise to the supreme bodhicitta.