How to Utilize the Knowing Nature of Mind-Consciousness for Investigative Contemplation

Some say that the knowing of the seventh consciousness is Buddha-nature, but this view fails to distinguish truth from falsehood and fundamentally misunderstands the wondrous function of Buddha-nature. While the seventh consciousness also has awareness, its knowing and the perceiving nature of Buddha-nature are two distinct functions; they are not the same. Although Buddha-nature does not exist or manifest apart from the seventh consciousness, the essence of the seventh consciousness's knowing differs vastly from Buddha-nature. The seventh consciousness arises from the function of the consciousness element within the eighth consciousness, whereas Buddha-nature arises from the function of the perceiving element within the eighth consciousness. The "perceiving element" discussed in the Shurangama Sutra is precisely Buddha-nature. Buddha-nature does not require overly meticulous intellectual analysis or deep investigation. When the intellect becomes too sharp, if merit and meditative stability are insufficient, seeing Buddha-nature becomes very difficult.

After realizing the mind, cultivate meditative stability and merit. When both are fully perfected, then investigate Buddha-nature, and there will be an opportunity to perceive it. If one condition is lacking, perceiving the nature becomes hopeless. Therefore, when conditions are not yet ripe, do not delve deeply into the meaning of Buddha-nature. Instead, cultivate more merit and more meditative stability. When the access concentration (anāgamya-samādhi) is very deep, then meticulously investigate Buddha-nature. At that time, the opportunity to perceive the nature will arise.

What kinds of dharmas does the seventh consciousness perceive? Because the seventh consciousness possesses subtle discerning wisdom, it perceives the dharmas within the sphere of mental objects (the sixth sense-object), perceiving all appearances of mental objects manifested by the eighth consciousness. However, it only perceives a general outline, not the details or specific content. Whatever the eighth consciousness manifests, the seventh consciousness attends to. Whatever it attends to, it perceives. But that perception cannot know what the specific mental object is; it can only know a rough outline.

The "knowing" we use in Chan (Zen) investigation appears, on the surface and in the initial stages, to rely primarily on the knowing of the sixth consciousness. However, in the later stages and deeper levels of Chan investigation, the mental faculty, the seventh consciousness, becomes primary. The sixth consciousness cooperates with the seventh consciousness, providing relevant and necessary theoretical foundations, enabling the seventh consciousness to engage in profound, subtle deliberation and discernment. Yet, the knowing of the sixth consciousness never departs from the knowing of the seventh consciousness. The seventh consciousness is constantly operating in a deep, subtle way, enabling the sixth consciousness to have its function of discrimination and discernment. Chan investigation primarily uses the mental consciousness (the sixth consciousness) to investigate. Using this knowing faculty of the mental consciousness, when this knowing is well-cultivated, constantly carrying this thought of knowing, suspending it within the mind of the mental faculty (seventh consciousness), and then transforming this thought into the critical phrase (huatou), one can engage in Chan investigation, and it happens very quickly. The thought of knowing transforms into the thought of Chan investigation. Replace the thought that constantly knows all dharmas with the critical phrase, replace it with a kōan, replace it with the meaning of a particular dharma, and then you can investigate. One day, awakening will be attained.