Why Does the Venerable One's Brief Restraint of Thoughts Suddenly Empty Body and Mind?

The consciousness of the mind is certainly gathered and restrained, no longer conditioned by anything other than the state of doubt. It does not even attend to the body, becoming unaware of the body's existence. The mental faculty of the seventh consciousness (manas) is also gathered and restrained; otherwise, the sixth consciousness (mano-vijñāna) could not be restrained, as it would inevitably follow the seventh consciousness in grasping at objects. Because the seventh consciousness is gathered and no longer scattered, both the body and the conscious mind are emptied and cease to exist. This is not merely the absence experienced in meditative concentration (dhyāna), but also the emptiness realized conceptually—it is the realization that body and mind are not the self. This is attaining the fruit (of enlightenment). The gathering and restraining of body and mind is itself meditative concentration. Subsequently, deeper states of concentration arise, and the wisdom realizing the selflessness of body and mind unfolds.

Can true wisdom exist without meditative concentration? It is impossible. If it seems to exist, it is merely that of scholastic adherents (those who grasp at intellectual understanding). Nowadays, everywhere there are scholastic adherents like the monk Shenhui. Whether they are even capable of teaching is doubtful. When the Sixth Patriarch scolded the monk Shenhui, it applies equally to people today—they still lack awakening.