The Realization of Dharma Requires the Simultaneous Realization of the Sixth and Seventh Consciousnesses

True realization of all dharmas is attained simultaneously by the sixth and seventh consciousnesses and acknowledged by both. If only the conscious mind asserts a certain understanding while the manas neither acknowledges it nor comprehends the principles affirmed by the six consciousnesses, then the manas has not been successfully imbued. Consequently, it has not realized the Buddha Dharma, and no transformation can occur in one's body, mind, or perception of the world. This is because consciousness remains superficial, its contemplation shallow and incapable of autonomy, relying entirely on the direction of the deeper manas. If the manas remains unaltered, it will continue to govern all actions and formations of consciousness based on its preexisting cognitions. In such cases, the isolated insights of consciousness alone cannot fulfill their proper function.

The manas is the sovereign consciousness, commonly referred to as the subconscious mind deep within. When principles or matters are genuinely acknowledged by the manas at its core, it impels physical, verbal, and mental actions to align with those recognized principles. Although, prior to severing self-attachment, the manas still harbors clinging and afflictions—preventing it from fully acting in accordance with realized principles—nevertheless, its fundamental perspective has already shifted. When the manas severs afflictions and self-attachment, the inner sense of "self" dissolves, and the process of spiritual permeation is thoroughly accomplished.

The process of conscious contemplation is precisely the means by which the manas comes to understand principles. This is an indispensable process: consciousness must contemplate, and contemplate deeply. Without such contemplation, the manas cannot attain understanding. If principles grasped by the conscious mind remain uncomprehended by the manas, no change will manifest in physical, verbal, or mental actions. The manas depends entirely on the information contemplated by consciousness to access these principles understood by consciousness. If the conscious mind does not contemplate, no information is transmitted to the manas, leaving it unable to discern, unable to grasp principles, unable to catalyze a shift in perspective, and thus unable to alter physical, verbal, or mental actions. Therefore, in our study and practice of the Buddha Dharma, we must be skilled in contemplation, making good use of the conscious mind to contemplate and observe phenomena in accordance with principles and Dharma. In practicing the Buddha Dharma, we must not allow consciousness to remain perpetually in a state of no-thought and no-awareness, nor leave it idle and unused. If we do so, we cannot deeply comprehend principles, and our wisdom will fail to grow.