What Is the Difference Between Contemplative Practice and Imagination?

A: Contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) is genuinely looking, genuinely observing, with the six faculties all gathered on one thing and all participating. If the manas does not wander off, it can participate throughout the whole process, and what is gained from contemplative practice is acknowledged by the manas. Imagination is when the five faculties do not participate, and only the mind consciousness conjures something out of thin air by itself; the manas cannot participate and will not acknowledge it. 

B: The object of contemplative practice is based on objectively existing things. Imagination belongs to subjective conjecture. 

C: Contemplative practice is a mental activity in which the manas plays the leading role; during the process of contemplative practice, the mind consciousness provides the necessary guidance, allowing the manas to observe the object of attention with direct perception, just as it truly is. Imagination, on the other hand, is a mental activity dominated by the mind consciousness, mainly the non-valid cognition by the mind consciousness of subjectively imagined mental sense-objects, and it does not easily produce a substantive influence on the manas. 

D: Imagination is the operation of the solitary consciousness (mano-vijñāna-eka-citta); the manas also participates, and since the manas silently encompasses all dharmas, it too has discerned them. Imagination belongs to the subjectively imagined realm and is a discernment that is not direct perception. In contemplative practice, what both the mind consciousness and the manas take as their objects is a real-object realm, belonging to the realm with essence, and is discernment by direct perception; it easily permeates the manas, letting the manas realize the Dharma. Contemplative practice always has both the mind consciousness and the manas making discernment by direct perception. Continuous discernment by direct perception (with other faculties also participating in between) requires the power of meditative concentration; only when the manas is settled can one attain realization. 

E: First, when engaging in contemplative practice one must possess a certain degree of meditative concentration; contemplative practice without the support of concentration falls into the category of imagination. Second, because contemplative practice is carried out in a state of concentration, the manas necessarily takes very few other dharmas as its objects and can focus its attention on the mental sense-object guided by the mind consciousness—that is, it is interested in the mental sense-object being contemplated. In the process of imagination, the manas also participates, but it does not participate wholeheartedly; it will attend to other dharmas. Third, contemplative practice is guided by the mind consciousness and gradually shifts to being led by the manas, discerning the sense-object it attends to; the dharmas confronted are all realms of direct perception, whereas the mind consciousness's imagination is a discernment of non-valid cognition. Only realms of direct perception better conform to objective reality and can make the manas firmly believe. In short, only when the manas truly attends and participates can its enormous capacity be brought into play, views be thoroughly changed, and correct choices be made. 

Which is easier—imagination or contemplative practice? Which is more effortless? 

A: Imagination is far easier; wandering thoughts come uninvited. Hence it is known that many people deceive themselves and others, claiming they can engage in contemplative practice and attain realization without meditative concentration, mistaking imagination for contemplative practice without realizing it. Once you understand the principles of cultivation, you will know that the vast majority of the time cultivation relies on one's own effort; there is no need to spend all day lingering in a sea of various theoretical books to absorb others' views or insights—counting another's treasures, one ultimately does not get even half a coin for oneself.