What Are the Three Valid Cognitions and the Realm of Direct Perception?

Direct perception (pratyakṣa) is the ability to observe and discern the phenomenal realm that is currently occurring and existing exactly as it is, without error. Inference (anumāna) is the mind consciousness's ability to think, analyze, reason, and judge; it may be an accurate discernment or an inaccurate one. Erroneous cognition (non-valid cognition) relies on the mind consciousness's fantasies, speculation, and imagination; its results may be correct or incorrect. Knowing that a directly perceived object exists means there is discriminative and discerning activity of the consciousness; otherwise, one would not know that such an object exists. If there were no discrimination or discernment by consciousness, we would truly know nothing at all about the world.

A directly perceived object is a realm that exists right before us, which the seven consciousnesses can discern directly in the present moment, without needing to compare it with other sense objects, without needing to think or imagine, and without needing to make assumptions. Even without these steps, the five sense objects that exist before us can be directly discovered. The first five consciousnesses certainly discern the presently existing five sense objects directly; the mind consciousness, relying on the five consciousnesses, can also directly discern the presently existing five sense objects. If comparison, assumption, or imagination is still required in order to make a discernment, it is clearly the mind consciousness's inferential discernment. Thus the mind consciousness has three kinds of discernment: direct perception, inference, and erroneous cognition.