Direct Perception and Discrimination by the Six Consciousnesses (Part 1)

The realm of direct perception, as commonly referred to, denotes the various states occurring at the present moment, right now. Discernment through direct perception means that the six consciousnesses can presently observe, discern, and verify the true existence of certain dharmas without relying on comparative thinking, analogy, imagination, reasoning, or other mental activities; what is discerned is entirely the factual truth. The first five consciousnesses engage solely in direct perception of the five sense objects, discerning the five sense-object realms that currently exist, are presently occurring, and are actively functioning. The sixth consciousness possesses three types of discernment: inferential perception, erroneous perception, and direct perception. However, the sixth consciousness can also directly perceive currently existing realms. In many situations, the discernment of the sixth consciousness is inferential or erroneous. When the six consciousnesses directly perceive a realm, they discern the immediate present, the realm that exists right now, without the need for comparison, imagination, or investigation. The result of this discernment completely accords with reality, and this is called discernment through direct perception.

When the mental consciousness (mano-vijñāna) discerns a present realm—for instance, while observing the mountains, rivers, and earth before one’s eyes—the eye consciousness directly perceives the manifest colors of the mountains and rivers, such as the hues of the landscape and the colors of the earth. At the very moment of seeing the form, this is the image that first enters the visual field. The mental consciousness, meanwhile, discerns the forms, apparent forms, and unapparent forms of the mountains, rivers, and earth. For example, the size, height, shape of the mountains, the length, width, and depth of the rivers—these are forms. The mountain’s contours, the water’s flow, the state of the current—these are apparent forms. The mountain’s majesty, steepness, barrenness, or towering presence; the water’s surging turbulence, depth, or tranquility—these are unapparent forms. These realms all exist presently and can be directly observed and recognized by the mental consciousness; they constitute a realm of direct perception. Without comparison or fantasy, the discernment is true. Therefore, both the mental consciousness and the eye consciousness engage in direct perception. The mental consciousness also has inferential and erroneous discernment. Some realms can only be clearly and fully discerned through comparison, imagination, and thinking; this is the mental consciousness’s inferential discernment. Of course, there can also be instances of mistaken discernment, erroneous judgment, or faulty thinking. Such erroneous discernment invariably belongs to erroneous perception.

When thinking and judgment are erroneous, compounded by insufficient experience and wisdom, the conclusions drawn through inference are often incorrect. When the conclusion does not match the facts, it is inaccurate discernment. Inaccurate discernment is erroneous perception because it does not accord with the actual situation. Among deluded sentient beings, the likelihood of erroneous perception is relatively high. Within solitary mental consciousness (manas), the probability of erroneous perception is also considerable. Among those with abnormal neurological or mental conditions, the incidence of erroneous perception is even greater. For example, suppose a person is devouring a certain food, eating as if it were extremely delicious. An onlooker might think: "This food that person is eating must be very tasty; otherwise, how could they eat it with such relish?" They might completely fail to consider that the person has been starving for a long time and would find anything delicious. This onlooker then decides to eat the same food. Upon taking the first bite and chewing, they immediately spit it out, detecting a moldy taste in the food and feeling nauseated. This is an example of mistaken inferential discernment, erroneous judgment caused by insufficient experience. Such examples are exceedingly numerous, too many to count.