The Direct Perception of the Six Consciousnesses (II)

When consciousness cognizes objects together with visual consciousness, it may engage in direct perception (pratyakṣa), inferential cognition (anumāna), or erroneous cognition (viparyaya). For instance, regarding the height of a mountain, consciousness may not immediately determine it and must instead rely on comparison with other objects to arrive at an accurate judgment; this constitutes inferential cognition. When consciousness makes an error in judgment or reasoning, it constitutes erroneous cognition. When mountains, rivers, and the great earth are directly present before one’s eyes, generally, consciousness does not need to rely on imagination, reasoning, or comparison to know them; it discerns them directly and without error. At this time, consciousness engages in direct perception of the directly perceived object (pratyakṣa-viṣaya). If one sees white clouds drifting over a distant mountaintop and, under the effect of the drifting clouds, the mountain seems to be moving, consciousness may judge that the mountain itself is moving. At this time, consciousness engages in erroneous cognition, constituting a mistake in judgment.

When the conscious mind is engaged in directly perceiving the dharma-object (dharmaviṣaya) manifested upon the five sense objects (pañcaviṣaya), the first five consciousnesses must certainly be present and simultaneously engaging in direct perception of the five sense objects. Otherwise, the conscious mind would be unable to discern the directly perceived realm of the dharma-object manifested upon the five sense objects. However, even within a presently real and directly perceived realm, consciousness may engage in inferential cognition or erroneous cognition, sometimes accurately and sometimes inaccurately. Inaccurate cognition is entirely erroneous cognition (viparyaya) and constitutes mistaken discernment.