How to Attain Tranquility of Heart

After the mental faculty (manas) directs attention to the six dusts (objects of the senses), if it does not make contact with them, subsequent mental formations will not arise, the six consciousnesses cannot be born, and the six sense faculties remain unattached to the six dusts. When the mental faculty, having directed attention and made contact with the six dusts, does not receive or accept them, subsequent mental formations do not arise, the six consciousnesses are not born, the six sense faculties remain unattached to the six dusts, and the mind is tranquil. When the mental faculty, having directed attention, made contact, and received the six dusts, does not conceive or grasp them, subsequent mental formations do not arise, the six consciousnesses are not born, the six sense faculties remain unattached to the six dusts, and the mind is tranquil. If the mental faculty grasps the six dusts, the mental factor of deliberation will inevitably manifest, decision-making will necessarily occur, giving rise to the six consciousnesses which either incline towards or avoid the six dusts. Mental formations of liking and aversion will inevitably arise, and the mind will not be tranquil.

If the six consciousnesses subdue the afflictions, remaining neither liking nor averse towards the six dusts, this is also unattached, and the mind is tranquil. When the six consciousnesses encounter the six dusts, they may also direct attention and make contact, but without receiving, without conceiving, without deliberating, and without deciding to act; thus the mind attains tranquility. When the six consciousnesses encounter the six dusts, directing attention, making contact, and receiving, but without conceiving or grasping, the mind attains tranquility. This is cultivating the mind amidst objects, which alone can subdue and eradicate afflictions.

When the six consciousnesses encounter the six dusts, directing attention, making contact, receiving, and conceiving, if they can subsequently subdue their own thoughts, control themselves not to deliberate, and refrain from acting, they can avoid creating karmic actions. However, the mind is already not tranquil at this point.

This act of subduing is subduing the mental faculty, causing it not to decide and command the six consciousnesses to create karmic actions. If the mental faculty is not subdued, even if the six consciousnesses do not wish to create karmic actions, they must still obey the command of the mental faculty and inevitably create karma. But sometimes, if the six consciousnesses do not decide to act, the mental faculty acquiesces, the mind rests, and no physical, verbal, or mental actions are created.