How to Engage the Deliberation of the Mental Faculty in Meditation

In meditative concentration, employing the deliberation of the manas without relying on the thinking of the conscious mind is a practice of considerable depth. It is difficult for ordinary individuals to achieve, requiring a profound foundation in meditative concentration and a certain level of contemplative practice. When meditative concentration and contemplative practice reach a certain stage, one can shift from the thinking of the conscious mind to the deliberation of the manas. The thinking of the conscious mind is relatively superficial and observable by most people. For instance, by introspecting on what thoughts are present in the mind at this moment, one can know what one is currently thinking, contemplating, or planning. These thoughts generally float on the surface and constitute the thinking of the conscious mind. 

Simultaneously, there is also the supporting and dominant role of the manas in the background. If one's concentration and wisdom are insufficient, it is not easy to observe this or to recognize one's true inner thoughts. When the mind is cultivated to a very subtle state, one becomes able to observe that while the conscious mind is thinking, there is a force in the background playing a dominant role. That force and its train of thought belong to the manas. Upon discovering this force of the manas behind the conscious mind and being able to grasp the manas, one should gradually dilute the functioning of the conscious mind's thinking. After diluting it to a certain degree, one then relinquishes the thoughts of the conscious mind. After relinquishing them, one still maintains thoughts within the mind, preserving the thinking activity of the manas, not allowing oneself to become completely thoughtless or devoid of mental activity. This is extremely difficult. 

In meditative concentration, one must learn to diligently discover that force deep within the mind. It actually possesses thoughts, mental activity; it is capable of thinking—that is the deliberative activity of the manas. After discovering it, one strives to maintain that deliberative activity, not letting it vanish. One hands over the Dharma principles contemplated by the conscious mind to it, allowing it to continue deliberating alone. This belongs to a relatively deep state of investigation. Chan (Zen) practice is like this; contemplating the five aggregates as non-self employs this very method. In this way, the deliberation of the manas is mobilized. This mode of thinking, this practice, is called the deliberation of the manas. 

Achieving this is inseparable from profound meditative concentration. One's meditative concentration must be excellent, capable of relinquishing coarse distracting thoughts, and at a certain point, even fine distracting thoughts must be abandoned. Distracting thoughts are thoughts contemplating other insignificant dharmas, that is, miscellaneous and excessive thoughts. These thoughts are all disturbances to right mindfulness and must therefore be removed, leaving only the Dharma that the conscious mind needs to contemplate. Then, the thinking of the conscious mind is also relinquished, allowing the manas to deliberate on this Dharma. The conscious mind and the manas exchange roles in contemplating the issue. At this time, the conscious mind still exists, performing a very subtle function of discernment, but not deeply thinking, analyzing, or reasoning. Instead, the manas is allowed to deliberate deeply, without language, words, or sound. This deliberative function is not easily observable when meditative concentration and wisdom are insufficient. 

This deliberative function of the manas is also called the thoughts deep within the mind. Everyone's inner thoughts are divided into two kinds: one floats on the surface, being the shallow thoughts of the conscious mind; the other is hidden deep within, being the profound thoughts, that is, the thoughts of the manas deep in the mind, representing one's true thoughts. For example, if I tell someone now that I plan to do something, but in reality, I have no such thought, the expressed thought carries an element of perfunctoriness, while there is another voice and thought deep within. That thought is more concealed, and one does not wish others to know it, so one uses the language of the conscious mind to cover it up or divert attention. 

Continuously introspecting upon one's inner manas, grasping one's inner manas, and then transferring the Dharma originally held and contemplated by the conscious mind to the manas, allowing the manas to hold onto it—this enables the manas to constantly and pervasively hold onto this Dharma. The deliberative nature of the manas then becomes manifest. If the manas agrees, the influence (impression/conditioning) is successful; if the manas does not accept it, the influence is not successful. Only when the practice is sufficiently mature can it succeed. 

In daily life, we all utilize the manas and its deliberative function, but we are unable to observe it, distinguish it, or summarize it, thus failing to clarify whether it is the thinking of the conscious mind or the deliberation of the manas. It is necessary to increase meditative concentration and contemplative wisdom to understand these issues clearly. Only when meditative concentration deepens can the mind become subtle, enabling one to discover the distinction between the conscious mind and the manas, and to differentiate between the inner voice and the surface voice. Thereby, one comprehends the state of the manas's deliberation, grasps that deliberative nature of the manas, and gradually learns to apply it.

To reach this level, one must strengthen the practice of meditative concentration, enhance the discerning power of wisdom, subdue afflictions, reduce distracting thoughts, and let the mind associate with the Buddha Dharma without clinging to worldly dharmas. As meditative concentration is cultivated more deeply, the mind becomes increasingly focused, distracting thoughts become fewer and fewer, to the extent that one can relinquish distracting thoughts at will. As the mind becomes increasingly subtle and wisdom becomes increasingly profound, the functional role of the manas will be exercised very well. 

After the physical body is subdued and one attains a state where concentration and wisdom are equally held (samatha-vipassana), one can directly use the deliberation of the manas to resolve problems. When doubt regarding a particular Dharma is strong, one directly holds this Dharma within the mind. Initially, the conscious mind holds it; then the function of the conscious mind is lightened and diluted, allowing the manas to hold this Dharma. At this point, one enters a deeper level of meditative concentration, enabling the manas to deeply deliberate on this Dharma. The more focused the manas is in deliberation, the deeper the meditative concentration becomes; the deeper the meditative concentration, the more focused, profound, and subtle the manas's deliberation becomes. Ultimately, one can clarify this issue, simultaneously entering a state of samadhi, where Dharma-joy suffuses the entire being, body and mind become light and tranquil, and the bliss of meditation arises. Samadhi is the state where concentration and wisdom are equally held. After this state emerges, one's mental state throughout the day will be excellent, and both body and mind will be very light and tranquil.