What Is Non-valid Cognition?

Non-valid cognition is a form of erroneous cognition, a form of wrong view (mithyā-dṛṣṭi). Before seeing the mind and realizing one's nature, the cognition of self by the seventh consciousness is all non-valid cognition, all wrong view. Even after eradicating the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi-prahāṇa) and attaining the fruit of an arhat, the cognition of the five aggregates (pañca-skandha) as self is still not entirely direct perception, because an arhat still does not know what the true substance of the five aggregates of body and mind actually is. Therefore, the one whose cognition of the five aggregates of body and mind is entirely direct perception, without a single trace of wrong view, is the Buddha; the Buddha's wisdom is entirely wisdom of direct perception.

The non-valid cognition of the five aggregates as self comes entirely from the ignorance (avidyā) of the manas. Therefore, the entire purpose and the ultimate purpose of studying and practicing Buddhism is to break and utterly exhaust the non-valid cognition of the manas, to utterly exhaust all the inverted wrong views of the manas. Once the ignorance of the manas is completely severed, one immediately becomes a Mahāyāna practitioner beyond training (aśaikṣa), with no further need to study and practice.