How to Engage the Deliberation of Manas in Dhyana

In meditation, using the deliberation of the mental faculty (意根) instead of the thinking of consciousness is a rather profound practice. It is difficult for ordinary people to achieve, requiring a deep foundation in concentration (禅定) and a certain level of contemplative practice (观行). When concentration and contemplative practice reach a certain stage, one can shift from the thinking of consciousness to the deliberation of the mental faculty. The thinking of consciousness is relatively superficial, floating on the surface, and generally observable by anyone. For example, by introspecting on what thoughts are present in the mind at this moment, one knows what one is currently thinking about, pondering, or planning. These thoughts generally float on the surface and are the thinking of consciousness.

Simultaneously, there is also the support and dominant role of the mental faculty in the background. If 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 level, one can observe that during the thinking of consciousness, there is a force in the background playing a dominant role. That force and its flow of thoughts belong to the mental faculty. Once one discovers this force of the mental faculty behind consciousness and is able to grasp the mental faculty, one should gradually diminish the functioning of conscious thinking. After diminishing it to a certain degree, one then relinquishes the thoughts of consciousness. After relinquishing them, one must still maintain thoughts in the mind, preserving the thinking activity of the mental faculty, not allowing oneself to become completely thoughtless and devoid of ideation. This is very difficult.

In meditation, one must learn to diligently discover that deep-seated force within. It actually has thoughts, has mental activity, and is capable of thinking—that is the deliberative activity of the mental faculty. After discovering it, strive to maintain that deliberative activity, not letting it vanish. Entrust the Dharma principles contemplated by consciousness to it, letting it continue to deliberate alone. This belongs to a relatively deep state of investigation. Chan (Zen) practice is like this; contemplating that the five aggregates are not the self uses this kind of practice. In this way, the deliberation of the mental faculty is mobilized. This mode of thinking, this kind of practice, is called the deliberation of the mental faculty.

Achieving this is inseparable from profound concentration. One needs excellent skill in concentration, enabling the relinquishment of coarse distracting thoughts, and at a certain point, even the subtle distracting thoughts must be relinquished. Distracting thoughts are thoughts thinking about other insignificant dharmas, that is, miscellaneous thoughts and multiple thoughts. These thoughts are all disturbances to right mindfulness and must be removed, leaving only the Dharma that consciousness needs to contemplate. Then, even the thinking of consciousness is relinquished, allowing the mental faculty to deliberate on this Dharma. Consciousness and the mental faculty exchange roles in contemplating the issue. At this time, consciousness still exists; it plays a very subtle discerning role but does not engage in deep thinking, analysis, or reasoning. Instead, it allows the mental faculty to deliberate deeply, without language, words, or sound. This deliberative function is not easy to observe when concentration and wisdom are insufficient.

This deliberative function of the mental faculty is also called the deep-seated thoughts within the mind. Everyone's inner thoughts are divided into two kinds: one floats on the surface, being the superficial thoughts of consciousness; the other is hidden deep within, being the deep-seated thoughts, that is, the thoughts of the mental faculty in the depths of 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 intention, the stated thought has an element of perfunctoriness, while there is another voice and thought deep within. That thought is more concealed, and one may not want others to know it, so one uses the language of consciousness to cover it up or divert attention.

Continuously introspect upon the inner mental faculty, grasp one's inner mental faculty, and then transfer the Dharma originally held and contemplated by consciousness to the mental faculty, letting the mental faculty hold it. In this way, the mental faculty can hold this Dharma constantly and everywhere, and the deliberative nature of the mental faculty becomes manifest. If the mental faculty agrees, the influence is successful; if the mental faculty does not accept it, the influence is not successful. Only when the practice is sufficient can it succeed.

In daily life, we all use the mental faculty and its deliberative function, but we cannot observe it, cannot distinguish it, and do not summarize it, so we cannot tell whether it is the thinking of consciousness or the deliberation of the mental faculty. This requires increasing skill in concentration and wisdom in contemplative practice to clarify these issues. Only when concentration deepens can the mind become subtle, enabling one to discover the distinction between consciousness and the mental faculty, and to differentiate the inner voice from the superficial voice. Thereby, one comprehends the state of the mental faculty's deliberation, grasps that deliberative nature of the mental faculty, and gradually learns to apply it.

To reach this level, one must strengthen the practice of concentration, enhance the discerning power of wisdom, subdue afflictions, reduce distracting thoughts, and let the mind rely on the Buddha Dharma without clinging to worldly dharmas. As concentration is cultivated more deeply, the mind becomes increasingly focused, and distracting thoughts become fewer and fewer, to the point where one can relinquish distracting thoughts at will. As the mind becomes subtler and wisdom deeper, the functional role of the mental faculty will be well exercised.

When the physical body is subdued and one attains the state of equipoise of concentration and wisdom (定慧等持), one can directly use the deliberation of the mental faculty to resolve problems. When doubt regarding a particular Dharma is strong, directly hold that Dharma in the mind. Initially, consciousness holds it, then the function of consciousness is lightened and diminished, allowing the mental faculty to hold this Dharma. At this point, one enters a relatively deeper state of concentration, letting the mental faculty deeply deliberate on this Dharma. The more focused the mental faculty is in deliberation, the deeper the concentration becomes; the deeper the concentration, the more focused, profound, and subtle the mental faculty's deliberation becomes. Ultimately, one can clarify this issue and simultaneously enter a state of samadhi (三昧), filled with dharmic joy (法喜), experiencing physical and mental lightness and ease (轻安), and the bliss of meditation (禅悦) arises. Samadhi is the state of equipoise of concentration and wisdom. After this state emerges, one's mental state throughout the day will be excellent, and both body and mind will be very light and at ease.