Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra, Volume 34 (35)

Original text: Due to the power of manifestly-perceiving superior contemplation directed toward the changing phenomena, one observes all internal and external phenomena as they correspond to the characteristic of impermanence through the perspective of their changing nature. Due to this reason, regarding the changing and impermanent nature of phenomena, one directly perceives without contradicting it. This perception is not due to external conditions nor induced by others. Through recollection-based observation, one examines thoroughly and attains decisive certainty. It is precisely due to these aforementioned reasons that it is called manifestly-perceiving superior contemplation. Further, due to the power of this manifestly-perceiving superior contemplation, having observed the changing and impermanent nature of phenomena, those material phenomena, though still presently existing, are known to be arising and ceasing moment by moment—impermanent and subject to destruction. Due to their subtlety, they are not directly observed.

Explanation: Because of possessing the power of superior contemplation capable of directly perceiving these continuously changing phenomena, the observation of internal and external phenomena corresponds to the characteristic of changing impermanence; one observes all dharmas as impermanent from the perspective of the changing nature of phenomena. Due to this condition, regarding the changing and impermanent nature of phenomena, one can directly perceive without contradicting their changing impermanence. "Manifestly perceiving" means direct perception through immediate experience; all internal and external dharmas do not contradict the nature of impermanence, and the changes of all dharmas do not arise from external conditions nor are they induced by external causes.

Regarding the observation and confirmation of the impermanent nature of all internal and external dharmas, one can meticulously examine through the power of one's own superior contemplation, ultimately attaining decisive certainty in mind. Due to possessing such conditions, direct present observation is called manifestly-perceiving superior contemplation. That is to say, due to the power of this manifestly-perceiving superior contemplation, after observing the changing and impermanent nature of phenomena, although those material phenomena still exist, one knows they are all dharmas of momentary arising and ceasing, subject to destruction and impermanence. Due to the extreme subtlety of these dharmas, they are not objects of direct observation.