Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra: Volume Thirty-Four (70)

Original text: It is called "direct realization" because it arises from the union of the knowing wisdom and the known object without contradiction, enabling present observation. Just as when a Kṣatriya and a Kṣatriya unite without contradiction and observe directly, it is called direct realization; the same should be understood for Brahmins, etc. This also accomplishes numerous characteristics. By realizing such truth through direct realization, one obtains four wisdoms: due to skillfully investigating all ascetic practices while abiding in all mental applications, one gains wisdom of phenomena-only (dharma-jñāna), wisdom of non-cessation, wisdom of impermanence, and wisdom that perceives dependent arising as illusory.

Explanation: When the wisdom capable of knowing the true Dharma unites with the known principle of the Four Noble Truths without contradiction, such present observation is called "direct realization." For example, when Kṣatriyas unite without contradiction or opposition and observe directly, it is direct realization; observing Brahmins directly is likewise. Direct realization can also accomplish many types of characteristics. By attaining such truth-realization through direct realization, one obtains four wisdoms: through skillfully investigating and contemplating all ascetic practices while abiding in all mental applications, one gains wisdom of phenomena-only, wisdom of non-cessation, wisdom of impermanence, and wisdom that perceives conditioned phenomena as illusory.

The "knowing wisdom" refers to the sixth and seventh consciousnesses that can perceive, know, and realize the Dharma, possessing wisdom of true observation. The "known object" refers to the principles observed by the sixth and seventh consciousnesses, such as the Four Noble Truths and the Dharma of Prajñā, etc. When wisdom and object unite without contradiction, such present observation is called "direct realization."

"Union without contradiction" and absence of opposition depend primarily on the wisdom state or wisdom level of the sixth and seventh consciousnesses. When wisdom is sufficient to correctly observe and cognize the Dharma, it does not contradict the principle, and it is present observation—not speculation, inference, imagination, or analysis. The presently existing Dharma is observed and cognized directly as it is; this is called "direct realization." During direct realization, one attains the Dharma, gaining dharma-wisdom and similarity-wisdom. Without direct realization, there is no dharma-wisdom or similarity-wisdom, nor realization of fruition.

How to distinguish whether observation of the Dharma is direct or non-direct? For example, when observing the truth of suffering, one perceives the five aggregates as suffering. After directly observing that the five aggregates are suffering, the mind's cognition of suffering becomes profound. Continuously, in every moment and everywhere, the mind perceives the suffering of the five aggregates and constantly seeks to escape and extinguish suffering. This mental state forms uninterrupted mental attention. Uninterrupted mental attention arises from the mental faculty (manas) perceiving suffering; it is not merely superficial at the conscious level. This is the result of direct observation.

Non-direct observation of suffering does not form uninterrupted mental attention. It is intermittent, sometimes present and sometimes absent. One frequently forgets suffering and still pursues pleasure, with weak renunciation mind, low awakening, and poorer motivation. When pleasant circumstances arise, one becomes lost, deeply immersed in pleasure without awareness of suffering, still harboring great hope for future pleasure. In this state—feeling suffering while pursuing pleasure, with mind and actions contradicting each other—one is not directly observing suffering. Due to insufficient discerning wisdom, those without direct realization often mistakenly consider this state to be direct perception and genuine realization of the Dharma, when in fact it remains considerably distant from true realization.

The common characteristics of those without direct observation are: afflictions remain unremoved, ignorance remains unsevered, words and actions are inconsistent, outward appearance and inner reality differ, saying one thing while doing another, pointing east while going west. They speak of emptiness verbally but cling to existence in every action, with no aspect being empty; they speak of non-self verbally yet constantly act from selfhood, unable to conceal it even when trying. Because they lack genuine realization, they do not know the state of body and mind after realization, nor do they realize that their thoughts and actions contradict the realized state. Thus, they fundamentally cannot conceal their ordinary being characteristics.