The Relationship Between Non-conceptual Spiritual Awareness and Manas

Spirit is agile and dynamic, while "li nian" (absence of thought) refers to a temporary departure from mental thoughts and conceptions. Such awareness can be conscious or rooted in the manas (mental faculty). It is relatively easier for consciousness to achieve "li nian," whereas it is more difficult for the manas, though not impossible. Why can consciousness be free of thought? Primarily, it is because the manas lacks desires and thoughts, does not cling to sensory objects, and has no coarse mental conceptions. Secondly, consciousness itself lacks the desire to discriminate objects and has nothing preoccupying it. Only under these conditions is consciousness not mobilized to think, conceive, ponder, or fabricate. As for the extremely subtle thoughts of the manas, they do not require the participation of consciousness to be manifested in actions and speech, and consciousness lacks the capacity to detect or participate in them.

At this point, the manas is in a slightly tranquil state—a state of meditative concentration (dhyāna), free from desire and seeking. Therefore, when consciousness is in a state of "li nian," it necessarily occurs when the manas is tranquil and in meditative concentration, regardless of the depth or duration of that concentration. In reality, subtle thoughts still exist at this stage; how could there be awareness without thought? It is simply that when one is extremely familiar with the state, one can know without exerting effort to discriminate. At this point, mental activity is extremely subtle, which is termed "li nian ling zhi" (luminous awareness free of thought). The term "li nian ling zhi" is not derived from Buddhist scriptures, as the sutras do not provide a specific description of it. It is a concept proposed by later individuals based on their own understanding and is not entirely accurate. Observing and discerning this requires profound cultivation in the Vijñānavāda (Consciousness-Only) tradition and keen powers of observation.