Is the Dharma-sthiti-jñāna's Knowledge of Past and Future Direct Perception, Inference, or Non-valid Cognition?

With the wisdom of abiding in the Dharma, one can attain liberation. Therefore, the wisdom of abiding in the Dharma is the direct perception (pratyakṣa) that realizes the law of the twelve links of dependent origination. Even when knowing the past and future, it is known through direct perception, not through inference (anumāna). Wisdom gained through inference is shallow; wisdom that depends on a particular phenomenon to be known is unreliable and incomplete. Once the phenomenon it depends upon ceases to appear, the inferential knowledge vanishes. Within inferential knowledge, there is no process of the manas (mental faculty) personally investigating; thus, the manas cannot directly perceive it, and consciousness (manovijñāna) cannot know it independently. Within reasoning, some parts belong to inference, while others belong to non-valid cognition (apramāṇa). Even if the reasoning is correct, it is not direct perception because the manas does not know it. The knowing of the manas is immediate: it either knows or it doesn't; the distinction is made very quickly, manifesting in the present moment, without the need for consciousness to engage in slow, deliberate contemplation and investigation.

Some say that since the past and future cannot be seen, and the phenomena of the past and future cannot be present, knowledge of past and future phenomena must be inferential. This view is incorrect. What is called "present" does not necessarily mean appearing before the eyes. Wisdom is not initiated by visual consciousness; it is jointly initiated by consciousness and the manas. Consciousness and the manas can fully realize and confirm phenomena of the past and future. Especially the manas, which fundamentally transcends the hindrances of time and space, along with the tathāgatagarbha, can know all phenomena. Phenomena of past lives can be recalled upon recollection; phenomena of future lives can be known upon knowing. Dreams and meditative states demonstrate this point. Therefore, what the manas does not know cannot be direct perception wisdom. When consciousness knows through direct perception, the manas may not necessarily know through direct perception, and the knowing of consciousness can then be overlooked or negated due to varying conditions.