How to Discern Between Intellectual Understanding and Direct Realization

When the monk Dongshan was crossing a river, he saw his reflection in the water and suddenly attained enlightenment. He composed a verse: "He is exactly me now, but I am not him now." Question: Who is "he"? Who is "I"? What is the relationship between the two? Dongshan pointed to the reflection in the river and said: "You are me now, yet I am not you." The reflection is the five aggregates manifested by the eighth consciousness, arising from the eighth consciousness—it is the shadow of the eighth consciousness. From the ultimate meaning of Consciousness-Only, the five aggregates can be said to be the eighth consciousness, but the eighth consciousness is not the five aggregates.

These principles can be understood through contemplation and reflection—it is nothing extraordinary. One may call it intellectual understanding, or not; but to call it experiential realization requires thorough examination from top to bottom, inside and out. Examine what? Examine whether his mind has transformed, whether wisdom has arisen. Because realizing that the five aggregates are merely a reflection is undoubtedly shocking—the mind becomes turbulent, and all previously held attachments are recognized as mistaken. At this moment, what is the state of his mind? Those who have not experienced realization many times, or lack mental penetration, how could they discern whether this person has attained realization or mere intellectual understanding? Ordinary people absolutely cannot detect it—one might say it is utterly impossible. They can only parrot others.

Experiential realization is great wisdom. The ability to accurately discern whether realization has occurred is even greater wisdom—far surpassing the wisdom of realization itself. Realization allows one to directly observe the relatively simple and coarse functioning of the eighth consciousness, which intellectual understanding cannot match. Intellectual understanding holds only a vague, indistinct shadow in the mind—inexpressible and unclear—with no knowledge of how the eighth consciousness truly operates or how the five aggregates arise. Though such a person may expound volumes of theory, there is nothing precise or detailed—like floating on the surface of water, unable to penetrate it, unaware of what lies beneath.

Some claim to be great bodhisattvas who have awakened and realized the Tathāgatagarbha (eighth consciousness). Yet for many years, such "great bodhisattvas" have never explained even slightly detailed workings of the Tathāgatagarbha. They offer only vague and ambiguous general theories—theories one could roughly grasp by studying sutras and bodhisattva treatises. There is nothing remarkable about it. As for Chan (Zen) gong’ans, observing how patriarchs gestured while receiving disciples gives a rough idea. Many imitate this—it’s nothing special; even the little finger-pointing disciple of the One-Finger Chan Master gestures like his master, identical in appearance yet devoid of Chan’s essence. Modern people’s capacity for fabrication is unparalleled—from the secular world to Buddhism itself—driven by heavy karmic obstructions, afflictions, and entrenched selfhood.

Those who imitate the gesturing methods of Chan patriarchs might be said to possess intellectual understanding—or perhaps not even touch its periphery. Mistaking the functions of consciousness for the functions of the eighth consciousness is heterodox. Attributing the combined functions of the eight consciousnesses solely to the eighth consciousness is mere speculation. Outsiders absolutely cannot discern this and are often utterly bewildered. Such tactics can deceive the world because sentient beings’ insight is too shallow—truly foolish and easily fooled. Therefore, when deceived, you should turn inward to examine yourself: Why were you deceived? Why are others clear-eyed and undeceived? If you accidentally bump into someone on the street, and that person stares wide-eyed saying, "I am a realized sage! How dare you bump into me?"—just laugh, say "sorry," and be done. No need for surprise or further words.