How to Avoid Intellectual Understanding

Many people nowadays worry about attaining only recognized realization in their practice of the Mahayana and Hinayana paths, which may hinder their future genuine enlightenment. Thus, a question arises: how to avoid recognized realization.

What is recognized realization? It refers to a state where one becomes very familiar with the Dharma principles, where the approach to practicing Mahayana and Hinayana teachings appears quite clear, and one almost certainly knows "that is the principle" and "that is how it is," as if no doubts remain. However, this still remains at the level of conceptual understanding (adhi-mokṣa) of the Dharma, which is still some distance from genuine realization. Although many people at this stage consider themselves enlightened and may easily be guided or recognized as having attained enlightenment, true enlightenment comes only after the development of genuine wisdom (prajñā)—the wisdom of the mental faculty (manas). Before this, there remains a long and arduous path that must be traversed, demanding perseverance, diligent effort, the power of vows, faith, endurance, and compassion to overcome obstacles and reach the temporary endpoint, or what may be called the goal or destination.

After the conceptual understanding of the Dharma by the conscious mind (mano-vijñāna), it must further permeate and lead the mental faculty (manas) to also attain conceptual understanding. Even after the mental faculty attains conceptual understanding, it still does not constitute enlightenment. One must develop uninterrupted mindfulness (smṛti), and only when mindfulness matures can meditative concentration (samādhi) arise. Only when meditative concentration is fully established can wisdom be developed, leading to the wisdom of the path of seeing (darśana-mārga) in Mahayana or Hinayana. Only by recognizing the path, realizing the path, and confirming the path can one become irreversible on the Mahayana or Hinayana bodhi path, never losing the merit of the path of seeing. Otherwise, encountering adverse conditions may easily cause one to regress from the bodhi path, because while the conscious mind has understood conceptually, the mental faculty remains unenlightened; it is entirely normal for the mental faculty to deny what the conscious mind previously understood. Such regression is a regression of the conscious mind—it is the conscious mind that no longer acknowledges, while the mental faculty has not regressed, for it never entered the path in the first place, never saw the path—so how could it "turn against" or "regress"? This so-called regression is merely agitation outside the gateway to the path of seeing. Once one enters the gateway, the true samādhi state, where meditative stability and wisdom are equally present, brings tranquility; the mind becomes empty and still, fundamentally free from agitation.

The three stages—conceptual understanding, mindfulness, and meditative concentration—are all crucial; without the former, the latter cannot arise. Among these, the transmission of Dharma principles from the conscious mind to the mental faculty is a critical point. Once the mental faculty acknowledges the Dharma, doubt (vicikitsā) will arise, and one will dwell on this doubt with single-minded focus. When the time is ripe, meditative absorption (dhyāna) will inevitably emerge. Beyond this lie two crucial thresholds: cultivating meditative concentration and engaging in investigative contemplation (vicāra). After attaining a certain level of conceptual understanding of the Dharma, how does one enhance meditative concentration, and how does one investigate? For example, regarding the principle of severing the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi), one may have a general understanding, and the idea of non-self (anātman) may seem broadly clear, yet this still does not constitute realization. How then should one proceed in practice? At this stage, some lack meditative concentration, while others have some but not enough. Thus, the primary task is undoubtedly to find ways to cultivate meditative concentration and enhance its power.

After enhancing meditative concentration, the mental faculty, within the state of concentration, contemplates the connotation and extension of "self," seeking to fully integrate all related Dharma principles, thereby comprehending what "self" truly is. Through thorough contemplation, it becomes possible to sever the view of self. However, these contents are too numerous and profound to be clarified all at once. One must proceed step by step, from the superficial to the profound, from the external to the internal, gradually deepening the connotation and broadening the extension, until the entire concept of "self" is laid bare and clear within the mind.

The above describes the method of attaining realization through investigative contemplation within meditative concentration. Applying effort through this method will help avoid recognized realization. During investigation, the conscious mind should strive to forget the finer details of the learned Dharma principles, not transmitting them to the mental faculty, or at least not treating these detailed principles as final answers. One should develop doubt toward the Dharma, raise questions—the deeper the doubt, the better—and persistently ask "why?" What the conscious mind learns and knows is merely knowing "what" without knowing "why." Through investigation, the mental faculty seeks to clarify the "why," and wisdom will continuously grow, carrying over into future lifetimes.

Much of the Dharma need not even be studied. Practicing Buddhism is not about becoming a theoretician or debater, nor about becoming a jack-of-all-trades or an encyclopedist. Through genuine investigation and contemplation, one will comprehend by analogy; Dharma principles will gradually diffuse and integrate. Previously unknown, unmastered, or misunderstood Dharma will, through deep reflection, become fully integrated. Dharma that has been integrated in this way becomes one’s own—not merely learned—impossible to forget in this or future lives, readily expressible without conscious thought. Those with profound wisdom attain the Dharma themselves, through personal realization and investigation, rather than learning others' Dharma. What is merely learned is not one’s own; it is forgotten after death and must be relearned in the next life. Many appear to possess enormous knowledge, discussing Dharma principles with ease and eloquence, seemingly unimpeded in debate, yet not a single Dharma principle has been fully integrated or genuinely realized. Abundant knowledge does not equate to true understanding of the Dharma or genuine wisdom; once the conscious mind vanishes, it amounts to nothing.

Regarding Mahayana and Hinayana Dharma, during the stage of extensive learning (bahuśruta), it suffices to grasp the general outline and clear the main threads. There is no need to seek learning everywhere or listen to countless teachings. Learning numerous similar teachings adds nothing to wisdom; true wisdom arises through investigation. Investigating one point gives birth to a measure of wisdom, while simultaneously enabling comprehension by analogy, leading to the realization of more Dharma principles. Connecting these points one by one, one comes to understand vast numbers of Dharma principles—truly understand them—even able to apply effort during sleep. Once the thread of thought is clear, it no longer requires the prompting or guidance of the conscious mind. Thus, even without the conscious mind, the mental faculty can still engage in solitary investigation.