The Fundamental Principle of "Handling Matters Slowly Leads to Completeness"

Contemplating the profound meaning of "when matters are handled slowly, they turn out well" — or what is its fundamental principle, its ultimate principle?

Lantian: My understanding as a disciple is that reacting to a matter too hastily may bring adverse consequences. There are two reasons for this: first, one's emotions are intense, and one's actions at such times may be excessive; second, one's considerations are not thorough, which also affects the outcome of one's actions. Only by calming down, thinking slowly, and being thorough and courteous can one obtain a satisfactory result. The principle is that only when one has calmed down can the manas participate in the deep analysis and contemplation of the matter; only then can thought after thought continue in succession, and only then can one consider clearly the entire matter's causes and effects, its course of development, and all the various factors involved. Moreover, the manas will, based on its own experience and perspective, provide the mind consciousness with unexpected solutions. After going through such a process, one can make the correct choice.  

Assessment: This reveals the process by which the manas's wisdom arises; it is right contemplation, and it is very well said, quite excellent. If there is time, do things slowly; the various conditions may then become more complete, the required conditions may change, and the nature of the matter may change. If one then sets about handling it, the matter will be accomplished perfectly without omission — that is one point. The second point is that to accomplish a matter perfectly, relying solely on the mind consciousness's thinking and processing is not enough; the mind consciousness is rather superficial and not ultimate. Only when the manas personally deliberates (manasikāra) and works out the countermeasures and methods of handling can the matter be ultimate and perfect, and will no longer change. And the manas's deliberation on solutions to a matter is somewhat slower and requires a certain amount of time. Therefore, slowing down and letting the manas personally find a good method is how a matter can be resolved perfectly. "When matters are handled slowly, they turn out well" is mainly about letting the manas bring that matter to perfection.

Handling problems quickly makes it difficult to clarify the problem, the root problem is not easily found, and the resolution of the problem is sloppy, superficial, and skin-deep, so the matter is not handled perfectly. But after slowing down a bit, sorting out the whole ins and outs of the matter and understanding its roots, solving the problem from its root will be relatively perfect. Only when the manas and the mind consciousness slowly and gradually clarify the true facts of the matter and think deeply about solutions can wisdom arise, can the problem be solved correctly and in accordance with the Dharma, and the matter will be resolved perfectly.

Liu Shaoling: Once time is lengthened, mobilizing the three transformative agencies (parināma) of consciousness to attend, operate, and transform, the matter that had already changed becomes satisfactory and perfect. Casually thinking about it during the day and then giving an answer is the superficial thinking of the mind consciousness. At night, while sitting in meditation, holding the question suspended in the mind, asking heaven about the matter, suddenly the heart region vibrates, as if electric currents were radiating toward the limbs of the body. After finishing the meditation, one falls asleep still carrying the question — this is the manas's deep deliberation. Upon rising in the morning, without even noticing, the answer to the question is automatically known.

Assessment: When encountering a matter, try as much as possible to think about and resolve it while sitting in meditation at night; only when the mind has calmed down can it be resolved perfectly. This line of thinking is clear and well-reasoned. If the matter is urgent and cannot wait until evening meditation to be resolved with a calm mind, then one should calm down as much as possible and think with single-minded focus; then the thinking will be relatively deep and thorough, and one can come up with a good solution.

Ru Chun: "When matters are handled slowly, they turn out well" includes slowness on two levels, the mind consciousness and the manas: first, when encountering a matter, not being anxious and staying calm (this is the slowness of the mind consciousness); only thus can one maintain the mind consciousness's objectivity, rationality, and wisdom, and only then can one hand over to the manas an analysis of the matter's principles that is comprehensive, clear, and thorough. Only after the manas receives correct information can it carry out deep deliberation; because its considerations are very comprehensive and very subtle, it appears slow (this is the slowness of the manas). In addition, the process from the mind consciousness's thinking to the manas's deliberation takes time, which is also part of the meaning of slowness. Although the manas's deliberation is slow, the answer it arrives at is comprehensive and perfect.

When I saw the question, I was in the middle of communicating with others about some important matters. After seeing the question, I kept getting distracted, and my thoughts kept drifting to the question. By the time we finished our conversation, the answer had surfaced. It feels as though the manas is always working silently, and the mind consciousness is often unaware of it. After attaining a certain degree of meditative concentration (samādhi), the manas easily latches onto a problem and contemplates it.

Assessment: This is the correct answer to the question; although not the most perfect, it is quite good. What is not perfect about it is that, besides the manas and the mind consciousness being able to calm the mind down and think more deeply and thoroughly, the matter They jointly face will also change as time goes on, or various conditions will gradually reveal themselves, so that when responding, the considerations can be more precise and the resolution more perfect and complete.

The manifestation of having the power of meditative concentration is being able to simultaneously deal with and resolve two or more matters, and when encountering a problem, being able to contemplate it silently amid one's bodily, verbal, and mental actions, without having to wait until night to enter meditative concentration specifically to contemplate it — the problem can be resolved perfectly anytime, anywhere. When a person's mind is calm and in meditative concentration, upon encountering any problem, without the mind consciousness transmitting information, the manas will secretly deliberate on it, without delaying the six consciousnesses in their work; the manas and the six consciousnesses each do their own tasks without interfering with each other, and the efficiency is often very high — this is the benefit of meditative concentration.