Not Everyone Can Ascend the Judge's Seat of the Buddha-Dharma to Serve as a Judge

Answer: Given the current level of the general public, we truly have no qualification to evaluate the nature and functions of the eighth and seventh consciousnesses. Even with ten thousand pieces of evidence, we genuinely cannot rely on them—it is beyond our capability, for the gap in wisdom is too great. Only noble ones who have personally realized the eighth consciousness and the seventh consciousness and possess direct perception (pratyakṣa) wisdom have the ability and qualification to evaluate the nature and functions of these two consciousnesses. Those who cannot even eliminate the self-view (ātma-dṛṣṭi) of the Small Vehicle should save themselves the trouble and do something within their reach; leave the judging of such weighty questions of Dharma meaning to the bodhisattvas who possess direct perception wisdom.

Without direct perception wisdom, without having realized any Dharma, and without even a trace of the power of introspection, even if you were given ten thousand pieces of evidence, you could not rely on them, because your wisdom is too weak and feeble, lacking the power to discern. Even if you memorized the entire Tripiṭaka and the twelve divisions of the scriptures, it would be of no avail. When all Buddhas and bodhisattvas respond to all dharmas, whether worldly or transcendent, they rely on nothing at all—only on direct perception wisdom. Direct perception is the highest, most ultimate, and most fundamental wisdom; before direct perception, both inference (anumāna) and mistaken perception/non-valid cognition have no standing to speak. So ordinary people should not always think of climbing high onto the stage to serve as judges or referees. First cultivate diligently for thousands of myriads of kalpas, raise yourself up, and only when your level is sufficient should you speak of it.