The Transformation of Mental Conduct After Awakening

The Zen Patriarch said: "After awakening, one is no different from the former self, yet it is not the same place of practice as before." This means that after attaining realization, the person remains the same individual, but the mind's conduct in handling affairs has changed—it is no longer as it was in the past, differing from former mental activities. The intention behind actions has transformed, the perspective on the world has shifted, and the understanding of the five aggregates has altered. These changes demonstrate that awakening is not merely a realization of consciousness; the mental faculty must also awaken. Only then can one be "no different from the former self, yet not in the same place of practice." If the place of practice remains unchanged, and the mind's conduct and nature show no transformation, then one must examine whether this awakening is genuine or false.