A Guide to the Cultivation and Realization of the Mind: Part Two
Chapter Five: Methods for the Actual Practice and Realization of the Manas
1. The Reasoning of the Mind Consciousness Is Not Equal to Contemplative Practice and Investigation
When cultivating meditative concentration by contemplating the breath, the mind consciousness only engages in contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) of the breath—knowing the breath entering and exiting, knowing whether the breath is long or short—without needing to add a thought asking what the source of this knowing is. Do not concern yourself with what this knowing will ultimately result in; that is a matter for later. Since the result has not yet emerged, do not speculate. The reasoning of the mind consciousness is the mind consciousness's wishful thinking, and wishful thinking can never solve problems. Only when the mind consciousness and the manas are both willing can things be smoothly and perfectly resolved with one accord, and only then will the final result appear as it truly is—that is what is called realization.
The reasoning of the mind consciousness is not bad, but it is merely a signpost. Whether to actually walk and how to walk still depends on the manas's decision; if the manas does not decide, no matter how the mind consciousness points the way, it is useless. Sometimes when the mind consciousness does not reason, problems can still be solved smoothly, and reasoning actually delays matters. If the direction is correct, without reasoning one may walk faster and more steadily. Using the mind consciousness too much is not a good thing; the more the mind consciousness is used, the more incompetent the manas becomes, and the manas's incompetence is the incompetence of you as a whole person. If the operating and command system has problems, how can anything be operated?
Cultivation is something fools do; if one is too clever, one will not do things honestly and steadily. Let the mind consciousness point out the general direction, then close your eyes, rest, and secretly supervise—do not manage too much. Once the manas, relying on its own ability, walks out and reaches the destination, its capability is incredibly powerful. If it is dragged along by the mind consciousness, the manas becomes feeble-minded and incompetent, and no great thing can be accomplished.
The reasoning of the mind consciousness is in essence delusive thinking; delusive thinking means not having seen—once seen, it is no longer called delusive thinking. Some people's mind consciousness delusively imagines an eighth consciousness performing certain functions in a certain place, and then defines this as seeing the mind and enlightenment, without needing to eradicate afflictions, without needing to cultivate meditative concentration—at most, if the mind can settle down for a few minutes or a dozen minutes, one can see the Path. Everyone should be able to know what the consequences of doing this are. If this counts as enlightenment, then dreaming counts too: seeing mountains of gold and silver in a dream, one should get rich upon waking. Dreams, after all, are not reality, not fact; how can the speculations of the solitary consciousness (mano-vijñāna-eka-citta) and such actions be taken seriously? If you want great wisdom, true wisdom, then honestly cultivate concentration, contemplative practice, and investigation. Do not let the mind consciousness flexibly and cleverly derive results; the manas does not accept those results, and everything the mind consciousness does is wasted effort.
2. Only When the Realms of the Mind Consciousness and the Manas Are in Accord Can There Be Realization and Enlightenment
A telescope can in an instant see high mountains and great seas tens of kilometers away, but to personally see and touch those mountains and seas, one must personally walk tens of kilometers, arriving at the foot of the mountain and the shore of the sea, to see the mountains and seas with one's own eyes, to touch them, to know their appearance and countenance. Only then can one say to others: "I saw that mountain and that sea with my own eyes—truly magnificent! My mind suddenly opened wide; I am simply overjoyed." The realm of meditative absorption (samādhi) is similar to this: the manas must personally arrive, leaving the telescope behind, seeing with its own eyes—only then is there the samādhi of the equal cultivation of Samādhi and Prajñā. If the manas does not arrive, that is seeing through a telescope, not true seeing, not unconditional seeing, not naked seeing.
The mind consciousness is like the telescope: no matter how far it gazes, what it sees is not real; the realm is blurry and unclear. What the manas sees is clear and thorough, penetrating to the bottom source of dharmas. If the manas has not followed up and cannot gaze upon what the mind consciousness sees, then it is not seeing with one's own eyes, not personally being present at the immediate realm, not personal realization. Because what the mind consciousness sees is far from the realm, what it sees is not real, as if separated by a lens, with some obscuration; the scenery is neither detailed nor clear, only an outline. The details must await the manas seeing them personally before they can be discerned, knowing why it is so.
At the stage of an ordinary being, the mind consciousness reads some Buddhist sutras and knows of the Buddha's realm, but the manas does not know it, so it is not personal realization of the Buddha's realm. This knowing is extremely coarse, no different from not knowing. To personally realize the Buddha's realm, to know it finely, deeply, and truly, one must cultivate for another three great asaṃkhyeya kalpas, that is, three innumerable kalpas. There is no shortcut in between; all dharmas that should be cultivated must be cultivated, all dharmas that should be realized must be realized—precepts, concentration, and wisdom, the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment, the bodhisattva's six pāramitās and various practices—not one can be lacking. The entire intermediate process must be personally experienced; cutting corners and taking shortcuts absolutely will not do.
At the stage of an ordinary being, the mind consciousness learns some dharmas and knows of the realm of effortless practice that an eighth-bhūmi bodhisattva should possess—being able to move through dharmas spontaneously without mental effort, able to directly observe the tathāgatagarbha's discernment and operation of the sense body and the material world. But regarding this realm, the mind consciousness's knowing is just knowing, extremely coarse, still two innumerable kalpas away from actual realization. During this period, no matter what, you cannot directly observe how exactly the tathāgatagarbha discerns and operates the sense body and the material world. To personally realize this realm, you must cultivate for another two great asaṃkhyeya kalpas; the entire intermediate process must be walked through—no cutting corners or cheating allowed.
At the stage of an ordinary being, the mind consciousness learns the term "samādhi of suchness" and feels it is excellent and supreme, but as for what exactly the samādhi of suchness is and what its realm is like, the mind knows nothing at all; what is known and seen is merely conjecture. To personally see the realm of the samādhi of suchness requires cultivating for another innumerable kalpa, one great asaṃkhyeya kalpa. Because the samādhi of suchness is the realm of suchness, realized upon all dharmas—seeing that all dharmas, or part of the dharmas, are of suchness nature, all are the true and such-like nature of the tathāgatagarbha, all are part of the one true dharma realm.
How exactly all dharmas are of suchness nature, how all are one true dharma realm—this is the realm of the wisdom of the varieties of paths and the consciousness-only seed wisdom, which only true Buddhist sons who have entered the Buddha's family from the first bhūmi onward have the ability to directly observe. Bodhisattva-mahāsattvas above the first bhūmi partially realize the dharmakāya—the partial realization of buddhahood—partially realize the one true dharma realm, and only then know part of the suchness nature of all dharmas. Even if an ordinary being truly realizes the tathāgatagarbha, it is still too far from the wisdom realm of the samādhi of suchness; one can only think about it, absolutely cannot see it. When one sees it, one has the wisdom of the varieties of paths and becomes a great bodhisattva who has attained the bhūmis.
At the stage of an ordinary being, the mind consciousness studies the Diamond Sutra and knows that all dharmas are like dreams, bubbles, and shadows. But however much the mind consciousness feels that all dharmas are like dreams, bubbles, and shadows, one must still pass through nearly an asaṃkhyeya kalpa of cultivation, reaching the tenth dedication stage to personally realize the "like a dream" realm. In between, one must gradually realize the tathāgatagarbha, develop various samādhis, cultivate first dhyāna, eradicate the manifest afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion, become an anāgāmin, pass the three passes of the Chan school, and directly realize nirvāṇa with remainder (sopadhiśeṣa-nirvāṇa); at the end of life, having the ability to enter Nirvāṇa without remainder (Anupadhiśeṣa-nirvāṇa) but not entering it, keeping one grade of delusive affliction of thinking to moisten the five-aggregate body life after life, continuing to liberate oneself and liberate others. Without meeting these conditions, without passing through these realms, the mind consciousness's feeling that all is like dream, illusion, bubble, and shadow is merely "talking about food"—how can it fill the belly?
What the mind consciousness's telescope gazes upon may differ vastly from what the manas sees with its own eyes. Gazing from afar is easy and quick, but personal realization requires the manas measuring step by step with its feet, personally walking to the edge of that realm before one can see it—extremely arduous, requiring enormous cost and effort. The realms the two see are extremely inconsistent, so gazing from afar is gazing from afar; realization takes a considerable length of time to become possible. Before realization, one can only enjoy talking about it, just saying words.
Do not think that realizing any dharma is easy—that is an illusion; in fact it is not so; it is extremely difficult. Karmic obstructions of innumerable kalpas, karmic power mountain-high—how could they be so easily dissolved and crossed over? Although the Buddha's power of blessing is inconceivable, one's own karmic power is equally inconceivable. Only when karmic obstructions are eliminated and good roots, merit, and all manner of conditions are complete, when the manas closes the distance with the mind consciousness and merges with what the mind consciousness sees—only then can there be sudden enlightenment. Apart from that, it is all the "mis" of misunderstanding.
3. Being Personally Present in the Realm Means the Manas Personally Arriving
With a telescope one can gaze upon extremely distant starry skies, the vast boundless ocean, and the mountains, rivers, and lands at the horizon, but the body is separated by far more than thousands of mountains and rivers. However far and high one sees, it does not mean being personally present. A set goal is not achieved by pointing fingers, nor achieved by empty talk; it must be measured with the feet, so one must always set out walking. Walk step by step—cannot run, cannot jump, much less leap—only thus can one arrive safely at the destination. Do not complain the road is far and use the mind consciousness's conjecture; do not complain of hardship and use the mind consciousness's conjecture; do not complain the fare is expensive and use the mind consciousness's conjecture. Wild fantasies are, in the end, illusory realms. To reach the royal land and be personally present, one must use the manas, feet on solid ground, measuring step by step, personally touching every inch of land.
4. The Mind Consciousness's Conjecture Cannot Replace Actual Practice
Sometimes, after learning some Buddhist dharma, the mind consciousness feels that it clearly can change everything, can summon wind and rain, that with a bit of effort anything can be done, with no difficulty—including becoming a Buddha not being so difficult. But in fact, one cannot control even a single thought, stubbornly clings to something and cannot let go, and one's bodily, verbal, and mental actions cannot be changed at all.
What is going on here? Because without the manas's realization, whatever the mind consciousness takes for granted, understands, or thinks is useless; it cannot land on solid ground; one has strength but nowhere to exert it, and one often feels helpless. So even if one feels becoming a Buddha is extremely easy, one must still honestly pass through three great asaṃkhyeya kalpas; even if one feels realizing the fruit and seeing the mind is as easy as eating cabbage, one must still step by step cultivate the four right efforts, the seven factors of enlightenment, and the eightfold noble path, honestly hold precepts and cultivate concentration, cultivate the four foundations of mindfulness, and honestly complete the bodhisattva's six pāramitās. These cultivation paths the Buddha taught are not useless decorations; they must be actually practiced. For the vast majority of people, completing these prerequisite conditions in one lifetime is already quite good. If these conditions are not perfectly complete, relying on the mind consciousness's reasoning and conjecture to realize the fruit and see the mind is of no avail.
Why say this? Because actual practice and realization involve the manas. In the process of cultivating the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment and the bodhisattva's six pāramitās, one is all along perfuming the manas, changing the manas's inherent views. Only when cultivation reaches the point can the manas's views change, and then everything changes with the manas's change—only then can one realize the fruit and see the mind. But the manas does not so easily change its own stubborn views; if the manas does not change, nothing changes. So studying Buddhism still requires honest actual practice; the mind consciousness's delusive thinking is useless. Even if one feels one will become a Buddha tomorrow, it will still be after three great innumerable kalpas. Some people still hold forth grandly about not taking up marks and discriminating, the mind abiding nowhere and grasping nothing—that should wait until the stage of several bhūmis; bodhisattvas before the bhūmis simply cannot do it. The mind consciousness eradicating the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi), the mind consciousness realizing the fruit, the mind consciousness seeing the mind, the mind consciousness becoming a Buddha—try it in a dream first; does it work?
5. Only When Seeing the Principle and Seeing the Phenomena Are Perfectly Harmonized Is It the Realm of Seeing the Path
The highest realm of Buddhist cultivation and realization is the Buddha's perfect harmony of principle and phenomena, harmony of all phenomena, unobstructedness of all phenomena, all according with principle: principle can reveal phenomena, phenomena can reveal principle, and principle and phenomena never fall apart. To achieve this, one must start from the initial seeing of the Path in Buddhist cultivation and realization, ending with the final seeing of the Path and becoming a Buddha. The Path seen before and after gradually deepens—that is, the principle seen becomes ever deeper and finer, and the phenomena accordingly become ever more harmonious and perfect. From the initial seeing of the Path onward, phenomena follow principle; wherever principle goes, phenomena follow, never falling apart, until the Buddha's final seeing of the Path—awakening upon seeing the morning star—when principle is perfected, all phenomena instantly become perfect with it; neither principle nor phenomena need further cultivation, honored as the supreme Dharma King.
Seeing the Path divides into seeing on the level of principle and seeing on the level of phenomena. What is the difference between seeing principle and seeing phenomena? Seeing on the level of principle is going from principle to principle: on the level of the mind consciousness one fully recognizes and understands the principle, but phenomena do not follow—at this time, phenomena and principle are disconnected. Because the manas has not seen, the samādhi realm complete with concentration and wisdom does not appear, and phenomena do not follow it; phenomena are controlled by the manas, and the mind consciousness cannot make phenomena follow and harmonize.
Whereas seeing the Path on the level of phenomena is investigating and realizing principle within phenomena; such seeing of the Path necessarily accords with principle, phenomena necessarily follow principle, and principle and phenomena necessarily merge together without disconnection. Only from then can one be reborn transformed, washed in mind and face. Outwardly, the person is still that person, but in mental conduct there are no longer the old habitual behaviors; thought and character are completely renewed; the mind is empty of self; the conditioned reveals the unconditioned, and the unconditioned serves the conditioned; empty yet not empty, not empty yet empty.
So true seeing of the Path is seeing and entering the principle after thorough investigation in phenomena; it is realizing the principle with phenomena following principle and phenomena revealing principle; principle and phenomena undivided, samādhi accompanying. The merging of principle and phenomena is not necessarily perfect harmony, nor necessarily unobstructed, because the principle is not yet thorough; when the principle is thorough, one becomes a Buddha. Seeing principle in phenomena is realization; not seeing principle in phenomena is not realization. If principle is only principle, not merged with phenomena, this principle cannot solve phenomena; a principle that cannot solve phenomena has no practical use. So merely knowing principle, without seeing and revealing principle in phenomena, is not actual realization.
6. How to Actually Practice and Realize and Have Wisdom of Direct Perception
Many people take the dharma they understand as realization, even when their understanding is quite shallow, even when their understanding of the dharma is all guesswork, deduction, and conjecture; they cannot distinguish the boundaries and differences between understanding, understanding-realization, and realization-enlightenment; the great misunderstanding leads to grave false speech. Many answers and conclusions of Buddhist dharma were given by the Buddha, and some were expounded by the great bodhisattvas and good teachers; in the course of one's practice, understanding these conclusions and answers is not realization—not even understanding-realization, still far from it.
What is actual realization? For example, the Buddha said all dharmas are like dreams and illusions; this is the conclusion reached by all Buddhas through cultivation and realization, the Buddha's measure of realization. Others understanding it is merely understanding—not even understanding-realization. Truly realizing "like dreams and illusions," one reaches the bodhisattva's tenth dedication stage and soon has the qualification to enter the first bhūmi. So can ordinary beings who read and understand that all dharmas are like dreams and illusions directly become great bodhisattvas of the tenth dedication stage? Obviously impossible—precepts, concentration, wisdom, and the bodhisattva's six pāramitās are all incomplete, nothing cultivated to perfection, not even counting as initial enlightenment; how can one skip over nearly a great asaṃkhyeya kalpa of time to become a great bodhisattva of the tenth dedication stage?
To actually realize that the five-aggregate world is like dreams and illusions, one must, on the foundation of fully cultivating precepts, concentration, wisdom, and the bodhisattva's six pāramitās, engage in contemplative practice and investigation from shallow to deep, sequentially realizing the dharmas of each level, from the Chan school's first and second passes up to the third pass, and only finally realize the contemplation of "like a dream"—this takes many kalpas of time, nearly a great asaṃkhyeya kalpa of cultivation. Understanding of "like dreams and illusions" is divided into many levels; even complete, ultimate, thorough understanding is not equal to actual realization, because there was no actual process of investigation, no proof; the conclusion was not derived by oneself.
It is like a geometry proof problem: the final conclusion is given by the teacher, ready-made, not derived by oneself; one must prove it step by step oneself, with process and steps, and only at the end can one prove the final conclusion the teacher gave. If the process is incomplete or untrue, even if one arrives at a conclusion consistent with the teacher's, it is wrong, not directly realized. The Buddhadharma is the same in this principle: everyone can state the final conclusion "like dreams and illusions"; although what is stated is correct principle, it is still not one's own realization through direct perception.
In the Buddhadharma, the Buddha gave us countless final answers and conclusions, all in the Tripitaka and the twelve divisions of scriptures. Even if we memorize all of the Tripitaka and twelve divisions, even expound them eloquently, it is not our own measure of realization, only representing our understanding—still a great distance from understanding-realization, let alone realization-enlightenment. Every dharma the Buddha taught, even every sentence, requires one's own thinking and investigation in profound meditative concentration, contemplative practice in accordance with truth, before there is any possibility of realizing each one. Only the wisdom after realization is one's own wisdom of direct perception; otherwise, no statement is one's own realization, and true wisdom does not correspond to what is said.
To truly realize and achieve something, one must even forget the relatively fine details of contemplating the five aggregates (pañca-skandha), casting them behind. Just engage in contemplative practice and investigation; the details need to be clarified by oneself during contemplation, and only then does wisdom arise. Many people's effort simply cannot reach the manas, because their meditative concentration is severely insufficient; they can never experience how to let only the manas deliberate (manasikāra/manana). When the power of concentration is insufficient, how can there be such experience? Without meditative concentration, it is best not to investigate anything. If the mind consciousness is clever, it will "understand" quite a lot, but with no real use—fine for playing with words, but no practicality. So the mind consciousness's intellectual understanding of dharma is worse than not understanding; it is best to save it for when concentration improves and conditions are complete, and then investigate.
7. Theoretical Study Is Not the Proper Path of Cultivation
Nowadays a malady has appeared in the Buddhist community of valuing only theoretical knowledge, feeling the more theory learned the better; if one can be learned enough to fill five carts, one feels great and proud; if one can write several articles and several books, one feels even greater and prouder. But whether this theoretical knowledge can guide and regulate one's bodily, verbal, and mental actions, can turn around some of the mental conduct of the seven consciousnesses, can make one's mind tranquil (praśama) and reduce ignorance, can bring real benefit—none of this is considered, and it is even glorified by saying that bodhisattvas need not concern themselves with the matter of afflictions; with correct views, afflictions will naturally be eradicated in due time.
But the facts are not so. Merely having theoretical knowledge, merely having the mind consciousness's views, will forever be of no avail for eradicating afflictions. At the end of life, the destination of the next life is determined by the manifestation of the afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion, determined by the karmic actions created by greed, hatred, and delusion, not determined by theoretical knowledge and Buddhist views. So this issue is very important; every learner of Buddhism should take it seriously and not be careless.
Theory and views are like recipes for cooking: having studied several cookbooks but never personally operated in the kitchen, never even selected and combined ingredients—can the cooking knowledge and cooking views one has mastered solve the problem of hunger? Spending precious time and energy researching and researching, then after research writing books and establishing doctrines, widely recruiting followers, achieving illustrious fame, yet having to endure hunger and starvation—a mere facade. For example, a child studies from elementary school through university, graduate school, doctorate, then postdoc—all studying theoretical knowledge; above university, they may do some research and experiments, with some realization; what is learned before university is all knowledge. Knowledge cannot be directly applied to production processes; an intermediate stage of internship and practice is needed before knowledge can be transformed into productivity.
Studying Buddhism should likewise be applied in the life of the five-aggregate world. This requires continuous holding of precepts and cultivating concentration, diligent investigation in profound meditative concentration, connecting with one's own five aggregates, linking with bodily, verbal, and mental actions, letting theory be put into practice, striving to personally realize and verify, eradicating ignorance, increasing real wisdom, transforming body and mind, changing body and mind—only then is cultivation accomplished, only then is there real benefit, only then is it the proper path.
8. The Dialectical Relationship Between Theory and Fact
Practice yields true knowledge; practice is fact; true knowledge is theory; theory comes from practice. Practice and true knowledge are not a relationship of matching but a unified relationship of mutual complementation; practice comes first, theory after. One who has not practiced must practice according to correct and true theory, to test whether the theory is correct; testing whether theory is correct also requires practice. Without the ability to practice, not knowing the methods of practice, one cannot prove whether theory is correct, nor derive correct theory.
Whether some facts are indeed facts is also worth scrutiny: what appears on the surface to be fact may not actually be fact; what does not appear to be fact may actually be fact. This requires wisdom to discern; without wisdom, one cannot discern. Wisdom is mastering and possessing correct theoretical methods, using these methods to guide practice, testing the so-called facts in practice; only then can correct and reasonable results be tested out.
9. How to Let the Manas Change All Dharmas
Question: If I continuously contemplate, or continuously engage in recollection of the Buddha (buddhānusmṛti) and recite sutras, when the skill is sufficient and the seventh consciousness has been perfumed, will it automatically output the perfumed seeds and change the external environment? Is the external environment also output by the seventh consciousness?
Answer: Seeds and realms are both transformed out by the tathāgatagarbha prompted by the manas; the manas itself does not manifest seeds. In the process of study and practice, as long as the manas's power is great enough and the energy obtained is great enough, and the tathāgatagarbha accords with the manas's wishes, nothing is a problem. Realms turn with the manas's mind; when the manas has been trained so that its mental power is very strong and it firmly and single-mindedly wants to change realms or achieve some goal, the wish will surely be fulfilled. If the wish has not yet been fulfilled, it is because the power is still insufficient and further perfuming is needed to accumulate power. It is like pointing at stone and turning it to gold—it is because the manas's mental power is so strong that it forcibly turns stone into gold.
Study Buddhism well, the mind becomes good, the mind becomes soft; before long, one's appearance changes—all the result of the mind changing. This mind mainly refers to the manas, and also includes the mind consciousness. So-called perfuming the manas is changing one's own mind. Whether one's mind has changed, into what it has changed, to what degree—one should be able to know by careful observation. Toward people and matters, in cultivating all dharmas, whether one is sincere or just going through the motions and pretending—one should be able to observe; whatever is sincere and wholehearted involves the manas. Recollection of the Buddha divides into true recollection of the Buddha and false recollection of the Buddha; whether in practice one is truly practicing or pretending to practice for show, one should be able to observe. For any deed to reach the degree of the manas being genuine is not easy; it requires conditions such as precepts, meditative concentration, wisdom, and merit.
All mental conduct divides into two levels: the mind consciousness and the manas. For example, whether generosity (dāna) is true giving or just a formality to show off—careful observation can distinguish it; toward parents, whether filial respect is sincere or feigned—careful savoring can distinguish it. The practice that changes the mind mostly goes from quantitative change to qualitative change: the accumulation of quantity is in the mind consciousness, the qualitative change is in the manas; hence it is said the mind consciousness is shallow, the manas deep. If the manas's good roots are deep, its power great, and it is especially sincere, it can directly undergo qualitative change, change everything, without needing to accumulate power.
Perfuming the manas requires long persistence: holding precepts perseveringly, making the great bodhi resolve, continuously cultivating meditative concentration, doing things with focused single-mindedness, excluding scattered and random thoughts, thinking single-pointedly, and accumulating more resources such as merit. To subdue one's mind, most of the time one needs the mind consciousness to deeply contemplate dharma principles and worldly suffering, to perfume and guide the manas; occasionally one needs to hit the south wall to force oneself to turn back and change direction. So hardship is necessary for growth; without experiencing hardship, there is no mind of renunciation and no courageous mind, and cultivation easily slackens.
10. How to Judge Whether a Conclusion Was Derived by the Mind Consciousness's Analysis or by the Manas's Deliberation
Is "1+1 equals 2" a conclusion thought out by the mind consciousness or deliberated out by the manas? The conclusion 1+1=2: if you can be very certain of it, with reason and evidence, clearly knowing the principle within, it is a conclusion derived by the manas. If you can calculate that 1+1=2 but do not know what the principle is, cannot explain it clearly, and just know the conclusion, then it is a conclusion the mind consciousness derived by reference to or comparison with learned theory, similar to recitation. Otherwise, why would scientists still deeply research why 1+1 equals 2?
Of the knowledge we learned from elementary school to university, how much was actually realized? Although we passed every exam, perhaps scoring one hundred each time, exams test the understanding and memorization of knowledge, the mastery of the quantity of knowledge; little tests realization. Only laboratory content involves realization; only after entering society does realization come in; so many top students often do not adapt well after entering society, cannot keep up with society's rhythm, and cannot apply what they learned.
What the mind consciousness alone thinks out and analyzes cannot eradicate doubt; when conditions arise, doubts will multiply and one no longer believes the previous conclusions. So conclusions derived by the mind consciousness's thinking and analysis are not firm; the master has doubt, the master decides, the master has his own opinions, and at critical moments will reject and discard the assistant's conclusions. This is why many people who "realize the fruit and see the mind" with the mind consciousness keep regressing. The mind consciousness's thinking and analysis can proceed without the aid of meditative concentration, in a scattered state of mind; but the deeper the concentration, the finer, more accurate, more precise, and more reasonable the mind consciousness's thinking. But however fine, accurate, and reasonable, it is not a conclusion the manas derived itself, so it is not called personal realization; there is no virtue of eradication, no beneficial reception, and it cannot withstand birth and death.
The mind consciousness's thinking can often be perceived and observed by the mind consciousness, discovered by the mind consciousness; compared to the manas's thinking, it is shallower and coarser. The manas's thinking is relatively deep and hidden, not easily discovered, but it can continue thought after thought without interruption; only when doubt is very deep does the manas deliberate, in order to resolve the doubt. This involves meditative concentration: uninterrupted thought after thought means there is concentration; being able to settle on the investigation of the doubt is concentration. No matter when, whatever one is doing, whether awake or asleep, the question is in the mind; if one cannot figure it out, one may even become agitated, eating and sleeping poorly, as if having lost one's soul.
When the mind consciousness is coarse, it has no awareness of the manas's thinking and cannot detect it; it cannot discover the matters in its own mind, does not know what it truly wants or wants to do, and cannot grasp its own thoughts. So so many people cannot discover the manas, do not understand the manas, cannot grasp the manas, cannot observe the manas. Using the manas to deliberate requires meditative concentration—the deeper the better; it is best to eliminate the interference of other miscellaneous matters; best that the six consciousnesses also not disturb the manas, only lightly and subtly cognizing in cooperation, without provoking the manas's scattered thoughts.
11. What Must Be Done to Attain Realization-Enlightenment
Question: Everything of mine is transformed from the tathāgatagarbha; then how can I see the tathāgatagarbha? For example, when I sit in meditation, I see dharma sense-objects and know they are illusorily transformed by the tathāgatagarbha; I know there is the manas's attention, and know it is the mind consciousness understanding; I know the tathāgatagarbha is present in all dharmas, but I still cannot see His face. In the realm of direct perception I only see the dharma sense-object, and then there is awareness and discrimination; everything else I cannot see; those sayings about illusory transformation are also heard from others—how can I truly see the tathāgatagarbha?
Answer: First of all, all this knowing of yours comes from theoretical knowledge, all learned by the mind consciousness from elsewhere, and some of it belongs to the mind consciousness's reasoning, speculation, guessing, intellectual interpretation, and the like, not actually realized; none of it can be taken as true. Therefore, your knowing these contents will have no substantive influence on your own mind's manas; if the manas's cognition does not change, the body-mind world does not change. In fact, this knowing is equal to not knowing; after all, "what the ear hears is empty; only what the eye sees is real." Learned theoretical views are still far from actual realization; regarding the operation of the several consciousnesses, one is still completely baffled; encountering some adverse conditions, doubt will increase, and one may deny these previous understandings, and one's views may even turn opposite.
To truly see the tathāgatagarbha, one must strive to do the work to realize the tathāgatagarbha, not reason from theory or learn like a parrot. Realizing the tathāgatagarbha requires many conditions: first, karmic obstructions must be eliminated, merit increased, the power of concentration complete, faith perfect, precepts strictly held, the skill of patience good, and diligence in cultivating all these dharmas; finally, prajñā wisdom must also be complete. In short, realizing the tathāgatagarbha requires transforming the ordinary being's disposition into the bodhisattva disposition; every aspect of bodily, verbal, and mental actions must match a bodhisattva's: precepts, concentration, and wisdom like a bodhisattva's; afflictions and afflictive obstruction (kleśāvaraṇa) lightened; endowed with the bodhisattva's great merit and great wisdom; a mind as vast as a bodhisattva's; according with sentient beings; making the great resolve to benefit and gladden sentient beings.
This is like being reborn transformed; the body-mind world must undergo corresponding transformation, an obvious difference and great progress from the ordinary-being stage. In short, one must complete the bodhisattva's six pāramitās and myriad practices; if insufficient, one cannot see the Path and become a true bodhisattva. From now on, comprehensively perfect and improve yourself with plan and steps, and await the ripening of conditions and the season. Do not be anxious, do not worry about gain and loss, do not have a utilitarian mind; make the resolve great, strive on causes, and accord with conditions on the fruits.
12. The Supreme Wondrous Dharma Can Only Be Comprehended by the Mind, Not Transmitted in Words
Comprehending by mind is the manas's realization; transmitting by words is explanation in the mind consciousness's language. The supreme wondrous dharma is the highest, most wondrous tathāgatagarbha dharma, which each person must personally realize; others' verbal guidance and hints cannot substitute for one's own realization. Realization requires many conditions: precepts, concentration, wisdom, and merit must all be complete, and deep questioning doubt must have arisen, able to investigate with constant mindfulness, the effort reaching the manas—only then can one realize the wondrous dharma of the tathāgatagarbha. Verbal transmission can only first land in the mind consciousness's mind; if the effort on the manas has not reached the point, it cannot touch the manas; so verbal transmission cannot replace the manas's deliberation and investigation, and ultimately one cannot personally realize.
When the effort of meditative concentration and investigation is not deep enough, concentrate on doing the work; do not listen to others' views, do not refer to sutras and others' theoretical knowledge, because this obstructs personal realization. Cultivation is one's own affair, like eating—whoever eats is full; the Buddhadharma—whoever investigates realizes it. Without investigating or realizing, dharma heard is like something stolen, not one's own; the samādhi realm can only be initiated by oneself; wisdom arises from one's own mind; studying the Tripitaka and the twelve divisions of scriptures is forever inferior to one's own enlightenment. A practitioner should be like a great man, courageous in practice, doing things personally, rejecting all opportunism and trickery.
That the supreme wondrous dharma cannot be transmitted in words has another layer of meaning: the tathāgatagarbha, this subtle and profound dharma, cannot be expressed in language. However it is said, what is said is not He; no speaking, no showing; what is pointed out is also not He. No matter what, He just does not come forward, does not appear, does not speak, does not act—low-key and selfless, and without even a "key." What to do about such a dharma? Only actual realization, personal realization and personal awakening, can see His true face; what is heard or seen is not it; no one can transmit it—so do you still want to listen to others' instructions?
13. How to Relinquish Consciousness and Use the Faculty
Some say the "faculty" in "relinquishing consciousness and using the faculty" refers to sentient beings' spiritual faculties (indriya), but it actually refers to the manas. Faculties are also the functions of consciousness; apart from consciousness, faculties cannot be spoken of. Good roots and faculties generally refer to the wisdom of the innate seventh consciousness, the manas.
"Relinquishing consciousness and using the faculty" is generally used when investigating Chan: relinquish the six consciousnesses, especially relinquishing the mind consciousness's emotional thoughts and intellectual interpretations, pondering, speculating, analyzing, reasoning, comparing, and judging, and exclusively use the manas's deliberative nature—only thus can the Path be realized. After realizing the Path, subsequent cultivation should also use the manas as much as possible; using the manas is more direct and penetrating, appearing straightforward, upright, pure, genuine, and pure, able to accomplish all things, doing what one says, even doing it without necessarily saying it.
Without meditative concentration, it is hard to use the manas; all is the mind consciousness's reasoning and intellectual understanding—easy but shallow. Understanding is much faster than realizing, but useless; without samādhi, there is no liberation, no ending birth and death; when the mind consciousness ceases, it is nullified. The deeper the concentration, the more the manas is used, the greater its power, the more it can solve problems, the more samādhi there is; the deeper the samādhi, the more penetrating the wisdom, the greater the power of liberation.
14. Circumstances Turning with the Mind Means Turning with the Manas
Question: Once, while driving, I was thinking; at first my thinking was rather chaotic, then suddenly I felt there were no scattered thoughts at all, and I saw the surrounding environment as extremely unfamiliar, as if I could not recognize the road; everything I saw felt fresh, even the air felt especially fresh; then I got lost, though that highway was actually very familiar. Why did I have this feeling?
Answer: Because after the mind focused on contemplating the Buddhadharma, attention was no longer in the surrounding sense-objects; the mind consciousness's focused contemplation gave the manas a further impression of the Buddhadharma, and with inner joy, one sees everything pleasantly, somewhat like the appearance of a purely concentrated samādhi realm. The mind can turn things; circumstances turn with the mind—this is a temporary fruit appearing in the course of cultivation, not the final result; the final result is quite magnificent. Without these processes of cultivating the Path and the accumulation of the process, no one should talk about what fruits they have; plastic fruits are nothing to boast about.
15. Comparing and Imagining According to Principle Is Not Actual Realization
The meaning of bodhi, summed up, refers to all the Buddhadharma that should be complete on the path to buddhahood; its levels from shallow to deep are many: first is eradicating the view of self, including from the first fruit to the fourth fruit of liberation in both ways; then is the Mahāyāna seeing the mind, realizing the fundamental tathāgatagarbha, up to the Buddha-stage's four wisdoms perfectly clear. Realizing the tathāgatagarbha counts as realizing bodhi, but is not equal to realizing all of bodhi, because the tathāgatagarbha's nature is deep and boundless; only realizing it fully is realizing anuttarā-samyak-saṃbodhi. So realization is only a beginning; many dharmas must still be realized one by one to perfect bodhi.
If one merely knows that the tathāgatagarbha participates everywhere, that the tathāgatagarbha's shadow is everywhere, that all dharmas are the tathāgatagarbha, that the whole is suchness—this is only theory the mind consciousness learned from books, not yet involving the manas, unrelated to the manas; then this theory is not a conclusion derived after one's own actual realization—that is merely learning words. Without actual realization, even understanding is not deep; one cannot even know that it is so, let alone know why it is so; then how can the problem of birth and death be solved? If one can open a crack in one's vision and peek a little inside, one will learn a little of the truth.
Some people, after knowing the theory that the whole is suchness, play clever tricks and begin to exercise their imagination, saying this is suchness, that is suchness, everywhere is suchness, and then self-assuredly say: "Haven't I attained enlightenment?" Then they go find someone to certify it.
If one can see how the tathāgatagarbha concretely exists and manifests, that would be quite good; it can be called true enlightenment. Studying Buddhism requires first eradicating the view of self; only when the principle that the five aggregates are without self is thoroughly understood does seeing the mind afterward become not difficult. For example, everyone knows electric current is inside the wire but cannot see the current, only its applications: it makes the rice cooker cook rice, makes the washing machine wash clothes; touching the current with the hand, one gets shocked numb and trembling—this still does not count as realizing the current. Seeing the washing machine wash clothes and knowing there is current relies mostly on theoretical understanding, still not knowing the current's concrete functioning, so it does not count as realization.
16. The Wisdom of the Mind Consciousness and the Manas Waxes and Wanes
During students' learning stage, because it is the stage of absorbing knowledge and theory, the mind consciousness is used more; after study ends, one enters the practice stage, where theory is applied to actual operation, all depending on one's real talent and ability—at this time the manas is used more. If the manas is not used well, one will be mocked as a bookworm and pedant, having learning but no ability, no real substance, one's learning useless.
When students do geometry problems, clearly the mind consciousness is used for calculation, because there are results and answers; one only needs to derive toward the answer. A few students with good concentration can use a bit of the manas's deliberative function, but not much. When problems have no answers, the manas's deliberation may be used more, and deriving correct conclusions may show the student a certain real wisdom, but the component of mind-consciousness reasoning may also be greater. In the process of geometric calculation and reasoning, there are certain principles and rules to follow; the more one relies on them, the greater the mind consciousness's role, the smaller the manas's role, the shallower the wisdom.
Similarly, in the process of contemplative practice and investigation, the more hints others give, the more the mind consciousness is used, the less the manas is used, the shallower the wisdom. If one relies entirely on others' hints, mouth-to-ear style, it is all the mind consciousness's function; the manas exerts no effort at all, and the manas has no wisdom at all, no beneficial reception of liberation in this or future lives. Whereas with no hints at all, entirely investigating it out oneself, what is brought forth is the best, the wisdom deepest. Conversely, the greater others' help, the smaller one's own ability; solving the problem with no help at all, all the wisdom is one's own. A pratyekabuddha alone on a mountain investigating the twelve links of dependent origination—the wisdom before and after realizing the Dharma, arhats cannot compare with, let alone ordinary beings. Arhats have the Buddha and the Buddhadharma to rely on, so their developed wisdom is limited, not as deep and fine as the pratyekabuddha's wisdom.
The more one relies on external conditions, the less the manas is used, the worse the ability and wisdom. Some people studying dharma always pray for all kinds of help, not knowing that the greater the help received, the less wisdom developed, the smaller the benefit. When encountering problems, being able to apply effort oneself and use one's brain—what is gained is the greatest wisdom. People who always love asking about dharma have relatively shallow wisdom, insufficient self-reliance, no ability to solve problems independently. Some people always want to seek others' help to awaken; the awakening helped by others—to whom does it belong? Whose wisdom is it? Wisdom in the Buddhadharma, as well as wisdom in worldly dharma, belongs to whoever relies on their own power; relying on others is not as good as relying on oneself.
17. Under What Circumstances May One Make the Vow to Remain in the Saha World?
Only worlds like the Saha world have the three evil destinies. If one wants to vow to remain in the Saha world, one must at least guarantee being able to eradicate the karma of the three evil destinies, extinguish the retribution of the three evil destinies, and be able to avoid the three evil destinies in future lives. And to avoid the three evil destinies, one must eradicate the three fetters; the three fetters are eradicated when the manas realizes the fruit; when the three fetters are eradicated, the coarse afflictive bondages are also eradicated; otherwise, future lives cannot avoid the suffering of the three evil destinies. It is not that the mind consciousness eradicating the three fetters can exempt one from the karma of the three evil destinies; the mind consciousness's afflictions and three fetters depend on the manas for existence; if the manas does not eradicate them, even if the mind consciousness eradicates them it is useless, for it is controlled by the manas.
Only after eradicating the five grades of desire-realm afflictions and becoming one bound for the first fruit can one realize the first fruit and eradicate the three fetters. First observe whether one has the five grades of afflictions, whether they are heavy, whether they can be eradicated; only then can one judge whether one has hope of eradicating the three fetters, and then make vows according to one's actual situation, so that future lives avoid extremely heavy suffering. If things go wrong, vowing to remain in the Saha world yet long suffering in the three evil destinies, being oneself an object awaiting liberation, how can you liberate others? In that case, would future lives not be very distressing?
If you cannot guarantee eradicating the three fetters, cannot even guarantee eradicating the mind consciousness's bondages, the three evil destinies cannot be avoided. Even if the mind consciousness has no three fetters, if the manas has the three fetters, the karma of the three evil destinies cannot be avoided. Moreover, if the manas's bondages are deep and afflictions heavy, the mind consciousness's three fetters will arise anytime and anywhere, involuntarily; future lives will surely tend toward the three evil destinies; such a vow is equal to vowing to remain in the three evil destinies suffering. So making vows must be careful: what circumstances warrant what vow, according to one's level of cultivation and actual situation; do not act on impulse, disregarding everything. Wisdom is a good thing—be sure to use your brain more, develop wisdom, and then take action.
