Chapter Seven: How to Investigate Chan

1. What does "Chan does not establish words and letters" mean?

Chan is also called the Chan School. The essence of the Buddha Dharma is the true mind, the Tathagatagarbha. Chan is the method for investigating and realizing the true mind, the Tathagatagarbha. "Not establishing words and letters" has two reasons: First, throughout the entire process of investigating Chan, language, words, and sounds are not used. This is because, at this time, one is investigating Chan within deep meditative concentration (samadhi), where both manas (the seventh consciousness) and consciousness (the sixth consciousness) are simultaneously engaged in investigation, existing in a state without language or words. The presence of language, words, or sounds indicates shallow thinking, a state where consciousness alone engages in intellectual understanding, rendering manas incapable of exerting its force. Second, the Tathagatagarbha, the essence of the Chan School, inherently lacks language, words, and sounds; it is not compatible with them. Anything conveyed through language and words is not It.

Therefore, when investigating Chan, the language, words, and sounds of both the Dharma transmitter and the receiver become useless. All books and theories become useless. The investigator need not mutter, chatter, or hum internally, stripping away comparable external reference points. This prevents the mind from soaring freely, engaging in emotional and intellectual interpretations, or indulging in extensive inferential reasoning (比量, *anumāna*) and erroneous cognition (非量, *abhūta-parikalpa*). Consciousness has no room to operate; one must honestly rely entirely on the direct perception (现量, *pratyakṣa*) and investigation of manas. Although it is arduous, causing sleepless nights, the results are profound. The potential and wisdom of manas can be fully developed. Once one realizes and unearths one's own treasure, one will thenceforth live a life of freedom and abundance, no longer needing to drift about begging to endure hard times.

At this point, external words and internal mental sounds are useless and ineffective. One must rely solely on one's own wisdom to develop great wisdom. What reasoning, what analysis, what sorting, what induction, what dissection, what integration, what conjecture, what imagination, what comparison, what scriptural authority, what theory, what knowledge, what learning—all become unusable. Consciousness rests; it need not busy itself. At this time, a responsible Chan master will tell you to put away the sutras, forbid reading scriptures or books, and punish violators with the ruler. Once the investigation reaches a critical moment, being hit is absolutely beneficial. Although language and words become useless, one can still be hit. When hit, there are still no words or thoughts, yet it can trigger the inspiration of manas.

When the master gives the stick, if consciousness is very active, it will immediately think and analyze, saying, "This might be it," but the result is: Wrong! Consciousness then analyzes and reasons again: "The true and false are combined, this is correct," but the result is still: Wrong! You further use the method of elimination to infer and conjecture: "This is not visual consciousness, not auditory, olfactory, or bodily consciousness, nor consciousness or manas; it must be the eighth consciousness!" But the final result remains: Wrong! If you dare to move consciousness, no matter what, it's one word: Wrong! After three wrongs, if you still do not awaken, the Chan master will push you out of the Chan hall, or even out of the Chan monastery, abandoning you because you are not yet a vessel for the Way, unqualified to investigate Chan. Of course, a qualified Chan master will not strike the stick randomly; he will accurately perceive the mental state of the investigator and give the stick at the most appropriate moment. This is called a "timely strike" (当机一棒), discarding all dust-like external states and emotional attachments, directly recognizing that which is neither dust nor emotion through direct perception.

Past patriarchs and great virtues always said, "If the thieving mind does not die, one cannot realize the Way; if the pilfering mind does not die, one cannot realize the Way." What minds do "thieving mind" and "pilfering mind" refer to? Both refer to the mind of consciousness. What is stolen that prevents realization? Stealing the answer prevents realization. How can one eliminate the thieving mind while investigating Chan? Cultivate the access concentration (未到地定, *anāgamya-samādhi*), use manas to investigate deeply within concentration, and discard the understanding of consciousness. The thieving mind during Chan investigation can also be called the mind seeking opportunistic shortcuts, the mind that directly takes knowledge and theories from elsewhere and treats them as personal realization. Because it is not personally realized by manas, what consciousness opportunistically takes is called theft. In the past, a phrase was often used to describe the Dharma teachings of patriarchs with genuine realization: it was said that these teachings were "dug out from within their own heart's core," meaning that the teachings expounded by the patriarchs were all personally realized by themselves, the crystallization of their own wisdom, not ready-made theoretical knowledge consciousness brought in from elsewhere, or theories learned elsewhere that were merely sorted, summarized, processed, repackaged, and presented as one's own. Such things do not count as realization and will hinder realization.

What is called "the direct perception of one's own mind" (自心现量)? Only what is dug out from within one's own bosom is called the direct perception of one's own mind. "Bosom" and "heart's core" both refer to the deep place of the master, manas. The opposite is what consciousness effortlessly "understands" without cultivating precepts, concentration, wisdom, or the Thirty-Seven Aids to Enlightenment, what is deduced by comparing and referencing learned theoretical knowledge and others' views—this is almost like taking it for free. Consciousness acting like this is almost like stealing. If the thieving mind does not die, manas cannot ponder and investigate, and thus cannot realize the Way. Consciousness learns vast amounts of Dharma, but essentially, it all belongs to theft because it is not from the bosom, not one's own, but Dharma from elsewhere—Dharma that goes in one ear and out the mouth, Dharma learned on the spot and sold immediately—none of it is one's own treasure.

2. The Treasury of the Right Dharma Eye, the Marvelous Mind of Nirvana, Transmitted Separately Outside the Teachings

At the assembly on Vulture Peak, the World-Honored One (世尊, *Bhagavān*) held a flower offered by a heavenly being and smiled slightly at the assembly of disciples. All humans and devas were bewildered. Only Mahākāśyapa responded to the World-Honored One with a smile. The World-Honored One, seeing with the fleshly eye, heavenly eye, wisdom eye, Dharma eye, and Buddha eye that Mahākāśyapa had suddenly awakened to the mind of Chan, then said: "I possess the Treasury of the Right Dharma Eye, the Marvelous Mind of Nirvana, the reality-limit without marks, and I entrust it to Mahākāśyapa." This confirmed Mahākāśyapa's sudden awakening, and thus Mahākāśyapa became the first patriarch of the Chan School in the Sahā world.

The Marvelous Mind of Nirvana refers to every sentient being's own true mind and intrinsic nature, constantly abiding in Nirvana, subtly manifesting the present Dharma, the most real Dharma mark. Yet this Dharma mark has no worldly marks—no form, sound, smell, taste, touch, or mental object marks. Due to the obscuration of ignorance, the seven consciousnesses of sentient beings simply do not recognize this Marvelous Mind of Nirvana. In this kōan, not only was the World-Honored One's Marvelous Mind of Nirvana constantly manifesting, but Mahākāśyapa's Marvelous Mind of Nirvana was also constantly manifesting, and even the Marvelous Mind of Nirvana of the countless humans and devas in the assembly was constantly manifesting. Alas, sentient beings simply do not recognize it! The mind is obscured by ignorance; spiritual wisdom cannot open up; the wisdom eye does not appear—what can be done?

Only Mahākāśyapa, worthy of being the Buddha's foremost disciple, silently understood the Buddha's intention. When he saw the Buddha holding up a flower to show the assembly, his wisdom eye pierced through the Buddha's marvelously pure and luminous mind, and thus he smiled. His own subtle wisdom in piercing the mystery was also seen through by the Buddha. Between master and disciple, there was a communication of minds, a meeting of minds, without words or language. The marvelous Dharma of Chan was transmitted right before the wide-open eyes of the assembly. Later, there was an additional text: the words spoken by the World-Honored One: "I have the Marvelous Mind of Nirvana, the reality-limit without marks, I transmit to Mahākāśyapa..."

Why can the Dharma of Chan be transmitted separately outside the teachings? Because the marvelous mind and marvelous Dharma being transmitted can be apprehended intuitively, not confined to words and language. If it could only be confined to words and language, it would not be marvelous. The marvel of the marvelous mind lies in its ability to function within all dharmas, without discriminating against any dharma. The marvelous mind and marvelous Dharma have nothing to do with words and language; they function on any dharma; everywhere is It. Where is It not? Pure or defiled, with sound or without sound, with words or without words—It is vividly present on all dharmas.

For forty-nine years, the World-Honored One used words and language to expound the Tripitaka and Twelve Divisions of Scriptures, everywhere revealing the Marvelous Mind of Nirvana. This is the gate of teachings, the gate of principle. But it was still somewhat circuitous. This time, the World-Honored One demonstrated to the assembly the most direct, the most straightforward, the most refreshing, the mind-pointing method—without saying a single word, simply waving a single flower before the assembly. Alas! The assembly was anxious! Thinking, "What is this? What medicine is the World-Honored One selling?" Unable to understand. Mahākāśyapa, without thinking, suddenly realized it. This is the sudden awakening of manas. Consciousness is gradual awakening because consciousness has to think! Whatever involves thinking is not genuine. If a patriarch sees it, he must strike it dead with one blow. What potential is there for someone entangled in emotional and intellectual understanding?

The Dharma transmitted outside the teachings is straightforward, it's swift, it doesn't allow you to think. By the time you think, the wild goose has long flown away, the cucumber dish is cold. Who dares to posture and scratch their head at this moment? Directly one blow! What place is this for you to ponder left and right, think before and after? If you are not a vessel for the Way, being beaten to death is not unjust.

What does "Treasury of the Right Dharma Eye" mean? Only this eye is truly right; the other eyes are not right—they are subject to birth and death, afflicted by ignorance, unable to stand independently, necessarily relying on something—certainly not right. "Treasury" means containing and storing. The Marvelous Mind of Nirvana contains the seeds of all dharmas, capable of generating all dharmas; the myriad dharmas are contained within it. This is extremely marvelous—creating something from nothing, illusorily manifesting the world, allowing sentient beings to rely on it and subsequently grasp the myriad dharmas.

3. Investigating Chan is Best Done in the Concentration of Vicāra

Q: In a shallow concentration, letting consciousness and manas enter a very sharp state of vicāra (伺, sustained examination). In this state, one feels one can faintly see one's own body and keenly perceive subtle events happening dozens of meters around. The mind-consciousness in the state of vicāra is: both consciousness and manas are very focused, passively perceiving what is happening around, but the mind-consciousness does not deliberately attend to or cognize the events happening; it merely knows the event is happening, similar to a state of observing coldly without stirring thoughts. Is this state Dharma-compliant?

A: The state of vicāra certainly belongs to concentration (dhyāna), and the degree of concentration is relatively deep and unified; the mind is not as coarse and scattered as in the state of vitarka (寻, initial inquiry). The state of vitarka is also concentration, but the concentration is shallower because the mind is scattered, moves more, so the concentration is shallow. In the state of vicāra, the mind is unmoving yet knowing. Over time, one gains wisdom-based cognition of what is known, can see through the known dharmas as empty, the mind can then become empty, thus reaching the state of upekṣā (舍, equanimity).

Both vitarka and vicāra have an object and are focused on that object for concentration to arise. Some concentrations lack wisdom; some concentrations contain wisdom. Concentration must have an object of focus to have wisdom. If it is empty without an object, there is no wisdom of observation, only pure empty concentration. Vitarka and vicāra are both states of clear-light concentration (清明定), belonging to right concentration (正定). However, in the vitarka stage, the concentration is shallow with more movement, not quiet enough. The vicāra state is the later stage for investigating Chan, where wisdom is most easily born. At this time, it is the stage of pondering primarily by manas; consciousness is unmoving or moves little and slightly.

Q: If one maintains this state of vicāra in a very quiet environment, one slowly feels the surrounding space and time solidify, the body also seems to be present yet absent, the mind-consciousness seems to drift outside the body, quietly perceiving everything. After emerging from this state, one finds one's thinking power and perception are significantly stronger than usual. This is probably the effect brought by the mind-consciousness maintaining focus? When in this state of vicāra and the duration gradually increases, one finds the concentration of consciousness and manas grows stronger, the power of awareness becomes keener, and one also notices breathing and heartbeat becoming slower, finer, and longer. One truly worries that at some point, without breath and heartbeat, one might die.

A: In the state of vicāra, consciousness maintains only a knowing, without extra thoughts. Manas, undisturbed, will ponder deeply, subtly, and unified, and wisdom easily arises. Once the wisdom of manas arises, it can see through the object of focus, see it as empty, and thus easily realize the Way. If one does not reach the state of vicāra, the thinking of consciousness is active, hindering the pondering of manas, and no true wisdom arises. The results analyzed, reasoned, and judged by consciousness will not enter manas; manas does not accept them. Then, no matter what views this person's consciousness holds, ultimately, the views remain views, and mental activities remain mental activities; they do not interact, and practice still does not enter the Way.

Many people claim they have realized the fruit, understood the mind, etc., yet their body and mind world show not the slightest change. On the contrary, afflictions may increase, and arrogance may flare up instead. That is consciousness analyzing and deducing a principle, but manas does not acknowledge it. What is thought, what is done, remains the same as before—still the old person with the old behavior. The name is that of a sage, but the mind is that of an ordinary person. Then they successively regress and abandon the Path—truly pitiful.

4. How to Investigate Chan Apart from Consciousness

Without meditative concentration or lacking concentration, observation-practice (观行) and investigating Chan fundamentally cannot be separated from consciousness, let alone separated from consciousness's analysis, reasoning, imagination, and conjecture. This is the method of investigating Chan most tabooed and opposed by past Chan patriarchs, the emotional and intellectual understanding they often resented and disliked. Therefore, to investigate Chan apart from consciousness and mental factors (心意识, *citta-manas-vijñāna*), making the result of Chan investigation more ultimate and direct, one must diligently cultivate meditative concentration, attain sufficient access concentration (未到地定), and then investigate and observe-practice the Buddha Dharma. This way, manas exerts more force, ensuring realization, not the understanding of consciousness.

In observation-practice and investigating Chan, the more consciousness is used, the greater its role, the more the effect is diminished and unsatisfactory, the less effective it is. The more manas is used, the greater its role, the greater its explosive force, the greater its lasting power, the farther it goes, the deeper the realization, the greater the power of samādhi, the sharper the wisdom, the lighter the afflictions, the more liberated the mind.

5. How to Ponder and Investigate in Concentration Above the Second Dhyāna

All Buddhas attained the Way within the fourth dhyāna. Ordinary people cannot investigate Chan in the second dhyāna because consciousness is too weak then, unable to assist manas in thinking and deliberation; one can only rely on manas's own separate function of pondering. So, when the Buddhas realized the Way within the fourth dhyāna, and it was an extremely deep, thorough, ultimate realization, penetrating the source of dharmas, without the assistance of consciousness, what must the wisdom of manas have been like? "Cannot investigate the meaning of Dharma above the second dhyāna" is said for ordinary people. Actually, within the second dhyāna and higher concentrations, one can think, investigate, and enter the Way.

So how does one ponder and investigate within concentration above the second dhyāna? Before entering concentration, manas must possess an extremely deep sense of doubt (疑情), with thoughts focused solely on this doubt, without other thoughts; other dharmas are blocked out. Thus, the mind single-pointedly focuses on one dharma, deeply doubting, deeply investigating, single-mindedly wanting to understand the meaning of Dharma. In this way, when sitting down and just after crossing the legs, the manifest thoughts of consciousness will cease; the mind becomes pure and does not disturb the pondering of manas. The five sense consciousnesses, having nothing to do, will cease, and the second dhyāna arises. Then manas single-mindedly investigates. When conditions arise, manas has distracting thoughts, prompting consciousness to produce thoughts; then the five sense consciousnesses appear, and one exits the second dhyāna.

When manas ponders and investigates within the second to fourth dhyānas, not only are the five universal mental factors (五遍行心所法) fully present, but the five object-specific mental factors (五别境心所法) must also be fully present. Its power of decisive understanding (胜解力) and power of wisdom (慧力) are not just ordinarily strong but extremely powerful, enabling realization of the Way, thorough investigation of the meaning of Dharma, giving birth to the power of samādhi, abiding in samādhi. If concentration-wisdom, power of decisive understanding, and power of mindfulness are lacking even a little, one cannot realize the Way. Those whose manas possesses strong five object-specific mental factors are no ordinary people; only sages can do this. Ordinary beings and noble ones (贤人) should diligently cultivate and strive to strengthen the five object-specific mental factors of manas to make the power of the Way stronger and progress on the path swift.

6. Investigating the Hua Tou is Only Possible in Access Concentration and the First Dhyāna

Q: If realizing the Path requires access concentration, first dhyāna, second dhyāna, third dhyāna, fourth dhyāna, then does the Chan School's method of investigating the huatou (参话头) to awaken and realize the Path accord with Buddhist principles?

A: Without access concentration and the first dhyāna, one cannot investigate the huatou; one can only mentally recite the huatou, which is actually reciting the "tail" of the saying; the "head" of the saying cannot be found. So how can one speak of awakening and realizing the Path? Only in access concentration and the first dhyāna can one investigate Chan and realize the Path. Above the second dhyāna, the five sense consciousnesses cease; consciousness is weak and cannot investigate Chan, unless manas has been deeply conditioned by the huatou, perhaps then it can investigate alone. Past Chan patriarchs realized the Path within concentration before the first dhyāna. They both sat in meditation cultivating tranquil concentration and investigated Chan in daily activities; the two types of concentration complemented each other, making realization faster. With only one of them, realization is more difficult.

7. The Relationship Between Practice of Phenomena and Practice of Principle

All dharmas are divided into two parts: phenomena (事) and principle (理). Phenomena are marks (相); principle is the Tathagatagarbha's principle-substance. When discussing phenomena, one must break the true existence of marks from the perspective of marks. At this time, one cannot speak from the perspective of principle—the Tathagatagarbha. That would make some people think the marks are real, giving rise to attachment, thus binding the mind and preventing liberation.

The Hīnayāna path breaks existence from the perspective of marks. The Mahāyāna path practices from both principle and phenomena, breaking marks from principle. Recognizing principle makes it easy, but it does not discard phenomena; it does not cling to principle and discard phenomena. It requires perfectly fusing principle and phenomena together, not leaning towards either side; otherwise, the Buddha Dharma will not be accomplished. Cultivating to the ultimate degree of perfect fusion of principle and phenomena is Buddhahood. The perfect fusion of principle and phenomena that is not yet ultimate belongs to the Bodhisattvas on the Bhūmis and the two stages of Equal Enlightenment and Marvelous Enlightenment (等妙二觉). Bodhisattvas after realizing the mind (明心) might be able to fuse a little. If the power of observation is insufficient, they cannot fuse at all.

If someone who has neither realized the fruit nor realized the mind is told that the five aggregates and eighteen elements, all dharmas of the world, are unborn and unceasing, they will think the five aggregates and eighteen elements are real. Clinging to these dharmas would then be seen as not wrong, nothing bad. Therefore, they would not try to eliminate their own greed and attachment. In this way, the problem of sentient beings' birth and death cannot be resolved. "All dharmas are Suchness" is the direct perception (现量) observation-result of Bodhisattvas on the Bhūmis and Buddhas. Ordinary beings can only practice step by step from the perspective of the arising and ceasing marks of the basic five aggregates and eighteen elements; they cannot directly treat the five aggregates and eighteen elements as the unborn, unceasing Suchness. No one can directly perceive this principle.

The four dhyānas and eight samāpattis (四禅八定) are the practice of phenomena, cultivating marks. Marks necessarily have arising and ceasing; there are no marks that are unborn and unceasing, except for the empty mark of the eighth consciousness. The empty mark is markless, thus unborn and unceasing. The six consciousnesses within the four dhyānas and eight samāpattis, seen from the perspective of marks, are arising, ceasing, and changing. The seventh consciousness, seen from the perspective of marks, is also arising, ceasing, and changing. When discussing dharmas that are arising, ceasing, and changing, when practicing marks, one must have arising, ceasing, and changing marks. If at this time one says the seven consciousnesses and the four dhyānas and eight samāpattis are all unborn and unceasing, then it seems incongruous. If they are all unborn, unceasing, and fixed, then we have nothing to cultivate; it's already perfect. But the facts are not so. Therefore, study and practice must have stages; principle and phenomena must be perfectly fused.

8. Can One Investigate Chan Directly Without Severing the View of Self?

Q: Must one first sever the view of self (我见) before investigating Chan to realize the true mind? Some people seem to have no understanding of severing the view of self and want to investigate Chan directly. If the investigation succeeds and they realize the true mind, will they naturally see everything in the world as impermanent? Because knowing one true thing, the others naturally become false.

A: If one has no understanding of severing the view of self and still takes the false self as real, how can one then realize that which is truly real and thus realize the mind? A very few individuals, due to exceptionally good foundations from past lives, possessing some understanding and realization of emptiness and no-self, can investigate Chan directly. In the process of investigating Chan, they will first sever the view of self, then realize the mind. However, the vast majority of people have weak foundations, their minds cling too heavily to self-existence, and the obscurations during Chan investigation are too heavy; they cannot truly realize the mind and awaken. The overwhelming majority probably must first sever the view of self before they can investigate Chan. Investigating Chan directly without severing the view of self, the best outcome is intellectual understanding (解悟), which looks good and fragrant but has little practical value. The worse outcome is wasted effort, squandering time.

At the time of intellectual understanding, there are two "I"s existing side by side, not conflicting. This actually increases the view of self and afflictions. The "understanding" of intellectual understanding is equivalent to reasoning, not actual realization. Therefore, it does not sever the view of self. Moreover, one feels the true mind is another "I," which greatly hinders practice. Therefore, those with a heavy view of self should first focus on severing the view of self. Once the view of self is severed and the obscuration is gone, it becomes easier to realize the true mind.

Most people do not achieve intellectual understanding; intellectual understanding is also not easy. If one truly achieves intellectual understanding, as long as one additionally cultivates meditative concentration, uses manas to re-investigate Chan within concentration, or verifies one's understanding, when the causes and conditions ripen, it can also turn into realization (证悟). The prerequisite is that precepts, concentration, and wisdom are all cultivated to perfection, including the Thirty-Seven Aids to Enlightenment and the Six Pāramitās of Bodhisattvas. When one truly achieves intellectual understanding, the general direction is already clear, and practice will be faster. The fear is that very few can truly achieve intellectual understanding; most only "understand" without "awakening."

Establishing theoretical knowledge is much, much easier compared to actual practice. If the knowledge is learned from elsewhere, the difficulty ratio between the two is more than one to ten. If the knowledge is gained through one's own practice and exploration, the difficulty ratio is less than one to ten. During practice, one mainly relies on one's own concentration and wisdom. When exploring, it is the time of actual practice. Once a method is found through exploration and the skill becomes mature, seeing the Path becomes fast.

9. If the Five Aggregates Do Not Die, the Dharma Body Does Not Live

Chan patriarchs said: "Beat the five aggregates to death, then allow your Dharma body to live." What does this mean? "Not dying, cannot live"—what does it mean? Everyone's Dharma body is constantly functioning, maintaining the activities of the five-aggregate body, upholding the eighteen elements. But sentient beings do not recognize the Dharma body; having it is like not having it. Thus, the Dharma body seems dead. Why do sentient beings not recognize the Dharma body? It is because the mind is covered by the dark clouds of the five-aggregate body; they only see the immediate five-aggregate body, not the Dharma body behind it. To see the Dharma body, to make the Dharma body come alive, one must use prajñā wisdom to disperse the dark clouds of the five aggregates. Then the Dharma body behind will vividly reveal itself. This is also the sequence of practice.

10. In Concentration, One Can Replace Mantras with Doubt to Investigate

Q: After one has cultivated the habit of silently reciting the Śūraṅgama Mantra (楞严咒) deeply within, if a doubt about the Dharma arises deep in the heart, can one replace the mantra with this doubt? Then one can be investigating while walking, standing, sitting, and lying down?

A: When the skill of silently reciting the Śūraṅgama Mantra is deep, one attains meditative concentration. Manas can follow consciousness in single-minded recitation of the mantra. When cultivation reaches deep concentration, manas becomes single-pointedly focused on the Dharma, wisdom arises, and doubt easily arises. Then, replace the mental recitation of the Śūraṅgama Mantra with the huatou of Chan investigation, or with doubt, and investigate with concentration within samādhi, without the slightest distraction. Only then can one effectively resolve the doubt and give birth to wisdom. Nothing is more important than giving birth to wisdom. Reciting mantras is also for this ultimate goal; reciting mantras is merely the initial method for entering the Path. One should not regard mantra recitation as the goal of practice; it should be used as a tool.

11. Good Raindrops Fall Nowhere Else

Outside the window, rain pours down. Is this rain internal to the mind or external? Where do the raindrops fall? The raindrops strike the mind—do they strike the mind which is the Tathagatagarbha, or which mind among the seven consciousnesses? Can the window of the mind be broken? Of course, form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and mental objects cannot touch the Tathagatagarbha at all. The Tathagatagarbha does not receive sense objects; what receives sense objects is the mind of the seven consciousnesses. It is the seven consciousnesses that can perceive the striking of the rain. When a heavy storm occurs, the mind might be frightened.

How did this rain come about? Can it change according to human will? If it can, why do so many suffer from floods? If it cannot, why can some remain untouched by a single raindrop, summon wind and rain, and stop overcast rain for clear skies? Who can see the mark of rain and immediately depart from the mark of rain, not clinging to the mark of rain? Who can see the mark of rain as the mark of mind, thought after thought not abiding in any mark? Since rain is within the mind, why does your mind rain so heavily? If rain is outside the mind, it has nothing to do with the mind; how can the mind perceive the rain?

Although what the seven consciousnesses cognize are false illusions, this illusion appears too real. Form, sound, smell, taste, and touch are all three-dimensional, vivid and lifelike—how could it not feel real? But to liberate body and mind, what should be done?

12. Various Misunderstandings About Awakening

Many people mistake the states of cultivating concentration for awakening. Others believe that awakening must involve extinguishing all consciousnesses, even manas, rendering it inactive; only then is it the true state of awakening. Let's consider the faults in this. In such an awakening, who awakens? What is realized? In this state, there is no person, no five aggregates or seven consciousnesses; only the Tathagatagarbha remains. This is clearly the state of an Arhat's Nirvana without residue, unrelated to awakening. Moreover, an ordinary person cannot, through cultivating concentration, attain the great Arhatship of complete liberation and directly extinguish manas, immediately entering Nirvana without residue. For an ordinary person, extinguishing the five sense consciousnesses is extremely difficult; extinguishing consciousness is even harder, let alone extinguishing manas.

Some always cling to "the falling away of sense faculties and objects" (根尘脱落) as the state of awakening. But when sense faculties and objects fall away, there are no faculties, no objects; faculties and objects do not come together. Then, of course, there is no mind of the six consciousnesses. If this is awakening, then what is realized? Taking "shattering the void, leveling the earth" (虚空粉碎，大地平沉) as awakening—ultimately, what is realized? Not knowing how this state relates to the Tathagatagarbha, one cannot prove it is the state of awakening. Some people misunderstand the Buddha Dharma. Investigating the reason, the fundamental problem is that they have not clearly distinguished or understood the false dharmas and the true dharmas. Their merit and wisdom are still insufficient, and there are severe obscurations from afflictions and karmic hindrances, obstructing the growth of merit and wisdom. Therefore, they cannot truly comprehend and penetrate the true and false dharmas.

The true mind and the false mind each have their different natures. For example, awareness has the awareness of the true mind and the awareness of the false mind; equality has the equality of the true mind and the equality of the false mind; purity has the purity of the true mind and the purity of the false mind; detachment from marks has the detachment of the true mind and the detachment of the false mind; conditioned has the conditioned of the true mind and the conditioned of the false mind; unconditioned has the unconditioned of the true mind and the unconditioned of the false mind, and so on. In summary, for everyone studying the Dharma, it is very difficult to distinguish true and false; they are often confused, leading to many misunderstandings. This is because the conditions of the Bodhisattva's Six Pāramitās are not yet complete. Once complete, one will have the wisdom to distinguish the natures of true and false and will not misunderstand the state of realizing the Way.