The Method of Profound Contemplation through Manas

Sitting cross-legged in stillness, taking deep breaths in and out, once the mind has calmed and settled, begin to contemplate a question deeply. Initially, this contemplation is certainly carried out by the conscious mind. Gradually, as focus intensifies on the question, the conscious mind simply observes the question without stirring, while the manas (intellect root) takes over the profound pondering and investigation. Although the manas moves, its movement is extremely slow, almost imperceptibly so, until finally it seems motionless. The question then hangs suspended in the vast, empty expanse of the brain, or perhaps in the supreme sense faculty, sometimes called the black box.

As the conscious mind attends and the manas contemplates, information devoid of language or words begins to flash forth. The manas knows it, and the conscious mind understands it, though not necessarily with perfect clarity. If the power of concentration (samadhi) is sufficient and does not diminish, the information will subsequently emerge more and more, becoming increasingly clear. The heart-mind gradually becomes clearer about what the information signifies, and the answer to the question progressively reveals itself. At this point, the heart-mind becomes clear and open, feeling relieved. After emerging from samadhi, the conscious mind needs to filter through all the information that appeared in the brain from beginning to end, recall it, examine it once more, and finally confirm it. The manas then follows suit in confirmation, and the result becomes settled.

The entire process requires deep and highly focused meditative concentration (dhyana-samadhi). During the process of deep contemplation, the power of concentration may grow increasingly stronger, to the point where the mind enters deeply into samadhi, experiencing ease, joy, and comfort, though not necessarily accompanied by the deliberate pondering of the manas. After emerging from samadhi, or once the power of concentration weakens, resuming the contemplation and investigation will eventually yield the result.