The Relationship between Mind Consciousness and Meditative Concentration

Both deliberation (manasikāra/manana) and investigative inquiry are carried out within deep meditative concentration (samādhi), with very little use of the mind consciousness. If one uses the mind consciousness to reason continuously, one will emerge from deep concentration, and the concentration will become shallow or disappear, with the result that realization becomes impossible. In short, heavy use of the mind consciousness makes it impossible to attain concentration, impossible to attain a somewhat deeper concentration. Only when the mind consciousness is used sparingly can the mind and spirit remain undispersed—and this is also the result of having subdued the manas so that it no longer grasps at things everywhere. If the manas has not been subdued and grasps everywhere, the mind consciousness will inevitably follow along, grasping everywhere as well; the mind consciousness will then be scattered, relying entirely on the superficial thinking of the mind consciousness alone, and genuine wisdom will never be developed.