The Distinction Between Manas Mentation and Consciousness Thought

Question: I seem to understand how to use the manas (intellect root) for pondering. It's a mental activity that cannot be achieved through thinking, because as soon as thinking occurs, the consciousness (mano-vijñāna) gets involved. Once consciousness participates, that state becomes less profound and subtle. Is this correct? This state lasts only briefly; when pondering reaches a sticking point, I resort to thinking with consciousness, and immediately the state loses its depth and subtlety.

Also, during meditation, when I observe the state of the body with awareness, a feeling arises that this physical body does not exist. It's just a body composed of slight sensations and consciousness, very insubstantial. Suddenly, the thought occurs that the things I usually see are merely images, projections, appearing manifestations. I have this feeling, yet after emerging from concentration, looking around, everything still seems so real.

Answer: You now seem able to distinguish fairly well during meditation whether it is consciousness thinking or the manas pondering. Your method is also correct; it's just that your skill is not yet sufficiently refined and effortless. You need to proceed slowly, gradually deepening your foundation. When contemplating the Dharma in stillness, you are indeed using the manas; the mind is profound and subtle. When using consciousness, it becomes somewhat superficial, as if separated by a layer, lacking penetrating force.

During meditation, when observing the physical body with concentrated focus, the power of concentration (samādhi) increases. As concentration deepens, the awareness itself becomes subtle, and the perception of the physical body vanishes; the mind becomes empty.

Concentration allows the mind to become refined and precise, often enabling the observation of things not normally perceived, allowing one to discover the true nature of phenomena, thereby penetrating and thoroughly comprehending the truth. Thus, seeing some things in concentration feels like seeing images; they seem less substantial. This is excellent cognition. Maintain this and delve deeper; you will be able to see through the illusory and insubstantial nature of all phenomena and principles. When causes and conditions are sufficient, it becomes possible to realize emptiness. Therefore, the realization of all dharmas occurs within profound meditative concentration. Even during activity, there is concentration; this concentration stems from the meditative concentration skill cultivated in seated meditation; it is an extension of the concentration cultivated in stillness.