Dharma Doctrine Questions and Answers

Question: If one does not follow the six entrances and transcends seeing, hearing, awareness, and knowing in an instant, is this breaking beginningless ignorance?

Answer: Only after Mahayana Bodhisattvas attain enlightenment and achieve the samadhi that combines meditative concentration with the wisdom of consciousness-only can they break beginningless ignorance. Not following the six entrances manifests in two states: one is the samadhi state of meditative concentration that merely blocks the six entrances; the other is the samadhi state of meditative concentration combined with wisdom, which does not regard the six entrances as real and whose mind does not stir following the six entrances. The first type of samadhi is difficult to maintain and easily vanishes; the second type of samadhi, once attained, ensures the wisdom endures forever.

If it is said that one transcends seeing, hearing, awareness, and knowing, it necessarily relies on profound meditative concentration; otherwise, one remains within seeing, hearing, awareness, and knowing. Above the fourth dhyāna, although there is no seeing or hearing, subtle awareness still exists. In the state of non-perception, there is no seeing, hearing, awareness, or knowing of the six consciousnesses; in the state of cessation, there is no seeing, hearing, awareness, or knowing of the six consciousnesses. Among these meditative states, only the state of cessation is the true samadhi realm that combines meditative concentration with the wisdom of liberation. In the practice and realization of the Mahayana Dharma, Bodhisattvas above the fourth bhūmi attain the profound samadhi of consciousness-only wisdom. Within this profound meditative concentration, they can transcend seeing, hearing, awareness, and knowing. Even when not in concentration, they still maintain seeing, hearing, awareness, and knowing, yet their mind remains unmoved by the dharmas of seeing, hearing, awareness, and knowing.