The Relationship Between Intuition and Chan Meditation

The final state of investigation in Chan meditation is a state of "initial application and sustained examination" (vitarka-vicāra) that is free of the marks of language and words—that is, one has penetrated deep into the manas, and the manas has joined in the investigative activity. Intuition is precisely the function of the manas; it is the manas's awakened nature, the manas's perception. It is not easy to articulate clearly in language, because the manas does not correspond with language. The intuitive function of the manas is very powerful and also rather accurate; many people trust their own intuition.

All the questions in the mind belong to mental sense-objects (dharmas). When the tathāgatagarbha manifests these mental sense-objects, the manas contacts them first and knows them first, and then a faculty of awareness arises. With some mental sense-objects, the manas can grasp the general situation, only not in detail or specifically; then the manas directs the mind consciousness to contact the mental sense-objects again, carefully observing and analyzing the question. At times, the mind consciousness must proceed to deliberate and analyze in the direction perceived by the manas's awareness, and only at the end is the question clarified. Often, when the mind consciousness deliberates along the direction of the manas's intuition, problems are solved quickly and rather accurately.

Chan meditation and investigation, then, are a matter of the mind consciousness and the manas working together to clarify a question. The mind consciousness needs the cooperation of the manas's intuitive function, and the manas needs the data of the mind consciousness's logical deliberation and analysis. Using this data, the manas further perceives and verifies it, and thereby settles the question definitively.

Carrying that intuitive perception along continuously is itself both meditative concentration (samādhi) and investigative activity—one has penetrated deep into the manas. Most people have had this experience, but they do not understand it and do not know how to make use of it. In deep investigation, one does not employ the mind consciousness's deliberation and analysis; rather, the manas is secretly and deeply deliberating (manana), yet He cannot express Himself and does not correspond with words and language. When the mind consciousness cooperates only lightly, with the manas as the principal agent, that is the state of investigation. When the mind consciousness is the principal agent, that is the state of deliberation and analysis, which is a level shallower than the state of investigation; this is the preparatory expedient for Chan meditation, and only afterward can the state of investigation appear.