Precepts with Marks and Precepts without Marks

The realization of all dharmas requires realization by the manas; once the manas has realized them, it can automatically and spontaneously keep and uphold the precepts. If the mind consciousness's interpretation of the precepts cannot influence the manas, then when the conditions for unwholesome karma become complete, the manas will still follow its own afflictive habits to create unwholesome bodily, verbal, and mental actions—the mind consciousness can hardly control it. Once the manas has attained some realization with respect to the relevant dharma principles, no matter what external conditions it encounters, it will not follow its own habits to create unwholesome bodily, verbal, and mental actions again, because He will not apply His mind to those unreal dharmas and thus make such creations, and all the more will He have no desire to create unwholesome dharmas.

The precepts are first received and upheld by the mind consciousness, which gradually draws the manas along, so that the manas has no choice but to keep the precepts. When keeping the precepts has become a habit for the manas, it will keep them automatically and spontaneously, and at that point the mind consciousness no longer needs to supervise and regulate. When the manas cannot keep the precepts and requires the mind consciousness to regulate and supervise, this is the marked precepts upheld by the mind consciousness. This stage extends from the stage of ordinary beings all the way to third-fruit noble ones and bhūmi-attained bodhisattvas; those at this stage must hold the marked precepts, because if the manas has not been moistened drop by drop by the meditative concentration of the first dhyāna, and lacks the merit of sublime bodily and mental feelings, it cannot eliminate afflictions and will inevitably create unwholesome karma out of afflictions, making it impossible to preserve the precepts.

After the self-view has been eliminated and the meditative concentration of the first dhyāna has been cultivated, the manas gradually eliminates its afflictions, and the mind-ground automatically becomes pure, so there is no longer any need for the mind consciousness to supervise and watch over it. Only then can one hold the unmarked precepts of the mind-ground, without paying too much attention to worldly signs; encountering any condition whatsoever, the mind will not overstep the bounds. Because there is no mental activity, actions performed upon the physical body for the sake of rescuing and protecting sentient beings do not constitute a breach of the precepts, and one will not consequently fall into the three evil destinies to undergo evil retribution. If anyone has not cultivated to this level and yet does not hold the marked precepts, instead exclusively practicing the unmarked precepts of bhūmi-attained bodhisattvas, then whenever any matter involving the precepts arises, it will necessarily constitute a breach of the precepts and will surely bring evil retribution—the law of cause and effect admits not the slightest ambiguity.