What Is the Uninterrupted Path of Seeing?

After genuinely seeing the Way, the mind will dwell uninterruptedly within the Way. What does "uninterruptedly" mean? Which mind is the uninterrupted mind? Which mind is the interrupted mind? Why can it be interrupted?

The eighth consciousness (Alaya consciousness) and the manas (the seventh consciousness) are uninterrupted minds, while the first six consciousnesses are interrupted minds. For the seeing of the Way to be uninterrupted, both the manas and the mental consciousness (the sixth consciousness) must see the Way simultaneously; it cannot be the mental consciousness alone seeing the Way. In genuine seeing of the Way, even if the mental consciousness ceases, the result of the Way remains. In false seeing of the Way, once the mental consciousness becomes weak and inferior, the result of the Way is lost.

Genuine seeing of the Way means the manas sees the Way. After the manas sees the Way, the mind forever abides within the Way and will not regress from it. However, seeing the Way with the mental consciousness is not like this. The mental consciousness is an interrupted mind, a mind that cannot be the master. If the manas does not see the Way, the mental consciousness will obey the arrangements and mobilizations of the manas, will not recognize the so-called Way, and thus will not be within the Way. If the mental consciousness then gives rise to doubt, it will regress. Even if the mental consciousness does not regress, because the manas is the master everywhere, actions of body, speech, and mind will not change, and one remains as before.

Some people, because their mental consciousness sees the Way, or because they mistake meditative concentration states for the Way, strive to maintain that state by frequently sitting in meditation and cultivating concentration, hoping to preserve the realm they have realized. Others diligently try to use the mental consciousness to pull the manas along to follow them. However, this is ultimately not a lasting solution; paper simply cannot wrap fire, and the truth will eventually be fully exposed. After the manas sees the Way, the attraction of states to the manas and mental consciousness diminishes significantly. The mental consciousness is easily turned, but once the manas recognizes the principle, it is very hard to turn—ten oxen cannot pull it back. Because of the manas's stubbornness, trying to use the right Dharma to pull the manas is not so easy; the manas is not easily influenced. This is why attaining the fruit is so difficult. Some people have heavy afflictions; lightly mentioning principles to them is utterly useless. Only after suffering great retribution, hitting a wall severely, getting battered and bruised, can they barely begin to reflect on themselves. Such people are those of inferior capacity—ten oxen cannot pull them back, they cling rigidly to their views, are inflexible, and enjoy contending.