What Is the State of No-Thought?

When not a single thought arises, there is no solitary consciousness (mano-vijñāna-eka-citta); when the solitary consciousness exists, there must be thought. Thought is the thought of the solitary consciousness, while the consciousness accompanied by the five senses (pañca-sahagata-mano-vijñāna) merely knows, discerns, and discriminates. When the consciousness accompanied by the five senses is only in a state of discerning and knowing, without engaging in discrimination, that is the state of not a single thought arising. At this time one is also in a state of meditative concentration (samādhi); the mind is not scattered or complicated, and affairs are few and simple. How does this state come about? It is also brought about by the manas making decisions and choices as the master. When the manas does not cling or seek to discriminate dharmas, the mind consciousness can only obey, existing and operating quietly. This is also when the manas has no particular ideas, when the manas has no obvious thoughts. If the manas has ideas, it will prompt the mind consciousness to act, realizing the manas's ideas. If the manas is thinking of other dharmas, the mind consciousness will inevitably be distracted to deal with them, and will not be quiet, but rather turbulent and busy. In this way, being unable to abide in stillness, there is no meditative concentration.