Zen Meditation and the Realization of Manas

The Buddha said: From precepts arises meditative concentration, and from meditative concentration arises wisdom. Precepts, meditative concentration, and wisdom pertain not only to consciousness but also to the mental faculty. For the mental faculty to attain the wisdom that severs the view of self and the wisdom that illuminates the mind, it must also possess meditative concentration. Only through meditative concentration can the mental faculty deliberate and contemplate the Dharma of non-self, deliberate and contemplate the true suchness of Buddha-nature, thereby severing the view of self and realizing the mind to perceive its true nature.

If the mental faculty cannot personally deliberate and contemplate, it will not accept the principles instilled by consciousness, resulting merely in intellectual understanding by consciousness. For the mental faculty to deliberate and contemplate the principle of non-self, it must likewise possess meditative concentration; otherwise, it will become distracted and scattered. Without meditative concentration, the mental faculty will cause the six consciousnesses to scatter. When the six consciousnesses scatter, they continuously engage in discernment, constantly reporting the content of their discernment to the mental faculty. Consequently, the mental faculty becomes perpetually distracted, unable to concentrate on deliberation, and thus fails to achieve a satisfactory outcome.

No method can substitute for meditative concentration. One must be cautious with approaches that rely solely on intellectual understanding. Following the methods taught by the World-Honored One will never lead one astray. During the Buddha’s time, all disciples practiced seated meditation to cultivate concentration. Before the Tang, Song, Ming, Qing, and Republican dynasties, practitioners primarily relied on seated meditation to cultivate concentration. Only after attaining meditative concentration could they maintain it while walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, with their minds constantly abiding in concentration. In this way, conditions for realization matured easily, and upon encountering the right causes, they attained realization. Looking back, it may seem that their attainment of the Dharma was effortless, yet it is often overlooked that their foundations were exceptionally solid. Their roots of virtue and merit were complete, the Thirty-seven Aids to Enlightenment were fully present—which naturally included meditative concentration—and their thinking was sharp and clear. Upon hearing a particular Dharma teaching, they could immediately attain realization.

Among all teachings, the Buddha’s words are the most perfect and ultimate. No one surpasses the Buddha’s wisdom; having absolute faith in the Buddha’s words is never mistaken. Regardless of the era, the Dharma remains immutable and eternally applicable to all times. By studying the Buddhist sutras extensively, one can increase wisdom and avoid taking misguided paths. All teachings by bodhisattvas, when compared to the Buddha’s, contain imperfections, omissions, and lack the ultimate perfection and completeness.