What Is the Result of Maintaining a Single Knowing and Abiding in Right Awareness?

To maintain a constant awareness at every moment of every day is the method of contemplation taught by the Buddha in the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta. Maintaining this awareness is the self-verifying aspect of consciousness, the knowing of dharmas. Continuously observing and continuously knowing means fixing consciousness on the single object of observation, preventing the mind from scattering, and abiding in a state of meditative concentration. Because consciousness does not scatter and remains fixed on one dharma, the manas (the thinking mind) cannot pull consciousness away and is consequently compelled to also settle on that single dharma, unable to scatter and grasp at many dharmas. Then, the manas will know the dharma that consciousness observes and knows. The manas will ponder this dharma, and over time, it will come to understand the essence of this dharma, discovering the truth and realizing the true principle. This is the process from the knowing of consciousness to the knowing of manas, and it is also the process of realizing the dharma. The knowing of consciousness is comprehension (解), while the knowing of manas is realization (证). Therefore, the realization of the dharma must necessarily be the realization by the manas.

It is only when the manas knows and realizes the dharma that it has substantial power. For example, regarding one's own mistakes, if the manas does not know them and only consciousness knows them, a situation arises: consciousness knows the mistake, yet one repeatedly commits it without correction. If the manas knows the mistake, one will thoroughly reform and abandon the fault. Similarly, in interactions with others, it becomes easy to discern whether one's kindness is genuine or false. Consciousness may treat others with feigned sincerity, but only the manas treats others with true sincerity.

If we genuinely wish to correct our own mistakes and subdue the defilements of greed, hatred, and delusion, we must maintain constant vigilance, examining our physical, verbal, and mental actions. Through long-term, calm, and objective observation, observing as if standing outside the situation, observing from a high vantage point looking down, we will observe our own mistakes and the defilements of greed, hatred, and delusion. We will feel that they are profoundly contrary to the Dharma and will know that the results of acting contrary to the Dharma are very unfavorable. Once the manas also becomes aware of its own habitual defilements, it will ponder them. After pondering, it will weigh the options, and after weighing, it will understand the advantages, disadvantages, and karmic consequences. Then, it will resolve to eliminate greed, hatred, and delusion, no longer acting as before.

If one does not observe consistently and persistently over time, one cannot fix the manas on the object of observation. The manas will continue to grasp and scatter everywhere, remaining unaware of its own defilements and thus unable to subdue them. This is the result of maintaining right awareness and right mindfulness: it can awaken the realization of the manas, enabling the manas to realize the dharma.

Some people actually engage in contemplation every day without cultivating concentration. What can such contemplation possibly observe? For example, how much difference is there in the level of meticulousness between one person looking after ten children and another person focusing solely on looking after one child? How much difference is there in the level of meticulousness between one person observing enemies in ten directions and another person concentrating on observing enemies in one direction, in one location? How much difference is there in the level of meticulousness between one person considering ten problems simultaneously and another person focusing wholeheartedly on considering one single problem? Without meditative concentration (dhyāna), the manas grasps at various dharmas everywhere. It then has no inclination to concentrate and ponder a single, relatively valuable problem. Without proper observation and pondering of this valuable problem, it cannot be correctly and rationally cognized, cannot be dealt with appropriately and in accordance with the Dharma, and problems are easily overlooked. Decisions will then be erroneous, and the results will be wrong. Therefore, constantly maintaining an awareness in the mind will gradually give rise to the cognition of wisdom, thereby transforming oneself.