How Can Those Who Do Not Believe in or Study Buddhism Discover Truth and Facts

Many psychologists and other social scientists do not believe in or study Buddhism, yet they can clearly distinguish between consciousness and subconsciousness. We who study Buddhist Yogacara, however, fail to differentiate between the two, which is truly shameful and embarrassing. If the observation, contemplation, and wisdom of Yogacara scholars and experts cannot surpass those of a psychologist without the wisdom of meditative concentration (samadhi) and the wisdom of Yogacara (prajna), then they can hardly be called Yogacara experts or scholars. It is unclear why such a situation arises.

A: My understanding is this: Some scholars, artists, and researchers often become deeply absorbed in their studies through constant investigation, leading to such strong concentration that they frequently enter samadhi without realizing it, thus enabling them to observe subtle phenomena.

B: Because they are not constrained by religious dogmas. Nor are they attached to religious notions of right and wrong. I have observed that many religious followers, on the contrary, confine themselves, living in a world of conceptual thinking.

Indeed, they possess meditative concentration, but it is not deliberately cultivated; rather, it arises from immense passion and love.

These scholars approach their research and inquiry with passion and a sense of responsibility, enabling them to concentrate single-mindedly. Uninterested in other affairs, they are thus able to discover truth and facts.