What Constitutes Direct Perception?

What constitutes direct perception? For instance, when we observe the illusory nature of the aggregate of form, including birth, aging, sickness, and death, we can all directly perceive this before us—this is direct perception. However, the momentary arising and ceasing of the physical body cannot be directly observed by ordinary people. If we use the principle from physics concerning the instantaneous arising and ceasing of electrons to deduce that the physical body arises and ceases moment by moment, does such reasoning also count as direct perception? In reality, the phenomenon of the physical body's momentary arising and ceasing might only be directly perceived by the Buddha alone. This requires extremely profound meditative concentration and profound wisdom; without such deep meditative concentration, it is absolutely impossible to observe. We can only know it through inferential cognition. If inferential cognition is correct and aligns with the Buddha's valid teaching, it may provisionally be called direct perception.

For example, when we follow the Buddha's teachings to observe the arising, ceasing, and illusory nature of the material world-system, we actually cannot use our visual consciousness to directly perceive the arising, ceasing, and illusory nature of the world-system before us. This is because our lifespan is too short—we lack sufficient time to observe the phenomena of the world-system's arising, ceasing, and illusory nature. The universe is also too vast, and our vision is too limited to observe the entire world-system. However, if through proper contemplation in our minds we ultimately come to genuinely recognize this truth, this too can be considered directly perceiving the arising, ceasing, and illusory nature of the world-system. It is the result of contemplation in accordance with truth and Dharma principles; it is not erroneous cognition.

Another example is when detectives solve a case. Based on the evidence of the criminal found at the scene, they employ methods such as inferential cognition and reasoning involving erroneous cognition to deliberate and finally solve the case, bringing the truth to light. The results of such inferential and erroneous observations are correct, and this too is the state of direct perception. That is to say, any inferential or erroneous reasoning that accords with facts can also be considered the state of direct perception. Yet another example is when students solve geometry problems: they also use inferential and erroneous modes of thinking and ultimately prove the correctness of the problem—this too is the state of direct perception. Although we cannot directly observe the momentary arising and ceasing of the physical body before us, we can prove it through contemplation and observation in accordance with truth and Dharma principles. The result thus obtained is then the state of direct perception.