How Can the Mind Attain Tranquility (praśama)

After the manas directs its attention (manaskāra) toward the six sense objects, if it does not contact them, subsequent mental activities will not appear, the six consciousnesses cannot arise, and the six faculties have no mind toward the six sense objects. After the manas directs attention and contacts the six sense objects, if it does not receive or accept them, subsequent mental activities are not produced, the six consciousnesses do not arise, the six faculties have no mind toward the six sense objects, and the mind is in tranquility. After the manas directs attention, contacts, and feels the six sense objects, if it does not perceive or grasp them, subsequent mental activities are not produced, the six consciousnesses do not arise, the six faculties have no mind toward the six sense objects, and the mind is in tranquility. If the manas grasps the six sense objects, the mental factor of deliberation (vitarka) will necessarily manifest, decision-making will necessarily appear—giving rise to the six consciousnesses and either moving toward the six sense objects or avoiding them—and mental activities of liking and disliking will necessarily appear, so the mind is not in tranquility.

If the six consciousnesses have subdued the afflictions, neither liking nor disliking the six sense objects, this is also being without mind, and the mind is in tranquility. When the six consciousnesses engage the six sense objects, they may also direct attention and contact, but not receive, not perceive, not deliberate, and not decide to act; thus the mind attains tranquility. When the six consciousnesses engage the six sense objects, they direct attention, contact, and feel, but do not perceive or grasp; thus the mind attains tranquility. This is cultivating the mind in the midst of sense objects—only thus can one subdue afflictions and eliminate afflictions.

When the six consciousnesses engage the six sense objects, after directing attention, contacting, feeling, and perceiving, if one can subdue one's own mental activity and control oneself from deliberating and from acting, one can avoid creating karmic formations—but the mind is already no longer in tranquility.

The subduing at this point is the subduing of the manas, so that the manas does not make the decision for the six consciousnesses to create karmic formations; if the manas has not been subdued, even if the six consciousnesses do not wish to create karmic formations, they must still obey the manas's command and will inevitably create karma. But sometimes, when the six consciousnesses do not decide to act, the manas complies, the mind rests, and no bodily, verbal, or mental actions are created.