The Significance of Manas-Samādhi

Being able to concentrate wholeheartedly on reading, contemplating, and performing tasks constitutes the concentration of the consciousness. However, if the mental faculty (意根) lacks interest in these activities and fails to stabilize itself in reading or working—if it does not apply focused attention to the content of the book—can the consciousness achieve concentration? It is fundamentally impossible. If the mental faculty lacks stability, the six consciousnesses cannot possibly attain concentration; they will inevitably become scattered and restless like a monkey. Although the consciousness may continuously strive to concentrate, it is useless—it will still be led astray in all directions by the mental faculty. Therefore, subduing the mental faculty is an extremely crucial aspect of spiritual practice. Listening, contemplating, practicing, and realizing must all be applied to the mental faculty; only then will efforts not be in vain, and results and karmic retribution will surely follow.