What Is Direct Realization (Abhisamaya)?

Original text: 由能知智。与所知境。和合无乖。现前观察。故名现观。如刹帝利与刹帝利和合无乖。现前观察。名为现观。婆罗门等当知亦尔。此亦成就众多相状。谓证如是谛现观故。获得四智。谓于一切苦行。若住诸作意中。善推求故。得唯法智。得非断智。得非常智。得缘生行如幻事智。

Explanation: When the wisdom that knows the true Dharma of the truths and the four Noble Truths that are known merge together, without divergence between the two, this present observation is called direct realization (abhisamaya). For example, when a kṣatriya and a kṣatriya merge together without divergence, and one observes them present before oneself, this is called direct realization; the same should be understood for brahmins and the rest. Direct realization can also accomplish many kinds of characteristics. Having realized such direct realization of the truths, one obtains four wisdoms: regarding all formations of suffering, if one dwells within all mental engagements (manaskāra) and skillfully investigates through contemplative practice, one obtains the wisdom that there are only dharmas, the wisdom of non-annihilation, the wisdom of non-eternity, and the wisdom that conditioned formations arising through conditions are like an illusion.

The wisdom that knows refers to the sixth and seventh consciousnesses, which are able to see, know, and realize the Dharma, possessing the wisdom of truthful observation. The known object refers to the principles and dharmas observed by the sixth and seventh consciousnesses, such as the principle of the four Noble Truths and the prajñā dharma, and so on. When wisdom and object merge together without contradiction, this present observation is called direct realization.

"Merging together without divergence, without mutual contradiction" lies mainly in the wisdom realm of the sixth and seventh consciousnesses, or in the level of wisdom. When the wisdom is sufficient to correctly observe and cognize the Dharma, it does not diverge from the principles and dharmas, and this is present observation—not conjecture, inference, imagination, or analysis. As for dharmas existing presently before one, whatever the facts are, that is what they are: observed through direct perception and cognized through direct perception. This is called direct realization. At the moment of direct realization, one realizes the Dharma and obtains dharma-knowledge (dharma-jñāna) and analogical knowledge (anvaya-jñāna). Without direct realization, there is no dharma-knowledge or analogical knowledge, and no realization of the fruit.

How does one distinguish whether one's observation of the Dharma is present observation or non-present observation? For example, in contemplating the truth of suffering, one feels that the five aggregates are suffering. After present observation that the five aggregates are suffering, one's inner cognition of suffering is very profound; at all times and in all places, every thought and every moment perceives the suffering of the five aggregates, and every thought and moment wishes to escape suffering and extinguish suffering. This mental state forms uninterrupted mental engagement (manaskāra), without interruption. Uninterrupted mental engagement is the mental engagement that arises from the manas; it is the manas that has perceived the suffering, not merely remaining on the surface of the mind consciousness. This is the result of present observation.

Suffering that is not presently observed does not form uninterrupted mental engagement; it is intermittent, appearing and disappearing, often forgotten. One still pursues pleasure, the mind of renunciation is not strong, the resolve for awakening is not high, and the power of action is even weaker. When a pleasurable object appears, one loses oneself, sinking deep into the pleasurable state and no longer knowing suffering. One still has great hopes for the future, imagining that one can obtain pleasure and maintain pleasure. Thus, while feeling suffering on the one hand and pursuing pleasure on the other, this state of mind contradicting one's conduct is not present observation of suffering. Because those who lack direct realization have insufficient discriminating wisdom, they often mistake their situation for direct perception and for having realized the Dharma, when in fact they are still a considerable distance from realization.

The common characteristics of those who do not presently observe are: afflictions not removed, ignorance not severed, words and deeds inconsistent, outer appearance and inner reality not matching—saying one thing and doing another, pointing east while heading west. The mouth speaks of emptiness, yet in conduct one clings everywhere to existence, with not a single place that is empty; the mouth speaks of no-self, yet at all times and in all places there is self, and it cannot be concealed even when one tries. Because there is no realization, they do not know the body-and-mind state after realization, nor do they know that their own thinking and conduct are contrary to the state of realization. Therefore, they simply cannot conceal their characteristics of being an ordinary worldling (pṛthagjana).