Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra, Chapter 34 (67)

Original text:复有一类闇昧愚痴。于美睡眠之所覆盖。其心似灭非实灭中。起增上慢。谓为现观。此不如是。既得如是趣现观心。不久当入正性离生。即于如是寂静心位。最后一念无分别心。从此无间于前所观诸圣谛理。起内作意。此即名为世第一法。从此已后。出世心生。非世间心。此是世间诸行最后界畔边际。是故名为世第一法。

Explanation: There is another type of person who is dim and foolish, covered by pleasant sleep. Their mind seems to have ceased, but has not actually ceased, and so they give rise to the conceit of superiority, believing this to be direct realization—when in fact it is not. Since this person has already attained such a mind tending toward direct realization, before long they should be able to enter the certainty of rightness (samyaktva-niyāma). In such a tranquil state of mind, where the mind seems to have ceased but has not truly ceased, there is a final moment of non-discriminating mind; immediately after this, without interruption, toward the truths of the noble ones contemplated previously, internal mental engagement (manaskāra) arises—this is called the supreme worldly dharma (laukikāgra-dharma). From this point onward, the supramundane mind arises, and no longer the worldly mind. This is the final boundary and limit of all worldly formations, and therefore it is named the supreme worldly dharma.

This passage is very important. It describes the mental state in the final stage before realizing the Path, as well as the final method of practice before realizing the Path, and it also reveals the distinguishing characteristics between the supreme worldly dharma and the realization of the Path. Before realizing the Path, one is at the last of the four stages of provisional effort: the stage of the supreme worldly dharma. At this stage, the obstruction of the sleep cover becomes slight, so that sleep is very light and also very clear; one is between half-asleep and half-awake, the mind remains very clear during sleep, not dim or murky, and the body is very comfortable, so the obstruction to cultivating the Path is very small. The mind seems to have ceased, with no discrimination, but there is still a discriminating nature—it has not ceased; discernment is merely slight, seeming to exist and yet not exist. Thus the foolish and benighted person gives rise to the conceit of superiority, believing they have attained a mind without thought and have achieved direct realization, when in fact they have not.

However, they are not far from direct realization. If they continue with diligence, before long they will realize and enter the right position free from birth-and-death. That is, in such a tranquil state of mind, there is still a final moment of non-discriminating mind; with this one moment of non-discriminating mind, from then on, without interruption, toward the truths of the four noble ones contemplated in prior contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā), internal mental engagement will arise—this is called the supreme worldly dharma. From this point onward, the supramundane mind arises, and the worldly mind is severed and ceases. This is the final boundary and limit of worldly formations vis-à-vis the supramundane, and for this reason it is called the supreme among worldly states.