What Is the State of Non-Arising of a Single Thought?

When no thought arises, there is no isolated consciousness. When isolated consciousness exists, there must be thoughts, for thoughts are the thoughts of isolated consciousness. The consciousness accompanied by the five senses merely cognizes, perceives, and discriminates. When the consciousness accompanied by the five senses remains in a state of perceiving and cognizing without engaging in discrimination, it is the state of non-arising of thoughts. At this time, the cognitive function of the mental faculty (manas) becomes more distinctly apparent. The mental faculty possesses cognition and also harbors thoughts, though the consciousness is not clearly aware of them. This state is also one of meditative concentration (dhyāna), where the mind is neither disordered nor complicated, with few and simple matters. In the state of non-arising of thoughts, consciousness ceases to produce thoughts, but the mental faculty does not. The thoughts of the mental faculty generally do not cease. For example, during non-arising of thoughts, one might suddenly think of a matter and immediately rise to go out and attend to it. This is the result of the mental faculty's thoughts turning, while consciousness is not producing thoughts.

How does this state arise? It is also brought about by the mental faculty exercising its decisive choice. When the mental faculty does not grasp at objects and does not wish to discriminate phenomena, consciousness can only obey, existing and operating quietly and peacefully. This is also when the mental faculty has no particular ideas, when it has no obvious thoughts. If the mental faculty has an idea, it will prompt consciousness to act and realize the mental faculty's intention. If the mental faculty is thinking of other phenomena, consciousness will inevitably become distracted to process them; it will not remain quiet and peaceful but will become unsettled and busy. In this way, without stability, there is no meditative concentration.