Must the successful perfuming of the manas and the attainment of the fruit necessarily occur in meditative concentration?

Attaining realization of the fruits must occur within meditative concentration (samādhi), whereas the manas being permeated and matured does not necessarily have to occur within meditative concentration; however, permeating the manas with wholesome dharmas is easier within meditative concentration, whereas permeation by unwholesome dharmas does not require meditative concentration. This is because the manas itself contains a great many unwholesome dharmas and accords with unwholesome dharmas; as long as it encounters unwholesome dharmas, it can be permeated by them imperceptibly, and especially with long-term permeation, the manas will certainly be permeated into forming habits. Because the manas has had profound and heavy ignorance for beginningless kalpas, it has constantly been amid unwholesome dharmas, with extremely heavy defiled afflictions, unable to extricate itself by its own power, and it is also very difficult for the power of others to save and draw it out (of suffering). To remove defiled afflictions and permeate and cultivate wholesome dharmas so that the mind becomes wholesome cannot be accomplished through short-term effort.

Normally, defilements accumulated over beginningless kalpas would require permeation by wholesome dharmas over beginningless kalpas in order to transform the unwholesome into the wholesome, but this takes far too long, and there is no such long-lasting environment of wholesome dharmas. Therefore one must achieve maturity through permeation within a relatively short period of time, such as one kalpa, one small kalpa, several million years, several hundred thousand years, or even several hundred or several dozen years. To achieve maturity through permeation in such a short time requires meditative concentration; the shorter the time, the deeper the meditative concentration needed. Because within meditative concentration the mind can be unified, deliberation (manasikāra) becomes deep, subtle, thorough, and penetrating, wisdom can arise, the manas comprehends principles quickly, and it easily accepts permeation, so wholesome dharmas are easily accomplished. Without meditative concentration, the mind is scattered, the manas cannot deliberate thoroughly, wisdom does not arise, and it cannot accept wholesome dharmas; its views cannot change, and it will still act according to unwholesome mental factors (caittas).

Attaining realization of the fruits is even more difficult than permeation by wholesome dharmas; it requires greater and more subtle wisdom, and a more thorough transformation of views and concepts, without rebound. The meditative concentration required will be deeper and more prolonged; only thus can the manas deliberate single-mindedly on the principle of no-self, deliberate through the theory thoroughly, and thereby realize the principle. Meditative concentration keeps the mind unmoving or barely moving; when the mind is unmoving, afflictions can be subdued, the mind can focus on the principle, and wisdom arises—without meditative concentration there is no such merit. Since beginningless kalpas the manas has been accustomed to self and afflictions; changing these habits and subduing afflictions in a short time is truly not an easy matter. Without special methods and channels, without extremely strong willpower, without great power of aspiration and endurance, one cannot eradicate the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi-prahāṇa) and eliminate afflictions.