Can the Method of Elimination Lead to Seeing One's True Mind?

What is the process of elimination? For example, one establishes a target in one's mind, then, within a range one has selected, eliminates all objects that differ from the target; the one that remains is then established as the target in one's mind. Regardless of whether the selected range is comprehensive or not, as long as one confirms it oneself, one takes it to be so. The method of "seeing one's true mind and realizing the fruit" is thus very simple.

Even a dog, once trained, can use the process of elimination to find the object its master designates; other animals can learn it with some training too, because this does not require much brainpower, takes no effort, requires no roots of goodness or merit, no meditative concentration (samādhi), no keeping of precepts, and no diligent cultivation of the thirty-seven aids to enlightenment. Even a completely uneducated person, under someone's hints, could "see the true mind and realize the fruit." For instance, the master spreads out three cards—A, B, and C—in front of the dog and asks it to point out which one is C. The dog first points to A; the master shakes his head and says no. So the dog points to B; the master shakes his head again and says no. Finally only one card remains—without thinking, one knows the remaining one is C—so the dog naturally points to C, and the master says, "Correct this time." The dog is delighted, feeling itself quite capable, and even receives a bone as a reward from its master.

Using the process of elimination to find the eighth consciousness works the same way. There are only eight consciousnesses in total. The six consciousnesses that know the six sense objects are certainly not the eighth consciousness, so six are eliminated at once, leaving only two: the manas and the eighth consciousness. Ordinary people really cannot observe the manas and do not know what it is; even if you tell them it is the one that constantly and everywhere acts as the master, they still cannot find the manas. Finding the manas is extremely difficult, let alone observing its discerning nature. So they eliminate the manas and stop looking for it, seeking only the eighth consciousness.

What is the eighth consciousness like? Quite a few people know that the eighth consciousness does not discern the six sense objects, so they search here and there and finally find some "thing" that seems not to discern the six sense objects. They imagine that this thing seems to have a discerning nature, and what it discerns seems not to be the six sense objects. As for what exactly it discerns, they really cannot observe it, because only those who, after enlightenment, possess specific-characteristic wisdom (viśeṣa-lakṣaṇa) and the wisdom of the varieties of paths can observe the discerning nature of the eighth consciousness and know what the eighth consciousness actually discerns. Ordinary beings simply have no way to observe the discerning nature of the eighth consciousness, except by guessing and imagining based on theory. Finally, they think it over and conclude that the eighth consciousness seems to discern the faculties, the body, and the material world, because the sūtras and śāstras all say so. "Then it must be this one—no mistake!" So they hurriedly and joyfully go to confirm it, feeling as if they no longer have any doubt, and claim to have cut off the three fetters.

If such intelligence is not innate, then water must have gotten into the brain at some point later in life—such a person is inferior even to a child with a somewhat more developed brain. How could such a person be a bodhisattva single-mindedly cultivating and realizing the bodhisattva path? Utterly naive to the extreme. If they had met the patriarchs of the past, with the patriarchs' direct and honest minds, they would not have said a single word to them—they would have struck them with a big stick until their heads burst open. How dare they wreak havoc on the Chan school? With a kindergarten-level IQ, there is no way to educate them. If I were not concerned with the rise and fall of the Chan school, I would not deign even to glance at such people. Yet the Chan school's seeing of the true mind is the most crucial point in the practice of the Buddha's Dharma, the vital gate of life-and-death for sentient beings, the refuge and liberation for countless sentient beings in this life and future lives. If someone destroys this gate, sentient beings will never again be able to leap the Dragon Gate like the carp.

Even a follower of the school who relies on intellectual understanding is far more noble than this process of elimination. The process of elimination does not even require much intellectual understanding or much intelligence—it is like picking beans: just pick out the bad beans, and the rest are all good beans. How simple. Why bother cultivating the four foundations of mindfulness, the seven factors of enlightenment, the eightfold noble path, the four right efforts, the four bases of miraculous power, the five faculties and five powers? No need to receive or keep precepts, no need to cultivate meditative concentration—no degree of meditative power is needed at all. A bean-picking job does not require so much trouble; all those conditions the Buddha spoke of are superfluous. Those of the highest spiritual faculties have no need to abide by what the Buddha said.

Shenhui, the thirteen-year-old young monk under the Sixth Patriarch's seat, was clever, quick-witted, and deeply endowed with roots of goodness. With an eager heart seeking the Dharma, he climbed over mountains and traveled a thousand li to find the Sixth Patriarch and seek the Way. The Sixth Patriarch only certified him as a follower of the school who relied on intellectual understanding. At that time, the Chan style was flourishing to such an extent, and there were so many enlightened patriarchs and good spiritual teachers; yet Shenhui lived to the age of ninety-six and was still a follower relying on intellectual understanding. He wrote quite a few works, and all his life he battled with the Northern School of Monk Shenxiu's gradual-cultivation faction over the lineage. Among people today, who has the Dharma-seeking spirit and the roots of goodness and merit that Monk Shenhui had? Yet they dream of using the process of elimination to find the eighth consciousness and surpass Monk Shenhui. The eighth consciousness will not let you find it this way. By speculative guessing you might indeed guess something out, but that is drawing a cake to satisfy hunger—it will never fill the belly. In short, please recognize one fact: the Dharma-ending age is, after all, the Dharma-ending age. Do not indulge in vain fantasies. Being truthful and practical is wholesome; indulging in fantasies is unwholesome.