The Function of the Power of Intention

Why can a person with deep meditative concentration (samādhi) heal a patient's illness merely through the power of mental intention? Is it the result of direct interaction between one eighth consciousness and another's? The power of mental intention is primarily the function of the manas's power of mindfulness, and secondarily also involves the mind consciousness's power of mindfulness. If the manas's power of mindfulness is strong, its mental power is great and its resolve firm, and the Ālayavijñāna will cooperate, complying with the manas's power of mindfulness to realize what the manas thinks, contemplates, and wishes. For the manas's power of mindfulness to be strong, there must be very deep meditative concentration, ensuring that the manas's power of attention (manaskāra) is entirely concentrated on a single point; only then is the force of its action strong, impelling the Ālayavijñāna to accord with its mind and fulfill its wishes.

If the power of mindfulness is strong, then killing someone through mental intention can actually kill them. Mental killing involves the arising of a thought and karmic activity, so like bodily action it constitutes the karmic offense of killing, and there will be retribution; saving someone through mental intention can actually bring them back to life—there is the arising of a thought and karmic activity, which constitutes wholesome karma, and there will be wholesome retribution; changing someone through mental intention can actually change them, and there is karmic retribution. Therefore, never deliberately provoke a person whose power of mental intention is extremely strong—try instead to accord with them. If you anger such a person, the moment they form an intention, without even moving an eyeball you will meet with misfortune, and you yourself will not even know why you are suffering it. A person with extremely strong power of mental intention can single-handedly match ten thousand or a hundred thousand, equivalent to the strength of an army, and can alter an opponent's fortune. Strong power of mental intention arises, first, from merit; second, from the power of meditative concentration; and third, from the power of wisdom (prajñā-bala). In spiritual practice, one must rely primarily on oneself, with the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas as support. Trust in your own power and gradually reduce your dependence, and you will gradually grow strong.