No matter how correct an inference is, it is not the direct realization of valid direct cognition.

Only those whose meditative concentration and wisdom are both insufficient need to employ inference and methods of research in their practice. Those with strong meditative power prefer investigative inquiry (canjiu), refusing to give up until they reach the Yellow River, while those of great wisdom realize everything through direct perception (pratyakṣa) entirely. Especially the World-Honored One, who possesses the wisdom of all aspects (sarvākārajñatā), knows all dharmas through direct perception, without comparing, contrasting, imagining, or conjecturing; His words are always expressed affirmatively, without hesitation. Only those who do not cultivate meditative concentration, who lack the wisdom of contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā), and who are incapable of investigative inquiry, resort to the method of inferential reasoning, believing that this method can realize the Buddha-dharma; in reality it is not realization, but something akin to guessing.

However correct the inference, however correct the reasoning, it is still not direct perception, not personal realization. What is personally realized can be seen in the very moment; although it is not seen by the eyes, the mind consciousness's seeing is also a seeing of the present moment, requiring no reasoning or comparison. This is the meaning of direct perception.

Anyone with a clever mind consciousness can engage in logical thinking and reasoning, but this cannot substitute for personal realization. That the five aggregates (pañcaskandha) and eighteen realms are suffering, empty, impermanent, and not-self must be perceived in the very moment; it cannot be done by comparison or reasoning. Comparison and reasoning are one step too slow, relying on the mind consciousness's forced indoctrination and restraint to compel one to accept it. Once the mind consciousness's function weakens, or the mind consciousness ceases, the restraining effect is gone, and one can no longer know that the five aggregates and eighteen realms are suffering, empty, impermanent, and not-self. In that case there is no liberating benefit of merit, the neutrino-body (antarā-bhava) cannot draw upon that strength, and in future lives there can be even less benefit of merit.

Likewise with the Mahāyāna dharma: the functioning of the tathāgatagarbha must be observable in the very moment; it cannot be done by comparison, nor by logical reasoning. If you are to know, you must know directly; you cannot rely on the mind consciousness's deliberation and analysis—that is not direct perception. Only a dharma known in the very moment is personal realization; only then can there be effect, can there be resonance, can there be benefit, can there be the liberating benefit of merit. For a dharma known in the very moment, the manas certainly knows it, without needing the mind consciousness to point it out. Only when the manas does not know does one resort to the mind consciousness's logical reasoning, analysis, comparison, and conjecture.

The manas's realization is similar to an intuitive experience. Without meditative concentration there is no intuitive experience; even at moments of fright, there is brief meditative concentration. The seven factors of awakening are the necessary path to realizing the Buddha-dharma. Among them, the factor of joy, the factor of tranquility, and the factor of concentration gradually emerge in the course of actual practice, and all are related to meditative concentration—they are graduated stages of meditative concentration. Without this process, do not speak of realization; rather, believe what the Buddha taught, for the Buddha's words are not wrong. Moreover, the mind consciousness's discrimination and thinking can lead to the manas's intuitive experience, and its merit is also considerable. In the course of practice, neither of these two knowing capacities can be dispensed with; both are important.

However, if the mind consciousness's function is too dominant, it will cover over and obscure the manas's capacity for deliberation (manana). In that case, intellectual understanding comes easily, but personal realization becomes extremely difficult. For this reason, the Chan patriarchs of the past opposed both an overly active mind consciousness and dead sitting in meditation without contemplative practice and thinking. It is very difficult for the mind consciousness's function to be just right. For example, when a fixed task is done by two people, if A does more, B does less—the principle is the same. If the mind consciousness is dominant, while alive one can rely on it; but once the mind consciousness's activity weakens or the mind consciousness ceases, the manas has nothing to rely on, and at that time everything depends on the manas. Everyone, think about it: at the time of death and in future lives, if the manas has not grown strong, what will that be like? The purpose and result of a strong mind consciousness should be to make the manas strong. If the manas is not strong, what will one do in the future? When the manas is weak, we are weak. Once the manas has become very strong, it can function even without the mind consciousness—for example, the interfunctioning of the six faculties and the mutual functioning of the six faculties.