The Effects of the Contemplation of the Unmoving Mind Consciousness

The manas does not sleep. When all six consciousnesses have ceased, one can neither speak of sleeping nor of not sleeping—then who is it that sleeps? Contemplating this question follows the same principle as the four foundations of mindfulness contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) that the Buddha taught us; it is the same method of applying effort. As long as you observe, observe with direct perception, and do not engage in any deliberation, there will be a direct, experiential realization, and the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi) will naturally be severed. The moment you employ the mind consciousness's deliberation, the experience changes; the realm of direct perception is gone, and the result is no longer intimate, no longer real.

The formless is emptiness (śūnyatā), and the endowed with form is also emptiness; therefore emptiness does not require that marks be extinguished—rather, while watching the marks, they are empty in that very moment. When you thoroughly understand these dharmas and your wisdom is fully penetrating, you become a Buddha. To thoroughly understand these dharmas, using the mind consciousness to deliberate absolutely will not work; the more you deliberate, the farther you stray from the Path, and the less you have a realm of direct perception. You must use the manas to perceive directly, to touch directly, and only in the end can you realize directly. Only through personal experience and personal encounter can there be personal feeling. "Personal" means the manas itself, in person, without the mind consciousness substituting for it.

What is heard by the mind consciousness is one level; what is observed through direct perception is another level; and what is directly realized through personal contact is yet another level. The impressions at each level are all different, and the responses of body and mind differ even more vastly. What is merely heard by the mind consciousness—looking at it now, what does it amount to?

Jun Ruolan: Today, after seeing this passage from Master, I tried to stop thinking and observe the people, matters, and things around me. There was awareness present, yet I felt my mind remained very tranquil all along. At this point, this passage the Master spoke became my own direct perception; when I speak of this passage in the future, it will no longer be something entirely learned from others.

Assessment: This state is similar to "not a single thought arising." Although the mind consciousness's deliberation has stopped, the non-deliberating, non-moving, quiet mind consciousness is still aware and observing—it remains within the awareness and observation of the mind consciousness, not the direct perception and observation of the manas. The manas's direct observation must occur within meditative concentration (samādhi), within single-minded, wholehearted focus. Once you clearly recognize the various states of the mind consciousness, you can distinguish between the mind consciousness and the manas. Only by clearly distinguishing the respective characteristics and natures of the mind consciousness and the manas can you correctly judge whether your awareness and perception belong to the mind consciousness or to the manas.

Understanding further on the basis of what has been learned is still not realization. Since it is not realization, it is not something entirely drawn out from one's own bosom. Although there is direct perception, this wisdom of observation has many levels; the highest level can reach direct realization. Before that, it is not entirely one's own wisdom—there is still an element of borrowed words.