The Method of Direct Realization Is the Same for All Phenomena

Q: Is meditation the only way to realize the mind and perceive one's true nature? I notice that in the method of perfect penetration through the faculty of hearing by Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, there is no mention of meditation. However, there is a line: "The Buddha taught me to enter samadhi through hearing and contemplation." Here, "hearing" undoubtedly refers to listening to the Mahayana Dharma. So, does "contemplation" here include the investigation by the mental faculty into the Tathagatagarbha within one's own mind? If "contemplation" already encompasses realizing the mind and perceiving one's true nature, why is it said that the method of perfect penetration through the ear faculty can be practiced starting from the level of an ordinary being? Or does "contemplation" merely refer to deep reflection and doubt, carrying an inquiry into wisdom into the four dhyanas and eight samadhis, so that in the profound meditative states of the first dhyana or even higher, the mental faculty directly contacts and verifies reality, thereby realizing the mind and perceiving one's true nature?

A: Your thoughts seem a bit tangled; you haven't clearly distinguished the relationship between meditation and the stages of hearing, contemplation, cultivation, and realization. Meditation belongs to the cultivation stage, which is followed by realization. From an ordinary being to Buddhahood, one cultivates precepts, meditative concentration, and wisdom, progressing through the stages of hearing, contemplation, cultivation, and realization. Although the content differs across levels, the method remains the same.

The first seven consciousnesses are employed in cultivation. At the culmination of each stage of practice, it is the contemplation by the mental faculty that leads one into samadhi to realize the Dharma. While there are various interpretations of the mental faculty's contemplation, and numerous terms exist, ultimately, it is the contemplation of the mental faculty. The method is identical, though the depth of practice varies, resulting in differences in the level of attainment. The "can" (参) in "canchan" (参禅, meditation) refers to investigation at the level of the mental faculty. "Chan" (禅) refers to the mind, the Tathagatagarbha. Subsequent investigation into the virtues and seed functions within the Tathagatagarbha is also called "can" or investigation. Meditation (canchan) is the method and practice for Mahayana practitioners to realize the mind, perceive their true nature, attain the patience of the non-arising of dharmas, and also to realize consciousness-only and attain the patience of the non-arising of dharmas.

Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva's method of perfect penetration through the ear faculty encompasses practices at many levels. Completing this practice leads to becoming an Equal Enlightenment Bodhisattva, possessing the great wisdom of that stage, and being close to Buddhahood. For an ordinary being to become a Mahayana Bodhisattva who has realized the mind and perceived their true nature requires cultivation over many kalpas. It takes one immeasurable kalpa to reach the First Ground Bodhisattva, another immeasurable kalpa to reach the Eighth Ground Bodhisattva, and nearly another immeasurable kalpa for an Eighth Ground Bodhisattva to reach Equal Enlightenment. Therefore, the stages and content of the practice of perfect penetration through the ear faculty almost encompass all the Dharma practices required for Buddhahood. A minor method like realizing the mind and perceiving one's true nature is insignificant and far too elementary in comparison.

However, whether it's the initial realization of the mind and perception of true nature, or the more profound realization of the Dharma of consciousness-only, the method employed is one of investigation. It is always a method utilizing the mental faculty for practice, always involving the joint realization by the mental faculty and the sixth consciousness. The introduction to the practice method in the chapter on perfect penetration through the ear faculty is very brief and cannot possibly detail all the methods for reaching Equal Enlightenment. Even if there were detailed introductions and instructions, almost no one would be able to comprehend them. How could ordinary beings understand the Dharma practices that lead to the level of an Equal Enlightenment Bodhisattva?