The Fundamental Principle of "When Matters Are Handled with Calm, They Come to Perfection"

Lan Tian: My understanding as a disciple is that reacting to a matter too hastily may bring undesirable consequences. There are two reasons for this: first, severe emotionalization, in which case one's behavior may be excessive; second, insufficient consideration, which also affects the outcome of one's actions. Only by calming down, thinking slowly, and being thorough and courteous can one obtain a satisfactory result. The principle is that only when one has calmed down can the manas participate in the deep analysis and contemplation of the matter; only then can thoughts continue moment after moment, and only then can one think clearly through the whole matter's causes and effects, its course of development, and all the various factors involved. Moreover, the manas will, based on its own experience and vision, provide the mind consciousness with unexpected solutions. After going through such a process, one can make the correct choice.  

Assessment: This reveals the process by which the manas's wisdom arises; it is right contemplation, very well said, quite excellent. If there is time, do things slowly; the various conditions may then become more complete, the required conditions may change, and the nature of the matter may change. If one then sets about handling it, the matter will be accomplished perfectly without omission — this is the first point. The second point is: to bring a matter to completion, relying solely on the mind consciousness's thinking and processing is not enough; the mind consciousness is rather superficial and not ultimate. Only when the manas personally deliberates (manana) the strategy and method of handling it can the matter be ultimate and perfect, no longer subject to change. And the manas's deliberation of solutions to a matter is somewhat slower and requires a certain amount of time. Therefore, slowing down and letting the manas personally find a good method is what allows a matter to be resolved perfectly. "When matters are handled slowly, they turn out well" is mainly about letting the manas bring the matter to perfection.

Handling problems quickly makes it difficult to clarify the problem, the root problem is not easily found, and the resolution of the problem is sloppy, superficial, and skin-deep, so the matter is not handled perfectly. But after slowing down, sorting out the whole matter's ins and outs, and understanding its roots, solving the problem from its root will be relatively perfect. Only when the manas and the mind consciousness gradually and slowly clarify the true facts and think deeply about solutions can wisdom arise, can the problem be solved correctly and in accordance with reason, and will the matter be resolved perfectly.

Liu Shaoling: As time lengthens, mobilizing the three transforming consciousnesses in mental engagement, operation, and transformation, the matter that had already changed becomes satisfactory and perfect. Casually thinking about something during the day and then answering is the mind consciousness's superficial thinking. At night, while sitting in meditation, one holds the question in the mind, asking heaven about the matter; suddenly the heart region vibrates, as if an electric current radiates toward the limbs of the body. After finishing the meditation, one falls asleep still carrying the question — this is the manas's deep contemplation. When one rises in the morning, the answer to the question is known automatically, without one's noticing.

Assessment: When encountering a matter, try to think it through and resolve it while sitting in meditation at night; only when the mind calms down can it be resolved perfectly. This line of thinking is clear and well-reasoned. If the matter is urgent and cannot wait until evening meditation to be resolved with a calm mind, then one should calm down as much as possible and think with single-minded focus; then the thinking will be relatively deep and thorough, and one can come up with a good solution.

Ru Chun: "When matters are handled slowly, they turn out well" includes slowness at both the mind consciousness and manas levels. First, when encountering a matter, do not be anxious; be calm (this is the mind consciousness's slowness). Only thus can the mind consciousness remain objective, rational, and wise, and only then can it hand over to the manas an analysis of the matter's principles that is comprehensive, clear, and thorough. Only after the manas receives correct information can it carry out deep deliberation; because its consideration is very comprehensive and very subtle, it appears slow (this is the manas's slowness). In addition, the process from the mind consciousness's thinking to the manas's deliberation requires time, which is also part of the meaning of slowness. Although the manas's deliberation is slow, the answer it produces is comprehensive and perfect.

When I saw the question, I was in the middle of communicating with others about some important matter. After seeing the question, I kept drifting off; my thoughts kept floating to the question. By the time we finished our conversation, the answer had surfaced. I feel that the manas is always quietly working, and the mind consciousness is often unaware of it. After a certain degree of meditative concentration (samādhi), the manas easily latches onto a problem and contemplates it.

Assessment: This is the correct answer to the question; although not the most perfect, it is quite good. What is not perfect about it is that, besides the manas and mind consciousness being able to calm the mind down and think more deeply and thoroughly, the matter They jointly face will also change as time goes on, or various conditions will gradually reveal themselves, so that when responding, the consideration can be more precise and the resolution more perfect and in place.

The manifestation of having the power of meditative concentration is being able to simultaneously deal with and resolve two or more matters, and when encountering a problem, being able to quietly contemplate it amid one's bodily, verbal, and mental actions, without having to wait until evening to enter meditation and contemplate it — resolving problems perfectly anytime, anywhere. When a person's mind is calm and possesses meditative concentration, upon encountering any problem, the manas will quietly deliberate without needing the mind consciousness to transmit information, without delaying the six consciousnesses in their work. The manas and the six consciousnesses each do their own work without interfering with each other, and often the efficiency is very high — this is the benefit of meditative concentration.