The Method of Deep Deliberation with the Manas

Sit quietly in the cross-legged position, exhale deeply and then inhale; after the mind has calmed down and settled, begin to contemplate a question deeply. At first, the deliberation is certainly carried out by the mind consciousness; as one gradually focuses on the question, the mind consciousness merely watches the question without the mind moving, and the deliberation and investigation are instead taken over by the manas, which deliberates deeply. Although the manas does move, it moves extremely, extremely slowly, and in the end it even seems to be motionless; the question then hangs suspended in the vast, empty brain—or in the supreme faculty, or what is called the "black box."

As the mind consciousness attends and the manas deliberates, information without language or words will flash forth; the manas knows it and the mind consciousness also understands it, though not necessarily very clearly and distinctly. If the power of meditative concentration is sufficient and does not weaken, the information will subsequently appear more and more abundantly and ever more clearly; the mind increasingly comprehends what the information is, and the answer to the question gradually presents itself, whereupon the mind feels relaxed, open, and bright. After emerging from meditation, the mind consciousness needs to filter through, recall, and examine all the information that appeared in the brain from beginning to end, and finally confirm it; the manas then confirms it accordingly, and the result is thereby settled.

The entire process requires very deep and highly focused meditative concentration. During the course of deep contemplation, the power of concentration may grow better and better, to the point that the mind enters into samādhi, feeling relaxed, joyful, and comfortable—only the manas is not necessarily deliberating at that time. After emerging from meditation, or after the power of concentration weakens, one continues the deliberation and investigation, and the final result will eventually appear.