The Distinction Between Direct Perception and Mistaken Perception (Non-valid Cognition)

Direct perception (pratyakṣa): "Direct" refers to things and principles that are present right now, before one's eyes; "perception" refers to estimating, measuring, and gauging. Direct perception is the estimating, measuring, and gauging of things that exist right before one. When seeing a dharma, one sees and knows it at that very moment and can make a judgment immediately, without needing to think it over or deliberate—especially without needing the mind consciousness to imagine or fantasize.

Erroneous cognition (non-valid cognition) is the opposite of direct perception: it is not direct perception, not a dharma that is present and right before one's eyes; therefore, it requires the mind consciousness to think, analyze, imagine, fantasize, recollect, and so forth before it can be known.

Erroneous cognition has another meaning: an erroneous estimate, deliberation, weighing, or measurement, whose conclusion is wrong and does not accord with facts. In actuality, the only cognitions that entirely accord with facts are those of the eighth consciousness (ālayavijñāna), and after Buddhahood, those of the seven consciousnesses as well. Before attaining Buddhahood, because ignorance still remains, the seven consciousnesses have erroneous cognition to varying degrees. The closer one approaches the Buddha's wisdom, the less erroneous cognition one has and the more one's cognition is of direct-perception realms; the more of an ordinary being one is, the more erroneous cognition one has, with little or no direct perception. Even when one sees the mountains and rivers before one's eyes as mountains and rivers, it is still not direct perception but erroneous cognition, because one sees only the false appearance and not the substance behind the appearance.

When you have time, cultivate meditative concentration (samādhi) more. Without meditative concentration, you cannot fully and completely understand these relatively profound dharmas. Merely understanding is not enough; you must not only fully digest them, but also be able to draw inferences from one instance to others, citing all analogous examples.