How Can One Attain Liberation

The six sense objects are conditioned dharmas, arising, existing, and developing and changing in dependence on numerous conditions; therefore the six sense objects are unreliable and cannot be relied upon. We should gradually free ourselves from dependence on the six sense objects, reducing our craving and attachment to them. When we cultivate to a certain point and no longer depend on the six sense objects at all, the mind becomes empty—that is great liberation.

What dharma do we rely upon in order to have some dependence on the six sense objects? Grasping the six sense objects requires the six consciousnesses; after the six consciousnesses discriminate the six sense objects, there arises some dependence upon them. What dharma grasps the six sense objects and requires the six consciousnesses? It is the manas that grasps the six sense objects, then gives rise to the six consciousnesses, using the six consciousnesses to seize the six sense objects; the manas then grasps the six sense objects again, and grasps again the functions of the six consciousnesses—thus the cycle of birth and death continues unceasingly. The mind that grasps is the manas, which uses the six consciousnesses as tools to seize; in fact, it is still the manas that does the seizing. The six consciousnesses are also conditioned dharmas, arising, existing, and developing and changing in dependence on numerous conditions; they are unreliable dharmas, dharmas that cannot be relied upon. Therefore we should gradually distance ourselves from the six consciousnesses and reduce our dependence on them. When we cultivate to a certain point and no longer depend on the six consciousnesses at all, the mind becomes empty, and we will attain great liberation.

To whom are all these truths spoken? They are spoken to ourselves. Who does "we" refer to? Who does "self" refer to? Both refer to the manas. The six consciousnesses are merely messengers, responsible for conveying this information to the manas to be known; the decision of what to do and where to go is made by the manas, which calls the shots. If this information remains only in the six consciousnesses and is not conveyed to the master, the manas, then it is of no use and cannot influence or change the master's intentions and choices; everything will remain as before, and the cycle of birth and death will continue without end.

How can these truths and this information be conveyed to the manas? Through cultivating meditative concentration—contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) and contemplation within dhyāna. The deeper the meditative concentration, the better the conveyance works, and the more the manas can absorb and digest this information and the more its intentions can be changed. Then all ignorance and grasping will vanish completely, and one will be liberated from all dharmas, with no more suffering of birth and death.