How to Deliberate and Investigate in Meditative Concentrations Above the Second Dhyāna

All Buddhas attained the Way within the meditative concentration of the fourth dhyāna. Ordinary people, by the second dhyāna, can no longer engage in Chan investigation, because at that point the mind consciousness becomes too faint to assist the manas in deliberation and consideration; only the manas's own solitary deliberation (manasikāra) remains. So when the Buddhas awakened within the fourth dhyāna—and moreover with an extremely deep, extremely profound great awakening, a thorough and ultimate awakening, an awakening that penetrates to the very source of all dharmas—without the assistance of the mind consciousness, what kind of wisdom must the manas have possessed?

That investigation of dharma meanings cannot be carried on above the second dhyāna is said with reference to ordinary people; in reality, within the second dhyāna and even higher meditative concentrations, one can think and investigate, and can enter the Way. Then how does one deliberate and investigate within meditative concentration at the second dhyāna and above?

Before entering concentration, the manas must possess an extremely deep questioning doubt, with mind after mind and thought after thought being nothing but that questioning doubt, with no other thoughts or ideas, all other dharmas screened out. In this way, the mind single-pointedly adheres to one dharma, doubting deeply, investigating deeply, with a single-minded resolve to clarify the dharma meaning. When this is the case, as soon as one sits down and has just crossed the legs, the mind consciousness will extinguish obvious mental activity, the mind becomes pure, and does not disturb the manas's deliberation; the five sense consciousnesses, having nothing to do, will cease, and the second dhyāna concentration appears, whereupon the manas single-mindedly investigates. When conditions arise, if the manas develops scattered thoughts, prompting the mind consciousness to give rise to thoughts, then the five sense consciousnesses appear, and one emerges from the second dhyāna concentration.

When the manas deliberates and investigates within the concentrations from the second to the fourth dhyāna, not only are the five universal mental factors complete, but the five particular mental factors must also be complete. Its power of determination (adhimokṣa) and power of wisdom (prajñā-bala) are not merely ordinary, but extraordinarily powerful—only then can one awaken to the Way, only then can one investigate dharma meanings to complete penetration, give rise to the power of meditative absorption (samādhi), and abide within that samādhi. If samādhi and wisdom, the power of determination, or the power of mindfulness fall even slightly short, one cannot awaken to the Way. Those whose manas possesses powerful five particular mental factors are no ordinary people; none but sages can achieve this. Ordinary worldlings and the virtuous should cultivate diligently, striving to strengthen the five particular mental factors of the manas, so that the power of the Path becomes stronger and cultivation of the Way proceeds swiftly.