The Relationship Between Mind Consciousness and Meditative Concentration

Both deliberation (manana) and investigative inquiry are carried out within deep meditative concentration (samādhi), with very little use of the mind consciousness. If one relies on the mind consciousness for constant reasoning, one will emerge from deep concentration, and the concentration will become shallow or disappear altogether, with the result that realization becomes impossible. In short, heavy reliance on the mind consciousness makes it impossible to attain concentration or to develop any deeper level of concentration. Only by using the mind consciousness sparingly can the mind-spirit remain undispersed—and this is also the result of having subdued the manas so that it no longer grasps at objects everywhere. If the manas has not been subdued and grasps everywhere, the mind consciousness will inevitably grasp everywhere along with it, and the mind consciousness will become scattered. Relying entirely on the mind consciousness's shallow thinking, true wisdom cannot be developed.