Samādhi Is the Direct-Perception Realm of the Manas (1)

White Bone Contemplation Journal (1): In the latter part of my meditation, I clearly saw the blood flowing in my blood vessels; even when I did not want to look, it appeared in my mind. When I closed my eyes and rubbed my palms after rising from the seat, a red mass appeared before my eyes, resembling orange segments inside, with the flesh inside still wriggling. As I continued rubbing my palms, the red mass began to turn white and bright, and three-dimensional images appeared within it: magnified sweat pores, as well as hairs, skin flakes, red bumps, and inflamed sweat pores, which made me feel very uncomfortable. Why is it that rubbing the palms after rising from the seat can produce images? What is going on? 

Questions to ponder: Why do we see phenomena that we normally cannot see at all when we are meditating? Which consciousness sees them? What kind of state is being seen? Will they still be seen when not meditating?

The phenomenon described in this contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) journal belongs to the subjectively imagined realm within meditative concentration, which is the dharma-object of a meditative state. The dharma-object of a meditative state is discerned by the solitary consciousness (mano-vijñāna-eka-citta) through direct perception; it is not discerned by inference, nor by non-valid cognition. When one first enters meditative concentration and begins contemplative practice, it is the solitary consciousness's imagination of the white bone contemplation through non-valid cognition; over a long period of time this permeates and conditions the manas, and then the manas presents the white bone contemplation realm through direct perception. The realm presented by the manas through direct perception is the realm of meditative absorption (samādhi); meditative absorption includes both meditative concentration and wisdom, and is a state of the equal cultivation of Samādhi and Prajñā. The result of this contemplative practice must include the arising of wisdom; what lacks wisdom is not the final result but an intermediate process. 

The subjectively imagined realm within meditative concentration is presented by the manas through direct perception, and the solitary consciousness then discerns the white bone phenomenon through direct perception. After the manas has been permeated and conditioned, it will present through direct perception the realm it has cognized; whatever realm the manas cognizes, the tathāgatagarbha manifests that realm, and the solitary consciousness discerns it—this is the realm of meditative absorption, in which concentration is extremely strong and wisdom is also extremely strong. Concentration is easy to understand; it means focus. But what is wisdom? Here, wisdom means having acknowledged that the physical body of the five aggregates (pañca-skandha) is just a pile of white bones. Once the manas acknowledges this, the white bone contemplation is accomplished, or an intermediate stage of it is accomplished. In the final stage of the practice, one will further transform the white bones into fine dust, and in the end even the fine dust disappears—all of these are realms realized by the manas through direct perception. 

After rising from the seat, does such a dharma-object of a meditative state still exist? If the mind is not scattered and distracted, one is still within meditative concentration, still in a state of meditative absorption, and white bones will be presented whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down. The first five consciousnesses cannot discern it, and the consciousness accompanied by the five senses (pañca-sahagata-mano-vijñāna) also cannot discern it; only the solitary consciousness can discern it, because realms of meditative absorption are all subjectively imagined realms, cultivated individually by oneself, belonging to the individual alone; there are no public external dharma-objects or external five sense-objects, so others cannot see them. All meditative absorptions, whether the meditative absorption of a meditative state or the realm of meditative absorption in which concentration and wisdom are equally held, are initiated by the manas. If the manas has not been successfully permeated and conditioned, no wisdom arises and the realm of meditative absorption cannot appear. This includes the meditative concentration of recollection of the Buddha (buddhānusmṛti) samādhi: when the mind consciousness recollects the Buddha and the manas has been thoroughly conditioned, the manas will recollect the Buddha automatically and spontaneously—the mind consciousness does not recite, yet the manas recites. In a meditative state, if the mind consciousness feels very tired and no longer wants to recollect the Buddha, the manas has already become habituated to recollecting the Buddha and continues reciting on its own, reciting without language or sound, which only the solitary consciousness can hear. Regardless of whether the mind consciousness wants to recollect the Buddha or not, the manas recites on its own; even if the mind consciousness wants to control it, it cannot—at this point it belongs to the samādhi of recollection of the Buddha. 

When one is within the realm of the samādhi of recollection of the Buddha, whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, whatever one is doing, it seems as if the sound of reciting the Buddha's name appears by the ear; in fact it appears in the mind, not by the ear, and there is no sound—it is merely a mental thought. The sound of reciting the Buddha's name is not recited by the mind consciousness; even when the mind consciousness does not want to recite, it still must listen to the sound of recitation. How does this sound of recitation arise? It is the manas reciting, and the tathāgatagarbha accordingly manifests the sound of recitation, not controlled by the mind consciousness. The manas has no language or words, yet the solitary consciousness can discern the sound of recitation; even if it does not want to listen, it must listen, and it must keep listening.

When one eradicates the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi-prahāṇa) and realizes the fruits, that is a realm of meditative absorption of having obtained purity of the dharma eye, which contains preparatory concentration (anāgamya-samādhi) and the wisdom of non-arising regarding suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and non-self. Who brings forth this wisdom? It is brought forth by the manas. The mind consciousness, through daily contemplative practice, permeates and conditions the manas; the manas deliberates (manasikāra) on the truths of the Four Noble Truths, and finally realizes that the five aggregates are suffering, empty, impermanent, and non-self, whereupon the realm of meditative absorption of purity of the dharma eye appears. Within meditative concentration, when the manas deliberates and arrives at a result that accords with truth, wisdom is born. This meditative absorption is brought forth by the manas and discerned by the solitary consciousness through direct perception; therefore every kind of realization of the Dharma is a realization through direct perception by the manas and the mind consciousness. The manas corresponds to direct perception, without inference or non-valid cognition; only a Dharma actively brought forth by the manas is direct perception and meditative absorption. 

After the manas eradicates the view of self and realizes the fruits, one abides in the realm of meditative absorption, and the phenomenon of awakened brightness will appear; without meditative absorption there is no phenomenon of awakened brightness. The phenomenon of awakened brightness is brought forth by the manas's contact with and realization of a realm previously unknown, causing mental excitement and delight; the mind consciousness cannot bring it forth. When awakened brightness arises, one is in a state of meditative concentration and absorption; without meditative concentration there is no awakened brightness. In meditative absorption, afflictions are extremely slight—one may say they do not arise at all—and are all subdued; body and mind are tranquil and at ease, the feelings are extraordinary, and sleep is reduced. In meditative concentration, the qi and blood flow smoothly, essence is full and spirit is full, desires are subdued, and sleep is very light—one may say there is no sleep hindrance; three or four hours of sleep per day is sufficient. This is the realm of meditative absorption brought forth by the manas. 

Seeing the mind is the same. After the manas realizes the fundamental mind, one also abides in a state of meditative absorption; whether walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, one is within meditative concentration; prajñā wisdom arises, afflictions are extremely slight, awakened brightness is also present, body and mind are extremely tranquil, comfortable, and at ease, sleep is very little—when spirit is full, one does not feel sleepy—and the mind is joyful. Abiding in this state all belongs to the realm of meditative absorption. 

There is also the samādhi of suchness (tathatā); it is the same when realized. In fact, the samādhi of suchness belongs to the wisdom realm of tolerance of the non-arising of dharmas, that is, the wisdom of the varieties of paths and the wisdom of consciousness-only seeds; it is not something that can be realized by one who has just been enlightened—it can only be realized upon entering the bhūmis. What is the samādhi of suchness? Realizing the suchness nature and consciousness-only nature of all dharmas is the samādhi of suchness. When one sees the operation of one's own fundamental mind in all dharmas, one knows that all dharmas have the nature of suchness and that all dharmas are suchness; at this point one enters the first bhūmi, partially realizing the non-self of dharmas, partially realizing the tolerance of the non-arising of dharmas, partially realizing the one true dharma realm, and partially realizing the liberation of the Great Vehicle—this is also called partial realization of buddhahood. Only at this point is there the samādhi of suchness. Before the first bhūmi, one cannot realize the suchness nature of all dharmas; without the wisdom of consciousness-only seeds, one cannot see the suchness in all dharmas. The wisdom of the samādhi of suchness is extremely deep and subtle; before this, one can only have the prajñā wisdom of the tolerance of non-arising, without consciousness-only wisdom, and the wisdom of the tolerance of non-arising is much shallower compared to the wisdom of the samādhi of suchness.