However Correct Inference May Be, It Is Not Direct Perception's Realization.

Only those whose meditative concentration and wisdom are both insufficient need to employ inference and methods of study in their practice. Those with strong meditative power like to engage in meditative investigation—they will not give up until they reach the Yellow River. Those of great wisdom realize everything entirely through direct perception. In particular, the World-Honored One, who possesses omniscience/wisdom of all aspects (sarvākārajñatā), knows all dharmas through direct perception, without comparing, contrasting, imagining, or conjecturing; His words are always expressed with certainty, without hesitation. Only those who do not cultivate meditative concentration, who lack the wisdom of contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā), and who cannot engage in meditative investigation resort to the method of inferential reasoning, believing that this method can realize the Buddha-dharma. In reality, this is not realization—it is merely something akin to guessing.

No matter how correct the inference, no matter how sound the reasoning, it is still not direct perception, not genuine realization. What is genuinely realized can be seen in the very moment; although it is not seen by the eyes, the mind consciousness's seeing is a seeing of the present moment, requiring no reasoning or comparison. This is the meaning of direct perception.

Anyone with a clever mind consciousness can perform logical thinking and reasoning, but this cannot substitute for genuine realization. That the five aggregates (pañca-skandha) and the eighteen realms are suffering, empty, impermanent, and not-self must be perceived in the very moment; one cannot rely on comparison or reasoning. Comparison and reasoning are a step too slow, relying on the mind consciousness's forced indoctrination and restraining influence to make it so. Once the mind consciousness's function weakens, or the mind consciousness ceases, the restraining influence is gone, and one can no longer know that the five aggregates and eighteen realms are suffering, empty, impermanent, and not-self. In that case, there is no liberating benefit and enjoyment of merit; the neutrino-body (antarā-bhava) cannot draw upon this strength, and in future lives there will be even less benefit and enjoyment of merit.

Likewise, in the Mahāyāna dharma, the functioning of the tathāgatagarbha must be observable in the very moment; one cannot rely on comparison or logical reasoning. If you know, you know; you cannot use the mind consciousness to consider and analyze—that is not direct perception. Only a dharma known in the very moment is genuine realization; only then can there be effect, can there be resonance, can there be benefit, can there be the liberating benefit and enjoyment of merit. For a dharma known in the very moment, the manas definitely knows it, without needing the mind consciousness to point it out. Only what the manas does not know requires the mind consciousness's logical reasoning, analysis, comparison, and conjecture.

Realization by the manas is similar to intuitive experience. Without meditative concentration there is no intuitive experience; even at moments of fright, there is brief meditative concentration. The seven factors of enlightenment are the necessary path to realizing the Buddha-dharma. Among them, the factor of joy, the factor of tranquility, and the factor of concentration gradually appear in the course of actual practice, all related to meditative concentration—they constitute graduated meditative concentration. Without this process, do not speak of realization. You should believe what the Buddha taught, and trust that the Buddha's words are not wrong. Moreover, the mind consciousness's discriminating thinking can lead to the manas's intuitive experience, and its merit is also great. In the course of practice, neither of these two kinds of awareness can be absent; both are important.

However, if the mind consciousness's function is too strong, it will cover over and obscure the manas's deliberation (manasikāra/manana). In that case, understanding through intellectual comprehension is easy, but genuine realization becomes extremely difficult. This is why the Chan patriarchs of the past opposed the mind consciousness being too active, and also opposed sitting rigidly in meditation without engaging in contemplative practice and thinking. It is very difficult for the mind consciousness's function to be just right. For example, when a fixed task is done by two people, if A does more, B does less—the principle is the same. If the mind consciousness is strong, while alive one can rely on it; but once the mind consciousness's activity weakens, or the mind consciousness ceases, the manas has nothing to rely on, and at that time everything depends on the manas. Everyone, think about it: at the time of death and in future lives, if the manas has not grown strong, what will that be like? The purpose and result of a strong mind consciousness should be to make the manas strong. If the manas is not strong, what will we do in the future? If the manas is weak, we are weak. Once the manas becomes very strong, it can function even without the mind consciousness—for example, the interfunctioning of the six faculties, the interfunctioning of the six faculties.