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Manifestation Only 14

Thich Nhat Hanh · December 31, 1992 · Plum Village, France
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Non-perception concentration and cessation concentration are two states of acitta samāpatti (samāpatti – meditative absorption) in which consciousness (the sixth consciousness) completely ceases to perceive:

  1. Asaṃjñika samāpatti (non-perception concentration): there is no longer any external perception.
  2. Nirodha samāpatti (cessation concentration): there is no longer any perception or feeling.
    In addition, there are five cases in which the sixth consciousness does not function: being born in the realm of non-perception, the two mindless concentrations, deep dreamless sleep, and coma.

The sixth consciousness (Manovijñāna) manifests in five forms:

  • Co-arising with the five sense consciousnesses: cooperating with the five sense consciousnesses
  • Independent: functioning independently
  • Scattered: dispersed, unfocused
  • In concentration: focused on a single object
  • In madness: chaotic, abnormal
    The five sense consciousnesses arise like waves relying on the stream of the sixth consciousness, and may manifest individually or collectively. When using only one consciousness to perceive, the energy is more stable and can directly touch (direct perception) the true nature of things (suchness); otherwise, it often falls into the realms of associated images or isolated images.

Ālayavijñāna (store consciousness) maintains (preserves) and manifests all phenomena, having both collective manifestation (collective aspect) and individual manifestation (personal aspect). From the seed of delusion in the store consciousness arise:

  • The seventh consciousness (Manas), which clings and establishes the image of a self
  • The sixth consciousness (Manovijñāna), which relies on Manas to recognize and may, depending on conditions, function independently or together with the five sense consciousnesses.
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