The Distinction Between Observational Awareness-Contemplation and Apparent Phenomena-Conceptual Designations

Awareness-perception is the awareness-perception of consciousness, and thinking is also the thinking of consciousness. Consciousness further possesses the functional capacity to manifest the phenomena of the six dusts through words and language. From awareness-perception, thinking can arise; from thinking, words and language can be born; with words and language, phenomena can be expressed and revealed. However, the initial awareness-perception is without words and language, and the most profound and subtle awareness-perception is also without words and language. Thinking accompanied by words and language is relatively coarse and superficial, lacking subtlety. When consciousness operates without words and language, in a state of awareness-perception and thinking, and when manas (the mind faculty) is in a state without words and language, these two states are extremely difficult to distinguish; they intermingle like light and shadow, making it almost impossible to distinguish one from the other.