Speculation and Conjecture: The Completely Unreliable Path of Practice

Due to limited wisdom and insufficient meditative concentration, sentient beings are unable to delve deeply into contemplation, and the deliberative function of the manas (mental faculty) cannot operate effectively. Consequently, when encountering profound Dharma teachings, they habitually resort to conjecture and speculation, which are functions of the mind consciousness. Such conjecture and speculation entirely lack the wisdom inherent to the manas. The most severe form of this conjecture is the casual assertion that upon enlightenment, one can observe how the eighth consciousness gives rise to the root-body and the material-realm. The "root" refers to the body, the physical form. How the eighth consciousness uses seeds to gradually produce the body root, including the eye, ear, nose, and tongue faculties – even after enlightenment, cultivating for one immeasurable kalpa might allow one to observe a tiny fraction; two immeasurable kalpas might be sufficient to observe much of it. The "realm" refers to the universe, the material world, the spatial environment in which sentient beings exist. How the eighth consciousness uses seeds to produce the universe and material realm – even after enlightenment, cultivating for one immeasurable kalpa, one might still be unable to observe it; two immeasurable kalpas might allow one to observe some aspects.

The "realms" refer to the eighteen realms: the six sense faculties, the six sense objects, and the six consciousnesses. How the eighth consciousness uses seeds to produce the six sense faculties and the six sense objects – even after enlightenment, cultivating for one immeasurable kalpa, it would be extremely difficult to observe this; two immeasurable kalpas might still only allow for partial observation. How the eighth consciousness uses consciousness-seeds to produce the six consciousnesses – after enlightenment, cultivating for one immeasurable kalpa might allow for some observation, but it cannot be fully and completely observed. However, regardless of what one might observe, if this observation does not lead to a transformation of one's inner being, and if one's actions of body, speech, and mind do not change as a result of this observation, then such so-called observation is not true observation but merely conjecture and speculation. Conjecture and speculation are modes of thinking belonging to the mind consciousness; they do not involve the deliberative function of the manas as the master consciousness. Consequently, whatever is conjectured and speculated upon lacks the force of effect. It cannot transform one's actions of body, speech, and mind, cannot eliminate afflictions and the seeds of unwholesome karma, and yields no pure karmic merit or beneficial fruition.