Is the Defilement of Manas and the Attainment of the Fruit Necessarily Achieved Exclusively in Samadhi?

Attaining fruition must occur within samadhi; when the manas is permeated and perfected, it does not necessarily have to be within samadhi, but the permeation of wholesome dharmas into the manas is easier within samadhi, whereas the permeation of unwholesome dharmas does not require samadhi. This is because the manas itself is replete with unwholesome dharmas and resonates with them; whenever it encounters unwholesome dharmas, it can be imperceptibly permeated, especially through prolonged exposure, inevitably causing the manas to become habituated. Due to the profound ignorance accumulated by the manas over beginningless kalpas, it has perpetually remained immersed in unwholesome dharmas, heavily stained and afflicted, powerless to extricate itself, making rescue by external forces exceedingly difficult. To eradicate these stains and afflictions, to permeate and cultivate wholesome dharmas, and to transform the mind toward goodness cannot be accomplished in a short time.

Generally speaking, the stains accumulated over beginningless kalpas require the permeation of wholesome dharmas over an equally beginningless span of kalpas to transform unwholesomeness into wholesomeness. However, this process takes far too long, and there is no environment conducive to such prolonged wholesome dharma practice. Therefore, one must strive to achieve permeation and perfection within a relatively short period, such as one kalpa, a small kalpa, millions of years, hundreds of thousands of years, or even hundreds or decades. To accomplish permeation and perfection within such a brief timeframe requires samadhi; the shorter the time, the deeper the samadhi needed. This is because within samadhi, the mind becomes unified, contemplation becomes profound, subtle, and penetrating, wisdom can arise, the manas comprehends principles swiftly, readily accepts permeation, and wholesome dharmas are easily perfected. Without samadhi, the mind is scattered, the manas cannot contemplate thoroughly, wisdom does not arise, and one remains unable to accept wholesome dharmas. Views and concepts cannot change, and one will continue to act according to unwholesome mental factors.

Moreover, attaining fruition is more difficult than the permeation of wholesome dharmas; it requires greater, deeper, and more subtle wisdom, a more thorough and non-regressing transformation of thoughts and views, demanding deeper and more sustained samadhi. Only then can the manas single-mindedly contemplate the principle of non-self, penetrate the theory thoroughly, and thereby realize the truth. Samadhi stabilizes and stills the mind; a still mind can subdue afflictions, focus single-pointedly on the principle, and generate wisdom. Without samadhi, this merit is absent. The manas, accustomed to self and afflictions over beginningless kalpas, finding it genuinely difficult to change habits and subdue afflictions in a short time, cannot sever the view of self and eradicate afflictions without special methods and pathways, without extremely resolute willpower, and without great vows and endurance.