What Are the Mental Activities Involved in Silent Recitation and Mindful Awareness?

Whether chanting mantras aloud or silently, it is the isolated consciousness that chants. The chanting of manas (the mental faculty) occurs without words or language. The awareness that knows the silent chanting is the reflective power of consciousness—the self-verifying aspect. It is the isolated consciousness discerning and reflecting upon itself. Of course, if the chanting becomes extremely familiar, manas may also engage in chanting and knowing. During silent chanting by consciousness, manas possesses awareness; during consciousness's self-reflection, manas also possesses awareness. This awareness is profound and subtle, difficult to perceive and discern. Manas takes the reflective function of isolated consciousness and the function of silently chanting mantras as its own, believing that it is itself chanting and knowing.

If one possesses relatively good meditative concentration (dhyāna), manas can also participate in chanting mantras, and consciousness can observe this. However, it becomes difficult to distinguish the functional boundaries between consciousness and manas, leading to confusion. With meditative concentration, two phenomena arise: First, body and mind can separate distinctly, with their connection becoming less intimate. The sixth and seventh consciousnesses can also separate from each other, maintaining a certain distance, thus appearing clear and distinct. Each phenomenon (dharma) is perceived with a sense of illusoriness. Without meditative concentration, all phenomena become entangled and inseparable, appearing unclear. This amalgamation feels very real and concrete, leading to strong attachment and resulting in heavy afflictions. The benefits of meditative concentration are beyond enumeration. Without it, one should not claim to be cultivating.