Our current mode of thinking is composed of two aspects: “the observer” and “the observed.” Therefore, the study of present mental phenomena is divided into two parts: the investigation of the observer and the investigation of the observed. Since ontological thought studies the essence of thought itself, we place greater emphasis on studying the observer. Research on the observed also serves this fundamental purpose.

Our present mental state is built upon selective thinking, which is a unique characteristic of our current thought process. Therefore, once selective thinking is dissolved, we also break free from this current mental state. To that end, we must thoroughly understand the nature of selective thinking and make scientific use of it to improve the effectiveness of meditative verification.

Selective thinking arises only after the derived state of thought has developed to a certain stage—specifically, after the emergence of concretized and visualized thoughts.

Thoughts evolve progressively. Visualized thoughts emerge only after the formation of dualistic and oppositional thoughts. These are produced by a stronger clinging mind-force. The stronger the clinging, the more intense the experience of suffering. Selective thinking arises in response to suffering and is a subconscious strategy aimed at escaping suffering and returning to a higher state of thought.

At the stage where selective thinking first emerges, it still represents a relatively advanced state compared to our current condition. The clinging mind-force is not yet overpowering, so one can still freely choose and disengage from any thought. Continuity of thought has not yet formed. This is known as free selective thinking.

As the clinging mind-force grows stronger, selective thinking gradually loses its freedom. It becomes sustained and prolonged in its focus on a single object. This condition is known as "fixing the mind on one point", or focused selective thinking. It is a transitional state—one that must be passed through in the evolutionary descent from higher to lower mental states.

With further intensification of clinging mind-force, selective thinking enters a state of high-frequency activity. This highly active state is precisely the mental condition we currently live in.

-Master Qingliangyue

1. Observing the Process of Material Movement

Matter is always in continuous motion. We can perceive this movement either through observation or through direct experience.

“Observation” refers to objectively watching the movement of matter as a bystander, whereas “experience” involves actively participating in the process of movement.

Here, “observation” may involve auditory perception or inner visualization.

When objectively observing the movement of matter, we employ the subconscious function of generalized attentiveness, observing the entire process of motion intentionally or unintentionally, without focusing on any specific detail or experiencing any particular feature of the material or its motion. In the process of observing material movement, the following two factors determine whether we can abide in the ontic thought:

1. Whether we experience bodily sensations: The body corresponds to the sequential state of thought, which includes both dynamic and static modes. As long as we are simultaneously experiencing bodily sensations while observing material motion, we are operating within the sequential state of thought and can only abide in Stillness.
2. Duration of time: The function of generalized attentiveness, which we use during the observation of material motion, must operate over a prolonged period in order to gradually form subconscious concentration. If the observation period is too brief, it will only lead to Stillness, not abiding in the ontic thought.

These two factors indicate that when using generalized attentiveness to observe material movement, we must avoid bodily engagement and prolong the observation time—as long as possible. This allows for the formation of subconscious concentration and abiding in the ontic thought.

If, during observation, we instead focus on the pleasant aesthetic sensation of movement or the luminous qualities of matter, we will enter a higher material realm rather than abide in the ontic thought. To abide in this fundamental state, we must observe with a subtle, almost detached subconscious focus—not deeply analyzing or immersing in the details of material changes.

This will lead us to the state of “seeing mountains no longer as mountains, and rivers no longer as rivers,” where all material phenomena and movements appear as mere images—like thoughts arising and vanishing spontaneously—allowing us to abide in the fundamental state of thought.

When abiding in this state, our understanding of matter remains at its most intuitive and basic level. We do not attempt to understand other properties of matter, for doing so would activate sequential thinking and thereby draw us back into the content of thought.

To remain in the fundamental state of thought, the key is to refrain from injecting any concepts or mental constructs, and instead to simply remain attentively aware of the most basic and intuitive characteristics of the observed object. This process generally involves the following stages:

• Step One: Experience and abide in a stable internal sensation—such as Stillness or drowsiness. This allows the empirical process to be led by the subconscious and removes mental distraction.
• Step Two: Once we can stably and continuously abide in an internal sensation, we discover which external feature causes the most interference. This feature is the object’s most basic and intuitive characteristic. Interference is a relational effect—it cannot exist apart from two interacting entities. By simultaneously experiencing internal and external objects, we engage the function of generalized attentiveness.
• Step Three: Through focused observation of the object's most basic and intuitive features, we gradually cultivate a high level of concentration. This concentration breaks through Stillness. Once concentration is fully formed, we cease to dwell on internal sensations and become fully focused on the basic qualities of the observed object. Thus, we abide in the ontic thought Then, through a sudden external disruption, we may realize the fundamental state of thought.

2. Experiencing the Process of Material Movement

To experience material movement means to participate in it actively—to explore and become acquainted with specific characteristics of matter and its motion. The focus is on the observed object, and the final outcome is abiding in the content of thought. This is different from the observation of material movement, where the focus is on the observer with the aim of abiding in the ontic thought

Matter and its movements have many characteristics. Experiencing different features can guide us toward different states.

In experiencing the micro-level processes of movement, we use the function of selective attention, concentrating on subtle variations in the motion.

When we are completely focused on the process of material movement, and when we merge with that process entirely, no other thoughts arise. The continuity of physical movement becomes the continuity of mental operation. In this situation, we must exert effort precisely at the point of “about to move but not yet moving”—to participate in the process, to direct it, and ultimately to cut it off.

-Master Qingliangyue

All operational states of thought originate and evolve from the fundamental state of thought. The overall process of thought refers to the unfolding development of various thought states starting from this fundamental state.

In the fundamental state of thought, influenced by experiential mental tendencies, we generate an “attachment-force of the mind,” which gives rise to thoughts. We then begin to select and operate upon these thoughts, initiating a continuous stream of thought activity—this is the state of sequential or associative thinking that we now commonly inhabit.

From this we can see that the overall operation of thought can be divided into two stages:

(1) dwelling in the fundamental state of thought, and

(2) utilizing derivative states of thought.

Our current mental condition belongs to a lower-order derivative state of thought, which is characterized by sequential thinking—a continuous progression and transformation of thought moments. This is a high-frequency mode of selective thinking, involving inference, judgment, and evaluation. The primary danger of this state lies in its inability to break the chain of continuity, leading us to become passively governed by it.

The material world in which we live corresponds to the collective mental state shared by beings; it does not change based on individual will and thus possesses a relative objectivity. As a result, the operations of thought begin with perception, then proceed to judgment, and finally to selection and operation. This forms a trajectory from low-frequency to high-frequency operations, from simplicity to complexity.

Perception refers to our awareness and reception of external information. Because this information exists independently, we cannot avoid perceiving it—this stage is inevitable.

Judgment is our habitual and involuntary division of experiences into categories of “good” and “bad.” It is a basic function and characteristic of our current, lower-order mental state.

Selection and operation involve the processing and manipulation of what has been judged—deciding what to embrace or reject.

These three stages—perception, judgment, and operation—are interlinked, and through prolonged repetition they become habitual patterns deeply ingrained within the subconscious. They express themselves automatically and frequently, thus forming major obstacles to spiritual realization (direct verification).

To return to the fundamental state of thought, we do not forcibly suppress the function of “judgment.” Rather, we simply need to recognize that “we are not required to use selective thinking,” and that “selective thinking perpetuates continuity.” This recognition alone allows the subconscious to refrain from engaging with thoughts as willful agents, and instead remain in mere observation without activating volition.

However, many practitioners mistakenly believe that because judgment is problematic, it must be eliminated before one can dwell in the thought essence. They then strive to suppress thoughts, to forcibly stop discerning between good and bad. This is fundamentally mistaken: firstly, it is impossible to completely eliminate judgment; secondly, the effort to do so is already a form of selective thinking—it is to dwell in a concept such as “non-discrimination,” or to fixate on the notion of “no-thought.”

What is actually required is:

1. To understand the laws of thought and the effects of each of its stages upon us.
2. To attentively observe thoughts and the nature of mental activity.

Once these two conditions are fulfilled, the subconscious will spontaneously cease to attach to any specific concept or content—it will operate autonomously without entanglement.

Furthermore, we must distinguish between observing phenomena and experiencing phenomena. To experience is to actively participate in the unfolding of an event; to observe is to refrain from participating and instead remain a detached witness. For example, when eating, one should be fully engaged in the activity, experiencing its process; but when not eating, one can calmly contemplate the act without participation—simply observing without identification.

This kind of detached observation may help us enter the fundamental state of thought, but due to deeply ingrained habits of participation, we cannot instantly become objective observers. Therefore, as described earlier, we must vigilantly observe the arising of thoughts and mental fluctuations, so the subconscious gradually withdraws from participation and returns to pure observation.

Still, vigilance itself is a concept—a form of thought. So even when we seek to dwell directly in the fundamental state, we may first need to temporarily rely on this concept of vigilance. Only later, by releasing even this vigilance, can we truly return to the fundamental state. To dwell in vigilance is still to dwell in content of thought, not in its essence.

Why is it that in daily life we cannot remain in the fundamental state of thought? It is because we live within the framework of sequential thinking. Our bodily existence corresponds to this state—so long as bodily sensations persist, thought continuity cannot be severed. Even when dwelling in the concept of vigilance, it remains a continuity of thought in conceptual form.

Whether bodily sensation is present or not is a key indicator of whether sequential thought has been broken, and therefore, whether one is capable of abiding in the fundamental state of thought.

As long as selective thinking is in use, we are bound to remain within sequential thought, and to be absorbed in content rather than essence. In this condition, at best we can shift within derivative states of thought, but cannot return to the source.

In reversing this process, we begin by reducing the frequency of selective thinking, thereby learning to remain stably with a single object of observation. This is the prerequisite for deeper realization.

Current thought activity tends to proceed from simplicity to complexity. We habitually live in complex sequential thought, where multiple thoughts form interdependent chains in high-frequency mode. A simplified version of this is single-threaded sequential thought, where one idea is repeated or sustained. This is the state of placing the mind in one spot (置心一处). In this state, selective thinking cannot maintain high frequency and remains fixed on a single thought.

If this state is brief, selective thinking resumes quickly, and we fall back into complexity. If prolonged, the selective function fades, and we enter a condition of high absorption—an advanced mental state.

Association is a unique function of the current mental condition. Associated thoughts tend to attract focus and maintain continuity, prolonging the activity of thought. Initially this may be a form of conscious selective attention, but over time it transforms into subconscious selective attention, and eventually into subconscious selective absorption.

-Master Qingliangyue