Contemplating the Five Aggregates and Eliminating the View of Self (Part I) (Second Edition)

Section Two: Different Cultivation Goals of Mahayana and Hinayana

I. The Dharma Realized by the Buddha is Not Dependent Origination and Emptiness

The Twelve Links of Dependent Origination taught by the World-Honored One in the Agama Sutras is the liberation method practiced by Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas. It does not involve the Mahayana Tathagatagarbha Dharma, nor is it the direct method for attaining Buddhahood. Therefore, the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination is not the ultimate method for attaining Buddhahood. The ultimate Buddhadharma does not teach the emptiness of all dharmas as illusory phenomena, but rather elucidates all the meritorious qualities and intrinsic nature of the Tathagatagarbha, which is neither born nor extinguished and is non-empty. After Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas cultivate the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination, they can only realize dependent origination and emptiness, understanding that all dharmas of the five aggregates (skandhas) and the worldly realm arise dependently, relying on the cause of the Tathagatagarbha and the karmic seeds of ignorance for their manifestation. However, they have not yet attained the capability to realize the true reality-mind of Mahayana's Tathagatagarbha, and thus do not possess the wisdom of Mahayana's true reality.

Since all the various conditions upon which the Twelve Links depend are born from the Tathagatagarbha, these conditions are all subject to birth and cessation, impermanent, illusory, and empty in appearance. Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas, realizing this principle, attain liberation and escape the suffering of the cycle of birth and death. However, they have not yet cultivated and realized the Mahayana Dharma. They do not understand the method of attaining Buddhahood through the Tathagatagarbha. Having cultivated and realized only two of the Three Vehicles, they neither understand nor have realized the Supreme Vehicle. Thus, although they leave the Three Realms, the beginningless ignorance (anadi-avidya) and the dust-like ignorance (rajas-avidya) remain unbroken and unsevered; the habitual tendencies of ignorance and the latent defilements (anusaya) have not been eliminated. Therefore, the level of cultivation and realization attained by Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas is still very far from that of a Buddha.

Consequently, what the Buddha realized upon attaining enlightenment could not have been the Two Vehicles' teaching of dependent origination and emptiness, but rather the Supreme Vehicle's Tathagatagarbha Dharma. When the Buddha saw the morning star at night and beheld the Buddha-nature, he saw the truest Buddha-nature; this is the Buddha's stage of seeing the nature. The Buddha's Great Perfect Mirror Wisdom manifested, and the Four Wisdoms became perfectly clear, thus achieving Buddhahood. This is not the shallow Two Vehicles' teaching of dependent origination and emptiness mistakenly understood by worldly people; the two are fundamentally very different. If it were said that the Buddha only realized the Two Vehicles' dependent origination and emptiness, then he could not have taught sentient beings the Mahayana's true Tathagatagarbha method for attaining Buddhahood. This would mean the Buddhadharma is incomplete, possessing a great deficiency, and sentient beings could not obtain the true, ultimate, and supreme benefit. However, in the later period of turning the Dharma Wheel, the Buddha consistently taught sentient beings the Mahayana method for attaining Buddhahood, clearly demonstrating that what he realized upon enlightenment was absolutely not dependent origination and emptiness. Nowadays, sentient beings gravely misunderstand the Buddhadharma; their views are very shallow, treating dependent origination and emptiness as the core and focus of the Dharma, unable to connect it to the source of all dharmas, ignorant of the origin of all dharmas and the source of the world. This is precisely a detrimental deviation in the understanding of the Buddhadharma.

II. Arhats Who Turn from Hinayana to Mahayana

"Small" (Hina) refers to a small mind capacity, rarely considering others or thinking of others' benefit. "Vehicle" (Yana) means a carrying tool, means of transport, or vehicle. Hinayana thus signifies that its Dharma is shallow and non-ultimate, capable of liberating beings of limited capacity and number. Mahayana means a vast mind capacity; cultivation is not solely for oneself but also considers the benefit of vast numbers of sentient beings. Its Dharma is great and profound, capable of liberating limitless beings and being ultimate.

The mindset of Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas is solely to free themselves from suffering and attain liberation, caring for nothing else. They do not consider the suffering of sentient beings, the development of Buddhism, or repaying the Buddha's kindness. Their single-minded focus is on rushing towards the Nirvana Without Remainder (anupadhiśeṣa-nirvāṇa), hoping never to reappear in the Three Realms to endure the suffering of body and mind. Their mind capacity is very narrow, hence they are called Hinayana practitioners. Mahayana Bodhisattvas, however, possess a vast mind capacity. They not only seek the supreme Great Nirvana for their own benefit but also lead all sentient beings out of the great pit of birth and death, directing them towards the supreme Buddha Path to realize the ultimate Nirvana. To achieve Buddhahood and attain ultimate liberation, Hinayana practitioners need to turn their Hinayana mind towards the Mahayana mind, changing course to the broad path of Mahayana's Bodhi, abandoning the narrow, winding path of Hinayana.

Practitioners like Sravakas and Pratyekabuddhas are divided into two types: indeterminate Sravakas/Pratyekabuddhas who can turn their minds towards Mahayana, and determinate Sravakas/Pratyekabuddhas who do not turn towards Mahayana. Indeterminate Sravakas/Pratyekabuddhas who turn towards Mahayana, upon reaching a certain stage where their own minds attain stability and seeing the constant suffering of sentient beings, resolve not to enter the Nirvana Without Remainder for the sake of sentient beings. Or, upon hearing the Buddha expound the Mahayana Dharma's meaning, they develop joy in Mahayana and aspire to seek supreme Bodhi, seeking to realize the mind and see the nature, cultivate the Tathagatagarbha Dharma, no longer choosing to enter the Nirvana Without Remainder but instead remaining in the world to continue cultivation, benefiting self and others.

The turning of Two Vehicles practitioners towards Mahayana can occur at different stages of cultivation – some before attaining the fruit (phala), others after attaining the fruit stage. This depends on the influence of their respective karmic conditions. If a person's mind is not fixated on Hinayana, even if they cultivate the Hinayana Four Noble Truths and attain the Arhat fruit, as long as they do not solely seek personal liberation or wish to hide from suffering by entering the Nirvana Without Remainder, they are not Hinayana practitioners, and thus the issue of "turning from small to great" does not apply. Only Sravakas with a selfish mindset need to turn their small mind towards the great mind, becoming Mahayana Bodhisattvas with a great mind who extensively benefit immeasurable sentient beings.

In the present Dharma-Ending Age, ordinary beings have deep-seated self-view (satkāya-dṛṣṭi) and even heavier self-attachment (ātma-grāha). If they do not first cultivate the Hinayana Four Noble Truths to eliminate self-view, the Mahayana Dharma is also difficult to cultivate well. Without cultivating the Hinayana Dharma to eliminate self-view and directly cultivating Mahayana, such as practicing Chan meditation first, even if they penetrate the secret meaning and realize the Tathagatagarbha, the self-view still does not die out completely or is not thoroughly severed. Because this self-view is not completely extinguished, self-centeredness, selfishness, and arrogance will continue to cause trouble; greed, hatred, and delusion will remain heavy. Consequently, their progress on the Mahayana path will be limited, often resulting in stagnation.

The fruition stages of Mahayana and Hinayana are not sharply separated but are closely connected. If the Hinayana fruition cannot advance, the Mahayana fruition stagnates. Cultivating in this way throughout a lifetime yields little actual benefit. Even if one can eloquently expound principles, the gap between this and actual realization remains vast; it is not the genuine cultivation it superficially appears to be. We beings in this Dharma-Ending Age have heavy karmic obstacles; self-view and view-clinging (dṛṣṭi-parāmarśa) are extremely severe. We must firmly establish the Hinayana foundation, ensuring that the five aggregates "die thoroughly," severed completely without remainder. Only then can the subduing and complete eradication of greed, hatred, and delusion occur swiftly. In this way, one gains great benefit life after life, becoming a Bodhisattva with ease and joy, no longer creating many evil karmas and actions that obstruct one's path, nor causing oneself to endure heavy and great karmic retribution. We must have wisdom, carefully contemplate these principles, and make choices most beneficial to ourselves. Do not despise the practice of the Hinayana Dharma, nor be overly ambitious. We should advance steadily and solidly step by step. Only this is most beneficial for the advancement of our own path.

III. Different Goals of Bodhisattvas and Arhats in Cultivation

The World-Honored One stated in the Agama Sutras that the accumulation of craving is the accumulation of suffering; the cessation of craving is the cessation of suffering; the cessation of suffering is liberation. The prerequisite for extinguishing craving is cultivating the principles of the Four Noble Truths: understanding the Truth of Suffering (duḥkha-satya), eliminating the Truth of the Cause of Suffering (samudaya-satya), and cultivating the Noble Eightfold Path (āryāṣṭāṅgamārga) to extinguish suffering, thereby realizing the Truth of the Cessation of Suffering (nirodha-satya). Realizing the Truth of the Cessation of Suffering is to be a wisdom-liberated one. Liberation comes from severing self-view. Only after self-view is severed can self-attachment be completely eradicated. After severing self-attachment, the mind attains liberation. From then on, one no longer clings to the illusory dharmas of the five-aggregate world, becoming a free person.

After Arhats attain liberation, their minds are free. However, upon death, they completely extinguish all five aggregates, including the mental faculty (manas). Their five-aggregate bodies will not reappear to suffer in the Three Realms in the future; these Arhats vanish from the Three Realms. They can no longer continue to study the Buddhadharma to obtain the Mahayana's profound Prajna wisdom, nor can they use their cultivation to benefit and bring joy to sentient beings, nor can they achieve Buddhahood. They have only attained a temporary and non-ultimate liberation. This is because they lack wisdom, have thin compassion, possess a heavy selfish mind, and lack compassion for the suffering of sentient beings. Therefore, the Buddha called them Hinayana practitioners, scorched sprouts and spoiled seeds.

Bodhisattvas, upon realizing the mind and attaining the Eighth Consciousness (Alaya-vijñāna), simultaneously sever self-view. They know the Eighth Consciousness is true and the five aggregates are false, no longer mistaking the five aggregates for the self. The path they must walk henceforth involves simultaneous cultivation of Mahayana and Hinayana. On the Hinayana path of liberation, they also seek to extinguish craving and attain liberation. However, Bodhisattvas do not permanently extinguish the five-aggregate body and abandon it; instead, they skillfully use the five-aggregate body to study the Buddhadharma while also benefiting sentient beings. From then on, although living in the Three Realms, their minds are free and liberated. Bodhisattvas walk the Mahayana path of cultivation. With heavy compassion, they vow to benefit self and others. Although their minds attain liberation, they never enter final Nirvana (parinirvana). Unlike Arhats who fear the suffering of birth and death and extinguish themselves, ensuring they will not be reborn in the Three Realms – unable to benefit themselves or others – Bodhisattvas, if they were to take Nirvana, would violate the Bodhisattva Precepts, contradict the Bodhisattva's compassionate mind, and disobey the teachings of all Buddhas. Therefore, liberated Bodhisattvas, upon death, must retain a small portion of afflictions related to discursive thought (vicāra-kleśa) unsevered, enabling them to continue taking rebirth in the Three Realms. This is called "retaining afflictions to nurture rebirth" (liu huo run sheng).

IV. Two Types of Liberation: Mahayana and Hinayana

There are two types of liberation: one is the liberation of the Hinayana non-learner saints, the Arhats and Pratyekabuddhas; the other is the liberation of Mahayana Bodhisattvas. Hinayana liberation means having no more greed or attachment to the dharmas of the Three Realms; the ignorance-afflictions (avidyā-kleśa) of greed, hatred, and delusion are completely severed; one is no longer bound by the births and deaths of the Three Realms; one has the ability to extinguish one's own five aggregates and eighteen elements (dhatus) and enter the Nirvana Without Remainder. By cultivating the principles of the Four Noble Truths found in the Four Agamas, realizing the selflessness of the five aggregates, severing self-view and the three fetters (trīṇi saṃyojanāni), then attaining the first dhyāna, further severing craving and self-attachment, one can attain liberation and transcend the cycle of birth and death in the Three Realms.

Middle Vehicle Pratyekabuddhas cultivate the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination, severing ignorance completely, thereby transcending the cycle of birth and death in the Three Realms. After extinguishing themselves, they are not reborn in the Three Realms, thus attaining liberation. Both types of liberation mentioned above are liberations attained by the five aggregates through cultivation; they are not liberations that exist inherently. They are non-ultimate and incomplete liberations. This liberation lacks a "liberation body" (vimukti-kāya) because the physical body is ultimately extinguished. This liberation also does not sever all ignorance; beginningless ignorance remains unbroken, the changeable birth and death (parinamika-cyuti-upapatti) remains unresolved, and the true matter of birth and death is not genuinely settled. Therefore, it is not ultimate liberation.

Mahayana liberation is attained by Bodhisattvas through cultivating the Six Paramitas and practicing Chan meditation to realize the inherently liberated Tathagatagarbha mind. After realizing the mind and seeing the nature (mingxin jianxing), relying on the free and autonomous Tathagatagarbha, the five aggregates can also completely sever the ignorance-afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion, eliminate attachment to the Three Realms, and most importantly, also sever attachment to dharmas (dharma-grāha). Gradually, they attain ultimate liberation while retaining a liberated five-aggregate body life after life to benefit immeasurable sentient beings. Bodhisattvas not only sever all afflictions but also eradicate all habitual tendencies of afflictions; they must completely sever beginningless ignorance and dust-like ignorance (rajas-avidya), and completely sever both the birth and death of the cycle (samsaric birth and death) and the changeable birth and death. Thus, they realize the non-abiding Nirvana (apratiṣṭhita-nirvāṇa) of the Buddha stage, attaining ultimate liberation. This is the true and final ultimate liberation. This liberation possesses a "liberation body" (vimukti-kāya); the Buddha uses this liberation body to manifest countless emanations to extensively liberate those with karmic connections. Upon realizing the Tathagatagarbha and seeing the nature, one knows the Tathagatagarbha is unborn and unceasing, not within the Three Realms, unbound by the births and deaths of the Three Realms, inherently liberated. The five aggregates, relying on the Tathagatagarbha, are also inherently liberated.

V. Sravakas Cannot Realize the True Self, the Eighth Consciousness

Faith is not equivalent to realization. Faith in the Buddha's words is not equivalent to realizing the Buddha's words. Faith in the selflessness of the five aggregates is not equivalent to realizing the selflessness of the five aggregates. Faith that the Eighth Consciousness is the True Self is not equivalent to realizing that the Eighth Consciousness is the True Self. Faith also has levels: a shallow level is the faith of the conscious mind (mano-vijñāna), a deep level is the faith of the mental faculty (manas). Even if the mental faculty has faith, it is still not equivalent to realization. The gap between faith and realization may be large or small, depending on the person who has faith.

Sravakas, because of their faith in the Buddha's words, know there is an indestructible True Self, the Eighth Consciousness. However, due to limitations of their mind capacity, they cannot realize it directly. Once they realize it directly, they become Mahayana path-seeing Bodhisattvas. Sravakas are not equivalent to Bodhisattvas. If Sravakas resolve not to enter the Nirvana Without Remainder, they can be Bodhisattvas of the Common Teaching (Tongjiao), not of the Distinct Teaching (Biejiao). Only after realizing the Eighth Consciousness do they become Bodhisattvas of the Distinct Teaching. When Sravakas hear the Buddha's words, they immediately know there is an Eighth Consciousness that is the True Self, but they do not know more detailed content. They have not actually contemplated and investigated the Eighth Consciousness; they do not know the true relationship between the five aggregates and the Eighth Consciousness, nor how the Eighth Consciousness gives birth to, sustains, and operates the existence of the five aggregates.

After Sravakas have faith in the Buddha's words, they engage in specific and subtle contemplation (guanxing) within meditation (dhyāna) on the impermanent, suffering, empty, and selfless nature of the five aggregates and eighteen elements (dhatus). Finally, they conclude that the five aggregates and eighteen elements are indeed suffering, empty, impermanent, and selfless. Thus, they eliminate the self-view that mistakes the five aggregates for the self, attain the pure Dharma-eye (dharmacakṣuḥ-viśuddhi), and gain the initial meritorious benefit of liberation. Because Sravakas have not actually contemplated the Eighth Consciousness nor have the ability to do so, they cannot reach a definitive conclusion or realization regarding whether the five aggregates *are* the Eighth Consciousness or *are not* the Eighth Consciousness. Only Mahayana Bodhisattvas who have realized the Eighth Consciousness can truly contemplate that the "self" of the five aggregates and eighteen elements is an impermanent, illusory self, definitively not the Eighth Consciousness. Before this realization, it is all based on faith in the Buddha's words, believing what the Buddha said is true.

When Bodhisattvas realize the patient endurance of the non-arising of dharmas (anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti) and possess the wisdom of the path (mārga-jñāna), they can gradually observe directly and truly that the five aggregates and eighteen elements are also actually the Eighth Consciousness – a part of the Eighth Consciousness's function. They can directly observe how the Eighth Consciousness specifically emits consciousness seeds (vijñāna-bīja) and the seeds of the four great elements (mahābhūta-bīja), how it emits karmic seeds (karma-bīja) forming the continuous function of the five aggregates and eighteen elements. Only then do they gradually realize that all dharmas are the Eighth Consciousness, and sentient beings reside within the One True Dharma Realm (ekasatya-dharmadhātu). Before this stage, it is all similar understanding, inference, conjecture, imagination, and faith in the Buddha's words; it cannot be spoken of as direct realization.

Because Sravakas have not actually contemplated the Eighth Consciousness nor realized it directly, they cannot possibly conclude: "The five aggregates and the Eighth Consciousness are neither identical nor different." This is a definitive conclusion only Mahayana Bodhisattvas with direct realization can draw. If a Sravaka could definitively draw this conclusion, they would immediately become a Mahayana Bodhisattva who understands the true meaning (shiyi pusa), becoming a Distinct Teaching Bodhisattva.

Sravakas, through contemplation and investigation, realize that the five aggregates and eighteen elements are empty. This emptiness does not refer to the empty nature of the Eighth Consciousness; Sravakas lack this wisdom. They can only realize the emptiness of destruction and decay, an emptiness that is non-ultimate. Only Mahayana Bodhisattvas can realize that the five aggregates are the empty nature of the Eighth Consciousness, contemplating the entire five aggregates as the empty nature of the Eighth Consciousness. Then they enter the Bodhisattva grounds (bhūmi) possessing the wisdom of consciousness-only (vijñapti-mātra-jñāna); their contemplative wisdom is very deep, and their meditation is also very profound.

Without directly realizing the Eighth Consciousness, one cannot directly observe whether the five aggregates are ultimately the Eighth Consciousness or not; one cannot observe the operation of the Eighth Consciousness within the five-aggregate body; thus, one cannot perceive the relationship of whether the five aggregates are different from the Eighth Consciousness or not. What is imagined is not equivalent to direct realization. What is inferred through reasoning is not equivalent to direct realization. Reciting the Buddha's words based on faith is not equivalent to direct realization.

If one mistakes logical reasoning, inference, etc., for direct realization, at the time of death, the trouble will be immense. At that moment, one will discover: everything is not as one usually imagined or believed it to be. No matter how frantically one struggles then, it will be of no avail. Most terrifyingly, because one no longer believes in the principles previously studied and held, one may give rise to a mind that slanders the Buddhadharma and then fall into the evil destinies.

Even Mahayana Bodhisattvas, primarily cultivating Mahayana, if they have not realized the Mahayana Dharma, also cannot truly observe what the ultimate relationship between the five aggregates and the Eighth Consciousness is, nor how the five aggregates are ultimately related to the Eighth Consciousness in terms of difference or non-difference. Reasoning cannot replace direct realization. Otherwise, worldly people with a little cleverness could all realize the Eighth Consciousness and become Mahayana Bodhisattvas, without needing to take refuge in the Three Jewels, without cultivating precepts, meditation, and wisdom; the Buddha's preliminary practices would all be useless.