Observing the Five Aggregates to Cut Through the View of Self (Part 2)

Chapter Five: Arhat and Liberation 

I. What is Liberation?

Liberation means departing from all afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion; liberation means having no attachment or bondage to form, sound, smell, taste, touch, or dharmas, neither greedy nor hateful, neither joyful nor sorrowful; liberation means having no attachment or bondage to all people, matters, and principles, neither greedy nor hateful, neither joyful nor sorrowful, treating what is present or absent as the same; liberation means responding to food, clothing, shelter, necessities, and travel according to conditions without seeking, free from a greedy heart; liberation means living in the world, knowing contentment and taking things as they come, without unrealistic desires; liberation means neither dwelling on the past nor fantasizing about the future, nor abiding in the present, with thoughts flowing without lingering; liberation means the mind does not cling to any person, matter, or principle, clearly understanding their nature as suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and non-self, understanding their origins and outcomes, understanding their illusory and ungraspable nature; liberation means the mind is empty regarding all dharmas, free and unobstructed.

II. Liberation and Freedom

The purpose of cultivating all dharmas is to see through the emptiness, falsity, and middle-way nature of all dharmas, thereby enabling one's own mind to attain wisdom. This allows the mind to be empty and unobstructed regarding all realms, gaining meritorious virtues and beneficial uses, thus liberating oneself from worldly afflictions.

Someone might ask: What is the use of liberation? Liberation has no use; it means not using or clinging to anything, that is liberation. Liberation is freedom from bondage. Liberation is without suffering, like a bird freed from a cage, soaring freely; like a fierce tiger freed from a trap, wandering freely up and down the mountains; like a wild horse freed from reins, galloping freely across the vast land. Another might ask: What is the use of freedom? Freedom also has no use; not needing anything is freedom. Freedom is merely a feeling of being unbound by self, or even without any feeling, for having feeling is not true freedom. Therefore, having no use is best; why seek use? What use is there in seeking use? Usefulness is all burden and bondage, all suffering.

To seek liberation without self, one should ask oneself daily: What is the use of my eating? Then answer: Eating is for the existence of the physical body. Then ask: What is the use of the physical body existing? Answer: The physical body exists for living. Then ask: What is the use of living? … Question relentlessly, dig to the root, never easily letting oneself off. Afterwards, it becomes a matter of the wise seeing wisdom and the benevolent seeing benevolence; each expresses their own view, realms become distinctly clear, thoughts leap onto paper, differences naturally appear. Through introspection and reflection, one gradually enters the path of cultivation. Asking oneself like this daily, one day enlightenment will dawn, no longer greedy or attached, but comfortable, free, and liberated, without worries or afflictions. Finally, one will transcend the mundane world, becoming detached and free.

III. What is the Mindset of a Liberated Person?

Liberation is the severing of afflictions, the emptiness of mind without self, neither grasping nor clinging to the five aggregates or the eighteen realms. Not clinging to the aggregate of form, not clinging to the aggregate of feeling, not clinging to the aggregate of perception, not clinging to the aggregate of mental formations, not clinging to the aggregate of consciousness, not clinging to form, not clinging to sound, not clinging to smell, not clinging to taste, not clinging to touch, not clinging to dharmas, not clinging to wealth, sex, fame, food, or sleep, not clinging to reputation and gain, not greedy for worldly dharmas, responding to things according to conditions, without utilitarian intent, without a calculating mind, seeking no return, not acting for power or fame. Neither fawning on the powerful nor being arrogant; neither striving for novelty or forcefully seizing, nor fond of displaying oneself; neither deceitful nor scheming, with no mental engagement in any dharma, unbound by worldly dharmas. Because the world of the five aggregates is ultimately empty, there is nothing to bind or obstruct; grasping or not grasping are both ultimately ungraspable, shackles do not touch the mind, freedom is unobstructed.

IV. Why is the Liberation Realization of the Fourth-Fruit Arhat Equivalent to that of an Eighth-Ground Bodhisattva?

The Hinayana fourth-fruit Arhat can enter the remainderless nirvana. In the Mahayana, starting from the first-ground Bodhisattva, they are third-fruit saints who have severed afflictions. Although ground-level Bodhisattvas can enter the correct position of liberation and attain the fourth fruit, if they attain it at life's end, they would enter the remainderless nirvana. The Buddha does not permit Bodhisattvas to attain the fourth fruit or enter the correct position of liberation until the seventh ground is fully realized, when they attain the fourth fruit and enter the eighth-ground Bodhisattva stage. Bodhisattvas of the eighth ground and above will no longer enter the remainderless nirvana. Therefore, in terms of the realization of liberation, the fourth fruit and the eighth-ground Bodhisattva have equivalent liberation realization. Even at the full realization of the first ground, one cannot attain the fourth fruit; otherwise, it violates the Buddha's precepts and incurs his rebuke. The Buddha also protects Bodhisattvas from attaining the fourth-fruit stage.

V. The Practice of Arhats and Pratyekabuddhas is to Abandon the Five Aggregates and Attain Nirvana

The practice of the Arhats based on the Four Noble Truths and the Pratyekabuddhas based on the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination is a practice of subtraction and abandonment, gradually relinquishing the world of the five aggregates. Because they have dharmas, things, and the five aggregates in their minds, they continuously reduce them in practice, including continuously diminishing mental activities and karma, abandoning greed and all afflictions, finally attaining nirvana. Arhats believe there truly are the three realms, the five aggregates body, suffering, and cause and effect, hence they resolve to abandon all this and transcend the three realms. This mind of grasping and abandoning becomes skillful artifice, thus it is not the supreme or truest practice, although it is a necessary path for every practitioner.

However, practice is divided into levels and stages. First, one must abandon evil and embrace good. After the mind becomes good, one neither grasps evil nor good, neither grasping nor abandoning, abiding in the middle way. Bodhisattvas know that all dharmas are manifestations of the Tathagatagarbha; with nothing in mind, there is nothing to abandon. They neither grasp nor abandon any dharma, neither greedy nor averse, facing everything calmly and liberating beings with ease. Therefore, they absolutely do not wish to leave the three realms to attain nirvana.

VI. The Arhat Entering Remainderless Nirvana is "Extinguishing the Body and Annihilating Wisdom," Not "Utter Despair"

After an Arhat enters the remainderless nirvana, their worldly dharmas of the three realms disappear. Precisely speaking, within the three realms, the Arhat as a person no longer exists. The three realms — the desire realm, form realm, and formless realm — are called the receptacle world, containing an immense number of form dharmas. If an Arhat enters the remainderless nirvana, not only do the form dharmas corresponding to the seven consciousnesses — such as the realm of perceived substance, the realm of inherent nature, and the realm of mere images — cease to arise, but the form dharmas corresponding to their eighth consciousness, the realm of fundamental substance, also cease to arise. Without the realm of fundamental substance, there is no realm of perceived substance, realm of mere images, or realm of inherent nature. These realms are the karmically manifested dependent retribution worldly dharmas, while the direct retribution is the five aggregates body.

"Utter despair" applies to worldly ordinary people. Saints have no mind, no thoughts, no vows, no hopes; thus, "despair" or "utter despair" does not apply. An Arhat cannot be utterly despairing like a worldly person. "Utter despair" means having many hopes and wishes that cannot be fulfilled, leading to great disappointment, resulting in having no thoughts or ideas left in the world. However, the mental faculty (manas) still has many unextinguished thoughts and wishes; they are simply unattainable. The Arhat, however, undergoes "extinguishing the body and annihilating wisdom." The original text means placing no hopes whatsoever on the world of the five aggregates, hence there is no need for the five aggregates body or the wisdom of liberation; both body and mind are relinquished. The Buddha used the term "extinguishing the body and annihilating wisdom" to describe the Arhat's folly. "Extinguishing the body" means extinguishing the present five aggregates body and the five aggregates bodies of infinite kalpas in future lives, abandoning them. "Annihilating wisdom" means annihilating the wisdom of liberation within the three realms, signifying that the Arhat abandons both body and mind, calling it liberation, calling it quiescence.

What, then, is true liberation? It is facing all realms as if there were no realms — without desire or seeking, seeing without really seeing, hearing without really hearing, with no mental engagement, neither initiating nor avoiding, untainted, uncontaminated, supremely free. The Buddha is thus free and liberated. He is not hindered by having a five aggregates body as liberation form, nor by having the seven consciousness minds transformed into wisdom. Body and wisdom both exist, accompanying each other inseparably; no heavenly demon or external path can do anything about it. This is the Buddha's non-abiding nirvana realm, abiding in no dharma whatsoever, inactive like the undefiled consciousness, inactive like Suchness, yet not hindering activity. Like the Great Perfect Mirror Wisdom, it is active yet inactive; activity and inactivity are fused into one, inseparable. This realm is unparalleled; therefore, the realms of sentient beings cannot compare to the Buddha's realm.

VII. What Karmic Seeds are in the Arhat's Eighth Consciousness Mind-Substance?

While in the remainder nirvana, an Arhat lives according to conditions, not clinging to any dharma of the five aggregates world, with a mind empty and without self. The karmic seeds of the three realms' worldly dharmas gradually disappear. Because there are no more karmic seeds for the three realms, there will be no three realms in future lives, nor will a five aggregates body be born into the three realms. If there were still karmic seeds of the three realms in an Arhat's eighth consciousness, the seeds would necessarily manifest to repay karmic actions, and thus there would be no state of remainderless nirvana.

However, after an Arhat enters the remainderless nirvana, they will eventually reappear in the three realms. This is because before entering nirvana, all Arhats have heard the Mahayana Dharma and planted Mahayana Dharma seeds. When these seeds mature, the eighth consciousness will output the consciousness seeds of the mental faculty (manas), giving rise to the mental faculty, entering the intermediate state (antarābhava), and taking rebirth again to study the Mahayana. Karmic seeds correspond to the mental faculty; the mental faculty corresponds to karmic seeds. If the mental faculty does not grasp the three realms, it cannot retain worldly karmic seeds. If there is grasping, it will continue to create good and evil karma; karmic seeds remain, and in future lives, one will continue to take rebirth according to these seeds. If the mental faculty does not grasp, the six consciousnesses create no karma; thus, there are no karmic seeds, and one does not undergo karmic retribution.

VIII. What is Entering the Stream?

Entering the stream means entering the stream of the noble path of liberation. Liberation first requires severing the self-view and wrong views that bind one to birth and death. From then on, one is no longer an ordinary person bound by the three fetters. In the process of entering the stream, meditative concentration (dhyāna) is indispensable. One must possess at least the desire-realm "dhyāna before reaching the ground" (anāgamya-samādhi) or higher to sever self-view and enter the noble path stream. Merely having dhyāna concentration, even the first dhyāna, without severing the three fetters of self-view, one cannot enter the noble path stream. Otherwise, external path practitioners with the four dhyānas and eight samāpattis would all enter the noble path stream. Wouldn't that mean practicing the external path's four dhyānas and eight samāpattis could also lead to liberation? Once the three fetters are severed, one enters the noble path stream; it is not that one gains the ability to sever them after entering.

IX. Is the Buddha's Nirvana the Extinction of All Dharmas?

The Buddha's nirvana is fundamentally different from an Arhat's nirvana. After the Buddha's nirvana, he still manifests countless five aggregates bodies to liberate sentient beings throughout the ten directions. Therefore, the Buddha called the five aggregates body "liberation form." When the Buddha's karmic connection to liberate beings in one world is temporarily exhausted, he extinguishes the form body, expediently calling it nirvana. For example, Śākyamuni Buddha attained nirvana in the Sahā world, his form body temporarily departing and extinguishing. Yet, Śākyamuni Buddha remains the Dharma King, leader, and teacher of the Sahā world; sentient beings in the Sahā world still belong to his disciples. Simultaneously, Śākyamuni Buddha manifests immeasurable, boundless five aggregates bodies, teaching sentient beings throughout the ten directions. After Arhats enter nirvana, they will no longer have a form body or five aggregates. Therefore, Arhats have no "liberation form" after nirvana; their nirvana is not ultimately free, their liberation is incomplete.

The Buddha has the five aggregates yet is liberated. His liberation form can be seen by the naked eyes of sentient beings, unbound by any worldly dharma. Sentient beings also have the five aggregates but are bound by worldly dharmas, hence not liberated. When the mind is liberated, the form body is liberated; all five aggregates are liberated. Therefore, liberation does not necessarily mean extinguishing the form body and five aggregates, but rather extinguishing improper mental thoughts and views, transforming mental thoughts into proper and true knowledge and insight. Then one is liberated.

X. The Way of Conduct in the World

Everyone's eyes are like this: a white ping-pong ball inlaid with a cat's eye, merely a mechanical device — do not take it seriously. If someone looks at you with affection, it's just the ping-pong ball leaking water, flowing out from the cat's eye — it's fine, it won't form a great river to drown you, nor will it topple mountains and sweep you away; ignore it. If someone casts flirtatious glances at you, it's just the ping-pong ball emitting light, projected from the cat's eye — also ignore it; natural light is warmer than this. If someone glares at you angrily, it's just the ping-pong ball catching fire, flaring out from the cat's eye — don't be afraid, it won't burn you, nor will it become a raging wildfire; ignoring it will let it naturally extinguish.

Loving me or hating me has nothing to do with me; I remain leisurely and free. Regard everything lightly, keep the mind calm as water. I do not cling to appearances; the world is without trouble, heaven and earth naturally broad. When even heaven and earth become invisible, true liberation is attained — how wonderful!

XI. An Arhat Who Has Severed Innate Self-Grasping Will Never Be a Householder

Question: There is a view that states severing innate self-grasping leads to a mind free from attachments — no longer fearing the death of oneself or loved ones, no longer dreading the loss of one's property. This certainly brings great liberation, but is this state suitable for a lay practitioner who does not intend to leave home? If one truly cultivates to this state, it seems many jobs would become impossible, right?

Answer: First, in the Hinayana, someone who has completely severed innate self-grasping is a fourth-fruit great Arhat; in the Mahayana, they are an eighth-ground Bodhisattva. A householder cannot cultivate to become a fourth-fruit great Arhat. A householder can at most cultivate to the third fruit, which is extremely difficult to achieve. A third-fruit person is almost entirely disinterested in worldly dharmas in secular life and will inevitably seek to leave home. Opportunities for leaving home are plentiful, and they have no interest in the household life, finding it unbearable. If they do not leave home, most live according to conditions, but some attachments remain unsevered. Regarding household life and work, they act according to conditions with little clinging.

Mahayana fourth-fruit Arhats are at the eighth-ground Bodhisattva stage. They generally do not come to the Sahā world. Even if they come to this world, they would not lead a secular householder's life — such as working to support a family. This is utterly impossible. Their merit and virtue are immeasurably vast; how could they engage in such lowly matters as doing secular work to make a living? Their work of liberating sentient beings is entirely according to conditions, without the slightest attachment. Why would they stoop to work and support a family? In truth, finding even a first-ground Bodhisattva or a third-fruit person in the Sahā world is exceedingly rare. Ground-level Bodhisattvas generally do not remain householders; they leave home to liberate beings, unless there are so many Bodhisattvas that not all need to leave home to serve as examples for sentient beings.