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

Chapter Twelve: Miscellaneous Discussions

I. What Does "Love Anuśaya" Mean

"Love anuśaya" and "affliction anuśaya" refer to latent tendencies. Literally, "anuśaya" means "accompanying sleep," signifying that which is hidden, operates in the background, or accompanies. Within the activities of the five aggregates, love and afflictions accompany one constantly and everywhere. At critical moments, love and afflictions manifest actively, leading to the emergence of defiled karma. Defiled seeds accumulate, giving rise to future suffering.

With the presence of love anuśaya and affliction anuśaya, the mind is obscured and cannot perceive the true principle. Due to ignorance, the light of wisdom is obstructed. Therefore, even a trace of affliction is ignorance; the mind is not clear, it is dark, and the light of wisdom does not manifest. To eradicate love is to eradicate suffering. Heavy love leads to rebirth in the Sahā world with heavy suffering; light love leads to rebirth in the heavenly realms with light suffering; the absence of love is present bliss.

II. Phenomena After Diligent Practice

After diligent and correct practice, with the right direction, one will benefit: desires lessen, attachments and afflictions decrease, and there will be certain transformations in body and mind. Knowing the impermanence, emptiness, and selflessness of the world, material desires fade, attachment to material form diminishes, and greed decreases. As long as material desires are few and one does not crave enjoyment, living in this world requires little wealth or material goods. Those accustomed to depending on worldly materials inevitably have intense greed, demanding much money and material things; even striving desperately to earn money, they still feel it is insufficient. Sufficiency or insufficiency lies in the mind, not in the amount of material wealth or money. Only by knowing contentment can one find peace and happiness.

After diligent practice yields results, one may encounter adverse conditions (逆缘, nìyuán), which greatly aid in eliminating karmic obstacles and obscurations. The Diamond Sūtra states: "Because people despise him, the karmic obstacles from his past lives are eradicated." After embarking on the path of practice, one may attract some adverse conditions. These adverse conditions also serve as supporting conditions (增上缘, zēngshàng yuán) for practice. Adverse conditions can eliminate a practitioner's karmic offenses; at the small cost of being despised, major karmic offenses can be extinguished. Therefore, one should joyfully accept adverse conditions. Sometimes, even when you have done nothing wrong, someone may frame or slander you. If you can endure silently, the adverse condition will pass, and the karmic obstacle will be eliminated. If you cannot endure and retaliate, you will not only create new karma but also fail to eliminate the old karma. Thus, the Buddha taught that forbearance is virtue, meritorious, and increases blessings and wisdom. Treating the situation well can aid the path.

III. The Difference Between the Enlightenment Factor of Equanimity (舍觉支) and Action of Abandoning (行捨)

The enlightenment factor of equanimity (舍觉支, shě juézhī) is the last of the seven factors of enlightenment. The seven factors are: mindfulness, investigation of dharmas, energy, joy, tranquility, concentration, and equanimity. Equanimity means abandoning all burdens and encumbrances of body and mind, whether good or bad, painful or pleasant; all sensations are relinquished, and the mind is pure and non-active (无为, wúwéi).

The action of abandoning (行捨, xíng shě), also called non-harming (不害, bùhài), means abandoning unwholesome actions and conduct. For example, previously wanting to take revenge on someone, now abandoning the intention to retaliate; previously being jealous of someone and wanting to harm them, now no longer jealous and no longer wanting to harm, abandoning evil actions, resulting in a pure mind, or abiding in goodness. However, one may not necessarily abandon the accompanying feelings; there might still be joy, lightness, or other sensations, which differs from the enlightenment factor of equanimity.

IV. Both Impermanent Phenomena and Permanent Phenomena Are Suffering

All phenomena are impermanent; emotions are also impermanent, having stages of arising, abiding, changing, and ceasing. Whether good or bad, nothing lasts forever or remains permanent. If the emotions of joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure arising from the afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion could last forever unchanged, consider what would happen to sentient beings? The result would be mental collapse and ultimately death. Even if non-afflictive joy and pleasure were to remain permanently unchanged, such a person would not attain deep meditative absorption (禅定, chándìng).

The impermanent nature of the world is suitable for the survival of sentient beings. If phenomena were to become permanent, sentient beings could not endure it. Although impermanent phenomena cause suffering, permanent phenomena would also cause suffering. Therefore, the world itself is suffering.

V. The Meaning of the Formation Aggregate (行阴)

All phenomena that are changing, flowing, and not static belong to the formation aggregate (行阴, xíng yīn) or formation skandha (行蕴, xíng yùn). This includes both physical and mental aspects, but physical movement is actually caused by mental consciousness. If the mind-consciousness does not move, the body cannot move. The transmission of the perceived aspect (相分, xiàngfēn) is also movement; the arising, abiding, changing, and ceasing of sense objects are caused by the movement of consciousness. The unceasing flow of thoughts in the mind-consciousness and all mental activities belong to the consciousness aggregate (识阴, shí yīn). If these changing phenomena obscure one's ability to cognize according to principle and Dharma, to discern the true nature, and one only recognizes the moving aspect of formations, then these changes are the formation aggregate. If the emphasis is solely on the functioning or activity of phenomena, it is called the formation skandha.

VI. When Can Affectionate Attachment Be Severed?

First, one must understand and eradicate the view of self (身见, shēnjiàn) regarding the body, then break self-attachment (我执, wǒzhí), and only afterward can affectionate attachment (情执, qíngzhí) be severed. Affectionate attachment is gradually eliminated after self-attachment is broken; it is extremely difficult. Greed arises first, followed by affectionate attachment. Greed can be completely eradicated upon attaining the third fruit of Stream-Entry (三果, sānguǒ), but affectionate attachment can only be completely severed between the first and second immeasurable eons (无量劫, wúliàng jié). This is because greed is coarse and easier to sever, while affection is subtle and particularly difficult to sever.

VII. What Is the Meaning of the Existence of This Illusory World?

The existence of this illusory world is not manipulated by humans; it is the inevitable result of the karmic conditions of sentient beings. Therefore, it is meaningless to discuss whether it has meaning or not. Because sentient beings have karmic seeds for the three realms, as long as these karmic seeds are not eliminated, the illusory world will continuously appear, allowing sentient beings to actualize their karmic seeds and experience karmic retribution. Buddhists can utilize this illusory world for practice.

Sentient beings clearly face nothing but electrical signals, yet they interpret a colorful and splendid world of the six dusts (六尘, liùchén). Those electrical signals are also not truly existent; they are illusions conjured by unseen and intangible seeds. In reality, there is nothing in the world, nor is there a world. Sentient beings have the disease of cataracts (翳病, yìbìng - metaphor for ignorance), yet forcefully differentiate a world and all phenomena within it. The world and all phenomena within it have meaning if you think they do, and no meaning if you think they don't. Phenomena have no mind, objects have no mind, scenes have no mind, the world has no mind. It is sentient beings who have minds; they assign meaning to scenes, and thus scenes have meaning; they assign meaning to the world, and thus the world has meaning. If you have no mind, there is no world; if you have a mind, there are all phenomena.

VIII. Letting Go of Attachments Is Letting Go of Self

In the Buddha Dharma, there is a teaching on "wrongful ascetic vows" (禁取戒, jìnqǔ jiè), which are precepts established by non-Buddhists that are unreasonable and cannot lead to liberation. Buddhist disciples are not permitted to grasp onto or uphold them. Therefore, in Buddhist practice aiming to eradicate the view of self, one must discard the wrongful ascetic vows of non-Buddhists and not uphold those precepts. Only then can one correctly and properly uphold the Buddhist precepts and eradicate the view of self. Thus, we also need not persistently cling to past meaningless vows and evil aspirations, wasting energy and mental effort in vain. Where there is attachment, there is birth and death; there is no liberation. To be a Bodhisattva requires great wisdom. The great wisdom of a Bodhisattva far exceeds that of all worldly elites. Bodhisattvas do not waste time or energy on matters that bring no benefit to sentient beings; they only do what is beneficial, or greatly beneficial, doing the most important things.

Let go of unnecessary concerns about face in front of others; this is letting go of a kind of self. Be indifferent to others' meaningless evaluations and opinions of oneself, because fundamentally there is no self, so why care about unreasonable evaluations? As long as one does what is right, as long as one does what benefits others, as long as one does not waste time, as long as one lives up to the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and sentient beings, then anything goes. Persisting in an unreasonable attachment, being inflexible, is foolishness. As long as there is attachment, Māra (波旬, Pōxún) will exploit this mentality to make you do foolish things. Without a grasping mind, one cannot be exploited; no one can take advantage of you, and thus there will be no evil results. The Buddha always taught Bodhisattvas not to care about false fame and reputation; whether criticized or praised, the mind should not waver, only adhere to the truth.

Adjust your practice goals correctly and head directly towards them, without paying attention to unnecessary matters; the gain is not worth the loss. Use wisdom, not emotion. Do not fear being seen as a failure in others' eyes; success and failure in worldly affairs are both illusory and false appearances. Failure in the mundane world often makes success in the Buddha Dharma easier. Do not consider your unnecessary image in others' minds; that is a self. Only by extinguishing all kinds of selves can one truly be said to have eradicated the view of self.

IX. Past Present Causes and Effects Sūtra, Volume Three

Original Text: At that time, the Prince (Siddhartha) asked: "I now understand what you have said about the root of birth and death. By what expedient means can it be severed?" The sage replied: "If you wish to sever this root of birth and death, you must first leave home, observe the precepts, cultivate humility and forbearance, dwell in a secluded place, and practice meditation. Depart from sensual desires and unwholesome states. With applied thought and sustained thought, attain the first dhyāna. Eliminating applied and sustained thought, with joy born of concentration, attain the second dhyāna. Abandoning joy, with correct mindfulness and experiencing happiness with the body, attain the third dhyāna. Abandoning pleasure and pain, with pure mindfulness and equanimity, attain the fourth dhyāna, obtaining the fruit of the sphere of nothingness (无想报, wúxiǎng bào). Another teacher said that this state is called liberation." Upon emerging from that concentration, one then realizes it is not the state of liberation. Departing from perception of form, enter the sphere of infinite space. Eliminating perception of resistance, enter the sphere of infinite consciousness. Eliminating perception of infinite consciousness, observe only a single consciousness, enter the sphere of nothingness. Departing from all perceptions, enter the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception. This state is called ultimate liberation, the other shore for all practitioners. Prince, if you wish to sever the suffering of birth, old age, sickness, and death, you should cultivate and learn such practices."

Explanation: Prince Siddhartha asked what expedient means could sever the root of birth and death. The sage replied that one must first leave home, observe precepts, cultivate forbearance, dwell in solitude, and practice meditation. Entering the first dhyāna means departing from unwholesome states of the desire realm, with applied and sustained thought. Entering the second dhyāna is without applied and sustained thought, with joy born of concentration. Entering the third dhyāna is abandoning joy, attaining correct mindfulness and possessing the faculty of bliss. Entering the fourth dhyāna, eliminating feelings of pleasure and pain, attaining pure mindfulness, entering equanimity, and obtaining the fruit of the sphere of nothingness. The other sage said that reaching the sphere of nothingness is liberation, but it is not. After emerging from the concentration of nothingness, one knows this is not the state of liberation.

The sage continued: Departing from perception of the form realm, enter the formless sphere of infinite space. Eliminating perception of resistance, enter the sphere of infinite consciousness. Eliminating perception of infinite consciousness, observe only a single consciousness, enter the sphere of nothingness. Departing from all perceptions, enter the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception. This is the state of ultimate liberation, the other shore all practitioners seek to reach. Prince, if you wish to sever the afflictions of birth, old age, sickness, and death, you should cultivate and learn accordingly.

Original Text: At that time, the Prince, hearing the sage's words, felt no joy. He thought to himself: "His knowledge and view are not the ultimate state; it is not the permanent severance of all bonds and afflictions." He then said: "There is something in the Dharma you have expounded that I do not yet understand; I wish to ask now." The sage replied: "I respectfully await your question." The Prince asked: "In the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, is there a self, or is there no self? If you say there is no self, it should not be called 'neither perception nor non-perception.' If you say there is a self, is this self conscious, or unconscious? If it is unconscious, it is like wood or stone. If it is conscious, then there is grasping. Since there is grasping, there is defilement. Because there is defilement, it is not liberation. You have exhausted the coarse bonds but are unaware that subtle bonds still remain. Because of this, you consider it the ultimate state. When the subtle bonds grow, one will again receive an inferior rebirth. Therefore, I know this is not crossing to the other shore. If one can eliminate the self and the notion of self, abandon everything, this is then called true liberation." The sage remained silent, thinking to himself: "The Prince's words are exceedingly profound."

Explanation: Hearing the sage's words, the Prince felt no joy. He thought that what the sage spoke of was not the ultimate state of liberation, not the method to permanently sever the bonds of affliction. He then said: There is something I don't understand in your teaching; now I wish to ask: In the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, is there a self or not? If there is no self, it should not be called the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception. If there is a self, is this self conscious or unconscious? If it is unconscious, it is like wood or stone. If it is conscious, then there is grasping; since there is grasping, there is defilement; with defilement, there is no liberation.

Although one may have severed the coarse bonds, one is unaware that subtle bonds still remain, hence considering the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception to be ultimate. However, when the subtle bonds grow, one will again receive an inferior rebirth. Therefore, this cannot cross the shore of birth and death. If one can eliminate the self and the notion of self, abandon all phenomena, then it is called true liberation. The sage fell silent, thinking to himself: What the Prince said is extremely profound.

The sage pointed to the path of Nirvāṇa, but this path was not the path to Nirvāṇa, because the path contained only precepts and concentration, without the wisdom of liberation. Having concentration without wisdom is the path of non-Buddhists; one does not attain liberation. Liberation is the liberation of the mind without self; only with the wisdom of selflessness can one attain liberation. Liberation is the permanent and complete severance of all bonds and afflictions without remainder. It is not merely having theoretical knowledge and views of liberation while afflictions still exist, and then calling it liberation. Therefore, in practice, if one's afflictions remain unchanged as before, yet one prides oneself on theoretical knowledge and views and looks down on others, one is actually an ordinary being full of afflictions. Thus, it is also said that both at the beginning and the end of practice, the essential point is to break the ignorant view of self and eradicate afflictions. It is not merely obtaining theoretical knowledge and views that can be called learning the Buddha Dharma. Where there is wisdom, there is no ignorance; where there is no ignorance, there are no afflictions. Where there are afflictions, there is ignorance; where there is ignorance, there is no wisdom. Without wisdom, one remains in birth and death without liberation. Therefore, the measure of one's practice lies in the degree to which ignorance and afflictions have diminished.