Why do non-Buddhists, having cultivated the Four Formless Absorptions and attained the psychic power of flight, still give rise to lustful thoughts upon seeing forms, thereby losing their psychic powers? The eradication of lustful desire requires the meditative attainment of the First Dhyāna combined with the realization of the eradication of the view of self; only through the union of these two can one become a Third Fruition (Anāgāmin) and achieve the elimination of lustful desire. Possessing only the First Dhyāna or the Four Dhyānas and Eight Absorptions, or merely eradicating the view of self, is insufficient to eliminate lustful desire. Therefore, although non-Buddhists may possess meditative concentration and psychic powers, they still give rise to lustful thoughts upon seeing forms, after which their meditative concentration and psychic powers completely vanish. This demonstrates that without the wisdom of eradicating the view of self, meditative concentration alone cannot eliminate lustful desire.
It was recorded in ancient scriptures that individuals possessing meditative concentration and psychic powers, upon giving rise to lustful thoughts upon seeing forms, immediately lost their psychic powers and meditative concentration as soon as the thought arose—flying upon arrival but walking back. This occurred because they lacked the merit of attaining the First Fruition (Sotāpanna), possessing only meditative concentration. To eradicate lustful desire, one must eradicate the view of self (attaining the First Fruition) combined with the First Dhyāna; meditative concentration alone is insufficient. Thus, the partial realization and liberating merit of the First Fruition still confer substantial benefits.
Similarly, Devadatta, without having eradicated the view of self, cultivated psychic powers and ascended to the heavens. Upon conceiving the thought of stealing heavenly flowers, his psychic powers instantly vanished, and he fell from the heavens. If, after attaining the First Fruition, one possesses the First Dhyāna and subsequently attains psychic powers, one becomes a Third Fruition (Anāgāmin). Such a person would no longer give rise to unwholesome thoughts, violate precepts, nor lose their psychic powers.
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