Before Negating Parikalpita-svabhāva, the Realization of Paratantra-svabhāva Must Be Attained

Not knowing dependent arising, how can one break free from conceptual attachment? Once one understands dependent arising, attachment gradually diminishes. Knowing the true nature of reality, the force of attachment progressively weakens. Upon realizing dependent arising, one gradually contemplates and observes all phenomena characterized by dependent arising, recognizing them as conceptual proliferation, and thus ceases to be tainted by them. The force of attachment becomes increasingly faint until it is utterly exhausted.

Contemplation after eliminating the view of self remains crucial. Because the mental faculty (manas) has not realized dependent arising, it universally conceptualizes and clings to all phenomena as real, permanent, and indestructible. Mistaking these as genuine, it acts as the master, creating wholesome and unwholesome bodily, verbal, and mental actions. This leaves karmic seeds that result in retribution in future lives, perpetuating the continuous cycle of birth and death.