The Relationship Between Meditation, Overcoming Afflictions, and Wisdom

Arhats are divided into two types: those liberated through wisdom and those liberated through both wisdom and meditative attainments. Arhats liberated solely through wisdom possess only the first dhyāna (meditative absorption), with their liberation primarily based on wisdom. Arhats liberated through both must attain the four dhyānas and eight samāpattis (meditative attainments), or additionally the samāpatti of cessation (nirodha-samāpatti). An Arhat must eradicate the manifestation of all defilements (kleśa). Without attaining at least the first dhyāna or higher, it is impossible to completely eradicate defilements such as greed, hatred, and conceit. Evidence for this can be found in the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra or the Abhidharmakośa-śāstra.

Regardless of what defilement it is, even the most superficial one, meditative concentration (dhyāna) is necessary to eradicate it. Without meditative concentration, it is impossible to eradicate or subdue even the slightest defilement. To become a candidate for the first fruition (Srotāpanna-phala-pratipannaka), nearing the first fruition, one must eradicate the five grossest grades of defilements in the desire realm. This requires meditative concentration. The deeper the meditative concentration, the more defilements one eradicates. Without the dhyānas of the form realm, it is impossible to completely eradicate the defilements of desire in the desire realm, nor can hatred be completely eradicated. Consequently, one cannot attain the third fruition of Anāgāmin (Non-returner) or the fourth fruition of Arhat. Therefore, in the practice and realization of the Dharma, meditative concentration is extremely important and indispensable. Without meditative concentration, there can be no talk of genuine practice, let alone genuine realization; studying the Buddha Dharma would be as trivial as child's play. Therefore, when someone claims to attain fruition without cultivating concentration, the lack of meditative concentration proves that such a person is still fully bound by all defilements, incapable of eradicating the view of self and attaining fruition; they remain an ordinary person bound by fetters.

The level of fruition attained can be determined based on the degree to which defilements have been eradicated. Attaining fruition is intimately connected to the eradication of defilements and is closely related to meditative concentration. Defilements are ignorance (avidyā). Only by eradicating ignorance can one attain wisdom and liberation. Where there are defilements, there is no wisdom; without meditative concentration, there are defilements and thus no wisdom. The Buddha Dharma is an integrated system of interlocking principles. If the various components are disconnected and cannot be organically fused together – if this teaching is separate from that teaching – it indicates that the Dharma has not been thoroughly understood, the crucial barriers have not been overcome, and there is no genuine realization.