Cultivation of the Seven Factors of Enlightenment

The key to attaining fruition in the Hinayana path lies in the cultivation of the seven factors of enlightenment (seven awakening factors). While the seven factors have been generally explained, individuals may still encounter difficulties in personal practice and realization. Only when conditions ripen in the future, through collective practice in person, can this be perfected, and the attainment of fruition becomes reasonably assured. The process of practice is also the process of the four preliminaries (four applications of mindfulness): the stages of warmth, summit, patience, and worldly supreme. These four stages are an internal processing based on the textual theory. During this processing, corresponding changes will inevitably gradually arise within the mind. This is the process where the meaning of the contemplation practice gradually accords with the internal manas (root mind), and manas gradually accepts and receives it. Of course, consciousness first accepts and receives it, giving rise to conviction (adhimokṣa), which is then transmitted to manas, enabling manas to accept and receive it. Once manas accepts and receives it, body and mind gradually transform, and the seven factors of enlightenment appear one by one. Only after the factor of concentration (samādhi) appears can great wisdom arise, enabling one to relinquish the phenomena of the five aggregates (skandhas) of body and mind, thereby realizing the Dharma, becoming worldly supreme, and attaining the first fruition (srota-āpanna). If body and mind undergo no changes, no transformation, and the seven factors of enlightenment are not accomplished, it is impossible to sever the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi) and attain fruition.

The sign of warmth (uṣmagata): Through textual theory and one's own contemplation and investigation, the sign of warmth appears internally. It is like sparks being struck; one begins to identify with the correct theories, gaining preliminary understanding and interest, desiring to delve deeper into their meaning.

Summit (mūrdhan): The understanding of the theory reaches a certain degree and height. One comprehends and understands the emptiness (śūnyatā) of the five aggregates of body and mind, reaching the summit of understanding regarding the five aggregates. At this stage, it is entirely the understanding and conviction of consciousness; it has not yet reached manas. Therefore, the mind is still agitated and cannot abide stably in the understanding of the emptiness of the five aggregates. It is a stage where one can advance or regress.

At this stage, some individuals may experience intense internal resistance, mental agitation, and fluctuating emotions. Some may feel extremely distressed, perhaps experiencing inexplicable irritability and low mood. After passing through this stage, emotions return to normal, and one enters the next stage. Not only does consciousness abide patiently in emptiness, but manas also becomes patient and abides. One then continues to investigate deeply why the five aggregates are empty and unreal.

The third stage is patience (kṣānti). Patience means abiding, abiding in the meaning of emptiness, patiently accepting the impermanence (anitya) of the five aggregates, but this is not yet true realization. Because the evidence is still insufficient, and the internal evaluation is still inadequate, one cannot truly confirm this principle. The mind is simply no longer agitated and becomes relatively settled. One also strives to find evidence, diligently observing the true nature of the five aggregates of body and mind through direct perception (pratyakṣa). At this time, the bodily and mental feelings become increasingly tranquil and joyful, meditation (dhyāna) improves, wisdom becomes deeper, subtler, and more acute, and the notion of emptiness becomes increasingly firm. However, one still cannot abide in equanimity (upekṣā); the factor of equanimity has not yet arisen within the mind.

When the factor of equanimity (upekṣā) is accomplished, one relinquishes the internal notions and thoughts of "I". The mind becomes empty. The concept of the five aggregates being empty and impermanent is firmly established, the evidence is complete, and the mind fully identifies with and confirms the emptiness and selflessness (anātman) of the five aggregates. The fourth stage, worldly supreme (laukikāgra-dharma), is accomplished, severing the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi), and one attains the first fruition (srota-āpanna).

During the process of contemplation, body and mind continuously undergo changes. Why do changes occur? It is because, through the conviction (adhimokṣa) of consciousness, manas gradually gains some understanding. This contradicts previous views, gradually overturning former cognitions. When manas discovers a "new continent," it prompts corresponding changes and reactions in body and mind. Therefore, severing the view of self and realizing the selflessness of the five aggregates must be attained by manas.

The phenomena of clarity (prajñā) and awareness (saṃprajanya) that appear after severing the view of self, along with the phenomena of varying degrees of tranquility (praśrabdhi) and joy (prīti) in body and mind, are brought about by manas; they are the reactions of manas upon body and mind. Consciousness cannot cause reactions in body and mind; it cannot make body and mind experience feelings of tranquility and joy. Therefore, severing the view of self must mean that manas has severed the view of self; the view of self in consciousness was, of course, already severed earlier.

If the phenomena of tranquility, joy, clarity, and awareness do not appear, yet one still considers the five aggregates to be selfless, this is consciousness severing the view of self; it has not yet penetrated deep into manas. When manas first cognizes this principle, phenomena of resistance and irritability may appear, manifesting to different degrees of severity. Individuals with good roots from past lives, or those who have previously contemplated the five aggregates, will not experience these irritable emotions or resistance; they directly experience a joyful state of mind.

What is called genuine practice? This is genuine practice. Without these stages and processes, one cannot claim to have truly severed the view of self. After truly severing the view of self, body and mind must transform, mental conduct must change, the nature of a saint (ārya) must appear, and the mind must be empty. How could there still be such severe afflictions (kleśa)? How could so many chaotic phenomena still appear? It is impossible. When the mind is empty, one no longer wishes to create unnecessary actions; there is a preliminary accord with the unconditioned (asaṃskṛta). How could so many chaotic events occur, let alone the emergence of so many unwholesome deeds? It is fundamentally impossible.