The Inner Dharmas and Outer Dharmas in the Four Noble Truths of Hinayana Buddhism

The Four Noble Truths, namely suffering, its origin, cessation, and the path, are also divided into internal objects of mind and external objects of mind. The Noble Eightfold Path within the path truth is likewise categorized into internal dharmas and external dharmas. Only after completing the Noble Eightfold Path and fulfilling the Thirty-seven Aids to Enlightenment of the Hinayana tradition can the conditions for severing the view of self be met, after which one may attain fruition. If one's mental conduct does not align with the Noble Eightfold Path, then such conduct is insufficient to be considered that of a sage, and one cannot attain fruition. Within the Noble Eightfold Path, there is Right Concentration, which is divided into the external concentration method of consciousness and the internal concentration method of the mental faculty. Therefore, the mental faculty must necessarily correspond with concentration. Only after stabilizing the mental faculty through concentration can genuine wisdom arise, enabling one to sever the view of self and attain the first fruition. Otherwise, all attainments are merely fake fruits, plastic fruits—they can be seen but cannot be used.