Selected Lectures on the Yogacarabhumi

There are again three courses of defilements that cause sentient beings to revolve in the cycle of birth and death. The first is called the initial course of defilements, which arises from the aspiration and craving for superior objects of desire. The second is called the second course of defilements, which arises from the aspiration and craving for superior states within the form and formless realms. The third is called the third course of defilements, which arises from the aspiration and craving for perverted liberation.

Explanation: Furthermore, there are three kinds of practices oriented toward defilements that cause sentient beings to revolve in the cycle of birth and death. The first is when sentient beings, due to their wholesome desire for the Dharma, become bound by this wholesome desire and thus cannot transcend the three realms. They will inevitably pursue the Buddha Dharma life after life within the three realms until attaining Buddhahood. This is the wholesome desire of great-minded bodhisattvas. However, since they do not transcend the three realms, they still experience the sufferings within them, including subtle afflictions. This constitutes the first course of defilements.

The second occurs when sentient beings develop an aspiration and craving for the superior karmic retribution within the form and formless realms, thereby becoming bound to the cycle of birth and death and failing to attain liberation. Beings in the form and formless realms possess states superior to those in the desire realm, enjoying exceptional karmic rewards. Yet, because sentient beings crave these superior rewards of the form and formless realms, seek the meditative concentrations of these realms, and desire the blissful enjoyments there, they become bound by the karmic retribution of these realms and cannot transcend the three realms. Thus, they remain subject to the sufferings of birth and death within the three realms. This is the second course of defilements pursued by sentient beings.

The third arises when sentient beings develop an aspiration for perverted liberation. Due to erroneous views and improper methods of practice, not only do they fail to attain liberation, but they sink deeper into the abyss of birth and death. Although they possess the desire for liberation, they do not encounter the true Dharma of liberation. Instead, they encounter non-Buddhist paths and practice according to external teachings, seeking liberation through improper methods. Consequently, they become bound by the wrong views of non-Buddhist paths and fail to attain liberation. This is the third course of defilements.

Whether the aspiration is directed toward the true Dharma or toward erroneous teachings, the ultimate aspiration originates from the mental faculty. Initially, it arises through contact with these two kinds of teachings by the consciousness, gradually influencing the mental faculty. Only then do beings begin to diligently cultivate either the true Dharma or erroneous teachings, ultimately leading either to liberation or to deeper bondage within the cycle of birth and death.