What Does It Mean That a Bodhisattva of the First Bhūmi Permanently Subdues Fundamental Afflictions Like an Arhat?

"Nature" refers to the inherent nature of sentient beings, which is fundamentally the nature of the mind, specifically the mental factors associated with the manas (the seventh consciousness). Precisely because the nature of the manas is unwholesome, it continuously obstructs sentient beings from realizing supreme bodhi (awakening). Therefore, only by eliminating the obstacles inherent in the nature of the manas can one accomplish the Buddha Way.

Bodhisattvas at the First Ground (Prathamabhūmi) begin to gradually eradicate all the afflictive habits of the manas, but they cannot completely eliminate them. While unable to eradicate them entirely, they must subdue certain obstructions of nature (xingzhang) that influence birth and death within the three realms. From another perspective, if the manifest afflictions of the manas were completely severed, it would be like the Fourth Fruit Arhat who has severed all attachment to self, and they would enter Nirvana without residue (anupadhiśeṣa-nirvāṇa), thus failing to accomplish the Buddha Way. The Buddha instructs Bodhisattvas from the First to the Seventh Ground not to enter the correct position of the liberation path, meaning they should not attain the fruition of the Fourth Fruit Arhat, to avoid accidentally entering Nirvana without residue.

Therefore, Bodhisattvas at the First Ground must retain a trace of craving to ensure they can still take birth within the threefold world. However, they cannot retain severe craving; they can only retain a slight, subtle craving. It is sufficient to have a little craving for things like meditative absorption (dhyāna). They may also have craving for the Mahayana Dharma. This means perpetually suppressing the craving of the manas, rather than completely eradicating it, so that they can benefit themselves and others life after life, continuing until Buddhahood without entering Nirvana without residue.