The Observational Wisdom of the Mahayana Path of Seeing

During the process of deep meditation with strong concentration and profound doubt, the five aggregates and eighteen realms are gradually eliminated, and their reality is denied, thereby ascertaining their selfless nature. This eradicates the view of self and leads to attaining the purity of the Dharma-eye in Hinayana. With the obscuration of the five aggregates and eighteen realms removed, one is then not far from the insight of Mahayana. When consciousness and the mental faculty, through meditation, realize the Tathagatagarbha, they can observe the simple functioning of Tathagatagarbha, which is non-discriminating toward the six dusts. Thus, the prajna wisdom of Mahayana insight is attained.

With this wisdom, one observes that Tathagatagarbha is a selfless mental essence that is neither born nor perishes, yet it gives rise to the self-possessed five-aggregate body that undergoes birth and death. Simultaneously, one also observes how Tathagatagarbha gives rise to the five aggregates, realizing that the five aggregates are indeed empty and selfless, and clearly understanding why they are empty and selfless. Such wisdom is far more profound and ultimate than the wisdom of eradicating the view of self in Hinayana. As for eliminating the fundamental afflictive obstructions and cognitive obstructions, that is a matter for subsequent practice, occurring after the attainment of the first dhyana, and also after the ten stages of practice and the ten stages of dedication.