Contemplative Practice Must Also Reflect on the Roots of Greed, Hatred, and Delusion

Jun Ruolan's Observation Practice: Recently encountering an unfair incident, I began observation practice. When fairness wasn't attained, anger arose—this is dharma-clinging (attachment to rules). Why cling to rules? To prevent my own interests from being harmed, which is to satisfy greed. Since form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness are all empty, what is there to crave?

During observation, conscious thought initially dominated, but by the final sentence, conscious thinking ceased. Only pure awareness remained, revealing an image: "I," a body appearing ethereal and translucent. Later, even that translucent image vanished, leaving only a sensation of weightlessness until the practice concluded. Afterward, reflecting on the incident, I found my mind profoundly calm. Whenever emotionally charged situations arise in daily life, I now make time for observation practice. The more I observe, the more I uncover the deep-seated afflictions of the manas (mind-root) and the gravity of my self-attachment.

Commentary: Jun Ruolan’s observation practice is exceptionally thorough, demonstrating strong wisdom. Her wisdom is robust, though her concentration may be slightly weaker by comparison. However, at this pace, her concentration will strengthen swiftly. Once samādhi arises, her practice will reach a pivotal turning point. If she perseveres, realizing the Path is within reach.

Everyone’s greed, anger, and delusion have an origin—a root cause. What is this root? It is the "self." Due to the view of self, one automatically generates greed, anger, and delusion to protect and satisfy the self. Thus, the manifestations of greed, anger, and delusion objectively reflect the view of self and self-attachment within the mind. Even stream-enterers (first fruition) and once-returners (second fruition) have eradicated the view of self but not completely. While their greed, anger, and delusion are subdued, they are not uprooted. Only after attaining the first dhyāna and reaching the third fruition (non-returner) are greed and anger fully eradicated, though delusion regarding phenomena within the three realms remains. This "delusion" refers to ignorance of dharmas within the triple realm, not to ignorance of Mahayana teachings.

To subdue and eradicate the afflictions of greed, anger, and delusion, effective observation practice is essential—especially after samādhi arises, the effect is remarkably potent. Without forcibly suppressing afflictions through conscious effort, afflictions naturally cease to arise. During observation, once the manas comprehends the falsity and unreality of the five aggregates (form, feeling, perception, mental formations, consciousness), conceptual views transform. Consequently, the material body ceases to matter. Coarse greed for the desire realm naturally subsides; circumstances related to clothing, food, shelter, and other sensory objects gradually lose their hold. One becomes unattached, unselective, and unpursuing. Anger is naturally subdued, and indifference toward all things arises—a single "it doesn’t matter" resolves countless entanglements.

Practice means using theory to guide actuality. Actuality is every present-moment aspect of the five aggregates—every bodily, verbal, and mental action. What we cultivate are precisely these bodily, verbal, and mental actions. This is the ultimate focus and goal. To evaluate anyone’s practice, observe their bodily, verbal, and mental actions—scrutinize every detail within their five-aggregate activities. Details determine success or failure, efficacy or inefficacy. Why observe the details of the five aggregates and bodily, verbal, and mental actions? Because conceptual views determine bodily, verbal, and mental actions; they determine the details of five-aggregate activities. Only when theory is fully applied do views transform. If theory remains unapplied, it is merely theory—nothing more need be said.