Under What Circumstances Can One Make a Vow to Remain in the Saha World?

In worlds like Saha, the Three Evil Realms exist. If one aspires to remain in the Saha world, it is essential to ensure the ability to eradicate the karmic causes leading to the Three Evil Realms, eliminate the karmic retribution of the Three Evil Realms, and thereby avoid falling into the Three Evil Realms in future lives. To avoid the Three Evil Realms, one must sever the Three Fetters. The Three Fetters are severed when the manas (mind root) attains the fruit [of stream-entry]. Severing the Three Fetters eliminates the coarse and heavy bonds of afflictions; otherwise, the suffering of the Three Evil Realms in future lives is unavoidable. It is not the case that merely the consciousness (mano-vijñāna) severing the Three Fetters can exempt one from the karma of the Three Evil Realms. The afflictions of consciousness and the Three Fetters exist dependent upon the manas. If the manas is not severed, even if the consciousness is severed, it is useless, for it is dominated by the manas.

Only after eradicating the five grades of afflictions in the desire realm and becoming a candidate for the first fruit (stream-entry) can one realize the first fruit (sotāpanna) and sever the Three Fetters. First, one must observe whether one possesses these five grades of afflictions, assess their severity, and determine whether they can be eradicated. Only then can one judge whether there is hope of severing the Three Fetters. Based on one's actual circumstances, one should then make aspirations to avoid experiencing the most severe suffering in future lives. If handled poorly, one might aspire to remain in the Saha world but end up suffering in the Three Evil Realms for a long time. If one is oneself an object awaiting deliverance, how then can one deliver others? In such a case, wouldn't future lives be filled with distress?

If one cannot guarantee the severing of the Three Fetters, or even if one cannot ensure that the fetters of consciousness can be severed, then the Three Evil Realms cannot be avoided. Even if consciousness is free from the Three Fetters, if the manas possesses the Three Fetters, one still cannot avoid the karma of the Three Evil Realms. Moreover, if the fetters of the manas are deep and the afflictions are heavy, the Three Fetters of consciousness will arise spontaneously at any time and place, uncontrollably. Future lives will inevitably lead to the Three Evil Realms. In such a case, making such an aspiration is equivalent to aspiring to remain in the Three Evil Realms to suffer. Therefore, one must be very careful when making aspirations. What aspiration to make depends on one's level of cultivation and realization and one's actual circumstances. One cannot act impulsively, disregarding everything. Wisdom is truly invaluable. One must use one's intellect diligently, develop wisdom, and only then take action.