The State of the Cessation of the Five Aggregates

The five aggregates of clinging serve as five kinds of veils for the seven consciousnesses of sentient beings. They obstruct the extensive meritorious functions of the seven consciousnesses and hinder their wondrous supernatural powers, confining the knowledge and actions of the seven consciousnesses within a narrow scope, preventing them from transcending it. Simultaneously, they obstruct the meritorious functions of the eighth consciousness, preventing the manifestation of the great mirror wisdom. Only by cultivating the four dhyānas and eight samādhis, attaining samādhi beyond the fourth dhyāna, can one gradually break through the limitations imposed by the five aggregates of clinging, escape their prison like a bird freed from a cage, gain freedom, and soar in the vast heavens and earth.

To extinguish and eradicate the five aggregates of clinging requires samādhi beyond the fourth dhyāna. The fourth dhyāna is the samādhi of relinquishing thoughts and attaining purity. When the mind has no thoughts, there are no obstacles whatsoever; one can manifest any supernatural power or function, eliminate the veils on body and mind, and be free from any obstruction. The aggregate of form (rūpa) refers to the physical body and all phenomena possessing form, as well as the realms of the six sense objects. It has a veiling and hindering effect on the seven consciousnesses, particularly on the six sense consciousnesses. When the manas (the seventh consciousness) seeks to utilize the six sense consciousnesses to perform tasks, the six sense consciousnesses become incapable of functioning. Hence, it is said that the five aggregates of clinging also veil the seventh consciousness.

When the aggregate of form is exhausted, the physical body and material forms of the realm no longer veil the mind of the six sense consciousnesses. What does this imply? What is the veiling effect of the aggregate of form on the mind of the six sense consciousnesses? Affected by the physical body and material forms, the eye consciousness cannot see distant objects, cannot see the heavens above or the earth below, cannot see other celestial bodies, and certainly cannot see other Buddha lands. The perception of form is confined within spatial distances. The eye consciousness wishes to see beyond high walls, beyond mountains, through deep water, or into the earth, but it cannot, obstructed by material forms. The eye consciousness wishes to see forms in pitch darkness without light, but it cannot, as the perception of form is confined to illuminated spaces.

Similarly, the ear consciousness cannot hear distant sounds; if separated by dense matter, it cannot hear sounds; sounds beyond a certain range are inaudible. Hearing is obstructed by spatial distance and material forms. The nose consciousness cannot smell distant scents; scents sealed within dense packaging are also undetectable. The tongue consciousness cannot taste flavors not in contact with the tongue root. The body consciousness cannot feel tactile sensations not in contact with the body root. The mental consciousness (mano-vijñāna) cannot know people, events, or things from past or future lives, meaning it lacks the power of knowing past lives (knowledge of past abodes).

If one cultivates to the level of the fourth dhyāna samādhi, the aggregate of form can be eradicated. Then, seeing forms, hearing sounds, and feeling tactile sensations will no longer be obstructed by the aggregate of form. Consequently, the divine eye, divine ear, divine nose, and divine tongue powers will manifest. The supernatural power of body travel (ṛddhi) will also appear. The mental powers of knowing others' minds and knowing past and future lives (knowledge of past abodes) will manifest. This is what is meant by the five supernatural powers being unimpeded. Non-Buddhist practitioners who cultivate the four dhyānas and eight samādhis also attain these five powers. However, there is one power they cannot attain: the power to end outflows (āsravakṣaya). This is because it is the wisdom power of having completely severed afflictions. Non-Buddhists have not eradicated the view of self (satkāyadṛṣṭi), so their self-grasping (ātmagrāha) cannot be completely severed, and thus they cannot possess the power to end outflows. After the aggregate of form is exhausted, one must gradually eradicate the domains (āyatana) of the aggregates of feeling (vedanā), perception (saṃjñā), mental formations (saṃskāra), and consciousness (vijñāna). Then, what one perceives becomes vast and unobstructed, without limitation.

Only after the domain of the aggregate of feeling is completely eradicated can one be free from the limitations and control of bodily sensations. No matter what happens to the physical body, the mind remains unaffected. Burning, cutting, drowning—none can harm this physical body. Facing any realm, the mind remains unmoving like Mount Tai (unshaken). Before the domain of the aggregate of feeling is eradicated, the tactile sensations of the physical body will influence the fluctuations of the mind of the six sense consciousnesses.

All these supernatural powers are initiated by the manas (the seventh consciousness, the mind root). Originally, the manas also desired to know vast realms, but it was helpless because the six sense consciousnesses were veiled by the five aggregates of clinging. Now that the veils are cleared away, the aspirations of the manas can be realized without obstruction. This requires immense merit (puṇya) as support, as well as the support of precepts (śīla) and the power of samādhi. Lacking any one of these three conditions, one cannot initiate any supernatural power.