What is Retaining Afflictions to Nourish Sentient Beings?

Retaining afflictions to moisten rebirth means preserving a small portion of intellectual afflictions and vexations without eliminating them entirely, thereby nourishing rebirth in future lives. If all afflictions are completely severed, and the mental faculty no longer clings to any phenomena within the three realms, then upon the end of life, one can extinguish the five aggregates and enter nirvana without residue, just like a fourth-stage arhat. After realizing the mind, bodhisattvas must retain a small portion of intellectual afflictions without eliminating them entirely until they reach the eighth ground. Because of these remaining afflictions, they can continue to be reborn lifetime after lifetime, possessing the five aggregates, which enables them to persist in learning the Dharma, benefiting themselves and others. If a bodhisattva, after realizing the mind, completely severs all intellectual afflictions and vexations, they would be like an arhat—at the end of their lifespan, they would extinguish the five aggregates and enter nirvana without residue. In that case, there would be no bodhisattva left to continue learning the Dharma. When cultivating to the seventh ground, a bodhisattva, having completely severed all intellectual afflictions and possessing profound meditative attainment, can enter the cessation of perception and feeling at any time and place. Consequently, they risk inadvertently entering nirvana. Thus, the Buddha constantly watches over such bodhisattvas to ensure they do not enter extinction, enabling them to smoothly advance to the eighth ground for further cultivation. Without the support of pure and vast vows, ground-level bodhisattvas can easily enter nirvana without residue. This is because their meditative skills progressively improve, leading to diminishing interest in the worldly phenomena of the three realms. By the seventh ground, they constantly aspire to enter nirvana. Therefore, the Buddha instructs bodhisattvas, upon entering the first ground, to make the ten inexhaustible vows from the Avatamsaka Sutra. These vows remain unfulfilled until Buddhahood is attained. Due to the power of these vows, bodhisattvas are reborn lifetime after lifetime without entering extinction. With the arising of the five aggregates, they can extensively deliver countless sentient beings, ultimately accomplishing Buddhahood.