What Is the Purpose of Buddhist Practice and Realization?

A person who has attained the first fruit has certainly subdued their heavier afflictions; they will no longer commit killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, or false speech. Minor afflictions still remain, but compared with ordinary beings, their mental disposition is certainly different—the afflictions have been effectively subdued, whereas ordinary beings have not subdued theirs. However, even ordinary beings who have not yet eliminated the view of self gradually subdue their afflictions in the course of practice and realization, which is different from before they began practicing. For a person who has come face to face with no-self, the afflictions of "self" will no longer be so heavy; after all, the initial view of self is gone. It is only that the degree of realizing no-self differs, the degree to which the mental disposition has been subdued differs, and the liberated benefit experienced differs—but all of them have some benefit, all have partial liberation.

The purpose of all practice and realization in the Buddha's teaching is to eliminate ignorance. Where there is ignorance, there are all kinds of afflictions. Thus, attaining the fruits and awakening to the true mind are ultimately about resolving the problem of afflictions. When ignorance is gone, afflictions are gone. To whatever degree ignorance is eliminated, afflictions are subdued—or eliminated—to that corresponding degree. If the first fruit of eliminating the view of self were not connected with subduing ignorance and afflictions, then what use would eliminating the view of self and awakening to the true mind be? Would merely acquiring theoretical knowledge suffice?

What is the purpose of studying theoretical knowledge? Is it not to eliminate ignorance and afflictions? Why are we not liberated, and why is there the suffering of birth and death? Is it not because there are afflictions and ignorance? If the fundamental purpose and goal of studying Buddhism is gone, have we not already become disoriented? Why is every person not yet a Buddha right now? Is it not because there are various kinds of ignorance and afflictions at various different levels?

Attaining realization and eliminating afflictions is like cutting off the thick root of a great tree. When the root is completely severed, that corresponds to the fourth fruit. Before the root is completely severed, it is cut away bit by bit, severed little by little. Attaining the first fruit is like having begun to cut the root and already having removed a small portion—the three fetters. At the second fruit, a larger portion is cut away: greed, hatred, and delusion have become very faint. At the third fruit, greed and hatred are eliminated, corresponding to having cut away most of the root; the great tree is on the verge of falling at any moment. When the root is completely severed, one can enter nirvāṇa without remainder at any time.