How to Eradicate Craving and Afflictions

Cultivation is for the purpose of eradicating craving and attachment (tṛṣṇā). Craving arises where the six faculties contact the six sense objects, so one must stop craving at the point where the six faculties contact the six sense objects. When the eye faculty contacts material sense objects, if the mind does not give rise to craving, craving is stopped; when the ear faculty contacts sounds, if the mind does not give rise to craving, craving is stopped; when the nose faculty contacts odors, if the mind does not give rise to craving, craving is stopped; when the tongue faculty contacts tastes, if the mind does not give rise to craving, craving is stopped; when the body faculty contacts tangible objects, if the mind does not give rise to craving, craving is stopped; when the manas contacts mental sense objects, if the mind does not give rise to craving, craving is stopped. According to the habitual tendencies of craving in the mind, one would originally give rise to craving for forms, sounds, odors, tastes, tangibles, and mental objects, but because one's cultivation has sufficient strength, the manifestation of craving is checked and craving is stopped. This is the merit of cultivation; having no craving is the virtue of cultivation. Thus cultivation gives birth to merit and virtue. Virtue means moral character and virtuous conduct—the wholesome mental state of the mind. With wholesomeness, one tends toward liberation; with wholesomeness, one draws near to ease and freedom. The afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion are bondage—no liberation, no freedom.

Merit and virtue do not arise easily, because the afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion accumulated over beginningless kalpas are deeply rooted, and the habitual tendencies are heavy and difficult to subdue and uproot. It requires long contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) over many kalpas, contemplating the suffering of craving, and subduing craving bit by bit. If one does not know the suffering of craving, one cannot subdue it. Because sentient beings all delight in pleasure, all tend toward pleasure and avoid suffering, only when they directly observe suffering will they choose to avoid it and eliminate the peril of suffering. Therefore, the first step of cultivation is to observe suffering, recognize suffering, and perceive suffering; only then can the mind be drawn back from where the faculties contact the six sense objects, not plunging deep into the six sense objects, and thus the suffering of craving will not arise. Without the first step of observing and knowing suffering, there is no second step of eradicating craving (samudaya), no third step of yearning for cessation, cultivating the path (nirodhābhiprāya-mārga-bhāvanā), and no fourth step of cultivating the path. So it is extremely difficult for a person to bring forth the mind for the Path—it is due to the habitual tendencies of craving.

Looking at all sentient beings, none are not attached to the pleasant contact of the six sense objects, unwilling to give up contact and feeling with the six sense objects. In fact, craving is entirely suffering, with no pleasant feeling at all, yet sentient beings all dwell in the suffering of craving without knowing it. Countless Buddhist practitioners study Buddhism still for the purpose of enjoying worldly life and pursuing pleasant feeling, yet the result is all suffering. It is only that for beginningless kalpas they have lacked the wisdom to recognize this truth, blindly pursuing pleasure without ever truly enjoying it—this is foolishness (moha). The affliction of foolishness is the hardest to shake off. Even with the World-Honored One's earnest, tireless exhortations, sentient beings still remain in foolishness and ignorance (avidyā). Is cultivation easy? It is extremely difficult. That is why it is said that the initial eradication of the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi-prahāṇa) is as difficult as ascending to heaven. One should recognize this point, be realistic, and not be arrogant.