The Realization of Enlightenment is Possible Only After the Accomplishment of the Thirty-seven Factors of Enlightenment

Chapter Five: Realization Only Attained After Accomplishing the Thirty-seven Factors of Enlightenment

1. The sequence of practice for the Thirty-seven Factors of Enlightenment is roughly as follows: Begin cultivation from the initial faith faculty within the five faculties. After the five faculties grow and become sufficient, the five powers are attained. Afterwards, enter the Noble Eightfold Path to initiate contemplation and cultivation, practice the seven factors of enlightenment, cultivate the four establishments of mindfulness within the mindfulness factor of enlightenment, attain the flavor of wholesome dharmas, give rise to the four right efforts, and finally, through diligent and arduous cultivation, attain the blissful fruit of the four bases of psychic power, where the mind achieves liberation and freedom.

Each factor within the Thirty-seven Factors of Enlightenment must be diligently cultivated not only by the conscious mind (mano-vijñāna), but also by the mental faculty (manas), causing manas and the conscious mind to cultivate together, perfectly fulfilling each factor, and finally accomplishing the four bases of psychic power. The conscious mind uses the power of mindfulness to influence and cultivate manas, causing manas to become fully endowed with the power of mindfulness, thus accomplishing mindfulness power. Each dharma is initially guided and influenced by the conscious mind, becomes fully possessed by manas, and only then can that dharma be truly realized.

Only when manas realizes that body and mind are not truly existent can liberation be attained. If the conscious mind merely thinks that body and mind are not truly existent, liberation cannot be attained. The distance between thinking and realizing may be far or near, entirely dependent on the individual's degree of cultivation. Without cultivation, the gap might span many kalpas.

2. The key to attaining fruition in the Śrāvakayāna is the cultivation of the seven factors of enlightenment, which have been roughly explained previously. The process of cultivation is also the process of the four aids to penetration (nirvedha-bhāgīya): the four stages of warmth, summit, forbearance, and supreme worldly dharma. This is the process of internal mental processing based on textual theory. During this processing, the mind inevitably undergoes corresponding gradual changes. This is the process where the meaning of contemplation gradually corresponds to the inner manas, and manas gradually accepts and assimilates it. Of course, the conscious mind first accepts and assimilates it, gives rise to superior understanding (adhimukti), and then transmits it to manas, enabling manas to accept and assimilate it. After manas accepts and assimilates it, body and mind gradually transform, and the seven factors of enlightenment appear one by one. Only after the concentration factor of enlightenment appears can there be great wisdom to relinquish the phenomena of the five aggregates (body, mind, and dharmas), thereby realizing the dharma and becoming the foremost worldly person, a Stream-enterer (Srotāpanna). If body and mind undergo no change, no transformation, and the seven factors of enlightenment are not accomplished, it is impossible to eradicate the view of self and attain fruition.

The warmth phase: In the preliminary stage of study, through textual theory and one's own contemplation and observation, the inner warmth phase appears. It is like striking a spark; the mind feels some agreement with the correct theory contemplated, gains preliminary recognition and interest in the dharma being cultivated, and wishes to delve deeper into its meaning.

The summit phase: At this stage, the understanding of the theory reaches a certain degree and height, comprehending the emptiness and selflessness of the five aggregates (body and mind), reaching the summit of understanding the five aggregates. This is still at the stage of conscious cognition and superior understanding; manas has not yet fully cognized and understood it. Therefore, the mind is still agitated and cannot fully recognize and abide in the understanding of the emptiness and selflessness of the five aggregates. It is a stage where one can advance or retreat.

At this stage, some people experience fierce inner resistance, mental agitation, and fluctuating emotions. Some may feel extreme distress, perhaps inexplicable irritability and low mood. After passing this stage, manas becomes somewhat accustomed, emotions return to normal, and one enters the next stage. Not only does the conscious mind abide patiently in emptiness, but manas also becomes patient. One then continues to investigate deeply why the five aggregates are empty and unreal.

The third stage is forbearance (kṣānti). Forbearance means abiding, abiding in the meaning of emptiness, patiently accepting the impermanence of the five aggregates, but it is not yet true realization. Because the evidence is still insufficient, the inner deliberation is still inadequate, and one cannot truly confirm this principle. The mind is just not agitated, relatively settled. One is also striving to find evidence, diligently observing the actual nature of the five aggregates (body and mind) directly. At this time, the bodily and mental feelings become increasingly tranquil and joyful, samādhi improves, wisdom becomes deeper, subtler, more acute, and the thought of emptiness becomes increasingly firm, but one still cannot abide in equanimity (upekṣā); the factor of enlightenment of equanimity is absent within the mind.

When the equanimity factor of enlightenment is accomplished, the concepts and thoughts of "I" within the mind are relinquished. The mind becomes empty; the concept of the emptiness and impermanence of the five aggregates is firmly established; the evidence is sufficient; the mind fully agrees and confirms the emptiness and selflessness of the five aggregates. The fourth stage, supreme worldly dharma, is accomplished, the view of self is eradicated, and the fruition of Stream-entry is attained.

During the process of contemplation, body and mind must continuously undergo changes. Why do changes occur? Because through the superior understanding of the conscious mind, manas gradually gains some understanding, which conflicts with previous views, gradually overturning prior cognitions. When manas discovers a "new continent," it prompts corresponding changes and reactions in body and mind. Therefore, eradicating the view of self and realizing the selflessness of the five aggregates must be realized by manas.

The phenomena of clarity and awareness that appear after eradicating the view of self, the phenomena of tranquility and joy that appear in body and mind, are facilitated by manas; they are manas's reactions manifesting in body and mind. The conscious mind cannot cause reactions in body and mind; it cannot make body and mind manifest the feelings of tranquility and joy. Therefore, eradicating the view of self must be manas eradicating the view of self, not merely the conscious mind eradicating it. Of course, the conscious mind's view of self was already eradicated earlier.

If the phenomena of tranquility, joy, clarity, and awareness do not appear, yet one still thinks the five aggregates are selfless, this is the conscious mind eradicating the view of self; it has not yet penetrated deeply into the inner depths of manas. When manas initially cognizes this principle, phenomena of resistance and irritability appear, with varying degrees of intensity. People with good roots from past lives, who have contemplated the five aggregates before, will not have these irritable emotions, will not resist, and will directly experience a joyful state of mind.

What is called genuine practice? This is genuine practice. Without these stages and processes, one cannot claim to have truly eradicated the view of self. After truly eradicating the view of self, body and mind must transform, mental tendencies must change, sagely qualities must appear, and the mind must be empty. How could there still be such severe afflictions? How could so many chaotic phenomena still appear? It's impossible. When the mind is empty, one no longer wishes to create superfluous actions; there is a preliminary correspondence with the unconditioned (asaṃskṛta). How could so many chaotic events occur, let alone so many evil deeds? It's fundamentally impossible.

If samādhi is insufficient, contemplation is truly strenuous, and the absorption and understanding of the dharma's meaning are inadequate. Some profound and extremely profound dharmas become even harder to understand and accept, thus doubt arises. With continuous doubt-views, the mind becomes unsettled.

3. In the Śrāvakayāna, to eradicate the view of self, the Thirty-seven Factors of Enlightenment must be fully cultivated; the seven factors of enlightenment must be complete; the Noble Eightfold Path must be complete. The phenomena of the joy factor of enlightenment and the tranquility factor of enlightenment must appear; next, the concentration factor of enlightenment must be present. These are all inseparable from samādhi; they belong to the prelude and sequel of samādhi, within the scope of samādhi.

During the process of contemplating the Buddha Dharma, bodily and mental tranquility and inner joy should arise. This is one of the contents of cultivating and realizing the seven factors of enlightenment. This indicates that the Buddha Dharma has entered the mind of manas, gaining a certain degree of recognition from manas, though not yet complete. It can also be said to be the appearance of the warmth phase of the four aids to penetration.

The realization of any dharma is indeed related to manas and to samādhi. The cultivation and realization of the seven factors of enlightenment illustrate this fact. Thus, the relationship between manas and realization/cultivation has a basis in the Buddhist sutras. Samādhi, prajñā (wisdom), and manas are inseparable even for a moment. Only when manas realizes is there true wisdom; only when manas has samādhi can wisdom arise. The conscious mind's understanding alone is not great wisdom; it is merely parroting the words of learners, called a "scholar of intellectual understanding" (知解宗徒). Regarding the importance of manas in cultivation and realization, the seven factors of enlightenment are excellent evidence. The Noble Eightfold Path also speaks of the eight "right" factors, all referring to cultivating manas. "Right" primarily means correcting manas's thoughts and views, letting it be the master that determines all bodily, verbal, and mental actions to be right actions. If manas is not corrected, the Noble Eightfold Path is not accomplished.

Feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness are all empty and selfless. Then, who is feeling, perceiving, forming, and cognizing? That which can feel, perceive, form, and cognize is the seventh consciousness mind, which is also empty and selfless. The conscious mind that observes feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness as empty is empty and selfless. The conscious mind that knows the observer is empty is empty and selfless. The sixth and seventh consciousness minds that understand all dharmas are empty and selfless are empty and selfless. Anything within the mind that has knowing, thoughts, or thinking is empty and selfless. In the Śūraṅgama Sūtra chapter on the perfect penetration of the ear faculty of Avalokiteśvara, all dharmas are emptied, the dharmas that empty and are emptied are all emptied, and finally, what remains, that which cannot be emptied, is the Tathāgatagarbha (the storehouse of Buddhahood). Yet, one does not dwell on the Tathāgatagarbha; then cultivation reaches its ultimate point.

4. The contents of the Four Noble Truths, the Four Right Efforts, the Four Bases of Psychic Power, the Five Faculties, the Five Powers, the Seven Factors of Enlightenment, and the Noble Eightfold Path—the Thirty-seven Factors of Enlightenment—are all part of the cultivation process before and after the path of seeing (darśana-mārga). They are largely similar in the Mahāyāna and Śrāvakayāna; the cultivation processes resemble each other. If these processes of influence and practice are absent, and a fruition suddenly appears, making one a sage, this fruition is highly suspicious and utterly unreliable. Fruitions and conclusions can be plagiarized; all views can be memorized; one only needs to read a few more books to memorize and imagine them.

However, these processes cannot be plagiarized by anyone. They are processes that every person who sees the path and attains fruition must undergo. Each person's process may differ slightly due to their karmic roots from past lives. Those who attained fruition in past lives may pass through these processes very quickly in this life; others cannot and must practice and realize each one step by step, passing through each barrier. It is the same for Mahāyāna fruitions. Having undergone these processes, one's body and mind can transform, and upon attaining fruition, one experiences the merit and benefit of liberation. Those who have not undergone these processes, their attained fruition is like a flower in the sky—only to be admired, with no practical value, no merit and benefit of liberation.

So-called genuine practice refers to the cultivation content of the Thirty-seven Factors of Enlightenment in both Mahāyāna and Śrāvakayāna. Apart from these very concrete cultivation contents, it is not genuine practice. Cultivation with only conclusions and no process is not genuine practice. Merely studying theory is not genuine practice. One can study the theories of Bodhisattvas of several bhūmis (stages). Even if one understands those principles, there is still a gap of one or two immeasurable kalpas (asaṃkhyeya kalpas) from actual realization. Learning theories now that belong to one or two immeasurable kalpas in the future, thinking one has mastered them and become a sage, believing the path ahead need not be walked, the actual cultivation process need not be experienced or practiced—such cultivation is an illusion, a bubble, yielding only an empty flower, bearing a hollow fruit.

5. The Dharma of the Four Noble Truths—suffering, origin, cessation, and path—is also divided into internal mental objects (adhyātmika-dharma) and external mental objects (bāhya-dharma). The Noble Eightfold Path within the truth of the path is also divided into internal dharmas and external dharmas. Only after completing the Noble Eightfold Path and the Śrāvakayāna Thirty-seven Factors of Enlightenment are the conditions for eradicating the view of self satisfied; only then can fruition be attained. If one's mental conduct does not accord with the Noble Eightfold Path, then that mental conduct is insufficient to be that of a sage; fruition cannot be attained. Within the Noble Eightfold Path, there is right concentration (samyak-samādhi), divided into the external concentration method of the conscious mind and the internal concentration method of manas. Therefore, manas must correspond to concentration. Only after manas is perfected in concentration can right wisdom arise, can the view of self be eradicated, and the fruition of Stream-entry be attained. Otherwise, it is all fake fruit, plastic fruit, only for viewing, without practical use.

6. The Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta (Great Discourse on the Foundations of Mindfulness) is the sutta where the Buddha teaches us the method of contemplation. Those who do not know how to contemplate, following the train of thought guided by the Buddha, contemplate within samādhi; this is contemplation. At the end of contemplation, a decisive mind arises, a final conclusion emerges. If this conclusion accords with the facts and truth pointed out by the Buddha, that is realization.

During the correct process of contemplation, many changes occur in the mind. The seven factors of enlightenment must appear one by one; the inner warmth phase must appear; the first three of the four aids to penetration must appear. When one finally realizes selflessness and emptiness, that is the supreme worldly dharma, the accomplishment of Stream-entry. If none of these phenomena appear, yet one claims to have eradicated the view of self and become a Stream-enterer, that is utterly self-deception. Ninety-nine percent of people have never contemplated like this; the seven factors of enlightenment have not all appeared; the forbearance stage has not been truly completed; it is impossible to become the foremost worldly person, a Stream-enterer.

The cultivation and realization of the Buddha Dharma have certain strict standards. The Buddha explained these standards in the sutras: the Thirty-seven Factors of Enlightenment, the seven factors of enlightenment, the four aids to penetration, the four establishments of mindfulness, etc., are all cultivation standards taught by the Buddha. It's just that sentient beings themselves do not understand. If Dharma propagators also do not understand, then the world will be full of chaotic phenomena, sages will be everywhere on the streets, yet it will be filled with foul atmosphere, and worldly morals will decline.

7. When the Buddha spoke of the five hindrances (nīvaraṇa) in the Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta, he said there is internal sensual desire and external sensual desire, internal ill-will and external ill-will, internal sloth-torpor and external sloth-torpor, internal restlessness-remorse and external restlessness-remorse, internal doubt and external doubt. What do internal and external respectively refer to?

If the mind is divided into internal and external, the external mind refers to the mental consciousness (vijñāna) that sentient beings can generally discover and observe. The internal mind refers to manas, which sentient beings find difficult to discover and observe. These two consciousnesses—one manifest, one hidden; one bright, one dark; one shallow, one deep; one easily changed, one firm and hard to change. Cultivation is first applied to the shallow level of the conscious mind, then to the deep level of manas; first preliminarily transforming the conscious mind, finally ultimately transforming manas. Therefore, all afflictions and ignorance (avidyā) are initially and obviously at the level of the conscious mind; finally and profoundly hidden, they are at the level of manas.

From this sutta, we can see that although the Buddha did not explicitly speak of the dharma of manas when teaching the Śrāvakayāna, he still implicitly referred to manas, implicitly stating that all afflictions and ignorance belong to manas, that eradicating afflictions means eradicating the afflictions of manas, that liberation is the liberation of manas, that all dharmas are applied to manas, and that solving the problem of manas solves all dharmas, ultimately leading to Nirvāṇa and liberation.

8. In the Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta, when the Buddha spoke of contemplating feeling (vedanā), he spoke of two kinds of feeling: internal and external. External feeling refers to the feeling of the conscious mind that is easy to observe, especially the feeling of the conscious mind on the objects of the six sense fields (ṣaḍ-āyatana). Internal feeling refers to the feeling of manas, which is deeply hidden and difficult to observe. Although the vast majority cannot distinguish between the conscious mind and manas, the thought activities deep within the mind can still be perceived and observed, provided the mind is very meticulous.

When the Buddha spoke of contemplating the mind (citta), he said to observe the mind's internal and external greed, hatred, and delusion; to observe the internal and external mind's concentration and distraction, vastness and narrowness, superiority and non-superiority, having samādhi and lacking samādhi, liberation and non-liberation. This shows that the internal mind, manas, has mental factors (caitasika) such as greed, hatred, and delusion, has samādhi or lack thereof, has liberation or lack thereof. This, from the Śrāvakayāna scriptures, proves that manas possesses these mental factors, even though the World-Honored One did not explicitly state it. Because the dharma of manas cannot even be understood and realized by Mahāyāna disciples, let alone Śrāvakayāna disciples being able to deeply and correctly understand the dharma of manas, the World-Honored One had to speak implicitly about the mental factors of manas.

Doubt-affliction has internal doubt and external doubt. To eradicate doubt ultimately, it must mean eradicating the doubt of manas. Therefore, the three fetters (trīṇi saṃyojanāni) completely refer to the fetters of manas. Only by eradicating the doubt of manas is one eradicating the three fetters. Eradicating sensual desire means eradicating the sensual desire of manas; only then can the mind correspond to the Brahmā gods and be born in the form realm (rūpadhātu). Eradicating ill-will must mean eradicating the ill-will of manas; only then is one a Non-returner (Anāgāmin). Eradicating ignorance must mean eradicating the ignorance and delusion of manas; only then can one transcend the three realms.

The Śrāvakayāna sutras are the easiest to understand, yet who can truly comprehend them? How much less the Mahāyāna sutras—who can truly and completely understand them? Even an Arhat cannot "completely trust your mind" (信汝意); wisdom is insufficient, the mind is not ultimate; trusting it completely easily leads to errors.

9. In the Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta, when the World-Honored One spoke of the five aggregates subject to clinging (pañca-upādāna-skandhāḥ), he also spoke of the internal and external dharmas of form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness. Internal form is the physical body; external form is the six sense objects. Internal feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness are manas; external feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness are the conscious mind.

When the World-Honored One spoke of the seven factors of enlightenment, he also divided them into internal seven factors of enlightenment and external seven factors of enlightenment. The investigation-of-states factor of enlightenment (dharmapravicaya-saṃbodhyaṅga), the energy factor of enlightenment (vīrya-saṃbodhyaṅga), the joy factor of enlightenment (prīti-saṃbodhyaṅga), the tranquility factor of enlightenment (praśrabdhi-saṃbodhyaṅga), the concentration factor of enlightenment (samādhi-saṃbodhyaṅga), and the equanimity factor of enlightenment (upekṣā-saṃbodhyaṅga) are all divided into the external factors of enlightenment of the conscious mind and the internal factors of enlightenment of manas. If the internal seven factors of enlightenment are not accomplished, it is impossible to attain Śrāvakayāna fruition, impossible to eradicate the view of self, let alone realize the mind and see the nature (明心见性). If the Thirty-seven Factors of Enlightenment are not cultivated to accomplishment, not a single fruition in Mahāyāna or Śrāvakayāna can be discussed. If bodily and mental tranquility is not accomplished, samādhi is not accomplished. If the inner feeling of equanimity does not exist, one cannot eradicate the view of self or realize the mind and see the nature. These are the hard criteria for the cultivation and realization of the Buddha Dharma; no one can bypass them. If one insists that so-and-so has attained fruition or realized the mind, it is all plastic fruit—good only for looking at, cannot satisfy hunger, has no real value.

10. The first of the seven factors of enlightenment is the mindfulness factor of enlightenment (smṛti-saṃbodhyaṅga). The internal mindfulness factor of enlightenment is the mindfulness of manas; the external mindfulness factor of enlightenment is the mindfulness of the conscious mind. When manas lacks the mindfulness factor of enlightenment, the mindfulness factor is not accomplished, and the investigation-of-states factor of enlightenment cannot appear. Therefore, manas must possess the mental factor of mindfulness (smṛti). The Śrāvakayāna sutras implicitly mention the mental factor of mindfulness in manas, let alone the Mahāyāna sutras. It's just that sentient beings' ignorance is heavy; they cannot understand the Buddha's sutras and are unable to discern it.

Judging from the World-Honored One's description of the seven factors of enlightenment, manas possesses the investigation-of-states factor of enlightenment, the energy factor of enlightenment (true diligence), the joy factor of enlightenment (manas is not merely equanimous), the tranquility factor of enlightenment, the concentration factor of enlightenment (corresponding to samādhi), and the equanimity factor of enlightenment. Only afterwards, when mental conduct accords with the Noble Eightfold Path, can the conditions for attaining Śrāvakayāna fruition be complete, can the view of self be eradicated, and the fruition of Stream-entry be attained. Otherwise, it is all fake fruit, plastic fruit. If the conditions are not complete, the causes and conditions are not sufficient, forceful guidance can only yield a fake fruit.

Within the seven factors of enlightenment, there is the investigation-of-states factor of enlightenment. When one cultivates to this point, one has the ability to discern. But when things far exceed one's current level, one again lacks the power of choice; then one simply continues cultivating. The investigation-of-states factor of enlightenment must be continuously increased until it is perfectly complete, able to instantly and correctly discern all dharmas without doubt.

(To be continued)