The Contemplation of the Five Aggregates as Suffering, Emptiness, Impermanence, and Non-Self (Part II)

After recognizing the impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and non-self of the material aggregate through contemplation, one then contemplates the feeling aggregate as impermanent. What is impermanent is suffering, and what is suffering is non-self. The method and steps are the same as those for contemplating the material aggregate. Without meditative absorption, it is impossible; without proper contemplation, it is impossible; without sufficient evidence, it is impossible; and without the mental faculty diligently contemplating day and night, it is impossible. Once the mental faculty recognizes that the feeling aggregate is impermanent, that what is impermanent is suffering, and that what is suffering is neither I nor mine, one’s thoughts and views will change, one’s understanding will change, and one’s mental conduct will gradually transform as well.

In the process of contemplation at each step, as long as the mental faculty recognizes a truth and realizes one’s former ignorance, there will be a sense of awe and exclamation, a resolution, an attitude, which will prompt changes in body and mind. Therefore, whether one has engaged in genuine practice or is currently practicing can be reflected in one’s physical and mental state; it cannot be hidden.

After contemplating the feeling aggregate, one then contemplates the perception aggregate, observing the impermanence of the perception aggregate, the suffering of its impermanence, and recognizing that this suffering is neither I nor mine. Ultimately, one must genuinely and truly acknowledge this without the slightest hesitation. Afterward, one contemplates the impermanence of the volitional and consciousness aggregates, the suffering of their impermanence, and again recognizes that this suffering is neither I nor mine. Only such contemplation is true and substantial contemplation, capable of yielding a final, reasonable, dharmically correct, and true conclusion, thereby eradicating the view of self.

The Buddha said that noble disciples, having thus contemplated truthfully, will develop disgust toward the material aggregate. Because they are disgusted with the material aggregate, they take no delight in it. Because they take no delight in it, they become liberated from the material aggregate and are no longer bound by it. After genuinely eradicating the view of self, one will inevitably develop at least some degree of renunciant mind. If no disgust arises, the view of self has not been eradicated. This is certain. The Buddha’s words are all true. Only by relying on the Buddha’s words and accepting them can one’s practice avoid deviating from the right path. If someone believes they have eradicated the view of self, they should introspect and examine whether they truly dislike the physical body, no longer treasure it, and no longer strive to maintain it. Theoretical adherents who claim to have eradicated the view of self show no such signs; their body and mind undergo no changes, their lifestyle remains unchanged, just like their former ordinary selves.

As for committing any evil deeds for the sake of the physical body—do not even think of it. Without delighting in the physical body or treasuring it, there is no need to commit evil deeds. Good deeds may still be performed, which is certain, because the mind has not yet reached a sufficient level of emptiness.

The Buddha said that noble disciples, those who contemplate thus, will develop disgust toward the feeling, perception, volitional, and consciousness aggregates. Because of this disgust, they no longer delight in the aggregates of feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness. Because they take no delight in them, their minds become liberated and are no longer bound by the aggregates of feeling, perception, volition, and consciousness. Those whose minds are liberated have attained true wisdom, the wisdom of liberation. A fourth-fruit Arhat will declare: “My life ends in this present existence; there is no future rebirth. My pure holy life is established; what I set out to accomplish in this life is done. I myself know that there will be no future existence; I will not undergo rebirth again.”

Of course, the disgust and non-delight spoken of by the Buddha encompass the stages from the first fruit to the fourth fruit. The mind gradually develops disgust toward the material, feeling, perception, volitional, and consciousness aggregates, increasingly so, taking less and less delight in them, and becoming increasingly liberated. A clear and definite sign of liberation is that, as the wisdom from contemplation deepens, meditative absorption grows deeper. Upon attaining the first dhyāna, greed and hatred are eradicated within that absorption, and the mind is liberated from the desire realm. When the wisdom of contemplation further advances, great wisdom arises, liberating one from the cycle of birth and death in the three realms, and one becomes a wisdom-liberated Arhat.

Anyone who claims to have attained a fruit, yet whose body and mind show no change whatsoever from beginning to end, has certainly attained only a theoretical understanding. Such theoretical knowledge cannot withstand karmic obstacles or the cycle of birth and death. The monk Shenhui, at thirteen years old, traveled over mountains and across rivers for several months to visit the Sixth Patriarch. At first sight, the Sixth Patriarch knew he was a theoretical adherent. Until his death at over ninety years old, Shenhui remained a theoretical adherent. Is genuine practice and realization easy? It is certainly not easy. Do not say the Buddha’s path is easy to attain. The karmic obstacles and habits accumulated since beginningless time are extremely difficult to overcome. If one cannot pass through the barrier of karmic obstacles and habits, how can one settle the mind for genuine practice?

Cultivation is a process of thorough transformation and rebirth for an individual, and it is also a gradual process. Unless one possesses great or extremely great capacity, one should not expect to attain the fruit suddenly and transform oneself without undergoing step-by-step changes along the way. Changes in body and mind appear at the very beginning of actual practice, becoming increasingly evident, transforming more and more, with realizations growing ever deeper. As the accumulation of quantity increases, reaching a certain level, only then does a qualitative leap occur—body and mind transform, and one is reborn anew.