The Core of Eradicating Self-View in Hinayana Contemplative Practice

The Hinayana practice of severing the view of self involves realizing the impermanence, emptiness, suffering, and non-self nature of the five aggregates and eighteen elements. The self is equivalent to impermanence, equivalent to emptiness, equivalent to suffering; it is something that needs to be eliminated and therefore is destructible. That which can be destroyed is not the ultimate truth; it is not real.

True reality has two meanings: one refers to the truths and facts of the conventional world, and the other refers to the eternally indestructible eighth consciousness in Mahayana teachings.

In the Hinayana practice of severing the view of self, it is sufficient to know that there exists an indestructible eighth consciousness, which is distinct from the five aggregates and eighteen elements and serves as their basis. The focus of contemplation and reflection lies in recognizing that the five aggregates and eighteen elements, as truths within the conventional world, are phenomena that can be destroyed and ruined, lacking true reality. Their true nature manifests as impermanence, suffering, emptiness, and the characteristic of being subject to destruction.

Many people's minds and thoughts remain trapped in a misunderstanding and cannot break free. What is the reason? One is being misled by certain influences and forming preconceptions; the other is insufficient logical reasoning ability. Inadequate reasoning ability is related to insufficient meditative stability and the merits and virtues cultivated in past lives. This requires gradually accumulating meditative wisdom, merits, and virtues oneself. Without a certain foundation of cultivation from past lives, progress in this life cannot be very rapid. If one forces oneself to attain enlightenment very quickly, when various causes and conditions are not yet mature, and when one's mental disposition and other factors have not yet transformed to resemble those of a Bodhisattva, hastily investigating the eighth consciousness without even eliminating the view of the non-self of the five aggregates is detrimental rather than beneficial to one's spiritual path. It is often counterproductive.