眾生無邊誓願度
煩惱無盡誓願斷
法門無量誓願學
佛道無上誓願成

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Dharma Teachings

26 Oct 2018    Friday     1st Teach Total 955

Severing Delusions of View and Thought

Severing the view of self is the relinquishment of afflictions and delusions in terms of knowledge and views, which is known as the afflictions of views (dṛṣṭi-heya kleśa). The afflictions of views involve delusion in the cognitive understanding of consciousness, but primarily refer to the delusion in the cognitive understanding of the mental faculty (manas) accumulated since beginningless time. The afflictions of views are the cognitive afflictions severed upon attaining the path of seeing (darśana-mārga), meaning the eradication of incorrect views and knowledge, primarily including the erroneous views and perspectives of the sixth and seventh consciousnesses. The afflictions of thought (manaskāra-heya kleśa) are the afflictions related to thought patterns and conceptions severed during the path of cultivation (bhāvanā-mārga), that is, afflictions such as greed, hatred, ignorance, arrogance, and so forth.

The afflictions of views are severed upon attaining the first fruit (srota-āpanna), while the afflictions of thought are severed during the third fruit (anāgāmin) and the fourth fruit (arhat). This means that severing begins only after attaining the first dhyāna. Severing greed and hatred characterizes the third fruit attainer, while severing the fundamental ignorance (avidyā) of the view of self and the subtle clinging characterizes the fourth fruit attainer. Therefore, the view of self held by the mental faculty (manas) is also part of the afflictions of views, belonging to afflictions of cognitive delusion, and should be severed upon the initial attainment of the path of seeing. The afflictions of thought associated with the mental faculty should be subdued upon attaining the second fruit (sakṛdāgāmin), begin to be severed upon attaining the third fruit, and are completely eradicated in the fourth fruit attainer, who is equivalent to an eighth-ground Bodhisattva.

Severing the view of self upon attaining the first fruit necessarily includes severing the view of self held by the mental faculty. If it did not include the mental faculty's view of self, attaining the first fruit would be very easy. However, the reality is that it is not easy; many people study the Āgama scriptures for a lifetime yet cannot attain the first fruit. In fact, many individuals' conscious minds (mano-vijñāna) intellectually understand that all phenomena are illusory, like a dream, illusion, bubble, or shadow, yet they still cannot relinquish the view of self and become first fruit attainers.

The view of self held by the conscious mind is relatively easy to sever because its wisdom is strong; upon hearing the Dharma, it can contemplate and investigate, making it easier to eradicate the view of self and ignorance. The mental faculty, however, is more difficult because its view of self and ignorance are deeply ingrained, and the wisdom of the mental faculty is weak; it cannot quickly comprehend the Dharma meanings it encounters. It must rely on the contemplative power of the conscious mind, needing the conscious mind to provide information and data for its reference. Only then can the mental faculty deliberate and confirm the principle of non-self (anātman), thereby severing the view of self.

——Master Sheng-Ru's Teachings
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