Chapter 8: The Criteria and Characteristics for Severing the View of Self

Section 1: Attainment of the Undetermined Dhyāna is Necessary to Realize the First Fruition

1. Original text from Volume 53 of the *Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra*: If one relies on the Undetermined Dhyāna to realize the first fruition (Sotāpanna), at that time all karmic seeds capable of leading to the evil destinies through unwholesome conduct are permanently destroyed. This is called the Precepts Beloved by the Noble Ones.

This explicitly states that upon realizing the first fruition, one must possess the Undetermined Dhyāna. Only after realizing the fruition can the karmic seeds leading to the three evil destinies be severed, preventing future rebirth there. When one ceases to create actions leading to the three evil destinies, it is called the precepts in which the noble ones delight.

If the Undetermined Dhyāna is not complete or absent, one cannot effectively contemplate the five aggregates (skandhas) in practice, nor can one genuinely negate the self of the five aggregates. Without severing the view of a self in the five aggregates, one cannot realize the fruition and attain the purity of the Dharma-eye. The intellectual understanding of the non-self of the five aggregates by the mental consciousness (manovijñāna) is merely knowledge; it is understanding, not realization—merely conceptual comprehension. Only the experiential realization by the seventh consciousness (manas) constitutes the severing of the view of self; it requires unwavering conviction to eradicate the fetter of false views. Dhyāna is intimately connected to the seventh consciousness. With dhyāna, the seventh consciousness becomes unobscured by afflictions and delusional thoughts, undisturbed by the constant discriminations of the six consciousnesses, enabling diligent practice that leads to realizing the fruition and comprehending the truth.

2. The Transformation of the Concept of the Five Aggregates After Realizing the Fruition

During the contemplation of the five aggregates as empty and non-self, many people occasionally have a slight mental inclination to regard the five aggregates and eighteen elements (dhātus) as empty and illusory, and then consider themselves to have severed the view of self and realized the first fruition. In reality, this is not the case; they may still be far from genuine severing of the view of self. Such understanding is merely a superficial cognition of the sixth consciousness (mental consciousness). The mental consciousness has not deeply internalized the principle of the emptiness of the five aggregates, nor does it understand how they are empty. The seventh consciousness certainly has not accepted it. To lightly assume one has severed the view of self based on this is a misunderstanding, not genuine severing.

When the seventh consciousness has not yet acknowledged the emptiness of the five aggregates, one has not genuinely realized the non-self of the five aggregates, has not severed the view of self, the three fetters remain unsevered, and the karmic tendencies for the three evil destinies remain uneliminated. Such contemplation remains superficial, neither deep nor detailed enough. Without the concept of the non-self of the five aggregates deeply ingrained within, one’s mental tendencies cannot change. If one only possesses a shallow intellectual grasp of some theories, with thinking that is unsystematic and insufficiently deep and detailed, one cannot attain genuine benefit.

Many practitioners remain stuck at the level of the sixth consciousness, verbally proclaiming emptiness while their actions remain within existence. Such Buddhist study and practice cannot transform them, yielding no benefit. The reason is that the seventh consciousness does not accept the shallow theoretical analysis of the sixth consciousness. Often, the sixth consciousness has not engaged in systematic contemplation and examination. The seventh consciousness requires the sixth consciousness to continuously engage in deep and detailed contemplation and examination as a foundation, and then it must engage in its own contemplation within deep dhyāna to comprehend and realize the principle, specifically the principle of the non-self of the five aggregates. Because the scope of the seventh consciousness’s clinging is too vast, its wisdom to discern all dharmas is insufficient; it requires the sixth consciousness as an assistant to aid its contemplation. Only then can the seventh consciousness give rise to wisdom-based cognition, comprehending and realizing the Dharma.

There are many who talk about practice verbally but cannot implement it mentally at all. This is entirely because the seventh consciousness has not comprehended the principle and remains unsubdued. For example, a Buddhist practitioner may intellectually believe that giving (dāna) accumulates merit quickly. When an opportunity for giving arises, they may agree to donate a certain amount of wealth to cultivate blessings. Yet, when it comes time to actually give, they hesitate mentally; some even find an excuse not to give. Why is this? Because the mental consciousness’s desire to give is superficial. The seventh consciousness is not clear about the actual benefits of giving; its attachment to wealth remains deeply ingrained, thus it is unwilling to relinquish it.

All actions are governed by the seventh consciousness. Realizing the emptiness of the five aggregates must also be achieved by the seventh consciousness. This requires us to diligently cultivate the seventh consciousness over a long period, enabling it to understand the principle. Through personal investigation within dhyāna, its clinging can gradually loosen and diminish. Only then does practice become effective and yield results. The seventh consciousness is the ego-clinging consciousness, burdened with afflictions and habits accumulated since beginningless time; it is extremely difficult to change. Only a fourth-fruition Arhat can sever its clinging, and only then, at life’s end, is it willing to relinquish its own five aggregates and enter parinirvāṇa. The prerequisite for severing the ego-clinging of the seventh consciousness is first to sever the view of self; only afterwards can the clinging be gradually severed.

3. Examining Whether the View of Self is Severed Based on the Thirty-Seven Aids to Enlightenment

In the secular world, among those who have not encountered the Buddha Dharma, some also consider the body to be impermanent, subject to birth and death, not real, merely a false shell used by oneself. Have these people severed the view of the body (satkāyadṛṣṭi)? Some of them also do not care about what they eat, wear, live in, or use; they are indifferent even when the body is ill. Have they severed the view of the body? No, they are not. Their indifference to the body is due to certain conditional limitations, such as poverty, stinginess, etc., or because they have pursuits in other areas, temporarily neglecting the physical body. Once conditions permit, they will still cherish the physical body intensely, cling to it, and seek its enjoyment.

Severing the view of the body requires comprehensive examination—examining it from the perspectives of precepts (śīla), meditative concentration (samādhi), and wisdom (prajñā), from the aspects of the Thirty-Seven Aids to Enlightenment (bodhipakṣikā dharmaḥ), from mental thoughts, and from mental tendencies. One cannot generalize based on partial aspects. Although some may be indifferent to certain matters concerning the body, this might be due to lacking adequate living conditions, inner ignorance, shifting attention to other body-related matters, having other pursuits, having specific objectives, or even creating actions leading to the three evil destinies for the sake of the body. They are unwilling to relinquish the material life they possess. Therefore, it is not severing the view of the body.

All actions of body, speech, and mind form seeds, like records in an archive. Those with spiritual powers can consult them at any time; this archive never disappears, though the karmic seeds themselves can vanish. Clinging creates seeds of clinging; non-clinging creates seeds of non-clinging. The record in the store consciousness (ālaya-vijñāna) differs, hence the karmic retribution differs. That is to say, performing the same action with different mental tendencies results in different records in the store consciousness, different karmic seeds, and thus different karmic retribution.

4. Actual Practice is Much More Difficult Than Imagined

Many people study the Buddha Dharma for two years, think "the five aggregates are not self," and then claim to have severed the view of self and realized the first fruition. This view is too superficial and solves nothing. One must engage in deep, detailed, and thorough contemplation, gradually changing the inner cognition, to impact the seventh consciousness. Only then can both the mental consciousness and the seventh consciousness reverse their former erroneous cognitions, develop a new understanding of the five aggregates themselves, and change to a sufficient degree to sever the view of self.

Severing the view of self is not easy. Since beginningless time, sentient beings’ wrong views are too deep-rooted. It is not something that can be eradicated in a day, a few days, or merely by talking and thinking. For countless eons, sentient beings have taken the five aggregates as self; this is deeply ingrained, not something that can be corrected in a short time. The Buddha Dharma is not so easy to cultivate and realize. Those who have walked this path know it well. Only those with little actual practice presumptuously assume that realizing fruitions and attaining Buddhahood are quite easy. Without experience, it’s all imagination; imagined things naturally seem easy. Only when one actually begins to practice does one realize the difficulty.

Always wanting to be unconventional, seeking quick success and instant benefits, craving grandeur and great achievements, always hoping to be special and extraordinary—all these are manifestations of "self." This "self" is very hard to remove; truly eliminating that "self" is extremely difficult. Some people simply do not want to hear such words, but no matter how unwilling they are, this is the fact. Faithful words offend the ear, good medicine tastes bitter—both are beneficial and harmless to oneself.

Those who began practicing countless eons ago, in every kalpa, every life, every existence, have been steeped in immeasurable Buddha Dharma, accumulated considerable experience, seen through many principles, personally experienced much, and possess deep roots of goodness, merit, and wisdom. Only then can they deeply know that the cultivation and realization of the Buddha Dharma are not so simple and easy. Only those with little experience regard cultivation as very easy—reading a bit of the Lotus Sutra or some other sutra, and then becoming a Buddha; the consciousness slightly knows something, without really understanding the underlying reasons, and then considers themselves to have great attainment. In fact, these views are manifestations of arrogance (māna), great arrogance. The view of self is deeply rooted; such people have a stronger sense of self, making severing the view of self even more difficult.

People with a strong sense of self exhibit it in many ways. They will try every means, through various channels, to show off that "self," to make everyone know them, understand them, flatter them, and worship them. Only then do they feel comfortable. This comfortable feeling is self-conceit. The self is inflated, the view of self becomes heavier, and its eradication becomes more difficult.

5. Who Can Verify Their Own Attainment?

Buddhist practitioners should cultivate step by step, steadily and surely. One must genuinely sever the view of self and realize the mind (明心), not merely understand or have an intellectual awakening. This requires the fundamental skill of dhyāna. I repeatedly emphasize dhyāna because it is the very foundation for the transformation of body and mind leading to liberation. Without dhyāna, the result is intellectual understanding (解, jie), certainly not realization (证, zheng). I have set forth the standards for realizing fruitions and realizing the mind. Everyone should use these standards to examine themselves, to see whether they have genuinely severed the view of self or merely possess intellectual cognition. If Buddhist practitioners are not arrogant and impetuous, they will surely attain the greatest benefit, and Buddhism will certainly develop steadily.

However, I still do not recommend that you verify your own attainment. Because you lack experience, you are unaware of the subtleties and pitfalls. You are prone to being lenient with yourself, accommodating yourself, thus becoming someone with mere intellectual understanding, unable to engage in actual contemplation. Eating half-cooked rice leads to indigestion; thereafter, progress on the path becomes extremely difficult. When I verify your attainment in person, it can greatly enhance your wisdom of contemplation. Afterwards, encountering any Dharma, you will be able to contemplate it. Your wisdom and progress on the path will advance by leaps and bounds, saving a great deal of cultivation time.

Those with intellectual understanding can also comprehend some kōans and explain simple ones, but they are unaware of the details. They know the "what" but not the "why," lacking the wisdom born of contemplation. For the first and second fruitions (Sotāpanna, Sakadāgāmi), I do not recommend self-verification; the criteria there are very difficult to grasp. Some people feel their greed, hatred, and delusion are very faint and then conclude they are second-fruition practitioners. Yet, they do not know the standard and concept of what "faint" greed, hatred, and delusion entail, often leading to mistakes. The faintness of hatred (dveṣa) is relatively easy to gauge, but the faintness of greed (rāga) is not easy to grasp. Greed is very subtle; one easily fails to recognize it clearly. For instance, emotional attachment (情执) is also greed; heavy emotional attachment means heavy greed. Due to deep-seated habits, one often does not know one’s own heavy emotional attachment and thus mistakenly believes one’s greed is faint.

Then there is delusion (moha), which is even harder to gauge and judge. When one is deluded, one cannot judge one’s own degree of delusion; only those who have traversed the path can clearly see each person’s degree of delusion. Then there is arrogance (māna). Since everyone has arrogance, only a fourth-fruition Arhat can completely uproot it; it’s just that the degree of arrogance differs for each person. If the habit of arrogance is strong, one is already accustomed and adapted to it, making it very difficult to detect whether one’s arrogance has diminished. If arrogance is too heavy, it’s impossible to realize the second fruition. Sentient beings find it very difficult to grasp these aspects themselves. Therefore, one should not determine one’s own fruition level; the consequences of error are severe. One who stays long in a dung pit does not notice the stench because they are accustomed to it, having adapted. One often does not know one’s own afflictions and habits because one has long been adapted to them, making self-reflection difficult.