VIII. How to Contemplate the Five Aggregates and Eighteen Elements in Detail

To contemplate the emptiness and falsity of the five aggregates, one must contemplate each of the five aggregates and eighteen elements individually until they are seen as empty. First, contemplate the five aggregates as empty. Ultimately, through contemplative observation in meditative concentration, with sufficient reasoning, one must genuinely confirm that the five aggregates and eighteen elements are indeed empty, not merely seen as empty; it is essential to realize that the five aggregates and eighteen elements are truly empty. How does one contemplate that the five aggregates and eighteen elements are empty? One must clearly contemplate the concept, scope, function, and role of the five aggregates before understanding how they are false and how they are not-self. The entire nature of the sixth consciousness is also empty and not-self. The mind of awareness detached from thoughts, the consciousness mind within various meditative states, the consciousness that experiences sensation, the consciousness that cognizes through perception, the consciousness that manifests activity, the consciousness that discriminates, recognizes, thinks, and reasons, and so forth—all must be comprehensively contemplated to confirm their falsity.

Previously, one always felt that the conscious mind was the self. However, after contemplative thinking and observation, the result reveals that the conscious mind is fundamentally not the self; it is merely a tool. As long as there is knowing in the mind, this knowing is the knowing of the conscious mind. Then, contemplate the arising-and-ceasing nature, impermanence, variability, ungraspability, and illusory emptiness of the conscious mind. This knowing of the conscious mind is my tool, not the true self, yet it can be used by me. First, negate the consciousness, then contemplate the arising-and-ceasing and impermanent nature, and finally confirm the falsity of consciousness.

The five aggregates can manifest simultaneously in most situations. Among them, the aggregate of form is certainly involved, and the aggregate of consciousness is certainly involved. Where there is consciousness, there is volitional formation, there is perception, and there is sensation. Without the six consciousnesses, there is no volitional formation, no perception, and no sensation. Therefore, in the operation of each phenomenon, it is possible for all five aggregates to be present. For example, when the eye sees form, the body faculty participates, the eye faculty participates, the eye consciousness participates, the mental consciousness participates, and the mental faculty (manas) participates. Here, there are the aggregates of form, consciousness, sensation, perception, and volitional formations.

The prerequisite for the activity of the aggregates of sensation, perception, and volitional formations is the operation of the six consciousnesses. During sleep, the aggregates of sensation and perception cease, but part of the aggregate of volitional formations still exists. When asleep without dreams, because the seventh consciousness (manas) still exists, regulating the body faculty, there is bodily activity: breathing, blood circulation, gastrointestinal peristalsis, turning over, metabolism, and other bodily activities. As long as there is movement, there is the aggregate of volitional formations. When dreaming, the conscious mind is active in the dream, so the four aggregates of sensation, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness still exist.

The six consciousnesses of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, and mind all have sensation, perception, and volitional formations. For example, the sensation, perception, and volitional formations of eye consciousness, the sensation, perception, and volitional formations of ear consciousness, and so on, must all be individually contemplated for their falsity. Additionally, the discerning nature of the six consciousnesses must also be contemplated for its falsity, arising-and-ceasing nature, variability, lack of autonomy, lack of self-mastery, and emptiness. Only then can one fully realize that the five aggregates—form, sensation, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness—are not-self, yet not different from self. Sensation is divided into reception and feeling. Feelings are of three types: pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral. Perception is grasping, apprehending characteristics, and cognizing. Volitional formations are movement, operation, functioning, activity—meaning non-cessation. Discerning is discrimination. All these aspects must be individually contemplated for their arising-and-ceasing, variable, and impermanent nature.

IX. How to Specifically Contemplate the Eighteen Elements

First, contemplate the eye faculty, ear faculty, nose faculty, tongue faculty, and body faculty. Why are these five faculties impermanent, false, empty, suffering, and not-self? How are they born? How do they cease? How do they change? All these must be carefully and truthfully contemplated in meditative concentration. Through contemplating the mental faculty (manas), one can gradually confirm the principle that the five faculties are not-self. If one does not contemplate deeply in meditative concentration, the mental consciousness may rationally consider the five faculties to be arising-and-ceasing and false, thinking no further thought is needed—this is the principle. However, such a superficial understanding is useless. If the mental faculty does not accept this principle, it cannot negate the five faculties from the depths of the mind and will not confirm non-self. To overturn the wrong views of the mental faculty, deep and subtle contemplation is necessary, allowing the direct experiential wisdom of the mental faculty to manifest. Only then will it recognize that this is indeed so, press the confirmation key, and the matter will be settled.

After completing the contemplation of the five faculties, proceed to contemplate the arising-and-ceasing and falsity of the mental faculty itself, its impermanent and not-self nature. During contemplation, one must think: Why exactly is the mental faculty not myself? What is the reasoning? Think clearly, thoroughly, and understandably, enabling the mental faculty to realize: "So I am not real either," and then press the confirmation key to conclude.

Next, contemplate the not-self nature of the six sense objects. Think: Why exactly are the six sense objects—form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and mental objects—arising-and-ceasing, impermanent, changing, suffering, and empty? How are the six sense objects born? How do they cease? Why exactly are they not myself? The deeper and more detailed, the better. Finally, the mental faculty acknowledges that this is indeed so: the six sense objects are neither myself nor mine. From then on, the mental faculty no longer values the six sense objects and no longer clings to them as real phenomena.

Then, contemplate the six consciousnesses. Contemplate and think about the place and source of the birth of the six consciousnesses. Think: When do the six consciousnesses arise, and when do they cease? How are they impermanent? How are they changing? How are they suffering? How are they empty? How are they not-self? Finally, the mental faculty gives birth to wisdom, confirming that the six consciousnesses undergo such rapid arising-and-ceasing changes, are truly ungraspable, and fundamentally cannot be myself. Thus, it no longer regards the six consciousnesses as itself or as belonging to itself.

Next, contemplate the not-self nature of the five aggregates. The five aggregates are somewhat more complex; one must be clear about each function and nature internally and conduct deep and meticulous observation. After clarifying the concept of the five aggregates, contemplate and think about each aggregate individually. The aggregate of form is the body faculty and the five faculties, which have already been contemplated above. Here, additional content is needed: contemplate how the functions and roles of the body faculty and five faculties are arising-and-ceasing, impermanent, changing, how they are suffering and empty, and how they are not-self.

X. How to Observe the Five Aggregates and Eighteen Elements Separately

When contemplating the five aggregates, try to separate them as much as possible and contemplate each one individually. Similarly, try to separate the eighteen elements as much as possible and contemplate each one individually. In the midst of all our activities, it is not the case that only one aggregate is functioning, nor that only one element is functioning. It is also not the case that an aggregate jumps from one to another to function, nor that one element shifts to another to function in turn. In most cases, all five aggregates manifest simultaneously and function together; similarly, the eighteen elements manifest simultaneously and function together.

For example, while sitting here chatting, the eyes can see the scenery outside the window, can see the wall in front; the ears can simultaneously hear sounds; the nose can smell the fragrance of flowers; the six faculties function simultaneously; the six consciousnesses discern simultaneously; the six sense objects appear simultaneously; all eighteen elements function simultaneously. As for the five aggregates: the aggregate of form—the body—is acting; the aggregate of sensation—the six consciousnesses—are continuously feeling; the aggregate of perception—the six consciousnesses—are continuously grasping and cognizing; the aggregate of volitional formations—the bodily, verbal, and mental actions of the six consciousnesses—are continuously arising.

While pacing in a room pondering a problem, identify the activity of the five aggregates at that moment and observe clearly. What is the aggregate of form doing? Where is the aggregate of sensation, and what is its state? Which is the aggregate of perception, and what is it thinking? How is the aggregate of volitional formations operating, and where is it present? What are the perceived objects (ālambana) respectively discerned by the six consciousnesses of the aggregate of consciousness? Then, in meditative concentration, slowly and deeply observe and contemplate their arising-and-ceasing, changing, impermanent nature, understand their nature of suffering, and confirm their not-self nature.

In this way, one can contemplate how each faculty, each sense object, and each consciousness arises, upon what conditions it arises, what it does after arising, how the eighteen elements coordinate and unify, and how they finally disperse. Then, contemplate how the next phenomenon arises and ceases. After that, contemplate how each aggregate arises, upon what conditions it is born, how it changes, and how it gradually disappears. Then shift attention to the next phenomenon and again observe how each aggregate is born and ceases.

It is essential to contemplate slowly, deeply, and subtly. After contemplating for a period, mental thoughts become deep and subtle, distractions become extremely few, concentration intensifies, breathing deepens, the heartbeat slows down, qi and blood flow smoothly, body and mind become tranquil, and all surrounding disturbances become imperceptible. Only the deeply contemplated Dharma lingers in the mind for a long time; thoughts move slowly, deeply, and subtly. Only then can one penetrate deeply into the mental faculty, and the mental faculty will follow with deep and subtle deliberation. Even if the mental faculty is not thoroughly penetrated in a short time, it has already developed a discerning mind, wanting to clarify the content contemplated by the mental consciousness. It no longer clings, or clings less, to other unrelated worldly phenomena and begins to focus on completing the contemplation. Thus, the concentration and wisdom of the mental consciousness strengthen, and contemplation can gradually deepen. One day, the mental consciousness and mental faculty will realize the non-self of the five aggregates.

XI. Detailed Contemplation Within the Activity of the Five Aggregates

In the immediate activity of the five aggregates, try to separate and observe the functions and natures of each aggregate as much as possible; this makes thorough observation easier. For example, while sitting here chatting now, the aggregate of form is active and functioning; the aggregate of sensation is also functioning, with possible sensations present on all six faculties; the aggregate of perception is also functioning, with the grasping and cognizing nature of the six consciousnesses on the six sense objects possibly all present; the actions of the six faculties and six consciousnesses may all be present; bodily formations and mental formations within the body are also continuously present; all five aggregates are active and functioning; the aggregate of consciousness of the six consciousnesses is also continuously performing its discerning function. After separating the aggregates in this way, one must specifically contemplate how each aggregate arises, changes, and ceases, carefully experiencing its arising-and-ceasing and changing nature.

Another example: When closing the eyes to recall an event, one must contemplate which aggregates are participating and which elements are participating, distinguishing them clearly. What is each element? How does it manifest? How does each aggregate function? During recollection, observe the operation of the physical body, observe the operation of the conscious mind. Besides eye consciousness, other consciousnesses may all be perceiving; all these must be observed. During recollection, the five aggregates, including the aggregate of form, exist. Body consciousness and mental consciousness both have awareness and sensation; one must contemplate and think clearly about all this.

All sensations are primarily centered on the conscious mind. Contemplate the arising and ceasing of consciousness; contemplate the changes in the aggregates of sensation, perception, and volitional formations; think about their impermanence, emptiness, suffering, and not-self nature. In the immediate experience of each activity, one must carefully separate the five aggregates for contemplation; the eighteen elements must also be separated for contemplation. Then, synthesize them and contemplate the arising-and-ceasing and impermanent nature within and outside the body and mind. One should even contemplate the arising-and-ceasing and impermanent nature of all five aggregates and eighteen elements of past lives, future lives, the first half of life, the latter half of life, and those possessing the nature of good, evil, beauty, and ugliness.

Beings in the desire realm all have the five aggregates existing and functioning simultaneously, unless entering deep concentration where the six consciousnesses cease, thereby extinguishing the aggregates of sensation, perception, and consciousness. Beings in the formless realm have no physical body, so there is no aggregate of form, but they have the four aggregates of sensation, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness. Beings in the desire realm generally have all five aggregates manifesting simultaneously; the six consciousnesses also appear simultaneously, functioning and operating together, not shifting from the functioning of one consciousness to another, not jumping back and forth. Rather, the six consciousnesses coexist simultaneously, operate simultaneously, each with its own seeds of consciousness flowing, each with its own place of birth, not transferring to each other nor obstructing each other.

For example, when the eye sees form, eye consciousness discerns the form object; simultaneously, ear consciousness hears sound. What is the conscious mind doing at this time? The conscious mind is together with eye consciousness, ear consciousness, nose consciousness, and body consciousness, collectively discerning form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and mental objects. When speaking, tongue consciousness can perceive the taste in the mouth, nose consciousness can smell the surrounding odors; all six consciousnesses are functioning; the seventh and eighth consciousnesses are also functioning. The eight consciousnesses each perform their own functions, cooperating without disturbing each other.

XII. Contemplation During Activities of Eating and Dressing

Every day, contemplate how the phenomenon of eating is arising-and-ceasing, changing, impermanent, how it is suffering, how it is empty, how it is not-self and without a controlling nature. Every day, contemplate how the phenomenon of dressing is arising-and-ceasing, changing, impermanent, how it is empty, how it is suffering, how it is not-self and without a controlling nature.

Contemplate how the sensations during dressing and eating are arising-and-ceasing, changing, impermanent, how they are empty, how they are suffering, how they are not-self and without a controlling nature. Contemplate how the cognizing nature of the aggregate of perception during dressing and eating is arising-and-ceasing, changing, impermanent, how it is empty and suffering, how it is not-self and without a controlling nature. Contemplate how the bodily and mental actions and formations during dressing and eating are arising-and-ceasing, changing, impermanent, how they are empty and suffering, how they are not-self and without a controlling nature. Contemplate how the conscious nature during dressing and eating is arising-and-ceasing, changing, impermanent, how it is empty and suffering, how it is not-self and without a controlling nature.

XIII. Contemplating Non-Self When Adverse Conditions Arise

When the body encounters adverse conditions, one should think like this: What is the physical body? The physical body is a fleshly body formed by the combination of the four great elements; it is a body assembled from cells accumulated into muscles, bones, blood, etc., forming a body like wood. This body is arising-and-ceasing, changing, assembled and transformed; it is impermanent, empty, and not myself. If this body were myself, then when this body perishes, would I perish? Actually, I do not perish; I still have the next life, and innumerable lives. Therefore, this body is not myself. To contemplate that the physical body is not myself requires deep meditative concentration. Contemplate this body as if mechanized, like a robot; its birth, abiding, change, and death are not controlled by me; therefore, it is not myself. This is a general principle; the details must be contemplated individually, and various recognitions must be personally verified and confirmed.

Next, contemplate the aggregate of sensation. When circumstances do not accord with my thoughts, I become angry. This anger is my sensation. Is this sensation real? How did this sensation arise? Sensation is the sensation of the conscious mind; feeling pain is the sensation of body consciousness. All sensations are ultimately sensations of the six consciousnesses. Are the sensations of the six consciousnesses myself? Are they real? This sensation is produced by the arising of consciousness seeds, arising and ceasing moment by moment, changing. Sensation is also false, empty, illusory; it disappears after a while. Therefore, sensation is not myself. Now, being beaten or scolded feels unpleasant, but if later you win a lottery or get rich, the sensation becomes pleasant, happy. Then this constantly transforming, arising-and-ceasing, changing thing that cannot remain fixed, cannot eternally exist—this thing is fundamentally unreal, not myself. So why should I cling to it?

Next, contemplate the aggregate of perception. The mind that cognizes adverse conditions is the aggregate of perception. How did this aggregate of perception arise? It is formed by the arising of consciousness seeds, producing the aggregate of consciousness. Once the aggregate of consciousness operates, there is cognizing nature. This cognizing nature is arising-and-ceasing, changing; it is not permanent, it is illusory, empty. Therefore, this aggregate of perception is also not myself. Anything that is not eternally permanent, not inherently existent, but arisen later—none of these phenomena are myself. This aggregate of perception—when asleep, one knows nothing; if scolded by others, one is unaware—thus it is arising-and-ceasing, false, not permanent, not fixed, therefore not myself.

Furthermore, the aggregate of volitional formations is the actions and formations of the six consciousnesses, including bodily formations, verbal formations, and mental formations. All mental thoughts, ideas, discerning nature, feeling nature—all moment-to-moment arising-and-ceasing changes—belong to the aggregate of volitional formations. The operation of this conscious mind of volitional formations is also arising-and-ceasing, changing; it is not fixed and eternally enduring, so it is also not myself.

The aggregate of consciousness of the six consciousnesses, the operation of consciousness itself, including mental factors (caittas), are all arising-and-ceasing and changing. Therefore, summarizing the five aggregates, there is not a single phenomenon that is fixed and unchanging; all are arising-and-ceasing, changing, impermanent—now existent, now non-existent; now like this, now like that; none are fixed; all are produced phenomena, none are real.

Anger is a kind of sensation. Is this phenomenon real? It is not real! After a while, one is no longer angry; it constantly changes. Therefore, all functions of consciousness are entirely illusory; there are no real phenomena! After death, when there is no operation of the conscious mind on the physical body, if others beat your physical body, do you still feel pain? You do not! Are you still angry? You are simply not angry at all. Therefore, when the conscious mind departs from the physical body, the physical body is like wood; it is fundamentally not myself. Even the conscious mind on the physical body is not myself, let alone the physical body itself, which is even less myself. Since there is no self, who gets angry and who does not?

XIV. The Focus for Severing the View of Self Should Be the Self

Question: What does the perceiving aspect (dṛṣṭi) perceive? Perception itself is a function; the key lies in what is perceived. Whether it is a direct perception (性境), an inferential perception with substance (带质境), or a mental image (独影境), what is perceived is all the perceived aspect (ālambana). The perceived aspect is all transformed by the eighth consciousness; none are truly existent. Therefore, should the perceived aspect be the focus for severing the view of self?

Answer: The focus for severing the view of self should be the self; only by severing the view of self can the view of self be severed. What is this self? Who has the view of self that needs to be severed? It is the sixth and seventh consciousnesses that have the view of self needing to be severed; it is severing the view of self of the sixth and seventh consciousnesses. What do the sixth and seventh consciousnesses take as self? They take the function of seeing, hearing, sensing, and knowing as self—that is, taking the perceiving aspect as self. They also take the phenomena that are seen, heard, sensed, and known as belonging to self—that is, taking the perceived aspect as belonging to self. Only by refuting the real and indestructible nature of self and what belongs to self can the view of self be severed, enabling the sixth and seventh consciousnesses to no longer recognize these phenomena as self or belonging to self; then the view of self ceases.

The perceiver is the first seven consciousnesses; it is the perceiving aspect, born from the eighth consciousness; therefore, the perceiver is arising-and-ceasing and false. The perceived is all phenomena; it is the perceived aspect, including the seven consciousnesses themselves and the eighth consciousness. Except for the eighth consciousness, all other perceived aspects are born from the eighth consciousness and are arising-and-ceasing and false. Therefore, both the perceiver and the perceived should be realized as false and not-self; both should be severed without attachment.

To sever the view of self, one should focus on one's own five aggregates and eighteen elements, working on the various functions of the five aggregates and the functions of the eighteen elements. Contemplate the falsity of the aggregate of form—how it arises and ceases. Contemplate the arising-and-ceasing, falsity, and changing nature of the aggregates of sensation, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness. Contemplate the arising-and-ceasing, changing, and unreal nature of the six faculties. Then, the six sense objects and six consciousnesses must all be contemplated for their arising-and-ceasing, changing, and unreal nature.

Severing the view of self by focusing on the perceived aspect—this perceived aspect includes all perceived aspects manifested by the eighth consciousness, including the seven consciousnesses. If so, then except for the eighth consciousness, all are illusory, without self, without the five aggregates and seven consciousnesses. The perceiving aspect of the seven consciousnesses is the most crucial; one must deeply and thoroughly contemplate the not-self nature of the seven consciousnesses. The seven consciousnesses are also perceived aspects transformed by the eighth consciousness, then serving as the perceiving aspect to discern other perceived aspects manifested by the eighth consciousness. Both the perceiving aspect and the perceived aspect are false and unreal.

XV. The Difficulty of Practice Lies in Transforming Thought Patterns

Frequently contemplate the functions of form, sensation, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness—how they come from nowhere and go nowhere, illusory and unstable (actually, all come from the Tathāgatagarbha, all are born from and endowed by the Tathāgatagarbha). Gradually, one can deeply recognize that phenomena not under self-control are unfree and cannot have reality. Since they lack reality, there is also no substantial so-called self-nature; unfree phenomena cannot possess self-nature; they cannot be myself.

These views must gradually form; to a certain extent, one can sever the view of self and also sever the afflictions of self-clinging, thereby attaining freedom and liberation of body and mind. The reason it is difficult for us to sever the view of self is that throughout countless past kalpas, unreasonable views have been deeply ingrained in the mind and cannot be easily transformed. If views are not transformed, the view of self cannot be severed. Transforming views is the most important content of our practice. Once old thought patterns are transformed, it becomes easy to overturn previous wrong views and delusions, thereby establishing correct understanding, attaining great wisdom, and liberating the five-aggregate body and mind.