Chapter One: The Theory of Contemplative Practice of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (2) Four Mindfulness Foundations Observational Practice Experience

Chapter One: The Theory of Contemplative Practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (2)

Thirteen: How should one practice contemplation so that the mind becomes empty?

You have been practicing contemplative practice on the four foundations of mindfulness, contemplating the body as a foundation of mindfulness, and observing the breath for some time now. What discoveries and realizations have you had about the phenomenon of breathing within your own body? From localized breathing to whole-body breathing, from the subtle aspects of the breath to observation of the entire process—have you observed anything? Have you very clearly perceived the arising, abiding, changing, and ceasing—the impermanence—of the breath? Regarding the entire condition of the body, do you have a sense of arising, abiding, changing, and ceasing? Has your cognition of the material body come to feel somewhat empty?

To have a more genuine realization, during the observation process, try not to bring in the mind consciousness's thinking and analysis; perceive objectively, experience it firsthand, forget all the theoretical knowledge you have learned, and rely purely on personal perception. When practicing contemplation, aim high, grasp the whole, and then condense the whole into a single point to observe. Do not merge with the feelings; do not focus only on the sensation of feeling. Perceive with body and mind separated—leap the mind out of the body, out of the feelings, out of the breath. Only by completely separating mind from body can one discover objective truth and facts—looking down, overlooking, surveying from above like a bird, as if observing an object unrelated to oneself. In this way one can view the body objectively, view the breath objectively, view all phenomena arising on the body objectively, and thus easily discover the phenomena of the material body's arising, abiding, changing, and ceasing, and the mind will easily become empty.

Fourteen: How to cultivate good habits for practicing the Path

Spending a certain amount of time and energy to cultivate good habits of practicing the Path is well worth it, just as one must spend time, energy, and cost to make a mold for mass production. At this stage it takes painstaking effort and time, but once the mold is made, producing products afterward saves an enormous amount of time and cost—the so-called "half the effort, twice the result"—saving at least four times to countless times the time and cost. This is very worthwhile. The stage of cultivating habits of practice is arduous, with successes and failures, advances and retreats, and it is not easy to persist. At such times one needs someone nearby to supervise and urge one on; being able to pair up and mutually encourage each other makes things easier. Which good habits need to be cultivated? Each person must deliberately choose according to their own circumstances, thereby changing worldly habits that do not accord with Dharma principles and practice, and developing the good habits of a practitioner of the Path.

Observing the breath is the initial entry point of contemplative practice, and a rather good method for cultivating correct initial application and sustained examination (vitarka-vicāra) and right mindfulness. It can cultivate meticulous, penetrating powers of awareness and the power of introspection (pratyavekṣā-bala), and can effectively counteract bad worldly habits. Examine what changes have occurred in your mental activities in daily life, whether your attitude toward people, affairs, things, and principles has changed, whether your thoughts have become purer, whether your grasping (upādāna) at form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharmas has lessened, whether you can go along with conditions more readily when encountering unpleasant things, whether you have become less picky, whether interpersonal relationships have improved and you have become more approachable, whether your disposition has become kinder, whether your state of mind has become more peaceful, whether you engage in bad mental schemes less often, and whether you have become more honest and kind-hearted.

If, after examination, you find that you have indeed undergone the above changes, it shows that your practice is on the right track and that contemplative practice on the four foundations of mindfulness is effective. You must constantly examine your mental conduct from every aspect, make timely summaries, know what is wholesome and what is unwholesome, maintain and consolidate good results, improve bad habits, and cultivate good habits. In this way, wholesome roots and merit accumulate ever more deeply, and precepts, meditative concentration (samādhi), and wisdom advance more and more.

Fifteen: The difference between drowsy concentration and clear concentration

Drowsy concentration is a state of seeming asleep yet not asleep, seeming awake yet not awake while sitting in meditation—dazed, hazy, and murky, with the mind not clear, without an object of contemplation, without the power of illumination, the power of initial application and sustained examination, or the power of awareness—like a state of rest and recuperation for the mind. The body feels rather comfortable, but there is no contemplative wisdom. If there is no object of contemplation in the mind, there are no thoughts or conceptions, or one has fallen into drowsiness, with no power of thinking and no power of contemplative practice. Remaining in this kind of concentration craving the pleasant feeling, meditative concentration progresses very slowly. The state of mind may be somewhat better, but it has no effect on the arising of wisdom and does not count as right concentration. Drowsy concentration is not right concentration; without sufficient power of concentration to give rise to contemplative wisdom, there is no power of wisdom, and without the power of wisdom one cannot break through the ignorance and afflictions in the mind.

Clear concentration, on the other hand, is when the mind is awake and lucid during sitting meditation, with an object of contemplation, having the power of illumination, the power of initial application and sustained examination, and the power of awareness toward that object—the equal cultivation of Samādhi and Prajñā—belonging to right concentration. It can have sufficient power of concentration to give rise to wise contemplation of objects, thereby breaking through ignorance. Clear concentration is right concentration; within it the mind has the power of wisdom, able to produce sparks of wisdom, subdue afflictions, sever afflictions, and break through the ignorance of one thought.

In drowsy concentration, if the mind can raise right mindfulness, it can transform into clear concentration; if clear concentration lasts a long time and the mind becomes fatigued, it will also transform into drowsy concentration. To maintain the mind's clarity, first, the body must be well regulated, with qi and blood flowing smoothly and the spirit full, and the mind able to maintain right mindfulness without losing it. Body and mind depend on each other: when the body's qi and blood circulate smoothly, the mind is relaxed and joyful and easily enters concentration; when mental power is concentrated at the dantian and the dantian warms, it sends qi and blood throughout the body; once the qi and blood flow, the mind easily settles.

If one enters drowsy concentration while thinking and contemplating, the contemplative practice halts. If one cultivates according to the Satipaṭṭhāna Sūtra, always keeping an object of contemplation in mind, picking it back up when dropped, then when drowsiness arises one can become alert, the mind remains lucid throughout, and both meditative concentration and wisdom improve quickly. When the mind has meditative concentration, the contemplated Dharma principles are clear and distinct; without concentration they are blurry and indistinct. This is the principle by which meditative concentration can induce the contemplative wisdom of Āgama liberation and of prajñā and Yogācāra. Some people distort this, saying that attaining fruition and seeing the mind does not require meditative concentration. Yet even when looking for something, concentration is needed—without it, one cannot recall where the thing was placed. How much more so for the great matter of birth and death—how could one resolve and handle it with a muddled mind?

Sixteen: What is meant by "mindfully breathing in, mindfully breathing out, and abiding mindfully"?

Regarding the Dharma currently being cultivated, being able to focus single-mindedly without scattered thoughts is right mindfulness. Right mindfulness is the thought one should maintain in the present moment—a thought consistent with the currently contemplated object, and also a thought of direct perception. For example, when contemplating the in-breath, all attention is on the in-breath: from the moment the breath enters through the nostrils until it travels down to the dantian, the entire process is observed with focused, single-minded attention—purely objective, simple observation, without mental activities of the mind consciousness such as thinking, analysis, inference, or imagination—only simple knowing. Other dharmas are not attended to, not engaged with; one does not observe how the body feels; the mind is not on the sensations but only on the in-breath. The same applies to the out-breath, and to both in- and out-breaths. Practicing any other Dharma is the same—this is what is right, the correct and principled method of effort. Only with a unified mind, the equal cultivation of Samādhi and Prajñā, without leaning to either side, can one enter the Path.

Seventeen: What is the result of abiding with right knowledge?

Maintaining a knowing at every moment of every day, with concentration and wisdom, abiding with right knowledge—this is the contemplative method taught by the Buddha in the Satipaṭṭhāna Sūtra. Maintaining a knowing is the self-cognition (svasaṃvitti) of the mind consciousness: knowing the contemplated dharma. Continuously observing with continuous knowing means confining the mind consciousness to the single place being observed; the mind does not scatter and is in a state of meditative concentration. Because the mind consciousness does not scatter and is settled on one dharma, the manas, unable to drag the mind consciousness away, must also settle on that one dharma and can no longer scatteredly attend to many dharmas. Then the manas will know the dharma that the mind consciousness observes and knows; the manas will deliberate (manasikāra/manana) on this dharma, and over time it can come to understand what the essence of this dharma is, discovering the truth and understanding reality. This is the process from the mind consciousness's knowing to the manas's knowing, and also the process of realizing the Dharma. The mind consciousness's knowing is understanding; the manas's knowing is realization. Therefore, realization of the Dharma must be the manas's realization.

Only when the manas knows and realizes the Dharma is there substantive force. For example, regarding one's own mistakes: if the manas does not know, and only the mind consciousness knows, this situation occurs—the mind consciousness knows the error, yet one repeatedly commits it without correcting; but if the manas knows the error, one will earnestly reform. Another example: in dealing with people, it is easy to discover whether one's kindness toward them is genuine or false. The mind consciousness's kindness toward people is insincere; only the manas's kindness is genuine and heartfelt.

If we truly want to correct our errors and subdue the afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion, we must constantly maintain awareness, examining our bodily, verbal, and mental actions, observing calmly and objectively over the long term—observing from outside the situation, observing from a high vantage point looking down. Then we will observe our own errors and afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion, feel that our mental conduct is very much not in accord with the Dharma, and know that the consequences of not according with the Dharma are very bad. When the manas also becomes aware of its own afflictive habits, it will deliberate; after deliberating it will weigh; after weighing it will know the advantages, disadvantages, and cause and effect; then it will decide to eliminate greed, hatred, and delusion and no longer be as before.

Without long-term, consistent observation and thinking, one cannot settle the manas on the observed dharma; the manas will continue to chase after and scatter among objects everywhere, not knowing the Dharma and not realizing the Dharma, unaware of its own afflictions and unable to subdue them. This is the result of maintaining right knowledge and right mindfulness: it can awaken the manas's enlightenment and let the manas realize the Dharma.

Some people, without cultivating concentration, shout about "observing" every day—what can such observation yield? For example, one person watching ten children versus one person attentively watching a single child—how great is the difference in meticulousness? One person observing enemies in ten directions versus one person attentively observing enemies in one direction, one location—how great is the difference in meticulousness? One person considering ten problems simultaneously versus one person single-mindedly considering one problem—how great is the difference in meticulousness? Without meditative concentration, the manas chases after all sorts of dharmas everywhere; He has no mind to focus on thinking about a question of relatively great value. Without principled observation and deliberation (manasikāra/manana) of that valuable question, He cannot correctly and principledly cognize it, cannot reasonably and lawfully handle it, easily overlooks problems, makes errors in decision-making, and the results will be wrong. Therefore, if the mind constantly maintains a knowing, wise cognition will gradually arise, thereby changing oneself and enhancing one's wisdom.

Eighteen: The process and results of contemplative practice

When contemplating the breath until the mind settles down, one will discover that the respiratory system is like an automated program, similar to inanimate objects, as if something outside the body; ultimately one will perceive that the body, like inanimate things, is not self and not belonging to self. This is progress in practicing the Path—this is precisely the desired effect. There will be many more new discoveries; from this quantitative change one will transition to qualitative change. At the time of qualitative change, one will discover that the body of the five aggregates (pañca-skandha) is all false and illusory, impermanent, non-self, and empty. Gradually the mind will detach from the physical body, detach from sensation; oneself divides into two parts: one is the observed, inanimate system of material bodily organization, like a rigid machine; the other is the observing conscious mind, moving very slowly, with emotions and emotional attachments growing ever lighter, the state of mind ever more stable and calm, feelings ever fewer, leaving only a pure observing and knowing—yet the power of awareness grows ever stronger, the mind ever more meticulous, discovering more and more truths. Later still, one will find that the observer and the observed become increasingly mechanized, increasingly empty, increasingly non-self; ignorance grows ever thinner, and finally one can break through ignorance and eradicate the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi).

Nineteen: The relationship between contemplative skill and severing afflictions

Whatever dharma one contemplates, in order to realize it, one must connect the contemplative skill into an unbroken whole. How can the skill be made continuous? By extending the meditative concentration developed in still sitting meditation into bodily activity, into all hours of the day, with every thought uninterrupted. Pay attention to whether you can continue contemplative practice and awareness after rising from the seat, whether you can continue them while walking, standing, sitting, and lying down, whether you can continue them as you are about to fall asleep, and even whether you can continue contemplative practice and awareness in dreams after falling asleep, and whether you can continue them while doing everything. If you observe that your contemplative skill is intermittent, with mental activity often unintentionally flowing into worldly dharmas, you must constantly remind yourself to turn attention back to contemplation—when it breaks off, reconnect it, striving to make the skill continuous.

If, while walking, standing, sitting, and lying down, all of one's mental activity is engaged in contemplating one's own material body—or most of it, the main part—such power of concentration is quite good. If one can have awareness and right mindfulness at all times, the skill has become continuous, and such power of concentration has fulfilled preparatory concentration (anāgamya-samādhi), sufficient to eradicate the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi-prahāṇa). When the skill of contemplation and awareness becomes continuous, with every thought on one's own material body, one will no longer commit precept violations in mind, no longer create evil karma in mind; at this point the mind becomes purified and afflictions grow faint. Thus meditative concentration can effectively subdue and sever afflictions.

Before seeing the Path, one must fulfill preparatory concentration (anāgamya-samādhi). When preparatory concentration is fulfilled, the coarse five-grade afflictions of the desire realm are severed, and one can then become an aspirant to the srotāpanna fruit, not far from the first fruit. If preparatory concentration is not yet fulfilled, or there is no preparatory concentration at all, then do not think of eradicating the view of self and realizing the first fruit. Claiming one can attain fruition without meditative concentration is conceptual proliferation (prapañca) and cannot become reality.

Twenty: In actual practice, check your results at all times

The entire process of observing the breath should not involve effort only on the body; one must also apply effort on the mind, for after all, cultivating all dharmas is for the sake of cultivating the mind. The mind is the master of the body. Once the body has been regulated to a certain degree and no longer affects the mind, one should apply effort on the mind; when the mind is well regulated and quiet, the body will also become well regulated accordingly. The final function lies on the mind; the body then need not be attended to so much.

Observing the breath is for changing one's thoughts, mental conduct, and disposition. After rising from the seat, in interactions with people and affairs, amid conditions and circumstances, examine what changes have occurred in your mental conduct in daily life, whether your attitude toward people, affairs, things, and principles has changed, whether your thoughts have become purer, whether your grasping at form, sound, smell, taste, touch, and dharmas has lessened, whether you go along with conditions more readily, whether you are less picky, whether interpersonal relationships have improved, whether your disposition has improved, whether your state of mind has become more peaceful, whether you engage your mind in people and affairs less often, whether you have become more honest and kind-hearted, and whether you make others feel more warmth. What are the reactions of body and mind, what state of mind, how are the afflictions, what changes in attitude—these are all results after contemplative practice and are most telling.

Has your mind's capacity grown? Has your tolerance increased? Have you come to consider problems more long-term and comprehensively? Has your compassion for sentient beings increased? Has your sense of responsibility strengthened? Has your great bodhi mind increased? Has your resolve for the Path grown firm? Is your heart tied to Buddhism and sentient beings? These are all contents for examining your practice. If you are still far off, then you are still far from seeing the Path and need to keep striving, diligently applying effort and attention. In short, examine your mental conduct from every aspect, make timely summaries, know what is wholesome and what is unwholesome, maintain and consolidate good results, and improve bad habits. In this way, wholesome roots and merit accumulate ever more deeply, and precepts, concentration, and wisdom advance more and more.

Twenty-one: The merits and benefits of practicing the four foundations of mindfulness

Practicing according to the Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sūtra, as the power of concentration continually strengthens, one feels increasingly benefited by the practice. Persisting in observing the breath and the material body while walking, standing, sitting, and lying down, the mind grows ever quieter and more refined, until finally all changing phenomena of the material body from head to toe, inside and out, can be observed; the mind becomes extremely keen and wise—all because of meditative concentration. Without cultivating concentration, the mind is coarse, unable to observe or discover any condition inside or outside the material body—especially the afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion within one's own mind and the various kinds of ignorance: first, one cannot discover them; second, one cannot subdue them. Therefore one must cultivate meditative concentration and practice the four foundations of mindfulness, to grow contemplative wisdom, subdue afflictions, and not create—or create fewer—evil karmic deeds.

In the course of practicing the four foundations of mindfulness, the mind grows ever quieter; when quiet to a certain degree and the conditions and season are complete, upon contacting a dharma or a condition, one can immediately introspect and investigate; the manas's mode of deliberation (manasikāra/manana) without language, words, or sounds is activated, and inspiration is instantly obtained—possibly realizing the Dharma. When concentration is well cultivated, the mind is extremely quick, with strong focus, able to constantly rest on the contemplated dharma, knowing one's own body and mind inside and out. No matter what external state arises, though the mind clearly knows it, one can ignore it and remain unmoved, with no sense of self-existence, not taking oneself seriously. When inner afflictions arise, the mind clearly knows them, yet does not follow the afflictions to create karmic actions—this is the merit of meditative concentration: the mind is tranquil (praśama) and can subdue afflictions.

When afflictions become lighter, craving and attachment to the world decrease and lessen; one no longer wishes to spend more time and energy on worldly enterprises; many things come to seem unimportant; single-mindedly turning toward the Path, one's power of aspiration becomes vast, practice gets on the right track, and seeing the Path becomes only a matter of time.

Twenty-two: Practicing the four foundations of mindfulness is a process from ignorant knowing to enlightened knowing

This Satipaṭṭhāna Sūtra is not only a sūtra for cultivating concentration but also a sūtra in which śamatha and vipaśyanā operate simultaneously. The result of śamatha and vipaśyanā is the arising of wisdom—the wisdom that eradicates the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi), the wisdom by which the Dharma eye is purified and the mind attains liberation. The so-called wisdom of liberation is that through observation, when one has contemplated the observed dharma as it truly is to a sufficient degree, the ignorant knowing transforms into enlightened knowing. The former knowing was ignorant knowing, unclear about the dharma; the present knowing is enlightened knowing, understanding the true meaning of the dharma—understanding that all these contemplated dharmas, the body and mind of the five aggregates, are subject to arising and ceasing, impermanent, mutable, suffering, empty, and non-self. At this point, the liberation wisdom of the Small Vehicle arises, and after severing the afflictions of greed and hatred, the mind attains liberation.

Therefore, in contemplating the four foundations of mindfulness, one must have right knowledge at every moment—and it must be the knowing of a settled mind, not the knowing of a scattered mind. These two knowings differ: the knowing of a settled mind includes the manas's knowing; when the mind is scattered, it is the mind consciousness's scattered knowing. Scattered knowing is all ignorant knowing; with the knowing of a settled mind, ignorance can gradually diminish, ignorant knowing can gradually transform into enlightened knowing, and one can open wisdom and attain liberation.

The knowing of a scattered mind manifests only the functions of the mind consciousness; the knowing of a settled mind includes not only the mind consciousness's clear knowing but also the manas's lucid knowing, with the manas's deep deliberation (manasikāra/manana) at work. Only thus can one eradicate the view of self and attain purity of the Dharma eye. This is the practice method the Buddha taught us—not using the mind consciousness to think, analyze, weigh, infer, or deduce; none of these methods are used at all. All dharmas exist in direct perception, just as they inherently are; as long as one maintains knowing, at a certain point one can understand the true meaning of the world.

The ignorant knowing of the contemplated dharma falls into the phenomenal realm, taking the phenomenal realm as true and real; enlightened knowing is knowing the arising, ceasing, and unreality of the phenomenal realm. The intermediate process of contemplative practice is crucial; the turning point from ignorance to enlightenment is crucial. Observing the principle behind the phenomenal realm is enlightened knowing. When the manas knows with enlightenment, the meditative absorption (samādhi) of the equal cultivation of Samādhi and Prajñā will certainly appear. This process may take longer, because if the foundation from past lives was weaker, this life involves more hardship. In the practice of observing the breath, one should refer to the breath-observation method of Cūḍapanthaka in the Śūraṅgama Sūtra (Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra context aside). Cūḍapanthaka never left the tip of the nose in observing the breath, extremely single-minded, ultimately attaining the fourth fruit (arhat of the fourth fruit) and also cultivating the fourth dhyāna.

Twenty-three: The difference between enlightened knowing and ignorant knowing

Ignorance is the mind's obscurity and lack of knowledge—not knowing the suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and non-self of the five aggregates subject to grasping (pañca-upādāna-skandha), not knowing the arising, ceasing, and mutability of the world of the five aggregates, not knowing the essential nature and characteristics of all dharmas, not knowing that all dharmas are illusorily manifested by tathāgatagarbha, not knowing the principle of cause, condition, and retribution. In short, ignorance is not knowing or understanding true principles and dharmas, and grasping (upādāna) all false dharmas as self and belonging to self. Knowing accompanied by such ignorance is ignorant, inverted false view (mithyā-dṛṣṭi).

If through contemplative practice one realizes that the five aggregates subject to grasping are suffering, empty, impermanent, and non-self, realizes the true principle of all dharmas, severs ignorance, and no longer confusedly and invertedly grasps at all dharmas, then the knowing of the five aggregates and the knowing of all dharmas is enlightened—called enlightened knowing. Of course, enlightenment also has gradations, levels and degrees: there is initial enlightenment and final enlightenment; enlightenment must be progressive, ever more enlightened, and one will have ever more wisdom and ever more liberation.

Enlightenment is also divided into the mind consciousness's enlightenment and the manas's enlightenment. The mind consciousness's enlightenment is relatively easy: once the Buddha-dharma is thoroughly understood, the mind consciousness is enlightened. But the manas's enlightenment can only appear after realization; the manas's enlightenment does not come from understanding and simple thinking—it requires constant investigation within meditative concentration, constant deliberation (manasikāra/manana), before sudden enlightenment occurs, suddenly becoming enlightened. The mind consciousness's enlightenment is gradual enlightenment; gradual cultivation brings gradual enlightenment, and gradual enlightenment is the result of understanding, not true wisdom.

Even the mind consciousness's thorough understanding of principles is quite difficult, so realization of fruition by the mind consciousness is likewise very hard. It is not, as many people think, that by thinking it over and understanding a bit, the mind consciousness attains fruition—that is still far from the mind consciousness's realization of fruition, and even farther from the manas's realization of fruition. How could attaining fruition be so easy? Ignorance is so heavy, the obstructions so great, the afflictions so severe, the wisdom so shallow—being a decent ordinary person is already good enough. If one does not change oneself, eliminate some afflictions and ignorance, and undergo a thorough transformation, then do not speak of attaining fruition—it is truly far too distant.

Twenty-four: The correspondence between the body, feeling, mind, and dharmas of the four foundations of mindfulness and the five aggregates

The two correspond exactly: the "body" of the four foundations of mindfulness is the aggregate of form among the five aggregates; the "feeling" of the four foundations of mindfulness is the aggregate of feeling of the five aggregates; the "mind" of the four foundations of mindfulness is the aggregate of consciousness, the aggregate of volitional formations, and the aggregate of perception of the five aggregates; and the "dharmas" of the four foundations of mindfulness are the practice dharmas of the five aggregates and eighteen realms—the thirty-seven aids to enlightenment. Therefore, by contemplating the four foundations of mindfulness, the five aggregates can attain liberation.

All Buddha-dharmas are interconnected, reaching the same destination by different routes—one and the same principle, merely expounded from different angles. Though the angles of exposition differ, the result is the same: eradicating the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi) and attaining liberation. Each person's chosen point of entry in practice differs, but the result does not differ. Entering from any point can lead to the destination; as long as the method is right, one can surely reach the ultimate goal, the summit of the high mountain. Standing on the mountaintop looking down at the surroundings, every path leads to the summit; there is no need to circle the entire mountain—ascending along one path, all the paths become clear at a glance. Therefore, one who has accomplished the Path can answer whatever is asked and point out the direction for beings on any path—the Great Vehicle Dharma, the Small Vehicle Dharma, worldly dharmas and non-Buddhist dharmas, precepts, concentration, and wisdom—all practices can serve to guide. Only then is one a truly worthy good teacher, endowed with both virtue and ability.

Twenty-five: Why can contemplative practice eradicate the view of self?

To illustrate this question of contemplative practice by example: children all like toys. Some children, upon getting a toy, cannot put it down, loving it for years without tiring—such intelligence is worrisome. Other children are full of curiosity about the toy they get: taking it apart and reassembling it, assembling and disassembling, until finally understanding that the toy is nothing special, losing interest, then switching to another kind of toy—eventually treating all other toys the same way, dismantling and dissecting them, examining them thoroughly inside and out; once understood, no longer curious or interested. As age and experience grow, they eventually lose interest in any toy—showing that this child's mind has matured.

Sentient beings are like children: they also love the toy of name-and-form, the five aggregates, unable to put it down for many lives and many kalpas, even countless immeasurable kalpas, with unceasing craving and love, bound tightly by the body of the five aggregates, unfree, enduring all manner of suffering. How to be liberated from the bondage? One should be like the child with a mature mind: take the world of the five aggregates apart and dissect it, see through the essence of the five aggregates, know that the five aggregates are in fact suffering, empty, impermanent, and non-self—and there is nothing more. If sentient beings have the intelligence of the Great Vehicle, they see through that the essence of the five aggregates is the empty tathāgatagarbha—that there is fundamentally no such dharma as the five aggregates; the five aggregates are conditionally arisen dharmas born from the tathāgatagarbha; when the conditions cease, the body of the five aggregates ceases, and it is not free or autonomous—this intelligence is the most mature of all.

Because most sentient beings are attached to and immersed in the five aggregates, unable to extricate themselves, like children infatuated with toys whose minds are immature and who do not know how to dissect the five aggregates, the Buddha established an expedient method, teaching beings to observe in accordance with principle and as things truly are, beginning contemplation from the breath of the four foundations of mindfulness. The aim is to start from the breath in order to reasonably and meticulously dissect the five aggregates, with principled attention (yoniśo-manaskāra) to deeply contemplate and directly realize—this is the simplest and most effective method of contemplative practice.

Some people observe the breath over and over, and the five aggregates are broken through a little; from this point they glimpse into the aggregate of form, seeing clearly that the aggregate of form is suffering, empty, impermanent, and non-self, with nothing else besides—and thus they sever the view of the body. Some people, while severing the view of the body, with one effort also dissect the other four aggregates together, seeing through that the entirety of the five aggregates is suffering, empty, and non-self, and thus eradicate the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi-prahāṇa). Those with even better intelligence observe the five aggregates thoroughly, inside and out, clearly and completely; afflictions are severed instantly, and they directly attain the arhat of the fourth fruit.

Therefore this contemplative practice is an excellent method of dissecting the five aggregates to attain Small Vehicle liberation, enabling these children—sentient beings—to mature in intelligence sooner, thereby becoming weary of the five aggregates and liberated from the suffering of birth and death. The key is knowing how to observe, and observing in accordance with principle and reality—which also depends on beings' intelligence and power of concentration. That beings differ in concentration and wisdom is certain, but there is no need to hurry: as long as one contemplates over a long time, with prolonged effort, sooner or later the five aggregates will be seen through completely, no longer deluding and entangling one; liberation is only a matter of time.