Why Is the Exclusion of Outsiders a Characteristic of Ordinary Beings?

For such individuals harbor the notions of self and others, cling to the four marks, and are bound by duality, leaving no emptiness in their minds. Their entire being is dominated by self-nature, making genuine spiritual practice difficult for them. If they further resort to unreasonable means, or stop at nothing to trample others underfoot, such a person is utterly lost. They are not ordinary worldlings; they are incapable of severing the view of self and attaining realization.

Excluding those who differ from oneself constitutes physical, verbal, and mental actions — improper actions of body, speech, and mind. One who has severed the view of self would no longer act in this way, for they have attained an initial state of selflessness; their mind resonates with non-self, and they cease to create coarse, heavy unwholesome karmic actions. Therefore, to determine whether someone has attained realization or possesses the Way, one must still judge based on the physical, verbal, and mental actions of the seventh consciousness (manas). The more specific the observation, the better. There are no other criteria for judgment. One cannot judge the realization and cultivation of the seventh consciousness based on the mental activities of the eighth consciousness (alaya), nor can one judge solely based on words spoken. Actions best reflect a person's level of realization and cultivation. Fabricating with words is easiest; using falsehoods and deceit to deceive others is endless. Although physical actions can sometimes be faked, such deception is extremely limited and cannot be sustained.

The worldly nature of sentient beings is also manifested in their desires. Some who study Buddhism find their desires growing stronger the more they learn. They crave swift realization and enlightenment of the mind, resorting to any means necessary, desiring any fruit of attainment, even false ones — as long as they gain the reputation of having attained realization and enlightened the mind. After achieving fame, they aim directly for superiority over others, expecting all benefits to follow. Their desires are immense; they care not about the means by which they attain the fruit, striving by every possible method to achieve it. This is a very strange notion. Holding this very idea represents the strongest, most solid sense of self — how could they still harbor hope of severing the view of self and attaining realization? They treat the Buddha Dharma as a tool for gaining worldly fame and profit, blinded by material gains. Obscured by profit, they find it difficult to escape darkness and the cycle of rebirth. In short, the worldly nature of sentient beings is inexhaustible in description, evoking deep regret and sighs. Such lack of awakening makes their continued rebirth within samsara only logical. Truly, the pitiable have aspects that are culpable.