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

02 Oct 2020    Friday     1st Teach Total 2669

When can afflictions be eradicated?

As for afflictions and such matters, only after attaining the fruits of realization, when the meditative concentration of the first dhyāna appears, and after becoming a noble one of the third fruit, can one eradicate the subtle afflictions—first eradicating greed and desire, then eradicating anger and resentment; at the fourth fruit, self-grasping and self-conceit are eradicated. Those of the first and second fruits merely subdue afflictions: coarse afflictions do not arise, but subtle afflictions may occasionally appear. At the stage of ordinary beings, before the eradication of the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi-prahāṇa), one can only suppress afflictions, and sometimes even suppression fails. Those who possess meditative concentration of the first dhyāna or above can also suppress and subdue afflictions, but cannot eradicate them. Although the afflictions of an arhat of the fourth fruit have been eradicated, latent habits occasionally manifest—sometimes beyond control, sometimes without awareness, requiring reminders from others.

——Master Sheng-Ru's Teachings
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