The Defilements to Be Abandoned at the Second Fruition

Original text of the Abhidharma-kośa: If one has previously eradicated the six grades of klesa in the desire realm, or the seven or eight grades, upon reaching this stage, it is called the second fruit approach (sakṛdāgāmi-phala-pratipannaka), because it approaches the second fruit. The second fruit is the once-returner fruit (sakṛdāgāmin). Among all the fruits that are to be attained, this is the second, hence it is called the second fruit.

Explanation: If one has previously eradicated the six grades of contemplation klesa (vicāra-kleśa) in the desire realm, or the seven or eight grades, and cultivates to this stage, it is the second fruit approach, which can lead to the second fruit. The second fruit is the once-returner fruit, meaning one more rebirth in the human realm and one in the heavenly realm, after which one attains final Nirvāṇa without residue. Among all the fruits that should be attained, the once-returner fruit is the second in sequence, hence it is called the second fruit.

The sixth, seventh, and eighth grades of contemplation klesa in the desire realm are somewhat subtler and more difficult to eradicate than the first five grades. Once eradicated, the virtue of eradication is higher, and the fruit attained is certainly superior to the first fruit approach and the first fruit, which are based on the eradication virtue of five grades. The nine grades of afflictive contemplation klesa in the desire realm are all related to dharmas within the desire realm. They are the klesas of greed, hatred, and delusion towards the desire realm's forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and mental objects; towards the desire realm's food, clothing, utensils, and means of livelihood; and towards sexual desire between men and women. The first grade, the lowest and coarsest (adhomātra), is the coarsest, the most turbid, the most inferior, the most flawed, the most unwholesome, and the most needing to be eliminated. The second grade is slightly less so, the third even less, down to the fifth grade. After eradicating up to the fifth grade, one attains the first fruit approach, which is between an ordinary person and the first fruit, still categorized as an ordinary person, not free from the cycle of the three evil destinies. Only upon reaching the first fruit stage is the suffering of rebirth in the three evil destinies extinguished.

If one wishes to eradicate the five grades of afflictive klesa in the desire realm, one must uphold precepts and cultivate concentration. When the concentration of the desire realm arises, it will subdue and eradicate the five grades of contemplation klesa and afflictions. After eradicating these klesas, one continues to uphold precepts and cultivate concentration, giving rise to contemplative wisdom, realizing the suffering, emptiness, impermanence, and non-self of the five aggregates (skandhas). When samādhi arises, one attains the purity of the Dharma-eye (dharmacakṣus) and achieves the first fruit (srotāpanna). Concentration is crucial here. Without the preliminary concentration (anāgamya-samādhi) of the desire realm, no afflictive klesa can be subdued or eradicated, and the first fruit approach cannot be attained. Why can the preliminary concentration eradicate the five grades of contemplation klesa? Because concentration stabilizes the mind. First, the body is stabilized; only when the body is stable can the mind subsequently become stable. When the mind is stable, it is subdued, less inclined towards forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and mental objects, and the afflictions naturally cease. The afflictive klesas eradicated by the second fruit approach and the second fruit are subtler and deeper than those eradicated by the first fruit approach and the first fruit, yet they still belong to the klesas of the desire realm. Only one grade remains to completely exhaust the klesas of the desire realm. The preliminary concentration of the desire realm can eradicate them, while the concentrations of the form realm and formless realm can eradicate them even more easily.

Some say that attaining the fruit and realizing the mind (mingxin) do not require concentration and do not involve eradicating afflictions, and that the afflictions of a first fruit are identical to those of an ordinary person. Such statements clearly reveal that such a person has not truly experienced the stages of cultivation; their mind certainly corresponds to the afflictions of an ordinary person, making their so-called proof and realization of the mind highly dubious. A person without concentration naturally does not know the merit and function of concentration and naturally cannot eradicate any afflictions; their afflictions are indeed identical to those of an ordinary person without distinction. But in reality, this is not the case. Concentration possesses the virtue of eradication (utsāha-guṇa), merit (puṇya), and wholesome qualities (guṇa). It is the most crucial link and aid in cultivation. Without this key link of concentration, the wisdom to eradicate the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi) will not arise. The understanding of consciousness (vijñāna) does not play a decisive role; the wisdom of the mental faculty (manas) is decisive. It determines the presence or absence of ignorance and afflictions, determines the destination of future rebirths, and determines liberation or non-liberation.

Attaining the first fruit is equivalent to a complete transformation, like being reborn. The mental faculty (manas) is the backbone. What kind of bone it is determines what kind of rebirth one takes. If the ignorance and afflictions of the mental faculty are not eradicated, the "bone" does not change, and one cannot shed the womb of an ordinary person. During the intermediate state (antarābhava), the womb one enters is determined by the "bone" of the mental faculty. Why can concentration transform the mental faculty? Because concentration subdues the six consciousnesses (vijñāna). When the six consciousnesses move less and slower, the mental faculty's control and regulation over them naturally decrease, the clinging mind weakens, and the mind can abide more in the meaning of the Dharma (dharma-artha). The ability to absorb and digest the meaning of the Dharma increases, consideration of the Dharma becomes more focused, one gradually assimilates the meaning of the Dharma, wisdom arises, afflictions are eradicated, and partial or complete liberation is attained. Without concentration, the clinging of the six consciousnesses to the six objects (ṣaḍ-viṣaya) does not cease, the direction of the mental faculty over the six consciousnesses does not cease, one cannot abide in the meaning of the Dharma, wisdom cannot arise, afflictions remain unceasing, and liberation is hopeless.