How to Handle and Respond to Latent Afflictions

Everyone has latent afflictions (anuśaya) that they themselves are unaware of or find difficult to observe, which only manifest under certain causal conditions. Should these latent afflictions be brought to manifestation by actively participating in social activities, or should one cultivate in seclusion behind closed doors and prevent them from manifesting?

Latent afflictions mainly refer to afflictive habitual tendencies. Greed, anger, delusion, arrogance, doubt, and wrong views are all afflictions. Without the meditative concentration of the first dhyāna, and before attaining the third fruit, these afflictions cannot be eradicated; given the opportunity, they will become manifest—only some are mild and some severe. The meaning of latent afflictions is that afflictive habitual tendencies lie dormant hidden within the conscious mind and are not easily discovered. These habitual tendencies begin to be eradicated starting from the first bhūmi bodhisattvas; ordinary beings and arhats still lack the ability to eradicate them. If the manifestation of afflictions is too severe, one should cultivate more meditative concentration and contemplate more on the principle of non-self. If you cannot discover them yourself, yet still wish to subdue them, then you must temper yourself among people, and when others point them out, you should be able to listen and be good at complying; you must not, upon seeing others point them out, give rise to hatred and commit unwholesome actions. If that is your situation, then go less among people; if not, then stay more among people to introspect on your own bodily, verbal, and mental actions, and humbly listen to others' advice.

Both subduing afflictions and eradicating afflictions occur in the course of encountering circumstances and facing situations—discovering the arising of afflictions, turning the light around to shine inward, and cutting them off right at that moment. If you stay away from crowds, afflictions will not easily arise, and you will be unable to discover them; then the afflictions remain hidden in the mind, with no opportunity to eradicate them. When you arrive at other buddha-lands, everything is favorable circumstances, and afflictions have no opportunity to arise, making them very hard to eradicate and cultivation very slow. Although one lives quite comfortably, progress on the Path is very slow.