Sentient Beings Blindly Trust Their Own Behavior

All the contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) corresponding to the elimination of self-view (ahaṃkāra-mamakāra-parityāga) of the stream-enterer (Srotaāpanna) can be understood by those who have not yet attained the fruit, and many people then think that because they have practiced contemplation to that point, they have eliminated self-view. Therefore some people believe that understanding no-self means the elimination of self-view, and confirm to themselves that they have attained the fruit. This is placing far too much blind faith in oneself, committing a grave lie about superhuman states, and the consequences are very serious. Everyone is confident in themselves, and the result is blind faith—it is entirely the inner "I" at work, a manifestation of the heavy weight of the mind of self. Understanding no-self is merely the mind consciousness's intellectual understanding; it does not even count as interpretive awakening, and there is still a great gap from the manas's realization. Sentient beings are just this foolish and hard to liberate; honestly speaking, they will not listen to the truth—they are only pleased when exalted. Some people, if you tell them they are at the eighth fruit, are overjoyed; speak the truth, and no matter what, they will not listen. Some people have greed, hatred, and delusion all severe, heavier than an ordinary being's, yet claim they are a once-returner (Sakṛdāgāmin). Sentient beings all love to exalt themselves, and there is nothing to be done about it.

Other dharmas likewise need to be realized by the manas; it is not a matter of the mind consciousness merely understanding them. The accomplishment of various contemplative practices is realization, and within them all there is the manas's participation—it is the manas's realization. Truly understanding in the depths of the heart, being deeply moved, is realization to a certain degree; truly recognizing the truth of a matter and thereby bringing about changes in the state of body and mind is the manas's realization to a certain degree. Since it is called realization to a certain degree, it is not necessarily complete and thorough realization, so realization also differs in degree and level. Destroying the manas makes Buddhahood impossible; only by breaking through the manas's ignorance can consciousness be transformed into wisdom. The manas must never be extinguished, for only then do the five aggregates (pañcaskandha) exist, and only by retaining the five aggregates can one become a Buddha.