The Internal and External Dharma Objects in the Four Noble Truths of the Hinayana

The Dharma of the Four Noble Truths — suffering, its accumulation, cessation, and the path — is also divided into inner mental sense-objects (inner dharma-viṣaya) and outer mental sense-objects. The Noble Eightfold Path within the cultivation of the truth of the path is likewise divided into inner dharma and outer dharma. Only when the Noble Eightfold Path has been cultivated to completion, and the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment of the Small Vehicle have been cultivated to completion, can the conditions for the eradication of the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi-prahāṇa) be fulfilled, and only afterward can one realize the fruits. If one's mental conduct does not accord with the Noble Eightfold Path, then one's mental conduct is insufficient to make one a sage, and one cannot realize the fruits. Among the factors of the Noble Eightfold Path there is right concentration (samyak-samādhi), which is divided into the outer dharma of concentration of the mind consciousness and the inner dharma of concentration of the manas. Therefore the manas must necessarily be in accord with meditative concentration (samādhi); only when the manas is settled in concentration can right wisdom arise, so that one can eradicate the view of self and realize the first fruit. Otherwise, everything is a false fruit, a plastic fruit — merely for looking at, not for use.