The Four Distinctions (Siliaojian) of the Linji Chan School

Taking away the person but not the object; taking away the object but not the person; taking away both the person and the object; taking away neither the person nor the object. "Taking away" refers to depriving, stripping off, dispelling, eliminating, and eradicating; "person" refers to the subjective self, the consciousness that is capable of grasping; "object" refers to the sense-objects that are grasped. These words summarize that, in the process of Chan contemplation, one must strip away and eliminate the subject and the object—that is, one must gradually eliminate the self-view of the five aggregates (pañcaskandha). Having self-view is a covering, an obstruction; the eye of wisdom does not open, and one sees only the person and the object, but not the true mind. 

Although ordinary sentient beings all possess self-view, in the course of study and cultivation the emphasis of self-view differs: some lean toward the subjective subject, clinging to consciousness; some lean toward the objective object, clinging to sense-objects; and some cling to both. Because of self-view and self-grasping (upādāna), the mind is not empty, and Chan contemplation bears no fruit. At this point, a Chan master with the eye of discernment is needed to receive the student and give instruction, directly forcing the mind toward emptiness, taking away the subject and object to which the student clings, removing the obstruction of the eye, and purifying his Dharma-eye—this is the first three of the fourfold discernment. For a Chan practitioner who has attained purity of the Dharma-eye, both person and object are empty, and he has fallen into emptiness. In order to advance further on the path toward realizing suchness, the Chan master again receives him and gives instruction, letting the student turn around from within emptiness and realize that "existence" in the person and the object. Thus, after the dark willows and dim flowers, another village appears—the state of practice has turned, and the great matter is preliminarily resolved. The fourth discernment completes the seeing of the path of the Great Vehicle and opens up the path of advancement. Therefore, without eliminating self-view, one cannot attain enlightenment.