Without Fulfilling the Conditions of the Thirty-Seven Factors of Enlightenment, One Cannot Attain the Fruits of Realization or Awaken to the True Mind

For those who have never eliminated the self-view (ātma-dṛṣṭi) in past lives, or who have eliminated it only a few times, attaining the initial elimination of self-view and realizing the first fruit is extremely difficult; the necessary conditions for eliminating self-view—the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment—are not easy to cultivate. Anyone who practices meditation every day now knows that meditative concentration (samādhi) is not easy to cultivate, and contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) in accordance with the Dharma is even harder. To achieve results in contemplative practice, to attain the pure Dharma eye and realize the emptiness samādhi, is harder still. Those who eliminated self-view in past lives belong to a special category of people in this life, yet in the Saha world there are hardly any such special individuals—they can be said to be as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns. 

Some people always think themselves very special, claiming to have attained enlightenment after just three to five years of study. But without eliminating self-view, one cannot attain enlightenment; enlightenment is far more difficult than eliminating self-view. So do not casually believe you have attained enlightenment and seen your true mind, or that you are already such-and-such a bodhisattva. Publicly proclaiming your own enlightenment brings very bad karmic retribution. This is a special period now, and certain special phenomena have appeared, bringing great trouble to Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva. After this generation passes away, Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva will become very busy. Being a bodhisattva is truly not easy: "Until the hells are empty, I vow not to attain buddhahood." Though he clearly possesses the full merit and virtue of a Buddha, he does not take the position of Buddha—such is the bodhisattva's mind of emptiness and selflessness. 

In order not to add trouble for Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva, everyone should now follow the teachings of our original teacher, Śākyamuni Buddha, cultivate in accordance with the stages and standards of practice taught by the Buddha, and strictly examine to what degree one has accomplished the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment. If even one of them is unfulfilled, do not imagine that you have realized the fruits, seen your true mind, and so on. If the most basic thirty-seven factors of enlightenment have not been fully cultivated, one cannot be transformed body and mind, cannot leap over the Dragon Gate, and cannot become a noble one.