Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra, Volume 34 (69)

Original text:此永断故。若先已离欲界贪者。彼于今时。既入如是谛现观已。得不还果。彼与前说离欲者相。当知无异。然于此中少有差别。谓当受化生。即于彼处当般涅槃。不复还来生此世间。若先倍离欲界贪者。彼于今时。既入如是谛现观已。得一来果。若先未离欲界贪者。彼于今时。既入如是谛现观已。粗重永息。得预流果。

Explanation: Because dausthulya is forever eliminated, if one has previously departed from the craving of the desire realm, then at this time, having entered such direct realization of the truths through direct-realization wisdom, one attains the third fruit of non-returner. This person's characteristics are no different from those of the one who has departed from desire as described earlier. However, there is a slight difference between the two: the third-fruit person who will receive transformational birth in the five Pure Abodes will attain parinirvāṇa right at the place of rebirth, and will not come back to be reborn in this world.

If one has previously been close to departing from the craving of the desire realm—having already eliminated part of the craving of the desire realm—then at this time, having attained such direct realization of the four noble truths, one attains the second fruit of once-returner. If one has not previously departed from the craving of the desire realm, then at this time, having attained direct realization of the four noble truths, the coarse afflictions are forever extinguished, and one attains the first fruit.

According to the above exposition by Bodhisattva Maitreya, although one who attains the first fruit has not yet departed from the craving of the desire realm, the coarse afflictions must be forever eliminated and extinguished, while subtle afflictions still remain, to be gradually eliminated and extinguished through subsequent cultivation, until the fourth fruit, when all manifest afflictions are completely exhausted. Although those from the first fruit to the fourth fruit are all capable of direct contemplative practice of the four noble truths, because they differ in merit, afflictions, meditative concentration, and the wisdom of contemplative practice, the wisdom they attain differs, and thus the fruits they attain differ.

A third-fruit person has eliminated the afflictions of craving in the desire realm and has the ability to attain nirvāṇa without remainder directly at the place of rebirth or in the antarā-bhava; such a person is a noble one liberated in mind through the elimination of afflictions. First-fruit and second-fruit persons still have various cravings of the desire realm, and their minds are not liberated from the desire realm; therefore they are not noble ones liberated in mind, but belong to the wise/virtuous ones.