The Meritorious Benefits of Attaining the First Fruition

The position of seeing the Way in both Mahayana and Hinayana, that is, the first fruition, is like meeting a person: you know this person, but do not yet understand them deeply; your recognition is not profound. Nevertheless, having met, you have a preliminary understanding, which is entirely different from the knowledge and cognition before meeting. In the subsequent process of interacting with this person, you gradually develop a certain understanding, thereby deepening your impression and gaining some insight into their speech and behavior. Over time, with increased understanding, your recognition becomes thorough, and trust continuously strengthens.

It is the same principle when one first realizes the mind upon attaining the first fruition. Although the seeing of the Way in the first fruition does not eradicate afflictions, one has nonetheless initially realized selflessness and gained a certain cognition of the five aggregates and eighteen elements of oneself and others. This is fundamentally different from before attaining the first fruition. Therefore, there should be a transformation in body and mind, an essential distinction from ordinary people. Although afflictions are not eradicated, they must have been subdued to a certain extent. This is the merit and benefit of realizing selflessness through seeing the Way. To claim that because the first fruition has not eradicated afflictions and is not the third fruition, the afflictions should be the same as those of an ordinary person, is a great misunderstanding. It is sufficient to mislead many people, causing many who have not attained fruition to believe they have, thinking that heavy afflictions are normal. In reality, this is abnormal. If afflictions have not changed or been effectively subdued, it indicates that one has not seen the Way, has not genuinely realized the selflessness of the five aggregates, and has not truly understood the principle of selflessness. Many who hold this view do not conceal their afflictive nature and even consider it justified to believe they have attained fruition and eradicated the view of self. They do not doubt at all whether their so-called fruition is genuine or false, unaware of the karmic consequences of impersonating a sage.

After the first fruition sees the Way, one gradually deepens the understanding and cognition of the five aggregates and eighteen elements in subsequent encounters with conditions and objects. As selflessness strengthens and afflictions are further subdued and diminished, one becomes a person of the second fruition. Further deepening the cognition of the selflessness of the five aggregates and cultivating the removal of the five hindrances, one gradually develops the first dhyāna absorption. Then, the affliction of greed is eradicated, followed by the eradication of hatred. After an indeterminate period, one becomes a person of the third fruition, having eradicated the afflictions of greed and hatred. Continuing to practice diligently, one deepens the cognition of the selflessness of the five aggregates even further, with the view becoming firmly rooted. When all afflictions fall away and the clinging to self is completely severed, one becomes a fourth fruition Arhat.

The process of cultivating the Way from an ordinary person to the fourth fruition is analogous to the process from hearing about a person to meeting them and then becoming completely familiar with and understanding them. It is impossible to become thoroughly familiar with this person immediately upon first meeting. It is the same with attaining the first fruition: one has just seen the Way and cannot yet have a deep and thorough understanding and cognition of selflessness, nor immediately eradicate afflictions. However, there must be a difference, a distinction, from before realizing selflessness and eradicating the view of self. There must be changes in body, mind, and world; there must be preliminary liberation, merit, and benefit. If there is no preliminary liberation merit, one has not genuinely eradicated the view of self or truly seen the Way and realized selflessness. Because upon knowing selflessness, the afflictions arising from self are subdued.