When Practicing in Accordance with the Dharma, the Mind Begins to Transform

Because of studying the Buddha-dharma, one gradually comes to recognize the principle that the five aggregates (pañca-skandha) are without self. Only under the illumination of the sunlight of wisdom of truth can the hard ice in the mind melt away bit by bit, and finally be extinguished completely. This stage takes a very long time. Strictly speaking, it begins from the moment one realizes that the five aggregates are without self; less strictly speaking, it begins from the moment one comes into contact with the Dharma of the Four Noble Truths and is able to engage in contemplative practice (vipaśyanā-caryā) in accordance with the Dharma.

First one must realize that the five aggregates are without self, and only afterward can one gradually break the attachment to self—this is the sequence of cultivation. Depending on the degree to which one has realized that the five aggregates are without self, the degree of the manas's attachment differs. After the eradication of the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi-prahāṇa), the manas's attachment to the five aggregates becomes lighter and lighter; only when it has become light enough can the attachment to self be severed immediately. The attachment of the manas in ordinary sentient beings and in those of the first fruit (srotāpanna) is very heavy; it is not eliminated all at once, but is lightened little by little. It is like long-accumulated hard ice which, under the shining of sunlight, first melts bit by bit and only finally disappears from view. It is the same with the manas's elimination of attachment: first it lightens, and finally it disappears entirely.

As for these dharmas, without meditative concentration (samādhi) there is no appropriate deliberation (manasikāra) and contemplative practice, and then one cannot understand them, cannot accord with the Dharma, and will inevitably have no interest in them. If even the mind consciousness's understanding is out of the question, then let alone talk of realization.

When meditative concentration is insufficient, all deliberation can only lead to the mind consciousness's intellectual understanding, not to realization. If one believes that the mind consciousness's intellectual understanding is ultimate, then realization becomes impossible. So sometimes knowing much and understanding much is not a good thing. The Chan patriarchs most strongly opposed meditators who knew much and understood much, as it greatly obstructs the Path. But people nowadays—almost one hundred percent of them—pursue knowing much and understanding much, taking broad knowledge as a source of pride. That is why today those who realize are few and far between, while followers of the school of intellectual understanding are everywhere. Once the Buddha-dharma becomes thus diluted and widespread, it will surely perish swiftly.