How Are Kleshas Subdued and Eradicated?

When a mental affliction arises within oneself, upon discovering it, one recalls the Dharma teachings: all people, events, and phenomena are empty. Feeling that such affliction should not arise, one then extinguishes it, becoming as if the affliction had never occurred. Is this the state of eliminating afflictions? Absolutely not. This is the state where "when thoughts arise, awareness immediately arises; with awareness, they immediately vanish." However, before awareness arises, the thought has already emerged and manifested—it cannot be treated as if it never appeared.

The emergence of thoughts means afflictions have arisen. Where afflictions exist, it is not the state of eliminating afflictions. Regardless of what happens afterward, the fact that afflictions appeared proves that the mental faculty (manas) possesses afflictions, and they have manifested outwardly. Although the conscious mind (mano-vijñāna) is acquired and subsequently aware, the mental faculty is inherently afflicted and unaware. The afflictions of the mental faculty cannot always rely on the conscious mind for detection and management because, first, the conscious mind may fail to suppress the afflictions in time, allowing them to form karmic actions and leave karmic seeds; second, the conscious mind cannot operate alongside the mental faculty constantly and everywhere, nor can it always remain clear and awake—it also has moments of weakness, confusion, and disappearance, rendering it incapable of detecting and managing the afflictions of the mental faculty.

Extinguishing afflictions as soon as they arise is necessary in the initial stages of practice. After attaining meditative concentration (dhyāna), one gradually transitions to having fewer thoughts, naturally ceasing to generate afflictions, and progressively subduing and suppressing them. Forcibly suppressing thoughts to subdue afflictions is extremely difficult. In truth, whether subduing or eliminating afflictions ultimately, such forceful countermeasures are unnecessary. Once meditative concentration arises, afflictions cease to arise naturally. Within meditative concentration, afflictions naturally diminish and lighten, then become subdued, and finally, within meditative concentration, they are naturally eradicated. Those with meditative concentration understand this principle. Practitioners who have developed and stabilized meditative concentration—reflect: have you ever deliberately confronted your afflictions? Do they not cease to appear naturally within meditative concentration? Those without meditative concentration, due to insufficient concentration power, are forced to engage in internal dialogue, with the conscious mind reasoning with the mental faculty. Those with meditative concentration find that the mental faculty naturally heeds teachings and is naturally influenced.

For example, "When qi is full, one does not think of food." Is this lack of desire to eat a result of deliberate countermeasures or a natural occurrence? Forcibly resisting eating or eating less is arduous and distressing. However, when one cultivates concentration to the point where qi fills the body, the stomach is constantly suffused with qi, and one naturally does not feel hunger. "When essence is full, one does not think of lust." Is this a result of deliberate countermeasures or a natural occurrence? This too arises when, through cultivating concentration, essence fills the body, and lustful thoughts naturally vanish. Forcible restraint is difficult. "When spirit is full, one does not think of sleep." Is this a result of deliberate countermeasures or a natural occurrence? Similarly, when concentration is cultivated to the point of spiritual fullness, one no longer needs sleep to restore vital energy; naturally, one does not feel tired. Forcing oneself to stay awake would harm the body. The subduing and elimination of other afflictions follow similar principles.

Outsiders to practice, still outside the gate, use theory to confront and suppress afflictions. After suppressing them for a while, they claim to have eliminated afflictions, attained fruition, or realized the mind. In truth, they have not yet entered the gate of practice. The merit of meditative concentration lies in subduing and eliminating afflictions. Without meditative concentration, no matter how perfect the theory, one remains powerless against afflictions. One thing subdues another; meditative concentration subdues afflictions. Subduing afflictions means subduing karmic obstacles and the obscurations to seeing the path. Only without obscurations can one see the path. Therefore, it is impossible to attain bodhi without eliminating afflictions.

Practice is a process of self-dissolution. As long as the direction of practice is correct, the methods are appropriate, and one diligently applies effort on the path, the self will gradually dissolve. Naturally, the afflictions related to the self will also dissolve bit by bit, disappearing imperceptibly. After practicing for some time, looking back, one realizes one has changed. Where is the need for using theory to confront afflictions, or the principle of afflictions surfacing only to withdraw again?