Does Fear Still Exist After the Eradication of Self-View?

After cutting off the view of self, there is a certain degree of liberation merit and benefit to be experienced. This liberation merit varies depending on each individual's level of realization. The so-called liberation merit refers to a reduction and lessening of attachment to the physical body, the mental feelings and thoughts of the five aggregates; one becomes more open-minded about many matters and less calculative, especially when supported by meditative concentration, where attachment becomes even lighter and fainter. This also depends on the wisdom attained from cutting off the view of self and the degree of meditative concentration, which differs for each person.

However, when encountering major events, one may still feel fear, though upon reflection afterward, the fear lessens. For those at the third and fourth fruits, it is very light. Yet, it is impossible to have absolutely no fear. For instance, even fourth-fruit Arhats, having severed self-attachment, who followed the Buddha, would run away when a drunken elephant charged at them—they too feared the drunk elephant. Why? Because they had not realized the Tathagatagarbha; they still regarded the five-aggregate body as real, suffering as real, merely unable to grasp these constantly arising, ceasing, and changing phenomena. They had not realized the principle that the five aggregates are illusory, magically transformed by the Tathagatagarbha, hence they still harbored fear. If they were Arhats with complete liberation, supported by profound meditative concentration, they would have no fear and be relatively more at ease.

An Eighth Ground Bodhisattva would not have the slightest trace of fear at all; a Fourth Ground Bodhisattva might also be free from fear. Bodhisattvas above the Fourth Ground have not only severed self-attachment but also partially severed attachment to dharmas. They have not only realized the profound Tathagatagarbha but also attained the four dhyanas and eight samadhis, realizing that all dharmas are illusory appearances, not truly existent; the five-aggregate body is entirely empty and illusory, all being the Tathagatagarbha. Because Hinayana Arhats have not realized the Tathagatagarbha, they believe the five aggregates are still real in the world, hence they enter Nirvana to escape suffering. The fruition attained by Hinayana and that by Mahayana differ greatly in level; the Dharma realized by Hinayana is not ultimate, while the Mahayana Dharma thoroughly penetrates the fundamental source of the mind and is the ultimate Dharma. Therefore, a first-fruit practitioner who has cut off the view of self may still feel fear regarding certain significant matters, because this attachment to the body cannot be severed too thoroughly, and there remains the issue of attachment to dharmas.