Self-Nature Most Obstructs the Path

Afflictions and innate afflictive obstruction (kleśāvaraṇa) obstruct both meditative concentration (samādhi) and wisdom, veiling the arising of the light of wisdom, just like a wall blocking the light. Only when afflictions are removed and the obstructions are gone can the sixth and seventh consciousnesses transform consciousness into wisdom, and only then can their wisdom become vast and unobstructed. Those with heavy afflictive habits and a narrow mind cannot observe the profound and subtle Buddha-dharma; they merely circle around on the surface of the Buddha-dharma, unable to go deeper. The seventh consciousness (manas) is greatly constrained by afflictions and habits, revolving around a self and unable to break through, so everything it perceives carries the nature of self-clinging, and its wisdom is narrow and limited—this shows how truly vast is the wisdom of no-self. Therefore, we should constantly observe whether our own mind has the nature of self-clinging, whether it harbors unfairness; once we discover self-nature and selfishness, we must find ways to subdue them as much as possible, because this is inconsistent with the Buddha's mind and will inevitably obstruct the Path. Compared with the Path, the nature of self-clinging is like the relationship between ox hair and the ox itself: it must be removed in order to obtain the ox and not merely the ox hair.