Can a mind that has something to attain attain the fruit of liberation?

There are always people who say to me: Master, I want to attain the fruits of realization, I want to see the mind and realize its nature, I want to reach the seventh abode stage — how should I practice? Master, can you help me?

What kind of mental activity do people with such thoughts have? And how should I help them? Wherever there is benefit to be gained in the world, people flock to it eagerly; wherever there is benefit to be gained in Buddhism, people likewise flock to it eagerly. Why do sentient beings rush toward places of benefit? Because there is a self, there is what belongs to the self, there is dharma, there is grasping (upādāna), and therefore there is seeking. With a mind of self and a mind of seeking, seeking benefits in the Buddhadharma — can any benefit actually be obtained? Only without self and without seeking is there fruit; with self and with seeking, whence comes any fruit?

These sentient beings who study Buddhism believe there is fruit to be obtained; seeing the benefit of the fruits within the Buddhadharma, they rush straight toward the place of benefit, prepared to seize it. In that case, can they attain any genuine fruit of realization? Why do so many false fruits fly about everywhere nowadays? Having seized a false fruit with a mind of acquisition, how could one avoid falling into the three evil destinies? If the fruit in one's mind is not empty, if benefit is not empty, if fame and gain are not empty, can one eradicate the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi)? Without eradicating the view of self, can one attain any fruit?

Only with no self, no person, no sentient being, no life-principle can one eradicate the view of self and realize the fruit. Those who obtain false fruits with a mind of acquisition only increase and strengthen their view of self and self-grasping; the notions of self, person, sentient being, and life-principle become even heavier — contrary to the Path, running against it. The Path is liberation; going against the Path is birth and death. The secular world is an arena of fame and gain; in the eyes of some people, the Buddhist world is likewise an arena of fame and gain. With fame and gain to be had there, chasing after fame and gain within Buddhism leads one even further toward birth and death.