What is the purpose of Buddhist practice and realization?

A person of the first fruit has certainly subdued their heavier afflictions; they will no longer commit killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, or false speech. Minor afflictions still remain, but compared with ordinary beings, their mental disposition is certainly different—the afflictions have been effectively subdued, whereas ordinary beings have not subdued them. However, even ordinary beings before eradicating the view of self (satkāya-dṛṣṭi) gradually subdue their afflictions during the process of practice and realization, which is different from before they had any practice or realization. For those who have come face to face with no-self, the afflictions of "self" will no longer be so heavy; after all, they have at least the initial view of no-self. It is only that the degree of realizing no-self differs, the degree to which the mental disposition has been subdued differs, and the beneficial experience of the merit of liberation differs—but all of them have some benefit, all have partial liberation.

The purpose of all practice and realization in the Buddha's teachings is to eliminate ignorance (avidyā). Where there is ignorance, there are all kinds of afflictions. Thus, attaining the fruits and seeing the mind ultimately resolve the problem of afflictions. When ignorance is gone, afflictions are gone; to whatever degree ignorance is eliminated, afflictions are subdued or eradicated to that degree. If the first fruit of eradicating the view of self were not connected with subduing ignorance and afflictions, then what use would eradicating the view of self and seeing the mind be? Would merely acquiring theoretical knowledge suffice?

What is the purpose of studying theoretical knowledge? Is it not to eliminate ignorance and eradicate afflictions? Why are we not liberated, and why is there the suffering of birth and death? Is it not because there are afflictions and ignorance? Has the fundamental purpose and goal of studying Buddhism vanished—have people become disoriented? What is the reason that each person is not yet a Buddha right now? Is it not precisely because there are various ignorances and afflictions of various different levels?

Attaining realization and eradicating afflictions is like cutting off the thick root of a great tree. When the root is completely severed, that corresponds to the fourth fruit. Before the root is completely severed, it is cut away bit by bit, severed little by little. Attaining the first fruit corresponds to having begun cutting the root and already having cut away a small portion—namely, the three fetters. At the second fruit, a greater portion is cut away, meaning greed, hatred, and delusion have become very faint. At the third fruit, greed and hatred are eradicated, corresponding to having cut away most of the root—the great tree is about to fall at any moment. When the root is completely severed, one can enter Nirvāṇa without remainder (Anupadhiśeṣa-nirvāṇa) at any time.