Explanation of the Mahayana Vijñapti Sūtra

Thus have I heard. At one time the Bhagavan was in Rajagriha, at the Bamboo Grove of Kalandaka, together with a great assembly of twelve hundred and fifty bhikkhus. All were Arhats, whose defilements had been exhausted, who were free from afflictions, had attained ease, were well-liberated in mind, and well-liberated in wisdom.

"Defilements" refer to the afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion; "exhausted" means completely severed—when the afflictions of greed, hatred, and delusion are all severed, it is called the exhaustion of defilements. After severing the view of self and attaining the first fruition, one cultivates the first dhyana and begins to eliminate a portion of the afflictions, thereby attaining the third fruition. Upon achieving the first dhyana, one first severs the afflictions of greed and desire, then severs the afflictions of hatred and resentment, in addition to the severance of the three fetters of the first fruition. This eliminates the five lower fetters. At the fourth fruition, the five higher fetters are severed. At this point, the scattered mind of ordinary beings, the conceit of self, attachment to the three realms, self-grasping, self-love, and so forth are all eliminated—meaning the clinging nature of the mental faculty toward the self is completely severed. All afflictions such as greed, hatred, delusion, conceit, doubt, and wrong views—these view-based and thought-based afflictions—have been utterly exhausted. There is not the slightest attachment to the dharmas of the three realms; all these afflictions are entirely severed—this is "the exhaustion of defilements." If afflictions remain, there are still defilements; with defilements, one cannot transcend the three realms and will continue to suffer within them.

For example, a third-fruition practitioner still has conceit and self-attachment afflictions that are not completely severed. Thus, they cannot directly transcend the three realms. They may need to contemplate and practice further in the intermediate state (bardo) to exhaust their afflictions before transcending the three realms. Some third-fruition practitioners, after passing away and ascending to a heavenly realm, sever their remaining afflictions there before transcending the three realms. Afflictions bind one to the three realms and six paths, preventing liberation. Therefore, every sentient being must exhaust their afflictions before transcending the three realms. Only by attaining the fourth fruition of Arhatship, possessing the wisdom that exhausts worldly knowledge, can one fully exhaust the dharmas of the three realms. That is to say, Arhats all know how to extinguish their own five aggregates to transcend the world—this belongs to the wisdom of the Hinayana practitioners. Arhats are fully endowed with all-knowing wisdom, possessing the wisdom to liberate themselves from birth and death; this is called liberation through wisdom.

Only by severing afflictions can one attain ease. What does "at ease" refer to here? It refers to the ease of the seven consciousnesses. Freed from the bondage of afflictions, the mind is unimpeded by any worldly dharmas, liberated in heart, and unbound. Of course, "worldly dharmas" here do not include Mahayana dharmas. Regarding Mahayana dharmas, Arhats are still not at ease because they have not realized them. However, in the mundane life within the five-aggregate world, their minds are at ease, unbound by any objects of the six senses. All bonds of attachment to the three realms are completely severed; their minds have attained liberation, and their wisdom has also attained liberation. Liberation of mind means the mind is at ease; liberation of wisdom, at the very least, refers to the wisdom-liberated Arhat.

Arhats are divided into two types: those liberated through wisdom and those liberated through both (wisdom and meditative concentration). An Arhat liberated solely through wisdom has only attained the first dhyana, not the four dhyanas, and lacks the five supernatural powers. Yet, in terms of wisdom, they already possess the capability to attain liberation. What does it mean to attain liberation through wisdom? It means that with this wisdom alone, they can transcend the three realms. Although they have not attained the second, third, or fourth dhyanas, they possess the first dhyana. Their afflictions are exhausted, and without the bondage of afflictions or self-attachment, upon death, they can extinguish the five aggregates and eighteen elements to transcend the three realms. Possessing the wisdom of liberation means they are no longer bound by worldly dharmas—this is called being well-liberated in mind and well-liberated in wisdom.