Sakyamuni Buddha always instructed his disciples not to seek victory by challenging others, but to find everlasting victory by contesting oneself – specifically, one’s self- attachment. As a true Buddhist practitioner, we must do battle with our afflictions and with our self-attachment.
- Quote from The Four Seals of Dhama, "All Phenomena Lack Self-Existence"
In general, when we see a flower, we believe the flower that is here today was also here yesterday, and that it exists even if it is replanted elsewhere. We would not entertain the idea that it is not a flower, as it would only be a pile of particles after being broken down into molecules, atoms, etc. This kind of attachment is “attachment to self in phenomena.” And the object of this attachment is the flower.
- Quote from The Four Seals of Dhama, "All Phenomena Lack Self-Existence"
Ordinarily, we think the circumstances in a dream are not real while experiences during the day are real. If we perceive the world outside to be truly existent, i.e., real and not illusory, this belief in true existence is called “self.” In the Middle Way doctrine, the “self” is clearly defined as a distinct and permanent entity which exists in its own right and does not depend on other things to come into being.
- Quote from The Four Seals of Dhama, "All Phenomena Lack Self-Existence"
“Self” and “Self-Attachment” are two different concepts. For instance, when we see a bunch of flowers, the flower is the object outside; our eye consciousness is the subject inside. Like the flower, “self” is the external object; like eye-consciousness, “self-attachment” is internal, subjective, and of the mind.
- Quote from The Four Seals of Dhama, "All Phenomena Lack Self-Existence"
Having said this, however, the Treatise of Four Hundred Verses states: “Human beings with few blessings will not raise doubt; those who have doubts can destroy the three worlds of existence.” That is, the cause of our cyclic existence can be damaged if we are able to entertain reasonable doubt about emptiness — Do I lack true existence? Do all phenomena lack inherent existence? It is possible the self does not exist! It is possible all phenomena are empty! When the cause is impaired, we will not remain in samsara for long. If harboring doubt alone is of such great significance, then comprehending and accepting the Middle Way doctrine is even more remarkable.
- Quote from The Four Seals of Dhama, "All Phenomena Lack Self-Existence"
Because we form a strong attachment to ourselves and everything outside, including the flower, and perceive them as truly existent, desire arises for things we covet and anger at things we find repugnant. When thoughts of desire, clinging, and enmity pervade our minds, we create karma; once karma is created, we are bound in samsara, unable to free ourselves from cyclic existence. This is why Ch’an Buddhism places constant emphasis on “non-attachment.”
However, some lay people have misinterpreted this exhortation. The principle of “non-attachment” is the core concept in Ch’an which many topics and discourses in this school are based on. Having read selected Ch’an teachings and heard the case stories of a few Ch’an masters, a number of people assume the supreme path to liberation consists of just staying detached. Hence, at the start, they refrain from forming any kind of attachment – neither releasing animals from captivity nor practicing the preliminaries; they continue to smoke, drink alcohol, eat meat, and even order live seafood to consume without misgiving. Because they claim that upholding the precepts, releasing animals from captivity, practicing the preliminaries, protecting life, etc. are all forms of attachment that obstruct the attainment of liberation. Actually, these are all misconceptions.
If problems could be solved just by staying detached, it would make life easy for everyone. However, things are never that simple. Although ultimately we want to cut through attachment and abandon all such activities that are undertaken due to ignorance, we hold on tightly to the concept of not forming attachments even when we do not yet have a method to eradicate attachment. This too is a kind of attachment – we are in fact attached to the concept of “non-attachment.” Thus, until we have a method at hand that effectively cuts through our attachment, we must not be detached.
- Quote from The Four Seals of Dhama, "All Phenomena Lack Self-Existence"
Although it is easy to discuss and accept the concept of “no- self,” this understanding is only of limited use to us at present.
In the process of realizing no-self, we should distinguish between two stages: the first is not finding the self; the second is not only failing to find the self but also recognizing with certainty it does not exist. It is realization of no-self only when the non-existence of self is directly perceived.
- Quote from The Four Seals of Dhama, "All Phenomena Lack Self-Existence"
