A Discourse on The Lotus Sutra, Vol. 10, p. 106


Quotes from Samyukta Agama, Vol. 1

 

"The Buddha said to the bhikkhus: 'When teaching about the bodily form, if one is able to speak of it as dharma for which one must feel dislike, for which one must cut off one's desires, and for which one must extinguish, so as to subsequently attain tranquility and quiescence, then he is reckoned as a Dharma master. When teaching about the sensation, perception, formation, and vijnana, if one is able to speak of them as dharma for which one must feel dislike, for which one must cut off one's desire, and for which one must extinguish, so as to subsequently attain tranquility and quiescence, then is reckoned as a Dharma master. Such is the definition of a Dharma master set forth by the Tathagata.' Upon hearing these explanations, the bhikshus become delighted, they prostrated to the Buddha respectfully, then left." 

Excerpts From A Discourse on The Lotus Sutra

Venerable Xiao Pingshi 

 

Practitioners who do not believe that there exists an eighth vijnana (shi, 識) that is permanent and indestructible must have the notion of having "fear due to external phenomena." They are afraid that when the five aggregates are extinguished, there will be nihilistic emptiness when entering the remainderless nirvana. They will also have the notion of having "fear due to internal phenomena" because they will inevitably think, “I heard there exists an eighth vijnana, but does it really exist? I have not personally experienced it. I don’t know how I can. I am not confident about whether the ālayavijnana within me will still exist or will no longer do when I extinguish my self-existence. I dare not extinguish or deny the five aggregates of the self. I would also dare not eliminate the self-view.” This is the notion of having “fear due to internal phenomena," and it is fundamentally impossible to realize the first fruition of the sound-hearer Vehicle at this point.

A Discourse on The Lotus Sutra, Vol. 10, p106