The Argument of the Sevenfold Reasoning

The chapter begins by discussing practices that help unveil the self as a fabricated illusion by revealing its inherent emptiness. Distinguished from anattā or not-self, which looks at phenomena as lacking a self, the sevenfold reasoning is an analytical approach that searches for the seemingly obvious self and proves its non-existence. This technique can be applied not just to the self, but to all phenomena, indicating their lack of inherent existence.

The Self in Relation to the Aggregates

The sevenfold reasoning uses the dissection of a chariot's relationship with its parts as an analogy to understand the self's relationship with the aggregates. The process concludes that the self, like a chariot, cannot inherently be the same as or different from its parts, located in the parts, or be the parts' owner. Similarly, the self cannot be the aggregates, separate from them, or contained within them.

Detailed Refutations of Self-Possibilities

The sevenfold reasoning refutes seven possibilities for the self's existence. A self cannot be the same as the aggregates (as this would equate to many selves or momentarily existing selves) nor different from them resulting in a non-existent self). The reasoning systematically denies that the self is found in the aggregates, that the aggregates reside within the self, or that the self owns the aggregates. Neither is the self simply a collection or the shape of the aggregates.

Personal Understanding and Conviction

For the sevenfold reasoning to be a powerful meditative practice, one must personally ponder and be convinced by each refutation. Understanding the underlying principle is crucial – if the self had inherent existence, it must manifest in one of the seven possibilities explored. The lack of such evidence implies the self's emptiness.

Working in Meditation

The chapter outlines the meditative process involving four steps: identifying the self-sense and its perceived reality, systematically considering each of the seven possibilities and realizing none apply, resulting in a perception of emptiness; focusing on this emptiness and its significance; and finally, recognizing the reemergence of the self-sense as inherently empty. This process allows for fluidity and improvisation, empowering the meditator to explore emptiness with creativity.

In summary, Chapter 17 of "Seeing That Frees" presents a detailed exploration of the sevenfold reasoning, a meditative analysis that systematically debunks the existence of an inherently existing self. By a thorough examination of the self's relationship with the aggregates and dismissing all possible modes of existence, the meditator arrives at a profound realization of emptiness. This insight underpins the practice's liberating potential, transforming one's understanding of the self and all phenomena.