Visuddhimagga
Front
▶
A
Prefaces
▶
A.1
Copyright notice
A.2
Buddhist Publication Society edition note
A.3
Message from his Holiness the Dalai Lama
A.4
Publisher’s Foreword to Third Edition
A.5
Publisher’s Foreword to Fourth Edition
A.6
Translator’s Dedication
A.7
Translator’s Preface
B
Bibliography
▶
B.1
Printed Editions of the
Visuddhimagga
B.2
Translations of the
Visuddhimagga
B.3
Other works
B.4
List of abbreviations for texts used
▶
B.4.1
Other abbreviations
C
Introduction
▶
C.1
Background and Main Facts
C.2
The
Visuddhimagga
and its Author
C.3
The
Vimuttimagga
C.4
Trends in the Development of Theravāda doctrine
C.5
The
Paramatthamañjūsā
C.6
Some Main Threads in the
Visuddhimagga
C.7
Concerning the Translation
C.8
Concluding remarks
Part I
Virtue (
Sīla
)
▼
I
Description of Virtue
▶
1
§1–15: I. Introductory
2
§16–17: II. Virtue
3
§17–18: (i) What is virtue?
4
§19: (ii) In what sense is it virtue?
5
§20–22: (iii) What are its characteristic, etc.?
6
§23–24: (iv) What are the benefits of virtue?
7
§25–142: (v) How many kinds of virtue are there?
▶
7.1
§26: 1. Monad
7.2
§26–32: 2.–8. Dyads
7.3
§33–38: 9.–13. Triads
7.4
§39–130: 14.–17. Tetrads
▶
§42–130: Virtue of the fourfold purification
7.5
§131–142: 18.–19. Pentads
8
§143–161: (vi), (vii) What are the defiling and the cleansing of it?
II
The Ascetic Practices
▶
1
§2–3: The 13 kinds of Ascetic Practices
2
§4–11: Meaning
3
§12–13: Characteristic
4
§14–77: Undertaking, directions, etc.
▶
4.1
§14–22: Refuse-rag-wearer
4.2
§23–26: Triple-robe-wearer
4.3
§27–30: Alms-food-eater
4.4
§31–34: House-to-house seeker
4.5
§35–38: One-sessioner
4.6
§39–42: Bowl-food-eater
4.7
§43–46: Late-food-refuser
4.8
§47–55: Forest-dweller
4.9
§56–59: Tree-root-dweller
4.10
§60–63: Open-air-dweller
4.11
§64–68: Charnel-groud-dweller
4.12
§69–72: Any-bed-user
4.13
§73–77: Sitter
5
§78–79: Profitable triad
6
§80–86: Ascetic and so on distinguished
7
§87–89: Groups
8
§90–93: Singly
Part II
Concentration (
Samādhi
)
▶
III
Taking a Meditation Subject
▶
1
§2: (i) What is concentration?
2
§3: (ii) In what sense is it concentration?
3
§4: (iii) What are its characteristic, etc.?
4
§5–25: (iv) How many kinds of concentration are there?
5
§26: (v), (vi) What are the defiling and the cleansing of it?
6
§27: (vii) How is it developed?
7
§27–28: A. Development in Brief
8
§29–133: B. Development in Detail
▶
8.1
§29–56: The ten impediments
8.2
§57–60: Meditation subjects etc.
8.3
§61–73: The good friend
8.4
§74–102: Temperaments
▶
§80–86: Source of temperaments
§87–96: Recognition of temperament
§97–102: What suits one of what kind of temperament?
8.5
§103–122: Definition of meditation subjects
8.6
§123–129: Self-dedication
8.7
§130–133: Ways of expounding
IV
The Earth Kasiṇa
▶
1
§2–18: The eighteen faults of a monastery
2
§19: The five factors of the resting place
3
§20: The lesser impediments
4
§21: Detailed instructions for development
5
§22–31: The earth kasiṇa
▶
5.1
§24–26: Making an earth kasiṇa
5.2
§27–30: Starting contemplation
5.3
§31: The counterpart sign
6
§32–33: The two kinds of concentration
7
§34–41: Guarding the sign
8
§42–65: The ten kinds of skill in absorption
9
§66–73: Balancing the effort
▶
9.1
§67–73: The five similes
10
§74–78: Absorption in the cognitive series
11
§79–126: The first jhāna
12
§126–130: Extension of the sign
13
§131–138: Mastery in five ways
14
§139–152: The second jhāna
15
§153–182: The third jhāna
16
§183–197: The fourth jhāna
17
§198–202: The fivefold reckoning of jhāna
V
The Remaining Kasiṇas
▶
1
§1–4: The Water Kasiṇa
2
§5–8: The Fire Kasiṇa
3
§9–11: The Air Kasiṇa
4
§12–14: The Blue Kasiṇa
5
§15–16: The Yellow Kasiṇa
6
§17–18: The Red Kasiṇa
7
§19–20: The White Kasiṇa
8
§21–23: The Light Kasiṇa
9
§24–26: The Limited-Space Kasiṇa
10
§27–42: General
VI
Foulness as a Meditation Subject
▶
1
§1–11: General Definitions
2
§12–69: The Bloated
3
§70: The Livid
4
§71: The Festering
5
§72: The Cut Up
6
§73: The Gnawed
7
§74: The Scattered
8
§75: The Hacked and Scattered
9
§76: The Bleeding
10
§77: The Worm-Infested
11
§78–82: A Skeleton
12
§83–94: General
VII
Six Recollections
▶
1
§2–67: (1) Recollection of the Enlightened One
▶
1.1
§4–7: Accomplished
1.2
§8–25: Dependent origination
1.3
§26–29: Fully Enlightened
1.4
§30–32: Endowed With Clear Vision and Virtuous Conduct
1.5
§33–35: Sublime
1.6
§36–45: Knower of Worlds
1.7
§46–48: Incomparable Leader of Men to be Tamed
1.8
§49–51: Teacher of Gods and Men
1.9
§52: Enlightened
1.10
§53–67: Blessed
2
§68–88: (2) Recollection of the Dhamma
▶
2.1
§69–75: Well Proclaimed
2.2
§76–79: Visible Here and Now
2.3
§80–81: Not Delayed
2.4
§82: Inviting of Inspection
2.5
§83–84: Onward-Leading
2.6
§85–88: Is Directly Experienceable by the Wise
3
§89–100: (3) Recollection of the Saṅgha
▶
3.1
§90–93: Entered on the Good, Straight, True, Proper Way
3.2
§94–95: Fit for Gifts
3.3
§96: Fit for Hospitality
3.4
§97: Fit for Offering
3.5
§97: Fit for Salutation
3.6
§98–100: As an Incomparable Field of Merit for the World
4
§101–106: (4) Recollection of Virtue
5
§107–114: (5) Recollection of Generosity
6
§115–118: (6) Recollection of Deities
7
§119–128: General
VIII
Other Recollections as Meditation Subjects
▶
1
§1–41: (7) Mindfulness of Death
▶
1.1
§1–3: Definitions
1.2
§4–7: Development
1.3
§8–39: Eight ways of recollecting death
▶
§9–13: Having the appearance of a murderer
§14–15: Ruin of success
§16–24: By comparison
§25–26: Sharing of the body with many
§27–28: Fraility of life
§29–34: Signless
§35–38: Limitedness of the extend
§39: Shortness of the moment
1.4
§40–41: Conclusion
2
§42–144: (8) Mindfulness Occupied with the Body
▶
2.1
§44: Text
2.2
§45–47: Word Commentary
2.3
§48–144: Development
▶
§48–60: The Sevenfold Skill in Learning
§61–79: The Tenfold Skill in Giving Attention
§80: Starting the Practice
§81–138: The Thirty-two Aspects in Detail
§139–144: The Arising of Absorption
3
§145–244: (9) Mindfulness of Breathing
▶
3.1
§145–146: Text
3.2
§146–162: Word Commentary
3.3
§163–225: Word Commentary Continued—First Tetrad
▶
§186–225: Method of Development
3.4
§226–230: Word Commentary Continued—Second Tetrad
3.5
§231–233: Word Commentary Continued—Third Tetrad
3.6
§234–237: Word Commentary Continued—Fourth Tetrad
3.7
§237–244: Conclusion
4
§245–251: (10) Recollection of Peace
IX
The Divine Abidings
▶
1
§1–76: (1) Loving-Kindness
▶
1.1
§14–39: Getting Rid of Resentment
1.2
§40–43: The Breaking Down of the Barriers—The Sign
1.3
§44–76: Texts and Commentary
2
§77–83: (2) Compassion
3
§84–87: (3) Gladness
4
§88–90: (4) Equanimity
5
§91–124: General
▶
5.1
§92: Meanings
5.2
§93–96: Characteristic etc.
5.3
§97: Purpose
5.4
§98–101: The Near and Far Enemies
5.5
§102: The Beginning, Middle and End, Etc.
5.6
§103: The Order in Extension
5.7
§104: The Outcome
5.8
§105–110: Four Questions
5.9
§111–118: As Producing Three Jhānas and Four Jhānas
5.10
§119–124: The Highest Limit of Each
X
The Immaterial States
▶
1
§1–24: (1) The Base Consisting of Boundless Space
▶
1.1
§12–24: Text and commentary
2
§25–31: (2) The Base Consisting of Boundless Consciousness
▶
2.1
§27–31: Text and commentary
3
§32–39: (3) The Base Consisting of Nothingness
▶
3.1
§36–39: Text and commentary
4
§40–55: (4) The Base Consisting of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception
▶
4.1
§42–55: Text and commentary
5
§56–66: General
XI
Concentration—Conclusion: Nutriment and the Elements
▶
1
§1–26: Perception of Repulsiveness in Nutriment
2
§27–117: Defining of The Elements
▶
2.1
§27: Word Definitions
2.2
§28–30: Texts and Commentary in Brief
2.3
§31–38: In Detail
2.4
§39–44: Method of Development in Brief
2.5
§45–85: Method of Development in Detail
▶
§46: (1) With Constituents in Brief
§47–83: (2) With Constituents by Analysis
§84: (3) With Characteristics in Brief
§85: (4) With Characteristics by Analysis
2.6
§86–117: Additional Ways of Giving Attention
3
§118–126: Development of Concentration—Conclusion
▶
3.1
§120–126: The Benefits of Developing Concentration
XII
The Supernormal Powers
▶
1
§1: The Benefits of Concentration (Continued)
2
§2: The five kinds of direct-knowledge
3
§2–139: (1) The Kinds of Supernormal Power
▶
3.1
§46–137: Supernormal power as resolve
3.2
§137–138: Supernormal power as transformation
3.3
§139: Supernormal power as mind-made body
XIII
Other Direct-knowledges
▶
1
§1–7: (2) The Divine Ear Element
2
§8–12: (3) Penetration of Minds
3
§13–71: (4) Recollection of Past Lives
4
§72–101: (5) The Divine Eye—Knowledge of Passing Away and Reappearance of Beings
5
§102–129: General
Part III
Understanding (
Paññā
)
▶
XIV
The Aggregates
▶
1
§1–32: A. Understanding
▶
1.1
§2: (i) What is understanding?
1.2
§3–6: (ii) In what sense is it understanding?
1.3
§7: (iii) What are its characteristic, etc.?
1.4
§8–31: (iv) How many kinds of understanding are there?
1.5
§32: (v) How is it developed?
2
§33–184: B. Description of the Five Aggregates
▶
2.1
§34–80: The Materiality Aggregate
2.2
§81–124: The Consciousness Aggregate
▶
§82–110: The 89 Kinds of Consciousness—see Table III
§111–124: The 14 Modes of Occurrence of Consciousness
2.3
§125–128: The Feeling Aggregate
2.4
§129–130: The Perception Aggregate
2.5
§131–184: The Formations Aggregate—see Tables II & IV
▶
§133–184: According to Association with Consciousness
3
§185–210: C. Classification of the Aggregates
▶
3.1
§186–196: Materiality
3.2
§197–209: Feeling
3.3
§210: Perception, Formations and Consciousness
4
§210–229: D. Classes of Knowledge of the Aggregates
XV
The Bases and Elements
▶
1
§1–16: A. Description of the Bases
2
§17–43: B. Description of the Elements
XVI
The Faculties and Truths
▶
1
§1–12: A. Description of the Faculties
2
§13–83: B. Description of the Truths
▶
2.1
§32–60: The Truth of Suffering
▶
§32–43: (i) Birth
§44–45: (ii) Ageing
§46–47: (iii) Death
§48: (iv) Sorrow
§49: (v) Lamentation
§50: (vi) Pain
§51: (vii) Grief
§52–53: (viii) Despair
§54: (ix) Association with the Unloved
§55: (x) Separation from the Loved
§56: (xi) Not to Get What One Wants
§57–60: (xii) The Five Aggregates
2.2
§61: The Truth of the Origin of Suffering
2.3
§62–83: The Truth of the Cessation of Suffering
▶
§67–74: Discussion on Nibbāna
§75–83: The Truth of the Way
3
§84–104: General
XVII
The Soil of Understanding—Conclusion: Dependent Origination
▶
1
§1–24: A. Definition of Dependent Origination
2
§25–272: B. Exposition
▶
2.1
§25–26: I. Preamble
2.2
§27–57: II. Brief Exposition
2.3
§58–272: III. Detailed Exposition
▶
§58–59: (1) Ignorance
§60–119: (2) Formations
§120–185: (3) Consciousness
§186–202: (4) Mentality-Materiality
§203–219: (5) The Sixfold Base
§220–227: (6) Contact
§228–232: (7) Feeling
§233–238: (8) Craving
§239–248: (9) Clinging
§249–269: (10) Becoming (being)
§270–272: (11)–(12) Birth, Etc.
3
§273–314: C. The Wheel of Becoming
▶
3.1
§273–283: (i) The Wheel
3.2
§284–287: (ii) The Three Times
3.3
§288–298: (iii) Cause and Fruit
3.4
§299–314: (iv) Various
XVIII
Purification of View
▶
1
§1: Introductory
2
§2–14: Defining of Mentality-Materiality
▶
2.1
§2–8: (1) Definition Based on the Four Primaries
▶
§3–4: (a) Starting with Mentality
§5–8: (b) Starting with Materiality
2.2
§9–11: (2) Definition Based on the Eighteen Elements
2.3
§12: (3) Definition Based on the Twelve Bases
2.4
§13: (4) Definition Based on the Five Aggregates
2.5
§14: (5) Brief Definition Based on the Four Primaries
3
§15–17: If the Immaterial Fails to Become Evident
4
§18–23: How the Immaterial States Become Evident
5
§24–31: No Being Apart from Mentality-Materiality
6
§32–36: Interdependence of Mentality and Materiality
7
§37: Conclusion
XIX
Purification by Overcoming Doubt
▶
1
§1: Introductory
2
§2–20: Ways of Discerning Cause and Condition
▶
2.1
§3–4: 1. Neither Created by a Creator nor Causeless
2.2
§5–6: 2. Its Occurance is Always Due to Conditions
2.3
§7–10: 3. General and Particular Conditions
2.4
§11: 4. Dependent Origination in Reverse Order
2.5
§12: 5. Dependent Origination in Direct Order
2.6
§13–19: 6. Kamma and Kamma-Result
2.7
§19–20: 7. No Doer Apart from Kamma and Result
3
§21–27: Full-Understanding of the Known
XX
Purification by Knowledge and Vision of What is the Path and What is Not the Path
▶
1
§1–5: Introductory
▶
1.1
§2: The Fifth Purification
1.2
§3–5: The Three Kinds of Full-Understanding
2
§6–130: Insight
▶
2.1
§6–12: Comprehension by Groups
2.2
§13–17: Comprehension by Groups—Application of Text
2.3
§18–20: Strengthening of Comprehension in Forty Ways
2.4
§21: Nine Ways of Sharpening the Faculties, Etc.
2.5
§22–42: Comprehension of the Material
▶
§27–29: (a) Kamma-Born Materiality
§30–34: (b) Consciousness-Born Materiality
§35–38: (c) Nutriment-Born Materiality
§39–42: (d) Temperature-Born Materiality
2.6
§43–45: Comprehension of the Immaterial
2.7
§45–75: The Material Septad
2.8
§76–88: The Immaterial Septad
2.9
§89–92: The Eighteen Principal Insights
2.10
§93–130: Knowledge of Rise and Fall—I
▶
§105–130: The Ten Imperfections of Insight
XXI
Purification by Knowledge and Vision of the Way
▶
1
§1–2: Introductory
2
§3–136: Insight: The Eight Knowledges
▶
2.1
§3–9: 1. Knowledge of Rise and Fall—II
2.2
§10–28: 2. Knowledge of Dissolution
2.3
§29–34: 3. Knowledge of Appearance as Terror
2.4
§35–42: 4. Knowledge of Danger
2.5
§43–44: 5. Knowledge of Dispassion
2.6
§45–46: 6. Knowledge of Desire for Deliverance
2.7
§47–60: 7. Knowledge of Reflection
▶
§53–60: Discerning Formations as Void
2.8
§61–127: 8. Knowledge of Equanimity about Formations
▶
§66–73: The Triple Gateway to Liberation
§74–78: The Seven Kinds of Noble Persons
§79–82: The Last Three Knowledges are One
§83–89: Insight Leading to Emergence
§90–110: The Twelve Similes
§111–127: The Difference in the Noble Path’s Factors, Etc.
2.9
§128–136: 9. Conformity Knowledge
▶
§135–136: Sutta References
XXII
Purification by Knowledge and Vision
▶
1
§1–31: I. Change-of-Lineage, Paths, and Fruits
▶
1.1
§3–14: The First Path—First Noble Person
1.2
§15–21: The First Fruition—Second Noble Person
1.3
§22–23: The Second Path—Third Noble Person
1.4
§24: The Second Fruition—Fourth Noble Person
1.5
§25–26: The Third Path—Fifth Noble Person
1.6
§27: The Third Fruition—Sixth Noble Person
1.7
§28–29: The Fourth Path—Seventh Noble Person
1.8
§30–31: The Fourth Fruition—Eighth Noble Person
2
§32–129: II. The States Associated with the Path, Etc.
▶
2.1
§33–43: The 37 states partaking of enlightenment
2.2
§44–46: Emergence and coupling of the powers
2.3
§47–91: States to be abandoned
2.4
§92–128: The Four Functions
▶
§92–103: The Four Functions in a Single Moment
§104–128: The Four Functions Described Separately
2.5
§129: Conclusion
XXIII
The Benefits In Developing Understanding
▶
1
§1–60: (vi) What are the benefits in developing understanding?
▶
1.1
§2: A. Removal of the Defilements
1.2
§3–15: B. The Taste of the Noble Fruit
1.3
§16–52: C. The Attainment of Cessation
1.4
§53–60: D. Worthiness to Receive Gifts
2
§60: Conclusion
3
§60: Postscript
Appendices
▶
A
Index
B
Pali-English Glossary
Part I Virtue (
Sīla
)
¶
I
Description of Virtue
1
§1–15: I. Introductory
2
§16–17: II. Virtue
3
§17–18: (i) What is virtue?
4
§19: (ii) In what sense is it virtue?
5
§20–22: (iii) What are its characteristic, etc.?
6
§23–24: (iv) What are the benefits of virtue?
7
§25–142: (v) How many kinds of virtue are there?
7.1
§26: 1. Monad
7.2
§26–32: 2.–8. Dyads
7.3
§33–38: 9.–13. Triads
7.4
§39–130: 14.–17. Tetrads
§42–130: Virtue of the fourfold purification
7.5
§131–142: 18.–19. Pentads
8
§143–161: (vi), (vii) What are the defiling and the cleansing of it?
II
The Ascetic Practices
1
§2–3: The 13 kinds of Ascetic Practices
2
§4–11: Meaning
3
§12–13: Characteristic
4
§14–77: Undertaking, directions, etc.
4.1
§14–22: Refuse-rag-wearer
4.2
§23–26: Triple-robe-wearer
4.3
§27–30: Alms-food-eater
4.4
§31–34: House-to-house seeker
4.5
§35–38: One-sessioner
4.6
§39–42: Bowl-food-eater
4.7
§43–46: Late-food-refuser
4.8
§47–55: Forest-dweller
4.9
§56–59: Tree-root-dweller
4.10
§60–63: Open-air-dweller
4.11
§64–68: Charnel-groud-dweller
4.12
§69–72: Any-bed-user
4.13
§73–77: Sitter
5
§78–79: Profitable triad
6
§80–86: Ascetic and so on distinguished
7
§87–89: Groups
8
§90–93: Singly