XX. Purification by Knowledge and Vision of What is the Path and What is Not the Path#
1 Introductory#
§1 [631/689] 606 The knowledge established by getting to know the path and the not-path thus, “This is the path, this is not the path,” is called “purification by knowledge and vision of what is the path and what is not the path.”
1.1 The Fifth Purification#
§2 One who desires to accomplish this should first of all apply himself to the inductive insight called “comprehension by groups. [39] ” Why? Because knowledge of what is the path and what is not the path appears in connection with the appearance of illumination, etc. (XX.105f.) in one who has begun insight. For it is after illumination, etc., have appeared in one who has already begun insight that there comes to be knowledge of what is the path and what is not the path. And comprehension by groups is the beginning of insight. That is why it is set forth next to the overcoming of doubt. Besides, knowledge of what is the path and what is not the path arises when “full-understanding as investigation” is occurring, and full-understanding as investigation comes next to full-understanding as the known (see XIX.21). So this is also a reason why one who desires to accomplish this purification by knowledge and vision of what is the path and what is not the path should first of all apply himself to comprehension by groups.
1.2 The Three Kinds of Full-Understanding#
§3 Here is the exposition: there are three kinds of mundane full-understanding, that is, full-understanding as the known, full-understanding as investigation, and full-understanding as abandoning, with reference to which it was said: “Understanding that is direct-knowledge is knowledge in the sense of being known. Understanding that is full-understanding is knowledge in the sense of [632/690] investigating. Understanding that is abandoning is knowledge in the sense of giving up” ( [Paṭis] I 87 ).
Herein, the understanding that occurs by observing the specific characteristics of such and such states thus, “Materiality (rūpa) has the characteristic of being molested (ruppana); feeling has the characteristic of being felt,” is called full-understanding as the known. The understanding consisting in insight with the general characteristics as its object that occurs in attributing a general characteristic to those same states in the way beginning, “Materiality is impermanent, 607 feeling is impermanent” is called full-understanding as investigation. [40] The understanding consisting in insight with the characteristics as its object that occurs as the abandoning of the perception of permanence, etc., in those same states is called full-understanding as abandoning.
§4 Herein, the plane of full-understanding as the known extends from the delimitation of formations (Ch. XVIII) up to the discernment of conditions (Ch. XIX); for in this interval the penetration of the specific characteristics of states predominates. The plane of full-understanding as investigation extends from comprehension by groups up to contemplation of rise and fall (XXI.3f.); for in this interval the penetration of the general characteristics predominates. The plane of full-understanding as abandoning extends from contemplation of dissolution onwards (XXI.10); for from there onwards the seven contemplations that effect the abandoning of the perception of permanence, etc., predominate thus:
(1) Contemplating [formations] as impermanent, a man abandons the perception of permanence.
(2) Contemplating [them] as painful, he abandons the perception of pleasure.
(3) Contemplating [them] as not-self, he abandons the perception of self.
(4) Becoming dispassionate, he abandons delighting.
(5) Causing fading away, he abandons greed.
(6) Causing cessation, he abandons originating.
(7) Relinquishing, he abandons grasping ( [Paṭis] I 58 ). [41]
§5 [633/691] So, of these three kinds of full-understanding, only full-understanding as the known has been attained by this meditator as yet, which is because the delimitation of formations and the discernment of conditions have already been accomplished; the other two still remain to be attained. Hence it was said above: “Besides, knowledge of what is the path and what is not the path arises when full-understanding as investigation is occurring, and full-understanding as investigation comes next to full-understanding as the known. So this is also a reason why one who desires to accomplish this purification by knowledge and vision of what is the path and what is not the path should first of all apply himself to comprehension by groups” (§2).
2 Insight#
2.1 Comprehension by Groups#
§6 Here is the text:
“How is it that understanding of defining past, future and present states by summarization is knowledge of comprehension?
“Any materiality whatever, whether past, future or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near—he defines all materiality as impermanent: this is one kind of comprehension. He defines it as painful: this is one kind of comprehension. He defines it as not-self: this is one kind of comprehension. Any feeling whatever … Any perception whatever … Any formations whatever … Any consciousness whatever … He defines all consciousness as impermanent: … He defines it as not-self: this is one kind of comprehension. The eye … (etc.) … ageing-and-death, whether past, future or present, he defines it as impermanent: this is one kind of comprehension. He defines it as painful: this is one kind of comprehension. He defines it as not-self: this is one kind of comprehension.
§7 “Understanding of defining by summarization thus, ‘Materiality, whether past, future, or present, is impermanent in the sense of destruction, painful in the sense of terror, not-self in the sense of having no core,’ is knowledge of comprehension. Understanding of defining by generalization thus, ‘Feeling … [634/692] 608 (etc.) … Consciousness … Eye … (etc.) … Ageing-and-death, whether past …’ is knowledge of comprehension.
“Understanding of defining by summarization thus, ‘Materiality, whether past, future, or present, is impermanent, formed, dependently arisen, subject to destruction, subject to fall, subject to fading away, subject to cessation,’ is knowledge of comprehension. Understanding of defining by generalization thus, ‘Feeling … (etc.) … Consciousness … Eye … (etc.) … Ageing-and-death, whether past, future, or present, is impermanent, formed, dependently arisen, subject to destruction, subject to fall, subject to fading away, subject to cessation’ is knowledge of comprehension.
§8 “Understanding of defining by summarization thus, ‘With birth as condition there is ageing-and-death; without birth as condition there is no ageing-and-death,’ is knowledge of comprehension. Understanding of defining by generalization thus, ‘In the past and in the future with birth as condition there is ageing-and-death; without birth as condition there is no ageing-and-death,’ is knowledge of comprehension. Understanding of defining by generalization thus, ‘With becoming as condition there is birth … With ignorance as condition there are formations; without ignorance as condition there are no formations,’ is knowledge of comprehension. Understanding of defining by generalization thus, ‘In the past and in the future with ignorance as condition there are formations; without ignorance as condition there are no formations’ is knowledge of comprehension.
“Knowledge is in the sense of that being known and understanding is in the sense of the act of understanding that. Hence it was said: ‘Understanding of defining past, future, and present states by summarization is knowledge of comprehension’” ( [Paṭis] I 53f. ).
§9 Herein, the abbreviation, “The eye … (etc.) … Ageing-and-death,” should be understood to represent the following sets of things elided:
The states that occur in the doors [of consciousness] together with the doors and the objects.
The five aggregates.
The six doors.
The six objects.
The six kinds of consciousness.
The six kinds of contact.
The six kinds of feeling.
The six kinds of perception.
The six kinds of volition.
The six kinds of craving.
The six kinds of applied thought.
The six kinds of sustained thought.
The six elements.
The ten kasiṇas.
The thirty-two bodily aspects.
The twelve bases.
[635/693] The eighteen elements.
The twenty-two faculties.
The three elements.
The nine kinds of becoming.
The four jhānas.
The four measureless states.
The four [immaterial] attainments.
The twelve members of the dependent origination.
§10 For this is said in the Paṭisambhidā in the description of what is to be directly known: “Bhikkhus, all is to be directly known. And what is all that is to be directly known? 609 (1) Eye is to be directly known; visible objects are to be directly known; eye-consciousness … eye-contact … feeling, pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant, that arises due to eye-contact is also to be directly known. Ear … Mind … feeling, pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant, that arises due to mind-contact is also to be directly known.
§11 “(2) Materiality is to be directly known … consciousness is to be directly known. (3) Eye … mind … (4) Visible objects … mental objects … (5) Eye-consciousness … mind-consciousness … (6) Eye-contact … mind-contact … (7) Eye-contact-born feeling … mind-contact-born feeling … (8) Perception of visible objects … perception of mental objects … (9) Volition regarding visible objects … volition regarding mental objects … (10) Craving for visible objects … craving for mental objects … (11) Applied thought about visible objects … applied thought about mental objects … (12) Sustained thought about visible objects … sustained thought about mental objects … (13) The earth element … the consciousness element … (14) The earth kasiṇa … the consciousness kasiṇa … (15) Head hairs … brain … (16) The eye base … the mental object base … (17) The eye element … the mind-consciousness element … (18) The eye faculty … the final-knower faculty … (19) The sense-desire element … the fine-material element … the immaterial element … (20) Sense-desire becoming … fine-material becoming … immaterial becoming … percipient becoming … non-percipient becoming … neither percipient nor non-percipient becoming … one-constituent becoming … four-constituent becoming … five-constituent becoming … (21) The first jhāna … the fourth jhāna … (22) The mind-deliverance of loving-kindness … the mind-deliverance of equanimity … (23) The attainment of the base consisting of boundless space … the attainment of the base consisting of neither perception nor non-perception … (24) Ignorance is to be directly known … ageing-and-death is to be directly known” ( [Paṭis] I 5f. ).
§12 Since all this detail is given there it has been abbreviated here. But what is thus abbreviated includes the supramundane states. These should not be dealt with at this stage because they are not amenable to comprehension. And as regards those that are amenable to comprehension a beginning should be made by comprehending those among them that are obvious to and easily discernible by the individual [meditator].
2.2 Comprehension by Groups—Application of Text#
§13 Here is the application of the directions dealing with the aggregates: “Any materiality whatever, (i–iii) whether past, future, or present, (iv–v) internal or [636/694] external, (vi–vii) gross or subtle, (viii–ix) inferior or superior, (x-xi) far or near—he defines all materiality as impermanent: this is one kind of comprehension. He defines it as painful: 610 this is one kind of comprehension. He defines it as not-self: this is one kind of comprehension” (see §6). At this point this bhikkhu [takes] all materiality, which is described without specifying as “any materiality whatever,” and having delimited it in the eleven instances, namely, with the past triad and with the four dyads beginning with the internal dyad, he “defines all materiality as impermanent,” he comprehends that it is impermanent. How? In the way stated next. For this is said: “Materiality, whether past, future or present, is impermanent in the sense of destruction.”
§14 Accordingly, he comprehends the materiality that is past as “impermanent in the sense of destruction” because it was destroyed in the past and did not reach this becoming; and he comprehends the materiality that is future as “impermanent in the sense of destruction” since it will be produced in the next becoming, will be destroyed there too, and will not pass on to a further becoming; and he comprehends the materiality that is present as “impermanent in the sense of destruction” since it is destroyed here and does not pass beyond. And he comprehends the materiality that is internal as “impermanent in the sense of destruction” since it is destroyed as internal and does not pass on to the external state. And he comprehends the materiality that is external … gross … subtle … inferior … superior … far … And he comprehends the materiality that is near as “impermanent in the sense of destruction” since it is destroyed there and does not pass on to the far state. And all this is impermanent in the sense of destruction. Accordingly, there is “one kind of comprehension” in this way; but it is effected in eleven ways.
§15 And all that [materiality] is “painful in the sense of terror.” In the sense of terror because of its terrifyingness; for what is impermanent brings terror, as it does to the deities in the Sīhopama Sutta ( [S] III 84 ). So this is also painful in the sense of terror. Accordingly, there is one kind of comprehension in this way too; but it is effected in eleven ways.
§16 And just as it is painful, so too all that [materiality] is “not-self in the sense of having no core.” In the sense of having no core because of the absence of any core of self conceived as a self, an abider, a doer, an experiencer, one who is his own master; for what is impermanent is painful ( [S] III 82 ), and it is impossible to escape the impermanence, or the rise and fall and oppression, of self, so how could it have the state of a doer, and so on? Hence it is said, “Bhikkhus, were materiality self, it would not lead to affliction” ( [S] III 66 ), and so on. So this is also not-self in the sense of having no core. Accordingly, there is one kind of comprehension in this way too, but it is effected in eleven ways. 611 The same method applies to feeling, and so on.
§17 But what is impermanent is necessarily classed as formed, etc., and so in order to show the synonyms for that [impermanence], or in order to show how the attention given to it occurs in different ways, it is restated in the text thus: “Materiality, whether past, future, or present, is impermanent, formed, dependently arisen, subject to destruction, subject to fall, subject to fading away, subject to cessation” (§7). The same method applies to feeling, and so on.
2.3 Strengthening of Comprehension in Forty Ways#
§18 [637/695] Now, when the Blessed One was expounding conformity knowledge, he [asked the question]: “By means of what forty aspects does he acquire liking that is in conformity? By means of what forty aspects does he enter into the certainty of rightness?” (P‘8). [42] In the answer to it comprehension of impermanence, etc., is set forth by him analytically in the way beginning: “[Seeing] the five aggregates as impermanent, as painful, as a disease, a boil, a dart, a calamity, an affliction, as alien, as disintegrating, as a plague, a disaster, a terror, a menace, as fickle, perishable, unenduring, as no protection, no shelter, no refuge, as empty, vain, void, not-self, as a danger, as subject to change, as having no core, as the root of calamity, as murderous, as due to be annihilated, as subject to cankers, as formed, as Māra’s bait, as subject to birth, subject to ageing, subject to illness, subject to death, subject to sorrow, subject to lamentation, subject to despair, subject to defilement. Seeing the five aggregates as impermanent, he acquires liking that is in conformity. And seeing that the cessation of the five aggregates is the permanent Nibbāna, he enters into the certainty of rightness” ( [Paṭis] II 238 ). So in order to strengthen that same comprehension of impermanence, pain, and not-self in the five aggregates, this [meditator] also comprehends these five aggregates by means of that [kind of comprehension].
§19 How does he do it? He does it by means of comprehension as impermanent, etc., stated specifically as follows: He comprehends each aggregate as impermanent because of non-endlessness, and because of possession of a beginning and an end; as painful because of oppression by rise and fall, and because of being the basis for pain; as a disease because of having to be maintained by conditions, and because of being the root of disease; as a boil because of being consequent upon impalement by suffering, because of oozing with the filth of defilements, and because of being swollen by arising, ripened by ageing, and burst by dissolution; as a dart because of producing oppression, because of penetrating inside, and because of being hard to extract; as a calamity because of having to be condemned, because of bringing loss, and 612 because of being the basis for calamity; as an affliction because of restricting freedom, and because of being the foundation for affliction; as alien because of inability to have mastery exercised over them, and because of intractability; as disintegrating because of crumbling through sickness, ageing and death; as a plague because of bringing various kinds of ruin; as a disaster because of bringing unforeseen and plentiful adversity, and because of being the basis for all kinds of terror, and because of being the opposite of the supreme comfort called the stilling of all suffering; as a menace because of being bound up with many kinds of adversity, because of being menaced [43] by ills, and because of unfitness, as a menace, to be entertained; as fickle because of fickle [638/696] insecurity due to sickness, ageing and death, and to the worldly states of gain, etc.; [44] as perishable because of having the nature of perishing both by violence and naturally; as unenduring because of collapsing on every occasion [45] and because of lack of solidity; as no protection because of not protecting, and because of affording no safety; as no shelter because of unfitness to give shelter, [46] and because of not performing the function of a shelter for the unsheltered; [47] as no refuge because of failure to disperse fear [48] in those who depend on them; as empty because of their emptiness of the lastingness, beauty, pleasure and self that are conceived about them; as vain because of their emptiness, or because of their triviality; for what is trivial is called “vain” in the world; as void because devoid of the state of being an owner, abider, doer, experiencer, director; as not-self because of itself having no owner, etc.; as danger because of the suffering in the process of becoming, and because of the danger in suffering or, alternatively, as danger (ādīnava) because of resemblance to misery (ādīna) [49] since “danger” (ādīnava) means that it is towards misery (ādīna) that it moves (vāti), goes, advances, this being a term for a wretched man, and the aggregates are wretched too; as subject to change because of having the nature of change in two ways, that is, through ageing and through death; as having no core because of feebleness, and because of decaying soon like sapwood; as the root of calamity because of being the cause of calamity; as murderous because of breaking faith like an enemy posing as a friend; as due to be annihilated because their becoming disappears, and because their non-becoming comes about; as subject to cankers because of being the proximate cause for cankers; as formed because of being formed by causes and conditions; as Māra’s bait because of being the bait [laid] by the Māra of death and the Māra of defilement; as subject to birth, to ageing, to illness, and to death because of having birth, ageing, illness and death as their nature; as subject to sorrow, to lamentation and to despair because of being the cause of sorrow, lamentation and despair; as subject to defilement because of being the objective field of the defilements of craving, views and misconduct.
§20 Now, there are 613 fifty kinds of contemplation of impermanence here by taking the following ten in the case of each aggregate: as impermanent, as disintegrating, as fickle, as perishable, as unenduring, as subject to change, as having no core, as due to be annihilated, as formed, as subject to death. There are twenty-five kinds of contemplation of not-self by taking the following five in the case of each aggregate: as alien, as empty, as vain, as void, as not-self. There are [639/697] one hundred and twenty-five kinds of contemplation of pain by taking the rest beginning with “as painful, as a disease” in the case of each aggregate.
So when a man comprehends the five aggregates by means of this comprehending as impermanent, etc., in its two hundred aspects, his comprehending as impermanent, painful and not-self, which is called “inductive insight,” is strengthened. These in the first place are the directions for undertaking comprehension here in accordance with the method given in the texts.
2.4 Nine Ways of Sharpening the Faculties, Etc.#
§21 While thus engaged in inductive insight, however, if it does not succeed, he should sharpen his faculties [of faith, etc.,] in the nine ways stated thus: “The faculties become sharp in nine ways: (1) he sees only the destruction of arisen formations; (2) and in that [occupation] he makes sure of working carefully, (3) he makes sure of working perseveringly, (4) he makes sure of working suitably, and (5) by apprehending the sign of concentration and (6) by balancing the enlightenment factors (7) he establishes disregard of body and life, (8) wherein he overcomes [pain] by renunciation and (9) by not stopping halfway. [50] He should avoid the seven unsuitable things in the way stated in the Description of the Earth Kasiṇa (IV.34) and cultivate the seven suitable things, and he should comprehend the material at one time and the immaterial at another.
2.5 Comprehension of the Material#
§22 While comprehending materiality he should see how materiality is generated, [51] that is to say, how this materiality is generated by the four causes beginning with kamma. Herein, when materiality is being generated in any being, it is first generated from kamma. For at the actual moment of rebirth-linking of a child in the womb, first thirty instances of materiality are generated in the triple continuity, in other words, the decads of physical [heart-]basis, body, and sex. And those are generated at the actual instant of the rebirth-linking consciousness’s arising. And as at the instant of its arising, so too at the instant of its presence and at the instant of its dissolution. [52]
§23 Herein, the cessation of materiality is slow and its transformation ponderous, while the cessation of consciousness is swift and its transformation quick (light); hence it is said, “Bhikkhus, I see no other one thing that is so quickly transformed as 614 the mind” ( [A] I 10 ).
§24 For the life-continuum consciousness arises and ceases sixteen times while one material instant endures. With consciousness the instant of arising, instant [640/698] of presence, and instant of dissolution are equal; but with materiality only the instants of arising and dissolution are quick like those [of consciousness], while the instant of its presence is long and lasts while sixteen consciousnesses arise and cease.
§25 The second life-continuum arises with the prenascent physical [heart-]basis as its support, which has already reached presence and arose at the rebirth-linking consciousness’s instant of arising. The third life-continuum arises with the prenascent physical basis as its support, which has already reached presence and arose together with that [second life-continuum consciousness]. The occurrence of consciousness can be understood to happen in this way throughout life. But in one who is facing death sixteen consciousnesses arise with a single prenascent physical [heart-]basis as their support, which has already reached presence.
§26 The materiality that arose at the instant of arising of the rebirth-linking consciousness ceases along with the sixteenth consciousness after the rebirth-linking consciousness. That arisen at the instant of presence of the rebirth-linking consciousness ceases together with the instant of arising of the seventeenth. That arisen at the instant of its dissolution ceases on arriving at the instant of presence of the seventeenth. [53] It goes on occurring thus for as long as the recurrence [of births] continues.
Also seventy instances of materiality occur in the same way with the sevenfold continuity [beginning with the eye decad] of those apparitionally born.
2.5.1 (a) Kamma-Born Materiality#
§27 Herein, [as regards kamma-born materiality] the analysis should be understood thus: (1) kamma, (2) what is originated by kamma, (3) what has kamma as its condition, (4) what is originated by consciousness that has kamma as its condition, (5) what is originated by nutriment that has kamma as its condition, (6) what is originated by temperature that has kamma as its condition (XI.111–14).
§28 Herein, (1) kamma is profitable and unprofitable volition. (2) What is originated by kamma is the kamma-resultant aggregates and the seventy instances of materiality beginning with the eye decad. (3) What has kamma as its condition is the same [as the last] since kamma is the condition that upholds what is originated by kamma.
§29 (4) What is originated by consciousness that has kamma as its condition is materiality originated by kamma-resultant consciousness. (5) What is originated by nutriment that has kamma as its condition is so called since the nutritive essence that has reached presence in the instances of materiality originated by kamma originates a further octad-with-nutritive-essence-as-eighth, and the nutritive essence there that has reached presence also originates a further one, and so it [641/699] links up four or five occurrences of octads. (6) What is originated by temperature that has kamma as its condition is so called since the kamma-born fire element that has reached presence originates an octad-with-nutritive-essence-as-eighth, which is temperature-originated, and the temperature in that originates a further octad-with-nutritive-essence-as eighth, and so it links up four or five occurrences of octads.
This is how the generation of kamma-born materiality in the first place should be seen. 615
2.5.2 (b) Consciousness-Born Materiality#
§30 Also as regards the consciousness-born kinds, the analysis should be understood thus: (1) consciousness, (2) what is originated by consciousness, (3) what has consciousness as its condition, (4) what is originated by nutriment that has consciousness as its condition, (5) what is originated by temperature that has consciousness as its condition.
§31 Herein, (1) consciousness is the eighty-nine kinds of consciousness. Among these:
As regards the sense sphere, thirty-two consciousnesses, namely, the eight profitable consciousnesses ((1)–(8)), the twelve unprofitable ((22)–(33)), the ten functional excluding the mind element ((71)–(80)), and the two direct-knowledge consciousnesses as profitable and functional, give rise to materiality, to postures, and to intimation. The twenty-six consciousnesses, namely, the ten of the fine-material sphere ((9)–(13), (81)–(85)) and the eight of the immaterial sphere ((14)–(17), (86)–(89)) excluding the resultant [in both cases], and the eight supramundane ((18)–(21), (66)–(69)), give rise to materiality, to postures but not to intimation. The nineteen consciousnesses, namely, the ten life-continuum consciousnesses in the sense sphere ((41)–(49), (56)), the five in the fine-material sphere ((57)–(61)), the three mind elements ((39), (55), (70)), and the one resultant mind-consciousness element without root-cause and accompanied by joy (40), give rise to materiality only, not to postures or to intimation. The sixteen consciousnesses, namely, the two sets of five consciousnesses ((34)–(38), (50)–(54)), the rebirth-linking consciousness of all beings, the death consciousness of those whose cankers are destroyed, and the four immaterial resultant consciousnesses ((62)–(65)) do not give rise to materiality or to postures or to intimation. And those herein that do give rise to materiality do not do so at the instant of their presence or at the instant of their dissolution, for consciousness is weak then. But it is strong at the instant of arising. Consequently it originates materiality then with the prenascent physical basis as its support.
§32 (2) What is originated by consciousness is the three other immaterial aggregates and the seventeenfold materiality, namely, the sound ennead, bodily intimation, [642/700] verbal intimation, the space element, lightness, malleability, wieldiness, growth, and continuity.
(3) What has consciousness as its condition is the materiality of fourfold origination stated thus: “Postnascent states of consciousness and consciousness-concomitants are a condition, as postnascence condition, for this prenascent body” ( [Paṭṭh] I 5 ).
§33 (4) What is originated by nutriment that has consciousness as its condition: the nutritive essence that has reached presence in consciousness-originated material instances originates a further octad-with-nutritive-essence-as-eighth, and thus links up two or three occurrences of octads.
§34 (5) What is originated by temperature that has consciousness as its condition: the consciousness-originated temperature that has 616 reached presence originates a further octad-with-nutritive-essence-as-eighth, and thus links up two or three occurrences.
This is how the generation of consciousness-born materiality should be seen.
2.5.3 (c) Nutriment-Born Materiality#
§35 Also as regards the nutriment-born kinds, the analysis should be understood thus: (1) nutriment, (2) what is originated by nutriment, (3) what has nutriment as its condition, (4) what is originated by nutriment that has nutriment as its condition, (5) what is originated by temperature that has nutriment as its condition.
§36 Herein, (1) nutriment is physical nutriment. (2) What is originated by nutriment is the fourteenfold materiality, namely, (i–viii) that of the octad-with-nutritive-essence-as-eighth originated by nutritive essence that has reached presence by obtaining as its condition kamma-born materiality that is clung to (kammically acquired) and basing itself on that, [54] and (ix) space element, (x–xiv) lightness, malleability, wieldiness, growth, and continuity.
(3) What has nutriment as its condition is the materiality of fourfold origination stated thus: “Physical nutriment is a condition, as nutriment condition, for this body” ( [Paṭṭh] I 5 ).
§37 (4) What is originated by nutriment that has nutriment as its condition: the nutritive essence that has reached presence in nutriment-originated material instances originates a further octad-with-nutritive-essence-as-eighth and the nutritive essence in that octad originates a further octad, and thus links up the occurrence of octads ten or twelve times. Nutriment taken on one day sustains [643/701] for as long as seven days; but divine nutritive essence sustains for as long as one or two months. The nutriment taken by a mother originates materiality by pervading the body of the child [in gestation]. Also nutriment smeared on the body originates materiality. Kamma-born nutriment is a name for nutriment that is clung to. That also originates materiality when it has reached presence. And the nutritive essence in it originates a further octad. Thus it links up four or five occurrences.
§38 (5) What is originated by temperature that has nutriment as its condition: nutriment-originated fire element that has reached presence originates an octad-with-nutritive-essence-as-eighth that is thus temperature-originated. Here this nutriment is a condition for nutriment-originated material instances as their progenitor. It is a condition for the rest as support, nutriment, presence, and non-disappearance.
This is how the generation of nutriment-born materiality should be seen.
2.5.4 (d) Temperature-Born Materiality#
§39 Also as regards the temperature-born kinds, the analysis should be understood thus: (1) temperature, (2) what is originated by temperature, (3) what has temperature as its condition, (4) what is originated by temperature that has temperature as its condition, (5) what is originated by nutriment that has temperature as its condition.
§40 Herein, (1) temperature is the fire element of fourfold origination; but it is twofold as hot temperature and cold temperature. (2) What is originated by temperature: the temperature of fourfold origination that has reached presence by obtaining a clung-to condition originates materiality in the body. 617 That materiality is fifteenfold, namely, sound ennead, space element, lightness, malleability, wieldiness, growth, continuity. (3) What has temperature as its condition is so called since temperature is a condition for the occurrence and for the destruction of materiality of fourfold origination.
§41 (4) What is originated by temperature that has temperature as its condition: the temperature-originated fire element that has reached presence originates a further octad-with-nutritive-essence-as-eighth, and the temperature in that octad originates a further octad. Thus temperature-originated materiality both goes on occurring for a long period and also maintains itself as well in what is not clung to. [55]
§42 (5) What is originated by nutriment that has temperature as its condition: the temperature-originated nutritive essence that has reached presence originates a further octad-with-nutritive-essence-as-eighth, and the nutritive essence in that originates a further one, thus it links up ten or twelve occurrences of octads.
Herein, this temperature is a condition for temperature-originated material instances as their progenitor. It is a condition for the rest as support, presence, and non-disappearance.
[644/702] This is how the generation of temperature-born materiality should be seen.
One who sees the generation of materiality thus is said to “comprehend the material at one time” (§21). [56]
2.6 Comprehension of the Immaterial#
§43 And just as one who is comprehending the material should see the generation of the material, so too one who is comprehending the immaterial should see the generation of the immaterial. And that is through the eighty-one mundane arisings of consciousness, that is to say, it is by kamma accumulated in a previous becoming that this immaterial [mentality] is generated. And in the first place it is generated as [one of] the nineteen kinds of arisings of consciousness as rebirth-linking (XVII.130). But the modes in which it is generated should be understood according to the method given in the Description of the Dependent Origination (XVII.134f.). That same [nineteenfold arising of consciousness is generated] as life-continuum as well, starting from the consciousness next to rebirth-linking consciousness, and as death consciousness at the termination of the life span. And when it is of the sense sphere, and the object in the six doors is a vivid one, it is also generated as registration.
§44 In the course of an existence, eye-consciousness, together with its associated states, supported by light and caused by attention is generated because the eye is intact and because visible data have come into focus. For it is actually when a visible datum has reached presence that it impinges on the eye at the instant of the eye-sensitivity’s presence. When it has done so, the life-continuum arises and ceases twice. Next to arise is the functional mind element with that same object, accomplishing the function of adverting. Next to that, eye-consciousness, which is the result of profitable or of unprofitable [kamma] and sees that same visible datum. 618 Next, the resultant mind element, which receives that same visible datum. Next, the resultant root-causeless mind-consciousness element, which investigates that same visible datum. Next, the functional mind-consciousness element without root-cause and accompanied by equanimity, which determines that same visible datum. Next, [it is generated either] as one from among the profitable ((l)–(8)), unprofitable ((22)–(33)), or functional ((71) and (73)–(80)) kinds of consciousness belonging to the sense sphere, either as consciousness accompanied by equanimity and without root-cause (71), [57] or as five or seven impulsions. Next, in the case of sense-sphere beings, [it is generated] as any of the eleven kinds of registration consciousness conforming [as to object] with the impulsions. The same applies to the remaining doors. But in the case of the mind door-exalted consciousnesses also arise.
This is how the generation of the immaterial should be seen in the case of the six doors.
[645/703] One who sees the generation of the immaterial thus is said to “comprehend the immaterial at another time” (§21).
§45 This is how one [meditator] accomplishes the development of understanding, progressing gradually by comprehending at one time the material and at another time the immaterial, by attributing the three characteristics to them.
2.7 The Material Septad#
Another comprehends formations by attributing the three characteristics to them through the medium of the material septad and the immaterial septad.
§46 Herein, one who comprehends [them] by attributing [the characteristics] in the following seven ways is said to comprehend by attributing through the medium of the material septad, that is to say, (1) as taking up and putting down, (2) as disappearance of what grows old in each stage, (3) as arising from nutriment, (4) as arising from temperature, (5) as kamma-born, (6) as consciousness-originated, and (7) as natural materiality. Hence the Ancients said:
§47 1. Herein, taking up is rebirth-linking. Putting down is death. So the meditator allots one hundred years for this “taking up” and “putting down” and he attributes the three characteristics to formations. How? All formations between these limits are impermanent. Why? Because of the occurrence of rise and fall, because of change, because of temporariness, and because of preclusion of permanence. But since arisen formations have arrived at presence, and when present are afflicted by ageing, and on arriving at ageing are bound to dissolve, they are therefore painful because of continual oppression, because of being hard to bear, because of being the basis of suffering, and because of precluding pleasure. And since no one has any power over arisen formations in the three instances, “Let them not reach presence”, “Let those that have reached presence not age,” and “Let those that have reached ageing not dissolve,” and they are void of the possibility of any power being exercised over them, they are therefore not-self because void, because ownerless, because unsusceptible to the wielding of power, and because of precluding a self. [58] 619
§48 [646/704] 2. (a) Having attributed the three characteristics to materiality allotted one hundred years for the “taking up” and “putting down” thus, he next attributes them according to disappearance of what grows old in each stage. Herein, “disappearance of what grows old in each stage” is a name for the disappearance of the materiality that has grown old during a stage [of life]. The meaning is that he attributes the three characteristics by means of that.
§49 How? He divides that same hundred years up into three stages, that is, the first stage, the middle stage, and the last stage. Herein, the first thirty-three years are called the first stage, the next thirty-four years are called the middle stage, and the next thirty-three years are called the last stage. So after dividing it up into these three stages, [he attributes the three characteristics thus:] The materiality occurring in the first stage ceased there without reaching the middle stage: therefore it is impermanent; what is impermanent is painful; what is painful is not-self. Also the materiality occurring in the middle stage ceased there without reaching the last stage: therefore it is impermanent too and painful and not-self. Also there is no materiality occurring in the thirty-three years of the last stage that is capable of out-lasting death: therefore that is impermanent too and painful and not-self. This is how he attributes the three characteristics.
§50 2. (b) Having attributed the three characteristics according to “disappearance of what grows old in each stage” thus by means of the first stage, etc., he again attributes the three characteristics according to “disappearance of what grows old in each stage” by means of the following ten decades: the tender decade, the sport decade, the beauty decade, the strength decade, the understanding decade, the decline decade, the stooping decade, the bent decade, the dotage decade, and the prone decade.
§51 Herein, as to these decades: in the first place, the first ten years of a person with a hundred years’ life are called the tender decade; for then he is a tender unsteady child. The next ten years are called the sport decade; for he is very fond of sport then. The next ten years are called the beauty decade; for his beauty reaches its full extent then. The next ten years are called the strength decade; for his strength and power reach their full extent then. The next ten years are called the understanding decade; for his understanding is well established by then. Even in one naturally weak in understanding some understanding, it seems, arises at that time. The next ten years are called the decline decade; for his fondness for sport and his beauty, strength, and understanding decline then. The next ten years are called the stooping decade; for his figure 620 stoops forward then. The next ten years are called the bent decade; for his figure becomes bent like the end of a plough then. The next ten years are called the dotage decade; for he is doting then and forgets what he does. The next ten years are called the prone decade; for a centenarian mostly lies prone.
§52 Herein, in order to attribute the three characteristics according to “disappearance of what grows old in each stage” by means of these decades, the meditator considers thus: The materiality occurring in the first decade ceases there without reaching the second decade: therefore it is impermanent, painful, not-self. The materiality occurring in the second decade … the materiality [647/705] occurring in the ninth decade ceases there without reaching the tenth decade; the materiality occurring in the tenth decade ceases there without reaching the next becoming: therefore it is impermanent, painful, not-self. That is how he attributes the three characteristics.
§53 2. (c) Having attributed the three characteristics according to “disappearance of what grows old in each stage” thus by means of the decades, he again attributes the three characteristics according to “disappearance of what grows old in each stage” by taking that same hundred years in twenty parts of five years each.
§54 How? He considers thus: The materiality occurring in the first five years ceases there without reaching the second five years: therefore it is impermanent, painful, not-self. The materiality occurring in the second five years … in the third … in the nineteenth five years ceases there without reaching the twentieth five years. There is no materiality occurring in the twentieth five years that is capable of outlasting death; therefore that is impermanent too, painful, not-self.
§55 2. (d) Having attributed the three characteristics according to “disappearance of what grows old in each stage” thus by means of the twenty parts, he again attributes the three characteristics according to “disappearance of what grows old in each stage” by taking twenty-five parts of four years each. (e) Next, by taking thirty-three parts of three years each, (f) by taking fifty parts of two years each, (g) by taking a hundred parts of one year each.
2. (h) Next he attributes the three characteristics according to “disappearance of what grows old in each stage” by means of each of the three seasons, taking each year in three parts.
§56 How? The materiality occurring in the four months of the rains (vassāna) ceases there without reaching the winter (hemanta). The materiality occurring in the winter ceases there without reaching the summer (gimha). The materiality occurring in the summer ceases there without reaching the rains again: therefore it is impermanent, 621 painful, not-self.
§57 2. (i) Having attributed them thus, he again takes one year in six parts and attributes the three characteristics to this materiality according to “disappearance of what grows old in each stage” thus: The materiality occurring in the two months of the rains (vassāna) ceases there without reaching the autumn (sarada). The materiality occurring in the autumn … in the winter (hemanta) … in the cool (sisira) … in the spring (vasanta) … the materiality occurring in the summer (gimha) ceases there without reaching the rains again: therefore it is impermanent too, painful, not-self.
§58 2. (j) Having attributed them thus, he next attributes the characteristics by means of the dark and bright halves of the moon thus: The materiality occurring in the dark half of the moon ceases there without reaching the bright half; the materiality occurring in the bright half ceases there without reaching the dark half: therefore it is impermanent, painful, not-self.
§59 2. (k) Next he attributes the three characteristics by means of night and day thus: The materiality occurring in the night ceases there without reaching the [648/706] day; the materiality occurring in the day ceases there without reaching the night: therefore it is impermanent, painful, not-self.
§60 2. (l) Next he attributes the three characteristics by taking that same day in six parts beginning with the morning thus: The materiality occurring in the morning ceased there without reaching the noon; the materiality occurring in the noon … without reaching the evening; the materiality occurring in the evening … the first watch; the materiality occurring in the first watch … the middle watch; the materiality occurring in the middle watch ceased there without reaching the last watch; the materiality occurring in the last watch ceased there without reaching the morning again: therefore it is impermanent, painful, not-self.
§61 2. (m) Having attributed them thus, he again attributes the three characteristics to that same materiality by means of moving forward and moving backward, looking toward and looking away, bending and stretching, thus: The materiality occurring in the moving forward ceases there without reaching the moving backward; the materiality occurring in the moving backward … the looking toward; the materiality occurring in the looking toward … the looking away; the materiality occurring in the looking away … the bending; the materiality occurring in the bending ceases there without reaching the stretching: therefore it is impermanent, painful, not-self (cf. [M-a] I 260 ).
§62 2. (n) Next he divides a single footstep into six parts as “lifting up,” “shifting forward,” “shifting sideways,” “lowering down,” “placing down,” and “fixing down [59] .”
§63 Herein, lifting up is raising the foot from the ground. Shifting forward is shifting it to the front. Shifting sideways is moving the foot to one side or the other in seeing a thorn, stump, snake, and so on. Lowering down is letting the foot down. 622 Placing down is putting the foot on the ground. Fixing down is pressing the foot on the ground while the other foot is being lifted up.
§64 Herein, in the lifting up two elements, the earth element and the water element, are subordinate [60] and sluggish while the other two are predominant and strong. Likewise in the shifting forward and shifting sideways. In the lowering down two elements, the fire element and the air element, are subordinate and sluggish while the other two are predominant and strong. Likewise in the placing down and fixing down.
He attributes the three characteristics to materiality according to “disappearance of what grows old in each stage” by means of these six parts into which he has thus divided it.
§65 How? He considers thus: The elements and the kinds of derived materiality occurring in the lifting up all ceased there without reaching the shifting forward: therefore they are impermanent, painful, not-self. Likewise those occurring in [649/707] the shifting forward … the shifting sideways; those occurring in the shifting sideways … the lowering down; those occurring in the lowering down … the placing down; those occurring in the placing down cease there without reaching the fixing down; thus formations keep breaking up, like crackling sesame seeds put into a hot pan; wherever they arise, there they cease stage by stage, section by section, term by term, each without reaching the next part: therefore they are impermanent, painful, not-self.
§66 When he sees formations stage by stage with insight thus, his comprehension of materiality has become subtle. Here is a simile for its subtlety. A border dweller, it seems, who was familiar with torches of wood and grass, etc., but had never seen a lamp before, came to a city. Seeing a lamp burning in the market, he asked a man, “I say, what is that lovely thing called?”—“What is lovely about that? It is called a lamp. Where it goes to when its oil and wick are used up no one knows.” Another told him, “That is crudely put; for the flame in each third portion of the wick as it gradually burns up ceases there without reaching the other parts.” Other told him, “That is crudely put too; for the flame in each inch, in each half-inch, in each thread, in each strand, will cease without reaching the other strands; but the flame cannot appear without a strand.”
§67 623 Herein, the meditator’s attribution of the three characteristics to materiality delimited by the hundred years as “taking up” and “putting down” is like the man’s knowledge stated thus, “Where it goes when its oil and wick are used up no one knows.” The meditator’s attribution of the three characteristics according to “disappearance of what grows old in each stage” to the materiality delimited by the third part of the hundred years is like the man’s knowledge stated thus, “The flame in each third portion of the wick ceases without reaching the other parts.” The meditator’s attribution of the three characteristics to materiality delimited by the periods of ten, five, four, three, two years, one year, is like the man’s knowledge stated thus, “The flame in each inch will cease without reaching the others.” The meditator’s attribution of the three characteristics to materiality delimited by the four-month and two-month periods by classing the year as threefold and sixfold respectively according to the seasons is like the man’s knowledge stated thus, “The flame in each half-inch will cease without reaching the others.” The meditator’s attribution of the three characteristics to materiality delimited by means of the dark and bright halves of the moon, by means of night and day, and by means of morning, etc., taking one night and day in six parts, is like the man’s knowledge stated thus, “The flame in each thread will cease without reaching the others.” The meditator’s attribution of the three characteristics to materiality delimited by means of each part, namely, “moving forward,” etc., and “lifting up,” etc., is like the man’s knowledge stated thus, “The flame in each strand will cease without reaching the others.”
§68 3–6. Having in various ways thus attributed the three characteristics to materiality according to “disappearance of what grows old in each stage,” he analyzes that same materiality and divides it into four portions as “arising from nutriment,” etc., and he again attributes the three characteristics to each portion. [650/708] 3. Herein, materiality arising from nutriment becomes evident to him through hunger and its satisfaction. For materiality that is originated when one is hungry is parched and stale, and it is as ugly and disfigured as a parched stump, as a crow perching in a charcoal pit. That originated when hunger is satisfied is plump, fresh, tender, smooth and soft to touch. Discerning that, he attributes the three characteristics to it thus: The materiality occurring when hunger is satisfied ceases there without reaching the time when one is hungry; therefore it is impermanent, painful, not-self.
§69 4. That arising from temperature becomes evident through cool and heat. For materiality that is originated when it is hot is parched, stale and ugly. 624 Materiality originated by cool temperature is plump, fresh, tender, smooth, and soft to touch. Discerning that, he attributes the three characteristics to it thus: The materiality occurring when it is hot ceases there without reaching the time when it is cool. The materiality occurring when it is cool ceases there without reaching the time when it is hot: therefore it is impermanent, painful, not-self.
§70 5. The kamma-born becomes evident through the sense doors, that is, the base [of consciousness]. For in the case of the eye door there are thirty material instances with decads of the eye, the body, and sex; but with the twenty-four instances originated by temperature, consciousness, and nutriment, [that is to say, three bare octads,] which are their support, there are fifty-four. Likewise in the case of the doors of the ear, nose, and tongue. In the case of the body door there are forty-four with the decads of body and sex and the instances originated by temperature, and so on. In the case of the mind door there are fifty-four, too, with the decads of the heart-basis, the body, and sex, and those instances originated by the temperature, and so on. Discerning all that materiality, he attributes the three characteristics to it thus: The materiality occurring in the eye door ceases there without reaching the ear door; the materiality occurring in the ear door … the nose door; the materiality occurring in the nose door … the tongue door; the materiality occurring in the tongue door … the body door; the materiality occurring in the body door ceases there without reaching the mind door: therefore it is impermanent, painful, not-self.
§71 6. The consciousness-originated becomes evident through [the behaviour of] one who is joyful or grieved. For the materiality arisen at the time when he is joyful is smooth, tender, fresh and soft to touch. That arisen at the time when he is grieved is parched, stale and ugly. Discerning that, he attributes the three characteristics to it thus: The materiality occurring at the time when one is joyful ceases there without reaching the time when one is grieved; the materiality occurring at the time when one is grieved ceases there without reaching the time when one is joyful: therefore it is impermanent, painful, not-self.
§72 When he discerns consciousness-originated materiality and attributes the three characteristics to it in this way, this meaning becomes evident to him:
625§73 7. Having attributed the three characteristics to that arising from nutriment, etc., he again attributes the three characteristics to natural materiality. Natural materiality is a name for external materiality that is not bound up with faculties and arises along with the eon of world expansion, for example, iron, copper, tin, lead, gold, silver, pearl, gem, beryl, conch shell, marble, coral, ruby, opal, soil, stone, rock, grass, tree, creeper, and so on (see [Vibh] 83 ). That becomes evident to him by means of an asoka-tree shoot.
§74 For that to begin with is pale pink; then in two or three days it becomes dense red, again in two or three days it becomes dull red, next [brown,] the colour of a tender [mango] shoot; next, the colour of a growing shoot; next, the colour of pale leaves; next, the colour of dark green leaves. After it has become the colour of dark green leaves, as it follows out the successive stages of such material continuity, it eventually becomes withered foliage, and at the end of the year it breaks loose from its stem and falls off.
§75 Discerning that, he attributes the three characteristics to it thus: The materiality occurring when it is pale pink ceases there without reaching the time when it is dense red; the materiality occurring when it is dense red … dull red; the materiality occurring when it is dull red … the colour of a tender [mango] shoot; the materiality occurring when it is the colour of a tender [mango] shoot … the colour of a growing shoot; the materiality occurring when it is the colour of a growing shoot … the colour of pale green leaves; the materiality occurring [652/710] when it is the colour of pale green leaves … the colour of dark green leaves; the materiality occurring when it is the colour of dark green leaves … the time when it is withered foliage; the materiality occurring when it is withered foliage ceases there without 626 reaching the time when it breaks loose from its stem and falls off: therefore it is impermanent, painful, not-self.
He comprehends all natural materiality in this way.
This is how, firstly, he comprehends formations by attributing the three characteristics to them by means of the material septad.
2.8 The Immaterial Septad#
§76 The headings of what was called above “the immaterial septad” are these: (1) by groups, (2) by pairs, (3) by moments, (4) by series, (5) by removal of [false] view, (6) by abolition of conceit, (7) by ending of attachment.
§77 1. Herein, by groups means the states belonging to the contact pentad. [62] How? Here, “he comprehends by groups” [means that] a bhikkhu considers thus: The states belonging to the contact pentad arising in the comprehending of head hairs as “impermanent, painful, not-self”; the states belonging to the contact pentad arising in the comprehending of body hairs as … in the contemplation of brain as “impermanent, painful, not-self”—all these states disintegrate section by section, term by term, like crackling sesame seeds put into a hot pan, each without reaching the next: therefore they are impermanent, painful, not-self. This, firstly, is the method according to the Discourse on Purification. [63]
§78 According to the Discourse on the Noble Ones’ Heritages, however, he is said to “comprehend by groups” when by means of a subsequent consciousness he comprehends as “impermanent, painful, not-self” that consciousness which occurred [comprehending] materiality as “impermanent, painful, not-self” in the seven instances of the material septad given above. As this method is more suitable we shall therefore confine ourselves to it in explaining the rest.
§79 2. By pairs: after the bhikkhu has comprehended as “impermanent, painful, not-self” the materiality of the “taking up and putting down” (§46f.), he comprehends that consciousness [with which he was comprehending the materiality] too as “impermanent, painful, not-self” by means of a subsequent consciousness. After he has comprehended as “impermanent, painful, not-self” the materiality of the “disappearance of what grows old in each stage” and that “arising from nutriment,” “arising from temperature,” “kamma-born,” “consciousness-originated” and “natural,” he comprehends that consciousness too as “impermanent, painful, not-self” by means of a subsequent consciousness. In this way he is said to comprehend by pairs.
§80 [653/711] 3. By moments: after the bhikkhu has comprehended as “impermanent, painful, not-self” the materiality of the “taking up and putting down,” he comprehends that first consciousness [with which he was comprehending the materiality] as “impermanent, painful, not-self” by means of a second consciousness, and that second consciousness by means of a third, and the third by means of a fourth, and the fourth by means of a fifth, and that too he comprehends as “impermanent, painful, not-self.” After he has comprehended as “impermanent, painful, not-self” the materiality of “disappearance of what grows old in each stage” and that “arising from nutriment,” “arising from temperature,” 627 “kamma-born,” “consciousness-originated” and “natural,” he comprehends that first consciousness as “impermanent, painful, not-self” by means of a second consciousness, and that second consciousness by means of a third, and the third by means of a fourth, and the fourth by means of a fifth, and that too he comprehends as “impermanent, painful, not-self.” Comprehending thus four [consciousnesses] from each discerning of materiality he is said to comprehend by moments.
§81 4. By series: after he has comprehended as “impermanent, painful, not-self” the materiality of the “taking up and putting down,” he comprehends that first consciousness as “impermanent, painful, not-self” by means of a second consciousness, and the second by means of a third, and the third by means of a fourth … and the tenth by means of an eleventh, and that too he comprehends as “impermanent, painful, not-self.” After he has comprehended as “impermanent, painful, not-self” the materiality of the “disappearance of what grows old in each stage” and that “arising from nutriment,” “arising from temperature,” “kamma-born,” “consciousness-originated” and “natural,” he comprehends that consciousness as “impermanent, painful, not-self” by means of a second consciousness, and the second by means of a third, … and the tenth by means of an eleventh, and that too he comprehends as “impermanent, painful, not-self.” It would be possible to go on comprehending it in this way with serial insight even for a whole day. But both the material meditation subject and the immaterial meditation subject become familiar when the comprehending is taken as far as the tenth consciousness. That is why it is said [64] that it can be stopped at the tenth. It is when he comprehends in this way that he is said to comprehend by series.
§82 5. By removal of [false] view, 6*. by abolition of conceit,* 7. by ending of attachment: there is no individual method for any of these three. But when he has discerned this materiality as described above and this immateriality as described here, then he sees that there is no living being over and above the material and the immaterial. As soon as he no longer sees a being, the perception of a being is removed. When he discerns formations with consciousness from which perception of a being has been removed, then [false] view does not arise in him. When [false] view does not arise in him, then [false] view is said to be removed.
When he discerns formations with consciousness from which [false] view has been removed, then conceit does not arise in him. When conceit does not [654/712] arise, conceit is said to be abolished. When he discerns formations with consciousness from which conceit has been abolished, then craving does not arise in him. When craving does not arise in him, attachment is said to be ended. This firstly is what is said in the Discourse on Purification.
§83 But in the Discourse on the Noble Ones’ Heritages, after setting forth the headings thus: “As removal of [false] view, as abolition of conceit, as ending of attachment,” the following method is set forth: “There is no removal of [false] view in one who takes it thus, ‘I see with insight, my insight’; 628 there is removal of [false] view in one who takes it thus, ‘Only formations see formations with insight, comprehend, define, discern, and delimit them.’ There is no abolition of conceit in one who takes it thus, ‘I see thoroughly with insight, I see well with insight’; there is abolition of conceit in one who takes it thus, ‘Only formations see formations with insight, comprehend, define, discern, and delimit them.’ There is no ending of attachment in one who is pleased with insight thus, ‘I am able to see with insight’; there is ending of attachment in one who takes it thus, ‘Only formations see formations with insight, comprehend, define, discern, and delimit them.’
§84 “There is removal of [false] view in one who sees thus: ‘If formations were self, it would be right to take them as self; but being not-self they are taken as self. Therefore they are not-self in the sense of no power being exercisable over them; they are impermanent in the sense of non-existence after having come to be; they are painful in the sense of oppression by rise and fall.’
§85 “There is abolition of conceit in one who sees thus: ‘If formations were permanent, it would be right to take them as permanent; but being impermanent they are taken as permanent. Therefore they are impermanent in the sense of non-existence after having come to be; they are painful in the sense of oppression by rise and fall; they are not-self in the sense of no power being exercisable over them.’
§86 “There is ending of attachment in one who sees thus: ‘If formations were pleasant, it would be right to take them as pleasant; but being painful they are taken as pleasant. Therefore they are painful in the sense of oppression by rise and fall; they are impermanent in the sense of non-existence after having come to be; they are not-self in the sense of no power being exercisable over them.’
§87 “Thus there comes to be the removal of [false] view in one who sees formations as not-self; there comes to be the abolishing of conceit in one who sees them as impermanent; there comes to be the ending of attachment in one who sees them as painful. So this insight is valid in each instance.”
§88 This is how he comprehends formations by attributing the three characteristics to them by means of the immaterial septad.
At this stage both the material meditation subject and the immaterial meditation subject have become familiar to him.
2.9 The Eighteen Principal Insights#
§89 Having thus become familiar with the material and immaterial meditation subjects, and so having penetrated here already a part of those eighteen principal [655/713] insights [65] which are later on to be attained in all their aspects by means of full-understanding as abandoning starting with contemplation of dissolution, he consequently abandons things opposed [to what he has already penetrated].
§90 Eighteen principal insights is a term for understanding that consists in the kinds of insight beginning with contemplation of impermanence. Now, as regards these: (1) One who develops the contemplation of impermanence abandons the perception of permanence, (2) one who develops the contemplation of pain 629 abandons the perception of pleasure, (3) one who develops the contemplation of not-self abandons the perception of self, (4) one who develops the contemplation of dispassion abandons delighting, (5) one who develops the contemplation of fading away abandons greed, (6) one who develops the contemplation of cessation abandons origination, (7) one who develops the contemplation of relinquishment abandons grasping, (8) one who develops the contemplation of destruction abandons the perception of compactness, (9) one who develops the contemplation of fall [of formations] abandons accumulation [of kamma], (10) one who develops the contemplation of change abandons the perception of lastingness, (11) one who develops the contemplation of the signless abandons the sign, (12) one who develops the contemplation of the desireless abandons desire, (13) one who develops the contemplation of voidness abandons misinterpreting (insistence), (14) one who develops the insight into states that is higher understanding abandons misinterpreting (insistence) due to grasping at a core, (15) one who develops correct knowledge and vision abandons misinterpreting (insistence) due to confusion, (16) one who develops the contemplation of danger abandons misinterpreting (insistence) due to reliance, (17) one who develops the contemplation of reflection abandons non-reflection, (18) one who develops the contemplation of turning away abandons misinterpreting (insistence) due to bondage (see [Paṭis] I 32f. ). [66]
§91 [656/714] Now the meditator has seen formations by means of the three characteristics beginning with impermanence, and so he has therefore already penetrated among these eighteen insights the contemplations of impermanence, pain, and not-self. And then (1) the contemplation of impermanence and (11) the contemplation of the signless are one in meaning and different only in the letter, and so are (2) the contemplation of pain and (12) the contemplation of the desireless, and so are (3) the contemplation of not-self and (13) the contemplation of voidness (see [Paṭis] II 63 ). Consequently these have been penetrated by him as well. But (14) insight into states that is higher understanding is all kinds of insight, and (15) correct knowledge and vision is included in purification by overcoming doubt (Ch. XIX). Consequently, these two have been penetrated by him as well. As to the remaining kinds of insight, some have been penetrated and some not. We shall deal with them below. [67]
§92 [657/715] For it was with reference only to what has already been penetrated that it was said above: “having thus become familiar with the material and immaterial meditation subjects, and so having penetrated here already a part of those eighteen principal insights, which are later on to be attained in all their aspects by means of full understanding as abandoning starting with contemplation of dissolution, he consequently abandons things opposed [to what he has already penetrated]” (§89).
2.10 Knowledge of Rise and Fall—I#
§93 Having purified his knowledge in this way by abandoning the perceptions of permanence, etc., which oppose the contemplations of impermanence, etc., he passes on from comprehension knowledge and begins the task of attaining that of contemplation of rise and fall, which is expressed thus: “Understanding 630 of contemplating present states’ change is knowledge of contemplation of rise and fall” ( [Paṭis] I 1 ), and which comes next after comprehension knowledge.
§94 When he does so, he does it first in brief. Here is the text: “How is it that understanding of contemplating present states’ change is knowledge of contemplation of rise and fall? Present materiality is born [materiality]; the characteristic of its generation is rise, the characteristic of its change is fall, the contemplation is knowledge. Present feeling … perception … formations … consciousness … eye … (etc.) … Present becoming is born [becoming]; the characteristic of its generation is rise, the characteristic of its change is fall, the contemplation is knowledge” ( [Paṭis] I 54 ). [68]
§95 In accordance with the method of this text he sees the characteristic of generation, the birth, the arising, the aspect of renewal, of born materiality, as “rise,” and he sees its characteristic of change, its destruction, its dissolution, as “fall.”
§96 [658/716] He understands thus: “There is no heap or store of unarisen mentality-materiality [existing] prior to its arising. When it arises, it does not come from any heap or store; and when it ceases, it does not go in any direction. There is nowhere any depository in the way of a heap or store or hoard of what has ceased. But just as there is no store, prior to its arising, of the sound that arises when a lute is played, nor does it come from any store when it arises, nor does it go in any direction when it ceases, nor does it persist as a store when it has ceased (cf. [S] IV 197 ), but on the contrary, not having been, it is brought into being owing to the lute, the lute’s neck, and the man’s appropriate effort, and having been, it vanishes—so too all material and immaterial states, not having been, are brought into being, and having been, they vanish.”
§97 Having given attention to rise and fall in brief thus, he again [does so in detail according to condition and instant by seeing those characteristics] as given in the exposition of that same knowledge of rise and fall thus: “(1) He sees the rise of the materiality aggregate in the sense of conditioned arising thus: With the arising of ignorance there is the arising of materiality; (2) … with the arising of craving … (3) … with the arising of kamma … (4) he sees the rise of the materiality aggregate in the sense of conditioned arising thus: With the arising of nutriment there is the arising of materiality; (5) one who sees the characteristic of generation sees the rise of the materiality aggregate. One who sees the rise of the materiality aggregate sees these five characteristics.
“(1) He sees the fall of the materiality aggregate in the sense of conditioned cessation thus: With the cessation of ignorance there is the cessation of materiality; (2) … with the cessation of craving … (3) … with the cessation of kamma … (4) he sees the fall of the materiality aggregate in the sense of conditioned cessation thus: With the cessation of nutriment there is the cessation of materiality; 631 (5) one who sees the characteristic of change sees the fall of the materiality aggregate. One who sees the fall of the materiality aggregate sees these five characteristics” ( [Paṭis] I 55f. ).
Likewise: “(1) He sees the rise of the feeling aggregate in the sense of conditioned arising thus: With the arising of ignorance there is the arising of feeling; (2) … with the arising of craving … (3) … with the arising of kamma … (4) he sees the rise of the feeling aggregate in the sense of conditioned arising thus: With the arising of contact there is the arising of feeling; (5) one who sees the characteristic of generation sees the rise of the feeling aggregate. One who sees the rise of the feeling aggregate sees those five characteristics.
“(1) He sees the fall of the feeling aggregate in the sense of conditioned cessation thus: With the cessation of ignorance there is the cessation of feeling; (2) … with the cessation of craving … (3) … with the cessation of kamma … (4) he sees the fall of the feeling aggregate in the sense of conditioned cessation thus: With the cessation of contact there is the cessation of feeling; (5) one who sees the characteristic of change sees the fall of the feeling aggregate. One who sees the fall of the feeling aggregate sees these five characteristics” ( [Paṭis] I 55f. ).
And as in the case of the feeling aggregate, [that is, substituting “contact” for the “nutriment” in the case of materiality,] so for the perception and formations [659/717] aggregates. So also for the consciousness aggregate with this difference, that for the phrases containing “contact” there are substituted “with the arising of mentality-materiality” and “with the cessation of mentality-materiality.”
So there are fifty characteristics stated with the ten in the case of each aggregate by seeing rise and fall, by means of which he gives attention in detail according to condition and according to instant (moment) in this way: “The rise of materiality is thus; its fall is thus; so it rises, so it falls.”
§98 As he does so his knowledge becomes clearer thus: “So, it seems, these states, not having been, are brought into being; having been, they vanish.”
When he thus sees rise and fall in the two ways, according to condition and according to instant, the several truths, aspects of the dependent origination, methods, and characteristics become evident to him.
§99 When he sees the arising of aggregates with the arising of ignorance and the cessation of aggregates with the cessation of ignorance, this is his seeing of rise and fall according to condition. When he sees the rise and fall of aggregates by seeing the characteristic of generation and the characteristic of change, this is his seeing of rise and fall according to instant. For it is only at the instant of arising that there is the characteristic of generation, and only at the instant of dissolution that there is the characteristic of change.
§100 So when he sees rise and fall in the two ways, according to condition and according to instant thus, the truth of origination becomes evident to him through seeing rise according to condition owing to his discovery of the progenitor. 632 The truth of suffering becomes evident to him through seeing rise according to instant owing to his discovery of the suffering due to birth. The truth of cessation becomes evident to him through seeing fall according to condition owing to his discovery of the non-arising of things produced by conditions when their conditions do not arise. The truth of suffering becomes evident to him too through seeing fall according to instant owing to his discovery of the suffering due to death. And his seeing of rise and fall becomes evident to him as the truth of the path thus: “This is the mundane path” owing to abolition of confusion about it.
§101 The dependent origination in forward order becomes evident to him through seeing rise according to condition owing to his discovery that “When this exists, that comes to be” ( [M] I 262 ). The dependent origination in reverse order becomes evident to him through seeing fall according to condition owing to his discovery that “When this does not exist, that does not come to be” ( [M] I 264 ). Dependently-arisen states become evident to him through seeing rise and fall according to instant owing to his discovery of the characteristic of the formed; for the things possessed of rise and fall are formed and conditionally arisen.
§102 The method of identity becomes evident to him through seeing rise according to condition owing to his discovery of unbroken continuity in the connection of cause with fruit. Then he more thoroughly abandons the annihilation view. The method of diversity becomes evident to him through seeing rise according to instant owing to his discovery that each [state] is new [as it arises]. Then he more thoroughly abandons the eternity view. The method of uninterestedness becomes evident to [660/718] him through seeing rise and fall according to condition owing to his discovery of the inability of states to have mastery exercised over them. Then he more thoroughly abandons the self view. The method of ineluctable regularity becomes evident to him through seeing rise according to condition owing to his discovery of the arising of the fruit when the suitable conditions are there. Then he more thoroughly abandons the moral-inefficacy-of-action view.
§103 The characteristic of not-self becomes evident to him through seeing rise according to condition owing to his discovery that states have no curiosity and that their existence depends upon conditions. The characteristic of impermanence becomes evident to him through seeing rise and fall according to instant owing to his discovery of non-existence after having been and owing to his discovery that they are secluded from past and future. The characteristic of pain becomes evident to him [through that] too owing to his discovery of oppression by rise and fall. And the characteristic of individual essence becomes evident to him [through that] too owing to his discovery of delimitation [of states] by rise and fall. [69] And in the characteristic of individual essence the temporariness of the characteristic of what is formed becomes evident to him [through that] too owing to his discovery of the non-existence of fall at the instant of rise and the non-existence of rise at the instant of fall. [70]
§104 When the several truths, aspects of the dependent origination, methods, and characteristics have become evident to him thus, then formations appear to him as perpetually renewed: “So these states, it seems, being previously unarisen, critic, and being arisen, they cease.” 633 And they are not only perpetually renewed, but they are also short-lived like dew-drops at sunrise ( [A] IV 137 ), like a bubble on water ( [S] III 14 I), like a line drawn on water ( [A] IV 137 ), like a mustard seed on an awl’s point ( [Nidd] I 42 ), like a lightning flash ( [Nidd] I 43 ). And they appear without core, like a conjuring trick ( [S] III 141 ), like a mirage (Dhp 46), like a dream (Sn 807), like the circle of a whirling firebrand (source untraced), like a goblin city (source untraced), like froth (Dhp 46), like a plantain trunk ( [S] III 142 ), and so on.
At this point he has attained tender insight-knowledge called contemplation of rise and fall, which has become established by penetrating the fifty characteristics in this manner: “Only what is subject to fall arises; and to be arisen necessitates fall.” With the attainment of this he is known as a “beginner of insight.”
2.10.1 The Ten Imperfections of Insight#
§105 Now, when he is a beginner of insight with this tender insight, ten imperfections of insight arise in him. For imperfections of insight do not arise either in a noble disciple who has reached penetration [of the truths] or in persons [661/719] erring in virtue, neglectful of their meditation subject and idlers. They arise only in a clansman who keeps to the right course, devotes himself continuously [to his meditation subject] and is a beginner of insight. But what are these ten imperfections? They are: (1) illumination, (2) knowledge, (3) rapturous happiness, (4) tranquillity, (5) bliss (pleasure), (6) resolution, (7) exertion, (8) assurance, (9) equanimity, and (10) attachment.
§106 For this is said: “How does the mind come to be seized by agitation about higher states? When a man is bringing [formations] to mind as impermanent, illumination arises in him. He adverts to the illumination thus, ‘Illumination is a [Noble One’s] state.’ [71] The distraction due to that is agitation. When his mind is seized by that agitation, he does not understand correctly [their] appearance as impermanent, he does not understand correctly [their] appearance as painful, he does not understand correctly [their] appearance as not-self.
§107 “Likewise, when he is bringing [formations] to mind as impermanent, knowledge arises in him … happiness … tranquillity … bliss … resolution … exertion … establishment … equanimity … attachment arises in him. He adverts to the attachment thus, ‘Attachment is a [Noble One’s] state.’ The distraction due to that is agitation. When his mind is seized by that agitation, he does not correctly understand [their] appearance as impermanent, 634 he does not correctly understand [their] appearance as painful, he does not correctly understand [their] appearance as not-self” ( [Paṭis] II 100 ). 1. Herein, illumination is illumination due to insight. [72] When it arises, the meditator thinks, “Such illumination never arose in me before. I have surely reached the path, reached fruition;” thus he takes what is not the path to be the path and what is not fruition to be fruition. When he takes what is not the path to be the path [662/720] and what is not fruition to be fruition, the course of his insight is interrupted. He drops his own basic meditation subject and sits just enjoying the illumination.
§108 But this illumination arises in one bhikkhu illuminating only as much as the seat he is sitting on; in another, the interior of his room; in another, the exterior of his room; in another the whole monastery … a quarter league … a half league … a league … two leagues … three leagues; in another bhikkhu it arises making a single light from the earth’s surface up to the Brahmā-world. But in the Blessed One it arose illuminating the ten-thousandfold world-element.
§109 This story illustrates how it varies. Two elders, it seems, were sitting inside a room with a double wall at Cittalapabbata. It was the Uposatha of the dark of the moon that day. All directions were covered by a blanket of cloud, and at night the four-factored gloom [73] prevailed. Then one elder said, “Venerable sir, the flowers of the five colours on the lion table on the shrine terrace are visible to me now.” The other said, “What you say is nothing wonderful, friend. Actually the fishes and turtles in the ocean a league away are visible to me now.”
§110 This imperfection of insight usually arises in one who has acquired serenity and insight. Because the defilements suppressed by the attainments do not manifest themselves, he thinks, “I am an Arahant,” like the Elder Mahā-Nāga who lived at Uccavālika, like the Elder Mahā-Datta who lived at Haṅkana, like the Elder Cūḷa-Sumana who lived in the Nikapenna meditation house at Cittalapabbata.
§111 Here is one story as an illustration. The Elder Dhammadinna, it seems, who lived at Talaṅgara—one of the great ones with cankers destroyed who possessed the categories of discrimination—was the instructor of a large community of bhikkhus. One day, as he was sitting in his own daytime quarters, he wondered, “Has our teacher, the Elder Mahā-Nāga who lives at Uccavālika, 635 brought his work of asceticism to its conclusion, or not?” He saw that he was still an ordinary man, and he knew that if he did not go to him, he would die an ordinary man. He rose up into the air with supernormal power and alighted near the elder, who was sitting in his daytime quarters. He paid homage to him, doing his duty, and sat down at one side. To the question, “Why have you come unexpectedly, friend Dhammadinna?” he replied, “I have come to ask a question, venerable sir.” He was told, “Ask, friend. If we know, we shall say.” He asked a thousand questions.
§112 The elder replied without hesitation to each question. To the remark, “Your knowledge is very keen, venerable sir; when was this state attained by you?” he replied, “Sixty years ago, friend.” “Do you practice concentration, venerable sir?”—“That is not difficult, friend.”—“Then make an elephant, venerable sir.” The elder made an elephant all white. “Now, venerable sir, make that elephant come straight at you with his ears outstretched, his tail extended, putting his trunk in his mouth and making a horrible trumpeting.” The elder did so. Seeing the frightful aspect of the rapidly approaching elephant, he sprang up and made to run away. Then the elder with cankers destroyed put out his hand, and catching him by the hem of his robe, he said, “Venerable sir, is there any timidity in one whose cankers are destroyed?”
§113 [663/721] Then he recognized that he was still an ordinary man. He knelt at Dhammadinna’s feet and said, “Help me, friend Dhammadinna.”—“Venerable sir, I will help you; that is why I came. Do not worry.” Then he expounded a meditation subject to him. The elder took the meditation subject and went up on to the walk, and with the third footstep he reached Arahantship. The elder was a bhikkhu of hating temperament, it seems. Such bhikkhus waver on account of illumination.
§114 2. Knowledge is knowledge due to insight. As he is estimating and judging material and immaterial states perhaps knowledge that is unerring, keen, incisive, and very sharp arises in him, like a lightning flash.
§115 3. Rapturous happiness is happiness due to insight. Perhaps at that time the five kinds of happiness, namely, minor happiness, momentary happiness, showering happiness, uplifting happiness, and pervading (rapturous) happiness arise in him filling his whole body.
§116 4. Tranquillity is tranquillity due to insight. As he is sitting at that time in his night or day quarters perhaps 636 there is no fatigue or heaviness or rigidity or unwieldiness or sickness or crookedness in his body and his mind, but rather his body and mind are tranquillized, light, malleable, wieldy, quite sharp, and straight. With his body and mind aided by this tranquillity, etc., he experiences at that time the superhuman delight with reference to which it is said:
This is how tranquillity, associated with lightness, etc., arises in him, bringing about this superhuman delight.
§117 5. Bliss (pleasure) is bliss due to insight. At that time perhaps there arises in him exceedingly refined bliss (pleasure) flooding his whole body.
§118 6. Resolution is faith. For strong faith arises in him in association with insight in the form of extreme confidence of consciousness and its concomitants.
§119 7. Exertion is energy. For well-exerted energy, neither too lax nor too strained, arises in him in association with insight.
§120 8. Assurance (lit. establishment) is mindfulness. For well-established (well-assured), well-founded mindfulness, which is dug in and as immovable as the king of mountains, arises in him in association with insight. Whatever subject he adverts to, consciously reacts to, gives attention to, reviews, appears to him (he is assured of) owing to mindfulness, which descends into it, [74] enters into it, just as the other world does to one who has the divine eye.
§121 [664/722] 9. Equanimity is both equanimity about insight and equanimity in adverting. [75] For equanimity about insight, which is neutrality about formations, arises strongly in him at that time. It is also equanimity in adverting in the mind door. For whatever the subject he adverts to, his adverting works as incisively and sharply as a lightning flash, like a red-hot spear plunged into a basket of leaves.
§122 10. Attachment is attachment due to insight. For when his insight is adorned with illumination, etc., attachment arises in him, which is subtle and peaceful in aspect, and it relies on (clings to) that insight; and he is not able to discern that attachment as a defilement. 637
§123 And as in the case of illumination, so too in the case of the other imperfections that may arise, the meditator thinks thus: “Such knowledge … such rapturous happiness … tranquillity … bliss … resolution … exertion … assurance … equanimity … attachment never arose in me before. I have surely reached the path, reached fruition.” Thus he takes what is not the path to be the path and what is not fruition to be fruition. When he takes what is not the path to be the path and what is not fruition to be fruition, the course of his insight is interrupted. He drops his basic meditation subject and sits just enjoying the attachment.
§124 And here illumination, etc., are called imperfections because they are the basis for imperfection, not because they are [kammically] unprofitable. But attachment is both an imperfection and the basis for imperfection.
As basis only they amount to ten; but with the different ways of taking them they come to thirty.
§125 How? When a man takes it thus, “illumination has arisen in me,” his way of taking is due to [false] view. When he takes it thus, “How agreeable this illumination that has arisen is,” his way of taking is due to pride (conceit). When he relishes the illumination, his way of taking is due to craving. So there are three ways of taking it in the case of illumination, that is to say, due to [false] view, to pride (conceit), and to craving. Likewise with the rest. So they come to thirty with the three ways of taking them. Owing to their influence an unskilful, unwary meditator wavers and gets distracted about illumination, etc., and he sees each one of them-illumination and the rest-as “This is mine, this is I, this is my self” ( [M] I 135 ). Hence the Ancients said:
§126 [665/723] But when illumination, etc., arise, a skilful, wary meditator who is endowed with discretion either defines and examines it with understanding thus: “This illumination has arisen. [76] But it is impermanent, formed, conditionally arisen, subject to destruction, subject to fall, subject to fading away, subject to cessation.” Or he thinks: “If illumination were self, it would be right to take it as self; but being not-self, it is taken as self. Therefore it is not-self in the sense of no power being exercisable over it; it is impermanent in the sense of non-existence after having come to be; it is painful in the sense of oppression by rise and fall,” all of which should be treated in detail according to the method given under the immaterial septad (§83). And as in the case of illumination, so too with the rest.
§127 Having investigated it thus, he sees the illumination as “This is not mine, this is not I, this is not my self.” 638 He sees knowledge … (etc.) … attachment as “This is not mine, this is not I, this is not my self.” Seeing thus, he does not waver or vacillate about the illumination, and so on. Hence the Ancients said:
§128 So he unravels this thirtyfold skein of imperfections without falling a prey to wavering. He defines what is the path and what is not the path thus: “The states consisting in illumination, etc., are not the path; but it is insight knowledge that is free from imperfections and keeps to its course that is the path.”
§129 The knowledge that is established in him by his coming to know the path and the not-path thus, “This is the path, this is not the path,” should he understood as the purification by knowledge and vision of what is the path and what is not the path.
§130 So at this point the defining of three truths has been effected by him. How? The defining of the truth of suffering has been effected with the defining of mentality-materiality in the purification of view. The defining of the truth of origination has been effected with the discerning of conditions in the purification by overcoming doubt. The defining of the truth of the path has been effected with the emphasizing of the right path in this purification by knowledge and vision of what is the path and what is not the path. So the defining of three truths has been effected firstly by means of mundane knowledge only.
The twentieth chapter called “The Description of Purification by Knowledge and Vision of What Is the Path and What is Not the Path” in the Treatise on the Development of Understanding in the Path of Purification composed for the purpose of gladdening good people.
Footnotes