š Unleash the hidden dragon
7sbāļø satta bojjh-aį¹
gaį¹: seven awakening factors
+1 ā Introduction
all
+1.1 ā Blatant dragon
All this talk about dragons isn't something I made up.
In SN 46.1, the very first sutta of the Bojjhaį¹
ga Saį¹yutta (the connected discourses on the awakening factors),
the Buddha himself uses the simile.
Supported by the Himalaya, the king of mountains,
young dragons (nÄgÄ) nurture their bodies and gain strength.
Then they descend into the pools, the lakes,
the streams, the rivers, and finally the great ocean,
where they grow great and abundant in body.
In the same way, a monk grounded on ethics who develops and cultivates
the seven awakening factors grows great and abundant in good Dharmas.
SN 46.1 Himavanta: the Himalaya
+1.2 ā So what is this hidden dragon you refer to?
all
+Ā§2.1 ā The seven factors in sequence, more or less, without the 'bojjhaį¹
ga' suffix
The hidden dragon is the seven awakening factors appearing in their usual sequence,
sometimes not all seven of them, but without the word 'bojjhaį¹
ga' (awakening factor) attached to each one.
In 3.1, as VisÄkhÄ recollects her gifts,
rejoicing, joy, pacification, [physical] pleasure,
and undistractible-lucidity arise one after another,
with no 'bojjhaį¹
ga' suffix on any of them.
Then she says explicitly what developing that sequence is: āIn this way Iāll develop the spiritual faculties,
the spiritual powers, and the factors of awakening.ā
(SÄ me bhavissati indriya-bhÄvanÄ bala-bhÄvanÄ bojjhaį¹
ga-bhÄvanÄ.)
That line settles it: the sequence without the suffix IS the development of the awakening factors,
said in so many words, and the Buddha praises her for seeing that benefit.
This is a normal way the suttas speak.
Just as sati on its own often means sammÄ-sati,
and samÄdhi on its own often means sammÄ-samÄdhi,
the seven awakening factors often appear without their bojjhaį¹
ga suffix.
What has always puzzled me is how many famous monastics treat these passages as some unique,
separate teaching, just because the suffix is missing.
without recognizing that it's simply the seven awakening factors without the bojjhaį¹
ga suffix.
+Ā§2.2 ā Some of the seven factors, out of sequence
all
The awakening factors also hide inside other teachings,
present but scattered out of their causal order.
Take the noble eightfold path:
ā¢ The vigor awakening factor (vÄ«riya-sambojjhaį¹
ga) is exactly the same as right effort (sammÄ-vÄyÄma).
ā¢ Right sati (sammÄ-sati) is the same as sati-sambojjhaį¹
ga.
ā¢ The four jhÄnas of right samÄdhi (sammÄ-samÄdhi) are samÄdhi-sambojjhaį¹
ga.
ā¢ PÄ«ti, upekkhÄ, and sati are embedded in the four jhÄnas themselves.
ā¢ Right view (sammÄ-diį¹į¹hi) and right resolve (sammÄ-saį¹
kappa) do the work of dhamma-vicaya,
the investigation of dharmas.
So in the four jhÄnas and the noble eightfold path,
the seven awakening factors are all there,
just not in their causal-sequence order.
This brings up another important point about the seven awakening factors.
They work both ways: as a causal sequence,
each factor giving rise to the next,
and as independent factors that can be developed in any order,
at any time, as they are in the various jhÄnas.
+Ā§2.1 ā Very hidden: the fourth jhÄna's upekkhÄ-sati-pÄrisuddhiį¹
The fourth jhÄna is characterized as upekkhÄ-sati-pÄrisuddhiį¹.
I understand this phrase to signify the purification of all seven awakening factors,
which would make the fourth jhÄna the ideal foundation from which enlightenment becomes attainable.
The TheravÄda commentarial tradition,
by contrast, generally reads it as upekkhÄ purifying sati,
or the reverse.
I cannot prove my interpretation, but I find it the more coherent reading.
+Ā§2.3 ā More esoteric hiding
Some suttas hide the dragon more esoterically.
In MN 23, a sage takes up a sword and digs into an ant-hill until he finds a dragon,
and is told: āLeave the dragon!
Do not disturb the dragon!
Worship the dragon!ā
The Buddha explains that the sword is noble wisdom,
the digging is being energetic, and the dragon is a monk who has ended the defilements.
It reads like an allusion to the awakening factors: the sword of wisdom (dhamma-vicaya),
the digging of energy (vīriya), and the dragon they uncover.
But that is hard to prove.
ā§
+1.3 ā Unleash the dragon!
So what does unleashing the hidden dragon mean?
First, be alert to recognizing when the suttas are referring to the seven awakening factors.
Even when sati and upekkhÄ are not explicitly mentioned,
or sukha and muditÄ are added in, the passage is still talking about the seven factors.
Don't make the mistake many do, of assuming the Buddha is offering
a million permutations that merely resemble the seven factors without actually referring to them.
Second, the Buddha does not use terms like 'jhÄnic force' or 'jhÄna battery',
nor does he describe the alchemy and physics of jhÄna the way the Taoists do.
Yet the suttas very much do give hints on how to cultivate the
internal energy arts that strengthen the four jhÄnas and bring them to completion:
ā¢ the four jhÄna similes (AN 5.28);
ā¢ SN 54.7, where the Buddha holds up MahÄkappina,
whose body never moves or trembles in meditation,
in contrast to the trembling body of a meditator whose jhÄna is not yet complete;
ā¢ and the IddhipÄda Saį¹yutta (SN 51).
ā§
+2 ā Sutta references
all
+3 ā Vinaya references
all
In the whole Vinaya there's one other real instance of the rejoicing
ā rapture ā pacification ā happiness ā undistractible-lucidity chain,
plus the VisÄkhÄ passage itself.
I scanned the PÄli root of all 60 Vinaya files (both Vibhaį¹
gas,
Kd 1ā22, ParivÄra 1ā21) for every inflected form of pÄmujja/pÄmojja and passambh-/passaddh-.
+3.1 ā Vin Kd 8: VisÄkhÄ's eight boons (pli-tv-kd8:15.13.4ā5)
all
It's the only time the formula appears.
She doesn't repeat it for each boon.
| āKiį¹ pana tvaį¹, viĀ·sÄkhe, Änisaį¹saį¹ sampassaĀ·mÄnÄ tathÄĀ·gataį¹ aĀ·į¹Ā·į¹ha varÄni yÄcasÄ«āti? | āBut, VisÄkhÄ, what benefit do you see that you ask me for these eight favors?ā | |
| āIdha, bhante, disÄsu vassaį¹Ā·vuį¹į¹hÄ bhikkhÅ« sÄvatthiį¹ Ägacchissanti bhagavantaį¹ dassaĀ·nÄya. |
āWell, it will happen that monks who have completed the rainy-season residence in the various regions will come to SÄvatthÄ« to visit the Buddha. |
|
| Te bhagavantaį¹ upasaį¹ kamitvÄ pucchissantiā | If a monk has died, | |
| āitthannÄmo, bhante, bhikkhu kÄlaį¹ kato, tassa kÄ gati ko abhiĀ·samparÄyoāti? |
theyāll ask you about his destination, | |
| Taį¹ bhagavÄ byĀ·Äkarissati sotÄĀ·pattiĀ·phale vÄ sakadĀ·ÄgÄmiĀ·phale vÄ anĀ·ÄgÄmiĀ·phale vÄ arahatte vÄ. | and youāll tell them whether heās reached the fruit of streamentry, the fruit of once-returning, the fruit of non-returning, or perfection. |
|
| TyÄhaį¹ upasaį¹ kamitvÄ pucchissÄmiā | Iāll then ask those monks | |
| āÄgatapubbÄ nu kho, bhante, tena aĀ·yĀ·yena sÄvatthÄ«āti? |
whether that dead monk had previously visited SÄvatthÄ«. | |
| Sace me vakkhantiā | If they say he had, | |
| āÄgatapubbÄ tena bhikkhunÄ sÄvatthÄ«āti niį¹į¹hamĀ·ettha gacchissÄmiā | I may conclude, | |
| ānissaį¹sayaį¹ me pariĀ·bhuttaį¹ tena aĀ·yĀ·yena vassikaĀ·sÄį¹ikÄ vÄ ÄgantukaĀ·bhattaį¹ vÄ gamikaĀ·bhattaį¹ vÄ gilÄnaĀ·bhattaį¹ vÄ gilÄnĀ·upaį¹į¹hÄkaĀ·bhattaį¹ vÄ gilÄnaĀ·bhesajjaį¹ vÄ dhuvaĀ·yÄgu vÄāti. |
āNo doubt that venerable will have enjoyed a rainy-season robe supplied by me. Or he will have enjoyed a meal for newly-arrived monks, a meal for departing monks, a meal for sick monks, a meal for those nursing the sick, medicines, or a regular supply of congeeāall given by me.ā |
|
| TassÄ me tadĀ·anuĀ·sĀ·saraĀ·ntiyÄ pÄmujjaį¹ jÄyissati, pamuditÄya pÄ«ti jÄyissati, pÄ«tiĀ·manÄya kÄyo passambhissati, passaddhaĀ·kÄyÄ sukhaį¹ vediyissÄmi, sukhiniyÄ cittaį¹ samÄdhiyissati. |
When I recall that, rejoicing will arise. The rejoicing will give rise to joy, and the mental joy will make me pacified. When Iām pacified, Iāll feel [physical] pleasure. And when Iām experiencing [physical] pleasure, my mind will attain undistractible-lucidity. |
|
| SÄ me bhavissati indriyaĀ·bhÄvanÄ balaĀ·bhÄvanÄ bojjhaį¹ gaĀ·bhÄvanÄ. | In this way Iāll develop the spiritual faculties, the spiritual powers, and the factors of awakening. | |
| ImÄhaį¹, bhante, Änisaį¹saį¹ sampassaĀ·mÄnÄ tathÄĀ·gataį¹ aĀ·į¹Ā·į¹ha varÄni yÄcÄmÄ«āti. | Itās because of this benefit that I ask for these eight favors.ā | |
+Ā§1.1 ā Buddha grants the eight favors
| āSÄdhu sÄdhu, viĀ·sÄkhe; | āWell said, VisÄkhÄ. | |
| sÄdhu kho tvaį¹, viĀ·sÄkhe, imaį¹ Änisaį¹saį¹ sampassaĀ·mÄnÄ tathÄĀ·gataį¹ aĀ·į¹Ā·į¹ha varÄni yÄcasi. | Itās good that you ask me for these eight favors for the sake of this benefit. | |
| AnujÄnÄmi te, viĀ·sÄkhe, aĀ·į¹Ā·į¹ha varÄnÄ«āti. | I grant you these eight favors.ā | |
+Ā§1.2 ā Buddha expresses appreciation with verses
| Atha kho bhagavÄ viĀ·sÄkhaį¹ migÄraĀ·mÄtaraį¹ imÄhi gÄthÄhi anumodiā | The Buddha then expressed his appreciation to VisÄkhÄ with these verses: | |
| āYÄ annaĀ·pÄnaį¹ dadatiĀ·pĀ·pamoditÄ, | āRejoicing in giving food and drink, | |
| SÄ«lÅ«Ā·papannÄ sugatassa sÄvikÄ; | A virtuous disciple of the Accomplished One, | |
| DadÄti dÄnaį¹ abhiĀ·bhuyya maccharaį¹, | Overcoming stinginess, gives a gift. | |
| Sovaggikaį¹ sokaĀ·nudaį¹ sukhĀ·Ävahaį¹. | It leads to heaven, eliminates sadness, and brings bliss. | |
| Dibbaį¹ sÄ labhate Äyuį¹, | By means of the stainless path, | |
| Ägamma maggaį¹ virajaį¹ anĀ·aį¹ gaį¹aį¹; | She obtains heaven and long life. | |
| SÄ puƱƱaĀ·kÄmÄ sukhinÄ« anĀ·ÄmayÄ, | Desiring merit, happy and healthy, | |
| Saggamhi kÄyamhi ciraį¹ pamodatÄ«āti. | She rejoices in heaven for a long time.ā | |
| Atha kho bhagavÄ viĀ·sÄkhaį¹ migÄraĀ·mÄtaraį¹ imÄhi gÄthÄhi anumoditvÄ uį¹į¹hÄyĀ·ÄsanÄ pakkÄmi. | When the Buddha had expressed his appreciation, he got up from his seat and left. | |
ā§
+3.2 ā Vin Pvr 14: the "purpose of the Vinaya" chain (pli-tv-pvr14:6.1)
It's the full AN 10.1 / AN 11.1 kimatthiya sequence,
written as a list of nouns in the dative of purpose
("for the sake ofā¦"), and it runs right through to nibbÄna.
It's the Vinaya's version of the sÄ«la ā avippaį¹isÄra chain the speaker ties to Änanda's question.
| ViĀ·nayo saį¹varaĀ·tĀ·thÄya, saį¹varo aĀ·vippaį¹isÄraĀ·tĀ·thÄya, aĀ·vippaį¹isÄro pÄmujjaĀ·tĀ·thÄya, pÄmujjaį¹ pÄ«tatthÄya, pÄ«ti passaddhĀ·atthÄya, passaddhi sukhaĀ·tĀ·thÄya, sukhaį¹ samÄdhĀ·atthÄya, samÄdhi yathÄĀ·bhÅ«taĀ·Ć±Äį¹aĀ·dassanaĀ·tĀ·thÄya, yathÄĀ·bhÅ«taĀ·Ć±Äį¹aĀ·dassanaį¹ nibbidĀ·atthÄya, nibbidÄ virÄgaĀ·tĀ·thÄya, virÄgo vimuttĀ·atthÄya, vimutti vimuttiĀ·Ć±Äį¹aĀ·dassanaĀ·tĀ·thÄya, vimuttiĀ·Ć±Äį¹aĀ·dassanaį¹ anĀ·upÄdÄĀ·pariĀ·nibbÄnaĀ·tĀ·thÄya. |
The Monastic Law is for the sake of restraint, restraint for non-regret, non-regret for rejoicing, rejoicing for rapture, rapture for pacification, pacification for [physical] pleasure, [physical] pleasure for undistractible-lucidity, undistractible-lucidity for seeing things according to reality, seeing things according to reality for repulsion, repulsion for dispassion, dispassion for liberation, liberation for knowledge and vision of liberation, and knowledge and vision of liberation is for the sake of extinguishment without grasping. |
|
| EtadĀ·atthÄ kathÄ, etadĀ·atthÄ mantanÄ, etadĀ·atthÄ upanisÄ, etadĀ·atthaį¹ sotÄĀ·vadhÄnaį¹ā | This is the purpose of discussion, this is the purpose of consultation, this is the purpose of vital conditions, this is the purpose of listening, |
|
| yadidaį¹ anĀ·upÄdÄĀ·cittassa vimokkhoti. | that is, the release of mind without grasping.ā | |
+3.3 ā Near misses (not the chain)
ā¢ pli-tv-bu-vb-pj1:1.5.1: the Buddha's own account of his practice: passaddho kÄyo asÄraddho,
samÄhitaį¹ cittaį¹ ekaggaį¹.
It has pacification and undistractible-lucidity,
but no rejoicing or rapture.
ā¢ pli-tv-bu-vb-pj3:1.3.10/14: passambhayaį¹ kÄyasaį¹
khÄraį¹ / cittasaį¹
khÄraį¹,
the ÄnÄpÄnassati steps.
ā¢ "satta bojjhaį¹
gÄ" in lists only: PÄrÄjika 4 and PÄcittiya 8 (claiming superhuman states),
and pli-tv-kd19:1.4.28 (the
"treasures of the dhamma-vinaya" simile).
The factors are named, never spelled out.
ā¢ About 450 hits on paį¹ippassambh- / paį¹ippassaddhi are the legal term for revoking a Saį¹
gha penalty (mostly in Kd 11),
and passaddhi in kd9/pvr7 is the same legal sense.
They have nothing to do with the meditative term.
ā§