637 Cf. Paṭis I 177:
Chandavasena tato sukhumataraṃ dīghaṃ assāsapassāsaṃ addhānasaṅkhāte assasato pi passasato pi pāmojjaṃ uppajjati.
Pāmojjavasena tato sukhumataraṃ dīghaṃ assāsaṃ
addhānasaṅkhāte assasati, … passāsaṃ … passasati, … assāsapassāsaṃ addhānasaṅkhāte assasati pi passasati pi.
Pāmojjavasena … assasato pi passasato pi dīghaṃ assāsapassāsā pi cittaṃ vivattati, upekkhā saṇṭhāti.
Imehi navahākārehi dīghaṃ assāsapassāsā kāyo.
Paṭis-a II 509:
Chando uppajjatī ti bhāvanābhivuddhiyā bhiyyobhāvāya chando jāyati.
Sukhumataran-ti passambhanasabbhāvato vuttaṃ.
Pāmojjaṃ uppajjatī ti bhāvanāpāripūriyā pīti jāyati.
Assāsapassāsāpi cittaṃ vivattatī ti assāsapassāse nissāya paṭibhāganimitte uppajjante pakati-assāsapassāsato cittaṃ nivattati.
Upekkhā saṇṭhātī ti tasmiṃ paṭibhāganimitte upacārappanāsamādhipattiyā puna samādhāne byāpārābhāvato tatramajjhattupekkhā
saṇṭhāti nāma.
Vism VIII.220/p.286:
Tassevaṃ nimittupaṭṭhānato pabhuti nīvaraṇāni vikkhambhitāneva honti, kilesā sannisinnāva.
Sati upaṭṭhitāyeva.
Cittaṃ upacārasamādhinā
samāhitam-eva.
638 It is uncertain whether 四禪定 means the four jhānas in plural, or the fourth jhāna in singular.
Because the fourth jhāna is not mentioned in the preceding, this probably refers to the former.
In Vim, 禪定 can correspond to jhānasamāpatti, “jhāna attainment” or to jhānasamādhi, “jhāna concentration” or just samāpatti, “attainment”.
639 Buddhaghosa, who gives 8 methods, does not attribute this teaching to anyone.
Vism VIII.189/p.278:
Tatrāyaṃ manasikāravidhi:
Gaṇanā, anubandhanā, phusanā, ṭhapanā
sallakkhaṇā, vivaṭṭana, pārisuddhi, tesañ-ca paṭipassanā ti.
Tattha gaṇanā ti gaṇanāyeva.
Anubandhanā ti anuvahanā.
Phusanā ti phuṭṭhaṭṭhānaṃ.
Ṭhapanā ti appaṇā.
Sallakkhaṇā
ti vipassanā.
Vivaṭṭanā ti maggo.
Pārisuddhī ti phalaṃ.
Tesañ-ca paṭipassanā ti paccavekkhaṇā.
Vism-mhṭ I 327:
… Ṭhapanā ti samādhānaṃ.
Taṃ hi sammadeva ārammaṇe cittassa ādhānaṃ ṭhapanaṃ hoti.
Tathā hi samādhi cittassa ṭhiti saṇṭhitī ti niddiṭṭho.
Samādhippadhānā pana appanā ti āha ṭhapanā ti appanā ti.
Aniccatādīnaṃ sallakkhaṇato sallakkhaṇā vipassanā.
Pavattato nimittato ca vinivaṭṭanato vivaṭṭanā nāma maggo.
Sakalasaṃkilesa-paṭippassaddhibhāvato sabbaso suddhīti pārisuddhi phalaṃ.
Dhammajoti (2009) discusses in detail how this teaching is found in the commentarial works of different Buddhist traditions, including the Vimuttimagga.
In the Abhidharmakośabhāṣya (VI.12, 339|20–340|14) six ways are given:
“(1) counting ( gaṇanā), is the placing the mind on the in-breaths and out-breaths, effortlessly observing the body and mind with equanimity, with the full degree of mindfulness, counting one, two, until ten.
…
(2) Pursuing ( anugama), is effortlessly following the in-breaths and out-breaths,
[investigating] how far they enter into and exit from the body, and whether they move spreading all over the body or move in one part of it, [i.e., investigating that when] entering the body it goes into the throat, the heart, the navel, the hips ( kaṭi), the thighs ( ūru), and lower legs as far as the feet [and toes], and [when] leaving the body [it does so] to a distance of a hand-span or a fathom.
* … (3) Establishing ( sthāpanā), seeing [the
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breath] established at the tip of the nose,** or in another area all the way down to the toes,
[seeing where the breath is established in the body just like the thread in a pearl-bead,
[investigating] which are favourable or unfavourable,*** and whether they are cool or hot.
(4) Observation ( upalakṣanā):
one observes that the breath is not just wind ( vāya), but
[consists of] the four great elements and the matter dependent on these, and that the mind and mental factors are resting upon these, thus one analyses the five aggregates (5) Turning away ( vivarta) is turning away [of the mind] from the object of wind and directing it to the superior roots of wholesomeness up to the highest dharmas.
**** Step (6) purification ( pariśuddhi) is the entry upon the way of vision, etc.”
See also Dhammajoti 2009a:
643–44.
[ 339| 20-339| 22] tatra ca gaṇanā nāma āśvāsapraśvāseṣu cittaṃ dattvā ’ nabhisamskāreṇa kāyaṃ cittaṃ cādhyupekṣya smṛtimātreṇa gaṇayatyekaṃ dvau yāvaddaśa / … [ 340| 02]
anugamo nāma anabhisaṃskāreṇāśvāsapraśvāsānāṃ gatimanugacchati / kiyaddūramete praviśanti vā niṣkrāmanti vā kimete sarvaśarīravyāopina ekadeśacāriṇa iti / [ 340| 04] tān praviśataḥ kaṇṭhahṛdayanābhikaṭyurujaṅghāpraveśakramaṇa yāvat pādāvanugacchati
[ 340| 05] niṣkrāmato vitastivyāmāntaraṃ … [ 340| 06-340| 07] sthāpanā nāma nāsikāgre yāvat pādanṅguṣṭhe sthitāṃ paśyati / [ 340| 07] maṇisūtravat / [ 340| 07-340| 08] kimanugrāhakā ete upadhātakāḥ (= upaghātakāḥ) śītā uṣṇā iti / [ 340| 08] upalakṣaṇā nāma naite kevalā vāyava eva / [ 340| 08-340| 10] catvāryetāni mahābhūtāni mahābhūtābhinirvṛttamupādāyarūpaṃ
tadāśritāścittacaittā iti pañcaskandhānupalakṣayati / [ 340| 10-340| 11] vivarto nāma vāyvālambanāṃ vṛddhiṃ vivarttyottareṣu kuśalamūleṣu saṃniyojanaṃ yāvadagra-dharmeṣu /[ 340| 11] pariśuddhirdarśanamārgādiṣvavatāraḥ.
(Edition of Hackett & Lusthaus on GRETIL, Göttingen).
For the Chinese translation (at T 1558:
118a23–b15);
see Deleanu 1992:
52–57 and Pruden 1988:
922–923. The Tibetan translation is at Dergé ed.
pp. 10b–11a (= ACIP TD4090I2).
* Paramārtha’s Vibhāṣā, T 1545:
135a12–14, explains that the breath is followed when it exits the body, first half a hemp seed length, then one hemp seed, then half a corn seed, …
finger joint, … finger, … hand-span, … fore-arm-span, … one fathom, until it is extensive ( vipula).
According to the strength of the faculties ( indriya) the breath goes near or far.”
The Śrāvakabhūmi (II 80, GRETIL ed.
) mentions that the out-breath can be followed from the region of the navel to the tip of the mouth or nose or further out:
tatrāśvāso yaḥ
praśvāsasamanantaram antarmukho vāyuḥ pravartate yāvan nābhīpradeśāt … praśvāso
… bahirmukho vāyuḥ pravartata iti vaktavyam, nābhīdeśam upādāya, yāvan mukhāgrān nāsikāgrāt, tato vā punar bahiḥ.
** The Sanskrit does not include “between the eye-brows” and also with the Tibetan (see below), but the Chinese translation does.
T 1558:
118b09:
“Establishing:
one establishes mindfulness just on the tip of the nose or the glabella [and so on] up to the toes”, one establishes the mind at the desired place and observes the breath established in the body like a thread inside a pearl-bead, whether it is cold or hot, unfavourable or favourable”;
cf. Pruden 1988:
923. Paramārtha’s Vibhāṣā, T 1545:
135a15–18:
“Establishing:
He observes the wind of the breath first established/dwelling at the mouth or nose, then established at the throat, then established at the heart, then established at the navel, successively until finally it is established at the toes.
The mind dwells observing, following the breaths where they are established.
There are those who say:
Establishing:
he dwells with the mind observing the breaths established everywhere in the body, like a thread inside a pearl-bead.”
Tibetan (Dergé ed.
11a):
“Seeing it established like a string of jewel-beads from the tip of the nose until the toes, observing whether these are favourable or unfavourable, cold or hot.
’ jog pa zhes bya ba ni norbu’ i thag pa bzhin du sna’ i rtse mo nasrkang pa’ i mthe bong gi bar du gnas par lta zhing ci ’ di dagphan ’ dogs par byed pa zhig gam gnod par byed pa zhig gam grangngam dro ba dag cig ces rtog pa’ o.
Cf. Pruden 1988:
1094 n.
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425
Q.
What is “counting”?
A. The beginner meditator counts the breaths from one to ten;
beginning with the out-breath and ending with the in-breath.
He does not count beyond ten.
It is also said:
“He counts from one to five, but not beyond five.”
He should not let the mind miss [any breath].
When [he misses], he should count [the next breaths] until the end of that count.
Thus, he mindfully dwells on the object of the in-breaths and out-breaths — this is called “counting”.
“Following”:
Putting away counting,640 he uninterruptedly follows the in-breaths and out-breaths with mindfulness — this is called “following”.
“Establishing”:
He establishes mindfulness and attends to the sign of wind641 at the place where the in-breaths and out-breaths touch at the tip of the nose or on the [upper] lip — this is called “establishing”.
“Observing”:
When there is mastery in establishing,642 he should observe the sign, and he should observe the states of rapture, pleasure, and so on, which arise in dependence on it — this is called “observing”.
“Counting” is for the elimination of thinking and causes one to attain the escape from thinking.
“Following” is for the elimination of coarse thinking and causes uninterrupted mindfulness of breathing.
“Establishing” is for cutting off distraction and making the sign steady.
643
*** According to the Abhidharmakośavyākhyā VI.
13, the aids or favourable or beneficial places are the places of the body where the breath is especially well established at the beginning:
kim anugrāhakā ete yāvad uṣṇā iti.
sthāpanaiveyaṃ draṣṭavyā.
kāyapradeśa ev ānugrāhakādiviśeṣasthāpanataḥ.
The noun anugrāhaka corresponds to Pāli anuggāhaka
“helper, assistant”.
Padhan’s printed text reads upadhātakā, but the Tibetan gnod par byed pa and Chinese 損 indicate that the correct reading should be upaghātaka “harm”, “damage”, i.e., places which are unfavourable or harmful.
**** Chinese:
“the highest mundane dharma state”, 世間第一法位, T 1558:
118b14. Tibetan “the supreme Dharma”:
chos kyi mchog
#NAME?
In the Abhidharmakośabhāṣya (see VI.
19c, VI.
25c-d, VI.
26a-b), the term agradharma denotes the states in the stage of highest mundane realization, which is the seventh stage of preparatory effort ( prayoga), just before the supramundane path of vision ( darśanamārga);
see Pruden 1988:
943 and 1051 fn. 119 & 123;
Dhammajoti 2009b:
440ff.
640 攝算.
The character 攝 usually means “to include” but here seems to have the meaning of
“putting away”, or perhaps “to control”.
641 Several editions read “perception”, saññā, instead of “sign”, i.e., “perception of wind”.
642 The text has 觸 “touching”, not “establishing”, 安置.
“Touching”, phusanā, is the third method given in Vism VIII.
189 (see two notes above) which is explained later on (VIII.
198) as a method that cannot be separated from the method of establishing, ṭhapana.
However, since it is not described as a method in Vim, it likely is a Chinese copyist’s mistake.
643 EKS:
“steady perception”.
The variant reading 相 is more fitting than 想.
The same applies for the next method.
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“Observing” is for retaining the sign in order to experience the higher states.
644
8.11.7.105 - The sixteen training grounds
8.11.7.5.1 - (1–2) “When he breathes in long (and short)
(1–2) “When he breathes in long …645 When he breathes out short, he knows,646
‘I breathe out short’.”
[430c] Skilfully, he exceedingly attends to its nature ( sabhāva) as “This is ‘long’,” [… so that the attending to] the nature [leads to]
the manifestation of knowledge, not to the manifestation of delusion with regard to the object.
Q. What is “non-delusion ( asammoha) with regard to the object”?
A. When the beginner meditator gains tranquillity of body and mind through practising mindfulness of breathing, the in-breaths and out-breaths become subtle.
Because of the subtlety of the in-breaths and out-breaths, they are not grasped.
Then, if the breath is long, the meditator observes that it is long …
until647 the sign manifests and remains.
When the sign has manifested and remains, he should attend to its nature.
648 This is “non-delusion”.
Furthermore, his mind should notice that the breath is sometimes long and sometimes short.
Thus should he practice.
Furthermore, through [non-delusion with regard to] the object the meditator causes the arising of a clear sign.
Thus should he practice.
8.11.7.5.3 - (3) “He trains, ‘Experiencing the whole body
(3) “He trains, ‘Experiencing the whole body, I breathe in …’.”
In two ways, he experiences the whole body:
through non-delusion and through the object.
Q. How does he experience the whole body through non-delusion?
A. If the meditator [gains the] concentration of mindfulness of breathing, the body and mind become completely pervaded with rapture and pleasure
644 隨觀者為受持相為知勝法.
勝法 means uttari dhamma or uttama dhamma.
Here it likely refers back to the states of rapture, etc. , mentioned in the first description of observing.
On 勝法 meaning “supreme state”;
see Ch.8 fn. 539. The character 知 can mean “knowing”, pajānāti, as well as “experiencing”, paṭisaṃvedeti.
645 Abridgements in the Chinese text here and below are marked with an ellipsis, ….
646 Read 知之, pajānāti, instead of 學之, sikkhati.
647 乃至 here corresponds to the Pāli word peyyāla, pe, or yāva … tāva, and indicates that there is an abridgement of a passage.
What is meant here is that he should go back and watch the characteristics of the breath again.
648 I.e., in order to retain it he should attend to its nature consisting of its colour, shape, etc. Compare Ch.8 § 63:
“he should characterise the bloated sign of foulness through its intrinsic nature in ten ways:
(1) through colour, (2) shape, (3) direction, …” and Vism VI.18–22, … asubhanimittaṃ sabhāvabhāvato upalakkheti, vaṇṇato pi liṅgato pi saṇṭhānato pi disato pi … So taṃ nimittaṃ suggahitaṃ karoti, …
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427
( pītisukha).
649 Owing to this pervasion with rapture and pleasure, the whole body is [experienced through] non-delusion.
Q. How does he experience the whole body through the object?
A. The in-breaths and out-breaths conjoined with that [body]650 are the matter-body ( rūpakāya).
The mind and the mental properties [conjoined with]
the object of the in-breaths and out-breaths are the name-body ( nāmakāya).
These [two bodies] called “matter-body” and “name-body”651 are the “whole body”.
The meditator, by contemplating [impermanence, etc. ], experiences the whole body thus:
“Although there is the body, there is no being, no soul ( nissata, nijjīva).”
652
649 Cf. Th-a I 222:
Phuṭṭho ca pītisukhena vipulenā ti sabbatthakam-eva pharantena mahatā
uḷārena pītisahitena sukhena phuṭṭho ca me kāyo ti yojanā.
… Pādakajjhānārammaṇena rūpakāyārammaṇena vā iddhicittena sahajātaṃ sukhasaññañ-ca lahusaññañ-ca okkamati pavisati phusati sampāpuṇātī ti ayam-pi tattha attho.
650 所謂一處住, perhaps this means “established in one place” = ekaṭṭhāne patiṭṭhā, however, 彼一處住 elsewhere in Vim corresponds to tadekaṭṭha.
Cf. Paṭis–a II 473:
Ekaṭṭhāne samādahatī ti assāsapassāsānaṃ phusanaṭṭhāne samaṃ ādahati patiṭṭhāpeti.
Tattheva adhimocetī ti ekaṭṭhāneti vutte assāsapassāsānaṃ phusanaṭṭhāne yeva sanniṭṭhapeti sanniṭṭhānaṃ karoti.
651 Cf. Paṭis I 183:
Kathaṃ sabbakāyapaṭisaṃvedī … passasissāmī ti sikkhati?
Kāyo ti dve kāyā:
nāmakāyo ca rūpakāyo ca.
Katamo nāmakāyo?
Vedanā, saññā, cetanā, phasso, manasikāro,
nāmañ-ca nāmakāyo ca, ye ca vuccanti cittasaṅkhārā ayaṃ nāmakāyo.
Katamo rūpakāyo?
Cattāro ca mahābhūtā, catunnañ-ca mahābhūtānaṃ upādāyarūpaṃ, assāso ca passāso ca, nimittañ-ca upanibandhanā, ye ca vuccanti kāyasaṅkhārā, ayaṃ rūpakāyo.
Paṭis-a 501:
Yathā hi kammāragaggariyā dhamamānāya bhastañ-ca purisassa ca tajjaṃ vāyāmaṃ
paṭicca vāto sañcarati, evam-evaṃ kāyañ-ca cittañ-ca paṭicca assāsapassāsāti.
Tato assāsapassāse ca kāyañ-ca rūpanti, cittañ-ca taṃsampayutte ca dhamme arūpan-ti vavatthapeti.
Evaṃ nāmarūpaṃ vavatthapetvā … Cf. S V 329–30:
Kāyaññatarāhaṃ ānanda etaṃ vadāmi yad idaṃ assāsapassāsaṃ.
652 As 38 § 92:
Tasmiṃ kho pana samaye dhammā honti dhammesu dhammānupassī viharatī
ti ādisu nissattanijjīvatāyaṃ.
Svāyam idhā pi nissattanijjīvatāyam eva vattati.
The Sāriputrābhidharma (T 1548:
706a21–25) explains “Experiencing the whole body he breathes out;
… breathes in:
a bhikṣu, having filled (滿) the whole body with breath, breathes out.
When the whole body has become empty [of breath], he breathes in.
Just as a skilful potter or his pupil, having filled the bellows, presses it to make the air go out, and when the bellows is empty, opens its mouth to fill it with air.”
Cf. Dhammajoti 2008:
17
The Śrāvakabhūmi (II 99, GRETIL ed.
) has “ when he takes as object and resolves on the in-breaths and out-breaths which are subtle and hollow and which have entered the pores of the body, he is experiencing the whole body”, yadā sūkṣmasauṣiryagatān āśvāsapraśvāsān romakūpānupraviṣṭān kāye ’ dhimucyate, ālambanīkaroti tadā sarvakāyapratisaṃvedī
bhavati.
The Śrāvakabhūmi (II 82) gives two grounds for the breaths, i.e., sūkṣma sauṣirya
“subtle hollowness” and audārika sauṣirya, “coarse hollowness”.
The first is the hollowness from the navel region up to the entrance of the mouth and nostrils (see also Śrāvakabhūmi II 80) and vice versa, and the second is the pores of the whole body;
see Wayman 1961:
88–90. ( Dve āśvāsapraśvāsayor bhūmī.
Katame dve:
audārikaṃ ca sauṣiryaṃ.
Sūkṣmaṃ ca
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“He trains” means the three trainings:
(1) the training of the higher virtue;
(2) the training in the higher mind;
and (3) the training in the higher wisdom.
The virtue of such a one (i.e., one who trains, tathābhūtassa) is called
“the training in the higher virtue”;
the concentration of such a one is called
“the training in the higher mind”;
and the wisdom of such a one is called
“the training in the higher wisdom”.
The meditator trains, repeatedly practises, practises much these three trainings on that object by means of mindfulness and by means of attention.
This is the meaning of “he trains”.
653
8.11.7.5.4 - (4) “He trains, ‘Calming the bodily formations
(4) “He trains, ‘Calming the bodily formations, I breathe in …’.”
Why is it called “bodily formations”?
While breathing in and out there occur such bodily formations as bending the body, stretching, bending forward, moving, trembling, shaking, and swaying [of the body].
He calms such bodily formations.
654
Furthermore, he calms the coarse bodily formations and through the subtle bodily formations develops the first jhāna.
From there, through the more subtle bodily formations, he develops the second jhāna.
From there, through the [still] more subtle bodily formations, he develops the third jhāna.
Then, having stopped [the bodily formations] without remainder, he develops the fourth jhāna.
655
sauṣiryam tatraudārikaṃ sauṣiryaṃ nābhīpradeśam upādāya yāvan mukhanāsikādvāram mukhanāsikādvāram upādāya yāvan nābhīpradeśasauṣiryam sūkṣmasauṣiryaṃ katamat sarvakāyagatāni romakūpāni.
) The Mahāvibhāṣā of the Sarvāstivādins (T 1545:
136a28–b01) has:
“Question:
Why is it said ‘I breathe in and out experiencing the whole bodyʼ?
Answer:
When mindfulness of breathing has not yet been perfected, one observes the in-breaths and out-breaths as entering and leaving from the nose.
When mindfulness of breathing is perfected, one observes the wind of the breath entering and leaving everywhere through the pores of the body, just like a lotus root.”
On the whole body, see also Cousins 2015:
4–6.
653 Cf. Vism VIII.
173, Paṭis-a 491:
Tattha sikkhatī ti evaṃ ghaṭati vāyamati.
Yo vā tathābhūtassa saṃvaro, ayamettha adhisīlasikkhā.
Yo tathābhūtassa samādhi, ayaṃ adhicittasikkhā.
Yā
tathābhūtassa paññā, ayaṃ adhipaññāsikkhā ti.
Imā tisso sikkhāyo tasmiṃ ārammaṇe tāya satiyā
tena manasikārena sikkhati āsevati bhāveti bahulīkarotī ti evamettha attho daṭṭhabbo.
Paṭis I 184:
Sabbakāyapaṭisamvedī assāsapassāsānaṃ saṃvaraṭṭhena sīlavisuddhi, avikkhepaṭṭhena cittavisuddhi, dassanaṭṭhena diṭṭhivisuddhi;
yo tattha saṃvaraṭṭho ayaṃ adhisīlasikkhā, yo tattha avikkhepaṭṭho ayaṃ adhicittasikkhā, yo tattha dassanaṭṭho ayaṃ adhipaññāsikkhā.
654 Cf. Paṭis I 184–5:
Dīghaṃ assāsā kāyikā.
Ete dhammā kāyapaṭibaddhā kāyasaṅkhārā.
Te kāyasaṅkhāre passambhento nirodhento vūpasamento sikkhati.
… Yathārūpehi kāyasaṅkhārehi yā kāyassa ānamanā, vinamanā, sannamanā, paṇamanā, iñjanā,
phandanā, calanā, kampanā, passambhayaṃ kāyasaṅkhāraṃ assasissāmīti sikkhati, … .
655 Cf. Vism VIII.
7.45833333333333
Pariggahepi oḷāriko, paṭhamajjhānupacāre sukhumo.
Tasmim-pi oḷāriko,
paṭhamajjhāne sukhumo.
Paṭhamajjhāne ca dutiyajjhānupacāre ca oḷāriko, dutiyajjhāne sukhumo.
Dutiyajjhāne ca tatiyajjhānupacāre ca oḷāriko, tatiyajjhāne sukhumo.
Tatiyajjhāne ca catutthajjhānupacāre ca oḷāriko, catutthajjhāne atisukhumo appavattim-eva pāpuṇātī
ti.
Idaṃ tāva dīghabhāṇakasaṃyuttabhāṇakānaṃ mataṃ.
Majjhimabhāṇakā pana paṭhamajjhāne oḷāriko, dutiyajjhānupacāre sukhumoti evaṃ heṭṭhimaheṭṭhimajjhānato uparūparijjhānupacārepi sukhumataramicchanti.
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Q.
If breathing ceases without remainder [in the fourth jhāna],656 how is he able to practise mindfulness of breathing?
A. Although breathing has ceased, because he has initially grasped the sign well, that attained sign manifests and is the practice sign.
How [is mindfulness of breathing developed] through the jhāna factors?
8.11.7.5.5 - (5) “He trains, ‘Experiencing rapture
(5) “He trains, ‘Experiencing rapture,657 I [shall] breathe in …’.”
[431a]
When he is mindfully breathing in and mindfully breathing out, rapture arises in two jhānas.
This rapture is experienced in two ways:
through non-delusion and through the object.
658 Thus, when the meditator enters upon [jhāna], rapture is experienced through non-delusion due to insight,659 and through the object due to opposing ( paṭipakkha).
The explanation in the Sāriputrābhidharma (T 1548:
706b16–26) includes similes from MN 20:
“… If there is shaking and movement, it is called coarse bodily activities.
If there is calm, it is called subtle bodily activities.
A bhikṣu subdues coarse bodily activities with subtle bodily activities and removes inferior ones with superior ones.
It is just like a skilled craftsman or his pupil removing a large peg with a small peg, so a bhikṣu subdues coarse bodily activities with subtle bodily activities.
It is just like a man who is running and reflects:
‘Why do I run?
I should walk slowly’ and he then walks slowly.
… stands …
lies down.
In this manner this man abandons coarse bodily activities with subtle bodily activities.
Just so, a bhikṣu abandons …”.
Cf. Dhammajoti, 2008:
18
656 D III 266:
Catutthajjhānaṃ samāpannassa assāsa-passāsā niruddhā honti.
657 The text literally has “Experiencing rapture as object, …” (喜為事知) but at the start of the chapter (430a03–4) this step is given as just “experiencing rapture”, (知喜), which is in accordance with the Pāli suttas and the other steps explained here in Vim.
658 Cf. Paṭis-a 501:
Pītipaṭisaṃvedī ti pītiṃ paṭisaṃviditaṃ karonto pākaṭaṃ karonto assasissāmi passasissāmīti sikkhati.
Tattha dvīhākārehi pīti paṭisaṃviditā hoti ārammaṇato ca asammohato ca.
Kathaṃ ārammaṇato pīti paṭisaṃviditā hoti?
Sappītike dve jhāne samāpajjati, tassa samāpattikkhaṇe jhānapaṭilābhena ārammaṇato pīti paṭisaṃviditā hoti ārammaṇassa paṭisaṃviditattā.
Kathaṃ asammohato?
Sappītike dve jhāne samāpajjitvā
vuṭṭhāya jhānasampayuttaṃ pītiṃ khayato vayato sammasati, tassa vipassanākkhaṇe lakkhaṇapaṭivedhena asammohato pīti paṭisaṃviditā hoti.
Eteneva nayena avasesapadānipi atthato veditabbāni.
Idaṃ panettha visesamattaṃ:
tiṇṇaṃ jhānānaṃ vasena sukhapaṭisaṃ-
viditā hoti.
Catunnam-pi jhānānaṃ vasena cittasaṅkhārapaṭisaṃviditā veditabbā.
Cf. Vism VIII.
227/p.287.
659 The text is cryptic.
以不愚癡以觀故以對治故以事故, lit.
“through non-delusion, because through insight, because through opposing, because through the object”.
The character 觀
can correspond to vipassanā, paccavekkhana, vavatthāna, vicāra, etc .
Since the preceding sentence says that there are two ways, this passage should not instead give four ways, but states the rapture is experienced through non-delusion due to vipassanā, and through the object due to opposing (the five hindrances), i.e., samatha.
Cf. Paṭis I 187, Vism VIII.
228/
p.
12
Tāya satiyā tena ñāṇena sā pīti paṭividitā hoti.
Āvajjato sā pīti paṭividitā hoti, jānato
… pe … passato … paccavekkhato … cittaṃ adhiṭṭhahato … saddhāya adhimuccato…
vīriyaṃ paggaṇhato….
Vism-mhṭ I 340:
Sā pītī ti sā jhānapariyāpannā pīti.
Jānatoti samā-
pannakkhaṇe ārammaṇamukhena jānato.
… Passatoti dassanabhūtena ñāṇena jhānato vuṭṭhāya passantassa.
Paccavekkhatoti jhānaṃ paccavekkhantassa.
… Ettha ca dīghaṃ
430
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8.11.7.5.6 - (6) “He trains, ‘Experiencing pleasure
(6) “He trains, ‘Experiencing pleasure, I [shall] breathe in …’ ”.
When he is mindfully breathing in and mindfully breathing out, pleasure arises in three jhānas.
This pleasure is experienced in two ways:
through non-delusion and through the object, as was taught above.
8.11.7.5.7 - (7) “He trains, ‘Experiencing the mental formations
(7) “He trains, ‘Experiencing the mental formations, I [shall] breathe in …’.”
“Mental formations” means “perception and feeling”.
These mental formations arise in the four jhānas.
They are experienced in two ways:
through non-delusion and through the object, as was taught above.
8.11.7.5.8 - (8) “He trains, ‘Calming the mental formations
(8) “He trains, ‘Calming the mental formations, I [shall] breathe in …’.”
“Mental formations” means “perception and feeling”.
He trains calming the coarse mental formations.
[The rest is] as was taught above.
8.11.7.5.9 - (9) “He trains, ‘Experiencing the mind
(9) “He trains, ‘Experiencing the mind, I [shall] breathe in …’.”
When he is mindfully breathing in and mindfully breathing out, his mind and the object of the in-breaths and out-breaths are experienced660 in two ways:
through non-delusion and through the object, as was taught above.
8.11.7.5.10 - (10) “He trains, ‘Gladdening the mind
(10) “He trains, ‘Gladdening the mind, I [shall] breathe in …’.”
“Gladdening”, means rejoicing ( pamodana).
661 In two jhānas, he causes exultation of mind ( udaggacitta) through rejoicing.
Thus he trains, as was taught above.
8.11.7.5.11 - (11) “He trains, ‘Concentrating the mind
(11) “He trains, ‘Concentrating the mind, I [shall] breathe in …’.”
assāsavasenā ti ādinā paṭhamacatukkavasena ārammaṇato pītipaṭisaṃvedanaṃ
vuttaṃ, tathā āvajjato ti ādīhi pañcahi padehi.
Abhiññeyyaṃ abhijānatoti ādīhi pana asammohato.
… Saṅkhepato samathavasena ārammaṇato, vipassanāvasena asammohato pītipaṭisaṃvedanaṃ vuttan-ti daṭṭhabbaṃ.
660 Paṭis I 189:
Kathaṃ cittapaṭisaṃvedī assasissāmī … passasissāmī ti sikkhati?
Katamaṃ
taṃ cittaṃ?
Dīghaṃ assāsavasena … passāsavasena … passambhayaṃ cittasaṅkhāraṃ
assāsavasena … passāsavasena viññāṇaṃ cittaṃ.
Yaṃ cittaṃ mano … viññāṇakkhandho tajjā manoviññāṇadhātu idaṃ cittaṃ.
Kathaṃ taṃ cittaṃ paṭividitaṃ hoti?
Dīghaṃ
assāsavasena … passāsavasena cittassa ekaggataṃ avikkhepaṃ pajānato sati upaṭṭhitā hoti.
Tāya satiyā tena ñāṇena taṃ cittaṃ paṭividitaṃ hoti … sacchikātabbaṃ sacchikaroto taṃ
cittaṃ paṭividitaṃ hoti.
Evaṃ taṃ cittaṃ paṭividitaṃ hoti.
Ps IV 141:
yasmā cittapaṭisaṃvedī
assasissāmīti ādinā nayena pavatto bhikkhu kiñcāpi assāsapassāsanimittaṃ ārammaṇaṃ
karoti, tassa pana cittassa ārammaṇe satiñca sampajaññañ-ca upaṭṭhapetvā pavattanato citte cittānupassīyeva nāmesa hoti.
661 Paṭis I 190:
Katamo cittassa abhippamodo?
Dīghaṃ assāsavasena cittassa ekaggataṃ
avikkhepaṃ pajānato uppajjati cittassa abhippamodo.
Yā cittassa āmodanā pamodanā hāso pahāso vitti odagyaṃ attamanatā.
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When the meditator is mindfully breathing in and mindfully breathing out, through mindfulness, through attending ( manasikāra), the mind becomes established and unified on the object.
Through that establishing and one-pointedness of mind, the mind becomes concentrated.
662 Thus he trains.
8.11.7.5.12 - (12) “He trains, ‘Freeing the mind
(12) “He trains, ‘Freeing the mind, I [shall] breathe in …’.”
When the meditator is mindfully breathing in and mindfully breathing out, if his mind is overly lax, he frees it from sloth ( thīna);
if it is overly exerting ( accāraddha), he frees it from agitation — thus he trains.
If his mind is elated, he frees it from desire ( rāga) — thus he trains.
If it is dejected, he frees it from anger ( dosa) — thus he trains.
663 If his mind is defiled ( kiliṭṭha), he frees it from the lesser afflictions ( upakkilesa) — thus he trains.
Furthermore, if his mind has boredom ( arati) towards the object, he causes his mind to delight in it — thus he trains.
664
8.11.7.5.13 - (13) “He trains, ‘Contemplating impermanence
(13) “He trains, ‘Contemplating impermanence, I [shall] breathe in …’.”
When he is mindfully breathing in and mindfully breathing out, he sees the arising and passing away of that in-breath and out-breath, the object of the in-breaths and out-breaths, and the mind and the mental properties.
Thus he trains.
8.11.7.5.14 - (14) “He trains, ‘Contemplating fading away
(14) “He trains, ‘Contemplating fading away, I [shall] breathe in …’.”
662 Overly exerted and overly lax energy, elation, depression, and boredom are also mentioned in the discussion of “abandoning of distraction” at 413c. Cf. Paṭis I 191:
Dīghaṃ assāsavasena cittassa ekaggatā avikkhepo samādhi, dīghaṃ passāsavasena.
…,
yā cittassa ṭhiti saṇṭhiti avaṭṭhiti avisāhāro avikkhepo … Paṭis-a 312:
Samādahaṃ cittan-ti ārammaṇe cittaṃ samaṃ ṭhapento.
663 Overly exerted energy;
overly lax energy;
elation;
and depression are called “distractions”
in § 10 of this chapter.
664 Paṭis I 191:
Kathaṃ vimocayaṃ cittaṃ … passasissāmī ti sikkhati?
Rāgato … dosato … mohato
… mānato … diṭṭhiyā … vicikicchāya … thīnato … uddhaccato … ahirikato … anottappato vimocayaṃ cittaṃ passasissāmī ti sikkhati.
Paṭis-a II 522:
Rāgato vimocayaṃ cittan-ti ādīhi dasahi kilesavatthūhi vimocanaṃ vuttaṃ.
Thinaggahaṇeneva cettha middhaggahaṇaṃ,
uddhaccaggahaṇeneva ca kukkuccaggahaṇaṃ kataṃ hotī ti.
Paṭis I 162:
Kāmacchando samādhissa paripantho, nekkhammaṃ samādhissa upakāraṃ.
Byāpādo … abyāpādo …
Thinamiddhaṃ … ālokasaññā … Uddhaccaṃ … avikkhepo … Vicikicchā … dhammavavatthānaṃ
… Avijjā … ñāṇaṃ … Arati samādhissa paripantho, pāmojjaṃ samādhissa upakāraṃ.
Dhammajoti (2008:
17) translates the last part (於事若心不著樂令著) as “when the citta is disinclined towards the object, he makes it inclined” and observes that this “seems to link vimocayati (‘liberates’) with the cetasika vimokkha in the sense of being inclined and resolved with regard to the object”, however, 不著樂 likely is a translation of arati (無喜樂
& 不樂 elsewhere in Vim) and 著 of rati or rajjati.
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When the meditator is mindfully breathing in and mindfully breathing out,
[he sees]:
“This is an impermanent state;
the fading away of this state is nibbāna”.
665 Thus he trains.
8.11.7.5.15 - (15) “He trains, ‘Contemplating cessation
(15) “He trains, ‘Contemplating cessation, I [shall] breathe in …’.”
Seeing as it really is “This impermanent state is a disadvantage ( ādīnava);
its cessation is nibbāna”.
666 Seeing peace ( santi, viveka),667 he trains.
[431b]
665 Paṭis I 192:
Kathaṃ virāgānupassī assasissāmī … passasissāmī ti sikkhati?
Rūpe …
viññāṇe… cakkhusmiṃ… pe … jarāmaraṇe ādīnavaṃ disvā jarāmaraṇavirāge chandajāto hoti saddhādhimutto, cittañcassa svādhiṭṭhitaṃ.
Paṭis-a 523:
Virāgānupassīniddese rūpe ādīnavaṃ disvā ti bhaṅgānupassanato paṭṭhāya parato vuttehi aniccaṭṭhādīhi rūpakkhandhe ādīnavaṃ disvā.
Rūpavirāge ti nibbāne.
Nibbānañ-hi āgamma rūpaṃ virajjati apunaruppattidhammataṃ āpajjanena nirujjhati, tasmā nibbānaṃ rūpavirāgo ti vuccati.
Chandajāto hotī ti anussavavasena uppannadhammacchando hoti.
Saddhādhimutto ti tasmiṃ yeva nibbāne saddhāya ca adhimutto nicchito.
Cittañcassa svādhiṭṭhitan ti assa yogissa cittaṃ khayavirāgasaṅkhāte rūpabhaṅge ārammaṇavasena, accanta virāgasaṅkhāte rūpavirāge nibbāne anussavavasena suṭṭhu adhiṭṭhitaṃ suṭṭhu patiṭṭhitaṃ
hotī ti sambandhato veditabbaṃ.
Rūpe virāgānupassī ti rūpassa khayavirāgo rūpe virāgo ti pakatibhummavacanena vutto.
Rūpassa accantavirāgo rūpe virāgo ti nimittatthe bhummavacanena vutto.
Taṃ duvidham-pi virāgaṃ ārammaṇato ajjhāsayato ca anupassanasīlo rūpe virāgānupassī ti vutto.
Esa nayo vedanādīsu.
Nirodhānupassīpadaniddese pi eseva nayo.
Ps II 298, Mp IV 43:
Aniccānupassanā ti pañcakkhandhānaṃ khayato vayato dassanañāṇaṃ.
… Virāgānupassīti ettha dve virāgā khayavirāgo ca accantavirāgo ca.
Tattha saṅkhārānaṃ khayavayato anupassanāpi, accantavirāgaṃ nibbānaṃ virāgato dassanamaggañāṇam-pi virāgānupassanā.
Tadubhayasamāṅgīpuggalo virāgānupassī nāma,
taṃ sandhāya vuttaṃ virāgānupassī ti, virāgato anupassantoti attho.
Nirodhānupassimhipi eseva nayo, … Paṭis-a II 504:
Virāgānupassīti ettha pana dve virāgā khayavirāgo ca accantavirāgo ca.
Tattha khayavirāgoti saṅkhārānaṃ khaṇabhaṅgo.
Accantavirāgoti nibbānaṃ.
Virāgānupassanā ti tadubhayadassanavasena pavattā vipassanā ca maggo ca.
Tāya duvidhāyapi anupassanāya samannāgato hutvā assasanto ca passasanto ca virāgānupassī
assasissāmi passasissāmīti sikkhatī ti veditabbo.
… Ettha ca aniccānupassī ti taruṇavipassanāya vasena vuttaṃ, virāgānupassī ti tato balavatarāya saṅkhāresu virajjanasamatthāya vipassanāya vasena, nirodhānupassī ti tato balavatarāya kilesanirodhanasamatthāya vipassanāya vasena, paṭinissaggānupassī ti maggassa āsannabhūtāya atitikkhāya vipassanāya vasena vuttan-ti veditabbaṃ.
Yattha pana maggo pi labbhati, so abhinno yeva.
Paṭis-a I 312:
Aniccānupassīti aniccānupassanāvasena.
Virāgānupassīti nibbidānupasanāvasena.
Nirodhānupassīti bhaṅgānupassanāvasena.
Paṭinissaggānupassī ti vuṭṭhānagāminīvipassanāvasena.
The Chinese and Tibetan translations translate virāga as “dispassion”.
On the two overlapping senses of virāga, see Anālayo 2012a:
46–53.
Paṭis-a I 251:
Virāgadhamman-ti … kevalaṃ sabhāvātikkamanapakatikaṃ.
Virāgo nāma jigucchanaṃ vā samatikkamo vā ti hi vuttaṃ.
Nidd-a I 201:
Virāgadhammā ti anivattī hutvā
vigacchanasabhāvā.
It-a II 64:
Virāgadhamman-ti virajjanadhammaṃ, palujjanasabhāvan-ti attho.
666 See Paṭis-a 523:
Rūpavirāge ti nibbāne, … Nirodhānupassīpadaniddese pi eseva nayo in previous footnote.
667 This refers to the ādīnavañāṇa, the knowledge of disadvantage.
See Paṭis I 59:
Uppādo dukkhan-ti bhayatupaṭṭhāne paññā ādīnave ñāṇaṃ.
… Anuppādo sukhan-ti santipade ñāṇaṃ.
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8.11.7.5.16 - (16) “He trains, ‘Contemplating relinquishment
(16) “He trains, ‘Contemplating relinquishment, I [shall] breathe in …’.”
Seeing as it really is “This impermanent state is a disadvantage”.
On [seeing]
that disadvantage, equanimity manifests and he dwells established in peace,668
cessation, and nibbāna.
669 Inclining towards [abiding in] ease ( phāsu) of mind, he trains.
[Nibbāna should be understood thus:
] “This is the peaceful;
this is the sublime, namely, the calming of all formations, the relinquishment of all acquisitions, the destruction of craving, fading away, cessation, nibbāna”.
670
Of these sixteen grounds ( soḷasa- vatthu), the first twelve grounds are calm and insight.
As for the last four grounds beginning with impermanence, these are only insight.
Thus should it be known through calm and insight.
671
668 This refers to knowledge of equanimity towards formations, saṅkhārupekkhāñāṇa.
See Paṭis I 60:
Uppādo dukkhan-ti muñcitukamyatāpaṭisaṅkhāsantiṭṭhanā paññā
saṅkhārupekkhāsu ñāṇaṃ.
Vism XXI.
62–63:
Evamevāyaṃ sabbasaṅkhārehi muñcitukāmo hutvā
paṭisaṅkhānupassanāya saṅkhāre pariggaṇhanto ahaṃ mamā ti gahetabbaṃ adisvā bhayañ-
ca nandiñca vippahāya sabbasaṅkhāresu udāsīno hoti majjhatto.
Tassa evaṃ jānato evaṃ
passato tīsu bhavesu … cittaṃ patilīyati patikuṭati pativattati na sampasāriyati, upekkhā
vā pāṭikulyatā vā saṇṭhāti.
… Iccassa saṅkhārupekkhāñāṇaṃ nāma uppannaṃ hoti.
Taṃ
panetaṃ sace santipadaṃ nibbānaṃ santato passati, sabbaṃ saṅkhārappavattaṃ vissajjetvā
nibbānam-eva pakkhandati.
Paṭis-a 217:
Nirodhāya upasamāya ti nibbānaṃ.
Th-a I 58:
Padaṃ santan-ti nibbānaṃ sandhāya vadati.
Evarūpo hi bhikkhu santaṃ padaṃ santaṃ
koṭṭhāsaṃ sabbasaṅkhārānaṃ upasamabhāvato saṅkhārūpasamaṃ paramasukhatāya sukhaṃ nibbānaṃ adhigacchati vindati yeva.
Thī-a 13:
Nirodhaṃ phusehī ti kilesanirodhaṃ
phussa paṭilabha.
Saññāvūpasamaṃ sukhaṃ, ārādhayāhi nibbānan-ti kāmasaññādīnaṃ
pāpasaññānaṃ upasamanimittaṃ accantasukhaṃ nibbānaṃ ārādhehi.
669 Paṭis I 194:
Paṭinissaggā ti dve paṭinissaggā pariccāgapaṭinissaggo ca pakkhandanapaṭinissaggo ca.
Rūpaṃ pariccajatī ti pariccāgapaṭinissaggo.
Rūpanirodhe nibbāne cittaṃ
pakkhandatī ti pakkhandanapaṭinissaggo.
Paṭis-a 524:
Rūpaṃ pariccajatī ti ādīnava-dassanena nirapekkhatāya rūpakkhandhaṃ pariccajati.
Pariccāgapaṭinissaggo ti pariccāgaṭṭhena paṭinissaggo ti vuttaṃ hoti.
Etena paṭinissaggapadassa pariccāgaṭṭho vutto,
tasmā kilesānaṃ pajahananti attho.
Ettha ca vuṭṭhānagāminī vipassanā kilese tadaṅgavasena pariccajati, maggo samucchedavasena.
Rūpanirodhe nibbāne cittaṃ pakkhandatī ti vuṭṭhānagāminī taṃninnatāya pakkhandati, maggo ārammaṇakaraṇena.
Pakkhandanapaṭinissaggo ti pakkhandanaṭṭhena paṭinissaggo ti vuttaṃ hoti.
Etena paṭinissaggapadassa pakkhandanaṭṭho vutto, tasmā cittassa nibbāne vissajjanan-ti attho.
Ps II 298, Mp IV 43:
Paṭinissaggānupassī
ti ettha paṭinissaggo vuccati vossaggo, so ca pariccāgavossaggo pakkhandanavossaggo ti duvidho hoti.
Tattha pariccāgavossaggo ti vipassanā, sā hi tadaṅgavasena kilese ca khandhe ca vossajjati.
Pakkhandanavossaggo ti maggo, so hi nibbānaṃ ārammaṇaṃ ārammaṇato pakkhandati.
670 M I 435:
Etaṃ santaṃ, etaṃ paṇītaṃ, yad idaṃ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhakkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānan ti.
如是寂寂如是妙 literally means:
“Such is the peaceful, such is the sublime:
…”, i.e., evaṃ santaṃ, evaṃ paṇītaṃ, which could be due to a misunderstanding of etaṃ as evaṃ.
671 Vism VIII.
236/p.291:
Idaṃ catutthacatukkaṃ suddhavipassanā vasen’ eva vuttaṃ.
Purimāni pana tīṇi samathavipassanā vasena.
Evaṃ catunnaṃ catukkānaṃ vasena soḷasavatthukāya ānāpānasatiyā bhāvanā veditabbā.
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Furthermore, all these [sixteen training grounds] are of four kinds, namely, development, giving rise to, accomplishment, and insight:
672
(1) Knowing that [the breath is] sometimes short and sometimes long when mindfully breathing in and mindfully breathing out — this is called
“development”.
(2) Calming the bodily formations, calming the mental formations, gladdening the mind, concentrating the mind, and freeing the mind — this is called
“giving rise to”.
(3) Experiencing the whole body, experiencing [rapture, experiencing] pleasure, experiencing the mental formations, and experiencing the mind — this is called “accomplishment”.
(4) The four ways beginning with “contemplating impermanence” — this is called “insight”.
Furthermore, “development” by way of mindfulness of breathing supports the plane [of jhāna] ( bhūmi).
That development, that mindfulness of breathing, supports the plane that is with thinking and with exploring ( savitakka-savicāra), and the plane that is with exploring.
673 “Experiencing rapture” is the plane
672 彼一切四種謂如是修令起觀具足.
The part 修令起觀具足 might be a summary of the four kinds, however, it could also be translated as “this is the development giving rise to the accomplishment of insight” and the misplaced conclusion of item four.
The “this is called …” conclusions appear to be garbled.
A Chinese copyist mistakenly interchanged the explanation of items 1 and the conclusion of 4:
謂有時見, “sometimes one discerns” and 謂見, “this is called insight”.
The conclusion (i.e., “knowing the long and short [breath]”, 知長短) of the first item belongs to the explanation.
Compare 430c07–08:
“his mind should notice that the breath is sometimes long and sometimes short” 有時作長有時作短.
The item “knowing the long and short [breath]”, 知長短, could belong to the next kind, i.e., “giving rise to”, but then there is no item left in “development” since “mindfully breathing in and out” is not part of the sixteen grounds (see e.g., 431b21).
The characters 具足 could correspond to sampatti, sampanna, or paṭipada.
觀具足 lit.
means “insight-accomplishment” or “accomplishment of insight”, but that would entail that there is no fourth item.
At 417a24 the same characters 觀具足 are used in the sense of the jhāna being endowed with vision or insight ( dassana-sampanna?
). However, here 觀,
“insight”, would fit as the fourth item, and 具足 in the sense of accomplishment of concentration/freedom from hindrances would fit the third item.
What do the four refer to?
To calm and insight, or to the development of insight and the accomplishment of insight?
The latter, mentioned below as the two kinds of development and fulfilment, is more likely.
No parallel can be traced in the Pāli.
673 … 是受持是有覺是受彼有覺有觀有觀地, lit.
“supports that with thinking, is with thinking, with exploring, with exploring plane”.
This cryptic and probably corrupt passage, perhaps due to a duplication of a line by a scribe, seems to state that the development of the first two tetrads leads to the first and second jhāna of the five-fold jhāna scheme;
see 407b16–19, 408a05–16, and 438a19–20. It is related to the discussion of jhāna planes in Dhs 222:
Katame dhammā savitakkā?
Savitakkabhūmiyaṃ kāmāvacare rūpāvacare
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of the second jhāna.
“Experiencing pleasure” is the plane of the third jhāna.
“Experiencing the mind” is the plane of the fourth jhāna.
Furthermore, all these [sixteen grounds] are of two kinds:
development and fulfilment ( pāripūri).
Herein, development is just that;
fulfilment is the non-decline of the sixteen ways.
Development is like a seed, [since] it is the cause of benefits.
Fulfilment is like a flower or a fruit, since it resembles their manifestation.
If mindfulness of breathing is developed thus the four establishments of mindfulness are fulfilled.
If the four establishments of mindfulness are developed, the seven factors of enlightenment are fulfilled.
If the seven factors of enlightenment are developed, true knowledge and freedom ( vijjāvimutti) are fulfilled.
674
Q.
How is this possible?
A. The four grounds beginning with the long out-breath and in-breath fulfil the establishment of mindfulness of the body.
The grounds beginning with the experiencing of rapture fulfil the establishment of mindfulness of feeling.
The grounds beginning with the experiencing of the mind fulfil the establishment of mindfulness of the mind.
The grounds beginning with the contemplation of impermanence fulfil the establishment of mindfulness of states.
Thus, the development of mindfulness of breathing fulfils the four establishments of mindfulness.
675
apariyāpanne, vitakkaṃ ṭhapetvā, taṃsampayutto vedanākkhandho … pe … viññāṇakkhandho
— ime dhammā savitakkā.
… Katame dhammā avitakkā?
… savicārā?
… avicārā?
…
sappītikā?
… appītikā?
and Dhs 181:
Katame dhammā savitakkasavicārā?
Savitakkasavicāra-bhūmiyaṃ kāmāvacare, … avitakkavicāramattā?
… avitakka-avicārā?
… pītisahagatā?
…
In the Miscellaneous Topics section below (431c06), the planes with and without thinking (地成有覺無覺) are mentioned.
The other three tetrads are said to lead to the other jhānas of the fourfold jhāna scheme.
Cf. Nett-a 204:
Kāyānupassanāya kāmarāgassa ujuvipaccanīka-bhāvato paṭhamo satipaṭṭhāno bhāvito bahulīkato kāmapaṭipakkhaṃ
paṭhamaṃ jhānaṃ paripūretī ti vuttaṃ.
Tathā pītipaṭisaṃvedanādivasena pavattamānaṃ
dutiyaṃ satipaṭṭhānaṃ, sappītikassa dutiyajjhānassa cittassa abhippamodanavasena pavattamānaṃ tatiyaṃ satipaṭṭhānaṃ ukkaṃsagatasukhassa tatiyajjhānassa aniccavirāgā-
divasena pavattiyā saṅkhāresu upekkhakaṃ catutthaṃ satipaṭṭhānaṃ upekkhāsatipārisuddhibhāvato catutthajjhānassa pāripūriyā saṃvattati.
674 S V 329:
Ānāpānasatisamādhi kho Ānanda eko dhammo bhāvito bahulīkato cattāro satipaṭṭhāne paripūreti.
Cattāro satipaṭṭhānā bhāvitā bahulīkatā satta bojjhaṅge paripūrenti.
Satta bojjhaṅgā bhāvitā bahulīkatā vijjāvimuttiṃ paripūrenti.
675 S V 323–4:
Yasmiṃ samaye ānanda bhikkhu dīghaṃ vā … passasissāmī ti sikkhati, kāye kāyānupassī ānanda bhikkhu tasmiṃ samaye viharati … dhammesu dhammānupassī ānanda bhikkhu tasmiṃ samaye viharati …
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Q.
How are the seven factors of enlightenment fulfilled through the development of the four establishments of mindfulness?
A. On the occasion that the establishments of mindfulness are developed, unmuddled mindfulness is established — this is called “the enlightenment factor of mindfulness”.
The meditator, with mindfulness established thus, knows and investigates formations as impermanent, suffering [and without self];
this is called “the enlightenment factor of investigation of the Dhamma”.
Investigating the Dhamma thus he initiates energy and without slackening — this is called
“the enlightenment factor of energy”.
Owing to initiating energy, unworldly ( nirāmisa) rapture arises — this is called “the enlightenment factor of rapture”.
[431c] Owing to the rapture of mind, his body and mind become tranquil
— this is called “the enlightenment factor of tranquillity”.
Owing to the tranquillity of body and pleasure, his mind becomes concentrated;
this is called
“the enlightenment factor of concentration”.
Being concentrated thus, the mind becomes equanimous;
this is called “the enlightenment factor of equanimity”.
Thus, through the development of the four establishments of mindfulness, the seven factors of enlightenment are fulfilled.
676
Q.
How does the development of the seven factors of enlightenment fulfil true knowledge and freedom ( vijjā-vimutti)?
A. When practising much ( bahulīkaroti) and developing the seven factors of enlightenment in this manner, in a [single] moment the path is attained and knowledge is fulfilled;
in a [single] moment, the fruit is attained and freedom is fulfilled.
Thus, the development of the seven factors of enlightenment fulfils true knowledge and freedom.
677
676 S V 331–33:
Yasmiṃ samaye ānanda bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati upaṭṭhitasati,
tasmiṃ ānando bhikkhuno sati hoti asammuṭṭhā;
yasmiṃ samaye ānanda bhikkhuno upaṭṭhitasati asammuṭṭhā, satisambojjhaṅgo tasmiṃ samaye bhikkhuno āraddho hoti;
… Evaṃ
bhāvitā kho ānanda cattāro satipaṭṭhānā evaṃ bahulikathā sattabojjhaṅge paripūrenti.
677 Cf. S V 333:
Kathaṃ bhāvitā ca sattabojjhaṅgā kathaṃ bahulikatā vijjāvimuttiṃ
paripūrenti?
… upekhāsambojjhaṅgaṃ bhāveti vivekanissitaṃ virāganissitaṃ nirodhanissitaṃ
vossaggapariṇāmiṃ.
Spk III 274:
Ettha pana soḷasakkhattukā ānāpānassati missakā kathitā, ānāpānamūlakā
satipaṭṭhānā pubbabhāgā, tesaṃ mūlabhūtā ānāpānassati pubbabhāgā.
Bojjhaṅgamūlakā
satipaṭṭhānā pubbabhāgā, tepi bojjhaṅgā pubbabhāgāva.
Vijjāvimuttipūrakā pana bojjhaṅgā
nibbattitalokuttarā, vijjāvimuttiyo ariyaphalasampayuttā.
Vijjā vā catutthamaggasampayuttā,
vimutti phalasampayuttā ti.
Ps IV 142:
Ettha pana ānāpānapariggāhikā sati lokiyā hoti, lokiyā
ānāpānā lokiyasatipaṭṭhānaṃ paripūrenti, lokiyā satipaṭṭhānā lokuttarabojjhaṅge paripūrenti,
lokuttarā bojjhaṅgā vijjāvimuttiphalanibbānaṃ paripūrenti.
Iti lokiyassa āgataṭṭhāne lokiyaṃ kathitaṃ, lokuttarassa āgataṭṭhāne lokuttaraṃ kathitanti.
Thero panāha aññattha evaṃ hoti, imasmiṃ pana sutte lokuttaraṃ upari āgataṃ, lokiyā ānāpānā lokiyasatipaṭṭhāne paripūrenti, lokiyā satipaṭṭhānā lokiye bojjhaṅge paripūrenti, lokiyā bojjhaṅgā lokuttaraṃ
vijjāvimuttiphalanibbānaṃ paripūrenti, vijjāvimuttipadena hi idha vijjāvimuttiphalanibbānaṃ adhippetanti.
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8.11.7.106 - Miscellaneous topics
Q.
All formations, depending on their plane ( bhūmi), are with thinking or are without thinking.
678 That being so, why is it only said that mindfulness of breathing eliminates thinking, and why is this not said of the other [meditation subjects]?
A. Thinking is used in a different sense here.
The proper sense here is that thinking is a hindrance to jhāna and therefore is eliminated.
679 Thinking is like a divine musician ( gandhabba) who follows a sound when hearing it.
Therefore, thinking is eliminated.
Furthermore, [mindfulness of breathing] is like walking on an embankment680 since the mind is focussed, and mindfulness is settled on one object without moving.
Therefore, mindfulness of breathing is taught for the elimination of thinking.
681
Q.
Why is the touch of wind pleasant?
A. Because it pleases the mind.
Mindfulness of breathing is finished.
678 無覺.
Later in Ch.12 (459b07), in a discussion of the two types of insight, 無覺 also occurs as part of the “plane without thought”, 無覺地 in contrast to the “plane with thought”, 覺地.
See Dhs 222:
Katame dhammā savitakkā?
(quoted in Ch.8 fn. 673) and Yam II 24:
Avitakka-avicārabhūmiyaṃ tesaṃ tattha cittasaṅkhāro uppajjissati, no ca tesaṃ tattha vacīsaṅkhāro uppajjittha.
Savitakkasavicārabhūmiyaṃ tesaṃ tattha cittasaṅkhāro ca uppajjissati vacīsaṅkhāro ca uppajjittha.
Cf. Dhs 222, § 1275. Katame dhammā savitakkā?
Savitakkabhūmiyaṃ kāmāvacare rūpāvacare apariyāpanne, vitakkaṃ ṭhapetvā, taṃsampayutto vedanākkhandho … pe …
viññāṇakkhandho, ime dhammā savitakkā.
§ 1276. Katame dhammā avitakkā?
Avitakkabhūmiyaṃ kāmāvacare rūpāvacare arūpāvacare apariyāpanne;
vedanākkhandho…pe…
viññāṇakkhandho;
vitakko ca, sabbañ-ca rūpaṃ, asaṅkhatā ca dhātu, ime dhammā avitakkā.
679 The question and answer about the touch of breath being pleasant have been moved from here to below because it is an intrusion (due to a copyist error) in this discussion of vitakka.
680 堤塘 means a dyke or levee that retains water in a reservoir or river.
681 See § 99. Cf. A IV 353, 358, Ud 37, Vism VIII.
238/Vism 291:
Ānāpānasati bhāvetabbā
vitakkūpacchedāya.
Mp IV 163:
Vitakkupacchedāyā ti vuttanayeneva uppannānaṃ
vitakkānaṃ upacchedanatthāya.
It-a II 89:
Byāpādavitakko, vihiṃsāvitakko,
ñātivitakko, janapadavitakko, amarāvitakko, anavaññattipaṭisaṃyutto vitakko,
lābhasakkārasilokapaṭisaṃyutto vitakko, parānuddayatāpaṭisaṃyutto vitakkoti aṭṭha,
kāmavitakkena saddhiṃ navavidhā mahāvitakkā ānāpānassatisamādhinā tannissitāya ca vipassanāya pubbabhāge vikkhambhitā.
Taṃ pādakaṃ katvā adhigatena ariyamaggenayathārahaṃ anavasesato pahīyanti.
Vuttam-pi cetaṃ ānāpānassati bhāvetabbā
vitakkupacchedāyā ti.
A III 449:
Cetaso vikkhepassa pahānāya ānāpānasati bhāvetabbā.
See also Śrāvakabhūmi, Yogasthāna III:
ānāpānasmṛtirāsevitā bhāvitā vitarkopacchedāya saṃvarttate.
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107 Introduction
Q.
What is recollection of death?
How is it practised?
What are its characteristic, essential function, and footing?
What are its benefits?
What is the procedure?
A. The termination of the life force — this is called “death”.
The undistracted dwelling [of the mind] in this recollection is its practice.
[The manifestation of clear knowing of] the termination of one’s own life is its characteristic.
682
Disenchantment is its essential function.
Security is its footing.
683
Q.
What are its benefits?
A. One who practises mindfulness of death is diligent with regard to the higher wholesome states;
he loathes unwholesome states;
is not hoarding much requisites nor has selfishness on account of them;
he can see his own life-span;
684
his mind is not attached to life;
he practises the perceptions of impermanence, of suffering, and without self, and fulfils them all;
he is destined for a good destination or is destined for the deathless.
At the end of his life, his mind is not confused.
685
108 Procedure
Q.
What is the procedure?
A. The beginner meditator goes to a secluded place, sits down, and concentrates his mind completely.
With an undistracted mind he recollects:
“All beings die.
I [too] am of the nature to die;
I am destined for death;
I have not gone beyond death.”
686
682 Vism VII.
0.0416666666666667
Maraṇaṃ ārabbha uppannā anussati maraṇānussati, jīvitindriyupaccheda-
ārammaṇāya satiyā etamadhivacanaṃ.
683 無難, “without trouble/difficulty/peril/hardship” or “safety/security” = anantarāya,
nirupaddava?
Probably the meaning of having no fear of death is intended.
684 This benefit is not in the Vism.
The text is not clear and could be corrupt:
“to see body/own life-span/life mind not attached”, 見身壽命心不貪著.
685 Vism VIII.
1.70833333333333
… satataṃ appamatto hoti, sabbabhavesu anabhiratisaññaṃ paṭilabhati,
jīvitanikantiṃ jahāti, pāpagarahī hoti, asannidhibahulo parikkhāresu vigatamalamacchero,
aniccasaññā cassa paricayaṃ gacchati, tadanusāreneva dukkhasaññā anattasaññā ca upaṭṭhāti.
… abhayo asammūḷho kālaṃ karoti.
Sace diṭṭheva dhamme amataṃ nārādheti,
kāyassa bhedā sugatiparāyano hoti.
686 S I 97:
sabbe sattā maraṇadhammā maraṇapariyosānā maraṇaṃ anatītā ti.
Sabbe sattā
marissanti, maraṇantañ-hi jīvitaṃ.
A III 71:
Maraṇadhammomhi, maraṇaṃ anatīto ti abhiṇhaṃ
paccavekkhitabbaṃ itthiyā vā purisena vā gahaṭṭhena vā pabbajitena vā.
A III 74:
Sa kho so
… ariyasāvako iti paṭisañcikkhati:
na kho ahaññeveko maraṇadhammo maraṇaṃ anatīto,
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As is taught in the Nettipada Sutta:
687 “If a person wishes to contemplate death, he should contemplate a person who has passed away688 and should see the cause of his death.”
Herein, there are four kinds of recollection of death:
associated with sorrow ( soka), associated with shock ( santāsa), associated with indifference ( majjhatta), and associated with knowledge ( ñāṇa).
Recollecting the loss of a beloved child gives rise to thoughts [of sorrow] — this is recollection of death associated with sorrow.
Recollecting the sudden death of a child — this is recollection of death associated with shock.
When one who cremates [corpses] recollects a lifeless body — this is recollection of death associated with indifference.
When constantly contemplating [the impermanent nature of] the world, the mind gives rise to disenchantment — this is recollection of death associated with knowledge.
Herein, the meditator should not practise recollections associated with sorrow, shock, or indifference.
Why? [432a] Because through them he is not able to remove obstacles ( paripantha, ādīnava).
Only the diligent practice of the recollection associated with knowledge is able to remove obstacles.
There are three kinds of death:
death as a worldly convention ( sammuti), death as a cutting off ( samuccheda), and momentary death ( khaṇika).
689
atha kho yāvatā sattānaṃ āgati gati cuti upapatti sabbe sattā maraṇadhammā maraṇaṃ
anatītā’ ti.
Tassa taṃ ṭhānaṃ abhiṇhaṃ paccavekkhato maggo sañjāyati.
Cf. M III 182.
687 涅底履波陀脩多羅, ni/ ne-t-ri-pa-da-su-ta-ra, which could be a transliteration of Netripada-sūtra.
According to Bapat this might be the Netripadaśāstra of Upagupta referred to in Abhidharmakośaśāstra, but, in keeping with the Vimuttimagga being of Theravada origins, it could simply refer to a sutta in the Suttapiṭaka for which this name was used, or it could refer to an apocryphal sutta, or to the Nettippakaraṇa.
At ch. 8 § 74/p. 426c07
修多羅涅底里句, = sūtra-netri-pada / sutta-netti-pada = “discourse-guide-line” is used instead;
see Introduction § 6.
688 被殺人, lit.
“a person who has been killed/executed” but this does not fit the context.
689 Cf. Paṭis-a I 146, Nidd-a I 73:
Puna khaṇikamaraṇaṃ sammutimaraṇaṃ samucchedamaraṇan-ti ayam-pi bhedo veditabbo.
Pavatte rūpārūpadhammānaṃ bhedo khaṇikamaraṇaṃ nāma.
Tisso mato phusso mato ti idaṃ paramatthato sattassa abhāvā,
sassaṃ mataṃ, rukkho mato ti idam-pi jīvitindriyassa abhāvā sammutimaraṇaṃ nāma.
Khīṇāsavassa appaṭisandhikā kālakiriyā samucchedamaraṇaṃ nāma.
Bāhirasammuti-maraṇaṃ ṭhapetvā itaraṃ sammutimaraṇañ-ca idha yathāvuttappabandhavicchedana-bhāvena saṅgahitaṃ, dukkhassa pana vatthubhāvato dukkhaṃ.
Cf. Sv 799. Vism VIII.
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Yam pan’ etaṃ arahantānaṃ vaṭṭadukkhasamucchedasaṅkhātaṃ samucchedamaraṇaṃ, saṅkhārānaṃ khaṇabhaṅga-saṅkhātaṃ khaṇikamaraṇaṃ, rukkho mato, lohaṃ
matan-ti ādisu sammutimaraṇañ ca, na tam idha adhippetaṃ.
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What is “death as a worldy convention”?
When it is dependent on the concept ( paññatti) “living being” ( satta)690 it is called “death as a worldly convention”.
“Death as a cutting off” is “[the death of] the arahant who has cut off the afflictions”.
“Momentary death” is “the momentary dissolution of formations”.
Furthermore, there are two kinds of death:
untimely death and timely death.
Death in the midst of life through suicide, murder, disease, or without
[assignable] cause is called “untimely death”.
Death through the exhaustion of the life span and through ageing is called
“timely death”.
691
One should recall these two kinds of death.
109 Eight ways of practice
Furthermore, the former teachers taught the practice of mindfulness of death through these eight ways:
(1) through being closely followed by an executioner, (2) through there being no means, (3) through comparison, (4) through the body being shared with many, (5) through the fragility of life, (6) through the limitedness of the duration, (7) through signlessness, and (8) through momentariness.
692
110 Being followed by an executioner
Q.
How should one develop mindfulness of death through being followed by an executioner ( vadhakapaccupaṭṭhānato)?
A. It is like a man who is going to be executed, is about to go to the place of execution, and is followed closely by the executioner who has drawn his sword.
When that man sees the executioner with the drawn sword closely following him, he thinks:
“This man will kill me;
at what time shall I die?
I go step by step;
690 依假眾生.
The variant reading 假, paññatti, is translated here instead of 修 “practice”
( bhāvana, etc. ). This probably means that this kind of death is due to there being the designation or concept of a living being or creature, which, however, does not exist in the higher sense as explained in Paṭis-a in the previous footnote.
Cf. § 146:
“In the ultimate sense a ‘living being’ cannot be found.
Why then is it said that living beings are its object?
Because of the different kinds of faculties, in worldly convention it is said ‘living beings’.”
691 Vism VIII.
0.0833333333333333
Tattha kālamaraṇaṃ puññakkhayena vā āyukkhayena vā ubhayakkhayena vā
hoti.
Akālamaraṇaṃ kammupacchedakakammavasena.
692 Cf. Vism VIII.
8ff./p.230ff.:
tena vadhakapaccupaṭṭhānato, sampattivipattito,
upasaṃharaṇato, kāyabahusādhāraṇato, āyudubbalato, animittato, addhānaparicchedato,
khaṇaparittatoti imehi aṭṭhahākārehi maraṇaṃ anussaritabbaṃ.
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at which step shall I die?
When I walk, I certainly shall die.
When I stand, I certainly shall die.
When I sit, I certainly shall die.
When I lie down, I certainly shall die.”
Thus, the meditator should develop recollection of death through being followed by an executioner.
111 There being no means
Q.
How should one develop mindfulness of death through there being no means ( akāraṇato)?
A. When one is born, there is no means or way that can prevent one from dying.
Just as when the sun and the moon rise, there is no means or way that can prevent them from setting.
Thus, one practises recollection of death through there being no means.
693
112 Comparison
Q.
How does one develop mindfulness of death through comparison ( upasaṃharaṇato)?
A. Those kings of old who had great wealth, great vehicles,694 and great eminence:
Mahā Sudassana, Mandhātu, and others — all of those kings came to death.
Furthermore, the sages of old who had great supernormal power and great eminence:
Vessāmitta and Yamataggi [and so on],695 who caused fire and water to issue forth from their bodies — they also came to death.
Disciples of old who had great wisdom, great supernormal power, and great eminence:
Sāriputta, Moggallāna, and so on — they also came to death.
Furthermore, the Paccekabuddhas who are self-made ones ( sayambhū) who, without having a teacher, accomplished all good qualities696 — they also came to death.
Furthermore, the Tathāgatas, the arahants, the Rightly Enlightened Ones ( sammā-
sambuddhā), who are immeasurable ( appamāṇa), unexcelled ( anuttara), who are
693 Not found in Vism but cf. Vism VIII.
0.458333333333333
… esa satto jātakālato paṭṭhāya yathā nāma uṭṭhito sūriyo atthābhimukho gacchateva, gatagataṭṭhānato īsakam-pi na nivattati.
… Yamekarattiṃ
paṭhamaṃ, gabbhe vasati māṇavo;
/ Abbhuṭṭhitova so yāti, sa gacchaṃ na nivattatī ti.
694 大乘, mahāvāhana.
Cf. Ud 10:
… mahaddhanataro vā mahābhogataro vā mahākosataro vā mahāvijitataro vā mahāvāhanataro vā mahabbalataro vā mahiddhikataro vā mahānu-bhāvataro vā rājā … Ud-a 103:
Mahanto hatthi-assādivāhano etassā ti mahāvāhano.
695 Cf. D I 104:
… ye te ahesuṃ brāhmaṇānaṃ pubbakā isayo mantānaṃ kattāro mantānaṃ
pavattāro, … seyyathidaṃ aṭṭhako vāmako vāmadevo vessāmitto yamataggi aṅgīraso bhāradvājo vāseṭṭho kassapo bhagu ….
696 Nidd-a I 177:
Taṃ taṃ kāraṇaṃ paṭicca ekakāva anācariyakāva catusaccaṃ bujjhitavanto ti paccekabuddhā … Mil 104:
… paccekabuddhā sayambhuno anācariyakā ekacārino … Cf. the definition of Buddha at 426b27 and footnote.
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endowed with true knowledge and conduct ( vijjācaraṇasampanna), who reached perfection in all qualities697 — they also came to death.
How then, could I, with my brief life span, not come to death?
Thus, one practises recollection of death through comparison.
113 Being shared with many
Q.
How does one develop mindfulness of death through the body being shared with many ( kāyabahusādhāraṇato)?
[432b]
A.
Through an upset of [the humours of] wind and phlegm, one comes to death.
Through an upset of the various kinds of worms [living in the body] or through a digestive disorder, one comes to death.
Or through being bitten by poisonous snakes, centipedes, scorpions, or rats, one comes to death.
Or [through being attacked by] lions, tigers, leopards, elephants, or cattle, one comes to death.
Or through being killed by humans or non-humans, one comes to death.
Thus, one practises recollection of death through the body being shared with many.
114 Fragility
Q.
How does one develop mindfulness of death through the fragility of life ( āyudubbalato)?
A. In two ways one practises recollection of death through the fragility of life:
Through fragility of the base ( vatthu) and through fragility of the dependence ( nissaya), there is fragility of life.
Q. How is there fragility of life because of fragility of the base?
A. “This body is without intrinsic nature.
698 As is taught in the simile of the water-bubble, in the simile of the plantain [-trunk], and in the simile of [the lump
697 Sabbesu guṇesu pāramiṃ patto.
Cf. Ch.8 fn. 497
698 無自性.
The binome 自性 usually corresponds sabhāva “intrinsic nature”, and here appears to be used in the same sense as in the Paṭis, wherein it is said that the aggregates are empty of a sabhāva.
This is to be understood as the aggregates, or all dhammas in general, as having the characteristic of being empty of a self.
Sabhāva here is not to be understood in the sense of individual, independently existing, or real dhammas on an ontological level, as it had in the later commentarial Abhidhamma;
see Ronkin 2005:
92f. In the Prajñā-
pāramitā and Madhyama teachings on emptiness, all dharmas are said to have no intrinsic nature, niḥsvabhāva, i.e., are without a fundamentally real existence.
Paṭis II 178–79:
Katamaṃ vipariṇāmasuññaṃ?
Jātaṃ rūpaṃ sabhāvena suññaṃ.
Vigataṃ
rūpaṃ vipariṇatañceva suññañ-ca.
… jātaṃ viññāṇaṃ… jātaṃ cakkhu…pe… jāto bhavo sabhāvena suñño.
….
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443
of] foam,699 it is without essence ( sāra), is devoid of an essence.”
Thus, through the fragility of the base, there is fragility of life.
Q. How is there fragility of life because of fragility of the dependence?
A. “This name ( nāma)700 is tied to the breath, tied to the four great primaries, tied to food, tied to the four postures, and tied to heat.”
Thus, through fragility of the dependence, there is fragility of life.
Thus, one practises recollection of death through the fragility of life in two ways.
115 Limitedness of the duration
Q.
How does one develop mindfulness of death through the limitedness of the duration ( addhānaparicchedato)?
A. “All of those born long ago and who are [still] living now come to death without exceeding a hundred years.”
701
Thus, one practises recollection of death through the limitedness of the duration.
Furthermore, one practises thus:
“If I could live for a day and a night and reflect on the Teaching of the Fortunate One, I would obtain great benefit!
If I could live for a day, … If I could live for half a day, … If I could live for a few hours,
… If I could live long enough to partake of a single meal, … long enough to partake of half a meal, … long enough to partake of four or five morsels of food … [long enough to partake of one morsel of food] … long enough to breathe out [after] having breathed in, … long enough to breathe in [after]
having breathed out.”
702
Thus, one practises recollection of death through the limitedness of the duration.
699 S III 140–42:
… yaṃ kiñci rūpaṃ … passato nijjhāyato yoniso upaparikkhato rittakaññeva khāyati, tucchakaññeva khāyati, asārakaññeva khāyati.
Kiñhi siyā, bhikkhave, rūpe sāro?
… Pheṇapiṇḍūpamaṃ rūpaṃ, vedanā bubbulupamā;
marīcikūpamā saññā, saṅkhārā
kadalūpamā;
māyūpamañ-ca viññāṇaṃ dīpitādiccabandhunā.
700 The text distinguishes between bodily ( kāyika) factors, i.e., rūpa, and mental ( cetasika) factors, i.e., nāma.
Cf. Vism VIII.
1.125
Tathā hi sattānaṃ jīvitaṃ assāsapassāsūpanibaddhañc-eva iriyāpathūpanibaddhañ-ca sītuṇhūpanibaddhañ-ca mahābhūtūpanibaddhañ-
ca āhārūpanibaddhañ-ca.
Nidd I 118:
… assāsa-passāsūpanibaddhaṃ jīvitaṃ,
mahābhūtūpanibaddhaṃ jīvitaṃ, kabaḷīkārāhārūpanibaddhaṃ jīvitaṃ, usmūpanibaddhaṃ
jīvitaṃ, viññāṇūpanibaddhaṃ jīvitaṃ.
Mūlam-pi imesaṃ dubbalaṃ … Paṭis-a 501:
Yathā hi kammāragaggariyā dhamamānāya bhastañ-ca purisassa ca tajjaṃ vāyāmaṃ paṭicca vāto sañcarati, evam-evaṃ kāyañ-ca cittañ-ca paṭicca assāsapassāsāti.
Tato assāsapassāse ca kāyañ-ca rūpanti, cittañ-ca taṃsampayutte ca dhamme arūpan-ti vavatthapeti.
Evaṃ
nāmarūpaṃ vavatthapetvā …
701 Cf. Vism VIII.
1.45833333333333
natthi jātassa amaraṇaṃ.
Yo … ciraṃ jīvati, so vassasataṃ, appaṃ vā bhiyyo ti.
702 A III 305–6:
Yvāyaṃ bhikkhave bhikkhu evaṃ maraṇasatiṃ bhāveti ’ aho vatāhaṃ
rattindivaṃ jīveyyaṃ, Bhagavato sāsanaṃ manasikareyyaṃ, bahu vata me kataṃ assā’ ti, …
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116 Signlessness
Q.
How does one develop mindfulness of death through signlessness ( animittato)?
A. Because of having no sign, death has no [fixed] time.
Thus, one practises recollection of death through signlessness.
117 Momentariness
Q.
How does one develop mindfulness of death through momentariness ( khaṇato)?
A. If one does not reckon the past or the future but only reckons the present condition, a being’s life span lasts a single mind-moment ( citta-khaṇa);
it does not last for two mind-moments.
Thus, all beings vanish in a mind-moment.
703
As is said in the Abhidhamma:
“In the past mind-moment, one did not live, one will not live, and one is not living.
In the future mind-moment, one did not live, one is not living, and one will not live.
[432c] In the present mind-moment, one did not live, one will not live, [but] one is living.”
704
It is also as is said in the verses:
Life and selfhood, suffering and pleasure entirely,
Are joined to one mind [moment];
quickly the moment occurs.
In the unproduced [mind the world] is not born;
in the present there is life.
With the mind’s dissolution, the world dies;
thus the world’s end was taught.
705
Thus, one practises recollection of death through momentariness.
Appamattā viharissāma, tikkhaṃ maraṇasatiṃ bhāvessāma āsavānaṃ khayāyā ti.
Evaṃ hi vo bhikkhave sikkhitabban ti.
703 一切眾生於剎那心沒, lit.
“all beings in a moment mind vanishes”.
This could perhaps also mean “The minds of all beings vanish in a moment”, but supposedly 剎那心 is an inversion of 心剎那, “mind-moment” and has the same sense as citte niruddhamatte satto niruddho ti of Vism.
Cf. Vism VIII.
39/p.238:
Khaṇaparittatoti paramatthato hi atiparitto sattānaṃ jīvitakkhaṇo ekacittappavattimatto yeva.
Yathā nāma rathacakkaṃ pavattamānam-pi ekeneva nemippadesena pavattati, tiṭṭhamānam-pi ekeneva tiṭṭhati, evam-eva ekacittakkhaṇikaṃ sattānaṃ jīvitaṃ.
Tasmiṃ citte niruddhamatte satto niruddho ti vuccati.
704 Nidd I 42:
Atīte cittakkhaṇe jīvittha, na jīvati na jīvissati;
anāgate cittakkhaṇe jīvissati,
na jīvati na jīvittha;
paccuppanne cittakkhaṇe jīvati, na jīvittha na jīvissati.
生 usually corresponds to “birth”, “arises”, etc. , but can also mean “life” and it is used in this sense here.
705 Nidd I 42, 117–18:
Jīvitaṃ attabhāvo ca sukhadukkhā ca kevalā, ekacittasamāyuttā lahuso vattati-kkhaṇo … Anibbattena no jāto, paccuppannena jīvati, cittabhaṅgā mato loko …
Vism-mhṭ I 296:
Anibbattena na jāto ti anuppannena cittena jāto na hoti ajāto nāma hoti.
Paccuppannena vattamānena cittena jīvati jīvamāno nāma hoti.
Cittabhaṅgā mato loko ti cuticittassa viya sabbassa pi tassa tassa cittassa bhaṅgappattiyā ayaṃ loko paramatthato mato nāma hoti niruddhassa appaṭisandhikattā.
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118 Conclusion
The meditator, developing recollection of death in these ways and by these means, gives rise to disenchantment ( nibbidā).
Due to disenchantment and due to mindfulness, his mind becomes undistracted.
When his mind is undistracted, the hindrances are suspended, the jhāna factors manifest, and [the mind] becomes concentrated in threshold jhāna.
119 Miscellaneous topics
Q.
What are the differences between the perception of impermanence and recollection of death?
A. The [perception of the] object ( ārammaṇa) of the arising and passing away of the aggregates is called “perception of impermanence”.
706 The recollection of the disintegration of the sense-faculties is called “recollection of death”.
Through the practice of the perception of impermanence and the perception of without self, conceit is eliminated.
Through the practice of recollection of death, the perception of impermanence and the perception of suffering are established.
Through the cutting off of life, the mind ceases.
These are the differences.
Recollection of death is finished.
8.11.9 - L9. Mindfulness of the Body
Vimt-N 8 - CHAPTER 8 The Way to Practise [the Meditation Subjects]1
Vimt-N 8.11 - L. Ten Recollections
Vimt-N 8.11.9 - L9. Mindfulness of the Body
Vimt-N 8.11.9.120 - Introduction
Vimt-N 8.11.9.121 - Procedure
Vimt-N 8.11.9.122 - Thirteen ways of practice
Vimt-N 8.11.9.123 - Seed
Vimt-N 8.11.9.124 - Location
Vimt-N 8.11.9.125 - Condition
Vimt-N 8.11.9.126 - Oozing
Vimt-N 8.11.9.127 - Gradual physical formation
Vimt-N 8.11.9.128 - Kinds of worms
Vimt-N 8.11.9.129 - Support
Vimt-N 8.11.9.130 - Mass
Vimt-N 8.11.9.131 - Repulsiveness
Vimt-N 8.11.9.132 - Dirtiness
Vimt-N 8.11.9.133 - [Breeding] ground
Vimt-N 8.11.9.134 - Ingratitude
Vimt-N 8.11.9.135 - Finiteness
Vimt-N 8.11.9.136 - Conclusion
8.11.9.120 - Introduction
Q.
What is “mindfulness of the body”?
How is it practised?
What are its characteristic, essential function, [and manifestation]?
What are its benefits?
What is the procedure?
A. The practice of mindfulness of the nature of the body,707 that which is mindfulness, recollection, [remembering;
the mindfulness that is recalling,
706 Cf. Nidd-a II 107:
Imāni tīṇi pi lakkhaṇāni udayabbayaṃ passantasseva ārammaṇāni honti.
707 念身性.
身性 corresponds to kāyasabhāva, a term very rarely used in Pāli commentarial literature, e.g., in Vism II.
67/p.77, kāyasabhāvadassanaṃ;
Vv-a 92, kāyasabhāvaṃ
pakāsetvā paṭikūlamanasikāre niyojesuṃ.
Cf. Sv-ṭ I 266, Th-a II 211.
Cf.
Vism VII.
0.0416666666666667
Kesādibhedaṃ rūpakāyaṃ gatā, kāye vā gatā ti kāyagatā, kāyagatā
ca sā sati cā ti kāyagatasatī ti vattabbe rassaṃ akatvā kāyagatāsatī ti vuttā,
kesādikāyakoṭṭhāsanimittārammaṇāya satiyā etamadhivacanaṃ.
Nidd-a I 36:
Kucchitānaṃ
kesādīnaṃ paṭikkūlānaṃ āyattā ākarattā kāyoti saṅkhaṃ gate sarīre gatā pavattā
sati kāyagatāsati, tādisaṃ vā kāyaṃ gatā sati kāyagatasatī ti vattabbe rassaṃ akatvā
kāyagatāsatī ti vuttaṃ.
Vism-mhṭ I 298:
Kāyaṃ gatā, kāye vā gatā sati kāyagatāsatī ti satisīsena idaṃ dvattiṃsākārakammaṭṭhānaṃ adhippetan-ti yojanā.
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retaining, not forgetting;
the mindfulness that is the faculty of mindfulness, the power of mindfulness,] and right mindfulness therein — this is called
“mindfulness of the body”.
The undistracted dwelling [of the mind] in this mindfulness is its practice.
The making manifest of the nature of the body is its characteristic.
Disenchantment is its essential function.
Seeing insubstantiality is its manifestation.
Q. What are its benefits?
A. Through practising mindfulness of the body one can overcome [delight and boredom];
one can overcome fear and dread, and one can endure heat, cold, etc. ;
one fulfils the perception of impermanence, the perception of without self, the perception of the foul, and the perception of disadvantage;
one is one who attains the four jhānas at will;
[all] states partaking of true knowledge come to full development;
708 one is destined for a good destination or is destined for the deathless.
709
8.11.9.121 - Procedure
Q.
What is the procedure?
A. The beginner meditator goes to a secluded place, sits down, and concentrates his mind completely.
With an undistracted mind, he practises recollection of the nature of the body.
Q. How does he develop mindfulness of the body?
708 分明諸法 = vijjābhāgiyā dhammā.
Cf. A I 43:
Ekadhamme … bhāvite bahulīkate kāyo pi passambhati, cittam-pi passambhati, vitakkavicārāpi vūpasammanti, kevalāpi vijjābhāgiyā
dhammā bhāvanāpāripūriṃ gacchanti.
Katamasmiṃ ekadhamme?
Kāyagatāya satiyā.
Mp II 78, Ps IV 144:
Vijjābhāgiyā ti ettha sampayogavasena vijjaṃ bhajantī ti vijjābhāgiyā.
Vijjābhāge vijjākoṭṭhāse vattantī tipi vijjābhāgiyā.
Tattha vipassanāñāṇaṃ, manomayiddhi,
cha abhiññā ti aṭṭha vijjā.
Purimena atthena tāhi sampayuttadhammāpi vijjābhāgiyā.
M III 210:
yassa kassaci kāyagatāsati bhāvitā bahulīkatā, antogadhāvāssa kusalā
dhammā ye keci vijjābhāgiyā.
Cf. 所有明分法, states partaking of true knowledge, in Ch.8
§ 160/p. 438c02.
709 Cf. M III 97–98:
Kāyagatāya … satiyā āsevitāya … susamāraddhāya dasānisaṃsā
pāṭikaṅkhā.
Aratiratisaho hoti, na ca taṃ arati sahati, uppannaṃ aratiṃ abhibhuyya viharati.
Bhayabheravasaho hoti, … Khamo hoti sītassa uṇhassa jighacchāya pipāsāya ḍaṃsamakasavātātapasarīsapasamphassānaṃ duruttānaṃ durāgatānaṃ vacanapathānaṃ,
uppannānaṃ sārīrikānaṃ vedanānaṃ dukkhānaṃ tibbānaṃ kharānaṃ kaṭukānaṃ asātānaṃ
amanāpānaṃ pāṇaharānaṃ adhivāsakajātiko hoti.
Catunnaṃ jhānānaṃ ābhicetasikānaṃ
diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṃ nikāmalābhī hoti akicchalābhī akasiralābhī.
So anekavihitaṃ
iddhividhaṃ paccānubhoti.
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447
A.
That which is called “this body” is (1) head-hair, (2) body-hair, (3) nails, (4) teeth, (5) skin, (6) flesh, (7) sinews, (8) bones, (9) bone marrow, (10) kidneys, (11) liver, (12) heart, (13) spleen, (14) lungs, (15) bile, (16) stomach, (17) fat, (18) grease, (19) brain-membrane, (20) large intestine, (21) small intestine, (22) [stomach-contents], (23) excrement, (24) urine, (25) pus, (26) blood, (27) phlegm, (28) sweat, (29) synovial fluid, (30) tears, (31) nasal mucus, and (32) saliva, which are impure ( asuci).
710
The beginner meditator [should recite] these thirty-two aspects in forward and reverse order.
Uttering them well verbally, he should constantly recite them and constantly observe [them mentally].
Constantly observing them well [mentally], he should constantly utter them verbally.
Thereafter he should attend to them only mentally in each of these four ways:
through colour, through direction,711 through shape, through location, and through delimitation.
When he has given rise to the coarse sign, [he should only attend to] one or two or more [aspects] and should grasp the sign well.
712 [433a]
710 “Stomach-contents” is missing in the Chinese text.
It has been supplied from the parallel list at 439c27–29, to give the required 32 items.
The text has 腦 or “brain”, instead of “kidneys”.
However, “brain” is later mentioned again in the list as item 19 as 腦膜 (which in Chinese means “brain-membrane, meninges” but which is due to a misunderstanding of the translator of maṭṭhaluṅga).
The Pāli list and the list of parts of the body to be contemplated as elements at 439c27–29 instead have
“kidneys”.
Both the lists here and at 439c27–29 include “stomach”, udara, 胃, which is not found in the Pāli, and omit the Pāli “pleura, midriff”, kilomaka.
The Pāli list occurs in two forms;
one which includes brain and one which does not.
The earlier Sutta list without brain is at M I 57;
III 90;
D II 293–94;
Vibh 193:
… imam-eva kāyaṃ uddhaṃ pādatalā adho kesamatthakā tacapariyantaṃ pūraṃ nānappakārassa asucino paccavekkhati:
Atthi imasmiṃ kāye kesā lomā nakhā dantā taco maṃsaṃ nahārū
aṭṭhī aṭṭhimiñjā vakkaṃ hadayaṃ yakanaṃ kilomakaṃ pihakaṃ papphāsaṃ antaṃ
antaguṇaṃ udariyaṃ karīsaṃ pittaṃ semhaṃ pubbo lohitaṃ sedo medo assu vasā khelo siṅghānikā lasikā muttan ti.
The later list that includes the brain, matthaluṅga, is at Paṭis I 7 & 137;
Vibh-a 56, Mil 26, Nett 74. According to Buddhaghosa, Vism VIII.
44, “brain” is included in “bone marrow”, aṭṭhimiñjā, in the Sutta list.
MW translates mastakaluṅga as “membrane of the brain” and mastuluñga as “brain”.
The graphic explanation of maṭṭhaluṅga at Vism XI.
68 makes clear that in Pāli it means “brain”.
711 Vism VIII.
48 & 58f and Khp-a 41 have five ways:
through colour ( vaṇṇato), shape ( saṇṭhānato), direction ( disato), location ( okāsato), delimitation ( paricchedato).
Here also five ways are given, although the introduction says that there are four.
The character 行 can represent cariyā, caraṇa, paṭipadā, gati, gamaṇa, etc. Here 行 is probably a corruption of 方
Pāli disa, “direction”, in the sense of being a course, a general line of orientation.
See 以方,
“through direction”, disato, in the ten ways of defining the sign of the foul at 425a02.
712 … 以處以分別所起麁相或一或二或多善取相應.
It is unclear how the parts of the sentence should be divided.
Perhaps the division should be:
“… location.
Through delimitation/
analysis of the coarse sign that has been produced, of one or two or more [parts of it]
he should grasp well the sign” or “… delimitation.
[From] the coarse sign that has been produced [thereby, he takes] one or two or more [parts] and should grasp well the sign”.
As noted in the preceding note, “through delimitation” is probably the fifth method.
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The meditator, by means of three kinds of attending ( manasikāra), gives rise
[to the sign], i.e., through [attending to] colour, repulsiveness,713 and emptiness.
714
713 See also Ch.8 § 73:
“If the sign of foulness manifests by way of colour, one should meditate by way of the [colour] totalities.
If … by way of emptiness, … the elements.
If … by way of foulness, … foulness.”
See the Khp-a passage in Ch.8 fn. 714
In the * Dharmatrāta-dhyāna-sūtra (T 618: 316b29–c06) it is said that, besides the foul antidote, there is also a beautiful ( śubha) antidote for those who perceive their bodies as beautiful:
“Not attending to the perception of the foul, for the purpose of [attaining] the beautiful liberation, the wise person opens the eye of wisdom, and contemplates the foul object.
Light streams forth from the white bone, then successively arise blue forms, splendid gem trees, … and manifold subtle forms.
Therefore it is called the practice of the beautiful liberation for the purpose of the sign”;
see also Greene 2012: 61f., Chan 2013:385
In ch. 8 § 57, the beautiful liberation is given as a benefit of practising the white colour totality.
The practice of taking away the flesh, etc. , is also described in the Abhidharmakośa and its bhāṣya;
see Ch.8 fn. 488. In the “Sūtra on the Concentration of Sitting Meditation”
(T 614: 272a20–27), there is a similar passage on the characteristics of the dhyāna developed through the contemplation of the bare skeleton (赤骨人), which is what remains when the meditator has (mentally) stripped of the flesh and impurities from the skeleton.
It is said that the dhyāna has “three characteristics or signs (相):
(1) the body is at ease, soft and light;
(2) a light that resembles a white conch shell streams forth from the white bone;
(3) the mind dwells in calm/solitude.
This is called the contemplation of the beautiful.”
The first characteristic is said to be due to “the four great elements being very soft and buoyant”;
the second due to “the sign of the white bone being an all illuminating light of pure white color”;
and the third due to “the mind dwelling in one place”.
What is described here is the white totality ( kasiṇa) — which is one of the beautiful colour totalities (see Ch.8 § 57) — produced by way of attending to the beautiful colour of the body part.
Similar practices are described in the Khp-a passage in the next note:
“But if they establish their appearance for him as a colour then head-hairs establish their appearance through the blue universal ( kasiṇa), and likewise body-hairs.
Teeth do so through the white universal.
So in each case he gives attention to them by way of the appropriate universal.
That is how he gives attention to them as a colour when they have established their appearance as a colour.”
(Translation by Ñāṇamoli 1960: 72–73).
714 At Ch.8 § 160/p.438b28 空 is used in the sense of “emptiness”:
“The comprehension of emptiness is its essential function” (i.e., of the contemplation of the elements).
Cf. Vism XI.117. The comprehension of emptiness is also mentioned in the extensive explanation of the 32 parts in the Khuddakapāṭha Commentary at Khp-a 71–74:
… kathañcāyamete asubhato manasi karoti, kathaṃ vaṇṇato, kathaṃ suññato vā ti?
… Yadi panassa vaṇṇato upaṭṭhahanti, atha kesā nīlakasiṇavasena upaṭṭhahanti.
Tathā lomā dantā odātakasiṇavasenāti.
Esa nayo sabbattha.
Taṃtaṃkasiṇavaseneva ayamete manasikaroti, evaṃ
vaṇṇato upaṭṭhahante vaṇṇato manasi karoti.
Yadi panassa suññato upaṭṭhahanti,
atha kesā ghanavinibbhogavavatthānena ojaṭṭhamakasamūhavasena upaṭṭhahanti.
Tathā lomādayo, yathā upaṭṭhahanti.
.… Yassa pana te dhammā suññato upaṭṭhahanti,
so lakkhaṇato manasikaroti, lakkhaṇato manasikaronto tattha catudhātuvavatthānavasena upacārajjhānaṃ pāpuṇāti.
Atha manasikaronto te dhamme aniccadukkhānattasutta-ttayavasena manasikaroti.
Ayamassa vipassanānayo.
… Suññato ti dvattiṃsākāre aṭṭhavīsatisataṃ suññatā honti, yāsaṃ vasena yogāvacaro dvattiṃsākāraṃ suññato vipassati.
Seyyathidaṃ kese tāva pathavīdhātu āpodhātvādīhi suññā, tathā āpodhātvādayo pathavīdhātvādīhī ti catasso suññatā honti.
Evaṃ lomādīsu.
See also the discussion at Vibh-a 251f.:
… vaṇṇato na upaṭṭhāti, paṭikūlavasena vā
dhātuvasena vā upaṭṭhāti, … paṭikkūlato na upaṭṭhāti, vaṇṇavasena vā dhātuvasena vā
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The meditator who gives rise to the sign through colour should attend by way of the colour totalities;
the meditator who gives rise to the sign through repulsiveness should attend by way of the foul;
and the meditator who gives to the sign through emptiness should attend by way of the elements.
The meditator who [gives rise to the sign] through the [colour] totalities will give rise to the fourth jhāna;
the meditator who [gives rise to the sign] through a foulness object will give rise to the first jhāna;
and the meditator who [gives rise to the sign] through an element object will give rise to threshold jhāna.
Herein, a person with a hate temperament gives rise to the sign through colour,
a person with a greed temperament through repulsiveness,
and a person with an intelligent temperament through the elements.
Furthermore, a person with a hate temperament should attend through colour,
a person with a greed temperament through repulsiveness,
and a person with an intelligent temperament through the elements.
8.11.9.122 - Thirteen ways of practice
Furthermore, one should be mindful of the nature of the body through thirteen ways:
through (1) seed, (2) location, (3) condition, (4) oozing, (5) gradual physical formation, (6) kinds of worms, (7) support, (8) mass, (9) repulsiveness, (10) dirtiness, (11) [breeding] ground, (12) ingratitude, and (13) finiteness.
8.11.9.123 - Seed
Q.
How should one be mindful of the nature of the body through seed ( bījato)?
upaṭṭhāti, … dhātuto na upaṭṭhāti, vaṇṇavasena vā paṭikūlavasena vā upaṭṭhāti, … … ahaṃ
dvattiṃsākāraṃ koṭṭhāsavasena sajjhāyaṃ karomi;
mayhaṃ pana vaṇṇato upaṭṭhātī ti.
Ācariyena … Sādhu, sappurisa, pubbe tayā vaṇṇakasiṇe parikammaṃ katapubbaṃ
bhavissati.
Etadeva kammaṭṭhānaṃ tuyhaṃ sappāyaṃ.
Vaṇṇavaseneva sajjhāyaṃ karohī’ ti vattabbo.
… So evaṃ karonto ajjhattaṃ nīlakaṃ pītakaṃ lohitakaṃ odātakan-ti cattāri vaṇṇakasiṇāni labhati.
Kathaṃ? Tassa hi kesalomapittesu ceva akkhīnañ-ca kāḷakaṭṭhāne vaṇṇaṃ nīlaṃ nīlan-ti manasikarontassa catukkapañcakajjhānāni uppajjanti …
This mode therefore refers to “calm preceded by insight” ( vipassanāpubbaṅgama samatha;
see Paṭis II 96), i.e., insight into the empty nature of the body.
Cf. Vism VIII.
2.5
Kāyagatāsatisutte pana yassa vaṇṇato upaṭṭhāti, taṃ sandhāya cattāri jhānāni vibhattāni.
Tattha dhātuvasena kathitaṃ vipassanākammaṭṭhānaṃ hoti.
Paṭikkūlavasena kathitaṃ
samathakammaṭṭhānaṃ.
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A.
Just as cornel cherries, kosātakī bitter gourds,715 and so on, are all produced from poisonous seeds, so this body, which is produced from the impurity ( asuci)716 of mother and father, is also impure.
Thus, one should be mindful of the nature of the body through seed.
8.11.9.124 - Location
Q.
How should one be mindful of the nature of the body through location ( okāsato)?
A. This body is not produced ( nibbattati) in a blue lotus flower, a white waterlily flower, or a white lotus flower.
717 It is produced in the mother’s womb, in a cramped, impure, stinking, and filthy place.
After being produced, it is cooked between the two receptacles [for undigested and digested food (i.e., the stomach and rectum)].
It stays in the placenta’s sack, between the flanks, bound up, and leaning against the spine.
This location is impure, and therefore the body is impure.
718
Thus, one should be mindful of the nature of the body through location.
8.11.9.125 - Condition
Q.
How should one be mindful of the nature of the body through condition ( paccayato)?
A. When this impure body grows, it does not grow through gold, silver, or gems and the like.
It also does not grow through sandalwood, crape-jasmine-wood,
715 茱萸 is (the berry of) Asiatic Dogwood or Japanese Cornel, Cornus officinalis.
拘沙多紀 =
jū-sa-ta-jī or ko-sa-ta-ki, a transliteration of kosātakī, one of three different kinds of gourds, i.e., Luffa acutangula, Luffa petandra, or Trichosanthes dioica.
716 There might be a word-play on “seed” in the sense of “semen” here.
In Pāli asuci,
“impurity”, can be a synonym for “semen”.
717 Transliterations.
Blue lotus, uppala, = Nymphaea caerulea;
white water-lily, kumuda = Nymphaea pubescens;
white lotus, puṇḍarīka = Nelumbo nucifera.
718 Cf. Vism VIII.
88/p.250:
Ime ca kesā nāma gūtharāsimhi uṭṭhitakaṇṇikaṃ viya ekatiṃsakoṭṭhāsarāsimhi jātā.
Te susānasaṅkāraṭṭhānādīsu jātasākaṃ viya parikkhādīsu jātakamalakuvalayādipupphaṃ viya ca asuciṭṭhāne jātattā paramajegucchāti idaṃ nesaṃ
okāsato pāṭikkulyaṃ.
Vism XVI.
37/p.500, Paṭis-a 143, etc. :
Tatridaṃ gabbhokkanti-mūlakādibhedaṃ dukkhaṃ:
ayañ-hi satto mātukucchimhi nibbattamāno na uppalapaduma-puṇḍarīkādīsu nibbattati, atha kho heṭṭhā āmāsayassa upari pakkāsayassa udarapaṭalapiṭṭhikaṇṭakānaṃ vemajjhe paramasambādhe tibbandhakāre nānākuṇapag andhaparibhāvitaparamaduggandhapavanavicarite adhimattajegucche kucchippadese pūtimacchapūtikummāsacandanikādīsu kimi viya nibbattati.
… paccanubhotī ti.
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agar-wood,719 and the like.
This body is produced in the mother’s womb.
The food eaten by the mother is mixed with nasal mucus, saliva, snot, and phlegm.
It is produced in the mother’s womb where it grows through stinking food and fluids.
720 Upon getting out of that place, it eats rice, milk, and beans, which are mixed and blended with nasal mucus, saliva, snot, and phlegm.
This body grows by means of stinking, foul fluids.
Thus, one should be mindful of the nature of the body through condition.
8.11.9.126 - Oozing
Q.
How should one be mindful of the nature of the body through oozing ( nissandato)?
A. Like a leather bag filled with excrement and urine with many holes through which the filth oozes out, this body is filled with excrement and urine.
[433b]
In this body, tasty foods and drinks become mingled with the stinking filths of nasal mucus, saliva, excrement, and urine.
Various filths ooze out from the [body’s] nine openings.
Because of having many holes, the body does not become filled up.
721
Thus, one should be mindful of the nature of the body through oozing.
719 Candana is the Indian sandalwood tree, Santalum album and its fragrant wood from which bathing powder, incense, etc. , is prepared.
Tagara is the flowering shrub Ervatamia divaricata = Tabernaemontana coronaria and its fragrant wood.
Agalu (Skt aguru), also called aloe-wood or eagle-wood, is the resinous heartwood of the Agara tree Aquilaria mallacensis.
720 Cf. S I 206:
Yañ c’ assa bhuñjate mātā, annaṃ pānañ ca bhojanaṃ, tena so tattha yāpeti,
mātukucchigato naro ti.
Spk I 301:
Tena so tattha yāpetī ti tassa hi nābhito uṭṭhito nāḷo mātu udarapaṭalena ekābaddho hoti, so uppaladaṇḍako viya chiddo, tena āhāraraso saṃsaritvā
āhārasamuṭṭhānarūpaṃ samuṭṭhāpeti.
Evaṃ so dasa māse yāpeti.
Spk-ṭ 307:
Tassā ti gabbhaseyyakasattassa.
Mātu-udarapaṭalena ekābaddho hoti yato mātarā paribhutta-āhāro āmāsaye patiṭṭhite gabbhassa nābhināḷānusārena gabbhagatassa sarīraṃ sampatvā
āhārakiccaṃ karoti.
Āhārasamuṭṭhānarūpaṃ samuṭṭhāpetī ti gabbhagatassa kāye ojāya paccayo hoti.
Sā ca taṃ paccayaṃ labhitvā ojaṭṭhamakaṃ rūpaṃ samuṭṭhāpeti.
Evaṃ mātarā
paribhutta-āhārapaccayena gabbhagato dasa māse yāpeti attano nābhināḷānusāragateneva tena yāva āhārasamuṭṭhānasattāho, tato paṭṭhāya āharaṇato.
Keci pana mātarā paribhutta-
āhāro bāhiravaggo viya tassa kāyaṃ abhisanneti parisanneti, tena so yāpetī ti vadanti.
Kucchigataṃ udarapaṭalena tirohitattā bahi ṭhitanti vattabbataṃ na arahatī ti kucchiyā
abbhantaragato ti āha.
721 Cf. Sn 197:
Ath’ assa navahi sotehi asucī savati sabbadā.
Th 1134:
Na jātu bhastaṃ dubhato mukhaṃ chupe;
dhiratthu pūraṃ navasotasandani.
Th 394:
Āturaṃ asuciṃi pūtiṃi passa kulla samussayaṃ, uggharantaṃ paggharantaṃ bālānaṃ abhinanditaṃ.
Nidd I 181 on Sn 70:
Kimevidaṃ muttakarīsapuṇṇaṃ, pādā pi naṃ samphusituṃ na iccheti.
Kimevidaṃ sarīraṃ
muttapuṇṇaṃ karīsapuṇṇaṃ semhapuṇṇaṃ ruhirapuṇṇaṃ aṭṭhisaṅghātanhārusambandhaṃ
rudhiramaṃsāvalepanaṃ cammavinaddhaṃ chaviyā paṭicchannaṃ chiddāvachiddaṃ
uggharantaṃ paggharantaṃ kimisaṅghanisevitaṃ nānākalimalaparipūraṃ… .
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8.11.9.127 - Gradual physical formation
Q.
How should one be mindful of the nature of the body through gradual physical formation?
A. This body gradually forms due to former kamma:
In the first week the embryo ( kalala) comes to be;
in the second week the growth ( abbuda) comes to be;
in the third week the lump ( pesi) comes to be;
in the fourth week solidity ( ghana) comes to be;
in the fifth week five parts come to be;
722 in the sixth week four parts come to be;
in the seventh week four parts are produced;
in the eighth week twenty-eight parts are produced;
in the ninth and tenth weeks the backbone is produced;
in the eleventh week three hundred bones are produced;
in the twelfth week eight hundred parts are produced;
in the thirteenth week nine hundred parts are produced;
in the fourteenth week one hundred lumps of flesh are produced;
in the fifteenth week blood arises;
in the sixteenth week the membranes723
are produced;
in the seventeenth week the skin is produced;
in the eighteenth week the colour of the skin is produced;
in the nineteenth week, according to kamma, wind [i.e., motion] appears throughout [the body];
in the twentieth week the nine orifices come to be;
in the twenty-fifth week the 17,000 tissues are produced;
in the twenty-sixth week the body’s firmness comes to be;
in the twenty-seventh week it has [physical] power;
in the twenty-eighth week the 99,000 pores arise;
in the twenty-ninth week it is possessed of all of the body parts.
It is also said:
“In the seventh week it has a body ( sarīra) and it leans against the back of the mother with a lowered head in a crouching position.”
In the forty-second week, due to winds produced by kamma, it turns around with its feet upwards and its head down towards the birth canal;
it is then born.
724
The world [now] designates it “a human”.
722 Cf. S I 206:
Paṭhamaṃ kalalaṃ hoti, kalalā hoti abbudaṃ, abbudā jāyate pesī, pesī, pesī
nibbattati ghano, ghanā pasākhā jāyanti, kesā lomā nakhāni ca.
Yañ c’ assa bhuñjate mātā,
annaṃ pānañ ca bhojanaṃ, tena so tattha yāpeti, mātukucchigato naro ti.
Cf. Spk I 299–301:
… Athassa bhagavā na mātukucchismiṃ ekappahāreneva nibbattati, anupubbena pana vaḍḍhatī ti dassento paṭhamaṃ kalalaṃ hotī ti ādim-āha.
Sp II 437:
Tasmā tañ-ca paṭhamaṃ
cittaṃ taṃsampayuttā ca tayo arūpakkhandhā tena saha nibbattañ-ca kalalarūpan-ti ayaṃ sabbapaṭhamo manussaviggaho.
… Evaṃ parittakaṃ vatthuṃ ādiṃ katvā pakatiyā
vīsavassasatāyukassa sattassa yāva maraṇakālā etthantare anupubbena vuḍḍhippatto attabhāvo eso manussaviggaho nāma.
Spk II 321:
… evaṃ rūpam-pi ādito kalalamattaṃ
hutvā anupubbena byāmamattam-pi gomahiṃsahatthi-ādīnaṃ vasena pabbatakūṭādimattaṃ
hoti macchakacchapādīnaṃ vasena anekayojanasatapamāṇam-pi, … Abhidh-k-bh III.
0.791666666666667
kalalaṃ prathamaṃ dhavati kalalājjāyate ’ rbudaḥ / arbudājjāyate peśī peśīto jāyate ghanaḥ // ghanāt praśākhā jāyante keśaromanakhādayaḥ / indriyāṇi ca rūpīṇi vyañjanānyanupūrvaśaḥ.
723 膜, e.g., midriff, pleura, etc. See Vism VIII.
115/p.257 and Ñāṇamoli’s note to it in Path of Purification (2010:
250).
724 Cf. It-a I 113:
Tamenaṃ kammajā vātā nibbattitvā uddhaṃpādaṃ adhosiraṃ
samparivattetvā mātu yonimukhe sampaṭipādentī ti.
Vism XVI.
40/p.500:
Yaṃ vijāyamānāya
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Thus, one should be mindful of the nature of the body through gradual physical formation.
8.11.9.128 - Kinds of worms
Q.
How should one be mindful of the nature of the body through kinds of worms?
A. This body is eaten by the 80,000 families of worms:
725
mātuyā kammajehi vātehi parivattetvā narakapapātaṃ viya atibhayānakaṃ yonimaggaṃ
paṭipātiyamānassa … Ap II 558:
Tadā me kammajā vātā, uppannā atidāruṇā.
Sv III 885:
…
gabbhāvakkanti.
Te kira kammajehi vātehi adhosirā uddhaṃpādā anekasataporise papāte viya yonimukhe khittā ….
In the Abhidharmakośabhāṣya it is also also said that winds born of the result of karma blow on the fetus, turning it around and making it face the birth channel.
Abhidh-k-bh III.
0.791666666666667
tasya khalu kālāntareṇa paripākaprāptasya garbhaśatlasyā-
bhyantarāt mātuḥ kukṣau karmavipākajā vāyavo vānti ye taṃ garbhaśalyaṃ saṃparivarttya mātuḥ kāyāvakṣaradvārābhimukhamavasthāpayanti … In the Chinese translation of the Kṣudrakavastu, it is said that due to the force of karma, wind blows on the child in the womb, causing the head to go down and the feet up, so that it is ready to leave the birth canal;
T 451:
256a23–24. For the Tibetan translation, see Kritzer 2014:
72–73.
The description of the formation of the embryo is also found in Brahmanical works .
For overviews and analyses of Indian and Buddist descriptions, see Kritzer 2008, 2014
and Andreeva & Steavu 2015. The “Yogalehrbuch” also contains a description of the development of the embryo;
see Yamabe 1997:
19–22.
725 八萬戶虫 = asīti sahassāni kimikulāni.
In the Pāli commentaries there are usually 80
families ( asītikimikulāni), e.g., Vism VIII.
25, Khp-a 51, Spk II 321, but in a passage at Ps I 129 and Nidd-a I 94 the number is 80,000 ( asītimattāni kimikulasahassāni):
…
chavinissitā pāṇā cammanissitā pāṇā maṃsanissitā pāṇā nhārunissitā pāṇā aṭṭhinissitā
pāṇā aṭṭhimiñjanissitā pāṇā ti evaṃ kulagaṇanāya asītimattāni kimikulasahassāni antokāyasmiṃ yeva jāyanti, ….
Cf. Śikṣāsamuccaya p.
81 (Bendall ed.
):
aśītiṃ krimikulasahasrāṇi yāni tiṣṭhanti antare | aha bālā na paṣyanti mohajālenâvṛtāḥ.
Cf. Śikṣ p. 129. Cf. Thī 469.
Kimiva tāhaṃ jānantī, vikulakaṃ maṃsasoṇitupalittaṃ;
kimikulālayaṃ sakuṇabhattaṃ,
kaḷevaraṃ kissa dīyati.
Khp-a 47, Sn-a I 247:
Navapesisatā maṃsā, anulittā kaḷevaraṃ;
nānākimikulākiṇṇaṃ, mīḷhaṭṭhānaṃva pūtikan-ti.
Pv-a 192:
nānāvidhakimikulākulaṃ.
In Ch.8 § 129/p. 434a24, 80,000 kinds of worms are also mentioned.
The term is also found in other Chinese translations, e.g., T 0007: 194c12.
Elsewhere in the Pāli, 32 families of worms are mentioned, but only the names of the first families are given:
Vism VIII.121/p.258, Vibh-a 242, Khp-a 57:
yattha takkoṭaka ( Khp-a:
takkolaka) gaṇḍuppādakā tālahīrakā sūcimukhakā paṭatantasuttakā
iccevamādidvattiṃsakulappabhedā kimayo ākulabyākulā saṇḍasaṇḍacārino hutvā nivasanti.
Vism-ṭ I 416 mentions two families of 32 worms:
ukkocakādayo, takkoṭakādayo ca dvattiṃsa dvattiṃsa kulappabhedā kimayo ca naṃ upanissāya jīvantī ti.
Mp-ṭ II 351 mentions perhaps another list:
Kaṭukīṭakādayo dvattiṃsakulappabhedā kimiyo naṃ upanissāya jīvantī ti.
The Chinese translation of the Kṣudrakavastu of the Mūlasarvāstivāda Vinaya contains a similar long list of families of worms (八萬戶虫) that live on different parts of the body;
T 1451: 256b29–257a13. It is is similar to the one in the Vimuttimagga and starts with “There is one kind of worm called ‘hair-feeder’ that relies on the roots of hair, and always feeds on one’s hair.
There are two kinds of worms, one called ‘stick-holder/store’ and the second called ‘coarse head’, that rely on the scalp, ….”
etc. , contintuing with one worm that relies on the eye, four on the brain, one on the ear, one on the nose, etc. , and ending with the ones
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The worms that rely on the hair are called “iron hair”.
The worms that rely on the skull are called “swollen ear”.
726 The worms that rely on the brain are called
“maddener”.
There are four kinds of maddeners:
The first are called ukurimbha;
727 the second sipāla;
the third daraka;
and the fourth dakasira.
The worms that rely on the eye are called “eye-licker”.
The worms that rely on the ear are called “ear-licker”.
The worms that rely on the nose are called
“nose-licker”.
There are three kinds of them:
The first are called rukamukha;
the second aruka;
and the third manarumukha.
The worms that rely on the tongue are called mugha.
The worms that rely on the root of the tongue are called motanta.
The worms that rely on the teeth are called kubha.
The worms that rely on the roots of the teeth are called ubhakubha.
The worms that rely on the throat are called abasaka.
The worms that rely on the neck are of two kinds:
the first are called rokara and the second virokara.
[433c]
The worms that rely on the hair of the body are called “body-hair licker”.
The worms that rely on the nails are called “nail-licker”.
The worms that rely on the skin are of two kinds:
The first are called tuna and the second tunanda.
The worms that rely on the membranes728 are of two kinds:
The first are called virambha and the second mahāvirambha.
The worms that rely on the flesh are of two kinds:
The first are called arabha and the second rasabha.
The worms that rely on the blood are of two kinds:
The first are called bhara and the second bhadara.
The worms that rely on the sinews are of four kinds:
The first are called rotara;
the second kitabha;
the third baravatara;
and the fourth ranavarana.
The worms that rely on the veins are called karikuna.
The worms that rely on the roots of the veins are of two kinds:
The first are called sivara and the second ubasisira.
The worms that rely on the bones are of four kinds:
The first are called kachibhida;
the second anabhida;
the third chiridabhida;
and the fourth kachigokara.
The worms that rely on the marrow are of two kinds:
the first are called misa and the second misasira.
that rely on the feet.
In the * Garbhāvakrāntisūtra, 胞胎經, the passage is much shorter and only mentions the first few worms, i.e., those that live on the hair, root of hair, and top of the head, T 317:
889c22–25. It refers on to the * Yogācārabhūmisūtra, 修行道地, where there is a complete list of 80 kinds of worms (八十種蟲) living from the roots of the hair to the feet.
It gives two worms living in the roots of the hair, two kinds in the scalp, three kinds in the brain-membrane and brain, two on the forehead, two in the eye, etc. , with their names;
T 606:
188a29–c01. For a detailed discussion of the kinds of worms in the * Garbhāvakrāntisūtra, etc. , see Kritzer 2014:
24–29, 160–61.
726 耳腫.
V.l. 耳種 “ear-kind” ( sota-bīja).
727 The transliterations of the names of the worms are usually based on EKS’s, having adapted them to the transliterations and pronunciations of characters as provided in DDB.
Bapat (1937:
131f) gives quite different transliterations, which are often unintelligible from an Indic perspective.
728 膜, e.g., membranes such as the midriff, pleura, meninges, etc. See Vism VIII.
115/p.257
and Ñāṇamoli’s note to it in PoP.
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The worms that rely on the spleen are of two kinds:
The first are called nira and the second bita.
The worms that rely on the heart are of two kinds:
The first are called sibita and the second ubadabita.
The worms that rely on the root of the heart are of two kinds:
The first are called manka and the second sira.
The worms that rely on the fat are of two kinds:
The first are called kara and the second karasira.
The worms that rely on the bladder are of two kinds:
the first are called bikara and the second mahākara.
The worms that rely on the root of the bladder are of two kinds:
The first are called kara and the second karasira.
729 The worms that rely on the placenta are of two kinds:
The first are called supāla and the second mahāsupāla.
The worms that rely on the root of the placenta are of two kinds:
The first are called rata and the second mahārata.
The worms that rely on the small intestine are of two kinds:
The first are called sorata and the second mahārata.
The worms that rely on the root of the small intestine are of two kinds:
The first are called siba and the second mahāsiba.
The worms that rely on the root of730
the large intestine are of two kinds:
the
first are called anabhakha and the second kababhakha.
The worms that rely on the stomach are of four kinds:
The first are called ujuka;
the second ushabha;
the third chisabha;
and the fourth sensibha.
The worms that rely on the rectum are of four kinds:
The first are called bhakana;
the second mahābhakana;
the third danapana;
and the fourth punamukha.
[434a]
The worms that rely on the bile ( pitta) are called pitika.
The worms that rely on saliva ( semha) are called sem( i) ka.
The worms that rely on sweat ( seda) are called sudika/ sedika.
The worms that rely on grease ( meda) are called midika/ medika.
The worms that rely on strength are of two kinds:
The first are called subakama and the second samakita.
The worms that rely on the root of strength are of three kinds:
the first are called sukamukha;
the second darukamukha;
and the third sanamukha.
There are five kinds of worms:
(1) Those that rely on the front of the body and feed on the front of the body;
(2) those that rely on the back of the body and feed on the back of the body;
(3) those that rely on the left side of the body and feed on the left side of the body;
(4) those that rely on the right side of the body and feed on the right side of the body — these worms are called candasira, sinkasira,
hucura and so forth — and (5) there are three kinds of worms that rely on the two lower orifices:
The first are called kurukulayuyu;
the second sarayu;
and the third gandupāda.
729 These two names are also given for the two worms feeding on fat, two lines above.
This part appears to be corrupt, see next footnote.
730 The first part of the pair, i.e., the large intestine (without “root of”), apparently is missing here, or “root of” is a corruption.
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Thus, one should be mindful of the nature of the body through resident [kinds of] worms.
731
8.11.9.129 - Support
Q.
How should one be mindful of the nature of the body through [skeletal]
support?
A. The foot-bones support the shin bones;
the shin bones support the thigh bones;
the thigh bones support the pelvic bone;
the pelvic bone supports the spine bones;
the spine bones support the shoulder blades;
the shoulder blades support the arm bones;
the arm bones support the neck bones;
the neck bones support the skull;
the skull supports the jaw bones;
and the jaw bones support the teeth bones.
732
Thus, this body is a union of bones bound together [with sinews], wrapped in a hide, hidden by the outer skin.
733 This filthy body is produced by kamma;
no other [being] is able to create it.
Thus, one should recall the nature of the body through support.
8.11.9.130 - Mass
Q.
How should one reflect on the nature of the body through mass?
A. The nine bones of the head, two cheek bones, thirty-two teeth bones, seven neck bones, fourteen chest bones, twenty-four flank bones, eighteen back bones, two hip bones, sixty-four hand bones, sixty-four foot bones, and sixty-four cartilage bones which depend on the flesh — these are the 300 bones.
Eight hundred joints, 900 tendons, 900 muscles, 17,000 tissues, eight million hairs of the head, 99,000 hairs of the body, sixty interstices, and 80,000 kinds
731 虫居止.
Above (433a12, b20) “kinds of worms” 虫種 is used instead.
732 Cf. Vism XI.
55/p.355 Aṭṭhīsu paṇhikaṭṭhi gopphakaṭṭhiṃ ukkhipitvā ṭhitaṃ;
gopphakaṭṭhi
… gīvaṭṭhīni sīsaṭṭhīni ukkhipitvā ṭhitānīti etenānusārena avasesānipi aṭṭhīni veditabbāni.
In the “Abridged Essence of Meditation”, 思惟略要法, at T 617: 298c07–10:
“The shin bone is on top of and joined to the foot bone;
the thigh/pelvic bone to the shin bone;
the spine bones to the thigh/pelvic bone;
and the skull is on top of and joined to the spine bones — each bone supports the others.
It is as perilous as a pile of eggs.”
See also Greene 2012:
66
733 Nidd I 181:
aṭṭhisaṅghātanhārusambandhaṃ rudhiramaṃsāvalepanaṃ cammavinaddhaṃ
chaviyā paṭicchannaṃ.
Sn 196:
Aṭṭhinahārusaṃyutto, tacamaṃsāvalepano;
chaviyā kāyo paṭicchanno, yathābhūtaṃ na dissati.
Th 569:
Saṭṭhikaṇḍarasambandho, maṃsalepanalepito;
cammakañcukasannaddho, pūtikāyo niratthako.
Th 570:
Aṭṭhisaṅghātaghaṭito,
nhārusuttanibandhano;
nekesaṃ saṃgatībhāvā, kappeti iriyāpathaṃ.
23.9166666666667
Evāyaṃ vattate kāyo, kammayantena yantito;
sampatti ca vipatyantā, nānābhāvo vipajjati.
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of worms.
734 Bile, saliva, and brain are each a palata in weight and the blood is one attha in weight.
735 Thus, these countless kinds of bodily materials, which are only a mass of excrement and an accumulation of urine, are called “body”.
Thus, one should be mindful of the nature of the body through mass.
8.11.9.131 - Repulsiveness
Q.
How should one be mindful of the nature of the body through repulsiveness?
A. That which is valued most is clean.
That which is dear are clothes and ornaments, such as garlands, perfumes and cosmetics, splendid clothes, and bedspreads, pillows, mattresses, rugs, and cushions used for sleeping and sitting, bolsters, blankets, canopies, bedding, etc. , [434b] and also various kinds of food and drink, residences and gifts.
The mind gives rise to appreciation for these
[when they are clean] but later [when they are dirty] it loathes them.
Thus, one should be mindful of the nature of the body through repulsiveness.
8.11.9.132 - Dirtiness
Q.
How should one be mindful of the nature of the body through dirtiness ( aparisuddhi)?
A. When clothes and various kinds of ornaments become dirty, they can be washed, treated, and made clean again.
Why? Because their nature is clean.
However, this dirty body cannot be cleaned.
Furthermore, through applying perfumes and through washing in perfumed water it cannot become clean.
Why? Because its nature is dirty.
Thus, one should be mindful of the nature of the body through dirtiness.
734 Cf. Khp-a 51:
Kevalaṃ tu imāni sādhikāni tīṇi aṭṭhisatāni navahi nhārusatehi navahi ca maṃsapesisatehi ābaddhānulittāni, ekaghanacammapariyonaddhāni, sattarasaharaṇīsa hassānugatasinehasinehitāni, navanavutilomakūpasahassaparissavamānasedajallikāni asītikimikulāni, kāyo tveva saṅkhyaṃ gatāni, yaṃ sabhāvato upaparikkhanto yogāvacaro na kiñci gayhūpagaṃpassati, kevalaṃ tu nhārusambandhaṃ nānākuṇapasaṅkiṇṇaṃ
aṭṭhisaṅghāṭam-eva passati.
735 The Chinese text has interpolations after the measurements:
“in Liáng this is equal to four ryo” and “in Liáng this is equal to three sho” .
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8.11.9.133 - [Breeding] ground
Q.
How should one be mindful of the nature of the body through being a [breeding] ground?
736
A.
Depending on a pond, lotus flowers are produced, and depending on an orchard, fruits are produced.
In the same way depending on this body, various afflictions and diseases are produced.
Thus there are eye-ache, earache, nose-ache, tongue-ache, body-ache, headache, mouth-ache, and toothache, cough, asthma, catarrh, fever, abdominal ache, fainting, diarrhoea, colic, cholera, leprosy, swelling, consumption, ringworm, (itchy) sores, pruritus, ulceration, urinary ailments, hidden diseases, colds, and so on.
This body has innumerable disadvantages ( ādīnava).
737
Thus, one should be mindful of the nature of the body through being a [breeding] ground.
8.11.9.134 - Ingratitude
Q.
How should one be mindful of the nature of the body through ingratitude ( akataññutā)?
738
A.
Even if one takes care of one’s body with the best food and drink, or washes, bathes, rubs, or perfumes it, and clothes it with garments in order to adorn it, whether sleeping or sitting, this body, which is like a poisonous tree, is ungrateful and instead goes towards ageing, disease, and death.
The body is like an ungrateful friend.
736 The character 處 has a wide range of meanings.
In Vim it primarily corresponds to vatthu, but also corresponds to ṭhāna, padaṭṭhāna, upaṭṭhāna, nissaya, padesa, etc. It is also used for the second method, i.e., “through location” and as part of 安處, “support”, in the seventh method.
Perhaps this method corresponds to āsayato “through habitat/hound/abode’’ as in Vism VIII.87/p.250:
Yathā pana asuciṭṭhāne gāmanissandena jātāni sūpeyyapaṇṇāni nāgarika-manussānaṃ jegucchāni honti aparibhogāni, evaṃ kesāpi pubbalohitamuttakarī-
sapittasemhādinis-sandena jātattā jegucchāti idaṃ nesaṃ āsayato pāṭikkulyaṃ.
737 In some cases, it is hard to determine what modern diseases the Chinese and Indic names correspond to.
Cf. A V 109:
Bahudukkho kho ayaṃ kāyo bahuādīnavo.
Iti imasmiṃ kāye vividhā ābādhā uppajjanti, seyyathidaṃ cakkhurogo sotarogo ghānarogo jivhārogo kāyarogo sīsarogo kaṇṇarogo mukharogo dantarogo oṭṭharogo kāso sāso pināso ḍāho jaro kucchirogo mucchā pakkhandikā sūlā visūcikā kuṭṭhaṃ gaṇḍo kilāso soso apamāro daddu kaṇḍu kacchu nakhasā vitacchikā lohitapittaṃ madhumeho aṃsā piḷakā bhagandalā … Cf. Nidd I 12.
There is a similar list of diseases in the in Kṣudrakavastu and * Garbhāvakrāntisūtra, for a detailed discussion see Kritzer 2014:
32–35, 84–86.
738 Th-a III 16:
… akataññunā asuciduggandhajegucchapaṭikkūlasabhāvena iminā kāyena ukkaṇṭhāmi imaṃ kāyaṃ nibbindanto evaṃ tiṭṭhāmi.
Cp-a 293:
… mayā mahādukkhe akataññuke niccāsucimhi kāye paresaṃ upakārāya viniyujjamāne aṇumatto pi micchāvitakko na uppādetabbo.
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Thus, one should be mindful of the nature of the body through ingratitude.
8.11.9.135 - Finiteness
Q.
How should one be mindful of the nature of the body through finiteness?
A. This body will be cremated or devoured [by animals] or will decompose or disintegrate.
This body is finite.
Thus, one should be mindful of the nature of the body through finiteness.
8.11.9.136 - Conclusion
The meditator in these ways and by these means should be mindful of the body through its nature.
Due to mindfulness and due to wisdom, his mind becomes undistracted.
When the mind is undistracted, the hindrances are suspended, the jhāna factors manifest, and he accomplishes the distinction he wishes.
Mindfulness of the body is finished.
8.11.10 - L10. Recollection of Stillness
137 Introduction
Q.
What is “recollection of stillness”?
739 How is it practised?
What are its characteristic, essential function, and footing?
What are its benefits?
What is the procedure?
A. “Stillness” is the cessation of mental and physical movements ( iñjita).
Because of their removal, it is called “stillness”.
When one is recalling stillness, that which is mindfulness, recollection, [remembering;
the mindfulness that is recalling, retaining, not forgetting;
the mindfulness that is the faculty of mindfulness, the power of mindfulness,] and right mindfulness therein — this is called “recollection of stillness”.
The undistracted dwelling [of the mind] due to this recollection is its practice.
To make manifest the qualities of the imperturbable ( āneñja) is its characteristic.
Non-agitation is its essential function.
Sublime freedom is its footing.
Q. What are its benefits?
739 Cf. Vism VII.1/p.197:
Upasamaṃ ārabbha uppannā anussati upasamānussati,
sabbadukkhūpasamārammaṇāya satiyā etamadhivacanaṃ.
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A.
If one practises the recollection of stillness, one sleeps easily and awakens easily, one has calm faculties and a calm mind, one has resolve, one is pleasing, one is endowed with conscience and shame, one is always respected and esteemed by people, one is destined for a good destination or is destined for the deathless.
740 [434c]
138 Procedure
Q.
What is the procedure?
A. The beginner meditator goes to a secluded place, sits down, and concentrates his mind completely.
With an undistracted mind [he recollects]:
“Such a bhikkhu’s faculties are still;
his mind is still.
He enjoys extreme stillness.
Dwelling accordingly, that bhikkhu [is still] by body, speech, and mind, whether seeing or hearing, through the recollection of stillness and through the benefits of stillness.”
As the Fortunate One taught:
“The bhikkhu741 who is endowed with virtue, endowed with concentration, endowed with wisdom, endowed with freedom, and is endowed with the knowledge and vision of freedom — seeing that bhikkhu, I say, is of great help.
Hearing that bhikkhu, I say, is of great help.
Approaching that bhikkhu, I say, is of great help.
Attending that bhikkhu …
recollecting that bhikkhu … going forth in imitation of that bhikkhu, I say, is of great help.
Why is that so?
Bhikkhus, by listening to the Dhamma taught by that bhikkhu one gains two seclusions, namely, seclusion of the body and seclusion of the mind.”
742
“When that bhikkhu enters upon the first jhāna, through the recollection of stillness,743 the [five] hindrances cease.
When he enters upon the second jhāna,
740 Cf. Vism VII.251/p.294:
Imañ-ca pana upasamānussatiṃ anuyutto bhikkhu sukhaṃ supati, sukhaṃ
paṭibujjhati, santindriyo hoti santamānaso, hirottappasamannāgato, pāsādiko, paṇītādhimuttiko,
sabrahmacārīnaṃ garu ca bhāvanīyo ca.
Uttari appaṭivijjhanto pana sugatiparāyano hoti.
741 Although the Pāli parallel (see next footnote) uses the plural “bhikkhus”, there is no indication of the plural in the Chinese and therefore the singular is used in this translation.
742 S V 67:
Ye te bhikkhave bhikkhū sīlasampannā samādhisampannā paññāsampannā
vimuttisampannā vimuttiñāṇadassanasampannā dassanaṃ pāhaṃ bhikkhave tesaṃ
bhikkhūnaṃ bahūpakāraṃ vadāmi.
Savanaṃ … Upasaṅkamanaṃ … Payirūpāsanaṃ …
Anussatiṃ … Anupabbajjaṃ pāhaṃ bhikkhave tesaṃ bhikkhūnaṃ bahūpakāraṃ vadāmi.
Taṃ kissa hetu?
Tathārūpānaṃ … bhikkhūnaṃ dhammaṃ sutvā dvayena vūpakāsena vūpakaṭṭho viharati kāyavūpakāsena ca cittavūpakāsena ca.
…
743 It is unclear whether “through the recollection of stilling”, 以寂寂念, refers to the preceding clause or the succeeding one.
Usually it refers to the latter.
In the following jhānas and attainments, except for nibbāna, this clause is abbreviated to just 念, “recollection”.
It is also unclear whether this paragraph refers to the bhikkhu who is recollected in the passage
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through the recollection of stillness, thinking and exploring cease.
When he enters upon the third jhāna, through the recollection of stillness, rapture ceases.
When he enters upon the fourth jhāna, through the recollection of stillness, pleasure ceases.
When he enters upon the base of boundless space, through the recollection of stillness, perceptions of matter, perceptions of impact and perceptions of diversity cease.
When he enters upon the base of boundless consciousness, through the recollection of stillness, the perception of the base of boundless space ceases.
When he enters upon the base of nothingness, through the recollection of stillness, the perception of the base of boundless consciousness ceases.
When he enters upon the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, through the recollection of stillness, the perception of the base of nothingness ceases.
When he enters upon the state of the cessation of perception and feeling, through the recollection of stillness, perception and feeling ceases.
When he gains the fruit of stream-entry, through the recollection of stillness, the afflictions related to views cease.
When he gains the fruit of once-returning, through the recollection of stillness, coarse sensual desire, coarse hatred, and coarse afflictions cease.
When he gains the fruit of non-returning, through the recollection of stillness, subtle afflictions, subtle sensual desire, and subtle hate cease.
When he gains the fruit of arahantship, through the recollection of stillness, all afflictions cease.
744 When he enters upon nibbāna,745 through the recollection of stillness, everything ceases.”
139 Conclusion
When the meditator in these ways, by these means, and by these qualities, recollects stillness, his mind becomes confident.
Due to confidence and due to mindfulness, his mind becomes undistracted.
When his mind is undistracted,
above or whether it is a new quotation.
The character 滅 usually corresponds to nirujjhati, nirodheti, passambhati, samatha, etc.
744 Cf. Nidd I 74:
Tisso santiyo accantasanti, tadaṅgasanti, sammutisanti.
Katamā accantasanti?
Accantasanti vuccati amataṃ nibbānaṃ.
Yo so sabbasaṅkhārasamatho … nibbānaṃ.
… Katamā tadaṅgasanti?
Paṭhamaṃ jhānaṃ samāpannassa nīvaraṇā santā honti;
…
nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṃ samāpannassa ākiñcaññāyatanasaññā santā hoti.
Ayaṃ tadaṅgasanti.
Katamā sammutisanti?
Sammutisantiyo vuccanti dvāsaṭṭhi diṭṭhigatāni diṭṭhisantiyo.
Cf. S IV
9.04166666666667
Paṭhamaṃ jhānaṃ samāpannassa vācā vūpasantā hoti.
Dutiyaṃ jhānaṃ samāpannassa vitakkavicārā vūpasantā honti … saññāvedayitanirodhaṃ samāpannassa saññā ca vedanā ca vūpasantā honti.
Khīṇāsavassa bhikkhuno rāgo … doso … moho vūpasanto hoti.
Cf. Paṭis I 101:
Paṭhamena jhānena nīvaraṇe nirodheti;
… ākiñcaññāyatanasaññaṃ.
Sotāpattimaggena diṭṭhekaṭṭhe kilese … arahattamaggena sabbakilese nirodheti.
745 I.e., at the break up of his body all experience will completely cease, which is the nibbāna element without remainder, anupādisesa-nibbānadhātu.
The preceding destruction of all defilements or fruit of arahantship is the nibbāna element with remainder, sa-upādisesa-nibbānadhātu, because the arahant still has the sense-faculties with which he experiences feelings;
see It 2:
7/It 38.
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the hindrances are suspended, the jhāna factors manifest, and [the mind]
becomes concentrated in threshold jhāna.
The recollection of stillness is finished.
140 Miscellaneous topics
The following are the miscellaneous topics regarding these ten recollections.
If one recollects the qualities of the Buddhas of the past and the future, it is called “the practice of the recollection of the Buddha”.
In the same way, one recollects the qualities of the Paccekabuddhas.
If one recollects one of the doctrines ( dhamma) that have been well taught, it is called “the practice of the recollection of the Dhamma”.
If one recollects the qualities of the practice ( paṭipadā) of one disciple, it is called “the recollection of the Saṅgha”.
If one recollects his virtue, it is called “the practice of the recollection of virtue”.
If one recollects his generosity, it is called “the recollection of generosity”.
If one delights in the recollection of generosity, [recollecting] generosity to men who have good qualities, one should grasp and uphold [that] sign.
[435a] If one accepts a gift [of food], and has not yet given even one morsel [from it to someone else], one should not eat it.
746
The recollection of deities:
If one is endowed with the five qualities ( dhamma) of faith [and so on], one should practice the recollection of deities.
747
[ The miscellaneous topics are finished. ]
The ten recollections are finished.
748
746 Cf. It 18:
Evañce … sattā jāneyyuṃ dānasaṃvibhāgassa vipākaṃ yathāhaṃ jānāmi, na adatvā bhuñjeyyuṃ, na ca nesaṃ maccheramalaṃ cittaṃ pariyādāya tiṭṭheyya.
Yo pi nesaṃ
assa carimo ālopo carimaṃ kabaḷaṃ, tato pi na asaṃvibhajitvā bhuñjeyyuṃ, sace nesaṃ
paṭiggāhakā assu.
747 This refers to the five qualities — confidence, virtue, learning, generosity, and wisdom —
that the deities are endowed with and which one is supposed to recollect;
see Ch.8 § 96.
748 In the Chinese text this conclusion comes after the recollection of stillness at 434c24, however, since the miscellaneous topics on the ten recollections are part of the ten recollections section it has been moved here.
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8.12 - M. Four Immeasurables
Vimt-N 8 - CHAPTER 8 The Way to Practise [the Meditation Subjects]1
Vimt-N 8.12 - M. Four Immeasurables
Vimt-N 8.12.1 - M1. Loving-kindness
Vimt-N 8.12.2 - M2. Compassion
Vimt-N 8.12.3 - M3. Appreciative gladness
Vimt-N 8.12.4 - M4. Equanimity
8.12.1 - M1. Loving-kindness
141 Introduction
Q.
What is “loving-kindness” ( mettā)?
How is it practised?
What are its characteristic, essential function, and manifestation?
What are its benefits?
What is the procedure?
A. Just as parents with only one child, on seeing their dear child, give rise to the mind of benevolence ( hita-citta), just so one gives rise to the mind of loving-kindness and the mind of benevolence towards all beings749 — this is called
“loving-kindness”.
The undistracted dwelling in this practice is its practice.
To induce benevolence is its characteristic.
Love ( sineha) is its essential function.
Non-ill will is its manifestation.
750
If one practises loving-kindness, one accomplishes and gains eleven benefits:
(1) one sleeps easily;
(2) one awakens easily;
(3) one does not have bad dreams;
751
749 Cf. Sn 149:
Mātā yathā niyaṃ puttamāyusā ekaputtamanurakkhe;
evam-pi sabbabhūtesu,
mānasaṃ bhāvaye aparimāṇaṃ.
Cp-a 289:
sabbasattanikāyaṃ attano orasaputtaṃ viya piyacittena pariggaṇhāti.
Na cassa cittaṃ puttasaṃkilesavasena saṃkilissati.
Sattānaṃ
hitasukhāvaho cassa ajjhāsayo payogo ca hoti.
Mp IV 186:
Mettacittan-ti sabbasattānaṃ
hitapharaṇacittaṃ.
Taṃ pana appanāvaseneva gahitaṃ.
M I 123:
… evaṃ sikkhitabbaṃ na ceva me cittaṃ vipariṇataṃ bhavissati, na ca pāpikaṃ vācaṃ nicchāressāmi, hitānukampī ca viharissāmi mettacitto, na dosantaro ti.
Th 648:
Sabbamitto sabbasakho, sabbabhūtānukampako;
mettacittañ-ca bhāvemi, abyāpajjarato sadā.
Sv I 71:
… appamāṇena mettena cittena sakalaṃ sattalokaṃ anukampati.
… Appamāṇaṃ hitaṃ cittan-ti appamāṇaṃ katvā
bhāvitaṃ sabbasattesu hitacittaṃ.
J-a II 61:
Dayāpanno ti dayaṃ mettacittataṃ āpanno.
Sabbapāṇabhūtahitānukampī ti;
sabbe pāṇabhūte hitena anukampako.
Tāya dayāpannatāya sabbesaṃ pāṇabhūtānaṃ hitacittako ti attho.
A I 54. Accharāsaṅghātamattam-pi ce …
bhikkhu mettacittaṃ bhāveti;
ayaṃ vuccati … bhikkhu arittajjhāno viharati satthusāsanakaro ovādapatikaro, amoghaṃ raṭṭhapiṇḍaṃ bhuñjati.
Ko pana vādo ye naṃ bahulīkarontī ti.
(Cf. S II 264, A IV 395)
750 Cf. Vism IX.
93/p.318, As 193:
hitākārappavattilakkhaṇā mettā, hitūpasaṃhārarasā,
āghātavinayapaccupaṭṭhānā, sattānaṃ manāpabhāvadassanapadaṭṭhānā.
Byāpādūpasamo etissā sampatti, sinehasambhavo vipatti.
Ap-a 224:
Tattha aparimāṇesu cakkavāḷesu aparimāṇā sattā sukhī hontu ti ādinā sinehalakkhaṇāya mettāya pharitvā viharanti …
Vism IX.92, As 192:
tāva mejjatī ti mettā, siniyhatī ti attho.
Vibh 86:
Yā sattesu metti mettāyanā mettāyitattaṃ mettācetovimutti ayaṃ vuccati abyāpādadhātu.
Th-a II 273:
mijjati siniyhati etāyā ti mettā, abyāpādo.
Peṭ 124:
Yā sattesu … abyāpādo adoso mettā mettāyanā
atthakāmatā hitakāmatā cetaso pasādo, ayaṃ adoso kusalamūlaṃ.
Spk III 122:
Abyāpādoti mettā ca mettāpubbabhāgo ca.
Th-a II 273:
mijjati siniyhati etāyā ti mettā,
abyāpādo.
751 不見惡夢, lit.
“to see a bad dream” = na pāpakaṃ supinaṃ passati.
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(4) one is dear to humans;
(5) one is dear to non-humans;
(6) deities protect one;
(7) fire, poison, swords, and sticks cannot affect one;
(8) one’s mind concentrates quickly;
(9) one’s complexion is bright;
(10) at the time of death one is not confused;
and (11) if one does not attain to the supreme state, one is reborn in the world of Brahmā.
752
142 Procedure
Q.
What is the procedure?
A. The beginner meditator who desires to practise loving-kindness should first reflect on the disadvantages of anger and resentment and on the advantages of patience, and he should resolve upon patience.
143 Disadvantages of anger and resentment
Q.
What is [meant by] “should reflect on the disadvantages of anger and resentment”?
A. When a person first gives rise to anger and resentment, the mind of loving-kindness is burnt away and his mind becomes troubled;
then, as he becomes increasingly angry, he frowns;
then … he utters harsh words;
then … he stares in the four directions;
then … he grasps stick and sword;
then … he convulses with rage and vomits blood;
then … he hurls valuables hither and thither;
then … he hits and breaks many things;
and then, as he becomes increasingly angry, he kills others or kills himself.
Furthermore, if someone is continuously angry and resentful, he does such fearful kamma as murdering his mother or father, or murdering an arahant, or splitting the Saṅgha, or, with a wicked mind, spilling the blood of a Buddha.
753
Thus, one should reflect.
752 A V 342;
Paṭis II 130;
Mil 197:
… Sukhaṃ supati, sukhaṃ paṭibujjhati, na pāpakaṃ
supinaṃ passati, manussānaṃ piyo hoti, amanussānaṃ piyo hoti, devatā rakkhanti nāssa aggi vā visaṃ vā satthaṃ vā kamati, tuvaṭaṃ cittaṃ samādhiyati, mukhavaṇṇo vippasīdati,
asammūḷho kālaṃ karoti, uttariṃ appaṭivijjhanto brahmalokūpago hoti.
Paṭis-a III 604:
Uttari appaṭivijjhantoti mettāsamāpattito uttariṃ arahattaṃ adhigantuṃ asakkonto ito cavitvā suttappabuddho viya brahmalokūpago hotī ti … Vin-a 1346:
Uttari appaṭivijjhantoti mettājhānato uttariṃ arahattaṃ asacchikaronto sekho vā puthujjano vā hutvā kālaṃ
karonto brahmalokūpago hoti.
753 These are the five immediately retributive actions, ānantarikāni kammāni or ānantariyakammāni, which prevent one from becoming a stream-enterer or from fully entering the Saṅgha as a bhikkhu.
Probably 可畏事, “fearful kamma”, is the translation of ānantariyakammāni.
Cf. Vibh 378:
Tattha katamāni pañca kammāni ānantarikāni?
Mātā jīvitā voropitā
hoti, pitā jīvitā voropito hoti, arahanto jīvitā voropito hoti, duṭṭhena cittena tathāgatassa
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Furthermore, one should reflect thus:
“I am called a disciple ( sāvaka);
if I do not remove anger I will certainly be shamed.
I recollect the simile of the saw754 [435b] as taught in the Suttas and I desire wholesome states [of mind];
if I cause anger to increase, I will become loathsome, I will be like a man who wishes to take a bath but instead enters a cesspit.
I am one who is learned;
if I do not overcome anger, I will be despised like a physician who himself has cholera.
I am esteemed by the world;
if I do not remove anger, I will be despised like a painted vase containing filth and revealing it.
If a man has wisdom but gives rise to anger, he is like a man who knowingly eats food mixed with poison.
Why? The result of this very despicable anger is painful.
Like a man who is bitten by a snake and who has the antidote but is not willing to take it, he is known as one who relishes suffering and does not relish happiness;
in the same way, a bhikkhu, who gives rise to anger and does not subdue it quickly, is known as a bhikkhu who relishes suffering and does not relish happiness.
Why? Because this anger is very fearful.”
Furthermore, one should reflect on anger thus:
“When one is angry, one makes one’s enemies laugh at one and makes one’s friends feel ashamed.
Though one may have deep virtue, one is belittled.
If one was originally respected, one then becomes disrespected.
If famous, one then becomes infamous.
If seeking happiness, one gets suffering.
Having obtained imperturbability ( āneñja), one becomes perturbed.
Having vision, one becomes blind.
If wise, one becomes foolish.”
Thus, one should reflect on the disadvantages of anger and resentment.
Q. What is meant by “one should reflect on the advantages of patience”?
A. [One should reflect:] “Patience is power.
755 This is an armour capable of protecting the body and dispelling anger.
This is repute.
This is praised by the wise.
This gives the happiness of non-remorse.
756 This is a guardian who gives full protection.
This is a skill that gives insight into phenomena.
This is a designation for ‘conscience and shame’ ( hiri-ottappa).”
lohitaṃ uppāditaṃ hoti, saṅgho bhinno hoti — imāni pañca kammāni ānantarikāni.
Vin II 193:
Idaṃ … devadattena paṭhamaṃ ānantariyaṃ kammaṃ upacitaṃ, yaṃ duṭṭhacittena vadhakacittena tathāgatassa ruhiraṃ uppāditan-ti.
Vin I 135:
na mātughātakassa … na pitughātakassa … na arahantaghātakassa … na saṅghabhedakassa … na lohituppādakassa
… nisinnaparisāya pātimokkhaṃ uddisitabbaṃ.
754 Cf. Th 445:
Uppajjate sace kodho āvajja kakacūpamaṃ.
M I 129, 186, 189:
Ubhatodaṇḍakena ce pi bhikkhave kakacena corā ocarakā aṅgamaṅgāni okanteyyuṃ,
tatra pi yo mano padoseyya na me so tena sāsanakaro ti.
755 Cf. Dhp 399:
Khantibalaṃ balāṇīkaṃ.
Paṭis II 171:
Byāpādassa pahīnattā abyāpādo khantī
ti khantibalaṃ.
756 不退;
see Ch.1 fn. 33 on the confusion of aparihāna/ apratisāra and vippaṭisāra.
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Further, one should reflect thus:
“Having shaven off the head hair, I should be very patient.
757 Having received the alms of the country, through having a patient mind I will give great fruit and reward ( mahāphala-vipāka) to the givers.
I bear the appearance and the dress of the noble ones;
758 this patience is a practice of the noble ones.
When I have anger, I will give rise to non-anger.
I am called a disciple ( sāvaka);
now I will truly be called a disciple.
The givers of alms give me various things;
through this patience, I will cause them to obtain great reward.
I have faith;
this patience is my basis for faith.
I have wisdom;
this patience is my basis for wisdom.
If there is the poison of anger in me, this patience is my antidote.”
Thus, reflecting on the disadvantages of anger and resentment and on the advantages of patience, one resolves:
“I should be patient.
When people blame me, I should be patient;
I should be meek and without haughtiness.”
759
144 Developing loving-kindness
The meditator who has become patient, wishing to benefit himself, enters a secluded place.
With an undistracted mind he at first begins to pervade himself
[with the thought]:
“May I be happy and free from suffering” [435c] [or:]
“May I be free from enmity;
may I be free from ill will.
760 May I be free from all anxiety and be happily endowed with all good qualities.”
761 The meditator subdues his mind and makes it soft and malleable.
When his mind is soft and malleable, then he should develop loving-kindness towards all beings as to himself.
When developing loving-kindness towards all beings, at first the meditator should not give rise to loving-kindness towards enemies, neutral persons, bad persons, persons without good qualities, and dead persons as subject.
762
757 Cf. Ps I 79:
Āvuso, pabbajito nāma adhivāsanasīlo hotī ti.
758 Th 961:
Surattaṃ arahaddhajaṃ.
759 Cf. Ud 45:
Sutvāna vākyaṃ pharusaṃ udīritaṃ adhivāsaye bhikkhu aduṭṭhacitto ti.
760 The text has 云何, “why?”
at the start of this clause, but since there is no indication of an answer, it is probably a copyist’s mistake or a mistranslation.
On the additions of question markers in the Chinese translation, see Introduction § 4.4.
761 Cf. Vism IX.
0.333333333333333
Sabbapaṭhamaṃ pana ahaṃ sukhito homi niddukkho ti vā, avero abyāpajjo anīgho sukhī attānaṃ pariharāmī ti vā evaṃ punappunaṃ attaniyeva bhāvetabbā.
Vism IX.
0.375
Yañ-ca paṭisambhidāyaṃ (Patis II 130) Katamehi pañcahākārehi anodhisopharaṇā
mettā cetovimutti bhāvetabbā, sabbe sattā averā hontu abyāpajjā anīghā sukhī attānaṃ
pariharantu.
Sabbe pāṇā… sabbe bhūtā… sabbe puggalā… sabbe attabhāvapariyāpannā
averā abyāpajjā anīghā sukhī attānaṃ pariharantu ti.
“I am happily free from all anxiety and am endowed with all good qualities” is likely a mistranslation of sukhī attānaṃ pariharāmī, “I am free from anxiety and live happily”;
see Ñāṇamoli, PoP IX.
8
762 Cf. Vism IX.
4/p.295. 人處 = puggala-vatthu, puggala-ṭhāna, occurs fours times in this paragraph, the next and at 436a06.
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[At first] the meditator should give rise to loving-kindness for a person who has benefited him, someone he respects, someone who arouses a sense of conscience and shame in him, but not for someone he despises, nor for someone who is neutral to him.
At first, he should arouse loving-kindness towards the person for whom he has no jealousy or ill will.
At first, he should recollect the person’s benevolent and respectable qualities thus:
“Because of his natural endowment with virtue, renown,763 [faith], learning, virtue, concentration, and wisdom I respect him.
Because of his generosity, kind speech, beneficial acts, and cooperativeness,764 I am benefited.”
Thus, he recollects well the qualities of someone he respects, someone who has benefited him, and generates the perception of respect and the perception of friendship towards that person as the subject.
He should develop loving-kindness to him, should give rise to a benevolent mind towards him, and should think and reflect on him, wishing him to have a mind that is without enmity;
wishing him to be without ill will;
wishing him comfort ( phāsu);
wishing him to be free from anxiety;
wishing him to be endowed with all benefits;
wishing him to have good gains;
wishing him to have renown;
wishing him to have faith;
wishing him to be happy;
wishing him to be virtuous;
wishing him to be learned;
wishing him to be generous;
wishing him to be wise;
wishing him to sleep easily and to awake easily;
wishing him to have no bad dreams;
wishing him to be dear to humans;
wishing him to be dear to non-human beings;
wishing him to be protected by deities;
wishing him to be unaffected by fire, poison, sword, or stick and the like;
wishing that his mind becomes concentrated quickly;
wishing him to have a bright complexion;
765 wishing him to be born in the Middle Country;
wishing him to meet good people;
wishing him to perfect himself;
wishing him to be free from disease;
wishing him to have a long life;
and wishing him to always obtain comfort.
Furthermore, one should reflect thus:
“If I have not yet having given rise to unwholesome states towards him, I resolve not to give rise to them;
if I have already given rise to them, I resolve to abandon them;
if I have not yet given rise
763 This is a description of the good friend, kalyāṇamitto.
Instead of the usual 戒 for sīla, virtue, 性 is used, which usually corresponds to pakati.
稱譽 corresponds to yasa, “fame”, pasattha/ pasaṃsa “praised/praise”, or garu “reverence” which is not a personal quality.
In Pāli the sequence is faith, virtue, learning, concentration, and wisdom, which are called the “characteristic of the good friend” ( kalyāṇamittalakkhaṇa) in Ud-a 221. Below, at 435c16, the sequence is:
gain, renown, faith, happiness, virtue, learning, generosity, and wisdom.
It-a adds that the good friend is naturally ( pakatiyā) endowed with these qualities.
It-a 64:
Tatrāyaṃ kalyāṇamitto pakatiyā saddhāsampanno hoti sīlasampanno sutasampanno cāgasampanno vīriyasampanno satisampanno samādhisampanno paññāsampanno.
764 These are the four saṅgahavatthu or “bases of social unity”;
see A II 32:
Dānaṃ,
peyyavajjaṃ, atthacariyā, samānattatā, imāni kho … cattāri saṅgahavatthūnī ti.
765 A V 341, Paṭis II 129:
Sukhaṃ supati, sukhaṃ paṭibujjhati, na pāpakaṃ supinaṃ passati,
manussānaṃ piyo hoti, amanussānaṃ piyo hoti, devatā rakkhanti, nāssa aggi vā visaṃ vā
satthaṃ vā kamati, tuvaṭaṃ cittaṃ samādhiyati, mukhavaṇṇo vippasīdati.
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to wholesome states towards him, I resolve to give rise to them;
and if I have already given rise to them, I resolve to increase them.”
766
Furthermore, [one should reflect thus:] “If I have not yet given rise to states of non-liking ( apiya) towards him, I resolve not to give rise to them;
if I have already given rise to them, I resolve to abandon them;
if I have not yet given rise to states of love towards him, I resolve to give rise to them;
and if I have already given rise to them, I resolve to increase them.”
767
Due to the mind of loving-kindness, the meditator gains confidence ( saddhā).
Due to confidence, he exerts the mind.
Due to exertion, he establishes mindfulness.
Due to confidence, due to exertion, and due to mindfulness, his mind becomes undistracted.
768
He, being aware of the undistractedness in these ways and by these means, develops the mind of loving-kindness for that [respected] person769 and practices
766 There is no first person indicated in the text, however, the introduction about the reflection to be carried out (如是應思惟) indicates that the first person should be used.
The character 願 usually corresponds to paṇidahati, “to aspire”, “to want”, “to desire”, “to wish”.
In the preceding passage it has been translated as “wishing” but here a stronger sense is required.
I take 於彼 to mean “toward him”, i.e., towards the other person.
Cf. A II 15;
IV 462:
… sammappadhānāni.
… anuppannānaṃ pāpakānaṃ akusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ
anuppādāya … adahati;
uppannānaṃ pāpakānaṃ akusalānaṃ dhammānaṃ pahānāya …
767 The Chinese of this passage is garbled and it has been translated in accordance with the arrangement of the preceding passage.
768 Paṭis II 19:
Adhimuccanto saddhāya carati, paggaṇhanto vīriyena carati, upaṭṭhāpento satiyā carati, avikkhepaṃ karonto samādhinā carati, … Paṭis-a III 543:
Adhimuccantoti adhimokkhaṃ karonto.
Saddhāya caratī ti saddhāvasena pavattati.
Paggaṇhantoti catusammappadhānavīriyena padahanto.
Upaṭṭhāpentoti satiyā ārammaṇaṃ upaṭṭhāpento.
Avikkhepaṃ karontoti samādhivasena vikkhepaṃ akaronto.
769 There is no indication here in the text that one should develop mettā for oneself, and this was already mentioned at 435c01–05. 於彼人 = “for that person”.
However, “that person”, as the start of this section (435c09) indicates, is “someone he respects, who has benefited him, and who arouses a sense of conscience and shame.”
The sequence as given below at 436b18–19 is oneself, (close) friend, neutral person, enemy.
Vism IX.4/p.296 gives the persons for whom not to develop mettā at first as:
a non-dear person, a very dear friend, a neutral person, and a hostile person ( appiyapuggale,
atippiyasahāyake, majjhatte, verīpuggaleti).
Instead (Vism IX.8) one should first develop only towards oneself.
At Vism IX.11–12/p. 298, the sequence of development is oneself, respectful person (such as one’s teacher or preceptor), very dear friend, neutral person, and hostile person ( paṭhamaṃ attānaṃ mettāya pharitvā tadanantaraṃ
sukhappavattanatthaṃ yvāyaṃ piyo manāpo garu bhāvanīyo ācariyo vā ācariyamatto vā
… tadanantaraṃ atippiyasahāyake, atippiyasahāyakato majjhatte, majjhattato verīpuggale mettā bhāvetabbā.
Vism IX.
40/p. 307 mentions two groups of persons:
dear, very dear friend, neutral, and hostile, and then:
oneself, dear, neutral, and hostile.
Apparently the Vimuttimagga also makes the distinction between the respected, dear person — i.e., “that person”— and the very dear, close friend, “the dear person”.
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it much.
The meditator, being aware of the undistracted mind, [436a] and having in these ways and by these means developed the mind of loving-kindness for that [respected] person, and having practised it much, should then with a soft and malleable mind gradually develop the mind of loving-kindness for a [very]
dear person.
Having developed the mind of loving-kindness for a [very] dear person, he should [with a soft and malleable mind] gradually develop the mind of loving-kindness for a neutral person.
Having developed the mind of loving-kindness for a neutral person, he should [with a soft and malleable mind]
gradually develop the mind of loving-kindness for an enemy.
Thus, he pervades and adverts to all beings just as if they were himself.
If loving-kindness for the neutral person as the subject does not develop or if the meditator [even] briefly cannot arouse loving-kindness [for him], he should be disgusted:
“There is unwholesomeness and non-love in me.
Wishing to develop wholesome states I went forth [from home to homelessness] ( pabbajjā) out of faith.
I am also said to be one who is dependent on the Great Teacher who benefited all beings and gave rise to great compassion [for all beings], but I cannot arouse the mind of loving-kindness [even] for a neutral person, let alone for an enemy.”
770
If the meditator with such disgust still cannot abandon the anger, he should not
[continue to] endeavour to develop loving-kindness, but should develop the other skilful means for removing the anger for that person.
145 Skilful means for removing anger
Q.
What are the means ( upāya) for removing anger?
A. (1) One should interact with him;
(2) one should just reflect on his good qualities;
(3) good will;
(4) the ownership of kamma;
(5) release from debt;
(6) kinship;
(7) one’s own fault;
(8) one should not pay attention;
(9) one should contemplate one’s own suffering;
(10) the nature of the sense-faculties;
(11) momentary cessation;
(12) union;
and (13) emptiness.
(1) [“Interacting”]:
771 One should aid that person even if he gives rise to anger.
One should give him willingly what he asks for and accept willingly what he gives.
Moreover, in speaking with him, one should always use good words.
770 我復說言依大師故饒益眾生起大慈悲於一中人不起慈心何況於怨家.
It is difficult to
make sense of the first part of this sentence.
771 In the introduction above, 周旋 “interaction, association” = sannipatana?
, was used, while this word is missing here.
攝受, “assisting, aiding” elsewhere in Vim corresponds to anuggaha, i.e., 攝受梵行 = brahmacariyānuggaha.
Meanings of 周旋 given in dictionaries are “daily acts” and “to act as a go-between”.
The latter meaning would suggest that it has the same meaning as 攝受.
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One should follow along with what the other does.
Because of aiding him thus, the anger towards each other772 ceases.
(2) “Good qualities” ( guṇa):
If one sees his good qualities, one should just reflect on those good qualities, not on the bad qualities.
It is as if a pond covered with water plants, and, having removed the water plants, one takes the water.
773 If he has no good qualities, one should have compassion thus:
“This man has no good qualities;
surely, he will go to a bad destination.”
774
(3) “Good will”:
775 One should just reflect on him with good will:
“If someone is unkind [to me], let me give rise to goodwill.
If I have been unkind towards him, I should act meritoriously [toward him].
Furthermore, having stopped unwholesomeness [toward him], I will have a good destination”.
Thus, the turning of anger into good will is to be known.
776
(4) “Ownership of kamma ( kammassakatā)”:
One should reflect on his evil kamma:
“[Because of] the evil things which that person has done, he is a ground for anger ( āghātavatthu?
).”
777
(5) “Release from debt” ( ānaṇya):
“If that person insults and harms me, it is owing to my past evil kamma.
Now I witness that I am released from that debt.
Reflecting on this, I should be glad.”
778
772 The characters 彼此 could mean “each other” but are not used in this way elsewhere in Vim and 此 could qualify 瞋恚.
However, see Vism IX.
39/p.306:
Tassevaṃ karoto ekanteneva tasmiṃ puggale āghāto vūpasammati.
Itarassa ca atītajātito paṭṭhāya anubandho pi kodho taṅkhaṇaññeva vūpasammati.
773 A III 187–8:
Seyyathā pi āvuso pokkharaṇī sevālapaṇakapariyonaddhā, … Evaṃ tasmiṃ
puggale āghāto paṭivinetabbo.
774 Ibid.
7.875
Seyyathā pi āvuso puriso ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno addhānamagga-paṭipanno… Māyam āyasmā kāyassa bhedā parammaraṇā apāyaṃ duggatiṃ vinipātaṃ
nirayaṃ uppajjatī’ ti.
Evaṃ tasmiṃ puggale āghāto paṭivinetabbo.
Cf. Sv-ṭ I 104:
Aparādhake ca sati guṇe guṇavati mayā na kopo kātabbo ti ca asati guṇe visesena karuṇāyitabbo ti.
775 恩 = kataññu “grateful”, upakāra “helpful”, and paṭikāra “counteraction”.
776 Cf. Cp-a 298, Sv-ṭ I 104:
apakārake asati kathaṃ mayhaṃ khantisampadā sambhavatī ti ca yadipāyaṃ etarahi apakārako, ayaṃ nāma pubbe anena mayhaṃ upakāro kato ti ca apakāro eva vā khantinimittatāya upakāro ti ca.
777 Cf. A III 185:
Yasmiṃ … puggale āghāto jāyetha, kammassakatā tasmiṃ puggale adhiṭṭhātabbā kammassako ayamāyasmā kammadāyādo … tassa dāyādo bhavissatī ti;
evaṃ
tasmiṃ puggale āghāto paṭivinetabbo.
Cf. Vism IX.23. Cf. Cp-a 298, Sv-ṭ I 104:
Ete sattā
khantisampattiyā abhāvato idhaloke tappanti paraloke ca tapanīyadhammānuyogato ti ca.
778 Cf. Cp-a 298, Sv-ṭ I 104:
Yadi pi parāpakāranimittaṃ dukkhaṃ uppajjati, tassa pana dukkhassa khettabhūto attabhāvo bījabhūtañ-ca kammaṃ mayāva abhisaṅkhatan-ti ca tassa ca dukkhassa āṇaṇyakāraṇametan-ti ca apakārake asati kathaṃ mayhaṃ khantisampadā
sambhavatī ti ca yadipāyaṃ etarahi apakārako, ayaṃ nāma pubbe anena mayhaṃ upakāro kato ti.
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(6) “Kinship” ( ñāti):
“In saṃsāra, in the continuities of beings,779 he and I were relatives”.
Reflecting thus, one should give rise to the perception of kinship.
780
(7) “One’s own fault” ( dosa):
“I am the cause of his [anger].
His anger is born on account of me;
because of that he obtains demerit.”
[Thinking] “I am the cause”, one gives rise to the perception of one’s own fault.
781 [436b]
(8) “One should not pay attention” ( amanasikāra):
To be without the cause of the anger,782 one should not pay attention to it, like someone who does not wish to see forms shuts his eyes.
783
(9) “One’s own suffering ( dukkha)”:
To be without the obstacle [of anger] one should give rise to the sign [of loving-kindness].
Why, like a fool, create one’s own suffering by not attending to [to the sign of] loving-kindness?
Because of this [non-attending], one has mental suffering.
[Anger] is experienced in the enemy’s place, therefore one should avoid that place and should stay in a place where one does not see or hear the one who causes [the anger].
(10) “Nature of the sense-faculties” ( indriya-sabhāva):
one should reflect:
“The nature of the sense-faculties is to be joined to agreeable and disagreeable sense objects ( iṭṭhāṇiṭṭha-visaya).
Towards these, I have anger.
Because of that I am not attending [to loving-kindness].”
784
779 眾生相續 = satta-santāna or satta-santati.
Cf. Th-a II 219:
sattasantānaṃ saṃsāre papañcenti
… Ps-ṭ 320:
Anādimati hi saṃsāre ñātibhāgarahito nāma satto kassaci pi natthīti …
780 Cf. Cp-a 298, Sv-ṭ I 104:
Sabbe pime sattā mayhaṃ puttasadisā, puttakatāparādhesu ca ko kujjhissatī ti.
S II 189–90:
Na so bhikkhave satto sulabharūpo, yo na mātābhūtapubbo …
na pitābhūtapubbo … na bhātābhūtapubbo … na bhaginībhūtapubbo … na puttabhūtapubbo
… iminā dīghena addhunā.
… Cf. Vism IX.
36
781 Cf. Cp-a 298, Sv-ṭ I 104:
Yena apakārena idaṃ mayhaṃ dukkhaṃ uppannaṃ, tassa aham-pi nimittan-ti.
Cf. Vism IX.
0.916666666666667
Yaṃ dosaṃ tava nissāya, sattunā appiyaṃ kataṃ, / tam-eva dosaṃ
chindassu, kimaṭṭhāne vihaññasi.
Dukkhaṃ karoti yo yassa, taṃ vinā kassa so kare / sayam-pi dukkhahetuttamiti kiṃ tassa kujjhasī ti.
782 無嗔恚相 = abyāpāda + nimitta.
This might also mean “perception of non ill will”, abyāpāda-saññā.
783 Cf. A III 185:
Yasmiṃ … puggale āghāto jāyetha, asati-amanasikāro tasmiṃ puggale āpajjitabbo;
evaṃ tasmiṃ puggale āghāto paṭivinetabbo.
M I 120:
… Tassa tesaṃ
vitakkānaṃ asati-amanasikāraṃ āpajjato ye pāpakā akusalā vitakkā chandūpasaṃhitāpi dosūpasaṃhitāpi mohūpasaṃhitāpi te pahīyanti te abbhatthaṃ gacchanti.
Tesaṃ pahānā
ajjhattam-eva cittaṃ santiṭṭhati sannisīdati ekodi hoti samādhiyati.
Seyyathā pi … cakkhumā
puriso āpāthagatānaṃ rūpānaṃ adassanakāmo assa;
so nimīleyya vā aññena vā apalokeyya.
784 Cf. Cp-a 298, Sv-ṭ I 104:
Indriyapakatiresā, yadidaṃ iṭṭhāniṭṭhavisayasamāyogo, tattha aniṭṭhavisayasamāyogo mayhaṃ na siyā ti taṃ kutettha labbhā ti.
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(11) “Momentary cessation” ( khaṇika-nirodha):
785 one should reflect:
“Through giving rise to suffering, one suffers.
786 All those states [by which the anger was caused] ceased in [that] single mind-moment ( citta-khaṇa).
How [can I be angry]
at him when there is no ground for anger?”
(12) “Union” ( saṃyojana, sannipāta):
one should reflect:
“Suffering arises because of the union of various internal and external parts.
I cannot be angry with a single part.”
787
(13 “Emptiness” ( suññatā):
one should reflect:
“In the ultimate sense ( paramattha) it cannot be found ( anupalabbhiya), ‘This person creates suffering’ or ‘This person experiences suffering’.
This body is produced by conditions ( paccaya).
It is without a being, without a self.
788 It is [merely]
a bunch of elements, just like a bunch of straw.”
789 Therefore, the Fortunate One spoke this verse,
Whether dwelling in the village or wilderness,
When touched by pleasures and pains,
Take them as neither [originating] from oneself nor from another:
790
785 Cf. Vism IX.
0.916666666666667
Khaṇikattā ca dhammānaṃ, yehi khandhehi te kataṃ / amanāpaṃ niruddhā
te, kassa dānīdha kujjhasi.
Cp-a 298, Sv-ṭ 104:
Yehi dhammehi aparādho kato, yattha ca kato, sabbe pi te tasmiṃ yeva khaṇe niruddhā, kassidāni kena kodho kātabbo.
Cf. 432a04 …
名念念死者諸行念念滅.
786 以彼生苦彼得苦.
“Lit. By that/he birth/arising/arises suffering, that/he obtains suffering”.
The first “suffering”, 苦, could be a corruption and if so, the meaning would be “Through birth one obtains suffering.”
Cf. Sn 747:
Upādānapaccayā bhavo, bhūto dukkhaṃ nigacchati;
/ Jātassa maraṇaṃ hoti, eso dukkhassa sambhavo.
S I 132:
Jātassa maraṇaṃ hoti,
jāto dukkhāni phussati / Bandhaṃ vadhaṃ pariklesaṃ, tasmā jātiṃ na rocaye.
787 See the section on “resolution into elements” at Vism IX.38/p.306. Cf. Ps II 88:
Khāṇukaṇṭakatiṇapaṇṇādīsu pana dose uppanne tvaṃ kassa kuppasi, kiṃ pathavīdhātuyā,
udāhu āpodhātuyā, ko vā panāyaṃ kuppati nāma, kiṃ pathavīdhātu udāhu āpodhātū ti ādinā nayena dhātumanasikāraṃ karontassa doso pahīyati.
788 Cp-a 298, Sv-ṭ 104:
anattatāya sabbadhammānaṃ ko kassa aparajjhatī ti.
Cf. Vism XVI.
3.75
Kammassa kārako natthi, vipākassa ca vedako;
Suddhadhammā pavattanti, ….
Vism XIX.
0.791666666666667
… ettha suññato tāva paramatthena hi sabbāneva saccāni vedakakārakanibbutagamakābhā
vato suññānīti veditabbāni.
Tenetaṃ vuccati:
Dukkham-eva hi, na koci dukkhito / Kārako na,
kiriyāva vijjati.
… XX.
0.791666666666667
Sāmi-nivāsi-kāraka-vedakādhiṭṭhāyakavirahitatāya suññato.
789 Cf. Khp-a 74:
Evañcassa vijānato tiṇakaṭṭhasamūho viya kāyo khāyati.
Yathāha:
Natthi satto naro poso, puggalo nūpalabbhati.
/ Suññabhūto ayaṃ kāyo, tiṇakaṭṭhasamūpamo.
Vism XVIII.
1.29166666666667
Nāmañ-ca rūpañ-ca idhatthi saccato, na hettha satto manujo ca vijjati.
/ Suññaṃ idaṃ yantamivābhisaṅkhataṃ, dukkhassa puñjo tiṇakaṭṭhasādiso ti.
Th 717:
Tiṇakaṭṭhasamaṃ lokaṃ, yadā paññāya passati, / mamataṃ so asaṃvindaṃ natthi me ti na socati.
Nidd II 185–86:
Suddhaṃ dhammasamuppādaṃ, suddhasaṅkhārasantatiṃ;
passantassa yathābhūtaṃ, na bhayaṃ hoti gāmaṇi.
Tiṇakaṭṭhasamaṃ lokaṃ, yadā paññāya passati;
nāññaṃ patthayate kiñci, aññatrappaṭisandhiyā ti.
Evam-pi suññato lokaṃ avekkhati.
790 非從自他燒, lit.
“not from oneself or another burns”.
Saṅghapāla misunderstood dahetha (Cf.
Skt √ dadh, redupl.
of √ dāh), “take, consider”, as dahati (√ ḍah):
“is burned”.
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Dependent upon acquisition one is touched,
If the mind were without acquisition,
How could the immaculate one be touched?
146 Pervading the directions
The meditator, having clearly understood the skilful means for getting rid of anger, and having [pervaded and] adverted to himself, friends, neutral ones, and enemies,791 and having achieved mastery therein, then he should gradually give rise to the mind of loving-kindness and develop it for various bhikkhus in his dwelling-place.
Then he should develop loving-kindness for the whole community in his dwelling-place.
Then he should develop loving-kindness for the deities in his dwelling-place.
Then he should develop loving-kindness for all beings in his dwelling-place.
Then he should develop loving-kindness for all beings in the village outside his dwelling place.
Thus, [he develops loving-kindness for all beings] from village to village, from country to country.
Then he should develop
[loving-kindness for all beings] in one cardinal direction ( disā).
The meditator
[abides] having pervaded one cardinal direction with the mind of loving-kindness;
then the second cardinal direction;
then the third cardinal direction;
then the fourth cardinal direction;
then the four intermediate directions, above, and below.
He spreads loving-kindness towards all beings.
He pervades the whole world with the mind of loving-kindness, which is [extensive,] exalted, and immeasurable, without enmity, without ill will.
792
The meaning is that pain and pleasure should not be regarded as belonging to oneself or another self.
Ud 12:
Gāme v’ āraññe sukhadukkhapuṭṭho, nev’ attato no parato dahetha, / phusanti phassā
upadhiṃ paṭicca, nirupadhiṃ kena phuseyyuṃ phassā ti.
Ud-a 114:
Nevattato no parato dahethāti:
ahaṃ sukhito, ahaṃ dukkhito, mama sukhaṃ, mama dukkhaṃ, parenidaṃ mayhaṃ
sukhadukkhaṃ uppāditan-ti ca neva attato na parato taṃ sukhadukkhaṃ ṭhapetha.
Kasmā?
Na hettha khandhapañcake ahan-ti vā maman-ti vā paroti vā parassā ti vā
passitabbayuttakaṃ kiñci atthi, kevalaṃ saṅkhārā eva pana yathāpaccayaṃ uppajjitvā
khaṇe khaṇe bhijjantī ti.
Sukhadukkhaggahaṇañcettha desanāsīsaṃ, sabbassā-pi lokadhammassa vasena attho veditabbo.
Iti bhagavā nāhaṃ kvacani, kassaci kiñcanatasmiṃ,
na ca mama kvacani, katthaci kiñcanatatthīti catukoṭikaṃ suññataṃ vibhāvesi.
791 Cf. 436a05 above:
“Thus he pervades and adverts to all beings just as if they were himself”, 如是於一切眾生猶如自身令滿作分別.
The characters 作分別 usually correspond to
paricchindati.
Here, however, it appears to be used in the sense of “to advert” āvajjati, just as 能分別 in 442a13. Cf. Spk III 64:
aniṭṭhārammaṇe dose uppanne mettato āvajjantassa cittaṃ nivattati.
792 D II 186;
D III 223–4:
Idh’ āvuso bhikkhu mettā-sahagatena cetasā ekaṃ disaṃ pharitvā
viharati, tathā dutiyaṃ, tathā tatiyaṃ, tathā catutthaṃ.
Iti uddham adho tiriyaṃ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṃ lokaṃ mettā-sahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena avyāpajjhena pharitvā viharati.
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Developing loving-kindness in this manner, the meditator gives rise to absorption jhāna ( appaṇā-jhāna) in three ways:
through totally including beings, through totally including village-domains ( gāmakkhetta), and through totally including the
[four] cardinal directions.
He gives rise to absorption jhāna [by developing] loving-kindness793 for one being, and in the same way, for two, three, and so on until [developing it] for many beings.
[436c]
He gives rise to absorption jhāna [by developing] loving-kindness for beings of one village-domain, and so on until [developing it for the beings of]
many villages.
He gives rise to absorption jhāna [by developing] loving-kindness for one being in one cardinal direction, and so on until [he has developed it] for the four cardinal directions.
Herein, when he develops loving-kindness based on one being, if that being is dead, his object ( ārammaṇa) disappears.
Due to the disappearance of his object, he cannot give rise to loving-kindness.
Therefore, he should develop the mind of loving-kindness extensively ( vipula) until he can practise it extensively.
At the time when there is excellent development, there is great fruit and great benefit.
147 Roots, manifestation, success, failure, and object
Q.
What are the roots, manifestation, success, failure, and object of loving-kindness?
A. It has non-greed ( alobha) as a root ( mūla);
non-hatred ( adosa) as a root;
non-delusion ( amoha) as a root;
motivation ( chanda) as a root;
and reasoned attention ( yoniso manasikāra) as a root.
Q. What is its manifestation?
A. That it has these roots is its manifestation.
Q. What is its success?
A. When one is endowed with loving-kindness, one removes hatred, removes unwholesome affection,794 and purifies one’s bodily, verbal, and mental actions ( kamma).
This is called “success”.
793 以一眾生令安慈禪, lit.
“By way of one being he causes absorption loving-kindness jhāna”, the context (i.e., the preceding and following) however, indicates that he causes jhāna by developing mettā.
794 Cf. Vism IX.
3.875
Byāpādūpasamo etissā sampatti, sinehasambhavo vipatti.
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Q.
What is its failure?
A. For two [pairs of]795 reasons one loses loving-kindness:
by giving rise to hatred towards oneself and friends796 and by unwholesome affection;
and by giving rise to hatred towards enemies ( paṭipakkha) and by giving rise to ill will.
This is called “failure”.
Q. What is its object?
A. Living beings are its object.
797
Q.
That is not so.
In the ultimate sense ( paramattha), a “living being” cannot be found ( anupalabbhiya).
Why then is it said that living beings are its object?
A. Because of the different kinds of faculties, in worldly convention ( sammuti,
lokavohāra) it is said “living beings”.
798
795 Why are four causes given, and not two as is stated?
Two near and two far causes for each brahmavihāra are given.
The Visuddhimagga (IX.98) gives one near enemy and one far enemy for each brahmavihāra:
āsannadūravasena dve dve paccatthikā.
796 以自朋生怨.
The characters 自朋 could mean “one’s own friends”.
In the parallel passages at 437b15, 437c09, and 438a05, 自親 is used instead, which can also mean both “oneself and friends” or “one’s own friends” (or even just “oneself” see DDB s.v. 自親).
Above at 436b18, there is the sequence 自親友中人怨家 “himself (自), close friends (親友), neutral ones, and enemies”.
Since mettā is first to be practised towards oneself, and “own” is not found before “enemies” (對治) in the following pair, I have rendered it is “oneself and friends”.
Both 自朋 and 自親 are not found elsewhere in Vim.
The character 怨 corresponds to vera “enmity” elsewhere in Vim.
797 Sattārammaṇa.
Cf. Mp II 41:
Ime pana cattāro brahmavihārā vaṭṭā honti, vaṭṭapādā honti,
vipassanāpādā honti, diṭṭhadhammasukhavihāra honti, abhiññāpādā vā nirodhapādā vā,
lokuttarā pana na honti.
Kasmā? Sattārammaṇattā ti.
Cf. Peṭ 147:
appamāṇasahagatā
sattārammaṇā paṭhame jhāne jhānabhūmi.
798 依諸根種於世假說眾生.
Cf. S I 134:
Kiṃ nu satto ti paccesi, māra diṭṭhigataṃ nu te;
/
Suddhasaṅkhārapuñjoyaṃ, nayidha sattupalabbhati.
/ Yathā hi aṅgasambhārā, hoti saddo ratho iti;
/ Evaṃ khandhesu santesu, hoti satto ti sammuti.
Spk I 193:
… nayidha sattupalabbhatī ti imasmiṃ suddhasaṅkhārapuñje paramatthato satto nāma na upalabbhati.
Khandhesu santesūti pañcasu khandhesu vijjamānesu tena tenākārena vavatthitesu.
Sammutī ti sattoti samaññāmattam-eva hoti.
Cf. Kv-a 35:
Iti iminā lokavohārena loka-sammutiyā lokaniruttiyā atthi puggalo ti … Sv-ṭ III 91:
Lokavohāravasenā ti lokasammuti-vasena.
Lokavohāro hesa, yadidaṃ satto puggalo ti ādi.
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148 Ten perfections
Now, the Bodhisattas, the Great Beings,799 develop loving-kindness for all beings everywhere and fulfil the ten perfections ( pāramī).
800
Q.
How is it so?
A. The Bodhisattas, the Great Beings, develop loving-kindness for all beings.
For the sake of benefiting all beings, they help beings and give them fearlessness ( abhaya).
801 Thus, they fulfil the perfection of giving.
The Bodhisattas, the Great Beings, develop loving-kindness for all beings.
For the sake of benefiting all beings, they perfect harmlessness 802 and do not fail in the practice of Dhamma.
It is like the relation of a father to his children.
Thus, they fulfil the perfection of virtue.
The Bodhisattas, the Great Beings, develop loving-kindness for all beings.
For the sake of benefiting all beings, they perfect the mind free from greed ( vītarāga), renounce what is harmful, and incline towards jhāna and towards going forth into homelessness.
Thus, they fulfil the perfection of renunciation.
The Bodhisattas, the Great Beings, develop loving-kindness for all beings.
For the sake of benefiting all beings, they consider much what is beneficial and
799 菩薩摩訶薩 = bo-sa-ma-ha–sa, transliteration .
The terms also occur together in the Pāli commentaries;
e.g., Cp-a 217:
Dānasīlādiguṇavisesayogena sattuttamatāya paramā
mahāsattā bodhisattā;
.
EKS rendered “Bodhisatta and Mahāsatta”, but the terms refer to the same beings seeking for sammāsambodhi;
with mahāsatta being a specification of bodhisatta;
see Endo 2002a:
234, 375. Cf. mahābodhisatta at Cp-a 311:
Yāni purimakānaṃ
mahābodhisattānaṃ uḷāratamāni paramadukkarāni acinteyyānubhāvāni sattānaṃ
ekantahitasukhāvahāni caritāni….
Sv-ṭ I 92:
sudukkarehipi mahābodhisattacaritehi …
sattānaṃ hitasukhapaṭilābhahetubhāvo ca sampajjati.
EKS rendered this in the singular, but in the Pāli commentaries the plural is used, which makes more sense since all bodhisattas have to practise in this manner.
There is no indication of the plural in the Chinese text, but this is not unusual.
800 Cf. Vism-mhṭ I 384:
… sakalabuddhaguṇahetubhūtānaṃ dānapāramitādīnaṃ
buddhakaradhammānaṃ paripūraṇavasena brūhitaguṇā mahāsattā bodhisattā.
Te hi sabbasattānaṃ hitesanena, ahitāpanayanena, sampattipamodanena, sabbattha vivajjitā
gatigamanamajjhattabhāvādhiṭṭhānena ca niddosacittā viharanti.
Ud-a 128:
Yathā vā te bhagavanto dāna-pāramiṃ pūretvā, sīla-nekkhamma-paññā-viriya–khanti-sacca-adhiṭṭhāna-mettā-upekkhā-pāramī ti imā dasa pāramiyo dasa-upapāramiyo, …,
buddhi-cariyāya koṭim patvā āgatā, tathā ayam pi Bhagavā āgato.
Cf. Vism IX.124
801 Cf. A IV 246:
Pāṇātipātā paṭivirato bhikkhave ariyasāvako aparimāṇānaṃ sattānaṃ
abhayaṃ deti averaṃ deti avyāpajjhaṃ deti;
aparimāṇānaṃ sattānaṃ abhayaṃ datvā
averaṃ datvā avyāpajjhaṃ datvā aparimāṇassa abhayassa averassa avyāpajjhassa bhāgī hoti.
…
802 The Taishō text reads 無苦, “without suffering” ( niddukkha) but the variant reading 無害
“harmlessness” makes more sense.
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harmful and in accordance with truth, they proclaim the means to abandon the bad and attain the good.
Thus, they fulfil the perfection of wisdom.
The Bodhisattas, the Great Beings, develop loving-kindness for all beings.
For the sake of benefiting all beings, they, without giving up, [applying] energy, firmly exert themselves at all times.
Thus, they fulfil the perfection of energy.
The Bodhisattas, the Great Beings, develop loving-kindness for all beings.
For the sake of benefiting all beings, they practise patience and even when others scold them with harsh words, they do not become angry.
Thus, they fulfil the perfection of patience.
The Bodhisattas, the Great Beings, [437a] develop loving-kindness for all beings.
For the sake of benefiting all beings, they speak the truth, dwell in the truth, and keep to the truth.
Thus, they fulfil the perfection of truth.
The Bodhisattas, the Great Beings, develop loving-kindness for all beings.
For the sake of benefiting all beings, they do not abandon their vows, even when losing their lives due to it, but firmly resolve [to keep] their vows.
803 Thus, they fulfil the perfection of resolution.
The Bodhisattas, the Great Beings, develop loving-kindness for all beings.
For the sake of benefiting all beings, they regard them as themselves804 and fulfil the perfection of loving-kindness.
The Bodhisattas, the Great Beings, develop loving-kindness for all beings.
For the sake of benefiting all beings, they regard friends, neutral ones, and enemies equally, without repulsion and attraction.
805 Thus, they fulfil the perfection of equanimity.
In these ways the Bodhisattas, the Great Beings, by developing loving-kindness
[for all beings], fulfil the ten perfections.
806
803 Cf. Ap-a 113:
Katvā daḷhamadhiṭṭhānan-ti mama sarīrajīvitesu vinassantesupi puññakammato na viramissāmī ti acalavasena daḷhaṃ adhiṭṭhānapāramiṃ katvā
… Cp-a 275:
Katvā daḷhamadhiṭṭhānan-ti kusalasamādānādhiṭṭhānaṃ tassa tassa pāramisamādānassa tadupakārakasamādānassa ca adhiṭṭhānaṃ daḷhataraṃ asithilaṃ
katvā, taṃ taṃ vatasamādānaṃ anivattibhāvena adhiṭṭhahitvā ti attho.
… Evaṃ jīvitaṃ
pariccajitvā vataṃ adhiṭṭhahantassa adhiṭṭhānapāramī paramatthapāramī nāma jātā.
(Cf.
Bv-a 60, J-a I 47)
804 於一切眾生以自相饒益.
Read 自身, “oneself” instead of 自相, = sa + lakkhaṇa,
“own/specific characteristic”.
Cf. 436a05 above:
“he pervades and defines all beings just as if they were himself”, 於一切眾生猶如自身.
Cf. Cp-a 280:
karuṇūpāyakosallapariggahito lokassa hitasukhūpasaṃhāro atthato abyāpādo mettāpāramitā
805 Cp-a 280:
karuṇūpāyakosallapariggahitā anunayapaṭighaviddhaṃsanī iṭṭhāniṭṭhesu sattasaṅkhāresu samappavatti upekkhāpāramitā.
806 明慈滿四受持, “explanation of loving-kindness fulfilling the four resolves” appears to be a heading and it has therefore been left untranslated.
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149 The four resolves
Now, the Bodhisattas, the Great Beings, having practised loving-kindness and having fulfilled the ten perfections, fulfil the four resolves, namely, the resolve of truth, the resolve of generosity, the resolve of stillness, and the resolve of wisdom.
807
Herein, the perfection of truth, the perfection of resolution, and the perfection of energy fulfil the resolve of truth.
The perfection of giving, the perfection of virtue, and the perfection of renunciation fulfil the resolve of generosity.
The perfection of patience, the perfection of loving-kindness, and the perfection of equanimity fulfil the resolve of stillness.
The perfection of wisdom fulfils the resolve of wisdom.
808
Thus, the Bodhisattas, the Great Beings, having developed loving-kindness
[for all beings] everywhere, fulfil the ten perfections, fulfil the four resolves, and fulfil two states, namely, calm and insight ( samatha-vipassanā).
Herein, the resolve of truth, the resolve of generosity, and the resolve of stillness fulfil calm.
The resolve of wisdom fulfils insight.
Through the fulfilment of calm, they attain to all the jhānas, liberations, concentrations, attainments, and give rise to the attainment of the double miracle ( yamaka-pāṭihāriya) and the attainment of great compassion ( mahākaruṇā).
With the attainment of insight, they are endowed with all direct knowledges ( abhiññā), discriminations ( paṭisambhidā), the powers ( bala), and the confidences ( vesārajja).
Having fulfilled these, they give rise to self-made knowledge ( sayambhū-ñāṇa) and omniscience ( sabbaññutā-ñāṇa).
809
807 The order is different from D III 229, Cattāri adiṭṭhānāni.
Paññādhiṭṭhānaṃ
saccādhiṭṭhānaṃ, cāgādhiṭṭhānaṃ, upasamādhiṭṭhānaṃ, and M III 240, but in the Pāli commentaries, such as the Cariyāpiṭaka commentary, the order is the same as in the Vim, see e.g., Cp-a 322 .
808 Cf. Cp-a 322:
Sabbapāramīnaṃ samūhasaṅgahato hi cattāri adhiṭṭhānāni, seyyathidaṃ
saccādhiṭṭhānaṃ, cāgādhiṭṭhānaṃ, upasamādhiṭṭhānaṃ, paññādhiṭṭhānan-ti.
… Cf. Vism-mhṭ I 391:
Yathā ca brahmavihārādhiṭṭhānā pāramiyo, evaṃ adhiṭṭhānādhiṭṭhānāpi.
Tathā hi yathāpaṭiññaṃ parānuggahāya pāramīnaṃ anuṭṭhānena saccādhiṭṭhānaṃ,
tappaṭipakkhapariccāgato cāgādhiṭṭhānaṃ, pāramīhi sacittupasamato upasamādhiṭṭhānaṃ,
tāhi parahitūpāyakosallato paññādhiṭṭhānaṃ.
Evaṃ paccekam-pi pāramitāsu yathārahaṃ
netabbaṃ.
It-a I 13:
Tathā purimena tathāgatassa paṭiññāsaccavacīsaccañāṇasaccapar idīpanena, … ca saccādhiṭṭhānacāgādhiṭṭhānapāripūri pakāsitā hoti;
dutiyena sabbasa ṅkhārāupasamasamadhigamaparidīpanena, sammāsambodhiparidīpanena ca, upasamā
dhiṭṭhānapaññādhiṭṭhānapāripūri pakāsitā hoti.
Tathā hi bhagavato bodhisattabhūtassa lokuttaraguṇe katābhinīhārassa mahākaruṇāyogena yathāpaṭiññaṃ sabbapāramitā-
nuṭṭhānena saccādhiṭṭhānaṃ, pāramitāpaṭipakkhapariccāgena cāgādhiṭṭhānaṃ,
pāramitāguṇehi cittavūpasamena upasamādhiṭṭhānaṃ, pāramitāhi eva parahitūpāyakosallato paññādhiṭṭhānaṃ pāripūrigataṃ.
…
809 Cp.
Cp-a 316–17:
… tattha āsaṅgaṃ pajahanto pare ca tattha taṃ jahāpento kevalaṃ
karuṇāvaseneva yāva na buddhaguṇā hatthatalaṃ āgacchanti, tāva yānattaye satte
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Thus, the Bodhisattas, the Great Beings, developing loving-kindness, gradually fulfil the grounds for Buddhahood ( buddhabhūmi).
810
Loving-kindness is finished.
8.12.2 - M2. Compassion
150 Introduction
Q.
What is “compassion”?
How is it practised?
What are its characteristic, essential function, and manifestation?
What are its benefits?
What is the procedure?
A. Just as parents who, on seeing the suffering of their dear and only child, give rise to the mind of compassion, saying:
“O, how it suffers!”
, so one has compassion and pity ( anukampā) for all beings — this is called “compassion”.
avatāraṇaparipācanehi patiṭṭhapento jhānavimokkhasamādhisamāpattiyo abhiññāyo ca lokiyā vasībhāvaṃ pāpento paññāya matthakaṃ pāpuṇāti.
… idha mahābodhisattassa vasena karuṇūpāyakosallapubbaṅgamaṃ katvā vattabbā, ñāṇadassanavisuddhiṃ apāpetvā
paṭipadāñāṇadassanavisuddhiyaṃ yeva vipassanā ṭhapetabbā ti ayam-eva viseso.
Evamettha paññāpāramiyā paṭipattikkamo veditabbo.
Cp-a 284:
yathāvuttābhinīhārasami-jjhanena hi mahāpurisa sabbaññutaññāṇādhigamanapubbaliṅgena sayambhuñāṇena sammad eva sabbapāramiyo pavicinitvā samādāya anukkamena paripūrenti.
810 This could refer to the grounds or stages necessary to attain Buddhahood.
In the Pāli commentaries four are given:
endeavour ( ussāha), intelligence ( ummaṅga), stability ( avatthāna), and beneficent conduct ( hitacariyā).
Cf. Cp-a 290 (transl.
in Bodhi 2007b 260):
Tathā ussāha-ummaṅga-avatthānahitacariyā ca pāramīnaṃ paccayā ti veditabbā,
yā buddhabhāvassa uppattiṭṭhānatāya buddhabhūmiyo ti vuccanti.
… Hitacariyā nāma mettābhāvanā karuṇābhāvanā ca.
Sn-a I 50:
Yā cimā ussāho ummaṅgo avatthānaṃ
hitacariyā cā ti catasso buddhabhūmiyo, tāhi samannāgato hoti.
Tattha:
Ussāho vīriyaṃ
vuttaṃ, ummaṅgo paññā pavuccati;
/ Avatthānaṃ adhiṭṭhānaṃ, hitacariyā mettābhāvanā ti.
D-ṭ I 93:
Tathā ussāha-ummaṅga-avatthānahitacariyā ca pāramīnaṃ paccayo ti veditabbā,
yā buddhabhāvassa uppattiṭṭhānatāya buddhabhūmiyo ti pavuccanti.
Yathāha ( untraced):
Kati pana bhante buddhabhūmiyo?
Catasso kho sāriputta buddhabhūmiyo.
Katamā catasso?
Ussāho ca hoti vīriyaṃ, umaṅgo ca hoti paññābhāvanā, avatthānañ-ca hoti adhiṭṭhānaṃ,
mettābhāvanā ca hoti hitacariyā.
Imā kho sāriputta catasso buddhabhūmiyo ti.
Ap-a 297:
Buddhabhūmi-manuppattan-ti buddhassa bhūmi patiṭṭhānaṭṭhānan-ti buddhabhūmi,
sabbaññutaññāṇaṃ, taṃ anuppatto paṭividdhoti buddhabhūmimanuppatto,
taṃ buddhabhūmimanuppattaṃ, sabbaññutappattaṃ buddhabhūtan-ti attho.
Khp 7:
Mittasampadamāgamma, yonisova payuñjato;
/ Vijjā vimutti vasībhāvo, sabbametena labbhati.
/ Paṭisambhidā vimokkhā ca, yā ca sāvakapāramī;
/ Paccekabodhi buddhabhūmi,
sabbametena labbhati.
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The undistracted dwelling in compassion is its practice.
Non-hurtfulness is its characteristic.
Happiness is its essential function.
Harmlessness811 is its manifestation.
Its benefits are the same as those of loving-kindness.
812
151 Procedure
Q.
What is the procedure?
A. The beginner meditator goes to a secluded place, sits down, and concentrates his mind completely.
With an undistracted mind, [437b] [he recollects as] if he sees or hears of someone stricken with disease, or someone afflicted by ageing, or someone afflicted by poverty, and he considers thus:
“That being is stricken with suffering.
In what way may he be freed from suffering?”
813
Furthermore, if he sees or hears of that being’s distorted [mind], being bound with the bondage of afflictions, and under the influence of ignorance, or [if he sees or hears that] someone who has done merit in the past does not now practise and train himself, he considers thus:
“That being is stricken with suffering;
he will be reborn in a bad destination.
In what way may he be freed from suffering?”
814
Furthermore, if he sees or hears of a person who follows unwholesome doctrines ( dhamma) and does not follow wholesome doctrines, or of a person who follows disagreeable teachings and does not follow agreeable teachings, he considers thus:
“That person is stricken with suffering;
he will be reborn in a bad destination.
In what way may he be freed from suffering?”
The meditator, in these ways and by these means, develops the mind of compassion towards these persons and practices it much.
Having developed the
811 Vism IX.94. Cf. A I 151:
Sabbhi dānaṃ upaññattaṃ ahiṃsāsaññamo damo.
Mp II 250
Ahiṃsā ti karuṇā c’ eva karuṇā-pubbabhāgo ca.
Sv III 982:
Avihiṃsā ti karuṇā karuṇā-
pubbabhāgo pi.
Vuttam pi c’ etaṃ:
tattha katamā avihiṃsā?
Yā sattesu karuṇā karuṇāyanā
karuṇāyitattaṃ karuṇā-cetovimutti, ayaṃ vuccati avihiṃsā ti.
Dhp 300:
Yesaṃ divā ca ratto ca ahiṃsāya rato mano.
Dhp-a III 459:
Ahiṃsāya rato ti so karuṇāsahagatena cetasā ekaṃ
disaṃ pharitvā viharatī’ ti evaṃ vuttāya karuṇābhāvanāya rato.
812 Cf. Vism IX.
94/p.318, which is different:
Dukkhāpanayanākārappavattilakkhaṇā karuṇā
paradukkhāsahanarasā, avihiṃsāpaccupaṭṭhānā, dukkhābhibhūtānaṃ anāthabhāvadassanapadaṭṭhānā.
813 Cf. Paṭis I 128:
Jarāya anusahagato lokasannivāso ti passantānaṃ Buddhānaṃ
Bhagavantānaṃ sattesu mahākaruṇā okkamati … Byādīhi abhibhūto lokasannivāso ti …
Taṇhāya uḍḍito lokasannivāso ti … S I 40:
Taṇhāya uḍḍito loko, jarāya parivārito.
814 Paṭis I 128–9:
Mahābandhanabandho lokasannivāso … mohabandhanena … kilesabandhanena
… tassa natth’ añño koci bandhaṃ mocetā aññatra mayā ti;
… tīhi duccaritehi vipaṭipanno lokasannivāso ti passantānaṃ …
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mind of compassion in these ways and by these means and practiced it much, with a mind that is soft and malleable, he gradually develops compassion for a neutral person and then develops compassion towards an enemy.
The rest is as was taught fully above [in the loving-kindness section] until he pervades the four cardinal directions.
815
152 Success and failure
Q.
What is the success of compassion and what is its failure?
A. When endowed with compassion, one abandons harmfulness, one does not give rise to distress, and one abandons unwholesome affection.
816
One loses compassion for two [pairs of] reasons:
by giving rise to hatred towards oneself and towards friends,817 and by distress;
and by the giving rise to hatred towards enemies and by arousing fear [in others].
818
153 Miscellaneous topics
Q.
Not all beings suffer and there is not always suffering.
Then how is it possible to practice compassion to all beings?
A. Because all beings have experienced suffering [at some time], it is easy to grasp the sign.
Having grasped the sign, there is universal practice of compassion.
Moreover, the suffering of birth and death is common to all beings.
Owing to that, there is universal practice.
Compassion is finished.
815 = § 143–145.
816 Cf. Vism IX.94/p.318:
Vihiṃsūpasamo tassā sampatti, sokasambhavo vipatti.
On 憂惱
corresponding to domanassa or soka, see Ch.8 fn. 830
817 自親 could also mean “one’s own friends”.
In the parallel passage at 436c10, 自朋 is used instead, which can also have both meanings;
see Ch.8 fn. 796. The parallels at 437c09 and 438a05 have 自親.
818 以起恐怖.
Lit. “through the arising of fear”, however, this refers to arousing fear in others as an act of cruelty.
Cf. Vibh-a 74:
vihiṃsanaṃ vā etaṃ sattānan-ti vihiṃsā.
Sā viheṭhanalakkhaṇā, karuṇāpaṭipakkhalakkhaṇā vā;
parasantāne ubbegajananarasā,
sakasantāne karuṇāviddhaṃsanarasā vā;
…
482
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8.12.3 - M3. Appreciative gladness
154 Introduction
Q.
What is “appreciative gladness”?
How is it practised?
What are its characteristic, essential function, and manifestation?
What are its benefits?
What is the procedure?
A. Just as parents, who on seeing the happiness of their dear and only child, give rise to gladness [saying]:
“Good!”
, so one develops appreciative gladness towards all beings — this is called “appreciative gladness”.
The undistracted dwelling in appreciative gladness — this is its practice.
Gladdening is its characteristic.
Fearlessness is its essential function.
819
Dispelling of dissatisfaction ( arati) is its manifestation.
Its benefits are the same as those of loving-kindness.
155 Procedure
Q.
What is the procedure?
A. The beginner meditator goes into solitude, sits down, and concentrates his mind completely.
With an undistracted mind, [he recollects as if] he sees or hears that someone’s character is respectable and that he gets ease.
He gives rise to appreciative gladness, thinking, “Good!
Good!”
, and wishes, “May that being obtain joy for a long time!”
Furthermore, when he sees or hears that a certain person does not follow unwholesome doctrines and that he follows wholesome teachings, or that he does not follow disagreeable teachings and that he follows agreeable teachings,
[437c] he thinks thus, “Good!
Good!”
, and wishes, “May that being be joyful for a long time!”
The meditator, in these ways and by these means, develops the mind of appreciative gladness and practises it much.
Having developed in these ways the mind of appreciative gladness and practised it much, with a mind that is soft and malleable, he gradually develops appreciative gladness towards a neutral person and then develops appreciative gladness towards an enemy.
The rest is as was taught fully above [in the loving-kindness section] until he pervades the four cardinal directions.
819 無怖.
Perhaps Saṅghapāla misunderstood an-issāyana, “non-envying”, as Sanskrit
a-bhīṣayāṇa “not fearing”.
Vism IX.95/p.318:
Pamodanalakkhaṇā muditā, anissāyanarasā,
arativighātapaccupaṭṭhānā, sattānaṃ sampattidassanapadaṭṭhānā.
Cf. Nāmar-p v.
4.375
Sukhaṭṭhitesu muditā, anumodanalakkhaṇā;
/ cetovikāsanarasā, avirodhoti gayhati.
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156 Success and failure
Q.
What is the success of appreciative gladness and what is its failure?
A. When endowed with appreciative gladness, one dispels dissatisfaction ( arati), does not arouse unwholesome affection, and does not slander.
One loses appreciative gladness for two [pairs of] reasons:
by giving rise to hatred towards oneself and friends, and by the arising of merriment;
820 and by giving rise to hatred towards enemies and by giving rise to dissatisfaction.
The rest is as was taught fully above.
Appreciative gladness is finished.
8.12.4 - M4. Equanimity
157 Introduction
Q.
What is “equanimity”?
How is it practised?
What are its characteristic, essential function, and manifestation?
What are its benefits?
What is the procedure?
A. Just as parents should be neither too attentive nor yet inattentive towards any one of their children, but [should attend to them] equally and have impartiality ( majjhattatā) towards them, so through equanimity one maintains impartiality towards all beings — this is called “equanimity”.
The undistracted dwelling in equanimity — this is its practice.
Non-attachment is its characteristic.
Evenness ( samatā) is its essential function.
The suppression of repulsion and attraction is its manifestation.
821 Its benefits are the same as those of loving-kindness.
158 Procedure
Q.
What is the procedure?
A. The meditator at first achieves mastery in the third jhāna accompanied by loving-kindness, accompanied by compassion, and accompanied by appreciative
820 See Vism IX.95/p.318:
Arativūpasamo tassā sampatti, pahāsasambhavo vipatti.
821 Cf. Vism IX.
96/p.318:
Sattesu majjhattākārapavatti-lakkhaṇā upekkhā, sattesu samabhāvadassanarasā paṭighānunayavūpasama-paccupaṭthānā … pavatta-kammassakatādassana-padaṭṭhānā.
Cf. Ch.8 fn. 308
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gladness.
822 Having emerged from the third jhāna, the meditator sees the disadvantage of loving-kindness, compassion, and appreciative gladness.
[He sees]
that attraction and repulsion are near to them, and that they are accompanied by merriment and joy ( somanassa).
Due to [equanimity] opposing this disadvantage, he sees the benefit of equanimity.
The meditator, having seen the disadvantage of loving-kindness, compassion, and appreciative gladness, and the benefit of equanimity, at first develops the mind of equanimity towards a neutral person.
823
Having developed and practised it much, with his mind soft and malleable, he gradually develops it towards an enemy and then towards a friend.
The rest is as was taught fully above [in the loving-kindness section] until he pervades the four cardinal directions.
824
The meditator who thus develops the fourth jhāna accompanied by equanimity causes absorption in three ways:
through totally including beings, through totally including village-domains, and through totally including the cardinal directions.
Q. When the meditator is developing equanimity towards all beings, how does he attend?
A. When he attends, it is taught, he should [first] attend to loving-kindness, compassion, and appreciative gladness.
[When he develops] equanimity towards all beings, he becomes joyful, [but with the] continuation of joy ( somanassa), he attends neutrally to the pleasure ( sukha).
825 It is like a person who, upon first seeing a long-lost friend, [438a] waits on him splendidly.
His mind gives rise to rapture and pleasure ( pītisukha?
). But after having stayed together with him
[for a long time], his mind becomes neutral.
Likewise, after dwelling for a long time in loving-kindness, compassion, and appreciative gladness, there is the acceptance of equanimity.
Attending thus he develops equanimity.
Furthermore, there are some who say:
“He attends:
‘Beings, beings’.”
826
822 This means that he gains mastery in the third jhāna by way of the subjects of loving-kindness, compassion and appreciative gladness separately, not all at once.
See Vism IX.88/p.317:
Upekkhābhāvanaṃ bhāvetukāmena pana mettādīsu paṭiladdhatika-catukkajjhānena paguṇatatiyajjhānā vuṭṭhāya sukhitā hontū ti ādivasena sattakelāyanama nasikārayuttattā, paṭighānunayasamīpacārittā, somanassayogena oḷārikattā ca purimāsu ādīnavaṃ, santasabhāvattā upekkhāya ānisaṃsañ-ca disvā yvāssa pakatimajjhatto puggalo, taṃ ajjhupekkhitvā upekkhā uppādetabbā.
823 非可愛念非不可愛念.
Lit. “neither dear ( piya) nor not dear”.
The text is corrupt here:
“… at first develops [the mind] accompanied by equanimity towards a neutral person and makes his mind at ease ( phāsu, or “makes perfect”, paripūri), [he increases the equanimous mind]*”.
已與捨俱起念令心滿足[捨心增長.] This passage has been amended in accordance with the parallel passages in the preceding three immeasurables.
According to a footnote in Taishō, the part in brackets is not found in four editions.
824 See Ch.8 § 145.
825 行歡喜作意樂中.
This is very cryptic.
826 復有人說眾生眾生者如是作意.
Possibly a part was lost during copying.
Possibly the original had “Beings are the owners of their kamma”;
see Vism IX.
96/p.318:
kammassakā
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159 Success and failure
Q.
What is the success of equanimity?
What is its failure?
A. When one is endowed with equanimity, one eliminates repulsion and attraction, and one does not give rise to ignorance.
Equanimity is not fulfilled for two [pairs of] reasons:
by giving rise to hatred towards oneself and friends, and by the arising of ignorance;
and by giving rise to hatred towards enemies and by the arising of repulsion and attraction.
827
Equanimity is finished.
160 Miscellaneous topics
Q.
What are the miscellaneous topics regarding the four immeasurables?
A. The four immeasurables [first] arise by way of one being as object [but] are
[further] developed by means of the other objects.
It is like a mother considering her children according to their stage in life.
828 Thus, [when developing the immeasurables] towards animals, unvirtuous persons, virtuous persons, those who are passionless towards sense-pleasures, disciples, Paccekabuddhas, and Rightly Enlightened Ones,829 depending on [these] distinctive objects, a distinction ( visesa) in the four immeasurables is known.
sattā, te kassa ruciyā sukhitā vā bhavissanti, dukkhato vā muccissanti, pattasampattito vā na parihāyissantī ti …
827 Cf. Vism IX.
4
Paṭighānunayavūpasamo tassā sampatti, gehasitāya aññāṇupekkhāya sambhavo vipatti.
828 This paragraph is cryptic but seems to be related to the passage at 436b28–c03 where the mettā-jhāna is first to be developed on one person.
In Vism IX.
108/p.321, the sequence of the four immeasurables is compared to a mother regarding her children in the four stages of youth, and that the four immeasurables have to be developed as a sequence with mettā
coming first, however this does not seem to be related to this passage.
Here the distinction is in the persons that are the object of the four immeasurables, while in the Visuddhimagga the distinction is due to the opposites (of ill will, harmfulness, etc. ,) that are overcome through each immeasurable.
829 Cf. the succession at M III 254:
tathāgata, arahanta sammāsambuddha, paccekabuddha,
tathāgatasāvaka arahanta, …, sotāpattiphalasacchikiriyāya paṭipanna, bāhiraka kāmesu vītarāga, puthujjanasīlavanta, puthujjanadussīla, tiracchānagata.
厭欲 = kāmesu vītarāga, lit.
“one without greed for sense-pleasures”, i.e., a puthujjana who has developed samādhi and is therefore without desire for sensuality;
see Vin I 295:
Yepi te, ānanda, puthujjanā kāmesu vītarāgā, tesam-pi asuci na muccati, Sp 1128:
puthujjanā
kāmesu vītarāgā ti jhānalābhinā.
A III 372:
Yo kho … ime cha satthāre titthakare kāmesu vītarāge anekasataparivāre sasāvakasaṅghe paduṭṭhacitto akkoseyya paribhāseyya, bahuṃ
so apuññaṃ pasaveyya.
Ps V 70:
Bāhirake kāmesu vītarāge ti kammavādikiriyavādimhi lokiyapañcābhiññe.
486
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Q.
Why are the three jhānas produced by loving-kindness, compassion, and appreciative gladness, but not the fourth jhāna?
A. If beings have distress ( domanassa)830 it gives rise to ill will, harmfulness, and dissatisfaction.
By opposing distress with a mind accompanied with joy ( somanassa), one develops loving-kindness, compassion, and appreciative gladness.
Therefore, the three jhānas are produced, but not the fourth jhāna.
Furthermore, the plane of equanimity, the fourth jhāna, is endowed with two kinds of equanimity, namely, equanimity as feeling ( vedanupekkhā) and equanimity as equipoise with regard to states ( tatramajjhattattupekkhā).
When dwelling in the plane of equanimity for the sake of benefiting831 beings, there is equanimity.
832
830 In the section on compassion at 437b14–15, the characters 憂惱 could correspond to soka “grief” or “sorrow”.
However, here, as well as at 440a29, in opposition to 喜, joy, somanassa, 憂惱 would correspond to domanassa, “distress” or “displeasure”.
喜 could also mean “rapture”, pīti, since喜 also corresponds to this in Vim and in the sutta passage (A IV 300) quoted below, but the Vism and ṭīkā parallel passages quoted below have somanassa in opposition to domanassa.
On rapture and joy as the opposites of distress, see Vv-a 21:
… Pītisomanassasahagatañ-hi cittaṃ domanassassa anokāsato ….
In the Vism karuṇā is said to have distress based on the home life as its near enemy.
Vism-mhṭ explains that soka here comes under the heading of domanassa.
Vism IX.
99/p.319:
… gehasitaṃ
domanassaṃ vipattidassanasabhāgatāya āsannapaccatthikaṃ.
Sabhāgavisabhāgatāya vihiṃsā dūrapaccatthikā.
Vism-mhṭ I 381:
Vipattidassanasabhāgatāyā ti yesu sattesu bhogādivipattidassanamukhena karuṇā pavattati, tesu tannimittam-eva ayoniso ābhoge sati yathāvuttadomanassamukhena soko uppajjeyya, so karuṇāya āsannapaccatthiko.
Soko hi idha domanassasīsena vutto.
Vism says that three jhānas are produced due to the escape from ill will, etc. , that are originated by distress, by the opposing quality of joy ( somanassa).
The ṭīkā s on the Abhidh-s and Abhidh-av say that mettā, karuṇā, and muditā cannot be the objects of the fourth jhāna due to being accompanied by joy.
Vism IX.111/p.322:
Evaṃ appamāṇa-gocaratāya ekalakkhaṇāsu cāpi etāsu purimā tisso tikacatukkajjhānikāva honti.
Kasmā?
Somanassāvippayogato.
Kasmā panāyaṃ somanassena avippayogoti?
Domanassa-samuṭṭhitānaṃ byāpādādīnaṃ nissaraṇattā.
Pacchimā pana avasesaekajjhānikāva.
Kasmā?
Upekkhāvedanāsampayogato.
Na hi sattesu majjhattākārappavattā brahmavihārupekkhā
upekkhāvedanaṃ vinā vattatī ti.
Cf. Vism IX.97/p.318:
Byāpādapaṭighātappayojanā hettha mettā.
Vihiṃsāaratirāgapaṭighātappayojanā itarā.
Vuttam-pi cetaṃ:
Nissaraṇañhetaṃ,
āvuso, byāpādassa yadidaṃ mettā cetovimutti.
Nissaraṇañhetaṃ, āvuso, vihesāya yadidaṃ
karuṇā cetovimutti.
Nissaraṇañhetaṃ, āvuso, aratiyā yadidaṃ muditā cetovimutti.
Nissaraṇañhetaṃ, āvuso, rāgassa yadidaṃ upekkhā cetovimuttī ti (D III 248). Abhidh-s-pṭ
10.875
Mettākaruṇāmuditānaṃ domanassasahagatabyāpādavihiṃsānabhiratīnaṃ
pahāyakattā domanassappaṭipakkhena somanasseneva sahagatatā yuttā ti mettādayo tayo catukkajjhānikā ti vuttā.
Abhidh-av-pṭ II 221:
Tikajjhānavahāti catukkanayena tikajjhānavahā, pañcakanayena pana catukkajjhānavahā, mettākaruṇāmuditā hi mettādīnaṃ
somanassasahagatānam-eva ārammaṇattā pañcamajjhānikā na honti.
Appanappattā hi mettādayo somanassena vinā nappavattanti.
831 取饒益, also at 436c25–26, and 438a28.
832 Abhidh-s-pṭ 261:
Sabbe sattā sukhitā hontu, … ti mettādivasappavattabyāpārattayaṃ
pahāya kammassakatādassanena sattesu majjhattākārappavattabhāvanānibbattā
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[Thus,] owing to the [nature of the] planes of the [first] three immeasurables, the first three jhānas, but not the fourth jhāna, are produced.
It is also said:
833 “The four jhānas are produced [dependent] on the four immeasurables.
As the Fortunate One said:
‘[Dependent] on the four immeasurables, bhikkhu, you should develop this concentration with thinking and exploring;
you should develop it without thinking and with exploring;
you should develop it without thinking and without exploring;
you should develop it accompanied by rapture;
you should develop it accompanied by pleasure;
you should develop it accompanied by equanimity’.”
834
Q.
Why are these four immeasurables taught and not three or five?
A. If that were so, everything would be doubtful.
Furthermore, there are four immeasurables because they oppose ill will, harmfulness, dissatisfaction, and repulsion and attraction.
It is also said:
“There are just these four, since a person who often gives rise to ill will [abandons it through] loving-kindness, [and a person who often gives rise to] harmfulness [abandons it through compassion, etc. ], and [they can thus]
attain to distinction by abandoning them through the four [opposing] ways.”
835
ya tatramajjhattupekkhāya balavatarattā upekkhābrahmavihārassa sukhasahagatā-
sambhavato upekkhā pañcamajjhānikā ti vuttā.
833 復說, see Introduction § 4.8. The Vism (IX.
112–113) strongly rejects the idea that the four or five jhānas can be developed on the four immeasurables, while the Vimuttimagga does not do so;
see next footnote.
834 Cf. Vism IX.
112–113/p.322:
Yo panevaṃ vadeyya yasmā bhagavatā aṭṭhakanipāte catūsu pi appamaññāsu avisesena vuttaṃ tato tvaṃ bhikkhu … bhāveyyāsī ti, tasmā catasso appamaññā catukkapañcakajjhānikā ti.
So māhevantissa vacanīyo.
Evañ-hi sati kāyānupassanādayo pi catukkapañcakajjhānikā siyuṃ, vedanādīsu ca paṭhamajjhānam-pi natthi, pageva dutiyādīni.
… A IV 300:
Mettā … karuṇā … muditā … upekkhā me cetovimutti bhāvitā bhavissati.
… Yato kho te bhikkhu ayaṃ samādhi evaṃ bhāvito hoti bahulīkato, tato tvaṃ bhikkhu imaṃ samādhiṃ savitakkam pi savicāraṃ bhāveyyāsi, avitakkam pi vicāramattaṃ
bhāveyyāsi, avitakkam pi avicāraṃ bhāveyyāsi, sappītikam pi bhāveyyāsi, nippītikam pi bhāveyyāsi sātasahagataṃ pi bhāveyyāsi, upekkhāsahagatam pi bhāveyyāsi.
Vibh 283:
Tisso appamaññāyo siyā savitakkā, siyā avitakkā;
upekkhā avitakkā.
Tisso appamaññāyo siyā
savicārā, siyā avicārā;
upekkhā avicārā.
Tisso appamaññāyo siyā sappītikā, siyā appītikā;
upekkhā appītikā.
Tisso appamaññāyo siyā pītisahagatā, siyā na pītisahagatā;
upekkhā na pītisahagatā.
Tisso appamaññāyo sukhasahagatā, upekkhā na sukhasahagatā.
Upekkhā
upekkhāsahagatā, tisso appamaññāyo na upekkhāsahagatā.
Cf. D III 219:
Tayo samādhi.
Savitakko savicāro samādhi, avitakko vicāra-matto samādhi, avitakko avicāro samādhi.
Spk III 1003:
Samādhisu paṭhama-jjhāna-samādhi savitakkasavicāro.
Pañcaka-nayena dutiya-jjhāna-samādhi avitakka-vicāramatto.
Seso avitakko-avicāro.
835 This passage is corrupt.
Lit. “It is also said that these four are just loving-kindness, since someone who often gives rise to ill will, harmfulness, by abandoning them in four ways attains to distinction”.
This passage is related to Vism IX.108/p.321 which explains
488
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Equanimity is the purification of loving-kindness, compassion, and appreciative gladness, because it opposes repulsion and attraction.
It should be understood that the four immeasurables are a unity although they have different characteristics.
They are a unity due to opposing the obstacles, due to having beings as object, and due to the wish to benefit.
It is also said:
“They have different characteristics through opposing distinct states, through taking distinct objects, and through conferring distinct benefits.
As the Fortunate One taught in the Yellow Garment Sutta ( Haliddavasanasutta):
‘Loving-kindness has the beautiful as the ultimate;
[438b] compassion has the base of boundless space as the ultimate;
appreciative gladness has the base of boundless consciousness as the ultimate;
and equanimity has the base of nothingness as the ultimateʼ.”
836
Q.
How can they be understood thus?
A. They can be understood in this sense due to the proximity of their supports ( upanissaya).
837
Q.
Why?
A.
One develops the mind of loving-kindness towards all beings.
After constantly focussing on this, one then attends to the blue or yellow [or another
that there are only four brahmavihāra- s due to there being four ways to purity:
mettā for one who has much ill will, compassion for one who has much harmfulness, etc. Vism then adds that it is like a mother with four sons who are each in different circumstances.
This simile could be identical with the one given at the start of this section at 438a09, where it does not fit and might have been misplaced due to a copyist’s error.
What follows the simile, i.e., “… depending on [these] distinctive objects, a distinction ( visesa) in the four immeasurables is known” could also fit here.
836 S V 119–21:
… Sace ākaṅkhati appaṭikkūlañ-ca paṭikkūlañ-ca tad ubhayaṃ abhinivajjetvā
upekhako vihareyyaṃ sato sampajāno ti, upekhako tattha viharati sato sampajāno.
Subhaṃ vā
kho pana vimokkhaṃ upasampajja viharati, subhaparamāhaṃ, bhikkhave mettācetovimuttiṃ
vadāmi.
… Ākāsānañcāyatanaparamāhaṃ … karuṇaṃ ….
Viññāṇañcāyatanaparamāhaṃ
… muditaṃ ….
Ākiñcaññāyatanaparamāhaṃ … upekkhaṃ … Cf. Spk III 172–3:
Kasmā
pan’ etāsaṃ mettādīnaṃ subha-paramāditā vuttā Bhagavatā ti?
Sabhāgavasena tassa upanissayatā.
… Vism IX.
5
Kasmā panetā evaṃ vuttāti?
Tassa tassa upanissayattā.
….
LC:
“The logic is that the practice of mettā makes it easy to develop the colour totality and enter the third vimokkha.
The practice of compassion makes it easy to detach from the materiality which is the cause of much suffering and enter the fourth vimokkha.
The practice of appreciative joy is focussed on the consciousness of those who are glad for various reasons and so makes it easy to focus on nonmaterial consciousness, so entering the fifth vimokkha.
The practice of equanimity makes it easy to detach from everything and take nothingness as the object of the mind, so entering the sixth vimokkha.
”
837 由依彼近故其義可知.
Cf. Vism IX.
5
Tassa tassa upanissayattā:
“Due to each being the decisive-support for each”.
Spk III 172–3:
Sabhāgavasena tassa upanissayatā:
“Due to being the decisive-support of it by way of similarity.”
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colour] totality and causes the mind to attain absorption without difficulty.
838
[Thus] the mind leaps into the object of various types of beings or into a beautiful totality of the material sphere.
At that time, the meditator attains the fourth jhāna of the material sphere.
Therefore, it is said that loving-kindness has the beautiful as the ultimate.
839
Q.
“With compassion as support the meditator840 transcends the fourth jhāna of the material sphere.”
How is this simply explained?
A. By developing compassion, he knows the disadvantages of the material sphere.
Why? When seeing the suffering of beings caused by matter, he gives rise to compassion.
Then, through knowing the disadvantages of the material sphere, and focussing on the escape from matter, on the base of boundless space, his mind attains to absorption without difficulty.
Because he attains [this base]
with [compassion] as support, therefore it is said that compassion has [the base of boundless] space as the ultimate.
841
838 Cf. M II 12, A I 40:
… ajjhattaṃ arūpasaññī bahiddhā rūpāni passati subhanteva adhimutto hoti.
Ps III 256, Mp II 75:
Subhantveva adhimutto hotī ti iminā suvisuddhesu nīlādīsu vaṇṇakasiṇesu jhānāni dassitāni.
Tattha kiñcāpi antoappanāyaṃ subhan-ti ābhogo natthi,
yo pana suvisuddhaṃ subhakasiṇārammaṇaṃ katvā viharati, so yasmā subhan-ti adhimutto hotī ti vattabbataṃ āpajjati, tasmā evaṃ desanā katā.
Paṭisambhidāmagge pana kathaṃ
subhantveva adhimutto hotī ti vimokkho idha bhikkhu mettāsahagatena cetasā ekaṃ disaṃ
pharitvā viharati… pe … mettāya bhāvitattā sattā appaṭikkūlā honti.
Karuṇāsahagatena
… muditāsahagatena … upekkhāsahagatena cetasā ekaṃ disaṃ pharitvā viharati …
upekkhāya bhāvitattā sattā appaṭikkūlā honti.
Evaṃ subhantveva adhimutto hotī ti vimokkho ti (Paṭis II 38) vuttaṃ.
839 Cf. Spk III 172–3, Vism IX.
5
Mettāvihārissa hi sattā appaṭikkūlā honti.
Ath’ assa appaṭikkūlā-paricayā appaṭikkūlesu parisuddha-vaṇṇesu nīlādīsu cittaṃ upasaṃharato appakasiren’ eva tattha cittaṃ pakkhandati.
Iti mettā subhavimokhassa upanissayo hoti,
na tato paraṃ.
Tasmā subha-paramā ti vuttā.
Cf. Spk II 134:
Subhadhātū ti subhakasiṇe uppannajjhānavasena sahārammaṇajjhānam-eva.
Cf. Samāhitabhūmi 4.1.2.3.4.3.0–1 (in Delhey 2009):
yad uktaṃ maitrī bhāvitā śubhaparamā
bhavatī ti vistaraḥ, kiṃ saṃdhāyoktam?
etad agraṃ sukhānām, yaduta tṛtīye dhyāne.
tadupasaṃhāraparibhāvitā maitrī paramā bhavati;
ataḥ śubhaparamety ucyate.
840 The text has 慈 “loving-kindness” instead of the similar character 悲 “compassion” here and in the following.
Only in the last sentence of this discussion (“… compassion has the base of infinite space as ultimate”) “compassion” is used.
The parallel at Vism IX.
121 has
“compassion”.
841 Cf. Spk III 173, Vism IX.
5.04166666666667
Karuṇā-vihārissa daṇḍābhighātādi-rūpa-nimittaṃ
sattadukkhaṃ samanupassantassa karuṇāya pavatti-sambhavato rūpe ādīnavo suparividito hoti.
Ath’ assa suparividitarusuparividitarūpādinavattā paṭhavī-kasiṇādīsu aññataraṃ
ugghāṭetvā rūpa-nissaraṇe ākāse cittaṃ upasaṃharato appakasiren’ eva tattha cittaṃ
pakkhandati.
Iti karuṇā ākāsānañcāyatanassa upanissayo hoti, na tato paraṃ.
Tasmā
ākāsānañcāyatanaparamā ti vuttā.
Cf. Cf.
Samāhitabhūmi 4.1.2.3.4.3.2 (in Delhey 2009):
karuṇāpy ākāśānantyāyatanopasaṃhā
raparibhāvitā paramā bhavati.
sa hi duḥkhāpanayanopasaṃhārābhiprāyaḥ.
ata ārūpyeṣv etat sarvaśo nāstī ti nāsti cchedanabhedanādiduḥkham ity ākāśānantyāyatanam eṣām
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Q.
“With appreciative gladness as support, the meditator transcends the base of boundless space.”
What is the meaning of this?
A. When he has developed appreciative gladness, the mind that is not attached constantly grasps the object of consciousness.
Why? Through appreciative gladness the non-attached [mind] settles on the object of [observing] the consciousness of beings who gladden their minds.
842 Herefrom, the non-attached mind constantly grasps the object of consciousness, the mind separates from matter and attaches to [boundless] space.
[Then] focussing on boundless consciousness, his mind attains to absorption without difficulty.
Therefore, it is said that appreciative gladness has the base of boundless consciousness as ultimate.
843
Q.
“With equanimity as support, the meditator transcends the base of boundless consciousness”.
What is the meaning of this?
A. When he has developed equanimity, his mind is separated from attachment.
Why? When he has not developed equanimity, he has attachment, [thinking,]
“May this being be happy”, or “[May this being be free from] suffering”, or he
[has attachment] because of the rapture or pleasure [in jhāna].
Then, due to the mind separating from attachment, separating from non-attachment,
upasaṃharati karuṇāsamāpanno duḥkhitānāṃ sattvānām:
yatra sāśrayaṃ duḥkhaṃ nāsti,
tathaite bhavantu iti.
842 The text is corrupt.
常取無邊識事, 何故, 以此喜於無所著無邊識處安眾生事, 從此心
無所著常取無邊識事 “… “grasps the object of boundless consciousness”.
Through this appreciative gladness in/regarding non-attached base of boundless consciousness settles/
establishes/fixes beings object.
Then the mind not attached constantly grasps the object of boundless consciousness.”
However, beings cannot be the object in the immaterial attainments and the object of boundless consciousness cannot be grasped directly though appreciative gladness.
The passage 現令心喜, “gladdening the mind”, got misplaced in the next paragraph at 438b22 but belongs here, then a scribe apparently corrected 識
“consciousness” to 無邊識 “boundless consciousness” and 無邊識處 “base of boundless consciousness”.
Ñāṇamoli’s translation of PoP IX.
122 (for Pāli next fn.) is:
“When he abides in gladness, his mind becomes familiar with apprehending consciousness, since gladness is aroused in him when he sees beings’ consciousness arisen in the form of rejoicing over some reason for joy.
Then, when he surmounts the sphere of boundless space that he had already attained in due course, and applies his mind to the consciousness that had as its object the sign of space, his mind enters into it without difficulty.
843 Spk III 173, Vism IX.
5.08333333333333
Muditā-vihārissa pana tena tena pāmojja-kāraṇena uppanna-pāmojja-sattānaṃ viññāṇaṃ samanupassantassa muditāya pavatti-sambhavato viññāṇa-ggahana-paricitaṃ cittaṃ hoti.
Ath’ assa anukkamādhigataṃ ākāsānañcāyatanaṃ
atikkamma ākāsa-nimitta-gocare viññāṇe cittaṃ upasaṃharato appakasiren eva tattha cittaṃ pakkhandati.
Iti muditā viññāṇañcāyatanassa upanissayo hoti, na tato paraṃ.
Cf. Samāhitabhūmi 4.1.2.3.4.3.3 (in Delhey 2009):
muditāsamāpannaḥ punaḥ sukhitānāṃ
sattvānāṃ modaprāptānāṃ vijñānānantyāyatanam upasaṃharati:
evam apramāṇaṃ
sukham eṣāṃ sattvānāṃ bhavatu yāvad apramāṇaṃ vijñānānantyāyatanam iti;
evaṃ
vijñānānantyāyatanopasaṃhāraparibhāvitā muditā paramā bhavati.
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and focussing844 on the base of nothingness, it attains to absorption without difficulty and is not attached to any kind of object.
Why? Because in the base of nothingness there is no attachment either to consciousness or to boundlessness.
Therefore, it is said that equanimity has the base of nothingness as the ultimate.
845
The miscellaneous topics are finished.
8.13 - N. Defining of the Four Elements
161 Introduction
Q.
What is the “defining of the four elements”?
How is it practised?
What are its characteristic, essential function, and manifestation?
What are its benefits?
What is the procedure?
A. Investigation-knowledge ( vicaya-ñāṇa) with regard to the specific characteristics ( salakkhaṇa)846 of the internal four elements — this is called the
“defining of the four elements”.
The undistracted dwelling of the mind [in this defining] — this is called “the practice of it”.
Defining of the four elements is its characteristic.
847 The entering 844 Read 現令作意, upasaṃharato, as in the preceding paragraphs, instead of 現令心喜,
“gladdening the mind”, which belongs to the preceding section on appreciative gladness.
845 Spk III 173–4, Vism IX.
5.125
Upekkhā-vihārissa pana:
sattā sukhitā vā hontu, dukkhato vā vimuccantu, sampattasukhato vā mā vigacchantū ti ābhogābhāvato sukha-dukkhādīhi paramatthaggāha-vimukha-sambhavato avijjamānaggahaṇa-dukkhaṃ cittaṃ hoti.
Ath’ assa paramatthaggāhato vimukha-bhāva-paricita-cittassa paramatthato avijjamānaggahaṇadukkha-cittassa ca anukkamādhigataṃ viññāṇānañcāyatanaṃ samatikkama-sabhāvato avijjamāne paramattha-bhūtassa viññāṇassa abhāve cittaṃ upasaṃharato appakasiren’ eva tattha cittaṃ pakkhandati.
Iti upekkhā ākiñcaññāyatanassa upanissayo hoti, na tato paraṃ.
Cf. Samāhitabhūmi 4.1.2.3.4.3.4 (in Delhey 2009):
ayaṃ cānāsravacittabhūmiparyantaḥ,
yadutākiṃcanyāyatanam;
tac ca param upekṣāṇām.
ataḥ yathārhato bhikṣoḥ sarveṣu sukhaduḥkhāduḥkhāsukhapracāreṣv asaṃkleśo bhavati, evam eṣāṃ sattvānāṃ bhavatu ity upekṣāsamāpannas tad ākiṃcanyāyatanam upasaṃharati;
ata ākiṃcanyāyatanopasaṃhāra paribhāvitopekṣā paramā bhavati.
846 “Specific” or “own” as opposed to “general”.
See Ch.8 fn. 11, 874 and Ch.12 fn. 4
847 隨觀四大.
The binome 隨觀 usually corresponds to anupassana in Vim, but at 430b18
it corresponds to sallakkhaṇa and at 425a06 to vavatthāna.
Vism XI.
27/p.347:
Tattha vavatthānan-ti sabhāvūpalakkhaṇavasena sanniṭṭhānaṃ, catunnaṃ dhātūnaṃ vavatthānaṃ
catudhātuvavatthānaṃ.
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into emptiness848 is its essential function.
The elimination of the perception of a being is its manifestation.
849
Q.
What are its benefits?
A. One who practises the defining of the four elements obtains eight benefits:
(1) he overcomes fear and dread;
[438c] (2) [overcomes] delight and dissatisfaction;
(3) is even-minded towards agreeable and disagreeable [objects];
(4) eliminates the idea of male and female;
850 (5) he is one of great wisdom;
(6) is destined for a good destination;
or (7) is destined for the deathless;
and (8) all states partaking of true knowledge come to full development.
851
Q.
What is the procedure?
A. The beginner meditator grasps the elements in two ways:
in brief and in detail.
162 Grasping the elements in brief
Q.
What is grasping the elements in brief?
A. The meditator goes into solitude, sits down, and concentrates his mind completely.
With an undistracted mind [he contemplates]:
“This body is to be considered by way of the four elements [thus]:
In this body whatever has the nature of hardness ( thaddha-bhāva) is the earth element ( paṭhavī-dhātu);
whatever has the nature of fluidity ( drava-bhāva) is the water element ( āpo-dhātu);
whatever has the nature of heat ( uṇha-bhāva) is the fire element ( tejo-dhātu);
whatever has the nature of distension and the nature of movement852 is the wind
848 Vism-mhṭ 458:
Suññataṃ avagāhatī ti dhātumattatādassanena rūpakāyassa anattakataṃ
vavatthāpayato tadanusārena nāmakāyassā-pi anattakatā supākaṭā hotī ti sabbaso attasuññataṃ pariyogāhati tattha patiṭṭhahati.
849 Vism XI.
4.875
Idañ-ca pana catudhātuvavatthānaṃ anuyutto bhikkhu suññataṃ
avagāhati, sattasaññaṃ samugghāteti.
So sattasaññāya samūhatattā vāḷamigayakkharak khasādivikappaṃ anāvajjamāno bhayabheravasaho hoti, aratiratisaho, na iṭṭhāniṭṭhesu ugghātanigghātaṃ pāpuṇāti.
Mahāpañño ca pana hoti amatapariyosāno vā
sugatiparāyano vāti.
850 Cf. 439a22 “… great primaries are neither male nor female”.
Cf. Vism XI.
92/p/365:
Evametaṃ
itthipurisādibhāvena bālajanavañcanaṃ māyārūpasadisaṃ dhātuyantaṃ pavattatī ti.
851 所有明分法, vijjābhāgiyā dhammā.
Cf. the parallel in the benefits to kāyagatāsati at 432c21.
852 The text has earth element here but the variant readings indicate that the text is corrupt here.
Distension is given as a nature of the wind element below at 439b09. The Vism has both vitthambhanabhāvo & samudīraṇabhāvo here;
see Vism XI.41/p.351–2:
Tasmā imaṃ
kammaṭṭhānaṃ bhāvetukāmena tikkhapaññena tāva rahogatena paṭisallīnena sakalam-pi attano rūpakāyaṃ āvajjetvā yo imasmiṃ kāye thaddhabhāvo vā kharabhāvo vā, ayaṃ pathavīdhātu.
Yo ābandhanabhāvo vā dravabhāvo vā, ayaṃ āpodhātu.
Yo paripācanabhāvo vā uṇhabhāvo
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element ( vāyo-dhātu).
Thus, this body consists of mere elements.
853 It is without a being, without a soul.”
In this way, he grasps the elements in brief.
Furthermore, some say that the meditator grasps the elements in brief by analysing this [whole] body by means of [analysing] membranes854 through colour, through shape, through location, and through delimitation.
855
The meditator, having grasped the elements in brief by means of analysing the nature of the whole body by means of analysing membranes through colour, shape, location, and delimitation, analyses this [whole] body by means of
[analysing] flesh through colour, shape, location, and delimitation.
The meditator, having analysed the whole body by means of analysing flesh through colour, shape, location, and delimitation, analyses this whole body by means of analysing the veins through colour, shape, location, and delimitation.
The meditator, having analysed the whole body through analysing the veins through colour, shape, location, and delimitation, analyses the whole body through analysing the bones through colour, shape, location, and delimitation.
The meditator in these four ways, through these four aspects856 [of the body], subdues his mind.
By subduing his mind, he makes his mind soft and malleable.
Having made his mind soft and malleable, in these four ways, through these four aspects, he knows:
“That which has the nature of hardness is the earth element”.
He knows:
“That which has the nature of fluidity is the water element”.
He knows:
“That which has the nature of heat is the fire element.”
He knows:
“That which has the nature of distension857 is the wind element.”
Thus, the meditator, in these four ways, [through these four aspects, sees that this body]
consists of mere elements, without a being, without a soul.
Through inference, the other aspects [of the body] can be established.
Thus, one grasps the elements in brief.
vā, ayaṃ tejodhātu.
Yo vitthambhanabhāvo vā samudīraṇabhāvo vā, ayaṃ vāyodhātū ti evaṃ
saṃkhittena dhātuyo pariggahetvā punappunaṃ pathavīdhātu āpodhātū ti dhātumattato nissattato nijjīvato āvajjitabbaṃ manasikātabbaṃ paccavekkhitabbaṃ.
853 Dhātumattato nissattato nijjīvato;
see previous footnote.
Cf. M I 185, 421, III 240:
Yā ceva kho pana ajjhattikā pathavīdhātu, yā ca bāhirā pathavīdhātu, pathavīdhāturevesā,
taṃ netaṃ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā ti, evametaṃ yathābhūtaṃ sammappaññāya daṭṭhabbaṃ.
854 膜, i.e., midriff, pleura, meninges, etc. See Vism VIII.
115/p.257 and Ñāṇamoli’s note to it in PoP.
855 Cf. the methods at 411c28, 425a04, 432c28, 448b26.
856 於此四行以四行, probably Saṅghapāla wanted to capture both meanings of ākāra, i.e.,
“way, manner”, vidha, and “aspect, part”, koṭṭhāsa.
Cf. Vism-mhṭ I 438:
Dvattiṃsākāreti dhātumanasikāravasena pariggahite kesādike dvattiṃsavidhe koṭṭhāse.
857 Read 持性 instead of 動性, “the nature of movement”, in accordance with the footnote to 438c23. See note to 438c07 above.
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163 Grasping the elements in detail
Q.
How does one grasp the elements in detail?
A. One grasps the earth element in detail through twenty aspects, namely,
[through defining] “In this body there are (1) head-hair, (2) body-hair, (3) nails, (4) teeth, (5) skin, (6) flesh, (7) sinews, (8) bones, (9) bone-marrow, (10) kidneys, (11) heart, (12) liver, (13) lungs, (14) spleen, (15) stomach, (16) large intestine, (17) small intestine, (18) stomach-contents, (19) excrement, and (20) brain.”
858
One grasps the water element in detail through twelve aspects, namely:
“In this body there are (1) bile, (2) saliva, (3) pus, (4) blood, (5) sweat, (6) grease, (7) tears, (8) fat, (9) urine, (10) phlegm, (11) nasal mucus, and (12) synovial fluid.”
[439a]
One grasps the fire element in detail through four aspects, namely, (1) as that through which one is heated, (2) as that through which one decays, (3) as that through which one is burnt, and (4) as that through which what is eaten, drunk, chewed, and tasted is completely digested.
859 This is called the “fire element”.
860
One grasps the wind element in detail through six aspects, namely, through (1) upward-going winds, (2) downward-going winds, (3) winds located in the abdomen, (4) winds located in the back, (5) winds coursing through the limbs, and (6) winds of the in-breaths and out-breaths.
861
Thus, through forty-two aspects one sees this body as mere elements, without a being, without a soul.
Thus, the elements are grasped in detail.
858 Nett 73:
Dvīhi ākārehi dhātuyo pariggaṇhāti saṅkhepena ca vitthārena ca.
Kathaṃ vitthārena dhātuyo pariggaṇhāti?
Vīsatiyā ākārehi pathavīdhātuṃ vitthārena pariggaṇhāti, dvādasahi ākārehi āpodhātuṃ vitthārena pariggaṇhāti, catūhi ākārehi tejodhātuṃ vitthārena pariggaṇhāti,
chahi ākārehi vāyodhātuṃ vitthārena pariggaṇhāti.
Katamehi vīsatiyā ākārehi pathavīdhātuṃ
vitthārena pariggaṇhāti?
Atthi imasmiṃ kāye kesā lomā nakhā dantā taco…
859 Literally “that by which one is heated, … warmed, … mildly-warmed, by which one evenly digests what is eaten …”.
Cf. Nett 73:
Yena ca santappati, yena ca jīrīyati, yena ca pariḍayhati, yena ca asitapītakhāyitasāyitaṃ sammā pariṇāmaṃ gacchati, imehi catūhi ākārehi tejodhātuṃ vitthārena pariggaṇhāti.
Cf. M I 188, Vism XI.
31
860 This conclusion sentence is not found with the other three elements here and seems to be an intrusion.
861 Nett 74:
Katamehi chahi ākārehi vāyodhātuṃ vitthārena parigaṇhāti?
Uddhaṃgamā vātā
adhogamā vātā kucchisayā vātā koṭṭhāsayā vātā aṅgamaṅgānusārino vātā assāso passāso.
Vibh-a 5:
Vātā ti kucchivātapiṭṭhivātādivasena veditabbā.
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164 Ten ways of defining the elements
Furthermore, former teachers taught that one should define the four elements through ten ways, namely:
through word meaning;
through function;
clusters;
powder;
inseparability;
conditions;
characteristics;
similarity and dissimilarity;
unity and difference;
and element puppet.
165 Word meaning
Q.
How should one define the elements through analysing the word meaning ( vacanattha)?
A. The two terms for the elements are specific and general, i.e., a general term and specific term.
Herein, the great primaries862 — these are general terms.
Earth element, water element, fire element, and wind element — these are specific terms.
Q. What is the meaning of “great primaries”?
A. [Because they are] great manifestations ( mahā-pātubhāva), they are called
“great primaries”.
Even though they are greatly unreal ( mahā-abhūtattha),863 they appear as real ( bhūtattha) — therefore they are called “great primaries”.
864
862 In Chinese both the four elements, dhātu, and the four great primaries, mahābhūta, are rendered as 四大, the “four greats”, from mahābhūta and one needs to infer from the context which of the two would have been in the original.
Supposedly here the “general term” is mahābhūta, 四大, which is later just given as 大.
In the conclusions of the 10 ways of defining the four elements, dhātu, 界 and 諸界, (439b11, 439b27, 439c03, 439c03, etc. ) and mahabhūta, 四大, (439b19, 439b27, 439c04) are interchangeably used.
Cf. Vism XI.
1.125
Dhātumanasikāro, dhātukammaṭṭhānaṃ,
catudhātuvavatthānan-ti atthato ekaṃ.
Spk III 12 & 55 have mahābhūta-kammaṭṭhāna and Spk II 84 catunnaṃ mahābhūtānaṃ manasikāro.
863 有大非實義.
實義 = bhūtattha, Skt bhūtartha.
MW s.
v. bhūtartha:
“anything that has really happened or really exists, real fact, an element of life, statement of facts, …”
Cf.
Vism-mhṭ I 235:
Abhūtan-ti abhūtatthaṃ.
Atthamukhena hi vācāya abhūtatā, bhūtatā vā.
Mp-ṭ I 29:
Tattha saccikaṭṭhaparamatthavasenā ti bhūtattha-uttamatthavasena.
Idaṃ vuttaṃ
hoti ( Ud-a 65), yo māyāmarīci ādayo viya abhūtattho, …
864 Cf. Abhidh-av 626:
Mahantā pātubhūtā ti, mahābhūtasamā ti vā.
/ Vañcakattā abhūtena,
mahābhūtā ti saññitā.
Abhidh-av-ṭ II 109 = Vism XI.
97–100. Cf. Vism XI.
4
Mahantapātu-bhāvādīhīti etā hi dhātuyo mahantapātubhāvato, mahābhūtasāmaññato, mahāparihārato,
mahāvikārato, mahattā bhūtattā cā ti imehi kāraṇehi mahābhūtānī ti vuccanti.
Cf. Paṭis-a II 515.
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“Great primaries”:
They resemble the appearances ( saṇṭhāna, viggaha)
[of great beings, mahā-bhūtāni] such as yakkhas, therefore they are called
“great primaries”.
865
Q.
Why are the “great manifestations” called “great primaries”?
866
A.
[Because] the elements are great manifestations.
As the Fortunate One said in verse,
The size of the earth is said to be 240,000 [yojanas];
Water is 480,000;
The wind residing in the sky is 960,000;
The world is established also through fire.
867
From the centre of the world, myriad flames
rise up as far as the Brahmā worlds.
When, at the end, the seventh sun [appears].
868
The “great manifestations” are thus;
therefore, they are called “great primaries”.
869
Q.
How do the great primaries that are unreal appear as real?
A. What are called “great primaries” are neither male nor female, but they are seen through the form ( rūpa) of a male or a female.
The entities are neither long
865 There are word plays here on the various meanings of the word bhūta in mahā-bhūta.
Bhūta means “(that which has) become” or “come into being” but it can also mean a “living being” (including plants), or “entity”, or malignant “being” such as a spirit or ghost, as well as the meaning “real” or “existing”.
Cf. Vism XI.99/Vism I.
15.125
Yathā ca yakkhādīni mahābhūtāni yaṃ gaṇhanti, neva nesaṃ
tassa anto na bahi ṭhānaṃ upalabbhati, na ca taṃ nissāya na tiṭṭhanti, evam-eva tānipi neva aññamaññassa anto na bahi ṭhitāni hutvā upalabbhanti, na ca aññamaññaṃ nissāya na tiṭṭhantī ti acinteyyaṭṭhānatāya yakkhādimahābhūtasāmaññato pi mahābhūtāni.
866 The character for “great”, mahā, as well as “great primary”, mahābhūta, is 大, but presumably Saṅghapāla would have indicated it if he intended the former sense here.
867 Cf. Vism VII.
40–41, XI.
97, As 297f.:
Duve satasahassāni, cattāri nahutāni ca;
/ Ettakaṃ
bahalattena, saṅkhātāyaṃ vasundharā.
… Cattāri satasahassāni, aṭṭheva nahutāni ca;
/
Ettakaṃ bahalattena, jalaṃ vāte patiṭṭhitaṃ.
… Nava satasahassāni, māluto nabhamuggato;
/ Saṭṭhiñceva sahassāni, esā lokassa saṇṭhiti.
Vism XI.
102, As 300:
Bhūmito vuṭṭhitā yāva brahmalokā vidhāvati;
/ Acci accimato loke, ḍayhamānamhi tejasā.
868 乃極七日.
For the seventh sun appearing at the end of an aeon and burning up the world system, including all realms up to the fourth Brahmaloka, see the Sattasūriyasutta at A IV 102:
Sattamassa … sūriyassa pātubhāvā ayañ-ca mahāpathavī sineru ca pabbatarājā
ādippanti pajjalanti ekajālā bhavanti.
Imissā ca … mahāpathaviyā sinerussa ca pabbatarājassa jhāyamānānaṃ dayhamānānaṃ acci vātena khittā yāva brahmalokāpi gacchati.
See also Vism XIII.
41/p.416.
869 In the Taishō text this line is printed as the last two lines of the verses.
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nor short, but are seen through the form of the long or the short.
The entities are neither a tree nor a mountain, but are seen through the form of a tree or a mountain.
Thus, the great primaries that are unreal appear as real and are called
“great primaries”.
Q. What is the meaning of “resembling the appearances of [great beings] such as yakkhas”?
A. It is as if a yakkha were to enter into a man’s body and occupy it.
Through the yakkha’s appearance, there is the manifestation of four functions:
physical hardness, fluidity,870 heat, and movement.
Just so, in the body, through being possessed by the elements,871 there is the manifestation of four functions:
872
Through being possessed by the earth element there is hardness;
through being possessed by the water element, there is fluidity;
through being possessed by the fire element, there is heat;
and through being possessed by the wind element, there is movement.
Thus, because of resembling the appearances of [great beings] such as yakkhas, they are called “great primaries”.
[439b] Thus, “great primaries” is the word meaning.
Q. What is the meaning of “earth element”, “water element”, “fire element”, and “wind element”?
A. Extensiveness is the meaning of “earth”.
Drinkability and preservation is the meaning of “water”.
Lighting up is the meaning of “fire”.
Blowing is the meaning of “wind”.
873
Q.
What is the meaning of “element”?
870 Instead of 尿, read 流;
as at 439a28, etc. 871 The text has “fire element” but this does not make sense here.
The Chinese character for
“being possessed by” is 和合, which can also mean “union of”, “combined with”, etc. In this context 和合 corresponds best to samaṅgī, “being possessed of”, or “being endowed with”.
Cf. Vism-mhṭ p.
18.875
Pathavīādīnaṃ kakkhaḷapaggharaṇādivisesalakkhaṇasamaṅgitā apariccattadhātulakkhaṇānaṃ yevā ti āha dhātulakkhaṇaṃ anatītattā ti.
872 Cf. Vism XI.
100/p.363:
Yathā ca yakkhinīsaṅkhātāni mahābhūtāni manāpehi vaṇṇasaṇṭhānavikkhepehi attano bhayānakabhāvaṃ paṭicchādetvā satte vañcenti,
evam-eva etānipi itthipurisasarīrādīsu manāpena chavivaṇṇena manāpena attano aṅgapaccaṅgasaṇṭhānena manāpena ca hatthapādaṅgulibhamukavikkhepena attano kakkhaḷattādibhedaṃ sarasa-lakkhaṇaṃ paṭicchādetvā bālajanaṃ vañcenti, attano sabhāvaṃ daṭṭhuṃ na dentī ti vañcakattena yakkhinīmahābhūtasāmaññato pi mahābhūtāni.
873 Cf. Vism XI.
3.625
Tattha vacanatthato manasikarontena patthaṭattā pathavī.
Appoti āpiyati apayātī ti vā āpo.
Tejatī ti tejo.
Vāyatī ti vāyo.
Avisesena pana salakkhaṇadhāraṇato…
Abhidh-av 63, v.
26.2916666666667
Pathavī patthaṭattā ca, vāyo vāyanato bhave;
/ Tejo tejeti rūpāni, āpo āpeti pālanā.
去來 corresponds to gatāgamana, coming and going or gati, going away.
The translator misunderstood vāyati as -v-āyati/ ayati.
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A.
It has the meaning of “bearing its own characteristics” ( salakkhaṇa-dhāraṇa).
874
Furthermore, that which has the intrinsic nature ( sabhāva) of earth is the earth element;
that which has the intrinsic nature of water is the water element;
that which has the intrinsic nature of fire is the fire element;
that which has the intrinsic nature of wind is the wind element.
Q. What is “the intrinsic nature of earth”?
875
A.
The intrinsic nature of hardness;
the intrinsic nature of stiffness;
the intrinsic nature of solidness ( ghana);
the intrinsic nature of immobility;
the intrinsic nature of stationariness ( patiṭṭhāna);
and the intrinsic nature of supporting ( dhāraṇa) —
this is called “the intrinsic nature of earth”.
876
Q.
What is “the intrinsic nature of water”?
A. The intrinsic nature of fluidity ( drava);
the intrinsic nature of moistness;
the intrinsic nature of oozing;
the intrinsic nature of trickling;
the intrinsic nature of filling ( paripūrana?
);
the intrinsic nature of increasing ( brūhana);
the intrinsic nature of floating ( uplavana?
);
and the intrinsic nature of cohesion ( saṅgaha, bandhana?) —
this is called “the intrinsic nature of water”.
Q. What is “the intrinsic nature of fire”?
A. The intrinsic nature of heating ( uṇha);
the intrinsic nature of warming;
the intrinsic nature of evaporating;
the intrinsic nature of maturing ( paripācana);
the intrinsic nature of burning ( dahana);
and the intrinsic nature of grasping ( upādāna)877 —
this is called “the intrinsic nature of fire”.
874 Elsewhere 自相 as salakkhaṇa has been translated as “specific characteristic”.
On the important role of the term svalakṣaṇa in the Sarvāstivāda abhidharma, see Dhammajoti 2009:
18–22. Cf. Abhidh-k-bh I.
1-2b, 002|10:
svalakṣaṇadhāranād dharmaḥ.
Cf. Vism XI.
4.29166666666667
Salakkhaṇadhāraṇato pana dukkhādānato ca dukkhādhānato ca sabbāpi dhātulakkhaṇaṃ anatītattā dhātuyo.
Vism-mhṭ I 453:
Salakkhaṇadhāraṇena cā ti yena salakkhaṇadhāraṇena dhātuyo ti vuccanti, teneva dhammā tipi vuccanti ubhayathā pi nissattanijjīvatāya eva vibhāvanato.
… Sadd 377:
dhātū ti salakkhaṇaṃ dadhāti dhāretī ti dhātu.
Cf. Vism XI.
87 in preceding note.
875 From now on 性 is used in the text instead of 自性.
The character 性 usually corresponds to
- bhāva, but it can also correspond to sabhāva, so presumably it is just an abbreviation for 自性.
876 Vism XI.
3.91666666666667
Pathavīdhātu kakkhaḷattalakkhaṇā, patiṭṭhānarasā, sampaṭicchanapaccupaṭṭhānā.
Āpodhātu paggharaṇalakkhaṇā, brūhanarasā, saṅgahapaccupaṭṭhānā.
Tejodhātu uṇhattalakkhaṇā,
paripācanarasā, maddavānuppadānapaccupaṭṭhānā.
Vāyodhātu vitthambhanalakkhaṇā,
samudīraṇarasā.
877 Perhaps this stands for maddavānuppadāna of Vism XI.
94. Cf. M I 487:
yo me ayaṃ purato aggi jalati ayaṃ aggi tiṇakaṭṭhupādānaṃ paṭicca jalati.
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Q.
What is “the intrinsic nature of wind”?
A. The intrinsic nature of distension ( vitthambhana);
878 the intrinsic nature of cooling ( sītala);
879 the intrinsic nature of blowing;
the intrinsic nature of movement;
the intrinsic nature of inclining;
and the intrinsic nature of grasping ( upādāna) — this is called “the intrinsic nature of wind”.
These are the meanings of the elements.
Thus, one should define the four elements through word meaning.
166 Function
Q.
How should one define the elements through function ( kicca)?
878 In the Theravāda abhidhamma system, “distension” or “expansion”, vitthambhana, is a characteristic of the wind element.
At 439b09 and 438c07, 持 therefore should correspond to vitthambhana, and not to dhāraṇa, “supporting”, to which it usually corresponds, but which is a characteristic of the earth element.
持 can also correspond to upastambhana, “support”.
Vitthambhana was either misunderstood as Skt upastambhana or viṣṭambhana, which have the same meaning of “supporting”.
879 “Coolness” or “coldness” (= sīta, sītala) is not given as a characteristic of any element in the Theravāda canonical and commentarial abhidhamma system.
In the Vism-mhṭ, sīta is stated to be a characteristic of the fire element since the discernment of coldness happens when there is reduced heat.
The Vism-mhṭ also says that there are those who say that the wind element has the characteristic of coldness, sītatā.
It rejects this on the grounds that then heat and cold would then occur together in one kalāpa or material cluster.
Vism-mhṭ II 108:
Kimidaṃ phoṭṭhabbaṃ nāmā ti?
Pathavītejovāyodhātuttayaṃ. Kasmā
panettha āpodhātu aggahitā, nanu sītatā phusitvā gayhati, sā ca āpodhātu ti?
Saccaṃ
gayhati, na pana sā āpodhātu.
Kiñcarahī ti?
Tejodhātu eva.
Mande hi uṇhabhāve sītabuddhi.
Na hi sītaṃ nāma koci guṇo atthi, kevalaṃ pana uṇhabhāvassa mandatāya sītatābhimāno.
Kathametaṃ viññātabbanti ce?
Anavaṭṭhitattā sītabuddhiyā yathā pārāpāre.
Tathā
hi ghammakāle ātape ṭhitānaṃ chāyaṃ paviṭṭhānaṃ sītabuddhi hoti, tattheva pana pathavīgabbhato uṭṭhitānaṃ uṇhabuddhi.
Yadi hi sītatā āpodhātu siyā, ekasmiṃ kalāpe uṇhabhāvena saddhiṃ upalabbheyya, na ca upalabbhati.
Tasmā viññāyati na āpodhātu sītatā ti.
Idañca bhūtānaṃ avinibbhogavuttitaṃ icchantānaṃ uttaraṃ, anicchantānampi pana catunnaṃ bhūtānaṃ ekasmiṃ kalāpe kiccadassanena sabhāgavuttitāya sādhitāya uttarameva.
Ye pana vāyodhātuyā lakkhaṇaṃ sītatā ti vadanti, tesampi idameva uttaraṃ.
Yadi hi vāyodhātu-sītatā siyā, ekasmiṃ kalāpe uṇhabhāvena saddhiṃ sītatā upalabbheyya,
na ca upalabbhati.
Tasmā viññāyati na vāyodhātu sītatā ti.
“Coldness” of wind is also mentioned in Ch.8 § 164 & 170 (439b09 & 440a02) where it perhaps means “cooling” because wind cools the body.
The third benefit of the wind totality is the ability “to cause coolness by attending and resolving [on it]” (not found in the Visuddhimagga).
The definition of the external wind element in the Vibhaṅga (§ 176) includes “cold winds and hot winds”:
Yaṃ bāhiraṃ vāyo … seyyathidaṃ … sītā vātā uṇhā
vātā parittā vātā adhimattā vātā …
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A.
The earth element has supporting as function;
the water element has cohesion as function;
the fire element has maturing as function;
and the wind element has conveying880 as function.
Furthermore, the earth element has standing as function;
the water element has descending as function;
the fire element has ascending as function;
and the wind element has motion as function.
Furthermore, owing to the proximity of two elements,881 there is at first the putting down882 of the foot;
and owing to the proximity of two elements, there is afterwards the raising of the foot.
Owing to the proximity of two elements, there is at first sitting or lying down;
and owing to the proximity of two elements, there is afterwards standing and walking.
Owing to the proximity of two elements, there is at first sloth and torpor;
and owing to the proximity of two elements, there is afterwards inception of energy ( viriyārambha).
Owing to the proximity of two elements, there is at first heaviness;
and owing to the proximity of two elements, there is afterwards lightness.
Thus, one should define the four elements through function.
167 Clusters
Q.
How should one define the four elements through clusters ( kalāpa)?
A. With regard to clusters:
There are the earth element, the water element, the fire element, and the wind element.
Dependent upon these [four] elements are colour, odour, taste, and vital essence.
883 These eight states ( dhamma) are
880 The character 遮 means “to check, prohibit, avoid, intercept”.
Vism XI.
93 has abhinīhāra,
which Ñāṇamoli (2010) rendered as “conveying”;
see his note on the technical meaning of this word at Vism XI.
93. Saṅghapāla likely misunderstood abhinīhāra as nīhāra/ nīharaṇa,
“ejection, taking out”, or parihāra, “keep away, avoid”.
881 Presumably the first two are the first two of the four elements, i.e., earth and water, and the other two are the second two, i.e., fire and wind.
882 The text has “… owing to the proximity of two elements, there is at first the raising of the foot;
and owing to the proximity of two elements, there is afterwards the raising of the foot”, which does not make sense.
Given the “first this, then afterwards its opposite” structure of the following, and the Pāli passage below, the translation has been amended here.
Cf. Ps I 260–61:
Tass’ evaṃ abhikkamato ekekapāduddharaṇe paṭhavīdhātu āpodhātū ti dve dhātuyo omattā honti mandā, itarā dve adhimattā honti balavatiyo.
Tathā atiharaṇa-vītiharaṇesu.
Vossajjane tejodhātu-vāyodhātuyo omattā honti mandā, itarā dve adhimattā balavatiyo.
…
883 色香味觸.
The original text likely had ojā, “vital essence”, here instead of “touch”.
Saṅghapāla or a scribe did not know that according to Theravāda Abhidhamma “touch” is not a dependent matter.
He made the same change at the explanation of the eye-decad at 446b19–
20;
see Introduction §4.4 and Ch.11 fn. 31;
however, in the list of dependent kinds of matter at 445c, “touch” is not given.
Vism has ojā instead of phoṭṭhabba, and so in the explanation of the eye-decad.
Vism XI.
88/p.364:
Vaṇṇo gandho raso ojā, catasso cāpi dhātuyo;
/ Aṭṭha-dhammasamodhānā, hoti kesā ti sammuti;
/ Tesaṃ yeva vinibbhogā, natthi kesā ti sammuti.
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co-arisen ( sahajāta) and remain inseparable ( avinibbhoga).
The conglomeration of these [eight states] is called “cluster”.
Furthermore, there are four kinds [of cluster], namely, the earth cluster, the water cluster, the fire cluster, and the wind cluster.
In the earth cluster, the earth element is predominant;
and the water element, the fire element, and the wind element are successively less.
In the water cluster, the water element is predominant;
and the earth element, the wind element, and the fire element are successively less.
In the fire cluster, the fire element is predominant;
and the earth element, the wind element, and the water element are successively less.
In the wind cluster, the wind element is predominant;
and the fire element, the water element, and the earth element are successively less.
884
Thus, one should define the elements through clusters.
168 Powder
Q.
How should one define the four elements through powder ( cuṇṇa)?
A. One defines the earth element as [pulverized] into the finest particle of dust.
885 Because this earth is mixed with water, it does not disperse;
being matured by fire, it is without stench;
886 being distended by wind, it moves.
Thus, one should define.
[439c]
Furthermore, the former teachers said:
“If the body of an average man is broken up until it becomes dust, the earth element in the body of a person will amount to one hū and two shēng.
Then, if mixed with water, it will become six shēng and five gĕ.
887 When matured by fire, the wind raises it and swirls it around.”
888
884 Cf. A III 340–41:
Ākaṅkhamāno āvuso bhikkhu iddhimā cetovasippatto amuṃ
dārukkhandhaṃ paṭhavī tveva adhimucceyya.
Taṃ kissa hetu?
Atthi āvuso amusmiṃ
dārukkhandhe paṭhavidhātu, yaṃ nissāya bhikkhu iddhimā … paṭhavī tveva adhimucceyya.
…
885 於最細隣空微塵生.
Lit.:
“in the finest, closest to space particle”.
LC:
“This is partly paramāṇubhedasañcuṇṇā sukhumarajabhūtā (the earth element) if it is powdered and broken up to the smallest possible extent and made into fine dust’ (see Vism XI.
89).
Probably paramāṇu and bheda-sañcuṇṇā were interpreted as separate words.
Raja was misunderstood as rajas in the sense of space (cf.
MW) instead of in the sense of dust.”
Perhaps Saṅghapāla interpreted this in accordance with paramāṇu nāma ākāsakoṭṭhāsiko,
“the smallest atom as particle of space” as in As 343 and Vism-mhṭ.
See Ñāṇamoli’s footnote to Vism XI.89 in PoP (2010: 359 fn. 31).
886 Cf. Vism XI.
91 pūtibhāvaṃ na dasseti.
887 10 gĕ = 1 sho = 1.804 litres.
The corresponding Indic terms for these Chinese measurements are not known.
Cf. Vism XI.
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349. Cuṇṇato ti imasmiṃ hi sarīre majjhimena pamāṇena pariggayhamānā paramāṇubhedasañcuṇṇā sukhumarajabhūtā pathavīdhātu doṇamattā
siyā.
Sā tato upaḍḍhappamāṇāya āpodhātuyā saṅgahitā, tejodhātuyā anupālitā
vāyodhātuyā vitthambhitā na vikiriyati na viddhaṃsiyati, ….
888 In the Sanskrit “Yogalehrbuch” or “Qizil Yoga Manual” (see Intro.
§ 9) this contemplation is found as follows:
“… by the perception of powder, one sees as if [one’s body] consisting
502
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Thus, one should define the elements through powder.
169 Inseparability
Q.
How should one define the four elements through inseparability ( avinibbhoga)?
A. The earth element is held together by water;
is matured by fire;
is distended by wind.
Thus, three elements are united.
The water element rests on earth;
is matured by fire;
is distended by wind.
Thus, three elements are held together.
The fire element rests on earth;
is held together by water;
distended by wind.
Thus, three elements are matured.
The wind element rests on earth;
is held together by water;
is matured by fire.
Thus, three elements are distended.
Three elements rest on earth.
Held together by water, three elements do not disperse.
Matured by fire, three elements are without stench.
Distended by wind, three elements move on, and remain without dispersing.
Thus, the four elements are dependent upon each other ( aññamañña) and stay
[together] without dispersing.
Thus, one defines the elements through inseparability.
170 Conditions
Q.
How should one define the elements through conditions ( paccaya)?
A. There are four causes, four conditions, for the arising of the elements, namely, kamma, mind ( citta), season ( utu), and food ( āhāra).
Q. Why?
A. Kamma:
The elements889 that are produced from kamma ( kammasamuṭṭhāna) are conditions by two conditions, namely, producing-condition of the formations were falling down, having been made into powder, [and] as if it is a heap of ashes resting on the earth encompassed by the ocean”,
… saṃskāragataṃ pataṃtam iva paśyati cūrṇasaṃjñāyā<ṃ> cūrṇīkṛtaṃ bhasmarāśivad avasthitaṃ svam āśra( yam)///
( samudraparyantā) -yāṃ pṛthivyāṃ;
see Yamabe 1997:
14, 22. Cf. D II 297:
… bhikkhu seyyathā pi passeyya … aṭṭhikāni pūtīni cuṇṇakajātāni.
So imam-eva kāyaṃ upasaṃharati ayam-pi kho kāyo evaṃdhammo evaṃbhāvī evaṃanatīto ti.
889 The Chinese text adds “four” before “elements” here and below, but there should be no number here;
see the parallel in Vism XI.
111–113/p.369. Saṅghapāla translated dhātu as
“four elements”, 四界.
Below he even uses “four great primaries”, 四大.
In the introductory question and answer the number “four” is not given before “elements”, and below “other elements” is used, which support that it is an error.
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( janaka-paccaya) and kamma-condition ( kamma-paccaya).
The other elements are conditions by the support-condition ( nissaya- or upanissaya-paccaya).
890
Mind ( citta):
The elements that are produced from mind ( cittasamuṭṭhāna) are conditions by six conditions, namely, (1) producing-condition, (2) co-arising-condition ( saha-jāta-paccaya), (3) support-condition, (4) food-condition ( āhārapaccaya), (5) faculty-condition ( indriya-paccaya), (6) presence-condition ( atthi-paccaya).
The other elements are conditions by the support-condition and presence-condition.
At the moment of the mind ( citta) entering the womb, the [dependent] kinds of matter ( upāda-rūpāni) are conditions by seven conditions, namely, co-arising-condition, reciprocity-condition ( aññamañña-paccaya), support-condition, food-condition, faculty-condition, result-condition ( vipāka-paccaya), and presence-condition.
891
The post-arising mind is a condition for the pre-arising body by three conditions, namely, post-arising-condition ( pacchā-jāta-paccaya), support-condition, and presence-condition.
892
Vism XI.111f:
Paccayavibhāgato ti dhātūnaṃ hi kammaṃ, cittaṃ, āhāro, utū ti cattāro paccayā.
Tattha kammasamuṭṭhānānaṃ kammam-eva paccayo hoti, na cittādayo.
Cittādisamuṭṭhānānam-pi cittādayova paccayā honti, na itare.
Kammasamuṭṭhānānañ-ca kammaṃ janakapaccayo hoti,
sesānaṃ pariyāyato upanissayapaccayo hoti.
Cittasamuṭṭhānānaṃ cittaṃ janakapaccayo hoti,
sesānaṃ pacchājātapaccayo atthipaccayo avigatapaccayo ca.
Āhārasamuṭṭhānānaṃ āhāro janakapaccayo hoti, sesānaṃ āhārapaccayo atthipaccayo avigatapaccayo ca.
Utusamuṭṭhānānaṃ
utu janakapaccayo hoti, sesānaṃ atthipaccayo avigatapaccayo ca.
Kammasamuṭṭhānaṃ
mahābhūtaṃ kammasamuṭṭhānānam-pi mahābhūtānaṃ paccayo hoti cittādisamuṭṭhānānampi.
Tathā cittasamuṭṭhānaṃ, āhārasamuṭṭhānaṃ.
Utusamuṭṭhānaṃ
mahābhūtaṃ utusamuṭṭhānānam-pi mahābhūtānaṃ paccayo hoti kammā-
disamuṭṭhānānampi.
890 “The other elements” are those produced by consciousness, season, and nutriment.
The text has 依緣, nissaya-paccaya, however, the Vism parallel indicates that it should be upanissaya-paccaya, “decisive-support-condition” .
Saṅghapāla misunderstood the difference or lacked the vocabulary to render it.
891 LC:
“Most of the seven are given in the same order as here in the Paccayaniddesa (Tika-Paṭṭhāna 1ff.) as okkantikkhaṇe.
‘Result condition’ must be a mistake, as that is purely a mental condition for mental phenomena.
Presumably it is an error for ‘non-absence condition’.
A number of the problems here and below may be due to Saṅghapāla not understanding that atthi and avigata are two distinct paccayas.
Or, of course, the author of Vim might have been utilizing a slightly different version of Paṭṭhāna.”
Vism-mhṭ II 274:
Okkantikkhaṇe ti paṭisandhikkhaṇe.
Tasmiṃ hi khaṇe nāmarūpaṃ
okkantaṃ viya paralokato āgantvā idha mātukucchi ādiṃ pavisantaṃ viya uppajjati, tasmā
so khaṇo okkantikkhaṇo ti vuccati.
892 LC:
“Vism has four ways.
Avigatapaccaya is again missing.
But with that we would have the four cases in the Paccayaniddesa of the Paṭṭhāna where we have the section beginning with, Yaṃ rūpan nissāya manodhātu ca manoviññāṇadhātu ca.
”
504
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Season:
The elements that are produced from season are a condition by two conditions, namely, producing-condition and presence-condition.
The other elements are conditions by two conditions, namely, support-condition and presence-condition.
893
Food:
The elements that are produced from food are a condition by three conditions, namely, producing-condition, food-condition, and presence-condition.
The other elements are conditions by two conditions, namely, support-condition and presence-condition.
Herein the elements that are produced by kamma are co-arising conditions for each other ( aññamañña) by four conditions,894 namely, co-arising-condition, reciprocity-condition, support-condition, and presence-condition.
The other elements are conditions by two conditions, namely, support-condition and presence-condition.
895
Thus, one should know [the elements produced from kamma,] produced from mind, produced from season, and produced from food.
The earth element is a condition for the other elements by the supporting condition.
The water element is a condition for the other elements by the cohesion condition.
The fire element is a condition for the other elements by the maturing condition.
The wind element is a condition of the other elements by the distension condition.
896
Thus, one defines the elements through conditions.
[440a]
893 Vism has presence-condition and non-absence condition here.
Likewise in the following nutriment section.
894 The text is not clear.
Literally it has “… co-arisen elements, mutually/each other, they become conditions through four conditions.”
“Co-arisen elements” does not make sense.
It is likely that the original text had “co-arising conditions for each each other.”
Cf.
Vism XVII.
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Cattāro mahābhūtā aññamaññaṃ … sahajātapaccayena paccayo, “the four great primaries are a condition for each other as co-arising condition.”
439c24:
業生
四界共生界展轉以四緣成緣.
895 LC:
“Vism has five ways.
Avigatapaccaya is again missing.
But with that we would have in order the five cases in the Paccayaniddesa where we have the section beginning cattāro mahābhūtā aññamaññaṃ…”.
Paṭṭh I 4:
Sahajātapaccayo ti … Cattāro mahābhūtā aññamaññaṃ sahajātapaccayena paccayo.
… Aññamaññapaccayo ti … Cattāro mahābhūtā aññamaññapaccayena paccayo.
…
Nissayapaccayo ti … Cattāro mahābhūtā aññamaññaṃ nissayapaccayena paccayo.
…
896 Vism XI.
4.66666666666667
Tattha kammasamuṭṭhānā pathavīdhātu kammasamuṭṭhānānaṃ itarāsaṃ
sahajāta-aññamaññanissaya-atthi-avigatavasena ceva patiṭṭhāvasena ca paccayo hoti,
na janakavasena.
Itaresaṃ tisantatimahābhūtānaṃ nissaya-atthi-avigatavasena paccayo hoti, na patiṭṭhāvasena na janakavasena.
…
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171 Characteristics
Q.
How should one define the elements through characteristics ( lakkhaṇa)?
A. The characteristic of the earth element is hardness.
The characteristic of the water element is fluidity.
The characteristic of the fire element is heat.
The characteristic of the wind element is coolness.
Thus, one defines the elements through characteristics.
897
172 Similarity and dissimilarity
Q.
How should one define the elements through similarity and dissimilarity ( sabhāga-visabhāga)?
A. The earth element and the water element are similar as to heaviness.
The fire element and the wind element are similar as to lightness.
The water element and the fire element are dissimilar because the water element can extinguish [fire] and the fire element causes dryness;
therefore, they are dissimilar.
The earth element and the wind element are dissimilar because the earth element hinders the passage of the wind element and the wind element is able to destroy the earth element;
therefore, they are dissimilar.
Furthermore, the four elements are similar to each other as to the reciprocity condition or they are dissimilar to each other as to specific characteristics ( salakkhaṇa).
Thus, one defines the elements through similarity and dissimilarity.
173 Unity and difference
Q.
How should one define the four elements through unity and difference ( nānattekatta)?
A. The four elements that are produced from kamma are one, because they are produced from kamma;
[but] as to characteristics, they are different.
In the same way those [elements] that are produced from mind, from season and from food are to be understood.
897 Cf. Khp-a 74:
Lakkhaṇatoti … yogāvacaro dvattiṃsākāraṃ lakkhaṇato manasi karoti, seyyathidaṃ:
kesassa thaddhalakkhaṇaṃ, ābandhanalakkhaṇaṃ, uṇhattalakkhaṇaṃ, samudīraṇalakkhaṇan-ti cattāri lakkhaṇāni honti.
Evaṃ lomādīsu.
Vism XI.
49/p.351:
Yaṃ thaddhalakkhaṇaṃ, ayaṃ
pathavīdhātu;
yaṃ ābandhanalakkhaṇaṃ, ayaṃ āpodhātu;
yaṃ paripācanalakkhaṇaṃ, ayaṃ
tejodhātu;
yaṃ vitthambhanalakkhaṇaṃ, ayaṃ vāyodhātū ti.
Cf. Śrāvakabhūmi Ms.
60a7L:
kharalakṣaṇā pṛthivī dravalakṣaṇā āpa uṣṇalakṣaṇaṃ tejaḥ samudīraṇalakṣaṇo vāyuḥ.
506
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The four conditions ( nidāna or paccaya) of the earth element are one as to characteristics;
as to causes ( hetu), they are different.
In the same way, one should know the four conditions of the wind element, the fire element, and the water element.
898
The four elements are one as to being elements;
as to being great primaries;
as to being states ( dhamma);
as to being impermanent;
as to being suffering;
as to being without self.
They are different as to characteristic;
are different as to function ( kicca);
are different as to kamma;
are different as to differences in mind ( citta);
are different as to differences in season;
are different as to differences in food;
are different as to differences in nature ( bhāva);
are different as to differences in arising;
are different as to differences in birth;
are different as to differences in destination ( gati).
Thus, one defines the elements through unity and difference.
174 Element puppet
Q.
How should one define the elements through the element puppet?
A. It is like a skilled puppeteer who makes a “human” out of wood, endowed with all body parts, that walks following [him].
The inside [parts] are connected by strings.
The fake outside is plastered with clay.
Its shape and colour is as a human adorned with jewellery and clothes, male or female.
When this “human” is pulled by the strings, it walks, dances, leans, or sits.
The “body” is like that puppet:
The puppeteer who makes the body endowed with all body parts is past affliction ( kilesa);
the connecting strings are tendons;
the clay is flesh;
the colour (i.e., paint) is skin;
the apertures are space.
Adorned with jewellery and clothes, it is called a man or woman.
Its mental acts ( citta-kiriya) are pulling [the strings].
Whether walking or standing, going or coming, stretching out or drawing in, speaking or teaching — this human being has co-arisen ( sahajāta) with the element of consciousness.
899 Due to distress
898 This passage refers to the above set of four:
kamma, citta, āhāra, and utu, which are sometimes referred to as the four conditions for matter.
Compare Ch.8 § 169/p. 439c12:
“There are four causes, four conditions for the arising of the elements.
… kamma, mind, season, and nutriment”.
Cf. As 304:
sappaccayam evā ti ettha pana kammasamuṭṭhānaṃ
kammapaccayam eva hoti, āhārasamuṭṭhānādīni āhārādipaccayān-evā ti evaṃ rūpass’
eva vuttacatupaccayavasena attho veditabbo.
Sacc 59:
kālenāhārajaṃ hoti, cakkhādi-dasakāni ca.
/ catupaccayato rūpaṃ, sampiṇḍevaṃ pavattati.
899 Cf. Sv I 197, Vibh-a 359, etc. :
Abbhantare attā nāma koci samiñjento vā pasārento vā natthi, vuttappakāracittakiriyavāyodhātuvipphārena pana suttākaḍḍhanavasena dāruyantassa hatthapādala-calanaṃ viya samiñjanapasāraṇaṃ hotī ti evaṃ parijānanaṃ
panettha asammohasampajaññan-ti veditabbaṃ.
As 83:
… chahi cittehi samuṭṭhitaṃ
vāyodhātuṃ upatthambhanapaccayaṃ labhitvā attanā sahajātaṃ rūpakāyaṃ santhambhetuṃ
sandhāretuṃ cāletuṃ abhikkamāpetuṃ paṭikkamāpetuṃ ālokāpetuṃ vilokāpetuṃ
sammiñjāpetuṃ pasārāpetuṃ sakkoti.
Vism XVIII.
31/p.594. Tasmā yathā dāruyantaṃ
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( domanassa), it has sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and grief, or it laughs or frolics, [440b] or pats another on the shoulder and so on.
Food sustains this element puppet;
and the faculty of life upholds it.
At the end of life, the element puppet falls apart.
If there is kamma-affliction ( kamma-kilesa),900 again there arises a new element puppet.
Its first beginning cannot be known;
its end cannot be known.
Thus, one defines the elements through the element puppet.
175 Conclusion
The meditator in these ways and by these means defines “this body is merely an element puppet, without a being, without a soul”.
He then defines by the element object ( dhātārammaṇa) and by [defining] the arising of the mental properties of feeling, perception, the formations, and consciousness [which are dependent on that element object].
The meditator, having defined name-and-matter901 [in this manner], then defines, “name-and-matter is suffering”;
and “craving is the source of suffering”.
He defines “the cessation of craving is the cessation of suffering”;
and “the noble eightfold path is the way leading to the cessation of suffering”.
The meditator, having defined the four noble truths in detail, sees the disadvantage of suffering through impermanence, suffering, and without self.
Always reflecting [on these signs] without slackening, he sees the benefit of the cessation of suffering through wisdom, seclusion ( viveka, santi, upasama), and true detachment.
In this way, the meditator, seeing the disadvantage of suffering and the benefits of its cessation, establishes the faculties, the powers, and the factors of enlightenment,
and his mind emerges from the sign of formations and realizes the deathless element.
902
The definition of the four elements is finished.
suññaṃ nijjīvaṃ nirīhakaṃ, atha ca pana dārurajjukasamāyogavasena gacchatipi tiṭṭhatipi.
Sa-īhakaṃ sabyāpāraṃ viya khāyati, eva-midaṃ nāmarūpam-pi suññaṃ nijjīvaṃ nirīhakaṃ,
atha ca pana aññamaññasamā-yogavasena gacchati pi tiṭṭhatipi.
Sa-īhakaṃ sabyāpāraṃ
viya khāyatī ti daṭṭhabbaṃ.
S I 134:
Nayidaṃ attakataṃ bimbaṃ, nayidaṃ parakataṃ
aghaṃ, hetuṃ paṭicca sambhūtaṃ, hetubhaṅgā nirujjhati.
900 業煩惱, perhaps “defilement due to kamma”.
Cf. Sv 943:
Kammakilesā ti tehi kammehi sattā kilissanti, tasmā kammakilesā ti vuccanti.
… Kammakileso ti kammañ-ca taṃ kilesa-sampayuttattā kileso cā ti kammakileso.
Cf. Ud-a 376:
Yasmā pana me atīte kammakilesā
ahesuṃ, tasmā taṃnimitto etarahi ayaṃ me attabhāvo pavattati.
… Vism XXII.
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Puthujjanassa sabbasova vaṭṭamūlakilesānaṃ appahīnattā yaṃkiñci kariyamānaṃ kammaṃ
kusalaṃ akusalaṃ vā hoti.
Iccassa kammakilesapaccayā vaṭṭaṃ vaṭṭati.
901 Ps I 72, It-a I 63:
… imasmiṃ kāye pathavīdhātu, āpodhātū ti ādinā nayena cattāri mahābhūtāni tadanusārena upādārūpāni ca pariggahetvā ayaṃ rūpakkhandho ti vavatthapeti.
Taṃ
vavatthāpayato uppanne tadārammaṇe cittacetasikadhamme ime cattāro arūpakkhandhā ti vavatthapeti.
Tato me pañcakkhandhā dukkhan-ti vavatthapeti.
Te pana saṅkhepato nāmañ-ca rūpañcā ti dve bhāgā honti.
Idañ-ca nāmarūpaṃ sahetu sappaccayaṃ uppajjati, …
902 Paṭis I 67:
Bahiddhā saṅkhāranimittā vuṭṭhahitvā nirodhaṃ nibbānaṃ pakkhandatī ti gotrabhu.
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Chapter 8:
the Way to praCtise [the Meditation Subjects]
8.14 - O. Perception of Repulsiveness of Food
176 Introduction
Q.
What is “perception of the repulsiveness of food” ( āhāre paṭikkūla-saññā)?
How is it practised?
What are its characteristic, essential function, and manifestation?
What are its benefits?
What is the procedure?
A. The meditator knows and knows rightly, by thoroughly attending to the perception of repulsiveness with regard to the nourishment that is chewed, licked, drunk, or eaten — this is called “perception of the repulsiveness of food”.
The undistracted dwelling of the mind in this perception is its practice.
The understanding of the disadvantages of food is its characteristic.
Disenchantment is its essential function.
The overcoming of desire for tastes and odours is its manifestation.
Q. What are its benefits?
A. There are eight benefits:
If one practises the perception of the repulsiveness of food:
(1) one [fully] knows the sign903 of solid food ( kabaḷīkārāhāra);
(2) fully knows the five sense-pleasures ( kāmaguṇa);
(3) [fully] knows the aggregate of matter;
(4) [fully] knows the sign of foulness;
(5) mindfulness of the body comes to full development;
(6) the mind shrinks and turns away from craving for tastes;
(7) one is destined for a good destination;
or (8) is destined for the deathless.
904
Q.
What is the procedure?
A. The beginner meditator goes into solitude, sits down, and concentrates his mindcompletely.
With an undistracted mind, he considers the repulsiveness of what is chewed, tasted, drunk, or eaten as follows:
“When clean, the many hundreds of kinds of tasty preparations sought after are relished by the people.
