Abhidhammattha Sangaha - Attainments & Aspiration

Abhidhammattha Sangaha ( A Manual of Abhidhamma )

Translated by Narada Maha Thera
Published By the Buddhist Missionary Society

(Samapattibhedo)
§9.Phalasamapattivithiyam pan’ettha sabbesam pi ya-
thasakaphalavasena sadharana’va. Nirodhasamapattisama-
pajjanam pana anagaminan c’eva arahattanan ca labbhati.
Tattha yathakkamam pathamajjhanadimahaggatasamapa-
ttim samapajjitva vutthaya tattha gate sankharadhamme
tattha tatth’ eva vipassanto yava akincannayatanam gantva
tato param adhittheyyadikam pubbakiccam katva n’eva
sanna n’asannayatanam samapajjati. Tassa dvinnam
appanajavananam parato vocchijjati cittasantati. Tato
nirodhasamapanno hoti.
Vutthanakale pana anagamino anagamiphalacittam

arahato arahattaphalacittam ekavaram pavattiva bhavan-
gapato hoti. Tato param paccavekkhanananam pavattati.
Ayam’ ettha samapattibhedo.
Nitthito ca vipassanakammatthananayo.
Bhavetabbam pan’icc’evam bhavanadvayam’ uttamam
Patipattirasassadam patthayantena sasane.
_______
Iti Abhidhammattha Sangahe Kammatthanasangaha-
Vibhago nama navamo paricchedo.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
1.Carittasobhitavisalakulodayena
Saddhabhivuddhaparisuddhagunodayena
Nambavhayena panidhaya paranukampam
Yam patthitam pakaranam parinitthitantam.
2.Punnena tena vipulena tumulasomam
Dhannadhivasamuditoditamayugantam
Pannavadatagunasobhitalajjibhikkhu
Mannantu punnavibhavodayamangalaya.
Iti Anuruddhacariyena racitam Abhidhammattha-
sangaham nama pakaranam nitthitam.

Attainments
§9.Herein ‘the Attainment to Fruition’ is common to all
in accordance with their respective fruits.
But ‘The Attainment to Cessation’ (57) is possible
only to Never-Returners and Arahants.
In this case, one attains successively to the great
ecstasies like the first jhana etc., and emerging therefrom
contemplates on the conditioned things in each of those
jhanas. Thus he proceeds up to ‘the State of Nothingness’.
Then, having attended to the preliminary duties such as
resolving etc., he attains to the ‘State of Neither-Perception
nor Non-Perception’. Now after two ecstatic javana
thought-moments his stream of consciousness is sus-
pended. Thereafter he attains to (Supreme) ‘Cessation’.
At the time of rising, if to a Never-Returner, an
Anagami Fruit consciousness, or to an Arahant, an Arahant
Fruit consciousness, occurs only for a single moment and
then lapses into Bhavanga. This is followed by the know-
ledge of reflection.
Herein this is the Section on Attainments.
The end of exercises on mental culture or Insight.
One who wishes to enjoy the essence of practice in
this Dispensation should thus develop the sublime dual
meditation.
This is the ninth chapter of the Compendium of Abhi-
dhamma which deals with the Exercises on Meditation.

Aspiration
As invited by Namba, a person of refined manners, belong-
ing to a respectable family, full of faith and replete with
sterling virtues, to compose a treatise out of compassion
for others, this book has been completed.
By this great merit may the modest monks, who are
purified by wisdom and who shine in discipline, remember
till the end of the world the most famous Tumulasoma
Monastery, the abode of grain, for the acquisition of merit
and for their happiness.
Thus ends the treatise called the Abhidhammattha
Sangaha composed by the great teacher, Anuruddha.
_______
Section 9
57.Nirodhasamapatti—Lit., ‘attainment to cessation’.
Itis so called because during this period the stream
of consciousness temporarily ceases to flow. Mind is
suspended, but vitality persists.
It is only an Anagami or an Arahant who has
developed the Rupa and Arupa Jhanas who can
attain to this supreme state of ecstasy.
When such a person wishes to attain to Nirodha-
samapatti, he first attains to the first jhana and,
emerging from which, he meditates on the tran-
siency, sorrowfulness, and soullessness of condi-
tioned states found in that particular jhana. Likewise,

he attains, in order, to the remaining jhanas and
meditates in the same way until the Arupa-Jhana of
‘Nothingness’.
Emerging from this jhana, he makes the follow-
ing four resolutions:—
(i) that his fourfold requisites be not destroyed,
(ii) that he should arise in time when his services
are needed by the Sangha, (iii) that he should
arise in time when he is summoned by the
Buddha, (iv)whether he would live for more
than seven days from that moment.
He has to think of his age-limit as this ecstatic
state normally extends to seven days.
After making these resolutions, he attains to the
last Arupajhana of ‘Neither Perception nor Non-
Perception’ and remains in that state for two javana
thought-moments. Immediately after he attains to
Nirodha-samapatti when his stream of conscious-
ness is temporarily suspended. After seven days he
emerges from this state and experiences for a single
moment an Anagami Phala consciousness in the
case of an Anagami, or an Arahant Phala conscious-
ness in the case of an Arahant. Thereafter arises the
Bhavanga citta.
For details see Visuddhimagga.
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