Friday, May 27, 2011

Abhidhammattha Sangaha - Factors of Enlightenment

Abhidhammattha Sangaha ( A Manual of Abhidhamma )

Translated by Narada Maha Thera
Published By the Buddhist Missionary Society

Bodhipakkhiya Sangaho
§4.i.Bodhipakkhiyasangahe cattaro satipatthana
kayanupassana-satipatthanam, vedananupassana sati-
patthanam, cittanupassana-satipatthanam, dhammanu-
passana-satipatthanam.
ii.Cattaro sammappadhana—uppannanam papaka-
nam pahanaya vayamo, anuppannanam papakanam anup-
padaya vayamo, anuppannanam kusalanam uppadaya
vayamo, upannanam kusalanam bhiyyobhavaya vayamo.
iii.Cattaro iddhipada—chandiddhipado, viriyiddhi-
pado, cittiddhipado, vimamsiddhipado.
iv.Pancindriyani—saddhindriyam, viriyindriyam,
satindriyam, samadhindriyam, pannindriyam.
v.Pancabalani—saddhabalam, viriyabalam, satiba-
lam, samadhibalam, pannabalam.
vi.Sattabojjhanga—satisambojjhango, dhammavi-
cayasambojjhango, viriyasambojjhango, pitisambojjhango,
passadhisambojjhango, samadhisambojjhango, upekkha-
sambojjhango.
vii.Atthamaggangani—sammaditthi, sammasan-

kappo, sammavaca, sammakammanto, sammajivo,
sammavayamo, sammasati, sammasamadhi.
Ettha pana cattaro satipatthana’ti samma-sati eka’va
pavuccati. Tatha cattaro sammappadhana’ti ca sammava-
yamo.
Chando cittam upekkha ca saddha-passaddhi-pitiyo
Sammaditthi ca sankappo vayamo viratittayam
Sammasati samadhi’ti cuddas’ete sabhavato
Sattatimsappabhedena sattadha tattha sangaho.
Sankappa-passaddhi ca pitupekkha chando ca cittam
viratittayan ca
Nav’ekathana viriyam navattha sati samadhi catu
panca panna
Saddha duthanuttamasatta-timsadhammanam’eso
pavaro vibhago.
Sabbe lokuttare honti na va samkappapitiyo
Lokiye’pi yathayogam chabbisuddhippavattiyam.
_______
Factors of Enlightenment (30)
§4.In the compendium of Factors pertaining to Enlight-
enment there are four (1) Foundations of Mindfulness
(31):—
1.Mindfulness as regards body, 2. Mindfulness as
regards feelings, 3. Mindfulness as regards thoughts,
4.Mindfulness as regards Dhamma.

(2)There are four Supreme Efforts (32):—
1. The effort to discard evils that have arisen, 2. The
effort to prevent the arising of unrisen evils, 3. The effort
to develop unrisen good, 4. The effort to augment arisen
good.
(3)There are four Means of Accomplishment (33):—
1. Will, 2 Effort, 3: Thought, 4. Reason.
(4)There are five Faculties (34):—
1. Confidence; 2. Effort, 3. Mindfulness, 4. Concen-
tration, 5. Wisdom.
(5)There are five Powers (34):—
1. Confidence, 2. Effort, 3. Mindfulness, 4. Concen-
tration, 5. Wisdom,
(6)There are seven Constituents of Enlightenment
(35):—
1. Mindfulness, 2. Investigation of the Truth 3. Effort,
4. Rapture, 5. Quietude, 6. Concentration, 7. Equanimity.
(7)There are eight Path-Constituents (36):—
1. Right Understanding, 2. Right Thoughts, 3. Right
Speech, 4. Right Action, 5. Right Livelihood, 6. Right
Effort, 7. Right Mindfulness, 8. Right Concentration.
Here by the four Foundations of Mindfulness, Right Mind-
fulness alone is implied. Right Effort is implied by the four
Supreme Efforts.

The sevenfold compendium which consists of
37factors, is composed of these fourteen according to
their nature:—Will, Thought, Equanimity, Confidence,
Quietude, Rapture, Right Understanding, Aspirations or
Thoughts, Effort, the three Abstinences, Right Mindful-
ness, and Concentration.
The esteemed enumeration of these 37 sublime fac-
tors is as follows:—Aspirations, Quietude, Rapture, Equa-
nimity, Will, Thought, the three Abstinences, occur once;
Effort nine times; Mindfulness eight times; Concentration
four times; Wisdom five times; Confidence twice (37).
All these, save at times Aspirations and Rapture,
occur in the Supramundane (Consciousness) and in the
mundane (consciousness) too, according to circum-
stances, in the course of sixfold purity.
_______
Section 4
Notes:—
30.Bodhipakkhiya—Bodhi means Enlightenment
or the aspirant for Enlightenment. Pakkhiya, literally,
means ‘on the side of’.
31.Satipatthana—sati = mindfulness, awareness,
or attentiveness; patthana = establishment, application,
foundations, bases. These Satipatthanas are intended to
develop both concentration and insight. Each Satipatthana
serves a specific purpose. Contemplation on these four
leads, on one hand, to the development of ‘undesirable-

ness’ (asubha), painfulness (dukkha), impermanence
(anicca), and ‘soullessness’ (anatta), and, on the other
hand, to the eradication of ‘desirableness’, ‘pleasure’,
‘permanence’ and ‘substantiality’.
Briefly, the objects of mindfulness may be divided
into nama and råpa. The first which deals with råpa—
breath—is also regarded as a kind of råpa. The second and
the third deal with different kinds of feelings and thoughts.
The fourth deals with both nama and råpa. Hence it is very
difficult to render the Pali term, Dhamma, used in this con-
nection, by one English equivalent. It is preferable to retain
the Pali term to avoid any misunderstanding.
For details see the Satipatthana Sutta and the com-
mentary.
32.Sammappadhana (Right exertion)—One
mental state—viriya—performs four functions.
33.Iddhipada—The means of accomplishing one’s
own end or purpose. Strictly speaking, all these four per-
tain to the supramundane consciousness. Chanda is the
mental state—‘wish-to-do’. Viriya refers to the four
Supreme Efforts. Citta means the supra-mundane con-
sciousness. Vimamsa signifies the mental state of wisdom
present in the supramundane consciousness. Only when
these four are present in the supramundane consciousness
are they termed Iddhipada.
34.Indriyas and Balas are identical though differ-

ent meanings are attached to them.
35.Sambojjhanga—Sam = exalted, good; bodhi=
enlightenment or one who is striving for enlightenment;
anga = factor. Here Dhammavicaya means seeing mind and
matter as they truly are. It is insight. By passaddhi are meant
both cittapassaddhi and kayapassaddhi mental states.
Upekkha does not mean hedonic indifference but mental
equipoise known as tatramajjhattata. Dhammavicaya,
viriya, and piti are opposed to thina-middha (sloth and
torpor); passaddhi, samadhi, and upekkha, to uddhacca
(restlessness).
36.Maggangani—According to the commentaries,
here Magga is used in two different senses—namely, ‘that
which is sought by those who strive for Nibbana’, or
‘thatwhich goes by killing the passions’ (Nibbanatthikehi
maggiyati’ti va kilese marento gacchati’ti maggo). Evidently
this particular definition has been given to differentiate
the noble Eightfold Path from an ordinary one.
Strictly speaking, these eight factors connote eight
mental states collectively found in the supramundane con-
sciousness that has Nibbana for its object.
Sammaditthi is rendered by Right Understanding,
Right Views, Right Beliefs, Right Knowledge. Sammaditthi
is explained as the knowledge of the four Noble Truths. In
other words, it is the understanding of one’s personality as
it really is or of things as they truly are. According to Abhi-

dhamma, it is the mental state of wisdom (panna) that
tends to eradicate ignorance (avjja). It is placed first
because all actions should be regulated by wisdom. Right
Understanding leads to Right Thoughts.
Sammasankappa is rendered by Thoughts, Aspira-
tions, Intention, Ideas. According to Abhidhamma it is the
mental state of vitakka (application) that directs the mind
to Nibbana, eliminating the evil thoughts of sense-desires
(kama), illwill (vyapada), and cruelty (himsa), by cultivat-
ing the good thoughts of renunciation (nekkhamma),
loving-kindness (avyapada), and harmlessness (avihimsa).
The first two constituents are grouped in wisdom
(panna).
Right Thoughts lead to Right Speech, Right Action, and
Right Livelihood. These three constitute Sila or Morality.
Sammavaca signifies abstinence from lying, slander-
ing, harsh speech, and frivolous talk.
Sammakammanta deals with abstinence from kill-
ing, stealing, and misconduct.
Sammajiva is twofold. It deals with right livelihood
of both Bhikkhus and laymen. The latter are prohibited
from trading in arms, slaves, intoxicants, animals for
slaughter, and poison.
The three mental states of ‘Abstinences’ (virati) are
implied by these three constituents.

Sammavayama signifies the four Supreme Efforts
mentioned above.
Sammasati denotes the four kinds of Mindfulness
mentioned above.
Sammasamadhi is concentration or the ‘one point-
edness of the mind’. It is the mental state of ‘ekaggata.’
The last three are included in Samadhi or concentration.
The eight constituents comprise Morality, Concentra-
tion, and Wisdom or Insight.
37.Effort (viriya) occurs nine times as follows:—
4 Supreme Efforts, 1 means of Accomplish-
ment, 1 Controlling Factor, 1 Power, 1 Constit-
uent of Enlightenment, 1 Right Effort.
Mindfulness occurs eight times is follows:—
4Foundations of Mindfulness, 1 Controlling
Factor, I Power, 1 Constituent of Enlighten-
ment, 1 Right Mindfulness.
Concentration occurs four times as follows:—
1 Controlling Factor, 1 Power, 1 Constituent of
Enlightenment, and I Right Mindfulness.
Wisdom occurs five times as follows:—
1 Means of Accomplishment, 1 Controlling Factor,
1 Power, 1 Constituent of Enlightenment, and
1 Right Understanding.

Confidence occurs twice as follows:—
1 Controlling Factor, 1 Power.
When the supramundane-consciousness
based on the second Jhana is gained, there is no
vitakka. When it is gained based on the fourth
and fifth Jhanas, there is no piti.
These 37 factors are collectively found only
in the supramundane consciousness, but in the
mundane separately according to the type of
consciousness.
_______

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