Abhidhammattha Sangaha ( A Manual of Abhidhamma )
Translated by Narada Maha Thera
Published By the Buddhist Missionary Society
The Path of Purification
When the Jhanas are developed, the mind is so purified,
that it resembles a polished mirror, where everything is
clearly reflected in true perspective. Still, there is not com-
plete freedom from unwholesome thoughts, for, by con-
centration, the evil tendencies are only temporarily inhib-
ited. They may rise to the surface at quite unexpected
moments.
Discipline regulates words and deeds; concentra-
tion controls the mind; but it is Insight (panna), the third
and the final stage, that enables the aspirant to Saint-
hood to eradicate wholly the defilements inhibited by
Samadhi.
At the outset he cultivates ‘Purity of Vision’ (ditthi
visuddhi)138 in order to see things as they truly are. With
a one-pointed mind he analyses and examines this so-
called being. This searching examination shows that what
he has called ‘I’, is merely a complex compound of mind
and matter which are in a state of constant flux,
Having thus gained a correct view of the real nature
of this so-called being, freed from the false notion of a per-
manent soul, he searches for the causes of this “I” person-
ality. He realizes that there is nothing in the world which
is not conditioned by some cause or causes, past or
present, and that his present existence is due to past igno-
rance (avijja), craving (tanha), attachment (upadana),
Kamma, and physical food of the present life. On account
of these five causes this so-called being has arisen, and as
past causes have conditioned the present, so the present
will condition the future. Meditating thus, he transcends
138.The third member of the Path of Purity.
all doubts with regard to past, present and future.
139
Thereupon he contemplates the truth that all condi-
tioned things are transient (anicca), subject to suffering
(dukkha), and devoid of an immortal soul (anatta).
Wherever he turns his eyes he sees naught but these three
characteristics standing out in bold relief. He realizes that
life is a flux conditioned by internal and external causes.
Nowhere does he find any genuine happiness, for every-
thing is fleeting.
As he thus contemplates the real nature of life, and is
absorbed in meditation, a day comes, when, to his sur-
prise, he witnesses an aura (obhasa) emitted by his body.
He experiences an unprecedented pleasure, happiness,
and quietude. He becomes even-minded, his religious fer-
vour increases, mindfulness becomes clear and insight
keen. Mistaking this advanced state of moral progress for
Sainthood, chiefly owing to the presence of the aura, he
develops a liking for this mental states. Soon the realiza-
tion comes that these new developments are impediments
to moral progress and he cultivates the purity of know-
ledge with regard to the Path and Non-Path.
140
Perceiving the right path, he resumes his meditation
on the arising (udaya nana) and passing away (vaya nana)
of all conditioned things. Of these two states the latter
becomes more impressed on his mind since change is more
conspicuous than becoming. Therefore he directs his
139. Kankhavitaranavisuddhi, the fourth member of the Path of Purity,
140. Maggamaggananadassanavisuddhi, the fifth member of the Path of Purity.
attention to contemplation of the dissolution of things
(bhanga nana). He perceives that both mind and matter
which constitute this so-called being are in a state of con-
stant flux, not remaining the same for two consecutive
moments. To him then comes the knowledge that all dis-
solving things are fearful (bhava nana). The whole world
appears to him like a pit of burning embers — a source of
danger. Subsequently he reflects on the wretchedness and
vanity (adãnava nana) of the fearful and deluded world,
and develops a feeling of disgust (nibbida nana), followed
by a strong will for deliverance from it (muncitukamyata
nana).
With this object in view, he resumes his meditation
on the three characteristics of transiency, sorrow, and
soullessness (patisankha nana), and thereafter develops
complete equanimity towards all conditioned things, hav-
ing neither attachment nor aversion for any worldly object
(uppekkha nana).
141
Reaching this point of spiritual culture, he chooses
one of the three characteristics for his object of special
endeavour and intently cultivates Insight in that particu-
lar direction until the glorious day when he first realizes
Nibbana,
142 his ultimate goal.
141.These nine kinds of Insight—namely, udaya, vaya, bhanga, bhaya, adinava,
nibbida, muncitukamyata, patisakhna, and upekkha nanas are collectively
termed Patipadananadassanavisuddhi—Purity of Vision in discerning the
method, the sixth member of the Path of Purity.
142.Insight found in this supramundane Path Consciousness is known as
Nanadassana visuddhi—Purity of Vision regarding intuitive wisdom, the
seventh member of the Path of Purity.
“As the traveller by night sees the landscape around
him by a flash of lightning, and the picture so obtained
swims long thereafter before his dazzled eyes, so the indi-
vidual seeker, by the flashing light of insight, glimpses Nib-
bana with such clearness that the after-picture never more
fades from his mind.”143
When the spiritual pilgrim realizes Nibbana for the
first time he is called a Sotapanna144—one who has
entered the stream that leads to Nibbana for the first
time.
The stream represents the noble Eightfold Path.
A Stream-Winner is no more a worldling (puthuj-
jana), but an Ariya (Noble).
On attaining this first stage of Sainthood, he eradi-
cates the following three Fetters (saüyojana) that bind
him to existence—namely,
1.Sakkaya-ditthi—sati + kaye + ditthi—literally,
view when a group exists. Here kaya refers to the
five Aggregates of matter, feeling, perception, men-
tal states, and consciousness, or, in other words, to
the complex-compound of mind and matter. The
view that there is one unchanging entity, a perma-
nent soul, when there is a complex-compound of
psycho-physical aggregates is termed sakkaya-
ditthi. Dhammasangani enumerates twenty kinds
143.Dr. Paul Dahlke.
144. See Chapter l.
of such soul theories.
145 Sakkaya-ditthi is usually
rendered by self-illusion, theory of individuality,
illusion of individualism.
2.Vicikiccha—Doubts. They are doubts about 1. the
Buddha, 2. the Dhamma, 3. the Sangha 4. the dis-
ciplinary rules (sikkha), 5. the past, 6. the future,
7.both the past and the future, and 8. Dependent
Arising (Paticca-Samuppada).
146
3.Sãlabhataparamasa—Adherence to (wrongful)
rites and ceremonies.
Dhammasanganã explains it thus:—“It is the theory
held by ascetics and brahmins outside this doc-
trine, that purification is obtained by rules of moral
conduct, or by rites, or by both rules of moral con-
duct and rites.”
For the eradication of the remaining seven Fetters a Sota-
panna is reborn seven times at most. He gains implicit con-
fidence in the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha. He
would not for any reason violate any of the five precepts.
He is not subject to states of woe as he is destined for
Enlightenment.
With fresh courage as a result of this distant glimpse
of Nibbana, the noble pilgrim makes rapid progress, and
145.See Dhammasangani, Translation, pp. 257–259.
146.Ibid. 1004.
perfecting his Insight, becomes a Sakadagami—Once-
Returner—reaching the second stage of Sainthood by
attenuating two other Fetters — namely, sense-desires
(kamaraga) and illwill (patigha).
Now he is called a Once-Returner because he is born
in the human realm only once, should he not attain Ara-
hantship in that birth itself. It is interesting to note that the
Ariya Saint who has attained the second stage of Sainthood
can only weaken these two powerful Fetters with which he
is bound from a beginningless past. At times, though to a
slight extent, he harbours thoughts of lust and anger.
It is by attaining the third Stage of Sainthood, that
of the Anagami (Never-Returner), that he completely
eradicates these two Fetters. Thereafter he neither returns
to this world nor is he born in the celestial realms, since
he has rooted out the desire for sensual gratification. After
death he is reborn in the Pure Abodes (Suddhavasa), an
environment exclusively reserved for Anagamis and
Arahants.
A layman may become an Anagami, provided he
leads a celibate life.
The Anagami Saint now makes his final advance and
destroying the remaining five Fetters—namely, attach-
ment to Realms of Form (ruparaga), attachment to Form-
less Realms (aruparaga), pride (mana), restlessness
(uddhacca), and ignorance (avijja), attains Arahantship,
the final state of Sainthood.
Stream-Winners, Once-Returners, Never-Returners
are called Sekhas because they have yet to undergo train-
ing. Arahants are called Asekhas because they no longer
undergo any training.
An Arahant, literally, a Worthy One, is not subject to
rebirth because he does not accomplish fresh Kammic
activities, the seeds of his reproduction in matter have all
been destroyed.
The Arahant realizes that what was to be accom-
plished has been done. A heavy burden of sorrow has
finally been relinquished, and all forms of craving and all
shades of ignorance are totally annihilated. The happy pil-
grim now stands on heights more than celestial, far
removed from uncontrolled passions and the defilements
of the world.
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