THE PATH
OF PURIFICATION
(VISUDDHIMAGGA)
BY
BHADANTACARIYA BUDDHAGHOSA
Translated from the Pali
by
BHIKKHU NANAMOLI
FIFTH EDITION
BUDDHIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY
Kandy Sri Lanka
[C. CLASSIFICATION OF THE AGGREGATES]
185. The foregoing section, firstly, is that of the detailed explanation of
the aggregates according to the Abhidhamma-Bhajaniya [of the Vibhahga].
But the aggregates have been given in detail by the Blessed One [in
the Surtanta-Bhajaniya] in this way: 'Any materiality whatever, whether
past, future or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or su-
perior, far or near all that together in the mass and in the gross is called
the materiality aggregate. Any feeling whatever ... Any perception what-
ever ... Any formations whatever ... Any consciousness whatever,
whether past, future or present... all that together in the mass and in the
gross is called the consciousness aggregate ' (Vbh.1-9; cf. M.iii,17).
[MATERIALITY]
186. Herein, the word whatever includes without exception. Materiality
prevents over-generalization. Thus materiality is comprised without ex-
ception by the two expressions. Then he undertakes its exposition as
pastt future and present, etc.; for some of it is classed as past and some
as future, and so on. So also in the case of feeling, and so on.
Herein, the materiality called (i) past is fourfold, according to (a)
extent, (b) continuity, (c) period, and (d) moment. Likewise (ii) the
future and (iii) the present.
11
187. Herein, (a) firstly, according to extent: in the case of a single be-
coming of one [living being], previous to rebirth-linking is past, subse-
quent to death is future, between these two is present.
188. (b) According to continuity: that [materiality] which has like or single
origination72
by temperature and single origination by nutriment, though
it occurs successively, [473] is present. That which, previous to that, was
of unlike origination by temperature and nutriment is past. That which is
subsequent is future. That which is born of consciousness and has its
origination in one cognitive series, in one impulsion, in one attainment,
is present. Previous to that is past. Subsequent to that is future. There is
no special classification into past continuity, etc., of that which has its
origination in kamma, but its pastness, etc., should be understood ac-
cording as it supports those which have their origination through tem-
perature, nutriment, and consciousness.
189. (c) According to period: any period among those such as one min-
ute, morning, evening, day-and-night, etc., that occurs as a continuity, is
called present. Previous to that is past. Subsequent is future.
190. (d) According to moment: what is included in the trio of moments,
[that is to say, arising, presence, and dissolution] beginning with arising
is called present. At a time previous to that it is future. At a time subse-
quent to that it is past.
73
191. Furthermore, that whose functions of cause and condition74
have
elapsed is past. That whose function of cause is finished and whose
function of condition is unfinished is present. That which has not at-
tained to either function is future. Or alternatively, the moment of the
function is present. At a time previous to that it is future. At a time
subsequent to that it is past.
And here only the explanations beginning with the moment are ab-
solutely literal. The rest are in a figurative [or relative] sense.
192. (iv)-(v) The division into internal and external is as already stated
(§73). Besides, it is internal in the sense of one's own75
that should be
understood here as internal and that of another person as external.
(vi)-(vii) Gross and subtle are also as already stated (§73).
193. (viii)-(ix) Inferior and superior are twofold, namely, figuratively
(relatively) and absolutely (literally). Herein, the materiality of the Su-
dassin deities is inferior to the materiality of the Akanittha (Highest)
deities. That same materiality [of the Sudassin deities] is superior to the
materiality of the Sudassa deities. Thus, firstly, should inferiority and
superiority be understood figuratively (relatively) down as far as the
denizens of hell. But absolutely (literally) it is inferior where it arises as
unprofitable result, and it is superior where it arises as profitable result.
76
194. (x)-(xi) Far and near: this is also as already described (§73). Be-
sides, relative farness and nearness should be understood here according
to location.
195. All that together in the mass and in the gross: by making all that
materiality, separately described by the words 'past', etc., into a collec-
tion by understanding its oneness, in other words, its characteristic of
being molested (ruppana), it comes to be called the materiality (rupa)
aggregate. This is the meaning here.
196. By this, too, it is shown that the materiality aggregate is all material-
ity, which all comes into the collection with the characteristic of being
molested; for there is no materiality aggregate apart from materiality.
[474] And just as in the case of materiality, so also feeling, etc., [are
respectively shown as the feeling aggregate, etc.,] since they come under
the collections with the [respective] characteristics of being felt, etc.; for
there is no feeling aggregate apart from feeling and so on.
[FEELING]
197. In the classification (i)-(iii) into past, etc., the past, future, and pres-
ent state of feeling should be understood according to continuity and ac-
cording to moment and so on.
Herein, according to continuity, that included in a single cognitive
series, a single impulsion, a single attainment, and that occurring in asso-
ciation with an objective field of one kind,
77
is present. Before that is
past. Subsequent is future.
According to moment, etc.: that feeling included in the trio of mo-
ments, which is in between the past time and the future time, and which
is performing its own function, is present. Before that is past. Subse-
quent is future.
198. (iv)-(v) The classification into internal and external should be
understood according to the internal in the sense of one's own.
(vi)-(vii) The classification into gross and subtle should be under-
stood (a) according to kind, (b) individual essence, (c) person, and (d)
the mundane and supramundane, as stated in the Vibhahga in the way
beginning 'Unprofitable feeling is gross, profitable and indeterminate
feeling is subtle, [profitable and unprofitable feeling is gross, indetermi-
nate feeling is subtle]' (Vbh. 3), and so on.
199. (a) According to kind, firstly: unprofitable feeling is a state of dis-
quiet, because it is the cause of reprehensible actions and because it
produces burning of defilement, so it is gross [compared] with profitable
feeling. And because it is accompanied by interestedness and drive and
result, and because of the burning of the defilements, and because it is
reprehensible, it is gross compared with resultant indeterminate. Also be-
cause it is accompanied by result, because of the burning of the defile-
ments, and because it is attended by affliction and is reprehensible, it is
gross compared with functional indeterminate. But in the opposite sense
profitable and indeterminate feeling are subtle compared with unprofit-
able feeling. Also the two, that is, profitable and unprofitable feeling,
involve interestedness, drive and result, so they are respectively gross
compared with the twofold indeterminate. And in the opposite sense the
twofold indeterminate is subtle compared with them. This, firstly, is how
grossness and subtlety should be understood according to kind.
200. (b) According to individual essence: painful feeling is gross com-
pared with the others because it is without enjoyment, it involves inter-
vention, causes disturbance, creates anxiety, and is overpowering. The
other two are subtle compared with the painful because they are satisfy-
ing, peaceful, and superior, and respectively agreeable and neutral. Both
the pleasant and the painful are gross compared with the neither-painful-
nor-pleasant because they involve intervention, cause disturbance and
are obvious. The latter is subtle in the way aforesaid compared with both
the former. Thus should grossness and subtlety be understood according
to individual essence.
201. (c) According to person: feeling in one who has no attainment is
gross compared with that in one who has one, because it is distracted by
a multiple object. In the opposite sense the other is subtle. This is how
grossness and subtlety should be understood according to person. [475]
202. (d) According to the mundane and supramundane: feeling subject
to cankers is mundane, and that is gross compared with that free from
cankers, because it is the cause for the arising of cankers, is liable to the
floods, liable to the bonds, liable to the ties, liable to the hindrances,
liable to the clingings, defilable, and shared by ordinary men. The latter,
in the opposite sense, is subtle compared with that subject to cankers.
This is how grossness and subtlety should be understood according to
the mundane and supramundane.
203. Herein, one should beware of mixing up [the classifications] accord-
ing to kind and so on. For although feeling associated with unprofitable
resultant body-consciousness is subtle according to kind because it is
indeterminate, it is nevertheless gross according to individual essence,
and so on. And this is said: 'Indeterminate feeling is subtle, painful
feeling is gross. The feeling in one with an attainment is subtle, that in
one with no attainment is gross. Feeling free from cankers is subtle,
feeling accompanied by cankers is gross' (Vbh. 3). And like painful feel-
ing, so also pleasant, etc., is gross according to kind and subtle according
to individual essence.
204. Therefore feeling's grossness and subtlety should be understood in
such a way that there is no mixing up of the classifications according to
kind and so on. For instance, [when it is said] The indeterminate ac-
cording to kind is subtle compared with the profitable and the unprofit-
able', the individual-essence class, etc., must not be insisted upon like
this: 'Which kind of indeterminate? Is it the painful? Is it the pleasant? Is
it that in one with an attainment? Is it that in one with no attainment? Is
it that subject to cankers? Is it that free from cankers?', and so in each
instance.
205. Furthermore, because of the words 'Or feeling should be regarded
as gross or subtle in comparison with this or that feeling' (Vbh. 4),
among the unprofitable, etc., feeling accompanied by hate, too, is gross
compared with that accompanied by greed because it burns up its own
support, like a fire; and that accompanied by greed is subtle. Also, that
accompanied by hate is gross when the hate is constant, and subtle when
it is inconstant. And the constant is gross when giving result that lasts for
the aeon, while the other is subtle. And of those giving result lasting for
the aeon the unprompted is gross, while the other is subtle. But that
accompanied by greed is gross when associated with [false] view, while
the other is subtle. That also when constant and giving result lasting for
the aeon and unprompted is gross, while the others are subtle. And
without distinction the unprofitable with much result is gross, while that
with little result is subtle. But the profitable with little result is gross,
while that with much result is subtle.
206. Furthermore, the profitable of the sense sphere is gross; that of the
fine-material sphere is subtle; next to which the immaterial, and next the
supramundane [should be similarly compared]. That of the sense sphere
is gross in giving, while it is subtle in virtue; next, that in development.
Also, that in development is gross with two root-causes, while with three
root-causes it is subtle. Also that with three root-causes is gross when
prompted, while it is subtle when unprompted. That of the fine-material
sphere is gross in the first jhana, [while it is subtle in the second jhana.
That also of the second jhana is gross] ... of the fifth jhana is subtle. And
that of the immaterial sphere associated with the base consisting of bound-
less space is gross ... [476] that associated with the base consisting of
neither-perception-nor-non-perception is subtle only. And the supramun-
dane associated with the stream-entry path is gross ... that associated
with the Arahant path is subtle only. The same method applies also to re-
sultant and functional feeling in the various planes and to feeling stated
according to pain, etc., according to one with no attainment, etc., and
according to that subject to cankers, and so on.
207. Then according to location, painful feelings in hell are gross, while
in the animal generation they are subtle.... Those among the Paranimmi-
tavasavatti Deities are subtle only. And the pleasant should be construed
throughout like the painful where suitable.
208. And according to physical basis, any feeling that has an inferior
physical basis is gross, while one with a superior physical basis is subtle.
(viii)-(ix) What is gross should be regarded as inferior in the infe-
rior-superior classification, and what is subtle superior.
209. [(x)-(xi) The word far is explained in the Vibhanga in the way
beginning 'The unprofitable is far from the profitable and indeterminate'
(Vbh. 4) and the word near in the way beginning 'Unprofitable feeling is
near to unprofitable feeling' (Vbh. 4). Therefore, unprofitable feeling is
far from the profitable and the indeterminate because of dissimilarity,
unconnectedness, and non-resemblance. The profitable and the indeter-
minate are likewise far from the unprofitable. And so in all instances.
But unprofitable feeling is near to unprofitable feeling because of simi-
larity and resemblance.
This is the section of the detailed explanation dealing with the past,
etc., classifications of the feeling aggregate.
[PERCEPTION, FORMATIONS AND CONSCIOUSNESS]
210. This should also be understood of the perception, etc., associated
with any kind of feeling.
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