THE PATH
OF PURIFICATION
(VISUDDHIMAGGA)
BY
BHADANTACARIYA BUDDHAGHOSA
Translated from the Pali
by
BHIKKHU NANAMOLI
FIFTH EDITION
BUDDHIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY
Kandy Sri Lanka
[C. THE ATTAINMENT OF CESSATION]
16. And not only the experience of the taste of the noble fruit but also
the ability to attain the attainment of cessation should be understood as a
benefit of the development of understanding.
17. Now in order to explain the attainment of cessation there is this set
of questions:
(i) What is the attainment of cessation?
(ii) Who attains it?
(iii) Who do not attain it?
(iv) Where do they attain it?
(v) Why do they attain it?
(vi) How does its attainment come about?
(vii) How is it made to last?
(viii) How does the emergence from it come about?
(ix) Towards what does the mind of one who has emerged tend?
(x) What is the difference between one who has attained it and
one who is dead?
(xi) Is the attainment of cessation formed or unformed, mun-
dane or supramundane, produced or unproduced?
18. Herein, (i) What is the attainment of cessation! It is the non-occur-
rence of consciousness and its concomitants owing to their progressive
cessation.
(ii) Who attains it! (iii) Who do not attain it! No ordinary men,
no stream-enterers or once-returners, and no non-returners and Arahants
who are bare-insight workers attain it. But both non-returners and those
with cankers destroyed (Arahants) who are obtainers of the eight attain-
ments attain it. For it is said: * Understanding that is mastery, owing to
possession of two powers, to the tranquillization of three formations, to
sixteen kinds of exercise of knowledge, and to nine kinds of exercise of
concentration, is knowledge of the attainment of cessation' (Ps.i,97).
And these qualifications are not to be found together in any persons
other than non-returners and those whose cankers are destroyed, who are
obtainers of the eight attainments. That is why only they and no others
attain it.
19. But which are the two powers! And the [three formations] ... and
mastery! Here there is no need for us to say anything; for it has all been
said in the description of the summary [quoted above], according as it is
said:
20. '0 / the two powers: of the two powers, the serenity power and the
insight power. [703]
'What is serenity as a power? The unification of the mind and non-
distraction due to renunciation are serenity as a power. The unification
of the mind and non-distraction due to non-ill will are serenity as a
power. The unification of the mind and non-distraction due to perception
of light ... [to non-distraction ... to defining of states (dhamma) ... to
knowledge ... to gladness ... to the eight attainments, the ten kasinas,
the ten recollections, the nine charnel-ground contemplations, and the
thirty-two modes of mindfulness of breathing]
8
... the unification of the
mind and non-distraction due to breathing out in one who is contemplat-
ing relinquishment
9
is serenity as a power.
21. 'In what sense is serenity a power! Owing to the first jhana it does
not waver on account of the hindrances, thus serenity is a power. Owing
to the second jhana it does not waver on account of applied and sus-
tained thought, thus serenity is a power ... (etc.) ... Owing to the base
consisting of neither perception nor non-perception it does not waver
on account of the perception of the base consisting of nothingness, thus
serenity is a power. It does not waver and vacillate and hesitate on
account of agitation and on account of the defilements and the aggre-
gates that accompany agitation, thus serenity is a power. This is the
serenity power.
22. 'What is insight as a power? Contemplation of impermanence is
insight as a power. Contemplation of pain ... Contemplation of not-self
... Contemplation of dispassion ... Contemplation of fading away ...
Contemplation of cessation ... Contemplation of relinquishment is in-
sight as a power. Contemplation of impermanence in materiality ... (etc.)
... Contemplation of relinquishment in materiality is insight as a power.
Contemplation of impermanence in feeling ... in perception ... in forma-
tions ... in consciousness is insight as a power ... Contemplation of
relinquishment in consciousness is insight as a power. Contemplation of
impermanence in the eye ... (etc., see Ch. XX, §9) ... Contemplation of
impermanence in ageing-and-death ... (etc.) ... Contemplation of relin-
quishment in ageing-and-death is insight as a power.
23. 'In what sense is insight a powerl Owing to the contemplation of
impermanence it does not waver on account of perception of perma-
nence, thus insight is a power. Owing to the contemplation of pain it
does not waver on account of perception of pleasure ... Owing to the
contemplation of not-self it does not waver on account of the perception
of self... Owing to the contemplation of dispassion it does not waver on
account of delight... Owing to the contemplation of fading away it does
not waver on account of greed ... Owing to the contemplation of cessa-
tion it does not waver on account of arising ... Owing to the contempla-
tion of relinquishment it does not waver on account of grasping, thus
insight is a power. It does not waver and vacillate and hesitate on ac-
count of ignorance and on account of the defilements and the aggregates
that accompany ignorance, thus insight is a power.
24. 'Owing to the tranquillization of three formations: owing to the
tranquillization of what three formations? In one who has attained the
second jhana the verbal formations consisting in applied and sustained
thought are quite tranquillized. In one who has attained the fourth jhana
the bodily formations consisting in in-breaths and out-breaths are quite
tranquillized. In one who has attained cessation of perception and feeling
the mental formations consisting in feeling and perception are quite tran-
quillized. It is owing to the tranquillization of these three formations.
25. 'Owing to sixteen kinds of exercise of knowledge: owing to what
sixteen kinds of exercise of knowledge? Contemplation of imperma-
nence is a kind of exercise of knowledge. Contemplation of pain ...
Contemplation of not-self ... Contemplation of dispassion ... Contem-
plation of fading away ... Contemplation of cessation ... Contemplation
of relinquishment ... Contemplation of turning away is a kind of exer-
cise of knowledge. [704] The stream-entry path is a kind of exercise
of knowledge. The attainment of the fruition of stream-entry ... The
once-return path ... The attainment of the fruition of once-return ... The
non-return path ... The attainment of the fruition of non-return ... The
Arahant path ... The attainment of the fruition of Arahantship is a kind
of exercise of knowledge. It is owing to these sixteen kinds of exercise
of knowledge.
26. 'Owing to nine kinds of exercise of concentration: owing to what
nine kinds of exercise of concentration? The first jhana is a kind of
exercise of concentration. The second jhana ... [The third jhana ... The
fourth jhana ... The attainment of the base consisting of boundless space
... The attainment of the base consisting of boundless consciousness ...
The attainment of the base consisting of nothingness ... ]. The attain-
ment of the base consisting of neither perception nor non-perception is a
kind of exercise of concentration. And the applied thought and sustained
thought and happiness and bliss and unification of mind that have the
purpose of attaining the first jhana ... (etc.) ... And the applied thought
and sustained thought and happiness and bliss and unification of mind
that have the purpose of attaining the attainment of the base consisting of
neither perception nor non-perception. It is owing to these nine kinds of
exercise of concentration.
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27. 'Mastery: there are five kinds of mastery. There is mastery in ad-
verting, in attaining, in resolving, in emerging, in reviewing. He adverts
to the first jhana where, when, and for as long as he wishes, he has no
difficulty in adverting, thus it is mastery in adverting. He attains the first
jhana where, when, and for as long as he wishes, he has no difficulty in
attaining, thus it is mastery in attaining. He resolves upon [the duration
of] the first jhana where, ... thus it is mastery in resolving. He emerges
from the first jhana, ... thus it is mastery in emerging. He reviews the
first jhana where, when, and for as long as he wishes, he has no diffi-
culty in reviewing, thus it is mastery in reviewing. He adverts to the
second jhana ... (etc.) ... He reviews the attainment of the base consist-
ing of neither perception nor non-perception where, when, and for as
long as he wishes, he has no difficulty in reviewing, thus it is mastery in
reviewing. These are the five kinds of mastery' (Ps.i,97-100).
28. And here the words * Owing to sixteen kinds of exercise of knowl-
edge' state the maximum. But in a non-returner the mastery is owing to
fourteen kinds of exercise of knowledge. If that is so, then does it not
come about also in the once-returner owing to twelve? And in the stream-
enterer owing to ten?—It does not. Because the greed based on the cords
of sense desire, which is an obstacle to concentration, is unabandoned in
them. It is because that is not abandoned in them that the serenity power
is not perfected. Since it is not perfected they are not, owing to want of
power, able to attain the attainment of cessation, which has to be attained
by the two powers. But it is abandoned in the non-returner and so his
power is perfected. Since his power is perfected he is able to attain it.
Hence the Blessed One said: 'Profitable [consciousness] of the base
consisting of neither perception nor non-perception in one emerging from
cessation is a condition, as proximity condition, for the attainment of
fruition* (Ptn.1,159). For this is said in the Great Book of the PatthAna
11
with reference only to non-returners' emerging from cessation. [705]
29. (iv) Where do they attain it! In the five-constituent becoming. Why?
Because of the necessity for the succession of [all] the attainments (cf.
S.iv,217). But in the four-constituent becoming there is no arising of the
first jhana, etc., and so it is not possible to attain it there. But some say
that is because of the lack of a physical basis [for the mind there].
12
30. (v) Why do they attain it! Being wearied by the occurrence and dis-
solution of formations, they attain it thinking, 'Let us dwell in bliss by
being without consciousness here and now and reaching the cessation
that is nibbana'.
13
31. (vi) How does its attainment come about! It comes about in one
who performs the preparatory tasks by striving with serenity and insight
and causes the cessation of [consciousness belonging to] the base con-
sisting of neither perception nor non-perception. One who strives with
serenity alone reaches the base consisting of neither perception nor non-
perception and remains there, while one who strives with insight alone
reaches the attainment of fruition and remains there. But it is one who
strives with both, and after performing the preparatory tasks, causes the
cessation of [consciousness belonging to] the base consisting of neither
perception nor non-perception, who attains it. This is in brief.
32. But the detail is this. When a bhikkhu who desires to attain cessa-
tion has finished all that has to do with his meal and has washed his
hands and feet well, he sits down on a well-prepared seat in a secluded
place. Having folded his legs crosswise, set his body erect, established
mindfulness in front of him, he attains the first jhana, and on emerging
he sees the formations in it with insight as impermanent, painful, not-
self.
33. This insight is threefold as insight that discerns formations, insight
for the attainment of fruition, and insight for the attainment of cessation.
Herein, insight that discerns formations, whether sluggish or keen, is the
proximate cause only for a path. Insight for the attainment of fruition,
which is only valid when keen, is similar to that for the development of a
path. Insight for the attainment of cessation is only valid when it is not
over-sluggish and not over-keen. Therefore he sees those formations
with insight that is not over-sluggish and not over-keen.
34. After that, he attains the second jhana, and on emerging he sees for-
mations with insight in like manner. After that, he attains the third jhana
... (etc.) ... After that, he attains the base consisting of boundless con-
sciousness, and on emerging he sees the formations in it in like manner.
Likewise he attains the base consisting of nothingness. On emerging
from that he does the fourfold preparatory task, that is to say, about (a)
non-damage to others' property, (b) the Community's waiting, (c) the
Master's summons, and (d) the limit of the duration. [706]
35. (a) Herein, non-damage to others' property refers to what the bhikkhu
has about him that is not his personal property: a robe and bowl, or a bed
and chair, or a living room, or any other kind of requisite kept by him
but the property of various others. It should be resolved14
that such
property will not be damaged, will not be destroyed by fire, water, wind,
thieves, rats, and so on. Here is the form of the resolve: 'During these
seven days let this and this not be burnt by fire; let it not be swept off by
water; let it not be spoilt by wind; let it not be stolen by thieves; let it not
be devoured by rats, and so on'. When he has resolved in this way, they
are not in danger during the seven days.
36. If he does not resolve in this way, they may be destroyed by fire,
etc., as in the case of the Elder MahA-Naga. The elder, it seems, went
for alms into the village where his mother, a lay follower, lived. She
gave him rice gruel and seated him in the sitting hall. The elder sat down
and attained cessation. While he was sitting there the hall caught fire.
The other bhikkhus each picked up their seats and fled. The villagers
gathered together, and seeing the elder, they said, 'What a lazy monk!
What a lazy monk!'. The fire burned the grass thatch, the bamboos
and timbers, and it encircled the elder. People brought water and put
it out. They removed the ashes, did repairs,
15
scattered flowers, and
then stood respectfully waiting. The elder emerged at the time he had
determined. Seeing them, he said, 'I am discovered!', and he rose up
into the air and went to Piyahgu Island. This is 'non-damage to others'
property'.
37. There is no special resolving to be done for what is his own personal
property such as the inner and outer robes or the seat he is sitting on. He
protects all that by means of the attainment itself, like those of the
venerable Sanjlva. And this is said: 'There was success by intervention
of concentraion in the venerable Sanjiva. There was success by interven-
tion of concentration in the venerable Sariputta' (Ps.i,212—see Ch. XII,
§30).
38. (b) The Community's waiting is the Community's expecting. The
meaning is: till this bhikkhu comes there is no carrying out of acts of the
Community. And here it is not the actual Community's waiting that is
the preparatory task, but the adverting to the waiting. So it should be
adverted to in this way: 'While I am sitting for seven days in the attain-
ment of cessation, if the Community wants to enact a resolution, etc., I
shall emerge before any bhikkhu comes to summon me'. [707] One who
attains it after doing this emerges at exactly that time.
39. But if he does not do so, then perhaps the Community assembles,
and not seeing him, it is asked, 'Where is the bhikkhu so and so?'. They
reply, 'He has attained cessation'. The Community despatches a bhikkhu,
telling him 'Go and summon him in the name of the Community'. Then
as soon as the bhikkhu stands within his hearing and merely says, 'The
Community is waiting for you, friend', he emerges. Such is the impor-
tance of the Community's order. So he should attain in suchwise that, by
adverting to it beforehand, he emerges by himself.
40. (c) The Master's summons: here too it is the adverting to the Mas-
ter's summons that is the preparatory task. So that also should be ad-
verted to in this way: 'While I am sitting for seven days in the attainment
of cessation, if the Master, after examining a case, makes known a course
of training, or teaches the Dhamma, the origin of which discourse is
some need that has arisen,
16
I shall emerge before anyone comes to
summon me'. For when he has seated himself after doing so, he emerges
at exactly that time.
41. But if he does not do so, when the Community assembles, the Mas-
ter, not seeing him, asks, 'Where is the bhikkhu so and so?'. They reply,
'He has attained cessation'. Then he despatches a bhikkhu, telling him
'Go and summon him in my name'. As soon as the bhikkhu stands
within his hearing and merely says, 'The Master calls the venerable one',
he emerges. Such is the importance of the Master's summons. So he
should attain in suchwise that, by adverting to it beforehand, he emerges
himself.
42. (d) The limit of duration is the limit of life's duration. For this
bhikkhu should be very careful to determine what the limit of his life's
duration is. He should attain only after adverting in this way: 'Will my
own vital formations go on occurring for seven days or will they not?'.
For if he attains it without adverting when the vital formations are due to
cease within seven days, then since the attainment of cessation cannot
ward off his death because there is no dying during cessation,
17
he conse-
quently emerges from the attainment meanwhile. So he should attain
only after adverting to that. For it is said that while it may be permissible
to omit adverting to others, this must be adverted to.
43. Now when he has thus attained the base consisting of nothingness
and emerged and done this preparatory task, he then attains the base con-
sisting of neither perception nor non-perception. Then after one or two
turns of consciousness have passed, he becomes without consciousness,
he achieves cessation. But why do consciousnesses not go on occurring
in him after the two consciousnesses? Because the effort is directed to
cessation. For this bhikkhu's mounting through the eight attainments,
coupling together the states of serenity and insight, [708] is directed to
successive cessation, not to attaining the base consisting of neither per-
ception nor non-perception. So it is because the effort is directed to
cessation that no more than the two consciousnesses occur.
44. But if a bhikkhu emerges from the base consisting of nothingness
without having done this preparatory task and then attains the base con-
sisting of neither perception nor non-perception, he is unable then to
become without consciousness: he returns to the base consisting of noth-
ingness and settles down there.
45. And here the simile of the man and the road not previously travelled
may be told. A man who had not previously travelled a certain road
came to a ravine cut by water, or after crossing a deep morass he came to
a rock heated by a fierce sun. Then without arranging his inner and outer
garments, he descended into the ravine but came up again for fear of
wetting his belongings and remained on the bank, or he walked up on to
the rock but on burning his feet he returned to the near side and waited
there.
46. Herein, just as the man, as soon as he had descended into the ravine,
or walked up on to the hot rock, turned back and remained on the near
side because he had not seen to the arrangement of his inner and outer
garments, so too as soon as the meditator has attained the base consisting
of neither perception nor non-perception, he turns back and remains in
the base consisting of nothingness because the preparatory task has not
been done.
47. Just as when a man who has travelled that road before comes to that
place, he puts his inner garment on securely, and taking the other in his
hand, crosses over the ravine, or so acts as to tread only lightly on the
hot rock and accordingly gets to the other side, so too, when the bhikkhu
does the preparatory task and then attains the base consisting of neither
perception nor non-perception, then he achieves cessation, which is the
other side, by becoming without consciousness.
48. (vii) How is it made to last! It lasts as long as the time predeter-
mined for its duration, unless interrupted meanwhile by the exhaustion
of the life span, by the waiting of the Community, or by the Master's
summons.
49. (viii) How does the emergence from it come about! The emergence
comes about in two ways thus: by means of the fruition of non-return in
the case of the non-returner, or by means of the fruition of Arahantship
in thg case of the Arahant.
50. (ix) Towards what does the mind of one who has emerged tend! It
tends towards nibbana. For this is said: 'When a bhikkhu has emerged
from the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling, friend
Visakha, his consciousness inclines to seclusion, leans to seclusion, tends
to seclusion' (M.i,302). [709]
51. (x) What is the difference between one who has attained and one
who is dead! This is also given in a sutta, according as it is said: 'When
a bhikkhu is dead, friend, has completed his term, his bodily formations
have ceased and are quite still, his verbal formations have ceased and are
quite still, his mental formations have ceased and are quite still, his life
is exhausted, his heat has subsided, and his faculties are broken up.
When a bhikkhu has entered upon the cessation of perception and feel-
ing, his bodily formations have ceased and are quite still, his verbal for-
mations have ceased and are quite still, his mental formations have ceased
and are quite still, his life is unexhausted, his heat has not subsided, his
faculties are quite whole' (M.i,296).
52. (xi) As to the question Is the attainment of cessation formed or un-
formed, etc.? It is not classifiable as formed or unformed, mundane or
supramundane. Why? Because it has no individual essence. But since it
comes to be attained by one who attains it, it is therefore permissible to
say that it is produced, not unproduced.
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This too is an attainment which
A noble one may cultivate;
The peace it gives is reckoned as
Nibbana here and now.
A wise man by developing
The noble understanding can
With it himself endow;
So this ability is called
A boon of understanding, too,
The noble paths allow.
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