THE PATH
OF PURIFICATION
(VISUDDHIMAGGA)
BY
BHADANTACARIYA BUDDHAGHOSA
Translated from the Pali
by
BHIKKHU NANAMOLI
FIFTH EDITION
BUDDHIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY
Kandy Sri Lanka
55. As to the bones, the heel bone is to be found holding up the ankle
bone, the ankle bone holding up the shin bone, the shin bone the thigh
bone, the thigh bone the hip bone, the hip bone the backbone, the back-
bone the neck bone, and the neck bone is to be found holding up the
cranium bone. The cranium bone rests on the neck bone, the neck bone
on the backbone, the backbone on the hip bone, the hip bone on the thigh
bone, the thigh bone on the shin bone, the shin bone on the ankle bone,
the ankle bone on the heel bone.
56. Herein, just as, when bricks, timber or [blocks of dried] cowdung
are built up, those below do not know 'We each stand holding up those
above us', nor do those above know 'We each rest on those below us',
so too, the heel bone does not know 'I stand holding up the ankle bone',
nor does the ankle bone know 'I stand holding up the shin bone', nor
does the shin bone know 4
I stand holding up the thigh bone', nor does
the thigh bone know 'I stand holding up the hip bone', nor does the hip
bone know 'I stand holding up the backbone', nor does the backbone
know 'I stand holding up the neck bone', nor does the neck bone know 'I
stand holding up the cranium bone', nor does the cranium bone know * I
rest on the neck bone', nor does the neck bone know 'I rest on the
backbone', nor does the backbone know 'I rest on the hip bone', nor
does the hip bone know 'I rest on the thigh bone', nor does the thigh
bone know 'I rest on the shin bone', nor does the shin bone know 'I rest
on the ankle bone', nor does the ankle bone know 'I rest on the heel
bone'. These things are devoid of mutual concern and reviewing. So
what are called bones [356] are a particular component of this body,
without thought, indeterminate, void, not a living being, rigid earth ele-
ment.
57. Bone marrow is to be found inside the various bones. Herein, just
as, when boiled bamboo sprouts, etc., are put inside bamboo joints, etc.,
the bamboo joints, etc., do not know *Bamboo sprouts, etc., are put in
us', nor do the bamboo sprouts, etc., know 'We are inside bamboo joints,
etc.', so too, the bones do not know * Marrow is inside us', nor does the
bone marrow know 'I am inside bones'. These things are devoid of
mutual concern and reviewing. So what is called bone marrow is a par-
ticular component of this body, without thought, indeterminate, void, not
a living being, rigid earth element.
58. Kidney is to be found on each side of the heart flesh, being fastened
by the stout sinew that starts out with a single root from the base of the
neck and divides into two after going a short way. Herein, just as, when
a pair of mango fruits are bound together by their stalk, the stalk does
not know 'A pair of mango fruits is bound together by me' , nor do the
pair of mango fruits know 'We are bound together by a stalk', so too, the
stout sinew does not know 'Kidneys are bound together by me', nor does
the kidney know 'I am bound together by a stout sinew'. These things
are devoid of mutual concern and reviewing. So what is called kidney is
a particular component of this body, without thought, indeterminate,
void, not a living being, rigid earth element.
59. Heart is to be found in the inside of the body near the middle of the
frame of the ribs. Herein, just as, when a piece of meat is placed near the
framework of an old cart, the inside of the framework of the old cart
does not know 'A piece of meat is placed near the middle of me', nor
does the piece of meat know 'I am near the middle of the inside of the
framework of an old cart', so too, the inside of the framework of the ribs
does not know 'A heart is near the middle of me', nor does the heart
know 'I am near the middle of the inside of a framework of ribs'. These
things are devoid of mutual concern and reviewing. So what is called
heart is a particular component of this body, without thought, indetermi-
nate, void, not a living being, rigid earth element.
60. Liver is to be found inside the body, near the right side between
the two breasts. Herein, just as, when a twin lump of meat is stuck on the
side of a cooking pot, the side of the cooking pot does not know 'A twin
lump of meat is stuck on me', nor does the twin lump of meat know
[357]
'I am stuck on the side of a cooking pot', so too, the right side
between the breasts does not know 'Liver is near me*, nor does the liver
know 'I am near a right side between two breasts'. These things are
devoid of mutual concern and reviewing. So what is called liver is a
particular component of this body, without thought, indeterminate, void,
not a living being, rigid earth element.
61. As to the midriff, the concealed midriff is to be found surrounding
the heart and kidney, while the unconcealed midriff is to be found cover-
ing the flesh under the skin in the whole body. Herein, just as, when
meat is wrapped in a rag, the meat does not know 'I am wrapped in a
rag', nor does the rag know 'Meat is wrapped in me', so too, the heart
and kidney, and the flesh in the whole body, do not know 'I am con-
cealed by midriff, nor does the midriff know 'Heart and kidney, and
flesh in a whole body, are concealed by me'. These things are devoid of
mutual concern and reviewing. So what is called midriff is a particular
component of this body, without thought, indeterminate, void, not a
living being, rigid earth element.
62. Spleen is to be found near the upper side of the belly lining on the
left side of the heart. Herein, just as, when a lump of cowdung is near the
upper side of a barn, the upper side of the barn does not know 'A lump
of cowdung is near me', nor does the lump of cowdung know 'I am near
the upper side of a barn,' so too, the upper side of the belly lining does
not know 'Spleen is near me', nor does the spleen know 'I am near the
upper side of a belly lining'. These things are devoid of mutual concern
and reviewing. So what is called spleen is a particular component of this
body, without thought, indeterminate, void, not a living being, rigid
earth element.
63. Lungs are to be found inside the body between the two breasts,
hanging over the heart and liver and concealing them. Herein, just as
when a bird's nest is hanging inside an old barn, the inside of the old
barn does not know 'A bird's nest is hanging in me', nor does the bird's
nest know 'I am hanging inside an old barn', so too, [358] the inside of
the body does not know 'Lungs are hanging in me', nor do the lungs
know 'We are hanging inside such a body'. These things are devoid of
mutual concern and reviewing. So what is called lungs is a particular
component of this body, without thought, indeterminate, void, not a
living being, rigid earth element.
64. Bowel is to be found inside the body extending from the base of the
neck to the excrement passage. Herein, just as, when the carcase of a
large beheaded rat snake
27
is coiled up and put into a trough of blood, the
red trough does not know 'A rat snake's carcase has been put in me', nor
does the rat snake's carcase know 'I am in a red trough', so too, the
inside of the body does not know 'A bowel is in me', nor does the bowel
know 'I am in a body'. These things are devoid of mutual concern and
reviewing. So what is called the b6wel is a particular component of this
body, without thought, indeterminate, void, not a living being, rigid
earth element.
65. Entrails are to be found in the interspaces between the twenty-one
coils of the bowel, binding them together. Herein, just as, when ropes are
found sewing together a rope ring for wiping the feet, the rope ring for
wiping the feet does not know 'Ropes are to be found sewing me to-
gether', nor do the ropes know 'We are to be found sewing together a
rope ring', so too, the bowel does not know 'Entrails are to be found
binding me together', nor do the entrails know 'We are to be found
binding a bowel together'. These things are devoid of mutual concern
and reviewing. So what is called entrails is a particular component of
this body, without thought, indeterminate, void, not a living being, rigid
earth element.
66. Gorge is what is eaten, drunk, chewed and tasted that lies in the
stomach. Herein, just as, when a dog's vomit lies in a dog's bowl, the
dog's bowl does not know 'Dog's vomit is lying in me', nor does the
dog's vomit know 'I am lying in a dog's bowl', so too, the stomach does
not know 'Gorge is lying in me', nor does the gorge know 'I am lying in
a stomach'. These things are devoid of mutual concern and reviewing.
So what is called gorge is a particular component of this body, without
thought, indeterminate, void, not a living being, rigid earth element.
67. Dung is to be found at the end of the bowel, which resembles a
bamboo joint eight fingerbreadths long and is called the 'receptacle for
digested food'. [359] Herein, just as, when soft brown clay is impacted
in a bamboo joint, the bamboo joint does not know 'Brown clay is in
me', nor does brown clay know 'I am in a bamboo joint', so too, the
receptacle for digested food does not know 'Dung is in me' , nor does the
dung know 'I am in a receptacle for digested food'. These things are
devoid of mutual concern and reviewing. So what is called dung is a
particular component of this body, without thought, indeterminate, void,
not a living being, rigid earth element.
68. Brain is to be found in the interior of the skull. Herein, just as, when
a lump of dough is put inside an old gourd rind, the gourd rind does not
know *A lump of dough is in me*, nor does the lump of dough know 'I
am inside a gourd rind', so too, the inside of the skull does not know
'Brain is in me', nor does the brain know 'I am inside a skull'. These
things are devoid of mutual concern and reviewing. So what is called
brain is a particular component of this body, without thought, indetermi-
nate, void, not a living being, rigid earth element.
69. As to bile, the free bile, which is bound up with the life faculty, is to
be found soaking the whole body, while the local bile is to be found in
the bile container (gall-bladder). Herein, just as, when oil has soaked a
cake, the cake does not know 'Oil soaks me', nor does the oil know 'I
soak a cake', so too, the body does not know 'Free bile soaks me', nor
does the free bile know 'I soak a body'. And just as, when a kosdtaki
(loofah) creeper bladder is filled with rain water, the kosdtaki creeper
bladder does not know 'Rain water is in me', nor does the rain water
know 'I am in a kosdtaki creeper bladder', so too, the bile bladder does
not know 'Local bile is in me', nor does the local bile know 'I am in a
bile bladder'. These things are devoid of mutual concern and reviewing.
So what is called bile is a particular component of this body, without
thought, indeterminate, void, not a living being, liquid water element in
the mode of cohesion.
70. Phlegm is to be found on the surface of the stomach and measures a
bowlful. Herein, just as, when a cesspool has a surface of froth, the
cesspool does not know *A surface of froth is on me', nor does the
surface of froth [360] know 'I am on a cesspool', so too, the surface of
the stomach does not know 'Phlegm is on me' nor does the phlegm
know * I am on the surface of a stomach'. These things are devoid of
mutual concern and reviewing. So what is called phlegm is a particular
component of this body, without thought, indeterminate, void, not a liv-
ing being, liquid water element in the mode of cohesion.
71. Pus has no fixed location. It is to be found wherever the blood stag-
nates and goes bad in a part of the body damaged by wounds caused by
splinters and thorns, and by burns due to fire, or where boils, carbuncles,
etc., appear. Herein, just as, when a tree oozes gum through being hit by,
say, an axe, the parts of the tree that have been hit do not know 'Gum is
in us', nor does the gum know 'I am in a part of a tree that has been hit',
so too, the parts of the body wounded by splinters, thorns, etc., do not
know 'Pus is in us', nor does the pus know 'I am in such places'. These
things are devoid of mutual concern and reviewing. So what is called pus
is a particular component of this body, without thought, indeterminate,
void, not a living being, liquid water element in the mode of cohesion.
72. As to blood, the mobile blood is to be found, like the bile, soaking
the whole body. The stored blood, is to be found filling the lower part of
the liver's site to the extent of a bowlful, wetting the kidney, heart, liver
and lights. Herein, the definition of the mobile blood is similar to that of
the free bile. But as to the other, just as, when rain water seeps through
an old pot and wets clods and stumps below, the clods and stumps do not
know 'We are being wetted with water', nor does the water know 'I am
wetting clods and stumps', so too, the lower part of the liver's site, or the
kidney, etc., respectively do not know 'Blood is in me', or 'We are being
wetted', nor does the blood know 'I fill the lower part of a liver's site,
am wetting a kidney, and so on'. These things are devoid of mutual con-
cern and reviewing. So what is called blood is a particular component of
this body, without thought, indeterminate, void, not a living being, liquid
water element in the mode of cohesion.
73. Sweat is to be found filling the openings of the pores of the head
hairs and body hairs when there is heat due to fires, etc., and it trickles
out of them. Herein, just as, when [361] bunches of lily bud stems and
lotus stalks are pulled up out of water, the openings in the bunches of
lilies, etc., do not know 'Water trickles from us', nor does the water
trickling from the openings in the bunches of lilies, etc., know 'I am
trickling from openings in bunches of lilies, etc.', so too, the openings of
the pores of the head hairs and body hairs do not know 'Sweat trickles
from us', nor does the sweat know 'I trickle from openings of pores of
head hairs and body hairs'. These things are devoid of mutual concern
and reviewing. So what is called sweat is a particular component of this
body, without thought, indeterminate, void, not a living being, liquid
water element in the mode of cohesion.
74. Fat is the thick unguent to be found pervading the whole body of
one who is stout, and on the shank flesh, etc., of one who is lean. Herein,
just as, when a heap of meat is covered by a yellow rag, the heap of meat
does not know 'A yellow rag is next to me', nor does the yellow rag
know 'I am next to a heap of meat', so too, the flesh to be found on the
whole body, or on the shanks, etc., does not know 'Fat is next to me',
nor does the fat know 'I am next to flesh on a whole body, or on the
shanks, and so on'. These things are devoid of mutual concern and re-
viewing. So what is called fat is a particular component of this body,
without thought, indeterminate, void, not a living being, thick-liquid
water element in the mode of cohesion.
75. Tears, when produced, are to be found filling the eye sockets or
trickling out of them. Herein, just as, when the sockets of young palm
kernels are filled with water, the sockets of the young palm kernels do
not know 'Water is in us', nor does the water in the sockets of the young
palm kernels know 'I am in sockets of young palm kernels', so too, the
eye sockets do not know 'Tears are in us', nor do the tears know 'We are
in eye sockets'. These things are devoid of mutual concern and review-
ing. So what is called tears is a particular component of this body,
without thought, indeterminate, void, not a living being, liquid water
element in the mode of cohesion.
76. Grease is the melted unguent to be found on the palms and backs of
the hands, on the soles and backs of the feet, on the nose and forehead
and on the points of the shoulders, when heated by fire, and so on.
Herein, just as, when rice gruel has oil put on it, the rice gruel does not
know 'Oil is spread over me', nor does the oil know 'I am spread over
rice gruel', so too, the place consisting of the palm of the hand, etc.,
[362] does not know 'Grease is spread over me', nor does the grease
know 'I am spread over places consisting of the palm of the hand, and so
on'. These things are devoid of mutual concern and reviewing. So what
is called grease is a particular component of this body, without thought,
indeterminate, void, not a living being, liquid water element in the mode
of cohesion.
77. Spittle is to be found on the surface of the tongue after it has de-
scended from the cheeks on both sides, when there is a condition for the
arising of spittle. Herein, just as, when a hollow in a river bank is
constantly oozing with water, the surface of the hollow does not know
'Water lies on me', nor does the water know 'I lie on the surface of a
hollow', so too, the surface of the tongue does not know 'Spittle that has
descended from cheeks on both sides is on me', nor does the spittle
know 'I have descended from cheeks on both sides and am on the sur-
face of a tongue'. These things are devoid of mutual concern and review-
ing. So what is called spittle is a particular component of this body,
without thought, indeterminate, void, not a living being, liquid water
element in the mode of cohesion.
78. Snot, when produced, is to be found filling the nostrils or trickling
out of them. Herein, just as, when a bag28
is loaded with rotting curd, the
bag does not know 'Rotting curd is in me', nor does the rotting curd
know 'I am in a bag', so too, the nostrils do not know 'Snot is in us', nor
does the snot know 'I am in nostrils'. These things are devoid of mutual
concern and reviewing. So what is called snot is a particular component
of this body, without thought, indeterminate, void, not a living being,
liquid water element in the mode of cohesion.
79. Oil of the joints is to be found in the hundred and eighty joints
serving the function of lubricating the joints of the bones. Herein, just as,
when an axle is lubricated with oil, the axle does not know 'Oil lubri-
cates me', nor does the oil know 'I lubricate an axle', so too, the hundred
and eighty joints do not know 'Oil of the joints lubricates us', nor does
the oil of the joints know 'I lubricate a hundred and eighty joints'.
These things are devoid of mutual concern and reviewing. So what is
called oil of the joints is a particular component of this body, without
thought, indeterminate, void, not a living being, liquid water element in
the mode of cohesion.
80. Urine is to be found inside the bladder. Herein, just as, when a
porous pot is put upside down in a cesspool, the porous pot does not
know 'Cesspool filtrate is in me', nor does the cesspool filtrate know 'I
am in a porous pot', so too, the bladder does not know [363] 'Urine is in
me', nor does the urine know 'I am in a bladder'. These things are
devoid of mutual concern and reviewing. So what is called urine is a
particular component of this body, without thought, indeterminate, void,
not a living being, liquid water element in the mode of cohesion.
81. When he has given his attention in this way to the body hairs, etc.,
he should then give his attention to the [four] fire components thus: That
whereby one is warmed—this is a particular component of this body,
without thought, indeterminate, void, not a living being; it is fire element
in the mode of maturing (ripening).
That whereby one ages .. .
That whereby one burns up .. .
That whereby what is eaten, drunk, chewed and tasted becomes
completely digested—this is a particular component of this body, with-
out thought, indeterminate, void, not a living being; it is fire element in
the mode of maturing (ripening).
82. After that, having discovered the up-going winds (forces) as up-
going, the down-going winds (forces) as down-going, the winds (forces)
in the belly as in the belly, the winds (forces) in the bowels as in the
bowels, the winds (forces) that course through all the limbs as coursing
through all the limbs, and in-breath and out-breath as in-breath and out-
breath, he should give his attention to these [six] air components in this
way: What is called up-going winds (forces) is a particular component of
this body, without thought, indeterminate, void, not a living being; it is
air element in the mode of distending.
What is called down-going winds (forces) ... '
What is called winds (forces) in the belly ...
What is called winds (forces) in the bowels ...
What is called winds (forces) that course through all the limbs ...
What is called in-breath and out-breath is a particular component of
this body, without thought, indeterminate, void, not a living being; it is
air element in the mode of distending.
83. As he gives his attention in this way the elements become evident to
him. As he adverts and gives attention to them again and again access
concentration arises in him in the way already described.
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