THE PATH
OF PURIFICATION
(VISUDDHIMAGGA)
BY
BHADANTACARIYA BUDDHAGHOSA
Translated from the Pali
by
BHIKKHU NANAMOLI
FIFTH EDITION
BUDDHIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY
Kandy Sri Lanka
[(3) WITH CHARACTERISTICS IN BRIEF]
84. But if his meditation subject is still not successful when he gives his
attention to it in this way, then he should develop it with characteristics
in brief How? In the twenty components the characteristic of stiffened-
ness should be defined as the earth element, and the characteristic of
cohesion, which is there too, as the water element, and the characteristic
of maturing (ripening), which is there too, as the fire element, and the
characteristic of distension, which is there too, as the air element. In the
twelve components the characteristic of cohesion should be defined as
the water element, the characteristic of maturing (ripening), which is
there too, as the fire element, the characteristic of distension, which is
there too, as the air element, and the characteristic of stiffenedness,
which is there too, as the earth element. In the four components the char-
acteristic of maturing (ripening) should be defined as the fire element,
the characteristic of distension unresolvable (inseparable) from it as the
air element, [364] the characteristic of stiffenedness as the earth element,
and the characteristic of cohesion as the water element. In the six compo-
nents the characteristic of distension should be defined as the air ele-
ment, the characteristic of stiffenedness there too as the earth element,
the characteristic of cohesion as the water element, and the characteristic
of maturing (ripening) as the fire element.
As he defines them in this way the elements become evident to him.
As he adverts to them and gives attention to them again and again access
concentration arises in him in the way already stated.
[(4) WITH CHARACTERISTICS BY ANALYSIS]
85. However, if he still does not succeed with his meditation subject
when he gives his attention to it in this way, then he should develop it
with characteristics by analysis. How? After discerning head hairs, etc.,
in the way already described, the characteristic of stiffenedness in head
hairs should be defined as the earth element, the characteristic of cohe-
sion there too as the water element, the characteristic of maturing (ripen-
ing) as the fire element, and the characteristic of distension as the air
element. The four elements should be defined in this way in the case of
each component.
As he defines them in this way the elements become evident to him.
As he adverts and gives attention to them again and again access concen-
tration arises in him in the way already described.
[ADDITIONAL WAYS OF GIVING ATTENTION]
86. In addition, attention should be given to the elements in the follow-
ing ways: (1) as to word meaning, (2) by groups, (3) by particles, (4) by
characteristic, etc., (5) as to how originated, (6) as to variety and unity,
(7) as to resolution (separability) and non-resolution (inseparability), (8)
as to the similar and the dissimilar, (9) as to distinction between internal
and external, (10) as to inclusion, (11) as to condition, (12) as to lack of
conscious reaction, (13) as to analysis of conditions.
87. 1. Herein, one who gives his attention to them as to word meaning
should do so separately and generally thus: [separately] it is earth (pa-
thavi) because it is spread out (patthata); it flows (appoti) or it glides
(dpiyati) or it satisfies (appdyati), thus it is water (dpo); it heats (tejati),
thus it is fire (tejo)\ it blows (vdyati), thus it is air (ydyo). But without
differentiation they are elements (dhdtu) because of bearing (dhdrana)
their own characteristics, because of grasping (dddna) suffering, and be-
cause of sorting out (adhdna) suffering (see Ch. XV, §19).
29
This is how
they should be given attention as to word meaning.
88. 2. By groups: there is the earth element described under the twenty
aspects (modes) beginning with head hairs, body hairs, and also the
water, element described under the twelve (modes) aspects beginning
with bile, phlegm, etc. Now as to these:
Colour, odour, taste, and nutritive
Essence, and the four elements—
From combination of these eight
There comes the common usage head hairs;
And separately from these eight
30
There is no common usage head hairs.
Consequently, head hairs are only a mere group of eight states. Likewise
body hairs, [365] and the rest. A component here that is kamma-origi-
nated is a group of ten states, [that is to say, the former eight] together
with the life faculty and sex. But it is on account of respective promi-
nence [of stiffenedness or cohesion] that it comes to be styled *earth
element' or 'water element'. This is how they should be given attention
'by groups'.
89. 3. By particles: in this body the earth element taken as reduced to
fine dust and powdered to the size of the smallest atom31
might amount
to an average dona measure full; and that is held together
32
by the water
element measuring half as much. Being maintained33
by the fire element,
and distended by the air element, it does not get scattered or dissipated.
Instead of getting scattered or dissipated, it arrives at the alternative
states of the female and male sex, etc., and manifests smallness, bigness,
length, shortness, toughness, rigidity, and so on.
90. The liquid water element that is the mode of cohesion, being founded
on earth, maintained by fire, and distended by air, does not trickle or run
away.
34
Instead of trickling or running away it provides continued re-
freshments.
35
91. And here the fire element that cooks what is eaten, drunk, etc., and
is the mode of warming and has the characteristic of heat, being estab-
lished on earth, held together by water, and distended by air, maintains
this body and ensures its proper appearance. And this body, being main-
tained by it, shows no putrefaction.
92. The air element that courses through all the limbs and has the char-
acteristic of moving and distending, being founded upon earth, held
together by water, and maintained by fire, distends this body. And this
body, being distended by the latter kind of air, does not collapse, but
stands erect, and being propelled36
by the other [motile] air, it shows
intimation and it flexes and extends and it wriggles the hands and feet,
doing so in the postures comprising walking, standing, sitting and lying
down. So this mechanism of elements carries on like a magic trick,
deceiving foolish people with the male and female sex and so on.
This is how they should be given attention by particles.
93. 4. As to characteristic, etc.: he should advert to the four elements
in this way: 'The earth element—what are its characteristic, function,
manifestation?', [defining them in this way]: The earth element has the
characteristic of hardness. Its function is to act as a foundation. It is
manifested as receiving. The water element has the characteristic of
trickling. Its function is to intensify. It is manifested as holding together.
The fire element has the characteristic of heat. Its function is to mature
(maintain). It is manifested as a continued supply of softness. The air
element has the characteristic of distending. Its function is to cause mo-
tion. It is manifested as conveying.
37
This is how they should be given
attention by characteristic, and so on. [366]
94. 5. As to how originated: among the forty-two components begin-
ning with head hairs shown in the detailed treatment of the earth ele-
ment, etc., the four consisting of gorge, dung, pus, and urine are tem-
perature-originated only; the four consisting of tears, sweat, spittle, and
snot are temperature-originated and consciousness-originated only. The
fire that cooks what is eaten, etc., is kamma-originated only; in-breath
and out-breath are consciousness-originated only; all the rest are of four-
fold origination. This is how they should be given attention as to how
originated.
95. 6. As to variety and unity: there is variety in the specific character-
istics, etc., of all the elements; for the characteristic, function, and mani-
festation of the earth element is one, and those of the water element, etc.,
are different. But there is unity in them as materiality, great primary,
element, state (dhamma), impermanence, etc., notwithstanding the fact
that they are various according to [specific] characteristic, etc., and ac-
cording to origination by kamma and so on.
96. All these elements are 'instances of materiality' (rupdni) because
they do not exceed the characteristic of 'being molested' (ruppana).
They are 'great primaries' (mahdbhuta) by reason of 'great manifesta-
tion', and so on. 'By reason of "great manifestation", and so on' means
that these elements are called 'great primaries' for the following reasons,
namely, (a) manifestation of greatness, (b) likeness to great creatures,
(c) great maintenance, (d) great alteration, and (e) because they are great
and because they are entities.
97. Herein, (a) manifestation of greatness: they are manifested as great
both in a continuity that is not clung to (acquired through kamma) and in
a continuity that is clung to. For their manifestation of greatness in a
continuity that is not clung to is given in the description of the recollec-
tion of the Buddha in the way beginning:
Two times a hundred thousand [leagues]
And then four nahutas as well:
This earth, this "bearer of all wealth",
Has that much thickness, as they tell' (Ch. VII, §41).
And they are manifested on a great scale also in a continuity that is clung
to, for instance, in the bodies of fishes, turtles, deities, Danava demons,
and so on. For this is said: *Bhikkhus, there are individual creatures of a
hundred leagues in the great ocean' (A.iv,207), and so on.
98. (b) Likeness to great creatures: just as a magician turns water that is
not crystal into crystal, and turns a clod that is not gold into gold, and
shows them, and being himself neither a spirit nor a bird, shows himself
as a spirit or a bird, so too, being themselves not blue-black, they turn
themselves into blue-black derived materiality, being themselves not yel-
low ... not red ... not white, [367] they turn themselves into white
derived materiality and show that. In this way they are *great primaries'
(rnahdbhuta) in being like the great creatures (mahdbhuta) of a magi-
cian.
38
99. And just as, whomsoever the great creatures such as the spirits
(yakkha) grasp hold of (possess), they have no standing place either
inside him or outside him and yet they have no standing independently
of him, so too, these elements are not found to stand either inside or
outside each other yet they they have no standing independently of one
another. Thus they are also great primaries (mahdbhuta) in being equal
to the great creatures (mahdbhuta) such as the spirits because they have
no thinkable standing place [relative to each other].
100. And just as the great creatures known as female spirits (yakkhini)
conceal their own fearfulness with a pleasing colour; shape and gesture
to deceive beings, so too, these elements conceal each their own charac-
teristic and function classed as hardness, etc., by means of a pleasing
skin colour of women's and men's bodies, etc., and pleasing shapes of
limbs and pleasing gestures of fingers, toes and eyebrows, and they de-
ceive simple people by concealing their own functions and characteris-
tics beginning with hardness and do not allow their individual essences
to be seen. Thus they are great primaries (mahdbhuta) in being equal to
the great creatures (mahdbhuta), the female spirits, since they are de-
ceivers.
101. (c) Great maintenance: this is because they have to be sustained by
the great requisites. For these elements are great primaries (mahdbhuta)
since they have become (bhuta)y have occurred, by means of the food,
clothing, etc., which are great (mahant) [in importance] because they
have to be found every day. Or alternatively, they are great primaries
(mahdbhuta) since they are primaries whose maintenance is great.
102. (d) Great alteration: the unclung-to and the clung-to are the [basis
of] great alterations. Herein, the great alteration of the unclung-to evi-
dences itself in the emergence of an aeon (see Ch. XIII, §34), and that of
the clung-to in the disturbance of the elements [in the body]. For accord-
ingly:
The conflagration's flame bursts up
Out of the ground and races higher
And higher, right to the Brahma heaven,
When the world is burnt up by fire.
A whole world system measuring
One hundred thousand millions wide
Subsides, as with its furious waters
The flood dissolves the world beside.
One hundred thousand million leagues,
A whole world system's broad extent
Is rent and scattered, when the world
Succumbs to the air element.
The bite of wooden-mouths can make
The body stiff; to all intent,
When roused is its earth element,
It might be gripped by such a snake.
The bite of rotten-mouths can make
The body rot; to all intent,
When roused its water element,
It might be gripped by such a snake. [368]
The bite of fiery-mouths can make
The body burn; to all intent,
When roused is its fire element,
It might be gripped by such a snake.
The bite of dagger-mouths can make
The body burst; to all intent,
When roused is its air element,
It might be gripped by such a snake.
So they are great primaries {mahdbhuta) because they have become
{bhuta) [the basis of] great {mahant) alteration.
103. (e) Because they are great and because they are entities: 'great'
{mahant) because they need great effort to discern them, and 'entities'
{bhuta = become) because they are existent; thus they are great primaries
(mahdbhuta) because they are great {mahd) and because they are entities
{bhuta).
This is how all these elements are 'great primaries' by reason of
'great manifestation', and so on.
104. Again, they are elements {dhdtu) because of bearing {dhdrana) their
own characteristics, because of grasping (addnd) suffering, and because
of sorting out {ddhdna) suffering (see Ch. XV, §19), and because none
of them are exempt from the characteristic of being elements.
They are states {dhamma) owing to bearing {dhdrana) their own
characteristics and owing to their so bearing {dhdrana) for the length of
the moment appropriate to them.
39
They are impermanent in the sense of
[liability to] destruction; they are painful in the sense of [causing] terror;
they are not self in the sense of having no core [of permanence, and so
on]. Thus there is unity of all since all are materiality, great primaries,
elements, states, impermanent, and so on.
This is how they should be given attention 'as to variety and unity'.
105. 7. As to resolution {separability) and non-resolution {inseparabil-
ity): they are positionally unresolvable (inseparable) since they always
arise together in every single minimal material group consisting of the
bare octad and the others; but they are resolvable (separable) by charac-
teristic. This is how they should be given attention 'as to resolution (sep-
arability) and non-resolution (inseparability)'.
106. 8. As to the similar and dissimilar: and although they are unre-
solved (inseparable) in this way, yet the first two are similar in heavi-
ness, and so are the last two in lightness; but [for this reason] the first
two are dissimilar to the last two and the last two to the first two. This is
how they should be given attention 'as to the similar and dissimilar'.
107. 9. As to distinction between internal and external: the internal ele-
ments are the [material] support for the physical bases of consciousness,
for the kinds of intimation, and for the material faculties. They are asso-
ciated with postures, and they are of fourfold origination. The external
elements are of the opposite kind. This is how they should be given at-
tention 'as to distinction between internal and external'.
108. 10. As to inclusion: kamma-originated earth element is included
together with the other kamma-originated elements because there is no
difference in their origination. Likewise the consciousness-originated is
included together with other consciousness-originated elements. This is
how they should be given attention 'as to inclusion'.
109. 11. As to condition: the earth element, which is held together by
water, maintained by fire and distended by air, is a condition for the
other three great primaries by acting as their foundation. The water ele-
ment, which is founded on earth, maintained by fire and distended by
air, is a condition for the other three great primaries by acting as their
cohesion. The fire element, which is founded on earth, held together by
water [369] and distended by air, is a condition for the other three great
primaries by acting as their maintaining. The air element, which is founded
on earth, held together by water, and maintained by fire, is a condition
for the other three great primaries by acting as their distension. This is
how they should be given attention 'as to condition'.
110. 12. As to lack of conscious reaction: here too the earth element
does not know 'I am the earth element' or 'I am a condition by acting as
a foundation for three great primaries'. And the other three do not know
'The earth element is a condition for us by acting as a foundation for
three great primaries'. And the other three do not know 'The earth ele-
ment is a condition for us by acting as our foundation'. And similarly in
each instance. This is how they should be given attention 'as to lack of
conscious reaction'.
111. 13. As to analysis of conditions: there are four conditions for the
elements, that is to say, kamma, consciousness, nutriment, and tempera-
ture.
Herein, kamma alone is a condition for what is kamma-originated,
not consciousness and the rest. And consciousness, etc., alone are the re-
spective conditions for what is consciousness-originated, etc., not the
others. And kamma is the producing condition40
for what is kamma-
originated; it is indirectly decisive-support condition for the rest.
41
Con-
sciousness is the producing condition for what is consciousness-origi-
nated; it is postnascence condition and presence and non-disappearance
conditions for the rest. Nutriment is the producing condition for what is
nutriment-originated; it is nutriment condition and presence and non-dis-
appearance conditions for the rest. Temperature is the producing condi-
tion for what is temperature-originated; it is presence and non-disappear-
ance conditions for the rest. A kamma-originated great primary is a con-
dition for a kamma-originated great primary, and also for the conscious-
ness-originated, and so on. Likewise the consciousness-originated and
the nutriment originated. A temperature-originated great primary is a
condition for a temperature-originated great primary, and for the kamma-
originated, and so on (cf. Ch. XX, §27f.).
112. Herein, the kamma-originated earth element is a condition for the
other kamma-originated elements both as conascence, mutuality, sup-
port, presence, and non-disappearance conditions and as foundation, but
not as producing condition. It is a condition for the other [three] great
primaries in a triple continuity (see Ch. XX, §22) as support, presence
and non-disappearance conditions, but not as foundation or producing
condition. And here the water element is a condition for the remaining
three elements both as conascence, etc., conditions and as cohesion, but
not as producing condition. And for the others in a triple continuity it is
a condition as support, presence, and non-disappearance conditions too,
but not as cohesion or producing condition. And the fire element here is
a condition for the other three elements both as conascence, etc., condi-
tions and as maintaining but not as producing condition. And for the
others in a triple continuity it is a condition as support, presence, and
non-disappearance conditions too, but not as maintaining or producing
condition. And the air element here is a condition for the other three
elements [370] both as conascence, etc., conditions and as distension,
but not as producing condition. And for the others in a triple continuity it
is a condition as support, presence, and non-disappearance conditions
too, but not as distension or producing condition.
The same method applies in the case of the consciousness-origi-
nated, the nutriment-originated, and the temperature-originated earth ele-
ment, and the rest.
113. And when these elements have been made to occur through the in-
fluence of the conascence, etc., conditions:
With three in four ways to one due,
And likewise with one due to three;
With two in six ways due to two—
Thus their occurrence comes to be.
114. Taking each one, beginning with earth, there are three others whose
occurrence is due to that one, thus with three due to one their occurrence
takes place in four ways. Likewise each one, beginning with earth, oc-
curs in dependence on the other three, thus with one due to three their
occurrence takes place in four ways. But with the.last two dependent on
the first two, with the first two dependent on the last two, with the
second and fourth dependent on the first and third, with the first and
third dependent on the second and fourth, with the second and third
dependent on the first and fourth, and with the first and fourth dependent
on the second and third, they occur in six ways with two elements due to
two.
115. At the time of moving forward and moving backward (M.i,57), the
earth element among these is a condition for pressing. That, seconded by
the water element, is a condition for establishing on a foundation. But
the water element seconded by the earth element is a condition for low-
ering down. The fire element seconded by the air element is a condition
for lifting up. The air element seconded by the fire element is a condition
for shifting forwards and shifting sideways (see Ch. XX, §62f. and MA.i,
160).
This is how they should be given attention 'as to analysis of condi-
tions.'
116. As he gives his attention to them 'as to word meaning', etc., in this
way, the elements become evident to him under each heading. As he
again and again adverts, and gives attention to them access concentration
arises in the way already described. And this concentration too is called
'definition of the four elements' because it arises in one who defines the
four elements owing to the influence of his knowledge.
117. This bhikkhu who is devoted to the defining of the four elements
immerses himself in voidness and eliminates the perception of living
beings. Since he does not entertain false notions about wild beasts, spir-
its, ogres, etc., because he has abolished the perception of living beings,
he conquers fear and dread and conquers delight and aversion (bore-
dom); he is not exhilarated or depressed42
by agreeable and disagreeable
things; and as one of great understanding, he either ends in the deathless
or he is bound for a happy destiny.
Defining the four elements
Is ever the wise man's resort;
The noble meditator lion43
Will make this mighty theme his sport.
This is the description of the development of the defining of the four
elements. [371]
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