THE PATH
OF PURIFICATION
(VISUDDHIMAGGA)
BY
BHADANTACARIYA BUDDHAGHOSA
Translated from the Pali
by
BHIKKHU NANAMOLI
FIFTH EDITION
BUDDHIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY
Kandy Sri Lanka
[B. DESCRIPTION OF THE TRUTHS]
13. [494] The 'truths' next to that (Ch. XIV, §32) are the Four Noble
Truths; that is to say, the noble truth of suffering, the noble truth of the
origin of suffering, the noble truth of the cessation of suffering, the noble
truth of the way leading to the cessation of suffering.
14. Herein:
(I) As to class, and (2) derivation,
(3) Division by character, et cetera,
(4) As to meaning, (5) tracing out meaning,
And likewise (6) neither less nor more,
(7) As to order, (8) as to expounding
Birth and so on, (9) knowledge's function,
(10) As to division of the content,
(II) As to a simile, and (12) tetrad,
(13) As to void, (14) singlefold and so on,
(15) Similar and dissimilar—
Thus should be known the exposition
By those who know the teaching's order.
15. 1. Herein, as to class: the meanings of [the truths of] suffering,
etc., are analysed as four in each case that are 'real, not unreal, not other-
wise' (S.v,435) and must be penetrated by those penetrating suffering,
etc., according as it is said: * Suffering's meaning of oppressing, meaning
of being formed, meaning of burning, meaning of changing, these are
suffering's four meanings of suffering, which are real, not unreal, not
otherwise. Origin's meaning of accumulating, meaning of source, mean-
ing of bondage, meaning of impeding ... Cessation's meaning of escape,
meaning of seclusion, meaning of being unformed, meaning of death-
lessness ... The path's meaning of outlet, meaning of cause, meaning of
seeing, meaning of predominance, these are the path's meanings of path,
which are real, not unreal, not otherwise' (Ps.ii,104; cf. i,19). Likewise
'Suffering's meaning of oppressing, meaning of being formed, meaning
of burning, meaning of change, are its meaning of penetration to' (cf. Ps.
i,118), and so on. So suffering, etc., should be understood according to
the four meanings analysed in each case.
16. 2. As to derivation, 3. division by character, et cetera: here, how-
ever, firstly 'as to derivation' [of the word dukkha (suffering):] the word
du ('bad') is met with in the sense of vile (kucchita); for they call a vile
child a du-putta ('bad child'). The word kham ('-ness'), however is met
with in the sense of empty (tuccha), for they call empty space 'kham'.
And the first truth is vile because it is the haunt of many dangers, and it
is empty because it is devoid of the lastingness, beauty, pleasure, and
self conceived by rash people. So it is called dukkharh ('badness' =
suffering, pain), because of vileness and emptiness. [495]
17. [Samudaya (origin):] the word sam (= prefix 'con-') denotes con-
nection, as in the words samdgama (concourse, coming together), sameta
(congregated, gone together), and so on. The word u denotes rising up,
as in the words uppanna (arisen, uprisen), udita (ascended, gone up),
and so on. The word aya4
denotes a reason (karana). And this second
truth is the reason for the arising of suffering when combined with the
remaining conditions. So it is called dukkha-samudaya (the origin of
suffering) because it is the reason in combination for the arising of
suffering.
18. [Nirodha (cessation):] the word ni denotes absence, and the word
rodha, a prison.
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Now the third truth is void of all destinies [by rebirth]
and so there is no constraint (rodha) of suffering here reckoned as the
prison of the round of rebirths; or when that cessation has been arrived
at, there is no more constraint of suffering reckoned as the prison of the
round of rebirths. And being the opposite of that prison, it is called
dukkha-nirodha (cessation of suffering). Or alternatively, it is called
'cessation of suffering' because it is a condition for the cessation of
suffering consisting in non-arising.
19. [Nirodha-gamini patipada (way leading to cessation):] because the
fourth truth goes (leads) to the cessation of suffering since it confronts
that [cessation] as its object, and being the way to attain cessation of suf-
fering, it is called dukkha-nirodha-gdmini patipadd, the way leading to
the cessation of suffering.
20. They are called noble truths because the noble ones, the Buddhas,
etc., penetrate them, according as it is said: 'Bhikkhus, there are these
Four Noble Truths. What four? ... These, bhikkhus are the Four Noble
Truths' (S.v,425). The noble ones penetrate them, therefore they are
called noble truths.
21. Besides, the noble truths are the Noble One's truths, according as it
is said: 'Bhikkhus, in the world with its deities, its Maras and its Brahmas,
in this generation with its ascetics and brahmans, with its princes and
men, the Perfect One is the Noble One. That is why they are called noble
truths' (S.v,435). Or alternatively, they are called noble truths because
of the nobleness implied by their discovery, according as it is said:
'Bhikkhus, it is owing to the correct discovery of these Four Noble
Truths that the Perfect One is called accomplished, fully enlightened'
(S.v,433).
22. Besides, the noble truths are the truths that are noble. To be noble is
to be not unreal; the meaning is, not deceptive, according as it is said:
'Bhikkhus, these Four Noble Truths are real, not unreal, not otherwise,
that is why they are called noble truths' (S.v,435).
This is how the exposition should be known here as to derivation.
23. 3. How as to division by character, et ceteral The truth of suffer-
ing has the characteristic of afflicting. [496] Its function is to burn. It is
manifested as occurrence (as the course of an existence). The truth of
origin has the characteristic of producing. Its function is to prevent inter-
ruption. It is manifested as impediment. The truth of cessation has the
characteristic of peace. Its function is not to die. It is manifested as the
signless.
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The truth of the path has the characteristic of an outlet. Its
function is to abandon defilements. It is manifested as emergence. They
have, moreover, the respective characteristics of occurrence, making occur,
non-occurrence, and making not occur, and likewise the characteristics
of the formed, craving, the unformed, and seeing. This is how the expo-
sition should be understood here as to characteristic, et cetera.
24. 4. As to meaning, 5. tracing out the meaning: as to 'meaning'
firstly, what is the 'meaning of truth' (saccattha)? It is that which, for
those who examine it with the eye of understanding, is not misleading
like an illusion, deceptive like a mirage, or undiscoverable like the self
of the sectarians, but is rather the domain of noble knowledge as the real
unmisleading actual state with its aspects of affliction, production, quiet,
and outlet. It is this real unmisleading actualness that should be under-
stood as the 'meaning of truth' just as [heat is] the characteristic of fire,
and just as [it is] in the nature of the world [that things are subject to
birth, ageing and death], according as it is said, 'Bhikkhus, this suffering
is real, not unreal, not otherwise' (S.v,430), and so on, in detail.
25. Furthermore:
There is no pain but is affliction,
And naught that is not pain afflicts:
This certainty that it afflicts
Is what is reckoned here as truth.
No other source of pain than craving,
Nor aught that source provides but pain:
This certainty in causing pain
Is why it is considered truth.
There is no peace except nibbana,
Nibbana cannot but be peace:
This certainty that it is peace
Is what is reckoned here as truth.
No outlet other than the path,
Nor fails the path to be the outlet:
Its status as the very outlet
Has made it recognized as truth.
This real infallibility,
Which is their true essential core,
Is what the wise declare to be
Truth's meaning common to all four.
This is how the exposition should be understand as to meaning.
26. 5. How as to tracing out the meaning? This word 'truth' (sacca) is
met with in various meanings. In such passages as 'Let him speak truth
and not be angry' (Dh. 224) it is verbal truth. In such passages as 'As-
cetics and brahmans base themselves on truth' (? ) it is the truth of ab-
stinence [from lying]. In such passages as [497] 'Why do they declare
diverse truths, the clever talkers that hold forth?' (Sn. 885) it is truth as
views. And in such passages as 'Truth is one, there is no second' (Sn.
884) it is, as truth in the ultimate sense, both nibbana and the path. In
such passages as 'Of the four truths how many are profitable?' (Vbh. 112;
Ps.ii,108) it is noble truth. And here too it is proper as noble truth. This
is how the exposition should be understood as to tracing out the mean-
ing.
27. 6. As to neither less nor more: but why are exactly four noble
truths stated, neither less nor more? Because no other exists and because
none can be eliminated. For there is none extra to them, nor can any one
of them be eliminated, according as it is said: 'Bhikkhus, that an ascetic
or brahman here should come and say: "This is not the truth of suffering,
the truth of suffering is another; I shall set aside this truth of suffering
and make known another truth of suffering"—that is not possible' (? )
and so on, and according as it is said: 'Bhikkhus, that any ascetic or
brahman should say thus: "This is not the first noble truth of suffering
that is taught by the ascetic Gotama; rejecting this first noble truth of
suffering, I shall make known another first noble truth of suffering"—
that is not possible' (S.v,428) and so on.
28. Furthermore, when announcing occurrence, [that is, the process of
existence,] the Blessed One announced it with a cause, and he announced
non-occurrence as having a means thereto. So they are stated as four at
the most as occurrence and non-occurrence and the cause of each. Like-
wise, they are stated as four since they have to be respectively fully
understood, abandoned, realized, and developed; and also since they are
the basis for craving, craving, the cessation of craving, and the means to
the cessation of craving; and also since they are the reliance [depended
upon], the delight in the reliance, removal of the reliance, and the means
to the removal of the reliance.
This is how the exposition should be understood here as to neither
less nor more.
29. 7. As to order: this too is only order of teaching (see Ch. XIV,
§211). The truth of suffering is given first since it is easy to understand
because of its grossness and because it is common to all living beings.
The truth of origin is given next to show its cause. Then the truth of
cessation, to make it known that with the cessation of the cause there is
the cessation of the fruit. The truth of the path comes last to show the
means to achieve that. [498]
30. Or alternatively, he announced the truth of suffering first to instill a
sense of urgency into living beings caught up in the enjoyment of the
pleasure of becoming; and next to that, the truth of origin to make it
known that that [suffering] neither comes about of itself as something
not made nor is it due to creation by an Overlord, etc. (see §85), but that
on the contrary it is due to this [cause]; after that, cessation, to instill
comfort by showing the escape to those who seek the escape from suf-
fering with a sense of urgency because overwhelmed by suffering with
its cause. And after that, the path that leads to cessation, to enable them
to attain cessation. This is how the exposition should be understood here
as to order.
31. 8. As to expounding birth and so on: the exposition should be
understood here in accordance with the expositions of the things begin-
ning with birth given by the Blessed One when describing the Four
Noble Truths, that is to say, (i) the twelve things in the description of
suffering: 'Birth is suffering, ageing is suffering,
7
death is suffering,
sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair are suffering, association
with the unloved is suffering, separation from the loved is suffering, not
to get what one wants is suffering, in short, the five aggregates [as
objects] of clinging are suffering' (Vbh. 99); and (ii) the threefold crav-
ing in the description of origin: 'That craving which produces further be-
coming, is accompanied by delight and greed, delighting in this and that,
that is to say, craving for sense desires, craving for becoming, craving
for non-becoming' (Vbh. 101); and (iii) nibbana, which has one meaning
only, in the description of cessation: 'That which is the remainderless
fading away and cessation of that same craving, giving it up, relinquish-
ing it, letting it go, not relying on it' (Vbh. 103); and (iv) the eight things
in the description of the path: 'What is the noble truth of the way leading
to the cessation of suffering? It is this Noble Eightfold Path, that is to
say, right view, right thinking, right speech, right action, right livelihood,
right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration' (Vbh. 104).
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