THE PATH
OF PURIFICATION
(VISUDDHIMAGGA)
BY
BHADANTACARIYA BUDDHAGHOSA
Translated from the Pali
by
BHIKKHU NANAMOLI
FIFTH EDITION
BUDDHIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY
Kandy Sri Lanka
[THE TRUTH OF THE WAY]
75. In the description of the way leading to the cessation of suffering
eight things are given. Though they have, of course, already been ex-
plained as to meaning in the Description of the Aggregates, still we shall
deal with them here in order to remain aware of the difference between
them when they occur in a single moment [on the occasion of the path].
76. Briefly (see Ch. XXII, §31 for details), when a meditator is pro-
gressing towards the penetration of the four truths, his eye of under-
standing with nibbana as its object eliminates the inherent tendency to
ignorance, and that is right view. It has right seeing as its characteristic.
Its function is to reveal elements. It is manifested as the abolition of the
darkness of ignorance.
77. When he possesses such view, his directing of the mind on to
nibbana, which [directing] is associated with that [right view], abolishes
wrong thinking, and that is right thinking. Its characteristic is right
directing of the mind on to [its object]. Its function is to bring about
absorption [of the path consciousness in nibbana as object]. It is mani-
fested as the abandoning of wrong thinking.
78. And when he sees and thinks thus, his abstinence from wrong speech,
which abstinence is associated with that [right view], abolishes bad ver-
bal conduct, [510] and that is called right speech. It has the characteristic
of embracing.
19
Its function is to abstain. It is manifested as the abandon-
ing of wrong speech.
79. When he abstains thus, his abstinence from killing living things,
which abstinence is associated with that [right view], cuts off wrong
action, and that is called right action. It has the characteristic of originat-
ing.
20
Its function is to abstain. It is manifested as the abandoning of
wrong action.
80. When his right speech and right action are purified, his abstinence
from wrong livelihood, which abstinence is associated with that [right
view], cuts off scheming, etc., and that is called right livelihood. It has
the characteristic of cleansing.
21
Its function is to bring about the occur-
rence of a proper livelihood. It is manifested as the abandoning of wrong
livelihood.
81. When he is established on that plane of virtue called right speech,
right action, and right livelihood, his energy, which is in conformity and
associated with that [right view], cuts off idleness, and that is called
right effort. It has the characteristic of exerting. Its function is the non-
arousing of unprofitable things, and so on. It is manifested as the aban-
doning of wrong effort.
82. When he exerts himself thus, the non-forgetfulness in his mind,
which is associated with that [right view], shakes off wrong mindfulness,
and that is called right mindfulness. It has the characteristic of establish-
ing.
22
Its function is not to forget. It is manifested as the abandoning of
wrong mindfulness.
83. When his mind is thus guarded by supreme mindfulness, the unifi-
cation of mind, which is associated with that [right view], abolishes
wrong concentration, and that is called right concentration. It has the
characteristic of non-distraction. Its function is to concentrate. It is mani-
fested as the abandoning of wrong concentration.
This is the method in the description of the way leading to the
cessation of suffering.
This is how the exposition should be understood here as to defining
birth and so on.
[GENERAL]
84. 9. As to knowledge's function (see §14): the exposition should be
understood according to knowledge of the truths. For knowledge of the
truths is twofold, namely, knowledge as idea and knowledge as penetra-
tion (cf. S.v,431f.; also Ch. XXII, §92ff.). Herein, knowledge as idea is
mundane and occurs through hearsay, etc., about cessation and the path.
Knowledge consisting in penetration, which is supramundane, penetrates
the four truths as its function by making cessation its object, according
as it is said, 'Bhikkhus, he who sees suffering sees also the origin of suf-
fering, sees also the cessation of suffering, sees also the way leading to
the cessation of suffering' (S.v,437), and it should be repeated thus of all
[four truths]. But its function will be made clear in the purification by
knowledge and vision (Ch. XXII, §92f.). [511]
85. When this knowledge is mundane, then, occurring as the overcom-
ing of obsessions, the knowledge of suffering therein forestalls the [false]
view of individuality; the knowledge of origin forestalls the annihilation
view; the knowledge of cessation forestalls the eternity view; the knowl-
edge of the path forestalls the moral-inefficacy-of-action view. Or alter-
natively, the knowledge of suffering forestalls wrong theories of fruit, in
other words, [seeing] lastingness, beauty, pleasure, and self in the aggre-
gates, which are devoid of lastingness, beauty, pleasure, and self; and
knowledge of origin forestalls wrong theories of cause that occur as
finding a reason where there is none, such as The world occurs owing to
an Overlord, a Basic Principle, Time, Nature (Individual Essence)', etc.;
23
the knowledge of cessation forestalls such wrong theories of cessation as
taking final release to be in the immaterial world, in a World Apex
(Shrine), etc.; and the path knowledge forestalls wrong theories of means
that occur by taking to be the way of purification what is not the way of
purification and consists in devotion to indulgence in the pleasures of
sense desire and in self-mortification. Hence this is said:
As long as a man is vague about the world,
About its origin, about its ceasing,
About the means that lead to its cessation,
So long he cannot recognize the truths.
This is how the exposition should be understood here as to knowl-
edge's function.
86. 10. As to division of content: all states excepting craving and states
free from cankers are included in the truth of suffering. The thirty-six
modes of behaviour of craving24
are included in the truth of origin. The
truth of cessation is unmixed. As regards the truth of the path: the
heading of right view includes the fourth road to power consisting in
inquiry, the understanding faculty, the understanding power, and the
investigation-of-states enlightenment factor. The term right thinking in-
cludes the three kinds of applied thought beginning with that of renun-
ciation (D.iii,215). The term right speech includes the four kinds of good
verbal conduct (A.ii,131). The term right action includes the three kinds
of good bodily conduct (cf. M.i,287). The heading right livelihood in-
cludes fewness of wishes and contentment. Or all these [three] constitute
the virtue loved by noble ones, and the virtue loved by noble ones has to
be embraced by the hand of faith; consequently the faith faculty, the
faith power, and the road to power consisting in zeal are included be-
cause of the presence of these [three]. The term right effort includes
fourfold right endeavour, the energy faculty, energy power, and energy
enlightenment factor. The term right mindfulness includes the fourfold
foundation of mindfulness, the mindfulness faculty, the mindfulness
power, and the mindfulness enlightenment factor. The term right con-
centration includes the three kinds of concentration beginning with that
accompanied by applied and sustained thought (D.iii,219), conscious-
ness concentration, the concentration faculty, [512] the concentration
power, and the enlightenment factors of happiness, tranquillity, concen-
tration, and equanimity. This is how the exposition should be understood
as to division of content.
87. 11. As to simile: The truth of suffering should be regarded as a
burden, the truth of origin as the taking up of the burden, the truth of
cessation as the putting down of the burden, the truth of the path as the
means to putting down the burden (see S.iii,26). The truth of suffering is
like a disease, the truth of origin is like the cause of the disease, the truth
of cessation is like the cure of the disease, and the truth of the path is
like the medicine. Or the truth of suffering is like a famine, the truth of
origin is like a drought, the truth of cessation is like plenty, and the truth
of the path is like timely rain.
Furthermore, these truths can be understood in this way by applying
these similes: enmity, the cause of the enmity, the removal of the en-
mity, and the means to remove the enmity; a poison tree, the tree's root,
the cutting of the root, and the means to cut the root; fear, the cause of
fear, freedom from fear, and the means to attain it; the hither shore, the
great flood, the further shore, and the effort to reach it.
This is how the exposition should be understood as to simile.
88. 12. As to tetrad: (a) there is suffering that is not noble truth, (b)
there is noble truth that is not suffering, (c) there is what is both suffer-
ing and noble truth, and (d) there is what is neither suffering nor noble
truth. So also with origin and the rest.
89. Herein, (a) though states associated with the path and the fruits of
asceticism are suffering since they are suffering due to formations (see
§35) because of the words 'What is impermanent is painful' (S.ii,53;
iii,22), still they are not the noble truth [of suffering], (b) Cessation is a
noble truth but it is not suffering, (c) The other two noble truths can be
suffering because they are impermanent, but they are not so in the real
sense of that for the full-understanding of which (see §28) the life of
purity is lived under the Blessed One. The five aggregates [as objects] of
clinging, except craving, are in all aspects both suffering and noble truth.
[513] (d) The states associated with the pith and the fruits of asceticism
are neither suffering in the real sense of that for the full-understanding of
which the life of purity is lived under the Blessed One, nor are they
noble truth. Origin, etc., should also be construed in the corresponding
way. This is how the exposition should be understood here as to tetrad.
90. 13. As to void, singlefold, and so on: firstly, as to void: in the
ultimate sense all the truths should be understood as void because of the
absence of (i) any experiencer, (ii) any doer, (iii) anyone who is extin-
guished, and (iv) any goer. Hence this is said:
'For there is suffering, but none who suffers;
Doing exists although there is no doer;
Extinction is but no extinguished person;
Although there is a path, there is no goer'.
Or alternatively:
'So void of lastingness, and beauty, pleasure, self,
Is the first pair, and void of self the deathless state,
And void of lastingness, of pleasure and of self
Is the path too; for such is voidness in these four'.
91. Or three are void of cessation, and cessation is void of the other
three. Or the cause is void of the result, because of the absence of
suffering in the origin, and of cessation in the path; the cause is not
gravid with its fruit like the Primordial Essence of those who assert the
existence of Primordial Essence. And the result is void of the cause
owing to the absence of inherence of the origin in suffering and of the
path in cessation; the fruit of a cause does not have its cause inherent in
it, like the two atoms, etc., of those who assert inherence. Hence this is
said:
'Here three are of cessation void;
Cessation void, too, of these three;
The cause of its effect is void,
Void also of its cause the effect must be'.
This in the first place is how the exposition should be understood as
to void.
25
[514]
92. 14. As to singlefold and so on: and here all suffering is of one
kind as the state of occurrence. It is of two kinds as mentality-material-
ity. It is of three kinds as divided into rebirth-process becoming in the
sense sphere, fine-material sphere, and immaterial sphere. It is of four
kinds classed according to the four nutriments. It is of five kinds classed
according to the five aggregates [as objects] of clinging.
93. Also origin is of one kind as making occur. It is of two kinds as
associated and not associated with [false] view. It is of three kinds as
craving for sense desires, craving for becoming, and craving for non-
becoming. It is of four kinds as abandonable by the four paths. It is of
five kinds classed as delight in materiality, and so on. It is of six kinds
classed as the six groups of craving.
94. Also cessation is of one kind being the unformed element. But
indirectly it is of two kinds as 'with result of past clinging left' and as
'without result of past clinging left';
26
and of three kinds as the stilling of
the three kinds of becoming; and of four kinds as approachable by the
four paths; and of five kinds as the subsiding of the five kinds of delight;
and of six kinds classed according to the destruction of the six groups of
craving.
95. Also the path is of one kind as what should be developed. It is of
two kinds classed according to serenity and insight, or classed according
to seeing and developing. It is of three kinds classed according to the
three aggregates; for the [path], being selective, is included by the three
aggregates, which are comprehensive, as a city is by a kingdom, accord-
ing as it is said: 'The three aggregates are not included in the Noble
Eightfold Path, friend Visakha, but the Noble Eightfold Path is included
by the three aggregates. Any right speech, any right action, any right
livelihood: these are included in the virtue aggregate. Any right effort,
any right mindfulness, any right concentration: these are included in the
concentration aggregate. Any right view, any right thinking: these are
included in the understanding aggregate' (M.i,301).
96. For here the three beginning with right speech are virtue and so
they are included in the virtue aggregate, being of the same kind. For
although in the text the description is given in the locative case as 'in the
virtue aggregate', still the meaning should be understood according to
the instrumental case [that is, 'by the virtue aggregate'.]
As to the three beginning with right effort, concentration cannot of
its own nature cause absorption through unification on the object; but
with energy accomplishing its function of exerting and mindfulness ac-
complishing its function of preventing wobbling, it can do so.
97. Here is a simile: three friends, [thinking,] 'We will celebrate the
festival', entered a park. Then one saw a champak tree in full blossom,
but he could not reach the flowers by raising his hand. The second bent
down for the first to climb on his back. But although standing on the
other's back, he still could not pick them because of his unsteadiness.
[515] Then the third offered his shoulder [as support]. So standing on the
back of the one and supporting himself on the other's shoulder, he picked
as many flowers as he wanted and after adorning himself, he went and
enjoyed the festival. And so it is with this.
98. For the three states beginning with right effort, which are born to-
gether, are like the three friends who enter the park together. The object
is like the champak tree in full blossom. Concentration, which cannot of
its own nature bring about absorption by unification on the object, is like
the man who could not pick the flower by raising his arm. Effort is like
the companion who bent down, giving his back to mount upon. Mindful-
ness is like the friend who stood by, giving his shoulder for support. Just
as standing on the back of the one and supporting himself on the other's
shoulder he could pick as many flowers as he wanted, so too, when
energy accomplishes its function of exerting and when mindfulness
accomplishes its function of preventing wobbling, with the help so
obtained concentration can bring about absorption by unification on the
object. So here in the concentration aggregate it is only concentration
that is included as of the same kind. But effort and mindfulness are
included because of their action [in assisting].
99. Also as regards right view and right thinking, understanding cannot
of its own nature define an object as impermanent, painful, not-self. But
with applied thought giving [assistance] by repeatedly hitting [the ob-
ject] it can.
100. How? Just as a money changer, having a coin placed in his hand
and being desirous of looking at it on all sides equally, cannot turn it
over with the power of his eye only, but by turning it over with his
fingers he is able to look at it on all sides, similarly understanding cannot
of its own nature define an object as impermanent and so on. But [as-
sisted] by applied thought with its characteristic of directing the mind on
to [the object] and its function of striking and threshing, as it were,
hitting and turning over, it can take anything given and define it. So here
in the understanding aggregate it is only right view that is included as
of the same kind. But right thinking is included because of its action [in
assisting].
101. So the path is included by the three aggregates. Hence it was said
that it is of three kinds classed according to the three aggregates. And it
is of four kinds as the path of stream-entry and so on.
102. In addition, all the truths are of one kind because they are not
unreal, or because they must be directly known. They are of two kinds as
(i and ii) mundane and (iii and iv) supramundane, or (i, ii, and iv)
formed and (iii) unformed. They are of three kind as (ii) to be abandoned
by seeing and development, (iii and iv) not to be abandoned, and (i)
neither to be abandoned nor not to be abandoned. They are of four kinds
classed according to what has to be fully understood, and so on (see
§28).
This is how the exposition should be understood as to singlefold and
so on. [516]
103. 15. As to similar and dissimilar: all the truths are similar to each
other because they are not unreal, are void of self, and are difficult to
penetrate, according as it is said: 'What do you think, Ananda, which is
more difficult to do, more difficult to perform, that a man should shoot
an arrow through a small keyhole from a distance time after time without
missing or that he should penetrate the tip of a hair split a hundred times
with the tip [of a similar hair]?—This is more difficult to do, venerable
sir, more difficult to perform, that a man should penetrate the tip of a
hair split a hundred times with the tip [of a similar hair].—They pene-
trate something more difficult to penetrate than that, Ananda, who pene-
trate correctly thus, "This is suffering" ... who penetrate correctly thus,
"This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering" ' (S.v,454). They
are dissimilar when defined according to their individual characteristics.
104. And the first two are similar since they are profound because hard to
grasp, since they are mundane, and since they are subject to cankers.
They are dissimilar in being divided into fruit and cause, and being
respectively to be fully understood and to be abandoned. And the last
two are similar since they are hard to grasp because profound, since they
are supramundane, and since they are free from cankers. They are dis-
similar in being divided into object and what has an object, and in being
respectively to be realized and to be developed. And the first and third
are similar since they come under the heading of result. They are dis-
similar in being formed and unformed. Also the second and fourth are
similar since they come under the heading of cause. They are dissimilar
in being respectively entirely unprofitable and entirely profitable. And
the first and fourth are similar in being formed. They are dissimilar in
being mundane and supramundane. Also the second and the third are
similar since they are the state of neither-trainer-nor-non-trainer (see
Vbh. 114). They are dissimilar in being respectively with object and
without object.
A man of vision can apply
By suchlike means his talent so
That he among the truths may know
The similar and contrary.
The sixteenth chapter called 'The Descrip-
tion of the Faculties and Truths' in the Treatise on
the Development of Understanding in the Path of
Purification composed for the purpose of glad-
dening good people.
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