Visuddhimagga - Notes II

THE PATH
OF PURIFICATION
(VISUDDHIMAGGA)
BY
BHADANTACARIYA BUDDHAGHOSA
Translated from the Pali
by
BHIKKHU NANAMOLI
FIFTH EDITION
BUDDHIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY
Kandy Sri Lanka


CHAPTER III
1. The answer to question (vii) stretches from Ch. Ill, §27 to Ch. XI, §119.
That to question (viii) from Ch. XI, §120 up to the end of Ch. XIII.
2. 'Cittass' ekaggatd* is rendered here as 'unification of mind' in the sense of
agreement or harmony (cf. samagga) of consciousness and its concomitants
in focussing on a single object (see A.iJO). It is sometimes rendered 'one-
pointedriess' in that sense, or in the sense of the focussing of a searchlight. It
may be concluded that this term is simply a synonym for samddhi and nothing
more, firstly from its use in the suttas, and secondly from the fact that it is given
no separate definition in the description of the formations aggregate in Ch. XIV.
Cf. gloss at MA.i,124.
3. 'The characteristic of non-distraction is the individual essence peculiar to
concentration. Hence no analysis of it is possible, which is why he said: "/f is of
one kind with the characteristic of non-distraction" ' (Pm. 91).
4. 'Applied thought that occurs as though absorbing (appento) associated states
in the object is absorption (appana). Accordingly it is described as "absorption,
absorbing (appana vyappand)" (M.iii,73). Now since that is the most important,
the usage of the Commentaries is to call all exalted and unsurpassed jhana states
"absorption" [as well as the applied thought itself]* and likewise to apply the
term of common usage "access" to the limited [i.e. sense-sphere] jhana that her-
alds the arising of the former, just as the term "village access", etc. is applied to
the neighbourhood of a village' (Pm. 91).
5. 'The round (yatta, see Ch. XVII, §298) [including fine-material and imma-
terial heavens] is called the world (loka) because of its crumbling (lujjana) and
disintegrating (palujjana). "Mundane" (lokiya) means connected with the world
because of being included in it or found there. "Supramundane" (lokuttara) means
beyond the world, excepted from it, because of not being included in it [through
being associated with nibbana]' (Pm. 91). See also 'nine supramundane states',
Ch. VII, § 68, 74f.
6. In loose usage piti (happiness) and sukha (pleasure or bliss) are almost
synonyms. They become differentiated in the jhana formulas (see Ch. IV, §100),
and then technically phi, as the active thrill of rapture, is classed under the for-
mations aggregate and sukha under the feeling aggregate. The valuable word
'happiness' was chosen for piti rather than the possible alternatives of 'joy'
(needed for somanassa), 'interest' (which is too flat), 'rapture' (which is over-
charged), or 'zest'. For sukha, while 'pleasure' seemed to fit admirably where
ordinary pleasant feeling is intended, another, less crass, word seemed necessary
for the refined pleasant feeling of jhana and the 'bliss' of nibbana (which is not
feeling aggregate—see M.i,400). 'Ease' is sometimes used.
'Neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling is intended here by "equanimity"
(upekkhaf lit. onlooking); for it "looks on" (upekkhati) at the occurrence of
[bodily] pleasure and pain by maintaining the neutral (central) mode' (Pm. 92).
7. Samatha—'serenity' is a synonym for absorption concentration, and 'in-
sight' (vipassana) a synonym for understanding. Samatha is sometimes rendered
by 'tranquillity' (reserved here for passaddhi) or 'calm' or 'quiet'.


8. One of the principal monasteries in Anuradhapura.
9. Dve mdtikd—the 'two codes': see Ch. I, n. 11. But Pm. says here: ' ''Ob-
servers of the codes" are observers of the codes (summaries) of the Dhamma and
Vinaya' (Pm. 117).
10. Pavdrand: ceremony held at the end of the rains, during three months of
which season bhikkhus have to undertake to live in one place in order to avoid
travel while crops are growing. It consists in a meeting of the bhikkhus who have
spent the rains together, at which each member present invites (pavdreti) the
Community to point out his faults (breaches of Vinaya rules) committed during
the preceding three months (Vin.i,155).
11. 'Pdcinakhandardjd ti puratthimadisdya pabbatakhanddnam antare vana-
rdjhthdnarh' (Pm. 97.)
12. For the first five years after the admission (upasampada) a bhikkhu is called
a 'new (nava) bhikkhu'; from five to ten years he is called a 'middle (majjhima)
bhikkhu'; with ten or more years' seniority he is called an 'elder (thera) bhikkhu'.
13. The last sentence here might refer to a free mass distribution of gruel
(ydgu), which appears to have been more or less constantly maintained at
Anuradhapura.
14. It is usual to render the set phrase panltam khddanlyam bhojaniyam by
some such phrase as 'sumptuous food both hard and soft', which is literal but un-
familiar-sounding.
15. 'The way of the Rathavinlta (Rathavimta-patipada)': this is a reference to
certain suttas that were adopted by bhikkhus as a 'way' (patipadd) or guide to
practice. The suttas mentioned here are Rathavinita (M.i,145), Nalaka (Sn., p.
131), Tuvataka (Sn., p. 179), Noble One's Heritages (ariyavamsa—A.ii,27).
Others are mentioned at MA.i, 92; iii,6; SA.iii,291. The Ariyavamsa Sutta itself
has a long commentary on practice, and it is mentioned in the Commentaries as a
popular subject for preaching (see e.g. commentary to A. Tikanipata 42)
16. Simd—'boundary': loosely used in this sense, it corresponds vaguely to
what is meant by 'parish'. In the strict sense it is the actual area (usually a
'chapter house') agreed according to the rules laid down in the Vinaya and
marked by boundary stones, within which the Community (sangha) carries out
its formal acts.
17. Atthayitabba—'needed': not in P.T.S. Diet., not in T.C.P. Diet..
18. Mana, usually rendered by 'pride', is rendered here both by 'pride' and
'conceit'. Etymologically it is derived perhaps from mdneti (to honour) or mindti
(to measure). In sense, however, it tends to become associated with mahhatU to
conceive (false notions, see M.i,l), to imagine, to think (as e.g. at Nd.1,80, Vbh.
390 and corny.). As one of the 'defilements' (see M.i,36) it is probably best
rendered by 'pride'. In the expression asmi-mdna (often rendered by 'the pride
that says "I am" ') it more nearly approaches mahhand (false imagining, miscon-
ception, see M.iii,246) and is better rendered by 'the conceit "I am" ', since the
word 'conceit' straddles both the meanings of 'pride' (i.e. haughtiness) and
'conception'.


19. * "Some" is said with reference to the Elder Upatissa. For it is put in this
way by him in the Vimuttimagga. The word "apparently" indicates dissent from
what follows' (Pm. 103). A similar passage to that referred to appears in Ch. 6 of
the Chinese version of the Vimuttimagga, the only one extant.
20. Silaka—'good-tempered'—sukhasila (good-natured—see §83), which =
sakhila (kindly—Pm. 104). Not in P.T.S. Diet.
21. Ukkutika—'springy' is glossed here by asamphutthamajjham ('not touching
in the middle'—Pm. 106). This meaning is not in P.T.S. Diet.
22. Siriga—-'foppery' is not in P.T.S. Diet, in this sense. See Vbh. 351 and com-
mentary.
Cdpalya (ca'palla)—'personal vanity': noun from adj. capala. The word
'capala' comes in an often-repeated passage:
 l
sdthd mdydvino ketubhino ud-
dhatd unnald capala mukhard ... ' (M.i,32); cf. S.i,203; A.iii,199, etc.) and also
M.i,470 'uddhato hoti capalo\ with two lines lower 'uddhaccam cdpalyam\
Cdpalya also occurs at Vbh. 351 (and M.ii,167). At MA.i,152 (commenting on
M.i,32) we find: capala ti pattacivaramandanddind cdpallena yuttd ('interested
in personal vanity consisting in adorning bowl and robe and so on'), and at
MA.iii,185 (commenting on M.i,470): Uddhato hoti capalo ti uddhaccapakatiko
e'eva hoti civaramandand pattamandand sendsanamandand imassa vd putikdyassa
keldyanamandand ti evam vuttena tarunaddrakacdpallena samanndgato (' "he is
distracted—or puffed up—and personally vain": he is possessed of the callow
youth's personal vanity described as adorning the robe, adorning the bowl, adorn-
ing the lodging, or prizing and adorning this filthy body'). This meaning is
confirmed in the commentary to Vbh. 251. P.T.S. Diet, does not give this mean-
ing at all but only 'fickle', which is unsupported by the commentary. T.C.P.
Diet, (acapala) also does not give this meaning.
As to the other things listed here in the Vis. text, most will be found at
M.i,36. For 'holding on tenaciously', etc., see M.i,43.
23. Jatukd—'z bat': not in P.T.S. Diet. Also at Ch. XI. §7.
24. Jalapuvasadisa—'like a net cake': 'A cake made like a net' (Pm. 108);
possibly what is now known in Ceylon as a 'string hopper', or something like it.
25. Surabhi—'scented, perfume': not in P.T.S. Diet.; also at Ch. VI, §90; X,
§60 and Pm. 445.
26. ' "Kasina" is in the sense of entirety (sakalatthena)' (MA.iii,260). See Ch. IV,
§119.
27. Here ten kinds of foulness are given. But in the Suttas only either five or six
of this set appear to be mentioned, that is, 'Perception of a skeleton, perception
of the worm-infested, perception of the livid, perception of the cut-up, perception
of the bloated' (see A.i,42 and S.v,131; A.ii,17 adds 'perception of the fester-
ing'). No details are given. All ten appear at Dhs. 263-64 and Ps.i,49. It will be
noted that no order of progress of decay in the kinds of corpse appears here; also
the instructions in Ch. VI are for contemplating actual corpses in these states.
The primary purpose here is to cultivate 'repulsiveness'.
Another set of nine progressive stages in the decay of a corpse, mostly
different from these, is given at M.i,58, 89, etc., beginning with a corpse one day


old and ending with bones turned to dust. From the words Suppose a bhikkhu
saw a corpse thrown on a charnel ground ... he compares this same body of his
with it thus "This body too is of like nature, awaits a like fate, is not exempt
from that" ' (M.i,58), it can be assumed that these nine, which are given in
progressive order of decay in order to demonstrate the body's impermanence, are
not necessarily intended as contemplations of actual corpses so much as mental
images to be created, the primary purpose being to cultivate impermanence. This
may be why these nine are not used here (see Ch. VIII, §43).
The word asubha (foul, foulness) is used both of the contemplations of
corpses as here and of the contemplation of the parts of the body (A.v,109).
28. The full story, which occurs at MA.iii,382-83 and elsewhere, is this: 'It
seems that when the Karavika bird has pecked a sweet-flavoured mango with its
beak and savoured the dripping juice, and flapping its wings, begins to sing, then
quadrupeds caper as if mad. Quadrupeds grazing in their pastures drop the grass
in their mouths and listen to the sound. Beasts of prey hunting small animals
pause with one foot raised. Hunted animals lose their fear of death and halt in
their tracks. Birds flying in the air stay with wings outstretched. Fishes in the
water keep still, not moving their fins. All listen to the sound, so beautiful is the
Karavika's song. Dhammasoka's queen Asandhamitta asked the Community:
"Venerable sirs, is there anything that sounds like the Buddha?"—"The Karavika
birds does."—"Where are those birds, venerable sirs?"—"In the Himalaya." She
told the king: "Sire, I wish to hear a Karavika bird". The king despatched a gold
cage with the order "Let a Karavika bird come and sit in this cage". The cage
travelled and halted in front of a Karavika. Thinking "The cage has come at the
king's command; it is impossible not to go", the bird got in. The cage returned
and stopped before the king. They could not get the Karavika to utter a sound.
When the king asked "When do they utter a sound?", they replied "On seeing
their kin". Then the king had it surrounded with looking-glasses. Seeing its own
reflection and imagining that its relatives had come, it flapped its wings and
cried out with an exquisite voice as if sounding a crystal trumpet. All the people
in the city rushed about as if mad. Asandhamitta thought: "If the sound of this
creature is so fine, what indeed can the sound of the Blessed One have been like
since he had reached the glory of omniscient knowledge?", and arousing a happi-
ness that she never again relinquished, she became established in the fruition of
stream-entry*.
29. See Dhs. , p. 55; but it comes under the '... pe ...', which mus t be filled in
from pp. 37-38, § 182 and § 184.
30. 'It is because only an abstract (parikappaja) object can be extended, not
any other kind, that he said "/r is not possible to extend a state consisting in an
individual essence" ' (Pm. 110).
31. The word l
nimitta\ in its technical sense is consistently rendered here by the
word 'sign', which corresponds very nearly if not exactly to most uses of it. It is
sometimes rendered by 'mark' (which over-emphasizes the concrete), and by
'image' (which is not always intended). The three kinds, that is, the preliminary-
work sign, learning sign and counterpart sign, do not appear in the Pitakas. There


the use rather suggests association of ideas as, for example, at M.i,180, M.i,l 19,
A.i,4, etc., than the more definitely visualized 'image' in some instances of the
'counterpart sign* described in the following chapters.
32. Na-vattaba—'not so-classifiable* is an Abhidhamma shorthand term for
something that, when considered under one of the triads or dyads of the
Abhidhamma Matika (Dhs., p. If.), cannot be placed under any one of the three,
or two, headings.
33. ' "The festering" is a mobile object because of the oozing of the pus, "the
bleeding" because of the trickling of the blood, "the worm-infested" because of
the wriggling of the worms. The mobile aspect of the sunshine coming in through
a window opening is evident, which explains why an object consisting of a circle
of sunlight is called mobile
1
 (Pm. 110).
34. 'In addition to the five things' (not quoted) dealt with earlier in the sutta,
namely, perfection of virtue, good friendship, hearing suitable things, energy,
and understanding.
35. ' "The cryptic books": the meditation-subject books dealing with the truths,
the dependent origination, etc., which are profound and associated with void-
ness* (Pm. 111). Cf. MA.ii,264, AA. commentary to A. Catukka-nipata, 180.
CHAPTER IV
1. 'They say it is the Dakkhinagiri in the Magadha country* (Pm. 116). There
is mention of a Dakkhinagiri-vihara at MA.ii,293 and elsewhere.
2. Read pamukhesu sosayanti. Pamukha not thus in P.T.S. Diet.
3. 'A "water port of entry" is a port of entry on the sea or on an estuary. A
"land port of entry" is one on the edge of a forest and acts as the gateway on the
road of approach to great cities* (Pm. 116).
4. 'Said in the Old Commentary. "One who is learning the earth kasina": one
who is apprehending, grasping, an earth kasina as a "learning sign**. The mean-
ing is, one who is producing an earth kasina that has become the sign of learning;
and here "arousing** should be regarded as the establishing of the sign in that
way. "In earth": in an earth disk of the kind about to be described. "Apprehends
the sign": he apprehends in that, with knowledge connected with meditative de-
velopment, the sign of earth of the kind about to be described, as one does with
the eye the sign of the face in a looking-glass. "Made up": prepared in the
manner about to be described. "Not made up": in a disk of earth consisting of an
ordinary threshing-floor disk, and so on. "Bounded": only in one that has bounds.
As regard the words "the size of a bushel", etc., it would be desirable that a
bushel and a saucer were of equal size, but some say that "the size of a saucer" is
a span and four fingers, and the "the size of a bushel" is larger than that. "He
sees to it that that sign is well apprehended": that meditator makes that disk of
earth a well-apprehended sign. When, after apprehending the sign in it by open-
ing the eyes, and looking and then closing them again, it appears to him as he
adverts to it just as it did at the moment of looking with open eyes, then he has


made it well apprehended. Having thoroughly established his mindfulness there,
observing it again and again with his mind not straying outside, he sees that it is
"well attended to". When it is well attended to thus by adverting and attending
again and again by producing much repetition and development instigated by
that, he sees that it is "well defined". "To that object": to that object called earth
kasina, which has appeared rightly owing to its having been well apprehended.
"He anchors his mind": by bringing his own mind to access jhana he anchors it,
keeps it from other objects' (Pm. 119).
5. 'Gangd (= 'river') is the name for the Ganges in India and for the Mahaveli-
ganga, Ceylon's principal river. However, in the Island of Ceylon there is a river,
it seems, called the Ravana-ganga. The clay in the places where the banks are cut
away by its stream is the colour of dawn' (Pm. 119).
6. ' "Apprehend the sign": apprehend with the mind the sign apprehended by
the eye in the earth kasina. "And develop it": the apprehending of the sign as it
occurs should be continued intensively and constantly practised' (Pm. 120).
7. 'Just as one who sees his reflection (mukha-nimitta—lit. face-sign) on the
surface of a looking-glass does not open his eyes too widely or too little (in order
to get the effect), nor does he review the colour of the looking-glass or give
attention to its characteristic, but rather looks with moderately opened eyes and
sees only the sign of his face, so too this meditator looks with moderately opened
eyes at the earth kasina and is occupied only with the sign' (Pm. 121).
8. 'The dawn colour that is there in the kasina should not be thought about,
though it cannot be denied that it is apprehended by eye-consciousness. That is
why, instead x)f saying here "should not be looked at", he says that it should not
be apprehended by reviewing. Also the earth element's characteristic of hard-
ness, which is there, should not be given attention because the apprehension has
to be done through the channel of seeing. And after saying "while not ignoring
the colour" he said "relegating the colour to the position of a property of the
physical support"^ showing that here the concern is not with the colour, which is
the channel, but rather that this colour should be treated as an accessory of the
physical support; the meaning is that the kasina (disk) should be given attention
with awareness of both the accompanying earth-aspect and its ancillary colour-
aspect, but taking the earth-aspect with its ancillary concomitant colour as both
supported equally by that physical support [the disk], "On the concept as the
mental datum since that is what is outstanding": the term of ordinary usage
"earth" (pathavi) as applied to earth with its accessories, since the prominence of
its individual effect is due to outstandingness of the earth element: "setting the
mind" on that mental datum consisting of a [name-] concept (pannatti-dhamma),
the kasina should be given attention as "earth, earth". —If the mind is to be set
on a mere concept by means of a term of common usage, ought earth to be given
attention by means of different names?—It can be. What is wrong? It is to show
that that is done he said "Mahi, medinV\ and so on' (Pm. 122).
9. ' "Comes into focus": becomes the resort of mind-door impulsion' (Pm.
122).
10. 'Why should he not? If, after the learning sign was produced, he went on


developing it by looking at the disk of the earth, there would be no arising of the
counterpart sign* (Pm. 122).
11. 'Stamped with the three characteristics of the formed beginning with rise
(see A.i,152), or marked with the three characteristics beginning with imperma-
nence' (Pm. 122).
12. 'If "it is not like that"— is not possessed of colour, etc.—then how is it the
object of jhana? It is in order to answer that question that the sentence beginning
"For it is ..." is given. "Born of the perception": produced by the perception
during development, simply born from the perception during development. Since
there is no arising from anywhere of what has no individual essence, he therefore
said "Being the mere mode of appearance" ' (Pm. 122). See Ch. VIII, n.ll.
13. Bhavahga (life-continuum, lit. 'constituent of becoming') and javana (im-
pulsion) are first mentioned in this work at Ch. I, §57 (see n. 16); this is the
second mention. The 'cognitive series' (citta-vithi) so extensively used here is
unknown as such in the Pitakas. Perhaps the seed from which it sprang may exist
in, say, such passages as: 'Due to eye and to visible data eye-consciousness
arises. The coincidence of the three is contact. With contact as condition there is
feeling. What he feels he perceives. What he perceives he thinks about. What he
thinks about he diversifies [by means of craving, pride and false view] ... Due to
mind and to mental data ...' (M.i,l 11). And: 'Is the eye permanent or imperma-
nent? ... Are visible objects permanent or impermanent? ... Is the mind perma-
nent or impermanent? Are mental data ... Is mind-consciousness ... Is mind-
contact ... Is any feeling, any perception, any formation, any consciousness, that
arises with mind-contact as condition permanent or impermanent?' (M.iii,279).
And: 'These five faculties [of eye, etc.] each with its separate objective field and
no one of them experiencing as its objective field the province of any other, have
mind as their refuge, and mind experiences their provinces as its objective field'
(M.i,295). This treatment of consciousness implies, as it were, more than even a
'double thickness' of consciousness. An already-formed nucleus of the cognitive
series, based on such Sutta-Pitaka material, appears in the Abhidhamma Pitaka.
The following two quotations show how the commentary (bracketted italics)
expands the Abhidhamma-Pitaka treatment.
(i) 'Herein, what is eye-consciousnes element? Due to eye and to visible
data (as support condition, and to functional mind element (= 5-door adverting),
as disappearance condition, and to the remaining three immaterial aggregates
as conascence condition) there arises consciousness ... which is eye-conscious-
ness element. [Similarly with the other four sense elements.] Herein, what is
mind element? Eye-consciousness having arisen and ceased, next to that there
arises consciousness ... which is appropriate (profitable or unprofitable) mind
element (in the mode of receiving). [Similarly with the other four sense ele-
ments.] Or else it is the first reaction to any mental datum (To be taken as
functional mind element in the mode of mind-door adverting). Herein, what is
mind-consciousness element? Eye-consciousness having arisen and ceased, next
to that there arises mind element. (Resultant) mind element having arisen and
ceased, also (next to that there arises resultant mind-consciousness element in


the mode of investigating; and that having arisen and ceased, next to that there
arises functional mind-consciousness element in the mode of determining; and
that having arisen and ceased) next to that there arises consciousness ... which
is appropriate mind-consciousness element (in the mode of impulsion). [Similarly
with the other four sense elements.] Due to (life-continuum) mind and to mental
data there arises consciousness ... which is appropriate (impulsion) mind-con-
sciousness element (following on the above-mentioned mind-door adverting)'
(Vbh. 87-90 and VbhA. 81 f.).
(ii) 'Eye-consciousness and its associated states are a condition, as prox-
imity condition, for (resultant) mind element and for its associated states. Mind
element and its associated states are a condition, as proximity condition, for
(root-causeless resultant) mind-consciousness element (in the mode of investi-
gating) and for its associated states. (Next to that, the mind-consciousness ele-
ments severally in the modes of determining, impulsion, registration, and life-
continuum should be mentioned, though they are not, since the teaching is
abbreviated.) [Similarly for the other four senses and mind-consciousness ele-
ment]. Preceding profitable (impulsion) states are a condition, as proximity
condition, for subsequent indeterminate (registration, life-continuum) states ...
[etc.]' (Ptn. 2, and Corny., 33-34).
The form that the two kinds (5-door and mind-door) of the cognitive series
take is shown in Table V. The following are some Pitaka refs. for the individual
modes: bhavahga (life-continuum): Ptn. 1,159,160,169,324; dvajjana (advert-
ing) Ptn. 1,159,160,169,324; sampaticchana (receiving), santlrana (investigating),
votthapana (determining), and taddrammana (registration) appear only in the
Commentaries. Javana (impulsion): Ps.ii,73,76. The following references may
also be noted here: anuloma (conformity), Ptn. 1,325. Cuti-citta (death conscious-
ness), Ptn. 1,324. Patisandhi (rebirth-linking), Ptn. 1,320, etc.; Ps.ii,72, etc.
14. North or south to avoid facing the rising sun in coming or going. Kosa is not
in P.T.S. Diet.; 'one and a half kosas = 3,000 bows' (Pm. 123).
15. Twenty-six kinds of 'aimless' (lit. 'animal') talk are given in the Suttas (e.g.
M.ii,l; iii,l 13), which the commentary increases to thirty-two (MA.iii, 233). The
ten instances of talk are those given in the Suttas (e.g. M.i,145; iii,113). See
Ch.I,n,12.
16. 'One who is occupied with exercising and caring for the body' (Pm. 124).
17. Budha—'possessed of wit': not in P.T.S. Diet.; see MA.i,39.
18. 'It guards the line (gam tdyati), thus it is lineage (gotta). When it occurs
limitedly, it guards the naming (abhidhdna) and the recognition (buddhi) of the
naming as restricted to a definite scope (ekamsa-visayata). For just as recogni-
tion does not take place without a meaning (attha) for its objective support
(drammana), so naming (abhidhdna) does not take place without what is named
(abhidheyya). So it (the gotta) is said to protect and keep these. But the limited
should be regarded as the materiality peculiar to sense-sphere states, which are
the resort of craving for sense desires, and destitute of the exalted (fine-material
and immaterial) or the unsurpassed (supramundane). The exalted lineage is ex-
plainable in the same way' (Pm. 134).


19. See Ch. XVII, § 189 and note.
20. 'The intention is that it is as if the sixth and seventh impulsions had lapsed
since impulsion beyond the fifth is exhausted. The elder's opinion was that just
as the first impulsion, which lacks the quality of repetition, does not arouse
change-of-lineage because of its weakness, while the second or the third, which
have the quality of repetition, can do so because they are strong on that account,
so too the sixth and seventh fix in absorption owing to their strength due to their
quality of repetition. But it is unsupported by a sutta or by any teacher's state-
ment in conformity with a sutta. And the text quoted is not a reason because
strength due to the quality of repetition is not a principle without exceptions
(anekantikatta)\ for the first volition, which is not a repetition, has result experi-
enceable here and now, while the second to the sixth, which are repetitions, have
result experienceable in future becomings' (Pm. 135).
21. ' "Either in the fourth or the fifth", etc., is said for the purpose of conclud-
ing [the discussion] with a paragraph showing the correctness of the meaning al-
ready stated.—Herein, if the sixth and seventh impulsions are said to have lapsed
because impulsion is exhausted, how does seventh-impulsion volition come to
have result experienceable in the next rebirth and to be of immediate effect on
rebirth?—This is not owing to strength got through a repetition condition.—
What then?—It is owing to the difference in the function's position (kiriydvattha).
For the function [of impulsion] has three positions, that is, initial, medial and
final. Herein, experienceability of result in the next rebirth and immediateness of
effect on rebirth are due to the last volition's final position, not to its strength ...
So the fact that the sixth and seventh lapse because impulsion is used up cannot
be objected to' (Pm. 135). See Table V.
22. "The normal extent does not apply" here "in the seven instances" because of
the immeasurability of the conscious moment in some, and the extreme brevity
of the moment in others; for "extent" is inapplicable here in the sense of com-
plete cognitive series, which is why "in fruition next to the path", etc., is said'
(Pm. 136).
23. The five (see e.g. Ps.ii,220; MA.i,85) are suppression (by concentration),
substitution of opposites (by insight), cutting off (by the path), tranquillization
(by fruition), and escape (as nibbana); cf. five kinds of deliverance (e.g. MA.iv,
168). The three (see e.g. Nd.1,26; MA.ii,143) are bodily seclusion (retreat),
mental seclusion (jhana), and seclusion from the substance or circumstances of
becoming (nibbana).
24. Here sahkappa ('thinking') has the meaning of 'hankering'. Chanda, kdma
and rdga and their combinations need sorting out. Chanda (zeal, desire) is much
used, neutral in colour, good or bad according to context and glossed by 'desire
to act'; technically also one of the four roads to power and four predominances.
Kdma (sense desire, sensuality) loosely represents enjoyment of the five sense
pleasures (e.g. sense-desire sphere). More narrowly it refers to sexual enjoyment
(third of the Five Precepts). Distinguished as subjective desire (defilement) and
objective things that arouse it (Nd. 1,1; cf. Ch. XIV, n.36). The figure 'five
cords of sense desire' signifies simply these desires with the five sense objects


that attract them. Rdga (greed) is the general term for desire in its bad sense and
identical with lobha, which latter, however, appears technically as one of the
three root-causes of unprofitable action. Rdga is renderable also by iust ' in its
general sense. Kdmacchanda (lust): a technical term for the first of the five
hindrances. Chanda-rdga (zeal and greed) and kdma-rdga (greed for sense de-
sires) have no technical use.
25. Uhana—* hitting upon': possibly connected with uhanati (to disturb—see
M.i,243; ii,193). Obviously connected here with the meaning of dhanana-
pariydhanana ('striking and threshing') in the next line. For the similes that
follow here see Pe. 142.
26. These two sentences, 'So hi ekaggo hutvd appetV and 'So hi drammanam
anumajjati\ are not in the Burmese and Harvard editions.
27. Puggalddhitthdna —'in terms of a person'; a technical commentarial term
for one of the ways of presenting a subject. They are dhamma-desand (discourse
about principles), and puggala-desand (discourse about persons), both of which
may be treated either as dhammddhitthdna (in terms of principles) or pug-
galddhitthdna (in terms of persons). See MA.i,24.
28. The four assemblies (parisa) are the bhikkhus, bhikkhunis, laymen follow-
ers and Iaywomen followers.
29. For this word play see also Ch. XVII, §48. Khanati is only given in normal
meaning of 'to dig' in P.T.S. £>ict. There seems to be some confusion of meaning
with khayati (to destroy) here, perhaps suggested by khddati (to eat). This sug-
gests a rendering here and in Ch. XVII of 'to consume' which makes sense.
Glossed by avaddriyati, to break or dig: not in P.T.S. Diet. See T.C.P. Diet.
'avaddrana'.
30. Kantdra-khinna —'exhausted in a desert'; khinna is not in P.T.S. Diet.
31. Four unities (ekatta) are given in the preceding paragraph of the same
Patisambhida ref.: 'The unity consisting in the appearance of relinquishment in
the act of giving, which is found in those resolved upon generosity (giving up);
the unity consisting in the appearance of the sign of serenity, which is found in
those who devote themselves to the higher consciousness; the unity consisting in
the appearance of the characteristic of fall, which is found in those with insight;
the unity consisting in the appearance of cessation, which is found in noble
persons' (Ps.i,167). The second is meant here.
32. 'The inmates of the Abhayagiri Monastery in Anuradhapura' (Pm. 144).
33. ' "/Ts": of that jhana consciousness. "AT that moment'-: at the moment of
dissolution; for when the moment of arising is past, repetition occurs starting
with the moment of presence' (Pm. 145). A curious argument; see §182.
34. The quotation is incomplete and the end should read '... ekarasatthena
bhdvandvasena panndvasena pahnindriyam adhimattam hoti\
35. 'In the sense of the jhana's entire object. It is not made its partial object'
(Pm. 147).
36. Kdya-dutthulla—'bodily irritability': explained here as 'bodily disturbance
(daratha), excitement of the body (kdya-sdraddhatd)
y
 by Pm. (p. 148); here it


represents the hindrance of ill will; cf. M.iii,151,159, where commented on as
kdydlasiya—'bodily inertia' (MA.iv,202, 208). P.T.S. Diet, only gives meaning
of 'wicked, lewd' for dutthulla, for which meaning see e.g. A.i,88, VinA. 528;
cf. Ch. IX, §69.
37. For pamukha—'verandah' see n.2 above. Parivena—'surrounding space':
this meaning, not given in P.T.S. Diet., is brought out clearly in Ch. XI, §7.
38. Samabbhahata—'stretched flat': not in this sense in P.T.S. Diet. This word
replaces the word suvihata used at M.iii,105 where this clause is borrowed from.
At Ch. XI, §92 the same word (apparently in another sense) is glossed by peliana
= 'pushing' (not in P.T.S. Diet.) at Pm. 362. MA. (iv,153) glosses suvihata with
'pasdretvd sutthu vihata' which suggests 'stretched' rather than 'beaten'; harati
rather than hanati.
39. What the story is intended to illustrate is the rapidity with which the elder
entered the jhana, controlled its duration, and emerged, which is the necessary
preliminary to the working of a marvel (the creation of a rock in this case; Ch.
XII, §57). The last remark seems to indicate that all the others would have been
too slow (see Pm. 150).
40. See Ch. XIV, §192 and note.
41. In the Pali, sampasddanam cetaso ekodibhdvarh, cetaso ('of mind') comes
between sampasddanam ('confidence') and ekodibhdvarh ('singleness') and so
can be construed with either.
42. Appita—'done away with': Appitd ti vindsam gamitd (
l
Appita means made
to go to annihilation') (Pm. 153). This meaning, though not in P.T.S. Diet., is
given in T.C.P. Diet.
43. Sampindana—'conjunction': gram, term for the word ca (and). This mean-
ing not given in P.T.S. Diet. Cf. MA.i,40.
44. The 'eight kinds' are those connected with the eight jhanas, the 'ten kinds'
those connected with the four paths, the four fruitions, the void liberation, and
the signless liberation.
45. Avatthd—'position, occasion'. Not in P.T.S. Diet.; see T.C.P. Diet.
46. Sovatthika-ttaya—'three marks'; cf. Ch. XXI, §49.
47. For consciousness-originated materiality see Ch. XX, §30ff.
48. 'They say that with the words "There could be the arising of the pain
faculty" it is shown that since grief arises even in obtainers of jhana, it is demon-
strated thereby that hate can exist without being a hindrance just as greed can;
for grief does not arise without hate. Nor, they say, is there any conflict with the
Patthana text to be fancied here, since what is shown there is only grief that
occurs making lost jhana its object because the grief that occurs making its
object a jhana that has not been lost is not relevant there. And they say that it
cannot be maintained that grief does not arise at all in those who have obtained
jhana since it did arise in Asita who had the eight attainments (Sn. 691), and he
was not one who had lost jhana. So they say. That is wrong because there is no
hate without the nature of a hindrance. If there were, it would arise in fine-
material and immaterial beings, and it does not. Accordingly when in such pas-


sages as "In the immaterial state, due to the hindrance of lust there is the hin-
drance of stiffness and torpor ... the hindrance of agitation, the hindrance of
ignorance" (Ptn. 2, 291), ill will and worry are not mentioned as hindrances, that
does not imply that they are not hindrances even by supposing that it was be-
cause lust, etc., were not actually hindrances and were called hindrances there
figuratively because of resemblance to hindrances. And it is no reason to argue
"it is because it arose in Asita", since there is falling away from jhana with the
arising of grief. The way to regard that is that when the jhana is lost for some
trivial reason such men reinstate it without difficulty' (Pm. 158-59).
49. Gopa—'cowherd (or guardian)': not in P.T.S. Diet.