THE PATH
OF PURIFICATION
(VISUDDHIMAGGA)
BY
BHADANTACARIYA BUDDHAGHOSA
Translated from the Pali
by
BHIKKHU NANAMOLI
FIFTH EDITION
BUDDHIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY
Kandy Sri Lanka
175. (iv) He trains thus: 7 shall breathe in ... shall breathe out tranquil-
lizing the bodily formation'; he trains thus: 'I shall breathe in, shall
breathe out tranquillizing, completely tranquillizing, stopping, stilling,
the gross bodily formation'.
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176. And here both the gross and subtle state and also [progressive] tran-
quillizing should be understood. For previously, at the time when the
bhikkhu has still not discerned [the meditation subject], his body and his
mind are disturbed and so they are gross. And while the grossness of the
body and the mind has still not subsided the in-breaths and out-breaths
are gross. They get stronger, his nostrils become inadequate, and he
keeps breathing in and out through his mouth. But they become quiet
and still when his body and mind have been discerned. When they are
still then the in-breaths and out-breaths occur so subtly that he has to
investigate whether they exist or not.
177. Suppose a man stands still after running, or descending from a hill,
or putting down a big load from his head, then his in-breaths and out-
breaths are gross, his nostrils become inadequate, and he keeps on breath-
ing in and out through his mouth. But when he has rid himself of his
fatigue and has bathed and drunk [275] and put a wet cloth on his heart,
and is lying in the cool shade, then his in-breaths and out-breaths eventu-
ally occur so subtly that he has to investigate whether they exist or not;
so too, previously, at the time when the bhikkhu has still not discerned,
... he has to investigate whether they exist or not.
178. Why is that? Because previously, at the time when he has still not
discerned, there is no concern in him, no reaction, no attention, no re-
viewing, to the effect that * I am [progressively] tranquillizing each grosser
bodily formation*. But when he has discerned, there is. So his bodily
formation at the time when he has discerned is subtle in comparison with
that at the time when he has not. Hence the Ancients said:
'The mind and body are disturbed,
And then in excess it occurs;
But when the body is undisturbed,
Then it with subtlety occurs*.
179. In discerning [the meditation subject the formation] is gross, and it
is subtle [by comparison] in the first-jhana access; also it is gross in that,
and subtle [by comparison] in the first jhana; in the first jhana and
second-jhana access it is gross, and in the second jhana subtle; in the
second jhana and third-jhana access it is gross, and in the third jhana
subtle; in the third jhana and fourth-jhana access it is gross, and in the
fourth jhana it is so exceedingly subtle that it even reaches cessation.
This is the opinion of the Digha and Samyutta reciters. But the Majjhima
reciters have it that it is subtler in each access than in the jhana below
too in this way: In the first jhana it is gross, and in the second-jhana
access it is subtle [by comparison, and so on]. It is, however, the opinion
of all that the bodily formation occurring before the time of discerning
becomes tranquillized at the time of discerning, and the bodily formation
at the time of discerning becomes tranquillized in the first-jhana access
... and the bodily formation occurring in the fourth-jhana access be-
comes tranquillized in the fourth jhana. This is the method of explana-
tion in the case of serenity.
180. But in the case of insight, the bodily formation occurring at the time
of not discerning is gross, and in discerning the primary elements it is
[by comparison] subtle; that also is gross, and in discerning derived
materiality it is subtle; that also is gross, and in discerning all materiality
it is subtle; that also is gross, and in discerning the immaterial it is
subtle; that also is gross, and in discerning the material and immaterial it
is subtle; that also is gross, and in discerning conditions it is subtle; that
also is gross, and in seeing mentality-materiality with its conditions it is
subtle; that also is gross, and in insight that has the characteristics [of
impermanence, etc.,] as its object it is subtle; that also is gross in weak
insight while in strong insight it is subtle.
Herein, the tranquillizing should be understood as [the relative tran-
quillity] of the subsequent compared with the previous. Thus should the
gross and subtle state, and the [progressive] tranquillizing, be understood
here. [276]
181. But the meaning of this is given in the Patisambhida together with
the objection and clarification thus:
'How is it that he trains thus: "I shall breathe in ... shall breathe out
tranquillizing the bodily formation? What are the bodily formations?
Long in-breaths ... out-breaths [experiencing the whole body] belong to
the body; these things, being bound up with the body, are bodily forma-
tions; he trains in tranquillizing, stopping, stilling, those bodily forma-
tions.
'When there are such bodily formations whereby there is bending
backwards, sideways in all directions, and forwards, and perturbation,
vacillation, moving and shaking of the body, he trains thus: "I shall
breathe in tranquillizing the bodily formation"; he trains thus: "I shall
breathe out tranquillizing the bodily formation". When there are such
bodily formations whereby there is no bending backwards, sideways in
all directions, and forwards, and no perturbation, vacillation, moving and
shaking of the body, quietly, subtly, he trains thus: "I shall breathe in
tranquillizing the bodily formation"; he trains thus: "I shall breathe out
tranquillizing the bodily formation".
182. * [Objection:] So then, he trains thus: "I shall breathe in tranquilliz-
ing the bodily formation"; he trains thus: "I shall breathe out tranquilliz-
ing the bodily formation": that being so, there is no production of aware-
ness of wind, and there is no production of in-breaths and out-breaths,
and there is no production of mindfulness of breathing, and there is no
production of concentration through mindfulness of breathing, and con-
sequently the wise neither enter into nor emerge from that attainment.
183. * [Clarification:] So then, he trains thus: "I shall breathe in tranquil-
lizing the bodily formation"; he trains thus: "I shall breathe out tranquil-
lizing the bodily formation": that being so, there is production of aware-
ness of wind, and there is production of in-breaths and out-breaths, and
there is production of mindfulness of breathing, and there is production
of concentration through mindfulness of breathing, and consequently the
wise enter into and emerge from that attainment.
184. *Like what? Just as when a gong is struck. At first gross sounds
occur and consciousness [occurs] because the sign of the gross sounds is
well apprehended, well attended to, well observed; and when the gross
sounds have ceased, then afterwards faint sounds occur and [conscious-
ness occurs] because the sign of the faint sounds is well apprehended,
well attended to, well observed; and when the faint sounds have ceased,
then [277] afterwards consciousness occurs because it has the sign of the
faint sounds as its object
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—so too, at first gross in-breaths and out-
breaths occur and [consciousness does not become distracted] because
the sign of the gross in-breaths and out-breaths is well apprehended, well
attended to, well observed; and when the gross in-breaths and out-breaths
have ceased, then afterwards faint in-breaths and out-breaths occur and
[consciousness does not become distracted] because the sign of the faint
in-breaths and out-breaths is well apprehended, well attended to, well
observed; and when the faint in-breaths and out-breaths have ceased,
then afterwards consciousness does not become distracted because it has
the sign of the faint in-breaths and out-breaths as its object.
*That being so, there is production of awareness of wind, and there
is production of in-breaths and out-breaths, and there is production of
mindfulness of breathing, and there is production of concentration through
mindfulness of breathing, and consequently the wise enter into and emerge
from that attainment.
185.
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In-breaths and out-breaths tranquillizing the bodily formation are a
body. The establishment (foundation) is mindfulness. The contemplation
is knowledge. The body is the establishment (foundation), but it is not
the mindfulness. Mindfulness is both the establishment (foundation) and
the mindfulness. By means of that mindfulness and that knowledge he
contemplates that body. That is why "development of the foundation (es-
tablishment) of mindfulness consisting in contemplation of the body as a
body" is said' (Ps.i, 184-86).
This, in the first place, is the consecutive word commentary here on
the first tetrad, which deals with contemplation of the body.
[Method of Development]
186. The first tetrad is set forth as a meditation subject for a beginner;
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but the other three tetrads are [respectively] set forth as the contempla-
tions of feeling, of [the manner of] consciousness, and of mental objects,
for one who has already attained jhana in this tetrad. So if a clansman
who is a beginner wants to develop this meditation subject, and through
insight based on the fourth jhana produced in breathing, to reach Ara-
hantship together with the discriminations, he should first do all the
work connected with the purification of virtue, etc., in the way already
described, after which he should learn the meditation subject in five
stages from a teacher of the kind already described.
187. Here are the five stages: learning, questioning, establishing, absorp-
tion, characteristic.
Herein, learning is learning the meditation subject. Questioning is
questioning about the meditation subject. Establishing is establishing the
meditation subject. Absorption [278] is the absorption of the meditation
subject. Characteristic is the characteristic of the meditation subject;
what is meant is that it is the ascertaining of the meditation subject's
individual essence thus: 'This meditation subject has such a characteris-
tic'.
188. Learning the meditation subject in the five stages in this way, he
neither tires himself nor worries the teacher.
So in giving this meditation subject consisting in mindfulness of
breathing attention he can live either with the teacher or elsewhere in an
abode of the kind already described, learning the meditation subject in
the five stages thus, getting a little expounded at a time and taking a long
time over reciting it. He should sever the minor impediments. After fin-
ishing the work connected with the meal and getting rid of any dizziness
due to the meal, he should seat himself comfortably. Then, making sure
he is not confused about even a single word of what he has learned from
the teacher, he should cheer his mind by recollecting the special qualities
of the Three Jewels.
189. Here are the stages in giving attention to it: (1) counting, (2) con-
nexion, (3) touching, (4) fixing, (5) observing, (6) turning away, (7)
purification, and (8) looking back on these.
Herein, counting is just counting, connexion is carrying on, touching
is the place touched [by the breaths], fixing is absorption, observing is
insight, turning away is the path, purification is fruition, looking back on
these is reviewing.
190. 1. Herein, this clansman who is a beginner should first give atten-
tion to this meditation subject by counting. And when counting, he should
not stop short of five or go beyond ten or make any break in the series.
By stopping short of five his thoughts get excited in the cramped space,
like a herd of cattle shut in a cramped pen. By going beyond ten his
thoughts take the number [rather than the breaths] for their support. By
making a break in the series he wonders if the meditation subject has
reached completion or not. So he should do his counting without those
faults.
191. When counting, he should at first do it slowly [that is, late] as a
grain measurer does. For a grain measurer, having filled his measure,
says 'One', and empties it, and then refilling it, he goes on saying 'One,
one' while removing any rubbish he may have noticed. And the same
with 'Two, two', and so on. So, taking the in-breath or the out-breath,
whichever appears [most plainly], he should begin with 'One, one' [279]
and count up to 'Ten, ten', noting each as it occurs.
192. As he does his counting in this way, the in-breaths and out-breaths
become evident to him as they enter in and issue out. Then he can leave
off counting slowly (late), like a grain measurer, and he can count quickly
[that is, early] as a cowherd does. For a skilled cowherd takes pebbles in
his pocket and goes to the cow pen in the morning, whip in hand; sitting
on the bar of the gate, prodding the cows in the back, he counts each one
as it reaches the gate, saying 'One, two', dropping a pebble for each.
And the cows of the herd, which have been spending the three watches
of the night uncomfortably in the cramped space, come out quickly in
parties, jostling each other as they escape. So he counts quickly (early)
'Three, four, five' and so up to ten. In this way the in-breaths and out-
breaths, which had already become evident to him while he counted
them in the former way, now keep moving along quickly.
193. Then, knowing that they keep moving along quickly, not apprehend-
ing them either inside or outside [the body], but apprehending them just
as they reach the [nostril] door, he can do his counting quickly (early):
'One, two, three, four, five; one, two, three, four, five, six; ... seven; ...
eight;... nine;... ten'. For as long as the meditation subject is connected
with counting it is with the help of that very counting that the mind
becomes unified, just as a boat in a swift current is steadied with the help
of a rudder.
194. When he counts quickly, the meditation subject becomes apparent to
him as an uninterrupted process. Then, knowing that it is proceeding un-
interruptedly, he can count quickly (early) in the way just described, not
discerning the wind either inside or outside [the body]. For by bringing
his consciousness inside along with the incoming breath, it seems as if it
were buffeted by the wind inside or filled with fat.
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By taking his
consciousness outside along with the outgoing breath, it gets distracted
by the multiplicity of objects outside. However, his development is
successful when he fixes his mindfulness on the place touched [by
the breaths]. That is why it was said above: 'He can count quickly
(early) in the way just described, not discerning the wind either inside or
outside'.
195. But how long is he to go on counting? Until, without counting,
[280] mindfulness remains settled on the in-breaths and out-breaths as its
object. For counting is simply a device for setting mindfulness on the
in-breaths and out-breaths as object by cutting off the external dissipa-
tion of applied thoughts.
196. 2. Having given attention to it in this way by counting, he should
now do so by connexion. Connexion is the uninterrupted following of the
in-breaths and out-breaths with mindfulness after counting has been given
up. And that is not by following after the beginning, middle and end.
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197. The navel is the beginning of the wind issuing out, the heart is its
middle and the nose-tip is its end. The nose-tip is the beginning of the
wind entering in, the heart is its middle and the navel is its end. And if
he follows after that, his mind is distracted by disquiet and perturbation,
according as it is said: 'When he goes in with mindfulness after the
beginning, middle and end of the in-breath, his mind being distracted
internally, both his body and his mind are disquieted and perturbed and
shaky. When he goes out with mindfulness after the beginning, middle
and end of the out-breath, his mind being distracted externally, both his
body and his mind are disquieted and perturbed and shaky' (Ps.i,165).
3-4. So when he gives his attention to it by connexion, he should
do so not by the beginning, middle and end, but rather by touching and
by fixing.
198. There is no attention to be given to it by touching separate from
fixing as there is by counting separate from connexion. But when he is
counting the breaths in the place touched by each, he is giving attention
to them by counting and touching. When he has given up counting and is
connecting them by means of mindfulness in that same place and fixing
consciousness by means of absorption, then he is said to be giving his
attention to them by connexion, touching and fixing. And the meaning of
this may be understood through the similes of the man who cannot walk
and the gate-keeper given in the commentaries, and through the simile of
the saw given in the Patisambhida.
199. Here is the simile of the man who cannot walk: Just as a man unable
to walk, who is rocking a swing for the amusement of his children and
their mother, sits at the foot of the swing post and sees both ends and the
middle of the swing plank successively coming and going, [281] yet
does not move from his place in order to see both ends and the middle,
so too, when a bhikkhu places himself with mindfulness, as it were, at
the foot of the post for anchoring [mindfulness] and rocks the swing of
the in-breaths and out-breaths; he sits down with mindfulness on the sign
at that same place, and follows with mindfulness the beginning, middle
and end of the in-breaths and out-breaths at the place touched by them as
they come and go; keeping his mind fixed there, he then sees them
without moving from his place in order to see them. This is the simile of
the man who cannot walk.
200. This is the simile of the gate-keeper: Just as a gate-keeper does not
examine people inside and outside the town, asking 'Who are you? Where
have you come from? Where are you going? What have you got in your
hand?'—for those people are not his concern—but he does examine each
man as he arrives at the gate, so too, the inconling breaths that have gone
inside and the outgoing breaths that have gone outside are not this
bhikkhu's concern, but they are his concern each time they arrive at the
[nostril] gate itself.
201. Then the simile of the saw should be understood from its beginning.
For this is said:
4
Sign, in-breath, out-breath, are not object
Of a single consciousness;
By one who knows not these three things
Development is not obtained.
'Sign, in-breath, out-breath, are not object
Of a single consciousness;
By one who does know these three things
Development can be obtained.
202. 'How is it that these three things are not the object of a single con-
sciousness, that they are nevertheless not unknown, that the mind does
not become distracted, that he manifests effort, carries out a task, and
achieves an effect?
'Suppose there were a tree trunk placed on a level piece of ground,
and a man cut it with a saw. The man's mindfulness is established by the
saw's teeth where they touch the tree trunk, without his giving attention
to the saw's teeth as they approach and recede, though they are not
unknown to him as they do so; and he manifests effort, carries out a task,
and achieves an effect. As the tree trunk placed on the level piece of
ground, so the sign for the anchoring of mindfulness. As the saw's teeth,
so the in-breaths and out-breaths. As the man's mindfulness, established
by the saw's teeth where they touch the tree trunk, without his giving
attention to the saw's teeth as they approach and recede, though they are
not unknown to him as they do so, and so he manifests effort, carries out
a task, and achieves an effect, [282] so too, the bhikkhu sits, having es-
tablished mindfulness at the nose tip or on the upper lip, without giving
attention to the in-breaths and out-breaths as they approach and recede,
though they are not unknown to him as they do so, and he manifests
effort, carries out a task, and achieves an effect.
203. ' "Effort": what is the effort? The body and the mind of one who is
energetic become wieldy—this is the effort. What is the task? Imperfec-
tions come to be abandoned in one who is energetic, and his applied
thoughts are stilled—this is the task. What is the effect? Fetters come to
be abandoned in one who is energetic, and his inherent tendencies come
to be done away with—this is the effect.
'So these three things are not the object of a single consciousness,
and they are nevertheless not unknown, and the mind does not become
distracted, and he manifests effort, carries out a task, and achieves an
effect.
'Whose mindfulness of breathing in
And out is perfect, well developed,
And gradually brought to growth
According as the Buddha taught,
Tis he illuminates the world
Just like the full moon free from cloud' (Ps.i, 170-72; last
line Dh. 172: whole verse Thag. 548).
This is the simile of the saw. But here it is precisely his not giving
attention [to the breaths] as [yet to] come and [already] gone
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that
should be understood as the purpose.
204. When someone gives his attention to this meditation subject, some-
times it is not long before the sign arises in him, and then the fixing, in
other words, absorption adorned with the rest of the jhana factors, is
achieved.
205. After someone has given his attention to counting, then just as when
a body that is disturbed sits down on a bed or chair, the bed or chair sags
down and creaks and the cover gets rumpled, but when a body that is not
disturbed sits down, the bed or chair neither sags down nor creaks, the
cover does not get rumpled, and it is as though filled with cotton-wool—
why? because a body that is not disturbed is light—so too, after he has
given his attention to counting, when the bodily disturbance has been
stilled by the gradual cessation of gross in-breaths and out-breaths, then
both the body and the mind become light: the physical body is as though
it were ready to leap up into the air. [283]
206. When his gross in-breaths and out breaths have ceased, his con-
sciousness occurs with the sign of the subtle in-breaths and out-breaths
as its object. And when that has ceased, it goes on occurring with the
successively subtler signs as its object. How?
207. Suppose a man stuck a bronze bell with a big iron bar and at once a
loud sound arose, his consciousness would occur with the gross sound as
its object; then, when the gross sound had ceased, it would occur after-
wards with the sign of the subtle sound as its object; and when that had
ceased, it would go on occurring with the sign of the successively subtler
sounds as its object. This is how it should be understood. And this is
given in detail in the passage beginning 'Just as when a metal gong is
struck' (§184).
208. For while other meditation subjects become clearer at each higher
stage, this one does not: in fact, as he goes on developing it, it becomes
more subtle for him at each higher stage, and it even comes to the point
at which it is no longer manifest.
However, when it becomes unmanifest in this way, the bhikkhu
should not get up from his seat, shake out his leather mat, and go away.
What should be done? He should not get up with the idea 'Shall I ask
the teacher?' or 'Is my meditation subject lost?'; for by going away, and
so disturbing his posture, the meditation subject has to be started anew.
So he should go on sitting as he was and [temporarily] substitute the
place [normally touched for the actual breaths as the object of contem-
plation].
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209. These are the means for doing it. The bhikkhu should recognize the
unmanifest state of the meditation subject and consider thus: 'Where do
these in-breaths and out-breaths exist? Where do they not? In whom do
they exist? In whom not?'. Then, as he considers thus, he finds that they
do not exist in one inside the mother's womb, or in those drowned in
water, or likewise in unconscious beings,
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or in the dead, or in those
attained to the fourth jhana, or in those born into a fine-material or
immaterial existence, or in those attained to cessation [of perception and
feeling]. So he should apostrophize himself thus: 'You with all your
wisdom are certainly not inside a mother's womb or drowned in water or
in the unconscious existence or dead or attained to the fourth jhana or
born into the fine-material or immaterial existence or attained to cessa-
tion. Those in-breaths and out-breaths are actually existent in you, only
you are not able to discern them because your understanding is dull'.
Then, fixing his mind on the place normally touched [by the breaths], he
should proceed to give his attention to that.
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