THE PATH
OF PURIFICATION
(VISUDDHIMAGGA)
BY
BHADANTACARIYA BUDDHAGHOSA
Translated from the Pali
by
BHIKKHU NANAMOLI
FIFTH EDITION
BUDDHIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY
Kandy Sri Lanka
[(2) RECOLLECTION OF THE DHAMMA]
68. One who wants to develop the recollection of the Dhamma (Law)
should go into solitary retreat and recollect the special qualities of both
the Dhamma (Law) of the scriptures and the ninefold supramundane
Dhamma (state) as follows:
'The Dhamma is well proclaimed by the Blessed One, visible here
and now, not delayed (timeless), inviting of inspection, onward-leading,
and directly experienceable by the wise' (M.i,37; A.iii,285).
69. Well proclaimed: in this clause the Dhamma of the scriptures is in-
cluded as well as the other; in the rest of the clauses only the supramun-
dane Dhamma is included.
Herein, the Dhamma of the scriptures is well proclaimed because it
is good in the beginning, the middle, and the end, and because it an-
nounces the life of purity that is utterly perfect and pure with meaning
and with detail (see M.i,179).
Even a single stanza of the Blessed One's teaching is good in the
beginning with the first word, good in the middle with the second, third,
etc., and good in the end with the last word, because the Dhamma is alto-
gether admirable. A sutta with a single sequence of meaning31
is good in
the beginning with the introduction, good in the end with the conclusion,
and good in the middle with what is in between. A sutta with several
sequences of meaning is good in the beginning with the first sequence of
meaning, good in the end with the last sequence of meaning, and good in
the middle with the sequences of meaning in between. Furthermore, it is
good in the beginning with the introduction [giving the place of] and the
origin [giving the reason for] its utterance. It is good in the middle
because it suits those susceptible of being taught since it is unequivocal
in meaning and reasoned with cause and example. It is good in the end
with its conclusion that inspires faith in the hearers.
70. Also the entire Dhamma of the Dispensation is good in the begin-
ning with virtue as one's own well-being. It is good in the middle with
serenity and insight and with path and fruition. It is good in the end with
nibbana. Or alternatively, it is good in the beginning with virtue and
concentration. [214] It is good in the middle with insight and the path. It
is good in the end with fruition and nibbana. Or alternatively, it is good
in the beginning because it is the good discovery made by the Buddha.
It is good in the middle because it is the well-regulatedness of the
Dhamma. It is good in the end because it is the good way entered upon
by the Sangha. Or alternatively, it is good in the beginning as the discov-
ery of what can be attained by one who enters upon the way of practice
in conformity after hearing about it. It is good in the middle as the
unproclaimed enlightenment [of Paccekabuddhas]. It is good in the end
as the enlightenment of disciples.
71. And when listened to, it does good through hearing it because it
suppresses the hindrances, thus it is good in the beginning. And when
made the way of practice it does good through the way being entered
upon because it brings the bliss of serenity and insight, thus it is good in
the middle. And when it has thus been made the way of practice and the
fruit of the way is ready, it does good through the fruit of the way
because it brings [unshakable] equipoise, thus it is good in the end.
So it is 'well proclaimed' because of being good in the beginning,
the middle and the end.
72. Now the life of purity, that is to say, the life of purity of the Dispen-
sation and the life of purity of the path, which the Blessed One an-
nounces, which he shows in various ways when he teaches the Dhamma,
is 'with meaning' because of perfection of meaning, and it is 'with
detail' because of perfection of detail, as it is proper that it should be. It
is 'with meaning' because it conforms to the words declaring its mean-
ing by pronouncing, clarifying, revealing, expounding, and explaining it.
It is 'with detail' because it has perfection of syllables, words, details,
style, language, and descriptions. It is 'with meaning' owing to profun-
dity of meaning and profundity of penetration. It is 'with detail' owing
to profundity of law and profundity of teaching. It is 'with meaning'
because it is the province of the discriminations of meaning and of
perspicuity. It is 'with detail' because it is the province of the discrimi-
nations of law and of language (see Ch. XIV, §21). It is 'with meaning'
since it inspires confidence in persons of discretion, being experience-
able by the wise. It is 'with detail' since it inspires confidence in worldly
persons, being a fit object of faith. It is 'with meaning' because its inten-
tion is profound. It is 'with detail' because its words are clear. It is
'utterly perfect' with the complete perfection due to absence of anything
that can be added. It is 'pure' with the immaculateness due to absence of
anything to be subtracted.
73. Furthermore, it is 'with meaning' because it provides the particular
distinction32
of achievement through practice of the way, and it is 'with
detail' because it provides the particular distinction of learning through
mastery of scripture. It is 'utterly perfect' because it is connected with
the five aggregates of Dhamma beginning with virtue.
33
It is 'pure' be-
cause it has no imperfection, because it exists for the purpose of crossing
over [the round of rebirths' flood (see M.i,134)], and because it is not
concerned with worldly things.
So it is 'well proclaimed' because it 'announces the life of purity
that is utterly perfect and pure with meaning and with detail'.
Or alternatively, it is well proclaimed since it has been properly pro-
claimed with no perversion of meaning. For the meaning of other sec-
tarians' law suffers perversion since there is actually no obstruction in
the [215] things described there as obstructive and actually no outlet in
the things described there as outlets, which is why their law is ill-pro-
claimed; but not so the Blessed One's Law, whose meaning suffers no
perversion since the things described there as obstructions and the things
described there as outlets are so in actual fact.
So, in the first place, the Dhamma of the scriptures is 'well pro-
claimed'.
74. The supramundane Dhamma is well proclaimed since both the way
that accords with nibbana and the nibbana that accords with the way
have been proclaimed, according as it is said: 'The way leading to nib-
bana has been properly declared to the disciples by the Blessed One, and
nibbana and the way meet. Just as the water of the Ganges meets and
joins with the water of the Yamuna, so too the way leading to nibbana
has been properly declared to the disciples by the Blessed One, and
nibbana and the way meet' (D.ii,223).
75. And here the noble path, which is the middle way since it does not
approach either extreme, is well proclaimed in being proclaimed to be
the middle way.
The fruits of asceticism, where defilements are tranquillized, are
well proclaimed too in being proclaimed to have tranquillized defile-
ment.
Nibbana, whose individual essence is eternal, deathless, the refuge,
the shelter, etc., is well proclaimed too in being proclaimed to have an
individual essence that is eternal, and so on.
So the supramundane Dhamma is also 'well proclaimed*.
76. Visible here and now: firstly, the noble path is 'visible here and
now' since it can be seen by a noble person himself when he has done
away with greed, etc., in his own continuity, according as it is said:
'When a man is dyed with greed, brahman, and is overwhelmed and his
mind is obsessed by greed, then he thinks for his own affliction, he
thinks for others' affliction, he thinks for the affliction of both, and he
experiences mental suffering and grief. When greed has been abandoned,
he neither thinks for his own affliction, nor thinks for others' affliction,
nor thinks for the affliction of both, and he does not experience mental
suffering and grief. This, brahman, is how the Dhamma is visible here
and now' (A.i,156). [216]
77. Furthermore, the ninefold supramundane Dhamma is also visible
here and now9 since when anyone has attained it, it is visible to him
through reviewing knowledge without his having to rely on faith in
another.
78. Or alternatively, the view (ditthi) that is recommended (pasattha—
pp. of root sams) is 'proper view' (sanditthi). It conquers by means of
proper view, thus it 'has proper view' (sanditthika—'visible here and
now'). For in this way the noble path conquers defilements by means of
the proper view associated with it, and the noble fruition does so.by
means of the proper view that is its cause, and nibbana does so by means
of the proper view that has nibbana as its objective field. So the ninefold
supramundane Dhamma 'has the proper view' (sanditthika—'is visible
here and now') since it conquers by means of proper view, just as a
charioteer (rathika) is so called because he conquers by means of a
chariot (ratha).
79. Or alternatively, it is seeing (dassana) that is called 'the seen' (dittha);
then dittha and sandittha are identical in meaning as 'seeing'. It is wor-
thy of being seen (dittha), thus it is 'visible here and now' (sanditthika).
For the supramundane Dhamma (law) arrests the fearful round [of kamma,
etc.,] as soon as it is seen by means of penetration consisting in develop-
ment [of the path] and by means of penetration consisting in realization
[of nibbana]. So it is 'visible here and now' (sanditthika) since it is
worthy of being seen (dittha), just as one who is clothable (vattihika)^ is
so called because he is worthy of clothes (vattha).
80. [Not delayed:] it has no delay (lit. 'takes no time'—kdla) in the
matter of giving its own fruit, thus it is 'without delay' (akdla). 'Without
delay' is the same as 'not delayed' (akdlika). What is meant is that in-
stead of giving its fruit after creating a delay (using up time), say, five
days, seven days, it gives its fruit immediately next to its own occur-
rence (see Sn. 226).
81. Or alternatively, what is delayed (kdlika—lit. 'what takes time') is
what needs some distant
35
time to be reached before it can give its fruit.
What is that? It is the mundane law of profitable [kamma]. This, how-
ever, is undelayed (na kdlika) because its fruit comes immediately next
to it, so it is 'not delayed' (akdlika).
This is said with reference to the path.
82. [Inviting of inspection:] it is worthy of an invitation to inspect
(ehipassa-vidhi) given thus: 'Come and see this Dhamma' (ehi passa
imam dhammam), thus it is 'inviting of inspection' (ehipassika). But
why is it worthy of this invitation? Because it is found and because of its
purity. For if a man has said that there is money or gold in an empty fist,
he cannot say 'Come and see it'. Why not? Because it is not found. And
on the other hand, while dung or urine may well be found, a man cannot,
for the purpose of cheering the mind by exhibiting beauty, say 'Come
and see this'; on the contrary, they have to be covered up with grass and
leaves. Why? Because of their impurity. But this ninefold supramundane
Dhamma is actually found as such in its individual essence, and it is as
pure as the full moon's disk in a cloudless sky, as a gem of pure water
on bleached cloth. [217] Consequently, it is worthy of the invitation to
inspect since it is found and pure, thus it is 'inviting of inspection'.
83. The word opanayika ('onward-leading') is [equivalent to the gerund]
upanetabba ('ought to—can—be induced'). Here is an exposition. An
inducing (upanayana) is an inducement (upanaya). [As the four paths
and four fruitions] this [Dhamma] is worth inducing (upanayanam ara-
hati) [that is, arousing] in one's own mind [subjectively] by means of de-
velopment, without any question of whether or not one's clothing or
one's head is on fire (see A.iv,320), thus it is'onward-leading' (opanayika).
This applies to the [above-mentioned eight] formed supramundane states
(dhammas). But the unformed [dhamma] is worth inducing by one's own
mind [to become the mind's object], thus it is 'onward-leading', too; the
meaning is that it is worth treating as one's shelter by realizing it.
84. Or alternatively, what induces (upaneti) [the noble person] onwards
to nibbana is the noble path, which is thus inducive (upaneyya). Again,
what can (ought to) be induced (upanetabbd) to realizability is the
Dhamma consisting in fruition and nibbana, which is thus inducive
(upaneyya\ too. The word upaneyya is the same as the word opanayika.
36
85. Is directly experienceable by the wise: it can be experienced by all
the kinds of wise men beginning with the * acutely wise' (see A.ii,135)
each in himself thus: 'The path has been developed, fruition attained,
and cessation realized, by me'. For it does not happen that when a
preceptor has developed the path his co-resident abandons his defile-
ments, nor does a co-resident dwell in comfort owing to the preceptor's
attainment of fruition, nor does he realize the nibbana realized by the
preceptor. So this is not visible in the way that an ornament on another's
head is, but rather it is visible only in one's own mind. What is meant is
that it can be undergone by wise men, but it is not the province of fools.
86. Now, in addition, this Dhamma is well proclaimed. Why? Because
it is visible here and now. It is visible here and now because it is not
delayed. It is not delayed because it invites inspection. And what invites
inspection is onward-leading.
87. As long as [the meditator] recollects the special qualities of the
Dhamma in this way, then: 'On that occasion his mind is not obsessed
by greed, or obsessed by hate, or obsessed by delusion; his mind has rec-
titude on that occasion, being inspired by the Dhamma' (A.iii,285).
So when he has suppressed the hindrances in the way already de-
scribed (§66), the jhana factors arise in a single conscious moment. But
owing to the profundity of the Dhamma's special qualities, or else owing
to his being occupied in recollecting special qualities of many sorts, the
jhana is only access and does not reach absorption. And that access jhana
itself is known as 'recollection of the Dhamma' too because it arises
with the recollection of the Dhamma's special qualities as the means.
88. [218] When a bhikkhu is devoted to this recollection of the Dhamma,
he thinks: 'I never in the past met a master who taught a law that led
onward thus, who possessed this talent, nor do I now see any such a
master other than the Blessed One'. Seeing the Dhamma's special quali-
ties in this way, he is respectful and deferential towards the Master. He
entertains great reverence for the Dhamma and attains fullness of faith,
and so on. He has much happiness and gladness. He conquers fear and
dread. He is able to endure pain. He comes to feel as if he were living in
the Dhamma's presence. And his body, when the recollection of the
Dhamma's special qualities dwells in it, becomes as worthy of venera-
tion as a shrine room. His mind tends towards the realization of the
peerless Dhamma. When he encounters an opportunity for transgression,
he has vivid awareness of conscience and shame on recollecting the
well-regulatedness of the Dhamma. And if he penetrates no higher, he is
at least headed for a happy destiny.
Now when a man is truly wise,
His constant task will surely be
This recollection of the Dhamma
Blessed with such mighty potency.
This is the section dealing with the recollection of the Dhamma in
the detailed explanation.
[(3) RECOLLECTION OF THE SANGHA]
89. One who wants to develop the recollection of the Community should
go into solitary retreat and recollect the special qualities of the commu-
nity of noble ones as follows:
'The community of the Blessed One's disciples has entered on the
good way, the community of the Blessed One's disciples has entered on
the straight way, the community of the Blessed One's disciples has en-
tered on the true way, the community of the Blessed One's disciples has
entered on the proper way, that is to say, the four pairs of men, the eight
persons; this community of the Blessed One's disciples is fit for gifts, fit
for hospitality, fit for offerings, fit for reverential salutation, as an in-
comparable field of merit for the world' (A.iii,286).
90. Herein, entered on the good way (supatipanna) is thoroughly en-
tered on the way (sutthu patipanna). What is meant is that it has entered
on a way {patipanna) that is the right way (sammd-patipadd), the way
that is irreversible, the way that is in conformity [with truth], the way
that has no opposition, the way that is regulated by the Dhamma. They
hear (sunanti) attentively the Blessed One's instruction, thus they are his
disciples (savaka—lit. 'hearers'). The community of the disciples is the
community of those disciples. The meaning is that the total of disciples
forms a communality because it possesses in common both virtue and
[right] view. [219] That right way, being straight, unbent, uncrooked,
unwarped, is called noble and true and is known as proper owing to its
becomingness, therefore the noble community that has entered on that is
also said to have entered on the straight way, entered on the true way,
and entered on the proper way.
91. Those who stand on the path can be understood to have entered on
the good way since they possess the right way. And those who stand in
fruition can be understood to have entered on the good way with respect
to the way that is now past since by means of the right way they have
realized what should be realized.
92. Furthermore, the Community has entered on the good way because
it has entered on the way according as instructed in the well-proclaimed
Dhamma and Discipline (dhamma-vinaya), and because it has entered on
the immaculate way. It has entered on the straight way because it has
entered on the way avoiding the two extremes and taking the middle
course, and because it has entered on the way of the abandonment of the
faults of bodily and verbal crookedness, tortuousness and warpedness. It
has entered on the true way because nibbana is what is called 'true' and
it has entered on the way with that as its aim. It has entered on the
proper way because it has entered on the way of those who are worthy of
proper acts [of veneration].
93. The word yadidam ('that is to say') = ydni imdni. The four pairs of
men: taking them pairwise, the one who stands on the first path and the
one who stands in the first fruition as one pair, in this way there are four
pairs. The eight persons: taking them by persons, the one who stands on
the first path as one and the one who stands in the first fruition as one, in
this way there are eight persons. And there in the compound purisa-
puggala (persons) the words purisa and puggala have the same meaning,
but it is expressed in this way to suit differing susceptibility to teaching.
This community of the Blessed One's disciples: this community of
the Blessed One's disciples taken by pairs as the four pairs of men
(purisa) and individually as the eight persons (purisa-puggala).
94. As to fit for gifts, etc.: what should be brought (dnetva) and given
(hunitabba) is a gift (dhuna—lit. 'sacrifice'); the meaning is, what is to
be brought even from far away and donated to the virtuous. It is a term
for the four requisites. The Community is fit to receive that gift (sacri-
fice) because it makes it bear great fruit, thus it is 'fit for gifts' (dhuneyya).
95. Or alternatively, all kinds of property, even when the bringer comes
(agantva) from far away, can be given (hunitabba) here, thus the Com-
munity 'can be given to' (dhavaniya); or it is fit to be given to by Sakka
and others, thus it 'can be given to'. And the brahmans' fire is called 'to
be given (sacrificed) to' (dhavaniya\ for they believe that what is sacri-
ficed to it brings great fruit. [220] But if something is to be sacrificed to
for the sake of the great fruit brought by what is sacrificed to it, then
surely the Community should be sacrificed to; for what is sacrificed
(given) to the Community has great fruit, according as it is said:
'Were anyone to serve the fire
Out in the woods a hundred years,
And pay one moment's homage too
To men of self-development,
His homage would by far excel
His hundred years of sacrifice' (Dh. 107).
And the word dhavaniya ('to be sacrificed to'), which is used in the
schools,
37
is the same in meaning as this word dhuneyya ('fit for gifts')
used here. There is only the mere trifling difference of syllables. So it is
'fit for gifts'.
96. Fit for hospitality (pdhuneyya): 'hospitality' (pdhuna) is what a do-
nation to visitors is called, prepared with all honours for the sake of dear
and beloved relatives and friends who have come from all quarters. But
even more than to such objects of hospitality, it is fitting that it should be
given also to the Community; for there is no object of hospitality so fit to
receive hospitality as the Community since it is encountered after an
interval between Buddhas and possesses wholly endearing and lovable
qualities. So it is 'fit for hospitality' since the hospitality is fit to be
given to it and it is fit to receive it.
But those who take the text to be pdhavaniya ('fit to be given
hospitality to') have it that the Community is worthy to be placed first
and so what is to be given should first of all be brought here and given
(sabba-Pathamam A netvd ettha HUNItabbam), and for that reason it is
'fit to be given hospitality to' (pdhavaniya) or since it is worthy to be
given to in all aspects (sabba-Pakdrena A HAVANAm arahati), it is thus
'fit to be given hospitality to' (pdhavaniya). And here this is called
pdhuneyya in the same sense.
97. 'Offering' (dakkhina) is what a gift is called that is to be given out
of faith in the world to come. The Community is worthy of that offering,
or it is helpful to that offering because it purifies it by making it of great
fruit, thus it is fit for offerings (dakkhineyya).
It is worthy of being accorded by the whole world the reverential
salutation (ahjali-kamma) consisting in placing both hands [palms to-
gether] above the head, thus it is fit for reverential salutation
(ahjalikaranlya).
98. As an incomparable field of merit for the world: as a place without
equal in the world for growing merit; just as the place for growing the
king's or a minister's rice or corn is the king's rice-field or the king's
corn-field, so the Community is the place for growing the whole world's
merit. For the world's various kinds of merit leading to welfare and
happiness grow with the Community as their support. Therefore the
Community is 'an incomparable field of merit for the world'.
99. As long as he recollects the special qualities of the Sangha in this
way, classed as 'having entered on the good way', etc., [221] then: 'On
that occasion his mind is not obsessed by greed, or obsessed by hate, or
obsessed by delusion; his mind has rectitude on that occasion, being
inspired by the Sangha' (A.iii,286).
So when he has suppressed the hindrances in the way already de-
scribed (§66), the jhana factors arise in a single conscious moment. But
owing to the profundity of the Community's special qualities, or else
owing to his being occupied in recollecting special qualities of many
sorts, the jhana is only access and does not reach absorption. And that
access jhana itself is known as 'recollection of the Sangha' too because
it arises with the recollection of the Community's special qualities as the
means.
100. When a bhikkhu is devoted to this recollection of the Community,
he is respectful and deferential towards the Community. He attains
fullness of faith, and so on. He has much happiness and bliss. He con-
quers fear and dread. He is able to endure pain. He comes to feel as if he
were living in the Community's presence. And his body, when the recol-
lection of the Sangha's special qualities dwells in it, becomes as worthy
of veneration as an Uposatha house where the Community has met. His
mind tends towards the attainment of the Community's special qualities.
When he encounters an opportunity for transgression, he has awareness
of conscience and shame as vividly as if he were face to face with the
Community. And if he penetrates no higher, he is at least headed for a
happy destiny.
Now when a man is truly wise,
His constant task will surely be
This recollection of the Sangha
Blessed with such mighty potency.
This is the section dealing with the recollection of the Community
in the detailed explanation.
0 comments:
Post a Comment