THE PATH
OF PURIFICATION
(VISUDDHIMAGGA)
BY
BHADANTACARIYA BUDDHAGHOSA
Translated from the Pali
by
BHIKKHU NANAMOLI
FIFTH EDITION
BUDDHIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY
Kandy Sri Lanka
103. However, the meditation subject that is suitable to the temperament
has not been cleared up in all its aspects yet. This will become clear
automatically when those in the following list are treated in detail.
Now it was said above "and he should apprehend from among the
forty meditation subjects one that suits his own temperament' (§28).
Here the exposition of the meditation subject should be first understood
in these ten ways: (1) as to enumeration, (2) as to which bring only
access and which absorption, (3) at to the kinds of jhana, (4) as to sur-
mounting, (5) as to extension and non-extension, (6) as to object, (7) as
to plane, (8) as to apprehending, (9) as to condition, (10) as to suitability
to temperament.
104. 1. Herein, as to enumeration: it was said above 'from among the
forty meditation subjects' (§28). Herein, the forty meditation subjects
are these:
ten kasinas (totalities),
ten kinds of foulness,
ten recollections,
four divine abidings,
four immaterial states,
one perception,
one defining.
105. Herein, the ten kasinas are these: earth kasina, water kasina, fire
kasina, air kasina, blue kasina, yellow kasina, red kasina, white kasina,
light kasina, and limited-space kasina.
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The ten kinds of foulness are these: the bloated, the livid, the fester-
ing, the cut-up, the gnawed, the scattered, the hacked and scattered, the
bleeding, the worm-infested, and a skeleton.
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The ten kinds of recollection are these: recollection of thfe Buddha
(the Enlightened One), recollection of the Dhamma (the Law)> recollec-
tion of the Sangha (the Community), recollection of virtue, recollection
of generosity, recollection of deities, recollection (or mindfulness) of
death, mindfulness occupied with the body, mindfulness of breathing,
and recollection of peace. [Ill ]
The four divine abidings are these: lovingkindness, compassion, glad-
ness, and equanimity.
The four immaterial states are these: the base consisting of bound-
less space, the base consisting of boundless consciousness, the base con-
sisting of nothingness, and the base consisting of neither perception nor
non-perception.
The one perception is the perception of repulsiveness in nutriment.
The one defining is the defining of the four elements.
This is how the exposition should be understood *as to enumera-
tion'.
106. 2. As to which bring access only and which absorption: the eight
recollections—excepting mindfulness occupied with the body and mind-
fulness of breathing—, the perception of repulsiveness in nutriment, and
the defining of the four elements, are ten meditation subjects that bring
access only. The others bring absorption. This is 'as to which bring ac-
cess only and which absorption'.
107. 3. As to the kind ofjhana: among those that bring absorption, the
ten kasinas together with mindfulness of breathing bring all four jhanas.
The ten kinds of foulness together with mindfulness occupied with the
body bring the first jhana. The first three divine abidings bring three
jhanas. The fourth divine abiding and the four immaterial states bring the
fourth jhana. This is 'as to the kind of jhana'.
108. 4. As to surmounting: there are two kinds of surmounting, that is to
say, surmounting of factors and surmounting of object. Herein, there is
surmounting of factors in the case of all meditation subjects that bring
three and four jhanas because the second jhana, etc., have to be reached
in those same objects by surmounting the jhana factors of applied thought
and sustained thought, and so on. Likewise in the case of the fourth
divine abiding; for that has to be reached by surmounting joy in the same
object as that of lovingkindness, and so on. But in the case of the four
immaterial states there is surmounting of the object; for the base consist-
ing of boundless space has to be reached by surmounting one or other of
the first nine kasinas, and the base consisting of boundless conscious-
ness, etc., have respectively to be reached by surmounting space, and so
on. With the rest there is no surmounting. This is 'as to surmounting'.
109. 5. As to extension and non-extension: only the ten kasinas among
these forty meditation subjects need be extended. For it is within just so
much space as one is intent upon with the kasina that one can hear
sounds with the divine ear element, see visible objects with the divine
eye, and know the minds of other beings with the mind.
110. Mindfulness occupied with the body and the ten kinds of foulness
need not be extended. Why? Because they have a definite location and
because there is no benefit in it. The definiteness of their location will
become clear in explaining the method of development (Ch. VIII, §83-
138 and Ch. VI, §40,41, 79). If the latter are extended, it is only a quan-
tity of corpses that is extended [112] and there is no benefit. And this is
said in answer to the question of Sopaka: 'Perception of visible forms is
quite clear, Blessed One, perception of bones is not clear' (?); for here
the perception of visible forms is called 'quite clear' in the sense of ex-
tension of the sign, while the perception of bones is called 'not quite
clear' in the sense of its non-extension.
111. But the words 'I was intent upon this whole earth with the percep-
tion of a skeleton' (Thag.18) are said of the manner of appearance to one
who has acquired that perception. For just as in [the Emperor] Dham-
masoka's time the Karaviha bird uttered a sweet song when it saw its
own reflection in the looking glass walls all round and perceived Kara-
vikas in every direction,
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so the Elder [Sihgala Pitar] thought, when he
saw the sign appearing in all directions through his acquisition of the
perception of a skeleton, that the whole earth was covered with bones.
112. If that is so, then is what is called the measurelessness of the object
of jhana produced on foulness contradicted?
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It is not contradicted. For
one man apprehends the sign in a large bloated corpse or skeleton,
another in a small one. In this way the jhana of the one has a limited
object and of the other a measureless object. Or alternatively 'With a
measureless object' (Dhs. 182-84 in elision) is said of it referring to one
who extends it, seeing no disadvantage in doing so. But it need not be
extended because no benefit results.
113. The rest need not be extended likewise. Why? When a man extends
the sign of in-breaths and out-breaths, only a quantity of wind is ex-
tended, and it has a definite location, [the nose-tip]. So it need not be
extended because of the disadvantage and because of the definiteness of
the location. And the divine abidings have living beings as their object.
When a man extends the sign of these, only the quantity of living beings
would be extended, and there is no purpose in that. So that also need not
be extended.
114. When it is said 'Intent upon one quarter with his heart endued with
lovingkindness' (D.i,250), etc., that is said for the sake of comprehen-
sive inclusion. For it is when a man develops it progressively by includ-
ing living beings in one direction by one house, by two houses, etc., that
he is said to be 'intent upon one direction', [113] not when he extends
the sign. And there is no counterpart sign here that he might extend.
Also the state of having a limited or measureless object can be under-
stood here according to the way of inclusion, too.
US. As regards the immaterial states as object, space need not be ex-
tended since it is the mere removal of the kasina [materiality]; for that
should be brought to mind only as the disappearance of the kasina [materi-
ality]; if he extends it, nothing further happens. And consciousness need
not be extended since it is a state consisting in an individual essence, and
it is not possible to extend a state consisting in an individual essence.
The disappearance of consciousness need not be extended since it is
mere non-existence of consciousness. And the base consisting of neither
perception nor non-perception as object need not be extended since it too
is a state consisting in an individual essence.
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116. The rest need not be extended because they have no sign. For it is
the counterpart sign31
that would be extendable, and the object of the
recollection of the Buddha, etc., is not a counterpart sign. Consequently
there is no need for extension there.
This is 'as to extension and non-extension'.
117. 6. As to object: of these forty meditation subjects, twenty-two have
counterpart signs as object, that is to say, the ten kasinas, the ten kinds of
foulness, mindfulness of breathing, and mindfulness occupied with the
body; the rest do not have counterpart signs as object. Then twelve have
states consisting in individual essences as object, that is to say, eight of
the ten recollections— except mindfulness of breathing and mindfulness
occupied with the body—, the perception of repulsiveness in nutriment,
the defining of the elements, the base consisting of boundless conscious-
ness, and the base consisting of neither perception nor non-perception;
and twenty-two have [counterpart] signs as object, that is to say, the ten
kasinas, the ten kinds of foulness, mindfulness of breathing, and mind-
fulness occupied with the body; while the remaining six have 'not-so-
classifiable'
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objects. Then eight have mobile objects in the early stage
though the counterpart is stationary, that is to say, the festering, the
bleeding, the worm-infested, mindfulness of breathing, the water kasina,
the fire kasina, the air kasina, and in the case of the light kasina the
object consisting of a circle of sunlight, etc.; the rest have immobile
objects.
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This is 'as to object'.
118. 7. As to plane: here the twelve, namely, the ten kinds of foulness,
mindfulness occupied with the body, and perception of repulsiveness in
nutriment, do not occur among deities. These twelve and mindfulness of
breathing do not occur in the Brahma-world. But none except the four
immaterial states occur in the immaterial becoming. All occur among
human beings. This is 'as to plane'. [114]
119. 8. As to apprehending: here the exposition should be understood ac-
cording to sight, touch and hearsay. Herein, these nineteen, that is to say,
nine kasinas omitting the air kasina and the ten kinds of foulness, must
be apprehended by sight. The meaning is that in the early stage their sign
must be apprehended by constantly looking with the eye. In the case of
mindfulness occupied with the body the five parts ending with shin must
be apprehended by sight and the rest by hearsay, so its object must be
apprehended by sight and hearsay. Mindfulness of breathing must be
apprehended by touch; the air kasina by sight and touch; the remaining
eighteen by hearsay. The divine abiding of equanimity and the four
immaterial states are not apprehendable by a beginner; but the remaining
thirty-five are. This is 'as to apprehending'.
120. 9. As to condition: of these meditation subjects nine kasinas omit-
ting the space kasina are conditions for the immaterial states. The ten
kasinas are conditions for the kinds of direct-knowledge. Three divine
abidings are conditions for the fourth divine abiding. Each lower imma-
terial state is a condition for each higher one. The base consisting of
neither perception nor non-perception is a condition for the attainment of
cessation. All are conditions for living in bliss, for insight, and for the
fortunate kinds of becoming. This is 'as to condition'.
121. 10. As to suitability to temperament: here the exposition should be
understood according to what is suitable to the temperaments. That is to
say: first, the ten kinds of foulness and mindfulness occupied with the
body are eleven meditation subjects suitable for one of greedy tempera-
ment. The four divine abidings and four colour kasinas are eight suitable
for one of hating temperament. Mindfulness of breathing is the one [rec-
ollection as a] meditation subject suitable for one of deluded tempera-
ment and for one of speculative temperament. The first six recollections
are suitable for one of faithful temperament. Mindfulness of death, the
recollection of peace, the defining of the four elements, and the percep-
tion of repulsiveness in nutriment, are four suitable for one of intelligent
temperament. The remaining kasinas and the immaterial states are suit-
able for all kinds of temperament. And any one of the kasinas should be
limited for one of speculative temperament and measureless for one of
deluded temperament. This is how the exposition should be understood
here 'as to suitability to temperament*.
122. All this has been stated in the form of direct opposition and com-
plete suitability. But there is actually no profitable development that
does not suppress greed, etc., and help faith, and so on. And this is said
in the Meghiya Sutta: '[One] should, in addition,
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develop these four
things: foulness should be developed for the purpose of abandoning
greed (lust). Lovingkindness should be developed for the purpose of
abandoning ill will. [115] Mindfulness of breathing should be developed
for the purpose of cutting off applied thought. Perception of imperma-
nence should be cultivated for the purpose of eliminating the conceit "I
am" ' (A.iv,358). Also in the Rahula Sutta, in the passage beginning
'Develop lovingkindness, Rahula' (M.i,424), seven meditation subjects
are given for a single temperament. So instead of insisting on the mere
letter, the intention should be sought in each instance.
This is the explanatory exposition of the meditation subject referred
to by the words he should apprehend ... one [meditation subject (§28).
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