The Progress of Insight - Yellow Robe - A Real Buddhist's Journal · 2020-03-17 · The Progress of...

The Progress of InsightMonday, 06 April 2009 23:52

The Progress of Insight (Visuddhiñana-katha) A Modern Treatise on Buddhist Satipatthana Meditation by The Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw Translated from the Pali with Notes by Nyanaponika Thera Source: Transcribed from a file provided by the BPS. Third BPS edition 1994.

Copyright © 1994 Buddhist Publication Society Access to Insight edition © 1994 For free distribution. This work may be republished, reformatted, reprinted, and redistributed in any medium. It is the author's wish, however, that any such republication and redistribution be made available to the public on a free and unrestricted basis and that translations and other derivative works be clearly marked as such. *CAUTION* This is a major spoiler for the practice of Vipassana meditation, and youshould NOT read this if you are currently practicing or want to experience yourself. Reading thisis dangerous if you cannot control your mind well as it may delude you during your practice.This is the most thorough outline I have seen that details how one achieves Nibbana and realizethe Eightfold Noble’s Path.

Contents (Top) - Translator's Foreword - Introduction - I. Purification of Conduct (sila-visuddhi) - The Method of Insight in Brief

- II. Purification of Mind (citta-visuddhi) - III. Purification of View (ditthi-visuddhi) - 1. Analytical Knowledge of Body and Mind (nama-rupa-pariccheda-ñana)

- IV. Purification by Overcoming Doubt (kankha-vitarana-visuddhi) - 2. Knowledge by Discerning Conditionality (paccaya-pariggaha-ñana) - 3. Knowledge by Comprehension (sammasana-ñana) - 4. Knowledge of Arising and Passing Away (udayabbaya-ñana) in itsweak stage, involving the Ten Corruptions of Insight

- V. Purification by Knowledge and Vision of What Is Path and Not Path (maggamagga-ñanadassana-visuddhi) - VI. Purification by Knowledge and Vision of the Course of Practice (patipada-ñanadassana-visuddhi)

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(including mature Knowledge of Arising and Passing Away) - 5. Knowledge of Dissolution (bhanga-ñana) - 6. Awareness of Fearfulness (bhayatupatthana-ñana) - 7. Knowledge of Misery (adinava-ñana) - 8. Knowledge of Disgust (nibbida-ñana) - 9. Knowledge of Desire for Deliverance (muncitu-kamyata-ñana) - 10. Knowledge of Re-observation (patisankhanupassana-ñana) - 11. Knowledge of Equanimity about Formations (sankhar'upekkha-ñana) - 12. Insight Leading to emergence (vutthanagamini-vipassana-ñana) - 13. Knowledge of Adaptation (anuloma-ñana) - 14. Maturity Knowledge (gotrabhu-ñana)

- VII. Purification by Knowledge and Vision (ñanadassana-visuddhi) - 15. Path Knowledge (magga-ñana) - 16. Fruition Knowledge (phala-ñana) - 17. Knowledge of Reviewing (paccavekkhana-ñana) - 18. Attainment of Fruition (phalasamapatti) - 19. The Higher Paths and Fruitions

- Conclusion - Notes - The Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw

Translator's Foreword (Top)

To present to the reading public a treatise on Buddhist meditation needs no wordof apology today. In wide circles of the West, Buddhist meditation is no longerregarded as a matter of purely academic or exotic interest. Under the stress andcomplexity of modern life the need for mental and spiritual regeneration is now

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widely felt, and in the field of the mind's methodical development the value ofBuddhist meditation has been recognized and tested by many.

It is, in particular, the Buddha's Way of Mindfulness (satipatthana) that has beenfound invaluable because it is adaptable to, and beneficial in, widely differentconditions of life. The present treatise is based on this method of cultivatingmindfulness and awareness, which ultimately aims at the mind's final liberationfrom greed, hatred, and delusion.

The author of this treatise, the Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw (U SobhanaMahathera), is a Buddhist monk of contemporary Burma and an eminentmeditation master. A brief sketch of his life is included in this volume. The path ofmeditation described in these pages was, and still is, taught by him in hismeditation center called Thathana Yeiktha, in Rangoon, and is also set forth in hislectures and books in the Burmese language.

The framework of the treatise is provided by the classical "seven stages ofpurification" (satta-visuddhi), just as in Acariya Buddhaghosa's famous Visuddhimagga. Ongradually reaching these stages, various phases of insight knowledge (ñana)are developed, leading on to the stages of ultimate liberation. The approachfollowed is that of "bare insight" (sukkha-vipassana)where, by direct observation, one's own bodily and mental processes are seenwith increasing clarity as being impermanent, liable to suffering, and without a selfor soul. The meditational practice begins with a few selected subjects ofbody-contemplation, which are retained up to the very end of the road. With thegradually increasing strength of mindfulness and concentration the range widensand the vision deepens until the insight knowledges unfold themselves in dueorder, as a natural outcome of the practice. This approach to the ultimate goal ofBuddhist meditation is called bare insight

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because insight into the three characteristics of existence is made use ofexclusively here, dispensing with the prior development of full concentrativeabsorption (jhana).Nevertheless, and it hardly needs mention, here too a high degree of mentalconcentration is required for perseverance in the practice, for attaining to insightknowledge, and for reaping its fruits.

As stated in the treatise itself (p.5), it is not the author's purpose to give a detailedintroduction to the practice for the use of beginners. The foremost concern in thiswork is with a stage where, after diligent preliminary practice, the insightknowledges have begun to emerge, leading up to the highest crest of spiritualachievement, arahantship. Of the basic exercises, the treatise gives only a briefindication, at the beginning of Chapter I. Detailed instruction about these may begathered by the student from the author's Practical Insight Meditation or thetranslator's book The Heart of Buddhist Meditation.Also a knowledge of the Buddha's original "Discourse on the Foundations ofMindfulness" (Satipatthana Sutta) will be indispensable.

This treatise was first written in the Burmese language and later, in 1950, a Paliversion of it was composed by the author. As the treatise deals chiefly with theadvanced stages of the practice, it was originally not intended for publication.Handwritten or typed copies of the Burmese or Pali version were given only tothose who, with some measure of success, had concluded a strict course ofpractice at the meditation center. For the use of meditators from foreign countries,only a few cyclostyled sheets in English, briefly describing the phases of insightknowledge, were issued instead of the treatise itself. This was done to enable themeditator to identify his personal experience with one or other of the stagesdescribed, so that he might direct his further progress accordingly, without beingdiverted or misled by any secondary phenomena that may have appeared duringhis practice.

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In 1954 the Venerable Author agreed to a printed edition of the Pali version inBurmese script, and after this first publication he also permitted, at the translator'srequest, the issue of an English version. He had the great kindness to go carefullythrough the draft translation and the Notes, with the linguistic help of anexperienced Burmese lay meditator, U Pe Thin, who for many years had ablyserved as an interpreter for meditators from foreign countries. The translator'sgratitude is due to both his Venerable Meditation Master, the author, and to U PeThin.

— Nyanaponika Thera Forest Hermitage Kandy, Ceylon, On the Full-moon Day of June (Poson) 1965.

Introduction (Top) Homage to the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Fully Enlightened One Homage to Him, the Great Omniscient Sage, Who spread the net of rays of HisGood Law! These rays of His Good Law — His very message true — Long maythey shed their radiance o'er the world!

This treatise explains the progress of insight, 1 together with the correspondingstages of purification. 2 It has beenwritten in brief for the benefit of meditators who have obtained distinctive results intheir practice, so that they may more easily understand their experience. It ismeant for those who, in their practice of insight, have taken up as their mainsubject either the tactile bodily process of motion,3evident in the rising and falling movement of the abdomen,4or the tactile bodily process based on three of the primary elements of matter5evident in the sensation of touch (bodily impact). It is meant for those who, byattending to these exercises, have gained progressive insight as well into thewhole body-and-mind process arising at the six sense doors,

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6and have finally come to see the Dhamma, to attain to the Dhamma, tounderstand the Dhamma, to penetrate the Dhamma, who have passed beyonddoubt, freed themselves from uncertainty, obtained assurance, and achievedindependence of others in the Master's dispensation.7

I. Purification of Conduct (Top)

Purification of conduct means here, in the case of male and female devotees (upasakasand upasikas),the acceptance of the precepts, and the proper guarding and protecting of theirobservance — whether it be the Five Precepts, the Eight Uposatha Precepts, orthe Ten Precepts.8

In the case of bhikkhus, purification of conduct is the well-kept purity of thefourfold conduct incumbent upon monks, beginning with restraint according to thedisciplinary rules of bhikkhus, called the Patimokkha. Of that fourfold conduct, therestraint according to the Patimokkha rules is of first importance, because onlywhen that restraint is pure will one be able to accomplish the development ofmeditation. 9

The Method of Insight in Brief (Top)

There are two kinds of meditation development, tranquillity (samatha)and insight (vipassana).A person who, of these two, has first developed tranquillity, and after

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having established himself in either access concentration or fullconcentration,10subsequently contemplates the five groups of grasping,11is called a samatha-yanika,"one who has tranquillity as his vehicle."

As to his method of attaining insight, the Papañcasudani, commentingon the Dhammadayada Sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya, says: "Herein, acertain person first produces access concentration or full concentration;this is tranquillity. He then applies insight to that concentration and tothe mental states associated with it, seeing them as impermanent, etc.;this is insight." In the Visuddhimagga,too, it is said: "He whose vehicle is tranquillity should first emerge fromany fine-material or immaterial jhana, except the base consisting ofneither-perception-nor-non-perception, and he should then discern,according to characteristic, function, etc., the jhana factors consisting ofapplied thought, etc., and the mental states associated with them" (Path of Purification,XVIII,3).

He, however, who has neither produced access concentration nor fullconcentration, but from the very start applies insight to the five groupsof grasping, is called suddha-vipassana-yanika, 12 "one who has pureinsight as his vehicle." As to his method of attaining insight it is said inthe same Commentary to the Dhammadayada Sutta: "There is anotherperson, who even without having produced the aforesaid tranquillity,

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applies insight to the five groups of grasping, seeing them asimpermanent, etc." In the Visuddhimagga,too, it is said thus: "One who has pure insight as his vehiclecontemplates the four elements."

In the Susima-paribbajaka Sutta of the Nidanavagga Samyutta, too, it issaid by the Buddha: "First arises the knowledge comprehending theactual happening of things (dhammatthiti-ñana) and afterwards arisesthe knowledge realizing Nibbana (nibbane ñana)."

When purification of conduct has been established, the meditator whohas chosen pure insight as his vehicle should endeavor to contemplatethe body-and-mind (nama-rupa). In doing so, he should contemplate,according to their characteristics, 13the five groups of grasping, that is, the bodily and mental processes thatbecome evident to him in his own life-continuity (at his own six sensedoors).14

Insight must, in fact, be developed by noticing, 15 according to theirspecific and general characteristics,16the bodily and mental processes that become evident at the six sensedoors. At the beginning, however, it is difficult to follow and to noticeclearly all bodily and mental processes that incessantly appear at thesix sense doors. Therefore the meditator who is a beginner should first

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notice the perfectly distinct process of touch, perceived through thedoor of bodily sensitivity; because the Visuddhimaggasays that in insight meditation one should take up what is distinct. Whensitting, there occurs the bodily process of touch by way of the sittingposture and through touch sensitivity in the body. These processes oftactile sensitivity should be noticed as "Sitting _ touching _," and soforth, in due succession. Further, at the seated meditator's abdomen,the tactile process of bodily motion (that is, the wind, or vibratory,element) which has breathing as its condition, is perceptiblecontinuously as the rise (expansion) and fall (contraction) of theabdomen. That too should be noticed as "rising, falling," and so forth.While the meditator is thus engaged in noticing the element of motionwhich impinges continuously on the door of bodily sensitivity in theabdomen, it becomes evident to him in its aspects of stiffening, ofvibrating, and of pushing and pulling. Here, the aspect of stiffeningshows the motion element's characteristic natureof supporting; the aspect of vibrating shows its essential functionof movement; and the aspect of pushing and pulling shows its manifestationof impelling.17

Hence the meditator, noticing the tactile bodily process of rise and fall ofthe abdomen, accomplishes the observation of the bodily process (rupa), bygetting to know the characteristic nature, etc., of the element of motion.Later when he has accomplished the observation of mind (nama)and the observation of both

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body and mind(nama-rupa),he will also come to know the generalcharacteristics of the processes concerned — their impermanence,liability to suffering, and their being void of a self.

But while he is engaged in just noticing the rising and falling of theabdomen and other tactile processes, there will appear thoughts ofdesire, etc., feelings of pleasure, etc., or acts such as adjusting variousparts of the body. At that time, these activities (of mind and body) mustbe noticed, too. After noticing them, he should turn again to thecontinuous noticing of the tactile process of the rising and falling of theabdomen, which is the basic object of mindfulness in this practice.

This is a brief sketch of the methodical practice of insight. It is not theplace here to treat it in detail, because this is a brief essay on theprogress of insight through the stages of purification; it is not a treatiseexplaining in detail the methodical practice of insight.

II. The Purification of Mind (Top)

During the early part of the methodical practice, as long as themeditator's mind is not yet fully purified, wandering thoughts arisen byhis thinking of objects of sense desire, etc., will also appearintermittently between thoughts of noticing (the objects of meditation).Sometimes the beginning meditator will perceive occurrence (of these

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interruptions) and sometimes he will not. But even if he perceives them,it will be only after a short time has elapsed after their appearance. Forthen the momentary concentration of his mind is still very tender andweak. So these wandering thoughts continue to hinder his mind while itis occupied in developing the practice of noticing. Hence, thesewandering thoughts are called "hindering thoughts."

When, however, the momentary concentration of his mind has becomestrong, the thought process of noticing becomes well concentrated.Hence, when attending to the objects to be noticed — the abdominalmovement, sitting, touching, bending, stretching, seeing, hearing, etc.— his noticing thoughts now appear as if falling upon these objects, asif striking at them, as if confronting them again and again. Then, as arule, his mind will no longer go elsewhere. Only occasionally, and in aslight degree, will this happen, and even in those cases he will be ableto notice any such stray thought at its very arising, as expressed incommon speech; or, to be exact, he will notice the stray thoughtimmediately after its actual arising. Then that stray thought will subsideas soon as it is noticed and will not arise again. Immediately afterwardshe will also be able to resume continuous noticing of any object as itbecomes evident to him. That is why his mind at that time is called"unhindered."

While the meditator is thus practicing the exercise of noticing withunhindered mind, the noticing mind will close in upon and fix onwhatever object is being noticed, and the act of noticing will proceedwithout break. At that time there arises in him in uninterruptedsuccession "the concentration of mind lasting for a moment," directed toeach object noticed. This is called purification of mind. 18

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Though that concentration has only momentary duration, its power ofresistance to being overwhelmed by opposition corresponds to that ofaccess concentration.

In the Commentary to the Visuddhimagga, in the explanation of thechapter relating to mindfulness of breathing, it is said thus: "'Momentary unification of mind' means the concentration of mind lastingonly for a moment. For that (type of concentration), too, when it occursuninterruptedly with its respective object in a single mode and is notovercome by opposition, fixes the mind immovably, as if in absorption."

"It occurs uninterruptedly with its respective object" refers to theuninterrupted continuity of the thoughts engaged in noticing; afternoticing one object, one attends, in the same manner, to another thatfollows immediately; 19 again, having noticed that object, one turns tothe next one, and so on.

"In a single mode" means: though the objects to be noticed, as theypresent themselves, are numerous and varied, yet the force ofconcentration of the mind uninterruptedly engaged in noticing remainsvirtually on the same level. For what is meant here is: just as the firstobject was noticed with a certain degree of concentration, so thesecond, third, and other subsequent objects are noticed in each casewith the same degree of concentration.

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"Is not overcome by opposition": this means that the momentaryconcentration in its uninterrupted flow is not overwhelmed by the mentalhindrances. 20

"As if in absorption": this means that the strength of the momentaryconcentration is similar to that of concentration which has reached fullmental absorption. However, such similarity of momentaryconcentration with fully absorbed concentration will become evident(only) when the methodical practice of insight reaches its culmination. 21

But is it not said in the Commentaries that the term "purification of mind"applies only to access concentration and fully absorbed concentration?That is true; but one has to take this statement in the sense thatmomentary concentration is included in access concentration. For in theCommentary to the Satipatthana Sutta it is said: "The remaining twelveexercises are subjects of meditation leading only to AccessConcentration." 22 Now, in the case of the subjects dealt with in thesections of the Satipatthana Sutta on postures, clear comprehensionand elements, the concentration of one who devotes himself to theseexercises will be definitely only momentary concentration. But as thelatter is able to suppress the hindrances just as access concentrationdoes, 23 and since it is the neighbourhood of thenoble-path attainment concentration, 24therefore that same momentary concentration is spoken of by the nameof "access" (or "neighbourhood") and also the meditation subjects thatproduce that momentary concentration are called "meditation subjectsleading to access concentration." Hence it should be understood thatmomentary concentration, having the capacity to suppress thehindrances, has also the right to the name "access" and "purification of

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mind." Otherwise purification of mind could not come about in one whohas made bare insight his vehicle by employing only insight, withouthaving produced either access concentration or fully absorbedconcentration.

III. Purification of View (Top) 1. Analytical Knowledge of Body and Mind (Top)

Endowed with purification of mind and continuing the practice ofnoticing, the meditator now comes to know body-and-mindanalytically as follows: "The rising (upward movement) of theabdomen is one process; the falling (downward movement) isanother; sitting is another; touching is another," etc. In this wayhe comes to know how to distinguish each bodily process thathe notices. Further he realizes: "The knowing of the risingmovement is one process; the knowing of the falling movementis another." In that way he comes to know each mental act ofnoticing. Further he realizes: "The rising movement is oneprocess; the knowing of it is another. The falling movement isone process; the knowing of it is another," and so on. In thatway he comes to know how to distinguish each bodily andmental process. All that knowledge comes from simply noticing,not from reasoning; that is to say, it is knowledge by directexperience arrived at by the mere act of noticing, and notknowledge derived from ratiocination.

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Thus, when seeing a visual object with the eye, the meditatorknows how to distinguish each single factor involved: "The eyeis one; the visual object is another; seeing is another, andknowing it is another." The same manner applies in the case ofthe other sense functions.

For at the time, in each act of noticing, the meditator comes toknow analytically the mental processes of noticing, and those ofthinking and reflecting, knowing them for himself through directknowledge by his experience thus: "They have the nature ofgoing towards an object, inclining towards an object, cognizingan object." On the other hand, he knows analytically thematerial processes going on in the whole body — which arehere described as "the rising and falling movements of theabdomen," "sitting," etc., knowing them thus: "These have notthe nature of going or inclining towards an object, or ofcognizing an object." Such knowing is called "knowing matter(or the body) by its manifestation of non-determining." For it issaid in the Mula-Tika,the "Principal Sub-commentary" to the Abhidhamma Vibhanga:"In other words, 'non-determining' (as in the passage quoted)should be understood as having no faculty of cognizing anobject."

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Such knowledge as this, which analyzes in each act of noticingboth the bodily process noticed and the mental processengaged in noticing, according to their true essential nature, iscalled "analytical knowledge of body and mind."

When that knowledge has come to maturity, the meditatorunderstands thus: "At the moment of breathing in, there is justthe rising movement of the abdomen and the knowing of themovement, but there is no self besides; at the moment ofbreathing out, there is just the falling movement of the abdomenand the knowing of the movement, but there is no self besides."Understanding it thus in these and other instances, he knowsand sees for himself by noticing thus: "There is here only thatpair: a material process as object, and a mental process ofknowing it; and it is to that pair alone that the terms ofconventional usage 'being,' 'person' or 'soul,' 'I' or 'another,''man' or 'woman' refer. But apart from that dual process there isno separate person or being, I or another, man or woman."

This is called purification of view.

IV. Purification by Overcoming Doubt (Top) 2. Knowledge by Discerning Conditionality

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When purification of view has come to maturity, theconditions necessary for the bodily and mental processesobserved will also become evident. Firstly, theconsciousness that is the condition of the (respective)bodily process will be evident. How? For instance, whenbending the arms or legs, the consciousness intending tobend these limbs is evident. So the meditator first noticesthat consciousness, and next he notices the act ofbending, and so on. Then he understands by directexperience: "When there is consciousness intending tobend a limb, the bodily process of bending arises; whenthere is consciousness intending to stretch a limb, thebodily process of stretching arises." And in the same wayhe understands other instances too by direct experience.

Again, he also understands by direct experience thecondition for the mental process, in the following manner:"In the case of consciousness desirous of running off thetrack, there arises first a corresponding consciousnessgiving initial attention (to the distracting object). If thatconsciousness is not noticed (with mindfulness), then

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there arises a consciousness that runs off the track. But ifthe consciousness of initial attention to the distractingobject is noticed and known, no stray thought will arise. Itis similar in the case of other (types of consciousness, forinstance when taking delight or being angry, greedy,etc.). When both the sense door of the eye and a visualobject are present, there arises visual consciousness;otherwise visual consciousness will not arise; and so it isin the case of the other sense doors. If there is anoticeable or recognizable object, then there arisesconsciousness engaged in noticing or thinking orreasoning or understanding, as the case may be;otherwise no such consciousness arises. Similarly heunderstands what occurs in every other instance (ofmind-door cognition).

At that time, the meditator will generally experience manydifferent painful feelings arising in his body. Now, whileone of these feelings is being noticed (but withoutconcern), another feeling will arise elsewhere; and whilethat is being noticed, again another will appearelsewhere. Thus the meditator follows each feeling as itarises and notices it. But though he is engaged innoticing these feelings as they arise, he will only perceivetheir initial phase of "arising" and not their final phase of

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"dissolution."

Also many mental images of various shapes will thenappear. The shape of a dagoba, a monk, a man, ahouse, a tree, a park, a heavenly mansion, a cloud, andmany other such images will appear. Here, too, while themeditator is still engaged in noticing one of these mentalimages, another will show itself; while still noticing that,yet another will appear. Following thus the mental imagesas they arise, he goes on noticing them. But though he isengaged in noticing them, he will perceive only their initialphase, not the final phase.

He now understands: "Consciousness arises inaccordance with each object that becomes evident. Ifthere is an object, there arises consciousness; if there isno object, no consciousness arises."

Between sequences of noticing he also, by consideringinferentially, comes to know thus: "It is due to thepresence of such causes and conditions as ignorance,

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craving, kamma, etc., that body-and-mind continue."

Such discernment through direct experience and throughinference as described, when noticing body-and-mindwith their conditions, is called "knowledge of discerningconditionality."

When that knowledge has come to maturity, themeditator perceives only body-and-mind processesoccurring in strict accordance with their particular andappropriate conditions and he comes to the conclusion:"Here is only a conditioning body-and-mind process anda conditioned body-and-mind process. Apart from these,there is no person who performs the bending of the limbs,etc., or who experiences feelings of pain, etc."

This is called purification (of insight) by overcomingdoubt.

3. Knowledge of Comprehension (Top)

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When this "purification (of insight) by overcomingdoubt" has reached maturity, the meditator willdiscern distinctly the initial, middle, and final phasesof any object noticed by him. Then, in the case ofvarious objects noticed, he will discern distinctly thatonly after each earlier process has ceased, doesthere arise a subsequent process. For instance,only when the rising movement of the abdomen hascome to an end, does there arise the fallingmovement; only when that has ended, is there againa rising movement. So also in the case of walking:only when the lifting of the foot has come to an end,does there arise the carrying forward of the foot;only when that has been completed, does therefollow the placing of the foot on the ground.

In the case of painful feelings, only after each singlefeeling occurring at its particular place has ceased,will another new feeling arise at another place. Onnoticing the respective painful feeling repeatedly,twice, thrice or more, the meditator will see that it

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gradually grows less, and at last ceases entirely.

In the case of the variously shaped images thatenter the mind's field, it is only after each singleimage noticed has vanished, that another newobject will come into the mind's focus. On noticingthem attentively twice, thrice or more, he will seewell that these mental objects which are beingnoticed move from one place to another, or theybecome gradually smaller and less distinct, until atlast they disappear entirely. The meditator,however, does not perceive anything that ispermanent and lasting, or free from destruction anddisappearance.

Seeing how each object, even while being noticed,comes to destruction and disappearance, themeditator comprehends it as impermanent in thesense of undergoing destruction. He furthercomprehends it as suffering

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(painful) in the sense of breaking up after eacharising. Having seen how various painful feelingsarise in continuous succession — how if one painfulfeeling ceases, another arises, and when that hasceased, again another arises — having seen that,he comprehends the respective objects as just aconglomeration of suffering. Further, hecomprehends the object as consisting of mere impersonalphenomena without a master, in the sense of notarising of (or by) themselves, but arising subject toconditions and then breaking up.

This comprehension of an object noticed, as beingimpermanent, painful, and without a self(impersonal), through knowing its nature ofimpermanency, etc., by means of simply noticing,without reflecting and reasoning, is called"knowledge by comprehension through directexperience."

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Having thus seen the three characteristics once orseveral times by direct experience, the meditator, byinference from the direct experience of thoseobjects noticed, comprehends all bodily and mentalprocesses of the past, present, and future, and thewhole world, by coming to the conclusion: "They,too, are in the same way impermanent, painful, andwithout a self." This is called "knowledge ofcomprehension by inference."

Alluding to this very knowledge, it is said in the Patisambhidamagga:"Whatever there is of materiality, past, present orfuture, internal or external, coarse or fine, inferior orsuperior, far or near, all materiality he defines asimpermanent. That is one kind of comprehension,"and so on.

Also in the Commentary to the Kathavatthu it issaid: "Even if the impermanence of only a singleformation (conditioned phenomenon) is known,

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there may be consideration of the rest by inductionthus: 'All formations are impermanent.' "

The words "All formations are impermanent" refer toan understanding by induction, and not to anunderstanding by perceiving a (co-present) object atthe same moment. (This passage is the authority forthe usage of the term "inductive insight.")

Also in the Commentary to the Majjhima Nikaya25it is said: "Because in the case of the realm ofneither-perception-nor-non-perception, the insightinto the sequence of mental factors belongs to theBuddhas alone and not to the disciples, he (theBuddha) said thus thereby indicating the insight bygroups._" (This passage is the authority for theusage of the term "comprehension by groups.")26

4. Knowledge of Arising and PassingAway: (Top)

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The Ten Corruptions of Insight27

When the meditator, in the exercise of noticing,is able to keep exclusively to the presentbody-and-mind process, without looking back topast processes or ahead to future ones, then,as a result of insight, (the mental vision of) a brilliant lightwill appear to him. To one it will appear like thelight of a lamp, to others like a flash of lightning,or like the radiance of the moon or the sun, andso on. With one it may last for just one moment,with others it may last longer.

There will also arise in him strong mindfulnesspertaining to insight. As a result, all thesuccessive arisings of bodily and mentalprocesses will present themselves to theconsciousness engaged in noticing, as if

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coming to it of themselves; and mindfulness tooseems as if alighting on the processes of itself.Therefore the meditator then believes: "There isno body-and-mind process in whichmindfulness fails to engage."

His knowledge consisting in insight, here called"noticing," will be likewise keen, strong, andlucid. Consequently, he will discern clearly andin separate forms all the bodily and mentalprocesses noticed, as if cutting to pieces abamboo sprout with a well-sharpened knife.Therefore the meditator then believes: "There isno body-and-mind process that cannot benoticed." When examining the characteristics ofimpermanence, etc., or other aspects of reality,he understands everything quite clearly and atonce, and he believes it to be the knowledgederived from direct experience.

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Further, strong faith pertaining to insight arisesin him. Under its influence, the meditator'smind, when engaged in noticing or thinking, isserene and without any disturbance; and whenhe is engaged in recollecting the virtues of theBuddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha, hismind quite easily gives itself over to them.There arise in him the wish to proclaim theBuddha's Teaching, joyous confidence in thevirtues of those engaged in meditation, thedesire to advise dear friends and relatives topractice meditation, grateful remembrance ofthe help received from his meditation master,his spiritual mentor, etc. These and many othersimilar mental processes will occur.

There arises also rapture in its five grades,beginning with minor rapture.28When purification of mind is gained, that rapturebegins to appear by causing "goose-flesh,"

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tremor in the limbs, etc.; and now it produces asublime feeling of happiness and exhilaration,filling the whole body with an exceedingly sweetand subtle thrill. Under its influence, he feels asif the whole body had risen up and remained inthe air without touching the ground, or as if itwere seated on an air cushion, or as if it werefloating up and down.

There arises tranquillity of mind with thecharacteristic of quietening the disturbances ofconsciousness and its mental concomitants;and along with it appear mental agility, etc.29When walking, standing, sitting, or recliningthere is, under the influence of these mentalqualities, no disturbance of consciousness andits mental concomitants, nor heaviness, rigidity,unwieldiness, sickness, or crookedness.30Rather, his consciousness and its mental

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concomitants are tranquil through havingreached the supreme relief in non-action.31They are agile in always functioning swiftly;they are pliant in being able to attend to anyobject desired; they are wieldy, in being able toattend to an object for any length of timedesired; they are quite lucid through theirproficiency, that is, through the ease with whichinsight penetrates the object; they are alsostraight through being directed, inclined, andturned only towards wholesome activities.

There also arises a very sublime feeling of happinesssuffusing all his body. Under its influence hebecomes exceedingly joyous and he believes:"Now I am happy all the time," or "Now, indeed,I have found happiness never felt before," andhe wants to tell others of his extraordinaryexperience. With reference to that rapture and

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happiness, which are aided by the factors oftranquillity, etc., it was said:

Superhuman is the bliss of a monkWho, with mind at peace, Having entered asecluded place, Wins insight into Dhamma.When he fully comprehends The five groups'rise and fall, He wins to rapture and to joy — The Deathless this, for those who understand.

Dhammapada vv. 373-374

There arises in him energy that is neither toolax nor too tense but is vigorous and actsevenly. For formerly his energy was sometimeslax, and so he was overpowered by sloth andtorpor; hence he could not notice keenly andcontinuously the objects as they becameevident, and his understanding, too, was notclear. And at other times his energy was too

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tense, and so he was overpowered by agitation,with the same result of being unable to noticekeenly, etc. But now his energy is neither toolax nor too tense, but is vigorous and actsevenly; and so, overcoming these shortcomingsof sloth, torpor, and agitation, he is able tonotice the objects present keenly andcontinuously, and his understanding is quiteclear, too.

There also arises in him strong equanimityassociated with insight, which is neutral towardsall formations. Under its influence he regardswith neutrality even his examination of thenature of these formations with respect to theirbeing impermanent, etc.; and he is able tonotice keenly and continuously the bodily andmental processes arising at the time. Then hisactivity of noticing is carried on without effort,and proceeds, as it were, of itself. Also inadverting to the objects, there arises in him

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strong equanimity, by virtue of which his mindenters, as it were, quickly into the objects ofadvertence.32

There arises further a subtle attachment of acalm nature that enjoys the insight graced withthe "brilliant light" and the other qualities heredescribed. The meditator, however, is not ableto discern it as a corruption but believes it to bejust the very bliss of meditation. So meditatorsspeak in praise of it thus: "Only now do I find fulldelight in meditation!"

Having felt such rapture and happinessaccompanied by the "brilliant light" and enjoyingthe very act of perfect noticing, which is ablyfunctioning with ease and rapidity, the meditatornow believes: "Surely I must have attained to

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the supramundane path and fruition!33 Now Ihave finished the task of meditation." This ismistaking what is not the path for the path, andit is a corruption of insight which usually takesplace in the manner just described. But even ifthe meditator does not take the "brilliant light"and the other corruptions as an indication of thepath and fruition, still he feels delight in them.This is likewise a corruption of insight.Therefore, the knowledge consisting in noticing,even if quick in its functioning, is called "theearly stage of (or 'weak') knowledge of arisingand passing away," if it is beset and corruptedby those corruptions. For the same reason themeditator is at that time not in a position todiscern quite distinctly the arising and passingaway of bodily and mental processes.

V. Purification by Knowledge andVision (Top)

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of What is Path and Not-path

While engaged in noticing, the meditatoreither by himself or through instructionsfrom someone else, comes to thisdecision: "The brilliant light, and theother things experienced by me, are notthe path. Delight in them is merely acorruption of insight. The practice ofcontinuously noticing the object as itbecomes evident — that alone is theway of insight. I must go on with just thework of noticing." This decision is calledpurification by knowledge and vision ofwhat is path and not-path.

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VI. Purification by Knowledgeand Vision (Top) of the Course of Practice

After noticing these manifestationsof brilliant light and the others, orafter leaving them unheeded, hegoes on continuously as before withthe act of noticing the bodily andmental processes as they becomeevident at the six sense doors.While thus engaged in noticing, hegets over the corruptions relating tobrilliant light, rapture, tranquillity,happiness, attachment, etc., and

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his knowledge remains concernedexclusively with the arising andpassing away of the processesnoticed. For then, at each act ofnoticing, he sees: "The noticedobject, having arisen, disappearsinstantly." It also becomes clear tohim that each object disappearsjust where it arises; it does notmove on to another place.

In that way he understands bydirect experience how bodily andmental processes arise and breakup from moment to moment. It is

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such knowledge and understandingresulting from the continuousnoticing of bodily and mentalprocesses as they arise anddissolve moment after moment, andthe discernment, in separatesections, of the arising and passingaway of each of them, while beingfree from the corruptions, that iscalled "final knowledge ofcontemplation of arising andpassing away." This is thebeginning of "purification byknowledge and vision of the courseof practice," which starts from thisinsight and extends to adaptationknowledge (No.13).

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5. Knowledge of Dissolution (Top)

Noticing the bodily and mentalprocesses as they arise, he seesthem part by part, link by link,piece by piece, fraction byfraction: "Just now it arises, justnow it dissolves." When thatknowledge of arising and passingaway becomes mature, keen andstrong, it will arise easily andproceed uninterruptedly as ifborne onward of itself; also the

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bodily and mental processes willbe easily discernible. When keenknowledge thus carries on andformations are easily discernible,then neither the arising of eachbodily and mental process, nor itsmiddle phase called "presence,"nor the continuity of bodily andmental processes called"occurrence as unbroken flux" isapparent to him; nor are theshape of the hand, the foot, theface, the body, and so on,apparent to him. But what isapparent to him is only the ceasing of

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bodily and mental processes,called "vanishing," or "passingaway," or "dissolution."

For instance, while noticing therising movement of the abdomen,neither its initial nor middle phaseis apparent, but only the ceasingor vanishing, which is called thefinal phase, is apparent; and so itis also with the falling movementof the abdomen. Again, in thecase of bending an arm or leg,while noticing the act of bending,

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neither the initial nor the middlephase of bending is apparent, noris the form of the limb apparent,but only the final phase ofceasing and vanishing isapparent. It is similar in the othercases of stretching a limb, and soon.

For at that time each object thatis being noticed seems to him tobe entirely absent or to havebecome non-existent.Consequently, at this stage of

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knowledge, it seems to him as ifhe were engaged in noticingsomething which has alreadybecome absent or non-existentby having vanished; and theconsciousness engaged innoticing appears to have lostcontact with the object that isbeing noticed. It is for that reasonthat a meditator may here think: "Ihave lost the insight"; but heshould not think so.

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normally took delight inconceptual objects of shapes,etc.;34 and even up to theknowledge of arising and passingaway, the idea of formations withtheir specific features 35was always apparent to him.Hence his mind took delight in aplainly distinguishable objectconsisting of formations, with itsparticular structure36and its particular feature-idea. Butnow that his knowledge hasdeveloped in the way described,no such idea of the formations'

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features or structure appears tohim, still less any other, cruderconcept. At such a stage, the arisingof formations, that is, the firstphase of the process, is notapparent (as it is in the case ofknowledge of arising and passingaway), but there is apparent onlythe dissolution, that is, the finalphase, having the nature ofvanishing. Therefore themeditator's mind does not takedelight in it at first, but he may besure that soon, after becomingfamiliar (with that stage of the

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practice), his mind will delight inthe cessation (of the phenomena)too, which is called theirdissolution. With this assurancehe should again turn to thepractice of continuous noticing.

When thus engaged, heperceives that in each act ofnoticing there are always presenttwo factors, an objective factorand a subjective one — theobject noticed and the mentalstate of knowing it — which

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dissolve and vanish by pairs, onepair after the other. For in eachsingle instance of a risingmovement of the abdomen, thereare, in fact, numerous physicalprocesses constituting the risingmovement, which are seen todissolve serially. It is like seeingthe continuous successivevanishing of a summer miragemoment by moment; or it is likethe quick and continuous burstingof bubbles produced in a heavyshower by thick rain drops fallingon a water surface; or it is like thequick, successive extinction of

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oil-lamps or candles, blown outby the wind, as these lights arebeing offered at a shrine bydevotees. Similar to that appearsthe dissolving and vanishing,moment by moment, of the bodilyprocesses noticed. And thedissolution of consciousnessnoticing those bodily processes isapparent to him along with thedissolution of the bodilyprocesses. Also while he isnoticing other bodily and mentalprocesses, their dissolution, too,will be apparent to him in thesame manner. Consequently, the

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knowledge will come to him thatwhatever part of the whole bodyis noticed, that object ceases first,and after it the consciousnessengaged in noticing that objectfollows in its wake. From that themeditator will understand veryclearly in the case of eachsuccessive pair the dissolution ofany object whatsoever and thedissolution of the consciousnessnoticing that very object. (Itshould be borne in mind that thisrefers only to understandingarrived at through directexperience by one engaged in

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noticing only; it is not an opinionderived from mere reasoning.)

It is the perfectly clearunderstanding of the dissolutionof the two things, pair by pair —that is, (1) of the visual or otherobject appearing at any of the sixsense doors, and (2) of theconsciousness noticing that veryobject — that is called"knowledge of dissolution."

6. Awareness of 50 / 386


Fearfulness (Top)

When that knowledge ofdissolution is mature, there willgradually arise, just by seeingthe dissolution of allobject-and-subject-formations,awareness of fearfulness37and other (higher) knowledges,together with their respectiveaspects of fear, and so on.38

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Having seen how thedissolution of two things — thatis, any object noticed and theinsight-thought engaged innoticing it — takes placemoment by moment, themeditator also understands byinference that in the past, too,every conditioned thing(formation) has broken up in thesame way, that just so it willbreak up also in the future, andthat at the present it breaks up,

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too. And just at the time ofnoticing any formations that areevident, these formations willappear to him in their aspect offearfulness. Therefore, duringthe very act of noticing, themeditator will also come tounderstand: "These formationsare indeed fearful."

Such understanding of theirfearfulness is called"knowledge of the awareness of

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fearfulness"; it has also thename "knowledge of fear." Atthat time, his mind itself isgripped by fear and seemshelpless.

7. Knowledge of Misery (Top)

When he has realized thefearfulness (of the formations)through the knowledge of

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fear, and keeps on noticingcontinuously, then the"knowledge of misery" willarise in him before long.When it has arisen, allformations everywhere —whether among the objectsnoticed, or among the statesof consciousness engaged innoticing, or in any kind of lifeor existence that is brought tomind — will appear insipid,without a vitalizing factor,39and unsatisfying. So he sees,

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at that time, only suffering,only unsatisfactoriness, onlymisery. Therefore this state iscalled "knowledge of misery."

8. Knowledge ofDisgust (Top)

Seeing thus the misery inconditioned things(formations), his mind findsno delight in those miserable

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things but is entirelydisgusted with them. Attimes, his mind becomes, asit were, discontented andlistless. Even so he does notgive up the practice ofinsight, but spends his timecontinuously engaging in it.He therefore should knowthat this state of mind is notdissatisfaction withmeditation, but is preciselythe "knowledge of disgust"

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that has the aspect of beingdisgusted with theformations. Even if hedirects his thought to thehappiest sort of life andexistence, or to the mostpleasant and desirableobjects, his mind will nottake delight in them, will findno satisfaction in them. Onthe contrary, his mind willincline and lean and tendonly towards Nibbana.

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Therefore the followingthought will arise in himbetween moments ofnoticing: "The ceasing of allformations that aredissolving from moment tomoment — that alone ishappiness."

9. Knowledge ofDesire for Deliverance (Top)

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When through thisknowledge (now acquired)he feels disgust withregard to every formationnoticed, there will arise inhim a desire to forsakethese formations or tobecome delivered fromthem. The knowledgerelating to that desire is

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called "knowledge of desirefor deliverance." At thattime, usually variouspainful feelings arise in hisbody, and also anunwillingness to remainlong in one particularbodily posture. Even ifthese states do not arise,the comfortless nature ofthe formations will becomemore evident than ever.And due to that, between

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moments of noticing, hefeels a longing thus: "Oh,may I soon get free fromthat! Oh, may I reach thestate where theseformations cease! Oh, mayI be able to give up theseformations completely!" Atthis juncture, hisconsciousness engaged innoticing seems to shrinkfrom the object noticed ateach moment of noticing,

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and wishes to escape fromit.

10. Knowledge ofRe-observation

(Top)

Being thus desirous ofescaping from the

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formations, the meditatormakes stronger effort andcontinues the practice ofnoticing these veryformations with the singlepurpose of forsaking themand escaping from them.For that reason, theknowledge arising at thattime is called "knowledgeof re-observation." Theterm "re-observation" has

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the same meaning as"re-noticing" or"re-contemplation." Thenthe nature (orcharacteristics) of theformations — their beingimpermanent, suffering,and without a self — willbe clearly evident to him;and among these three,the aspect of suffering willbe particularly distinct.

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At this stage, too, therewill usually arise in hisbody various kinds ofpains which are severe,sharp, and of growingintensity. Hence his wholebodily and mental systemwill seem to him like anunbearable mass ofsickness or a

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conglomeration ofsuffering. And a state ofrestlessness will usuallymanifest itself, makinghim incapable of keepingto one particular posturefor any length of time. Forthen he will not be able tohold any one positionlong, but will soon want tochange it. This state,however, simply

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manifests the unbearablenature of the formations.Though he wants tochange his bodilyposture, still he shouldnot give in easily to thatwish, but shouldendeavor to remainmotionless for a longerperiod in the sameposture and continue tocarry on the practice of

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noticing. By doing so hewill be able to overcomehis restlessness.

Now his insightknowledge is quite strongand lucid, and by virtue ofit even his painful feelingswill at once cease assoon as they are firmly

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noticed. Even if a painfulfeeling does not ceasecompletely, he willperceive that it isdissolving, part by part,from moment to moment.That is to say, theceasing, vanishing, anddisappearing of eachsingle moment of feelingwill become apparentseparately in each

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corresponding act ofnoticing. In other words,now it will not be as it wasat the time of theknowledge ofcomprehension, when theconstant flow or continuityof feelings of the samekind was apparent as asingle unit. But if, withoutabandoning the practice,that feeling of pain is

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firmly and continuouslynoticed, it will entirelycease before long. Whenit ceases in that way, itdoes so for good and willnot arise again. Though inthat way the insightknowledge may havebecome strong andperfectly lucid, still he isnot satisfied with thatmuch. He will even think:

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"My insight knowledge isnot clear." He should,however, dismiss suchthoughts by applying theact of noticing to them,and he should go on withhis task of continuouslynoticing the bodily andmental formations as theyoccur.

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If he perseveres thus, hisnoticing will become moreand more clear as thetime passes in minutes,hours, and days. Then hewill overcome the painfulfeelings and therestlessness in beingunable to remain long inone particular posture,and also the idea that hisinsight knowledge is not

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yet clear enough. Hisnoticing will then functionrapidly, and at everymoment of noticing he willunderstand quite clearlyany of the threecharacteristics ofimpermanence, etc.

This understanding of any

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of the threecharacteristics ofimpermanence, etc.,through the act of noticingwhich functions withpromptness in quicksuccession, is called"strong knowledge ofre-observation."

11. Knowledge ofEquanimity about

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Formations (Top)

When this knowledge ofre-observation is mature,there will ariseknowledge perceivingevident bodily andmental processes incontinuous succession

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quite naturally, as ifborne onward of itself.This is called"knowledge ofequanimity aboutformations."

Now, in the act ofnoticing, effort is nolonger required to keep

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formations before themind or to understandthem. After thecompletion of eachsingle act of noticing, theobject to be noticed willthen appear of itself, andinsight knowledge, too,will of itself notice andunderstand it. It is as ifno further effort need bemade by the meditator.

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Formerly, owing toseeing the dissolution offormations, there arose,in successive order, theaspect of fearfulness,the perception of misery,the aspect of disgust,the desire fordeliverance, anddissatisfaction with theknowledge so faracquired. But now these

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mental states no longerarise even though, in thepresent state too, thebreaking up offormations which aredissolving more rapidlyis closely perceived.Even if a painful feelingarises in the body, nomental disturbance(grief) arises, and thereis no lack of fortitude in

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bearing it. Generally,however, at this stage,pains will be entirelyabsent, that is, they donot arise at all. Even ifthe meditator thinksabout something fearfulor sad, no mentaldisturbance will arise, beit in the form of fear or ofsorrow. This, firstly, is"the abandoning of fear"

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at the stage of"equanimity aboutformations."

At the earlier stage, onattaining knowledge ofarising and passingaway, great joy hadarisen on account of theclarity of insight. But now

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this kind of joy does notarise, even though thereis present theexceedingly peacefuland sublime clarity ofmind belonging to"equanimity aboutformations." Though heactually sees desirableobjects conducive to joy,or though he thinksabout various enjoyable

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things, no strong feelingof joy will arise. This is"the abandoning ofdelight" at the stage of"equanimity aboutformations."

He cherishes no desirenor hate with regard toany object, desirable or

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undesirable, that comesinto the range of hissense doors, but takingthem as just the same inhis act of noticing, heunderstands them (thatis to say, it is a pure actof understanding). Thisis "equable vision" at thestage of "equanimityabout formations."

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Of these three qualitiesjust mentioned, it is saidin the Path ofPurification:"Having discarded fearand delight, he isimpartial and neutraltowards all formations" (Visuddhimagga,xxi,62).

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If he resumes thepractice of noticing withthe thought: "Now I willdo it vigorously again!"then, before long, thenoticing will functionefficiently as if borneonward of itself. Fromnow onwards there is noneed for the meditator to

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make further (deliberate)effort. Though he doesnot make a (deliberate)effort, his noticing willproceed in a continuousand steady flow for along time; it will go oneven for two or threehours withoutinterruption. This is "thestate of long-lasting(practice)" of equanimity

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about formations.Referring to this it is saidin the Patisambhidamagga: " 'The wisdomlasting long' is theknowledge present inthe mental states ofequanimity aboutformations." The GreatCommentary to the Path of Purificationexplains as follows:

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"This is said withreference to knowledgefunctioning in acontinuous flow."

Now when noticingfunctions spontaneouslyas if borne onward ofitself, the mind, even ifsent out towards a

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variety of objects,generally refuses to go;and even if it does go, itwill not stay long but willsoon return to the usualobject to be noticed, andwill resume continuousnoticing. In thisconnection it was said:"He shrinks, recoils, andretreats; he does not goforth to it."

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12. InsightLeading toEmergence (Top)

So, through knowledgeof equanimity aboutformations, which isendowed with many

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virtues, blessings, andpowers, he notices theformations as theyoccur. When thisknowledge is mature,having become keen,strong, and lucid, onreaching its culminationpoint, it will understandany of the formationsas being impermanent

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or painful or withoutself, just by seeing theirdissolution. Now thatact of noticing any onecharacteristic out of thethree, which is stillmore lucid in its perfectunderstanding,manifests itself two orthree times or more inrapid succession. This

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is called "insightleading to emergence."40

Thereupon,immediately after thelast consciousness inthe series of acts ofnoticing belonging to

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#n-40


this insight leading toemergence, themeditator'sconsciousness leapsforth into Nibbana,which is the cessationof all formations, takingit as its object. Thenthere appears to himthe stilling (subsidence)of all formations called

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cessation.

This mode of realizationof Nibbana has beenmentioned in manydiscourses of theMaster, for example:"The vision of trutharose: whatsoever has

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the nature of arising isbound to cease."Herein the words"bound to cease"indicate the aspect ofrealizing the stilling andceasing of allformations which havethe nature of arising.

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Also in the Questions ofKing Milindait is said: "Hisconsciousness, whilecarrying on the practiceof bringing to mind (i.e.,noticing), passesbeyond the continuousoccurrence ofphenomena and alightsupon non-occurrence.

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One who, havingpracticed in the correctmanner, has alightedupon non-occurrence,O king, is said to haverealized Nibbana."

The meaning is this: themeditator who wishes

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to realize Nibbanashould repeatedly bringto mind, through thepractice of noticing,every bodily and mentalprocess that appears atany of the six sensedoors. When he bringsthem to mind thus, hisconsciousnessengaged in noticing —

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here called "bringing tomind" — will, untiladaptation knowledgeis reached, fall at everymoment upon the(conditioned) bodily andmental formationscalled here "continuousoccurrence," becausethey go on occurringover and over again in

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an unbroken flow, like ariver's current. But inthe last phase, insteadof falling upon thatcontinuous occurrence,consciousness passesbeyond it and alightsupon "non-occurrence,"which is the veryopposite of the bodilyand mental formations

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called here"occurrence." In otherwords, it arrives atnon-occurrence, that isto say, it reaches, as ifit "alights upon,"cessation, which is thestilling of the formations(or conditionedphenomena). When themeditator, having

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already beforepracticed correctly andwithout deviation byway of the knowledgeof arising and passingaway and the otherknowledges (or by wayof the purification ofconduct, of mind, ofview, etc.), has in thismanner arrived at

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non-occurrence (by theconsciousness alightingupon it), he is said tohave "realizedNibbana." He is calledone who has madeNibbana a directexperience and hasactually seen it.

13. Knowledge of 107 / 386


Adaptation (Top)

Here the knowledgeby way of noticing thatoccurs last in theseries constitutinginsight leading toemergence, is called

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"knowledge ofadaptation."41

This is the end of the purification byknowledge and visionof the course ofpractice.

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14. MaturityKnowledge

(Top)

Immediatelyafterwards, a type ofknowledge manifests

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itself that, as it were,falls for the first timeinto Nibbana, which isvoid of formations(conditionedphenomena) since itis the cessation ofthem. This knowledgeis called "maturityknowledge."42

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VII. Purificationby Knowledge andVision (Top) 15. PathKnowledge (Top)

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#toc

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It is followedimmediately byknowledge thatabides in that sameNibbana, which isvoid of formationssince it is the

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cessation of them.This is called "pathknowledge."43 It isalso called"purification byknowledge andvision."

16. FruitionKnowledge

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(Top)

That again isimmediatelyfollowed byknowledge that

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belongs to the finalstage and continuesin the course of itspredecessor. Itabides in that sameNibbana, which isvoid of formationssince it is thecessation of them.

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This is called"fruition knowledge."

17. Knowledgeof Reviewing (Top)

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The duration of thatthreefoldknowledge ofmaturity, path, andfruition is, however,not long. It is veryshort, and lasts forjust an instant, likethe duration of a

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single thought ofnoticing.Subsequently therearises "knowledgeof reviewing."Through thatknowledge ofreviewing themeditator discerns

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that the insightleading toemergence camealong with the veryrapid function ofnoticing, and thatimmediately afterthe last phase ofnoticing, the path

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consciousnessentered into thecessation (offormations). This is"knowledgereviewing the path."

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He also discernsthat theconsciousnessabided in that samestate of cessationduring theintervening periodbetween the pathand reviewing. This

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is "knowledgereviewing fruition."

He further discernsthat the object justexperienced is voidof all formations.

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This is "knowledgereviewingNibbana."

In this connection itis said in the Pathof Purification:

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" 'By that path,indeed, I havecome'; thus hereviews the path.'That blessing wasobtained'; thus hereviews the fruition.'That state hasbeen penetrated as

125 / 386


an object by me';44thus he reviews theDeathless,Nibbana" (Visuddhimagga,xxii, 20).

126 / 386

#n-44


Some meditators,but not all, have"reviewing ofdefilements."45

After havingreviewed in this

127 / 386

#n-45


way, the meditatorstill continues thepractice of noticingbodily and mentalprocesses as theybecome evident.But while he is thusengaged innoticing, the bodily

128 / 386


and mentalprocesses appearto him quite coarse,not subtle as beforeat the time of theknowledge ofequanimity aboutformations. Why isthis so? This is so

129 / 386


because theknowledge presentnow has the natureof the knowledge ofarising and passingaway. For when thenoble disciples(namely,stream-winners,

130 / 386


etc.) resume thepractice of insight(by noticing), theknowledge ofarising and passingaway usually arisesat the beginning.This is the usualcourse of order in

131 / 386


this respect.

However, whensome meditatorsemerge from theattainment of pathand fruition, great

132 / 386


faith, happiness,rapture, andtranquillity,produced by virtueof the attainment,arise flooding thewhole body. Owingto that, they areunable to carry out

133 / 386


the practice ofnoticing anythingapparent at thattime. Even if theymake double effortand attempt toproceed with thepractice of insight,they fail to discern

134 / 386


the phenomenaclearly andseparately, at themoment of theiroccurrence. Theycontinue toexperience onlyrapture, tranquillity,and happiness,

135 / 386


which occur withgreat force. Thisstate of mind,which isextraordinarilyserene through thestrong faithprevailing, lasts forone hour, two

136 / 386


hours, or more,without break.Because of this,meditators feel as ifthey were in somesuch place as awide open spacesuffused withradiance and most

137 / 386


delightful. Therapture andhappiness, of aserene character,that then arise arepraised bymeditators thus:"Surely, I havenever before felt

138 / 386


and experiencedsuch happiness!"After two or threehours have passed,that faith,happiness, rapture,and tranquillity willfade. Themeditators can

139 / 386


once again proceedwith noticing thebodily and mentalprocesses as theyoccur,distinguishing themseparately, andthey will be able todiscern them

140 / 386


clearly. But at thattime, too, first theknowledge ofarising and passingaway will appear.

18. Attainmentof Fruition (

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#ch7

#ch7

#ch7


Top)

While he is thusengaged innoticing, his insightknowledge willgradually grow,

142 / 386

#ch7

#ch7


and soon will againreach the stage ofequanimity aboutformations. If hispower ofconcentration isstill short ofperfection, only theequanimity about

143 / 386


formations will goon repeating itself.But if hisconcentration hasreachedperfection, then, inthe case of onewho does theinsight practice of

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noticing with aview of attainingonly to the firstpath and fruition,the fruitionconsciousness ofthe first path alonereaches cessationof formations by

145 / 386


way of the attainment of fruition.46This occurs inprecisely the sameway as the pathand fruitionconsciousness thatoccurred earlier in

146 / 386

#n-46


theconsciousness-sequence belonging tothe initialattainment of thefirst path. The onlydifference here isthe capacity of thefruition attainment

147 / 386


to last long.

One should alsoset one's mindresolutely upon thefurther tasks: to beable to repeat the

148 / 386


achievement offruition attainment,to achieve itrapidly, and, at thetime ofachievement, toabide in it a longtime, say for six,ten, fifteen or thirty

149 / 386


minutes, or for anhour or more.

In one who applieshimself toachieving theattainment of

150 / 386


fruition, knowledgeof arising andpassing away willarise at thebeginning.Advancing fromthere in the duesequence, soonthe knowledge of

151 / 386


equanimity aboutformations isreached. But whenskill in the practicehas beenacquired, theknowledge ofequanimity aboutformations will

152 / 386


arise quickly evenafter four or fiveacts of noticing. Ifthe power ofconcentration hasreachedperfection, thefruitionconsciousness will

153 / 386


repeatedly becomeabsorbed incessation by wayof fruitionattainment. Themind can thusreach absorptioneven while one iswalking up and

154 / 386


down, or whiletaking a meal, andthe fruitionattainment canremain for anylength of timeresolved upon.During the fruitionattainment, the

155 / 386


mind will abideonly in thecessation offormations and willnot be aware ofanything else.

19. TheHigher Paths and

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Fruitions (Top)

When themeditator has thusbecome skilled in

157 / 386

#ch7

#ch7

#ch7

#ch7

#ch7


achieving thefruition attainment,he shouldresolutely set hismind upon thetask of attaining tothe higher pathsand fruitions.

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What should nowbe done by onewho has sethimself that task?Just as before, heshould carry outthe practice ofnoticing (anything

159 / 386


occurring) at thesix sense doors.

Hence, themeditator shouldnotice any bodily

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and mentalprocess thatbecomes evidentto him at the sixsense doors.While he is thusengaged, he willsee, at the stage

161 / 386


of knowledge ofarising andpassing away,that the firstobjects consistingof formationsappear to himrather coarse, and

162 / 386


that his mind isnot wellconcentrated. Thedevelopment ofinsight belongingto the higherpaths is, in fact,not as easy as

163 / 386


that of insightbelonging to thefruition attainmentalready achievedby the meditator.It is in factsomewhat difficult,due to the fact

164 / 386


that insight has tobe developedanew. It is,however, not sovery difficult as itwas at the firsttime whenbeginning the

165 / 386


practice. In asingle day, oreven in a singlehour, he can gainthe knowledge ofequanimity aboutformations. Thisstatement is made

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here, basing it onthe experienceusually gained bypersons of thepresent day whohad to be givenguidance from thestart and who did

167 / 386


not possessparticularly strongintelligence. Hereit is applied, byinference, tosimilar types ofpersons ingeneral.

168 / 386


But althoughequanimity aboutformations hasbeen attained, ifthe spiritualfaculties47 have

169 / 386

#n-47


not yet reachedfull maturity, it justgoes on repeatingitself. Though hewho has won (oneof the lower)fruitions may beable to enter into it

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several timeswithin one hour,yet if his spiritualfaculties areimmature, hecannot attain thenext higher pathwithin as much as

171 / 386


one day, two,three, or moredays. He abidesmerely inequanimity aboutformations. If,however, he thendirects his mind to

172 / 386


reach the fruitionalready attained,he will reach itperhaps in two orthree minutes.

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When, however,the spiritualfaculties aremature, one whocarries out thepractice of insightfor attaining to ahigher path will

174 / 386


find thatimmediately afterequanimity aboutformations hasreached itsculmination, thehigher path andfruition arise in the

175 / 386


same way asbefore (i.e., as atthe time of the firstpath and fruition),that is to say, it ispreceded by thestages ofadaptation and

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maturity. After thefruition, the stagesof reviewing, etc.,that follow arealso the same asbefore.

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Anything elseconcerning themethod of practicefor insight and theprogress ofknowledge rightup to arahantshipcan be

178 / 386


understood inprecisely thesame way asdescribed. Hencethere is no needto elaborate it anyfurther.

179 / 386


Conclusion (Top)

Now, the presenttreatise on the

180 / 386

#toc

#toc

#toc

#toc


"Progress ofInsight throughthe Stages ofPurification" hasbeen written in aconcise form, sothat meditatorscan easily

181 / 386


comprehend it.Hence completedetails have notbeen given here.And since it waswritten with a viewto making it easilyintelligible, in

182 / 386


many passages ofthis treatiserelevant canonicalreferences havenot been quoted,and there arerepetitions andother faults of

183 / 386


literarycomposition. Buttheseshortcomings ofpresentation andtheincompleteness ofcanonical

184 / 386


references mayhere beoverlooked by thereader. Only themeaning andpurpose should beheeded well bythe wise. It is to

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this that I wouldinvite the reader'sattention.

Though in thebeginning it was

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mentioned thatthis treatise hasbeen written forthose who havealready obtaineddistinctive resultsin their practice,others may

187 / 386


perhaps read itwith advantage,too.

Now these are myconcluding good

188 / 386


wishes for thelatter type ofreaders: Just as avery delicious,appetizing, tastyand nutritiousmeal can beappreciated fully

189 / 386


only by one whohas himself eatenit, and not withoutpartaking of it, inthe same way, thewhole series ofknowledgesdescribed here

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can beunderstood fullyonly by one whohas himself seenit by directexperience, andnot otherwise. Somay all good

191 / 386


people reach thestage ofindubitableunderstanding ofthis whole seriesof knowledges!May they alsostrive to attain it!

192 / 386


Thistreatise on thepurities andinsights, Formeditators whohave seen thingsclear, Althoughtheir store of

193 / 386


learning may besmall — TheElder, Mahasi byname, in insight'smethod skillful,Has written it inBurmese tongueand into Pali

194 / 386


rendered it.

The Treatise onthe Purities andInsights composed on

195 / 386


22.5.1950 is here concluded.

Notes (Top

)

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#toc

#toc

#toc


1. Here, and inthe title of thistreatise, the Paliterm ñana hasbeen rendered by

197 / 386

#toc

#t-1


"insight," as atthe outset theword"knowledge," thenormal renderingof ñana,might not be

198 / 386


taken by thereader with thefull weight andsignificancewhich it willreceive in thecontext of thepresent treatise.

199 / 386


In all the followingoccurrences,however, this Paliterm has beentranslated by"knowledge,"while the word"insight" has

200 / 386


been reserved forthe Pali term vipassana.When referring tothe several typesand stages ofknowledge, theplural

201 / 386


"knowledges" hasbeen used, inconformity withthe Pali ñanani.

202 / 386


2. In thecanonicalBuddhistscriptures, theseven stages ofpurification (visuddhi)are mentioned in

203 / 386

#t-2


the Discourse onthe StageCoaches(Majjhima NikayaNo. 24). They arealso theframework of theVenerable

204 / 386


Buddhaghosa's Path ofPurification(Visuddhimagga),where they areexplained in full.(Translation byÑanamoli Thera,

205 / 386


publ. by BPS.)

3. "Motion" (vayo,lit. wind, air)refers to the lastof the four

206 / 386

#t-3


material elements

(dhatu),or primaryqualities ofmatter. The otherthree are: earth(solidity,

207 / 386


hardness), water(adhesion), andfire (caloricity).These fourelements, invaryingproportionalstrength, are

208 / 386


present in allforms of matter.The so-called"inner windelement" whichapplies in thiscontext is activein the body as

209 / 386


motion, vibration,and pressuremanifesting itselfin the passage ofair through thebody (e.g., inbreathing), in themovement and

210 / 386


pressure of limbsand organs, andso on. It becomesperceptible as atactile process, orobject of touch (photthabbarammana),

211 / 386


through thepressure causedby it.

4. The attentiondirected to the

212 / 386

#t-4


movement of theabdomen wasintroduced intothe methodicalpractice ofinsight-meditationby the author ofthis treatise, the

213 / 386


VenerableMahasi Sayadaw,and forms herethe basic objectof meditativepractice. Fordetails see TheHeart of Buddhist

214 / 386


Meditationby NyanaponikaThera (London:Rider & Co.,1962; BPS,1992), pp. 94f.,106. If preferred,the breath itself

215 / 386


may instead betaken as thebasic object ofmeditativeattention,according to thetraditional methodof "mindfulness of

216 / 386


breathing" (anapanasati);see Heart of BuddhistMeditation,pp.108ff. Mindfulness ofBreathing

217 / 386


by ÑanamoliThera (BPS,1982).

5. According tothe Buddhist

218 / 386

#t-5


Abhidhammateachings, onlythe threeelements ofearth, fire, andwind constitutethe tactilesubstance in

219 / 386


matter. Theelement of wateris not held to bean object of toucheven in caseswhere itpredominates, asin liquids. What is

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tactile in anygiven liquid is thecontribution of theother threeelements to itscomposite nature.

221 / 386


6. "Door" is afigurativeexpression for thesense organs(which, includingthe mind, aresixfold), becausethey provide, as it

222 / 386

#t-6


were, the accessto the world ofobjects.

7. The precedingsequence of

223 / 386

#t-7


terms isfrequently used inthe Discourses(Suttas) of theBuddha to referto thoseindividuals whohave attained to

224 / 386


the firstsupramundanestage on the roadto arahantship,i.e., stream-entry (sotapatti),or the followingones. See Note

225 / 386


33. The term Dhammarefers here toNibbana.

8. I. The Five 226 / 386

#t-8


Precepts bindingon all Buddhistlaymen, are:abstention from(1) killing, (2)stealing, (3)unlawful sexualintercourse, (4)

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lying, (5)intoxicants.

II. The EightUposathaPrecepts are:

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abstention from(1) killing, (2)stealing, (3) allsexualintercourse, (4)lying, (5)intoxicants, (6)partaking of solid

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food and certainliquids after noon,(7) abstentionfrom (a) dance,song, music,shows(attendance andperformance), (b)

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from perfumes,ornaments, etc.,(8) luxuriousbeds. This set ofeight precepts isobserved bydevout Buddhistlay followers on

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full-moon daysand on otheroccasions.

III. The TenPrecepts: (1)-(6)

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= II, 1-6; (7) = II,7 (a); (8) = II, 7(b); (9) = II, 8;(10) abstentionfrom acceptanceof gold and silver,money, etc.

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9. The otherthree items of themonk's fourfoldpure conduct arecontrol of thesenses, purity of

234 / 386

#t-9


livelihood, andpure conductconcerning themonk's requisites.

10. Access (or 235 / 386

#t-10


"neighbourhood")concentration (upacara-samadhi)is that degree ofmentalconcentration thatapproaches, but

236 / 386


not yet attains,the fullconcentration (appana-samadhi)of the firstabsorption (jhana).

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It still belongs tothe sensuousplane (kamavacara)of consciousness,while the jhanasbelong to thefine-material

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plane (rupavacara).

11. Pañcupadanakkhandha.These five

239 / 386

#t-11


groups, which arethe objects ofgrasping, are: (1)corporeality, (2)feeling, (3)perception, (4)mentalformations, (5)

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consciousness.

12. Also called sukkhavipassana-yanika.

241 / 386

#t-12


13. Literally:"according totheir true natureand function."

242 / 386

#t-13


14. This methodof meditationaims at"knowledge bydirect experience"

(paccakkha-ñana), resultingfrom mindfulness

243 / 386

#t-14


directed towardsone's own bodilyand mentalprocesses. It isfor that reasonthat here expressmention is madeof "one's own life

244 / 386


continuity."Having gatheredthe decisivedirect experiencefrom thecontemplation ofhis own body andmind, the

245 / 386


meditator willlater extend thecontemplation tothe life-processesof others, by wayof inference (anumana).See, in the

246 / 386


SatipatthanaSutta, therecurrentpassage:"contemplatingthe body, etc.,externally."

247 / 386


15. "Noticing" (sallakkhana)is a key term inthis treatise. Thecorrespondingverb in the Pali

248 / 386

#t-15


language is sallakkheti(sam+ lakh),which can betranslatedadequately as

249 / 386


well as literally by"to mark clearly."Though the useof "to mark" in thesense of "toobserve" or "tonotice" is quitelegitimate in

250 / 386


English, it issomewhatunusual andunwieldy in itsderivations.Hence therendering by"noticing" was

251 / 386


chosen."Noticing" isidentical with"bare attention,"the term used inthe translator'sbook The Heart of

252 / 386


BuddhistMeditation.

16. TheSub-commentaryto the Brahmajala

253 / 386

#t-16


Sutta explains asfollows: "Thingsin their truenature (paramatthadhamma)have twocharacteristics ormarks: specific

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characteristicsand generalcharacteristics.Theunderstanding ofthe specificcharacteristics isknowledge by

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experience (paccakkha-ñana),while theunderstanding ofthe generalcharacteristics isknowledge by

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inference (anumana-ñana)."The specificcharacteristic, forinstance, of theelement of motion

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(vayo-dhatu)is its nature ofsupporting, itsfunction ofmoving; itsgeneralcharacteristicsare

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impermanence,etc.

17. The threeterms printed initalics are

259 / 386

#t-17


standardcategories ofdefinition used inthe PaliCommentariesand the Visuddhimagga.In the case of

260 / 386


mentalphenomena, afourth category,"proximatecondition" (padatthana)is added. Thedefinition of the

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element of motion(or of wind)occurs, forinstance, in the Visuddhimagga(XI, 93) and isshown in thistreatise to be a

262 / 386


fact of directexperience.

18. "Purificationof mind" refers tomental

263 / 386

#t-18


concentration ofeither of twodegrees ofintensity: fullconcentration oraccessconcentration(see Note 10). In

264 / 386


both types ofconcentration, themind istemporarilypurified from thefive mentalhindrances (seeNote 20), which

265 / 386


defile the mindand obstructconcentration.

19. The "other"objects may also

266 / 386

#t-19


belong to thesame series ofevents, forinstance, therecurrent rise andfall of theabdomen.

267 / 386


20. The fivementalhindrances (nivarana)which obstructconcentration,

268 / 386

#t-20


are: (1)sense-desire, (2)ill-will, (3) slothand torpor, (4)agitation andremorse, (5)sceptical doubt.For details, see

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The Five MentalHindrances andtheir Conquest,by NyanaponikaThera (BPSWheel No. 26).

270 / 386


21. Insightreaches itsculmination onattaining to theperfection of the"purification byknowledge andvision of the

271 / 386

#t-21


course ofpractice." SeeNote 41 and the Visuddhimagga,XXI,1.

272 / 386


22. This passageis translated in The Way ofMindfulnessby Soma Thera(3rd ed., BPS,1967), p. 104,where, for our

273 / 386

#t-22


term "accessconcentration,"the rendering"partialabsorption" isused.

274 / 386


23. Whenoccurring duringthe practice oftranquillitymeditation.

275 / 386

#t-23


24. This is thefully absorbedconcentration (jhana)achieved at theattainment of thenoble paths andfruitions.

276 / 386

#t-24


25. In theCommentary tothe MajjhimaNikaya No.111,the AnupadaSutta.

277 / 386

#t-25


26. The Visuddhimaggasays that bothterms,"knowledge byinductive insight"

278 / 386

#t-26


and"comprehensionby groups," arenames for thesame type ofinsight. Accordingto the Paramattha-manj

279 / 386


usa,its Commentary,the former termwas used inCeylon, the latterin India.

280 / 386


27. The tencorruptions ofinsight (vipassanupakkilesa)are firstmentioned in the Patisambhidamagga

281 / 386

#t-27


(PTS, Vol. II,pp.100f.) and areexplained in the Visuddhimagga(XX,105ff.). Thenames and thesequence of theterms as given in

282 / 386


this treatise differslightly fromthose found in theabove twosources.

283 / 386


28. The fivegrades of rapture (piti),dealt with in the Visuddhimagga(IV,94) are: (1)minor, (2)momentarily

284 / 386

#t-28


recurring, (3)flooding, (4)elevating, (5)suffusing.

29. This passage 285 / 386

#t-29


refers to the sixpairs ofqualitative factorsof mental activity,which, accordingto theAbhidhamma, arepresent in all

286 / 386


moralconsciousnessthough indifferent degreesof development.The first pair istranquillity (a) ofconsciousness,

287 / 386


and (b) of itsconcomitantmental factors.The other pairsare agility,pliancy,wieldiness,proficiency, and

288 / 386


uprightness, all ofwhich have thesame twofolddivision as statedbefore. These sixpairs representthe formal, orstructural, side of

289 / 386


moralconsciousness.For details see AbhidhammaStudies,by NyanaponikaThera (2nd ed.BPS, 1985),

290 / 386


pp.81f.

30. These sixobstructions ofmind arecountered by the

291 / 386

#t-30


six pairs ofmental factorsmentioned inNote 29 and inthe followingsentence of thetext.

292 / 386


31. Non-action,non-activity ornon-busyness,refers to thereceptive, butkeenly watchful,

293 / 386

#t-31


attitude ofnoticing (or bareattention).

32. Advertence isthe first stage of

294 / 386

#t-32


the perceptualprocess, asanalyzed in theAbhidhamma. Itis the first"turning-towards"the object ofperception; in

295 / 386


other words,initial attention.

33. Thesupramundanepaths and

296 / 386

#t-33


fruitions are:stream-entry,once-returning,non-returning,and arahantship.By attaining tothe first path andfruition, that of

297 / 386


stream-entry,final deliveranceis assured at thelatest after sevenmore rebirths.

298 / 386


34. "Conceptualobjects ofshapes" (santhana-paññatti).The other twotypes of conceptsintended hereare: the concepts

299 / 386

#t-34


of individualidentity derivedfrom the continuityof serialphenomena (santati-paññatti),and collective

300 / 386


concepts derivedfrom the agglomerationof phenomena (samuha-paññatti).

301 / 386


35. "The idea offormations withtheir specificfeatures": thisphraseelaborates themeaningapplicable here of

302 / 386

#t-35


the Pali term nimitta,which literallymeans "mark,""sign," "feature,"i.e., the idea orimage conceivedof an object

303 / 386


perceived.

36. "With itsparticularstructure" (sa-viggaha):

304 / 386

#t-36


the distinctive (vi)graspable (gaha)form of an object.

305 / 386


37. Bhay'upatthana. The word bhayahas thesubjective aspectof fear and theobjective aspectof fearfulness,

306 / 386

#t-37


danger. Both areincluded in thesignificance ofthe term in thiscontext.

307 / 386


38. This refers tothe knowledgesdescribed in thefollowing (Nos.7-11).

308 / 386

#t-38


39. Niroja. Lit."without nutritiveessence."

40. According tothe Visuddhim

309 / 386

#t-39

#t-40


agga, the"insight leading toemergence" isthe culmination ofinsight, and isidentical with thefollowing threeknowledges:

310 / 386


equanimity aboutformations, desirefor deliverance,and knowledge ofre-observation. Itis called "leadingto emergence"because it

311 / 386


emerges from thecontemplation offormations(conditionedphenomena) tothesupramundanepath that has

312 / 386


Nibbana as itsobject.

41. The Visuddhimaggasays (XXI,130):

313 / 386

#t-41


"The knowledgeof adaptationderives its namefrom the fact thatit adapts itself tothe earlier andthe later states ofmind. It adapts

314 / 386


itself to thepreceding eightinsightknowledges withtheir individualfunctions, and tothe thirty-sevenstates partaking

315 / 386


of enlightenmentthat follow."

42. Gotrabhu-ñana (maturityknowledge) is,

316 / 386

#t-42


literally, the"knowledge ofone who hasbecome one ofthe lineage (gotra)."By attaining tothat knowledge,

317 / 386


one has leftbehind thedesignation andstage of anunliberatedworldling and isentering thelineage and rank

318 / 386


of the noble ones,i.e., thestream-enterer,etc. Insight hasnow come to fullmaturity,maturing into theknowledge of the

319 / 386


supramundanepaths andfruitions. Maturityknowledgeoccurs only as asingle moment ofconsciousness; itdoes not recur,

320 / 386


since it isimmediatelyfollowed by thepathconsciousness ofstream-entry oronce-returning,etc.

321 / 386


43. "Pathknowledge" is theknowledgeconnected withthe foursupramundane

322 / 386

#t-43


paths ofstream-entry, etc.Here, in thispassage, only thepath ofstream-entry ismeant. Pathknowledge, like

323 / 386


maturityknowledge, lastsonly for onemoment ofconsciousness,being followed bythe fruitionknowledge

324 / 386


resulting from it,which may repeatitself many timesand may also bedeliberatelyentered into byway of the"attainment of

325 / 386


fruition" (see No.17).

44. That meansthat Nibbana hasnow become an

326 / 386

#t-44


object of directexperience, andis no longer amental constructof conceptualthinking.

327 / 386


45. Theknowledge ofreviewingdefilements stillremaining, doesnot obtain at thestage ofarahantship

328 / 386

#t-45


where alldefilements havebeen eliminated.It may occur, butnot necessarilyso, at the lowerthree stages ofstream-entry, etc.

329 / 386


46. See Note 43.

47. The fivespiritual faculties

330 / 386

#t-46

#n-43

#t-47


(indriya)are: faith, energy,mindfulness,concentration,and wisdom. Fordetails see The Way ofWisdom

331 / 386


by Edward Conze(BPS WheelNo.65/66).

TheVenerable

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Mahasi Sayadaw (Top)

Mahasi Sayadaw,the Venerable USobhana

333 / 386

#toc

#toc

#toc


Mahathera, wasthe son of U KanHtaw and DawShwe Ok ofSeikkhun village,which is aboutseven miles tothe west of

334 / 386


Shwebo Town, aone-time capitalof the founder ofthe last Burmesedynasty. He wasborn on the thirdwaning of themonth of second

335 / 386


Waso in the year1266 of theBurmese Era (29July 1904). At theage of six, hebegan his studiesat a monasticschool in the

336 / 386


same village, andat the age oftwelve he wasordained asamanera(novice). Onreaching the ageof twenty, he was

337 / 386


ordained abhikkhu on thefifth waning of themonth ofTazaungmon inthe year 1285 ofthe Burmese Era(23 November

338 / 386


1923). He thenpassed theGovernment Paliexaminations inall the threeclasses ofPathamange,Pathamalat and

339 / 386


Pathamagyi inthe followingthree successiveyears.

In the fourth year 340 / 386


after his bhikkhuordination, heproceeded toMandalay — aformer capital ofBurma — wherehe continued hisfurther studies in

341 / 386


the KhinmaganKyaung Taikunder variousmonks of highscholastic fame.In the fifth yearhe went toMoulmein where

342 / 386


he took up thework of teachingthe Buddhistscriptures at amonastery knownas Taung WaingGalay TaikKyaung.

343 / 386


In the eighth yearafter hisordination, heand anothermonk leftMoulmein

344 / 386


equipped with thebare necessitiesof a bhikkhu (i.e.,almsbowl, a setof three robes,etc.) and went insearch of a clearand effective

345 / 386


method in thepractice ofmeditation. AtThaton he metthe well-knownmeditationinstructor, theVenerable U

346 / 386


Narada, who isalso known as"Mingun JetawunSayadaw theFirst." He thenplaced himselfunder theguidance of the

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Sayadaw and atonce proceededwith an intensivecourse ofmeditation.

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After this practicalcourse ofmeditation hereturned toMoulmein andcontinued with hisoriginal work ofteaching Buddhist

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scriptures. He satfor the PaliLecturershipExamination heldby theGovernment ofBurma in June1941 and

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succeeded inpassingcompletely at thefirst attempt. Hewas awarded thetitle ofSasanadhaja SiriPavara

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Dhammacariya.

In the year 1303of the BurmeseEra (1941) and inthe eighteenth

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year of hisbhikkhuordination hereturned to hisnative village(Seikkhun) andresided at amonastery known

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as "Maha-SiKyaung" becausea drum(Burmese: si) ofunusually big (maha)size is housedthere. He then

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introduced thesystematicpractical courseof Satipatthanameditation. Manypeople, bhikkhusas well aslaymen, gathered

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round him andtook up the strictpractical course,and were greatlybenefited by hiscarefulinstructions. Theywere happy

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because theybegan tounderstand thesalient features ofSatipatthana andhad also learnedthe propermethod of

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continuing thepractice bythemselves.

In the year 1311B.E. (1949) the

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then PrimeMinister ofBurma, U Nu,and Sir U Thwin,executivemembers of theBuddhaSasananuggha

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Association,requested theVenerableMahasi Sayadawto come toRangoon andgive training inmeditative

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practice. In histwenty-sixth yearof bhikkhuordination, hetherefore went toRangoon andresided at theThathana

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Yeiktha, theheadquarters ofthe Association,where since thenintensive trainingcourses havebeen held up tothe present day.

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Over 15,000persons havesince beentrained in thatcenter alone andaltogether over

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200,000 personshave beentrainedthroughoutBurma, wherethere are morethan 100branches for the

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training in thesame method.This method hasalso spreadwidely in Thailandand in Sri Lanka.

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Mahasi Sayadawwas awarded thetitle ofAgga-Maha-Pandita in the year1952.

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He carried out theduties of theQuestioner (pucchaka)at the SixthBuddhist Council(ChatthaSangayana) held

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at Rangoon fortwo years,culminating in theyear 2500 of theBuddhist Era(1956). Toappreciate fullythe importance of

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this role it may bementioned thatthe VenerableMaha-Kassapa,as Questioner,put questions atthe First Councilheld three

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months after thepassing away ofthe Buddha. Thenthe VenerableUpali and theVenerableAnandaanswered the

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questions. At theSixth Council, itwasTipitakadharaDhammabhandagarika AshinVicittasarabhivamsa who answered

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the questions putby the VenerableMahasi Sayadaw.The VenerableMahasi Sayadawwas also amember of thecommittee that

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was responsible,as the finalauthority, for thecodification of allthe texts passedat the SixthCouncil.

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He has writtenseveral books onmeditation andthe followingnotable worksmay be

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mentioned.

(1) Guide to thePractice ofVipassanaMeditation (inBurmese) — 2

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volumes.

(2) Burmesetranslation of theMaha-satipatthana Sutta, withnotes.

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(3) Visuddhiñana-katha (inBurmese andPali).

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(4) Burmesetranslation of the Visuddhimagga,with notes.

(5) Burmese 378 / 386


translation of the VisuddhimaggaMaha-Tika,with notes — 4volumes.

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(6) Paticca-Samuppada(DependentOrigination) — 2volumes.

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A large number ofhis discourses,based on the PaliSuttas, havebeen translatedinto English andpublished by theBuddha

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SasananugghaAssociation (16Hermitage Road,Kokkine,Rangoon,Myanmar(Burma)).

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Mahasi Sayadawpassed away on14 August 1982following a briefillness.

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The Buddhist Publication Society is an approved charity dedicated to making known the Teaching of the Buddha, which has a vital message for people of all creeds.

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Founded in 1958, the BPS has published a wide variety of books and booklets covering a great range of topics. Its publications include accurate annotated translations of the Buddha's discourses, standard reference works, as well as original contemporary expositions of Buddhist thought and practice. These works present Buddhism as it truly is — a dynamic force which has influenced receptive minds for the past 2500 years and is still as relevant today as it was when it first arose.

BUDDHIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY P.O. Box 61

54, Sangharaja Mawatha Kandy

Sri Lanka »

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http://www.bps.lk


http://www.bps.lk

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http://www.bps.lk

The Progress of Insight - Yellow Robe - A Real Buddhist's Journal · 2020-03-17 · The Progress of...

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