During the early part of the methodical practice, as long as the
meditator's mind is not yet fully purified, wandering thoughts arisen
by his thinking of objects of sense desire, etc., will also appear
intermittently between thoughts of noticing (the objects of
meditation). Sometimes the beginning meditator will perceive
occurrence (of these 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. For then the momentary concentration
of his mind is still very tender and weak. So these wandering thoughts
continue to hinder his mind while it is occupied in developing the
practice of noticing. Hence, these wandering thoughts are called
"hindering thoughts."

When, however, the momentary concentration of his mind has become
strong, the thought process of noticing becomes well concentrated.
Hence, when attending to the objects to be noticed -- the abdominal
movement, sitting, touching, bending, stretching, seeing, hearing,
etc. -- his noticing thoughts now appear as if falling upon these
objects, as if striking at them, as if confronting them again and
again. Then, as a rule, his mind will no longer go elsewhere. Only
occasionally, and in a slight degree, will this happen, and even in
those cases he will be able to notice any such stray thought at its
very arising, as expressed in common speech; or, to be exact, he will
notice the stray thought immediately after its actual arising. Then
that stray thought will subside as soon as it is noticed and will not
arise again. Immediately afterwards he will also be able to resume
continuous noticing of any object as it becomes evident to him. That
is why his mind at that time is called "unhindered."

While the meditator is thus practising the exercise of noticing
with unhindered mind, the noticing mind will close in upon and fix on
whatever object is being noticed, and the act of noticing will proceed
without break. At that time there arises in him in uninterrupted
succession "the concentration of mind lasting for a moment," directed
to each object noticed. This is called //purification of mind//.[18]

Though that concentration has only momentary duration, its power of
resistance to being overwhelmed by opposition corresponds to that of
access concentration.

In the Commentary to the //Visuddhimagga//, in the explanation of
the chapter relating to mindfulness of breathing, it is said thus: "
'Momentary unification of mind' means the concentration of mind
lasting only for a moment. For that (type of concentration), too, when
it occurs uninterruptedly with its respective object in a single mode
and is not overcome by opposition, fixes the mind immovably, as if in
absorption."

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

"In a single mode" means: though the objects to be noticed, as they
present themselves, are numerous and varied, yet the force of
concentration of the mind uninterruptedly engaged in noticing remains
virtually on the same level. For what is meant here is: just as the
first object was noticed with a certain degree of concentration, so
the second, third, and other subsequent objects are noticed in each
case with the same degree of concentration.

"Is not overcome by opposition": this means that the momentary
concentration in its uninterrupted flow is not overwhelmed by the
mental hindrances.[20]

"As if in absorption": this means that the strength of the
momentary concentration is similar to that of concentration which has
reached full mental absorption. However, such similarity of momentary
concentration 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 that momentary concentration is included in access
concentration. For in the Commentary to the Satipatthana Sutta it is
said: "The remaining twelve exercises are subjects of meditation
leading only to Access Concentration."[22] Now, in the case of the
subjects dealt with in the sections of the Satipatthana Sutta on
postures, clear comprehension and elements, the concentration of one
who devotes himself to these exercises will be definitely only
momentary concentration. But as the latter is able to suppress the
hindrances just as access concentration does,[23] and since it is the
neighbourhood of the noble-path attainment concentration,[24]
therefore that same momentary concentration is spoken of by the name
of "access" (or "neighbourhood") and also the meditation subjects that
produce that momentary concentration are called "meditation subjects
leading to access concentration." Hence it should be understood that
momentary concentration, having the capacity to suppress the
hindrances, has also the right to the name "access" and "purification
of mind." Otherwise purification of mind could not come about in one
who has made bare insight his vehicle by employing only insight,
without having produced either access concentration or fully absorbed
concentration.

* * *

III. PURIFICATION OF VIEW

1. Analytical Knowledge of Body and Mind

Endowed with purification of mind and continuing the practice of
noticing, the meditator now comes to know body-and-mind analytically
as follows: "The rising (upward movement) of the abdomen is one
process; the falling (downward movement) is another; sitting is
another; touching is another," etc. In this way he comes to know how
to distinguish each bodily process that he notices. Further he
realizes: "The knowing of the rising movement is one process; the
knowing of the falling movement is another." In that way he comes to
know each mental act of noticing. Further he realizes: "The rising
movement is one process; the knowing of it is another. The falling
movement is one process; the knowing of it is another," and so on. In
that way he comes to know how to distinguish each bodily and mental
process. All that knowledge comes from simply noticing, not from
reasoning; that is to say, it is knowledge by direct experience
arrived at by the mere act of noticing, and not knowledge derived from
ratiocination.

Thus, when seeing a visual object with the eye, the meditator knows
how to distinguish each single factor involved: "The eye is one; the
visual object is another; seeing is another, and knowing it is
another." The same manner applies in the case of the other sense
functions.

For at the time, in each act of noticing, the meditator comes to
know analytically the mental processes of noticing, and those of
thinking and reflecting, knowing them for himself through direct
knowledge by his experience thus: "They have the nature of going
towards an object, inclining towards an object, cognizing an object."
On the other hand, he knows analytically the material processes going
on in the whole body -- which are here described as "the rising and
falling movements of the abdomen," "sitting," etc., knowing them thus:
"These have //not// the nature of going or inclining towards an
object, or of cognizing an object." Such knowing is called "knowing
matter (or the body) by its manifestation of non-determining." For it
is said 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
an object."

Such knowledge as this, which analyses in each act of noticing both
the bodily process noticed and the mental process engaged in noticing,
according to their true essential nature, is called "analytical
knowledge of body and mind."

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

This is called //purification of view//.

* * *

IV. PURIFICATION BY OVERCOMING DOUBT

2. Knowledge by Discerning Conditionality

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

Again, he also understands by direct experience the condition for
the mental process, in the following manner: "In the case of
consciousness desirous of running off the track, there arises first a
corresponding consciousness giving initial attention (to the
distracting object). If that consciousness is not noticed (with
mindfulness), then there arises a consciousness that runs off the
track. But if the consciousness of initial attention to the
distracting object is noticed and known, no stray thought will arise.
It is similar in the case of other (types of consciousness, for
instance when taking delight or being angry, greedy, etc.). When both
the sense door of the eye and a visual object are present, there
arises visual consciousness; otherwise visual consciousness will not
arise; and so it is in the case of the other sense doors. If there is
a noticeable or recognizable object, then there arises consciousness
engaged in noticing or thinking or reasoning or understanding, as the
case may be; otherwise no such consciousness arises. Similarly he
understands what occurs in every other instance (of mind-door
cognition).

At that time, the meditator will generally experience many
different painful feelings arising in his body. Now, while one of
these feelings is being noticed (but without concern), another feeling
will arise elsewhere; and while that is being noticed, again another
will appear elsewhere. Thus the meditator follows each feeling as it
arises and notices it. But though he is engaged in noticing these
feelings as they arise, he will only perceive their initial phase of
"arising" and not their final phase of "dissolution."

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

He now understands: "Consciousness arises in accordance with each
object that becomes evident. If there is an object, there arises
consciousness; if there is no object, no consciousness arises."

Between sequences of noticing he also, by considering
inferentially, comes to know thus: "It is due to the presence of such
causes and conditions as ignorance, craving, kamma, etc., that
body-and-mind continue."

Such discernment through direct experience and through inference as
described, when noticing body-and-mind with their conditions, is
called "knowledge of discerning conditionality."

When that knowledge has come to maturity, the meditator perceives
only body-and-mind processes occurring in strict accordance with their
particular and appropriate conditions and he comes to the conclusion:
"Here is only a conditioning body-and-mind process and a 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 overcoming doubt//.

3. Knowledge of Comprehension

When this "purification (of insight) by overcoming doubt" has reached
maturity, the meditator will discern distinctly the initial, middle,
and final phases of any object noticed by him. Then, in the case of
various objects noticed, he will discern distinctly that only after
each earlier process has ceased, does there arise a subsequent
process. For instance, only when the rising movement of the abdomen
has come to an end, does there arise the falling movement; only when
that has ended, is there again a 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 there follow the placing of the foot on the ground.

In the case of painful feelings, only after each single feeling
occurring at its particular place has ceased, will another new feeling
arise at another place. On noticing the respective painful feeling
repeatedly, twice, thrice or more, the meditator will see that it
gradually grows less, and at last ceases entirely.

In the case of the variously shaped images that enter the mind's
field, it is only after each single image noticed has vanished, that
another new object will come into the mind's focus. On noticing them
attentively twice, thrice or more, he will see well that these mental
objects which are being noticed move from one place to another, or
they become gradually smaller and less distinct, until at last they
disappear entirely. The meditator, however, does not perceive anything
that is permanent and lasting, or free from destruction and
disappearance.

Seeing how each object, even while being noticed, comes to
destruction and disappearance, the meditator comprehends it as
//impermanent// in the sense of undergoing destruction. He further
comprehends it as //suffering// (painful) in the sense of breaking up
after each arising. Having seen how various painful feelings arise in
continuous succession -- how if one painful feeling ceases, another
arises, and when that has ceased, again another arises -- having seen
that, he comprehends the respective objects as just a conglomeration
of suffering. Further, he comprehends the object as consisting of mere
//impersonal// phenomena without a master, in the sense of not arising
of (or by) themselves, but arising subject to conditions and then
breaking up.

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

Having thus seen the three characteristics once or several times by
direct experience, the meditator, by inference from the direct
experience of those objects noticed, comprehends all bodily and mental
processes of the past, present, and future, and the whole world, by
coming to the conclusion: "They, too, are in the same way impermanent,
painful, and without a self." This is called "knowledge of
comprehension by inference."

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

Also in the Commentary to the //Kathavatthu// it is said: "Even if
the impermanence of only a single formation (conditioned phenomenon)
is known, there may be consideration of the rest by induction thus:
'All formations are impermanent.' "

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

Also in the Commentary to the Majjhima Nikaya[25] it is said:
"Because in the case of the realm of
neither-perception-nor-non-perception, the insight into the sequence
of mental factors belongs to the Buddhas alone and not to the
disciples, he (the Buddha) said thus thereby indicating the insight by
groups._" (This passage is the authority for the usage of the term
"comprehension by groups.")[26]