When through this knowledge (now acquired) he feels disgust with
regard to every formation noticed, there will arise in him a desire to
forsake these formations or to become delivered from them. The
knowledge relating to that desire is called "knowledge of desire for
deliverance." At that time, usually various painful feelings arise in
his body, and also an unwillingness to remain long in one particular
bodily posture. Even if these states do not arise, the comfortless
nature of the formations will become more evident than ever. And due
to that, between moments of noticing, he feels a longing thus: "Oh,
may I soon get free from that! Oh, may I reach the state where these
formations cease! Oh, may I be able to give up these formations
completely!" At this juncture, his consciousness engaged in noticing
seems to shrink from the object noticed at each moment of noticing,
and wishes to escape from it.

10. Knowledge of Re-observation

Being thus desirous of escaping from the formations, the meditator
makes stronger effort and continues the practice of noticing these
very formations with the single purpose of forsaking them and escaping
from them. For that reason, the knowledge arising at that time is
called "knowledge of re-observation." The term "re-observation" has
the same meaning as "re-noticing" or "re-contemplation." Then the
nature (or characteristics) of the formations -- their being
impermanent, suffering, and without a self -- will be clearly evident
to him; and among these three, the aspect of suffering will be
particularly distinct.

At this stage, too, there will usually arise in his body various
kinds of pains which are severe, sharp, and of growing intensity.
Hence his whole bodily and mental system will seem to him like an
unbearable mass of sickness or a conglomeration of suffering. And a
state of restlessness will usually manifest itself, making him
incapable of keeping to one particular posture for any length of time.
For then he will not be able to hold any one position long, but will
soon want to change it. This state, however, simply manifests the
unbearable nature of the formations. Though he wants to change his
bodily posture, still he should not give in easily to that wish, but
should endeavour to remain motionless for a longer period in the same
posture and continue to carry on the practice of noticing. By doing so
he will be able to overcome his restlessness.

Now his insight knowledge is quite strong and lucid, and by virtue
of it even his painful feelings will at once cease as soon as they are
firmly noticed. Even if a painful feeling does not cease completely,
he will perceive that it is dissolving, part by part, from moment to
moment. That is to say, the ceasing, vanishing, and disappearing of
each single moment of feeling will become apparent separately in each
corresponding act of noticing. In other words, now it will not be as
it was at the time of the knowledge of comprehension, when the
constant flow or continuity of feelings of the same kind was apparent
as a single unit. But if, without abandoning the practice, that
feeling of pain is firmly and continuously noticed, it will entirely
cease before long. When it ceases in that way, it does so for good and
will not arise again. Though in that way the insight knowledge may
have become strong and perfectly lucid, still he is not satisfied with
that much. He will even think: "My insight knowledge is not clear." He
should, however, dismiss such thoughts by applying the act of noticing
to them, and he should go on with his task of continuously noticing
the bodily and mental formations as they occur.

If he perseveres thus, his noticing will become more and more clear
as the time passes in minutes, hours, and days. Then he will overcome
the painful feelings and the restlessness in being unable to remain
long in one particular posture, and also the idea that his insight
knowledge is not yet clear enough. His noticing will then function
rapidly, and at every moment of noticing he will understand quite
clearly any of the three characteristics of impermanence, etc.

This understanding of any of the three characteristics of
impermanence, etc., through the act of noticing which functions with
promptness in quick succession, is called "strong knowledge of
re-observation."

11. Knowledge of Equanimity about Formations

When this knowledge of re-observation is mature, there will arise
knowledge perceiving evident bodily and mental processes in continuous
succession quite naturally, as if borne onward of itself. This is
called "knowledge of equanimity about formations."

Now, in the act of noticing, effort is no longer required to keep
formations before the mind or to understand them. After the completion
of each single act of noticing, the object to be noticed will then
appear of itself, and insight knowledge, too, will of itself notice
and understand it. It is as if no further effort need be made by the
meditator. Formerly, owing to seeing the dissolution of formations,
there arose, in successive order, the aspect of fearfulness, the
perception of misery, the aspect of disgust, the desire for
deliverance, and dissatisfaction with the knowledge so far acquired.
But now these mental states no longer arise even though, in the
present state too, the breaking up of formations which are dissolving
more rapidly is closely perceived. Even if a painful feeling arises in
the body, no mental disturbance (grief) arises, and there is no lack
of fortitude in bearing it. Generally, however, at this stage, pains
will be entirely absent, that is, they do not arise at all. Even if
the meditator thinks about something fearful or sad, no mental
disturbance will arise, be it in the form of fear or of sorrow. This,
firstly, is "the abandoning of fear" at the stage of "equanimity about
formations."

At the earlier stage, on attaining knowledge of arising and passing
away, great joy had arisen on account of the clarity of insight. But
now this kind of joy does not arise, even though there is present the
exceedingly peaceful and sublime clarity of mind belonging to
"equanimity about formations." Though he actually sees desirable
objects conducive to joy, or though he thinks about various enjoyable
things, no strong feeling of joy will arise. This is "the abandoning
of delight" at the stage of "equanimity about formations."

He cherishes no desire nor hate with regard to any object,
desirable or undesirable, that comes into the range of his sense
doors, but taking them as just the same in his act of noticing, he
understands them (that is to say, it is a pure act of understanding).
This is "equable vision" at the stage of "equanimity about
formations."

Of these three qualities just mentioned, it is said in the //Path
of Purification//: "Having discarded fear and delight, he is impartial
and neutral towards all formations" (//Visuddhimagga//, xxi,62).

If he resumes the practice of noticing with the thought: "Now I
will do it vigorously again!" then, before long, the noticing will
function efficiently as if borne onward of itself. From now onwards
there is no need for the meditator to make further (deliberate)
effort. Though he does not make a (deliberate) effort, his noticing
will proceed in a continuous and steady flow for a long time; it will
go on even for two or three hours without interruption. This is "the
state of long-lasting (practice)" of equanimity about formations.
Referring to this it is said in the //Patisambhidamagga//: " 'The
wisdom lasting long' is the knowledge present in the mental states of
equanimity about formations." The Great Commentary to the //Path of
Purification// explains as follows: "This is said with reference to
knowledge functioning in a continuous flow."

Now when noticing functions spontaneously as if borne onward of
itself, the mind, even if sent out towards a variety of objects,
generally refuses to go; and even if it does go, it will not stay long
but will soon return to the usual object to be noticed, and will
resume continuous noticing. In this connection it was said: "He
shrinks, recoils, and retreats; he does not go forth to it."

12. Insight Leading to Emergence

So, through knowledge of equanimity about formations, which is endowed
with many virtues, blessings, and powers, he notices the formations as
they occur. When this knowledge is mature, having become keen, strong,
and lucid, on reaching its culmination point, it will understand any
of the formations as being impermanent or painful or without self,
just by seeing their dissolution. Now that act of noticing any one
characteristic out of the three, which is still more lucid in its
perfect understanding, manifests itself two or three times or more in
rapid succession. This is called "insight leading to emergence."40

Thereupon, immediately after the last consciousness in the series
of acts of noticing belonging to this insight leading to emergence,
the meditator's consciousness leaps forth into Nibbana, which is the
cessation of all formations, taking it as its object. Then there
appears to him the stilling (subsidence) of all formations called
cessation.

This mode of realization of Nibbana has been mentioned in many
discourses of the Master, for example: "The vision of truth arose:
whatsoever has the nature of arising is bound to cease." Herein the
words "bound to cease" indicate the aspect of realizing the stilling
and ceasing of all formations which have the nature of arising.

Also in the //Questions of King Milinda// it is said: "His
consciousness, while carrying on the practice of bringing to mind
(i.e. noticing), passes beyond the continuous occurrence of phenomena
and alights upon non-occurrence. One who, having practised in the
correct manner, has alighted upon non-occurrence, O king, is said to
have realized Nibbana."

The meaning is this: the meditator who wishes to realize Nibbana
should repeatedly bring to mind, through the practice of noticing,
every bodily and mental process that appears at any of the six sense
doors. When he brings them to mind thus, his consciousness engaged in
noticing -- here called "bringing to mind" -- will, until adaptation
knowledge is reached, fall at every moment upon the (conditioned)
bodily and mental formations called here "continuous occurrence,"
because they go on occurring over and over again in an unbroken flow,
like a river's current. But in the last phase, instead of falling upon
that continuous occurrence, consciousness passes beyond it and alights
upon "non-occurrence," which is the very opposite of the bodily and
mental formations called here "occurrence." In other words, it arrives
at non-occurrence, that is to say, it reaches, as if it "alights
upon," cessation, which is the stilling of the formations (or
conditioned phenomena). When the meditator, having already before
practised correctly and without deviation by way of the knowledge of
arising and passing away and the other knowledges (or by way of the
purification of conduct, of mind, of view, etc.), has in this manner
arrived at non-occurrence (by the consciousness alighting upon it), he
is said to have "realized Nibbana." He is called one who has made
Nibbana a direct experience and has actually seen it.

13. Knowledge of Adaptation

Here the knowledge by way of noticing that occurs last in the series
constituting insight leading to emergence, is called "knowledge of
adaptation."[41]

This is the end of the //purification by knowledge and vision of
the course of practice//.

14. Maturity Knowledge

Immediately afterwards, a type of knowledge manifests itself that, as
it were, falls for the first time into Nibbana, which is void of
formations (conditioned phenomena) since it is the cessation of them.
This knowledge is called "maturity knowledge."[42]

VII. PURIFICATION BY KNOWLEDGE AND VISION

15. Path Knowledge

It is followed immediately by knowledge that abides in that same
Nibbana, which is void of formations since it is the cessation of
them. This is called "path knowledge."[43] It is also called
"purification by knowledge and vision."

16. Fruition Knowledge

That again is immediately followed by knowledge that belongs to the
final stage and continues in the course of its predecessor. It abides
in that same Nibbana, which is void of formations since it is the
cessation of them. This is called "fruition knowledge."

17. Knowledge of Reviewing

The duration of that threefold knowledge of maturity, path, and
fruition is, however, not long. It is very short, and lasts for just
an instant, like the duration of a single thought of noticing.
Subsequently there arises "knowledge of reviewing." Through that
knowledge of reviewing the meditator discerns that the insight leading
to emergence came along with the very rapid function of noticing, and
that immediately after the last phase of noticing, the path
consciousness entered into the cessation (of formations). This is
"knowledge reviewing the path."

He also discerns that the consciousness abided in that same state
of cessation during the intervening period between the path and
reviewing. This is "knowledge reviewing fruition."

He further discerns that the object just experienced is void of all
formations. This is "knowledge reviewing Nibbana."

In this connection it is said in the //Path of Purification//: "
'By that path, indeed, I have come'; thus he reviews the path. 'That
blessing was obtained'; thus he reviews the fruition. 'That state has
been penetrated as an object by me';[44] thus he reviews the
Deathless, Nibbana" (//Visuddhimagga//, xxii, 20).

Some meditators, but not all, have "reviewing of defilements."[45]

After having reviewed in this way, the meditator still continues
the practice of noticing bodily and mental processes as they become
evident. But while he is thus engaged in noticing, the bodily and
mental processes appear to him quite coarse, not subtle as before at
the time of the knowledge of equanimity about formations. Why is this
so? This is so because the knowledge present now has the nature of the
knowledge of arising and passing away. For when the noble disciples
(namely, stream-winners, etc.) resume the practice of insight (by
noticing), the knowledge of arising and passing away usually arises at
the beginning. This is the usual course of order in this respect.

However, when some meditators emerge from the attainment of path
and fruition, great faith, happiness, rapture, and tranquillity,
produced by virtue of the attainment, arise flooding the whole body.
Owing to that, they are unable to carry out the practice of noticing
anything apparent at that time. Even if they make double effort and
attempt to proceed with the practice of insight, they fail to discern
the phenomena clearly and separately, at the moment of their
occurrence. They continue to experience only rapture, tranquillity,
and happiness, which occur with great force. This state of mind, which
is extraordinarily serene through the strong faith prevailing, lasts
for one hour, two hours, or more, without break. Because of this,
meditators feel as if they were in some such place as a wide open
space suffused with radiance and most delightful. The rapture and
happiness, of a serene character, that then arise are praised by
meditators thus: "Surely, I have never before felt and experienced
such happiness!" After two or three hours have passed, that faith,
happiness, rapture, and tranquillity will fade. The meditators can
once again proceed with noticing the bodily and mental processes as
they occur, distinguishing them separately, and they will be able to
discern them clearly. But at that time, too, first the knowledge of
arising and passing away will appear.

18. Attainment of Fruition

While he is thus engaged in noticing, his insight knowledge will
gradually grow, and soon will again reach the stage of equanimity
about formations. If his power of concentration is still short of
perfection, only the equanimity about formations will go on repeating
itself. But if his concentration has reached perfection, then, in the
case of one who does the insight practice of noticing with a view of
attaining only to the first path and fruition, the fruition
consciousness of the first path alone reaches cessation of formations
by way of the //attainment of fruition//.[46] This occurs in precisely
the same way as the path and fruition consciousness that occurred
earlier in the consciousness-sequence belonging to the initial
attainment of the first path. The only difference here is the capacity
of the fruition attainment to last long.

One should also set one's mind resolutely upon the further tasks:
to be able to repeat the achievement of fruition attainment, to
achieve it rapidly, and, at the time of achievement, to abide in it a
long time, say for six, ten, fifteen or thirty minutes, or for an hour
or more.

In one who applies himself to achieving the attainment of fruition,
knowledge of arising and passing away will arise at the beginning.
Advancing from there in the due sequence, soon the knowledge of
equanimity about formations is reached. But when skill in the practice
has been acquired, the knowledge of equanimity about formations will
arise quickly even after four or five acts of noticing. If the power
of concentration has reached perfection, the fruition consciousness
will repeatedly become absorbed in cessation by way of fruition
attainment. The mind can thus reach absorption even while one is
walking up and down, or while taking a meal, and the fruition
attainment can remain for any length of time resolved upon. During the
fruition attainment, the mind will abide only in the cessation of
formations and will not be aware of anything else.