Passages from the Pali Canon
§ 165. These four types of individuals are to be found existing in world.
Which four?
There is the case of the individual who has attained internal tranquillity of
awareness, but not insight into phenomena through heightened discernment. There
is... the individual who has attained insight into phenomena through heightened
discernment, but not internal tranquillity of awareness. There is... the individual
who has attained neither internal tranquillity of awareness nor insight into
phenomena through heightened discernment. And there is... the individual who
has attained both internal tranquillity of awareness & insight into phenomena
through heightened discernment.
The individual who has attained internal tranquillity of awareness, but not
insight into phenomena through heightened discernment, should approach an individual
who has attained insight into phenomena through heightened discernment... and
ask him: 'How should fabrications be regarded? How should they be investigated?
How should they be seen with insight?' The other will answer in line with what
he has seen & experienced: 'Fabrications should be regarded in this way...
investigated in this way... seen in this way with insight.' Then eventually
he [the first] will become one who has attained both internal tranquillity of
awareness & insight into phenomena through heightened discernment.
As for the individual who has attained insight into phenomena through heightened
discernment, but not internal tranquillity of awareness, he should approach
an individual who has attained internal tranquillity of awareness... and ask
him, 'How should the mind be steadied? How should it be made to settle down?
How should it be unified? How should it be concentrated?' The other will answer
in line with what he has seen & experienced: 'The mind should be steadied
in this way... made to settle down in this way... unified in this way... concentrated
in this way.' Then eventually he [the first] will become one who has attained
both internal tranquillity of awareness & insight into phenomena through
heightened discernment.
As for the individual who has attained neither internal tranquillity of awareness
nor insight into phenomena through heightened discernment, he should approach
an individual who has attained both internal tranquillity of awareness &
insight into phenomena through heightened discernment... and ask him, 'How should
the mind be steadied? How should it be made to settle down? How should it be
unified? How should it be concentrated? How should fabrications be regarded?
How should they be investigated? How should they be seen with insight?' The
other will answer in line with what he has seen & experienced: 'The mind
should be steadied in this way... made to settle down in this way... unified
in this way... concentrated in this way. Fabrications should be regarded in
this way... investigated in this way... seen in this way with insight.' Then
eventually he [the first] will become one who has attained both internal tranquillity
of awareness & insight into phenomena through heightened discernment.
As for the individual who has attained both internal tranquillity of awareness
& insight into phenomena through heightened discernment, his duty is to
make an effort in establishing ('tuning') those very same skillful qualities
to a higher degree for the ending of the effluents.
-- A.IV.94
§ 166. Ven. Ananda: Whenever a monk or nun declares the attainment of Arahantship
in my presence, they all do it by means of one or another of four paths. Which
four?
There is the case where a monk has developed insight preceded by tranquillity.
As he develops insight preceded by tranquillity, the path is born. He follows
that path, develops it, pursues it. As he follows the path, developing it &
pursuing it -- his fetters are abandoned, his obsessions destroyed.
Furthermore, there is the case where a monk has developed tranquillity preceded
by insight. As he develops tranquillity preceded by insight, the path is born.
He follows that path... His fetters are abandoned, his obsessions destroyed.
Furthermore, there is the case where a monk has developed tranquillity &
insight in concert. As he develops tranquillity & insight in concert, the
path is born. He follows that path... His fetters are abandoned, his obsessions
destroyed.
Furthermore, there is the case where a monk's mind has its restlessness concerning
the Dhamma [Comm: the corruptions of insight] well under control. There comes
a time when his mind grows steady inwardly, settles down, and becomes unified
& concentrated. In him the path is born. He follows that path... His fetters
are abandoned, his obsessions destroyed.
Whenever a monk or nun declares the attainment of Arahantship in my presence,
they all do it by means of one or another of these four paths.
-- A.IV.170
§ 167. Then Ven. Anuruddha went to where Ven. Sariputta was staying and,
on arrival, greeted him courteously. After an exchange of friendly greetings
& courtesies, he sat down to one side. As he was sitting there, he said
to Ven. Sariputta: By means of the divine eye, purified & surpassing the
human, I see the thousand-fold cosmos. My persistence is aroused & unsluggish.
My mindfulness is established & unshaken. My body is calm & unaroused.
My mind is concentrated into singleness. And yet my mind is not released from
the effluents through lack of clinging/sustenance.
Sariputta: My friend, when the thought occurs to you, 'By means of the divine
eye, purified & surpassing the human, I see the thousand-fold cosmos,' that
is related to your conceit. When the thought occurs to you, 'My persistence
is aroused & unsluggish. My mindfulness is established & unshaken. My
body is calm & unperturbed. My mind is concentrated into singleness,' that
is related to your restlessness. When the thought occurs to you, 'And yet my
mind is not released from the effluents through lack of clinging/sustenance,'
that is related to your anxiety. It would be well if -- abandoning these three
qualities, not attending to these three qualities -- you directed your mind
to the Deathless property.'
So after that, Ven. Anuruddha -- abandoning those three qualities, not attending
to those three qualities -- directed his mind to the Deathless property. Dwelling
alone, secluded, heedful, ardent, & resolute, he in no long time reached
& remained in the supreme goal of the holy life for which clansmen rightly
go forth from home into homelessness, knowing & realizing it for himself
in the here & now. He knew: 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the
task done. There is nothing further for the sake of this world.' And thus Ven.
Anuruddha became another one of the Arahants.
-- A.III.128
§ 168. And what is an individual released in both ways? There is the case
of the individual who remains touching with his body the peaceful liberations,
the formlessnesses beyond forms; when he has seen with discernment, his effluents
are totally ended. I do not say that such a monk has any duty to do with heedfulness.
Why is that? Because he has done his duty with heedfulness; he is no more capable
of being heedless.
And what is an individual released through discernment? There is the case of
the individual who does not remain touching with his body the peaceful liberations,
the formlessnesses beyond forms; but when he has seen with discernment, his
effluents are totally ended. I do not say that such a monk has any duty to do
with heedfulness. Why is that? Because he has done his duty with heedfulness;
he is no more capable of being heedless.
-- M.70
§ 169. Develop concentration, monks. A concentrated monk discerns things
as they actually are present. And what does he discern as it actually is present?
'This is stress,' he discerns as it actually is present. 'This is the origination
of stress... This is the cessation of stress... This is the path of practice
leading to the cessation of stress,' he discerns as it actually is present...
Therefore your duty is the contemplation, 'This is stress... This is the origination
of stress... This is the cessation of stress... This is the path of practice
leading to the cessation of stress.'
-- S.LVI.1
§ 170. Develop concentration, monks. A concentrated monk discerns things
as they actually are present. And what does he discern as it actually is present?
The origination & disappearance of form... of feeling... of perception...
of fabrications... of consciousness.
And what is the origination of form... of feeling... of perception... of fabrications...
of consciousness? There is the case where one relishes, welcomes, & remains
fastened. To what? One relishes form, welcomes it, & remains fastened to
it. While one is relishing form, welcoming it, & remaining fastened to it,
delight arises. Any delight in form is clinging. With that clinging as a condition
there is becoming. With becoming as a condition there is birth. With birth as
a condition then aging & death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, &
despair all come into play. Thus is the origination of this entire mass of suffering
& stress. (Similarly with feeling, perception, fabrications, & consciousness.)
And what is the disappearance of form... feeling... perception... fabrications...
consciousness? There is the case where one does not relish, welcome or remain
fastened. To what? One does not relish form, welcome it, or remain fastened
to it. While one is not relishing form, welcoming it, or remaining fastened
to it, one's delight in form ceases. From the cessation of that delight, clinging
ceases. From the cessation of clinging, becoming ceases. From the cessation
of becoming, birth ceases. From the cessation of birth, then aging & death,
sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, & despair all cease. Thus is the cessation
of this entire mass of suffering & stress [§211]. (Similarly with feeling,
perception, fabrications, & consciousness.)
-- S.XXII.5
§ 171.
There's no jhana
for one with no discernment,
no discernment
for one with no jhana.
But one with both jhana
& discernment:
he's on the verge
of Unbinding.
-- DHP.372
§ 172. Monks, Sariputta is wise, of great discernment, deep discernment,
wide... joyous... rapid... quick... penetrating discernment... There is the
case where Sariputta... enters & remains in the first jhana. Whatever qualities
there are in the first jhana -- applied thought, evaluation, rapture, pleasure,
singleness of mind, contact, feeling, perception, intention, consciousness (vl.
intent), desire, decision, persistence, mindfulness, equanimity, & attention
-- he ferrets them out one by one. Known to him they arise, known to him they
remain, known to him they subside. He discerns, 'So this is how these qualities,
not having been, come into play. Having been, they vanish.' He remains unattracted
& unrepelled with regard to those qualities, independent, detached, released,
dissociated, with an awareness rid of barriers. He understands, 'There is a
further escape,' and pursuing it, he confirms that 'There is.' (Similarly with
the levels of jhana up through the dimension of nothingness.)
Furthermore, completely transcending the dimension of nothingness, he enters
& remains in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. He
emerges mindful from that attainment. On emerging... he regards the past qualities
that have ceased & changed: 'So this is how these qualities, not having
been, come into play. Having been, they vanish.' He remains unattracted &
unrepelled with regard to those qualities, independent, detached, released,
dissociated, with an awareness rid of barriers. He understands, 'There is a
further escape,' and pursuing it, he confirms that 'There is.'
Furthermore, completely transcending the dimension of neither perception nor
non-perception, he enters & remains in the cessation of feeling & perception.
When he sees with discernment, his effluents are totally ended. He emerges mindful
from that attainment. On emerging... he regards the past qualities that have
ceased & changed: 'So this is how these qualities, not having been, come
into play. Having been, they vanish.' He remains unattracted & unrepelled
with regard to those qualities, independent, detached, released, dissociated,
with an awareness rid of barriers. He understands, 'There is no further escape,'
and pursuing it, he confirms that 'There isn't.'
If someone, rightly describing a person, were to say, 'He has attained mastery
& perfection in noble virtue... noble concentration... noble discernment...
noble release,' he would be rightly describing Sariputta... Sariputta takes
the unexcelled wheel of Dhamma set rolling by the Tathagata, and keeps it rolling
rightly.
-- M.111
§ 173. I tell you, the ending of the effluents depends on the first jhana...
the second jhana... the third... the fourth... the dimension of the infinitude
of space... the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness... the dimension
of nothingness... the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.
'I tell you, the ending of the effluents depends on the first jhana.' Thus it
has been said. In reference to what was it said?... Suppose that an archer or
archer's apprentice were to practice on a straw man or mound of clay, so that
after a while he would become able to shoot long distances, to fire accurate
shots in rapid succession, and to pierce great masses. In the same way, there
is the case where a monk... enters & remains in the first jhana: rapture
& pleasure born of withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation.
He regards whatever phenomena there that are connected with form, feeling, perceptions,
fabrications, & consciousness, as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer,
an arrow, painful, an affliction, alien, a disintegration, a void, not-self.
He turns his mind away from those phenomena, and having done so, inclines his
mind to the property of deathlessness: 'This is peace, this is exquisite --
the resolution of all fabrications; the relinquishment of all acquisitions;
the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; Unbinding.'
Staying right there, he reaches the ending of the mental effluents. Or, if not,
then -- through passion & delight for this very property [the discernment
inclining to deathlessness] and from the total wasting away of the first of
the five Fetters [self-identity views, grasping at precepts & practices,
uncertainty, sensual passion, and resistance] -- he is due to be reborn [in
the Pure Abodes], there to be totally unbound, never again to return from that
world.
'I tell you, the ending of the effluents depends on the first jhana.' Thus it
was said, and in reference to this was it said.
(Similarly with the other levels of jhana up through the dimension of nothingness.)
Thus, as far as the perception-attainments go, that is as far as gnosis-penetration
goes. As for these two spheres -- the attainment of the dimension of neither
perception nor non-perception & the attainment of the cessation of feeling
& perception -- I tell you that they are to be rightly explained by those
monks who are meditators, skilled in attaining, skilled in attaining & emerging,
who have attained & emerged in dependence on them.
-- A.IX.36
§ 174. Then Dasama the householder from the city of Atthaka went to where
Ven. Ananda was staying and on arrival, having bowed down, sat to one side.
As he was sitting there, he said to Ven. Ananda, 'Is there, venerable sir, any
one condition explained by the Blessed One... whereby a monk -- dwelling heedful,
ardent, & resolute -- releases his mind that is as yet unreleased, or whereby
the effluents not yet brought to an end come to an end, or whereby he attains
the unsurpassed security from bondage that he has not yet attained?
Ananda: Yes, householder, there is... There is the case where a monk... enters
& remains in the first jhana... He notices that 'This first jhana is fabricated
& willed.' He discerns, 'Whatever is fabricated & willed is inconstant
& subject to cessation.' Staying right there, he reaches the ending of the
effluents. Or, if not, then -- through passion & delight for this very phenomenon
[of discernment] and from the total ending of the first five Fetters -- he is
due to be reborn [in the Pure Abodes], there to be totally unbound, never again
to return from that world. (Similarly with the other levels of jhana up through
the dimension of nothingness and the four releases of awareness based on good
will, compassion, appreciation, & equanimity.)
-- A.XI.17
§ 175. Sariputta: This Unbinding is pleasant, friends. This Unbinding is
pleasant.
Udayin: But what is the pleasure here, my friend, where there is nothing felt?
Sariputta: Just that is the pleasure here, my friend: where there is nothing
felt. There are these five strands of sensuality. Which five? Forms cognizable
via the eye -- agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, fostering desire, enticing;
sounds... smells... tastes... tactile sensations cognizable via the body --
agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, fostering desire, enticing. Whatever
pleasure or joy arises in dependence on these five strands of sensuality, that
is sensual pleasure.
Now there is the case where a monk -- quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn
from unskillful qualities -- enters & remains in the first jhana... If,
as he remains there, he is beset with attention to perceptions dealing with
sensuality, that is an affliction for him. Just as pain arises as an affliction
for a healthy person, even so the attention to perceptions dealing with sensuality
that beset the monk is an affliction for him. Now the Blessed One has said that
whatever is an affliction is stress. So by this line of reasoning it may be
known how Unbinding is pleasant.
Furthermore, there is the case where a monk... enters & remains in the second
jhana... If, as he remains there, he is beset with attention to perceptions
dealing with directed thought, that is an affliction for him...
Furthermore, there is the case where a monk... enters & remains in the third
jhana... If, as he remains there, he is beset with attention to perceptions
dealing with rapture, that is an affliction for him...
Furthermore, there is the case where a monk... enters & remains in the fourth
jhana... If, as he remains there, he is beset with attention to perceptions
dealing with equanimity, that is an affliction for him...
Furthermore, there is the case where a monk... enters & remains in the dimension
of the infinitude of space. If, as he remains there, he is beset with attention
to perceptions dealing with form, that is an affliction for him...
Furthermore, there is the case where a monk... enters & remains in the dimension
of the infinitude of consciousness. If, as he remains there, he is beset with
attention to perceptions dealing with the dimension of the infinitude of space,
that is an affliction for him...
Furthermore, there is the case where a monk... enters & remains in the dimension
of nothingness. If, as he remains there, he is beset with attention to perceptions
dealing with the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness, that is an affliction
for him...
Furthermore, there is the case where a monk... enters & remains in the dimension
of neither perception nor non-perception. If, as he remains there, he is beset
with attention to perceptions dealing with the dimension of the infinitude of
consciousness, that is an affliction for him... whatever is an affliction is
stress. So by this line of reasoning it may be known how Unbinding is pleasant.
Furthermore, there is the case where a monk... enters & remains in the cessation
of perception & feeling. And, having seen [that] with discernment, his effluents
are completely ended. So by this line of reasoning it may be known how Unbinding
is pleasant.
-- A.IX.34
§ 176. Ananda: It is amazing, my friend, it is marvelous, how the Blessed
One has attained & recognized the opportunity for the purification of beings...
and the direct realization of Unbinding, where the eye will be, and forms, and
yet one will not be sensitive to that sphere; where the ear will be, and sounds...
where the nose will be, and smells... where the tongue will be, and tastes...
where the body will be, and tactile sensations, and yet one will not be sensitive
to that sphere.
Udayin: Is one insensitive to that dimension with or without a perception in
mind?
Ananda: ...with a perception in mind...
Udayin: ...what perception?
Ananda: There is the case where with the complete transcending of perceptions
dealing with form, with the disappearance of perceptions of resistance, and
not heeding perceptions of diversity, thinking, 'infinite space,' one remains
in the dimension of the infinitude of space: Having this perception in mind,
one is not sensitive to that sphere.
Further, with the complete transcending of the dimension of the infinitude of
space, thinking, 'infinite consciousness,' one remains in the dimension of the
infinitude of consciousness: Having this perception in mind, one is not sensitive
to that sphere.
Further, with the complete transcending of the dimension of the infinitude of
consciousness, thinking, 'There is nothing,' one remains in the dimension of
nothingness: Having this perception in mind, one is not sensitive to that sphere.
Once, friend, when I was staying in Saketa at the Game Refuge in the Black Forest,
the nun Jatila Bhagika went to where I was staying, and on arrival -- having
bowed to me -- stood to one side. As soon as she had stood to one side, she
said to me: 'The concentration whereby -- neither pressed down nor forced back,
nor with mental fabrications kept blocked or suppressed -- still as a result
of release, contented as a result of stillness, and as a result of contentment
one is not agitated: This concentration is said by the Blessed One to be the
fruit of what?'
I said to her, '...This concentration is said by the Blessed One to be the fruit
of gnosis [the knowledge of Awakening].' Having this sort of perception, friend,
one is not sensitive to that sphere.
-- A.IX.37
§ 177. The Buddha: Sandha, practice the absorption (jhana) of a thoroughbred
horse, not the absorption of an unbroken colt. And how is an unbroken colt absorbed?
An unbroken colt, tied to the feeding trough, is absorbed with the thought,
'Barley grain! Barley grain!' Why is that? Because as he is tied to the feeding
trough, the thought does not occur to him, 'I wonder what task the trainer will
have me do today? What should I do in response?' Tied to the feeding trough,
he is simply absorbed with the thought, 'Barley grain! Barley grain!'
In the same way, there are cases where an unbroken colt of a man, having gone
to the wilderness, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, dwells with
his awareness overcome by sensual passion, obsessed with sensual passion. He
does not discern the escape, as it actually is present, from sensual passion
once it has arisen. Making that sensual passion the focal point, he absorbs
himself with it, besorbs, resorbs, & supersorbs himself with it.
He dwells with his awareness overcome by ill will... sloth & drowsiness...
restlessness & anxiety... uncertainty, obsessed with uncertainty. He does
not discern the escape, as it actually is present, from uncertainty once it
has arisen. Making that uncertainty the focal point, he absorbs himself with
it, besorbs, resorbs, & supersorbs himself with it.
He is absorbed dependent on earth... liquid... fire... wind... the dimension
of the infinitude of space... the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness...
the dimension of nothingness... the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception...
this world... the next world... whatever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained,
sought after, pondered by the intellect. That is how an unbroken colt of a man
is absorbed.
And how is a thoroughbred absorbed? An excellent thoroughbred horse tied to
the feeding trough, is not absorbed with the thought, 'Barley grain! Barley
grain!' Why is that? Because as he is tied to the feeding trough, the thought
occurs to him, 'I wonder what task the trainer will have me do today? What should
I do in response?' Tied to the feeding trough, he is not absorbed with the thought,
'Barley grain! Barley grain!' The excellent thoroughbred horse regards the feel
of the spur as a debt, an imprisonment, a loss, a piece of bad luck.
In the same way, an excellent thoroughbred of a man, having gone to the wilderness,
to the foot of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, dwells with his awareness not
overcome by sensual passion, not obsessed with sensual passion. He discerns
the escape, as it actually is present, from sensual passion once it has arisen.
He dwells with his awareness not overcome by ill will... sloth & drowsiness...
restlessness & anxiety... uncertainty, obsessed with uncertainty. He discerns
the escape, as it actually is present, from uncertainty once it has arisen.
He is absorbed dependent neither on earth, liquid, heat, wind, the dimension
of the infinitude of space, the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness,
the dimension of nothingness, the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception,
this world, the next world, nor on whatever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized,
attained, sought after, or pondered by the intellect -- and yet he is absorbed.
And to this excellent thoroughbred of a man, absorbed in this way, the gods,
together with Indra, the Brahmas, & Pajapati, pay homage even from afar:
'Homage to you, O thoroughbred man.
Homage to you, O superlative man --
you of whom we don't know even what
dependent on which
you're absorbed.'
Sandha: But in what way is the excellent thoroughbred of a man absorbed when
he is absorbed...?
The Buddha: There is the case, Sandha, where for an excellent thoroughbred of
a man the perception (mental note or label) of earth with regard to earth has
ceased to exist; the perception of liquid with regard to liquid... the perception
of fire with regard to fire... the perception of wind with regard to wind...
the perception of the dimension of the infinitude of space with regard to the
dimension of the infinitude of space... the perception of the dimension of the
infinitude of consciousness with regard to the dimension of the infinitude of
consciousness... the perception of the dimension of nothingness with regard
to the dimension of nothingness... the perception of the dimension of neither
perception nor non-perception with regard to the dimension of neither perception
nor non-perception... the perception of this world with regard to this world...
the next world with regard to the next world... and whatever is seen, heard,
sensed, cognized, attained, sought after, or pondered by the intellect: the
perception of that has ceased to exist.
Absorbed in this way, the excellent thoroughbred of a man is absorbed dependent
neither on earth, liquid, fire, wind, the dimension of the infinitude of space,
the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness, the dimension of nothingness,
the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, this world, the next
world, nor on whatever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought after,
or pondered by the intellect -- and yet he is absorbed. And to this excellent
thoroughbred of a man, absorbed in this way, the gods, together with Indra,
the Brahmas, & Pajapati, pay homage even from afar:
'Homage to you, O thoroughbred man.
Homage to you, O superlative man --
you of whom we don't know even what
dependent on which
you're absorbed.'
-- A.XI.10
§ 178. Knowledge of the ending of the effluents, as it is actually present,
occurs to one who is concentrated, I tell you, and not to one who is not concentrated.
So concentration is the path, monks. Non-concentration is no path at all.
-- A.VI.64