Chapter V - Thought Engaged Upon The Higher Ideal

I. The First Path (pathamo maggo.) ^[1]
The Twenty Great Methods (visati mahanaya).

 

1. Rapt Meditation (jhanam).

(i.) The Four Modes of Progress in Purification (suddhikapatipada).

[277] Which are the states that are good?

When he cultivates the Jhana of the Higher Ideal (the rapt meditation), whereby there is a going forth and onward, making for the undoing of rebirth^[2]

— and when, that he may attain to the First Stage, he has put away views and opinions^[3] and so, aloof from sensuous appetites, aloof from evil ideas, enters into and abides in the First Jhana, wherein conception works and thought discursive, which is born of solitude, is full of joy and ease, progress thereto being difficult and intuition sluggish —

then there is

contact,
feeling,
perception,
thinking,
thought,
conception,
discursive thought,
joy,
ease,
self-collectedness,
the faculties of faith,
energy,
mindfulness,
concentration,
wisdom,
ideation,
happiness,
vitality,
and the faculty of believing, "I shall come to know the unknown"^[4],
right views,
right intention,
right speech,
right action,
right livelihood^[5],
right endeavour,
right mindfulness,
right concentration;

the powers of faith,
energy,
mindfulness,
concentration,
wisdom,
conscientiousness,
the fear of blame;

the absence of lust,
hate,
dulness,
covetousness and malice,
right views,
conscientiousness,
the fear of blame,
serenity,
lightness,
plasticity,
facility,
fitness and directness in both sense and thought,
mindfulness,
intelligence,
quiet,
insight,
grasp and balance.

Now these — or whatever other incorporeal, causally induced states there are on that occasion — these are states that are good.

[278-282] "Contact", "feeling", "perception", "thinking", and "thought" are described as in §§ 2-6.

[283] What on that occasion is conception?

The ratiocination, the conception, which on that occasion is the disposition, the fixation, the focussing, the application of the mind, right intention, "Path-component", "contained in the Path" ^[6] —this is the conception that there then is.

[284] "Discursive thought" is described as in § 8.

[285] What on that occasion is joy?

The joy which on that occasion is gladness, rejoicing at, rejoicing over, mirth, merriment, felicity, exultation, transport of heart, the joy which is a factor in the Great Awakening ^[7] — this is the joy that there then is.

[286] "Ease" is described as in § 10.

[287] What on that occasion is self-collectedness?

The stability, solidity, absorbed steadfastness of thought which on that occasion is the absence of distraction, balance, imperturbed mental procedure, quiet, the faculty and the power of concentration, right concentration, the concentration which is a factor in the Great Awakening, a "Path-component", "contained in the Path" — this is the conception that there then is.

[288] "Faith" is described as in § 12.

[289] What on that occasion is the faculty of energy?

The mental inception of energy which there is on that occasion, the striving and the onward effort, the exertion and endeavour, the zeal and ardour, the vigour and fortitude, the state of unfaltering effort, the state of sustained desire, the state of unflinching endurance, the solid grip of the burden, energy, energy as faculty and as power, right energy, the energy which is a factor in the Great Awakening, a Path-component, contained in the Path — this is the energy that there then is.

[290] What on that occasion is the faculty of mindfulness?

The mindfulness which on that occasion is recollecting, calling back to mind the mindfulness^[8] which is remembering, bearing in mind, the opposite of superficiality and of obliviousness ; mindfulness, mindfulness as faculty and as power, right mindfulness, the mindfulness which is a factor in the Great Awakening, a Path-component, contained in the Path — this is the mindfulness that there then is.

[291] "Concentration" is described in the same terms as "self-collectedness", § 287.

[292] What on that occasion is the faculty of wisdom?

The wisdom which there is on that occasion is understanding, search, research, searching the Truth, discernment, discrimination, differentiation, erudition, proficiency, subtlety, criticism, reflection, analysis, breadth, sagacity, leading, insight, intelligence, incitement, wisdom as faculty and as power, wisdom as a sword, as a height, as light, as glory, as splendour, as a precious stone; the absence of dulness, searching the Truth, right views, that searching the Truth which is a factor in the Great Awakening^[9], a Path-component, contained in the Path — this is the wisdom that there then is.

[293-295] The faculties of "ideation", "happiness", and "vitality" are described as in §§ 17-19.

[296] What on that occasion is the faculty of believing, "I shall come to know the unknown" (anannatannassamitindriyam)?^[10]

The wisdom that makes for the realization of those Truths^[11] that are unrealized, uncomprehended, unattained to, undiscerned, unknown — the wisdom that is understanding, search, research, searching the Truth, etc.

[Continue as in § 292.]

[297] What on that occasion are right views? Answer as for "wisdom", § 292.

[298] "Eight intention" is described in the same terms as "conception", § 283.

[299] What on that occasion is right speech (samma vaca)?

To renounce on that occasion, abstain and refrain from, and feel averse to, the four errors of speech^[12], to leave them uncommitted and undone, to incur no guilt, nor to trespass nor transgress with respect to them, to destroy the causeway leading to them^[13] — right speech, a Path-component, contained in the Path — this is the right speech that there then is.

[300] What on that occasion is right action (samma kammanto)?

To renounce on that occasion, abstain and refrain from, and feel averse to, the three errors of conduct^[14], to leave them uncommitted and undone, to incur no guilt, nor to trespass nor transgress with respect to them, to destroy the causeway leading to them — right conduct, a Path-component, contained in the Path — this is the right conduct that there then is.

[301] What on that occasion is right livelihood (samma ajivo)?

To renounce on that occasion, abstain and refrain from, and feel averse to, wrong modes of livelihood, to leave them unpractised and undone, to incur no guilt, nor to trespass nor transgress with respect to them, to destroy the causeway leading to them — right livelihood, a Path-component, contained in the Path — this is the right livelihood that there then is.

[302-304] "Eight endeavour", "right mindfulness", "right concentration"^[15], are described as in §§ 289-291.

[305-311] The "powers" of "faith", "energy", "mindfulness", "concentration" and "wisdom" are described as in §§ 288-292; those of "conscientiousness" and "the fear of blame" as in §§ 30, 31.

[312-319] "The absence of lust" and "the absence of hate" are described as in §§ 32, 33; "the absence of dulness" as in § 309 ("wisdom"); "the absence of covetousness" and "the absence of malice" are described as in §§ 35, 36; "conscientiousness" and "the fear of blame" as in §§ 38, 39; "right views" as in § 292 or 309 ("wisdom").

[320] What on that occasion is serenity of sense?

The serenity, the composure which there is on that occasion, the calming, the tranquillizing, the tranquillity of the skandhas of feeling, perception and syntheses, the serenity which is a factor in the Great Awakening — this is the serenity of sense that there then is.

[321] What on that occasion is serenity of thought?

The serenity, the composure which there is on that occasion, the calming, the tranquillizing, the tranquillity of the skandha of intellect, the serenity which is a factor in the Great Awakening — this is the serenity of thought that there then is.

[322-331] The remaining five attributes characterizing both sense and thought "on that occasion": — "buoyancy", "plasticity", etc. — are described as in §§ 42-51.

[332-337] "Mindfulness", "intelligence", "quiet", "insight", "grasp" and "balance" are described as in §§ 290, 292 ("wisdom"), 291, 292, 289 ("energy") and 291 respectively.

These, or whatever other incorporeal, causally induced states there are on that occasion — these are states that are good.

[Summary.]

[337a]

Now at that time

the skandhas are four,
the spheres are two,
the elements are two,
the nutriments are three,
the faculties are nine,
the Jhana is fivefold,
the Path is eightfold,
the powers are seven,
the causes are three,

contact, feeling, perception, thinking, thought,

< < <

are each single [factors];

 

the skandhas of

feeling, perception, syntheses, intellect,	< < <	are each single [factors];

 

the sphere of ideation, the faculty of ideation, the element of representative intellection, the sphere of a [representative] state, the element of a [representative] state.	< < <	are each single [factors].

 

These, or whatever other incorporeal, causally induced states there are on that occasion — these are states that are good.

[Here the questions and answers concerning the first two, of the four skandhas enumerated are to he understood to follow as in §§ 59-61.]

[338] What on that occasion is the skandha of syntheses?

Contact,
thinking, ^[16]
conception,
discursive thought,
joy,
self-collectedness,

the faculties of

faith,
concentration,
energy,
wisdom,
mindfulness,
vitality,
believing "I shall come to know the unknown";

right views,
right livelihood,
right intention,
right endeavour,
right speech,
right mindfulness,
right action,
right concentration ;

the seven powers; ^[17]

the absence of lust,
hate and dulness;

the absence of covetousness and malice,
the fear of blame;

right views;

conscientiousness, 
serenity,
wieldiness,
buoyancy,
fitness,
plasticity,
directness of sense and thought;

mindfulness and intelligence;

quiet and insight;

grasp and balance.

These, or whatever other incorporeal, causally induced states there are on that occasion, exclusive of the skandhas of feeling, perception and intellect — these are the skandha of syntheses.

[Questions on the remaining items in the "Summary" are understood to follow.]

[340] Which are the states that are good? ^[18]

When he cultivates the Jhana of the Higher Ideal (the rapt meditation), whereby there is a going forth and onward, making for the undoing of rebirth — and when, that he may attain to the First Stage, he has put away views and opinions, and so, aloof from sensuous appetites, aloof from evil ideas, enters into and abides in the First Jhana . . . progress thereto being difficult, but intuition quick . . .

[or] [341] . . . progress thereto being easy, but intuition sluggish . . .

[or] [342] . . . progress thereto being easy and intuition quick — then the contact . . . the balance that arises — these . . . are states that are good.

[343] Repeat the Four Modes in the case of the 2nd to the 4th Jhana on the Fourfold System, and of the 1st to the 5th Jhana on the Fivefold System.

[Here end] the Modes of Progress in Purification.

 

(ii.) The Section on Emptiness (sunnatam). ^[19]

(a and b)

[344] Which are the states that are good?

When he cultivates the Jhana of the Higher Ideal (the rapt meditation), whereby there is a going forth and onward, making for the undoing of rebirth — and when, that he may attain to the First Stage, he has put away views and opinions, and so, aloof from sensuous appetites, aloof from evil ideas, enters into and abides in the First Jhana, wherein conception works and thought discursive, which is born of solitude, is full of joy and ease, and which is Empty — then the contact . . . the balance that arises — these . . . are states that are good.

[345] Repeat the 2nd to the 4th Jhanas on the Fourfold System, and the 1st to the 5th on the Fivefold System, with the addition in each case of the phrase "and which is Empty".

[Here ends] the "Emptiness" Section.

 

(c) The Modes of Progress, with "Emptiness" as the Basis (sunnata-mulaka-patipada).

[346] Which are the states that are good?

When he cultivates the Jhana of the Higher Ideal . . . and when, that he may attain to the First Stage, he . . . enters into and abides in the First Jhana . . . progress thereto being difficult and intuition sluggish, the method being the concept of Emptiness — then the contact . . . the balance that arises — these . . . are states that are good.

[347-349] Repeat the same formula, substituting in succession the three remaining Modes of Progress (§§ 176-179), with the addition in each case of the plirase "the method being the concept of Emptiness".

[350] Repeat the same formula, substituting in succession the remaining Jhdnas on the Fourfold System and those on the Fivefold System, and applying in each case the Four Modes of Progress, with the additional phrase on "Emptiness".

 

(ii.) The Aimless (appanihitam). ^[20]

(a and b)

[351] Which are the states that are good?

When he cultivates the Jhana of the Higher Ideal . . . and when, that he may attain to the First Stage, he . . . enters into and abides in the First Jhana . . . which is born of solitude, is full of joy and ease, and which is Aimless — then the contact . . . the balance that arises — these . . . are states that are good.

[352] Repeat the same formida, substituting the remaining three, and the five Jhdnas in succession, with the addition in each case of the phrase "and which is Aimless".

 

(c) The Modes of Progress, with Aimlessness as the Basis (appanihita-mulaka-patipada).

[353] When he cultivates the Jhana of the Higher Ideal . . . and when, that he may attain to the First Stage of it, he . . . enters into and abides in the First Jhana . . . progress whereto is difficult and intuition sluggish, the method being the concept of Aimlessness — then the contact . . . the balance that arises — these . . . are states that are good.

[354-356] Repeat the same formula, substituting in succession the three remaining Modes of Progress, with the addition in each case of the phrase "the method being the concept of Aimlessness".

[357] Repeat the same formula, substituting in succession the remaining three, and the five Jhanas, and applying in each case the Four Modes of Progress, with the additional phrase on "Aimlessness".

 

[2-20. The Eemaining Nineteen Great Methods.]

[358] Which are the states that are good?

Here follow nineteen concepts, each of which can be substituted for "the Jhana of the Higher Ideal" in the preceding 81 answers [§§ 277-357], as a vehicle in training the mind for Arahatship. They are as follows :

1. The Path of the Higher Ideal.
2. The Advance in Mindfulness^[21] toward the Higher Ideal.
3. The System of Eight Efforts^[22] toward the Higher Ideal.
4. The Series of Mystic Potencies^[23] applied to the Higher Ideal.
5. The Faculty relating to the Higher Ideal.
6. The Power relating to the Higher Ideal.
7. The Great Awakening to the Higher Ideal.
8. The Truth of the Higher Ideal.
9. The Peace^[24] of the Higher Ideal.
10. The Doctrine of the Higher Ideal.
11. The Skandha related to the Higher Ideal.
12. The Sphere of the Higher Ideal.
13. The Element of the Higher Ideal.
14. The Nutriment of the Higher Ideal.
15. Contact with the Higher Ideal.
16. Feeling relating to the Higher Ideal.
17. Perception relating to the Higher Ideal.
18. Thinking relating to the Higher Ideal.
19. Thought relating to the Higher Ideal.

 

[The Dominant Influences in the Modes of Progress (adhipati).]

[359] Which are the states that are good?

When he cultivates the Jhana of the Higher Ideal . . . and when, that he may attain to the First Stage, he . . . enters into and abides in the First Jhana . . . progress whereto is painful and intuition sluggish, and the dominant influence in which is desire, energy, a thought, or investigation, then the contact . . . the balance that arises — these are states that are good.

[360] Repeat this formula in the case of the remaining three and five Jhanas.

[361] Repeat the foregoing [§§ 359, 360] in the case of each of the nineteen remaining "Great Methods".

[Here ends] the First Path.

 

II. The Second Path.

[362] Which are the states that are good?

When he cultivates the Jhana of the Higher Ideal (the rapt meditation), whereby there is a going forth and onward, making for the undoing of rebirth — and when, that he may attain to the Second Stage, he has diminished the strength of sensual passions and of malice^[25], and so, aloof from sensuous appetites, aloof from evil ideas, enters into and abides in the First Jhana . . . progress whereto is difficult and intuition sluggish — then the contact . . . the faculty of knowledge made perfect^[26] . . . the balance that arises — these . . . are states that are good.

[Here ends] the Second Path.

 

III. The Third Path.

[363] Which are the states that are good?

When he cultivates the Jhana of the Higher Ideal (the rapt meditation), whereby there is a going forth and onward, making for the undoing of rebirth — and when, that he may attain to the Third Stage, he has put away the entire residuum of sensual passions and of malice^[27], and so, aloof from sensuous appetites, aloof from evil ideas, enters into and abides in the First Jhana . . . progress whereto is difficult and intuition sluggish — then the contact . . . the faculty of knowledge made perfect . . . the balance that arises — these . . . states that are good.

[Here ends] the Third Path.

 

IV. The Fourth Path.

[364] Which are the states that are good?

When he cultivates the Jhana of the Higher Ideal (the rapt meditation), whereby there is a going forth and onward, making for the undoing of rebirth, and when, that he may attain the Fourth Stage, he has put away absolutely and entirely all passion for Form, all passion for the Formless, all conceit, excitement and ignorance, and so, aloof from sensuous appetites, aloof from evil ideas, enters into and abides in the First Jhana . . . progress whereto is difficult and intuition sluggish — then the contact . . . the faculty of knowledge made perfect . . . the balance that arises — these . . . are states that are good.

[364a] What on that occasion is the faculty of knowledge made perfect (annindriyam) ?

The wisdom that makes for the realization of those truths that have been realized, comprehended, attained to, discerned and known — the wisdom that is understanding, search, research, searching the Truth, etc.

[Continue as in § 292.]

These, or whatever other incorporeal, causally induced states there are on that occasion, these are states that are good.

[Here ends] the Fourth Path.

 

[Here ends] Thought engaged upon the Higher Ideal.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

That is to say, the first stage of the way or course of life leading to Arahatship or Nirvana. In the answers, bhumi (Stage) is substituted for Path. And the "First Bhumi" is declared in the Cy. (pp. 214, 215) to be equiva- lent to the first-fruits (or fruition) of recluseship (c/. D. i., second sutta) ; in other words, to the fruit of sotapatti, or of "conversion", as it has been termed.

[2]:

The special kind of Jhana which he who has turned his back on the three lower ideals of life in the worlds of sense, form, or the formless, and has set his face steadfastly toward Arahatship, must "practise, bring forth and develop", is described by Buddhaghosa as being ekacittakkhanikam appana-jhan'am — rapt meditation on a concept induced by the momentary flash of a thought {cf. K. V., pp. 620, 458) — and by the text itself as niyyanikam apacayagamim. The former of these two last terms is thus commented upon:

"It is a going forth (down from) the world, from the cycle of rebirth. Or, there is a going forth by means of it. The man who is filled with it, comprehending 111, goes forth, putting away the uprising (of 111) goes forth, realizing the cessation (of 111) goes forth, cultivating the path (leading to that cessation) goes forth".

And the latter term: This is not like that heaping together and multiplying of rebirth effected by the good which belongs to the three worlds of being. This is even as a man who, having heaped up a stockade eighteen cubits high, should afterwards take a great hammer and set to work to pull down and demolish his work. For so it, too, sets about pulling down and demolishing that potency for rebirth heaped up by the three-world-good, by bringing abont a deficiency in the causes thereof.

[3]:

Ditthigatani, lit. resorting to views. All traditions or speculations adhered to either without evidence or on insufficient evidence, such as are implied in the states called "theory of individuality, perplexity, and the contagion of mere rule and ritual" (Asl. 214; infra, §§ 1002-1005).

[4]:

The italics show those constituents of consciousness wherein this Jhana differs from that mentioned in § 160, the constituents of which are identical with those of the First Type of Good Thought, § 1.

[5]:

These three factors of the "Eightfold Path", which were not explicitly included in the Eight Types of Good Thoughts, were, according to the Cy., included implicitly in the "or- whatever-states". See above, p. 5, n. 1. Here the Cy. only remarks that, whereas these three are now "included in the Pali" because the Eightfold Path has Nirvana for its goal, "pity" and "sympathy" are not included because they have living beings for their object, and not Nirvana.

[6]:

The Path being the 'Eightfold Path", "conception" (vitakko) is reckoned as included in it, in virtue of its being approximately equivalent to "intention" (sankappo).

[7]:

Piti-sambojjhango. The seven Sambojjhangas are enumerated in A. iv. 23 ; S. v. 110, 111 ; and also in Mil. 340, where they are termed "the jewel of the sevenfold wisdom of the Arahats". On the state called sam- bodhi, see Pihys Davids, "Dialogues of the Buddha", i., pp. 190-192. It is in the Cy. (217) described as the harmony of its seven constituent states, and as forming the opposite to the detrimental compound consisting of the accumula- tions of adhesion (linam) and excitement, indulgence in the pleasures and satiety of sensuality, and addiction to the speculations of Nihilism and Eternalism (below, § 1003).

The verb bujjhati is thus paraphrased: He arises from the slumber of vice, or discerns the four Noble Truths, or realizes Nirvana.

[8]:

Sati, repeated as in § 14, has dropped out of the printed text. K. repeats it.

[9]:

Under the name of Dhammavicayo, searching the truth, or doctrine, or religion.

[10]:

According to Buddhaghosa (216), the inspiring sense of assurance that dawns upon the earnest, uncompromising student that he will come to know the doctrine of the great truths — that Ambrosial Way unknown in the cycle of worldly pursuits and consequences where the goal is not ambrosial — is to him as the upspringing of a new faculty or moral principle.

[11]:

 Tesam dhammanam . . . sacchikiriyaya paiina, etc., which may more literally be rendered the wisdom (or understanding, etc.) of, for, or from, the realization of, etc. "Bringing right opposite the eyes" is the paraphrase (Asl. 218). The student while "in the First Path" learns the full import of those concise formulae known as the Four Noble Truths, which the Buddha set forth in his first authoritative utterance. Previously he will have had mere second-hand knowledge of them; and as one coming to a dwelling out of his usual beat, and receiving fresh garland and raiment and food, realizes that he is encountering new experiences, so are these truths, not known hitherto by him, spoken of as "unknown" (Asl. 218).

[12]:

That is, lying, slander, rude speech and frivolous talk. See the Cula Sila, e.g., in D. i. 4.

[13]:

Setughato, i.e., the cause or condition of evil speaking — namely, lust, hate and dulness (Asl. 219). The metaphor occurs in A. i. 220, 221, 261 ; ii. 145, 146.

[14]:

That is, murder (of any living thing), theft and unchastity. D. i. 4.

[15]:

Samadhi, before sambojjhango, has dropped out of the printed text.

[16]:

The printed text has vedana instead of cetana, which is obviously wrong.

[17]:

These are set out in the original as in § 277.

[18]:

The answer marked [339] in the text is merely a repetition of lokuttara-jhanam as dukkhapatipadam dan- dhabhifinam, i.e., of the first "Mode of Progress" given in [277]. I have therefore omitted it. No repetition is noticed in this connexion by the Cy. K. has no such repetition.

[19]:

Called in the Cy. (221) sunfiata-varo, with the subsections suddhika-sunnata, or "Emptiness applied to the purification-formula", i.e., the group marked (a and b), and suiinata-patipada, or "the Modes of Progress taken in connexion with Emptiness", i.e., the group marked (c).

On the technical term "emptiness", see above, § 121, and Khys Davids, "Yogavacara's Manual", pp. xxvii, xxviii. Of the three '"riddles" there discussed — "the empty, the aimless and the signless" — only the first two are here prescribed for cultivation. Buddhaghosa argues on the subject at some length (Asl. 221-225). He explains that the three terms are so many names for the way to the Ideal (lokuttara-maggo), each throwing a special aspect of it into greater relief than the other two, while yet no advance can be made without all three concepts.

The advent of the Path as a conscious ideal is especially char- acterized by insight into the fact that the sanskaras are void of a permanent soul, and of all that conduces to happi- ness. The virtue or quality of the Path, again, is wholly emjity of lust, hate and dulness. So also is its object, namely, Nirvana. But the chief import of "empty" is said to relate to the fact first named — the nonentity of any substratum or soul in anything.

The "aimless" applies chiefly to the insight into dukkham, or the nature of pain or ill. All aspiration or hankering after sanskaras withers up under the penetration of such insight. By it, too, the path of the Ideal becomes revealed. The third "riddle", the "signless" — i.e., the path conceived as free from the three signs or false tenets of Permanence, Sorrow and Soul — comes up for meditation later (§§ 506, 511, etc.).

[20]:

As in the foregoing, the Cy. {ihid.) co-ordinates this, and the following section, with the two on * emptiness,' calling (a and b) suddhika-appanihita, and the next group appanihita-patipada.

[21]:

Satipatthana. M. i. 56.

[22]:

Sammappadhana. See below, § 1367.

[23]:

Iddhipada. See above, § 273 et seq.

[24]:

Samatho. See above, § 54.

[25]:

Cf. D. i. 156 and M. P. S. 16, 17. It is striking that here and in the following answer no diminution of moho (dulness) is included. Cf., however, below, § 1134. Ignor- ance ( = dulness) is only really conquered in the Fourth Path. The diminution is described (Asl. 238) as coming to pass in two ways : vicious dispositions arise occasionally and no longer habitually, and when they do arise it is with an attenuated intensity. They are like the sparse blades of grass in a newly-mown field, and like a flimsy membrane or a fly's wing.

[26]:

Cf. § 296. The faith and hope of the Sotiipatti, or student of the First Path, while struggling with the limitations of his stage of knowledge (iiatamariyadam, the Cy. calls them, p. 239), are now rewarded by his attainment, as a Sakadagami, of that deepening philosophic insight into the full implication of the "Four Truths" termed anna, or knowledge par excellence, and applied, in Buddhist writings, only to evolving or evolved Arahat- ship. Cf. below, § 555.

[27]:

These, which the Cy., in connexion with the Second Path, termed collectively kilesa, are now referred to as saunojanani. See § 1229 et scq. and § 1113 et seq.