Pahana-parinna

In Buddhist philosophy there are five kinds of Pahana, which it is necessary to deal with:

1. Tadangapahana,
2. Vikkhamabhanapahana,
3. Samucchedapahana,
4. Patipassadhipahana,
5. Nissaranapahana.

In order to make them clear, the three periods of the Defilements, which are called Bhumi, must here be mentioned.

They are:

1. Anusayabhumi,
2. Pariyutthanabhumi,
3. Vittikkamabhumi.

Of these three, Anusayabhumi means the period during which the Defilements do not come into existence as mental properties representing themselves in the three phases of time, i. e., nascent, static, and arrested, but lie latent surrounding the life-continuum.

Pariyutthanabhumi means the period at which the Defilements come into existence from the latent state as mental properties at the mind-door when any object, which has power to wake them up, produces perturbance at one of the six doors.

Vitikkamabhumi means the period at which the Defilements become so fierce and ungovernable that they produce sinful actions in deed and word, thus, in the revolution of existences that have no known beginning, every Greed that follows a creature's life continuum has three Bhumis. Similarly, the rest of the Defilements, error, dullness, conceit, and so forth, have three periods each.

In Buddhist ethics, there are three Sikkhas, namely, Silasikkha, the training of morality; Samadhi-sikkha the training of ecstatic thought; and Panna-sikkha, the training of insight. Of these three, the first training, that is the training of morality, is able to dispel or put away only the third (Vitikkamabhumi) of the Defilements. As there remain two Bhumis un-dispelled, the Defilements, which are got rid of by Síla, would again arise and soon fill up till they reached the Vitikkamabhumi. Therefore, the putting away by Síla is called the Tadangapahana, which means the temporary putting away.

The second training, that is, the training of ecstatic thought in the first Jhana, the second Jhana, and so forth, is able to dispel or put away only the second, the Pariyutthana-bhumi of the Defilements which have been left un-dispelled by Síla. As there still remains the Anusaya-bhumi un-dispelled, the Defilements which were put away by Jhana would soon arise and fill up till they reach the Vitikkamabhumi if obstacles to the Jhana were encountered. Therefore the putting away by Samádhi is called Vikkhamphana-pahana, which means the putting away to a distance. Here Jhana can dispose of the Defilements for a considerable time so that they do arise again soon, for it is ecstatic moral culture and more powerful than the síla.

The third training, that is, the training in the Knowledge that belongs to Insight and in the Knowledge that pertains to the Transcendental Path, is able to dispel or put away the first Anusaya-bhumi of the Defilements that have been left un-dispelled by Síla and Samádhi. The Defilements that are entirely got rid of through the said knowledge, leaving nothing behind, will never rise again. Therefore the putting away by Paññá is called the Samucchedapahana, which means, literally, the "Cutting-off, Putting-away." The knowledge that pertains to Transcendental Fruition puts the Defilements away by tranquillizing the same Defilements that have been put away by the knowledge that pertains to the Transcendental Path, and this putting away is called the Patipassaddhi-pahana. The putting away by entering Nibbána is called the Nissarana-pahana, which means the utter relinquishment of an escaping from, the ties of existences forever and ever. Now we have seen that knowledge is of three kinds. Knowledge of Insight, Knowledge pertaining to the Transcendental Path and Knowledge pertaining to Transcendental Fruition. Of these, though the Knowledge of Insight is able to put away the Anusaya-bhumi, it is not able to put it away completely. Only the knowledge’s pertaining to the Paths are able to put away all the defilements that respectively belong to each Path. The knowledge pertaining to the Sotapattimagga, the First Path, dispels utterly and eradicates all erroneous views and perplexities. It also dispels all immoral actions, which would result in life in the realms of misery, so that they do not rise again. The knowledge that pertains to Sakadagamimagga, the second path, dispels all coarse lust and hate. The knowledge pertaining to Anagamimagga, the Third Path, dispels all subtle lust and ill will which have been left un-dispelled by the Second Path. To him (the Anagami-puggalo, Never-Returner) the link of kinship with the world is broken, and the Brahma-loka is the only sphere where he may take rebirth. The knowledge pertaining to the Arahatta-magga, the Fourth Path, dispels the Defilements which are left un-dispelled by the lower paths. And he (the Arahatta-puggalo, one who kills all Defilements), becomes the Arahant, and escapes from the three Lokas or worlds. In our Buddhist Religion this Samuccheda-pahana is the chief thing to be accomplished.

So much for the Pahana-parinna.

Now I will indicate the main points necessary to those who practice the exercises of Insight. Of the three knowledge’s of Insight, the knowledge of Impermanence must first and foremost be acquired. How? If we carefully watch the cinematograph show, we will see how quick are the changes of the numerous series of photographs representing the wonderful scene, all in a moment of time. We will also see that a hundred or more photographs are required to represent the scene of a moving body. These are, in fact, the functions of Viparinama and Annathabhava, or the representation of Impermanence or Death, or cessation of movements. If we carefully examine the movements in a scene, such as the walking, standing, sitting, sleeping, bending, stretching, and so forth, of the parts of the body during a moment of time, we will see that these are full of changes, or full of Impermanence. Even in a moment of walking, in a single step taken with the foot, there are numerous changes of pictures, which may be called Impermanence or death. It is also the same with the rest of the movements. Now we must apply this to ourselves. The Impermanence and the death of mental and material phenomena are to be found to the full in our bodies, our heads, and in every part of the body. If we are able to discern clearly those functions of impermanence and death which are always operating in our bodies, we shall acquire the Insight of the Destruction, the breaking-up, falling-off, cessation, and changes of the various parts of the body in each second, in each fraction of a second. That is to say, we will discern the changes of every part of the body small and great, of head, of legs, of hands and so forth and so on. If this be thus discerned, then it may be said that the exercise on the contemplation of impermanence is well accomplished. And if the exercise on the contemplation of impermanence is well accomplished, then that of the contemplation of Non-soul is also accomplished. If this is thus discerned, then it may be said that the exercise on the contemplation of Impermanence is well accomplished. By the word "accomplished," it is meant that the exercise has been properly worked out so as to continue a permanent possession, during the whole term of life, but it is not meant that the knowledge of the Path and of Fruition has been attained. The attainment of the knowledge of the Path and Fruition however is quick or slow, according to opportunity or lack of opportunity, in the practice of higher virtues. It is also very difficult correctly to become aware of the attainment of the Path and of the Fruits. In fact, even the Aryan who has attained the First Path hardly knows that he has become an attainer of the Path-of-the-Stream. Why? Because of the un-fathomable-ness of the latent period of the Defilements. Those Yogis or meditator’s who do not know the un-fathomable-ness of the latent period of the Defilements, sometimes think themselves to be attainers of Path-of- the-Stream, while as yet, their erroneous views and perplexity are only partially, but not completely, put away. If error and perplexity with all their latent states are eradicated by the Samuccheda-pahana, they would become the real attainers of the Path-of-the-Stream. The meditator’s or practitioner’s of Insight, however, for the whole term of life, must gladly continue in the exercise on the contemplation of Impermanence until the exercise is systematically worked out. Even the Arahants do not give up these exercises for the securing of tranquility of mind. If meditator’s practice these exercises for the whole term of life, their knowledge will be developed till they passed beyond the Puthujjana-bhumi and arrive at the Ariya-bhumi either before death or at the time of death, either in this life or in the life following, in which latter they will be reborn as Devas.

Here the concise Vipassana-dipani, or the Outline of the Exercises of Insight for the Buddhists of Europe, comes to a close. It was written in Mandalay, while I was sojourning in the Ratanasiri Monastery, where the annual meeting of the Society for Propagating Buddhism in Foreign countries took place; and it was finished on the 14th waxing of Taboung in the year 2458 B.C.E., corresponding to the 26th February, 1915 C. E.