Visuddhimagga (the pah of purification)
by Ñāṇamoli Bhikkhu | 1956 | 388,207 words | ISBN-10: 9552400236 | ISBN-13: 9789552400236
This page describes Introduction (comprehension by groups) of the section Purification by Knowledge and Vision of the Path and the Not-path of Part 3 Understanding (Paññā) of the English translation of the Visuddhimagga (‘the path of purification’) which represents a detailled Buddhist meditation manual, covering all the essential teachings of Buddha as taught in the Pali Tipitaka. It was compiled Buddhaghosa around the 5th Century.
Introduction (comprehension by groups)
1. [606] The knowledge established by getting to know the path and the notpath thus, “This is the path, this is not the path,” is called “purification by knowledge and vision of what is the path and what is not the path.”
2. One who desires to accomplish this should first of all apply himself to the inductive insight called “comprehension by groups.[1]” Why? Because knowledge of what is the path and what is not the path appears in connection with the appearance of illumination, etc. (XX.105f.) in one who has begun insight. For it is after illumination, etc., have appeared in one who has already begun insight that there comes to be knowledge of what is the path and what is not the path. And comprehension by groups is the beginning of insight. That is why it is set forth next to the overcoming of doubt. Besides, knowledge of what is the path and what is not the path arises when “full-understanding as investigation” is occurring, and full-understanding as investigation comes next to fullunderstanding as the known (see XIX.21). So this is also a reason why one who desires to accomplish this purification by knowledge and vision of what is the path and what is not the path should first of all apply himself to comprehension by groups.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
“Comprehension by placing together in groups (totals) the states that are differentiated into past, future and present is ‘comprehension by groups.’ This, it seems, is the term used by the inhabitants of Jambudīpa (India). However, insight into states by means of the method beginning, ‘Any materiality whatever’ (M III 16) is ‘inductive insight.’ This, it seems, is the term used by the inhabitants of Tambapaṇṇidīpa (Sri Lanka). That is why he said “to inductive insight called comprehension by groups’” (Vism-mhṭ 778).