Visuddhimagga (the pah of purification)
by Ñāṇamoli Bhikkhu | 1956 | 388,207 words | ISBN-10: 9552400236 | ISBN-13: 9789552400236
This page describes Removal of the Defilements of the section The Benefits in Developing Understanding 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.
A. Removal of the Defilements
1. (vi) What are the Benefits in Developing Understanding? (See XIV.1) [698]
To that question, which was asked above, we reply that this development of understanding has many hundred benefits. But it would be impossible to explain its benefits in detail, however long a time were taken over it. Briefly, though, its benefits should be understood as these: (A) removal of the various defilements, (B) experience of the taste of the noble fruit, (C) ability to attain the attainment of cessation, and (D) achievement of worthiness to receive gifts and so on.
2. Herein, it should be understood that one of the benefits of the mundane development of understanding is the removal of the various defilements beginning with [mistaken] view of individuality. This starts with the delimitation of mentality-materiality. Then one of the benefits of the supramundane development of understanding is the removal, at the path moment, of the various defilements beginning with the fetters.
With dreadful thump the thunderbolt
Annihilates the rock.
The fire whipped by the driving wind
Annihilates the wood.The radiant orb of solar flame
Annihilates the dark.
Developed understanding, too,
Annihilates inveterateDefilements’ netted overgrowth,
The source of every woe.
This blessing in this very life
A man himself may know.