English
For one who has attained the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, being mindful, perceptions, to say they lead to distinction is not right. To say they lead to decline is right. Or perceptions and attentions accompanied by the cessation of perception and feeling, to say they lead to decline is not right. To say they lead to distinction is right. A mind well-trained and familiar, and not capable of exertion, to say this is not right. A mind well-trained and familiar, and moreover, abhi The teaching is suitable as a method, it is logical. Thus, all nine types of suttas should be investigated by a method of complete investigation, according to the Dhamma, according to the Vinaya, according to the Teacher's Dispensation, and should be applied by the method of logic. Therefore, Venerable Mahākaccāyana said: "Whatever is the ground and whatever is the range of all methods." Applied is the method of logic. 4. Analysis of the Padaṭṭhāna Method 22. Among these, what is the Padaṭṭhāna Method? "The Conqueror teaches the Dhamma" - this is the Padaṭṭhāna Method. What does he teach? Ignorance, characterized by not penetrating the true nature of all phenomena; its perversions are its basis. Craving, characterized by clinging; its beloved form, its delightful form, is its basis. Greed, characterized by longing; its taking what is not given is its basis. Perception of beauty, characterized by grasping at color, shape, and features; its restraint of the faculties is its basis. Perception of pleasure, characterized by approaching contact with influxes; its enjoyment is its basis. Perception of permanence, characterized by not seeing conditioned phenomena; its consciousness is its basis. Perception of self, characterized by not seeing impermanence and suffering; its mind-body is its basis. Knowledge, characterized by penetrating all phenomena; all that is knowable is its basis. Tranquility, characterized by withdrawing from mental distraction; its foulness is its basis. Non-greed, characterized by withdrawing from the sphere of desire; its abstinence from taking what is not given is its basis. Non-hatred, characterized by non-ill-will; its abstinence from killing living beings is its basis. Non-delusion, characterized by non-deviation from the object; its right practice is its basis. Perception of foulness, characterized by grasping at the livid and putrid; its disenchantment is its basis. Perception of suffering, characterized by fully knowing contact with influxes; its feeling is its basis. Perception of impermanence, characterized by seeing conditioned phenomena; its arising and passing away are its basis. Perception of non-self, characterized by non-adherence to all phenomena... Perception, for it, perception of phenomena is the proximate cause. The five strands of sensual pleasure are the proximate cause of sensual lust; the five material faculties are the proximate cause of lust for form; the sixth sense-base is the proximate cause of lust for existence; the contemplation of rebirth is the proximate cause of the five aggregates of clinging; the knowledge and vision of past lives is the proximate cause of recollection of past lives. Faith has the characteristic of conviction, and its manifestation is resolution. Serenity has the characteristic of clarity, and its manifestation is purification. Faith has the characteristic of aspiration, for it, unwavering confidence is the proximate cause. Serenity has the characteristic of clarity, for it, faith is the proximate cause. Effort has the characteristic of exertion, for it, right endeavor is the proximate cause. Mindfulness has the characteristic of non-floating, for it, the foundations of mindfulness are the proximate cause. Concentration has the characteristic of one-pointedness, for it, the jhānas are the proximate cause. Wisdom has the characteristic of understanding, for it, the truths are the proximate cause. Another way: Unwise attention has the characteristic of attending to gratification, for it, ignorance is the proximate cause. Ignorance has the characteristic of deluding about the truths, it is the proximate cause of formations. Formations have the characteristic of causing rebirth to sprout, they are the proximate cause of consciousness. Consciousness has the characteristic of arising dependently, it is the proximate cause of name-and-form. Name-and-form has the characteristic of the combination of mental body and physical body, it is the proximate cause of the six sense-bases. The six sense-bases have the characteristic of distinguishing the faculties, they are the proximate cause of contact. Contact has the characteristic of the conjunction of eye, form, and consciousness, it is the proximate cause of feeling. Feeling has the characteristic of experiencing the agreeable and disagreeable, it is the proximate cause of craving. Craving has the characteristic of clinging, it is the proximate cause of clinging. Clinging is dependent, it is the proximate cause of existence. Existence has the characteristic of the arising of mental body and physical body, it is the proximate cause of birth. Birth has the characteristic of the appearance of the aggregates, it is the proximate cause of aging. Aging has the characteristic of the ripening of the constituents of existence, it is the proximate cause of death. Death has the characteristic of the cutting off of the life faculty, it is the proximate cause of sorrow. This is its proximate cause. Sorrow, which causes agitation, is the proximate cause of lamentation. Lamentation, which causes babbling, is the proximate cause of pain. Bodily pain is the proximate cause of mental pain. Mental pain is the proximate cause of despair. Despair, which causes brooding, is the proximate cause of existence. When these factors of existence arise together, that is existence, which is the proximate cause of transmigration. The path, characterized by leading out, is the proximate cause of cessation. Knowing the proper time is the proximate cause of knowing joy. Knowing joy is the proximate cause of knowing attainment. Knowing attainment is the proximate cause of knowing oneself. Knowing oneself is the proximate cause of having done good deeds previously. Having done good deeds previously is the proximate cause of dwelling in a suitable country. Dwelling in a suitable country is the proximate cause of relying on good people. Relying on good people is the proximate cause of right self-exertion. Right self-exertion is the proximate cause of morality. Morality is the proximate cause of freedom from remorse. Freedom from remorse is the proximate cause of gladness. Gladness is the proximate cause of rapture. Rapture is the proximate cause of tranquility. Tranquility is the proximate cause of happiness. Happiness is the proximate cause of concentration. Concentration is the proximate cause of knowledge and vision of things as they are. Knowledge and vision of things as they are is the proximate cause of disenchantment. Disenchantment is the proximate cause of dispassion. Dispassion is the proximate cause of liberation. Liberation is the proximate cause of knowledge and vision of liberation. Thus, whatever is a strong support, whatever is a condition, all of that is a proximate cause. Therefore, the venerable Mahākaccāyana said, "The Victor teaches the Dhamma." The assigned proximate cause is the method. 5. Analysis of the Characteristic Method 23. What, in this regard, is the characteristic method? "When one phenomenon is stated," this is the characteristic method. What does it characterize? Those phenomena that share a single characteristic, when one of those phenomena is stated, the remaining phenomena are also stated. How might this be? As the Blessed One said – "The eye, monks, is impermanent..." It is arisen, transient, small, perishable, thereafter suffering, calamity, agitation, torment, a formation, a killer, amidst enemies. When this eye is spoken of, the remaining internal sense bases are spoken of. For what reason? For all six internal sense bases have one characteristic in the sense of a killer. As the Blessed One said – "In past form, Radha, be unconcerned. Do not delight in future form. For present form, practice for disenchantment, for dispassion, for cessation, for relinquishment, for letting go. When this form aggregate is spoken of, the remaining aggregates are spoken of. For what reason? For all five aggregates in the Yamaka Sutta of instruction are said to have one characteristic in the sense of a killer. As the Blessed One said – "And for those who have well-established constant mindfulness of the body; They do not engage in what is not to be done, they are persistent in what is to be done." Thus, when mindfulness of the body is spoken of, mindfulness of feelings, mindfulness of mind, and mindfulness of mental objects are spoken of. Similarly, when "whatever is seen or heard or sensed" is spoken of, "what is cognized" is spoken of. As the Blessed One said – Therefore, here, bhikkhu, dwell contemplating the body in the body, ardent, clearly comprehending, mindful, having removed covetousness and displeasure concerning the world. "Ardent" is the faculty of energy, "clearly comprehending" is the faculty of wisdom, "mindful" is the faculty of mindfulness, "having removed covetousness and displeasure concerning the world" is the faculty of concentration. Thus, for one dwelling contemplating the body in the body, the four foundations of mindfulness go to the perfection of development. For what reason? Because of the single characteristic of the four faculties. 24. When the four foundations of mindfulness are developed, the four right exertions go to the perfection of development. When the four right exertions are developed, when the four bases of power are developed, the five faculties go to the perfection of development. When the four bases of power go to the perfection of development...