English
it is the basis for mental pain. Mental pain is characterized by mental affliction, it is the basis for sorrow. Sorrow is characterized by grieving, it is the basis for lamentation. Lamentation is characterized by vocal outpouring, it is the basis for despair. Whatever are troubles, those are despair. Nine categories where the entire unwholesome side converges and is included. Which are the nine categories? Two root defilements, three unwholesome roots, four perversions. Therein, the two root defilements are ignorance and craving for existence, the three unwholesome roots are greed, hatred, and delusion. The four perversions [A.N. 4.49] – the perversion of perception, perversion of thought, perversion of view that "the impermanent is permanent," the perversion of perception, perversion of thought, perversion of view that "the suffering is pleasure," the perversion of perception, perversion of thought, perversion of view that "the non-self is self," the perversion of perception, perversion of thought, perversion of view that "the impure is pure." 63. Therein, ignorance is the not-knowing of the four noble truths as they really are; this is ignorance. Craving for existence is that attachment, strong attachment, desire, infatuation, longing, delight, clinging, non-relinquishment regarding existences; this is craving for existence. Therein, what is the unwholesome root of greed? Greed is that greed, covetousness, desire, infatuation, longing, delight, clinging, non-relinquishment regarding various objects belonging to others, possessions of others, places of others, properties of others, things taken possession of by others; this is the unwholesome root of greed. Of what is it the root? Greed is the root of unwholesome bodily action, verbal action, and mental action born of greed, and likewise, the root of mental states and mental factors associated with it. Therein, what is the unwholesome root of hatred? It is ill-will towards beings, impatience, displeasure, malevolence, malice. the wish for harm is mental vexation, this is hatred, a root of unwholesome. Whose root is this? It is the root of bodily action, verbal action, and mental action born of hatred, and of the mental states associated with them. Among these, what is delusion, a root of unwholesome? That which is non-comprehension, non-grasping, non-penetration of the Four Noble Truths; delusion, bewilderment, confusion, utter bewilderment, ignorance, darkness, gloom, covering, hindrance, concealment, non-concealment, a going backward from wholesome states; this is delusion, a root of unwholesome. Whose root is this? It is the root of unwholesome bodily action, verbal action, and mental action born of delusion, and of the mental states associated with them. Among these, perversions should be known, the basis of perversions should be known. Whatever perversion there may be, that should be known. Among these, there is one perversion, three perversions, four bases of perversion. What is the one perversion, by which one grasps the opposite of what is? "Permanence in the impermanent," "happiness in suffering," "self in the non-self," "beauty in the unbeautiful," this is the one perversion. What are the four bases of perversion? Body, feeling, mind, and phenomena. These are the four bases of perversion. What are the three perversions? Perception, mind, and view. These are the three perversions. Among these, in a pleasing object, in an sense-object, or in a visible form, the grasping of a sign, this is perversion of perception. Among these, when the mind is perverted regarding an object, there is a manifestation, this is perversion of mind. Among these, when the mind is perverted regarding that form, the acceptance, the liking, the equanimity, the decision, the view, the insight, the deliberation that "beauty in the unbeautiful," this is perversion of view. Among these, by way of the distinction of objects, there are twelve perversions in bodies. Three in body, three in feeling, three in mind, three in phenomena; four perversions of perception, four perversions of mind, four perversions of view, by the accumulation of sense-bases. For one with eye-consciousness perception, twelve perversions in forms. Up to one with mind-consciousness perception, twelve perversions in mental objects. Six sets of twelve, four perversions arise. Indeed, due to the diversity of objects, for immeasurably countless beings, immeasurably countless perversions arise, due to their being inferior, superior, and middling. 64. Therein, the five aggregates become four bases of self-existence. That which is the form aggregate, that is the body, a base of self-existence. That which is the feeling aggregate, that is feeling, a base of self-existence. That which is the perception aggregate and the formations aggregate, these are mental objects, a base of self-existence. That which is the consciousness aggregate, that is mind, a base of self-existence. Thus, the five aggregates are four bases of self-existence. Therein, in the body, the perversion of "beauty in the unbeautiful" arises. Similarly, in feelings... in mind... and in mental objects, the perversion of self arises. Therein, for the eradication of the four perversions, the Blessed One teaches and proclaims the four foundations of mindfulness. Dwelling as an observer of the body in the body, he eradicates the perversion of "beauty in the unbeautiful." Similarly, it should be done in feelings, in mind, and in mental objects. Therein, ignorance, characterized by dark gloom and non-penetration, has perversion as its footing. Craving, characterized by clinging, has agreeable and pleasant forms as its footing. Greed, characterized by deceiving one's own intention, has taking what is not given as its footing. Here, hatred, characterized by contention, has the destruction of life as its footing. Delusion, characterized by wrong conduct regarding things, has wrong practice as its footing. The perception of permanence, characterized by grasping the imperishability of conditioned things, has all formations as its footing. The perception of happiness, characterized by approaching contact with influxes, has the sense of "mine" as its footing. The perception of self, characterized by approaching mental objects, has the sense of "I" as its footing. The perception of beauty, characterized by grasping at appearance, has non-restraint of the faculties as its footing. By these nine specified terms, the entire unwholesome side is indicated. It comes to be, and indeed that can be known by the learned, not by the unlearned; by the wise, not by the unwise; by the composed, not by the uncomposed. Nine wholesome terms where the entire wholesome side gathers and converges. Which are the nine terms? Tranquility, insight, non-greed, non-hatred, non-delusion, perception of impermanence, perception of suffering, perception of non-self, and perception of impurity. Therein, what is tranquility? That stability of mind, steadfastness, unswervingness, standing, establishment, presence, concentration, collectedness, non-distraction, non-regret, mental calming, one-pointedness of mind— this is tranquility. Therein, what is insight? Regarding aggregates, or elements, or sense-bases, or name-and-form, or dependent origination, or dependently arisen phenomena, or suffering, or its origin, or its cessation, or the path, or wholesome and unwholesome phenomena, or blameworthy and blameless phenomena, or dark and bright phenomena, or phenomena to be cultivated and not to be cultivated— that investigation, thorough investigation, examination, thorough examination, grasping, firm grasping, comprehensive grasping, mental pondering, weighing, close scrutiny, knowledge, or true knowledge, eye, understanding, intelligence, wisdom, radiance, light, splendor, brilliance, sword, arrow, the enlightenment factor of discrimination of states, right view, a factor of the path— this is insight. Therefore it is called insight. Or it is diverse insight, therefore it is called insight. And indeed this insight is called insight into phenomena in two ways. In two ways, by this one sees: the beautiful and the ugly, the dark and the bright, what should be cultivated and what should not be cultivated, action and its result, bondage and liberation, accumulation and dissipation, arising and ceasing, defilement and purification. Thus it is called insight. Or alternatively, 'vi' is a prefix, 'passana' means seeing. Therefore it is called insight. This is insight. Therein, two diseases of beings: ignorance and craving for existence. For the destruction of these two diseases, the Blessed One declared two remedies: tranquility and insi... and craving. Practicing these two medicines, he realizes two states of health: dispassion from lust, liberation of mind; and dispassion from ignorance, liberation by wisdom. Therein, for the illness of craving, tranquility is the medicine; dispassion from lust, liberation of mind, is the health. For the illness of ignorance, insight is the medicine; dispassion from ignorance, liberation by wisdom, is the health. Thus indeed the Blessed One said: "Two things are to be fully understood: name and form. Two things are to be abandoned: ignorance and craving for existence. Two things are to be developed: tranquility and insight. Two things are to be realized: knowledge and liberation." Therein, developing tranquility, one fully understands form. Fully understanding form, one abandons craving. Abandoning craving, one realizes liberation of mind through dispassion from lust. Developing insight, one fully understands name. Fully understanding name, one abandons ignorance. Abandoning ignorance, one realizes liberation by wisdom through dispassion from ignorance. When for a bhikkhu two things are fully understood: name and form; and for him two things are abandoned: ignorance and craving for existence; two things are developed: