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it is the proximate cause of concentration. Concentration has the mark of non-distraction, it is the proximate cause of knowledge and vision of things as they are. Wisdom has the mark of discerning without distortion, it is the proximate cause of disenchantment. Disenchantment has the mark of non-attachment, it is the proximate cause of dispassion. Dispassion has the mark of non-defilement, it is the proximate cause of liberation. Unwholesome states... Freedom is characterized by detachment, that freedom is the basis for purification. 68. The four noble truths are the four fruits of recluseship. Among these, whoever understands things as they are, this is the stage of insight. And having understood the fruit of stream-entry as it is, he becomes disenchanted, this is the basis for the thinning of sensual desire and ill-will. And the fruit of once-returning, he subtly dispassionates, this is the liberation of mind through the fading of passion. And the fruit of non-returning, when he is liberated through the fading of ignorance, this is the accomplished stage. And what is the meaning of the word "Arahatta and the fruits of recluseship"? The Noble Eightfold Path is recluseship, its fruits are called the fruits of recluseship. Why are they called the fruits of brahminhood? The Noble Eightfold Path is brahminhood, its fruits are called the fruits of brahminhood. Among these, how is a stream-enterer? With the direct comprehension of the truths, three fetters of the noble disciple are abandoned: personality view, doubt, and clinging to rites and rituals. By the abandonment, by the destruction of these three fetters, the noble disciple becomes a stream-enterer, not liable to fall into states of woe, one who will make an end of suffering. Among these, what is personality view? The uninstructed, foolish ordinary person, who is unskilled in the noble doctrine, he regards form as self, up to consciousness as self. He has a self-grasping or a mine-grasping in these five aggregates, "this is I," "I am in one, subject to control," "thrown in," "supported," "lying latent," "limb by limb," he thinks. That which is such a view, a patience, a liking, a looking, a mode of thinking, a contemplation of views, a firm conviction, this is called personality view. Among these, five views lead to annihilationism. Which five? He regards form as self, up to he regards consciousness as self. These five lead to annihilationism. The remaining fifteen lead to eternalism. Thus, by the abandonment of personality view, the sixty-two wrong views are abandoned. By abandonment, one does not lean towards annihilationism or eternalism. Thus, annihilationism and eternalism... For the noble disciple, there is no loss, no view-point whatsoever arises, other than the transcendent right view. How then does personality view not arise? Here, the noble disciple is learned, all the wholesome side is to be done, until skilled in noble teachings, he perceives form as not-self, until consciousness... ...and so, for him who perceives thus, personality view does not arise. How does doubt not arise? Here, the noble disciple does not waver in the Buddha, does not doubt, is deeply confident, "Indeed, that Blessed One..." and so on. He does not waver in the Dhamma, does not doubt, and so on. Until the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna, he is endowed with this second desirable quality. He does not waver in the Saṅgha... ...until "worthy of offerings from gods and humans," he is endowed with this third desirable quality. "All formations are suffering" – he does not waver, does not doubt, he is resolved, deeply confident. "Craving is the origin of suffering" – he does not waver, does not doubt. "With the cessation of craving, there is cessation of suffering" – he does not waver, does not doubt. "The Noble Eightfold Path is the way leading to the cessation of suffering" – he does not waver, does not doubt, he is resolved, deeply confident. Until, concerning the Buddha, or the Dhamma, or the Saṅgha, or suffering, or its origin, or its cessation, or the path, any wavering, uncertainty, doubt, two-mindedness, vacillation, hesitation, instability, unsettledness, these are for him abandoned, removed, uprooted, made like a palm-stump, made non-existent, incapable of future arising. 69. Therein, adherence to rites and rituals is twofold: either of pure morality, or otherwise. Therein, adherence to rites and rituals of morality is: "By this morality, or vow, or ascetic practice, or holy life, I shall become a god, or one of the gods, there I shall play and delight with nymphs with pigeon-feet..." I will attend. Seeing things as they are is delight-release, passion, the turning of passion, the forming of views, the seeing, the grasping of precepts and vows by one not content. Among these, what is the pure grasping of precepts and vows? Here, someone grasps a precept, is purified by a precept, is led by a precept, is freed by a precept, overcomes happiness, overcomes suffering, overcomes happiness and suffering, attains the higher. They grasp both precepts and vows, are purified, freed, led by both precepts and vows, overcome happiness, overcome suffering, overcome happiness and suffering, attain. This is a defiling dhamma, a non-liberating dhamma. For one returning from defilement and liberation, the patience, delight, release, contemplation, mode of reflection, view-pondering, seeing, as things are— this is the pure grasping of precepts and vows. These two graspings are abandoned by the noble disciple, never to arise again in the future. He is virtuous, endowed with noble virtues, unbroken, leading to tranquility. By the abandoning of these three fetters, the learned noble disciple becomes a stream-enterer, not subject to falling. All. "By the sudden realization of the truths"— what is the meaning of this phrase? There are four realizations: realization by full understanding, realization by abandoning, realization by direct experience, realization by development. There, the noble disciple realizes suffering by full understanding, realizes the origin by abandoning, realizes cessation by direct experience, realizes the path by development. For what reason? Full understanding of suffering, abandoning of the origin, direct experience of cessation, development of the path. How does one realize by tranquility and insight? Having bound the mind to an object, one sees the five aggregates as suffering. There, that binding is tranquility. That penetration is insight. The five aggregates— Seeing as suffering, Whatever attachment, delight, Approaching, clinging, Desire, infatuation, Aspiration, longing In the five aggregates Is abandoned. Therein, The five aggregates Are suffering. Whatever therein Attachment, delight, Approaching, clinging, Desire, infatuation, Aspiration, longing, This is the origin. Its abandonment, That is cessation. Tranquility and insight Are the path. Thus, of these four noble truths, At one time, In one moment, In one mind, Without prior or subsequent, There is realization. Therefore the Blessed One said: "By the simultaneous realization of the truths, For the noble disciple, Three fetters Are abandoned." 70. Therein, Tranquility and insight, Proceeding yoked together, At one time, In one moment, In one mind, Perform four functions. They realize suffering By full understanding, Up to realizing the path By development. For what reason? Realization of suffering By full understanding, Up to realization of the path By development. Thus the simile: Just as a boat Going on water Performs four functions: It reaches the far shore, It leaves the near shore, It carries the burden, It cuts through the current; Even so, Tranquility and insight, Proceeding yoked together, At one time, In one moment, In one mind, Perform four functions: They realize suffering By full understanding, Up to realizing the path By development. Or just as the sun rising, At one time, Without prior or subsequent, Performs four functions: It dispels darkness, It makes light appear, Forms are revealed, It consumes cold; Even so, Tranquility and insight, Proceeding yoked together, At one time... (etc.) Just as a lamp burning, At one time, Without prior or subsequent, Performs four functions: It dispels darkness, It makes light appear, Forms are revealed, It consumes fuel; Even so, Tranquility and insight, Proceeding yoked together, At one time... (etc.) When a noble disciple Becomes a stream-enterer, Not subject to falling, Assured, Until the end of suffering, This is the stage of insight. And the fruit of stream-entry, Stream-entry... Standing in that state, developing further calm and insight, proceeding in conjunction, by the majority abandonment of sensual desire and ill-will, the noble disciple becomes a Once-returner. Having perfected it, coming to this world just once, he makes an end of suffering. This is the attenuated stage. And the fruit of Once-returning: Whoever, standing in the fruit of Once-returning, developing insight, abandons sensual desire and ill-will, along with their latent tendencies, without remainder. When sensual desire and ill-will are abandoned without remainder, the five lower fetters are abandoned: self-view, clinging to rites and rituals, doubt, sensual desire, and ill-will. By the abandonment of these five lower fetters, the noble disciple becomes a Non-returner, attaining final Nibbāna there, not returning from that world. This is the stage of freedom from passion. And the fruit of Non-returning: Standing in the fruit of Non-returning, developing further calm and insight, he abandons the five higher fetters: form-desire, formless-desire, conceit, restlessness, and ignorance. By the abandonment of these five higher fetters, the noble disciple becomes an Arahant, one whose taints are destroyed, who has lived the holy life, who has done what had to be done, who has laid down the burden, who has attained the true goal,