English
As it is said – "Jhāna means equanimity, mindfulness, one-pointedness of mind." And this is just a synonym. But apart from mindfulness, it is just equanimity and one-pointedness. taking it, it is unequivocally two-factored. As it is said: "What is the two-factored jhāna at that time? Equanimity, one-pointedness of mind." (Dhs. 165). The rest is just as stated. The discourse on the Fourth Jhāna is finished. Discourse on Recollection of Past Lives 12. Thus these four jhānas for some are for the purpose of one-pointedness of mind, for some are the basis for insight, for some are the basis for supernormal powers, for some are the basis for cessation, for some are for the purpose of rebirth. Therein, for those with destroyed defilements, they are for the purpose of one-pointedness of mind, for they, having attained, thinking "with one-pointed mind we will dwell happily for the day," thus performing kasiṇa preliminary work, generate the eight attainments. For trainees and ordinary people, who generate them thinking "having arisen from attainment, with a concentrated mind we will gain insight," they are the basis for insight. But those who, having generated the eight attainments, and having attained the jhāna that is the basis for supernormal powers, having arisen from attainment, desiring supernormal powers of the kind stated, "being one, one becomes many," generate them, for them they are the basis for supernormal powers. But those who, having generated the eight attainments, thinking "having attained the attainment of cessation, being without mind for seven days, having reached cessation, Nibbāna, in this very life, we will dwell happily," generate them, for them they are the basis for cessation. But those who, having generated the eight attainments, thinking "being those whose jhānas have not declined, we will be reborn in the Brahma world," generate them, for them they are for the purpose of rebirth. But this fourth jhāna was generated by the Blessed One at the root of the Bodhi tree, and it was for him the basis for insight, and the basis for supernormal powers, and the basis for cessation, and the accomplishor of all tasks, and the giver of all mundane and supramundane qualities, it should be understood. And showing a part of those qualities of which it was the giver, he said, "So, with the mind thus concentrated," and so on. Therein, "so" means "that I". "Thus" is an indication of the sequence of the fourth jhāna. In this sequence, the fourth jhāna is said to be attained. Concentrated: by this concentration of the fourth jhāna, concentrated. In 'purified' and so on, it is purified by the purity of equanimity and mindfulness. Because it is purified, it is brightened, it is said to be radiant. Without blemish: by the destruction of the causes of suffering and so on, it is without the defilements of lust and so on. And because it is without blemish, it is free from defilements; for the mind is defiled by blemish. Softened: because it is well-developed, it is said to have attained mastery. For a mind that is under control is called soft. And because it is soft, it is workable, it is said to be fit for action, suitable for action. For a soft mind is workable, like well-refined gold, and both are so because they are well-developed. As it is said: "Monks, I do not see any other single quality that, when thus developed and cultivated, is soft and workable, as is this mind, monks." Steadfast: because it is established in these states of purity and so on. Because it is steadfast, it has attained imperturbability, it is said to be unmoving, unstained. Or, because it is soft and workable, it is steadfast, being under one's control; it has attained imperturbability because it is grasped by faith and so on. For a mind grasped by faith is not shaken by lack of faith, a mind grasped by energy is not shaken by laziness, a mind grasped by mindfulness is not shaken by heedlessness, a mind grasped by concentration is not shaken by agitation, a mind grasped by wisdom is not shaken by ignorance, a mind that has attained light is not shaken by the darkness of defilements. A mind grasped by these six qualities attains imperturbability. A mind thus endowed with eight factors is capable of inclining towards the direct realization of those things to be directly realized. Another method: concentrated by the concentration of the fourth jhāna. Purified by the removal of hindrances. Brightened by the transcendence of initial and sustained thought. Without blemish by the absence of evil, undesirable thoughts that are causes for the attainment of jhāna. Free from defilements by the disappearance of mental defilements such as covetousness and so on. defilements. Both of these should be understood according to the Anaṅgaṇavatthasutta (M.N. 1.57 onwards). Softened by the attainment of mastery. Workable, by becoming a basis for the development of psychic power. Attained to imperturbability, by the perfection of development, by becoming refined. It means, it is established as imperturbable. Thus, a mind endowed with eight factors is capable of bending towards, is a basis, a foundation, for the direct knowledge of things to be directly known. For the knowledge of the recollection of past lives: when this mind has become a basis for direct knowledge, it is for the knowledge that is in the recollection of past lives. Here, "past lives" means the aggregates that were lived in past existences. "Lived" means dwelt in, experienced, arisen and ceased in one's own continuum, or lived as lived phenomena, lived as objects of experience, known and delimited by one's own consciousness, or even known by others' consciousness, as in recalling severed tree stumps and so on. "Recollection of past lives" is the mindfulness by which one recollects past lives. "Knowledge" is the knowledge associated with that mindfulness. Thus, it is said, "for the knowledge of the recollection of past lives," meaning, for the attainment, for the acquisition of this knowledge. "I bent my mind towards" means I directed it. "So" means, I. "Of various kinds" means of many types, or described, explained in many ways. "Past lives" means the continuum of lives lived there, starting from the immediately preceding existence. "I recollect" shows that "one birth, two births," thus, I recollect by following the sequence of births, or I recollect continuously, or I recollect as soon as the mind is bent towards it. For great beings who have perfected the perfections, there is no preparatory work; therefore, they recollect simply by bending their mind. But noble sons who are beginners recollect only after doing preparatory work. Therefore, preparatory work should be spoken of in their case. But if that were to be said, it would be too much. It makes the noble discipline its foundation, therefore we do not speak of it. However, those who are interested should take it in the manner stated in the Visuddhimagga (Visuddhi. 2.402 onwards). Here, however, we shall only explain the Pāli text. "Seyyathidaṃ" is a particle used to show the kind of beginning. Therefore, showing the various kinds of this past existence that has been begun, it says "one birth" and so on. There, "one birth" means one stream of aggregates, rooted in one rebirth, ending in death, belonging to one existence. The same method applies to "two births" and so on. In "many eons of contraction" and so on, an eon that is diminishing should be understood as a saṃvaṭṭakappa (contracting eon), and one that is increasing as a vivaṭṭakappa (expanding eon). There, by "saṃvaṭṭa" (contraction), "saṃvaṭṭaṭṭhāyī" (remaining in contraction) is included, because it is rooted in it. And by "vivaṭṭa" (expansion), "vivaṭṭaṭṭhāyī" (remaining in expansion) is included. When this is so, all those four immeasurable eons, monks, which are spoken of as "What are the four? Contraction, remaining in contraction, expansion, remaining in expansion," are all encompassed. There are three contractions: contraction by fire, contraction by water, contraction by wind. There are three limits of contraction: the Ābhassarā, the Subhakiṇhā, the Vehapphalā. When an eon contracts by fire, everything below the Ābhassarā is burned by fire. When it contracts by water, everything below the Subhakiṇhā is dissolved by water. When it contracts by wind, everything below the Vehapphalā is destroyed by wind. In detail, however, always one Buddha-field is destroyed. A Buddha-field, indeed, is of three kinds: the birth-field, the authority-field, and the range-field. There, the birth-field extends to ten thousand world-systems, which trembles at the Tathāgata's conception and so on. The authority-field extends to a hundred thousand million world-systems. Within it, the power of these protective verses—the Jewel Discourse, the Aggregates Discourse, the Banner-Top Discourse, the Āṭānāṭiya Discourse, the Peacock Discourse—operates. The range-field, however, is infinite, immeasurable, "as far as, or as it is said (A.N. 3.81), "should he wish," where whatever he wishes, that he recollects. Thus, among these three Buddha-fields, one, the field of authority, perishes. When that perishes, the field of birth also perishes; and perishing, it perishes together; and establishing, it establishes together. Its perishing and establishing are stated in the Visuddhimagga (Visuddhi. 2.404). Those who are interested should take it from there. And as for these cycles of contraction and expansion that are spoken of, the Blessed One, seated at the Bodhi-mandala for the purpose of fully awakening to perfect enlightenment, recollected many aeons of contraction, many aeons of expansion, and many aeons of contraction and expansion. How? By the method beginning with "You were there." There, "you were there" means: "In that aeon of contraction, I was in that existence, or birth, or destination, or consciousness-abode, or abode of beings, or group of beings." "Such-and-such by name" means: