English
'" And with this connection, fading away has the meaning of transcendence, therefore, the meaning should be seen as "with transcendence of joy, and with the stilling of initial and sustained thought." Although these initial and sustained thoughts are stilled in the second jhāna itself, this is stated for the purpose of indicating the path and for praising the qualities of this jhāna. For when it is said "with the stilling of initial and sustained thought," it becomes apparent that "surely the path is the stilling of initial and sustained thought of this." What is jhāna? Just as in the third noble path, even for those who have not abandoned the views of self and so on, "by abandoning the five lower fetters" is spoken of as praise, generating enthusiasm for those striving to attain it, so too here, even for those whose thoughts and investigations have not ceased, the cessation of thoughts and investigations is spoken of as praise. Therefore, this meaning is stated: "With the overcoming of joy, and the cessation of thought and investigation." "And dwells equanimous" – here, 'upekkhā' means seeing from the perspective of arising. He sees equally, he sees without bias, is the meaning. Because the one endowed with the third jhāna is endowed with that clear, expansive, and strong quality, he is called 'equanimous'. Equanimity, however, is of ten kinds: six-factored equanimity, brahmavihāra equanimity, bojjhanga equanimity, viriya equanimity, sankhāra equanimity, vedanā equanimity, vipassanā equanimity, tatramajjhatta equanimity, jhāna equanimity, and pārisuddhi equanimity. Therein, that which comes as "Here, monks, a bhikkhu, seeing a form with the eye, is neither pleased nor displeased, but dwells equanimous, mindful, and fully aware" – thus, the equanimity of a perfected one in the six doors, in the path of the six desirable and undesirable objects, is of a purely natural, non-abandoning nature; this is called 'six-factored equanimity'. That which comes as "He dwells pervading one direction with a mind accompanied by equanimity" – thus, the equanimity that is of a neutral nature towards beings; this is called 'brahmavihāra equanimity'. That which comes as "He cultivates the equanimity enlightenment factor, dependent on seclusion" – thus, the equanimity that is of a neutral nature towards co-arisen phenomena; this is called 'bojjhanga equanimity'. That which comes as "From time to time, he attends to the sign of equanimity" – thus, what is called neither too strenuous nor too relaxed effort; this is called 'viriya equanimity'. Ah, this is called 'effort-equanimity.' That equanimity which, "How many equanimities of formations arise by way of serenity, how many equanimities of formations arise by way of insight? Eight equanimities of formations arise by way of serenity, ten equanimities of formations arise by way of insight," thus arrived, being neutral in the non-adherence to the consideration of repulsiveness of the hindrances, etc., this is called 'formation-equanimity.' But that equanimity which, "At the time when a wholesome consciousness belonging to the sense-sphere arises, accompanied by equanimity," thus arrived, reckoned as neither painful nor pleasant, this equanimity is called 'feeling-equanimity.' That equanimity which, "What exists, what has come to be, that he abandons, and attains equanimity," thus arrived, being neutral in investigation, this equanimity is called 'insight-equanimity.' But that equanimity which, having come in the very instances of desire, etc., is the state of equilibrium of co-nascent qualities, this equanimity is called 'even-mindedness-equanimity.' That equanimity which, "And dwells with equanimity," thus arrived, being the generator of impartiality even in the highest happiness, this equanimity is called 'absorption-equanimity.' That equanimity which, "Equanimity-mindfulness-purity, the fourth absorption," thus arrived, being completely purified of all opposing factors, being without activity even in the cessation of opposing factors, this equanimity is called 'purity-equanimity.' Therein, the six-factored equanimity, and the Brahma-abiding equanimity, and the enlightenment-factor equanimity, and the even-mindedness-equanimity, and the absorption-equanimity, and the purity-equanimity, in meaning, are one, just even-mindedness-equanimity. However, this difference of it is due to the difference in conditions. Like the difference of one being as a boy, youth, elder, general, or king. Therefore, it should be understood that where there is six-factored equanimity, there are not enlightenment-factor equanimity, etc., or where there is enlightenment-factor equanimity, there are not six-factored equanimity, etc. Just as these mental factors are one in meaning, so too are formation-equanimity and insight-equanimity. Wisdom. Indeed, this is divided into two based on function. Just as when a man, having entered his house in the evening, searches for a snake with a goat-herding stick, and seeing it lying in a husk heap, and considering, "Is it a snake or not?" and seeing three auspicious marks, and being free from doubt, there is equanimity in discerning "snake, not snake"; even so, that equanimity which arises in one who has begun insight, when the three characteristics are seen by the knowledge of insight, in discerning the impermanence, etc., of conditioned things, this is 'insight equanimity.' But just as for that man, having firmly grasped the snake with the goat-herding stick, and seeking a way to release it without harming it and without being bitten by it, there is equanimity in the grasping; even so, that equanimity which, because the three characteristics are seen, seeing the three realms as if ablaze, is equanimity in grasping conditioned things, this is 'equanimity towards conditioned things.' Thus, with insight equanimity accomplished, equanimity towards conditioned things is also accomplished. But these two are divided by the function signified by equanimity in discerning and grasping. But energy equanimity and feeling equanimity are different from each other and from the remaining ones in meaning. Among these ten kinds of equanimity, 'absorption equanimity' is intended here. It has the characteristic of neutrality, the function of non-exertion, the manifestation of non-interference, and the proximate cause of the cessation of joy. Here it is said: But is this not in meaning the same as equanimity as neutrality there? And that exists even in the first and second absorptions, therefore it should be said there also, "He dwells with equanimity." Why is that not said? Because its function is not manifest. For its function there is not manifest, because it is overcome by thought, etc. But here, because it is not overcome by thought, investigation, and joy, it has become manifest in function, like one with raised head, therefore it is said. The complete meaning explanation of "He dwells with equanimity" is finished. Now, regarding "mindful and fully aware," "he remembers" means mindful. "He fully knows" means fully aware. Thus, mindfulness and clear comprehension are spoken of in connection with the individual. Therein, mindfulness has the characteristic of remembering, the function of non-confusion, and the manifestation of protection. Clear comprehension has the characteristic of non-delusion, the function of investigation, and the manifestation of discernment. Although this mindfulness and clear comprehension are present even in the preceding jhānas – for one lacking mindfulness and clear comprehension, even mere access concentration is not achieved, let alone attainment concentration – because of the grossness of those jhānas, like a person on the ground, the mind's movement is easy, and the function of mindfulness and clear comprehension is not obvious there. But because of the subtlety of this jhāna due to the abandonment of gross factors, like a person on a razor's edge, the mind's movement must be undertaken only when grasped by the function of mindfulness and clear comprehension, and so it is spoken of only here. Moreover, why? Just as a calf following a cow, if separated from the cow and not protected, would again approach the cow, so this happiness of the third jhāna, though separated from joy, if not protected by the protection of mindfulness and clear comprehension, might again approach joy, and would be associated with joy. And beings are attached to happiness, and this is exceedingly sweet happiness, and there is no happiness beyond that. Through the power of mindfulness and clear comprehension, there is no attachment to happiness here, and not otherwise. To show this special meaning, it should be understood that it is spoken of only here. Now, regarding "he experiences happiness with the body," although there is no enjoyment of the experience of happiness for one possessing the third jhāna, even so, since that happiness is associated with his name-body, and since his form-body is pervaded by an exceedingly refined form produced by that happiness associated with the name-body, due to which pervasion he might experience happiness even after emerging from the jhāna, therefore, showing this meaning, he says, "he experiences happiness with the body." Now, regarding "which the noble ones announce: 'He is equanimous, mindful, one who dwells in happiness,'" the Buddhas and other noble ones "announce, teach, They make known, establish, reveal, analyze, make plain, proclaim, that is, they praise, saying, "He dwells with equanimity, mindful, in happiness." Thus, it should be understood that the application here is that he attains and dwells in that third jhāna. But why do they praise him thus? Because he is worthy of praise. Because even in the third jhāna, which is exceedingly sweet and has reached the ultimate in happiness, he is equanimous, not drawn by attachment to that happiness,