English
Therein, whatever is suitable and unsuitable, obstacles and their removal, etc., preliminary duties, and skills in adaptation, that are described in the Visuddhimagga, in the section on meditation, one who resorts to the unsuitable, his is painful practice, and slow insight. One who resorts to the suitable, his is pleasant practice, and quick insight. But one who in the earlier part resorts to the unsuitable, and in the later part resorts to the suitable, or in the earlier part resorts to the suitable, and in the later part resorts to the unsuitable, his is to be understood as mixed. Likewise, one who, without accomplishing preliminary duties, such as removing obstacles, engages in meditation, his is painful practice, the opposite is pleasant. But one who does not accomplish skills in adaptation, his is slow insight, one who accomplishes them, quick. Moreover, the distinction of these should be understood also by way of craving and ignorance, and by way of one who has cultivated concentration and insight. For one overcome by craving, his is painful practice, one not overcome, pleasant. And one overcome by ignorance, his is slow insight, one not overcome, quick. And one who has not cultivated concentration, his is painful practice, one who has cultivated it, pleasant. But one who has not cultivated insight, his is slow insight, one who has cultivated it, quick. The distinction of these should be understood also by way of the faculties of defilements. For one with strong defilements, and mild faculties, his is painful practice, and slow insight, but one with sharp faculties, quick insight. And one with weak defilements, and mild faculties, his is pleasant practice, and slow insight, but one with sharp faculties, quick insight. Thus, among these practices and insights, the person who attains jhāna by painful practice and slow insight, So, that meditation is called "painful practice, slow insight." The same method applies to the rest. Here, "mindfulness remains in accordance with that, wisdom shares in stability" (Vibha. 799), practice is by way of suppression through mindfulness or inclination towards that particular meditation, and insight is to be understood as the preparation for the attainment of that particular meditation. And indeed, practice and insight occur according to the way they arise. For the painful practice, slow insight, first jhāna, having arisen, is just like that in the second jhāna as well. The same method applies to the third and fourth. Just as in the fourfold method, so in the fivefold method, the distinction should be understood as fourfold according to the practice. Thus, four sets of nine are stated according to the practice. Of these, thirty-six minds are enumerated, but in meaning, since the fivefold method is included in the fourfold method, there are only twenty. The Fourfold Practice. The Fourfold Object 181. Now, since this jhāna is fourfold according to the difference in practice, so also according to the difference in object. Therefore, to show that distinction, "Which qualities are skillful?" etc., is begun again. There, in "limited, with a limited object," etc., that which is of little quality, unable to be a condition for a higher jhāna, this is called "limited." But that which occurs in a small object, like a louse or a pot, that has a limited object, is "with a limited object." That which is of great quality, well-developed, able to be a condition for a higher jhāna, this is called "immeasurable." That which occurs in a vast object, immeasurable due to its growth, is "with an immeasurable object." However, the mixed method should be understood as having the characteristics of those stated. Thus, four sets of nine are stated according to the object. The calculation of minds here is just like the previous one. The Fourfold Object. The Mixture of Object and Practice 186. Now, to show the sixteenfold method of mixed object and practice, "Which qualities are skillful?" is begun again. Here begins the exposition. Therein, the jhāna described in the first method is inferior for four reasons: because of the painful practice, because of the slow attainment of special knowledge, because of its limited nature, and because of its limited object. The jhāna described in the sixteenth method is superior for four reasons: because of the pleasant practice, because of the quick attainment of special knowledge, because of its immeasurable nature, and because of its immeasurable object. In the remaining fourteen, inferiority and superiority should be understood by one, two, or three reasons. But why is this method taught? Because it is the cause of the arising of jhāna. For the Sammāsambuddha showed the pure jhāna in the earth kasiṇa by way of the fourfold method and by way of the fivefold method; likewise, the pure practice, likewise, the pure object. Therein, the deities who are able to understand the pure jhāna in the earth kasiṇa when it is taught by way of the fourfold method, for them, according to their suitability, the fourfold method is taught in the pure jhāna. Those who are able to understand it when it is taught by way of the fivefold method, for them, according to their suitability, the fivefold method. Those who are able to understand the pure practice, the pure object, when it is taught by way of the fourfold method, for them, according to their suitability, the fourfold method is taught in the pure practice, the pure object. Those who are able to understand it when it is taught by way of the fivefold method, for them, according to their suitability, the fivefold method. Thus, the teaching was given according to the inclinations of the individuals below. And he, endowed with the grace of teaching, with the discriminating analytical knowledge, with the clear knowledge of the ten powers and four confidences, being skilled in the establishment of the Dhamma, because of his thorough understanding of the essential characteristics of the Dhammas as they occur, is able to determine the teaching according to whatever method is available. Therefore, by this grace of teaching, this teaching in the earth kasiṇa was given by him by way of the pure fourfold method and so on. But since whoever develops jhāna cannot develop it without an object and a practice, therefore, because it is necessarily the cause of the arising of jhāna, this sixteenfold method is spoken. Thus far the ninefold purity, the four ninefold practices, the four ninefold objects. These are the elevenfold and sixteenfold groups, thus twenty-five groups are described. In each group, there are two methods, fourfold and fivefold, thus fifty methods. There, "in the twenty-five fourfold methods, there are one hundred, in the fivefold methods, one hundred and twenty-five," thus there are two hundred and twenty-five jhana cittas. However, since the fivefold method is included in the fourfold method, in essence, there are only one hundred and twenty-five cittas. In these two hundred and twenty-five cittas mentioned in the text, there are three great series, such as the determination of the Dhamma, in each designation. But they are summarized there, showing only the method. Earth kasina. 203. Now, since these jhanas also arise in the water kasina and others, therefore, to show them, "which qualities are wholesome?" etc., is begun again. There, all the Pali method, the explanation of the meaning, the calculation of cittas, and the summary of the series should be understood in the same way as described in the earth kasina. However, the method of cultivation, beginning with the preliminary work on the kasina, is all explained in the Visuddhimagga (Visuddhi 1.91 ff.). In the Mahasakuludayi Sutta, the ten kasinas are mentioned (M. ii. 250). Among them, the consciousness kasina, the great consciousness developed in space, and the attainment of the sphere of infinite consciousness, which arises after performing the preliminary work there, entirely follows the description of the immaterial, therefore it is not discussed in this place. The space kasina, however, refers to the space after removing the kasina, and the aggregates that arise taking that as the object, and the limited space defined in a wall hole or other, and the fourfold and fivefold jhana that arises taking that as the object. There, the former method follows the description of the immaterial, the latter method the description of the form realm. Thus, due to the mixture, this does not include the description of the form realm. However, the jhana that arises in the limited space is the path to rebirth in the form realm, therefore that should be taken. In that, the fourfold and fivefold Absorption arises, but formless absorption does not arise. Why? Because of the failure to remove the kasina. For even when repeatedly removed, it is just space, so there the removal of the kasina is not achieved. Therefore, the absorption that arises there leads to a pleasant abiding in this very life, is the basis for higher knowledge, is the basis for insight, but is not the basis for cessation. Gradual cessation, however, is achieved here up to the fifth absorption, and it is certainly the basis for the round of existence. Just as this is, so too is the absorption that arises in the previous kasinas. The state of being the basis for cessation is a distinction here. The rest that should be said here about the space kasina has all been said in the Path of Purification. But one who desires transformation in the way of "Having been one, he becomes many," having produced the eight attainments in the previous eight kasinas, must train the mind in these fourteen ways: according to the kasina in direct order, according to the kasina in reverse order, according to the kasina in direct and reverse order; according to the absorption in direct order, according to the absorption in reverse order, according to the absorption in direct and reverse order; ascension of absorption,