English
ascension of kasina, ascension of absorption and kasina; transition of factors, transition of object, transition of factors and object; definition of factors, definition of object. The detailed explanation of these has already been given in the Path of Purification. But without training the mind in these fourteen ways, that a beginner yogi, who has not previously cultivated, will accomplish the power of transformation, this is not possible. For even the preliminary work on the kasina is a burden for a beginner; only one in hundreds or thousands is able. For one who has done the preliminary work on the kasina, the production of the sign is a burden; only one in hundreds or thousands is able. When the sign has arisen, to develop it and attain absorption is a burden; only one in hundreds or thousands is able. For one who has attained absorption, the training of the mind in fourteen ways is a burden; only one in hundreds or thousands is able. Fourteen ways... Even for one with mastered concentration, psychic powers and transformations are a burden; only one in hundreds or thousands can do it. Even for one who has attained transformation, quick attainment of cessation is a burden; only one in hundreds or thousands attains quick cessation. Like the eight-year-old Rakkhita Thera at Therambatthala, among the thirty thousand or so psychic monks who came to attend to the sick Mahārohanagutta Thera. All this matter is extensively explained in the Visuddhimagga. Discussion of the Kasinas. Discussion of the Abhibhāyatana 204. Thus, having described the form-sphere wholesome in the eight kasinas, now, since even with the same object, another form-sphere wholesome, known as the abhibhāyatana, arises in these eight kasinas, which is different in practice, therefore, it is begun again with "Which qualities are wholesome?" There, "internally without perception of form" means without preliminary perception of internal form, either because it has not been attained or because it is useless. "He sees forms externally" means, having done the preliminary work on the eight external kasinas, he sees those forms in the eight external kasinas by way of preliminary work and by way of attainment. "Limited" means not increased. "Having overcome them" means, just as an expert cook, having obtained a spoonful of rice, thinks, "What is there to eat here?" and gathers it up into a single mouthful, so too, a person with superior knowledge, with clear knowledge, thinks, "What is there to attain in this limited object? This is not a burden for me," and having overcome those forms, he attains. It means that here, attainment arises with the arising of the sign itself. "I know, I see," by this, his preliminary part is spoken of. But in the commentaries on the Agamas, it is said - by this, his directing of the mind is spoken of. And that is for one who has arisen from attainment, not during attainment. "Unlimited" means increased in measure. "Having overcome," here, just as a gluttonous man, a single serving of rice... Having obtained it, thinking, "Let there be another, what will this do for me?" he does not regard it as significant. Just so, a person with wisdom surpassing, clear knowledge, thinking, "What is there to attain here? This is not immeasurable, there is no burden for me in making my mind concentrated," having overcome those, he attains. It means that with the arising of the sign itself, appanā arises here. "Limited object, unlimited object, limited object, unlimited object," here, because "limited" is mentioned, the unlimited object is not taken; because "unlimited" is mentioned later, the limited object is taken. But in the commentary it is said, "In this place, four objects each are not taken, only two each are taken. Why? If four were taken, the teaching would be sixteenfold; and the Teacher has spoken of the sixteenfold teaching in detail, like spreading sesame seeds on a threshing floor. His intention was to give an eightfold teaching in this place. Therefore, it should be understood that only two each are taken." "Golden and discolored" means pure and impure colors. For pure colors, such as blue, are considered golden, and impure colors are considered discolored here. But in the Agama commentaries it is said, "Whether they are golden or discolored, these abhibhāyatana are taught only in terms of limited and unlimited." In these four, the limited comes in terms of the vitakka-character, the unlimited in terms of the moha-character, the golden in terms of the dosa-character, and the discolored in terms of the rāga-character. For these are suitable for them. And their suitability is stated in detail in the Cariya-niddesa in the Visuddhimagga. But why, as in the Suttanta, "Being conscious of form internally, one sees forms externally, limited," etc., is said, why is it not said so, but here in all four abhibhāyatana only "being unconscious of form internally" is said? Because internal forms are unconquerable. There, Indeed, here or outside, only forms are to be overcome, therefore they should be stated determinately, thus they are stated here and there. "Conscious of formlessness internally" is merely a display of the Teacher's teaching skill. This, in brief, is the explanation of novel terms in the four abhibhāyatanas. The distinction of the pure method and the path should be understood in each abhibhāyatana in the same way as described for the earth kasiṇa. Only here, the fourfold object becomes a twofold object, and sixteenfold becomes eightfold. The rest is the same. Thus, in each abhibhāyatana, there is one pure set of nine, four sets of nine for the path, two sets of nine for the object, and eight sets of nine mixed with object and path, thus fifteen sets of nine, and in all four abhibhāyatanas, sixty sets of nine should be understood. 246. In the fifth abhibhāyatana and so on, "blue" is stated in a comprehensive sense. "Of blue color" is according to color, "of blue appearance" is according to appearance, meaning having imperceptible gaps, unmixed colors, appearing only as uniformly blue. "Of blue radiance" is stated according to radiance; meaning having blue radiance, endowed with blue light. This shows their purity. These four abhibhāyatanas are stated according to pure color. In "yellow" and so on, the meaning should be understood in the same way. One who takes up the blue kasiṇa grasps the sign in blue. In a flower or cloth or color element, and so on, the preparation of the kasiṇa, the preliminary work, and the method of attainment are all extensively described in the Visuddhimagga (Visuddhi. 1.93 ff). Just as in the earth kasiṇa, so here in each abhibhāyatana, twenty-five sets of nine should be understood. The Discourse on the Abhibhāyatanas. The Discourse on the Vimokkhas 248. Now, since this form-sphere wholesome state arises not only through the overcoming of sense spheres called objects, by way of the abhibhāyatanas, but also by way of the vimokkhas, And also it does not arise, therefore, to show that method too, "Which qualities are skillful?" etc., is begun. But in what sense is liberation to be understood? In the sense of conviction. What is this sense of conviction? In the sense of being well freed from opposing qualities, and in the sense of being well freed in the manner of delighting in the object. It is said to be like the lying down of a child with limbs relaxed on its father's lap, proceeding to the object without being restrained, without apprehension. Indeed, this method is begun to show the form-sphere skill that has attained the state of liberation. Therein, "rūpī" means the form meditation produced internally in the hair, etc., is form; one who possesses that is rūpī. For internally, one doing blue preliminary work does it on the hair or bile or the pupil of the eye. One doing yellow preliminary work does it on fat or skin or the yellow part of the eyes. One doing red preliminary work does it on flesh or blood or the tongue or the palms of the hands and soles of the feet or the red part of the eyes. One doing white preliminary work does it on bone or teeth or nails or the white part of the eyes. Thus, this is said referring to one endowed with the meditation produced after doing the preliminary work. "Sees forms" means he sees external forms such as the blue kasina with the eye of meditation. By this, the attainment of meditation in kasinas with internal and external objects is shown. "Ajjhattaṃarūpasaññī" means internally, not perceiving form. That is, not producing form-sphere meditation in one's own hair, etc. By this, the attainment of meditation having done preliminary work externally and only externally is shown. "Subhanti" means by this, meditations in very pure blue, etc., color kasinas are shown. Therein, although there is no "subha" as an appearance in absorption, since one who dwells having made a very pure beautiful kasina the object, because he, "beautiful"… attains and dwells in the first jhāna, and likewise the second, etc., therefore this teaching is given. But in the Paṭisambhidāmagga, "How is it that only as beautiful…" Is being resolved, therefore liberation? Here, a bhikkhu with a mind imbued with loving-kindness directs it to one direction…pe… dwells, because beings are imbued with loving-kindness, they are not hostile; compassion… joy… with a mind imbued with equanimity directs it to one direction…pe… dwells, because beings are imbued with equanimity, they are not hostile, thus, being resolved in the beautiful, therefore liberation," it is said. Here, however, in the passage above, because the divine abodes have already been mentioned, rejecting that method, liberation through beauty is allowed only in terms of pure blue, pure yellow, pure red, pure white, perfectly pure blue, perfectly pure yellow, perfectly pure red, perfectly pure white. Thus, whether it is a kasina, or a sphere of mastery, or a liberation, it is simply a form-sphere jhāna.