English
He, taking molasses, treacle, sugar candy, etc., in a cart, went to a border village and proclaimed, 'Take poison-thorn, take poison-thorn!' Having heard that, the villagers thought, 'Poison is harsh, whoever eats it dies, and a thorn also kills by piercing. Both of these are harsh, what is the benefit here?' And they bolted their house doors and chased away the children. Seeing that, the merchant thought, 'These villagers are unskilled in commerce, come, I will make them take it by a trick.' And he proclaimed, 'Take very sweet, take very delicious, molasses, treacle, sugar are easily obtained, they can be obtained even with counterfeit māsaka, counterfeit kahāpaṇa, etc.' Having heard that, the villagers, delighted and overjoyed, went out and took much, giving payment. There, the merchant's proclamation, 'Take poison-thorn!' is like the Blessed One's 'Ākāsānañ The statement, "He should produce the attainment of the sphere of infinite space." 'Both of these are rough, what is the benefit here?' Like the villagers' thinking, 'The Blessed One said, "He should produce the sphere of infinite space," what is the benefit here? We do not know its quality,' is the listeners' thinking. Then, like the merchant's statement, "Take the very sweet one," etc., is the Blessed One's declaration of the benefit, beginning with the complete transcending of perceptions of form. For, having heard this, giving even a great price, like villagers for jaggery, with minds enticed by this benefit, having made even a great effort, they will produce this attainment, so he spoke for the purpose of generating effort and for the purpose of enticing. Here, in "accompanied by the perception of the sphere of infinite space," because it has no end, it is infinite. Space is infinite, infinite space. Infinite space itself is the sphere of infinite space. That sphere of infinite space, as the basis, in the sense of a foundation, is a sphere for it and for the mental states associated with that meditation, like a sphere of deities for the deities, thus, it is the sphere of infinite space. Thus, the sphere of infinite space, and that which is a sphere, is the sphere of infinite space. This is a designation for the space after the kasina has been removed. In that sphere of infinite space, associated with the perception that has reached the stage of absorption, is "accompanied by the perception of the sphere of infinite space." However, just as elsewhere it is said, "infinite space" (Vibha. 508; Dī. Ni. 2.129), so here, neither "infinite" nor "finite" is taken. Why? For if "infinite" is taken, "finite" is not taken; if "finite" is taken, "infinite" is not taken. If that were the case, the four types of objects would not be complete, the teaching would not be sixteenfold. And the Perfectly Enlightened One intended to make the teaching sixteenfold in this place, therefore, without saying "infinite" or "finite," he said, "accompanied by the perception of the sphere of infinite space." For if it is like this, both are taken. The four types of objects are complete, the teaching becomes sixteenfold. The remaining meaning of the text should be understood in the same way as stated below. Because of the difficulty of the fourth jhana of the form realm and the cessation of perception, the practice here is difficult. For one attached to delight in that, because of the slowness of access and preparation, the attainment is slow. The opposite, easy practice, and quick attainment should be understood. But the jhāna occurring in a small kasina-removed space is understood to have a limited object, while that occurring in a large kasina-removed space has an immeasurable object. And here, as in the Brahmavihāra of equanimity, there are twenty-five single instances through the fourth jhāna. As here, so also in those that follow. But we will describe only the differences in them. The Ākāsañcāyatana 266. "Having completely transcended the ākāsānañcāyatana," here, first, in the manner stated earlier, the jhāna is also the ākāsānañcāyatana by way of being the basis of that. And the object is in the manner stated earlier. Since this jhāna and object, both, must be attained and dwelt in only after completely transcending them by non-occurrence and non-attention, therefore, having combined both, "having completely transcended the ākāsānañcāyatana" is said, and this should be understood. "Accompanied by the perception of the viññāṇañcāyatana," here, because it is to be attended to as "endless," there is no end to it, hence it is endless. Endless is the ānañca. Instead of saying "viññāṇaṃ ānañcaṃ viññāṇānañcaṃ," it is said "viññāṇañcaṃ." This is the conventional term here. That very viññāṇañcaṃ, by way of being the basis, is the āyatana of this perception, hence viññāṇañcāyatanaṃ. Accompanied by the perception occurring in that viññāṇañcāyatanaṃ is "accompanied by the perception of the viññāṇañcāyatana." This is a designation for the jhāna whose object is the consciousness occurring in space. Here, because of the attachment to delight in the attainment of the ākāsānañcāyatana, and the difficulty, the practice is difficult, and for one attached to delight in that, because of the slowness of access and preparation, the attainment is slow. The opposite, easy practice, and quick attainment. The limitedness of the object is to be understood as the limited object because of the occurrence in dependence on the attainment whose object is the space of the removed small kasina, and the opposite, the immeasurableness of the object. The rest is just as before. Āki The sphere of nothingness. 267. "Having completely transcended the sphere of consciousness" - here too, in the manner previously stated, the nothingness is its sphere, by way of being its foundation, thus the jhāna is also the sphere of nothingness. And in the manner stated, the object too. Thus, since both this jhāna and this object must be attained and dwelt in only after having completely transcended them by not causing them to arise and by not attending to them, therefore, having combined both of these together, this was said: "Having completely transcended the sphere of consciousness." "Accompanied by the perception of the sphere of nothingness" - here, "he has no thing," that is, nothing of his remains, not even a fragment of dissolution. "The state of having no thing" is nothingness. This is a designation for the abandonment of the consciousness of the sphere of infinite space. That nothingness is the sphere of this perception by way of being its foundation, thus it is the sphere of nothingness. "Accompanied by the perception that occurs in that sphere of nothingness" is accompanied by the perception of the sphere of nothingness. This is a designation for the jhāna whose object is the abandonment of consciousness occurring in space. Here, due to the suffering of attachment and clinging to the attainment of the sphere of consciousness, the practice is painful, and due to the slowness of the preliminary practice for one who clings to attachment, the higher knowledge is slow. Conversely, the practice is pleasant and the higher knowledge is swift. Due to the object being the abandonment of consciousness occurring in space with a limited kasina removal, the object is limited; conversely, the object is immeasurable. The rest is just like before. The sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. "Having completely transcended the sphere of nothingness" - here too, in the manner previously stated, the nothingness is its sphere, by way of being its foundation, thus the jhāna is also the sphere of nothingness. And in the manner stated, the object too. Thus, since both this jhāna and this object must be attained and dwelt in only after having completely transcended them by not causing them to arise and by not attending to them, therefore, having combined both of these together, this was said: "Having completely transcended the sphere of nothingness." This should be understood. Now, regarding "accompanied by perception of the realm of neither perception nor non-perception," the realm of neither perception nor non-perception is so called because of the perception by which it exists. To show how that perception arises for one who has attained it, the Vibhaṅga, having cited "neither percipient nor non-percipient," states, "He constantly attends to that very realm of nothingness, cultivates the attainment with residual formations; therefore, he is called neither percipient nor non-percipient." There, 'constantly attends' means he attends to it as 'peaceful is this attainment, where one can remain even by making non-existence the object,' thus attending to it as having a peaceful object. If he constantly attends to it, how does transcendence occur? Through not desiring to advert to it. For although he constantly attends to it, he does not have the intention, the preparation, the attention of 'I will advert to this, attain it, resolve upon it, emerge from it, review it.' Why? Because the realm of neither perception nor non-perception is more peaceful and sublime than the realm of nothingness. Just as a king, while riding on an elephant in the city streets with great royal power, sees artisans like ivory workers, some tightly wrapping a cloth and covering their heads, others with bodies covered in ivory dust and making various ivory ornaments, and is pleased by their skill, thinking, 'Ah, these clever teachers, they can do such crafts,' but it does not occur to him, 'Ah, I wish I could give up my kingdom and become such an artisan.' Why is that? Because of the great benefit of royal glory. He transcends those artisans and goes on. In the same way, although he constantly attends to that attainment, he does not have the intention, the preparation, the attention of 'I will advert to this attainment, attain it, resolve upon it, emerge from it, review it.' Constantly attending to it, he considers that supreme.