English
"As to element," there are 2,800 elements in the thirty-two parts, in the elements mentioned in the statement, "This person, monk, is of four elements," by means of which the meditator grasps the thirty-two parts as to element, that is to say: the hardness of hair is the earth element, the binding together is the water element, the heat is the fire element, the support is the air element; there are these four elements. The same method applies to body hair, etc. "As to emptiness," there are ninety-six emptinesses in the thirty-two parts, by means of which the meditator sees the thirty-two parts as empty, that is to say: hair is empty of self, or of what belongs to self, or of permanence, or of stability, or of eternity, or of a nature that does not change. In hair, there are three emptinesses: emptiness of self, emptiness of what belongs to self, emptiness of permanence. The same method applies to body hair, etc. "As to aggregates, etc.," when the hair, etc., in the thirty-two parts are grasped in terms of aggregates, etc., one should understand the analysis here by the method: how many aggregates are the hairs, how many sense bases, how many elements, how many truths, how many foundations of mindfulness, etc. 357. Having thus shown the contemplation of the body in detail in three ways, according to the divisions of internal, etc., now, in order to show the divisions of the words "he dwells contemplating the body, ardent, fully knowing," etc., the passage beginning with "contemplating" is begun. Therein, in order to show the contemplation by which one is called a contemplator of the body, it is said, "What is the contemplation there? It is the wisdom that knows." The same method applies to "ardent," etc. Therein, "the wisdom that knows," etc., is explained below in the section on the analysis of thought moments. 16) Should be understood in the manner stated above. "Upeto," and so on, are all synonyms for each other. Moreover, "upeto" due to association, "samupeto" because of being well associated through cultivation. The same method applies to these two pairs: "upāgato samupāgato," "upapanno sampanno." However, regarding the abundance, "samannāgato" should be understood as the connection here. The same method applies to "upeto ātāpena," and so on. In the phrase "viharati," without asking "what is the vihāra there?" he speaks of the deportment, describing it in terms of the individual. Its meaning is: "iriyati" because of embracing one of the four deportments. He maintains himself by the turning of the body-cart with those four deportments. He protects the body by enduring, replacing one deportment-suffering with another, for long-lasting stability. He maintains himself by engaging in all deportments, not remaining fixed in one deportment. He sustains the body in that way, in that deportment, thus he "yāpeti." He moves about for a long time, thus he "carati." He lives by interrupting one deportment with another, thus he "viharati." 362. "Sveva kāyo loko": the body in which the contemplator of the body dwells, that very body is the world in the sense of decay and disintegration. However, since the abandoning of covetousness and displeasure in his body is also the abandoning in feelings, etc., therefore it is said that the five aggregates of clinging are the world. In "santā," etc., "santā" because of continuity in terms of cessation. "Samitā" because of being calmed by cultivation. "Vūpasantā" because of the cessation of non-arising through object-comprehension. "Atthaṅgatā" means gone to the goal, which is cessation. "Abbhatthaṅgatā" means utterly gone to the goal, because of being repelled by repeated arising. "Appitā" means destroyed, or established in non-arising. "Byappitā" means well destroyed, or utterly established in non-arising. "Sositā" means dried up, so that they do not flow back again. "Visositā" means well dried up, meaning dried out. "Byantī katā" means made to have an end. And here, the object of meditation through contemplation Maintaining the body in a suitable posture is the basis of the meditation subject, Ardor is right effort, Mindfulness and clear comprehension are the means of maintaining the meditation subject; It should be understood that serenity is attained through mindfulness in contemplating the body, Insight through clear comprehension, And the fruit of the practice through the abandoning of covetousness and displeasure. The explanation of the section on contemplation of the body is complete. Explanation of the Section on Contemplation of Feeling 363. In the section on contemplation of feeling too, it should be understood in the same way as stated below, according to the method already described. But in "Experiencing a pleasant feeling," etc., "Experiencing a pleasant feeling" means that one experiencing a pleasant feeling, whether bodily or mental, understands, "I am experiencing a pleasant feeling." Here, even infants lying on their backs may understand "I am experiencing a pleasant feeling" when experiencing pleasure, such as while drinking milk, but this is not the kind of understanding that is meant here. For such understanding does not abandon the perception of a being, does not eradicate the notion of a being, and is not a meditation subject or a practice of mindfulness. But this bhikkhu's understanding abandons the perception of a being, eradicates the notion of a being, and is both a meditation subject and a practice of mindfulness. For this is stated with reference to understanding based on clear comprehension, "What is it that feels, whose is the feeling, and what is the cause of the feeling?" Here, what is it that feels? No being or person feels. Whose is the feeling? The feeling does not belong to any being or person. What is the cause of the feeling? This feeling arises dependent on a base and an object. Therefore, he understands thus: "Feeling feels, having made such and such a pleasant thing, etc., its base and object; but taking that occurrence of feeling as a basis, there is merely the expression 'I feel.'" Thus, understanding that feeling itself feels, having made a base and an object, it should be understood that "he understands, 'I am experiencing a pleasant feeling,'" like a certain elder at Cittala Mountain. It is said that the elder, when unwell, groaning with a strong feeling, again and again, is rotating. Then a young monk asked, "Venerable sir, which part of you is hurting?" "Friend, there is no specific place that hurts; it is just feeling the pain, taking the object as a basis." "From the moment you know this, venerable sir, is it proper to endure?" "I will endure, friend." "Endurance, venerable sir, is better." The elder endured. The wind split him up to his heart. The intestines were piled up on the bed. The elder showed the young monk, "Is this much endurance enough, friend?" The young monk was silent. The elder, applying effort and concentration, attained arahantship together with the discriminations, and with a level head, attained final Nibbāna. Just as there is pleasure, so there is pain… …experiencing a painless and pleasureless feeling free from attachment, he understands, 'I am experiencing a painless and pleasureless feeling free from attachment.' Thus, the Blessed One, having spoken of the form meditation subject, when speaking of the formless meditation subject, spoke in terms of feeling. For there are two kinds of meditation subjects— form meditation subject and formless meditation subject; grasping of form and grasping of the formless, this is what it is called. Therein, the Blessed One, when speaking of the form meditation subject, spoke of the analysis of the four elements, either by way of concise attention or by way of detailed attention. Both of these have been shown in full detail in the Path of Purification. But when speaking of the formless meditation subject, he spoke mostly in terms of feeling. For there are three kinds of clinging in the formless meditation subject— through contact, through feeling, and through mind. How so? For one who has grasped the form meditation subject, either concisely or in detail, the first impact of the mind and mental factors on that object, the contact that arises touching that object, becomes apparent. For another, the feeling that arises experiencing that object becomes apparent. For another, the consciousness that arises knowing and grasping that object becomes apparent. Therein, for whom contact is apparent, even he, "not… When contact is prominent, He considers, "Not only contact arises; Together with it, experiencing that same object, feeling also arises, Knowing, perception also, Willing, volition also, Cognizing, consciousness also arises," Thus he grasps only the pentad of contact. When feeling is prominent, He also considers, "Not only feeling arises; Together with it, contacting that same object, contact also arises, Knowing, perception also, Willing, volition also, Cognizing, consciousness also arises," Thus he grasps only the pentad of contact. When consciousness is prominent, He also considers, "Not only consciousness arises; Together with it, contacting that same object, contact also arises, Experiencing, feeling also, Knowing, perception also, Willing, volition also arises," Thus he grasps only the pentad of contact. He, considering, "On what are these pentads of contact based?" Understands, "Based on a base." A base means the physical body, With reference to which it was said, "And this my consciousness is based here, bound here." That is, in essence, both the elements and derived materiality. Thus, here, the base is form, the pentads of contact are name, He sees only name-and-form. Here, form is the form aggregate, name is the four immaterial aggregates, There is only a set of five aggregates. For the five aggregates are not separate from name-and-form, Nor is name-and-form separate from the five aggregates.