English
Also, for one who frequently asks about what is allowable and unallowable, and for one who is skilled, due to familiarity and mastery in the precepts of the Discipline, and for one who approaches elder monks, and for one who associates with good friends, like the Elder Upāli, who is a master of the Discipline, restlessness and remorse are abandoned; also, in places for sitting and so on, by discussing what is allowable and unallowable, Even by suitable talk about faith, it is abandoned. Therefore, it was said, "Six things lead to the abandonment of restlessness and worry." But when restlessness and worry are abandoned by these six things, one knows that restlessness will not arise again through the path of arahantship, and worry will not arise again through the path of anāgāmiship. In states conducive to doubt, doubt arises through unwise attention. States conducive to doubt are, in fact, doubt itself, because they are the cause of repeated doubt. Doubt arises in one who frequently practices unwise attention. Therefore, the Blessed One said: "Monks, there are states conducive to doubt. Frequent unwise attention to them is food for the arising of unarisen doubt, and for the increase and abundance of arisen doubt" (SN 5.232). But for him, its abandonment comes through wise attention to wholesome etc. states. Therefore, the Blessed One said: "Monks, there are wholesome and unwholesome states, blameworthy and blameless states, inferior and superior states, states with a dark and bright counterpart. Frequent wise attention to them is food for the non-arising of unarisen doubt, and for the abandonment of arisen doubt" (SN 5.232). Moreover, six things lead to the abandonment of doubt: great learning, questioning, skill in the Vinaya, frequent conviction, good friendship, and suitable talk. Indeed, doubt is abandoned even by one who learns one or... up to five Nikāyas in terms of both the text and the meaning. Doubt is also abandoned by one who frequently questions about the Three Jewels, by one who is practiced and skilled in the Vinaya, by one who frequently has conviction, which is counted as faith that is inclined to belief in the Three Jewels, by one who associates with a good friend like the elder Vakkali who is freed by faith. Even by suitable talk about the qualities of the Three Jewels, based on the grounds and the abandoning, it is abandoned. Therefore, it was said. "Six things lead to the abandoning of doubt." He understands that, with these six things, doubt being abandoned by the path of stream-entry, there is no further arising in the future. Explanation of the Section on Hindrances. Explanation of the Section on Enlightenment Factors. In the section on enlightenment factors, "existent" means present in terms of attainment. "Non-existent" means absent in terms of non-attainment. Just as in the case of "unarisen," etc., first, regarding the mindfulness enlightenment factor: "Monks, there are things that are the basis for the mindfulness enlightenment factor. There, frequent wise attention is the food for the arising of the unarisen mindfulness enlightenment factor, or for the increase, abundance, cultivation, and fulfillment of the arisen mindfulness enlightenment factor" - thus, there is arising. There, mindfulness itself is the basis for the mindfulness enlightenment factor. Wise attention is of the characteristic already stated. When one frequently engages in that, the mindfulness enlightenment factor arises. Moreover, four things lead to the arising of the mindfulness enlightenment factor: mindfulness and clear comprehension, avoiding those who are unmindful, associating with those who are mindful, and being inclined towards that. For, in the seven instances beginning with "in going forward," with mindfulness and clear comprehension, by avoiding those who are unmindful like a crow that has dropped its food, by associating with those who are mindful like the elders Tissadatta and Abhaya, and with a mind inclined and leaning towards establishing mindfulness in standing, sitting, etc., the mindfulness enlightenment factor arises. He understands that, having arisen in this way through four causes, its cultivation reaches fulfillment by the path of arahantship. Regarding the investigation of phenomena enlightenment factor: "Monks, there are skillful and unskillful things... and things with dark and bright counterparts. There, frequent wise attention is the food for the arising of the unarisen investigation of phenomena enlightenment factor, or for the increase, abundance, cultivation, and fulfillment Which conduce to it. Thus does arising occur. Furthermore, seven things conduce to the arising of the investigation-of-doctrine enlightenment factor: being a frequent questioner, making the object clear, establishing balanced faculties, avoiding foolish individuals, associating with wise individuals, reflecting on profound wisdom practices, and being inclined thereto. Therein, being a frequent questioner means frequent questioning about the aggregates, elements, sense bases, faculties, powers, enlightenment factors, path factors, jhānas, serenity, and insight, based on meaning. Making the object clear means making internal and external objects clear. For when his hair and nails are long, or his body is afflicted with excessive humors and covered with sweat and dirt, then the internal object is unclear, impure. But when his robe is old, stained, and foul-smelling, or his lodging is cluttered, then the external object is unclear, impure. Therefore, the internal object should be made clear by cutting hair, inducing upward and downward purging, and making the body light, and by rubbing and bathing. The external object should be made clear by needlework, washing, dyeing, and taking care of belongings. For when the internal and external objects are unclear, the mental states that arise are also unclear, impure, like the light of a lamp that arises depending on an impure lamp stand, wick, and oil. But when the internal and external objects are clear, the mental states that arise are also clear, pure, like the light of a lamp that arises depending on a pure lamp stand, wick, and oil. Therefore, it is said, "Making the object clear conduces to the arising of the investigation-of-doctrine enlightenment factor." Establishing balanced faculties means making the faculties of faith and so on balanced. If his faculty of faith is strong, and the others are weak, then the faculty of energy has the function of exertion, the faculty of mindfulness has the function of establishing, s An energy faculty that is weak cannot perform the function of non-distraction, nor can the wisdom faculty perform the function of seeing. Therefore, it should be weakened by not attending to it in the same way that it becomes strong by reflecting on the nature of phenomena or by attending to it appropriately. The story of Vakkali Thera is an example here. But if the energy faculty is strong, then the faith faculty cannot perform the function of conviction, nor can the others perform their respective functions. Therefore, it should be weakened by cultivating tranquility and so on. There, too, the story of Sona Thera should be shown. Thus, in the remaining cases as well, it should be understood that when one is strong, the others are incapable of their own functions. Especially here, they praise the equality of faith and wisdom, and of concentration and energy. For one with strong faith but weak wisdom is blindly devoted, he is pleased with what is unworthy. One with strong wisdom but weak faith embraces the side of skepticism, and like a disease arising from medicine, he is difficult to cure, thinking, "Good comes from the mere arising of thought," he rushes on, not doing meritorious deeds such as giving, and is reborn in hell. But with equality of both, he is pleased only with what is worthy. Strong concentration, however, overcomes weak energy, because concentration is on the side of laziness. Strong energy overcomes weak concentration, because energy is on the side of restlessness. But concentration, joined with energy, cannot fall into laziness. Energy, joined with concentration, cannot fall into restlessness. Therefore, both should be made equal. For with equality of both, there is attainment. Moreover, for one who is devoted to concentration, even strong faith is suitable. Thus, believing and resolving, he will attain absorption. Among concentration and wisdom, for one who is devoted to concentration, strong one-pointedness is suitable. For thus he attains absorption. For one who is devoted to insight, strong wisdom is suitable. For thus he attains penetration of characteristics. But with equality of both, there is indeed absorption. But mindfulness is suitable, being strong, in all cases. For mindfulness protects the mind, from the downfall of distraction, due to the influence of distraction factors, and from the downfall of sloth, due to the influence of sloth factors, with concentration. Therefore, it should be desired everywhere, like salt in all curries, and like an all-purpose minister in all royal affairs. Therefore, it was said, "Mindfulness is said by the Blessed One to be useful in all things. For what reason? Because mindfulness is the refuge of the mind, and mindfulness is protective and present; without mindfulness, there is no controlling or restraining of the mind." Avoiding persons of dull wisdom means avoiding from afar those dull-witted persons whose wisdom is not deep in the analysis of the aggregates and so on. Associating with persons of wisdom means associating with persons endowed with wisdom of arising and passing away, which grasps the characteristics of balanced wisdom. Examining profound knowledge and conduct means examining the distinctions of profound wisdom that operates in the profound aggregates and so on. Inclining towards that means having a mind inclined, bent, and leaning