English
Even for one cultivating a gentle person with abundant faith in the Buddha and others, with a tender heart, Even for one reflecting on inspiring discourses that expound the qualities of the Triple Gem, Even for one with a mind inclined and bent down, to produce joy in standing, sitting, and so on, it arises. And one knows that for one in whom it has thus arisen, the perfection of the development is through the path of arahantship. Of the tranquility enlightenment factor – "Monks, there is tranquility of body, tranquility of mind. There, frequent attention to proper reflection – this is food for the arising of the tranquility enlightenment factor if unarisen, or for the increase, abundance, development, and perfection of the tranquility enlightenment factor if arisen" (Saṃ. Ni. 5.232) – Thus, there is arising. Moreover, seven things conduce to the arising of the tranquility enlightenment factor – partaking of excellent food, partaking of comfortable weather, partaking of comfortable postures, moderation in effort, avoiding agitated persons, cultivating tranquil persons, and being resolved on that. For tranquility arises even for one eating excellent, smooth, and suitable food, even for one cultivating suitable weather and postures in cold and hot seasons and in standing and other postures. But this was not said with reference to one of great character who is tolerant of all weather and postures. It is only for one who has affinity and disaffinity that it is suitable to avoid what is disaffinit It arises even for one avoiding the wrong path, And frequenting suitable places. Equanimity practice is called Reflection on one's own and others' ownership of karma; It arises through this equanimity practice. Even for one avoiding a cruel person, Who goes about harming others with sticks and clubs, And frequenting a person with controlled feet and hands, And a calmed body, It arises for one with a mind inclined and bent down, For the sake of producing calm in sitting and standing, etc. Knowing thus, one understands that For one in whom it has arisen, The path of arahantship reaches fulfillment through cultivation. For the Samādhi-sambojjhaṅga – "Bhikkhus, there is a sign of serenity, a sign of non-distraction. There, frequent attention with proper consideration – This is food for the arising of the unarisen samādhi-sambojjhaṅga, Or for the increase, abundance, cultivation, And fulfillment of the arisen samādhi-sambojjhaṅga" – Thus is its arising. There, serenity itself is the sign of serenity, And non-distraction is the sign of non-wandering. Moreover, eleven things conduce to the arising of the samādhi-sambojjhaṅga – Clarity in the object of meditation, Practice of balanced faculties, Skill in signs, At the right time, arousing the mind, At the right time, restraining the mind, At the right time, gladdening the mind, At the right time, being indifferent, Avoiding uncomposed persons, Frequenting composed persons, Reviewing jhānas and liberations, And being inclined towards them. There, clarity in the object of meditation, And practice of balanced faculties, Should be understood in the manner already stated. Skill in signs means Skill in grasping the kasiṇa sign. At the right time, arousing the mind means At the time when the mind is sluggish, Due to excessive feebleness of effort, etc., Arousing it by raising up the Dhamma-vicaya, Viriya, and Pīti sambojjhaṅgas. At the right time, restraining the mind means At the time when the mind is agitated, Due to excessive exertion of effort, etc. At that time, he restrains it by arousing tranquility, concentration, and equanimity as factors of enlightenment. At the time for encouragement: At the time when the mind is dull due to weak application of wisdom, or due to not attaining the bliss of serenity, or when it is without relish, at that time, he stirs it up by reflecting on the eight objects of inspiration. The eight objects of inspiration are: birth, old age, sickness, and death, these four; the suffering of the lower realms as the fifth; suffering rooted in the round of rebirths in the past; suffering rooted in the round of rebirths in the future; and suffering rooted in the search for food in the present. And he generates joy by recollecting the qualities of the Triple Gem. This is called the time for encouragement. The time for equanimity: At the time when, having come to the right practice, the mind is neither sluggish nor agitated, nor without relish, but properly engaged with the object, following the path of serenity, at that time, he does not engage in forcing, restraining, or encouraging, like a charioteer with well-trained horses. This is called the time for equanimity. Avoiding those who are not concentrated: Avoiding from afar those individuals with distracted minds who have not attained access or full concentration. Associating with those who are concentrated: Associating with, frequenting, and attending upon those with concentrated minds, through access or full concentration. Being resolved on that: Having a mind inclined, bent, and leaning only towards producing concentration in standing, sitting, and so on. For in so practicing, this arises for him. And he knows that for one in whom it has arisen in this way, the perfection of development comes through the path of Arahatship. Regarding the factor of enlightenment of equanimity: "Monks, there are things that are conducive to the factor of enlightenment of equanimity. There, giving repeated attention with wise consideration is the nourishment for the arising of the unarisen factor of enlightenment of equanimity, or for the increase, abundance, development, and perfection of the arisen factor of enlightenment of equanimity." Thus, its arising occurs. There, equanimity itself is what is meant by things conducive to the factor of enlightenment of equanimity. These five things conduce to the arising of equanimity as a factor of enlightenment: impartiality towards beings, impartiality towards formations, avoiding persons who are attached to beings and formations, associating with persons who are impartial towards beings and formations, and being inclined towards that. Therein, one establishes impartiality towards beings in two ways: "You have come by your own action and will go by your own action. This one too has come by his own action and will go by his own action. Why are you attached?" Thus, by reflecting on ownership of action. And "In the ultimate sense, there is no being at all. So why are you attached?" Thus, by reflecting on the absence of beings. One establishes impartiality towards formations in two ways: "This robe, gradually undergoing change of color and aging, will become a foot-wiper and be discarded with a stick. If it had an owner, he would not allow it to be destroyed like this," thus, by reflecting on the lack of ownership. And "This is impermanent, temporary," thus, by reflecting on its temporary nature. And as with the robe, so too should it be applied to the bowl and other things. Avoiding persons who are attached to beings and formations: Here, the person who, whether a householder, is attached to his sons and daughters, or a renunciate, is attached to his pupils and co-preceptors, personally performs for them hair-cutting, needlework, robe-washing, dyeing, bowl-cooking, and so on, and not seeing them even for a moment, looks around here and there like a frightened deer, asking, "Where is so-and-so novice? Where is so-and-so young one?" Even when asked by another to "Send so-and-so for a moment for the purpose of hair-cutting and so on," he does not give him, saying, "We ourselves do not have time to do our own work, you will tire him out by taking him" - this is called attachment to beings. But the one who is attached to robes, bowls, trays, knives, sticks, and so on, does not allow them to be touched even by another's hand, and even when asked for a temporary loan, says, "We too, being attached to this, do not use it." 'What shall we give you?' he says - this is called clinging to conditioned things. But he who is neutral and indifferent to both of these things - this is called being neutral to conditioned things. Thus, this equanimity enlightenment factor arises in such a person who avoids clinging to conditioned things from afar, or who cultivates neutrality towards conditioned things, or whose mind is inclined, prone, and directed to producing it in standing, sitting, and so on. And he knows that when it has arisen in this way, its cultivation is brought to perfection by the path of arahantship. The rest is clear in meaning everywhere. Explanation of the Enlightenment Factor Section. In these two sections, only pure insight is spoken of. Thus, these four foundations of mindfulness are obtained in diverse minds in the preliminary stage. For with one mind he grasps the body, with another feeling, with another the mind, and with another he grasps phenomena; but in the moment of the supramundane path, they are obtained in one mind. For, having initially grasped the body and arrived, mindfulness associated with insight is called mindfulness of the body. A person endowed with that mindfulness is called one who contemplates the body. Having aroused insight and attained the noble path, in the moment of the path, mindfulness associated with the path is called mindfulness of the body. A person endowed with that mindfulness is called one who contemplates the body. Having grasped feeling... Having grasped the mind... Having grasped phenomena and arrived, mindfulness associated with insight is called mindfulness of phenomena. A person endowed with that mindfulness is called one who contemplates phenomena. Having aroused insight and attained the noble path, in the moment of the path, mindfulness associated with the path is called mindfulness of phenomena. A person endowed with that mindfulness is called one who contemplates phenomena. Thus, the teaching stands in the person.