English
Just as, when all the people in a house have died, it is not proper for the single remaining person, who is subject to death at that very moment, to delight in dancing, singing, etc., even so, when advertence, etc., together with their associates, have died right there and then in one door, it is not proper for the impulse moment, which is subject to death at that very moment, to ap- So, delighting in it, like a king in his royal ornaments, is not fitting. Thus, 'in terms of momentary existence', unconfused comprehension should be understood. Furthermore, it should be understood in terms of reviewing the aggregates, sense-bases, elements, and conditions. Here, the eye and forms are the form aggregate, seeing is the consciousness aggregate, feeling associated with it is the feeling aggregate, perception is the perception aggregate, contact and so on are the mental formations aggregate. Thus, in the combination of these five aggregates, looking and seeing appear. There, who is it that looks alone? Who is it that sees alone? Similarly, the eye is the eye sense-base, form is the form sense-base, seeing is the mind sense-base, feeling and other things associated with it are the mental phenomena sense-base. Thus, in the combination of these four sense-bases, looking and seeing appear. There, who is it that looks alone? Who is it that sees alone? Similarly, the eye is the eye element, form is the form element, seeing is the eye-consciousness element, feeling and other things associated with it are the mental phenomena element. Thus, in the combination of these four elements, looking and seeing appear. There, who is it that looks alone? Who is it that sees alone? Similarly, the eye is the condition of dependence, form is the condition of object, directing the mind is the immediately preceding condition, the condition of absence and non-disappearance, light is the condition of support, feeling and other things are the conditions of co-arising and so on. Thus, in the combination of these conditions, looking and seeing appear. There, who is it that looks alone? Who is it that sees alone? Thus, here, even in terms of reviewing the aggregates, sense-bases, elements, and conditions, unconfused comprehension should be understood. 'In drawing in, in stretching out', in drawing in and stretching out the limbs. There, without drawing in and stretching out the hands and feet merely due to the mind, but grasping the benefit and harm as the cause for drawing in and stretching out, the grasping of benefit there is 'comprehension of purpose'. There, if one remains with hands and feet drawn in or stretched out for too long, feelings arise moment by moment, the mind does not attain concentration, the meditation subject... It wanders about, it does not attain distinction. But for one contracting at the right time, and extending at the right time, those feelings do not arise, the mind becomes concentrated, the meditation subject prospers, one attains distinction. Thus, "discerning what is beneficial and not beneficial" should be understood. But even when there is benefit, discerning what is suitable and unsuitable, "suitable-sampajañña" is the discernment of what is suitable. Here is the method: It seems that young monks were reciting in the great monastery courtyard. Behind them, young nuns were listening to the Dhamma. There, one young monk, extending his hand, made bodily contact and for that very reason became a layman. Another monk, extending his foot, extended it into the fire. Striking a bone, his foot burned. Another monk extended it into an anthill. He was bitten by a venomous snake. Another monk extended it to a robe-hut pole. A jeweled snake bit him. Therefore, in such unsuitable places, not extending, one should extend in suitable places. This here is suitable-sampajañña. "Gocara-sampajañña," however, should be illustrated by the story of the great elder: It seems the great elder, sitting in his daytime dwelling, talking with his pupils, suddenly contracted his hand, and then, placing it back in its original position, slowly contracted it. The pupils asked him, "Why, venerable sir, did you suddenly contract your hand, and then, placing it back in its original position, slowly contract it?" "From the time, friends, I began to attend to the meditation subject, my hand has never been contracted without abandoning the meditation subject. Now, however, while talking with you, it was contracted having abandoned the meditation subject. Therefore, placing it back in its original position, I contracted it." "Good, venerable sir, a monk should be like this." Thus, here also, not abandoning the meditation subject itself should be understood as "gocara-sampajañña." "There is no 'self' inside, no one contracting or extending. But by the force of the element of wind, the activity of consciousness of the type mentioned, like pulling a thread, Knowing that the stretching and contracting is like the movement of hands and feet of a wooden puppet, this here should be understood as 'unconfused mindfulness'. Regarding wearing the double robe and outer robe, 'wearing' means the use of the double robe and outer robe for covering oneself, and of the bowl for receiving alms, etc. Here, in wearing the double robe and outer robe, having covered oneself and gone for alms, the meaning is just as the Blessed One said, in the manner of "for the sake of material gain, to ward off the cold," and so on. On the basis of that, 'purposeful mindfulness' should be understood. But for one of a hot constitution and one who is weak, a robe that is fine and suitable, for one susceptible to cold, one that is thick and doubled; the opposite is unsuitable. For anyone, one that is old is unsuitable. For one whose possessions are few, it becomes a hindrance. Likewise, robes of silk, wool, linen, etc., are robes that tempt thieves. For such a robe in the wilderness is an obstacle to dwelling alone, and also an obstacle to life. Without qualification, however, that which arises through wrong livelihood, such as deceptive means, and which, when one uses it, unwholesome qualities increase, and wholesome qualities decline, that is unsuitable; the opposite is suitable. On the basis of that, here, 'mindfulness of suitability' and also 'mindfulness of range' in the sense of not abandoning the meditation subject should be understood. There is no self within who covers himself with the robe. But the covering of the robe occurs only through the force of the activity of the mind, the element of wind, and physical phenomena, as was said before. There, the robe is also inanimate, the body is also inanimate. The robe does not know – 'I am covering the body', the body also does not know – 'I am being covered by the robe'. It is only elements that cover a collection of elements, like covering a book with a piece of cloth. Therefore, having obtained a beautiful robe, one should not be glad, having obtained an unattractive one, one should not be sad. For at Nāga trees, anthills, shrines, trees, etc., some make offerings with garlands, incense, perfumes, cloths, etc. Some with excrement, urine, mud, sticks, or blows of weapons, show disrespect. But tree-spirits, anthills, or trees do not feel joy or sorrow because of these things. Just so, one should not feel joy upon receiving beautiful robes, nor sorrow upon receiving unattractive ones. Thus, 'unconfused awareness' should be understood here in terms of reflection that occurs. In holding the bowl, one should not grasp it suddenly, but with the thought, "Having taken this, while wandering for alms, I will obtain food," thus, 'purposeful awareness' should be understood in terms of the benefit to be gained from the act of taking the bowl. A heavy bowl is unsuitable for one with a thin, weak body; a bowl with four or five knots, difficult to clean, is also unsuitable for anyone. A bowl that leaks is not proper; even while washing it, it becomes a hindrance. A bowl the color of jewels is indeed enticing and, just as with robes, is unsuitable in the manner described above. However, a bowl obtained through omens or work, and which, when used, causes unwholesome qualities to increase and wholesome qualities to decline, is entirely unsuitable; the opposite is suitable. In terms of that, 'suitable awareness' and 'suitable range awareness' should be understood here in terms of not abandoning the meditation subject. Internally, there is no self that takes the bowl. But the act of taking the bowl occurs only due to the force of the mind's activity, the element of air, and the play of forces in the manner described. There, the bowl is inanimate, and the hands are inanimate. The bowl does not know, "I am being taken by the hands." The hands also do not know, "The bowl is being taken by us." It is only elements that grasp a collection of elements, like grasping a red-hot bowl with tongs. Thus, 'unconfused awareness' should be understood here in terms of reflection that occurs. Moreover, just as compassionate people, seeing men without refuge in a refuge hall, with severed hands and feet, covered with blue flies, swarming with pus, blood, and worms oozing from the mouths of wounds, offer them bandages for the wounds and medicines in bowls and so on. There, the bandages Some get fine hairs, some get coarse. Even medicine bowls, some get well-formed, some get poorly-formed. They are not pleased or displeased by that. For them, the cloth is only for covering wounds, and the bowl is only for holding medicine. Just so, the monk who regards his robe as a wound-covering cloth, and his bowl as a medicine bowl, and the alms received in the bowl as medicine in the bowl – he is to be known as the one who is supremely aware in wearing the outer robe, bowl, and garment, with non-delusion and full awareness. In "Asita and others," "Asita" refers to food such as alms-food. "Pīta" refers to drinks such as rice gruel.