English
Three jhānas have the path as their object, that is, the knowledge of reviewing or the knowledge of penetration of minds might take the path as its object; three jhānas are not said to have the path as their object because of their non-occurrence, but they might have the path as their cause in the sense of a conascent condition; or the path is the dominant condition due to the development of the path with energy as the leader or investigation as the leader; and in the case of desire or mind as the leader, and at the time of fruition, the object is unspecifiable. The fourth jhāna here, too, among the thirteen fourth jhānas in wholesome states, the fourth jhāna associated with the foundations of psychic power, divine ear, divine eye, and knowledge of the destiny of beings, and the fourfold formless jhāna, should not be spoken of as having the path as their object, etc. But the fourth jhāna associated with penetration of minds, recollection of past lives, and knowledge of the future has the path as its object. It should not be said to have the path as its cause or the path as its dominant condition; the fourth jhāna that is supramundane does not have the path as its object; but at the time of the path, it has the path as its cause in the sense of a conascent condition; the path is the dominant condition due to the development of the path with energy or investigation as the leader; and due to desire or mind as the leader, and the development of the path. And it should not be stated at the moment of fruition. This same method applies to the twelve absorptions related to action. The three absorptions should not be stated, meaning that with regard to the past, etc., because of non-occurrence focusing on even one object, it should be understood that they should not be stated. The fourth absorption means that, of the thirteen fourth absorptions in terms of the wholesome, the fourth absorption that is the basis of everything should only have an object that should not be stated. The fourth absorption of psychic power, due to the object of the attainment-mind in the transformation of mind in terms of body, has a past object; "May these flowers not wither in the future, may the lamps not go out, may a mass of fire arise, may a mountain arise," at the time of resolution, it has a future object; at the time of transformation of body in terms of mind, due to the object of the body, it has a present object. The fourth absorption of the divine ear knowledge has a present object because of the object of sound. The fourth absorption of the knowledge of the minds of others has a past object when knowing a mind that arose and ceased within seven days in the past; when knowing a mind that will arise within seven days in the future, it has a future object. "Just as the mental formations of this venerable one are directed, immediately after this thought, he will think such and such a thought. And even if he predicts much, it happens just as he says, not otherwise." Indeed, by this sutta (A. N. 3.61), the occurrence of the knowledge of the minds of others is revealed. At the time of occurrence focusing on the present, only in terms of the present continuum of time and the present continuum of existence, it has a present object. The detailed explanation here should be understood in the same way as stated in the commentary section below. The fourth absorption of the knowledge of past lives has a past object when recalling past aggregates, and an object that should not be stated when recalling names and clans. The fourth absorption of the divine eye knowledge has a present object because of the object of color. The fourth absorption of the knowledge of beings passing on according to their deeds has a past object, because it only makes past deeds its object. The fourth absorption of the knowledge of the future has a future object when recalling future aggregates, and an object that should not be stated when recalling names and clans. The absorptions of the sphere of infinite space and the sphere of nothingness... The fourth of the satisfied is only with an un-stateable object. And the fourth of the sphere of consciousness, the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, is only with a past object. The fourth of the supramundane is only with an un-stateable object. For the inactive, in the twelve fourth jhānas, this is the same method. The three jhānas have an external object, because the sign that has become external from the internal is begun with, they have an external object. The fourth jhāna: Here too, in the thirteen fourth jhānas of the wholesome, the fourth jhāna that is the base everywhere is only with an external object. The fourth of psychic power, in the transformation of mind by way of body, and in the transformation of body by way of mind, because of the object of one's own body and mind, it is with an internal object; at the time of its occurrence, by the method beginning with "shows an elephant outside," it is with an external object. The fourth of the knowledge of the divine ear, at the time of the object of sound in one's own belly, it is with an internal object, at the time of the object of another's sound, it is with an external object, by way of both, it is with both an internal and external object. The fourth of the knowledge of penetration of mind is only with an external object. The fourth of the knowledge of previous existence, at the time of recollection of one's own aggregates, it is with an internal object, at the time of recollection of another's aggregates and name and clan, it is with an external object. The fourth of the knowledge of the divine eye, at the time of the object of one's own form, it is with an internal object, at the time of the object of another's form, it is with an external object, by way of both, it is with both an internal and external object. The fourth of the knowledge of the result of action, at the time of knowing one's own action, it is with an internal object, at the time of knowing another's action, it is with an external object, by way of both, it is with both an internal and external object. The fourth of the knowledge of the future, at the time of knowing one's own future rebirth, it is with an internal object, at the time of recollection of another's aggregates and recollection of name and clan, it is with an external object, by way of both, it is with both an internal and external object. The fourth of the sphere of infinite space is with an external object. The fourth of the sphere of nothingness is with an un-stateable object. The fourth of the sphere of consciousness, the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, is with an internal object. The fourth is supramundane, with an external object. This same method applies to the twelve absorptions that are actions. However, in this analysis of absorption, the Perfectly Enlightened One has spoken of absorptions that are a mixture of mundane and supramundane, both in the Suttanta method and in the Abhidhamma method, even in the question-and-answer format. All three of these methods are a single category because they are mixed with the three planes of existence. Thus, this analysis of absorption is divided and shown only after extracting the three rounds. Here ends the explanation of the Analysis of Absorption, from the Commentary on the Vibhaṅga, the Dispeller of Delusion. 13. Analysis of Immeasurables 1. Explanation by way of the Suttantas 642. Now, immediately after that, in the Analysis of Immeasurables, "four" is a numerical determination. "Immeasurables" means immeasurables in terms of pervasion. For these pervade either immeasurable beings in terms of object, or they pervade even a single being in terms of complete pervasion, thus they are called immeasurables in terms of pervasion. "Here, a bhikkhu" means a bhikkhu in this dispensation. "With a mind imbued with loving-kindness" means with a mind endowed with loving-kindness. "One direction" means in one direction. This is said in terms of pervading beings included in one direction, taking as a starting point the first being taken up. "Having pervaded" means having touched, having made it an object. "Abides" means maintains the mode of conduct established in the divine abidings. "Likewise the second" means just as one pervades and abides having pervaded any one direction among the eastern directions and so on, so too the second, third, and fourth immediately after that. "Thus above" means in the same way, the upper direction is spoken of. "Below, across" means the direction below and the transverse direction are also in the same way. Here, "below" means downwards, "across" means intermediate directions. Thus, in all directions, like a horse in a training ground, one directs and redirects the mind imbued with loving-kindness. Thus far, the pervasion of loving-kindness direction by direction has been shown, taking up each single direction. But "in all the world" and so on is said to show it without direction. There, "in all the world" means everywhere. All In all these ways, it extends to all beings, without discrimination between inferior, average, superior, friend, foe, or neutral, without making distinctions such as "this is another being," but with equality towards all beings. Or, "in all ways" means with all one's heart, without scattering even a little outside. "All-embracing" means embracing all beings, encompassing all sentient beings. "The world" means the world of beings. Because of the many synonyms such as "vastly," here it is again said, "accompanied by loving-kindness." Or, because here, as in the case of specific pervasion, the word "thus" or "so" is not repeated, therefore it is said again, "with a mind accompanied by loving-kindness"; or this is said by way of conclusion. And here, by "vastly," the vastness in terms of pervasion is to be seen.