English
one of the paths— emptiness, signless, or desireless— is stated. But in the four fruit-instances, like "for stream-entry fruit-attainment," the desireless fruit-attainment should be known. Why? Because the other two fruit-attainments, "for emptiness abiding attainment" and "for signless abiding attainment," are stated separately. Indeed, the signless path arises from contemplating impermanence; likewise, at fruit-attainment, the signless fruit-attainment. The desireless path and fruit-attainments arise from contemplating suffering. The emptiness path and fruit-attainments arise from contemplating non-self, and should be known by the Suttanta method. Thus, four (paths) are causes for path-arising by way of emptiness and other liberations. Likewise, four (fruit-attainments) by way of desireless fruit-attainment. And two by way of emptiness abiding and signless abiding— thus ten insights of equanimity regarding formations are stated. But tranquility-equanimity regarding formations is a developed meditative knowledge that has gained strength in the immediate preceding stage of absorption. But the equanimity that is a perception of neither pain nor pleasure, as it appears in "when a wholesome sensuous-sphere consciousness arises accompanied by equanimity" (Dhs. 150), this is called feeling-equanimity. The equanimity that is neutral in investigation, as it appears in "whatever exists, whatever has come to be, that he abandons, and he attains equanimity" (MN 3.71; AN 7.55), this is called insight-equanimity. Here, "whatever exists, whatever has come to be" refers to the five aggregates; that he abandons with the knowledge of desiring release. "He attains equanimity" means, just as in investigating the characteristics of a snake with three seen coils, so too in investigating the characteristics of formations of the five aggregates with three seen characteristics... means that one attains equanimity. But the equanimity that arises in the sense of desire and so on, which are causes, and is the cause for the equal activity of co-arisen things, this is called equanimity of impartiality. The equanimity that is mentioned as "he dwells with equanimity" and generates no partiality even towards that supreme happiness, this is called jhana-equanimity. But the equanimity that is mentioned as "the fourth jhana of equanimity and purity of mindfulness," which is purified of all adversaries and is inactive even in the calming of adversaries, this is called purity-equanimity. Among these, the six-limbed equanimity, the Brahma-vihara equanimity, the enlightenment-factor equanimity, the equanimity of impartiality, the jhana-equanimity, and the purity-equanimity are in essence one, namely, the equanimity of impartiality. This distinction arises due to different circumstances, just as a single being is distinguished as a child, youth, elder, general, or king. Therefore, where there is six-limbed equanimity, there are no enlightenment-factor equanimity and so on. Or, where there is enlightenment-factor equanimity, there are no six-limbed equanimity and so on; this should be understood. Just as these are one in essence, so too are equanimity regarding formations and insight-equanimity. For it is indeed wisdom, divided into two according to its function. Just as when a man, having entered his house in the evening, searching for a snake with a goat-foot stick, sees it lying in a pile of husks, and looking at it, wondering "Is it a snake or not?", and seeing the three marks of a snake, becomes certain, and then in discerning "It is a snake, it is not a snake," there is impartiality; just so, the impartiality that arises in the ardent meditator when, by insight-knowledge, the three characteristics are seen, in discerning the impermanence and so on of formations, this is insight-equanimity. But just as for that man, having firmly grasped the snake with the goat-foot stick, and searching for a way to release it, thinking, "How can I release this snake without harming it and without being bitten by it?", there is impartiality in grasping is, just so, the equanimity regarding formations, which is the neutrality in grasping formations for one who sees the three existences as if ablaze, due to having seen the three characteristics. This is equanimity regarding formations. Thus, when insight equanimity is established, equanimity regarding formations is also established. However, this is divided into two by its function, which is neutrality in the acts of investigating and grasping. But equanimity regarding energy and equanimity regarding feeling are different from each other and from the rest in meaning. Now, showing that the division of these ten kinds of equanimity according to planes, individuals, and so on, should be understood in the manner stated in each place, he says, "Thus, this ten-fold [equanimity]…" and so on. There, "six-limbed equanimity is of the sense-sphere, brahma-vihara equanimity is of the form-sphere," thus, by plane. "Six-limbed equanimity is only for the Arahant, brahma-vihara equanimity is for all three: ordinary people, trainees, and Arahants," thus, by individual. "Six-limbed equanimity is associated with consciousness accompanied by joy-equanimity," thus, by consciousness. "Six-limbed equanimity has six objects, brahma-vihara equanimity has mind-objects," thus, by object. "Equanimity regarding feeling is included in the feeling aggregate, the other nine are included in the formation aggregate," thus, by way of inclusion in aggregates. Six-limbed equanimity, brahma-vihara, enlightenment factor, jhana, purity, and equanimity of mental equipoise are one in meaning; therefore, when one of them is present at one moment, the others are not. Similarly, equanimity regarding formations and insight equanimity should be understood. The arising of equanimity regarding feeling and equanimity regarding energy might occur at one moment. Thus, by way of one moment. Six-limbed equanimity is indeterminate, brahma-vihara equanimity is wholesome and indeterminate, and similarly for the rest. But equanimity regarding feeling might also be unwholesome. Thus, by way of the triad of wholesome. These ten are, in brief, only four phenomena: by way of energy, feeling, mental equipoise, and knowledge. Thus, by way of brief summary. Now, determining and showing the characteristics and so on of jhana equanimity, which is intended here, he says, "From the perspective of characteristics, moreover…" ...and so on. Therein, "of non-effort taste" means that even in refined pleasure, there is no opposing action of bending towards it. "of non-agitation manifestation" means that even when the perfection of pleasure is attained, one remains unagitated in that pleasure, or it manifests the non-agitation of the associated states therein. Because the function of equanimity in those instances is not distinct, being overwhelmed by thoughts and so on which bring about agitation and disturbance to the associated phenomena, it is said here to be distinct due to the absence of that. Therefore, it is said, "for it is not distinct," and so on. Now, "mindful and fully aware" —here "is said" should be supplied. "Remembers" indicates the agent-sense of "mindful." "Fully aware" means knowing thoroughly. "By the person" means by the individual's support. "Of remembering as its characteristic" means remembering, thinking, presence are its characteristics. "Of non-forgetting as its taste" means its function is non-forgetting, the opposite of forgetting. "Of protection as its manifestation" means it manifests as protection from defilements, or it manifests protection. "Of non-delusion as its characteristic" means non-delusion, knowing thoroughly, or non-delusion, the opposite of delusion, is its characteristic. "Discernment" is reaching the end of a task. "Investigation" is examination. Indeed, the first and second jhānas, due to their proximity to access concentration and so on, are subtle, but compared to the higher jhānas, it is said, "because those jhānas are gross." And that grossness is to be understood as having gross factors like thought and so on. Some also say, "because of many mental factors." "Like a person on the ground" means like a person's movement on the ground. "Movement is pleasant" means movement in those jhānas is pleasant. "The function of mindfulness and full awareness therein is indistinct" is said because there is no saying, "this is difficult to do." However, "subtlety due to the abandonment of gross factors" —this meaning, though it can apply to the second jhāna, is generally said of those that occur without separation. in the joys and happiness, by abandoning the gross element called joy, due to its subtlety, here there is an exceptional mindfulness and wisdom activity, thus it is said “of a person,” and so on. He drinks the cow, thus he is a cow-drinker, it means he drinks the milk of the cow. If he were to attain joy again, it would be a jhāna prone to decline, it means he would only attain the second jhāna. Therefore it is said “it would be associated with joy.” This is exceedingly sweet happiness, thus it refers to the happiness in the third jhāna, and its exceeding sweetness is to be understood by the absence of joy, which has the nature of exhilaration and elation. This refers to the two words “mindful and comprehending.” Here, regarding “and experiences happiness with the body,” how can there be experience of happiness without attention? He says “although,” and so on. Since that happiness is associated with the mental body, therefore, showing this meaning, it should be connected thus: “he says ‘and experiences happiness with the body’.” Here is the brief meaning: Even if there is no such attention as “I feel happiness,” the jhāna-attainer is said to experience mental happiness with the mental body, and bodily happiness by generating form that is the cause of bodily happiness. “Of him” means of the jhāna-attainer.