English
But regarding concentration and wisdom, for one engaged in concentration practice, strong one-pointedness is suitable. For in this way, one attains absorption. For one engaged in insight practice, strong wisdom is suitable. Thus indeed he attains the penetration of characteristics, and even with the equality of both, absorption occurs. But mindfulness, strong everywhere, prevails. For mindfulness protects the mind from falling into agitation due to faith, energy, and wisdom, which belong to the agitation side, and from falling into sluggishness due to concentration, which belongs to the sluggishness side. Therefore, it should be desired everywhere, like salt seasoning in all dishes, and like a general minister in all royal affairs. Skill in the sign means the sign of one-pointedness of mind, such as the earth kasina; skill in making what is not yet made; skill in developing what is made; and skill in protecting what is gained through development. That is what is intended here. How does one restrain the mind at the time it should be restrained? When the mind is agitated due to excessive energy and so on, then, not developing the three factors of enlightenment such as investigation of phenomena, one develops the factors of enlightenment such as tranquility. For this was said by the Blessed One (Saṃyutta Nikāya 5.234) – "Just as, monks, if a man wished to extinguish a great mass of fire, and he were to throw dry grass into it, and throw dry cow dung into it, and throw dry wood into it, and blow on it with his mouth, and not cover it with earth, would that man be able to extinguish that great mass of fire?" "No, venerable sir." "Even so, monks, at the time when the mind is agitated, it is not the right time for developing the enlightenment factor of investigation of phenomena. It is not the right time for energy... it is not the right time for developing the enlightenment factor of rapture. For what reason? An agitated mind, monks, is difficult to calm with these qualities. "But, monks, at the time when the mind is agitated, it is the right time for developing the enlightenment factor of tranquility. It is the right time for concentration... it is the right time for developing the enlightenment factor of equanimity. For what reason? An agitated mind, monks, is calmed by these qualities... by us it is well-pacified. Just as, monks, a man might wish to extinguish a great mass of fire, so he might throw in wet grasses there, and throw in wet cow dung, and throw in wet wood, and give it water and wind, and cover it with dust, would that man be able to extinguish that great mass of fire? "Yes, venerable sir." Here, the cultivation of the tranquility enlightenment factor and so on, should be understood according to their respective food. For this was said by the Blessed One: "There is, monks, tranquility of body, tranquility of mind. There, the frequent application of wise attention is the food for the arising of the unarisen tranquility enlightenment factor, or for the increase, growth, cultivation, and perfection of the arisen tranquility enlightenment factor. Similarly, there is, monks, the sign of calm, the sign of non-distraction. There, the frequent application of wise attention is the food for the arising of the unarisen concentration enlightenment factor, or for the increase, growth, cultivation, and perfection of the arisen concentration enlightenment factor… (and so on)… Similarly, there are, monks, states conducive to the equanimity enlightenment factor. There, the frequent application of wise attention is the food for the arising of the unarisen equanimity enlightenment factor, or for the increase, growth, cultivation, and perfection of the arisen equanimity enlightenment factor." (Saṃ. Ni. 5.232) There, wise attention in all three instances is the attention that proceeds by discerning the manner in which tranquility and so on have previously arisen, and then causing them to arise again. "Sign of calm" is a designation for calm itself, and "sign of non-distraction" is for that same calm in the sense of non-scattering. Furthermore, seven things conduce to the arising of the tranquility enlightenment factor: the cultivation of excellent food, the cultivation of comfortable weather, the cultivation of comfortable postures, the application of moderation, the essence avoiding individuals with agitated bodies, associating with individuals with tranquil bodies, being intent on that. Eleven qualities conduce to the arising of the concentration enlightenment factor: clarity of the basis, skillfulness in the sign, bringing the faculties into equipoise, restraining the mind at the proper time, exerting the mind at the proper time, gladdening the mind that is without relish by means of faith and urgency, looking on with equanimity at that which proceeds evenly, avoiding individuals who are not concentrated, associating with individuals who are concentrated, reviewing the jhānas and liberations, being intent on that. Five qualities conduce to the arising of the equanimity enlightenment factor: equanimity towards beings, equanimity towards formations, avoiding individuals who are attached to beings and formations, associating with individuals who are equanimous towards beings and formations, being intent on that. Thus, by these modes, when one causes these qualities to arise, one is said to develop the tranquility enlightenment factor and so forth. Thus, at whatever time the mind should be restrained, at that time one restrains the mind. And how, at whatever time the mind should be exerted, at that time does one exert the mind? When one's mind is sluggish due to excessive laxity of energy and so forth, then, without developing the three, the tranquility enlightenment factor and so forth, one develops the investigation of phenomena enlightenment factor and so forth. For this was said by the Blessed One: "Just as, monks, if a person wishes to kindle a small fire, and he were to put wet grasses there... ...and cover it with ashes, would that person be able to kindle that small fire?" "No, venerable sir." "Even so, monks, at whatever time the mind is sluggish, it is not the time at that time for developing the tranquility enlightenment factor. It is not the time for concentration... ...it is not the time for developing the equanimity enlightenment factor. For what reason? The mind, monks, is sluggish; it is difficult to arouse it with these qualities. "But, monks, at whatever time the mind is sluggish, it is the time at that time for the qualities For the development of the investigation-of-states enlightenment factor, it is time for energy... it is time for the development of the joy enlightenment factor. Why is that? The mind, monks, is sluggish; it is to be thoroughly aroused by these states. Just as, monks, a man wishing to kindle a small fire, he would put dry grasses into it... and not cover it with ashes, would that man be able to kindle that small fire? "Yes, venerable sir." Here too, according to their respective nutriment, the development of the investigation-of-states enlightenment factor and so on should be understood. For this was said by the Blessed One (SN 5.232) – "There are, monks, wholesome and unwholesome states, blamable and blameless states, inferior and superior states, dark and bright states with their counterparts. Therein, the frequent cultivation of wise attention is the nutriment for the arising of the unarisen investigation-of-states enlightenment factor, for the increase, growth, development, and perfection of the arisen investigation-of-states enlightenment factor. Likewise, there are, monks, the element of initiative, the element of exertion, the element of striving. Therein, the frequent cultivation of wise attention is the nutriment for the arising of the unarisen energy enlightenment factor, for the increase, growth, development, and perfection of the arisen energy enlightenment factor. Likewise, there are, monks, states that are a basis for the joy enlightenment factor. Therein, the frequent cultivation of wise attention is the nutriment for the arising of the unarisen joy enlightenment factor, for the increase, growth, development, and perfection of the arisen joy enlightenment factor." Therein, the attention that proceeds by penetrating the specific and general characteristics (of phenomena) is called wise attention regarding wholesome states and so on. The attention that proceeds by way of producing the element of initiative and so on is called wise attention regarding the element of initiative and so on. Therein, the element of initiative is called initial energy. The element of exertion is stronger than that, having emerged from laziness. Par The element of stepping forward, by stepping forward to higher and higher states, is therefore more powerful. And the states that are the basis for the rapture enlightenment factor are indeed a name for rapture itself, and the attention that produces it is called wise attention. And moreover, seven qualities conduce to the arising of the investigation-of-states enlightenment factor: inquiry, making the basis clear, bringing the faculties into balance, avoiding foolish persons, associating with wise persons, reflecting on profound knowledge and conduct, and being intent on that. Eleven qualities conduce to the arising of the energy enlightenment factor: reflecting on the fear of states of woe and so on, seeing the advantages of attaining worldly and supramundane distinctions dependent on energy, reflecting on the path of progress thus: "The path traversed by the Buddhas, Paccekabuddhas, and great disciples is to be traversed by me, and that cannot be traversed by one who is lazy," honoring the alms-round by making it greatly fruitful for the donors,