English
'Vedanā' (feeling) is said by way of 'pīti' (joy) means that feeling associated with it is said by the designation of 'pīti', not 'pīti' itself; this is the intention. The reason for that is stated below. In the two terms for mental formations, "experiencing mental formations, tranquilizing mental formations," in the two terms related to mental formations. "Name-and-form conditioned by consciousness" according to this saying, they are bound by mind, thus 'cittapaṭibaddhā' (bound by mind). Therefore, indeed, they are formed by mind, thus 'cittasaṅkhārā' (mental formations), perception, feeling, and so on. Here, however, it is merely an indication, only perception and feeling are intended, so it is said: "feeling associated with perception." In "experiencing mind," here, by two modes, it is well known as mind from the aspect of the object and from non-confusion. How from the aspect of the object? He attains the four jhānas, at the moment of that attainment, by the acquisition of jhāna, and so on, everything according to the stated method. "It is well-understood," he says – "It should be understood as the mind's comprehension by means of the four jhānas." "Making the mind joyful" means making the mind associated with jhānas joyful with the associated rapture, or making the vipassanā mind, which proceeds by taking that rapture as its object, joyful with that very rapture which has become its object. The words "making greatly joyful" and so on are synonyms of that, being terms for rapture. "He makes the mind joyful with associated rapture" means by means of the jhāna-rapture, which is associated with the jhāna-mind, which is the rapture enlightenment factor, and which has the characteristic of exultation, he nourishes that very jhāna-mind by way of co-arising and other conditions, and by way of jhāna conditions, bringing it to a state of delight and great delight, thus he makes it joyful and greatly joyful. "Taking it as an object" means the meditator, bringing the vipassanā mind, which proceeds by taking the sublime jhāna-associated rapture as its object, to a state of delight and great delight by means of that very rapture which has become its object, is said to "make it joyful and greatly joyful." "Establishing it evenly" means establishing it so that it does not incline even slightly towards the side of sluggishness or the side of agitation, neither bent down nor raised up, so that it is not uneven due to the balanced practice of the faculties, or so that it is perfectly established by the attainment of imperturbability through the advancement of concentration, thus establishing it by way of absorption. "By penetrating the characteristics" means by repeatedly piercing, by momentary comprehension, the characteristics such as impermanence. "Momentary one-pointedness of mind" means concentration that lasts for a moment. For even that, continuously proceeding in a single manner on the object, unovercome by its opposite, establishes the mind as if fixed, unmoving. Therefore, it is said, "Thus, when it has arisen," and so on. "Releasing" means separating, making distinct, by way of suppression-release; the meaning is abandoning the hindrances. "At the moment of insight" means at the moment of contemplating dissolution. For dissolution is indeed the ultimate peak of impermanence, therefore, by means of that, the meditator contemplating dissolution sees all conditioned phenomena as impermanent, not as permanent, because what is impermanent is suffering, and what is suffering is non-self. He then observes it as suffering, not as pleasure, observes it as not-self, not as self. But since that which is impermanent, suffering, not-self, should not be delighted in. And that which should not be delighted in, should not be clung to. Therefore, by observing dissolution, when the conditioned is seen as "impermanent, suffering, not-self," he becomes disenchanted, not delighted, he becomes dispassionate, not attached. He, thus disenchanted and dispassionate, by mundane knowledge, suppresses craving, does not arouse it, meaning, he does not cause its arising. Or else, he, thus dispassionate, the conditioned state as seen, that which is seen as such, with his own knowledge, suppresses, does not arouse, he attends to its cessation, not its arising, is the meaning. He, thus practicing, relinquishes, does not grasp, it is said. Indeed, this observation of impermanence, etc., along with the formations of the aggregates, because of the abandonment of defilements, by seeing the fault in the conditioned, and inclining towards Nibbāna, which is opposite to it, by plunging into it with that inclination, is called the relinquishment of abandonment, and the relinquishment of plunging. Therefore, the meditator endowed with that, in the manner stated, abandons defilements, and plunges into Nibbāna. Therefore it is said: "He, at the moment of insight, by the observation of impermanence, freeing and releasing his mind from the perception of permanence, ... (and so on) ... by the observation of relinquishment, freeing and releasing his mind from grasping, breathes in and breathes out." Herein, the observation of impermanence, or as impermanent, is the observation of impermanence. Taking the impermanence of the three-realm phenomena, the insight that proceeds, this is its name. "From the perception of permanence" means in conditioned phenomena, by the wrong perception that proceeds as "permanent, eternal." By the head of perception, the grasping of mind and views should also be understood. This method applies to the perception of pleasure, etc., as well. "By the observation of disenchantment" means in conditioned things, by the observation that proceeds in the manner of becoming disenchanted. "Delighted" means from craving accompanied by joy. "By the observation of dispassion" means in the same way, by the observation that proceeds in the manner of becoming dispassionate. Therefore it is said. "from lust releasing," thus. Contemplation of cessation means contemplation of the cessation of formations. Just as formations cease and do not arise again in the future by way of rebirth, such contemplation is contemplation of cessation. Indeed, this desire to be freed has gained strength. Therefore it is said, "releasing from origin." Contemplation proceeding in the manner of relinquishment is contemplation of relinquishment. From grasping means from grasping as permanent, etc., or from grasping rebirth; thus this meaning should be understood here. "Contemplating impermanence," or "one whose habit is to contemplate impermanence is an impermanence-contemplator." Here, what then is impermanent? Or how is it impermanent? Or what is the contemplation of impermanence? Or whose is the contemplation of impermanence? To explain this fourfold division, he says, "impermanent is to be known," and so on. Therein, permanent means stable, eternal, like Nibbāna. Not permanent is impermanent, having arising and passing away. In essence, conditioned phenomena. Thus, he says impermanent are the five aggregates. Why? Because of the nature of arising, passing away, and alteration; the meaning is the existence of arising, passing away, and alteration. Therein, the arising of conditioned phenomena through causes and conditions, their coming into being from non-existence, their acquisition of self, is arising. The momentary cessation, the destruction, of those that have arisen, is passing away. The alteration due to aging is alteration. Just as, indeed, in the state of arising, distinct from the state of dissolution, there is no difference in the object, so too in the state called persistence, which is approaching dissolution, there is no difference in the object. Where there is the designation of aging, therefore, aging is applicable even to a single phenomenon, which is called momentary aging. And in the states of arising and dissolution, the non-difference of the object should be accepted without doubt, otherwise it would follow that "one arises, another dissolves." Referring to this momentary aging, he says "alteration." Because of the existence of which three characteristics, the aggregates are designated as impermanent, in those three characteristics is the designation of impermanence. Having said, "impermanence is precisely their arising, passing away, and alteration," especially in the momentary cessation of phenomena, impermanence is... Showing "destruction," he said, "or non-existence after having been," and so on. There, because non-existence is preceded by arising, "having been" is taken. Thereby, it shows that the state of destruction is preceded by the state of manifestation. "In that very manner" means in the manner of arising. "By momentary dissolution" means by momentary cessation. "By that impermanence" means by impermanence called momentary dissolution. "By that contemplation" means by the aforementioned contemplation of impermanence. "Endowed with" means the yogi who is possessed of it. "Decay" is the destruction of formations. "Fading away" is their very dissolution, dispassion; decay itself is dispassion, decay-dispassion, momentary cessation. "Absolute fading away" is when, upon attaining this, formations fade away, cease; that is Nibbāna. Therefore, it is said: "Decay-dispassion is the momentary dissolution of formations. Absolute fading away is Nibbāna." The practice of insight (vipassanā) should be connected with the contemplation of decay-dispassion, and the path with the contemplation of absolute fading away, in terms of seeing both. Or, the practice of insight is understood as proceeding by way of contemplating decay-dispassion as its object, and by way of contemplating absolute fading away due to its inclination towards it; while the path is understood as proceeding by way of contemplating decay-dispassion due to its non-delusion, and by way of contemplating absolute fading away as its object.