English
For him who has thus practiced, the plunging into the sign of tranquility there, is the attainment of that state; therefore, it is called "the plunging of the mind there." Thus, indeed, at the very moment of the arising of the first jhāna, by way of arrival, the purity of practice should be understood. For one thus purified, who has attained absorption, because there is no further effort in purification, there is equanimity. Because of having practiced tranquility, and because there is no further effort in concentration, for one who has practiced tranquility, there is equanimity. Having abandoned defilement's entanglement, because of being absolutely established, because further effort in establishing unity is impossible, for the establishment of unity, there is equanimity. As for "arisen there": for those arisen in that mind, by the yoked nature of concentration and wisdom, by the non-transgression, because of liberation from various defilements. Of the faculties like faith, by the single taste of liberation, of a non-transgressing single nature, that which has approached those two, that which is suitable, that which is appropriate, the corresponding effort, and the mind, because the yogi drives them and causes them to proceed, and by the driving of the effort that has approached them, and by being a special part, and by way of cultivation, the meaning of "delight" should be understood. Moreover, here, "the immediately past gotrabhu mind, transforming into a single continuum, is said to practice" is written. For there, the words "transforming, practices" are not possible for what is past, and what is written immediately after: "the gotrabhu mind approaching the absorption concentration mind plunges there..." is called "giving." With this, it is not fitting, because it was said "it is past at the moment of practice," the statement "the gotrabhu-citta enters there" is contradictory, so says the teacher. Because it was said "even a one-moment-mind of supramundane consciousness is cultivated, developed, made much of," it was said "these ten characteristics belong even to a jhāna of a one-moment-mind." It was also said "from then on, it is only cultivation and development." It is written "endowed with resolution" means "accompanied by resolution." Its meaning is: what was said "called beginning, middle, and end," that is, because it is endowed with the goodness of all three, it is good in three ways. Thus, the three kinds of consciousness become the foundation for the qualities rooted in their attainment, or for the attainment of higher jhānas, in the sense of a basis. Therefore, because it is endowed with the nature of consciousness as a foundation, it is called "endowed with resolution." Regarding "to seclude myself for half a month," the teachers say this: "If there were the possibility of seeing and hearing the monks killing each other, and if the Teacher, being present, did not know the means to prevent that calamity, then, by saying 'this one is not omniscient' —a pseudo-reason, a non-cause— and not understanding that even for the Tathāgata, the lord of Dhamma, there is no escape from kamma, many people, overcome by delusion that denies omniscience, would become destined for Avīci. Therefore, the Blessed One, having already known that those monks were killing each other, and having thoroughly determined that there was no means to prevent that, and having made this the sole cause for the attainment of a good destiny for ordinary people, by teaching about impurity, or by refraining from useless sights and sounds, and having already refrained from them, and by creating the cause for attaining a good destiny, and by seeing the origin of the story for the third pārājika, which must necessarily be laid down, as if manifesting his omniscience to those who test him, and wishing to dwell by making an opportunity for the fruition of attainment for the benefit of those to be trained during that half-month, he said, 'I wish, monks, to seclude myself for half a month,' and so on." The Noble Ones, named Elder Buddhamitta, Elder Dhammasiri, Elder Upatissa, and others, were leaders of the group. They had heard this from the Commentary Teacher. Others besides them should be understood as one. "They are disgusted with their own body... ...will be" This does not fit with what comes later: "those monks not free from passion, for them at that time there is indeed fear, there is hair-raising, there is terror." And if it is said this does not agree with the purpose of the Blessed One's discourse on impurity as a meditation object? No, because the meaning of that is not understood. Even for those disgusted with their own body, because their attachment has not been abandoned by the Noble Path, there is not fearlessness concerning death, as there is for the Arahants. But that fear, weakened by the power of diligent practice of impurity meditation, did not become great and confuse the mind, like for those who are not disgusted. It did not make those beings go to the lower realms. This is how the meaning should be understood. Or else, this is a statement of the reason for the former. Because for them at that time there was indeed fear, terror, and hair-raising, therefore it was said, "At that time the Blessed One spoke on impurity," and so on. Or else, even for those disgusted with their own body, there is indeed fear. This shows a great distinction for the Arahants, who are powerful and free from passion. This fear of death is very difficult to overcome, since it shows that even for such people, because they are not free from passion, there is fear. Others were among those five hundred monks. By this it is shown: "Having seen that executioner with a sword who had come in such a way, there was indeed fear even for others, let alone for them." "Therefore, the Blessed One first spoke to them about impurity, afterwards it was not for them." "Such was the great benefit of the discourse on impurity for them." And the latter method here, it agrees with the commentary statement: "Indeed, among those monks, no bodily action or verbal action was made by anyone. All of them, mindful and clearly comprehending, lay down on their right side." "But others said" is said for the purpose of refuting the family leader. "This, it is said, is a doctrine" - Does it contradict the statement "they will not transcend Māra's realm"? It does not contradict. How? This monk, not killing, will transcend Māra's domain, and also by not doing unwholesome deeds. But killing, he will not transcend Māra's realm, because of the power of kamma. Thinking thus, being himself on Māra's side, and also holding the view: "those who have not died are not freed from saṃsāra," therefore, engaging them both on that path, he spoke thus. That is why, instead of saying: "they are on Māra's side, holding the same doctrine as Māra," it was said: "they are followers of Māra." "What is meant by this?" "Because they are followers of Māra, therefore, even thinking thus, they speak according to their own doctrine," some write. They come to me for attendance together, and they receive instructions from their respective teachers and preceptors. Description of the Discourse on Mindfulness of Breathing Concentration 165. "This too, O monks" - what does this show? It refutes the wrong view of those who might think: "Due to the practice of the meditation subject taught by the Blessed One, the lives of those monks were destroyed." Their lives were destroyed solely due to kamma done by them previously. But this meditation subject, for some of them, was a condition for attaining Arahantship, for some, for attaining the fruits of Non-returner, Once-returner, or Stream-enterer, for some, for attaining the first jhāna, for some, having become a condition for abandoning self-love by suppression and temporary abandonment, for some, it was a condition for rebirth in a good destination. Thus, my discourse on the unpleasant was fruitful. But because I was requested by Ānanda, saying: "It is good, Venerable Sir, may the Blessed One teach another method," I am teaching another method. Just as your previous practice of the unpleasant meditation subject was taught, so too, "This too, O monks" should be understood as the connection. It is said: "Mindfulness is established by means of the in-breath." For in the initial stage, it makes that in-breath or out-breath its object, but in the later stage, the in-breath and out-breath... It is also said that it attends by making the sign of arising the object. The meditation practice that proceeds with the unpleasant, or that proceeds as unpleasant, is unpleasant practice. That same is a basis for the repeated arising of another, thus it is an unpleasant practice-basis. Or, the object is a basis for the unpleasant practice, thus it is an unpleasant practice-basis. Here, it is unpleasant meditation, and thus it is said, "because of having a gross object." By way of penetration means by way of obtaining the factors like initial application. By way of the continuity of the object means, having taken the continuous time in order, he is calmed by the subsiding of the bodily weariness mentioned. And preliminary work means the preliminary work of the kasina, which ends with the arising of the sign. For then it is without taste, thus non-existent, and unapplied. Just as in access concentration there is continuity through the disappearance of hindrances and the manifestation of factors, it is not so here. This, however, is said as "from the initial mental application." In the second alternative, "asecanako" means not satisfying, thus it is said "full of sap." Mental happiness exists even at the moment of jhana. Even so, it is said, "both jhanas are to be taken as if one has emerged from them." With tranquility, in one's own continuum, undisturbed. Otherwise, evil things might arise together with jhana. Because the aggregates, etc.