English
from the state of being a kasiṇa-ayatana. It shows the state of being a sphere, from the diversity of meditation signs that overcome kasina signs. Therein, "overcomes" means "overcomer," or preliminary action, or knowledge. Because it has the sphere of mastery, it is a sphere of mastery, a jhāna. Or because it has the sphere, called the object, that is to be overcome, it is a sphere of mastery, a jhāna. From the overcoming of the object, it is both the overcomer and the sphere. And because it is the basis for the meditator's special happiness, and because it is the mind-sphere and the mind-object-sphere, the associated jhāna is a sphere of mastery. Due to its connection with the path, for one who has arisen from that attainment, the advertence, taking the mode of overcoming that occurred at the moment of jhāna, is spoken of as occurring in the manner of preliminary cultivation. This should be understood. But in the Agamas, it is said: "One, perceiving form internally, sees external forms, small, beautiful and ugly. Immeasurable, beautiful and ugly. One, perceiving formless internally... small, beautiful and ugly. Immeasurable, beautiful and ugly." Because these four spheres of mastery are found, in the Agama commentaries it is said: "Even though advertence exists in terms of color, these spheres of mastery are taught only in terms of small and immeasurable." For indeed, the state of being small and immeasurable is the cause of overcoming, whether advertence to color exists or not. And therein, all small ones, both those without advertence to color and those with it, are called "beautiful and ugly"; similarly, the immeasurable ones should be understood. For indeed, there is this method: "having overcome the small ones, and if they are sometimes adverted to in terms of color, then having overcome the beautiful and ugly ones." But here, because of the direct teaching, those without advertence to color are mentioned separately, and those with it. For indeed, there is a distinction in overcoming in both cases. And therein, because of the indirect teaching, there is also a method of overcoming for the liberations, (as in) "One perceiving form internally" - the two spheres of mastery... What was said, the second liberation in the third and fourth abhibhāyatanas, and the third liberation in the color abhibhāyatanas, are included due to their nature of overcoming. But here, because of the direct teaching, to show the liberations and abhibhāyatanas without confusion, the abhibhāyatanas are spoken of, excluding the liberations. And all liberation functions are stated in the teaching of liberation. Therefore, it is understood that a distinction is made because the two abhibhāyatanas that begin with "perceiving forms internally" are not mentioned among the abhibhāyatanas, and because phrases like "one who has form sees forms" are common to all liberation functions. That internal forms are not to be overcome— this is the reason for saying "one sees external forms" everywhere, without ever saying "one sees internal forms." Thus, what has another cause is stated with that cause. But what is said here as "perceiving formlessness internally" due to the elegance of the teaching, shows that no other reason should be sought for it. And the inability to overcome internal forms is because they are not distinct like external forms. And the elegance of the teaching should be understood in terms of the distinction mentioned. If it is said that the blue, etc., abhibhāyatanas should not be mentioned, since "beautiful and ugly" already covers them? No, because for those who have specialized in blue, etc., the very nature of blue, etc., is the cause of overcoming. For them, the purity or impurity of color, its smallness or immeasurability, is not the cause of overcoming, but rather the nature of blue, etc., itself. The commentary on the discourse of abhibhāyatanas is concluded. Commentary on the discourse of liberations 248. "One who has form": By which form one is endowed, belonging to one's own continuum, that form is distinguished as the cause of a certain jhāna. By which distinction one is called "one who has form," that very form-sign, belonging to one's own continuum, like a jhāna, should be understood as truly establishing the state of "having form." The teaching of kasiṇas proceeds as the kasiṇa nature of the jhānas themselves in the Abhidhamma, but in the Suttas, it refers to objects, as in "ab..." is said "by way of the Dhamma." The explanation of the Vimokkha-kathā is finished. The explanation of the Brahma-vihāra-kathā 251. Ignorance itself, free from joy and sorrow, is ignorance-equanimity. Because the defilements are not conquered by the paths, it is "unconquered by defilements." Because the ripening of karma that arises from the seventh existence onwards is not conquered, it is "unconquered by ripening." By being faultless, it means by being without resistance. Because there is no distinguishing mark for even one being, there is no grasping of a limit, and the grasping of beings that arises by way of conventional truth is not a grasping of limited forms, etc. Therefore, it should be understood that even for the mettā, etc., which are directed at a single being, and which are beyond the grasping of beings that is not affected by absorption, immeasurable scope is stated. The explanation of the Brahma-vihāra-kathā is finished. The explanation of the Asubha-kathā 263. Swollen up from being smoked, it is "uddhumāta." Blue mixed with white and red, or blue that has changed from its original color, is "vinīla." "Saṅghāṭa" is the firm connection of the limbs. The weakness of the object is the inability to establish the mind in opposition. The similes of throwing flowers, vomiting, and purgation should be applied respectively to seeing benefits in oneself, and to the calming of the diseases of hindrances. By the commonality of repulsive contemplation, the grasping of repulsive jhāna from repulsive things like hair, etc., and also the jhāna of the cemetery description. For that too arises by way of repulsive contemplation, or the kinds of cemeteries are "sivathikāvaṇṇāni." The explanation of the Asubha-kathā is finished. The explanation of the Rūpāvacara-kusala-kathā is finished. The explanation of the Arūpāvacara-kusala-kathā 265. In all aspects: thus, by seeing faults in all forms and form-objects, such as seeing the possibility of taking a stick, etc., in the form-object, and in the jhānas that have those as objects; or by abandoning delight in forms, etc., and by not wishing to attend to them. "Virāga" means disgust. By phrases like "āneñjābhisaṅkhāra," immovability is stated, and by phrases like "these, Cunda, are peaceful liberations in the discipline of the Noble One," peaceful liberation is stated. By cultivating the opposite of seeing faults, resistance Because perceptions are well abandoned, even with a great sound, one does not emerge from the formless attainments. But because they are not well abandoned, there might be emergence from all form attainments. However, the first jhāna does not tolerate even a little sound, thus it is said that sound is like a thorn to one who has attained it. By the absence of the development of the immaterial, the transcending and cessation of form-perceptions and resistance-perceptions, which are the causes of rebirth after death, are spoken of as making them of a nature not to arise for as long as their own karmic results continue. But among the perceptions of diversity, those that do not arise in that existence, do not arise due to lack of opportunity, not because they are prevented by the development of the immaterial. And because they are not prevented, some do arise. Therefore, their non-attention, non-adverting, non-reflection, or their non-doing, non-entering between the javana and the bhavanga mind, is spoken of. And by this, the transcending of the forms that are the causes of attending to perceptions of diversity, shows the stability of concentration. Indeed, it is due to the absence of transcending forms that in the form attainments, the phrase "non-attention to perceptions of diversity" is not used. What is the benefit? It is not said that a benefit is seen in a perception that occurs in space devoid of all objects of delight. The phrase "transcending form-perceptions" and so on, is an exposition of the benefit, not the meaning. "Elsewhere" refers to the suttas. There, even with the opening of a small kasina, the infinitude is spoken of due to the non-grasping of a limit by merely grasping the seclusion from form. Here, however, even with the existence of infinitude, it is a limited infinitude by way of the opened kasina. Thus, the intention is that "infinite space" is not said to show this. Here, the meaning is by way of the specific jhāna that establishes the time, not by way of practice. Therefore, that is not said. 266. The first immaterial consciousness is said to be "infinite" because it is to be attended to as infinite by its own mode of pervasion. "Opened state" means that which is opened. 267. "Nothingness" refers to the complete manifestation of consciousness without grasping anything in any way. 268. "Which" refers to the remaining perceptions of formations. Indeed. That practice, for now. By 'I will advert,' and so on, it shows the absence of advertence inclined towards it, and its subsequent occurrences. Not for transcending that, the occurrence of advertence and development. By 'neither perception,' it means that there is an absence of perception in this. The contemplation of aggregates, occurs by grasping groups. Insight into individual phenomena, occurs by grasping each phenomenon, like contact, and so on. The third (attainment) is from transcending the consciousness that arose in space. For by transcending it, there is the development of that very thing. If the consciousness of the second formless were developed,