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due to the absence of association with investigation-dominance, they are multiplied by three in terms of the three dominances, becoming seven hundred and twenty. Similarly, those associated with knowledge, multiplied by four in terms of the four dominances, become nine hundred and sixty. Thus, in terms of dominance, they are one thousand six hundred and eighty. These are the mental formations of body, speech, and mind. multiplied by three, due to the three types of action, they become five thousand and forty. And these, multiplied by three due to the distinctions of inferior, medium, and excellent, become fifteen thousand two hundred and forty. But what was said by the Elder Acariya Buddhadatta: “Seventeen thousand, two hundred and eighty; Are the wholesome states of the sense-sphere, thus one should declare.” That should be understood as stated with reference to the stream-enterer, disregarding the reduction in count due to the dominant factor. However, their distinctions due to time, place, and so on, are immeasurable. They are wholesome (kusala) because they shake, tremble, destroy, or remove the evil states (kucchite pāpadhamme) that are despicable. Or, they are wholesome because they cut (lunanti) or sever the evil states called ‘kusa’ which arise from lying (sayanato) or proceeding (pavattanato) in the mental continuum in a despicable manner. Or, they are wholesome because they are to be obtained (lātabbāni) by wisdom (ñāṇa) called ‘kusa’, or by the group of qualities like faith, through the act of thinning (sānato), attenuating (tanukaraṇato), or bringing to an end (osānakaraṇato) the despicable evil states; and they are to be brought about appropriately by way of co-nativity and decisive support. These very states, in the aforementioned sense, are sense-sphere wholesome thoughts, and thus are sense-sphere wholesome thoughts. 16. Just as these arise by way of meritorious deeds, by way of doors of action, by way of action, and by way of dominance, so do not results (vipāka) arise by way of giving and so on, because there is no production of intimation, because they are of a non-resultant nature, and because they do not arise with desire and so on as their forefront. Therefore, by reducing them in that way, the distinctions in number should be appropriately applied. These too are accompanied by joy and equanimity respectively, according to agreeable, very agreeable, and neutral objects. They are associated with knowledge and dissociated from knowledge, due to the strength or weakness of kamma in the arising of rebirth and so on, and mostly in the arising of the impulsion (javana) corresponding to the object, and sometimes even there, corresponding to kamma. They are unprompted and prompted, according to the application, without application, and according to the kamma and other conditions that are present, and according to suitable and unsuitable conditions like climate and food. 17. Even the functional thoughts As stated in the method, the associated joy, etc., should be understood as appropriate. 18. In "sahetukakāmāvacarakusalavipākakiriyacittāni" (kāma-sphere resultant and functional consciousnesses with roots), the term "sahetuka" (with roots) is a qualifier referring to the resultant and functional consciousnesses, as wholesome consciousness is always with roots. For example, as in "sakkharakathalampi macchagumbampi carantampi tiṭṭhantampī" (even a gravelly plain, even a school of fish, moving, standing), where "moving" is associated with "school of fish" because a gravelly plain cannot move, so the meaning is applied as appropriate. 19. The statement "sahetukāmāvacarapuññapākakiriyā vedanāñāṇasaṅkhārabhedena paccekaṃ vedanābhedato duvidhattā, ñāṇabhedato catubbidhattā, saṅkhārabhedato aṭṭhavidhattā ca sampiṇḍetvā catuvīsati matāti" (kāma-sphere wholesome, resultant, and functional consciousnesses with roots are considered twenty-four when combined, due to being twofold by division of feeling, fourfold by division of knowledge, and eightfold by division of volitional formation) is the intended meaning. Now, the division by feeling is appropriate, as their natures are distinct. But how is there a division by knowledge and volitional formation? The division by knowledge and volitional formation is due to the presence or absence of knowledge and volitional formation, just as a year can be called "prosperous" or "famine-stricken" due to the rain. Therefore, a division based on knowledge and volitional formation is a "division of knowledge and volitional formation," and there is no contradiction here. 20. Now, to show all kāma-sphere consciousnesses combined, it is said, "kāme tevīsā" (twenty-three in the kāma-sphere), etc. In the kāma-sphere, there are seven unwholesome resultants, and sixteen wholesome resultants, with and without roots, making twenty-three resultants in total. Twelve unwholesome, and eight wholesome, making twenty wholesome and unwholesome. Three functional consciousnesses without roots, and eight functional consciousnesses with roots, making eleven functional consciousnesses. Thus, in every way, even though there are countless varieties due to differences in time, place, and continuum, there are fifty-four consciousnesses due to the inherent divisions of wholesome, unwholesome, resultant, and functional. The description of kāma-sphere beautiful consciousnesses is finished. Description of Rūpa-sphere Consciousnesses 21. Now, the time has come for the explanation of the rūpa-sphere, which was mentioned immediately after. To show its fivefold division based on the combination of jhāna factors, it is said, "vitakka...pe... sahitaṃ" (initial application...etc... associated). Associated with initial application, sustained application, joy, happiness, and one-pointedness, is "vitakkavicārapītisukhekaggatāsahitaṃ" (associated with initial application, sustained application, joy, happiness, and one-pointedness). There, the object It ponders, it directs associated states —thus, thought. It has the characteristic of directing co-arisen states to the object, just as a village dweller, relying on a royal favorite, a relative or a friend, enters the royal palace; so too, relying on thought, the mind ascends to the object. If so, how does a mind without thought ascend to the object? That too is directed by the power of thought. Just as that person, through familiarity, enters the royal palace without him, fearlessly; so too, through familiarity, even without thought, a mind without thought directs itself to the object. Familiarity here is the mental development arising from frequent occurrence in the continuum of a mind with thought. Moreover, the five consciousnesses, even without thought, ascend by the power of contact with the physical object; and the second jhāna and so on ascend by the power of previous development. The mind wanders in the object by it —thus, examination. It has the characteristic of rubbing or massaging the object. Thus it is designated as "sustained application." Here, thought is the mind's initial impact, like the first strike of a bell, due to its grossness compared to examination, and its being a precursor to it; examination is the reverberation, the continued wandering. Thought here is the mind's agitation, like the flapping of wings of a bird desiring to fly into the sky, or like a bee's dive towards a lotus with a mind intent on scent. Examination is a calm activity, the mind's not-too-agitated state, like the spreading of wings of a bird that has flown into the sky, or like the circling above a lotus of a bee that has dived towards it. It gladdens, it satisfies, or it increases the body and mind —thus, joy. It has the characteristic of being pleasing, it means it has the characteristic of taking the object as excellent. It makes associated states happy —thus, happiness. It has the characteristic of experiencing what is desirable, like a king savoring the taste of a delicious meal. Here, in the attainment of the object, the distinction of joy is evident, like one weary in the desert like seeing water in a forest, the special joy of what is gained is clear, like drinking the seen water. Because there is no scattering to various objects, one object is supreme for this, thus one-pointedness, of the mind, that state is one-pointedness, concentration. It is characterized by non-distraction. For by its presence, the mind associated with it becomes undistracted. And because it is primary in the order of teaching and in the order of arising, that meditation, from contemplating the object, and from burning up the adversaries, is the first jhāna, the group of five: initial application and so on. Indeed, the term jhāna is used only for the collection of jhāna factors, just as the term chariot is used for the collection of factors like the wheel. Thus it is said in the Vibhaṅga: "Jhāna means initial application, sustained application, rapture, happiness, one-pointedness of mind." The wholesome mind associated with the first jhāna is the first jhāna wholesome mind. But why, when other associated phenomena like contact exist, are only these five mentioned as jhāna factors? It is said: Because they perform the function of contemplation, and because they are direct opponents of sensual desire and so on. Indeed, initial application places the mind on the object. Sustained application keeps it there continuously, rapture makes it rejoice, and happiness causes it to grow. Then one-pointedness, supported by these placing, continuous keeping, rejoicing, and growing, by its function of concentration, causes itself to follow, and establishes the mind equally and rightly on the single object. Equally by way of the balance of faculties, and rightly by the absence of torpor and agitation due to the remoteness of opposing phenomena. Thus, these alone have the unique function of contemplation. As for being opponents of sensual desire and so on,