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B030307Abhidhammatthasaṅgaho(abhidharma summary of meaning)

English

for one doing preparatory work taking space as object, saying "infinite space, infinite space," not merely "infinite, infinite." Thus also in the sphere of infinite consciousness. Even without saying "infinite," it is proper to attend "space, space" or "consciousness, consciousness," say the teachers. 39. "For one doing preparatory work, 'This is peaceful, this is sublime'" means for one developing "this is peaceful, this is sublime," because the object is mere non-existence. 40. "And among the remaining" means among the eight, such as recollection of the Buddha, remaining from the meditation subjects leading to absorption, together with kasiṇa etc., and among the ten meditation subjects of defining perception. "Having done preparatory work" means having done preparatory work in the manner stated, beginning with "That Blessed One is indeed Arahant, indeed Perfectly Self-Enlightened." "Well-grasped" means well grasped by way of the mind inclining, tending, and flowing towards the qualities of the Buddha etc. "And preparatory work is accomplished" means the preparatory development is accomplished, perfected. "And access is attained" means access concentration arises, suppressing the hindrances. 41. "Proceeding by way of supernormal knowledge" means proceeding by way of the five worldly supernormal knowledges, such as psychic powers, which are called supernormal knowledge by way of knowing in a special manner. "Having risen from the fifth jhana that is the basis for supernormal knowledge" means having disciplined the mind in fourteen ways, such as kasiṇa-anuloma, having made it capable of projection, and because of its suitability due to its association with equanimity and one-pointedness, the fifth jhana of the form sphere, which has earth kasiṇa etc. as its object, is indeed the basis and foundation for supernormal knowledges; having entered that jhana and risen from it. "Having adverted to the object of determination etc." means preparatory work for the knowledge of psychic powers. For the power of transformation, the resolved transformation, a hundredfold and so on, the form of a child and so on. For the divine ear's preparation, sound, gross and subtle, of various kinds. For the mind-penetrating knowledge's preparation, the mind of another, with lust and so on, by seeing the heart's color. For the past-lives recollection knowledge's preparation, the aggregates dwelt in before, in past existences, like death-consciousness and so on. For the divine eye's preparation, or having adverted to form, in a place pervaded by light. "To one doing preparation" means: to one doing preparation, saying "I become a hundred, I become a thousand," and so on. "In forms and so on" means: in objects, which are the scope of preparation, like forms, the foundational jhāna, sound, another's mind, the aggregates dwelt in before, and so on. Here, for the knowledge of psychic power, there are six objects: the foundational jhāna, the body, and forms and so on, in the resolved forms and so on. Among these, the foundational jhāna is only past. The body is present. The others are present or future. For the divine ear, it is only sound, and that is present. But for knowing another's mind, any mind of three times, occurring in the past seven days, or in the future seven days, among the minor ones and so on, is the object, so say the great Aṭṭhakathā teachers. But the Compilers say, "all four aggregates." How then is its object a present mind? Is it not that only what is grasped by advertence becomes the object of the psychic mind? And when advertence, having made a present mind its object, ceases, at that very same time, the mind of another also ceases, so there would not be a single object for advertence and impulsion in terms of time. And how is it not intended that advertence and impulsion have different objects, except in the path and fruit process? In the Aṭṭhakathā, the object as present in terms of continuity and duration is indeed applied. But Ānandācariya says, "the foundational..." Having risen from the absorption, without distinguishing between present and past, merely making the preparation, ‘I know the mind of this one,’ then re-entering the base absorption, and having risen, without any distinction, he adverts to the mind. After three or four preparations, he penetrates the mind of another with the knowledge of penetrating minds, just as one sees form with the divine eye. Afterwards, with a sense-sphere consciousness, he also determines states like ‘with lust,’ just as one determines states like ‘blue.’ All these are indeed mind-objects that have become manifest. And in an undesirable situation, there is no fault of diverse objects, because they proceed with an undifferentiated aspect. For the knowledge of recollecting past lives, the aggregates that were dwelt in previously, and the names and families associated with the aggregates, and Nibbāna, are the objects. But for the divine eye, only form is the present object. This is the distinction of their objects. ‘Applies appropriately’ means it applies according to each preparation. 42. Now, to show the distinctions of supernormal powers by the distinctions of their objects, he says, ‘the various kinds of supernormal power,’ and so on. ‘Various kinds of supernormal power’ means that the distinctions of supernormal power, such as determination, belong to it. ‘Divine ear’ means it is divine and it is an ear, because it is similar to a divine ear, and it is connected with divine abodes. ‘Knowledge of penetrating others’ minds’ means that by which one discerns the mind of others. ‘Recollection of past lives’ means the recollection of aggregates and so on in past existences, both by way of dwelling in one’s own continuum and by way of the dwelling of the range of experience. ‘Divine eye’ means, in the manner stated, it is divine and it is an eye. But ‘knowledge of death and rebirth’ is indeed called the divine eye. The knowledge of beings’ destiny according to their karma and the knowledge of future events are also accomplished through the divine eye. For there is no separate preparation for them. Among these, for the knowledge of future events, the mental and volitional states that will occur beyond seven days in the future, and whatever object that will occur from the second day onwards, are its objects. For this knowledge, in its own sphere, is of the nature of omniscience. But for the knowledge of beings’ destiny according to their karma, volition, which is called wholesome and unwholesome, or all four aggregates, are to be understood as its objects. Abba. Distinction by way of range of activity is distinction of range of activity. The description of the distinction of range of activity is finished. The description of the serenity meditation subject is finished. Insight meditation subject Description of the distinctions of purity 43. Seeing in various ways by way of impermanence and so on is insight, the wisdom of development such as the contemplation of impermanence. Its meditation subject, or it itself is the meditation subject, is the insight meditation subject. In that insight meditation subject, there is a collection of seven kinds of purity—this is the connection. 44. Impermanence itself is the characteristic to be marked, or that by which it is marked, is the characteristic of impermanence. The state of suffering consisting of oppression by arising and passing away is the characteristic, thus the characteristic of suffering. The absence of a self as imagined by others is non-self, that itself is the characteristic, thus the characteristic of non-self. 45. The contemplation of the three characteristics, one after another, is the contemplation of impermanence and so on. 46. The knowledge that proceeds by way of comprehending the aggregates and so on as a cluster is the knowledge of comprehension. The knowledge that proceeds by way of contemplating arising and passing away is the knowledge of arising and passing away. The knowledge that proceeds in passing away, having left arising, is the knowledge of dissolution. The knowledge that proceeds by way of contemplating the formations as fearful is the knowledge of fear; the knowledge that proceeds by way of seeing the perceived fears as disadvantageous is the knowledge of disadvantage; the knowledge that proceeds by way of becoming disgusted with the perceived disadvantages is the knowledge of disgust. The knowledge that proceeds by way of desiring to be liberated from the formations after becoming disgusted is the knowledge of the desire for liberation. The knowledge that proceeds by way of re-comprehending the formations for the purpose of accomplishing the means of liberation is the knowledge of re-contemplation. The knowledge that proceeds by way of equanimity, having looked on the re-contemplated phenomena by avoiding delight in fear, is the knowledge of equanimity regarding formations. The knowledge that is conducive to the accomplishment of the function of the former nine, and also to the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment above, is the knowledge of conformity. 47. Empty by way of the emptiness of self. Liberation by way of being freed from fetters and so on. Signless by way of the absence of the sign of permanence and so on. Undirected by way of the absence of craving as a direction. 49. He who protects it, that It liberates from sufferings like the lower realms, thus it is Pātimokkha. That same, by restraining from misconduct of body, etc., is restraint. And by the meaning of establishing and upholding, it is virtue; thus, Pātimokkha-restraint-virtue. The virtue that proceeds by way of restraining the six sense faculties in forms, etc., is sense-restraint-virtue. The virtue that proceeds by way of the purity of livelihood through avoiding wrong livelihood is livelihood-purity-virtue. The virtue of reflecting on the requisites as to their purpose, relying on them,