English
" But this perception, though of one kind in its nature by the characteristic of perceiving, becomes of three kinds by way of its origin: wholesome, unwholesome, and indeterminate. Among these, that associated with wholesome consciousness is wholesome; that associated with unwholesome consciousness is unwholesome; that associated with indeterminate consciousness is indeterminate. For there is no consciousness that is dissociated from perception; therefore, as many divisions as there are of consciousness, so many are there of perception. But this perception, though of the same divisions as consciousness, is entirely characterized by perceiving in terms of its characteristics and so on. Its function is to make a sign based on that very perception, like carpenters and others with wood and so on. Its manifestation is the making of a firm conviction based on the sign as apprehended, like the blind men seeing an elephant. Its proximate cause is the object as it presents itself, like the perception of "man" that arises in young deer regarding straw figures. This is the introductory detailed explanation of the aggregate of perception. Discourse on the Aggregate of Formations 458. But regarding what was said: "Whatever forms..." "The characteristic of conditioning, all that gathered together, is to be understood as the aggregate of formations." Here, the characteristic of conditioning is the characteristic of accumulating. What is it then? It is formations themselves. As it is said: "They condition the conditioned, monks, therefore they are called formations." They have the characteristic of conditioning, the function of striving, the manifestation of spreading, and the proximate cause of the other three aggregates. Thus, though of one kind in terms of characteristic, they are of three kinds in terms of origin: wholesome, unwholesome, and indeterminate. Among these, those associated with wholesome consciousness are wholesome. Those associated with unwholesome consciousness are unwholesome. Those associated with indeterminate consciousness are indeterminate. Among these, those associated with the first wholesome consciousness of the sense-sphere are, in their own nature, twenty-seven that are fixed, four that are occasional, and five that are indeterminate, making thirty-six. Among these, contact, volition, initial application, sustained application, joy, energy, life-faculty, concentration, faith, mindfulness, moral shame, moral dread, non-greed, non-hatred, non-delusion, tranquility of body, tranquility of mind, lightness of body, lightness of mind, pliancy of body, pliancy of mind, adaptability of body, adaptability of mind, proficiency of body, proficiency of mind, uprightness of body, uprightness of mind— these twenty-seven come in their own nature. Desire, decision, attention, equanimity— these four are occasional. Compassion, appreciative joy, abstinence from bodily misconduct, abstinence from verbal misconduct, abstinence from wrong livelihood— these five are indeterminate. For these sometimes arise, and even when they arise, they do not arise together. 459. Here, "it touches" means contact. This has the characteristic of touching. Its function is impinging, its manifestation is convergence, its proximate cause is the object that has come into range. For this, though an immaterial phenomenon, operates in the manner of touching the object. And though not adhering in one part, it impinges on the mind and the object like the eye on form, and the ear on sound. It is manifested as a gathering, because it is declared by its own cause, which is called a gathering. And because it arises without hindrance in an object encompassed by the appropriate nutriment and faculty, it is called "having an object that has come into range" as its proximate cause. Moreover, because it is the basis of feeling, it should be seen like a skinless cow. 460. It intends, thus it is intention. The meaning is, it binds together. That intention has the characteristic of intending, its function is to accumulate, its manifestation is to arrange, accomplishing its own tasks and others' tasks, like a chief disciple or a master carpenter and so on. And in urgent actions, recollections, and so forth, it becomes evident, operating as the exertion of its co-arisen states. Whatever should be said about initial application, sustained application, and rapture, all that has already been stated in the description of the first jhāna in the explanation of the earth kasina. 461. The state of a hero is energy. It has the characteristic of exertion, its function is to support co-arisen states, its manifestation is non-languishing. By the saying, "Agitated, he strives wisely," it has agitation as its proximate cause, or the basis for the arousal of energy as its proximate cause. It should be seen that rightly aroused, it is the root of all accomplishments. 462. They live by it, or it itself lives, or it is merely living; thus it is life. Its characteristics and so forth should be understood in the same way as stated for material life. For that is the life of material phenomena, this is the life of immaterial phenomena; this alone is the difference here. 463. The mind is evenly placed on the object, or it is rightly placed, or it is merely the placing of the mind; thus it is concentration. It has the characteristic of non-distraction, or the characteristic of non-scattering. Its function is to gather co-arisen states, like water for bathing powder. Its manifestation is tranquility, especially, its proximate cause is happiness. It should be seen as the stability of the mind, like the steady flame of a lamp in a windless place. 464. They have faith by it, or it itself has faith, or it is merely having faith; thus it is faith. It has the characteristic of having faith, or the characteristic of conviction. Its function is to purify, like a water-purifier Like a gem, or like one crossing a flood by the taste of rushing forth. Its manifestation is non-agitation, or its manifestation is resolution. Its proximate cause is a believable object, or its proximate cause is the stream-entry factors like listening to the True Dhamma. It should be seen like seeds in the palm of the hand. 465. They remember by it, or one remembers by oneself, or it is just remembering – this is mindfulness. It has the characteristic of non-floating, the taste of non-confusion, the manifestation of guarding, or the manifestation of facing the object. Its proximate cause is firm perception, or its proximate cause is the foundations of mindfulness like the body. Because it is firmly established on the object, it should be seen like a pillar, and because it guards the eye-door and so on, like a doorkeeper. 466. One is ashamed of bodily misconduct and so on, thus shame (hiri). This is a designation for modesty. One is afraid of those very things, thus dread (ottappa). This is a designation for agitation from evil. Therein, shame has the characteristic of abhorring evil. Dread has the characteristic of being terrified. Shame has the taste of not doing evil in the manner of modesty. Dread has it in the manner of terror. And these have the manifestation of shrinking from evil in the manner described, their proximate cause being self-respect and respect for others. Making oneself weighty, one abandons evil through shame, like a noble lady. Making others weighty, one abandons evil through dread, like a courtesan. And these two qualities should be seen as guardians of the world. 467. They do not covet by it, or one does not covet by oneself, or it is just non-covetousness – this is non-greed. The same method applies to non-hatred and non-delusion. Among these, non-greed has the characteristic of the mind not being greedy for the object, or the characteristic of non-attachment, like a drop of water on a lotus leaf. Its taste is non-grasping, like a liberated monk, its manifestation is non-clinging, like a person fallen into impurity. 468. Non-hatred has the characteristic of non-fierceness, or the characteristic of non-opposition, like a congenial friend. Its taste is the removal of resentment, or the removal of feverishness, like sandalwood. Its manifestation is gentleness, like the full moon. 469. Non-delusion has the characteristic of penetrating reality as it is, or the characteristic of unhindered penetration. like a well-pierced arrow shot by a skilled archer. like a lamp illuminating its object. Its manifestation is non-confusion, like a guide for one gone to the forest. And these three should be seen as the root of all wholesome things. 470. The calming of the body is bodily tranquility. The calming of the mind is mental tranquility. Here, "body" refers to the three aggregates beginning with feeling. And both of these, taken together, are bodily and mental tranquility, characterized by the appeasement of bodily and mental agitation; their function is the crushing of bodily and mental agitation; their manifestation is the non-flickering and coolness of body and mind; their proximate cause is body and mind. They should be seen as the opponents of defilements like restlessness, which cause the non-appeasement of body and mind. The lightness of the body is bodily lightness. The lightness of the mind is mental lightness. They are characterized by the appeasement of bodily and mental heaviness; their function is the crushing of bodily and mental heaviness; their manifestation is the non-sluggishness of body and mind; their proximate cause is body and mind. They should be seen as the opponents of defilements like sloth and torpor, which cause the heaviness of body and mind. The pliancy of the body is bodily pliancy. The pliancy of the mind is mental pliancy. They are characterized by the appeasement of bodily and mental rigidity; their function is the crushing of bodily and mental stiffness; their manifestation is non-resistance; their proximate cause is body and mind.