English
They should be seen as the opponents of defilements like wrong views and conceit, which cause the stiffness of body and mind. The wieldiness of the body is bodily wieldiness. The wieldiness of the mind is mental wieldiness. They are characterized by the appeasement of bodily and mental unwieldiness; their function is the crushing of bodily and mental unwieldiness; their manifestation is the accomplishment of making body and mind fit for their objects; their proximate cause is body and mind. They are the opponents of the remaining hindrances and other defilements that cause the unwieldiness of body and mind; they bring clarity to things that inspire confidence; they bring about fitness for application in beneficial actions, like the purification of gold, so it should be understood. The proficiency of the body is bodily proficiency. The proficiency of the mind is mental proficiency. They are characterized by the non-sickness of body and mind; their function is the crushing of bodily and mental sickness. They are without fault, their manifestation is blamelessness, their proximate cause is the body and mind. They should be seen as the opposite of unfaith and so forth, which cause sickness in body and mind. The straightness of the body is bodily uprightness. The straightness of the mind is mental uprightness. These have the characteristic of bodily and mental rectitude, their function is to crush the crookedness of body and mind, their manifestation is non-crookedness, their proximate cause is the body and mind. They should be seen as the opposite of deceit, fraud, and so forth, which cause crookedness in body and mind. 471. "Intention" is a term for the desire to act. Therefore, that intention has the characteristic of the desire to act, its function is to seek the object, its manifestation is a longing for the object, that is its proximate cause. It should be seen as the mind's stretching out a hand to grasp the object. 472. Deciding is determination. It has the characteristic of resolve, its function is non-wavering, its manifestation is certainty, its proximate cause is the object to be resolved upon. It should be seen as an unmoving pillar in the object. 473. Action is doing. Doing in the mind is attention. It is also attention because it makes the mind different from the previous mind. This is of three kinds: that which brings the object, that which brings the thought-process, that which brings the javana-process. Among these, attention is the doing in the mind that brings the object. It has the characteristic of leading, its function is to connect the associated states to the object, its manifestation is facing the object, its proximate cause is the object. It is included in the aggregate of formations, and should be seen as a charioteer for the associated states, in that it brings the object. That which brings the thought-process is a term for the five-door adverting. That which brings the javana-process is a term for the mind-door adverting. These are not intended here. 474. Impartiality towards those phenomena is equanimity. It has the characteristic of carrying the mind and mental factors equally, its function is to prevent excess or deficiency, or its function is to cut off partiality, its manifestation is a state of impartiality, it should be seen as a charioteer who is impartial towards well-matched thoroughbreds, in that it oversees the mind and mental factors. Compassion and appreciative joy should be understood in the way stated in the exposition of the divine abodes (Visuddhimagga 1.262). For those, indeed, having attained absorption, are of the form-sphere; these are of the sense-sphere – this is the only distinction. Some, however, desire (to include) even loving-kindness and equanimity among the unspecific factors; that should not be accepted. For in meaning, non-aversion itself is loving-kindness, and the equanimity of impartiality itself is equanimity. 475. Abstinence from bodily misconduct is bodily misconduct abstinence. This method applies to the rest as well. From the perspective of characteristics, these three are characterized by not transgressing the objects of bodily misconduct and so on, and by not crushing them, it is said. Their function is to restrain from the objects of bodily misconduct and so on, their manifestation is non-action, their proximate cause is qualities like faith, shame, dread of wrongdoing, contentment, and they should be seen as the mind's turning away from evil actions. 476. Thus, these thirty-six formations should be understood as conjoined with the first sense-sphere wholesome consciousness. And just as with the first, so too with the second. The only distinction here is the presence of prompting. With the third, however, excluding non-delusion, the remaining (factors) should be understood. Likewise with the fourth. The only distinction here is the presence of prompting. Among those stated for the first, however, excluding joy, the remaining (factors) are conjoined with the fifth. And just as with the fifth, so too with the sixth. The only distinction here is the presence of prompting. And with the seventh, however, excluding non-delusion, the remaining (factors) should be understood. Likewise with the eighth. The only distinction here is the presence of prompting. Among those stated for the first, excluding the three abstinences, the rest are conjoined with the first of the form-sphere wholesome (consciousnesses). With the second, those excluding initial application. With the third, those excluding sustained application. With the fourth, those excluding joy. With the fifth, those excluding compassion and appreciative joy among the unspecific factors. These same (factors apply) to the four formless-sphere wholesome (consciousnesses). For the only distinction here is their being of the formless-sphere. In the supramundane, in the path-consciousness of the first jhāna, it is in the manner stated for the first form-sphere consciousness, and in the second jhāna and so on, it is in the manner stated for the second form-sphere consciousness and so on. to be known. But the absence of compassion and appreciative joy, definite abstention, and supramundane nature – this is the distinction here. Thus, wholesome formations are to be known. 477. Among the unwholesome, rooted in greed, the first unwholesome associated factors, are thirteen that are fixed and appear in their own form, and four that are occasional, making seventeen. Therein, contact, volition, initial application, sustained application, joy, energy, life, concentration, shamelessness, fearlessness of wrongdoing, greed, delusion, and wrong view – these thirteen appear in their own form. Desire-to-act, decision, restlessness, and attention – these four are occasional. 478. Therein, one who is not ashamed is shameless. The state of being shameless is shamelessness. One who does not fear wrongdoing is fearless of wrongdoing. Among these, shamelessness has the characteristic of not being disgusted by misconduct of body, etc., or the characteristic of not being ashamed. Fearlessness of wrongdoing has the characteristic of not being horrified by them, or the characteristic of not being afraid. This is the summary here. The detailed explanation, however, should be understood in terms of the opposites of shame and fear of wrongdoing as stated. 479. They cling by it, or one clings oneself, or it is merely clinging – that is greed. They are deluded by it, or one is deluded oneself, or it is merely delusion – that is delusion. Among these, greed has the characteristic of grasping an object, like a monkey's anointing, or the function of clinging, like a piece of meat thrown onto a hot pan. Its manifestation is non-renunciation, like the stain of oil or dye. Its proximate cause is seeing enjoyment in the fettering phenomena. Growing in the form of the river of craving, it should be seen as going to the great ocean of the lower realms, like a swift-flowing river. 480. Delusion has the characteristic of the mind's blindness, or the characteristic of ignorance. Its function is non-penetration, or the function of concealing the nature of the object. Its manifestation is wrong practice, or its manifestation is darkness. Its proximate cause is unwise attention. It should be seen as the root of all unwholesome things. 481. They see wrongly by it, or one sees wrongly oneself, or it is merely wrong seeing – that is wrong view. It is unwise attention... are characterized by adherence, have the flavor of clinging, are manifested as wrong adherence, have as their proximate cause the desire not to see the Noble Ones, and so forth. They should be understood as extremely blameworthy. 482. The state of agitation is restlessness. It is characterized by non-calmness, like water agitated by a gust of wind. It has the flavor of instability, like a banner agitated by a gust of wind. It is manifested as distraction, like ashes scattered by striking a stone. It has as its proximate cause improper attention in the non-calmness of the mind. It should be understood as mental dispersion. The rest should be understood in the manner stated for wholesome states. Indeed, their unwholesome nature and badness distinguish them from those. 483. Thus, these seventeen formations should be understood as associated with the first unwholesome consciousness. And just as with the first, so too with the second. The distinction here is their being prompted, and the inconstancy of sloth and torpor. Therein, the state of being sluggish is sloth. The state of being torpid is torpor. The meaning is lack of energy, lack of vigor, impotence, and obstruction. Sloth and torpor are sloth-and-torpor. Therein, sloth is characterized by lack of energy, has the flavor of dispelling effort, is manifested as sinking down. Torpor is characterized by unsuitability for work, has the flavor of covering over, is manifested as sluggishness,