English
They also appear as unsubstantial and worthless, like an illusion, a mirage, a dream, a firebrand circle, a city of Gandharvas, foam, or a plantain tree. By this much, by penetrating fifty characteristics in this manner, "Only that which is subject to decay arises, and having arisen, it goes to decay," he has attained the young insight knowledge called "contemplation of arising and passing away," by the attainment of which he is called "one who has commenced insight." Discourse on the Corruptions of Insight 732. Then, for him, the one who has commenced insight with this young insight, ten corruptions of insight arise. The corruptions of insight do not arise for an Aryan disciple who has reached penetration, nor for one who has gone astray, nor for a lazy person who has abandoned his meditation subject. But they do arise for a well-practicing, diligent, and striving son of good family who has commenced insight. What are these ten corruptions? Luster, knowledge, rapture, tranquility, happiness, determination, exertion, presence of mind, equanimity, and clinging. For it has been said: "How does the mind become agitated by mental distraction? When one attends to impermanence, luster arises. One attends to the luster, thinking 'luster is a phenomenon.' Then there is distraction, agitation. By that agi with a mind seized by attachment, does not truly understand the contemplation of impermanence. Of suffering… of non-self, he does not truly understand the contemplation. Similarly, ‘‘when contemplating impermanence, knowledge arises… joy… tranquility… happiness… conviction… exertion… mindfulness… equanimity… desire arises. He reflects on desire as ‘the nature of desire,’ then distraction and restlessness. With a mind seized by that restlessness, he does not truly understand the contemplation of impermanence. Of suffering… of non-self, he does not truly understand the contemplation.’’ 733. Therein, "light" means the light of insight. When it arises, the meditator thinks, "Never before has such a light arisen for me; surely I have attained the path, I have attained the fruit," and he takes what is not the path as "the path," and what is not the fruit as "the fruit." For him, taking what is not the path as "the path" and what is not the fruit as "the fruit," the path of insight is said to have deviated. He abandons his original meditation object and sits enjoying only the light. This light arises for some bhikkhus illuminating only the area of their cross-legged posture. For some, it illuminates the inside of the cell. For some, even the outside of the cell. For some, the entire monastery, a league, half a yojana, a yojana, two yojanas, three yojanas… for some, making a single light from the surface of the earth up to the Akanittha Brahma-world. But for the Blessed One, it arose illuminating ten thousand world-systems. Thus, regarding its diversity, there is this story: In the Cittala mountain, inside a two-celled dwelling, two elders were sitting. That day was a Uposatha of the dark fortnight, the directions were covered with layers of clouds, and in the nighttime, a fourfold darkness prevailed. Then one elder said, "Venerable sir, just now, five-colored flowers appear to me on the lion-seat in the cetiya courtyard." The other said to him, "You speak of nothing wonderful, friend. For me, just now, in the great ocean, at a distance of a yojana, fish are not seen. This defilement of insight, however, mostly arises in one who has attained both calm and insight. It causes the thought, "I am an Arahant," because the defilements are suppressed by attainment and do not arise, just like the Elder Mahānāga of Uccavālika, the Elder Mahādatta of Haṃkanaka, and the Elder Cūḷasumana who lived in the meditation house of Niṅkapeṇṇaka in Cittala Mountain. Here is one story to illustrate this: The Elder Dhammadinna of Talaṅgara, a great Arahant with analytical knowledge, was a teacher to a large community of monks. One day, as he sat in his daytime dwelling, he reflected, "Has the ascetic life of our teacher, the Elder Mahānāga of Uccavālika, reached its culmination or not?" Seeing that he was still a worldling, and knowing, "If I do not go, he will die as a worldling," he flew through the air by psychic power, descended near the Elder who was seated in his daytime dwelling, paid homage, performed his duties, and sat down to one side. When asked, "Why have you come at an unusual time, friend Dhammadinna?" he replied, "I have come to ask a question, venerable sir." Then, when told, "Ask, friend, we will tell you if we know," he asked a thousand questions. The Elder answered every question without hesitation. Then, when asked, "Your knowledge, venerable sir, is very sharp; when did you attain this Dhamma?" he replied, "Sixty years ago, friend." "Do you also practice absorption, venerable sir?" "That is not difficult, friend." "Then, venerable sir, create an elephant." The Elder created an all-white elephant. "Now, venerable sir, make this elephant come towards you, with its ears raised, its tail extended, its trunk in its mouth, making a terrifying trumpeting sound." The Elder did so, and seeing the terrifying appearance of the elephant coming swiftly, he got up and began to flee. Him, the Elder Dhammadinna The Elder Khīṇāsava stretched out his hand, took hold of the edge of his robe, and said, "Venerable sir, does one whose defilements are destroyed feel shame?" At that time, knowing his own state as an ordinary person, he said, "Be my refuge, friend Dhammadinna," and sat on his heels at his feet. "Venerable sir, I came precisely to be your refuge, do not worry," he said, and taught him the meditation subject. The Elder took the meditation subject, went onto the walking path, and at the third step attained the highest fruit, Arahantship. It is said that the Elder was of a wrathful nature. Such monks tremble at the light. 734. Knowledge means insight-knowledge. For him, indeed, while weighing and discerning the formations of matter and mind, a sharp, heroic, exceedingly clear knowledge arises, like an unhindered thunderbolt released. Joy means insight-joy. For him, indeed, at that time, this fivefold joy arises, filling the entire body: minor joy, momentary joy, showering joy, uplifting joy, and pervading joy. Tranquility means insight-tranquility. For him, indeed, at that time, as he sits in a night-abode or a day-abode, there is no distress, no heaviness, no stiffness, no unsuitability for work, no sickness, no crookedness in his body and mind; rather, his body and mind are tranquil, light, soft, workable, very clear, and straight. With his body and mind supported by these tranquil qualities, he experiences at that time an unhuman delight. Regarding which it was said: "For a monk who has entered an empty dwelling, whose mind is peaceful; An unhuman delight arises, as he rightly discerns the Dhamma. "From wherever he contemplates, the rise and fall of the aggregates; He gains joy and rapture, that is the Deathless for one who knows." (Dhp. 373-374); Thus, for him, this tranquility, accompanied by lightness and so on, arises, bringing about this unhuman delight. Happiness means insight-happiness. For him, indeed, at that time, a very refined happiness, pervading the entire body, is produced. Adhimokkha means faith. For him, strong faith, which is exceedingly clear among the mental states and mental factors associated with insight, is produced. Paggaha means energy. For him, unslackened, not overstrained, well-grasped energy, associated with insight, is produced. Upaṭṭhāna means mindfulness. For him, well-established, well-rooted, firm, unmoving mindfulness, like a king of mountains, associated with insight, is produced. Whatever object he attends to, focuses on, reflects upon, reviews, that object appears to him as if it has entered into, as if it has penetrated, like the other world to a divine eye, through mindfulness. Upekkhā means insight-equanimity and advertence-equanimity. At that time, for him, strong insight-equanimity, which is neutral towards all formations, is produced. Also advertence-equanimity at the mind-door. When he attends to that object, it flows for him like a released thunderbolt, or like a hot arrow placed in a leaf-cup, sharp and keen. Nikanti means insight-liking. For him, a subtle, calm, and pleasant liking is produced, which clings to insight adorned with light and so on. This liking cannot even be classified as a defilement. And just as with light, so too when any of these are produced, the meditator thinks: "Indeed, never before has such knowledge arisen in me, such rapture, tranquillity, happiness, faith, energy, mindfulness, equanimity, liking, arisen in me. Surely I have attained the path, I have attained the fruit." Thus he takes what is not the path as "the path," and what is not the fruit as "the fruit." When he takes what is not the path as "the path," and what is not the fruit as "the fruit," the insight-process is said to have deviated. He abandons his original meditation object and sits, savoring only the liking. 735. Here, light and so on are called "upakkilesa" (imperfections) because they are objects of imperfection, not because they are unwholesome. Liking, however, is both an imperfection and an object of imperfection. The object These are ten by way of subsidiary defilements. But by way of graspings, they are thirty. How? Indeed, for one who grasps, "My light has arisen," there is the grasping of views. For one who grasps, "Indeed, a pleasing light has arisen," there is the grasping of conceit. For one who savors the light, there is the grasping of craving. Thus, in the light, there are three graspings by way of views, conceit, and craving. Similarly in the others, thus by way of grasping, there are thirty defilements. By reason of these, the unskillful, undeveloped meditator trembles and is distracted in the lights and so forth.