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The emptiness is that which proceeds by making Nibbāna its object in the aspect of emptiness, so it should be understood. 770. But what is said in the Abhidhamma: “at the time when one develops the supramundane jhāna, leading to liberation, tending to decrease (defilements), for the abandoning of wrong views, for the attainment of the first stage, having secluded oneself from sensual pleasures, one enters and dwells in the first jhāna, aimless, empty” (Dhs. 343 onwards), where only two liberations are mentioned in this way, that refers to the direct approach of insight. For although the insight knowledge in the Paṭisambhidāmagga – “The knowledge of contemplating impermanence releases attachment to permanence, thus it is liberation by emptiness. The knowledge of contemplating suffering releases attachment to pleasure. The knowledge of contemplating non-self releases attachment to self, thus it is liberation by emptiness.” In this way, it is called liberation by emptiness due to releasing attachment, and “The knowledge of contemplating impermanence releases the sign of permanence, thus it is the signless liberation. The knowledge of contemplating suffering releases the sign of pleasure... The sign, the knowledge of contemplation of non-self releases the sign of self; thus, it is signless liberation. In this way, by releasing the sign, it is called signless liberation. The knowledge of contemplation of impermanence releases the aspiration for permanence; thus, it is unaspired liberation. The knowledge of contemplation of suffering (releases) the aspiration for happiness. The knowledge of contemplation of non-self releases the aspiration for self; thus, it is unaspired liberation. In this way, by releasing aspiration, it is called unaspired liberation. It is said. Nevertheless, that, because it does not abandon the sign of formations, is not truly signless. But truly, it is both emptiness and unaspired. And by its coming, liberation is brought forth at the moment of the noble path. Therefore, unaspired and emptiness should be understood as the two liberations mentioned. This is the discourse on liberation here. 771. Now, what was said: "It is a condition for the classification of the seven noble persons." There, the faith-follower, the faith-liberated, the body-witness, the liberated in both ways, the Dhamma-follower, the attained to view, the wisdom-liberated— these are the seven noble persons. For their classification, this knowledge of equanimity regarding formations is a condition. 772. Indeed, whoever, contemplating impermanence, with much conviction, gains the faculty of faith, that one, at the moment of the stream-entry path, is a faith-follower. In the remaining seven stages, (they are) faith-liberated. 773. But whoever, contemplating suffering, with much tranquility, gains the faculty of concentration, that one is called a body-witness everywhere. But having attained the formless absorptions, having reached the highest fruit, (they are) called liberated in both ways. 774. But whoever, contemplating non-self, with much insight, gains the faculty of wisdom, that one, at the moment of the stream-entry path, is a Dhamma-follower. In the six stages, (they are) attained to view, at the highest fruit, wisdom-liberated. 775. For this was said: "For one contemplating impermanence, the faculty of faith becomes dominant. Due to the dominance of the faculty of faith, one attains the stream-entry path, Therefore, he is called a faith-follower. Similarly, "When one attends to impermanence, the faculty of faith becomes excessive. Due to the excessiveness of the faculty of faith, the fruit of stream-entry is realized. Therefore, he is called faith-liberated," and so on (Paṭisambhidāmagga 1.221). 776. Further, it is said: "Believing, he is liberated, thus, faith-liberated. Having touched and realized, thus, body-witness. Having attained what is seen, thus, vision-attained. Believing, he is liberated, thus, faith-liberated. First he touches the jhāna-contact, then he realizes cessation, Nibbāna, thus, body-witness. 'Formations are suffering, cessation is happiness'— this is known, seen, understood, realized, touched by wisdom, thus, vision-attained." (Paṭisambhidāmagga 1.221). 777. In the other four, one follows faith, or proceeds by faith, thus, a faith-follower. Similarly, one follows the Dhamma reckoned as wisdom, or proceeds by the Dhamma, thus, a Dhamma-follower. Liberated by both the formless jhānas and the noble path, thus, liberated-in-both-ways. Knowing, he is liberated, thus, wisdom-liberated. The meaning of these terms should be understood thus. Knowledge of Equanimity Regarding Formations. 778. This knowledge, in essence, is one with the two preceding knowledges. Therefore, the ancients said: "This knowledge of equanimity regarding formations alone receives three names. At the beginning, it is called the knowledge of the desire for deliverance. In the middle, it is called the knowledge of contemplation of reflection. And at the end, having reached its peak, it is called the knowledge of equanimity regarding formations." 779. In the Pāli text, it is also said: "How is the wisdom of the desire for deliverance, reflection, and settling, knowledge in equanimity regarding formations? The wisdom of the desire for deliverance, reflection, and settling from arising, is knowledge in equanimity regarding formations. From continuance... and so on... from signs... and so on... from distress— the wisdom of the desire for deliverance, reflection, and settling is knowledge in equanimity regarding formations. 'Arising is suffering,'... and so on... 'is fearful,'... and so on... 'is with bait,'... and so on... 'arising is a formation,'... and so on... 'distress is a formation'— the wisdom of the desire for deliverance, reflection, and settling from these formations... knowledge regarding equanimity towards formations." 780. Therein, the desire to be released, and that contemplation, and the establishment, are the desire-to-be-released-contemplation-establishment. Thus, in the preliminary stage, for one who is disgusted by the knowledge of disgust, the desire to abandon origination and so forth is the desire to be released. The contemplation in the middle is for the purpose of making a means of release. The equanimity at the end, after being released, is the establishment. This is what is meant by "origination is formations, one is equanimous towards those formations, thus equanimity towards formations," and so forth. Thus, this is one and the same knowledge. 781. Moreover, it should be understood that this is also one and the same according to this Pāli text. For it is said: "That which is the desire to be released, that which is the contemplation of reflection, and that which is equanimity towards formations—these phenomena are one in meaning, only the expression is different." 782. For this noble son who has thus attained equanimity towards formations, his insight has reached its peak, it is conducive to emergence. "Insight that has reached its peak" or "conducive to emergence" are names for this triad of knowledges, namely equanimity towards formations and so forth. For it has reached the peak, the highest state, thus it is "peak-attained." It goes to emergence, thus it is "conducive to emergence." Emergence is called the path, because it emerges from the external sign, from the object of attachment, and from what arises internally; it goes to that, thus it is "conducive to emergence," meaning it is conjoined with the path. 783. Here is a matrix to clarify attachment and emergence: Attaching internally, one emerges internally. Attaching internally, one emerges externally. Attaching externally, one emerges externally. Attaching externally, one emerges internally. Attaching to form, one emerges from form. Attaching to form, one emerges from the formless. Attaching to the formless, one emerges from the formless. Attaching to the formless, one emerges from form. With a single strike, one emerges from the five aggregates. Attaching to impermanence, one emerges from impermanence. Attaching to impermanence, From suffering, from not-self, he arises. Having entered into suffering, from suffering, from impermanence, from not-self, he arises. Having entered into not-self, from not-self, from impermanence, from suffering, he arises. 784. How? Here, someone at first enters into internal formations. Having entered, he sees them. But since the arising of the path does not occur by merely seeing internal things, external things must also be seen. Therefore, he sees the aggregates of others, and ungrasped formations, as impermanent, suffering, not-self. He at times contemplates internally, at times externally. As he thus contemplates, when contemplating internally, insight connects with the path. This is called "having entered internally, he arises from the internal." But if, when he contemplates externally, insight connects with the path, this is called "having entered internally, he arises from the external." This method applies also to "having entered externally, he arises from both external and internal." 785. Another, at first, enters into form. Having entered, he sees fundamental form and derived form as a heap. But since arising does not occur by merely seeing form, formless things must also be seen. Therefore, making that form an object, he sees the feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness that have arisen, as "this is formless." He at times contemplates form, at times formless things. As he thus contemplates, when contemplating form, insight connects with the path. This is called "having entered into form, he arises from form." But if, when he contemplates formless things, insight connects with the path, this is called "having entered into formless things, he arises from formless things."