English
One attains the first jhana wherever one wishes, however one wishes, for as long as one wishes; there is no slowness in attaining – this is mastery in attaining. He resolves in resolving, He emerges in emerging, He reviews. There is no slowness in reviewing, thus mastery in reviewing. The second... He adverts to the attainment of neither-perception-nor-non-perception wherever he wishes, however he wishes, for as long as he wishes... he reviews. There is no slowness in reviewing, thus mastery in reviewing. These are the five masteries. And here, "by sixteen courses of knowledge" is a superior designation. For the non-returner, it is by fourteen courses of knowledge. If so, why not by twelve for the once-returner, and by ten for the stream-enterer? It is not, because the five sensual desires, hindrances to concentration, have not been abandoned. For them, indeed, it is not abandoned. Therefore, the power of tranquility is not complete. When it is incomplete, they cannot attain the cessation attainment, to be attained by two powers, due to a deficiency of power. For the non-returner, however, it is abandoned; therefore, he is fully powerful. Being fully powerful, he is able. Therefore, the Blessed One said: "For one emerging from cessation, the skillful state of neither-perception-nor-non-perception is a condition by way of immediate contiguity for the attainment of fruition." This, in the great treatise of the Paṭṭhāna, is said with reference to the non-returner's emergence from cessation. Where do they attain? In the five-constituent existence. Why? Because of successive attainments. In the four-constituent existence, however, the first jhānas and so forth do not arise. Therefore, it is not possible to attain there. Some, however, say, "due to the absence of a basis." Why do they attain? Having become weary of the various modes of conditioned phenomena, and having become mindless in this very life, they attain, thinking: "Having reached cessation, Nibbāna, we shall dwell happily." And how does this attainment occur? For one who has exerted himself by means of tranquility and insight, and has performed the prior duties, by bringing the neither-perception-nor-non-perception to cessation, thus does his attainment occur. For he who tranquility... By means of calm alone he ascends, he attains and remains in the attainment of neither perception nor non-perception. But he who ascends by means of insight alone, he attains and remains in the attainment of fruition. But he who ascends by means of both, having performed the preliminary duties, he stops the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, he attains that (cessation). This is the summary here. 874. This is the detailed explanation – here, a monk, desiring to attain cessation, having finished his meal, with hands and feet well-washed, in a secluded place, sits on a well-arranged seat, having folded his legs crosswise, having set his body upright, having established mindfulness in front of him. He, having attained the first jhāna and risen from it, there he discerns the formations as impermanent, suffering, and non-self. But this insight is of three kinds – insight for comprehending formations, insight for fruition attainment, and insight for cessation attainment. Among these, insight for comprehending formations, whether dull or sharp, is indeed the basis for the path. Insight for fruition attainment must be sharp, similar to the development of the path. But insight for cessation attainment must be neither too dull nor too sharp. Therefore, he discerns those formations with insight that is neither too dull nor too sharp. Then, having attained the second jhāna and risen from it, there he discerns the formations in the same way. Then the third jhāna... and so on... then, having attained the sphere of infinite consciousness and risen from it, there he discerns the formations in the same way. Likewise, having attained the sphere of nothingness and risen from it, he performs four kinds of preliminary duties – preventing various attachments from being disturbed, respecting the Saṅgha, inviting the Teacher, and determining the duration. 875. Among these, "preventing various attachments from being disturbed" means that which is not bound together with this monk, but stands as separately bound, whether bowl and robe, or bed and chair, or dwelling place, or any other kind of requisites, so that it is not disturbed, so that it is not destroyed by fire, water, wind, thieves, rats, and so on, thus he... It should be resolved. Here is the method of resolution: "This and this, within these seven days, may it not be burnt by fire, may it not be swept away by water, may it not be scattered by wind, may it not be stolen by thieves, may it not be eaten by rats and so on." When thus resolved, for those seven days, no danger whatsoever befalls it. But if not resolved, it is destroyed by fire and so on, like that of Mahānāga Thera. The elder, it is said, entered a village for alms at his mother's lay follower's house. The lay follower, having given gruel, made him sit in the sitting hall. The elder sat down, having entered the attainment of cessation. While he was thus seated, the sitting hall caught fire; the remaining monks took their respective sitting mats and fled. The villagers gathered, saw the elder, and said, "A lazy ascetic!" The fire burnt the grass, bamboo, and wood, and stood encircling the elder. The people brought water in pots, extinguished the fire, removed the ashes, made it tidy, scattered flowers, and stood revering him. The elder, having arisen at the end of the appointed time, saw them, thought, "I have become known," rose into the air, and went to Piyaṅgudīpa. This is called the non-destruction of various bound things. That which is a single bound item, whether an undergarment or an outer robe, or a sitting mat, there is no need for a separate act of resolution. It is protected solely by the power of attainment, like that of Venerable Sañjīva. And it is also said: "The psychic power of Venerable Sañjīva is through the expansion of concentration; the psychic power of Venerable Sāriputta is through the expansion of concentration." 876. "Waiting for the Saṅgha" means waiting for or looking out for the Saṅgha. The meaning is: until that monk arrives, the Saṅgha's act should not be performed. Here, waiting is not its preliminary task; rather, the preliminary task is the avoidance of waiting. Therefore, one should reflect thus: "If, while I am seated, having entered the attainment of cessation for seven days, the Saṅgha wishes to perform any act, such as a formal declaration, I shall arise as soon as some monk comes and calls me." Having done thus, having attained, at that time he arises indeed. But whoever does not do thus, and the Saṅgha, having assembled, not seeing him, (asks) "Where is such-and-such a monk?" When it is said, "He is in cessation attainment," the Saṅgha sends some monk, (saying) "Go, call him by the word of the Saṅgha." Then by that monk, standing within earshot, when it is said, "Friend, the Saṅgha awaits you," immediately there is an arising. So weighty indeed is the Saṅgha's command. Therefore, having considered that, so that one arises by oneself, thus should one attain (it). 877. "Calling by the Teacher" here too, the consideration of the Teacher's call is its function. Therefore, that too should be considered thus: "If, while I am seated, having attained cessation for seven days, the Teacher should lay down a training rule concerning some arisen matter, or teach the Dhamma on account of such an event, until someone comes and calls me, I shall arise at that very moment." Having done thus, being seated, at that time he arises indeed. But whoever does not do thus, and the Teacher, when the Saṅgha is assembled, not seeing him, (asks) "Where is such-and-such a monk?" When it is said, "He is in cessation attainment," (the Teacher) sends some monk, (saying) "Go, call him by my word." Then by that monk, standing within earshot, when it is said, "The Teacher calls the venerable one," immediately there is an arising. So weighty indeed is the Teacher's call. Therefore, having considered that, so that one arises by oneself, thus should one attain (it). 878. "Limit of Duration" is the limit of the life-span. This monk should be very skilled in the limit of duration. One should attain (it) only after considering for oneself, "Will my life-formations continue for seven days or not?" For if one attains (it) without considering the life-formations that will cease within seven days, his cessation attainment cannot ward off death. Because there is no death within cessation, he arises from the attainment in the interim. Therefore, having attended to this, one should attain it. The rest, it is permissible not to attend to. But this, it is said, must be attended to. 879. Having thus attained the sphere of nothingness, and having arisen, and having performed this preliminary task, he attains the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception. Then, having passed one or two thought-moments, he becomes thoughtless, he touches cessation. Why do not thoughts arise above these two thoughts for him? Because it is the means to cessation. For this monk, the pairing of these two qualities, calm and insight, and the ascent through the eight attainments, is the means to gradual cessation, not the attainment of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception. Therefore, because it is the means to cessation, they do not arise above the two thoughts. But the monk who, having arisen from the sphere of nothingness, attains the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception without performing this preliminary task, is unable to become thoughtless thereafter. He turns back and re-establishes himself in the sphere of nothingness. Here, the simile of a man who has never traveled a path before should be told: