English
Once, a man who had never traveled a certain path before, upon reaching a water-ravine or deep muddy water that had to be crossed, or a rock heated by the fierce sun, descended into the ravine without arranging his lower and upper garments. Fearing his requisites would get wet, he re-established himself on the bank. Even having stepped on the rock, with his feet burned, he re-established himself on the lower part. Just as that man, because his lower and upper garments were not arranged, as soon as he descended into the ravine, or as soon as he stepped on the hot rock, turned back and re-established himself on the lower part, so too the meditator, because the preliminary task was not performed, as soon as he attained the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, turns back and re-establishes himself in the sphere of nothingness. But just as a man who had traveled that path before, upon reaching that place, firmly put on one garment, and holding another in his hand, crossed the ravine, or as soon as he stepped on the hot rock, having done, he goes beyond. Just so, a monk who has done his preliminary duties, having attained the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, goes beyond that, becoming mindless, and dwells having touched cessation. 880. How is its duration? For one thus attained, by way of a time limit, and by the absence of an intermediate end of life, the Sangha's expectation, or the Teacher's summons, there is a duration. 881. How is its emergence? For a non-returner, by the arising of the non-returner's fruit. For an Arahant, by the arising of the Arahant's fruit. Thus, there is emergence in two ways. 882. For one emerged, what does the mind incline towards? It inclines towards Nibbāna. For this was said: "Indeed, friend Visākha, for a monk emerged from the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling, the mind inclines towards seclusion, it tends towards seclusion, it slopes towards seclusion." (MN 1.464) 883. What is the difference between one who is dead and one who is attained? This meaning is also stated in the Sutta. As it was said: "Friend, for one who is dead, who has passed away, his bodily formations have ceased and are stilled, his verbal formations... his mental formations have ceased and are stilled, his life is exhausted, his heat is extinguished, his faculties are broken up. And for that monk who has attained the cessation of perception and feeling, his bodily formations have also ceased and are stilled, his verbal formations... his mental formations have ceased and are stilled, his life is not exhausted, his heat is not extinguished, his faculties are not broken up." (MN 1.457) 884. In the question "Is the attainment of cessation conditioned?" and so on, it should not be said that it is conditioned, nor unconditioned, nor worldly, nor supramundane. Why? Because it is non-existent in its own nature. But since it is called "attained" by way of the one who attains it, therefore it is proper to say it is "accomplished," not "unaccomplished." Thus this peaceful attainment, frequented by the Noble Ones; which in this very life reaches the designation of Nibbāna; having developed noble wisdom, the wise attain it. Therefore, the ability to attain this attainment, is called the benefit of wisdom on the Noble Paths. The Discourse on the Attainment of Worthiness of Offerings, etc. The attainment of worthiness of offerings, etc., is not merely the ability to enter the attainment of cessation. But this attainment of worthiness of offerings, etc., should be understood as a benefit of developing this supramundane wisdom. For, by developing this (wisdom) in all four ways without distinction, the person who has developed wisdom becomes for the world with its devas: worthy of offerings, worthy of hospitality, worthy of gifts, worthy of salutation, an unsurpassed field of merit for the world. Specifically, having developed the wisdom of the first path: One who has come with weak insight, even with dull faculties, is called a 'seven-times-at-most'. Having wandered through seven good existences, he makes an end of suffering. One who has come with moderate insight, with moderate faculties, is called a 'family-to-family'. Having wandered through two or three families (existences), he makes an end of suffering. One who has come with keen insight, with keen faculties, is called a 'one-seeder'. Having generated only one human existence, he makes an end of suffering. Having developed the wisdom of the second path, he is called a 'once-returner'. Having come to this world just once more, he makes an end of suffering. Having developed the wisdom of the third path, he is called a 'non-returner'. According to the difference in faculties, he is fivefold: one who attains Nibbāna in the interim, one who attains Nibbāna by reducing (the lifespan), one who attains Nibbāna without exertion, one who attains Nibbāna with exertion, and one who goes upstream to the Akaniṭṭha realm. Here, he is one who has ended dwelling (in this world). Therein, 'one who attains Nibbāna in the interim' means: having arisen in any of the Pure Abodes, he attains Nibbāna without reaching the middle of the lifespan. 'One who attains Nibbāna by reducing' means: he attains Nibbāna after passing the middle of the lifespan. 'One who attains Nibbāna without exertion' means: he generates the higher path without exertion, without effort. 'One who attains Nibbāna with exertion' means: he generates the higher path with exertion, with effort. 'One who goes upstream to the Akaniṭṭha realm' means: having arisen wherever he did, he ascends upwards to the Akaniṭṭha realm and attains Nibbāna there. Having developed the wisdom of the fourth path, some are 'faith-liberated'. some are liberated by wisdom, some are liberated in both ways, some are three-knowledge possessors, some are six-supernormal-knowledge possessors, some are great Arahants who have attained the distinctions of analytical knowledge. Regarding this it is said: "At the moment of the path, he disentangles that tangle. At the moment of fruition, having disentangled the tangle, he is worthy of the highest offerings from the world with its devas." Thus, many are the benefits, of the development of noble wisdom; Therefore, one should cultivate, delight in it, the discerning one. 890. And thus – A wise man, established in virtue, developing concentration and wisdom; an ardent, skillful bhikkhu, he disentangles this tangle. – By this verse, the development of wisdom with its benefits has been explained in the Path of Purification, which is taught through the gateway of virtue, concentration, and wisdom. Thus, in the Path of Purification, made for the joy of good people, in the section on the development of wisdom, the exposition of the benefits of wisdom development, is the twenty-third chapter. Concluding Remarks 891. And thus – "A wise man, established in virtue, developing concentration and wisdom; an ardent, skillful bhikkhu, he disentangles this tangle." – Having set forth this verse, what we said was – "Now, by this verse, spoken by the Great Seer; explaining the true meaning, the divisions of virtue and so forth. Having obtained the very rare going forth in the Dispensation of the Conqueror; the safe, straight path to purification, comprising virtue and so forth. Those here who, not knowing truly, even desiring purity; do not attain purity, even striving yogis. For their joy, a very pure determination; based on the teaching method of the Mahavihara dwellers. I shall expound the Path of Purification, as I carefully expound it; all you good people who desire purity, listen carefully!" This has now been expounded. 892. And therein – The determination of the meanings of those divisions of virtue and so forth; as stated in the commentaries of all five Nikayas. Having gathered all that, mostly with determination; free from all faults of confusion, because it is clear resorted to. Therefore, by those desiring purity, by yogis of pure wisdom; In this Path of Purification, reverence should indeed be shown. 893. Of the foremost of the Analytical School, of the renowned Elders; of those dwelling in the Great Monastery, of the descendant, the expounder. Of the Venerable Saṅghapāla, whose conduct was pure and austere; endowed with Vinaya conduct, and fit for practice. Whose mind was adorned with qualities like patience, gentleness, and loving-kindness; having taken his request, this was done by me. By me, desiring the establishment of the True Dhamma, whatever accumulation of merit has been attained; by the power of that, may all beings prosper in happiness. 894. And this Path of Purification, here, without hindrance; has been completed, in Pāli, in fifty-eight recitations. Just as for the world, all relying on welfare; may their wishes be fulfilled without hindrance, swiftly, swiftly. 895. Adorned with supreme pure faith, wisdom, and energy, endowed with a collection of virtues like morality, good conduct, integrity, and gentleness, capable of penetrating deeply into one's own doctrine and other doctrines, possessed of skill in wisdom, whose light of knowledge was unhindered in the three Piṭakas of the Teachings of the Master, with their commentaries, a great grammarian, endowed with the charm of sweet, noble words flowing forth pleasantly due to perfect articulation, a supreme debater, a great poet, speaking appropriately and excellently, whose intellect was unhindered in the superior human states adorned with qualities like the six supernormal powers and analytical knowledge, a lamp of the lineage of the Elders, an ornament of the lineage of the Elders dwelling in the Great Monastery, possessing vast and pure wisdom, by the Elder named Buddhaghosa, a name given by his teachers, this "Path of Purification" was made, to be spoken without weariness or fatigue. 896. May it stand in the world, for those seeking to cross over the world;