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of self-dedication. Therefore it is said: "Having dedicated oneself to the Buddha, the Blessed One, or to the teacher." 49. "Having become one with perfected intention and perfected resolve" — Here, that yogi should be one with perfected intention in six ways, by way of non-greed and so on. For one with such perfected intention attains one of the three enlightenments. As it is said: "Six intentions lead to the maturation of enlightenment for Bodhisattas. Bodhisattas with the intention of non-greed see danger in greed. Bodhisattas with the intention of non-hatred see danger in hatred..." the Bodhisattas who see no fault in lust, the Bodhisattas whose intention is non-delusion, see fault in delusion, the Bodhisattas whose intention is renunciation, see fault in household life, the Bodhisattas whose intention is seclusion, see fault in association, the Bodhisattas whose intention is escape, see fault in all states of existence. Whatever Stream-Enterers, Once-Returners, Non-Returners, Arahants, Paccekabuddhas, and Perfectly Self-Enlightened Ones there have been in the past, present, and future, all of them attained the special states to be attained by themselves through these six modes. Therefore, one should be endowed with an intention complete in these six modes. And by being intent on that, one should be endowed with perfect resolve. The meaning is that one should be intent on concentration, devoted to concentration, burdened with concentration; and intent on Nibbāna, devoted to Nibbāna, burdened with Nibbāna. 50. When such a one, whose intention and resolve are perfect, asks for a meditation subject, the teacher who has attained mind-penetrating knowledge should observe his mental disposition and ascertain his character. If not, he should ascertain it by asking in ways such as: "What is your character? What states frequently arise in you? What brings you comfort when you attend to it? To which meditation subject does your mind incline?" Having thus ascertained it, a meditation subject suitable for his character should be taught. And when teaching, it should be taught in three ways. For one who has naturally grasped a meditation subject, it should be given after having him recite it for one or two sittings. For one dwelling nearby, it should be taught whenever he comes. For one who wishes to learn it and go elsewhere, it should be taught neither too briefly nor too extensively. There, when teaching the earth kasina, these nine aspects should be taught: the four kasina faults, the making of the kasina, the method of developing the made kasina, the two kinds of sign, the two kinds of concentration, the seven kinds of suitability and unsuitability, the ten kinds of skill in absorption, the balance of effort, and the method of absorption. In the remaining meditation subjects too, what is appropriate for each should be taught. All of that will be revealed in their methods of development. mindfulness. When the meditation object is thus explained, the yogi should listen, grasping the signs. "Grasping the signs" means: "This is the lower part, this is the upper part, this is its meaning, this is its intention, this is the simile"— thus, understanding each aspect. Indeed, by listening carefully, grasping the signs, the meditation object is well-grasped. Then, relying on that, the attainment of special distinction occurs for him, not for the other. This is the explanation of the meaning of the word "grasping." Thus, the words, "having approached a good friend and taken one of the forty meditation objects suitable for one's temperament," are fully expounded in all aspects. Here ends the Explanation of the Grasping of the Meditation Object, the Third Chapter, in the section on the Development of Concentration, in the Visuddhimagga, composed for the joy of good people. 4. Explanation of the Earth Kasina 51. Now, regarding what was said: "having abandoned an unsuitable dwelling and dwelling in a suitable dwelling for the development of concentration"— if it is convenient for one to live in the same dwelling with one's teacher, one should dwell there, purifying the meditation object there. If it is not convenient there, whatever other dwelling is suitable, be it a gāvuta away, or half a yojana, or even a yojana, one should dwell there. For in such a case, if there arises any doubt or confusion of mindfulness regarding the meditation object in some place, one can, after performing one's duties in the dwelling early, and having gone for alms along the way, immediately after the meal, go to the teacher's dwelling place, purify the meditation object with the teacher that day, and on the second day, after saluting the teacher, depart, go for alms along the way, and return to one's own dwelling place without fatigue. But if one does not find a convenient place even a yojana away, then, having cut off all knots in the meditation object, and having made the meditation object very clear and connected with advertence, one should go even far away to develop concentration. Leaving a dwelling unsuitable for the forest, one should dwell in dwellings that are suitable. An Unsuitable Dwelling 52. Here, unsuitable means endowed with one of eighteen faults. These are the eighteen faults: largeness, newness, oldness, being near a road, being near toddy, being near leaves, flowers, fruits, being desirable, being near a city, being near timber, being near a field, the presence of incompatible persons, being near a port, being near a border, being near a royal boundary, unsuitability, lack of good friends. Endowed with one of these eighteen faults, it is called unsuitable. One should not dwell there. Why? In a large monastery, many with various desires gather. They, being mutually opposed, do not perform the duties. The Bodhi tree courtyard and so forth remain unswept. Drinking water and food are not provided. If one, having taken bowl and robe, goes out to collect alms in the alms-village, and sees the duties undone or the water pot empty, then one must perform the duties, and provide water. If not doing so, one incurs a dukkata offense for breaking the rules. While doing so, time passes, entering too late, one gets nothing from the finished alms round. Even one in seclusion is distracted by the loud voices of novices and young monks and by community duties. But where all duties are done, and there is no other disturbance, even in such a large monastery, one may dwell. In a new monastery, there is much new construction work. If one does not do it, they complain. But where monks say, "Venerable sir, practice your ascetic duties as you please, we will do the new construction work," in such a dwelling, one may dwell. In an old monastery, there is much to maintain. Even if one does not maintain even one's own lodging, they complain. For one who maintains, meditation practice declines. In a large monastery near a main road, rat When strangers arrive, they gather. For those who arrive at the wrong time, after giving them one's own lodging, one must dwell at the foot of a tree or on a rock slab. The next day, it's the same, so there is no opportunity for meditation. But where there is no such crowding of strangers, there one should dwell. There is a stone pond called Soṇḍī, where many people gather for water. The disciples of the elder monks who attend the royal court of the city dwellers come for laundry work. When they ask for their pots, wood, troughs, and so on, they must be shown in such and such a place. Thus, one is constantly busy all the time. Where there are various kinds of vegetables and leaves, even if one is seated for a day's dwelling, having taken up one's meditation, the leaf-gatherers, singing nearby and plucking leaves, create an obstacle to meditation by the clashing of discordant sounds. Where various kinds of flower bushes are in full bloom, there too is a similar disturbance. Where there are various kinds of fruits like mango, rose-apple, and jackfruit, fruit-seekers come and beg. If not given, they get angry, or they take by force. In the evening, when one walks in the middle of the monastery, seeing them and saying, "Why do you do this, lay followers?" they abuse as they please. They even try to drive one away from the dwelling. But in a desirable cave, such as those approved as caves like the Hatthikucchi of Dakkhiṇagiri, or Cetiya-pabbata, or Cittalapabbata, when one dwells in such a monastery, people, thinking "This is an Arahant," come from all around, wishing to pay homage. Thus, it is not comfortable for him. But for whom that is suitable, he should go elsewhere during the day and dwell there at night. Near the city, discordant objects come into view. Even slave women carrying water pots pass by, scraping them. They do not step aside to give way. Even powerful people sit in the middle of the monastery, having spread a mat. Near the wood, where there are logs and trees for implements, the wood-gatherers... like those who gather flowers from a withered tree, they cause discomfort. There are trees in the monastery, people come and cut them down, saying, "We will cut these down and build houses." If, in the evening, a meditator comes out of the meditation house and walks in the middle of the monastery, sees them and says, "Why are you doing this, lay followers?" they revile him as they please, and even try to drive him away. But if it is near a field, surrounded by fields on all sides, there people make a threshing floor right in the middle of the monastery and thresh grain, they sleep in the main entrances, and cause much other discomfort. Even where there is a large Sangha property, the monastery workers impound the cattle of families, they prevent access to water, people take ears of rice and show them to the Sangha, saying, "Look at the deeds of your monastery workers!" For these reasons, one has to go to the doors of kings, princes, and great ministers; this too is included