English
For one doing this again and again, the acquired sign becomes well-grasped. When is it well-grasped? When, for one opening the eyes and looking, and for one closing them and adverting, it appears in the same way, then it is called well-grasped. Having thus made that sign well-grasped, having well-observed it, having well-determined it, if he cannot reach the culmination of development right there, then By the same method as stated for going, at the time of coming, alone, without a second, contemplating that same meditation object, having established well-set mindfulness, with senses turned inward, with mind not outwardly directed, one should go to one's own dwelling. And by one leaving the charnel ground, the path of return should be determined: "By which path did I come out? Does this path go facing the east, or facing west, north, or south, or facing an intermediate direction? At this place, it goes to the left, at this, to the right. At this place, there is a rock, at this, an anthill, at this, a tree, at this, a bush, at this, a creeper." Thus having determined the path of return, even by one who has come and is walking, a walk corresponding to that should be undertaken. The meaning is: one should walk in a place facing the direction of the impure meditation object. By one sitting, a seat corresponding to that should be arranged. But if in that direction there is a pit, or a precipice, or a tree, or a fence, or mud, it is not possible to walk in a place facing that direction. Nor is it possible to arrange a seat due to lack of space. Even without looking in that direction, one should walk and sit in a suitable place. But the mind should be directed towards that direction. Now, to questions like, "For what purpose are the signs observed all around?" and in answers like, "For the purpose of non-confusion," this is the intention. For indeed, if at an improper time, having gone to the place of the bloated corpse sign, having observed the signs all around, and just as one opens the eye to grasp the sign and looks, that dead body appears as if it has risen and stands, as if it is overwhelming, and as if it is pursuing. He, having seen that disgusting, terrifying object, becomes distracted in mind, like a madman. He experiences fear, terror, and goosebumps. Indeed, in the Pāli, among the thirty-eight divided objects, there is no other such terrifying object. For in this meditation... In an unsuitable place, one becomes confused in jhāna. Why? Because the meditation object is very terrifying. Therefore, that yogi, having steadied himself, having established mindfulness well, there is no such thing as a dead body rising and pursuing. If indeed he thinks, "A stone or a creeper standing near this (body) might come, the body might also come." But just as that stone or creeper does not come, so too the body does not come. "This appearance of yours, however, is born of perception, arisen from perception. Your meditation object is present today. Do not fear, monk!" — having dispelled those (fears), having produced laughter, the mind should be directed to that sign. Thus, he attains distinction. It is with reference to this that it was said: "Observing the sign all around is for the purpose of non-confusion." However, by accomplishing the grasping of the sign in eleven ways, one binds the meditation object. For him, indeed, by opening the eyes and looking, the learning sign arises. For one who directs the mind to that, the counterpart sign arises. Directing the mind there, one attains absorption. Standing in absorption, developing insight, one realizes Arahantship. Therefore, it was said: "Grasping the sign in eleven ways is for the purpose of binding." 115. "Reviewing the path gone and the path come is for the purpose of accomplishing the meditation path." Here, the review of the path gone and the path come, as stated, means it is for the purpose of accomplishing the meditation path. If, indeed, this monk, having taken his meditation object and returning, is asked by some on the way, "Today, venerable sir, what is the day?" or they ask a question, or they make a friendly greeting, it is not proper for him to go silently, thinking, "I am a meditator." The day should be told. The question should be answered. If he does not know, he should say, "I do not know." A righteous greeting should be made. For one acting thus, the learned young sign perishes. Even if it perishes, when asked about the day, it must be told. Not knowing the question... “I do not know,” should be said. One who knows in part may also speak, and hospitality should be offered. But seeing an arriving monk, hospitality to the guest must be offered. All other duties— the duty of the shrine courtyard, the duty of the Bodhi tree courtyard, the duty of the Uposatha hall, the duty of the refectory, the duty of the hot-bath house, the duties towards teachers and preceptors, the duties towards arriving and departing monks, and so on— all these Khandhaka duties must be fulfilled. While he is fulfilling these, that initial sign perishes. Even if he wishes to go again to take the sign, he cannot go to the charnel ground because it is haunted by non-humans or wild animals, or the sign vanishes. For a bloated corpse, after staying one or two days, it becomes discolored and so on. Among all meditation subjects, there is no subject as difficult to obtain as this. Therefore, when the sign has thus perished, that monk, sitting in his night-quarters or day-quarters, should reflect: “I left the monastery through such-and-such a door, proceeded on the path facing such-and-such a direction, turned left at such-and-such a place, turned right at such-and-such a place. At such-and-such a place there was a rock, at such-and-such a place a termite mound, a tree, a bush, or a creeper. I went by that path and saw the foul object at such-and-such a place. There, standing facing such-and-such a direction, I noted the signs all around in such-and-such a way, and thus took up the foul sign. I left the charnel ground in such-and-such a direction, and came back by such-and-such a path, doing this and that, and am now sitting here.” Thus, the path of going and returning should be reviewed up to the place where he sat with his legs crossed. As he reviews it thus, that sign becomes clear, it appears as if placed before him. The meditation subject proceeds on its course as before. Therefore it is said: “Reviewing the path of going and returning is for the purpose of making the course proceed.” 116. Now, seeing the advantage, and regarding it as a jewel, he should establish attention, and, cherishing it, on that object Here, one should bind the mind to the repulsiveness of a bloated corpse, cultivate absorption, and developing insight from the basis of absorption, one should be one who sees the advantage, thinking: "Surely, by this practice, I shall be liberated from old age and death." Just as a poor man, having obtained a precious jewel, would think, "How rare this is that I have found!" and recognizing it as a jewel, would generate respect, and cherishing it with great affection, would guard it; even so, one should think: "This meditation object I have obtained is rare, like a precious jewel to a poor man. For one who meditates on the four elements grasps his own four great elements; one who meditates on breath grasps his own nasal breath; one who meditates on a kasina makes a kasina and develops it as he wishes; thus, other meditation objects are easy to obtain. But this one lasts only one or two days, after which it becomes discolored and so on; there is nothing rarer than this." Recognizing it as a jewel, one should establish reverence, and cherishing that sign, one should guard it. In the place of night and in the place of day, one should repeatedly bind the mind there, thinking: "The repulsiveness of a bloated corpse, the repulsiveness of a bloated corpse." Repeatedly, that sign should be adverted to, it should be attended to. It should be made subject to thought, subject to discursive thought. 117. As he does so, the counterpart sign arises. Here is the distinction between the two signs: the learning sign appears as ugly, disgusting, and terrifying to behold. But the counterpart sign is like a man with thick limbs and body who has eaten his fill and lies down. At the very moment of obtaining that counterpart sign, by not attending to external sensual pleasures, sensual desire is abandoned by way of suppression. And by the abandonment of attachment, just as pus is abandoned by the abandonment of blood, so too ill-will is abandoned. Similarly, by aroused energy, sloth and torpor; by the peaceful states of non-remorse... By way of exertion, restlessness and remorse, and by the direct experience of the attained distinction, doubt regarding the Teacher who teaches the practice, regarding the practice, and regarding the fruit of the practice, is abandoned. Thus, the five hindrances are abandoned. And in that same sign, the application of mind, characterized by placing the mind, is initial application (vitakka). The sustained application (vicāra) accomplishes the function of repeatedly examining the sign. Joy (pīti) arises from the cause of having attained a special distinction. Tranquility (passaddhi) arises from the mind being joyful. Happiness (sukha) is its cause. And one-pointedness (ekaggatā), caused by happiness, arises from the mind of one who is happy. Thus, the jhana factors appear. Thus, for him, the access jhana, which is a reflection of the first jhana, arises at that very moment. From this point onwards, up to the full absorption (appanā) and mastery (vasippatti) of the first jhana, everything should be understood in the manner stated for the earth kasina. The meditation subjects of the livid and so forth. 118. Now, in the others, such as the livid and so forth, whatever characteristic is stated, beginning with the going forth in the manner of: