English
by a monk devoted to higher mind, three signs should be attended to from time to time. From time to time, the sign of concentration should be attended to. From time to time, the sign of exertion should be attended to. From time to time, the sign of equanimity should be attended to. If, monks, a monk devoted to higher mind were to attend exclusively to the sign of concentration, it is possible that his mind would lead to laziness. If, monks, a monk devoted to higher mind were to attend exclusively to the sign of exertion, it is possible that his mind would lead to restlessness. If, monks, a monk devoted to higher mind were to attend exclusively to the sign of equanimity, it is possible that his mind would not be rightly concentrated for the destruction of the taints. But when, monks, a monk devoted to higher mind attends from time to time to the sign of concentration, the sign of exertion, and the sign of equanimity, then his mind becomes soft and workable and radiant, and not brittle, and it is rightly concentrated for the destruction of the taints. “Just as, monks, a goldsmith or a goldsmith's apprentice binds a furnace. Having bound the furnace, he smears the mouth of the furnace. Having smeared the mouth of the furnace, he takes the gold with tongs and puts it into the mouth of the furnace. From time to time, he blows... Yes, from time to time he blows on it with water, from time to time he observes it. If, monks, a goldsmith or a goldsmith's apprentice were to blow on that gold excessively, it is possible that gold would burn up. If, monks, a goldsmith or a goldsmith's apprentice were to sprinkle that gold excessively with water, it is possible that gold would cool down. If, monks, a goldsmith or a goldsmith's apprentice were to observe that gold excessively, it is possible that gold would not be properly refined. But when, monks, a goldsmith or a goldsmith's apprentice from time to time blows on that gold, from time to time sprinkles it with water, from time to time observes it, that gold becomes soft and workable and radiant, and not brittle, it is properly ready for work. Whatever kind of ornament he desires, whether a plate, or an earring, or a necklace, or a golden garland, he achieves that purpose. Just so, monks, a monk devoted to higher mind… …is concentrated for the destruction of the defilements. Whatever state he inclines his mind to for direct knowledge and realization, in each and every case he attains the capacity for direct knowledge, provided the basis is present. This discourse should be understood as being about the higher mind. Monks, a monk endowed with six qualities is capable of realizing the unsurpassed coolness. Which six? Here, monks, when it is time to restrain the mind, he restrains the mind. When it is time to arouse the mind, he arouses the mind. When it is time to gladden the mind, he gladdens the mind. When it is time to observe the mind, he observes the mind. And he is devoted to the sublime, delighting in Nibbāna. Therefore, monks, a monk endowed with these six qualities is capable of realizing the supreme coolness. This discourse is to be understood as the supreme coolness. Skill in the factors of awakening, “And just so, monks, when the mind is sluggish, it is not the time for developing the factor of awakening of tranquility,” as shown in the discourse on skill in absorption. Thus, having well grasped this sevenfold skill in learning, and having thoroughly established this tenfold skill in attention, that yogi should well learn the meditation subject by means of both skills. If it is convenient for him to stay in the same dwelling with his teacher, then without such detailed explanation, having thoroughly established the meditation subject, he should attain distinction by diligently practicing the meditation subject, and then further explain it. One who wishes to dwell elsewhere, having had it explained in detail by the method stated above, and having reviewed it again and again, cutting off all difficult points, and abandoning unsuitable lodging in the manner stated in the description of the earth kasina, dwelling in suitable monasteries, having cut off minor impediments, should perform the preliminary work on the contemplation of repulsiveness. While doing so, he should first take a sign in the hairs. How? Having plucked one or two hairs and placed them in the palm of his hand, the color should first be determined. It is permissible to look at the hairs even at the place where they were cut. It is also permissible to look at them in a bowl of water or a bowl of gruel. When they are black, they should be attended to as black. When they are white, as white. When they are mixed, they should be attended to according to the predominant color. And just as with the hairs, so too with all five parts of the body, the sign should be taken by seeing them. Discourse on the Determination of the Parts 182. Having thus taken the sign, and having determined all the parts by way of color, shape, direction, location, and demarcation, he should determine them as repulsive in five ways: by way of color, shape, smell, abode, and location. should be considered. Here, in all parts, is the progressive discourse. Hairs, first, by natural color, are black, like the color of a ripe jujube. By shape, they are long and round, like a balance beam. By direction, they grow upwards. By space, they are bounded on both sides by the earlobes, in front by the forehead, behind by the nape of the neck. The scalp, a wet skin covering the head, is the space for the hairs. By delimitation, hairs are established by their own root base below, having penetrated the scalp skin by the measure of a grain of rice, by space above, and by each other crosswise; there are not two hairs together—this is the homogeneous delimitation. Hairs are not body-hairs, body-hairs are not hairs—thus, unmixed with the remaining thirty-one parts, hair is a distinct, single part—this is the heterogeneous delimitation. This is the arrangement of hairs by color, etc. 183. This, however, is their arrangement as repulsive in five ways, by color, etc. These hairs are repulsive even by color. They are repulsive by shape, by smell, by abode, and by space. Indeed, seeing something of the color of hair in a pleasant gruel bowl or a rice bowl, and thinking, "This is mixed with hair, take it away!" people are disgusted. Thus, hairs are repulsive by color. Eating at night, even touching something of the shape of hair, like a worm or a maggot, they are likewise disgusted. Thus, they are repulsive by shape. The smell of hairs, devoid of preparations like oiling, flowers, and incense, is extremely repulsive. Even more repulsive is that of hairs thrown into fire. Hairs might be not repulsive by color and shape, but they are repulsive by smell. Just as the feces of a young child are yellow in color, and by shape, like a lump of turmeric. And the swollen, black dog's corpse discarded in a rubbish heap is the color of a ripe palm fruit. By shape, it is like a drum laid down. Even its fangs are like jasmine buds—both might be not repulsive by color and shape, but by smell but it is repulsive. Thus, hairs may be unrepulsive in color and shape, but they are repulsive in smell. Just as edible leaves grown in an unclean place, nourished by village runoff, are disgusting and unusable for city dwellers, so too are hairs disgusting because they are born from the runoff of pus, blood, urine, feces, bile, and phlegm. This is their repulsiveness due to origin. And these hairs are born in the mass of thirty-one constituents, like a worm born in a pile of excrement. They are supremely disgusting because they are born in an unclean place, like vegetables grown in a cemetery or rubbish heap, or like lotus and water lily flowers grown in a pond. This is their repulsiveness due to location. And just as with hairs, so too with all constituents, their repulsiveness should be understood in five ways: by color, shape, smell, origin, and location. But by way of color, shape, direction, and location, all of them should be distinguished individually. 184. First, body hairs are not uniformly black like head hairs in their natural color, but are blackish-brown. In shape, their tips are bent, like the base of a palm tree. In direction, they grow in two directions. In location, they mostly grow on the skin covering the rest of the body, excluding the place where head hairs are rooted and the palms and soles. In delimitation, they are delimited below by their own root base, which penetrates the skin covering the body by a louse's measure, above by space, and sideways by each other; two hairs are not together. This is their specific delimitation. Their general delimitation is the same as that of head hairs. 185. Nails is the name for the twenty nail plates. All of them are white in color. In shape, they are like fish scales. In direction, toenails grow downwards, and fingernails grow upwards, thus they grow in two directions. In location, they are rooted on the upper surfaces of the fingertips. In delimitation, they are delimited on two sides by the flesh at the tips of the fingers, inside by the flesh on the back of the fingers, outside and at the tip by space, and sideways by each other. Two nails are not together; this is their similar division. The dissimilar division is just like the hair. 186. As for teeth, for one with complete teeth, there are thirty-two tooth-bones. They are white in color. In shape, they are of various forms. Indeed, in the lower row of teeth, the four middle teeth are shaped like gourd seeds placed in a row on a lump of clay. On both sides of these, each one is single-rooted, single-pointed, shaped like a jasmine bud. Then, each one is double-rooted, double-pointed, shaped like a support for a vehicle. Then, two by two are triple-rooted, triple-pointed. Then, two by two are quadruple-rooted, quadruple-pointed.