English
having practiced mastery in the attainment of the base of nothingness in five ways, [reflecting]: "This attainment is an enemy of the proximate base of consciousness, but it is not peaceful like the base of neither perception nor non-perception," or "Perception is a sickness, perception is a boil, perception is a dart; this is peaceful, this is sublime, namely, neither perception nor non-perception," or thus seeing the danger in the base of nothingness, and the benefit... seeing this benefit, having overcome attachment to the sphere of nothingness, having calmly attended to the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, one should repeatedly reflect, attend, review, and make it subject to thought and deliberation, that "this attainment of the sphere of nothingness, which arose by making non-existence its object, is peaceful, peaceful." As he thus repeatedly directs his mind to that sign, the hindrances are suppressed, mindfulness is established, and the mind becomes concentrated in access. He repeatedly cultivates, develops, and makes much of that sign. As he does so, with the disappearance of consciousness, the mind of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception is applied to the four aggregates constituting the attainment of the sphere of nothingness, just as the sphere of nothingness itself. The method of application here should be understood in the way described. To this extent, it is said, "Having entirely transcended the sphere of nothingness, he enters and dwells in the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception." Here too, "entirely" means as described. "Having transcended the sphere of nothingness"— here too, as described before, the jhāna is the sphere of nothingness, and the object is also the sphere of nothingness. For the object, in the former way, is nothingness, and because it is the object of the third formless jhāna, it is a "sphere" in the sense of a dwelling place, like the dwelling place of the devas for the devas. Thus, it is also the sphere of nothingness because it is nothingness, and because it is the cause of the arising of that very jhāna, it is a "sphere" in the sense of a place of origin, like "Kambojas are the origin of horses," and so on. Thus, since both this jhāna and its object must be transcended by making them cease and by not attending to them, in order to enter and dwell in this sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, it should be understood that both of these are combined and referred to as "having transcended the sphere of nothingness." In "the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception," it is called the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception because of the existence of a certain perception. For one who practices in such a way, that perception Perception exists. To show that, in the Vibhaṅga, having extracted "neither perception nor non-perception," it is said (Vibh. 619): "One attends to that very sphere of nothingness as peaceful, develops the attainment of residual formations, therefore it is called neither perception nor non-perception." There, "attends as peaceful" means: "This attainment is truly peaceful, in that it will stand, having made even nothingness its object." Thus, because its object is peaceful, one attends to it as peaceful. If one attends to it as peaceful, how is there transcendence? By not wishing to attain it. For although he attends to it as peaceful, yet for him, the thought: "I will advert to this, I will attain this, I will resolve upon this, I will emerge from this, I will review this," this application, this mental preparation, this attention does not arise. Why? Because the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception is more peaceful and more sublime than the sphere of nothingness. Just as a king, with great royal majesty, mounted on a splendid elephant, wandering through the city streets, sees craftsmen like ivory carvers: having firmly tied one cloth, and wrapped another around their heads, their bodies covered with ivory dust and so on, performing various crafts like ivory carvings. And seeing them, he thinks: "Oh, how skilled these masters are to perform such crafts!" Thus he is pleased by their skill. But it does not occur to him: "Oh, if only I could abandon my kingdom and become such a craftsman!" What is the reason for that? Because of the great benefit of royal splendor. He passes by the craftsmen. Just so, although he attends to that attainment as peaceful, yet for him, the thought: "I will advert to this attainment, I will attain this, I will resolve upon this, I will emerge from this, I will review this," this application, this mental preparation, this attention does not arise. He, attending to it as peaceful, in the manner previously stated, attains that extremely subtle perception, reached by absorption, by which he is called "neither perception nor non-perception," and develops the attainment of residual formations. is called. "Attainment of the residue of formations" means the fourth immaterial attainment, a formation that has reached an extremely subtle state. 287. Now, that which is called the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception by means of the perception thus attained, is stated in the Abhidhamma to show its meaning as: "The mental and psychic states of one who has attained or been reborn into the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, or of one who dwells happily in this very life." Here, the mental and psychic states of one who has attained it are intended. The meaning of the word here is: "Neither perception nor non-perception" is so called because there is no gross perception, but there is subtle perception, for the jhāna with its associated states. And since that neither perception nor non-perception is included in the mind-base and the phenomena-base, it is a sphere, thus "the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception." Alternatively, the perception here is "neither perception" because it is unable to perform the function of gross perception, and "non-perception" because it exists in the extremely subtle state of the residue of formations, thus "neither perception nor non-perception." And since that neither perception nor non-perception is a sphere in the sense of being the basis for the remaining states, it is "the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception." And not only is perception of this kind here, but feeling is also neither feeling nor non-feeling, consciousness is also neither consciousness nor non-consciousness, contact is also neither contact nor non-contact. This method applies to the remaining associated states. But it should be understood that this teaching is made with perception as the chief. And this meaning should be clarified by similes such as that of the monk who smeared his bowl with oil. It is said that a novice smeared his bowl with oil and set it aside. When it was time for gruel, the elder said, "Bring the bowl." He said, "There is oil in the bowl, venerable sir." Then, when told, "Bring the oil, novice, I will fill the measuring pot," he said, "There is no oil, venerable sir." There, just as it is said "there is oil" because it is inside and thus unsuitable with gruel, and "there is no oil" in the sense of filling a measuring pot, etc. Similarly, that perception is "neither perception" because it is unable to perform the function of gross perception, and "non-perception" because it exists in the extremely subtle state of the residue of formations. Because it exists, it is not non-perception. What is the function of perception here? It is the recognition of the object and the generation of revulsion by becoming the object of insight. Just as the fire element in cold water cannot perform the function of burning, so too the function of recognizing cannot make it sharp. Like perception in other attainments, it cannot generate revulsion by becoming the object of insight. For a monk who has not focused on other aggregates, there is no one capable of attaining revulsion by contemplating the aggregate of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, except for the Venerable Sāriputta. But a naturally insightful, greatly wise person like Sāriputta could. Even he would do so only by contemplating groups of phenomena, saying, "Indeed, these phenomena arise having not been, and cease having been," not by insight into individual phenomena. So subtle has this attainment become. And just as with the simile of the oil-smeared bowl, this meaning should also be explained with the simile of the water on the path. It is said that a novice walking ahead of an elder who was on the path saw a little water and said, "Water, venerable sir, take off your sandals." Then, when the elder said, "If there is water, bring the bathing cloth, I will bathe," the novice said, "There is none, venerable sir." There, just as it is "there is water" in the sense of merely wetting the sandals, it is "there is none" in the sense of bathing. Similarly, because it is unable to perform the function of sharp perception, it is neither-perception; because it exists in the subtle state of residual formations, it is not non-perception. And not only by these, but by other suitable similes too, this meaning should be explained. "Dwells having attained" is as explained. This is the detailed explanation of the neither-perception-nor-non-perception attainment. Miscellaneous Talk 288. The Peerless Lord, the fourfold formless attainments which he declared. Knowing this, in that regard, miscellaneous talk should also be understood. 289. For the formless attainments – Because they transcend the object, all four of these exist; Their transcendence of factors, not desire those who discern. Among these, the first is by transcending the sign of form, the second by transcending space, the third by transcending the consciousness that arose in space. The fourth is by transcending the disappearance of the consciousness that arose in space.