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it is a limited object. When it knows, "He will be reborn in the form-sphere or formless-sphere," it is an exalted object. When it knows, "He will develop the path, he will realize the fruit," it is an immeasurable object. When it knows, "He will develop the path," it is a path object. By definition, it is always a future object. Although the knowledge of penetrating minds also has future objects, its object is only the mind within seven days in the future. It does not know other aggregates or things connected with aggregates. For the knowledge of future events, there is no such thing as a non-object in the future, in the way described for the knowledge of past lives. When it knows, "I will be reborn there," it is an internal object. When it knows, "So-and-so will be reborn there," it is an external object. When it knows names and lineages in the manner, "In the future, the Blessed One Metteyya will arise. His father will be a brahmin named Subrahmā. His mother will be a brahmin lady named Brahmavatī," it is an inexpressible object, in the way described for the knowledge of past lives. Thus, the operation of the knowledge of future events on eight types of objects should be understood. 420. The knowledge of the passing away of beings according to their deeds operates on five types of objects: limited, exalted, past, internal, and external. How? When it knows sense-sphere kamma, it is a limited object. When it knows form-sphere or formless-sphere kamma, it is an exalted object. It knows only the past, so it is a past object. When knowing one's own kamma, At an inappropriate time, an internal object. When knowing another's kamma, it is an external object. Thus, the occurrence of the knowledge of 'as kamma leads' in the five objects should be understood. And what is said here as both an internal object and an external object, that, when knowing sometimes internally, sometimes externally, becomes both an internal and external object. Thus, in the Visuddhimagga, made for the joy of good people, The Exposition of Supernormal Powers, The Thirteenth Chapter. 14. Exposition of Aggregates The Discourse on Wisdom 421. Now, since a bhikkhu endowed with a very firm development of concentration, whose benefits have been attained through supernormal powers, a wise person, established in virtue, develops mind and wisdom; here, the concentration indicated by the heading 'mind' is developed in all respects. But thereafter, wisdom should be developed. And because it has been taught too briefly, it is not easy even to understand, let alone to develop. Therefore, to show its detailed explanation and method of development, this is a series of questions. What is wisdom? In what sense is it wisdom? What are its characteristic, function, manifestation, and proximate cause? How many kinds of wisdom are there? How should it be developed? What is the benefit of developing wisdom? 422. Here is the answer: As to "What is wisdom?", wisdom is of many kinds, of various sorts. An answer attempting to explain all of that would not achieve the intended meaning, and would further lead to distraction. Therefore, we speak here with reference only to what is intended. Wisdom is insight-knowledge associated with wholesome consciousness. 423. As to "In what sense is it wisdom?", wisdom is in the sense of 'knowing thoroughly'. What is this 'knowing thoroughly'? It is knowing in various ways, distinguished by the mode of perceiving and understanding. For even though perception, consciousness, and wisdom all share the characteristic of knowing, perception merely perceives the object as "blue" or "yellow". It cannot lead to the penetration of characteristics like "impermanent, suffering, non-self". Consciousness knows the object as "blue" or "yellow", and also leads to the penetration of characteristics. But it cannot bring about the manifestation of the path. Wisdom, in the manner stated, knows the object, and brings about the penetration of characteristics, and by striving, brings about the manifestation of the path. Just as a heap of coins placed on a money-changer's board, when seen by three people: an undeveloped-intellect child, a villager, and a money-changer. The undeveloped-intellect child knows only the coins' varied, colorful, long, square, and round shapes. He does not know, "This is considered a jewel for human use and enjoyment." The villager knows the varied and colorful nature, etc. And also, "This is considered a jewel for human use and enjoyment." But he does not know this distinction: "This is genuine, this is counterfeit, this is half-value." The money-changer knows all those types. And knowing, he knows by looking at the coin, by hearing its sound when struck, by smelling its scent, by tasting its taste, by holding it in his hand. He also knows in which village, or town, or city, or mountain, or riverbank it was made. He also knows by which master it was made. This should be understood in the same way. Indeed, perception is like the undeveloped-intellect child's seeing of the coin, because it merely apprehends the object's mode of appearance as blue, etc. Consciousness is like the villager's seeing of the coin, because it apprehends the object's mode as blue, etc., and also brings about the penetration of characteristics beyond that. Wisdom is like the money-changer's seeing of the coin, having apprehended the object's mode as blue, etc., and having brought about the penetration of characteristics, and also bringing about the manifestation of the path beyond that. Therefore, this knowing, distinguished by the mode of perceiving and cognizing in various ways— this should be understood as 'thorough knowing'. Indeed, with reference to this, it was said: "Wisdom is by way of thorough knowing." But this (wisdom), where perception and consciousness are, is not necessarily there. But when it is there, then it is inseparable from those phenomena: "This is perception, this is c..." "This is knowledge, this is wisdom"— having distinguished thus, their diversity is unobtainable, subtle, difficult to see. Therefore, Venerable Nāgasena said, "Difficult, O great king, is what the Blessed One has done." "What, Venerable Nāgasena, has the Blessed One done that is difficult?" "Difficult, O great king, is what the Blessed One has done, in that he declared the distinction of the formless mental and mind-concomitant phenomena, which arise in a single object, saying: 'This is contact, this is feeling, this is perception, this is volition, this is consciousness.'" (Milindapañha 2.7.16) 424.What are its characteristics, functions, manifestations, and proximate causes? Here, wisdom has the characteristic of penetrating the nature of phenomena. Its function is to destroy the darkness of delusion that conceals the nature of phenomena. Its manifestation is non-confusion. And as it is said, "One who is concentrated knows and sees things as they are" (A.N. 10.2), concentration is its proximate cause. Discourse on the Divisions of Wisdom 425.How many kinds of wisdom are there? By the characteristic of penetrating the nature of phenomena, it is one-fold. By way of mundane and supramundane, it is two-fold. Also by way of with-influxes and without-influxes, by way of distinguishing mind-and-matter, by way of accompanied by joy and equanimity, and by way of the stages of insight and development. It is three-fold by way of wisdom born of reflection, learning, and development. Also by way of limited, exalted, and immeasurable objects; by way of skill in gain and loss, and skill in means; and by way of attachment to the self and so on. It is four-fold by way of knowledge of the four noble truths, and by way of the four analytical knowledges. 426.Among these, the one-fold division is straightforward in meaning. In the two-fold division, that which is associated with mundane paths is mundane. That which is associated with supramundane paths is supramundane. Thus, it is two-fold by way of mundane and supramundane. In the second pair, that which has the influxes as its object is with-influxes. That which does not have them as its object is without-influxes. But in meaning, this is just mundane and supramundane. That which is associated with influxes is with-influxes. That which is dissociated from influxes is without-influxes, and so on, the same method applies. Thus, it is two-fold by way of with-influxes and without-influxes. In the third pair, the wisdom of one who wishes to begin insight, in distinguishing the four immaterial aggregates, this is the distinguishing of mind... wisdom of analysis. The wisdom that analyzes the form aggregate, this is called the wisdom of analyzing form. Thus, it is twofold, according to the analysis of name and form. In the fourth pair, in the two sensuous sphere wholesome consciousnesses, and in the sixteen path consciousnesses of the four-jhana type according to the fivefold method, wisdom is accompanied by joy. In the two sensuous sphere wholesome consciousnesses, and in the four path consciousnesses of the fifth-jhana type, wisdom is accompanied by equanimity. Thus, it is twofold, according to being accompanied by joy and equanimity. In the fifth pair, the wisdom of the first path is the stage of seeing. The wisdom of the remaining three paths is the stage of development. Thus, it is twofold, according to the stages of seeing and development. 427. In the first triad, the wisdom gained without hearing from others, being produced by one's own thought, is thought-born. The wisdom gained by hearing from others, being produced by hearing, is hearing-born. However it may be, the wisdom produced by development, having attained absorption, is development-born. For it has been said: "Therein, what is thought-born wisdom? In the vocational arts, or in the crafts, or in the fields of knowledge, or regarding the ownership of kamma, or regarding the truths, that form is impermanent, or feeling... (etc.)...