English
even access jhāna is not attained. How much less absorption jhāna! This is called the preliminary sign. "Is obtained." There, "in all cases" means: in all forty meditation subjects. "As is fitting" means: in accordance with each respective meditation subject. "By implication," this is said because for some objects, even when seen with the eye, they are not very clear. But where, first grasping a natural phenomenon, and afterwards, in a similar, similarly shaped, similarly formed conceptual object, either access or absorption develops. It is said that there alone the counter-sign is obtained. "As for the counter-sign," etc. Making firm what has been said, he says, "For there," etc. Thus, having first shown skill in apprehension in the work of tranquility, now showing the method of development from the beginning, he says, "How?" etc. "'For one apprehending the sign' means: for one grasping the form of the object as it is established, making it increasingly clear in the mind, for one contemplating it." "'That development' means: that mental development, which is a series of impulsion-moments proceeding in the manner of apprehension, is called preliminary development." By way of repeated doing, it is established in the manner of growth. Having said "it becomes well-apprehended," to show how what is well-apprehended is called well-apprehended, it is said, "it comes to the mind-door as if seen by the eye." There, "it comes to the mind-door" means: for one attending, having closed the eyes, or having stayed in another place, it is as if seen by the eye. similar, present at the mind-door. It is called the acquired image. Because it is grasped having been made not to perish well. And that development becomes concentrated. The intention is that it does not yet reach the state of another development. Thus for one who is concentrated: for this yogi who is concentrated by that highest preparatory concentration. From then on: from the arising of the acquired image. The connection is: settled in the mind of one who practices development. There, for one who practices: for one who strives continuously. That counterpart: similar to that acquired image which is of the nature of a real phenomenon. Freed from the object-phenomenon: like the moon's orb emerging from between clouds or from Rahu's mouth, it stands apart, freed from the acquired image which is of the nature of a real phenomenon. Therefore it is called the conceptual image, which is a concept. Born of development: manifest solely by the power of the mind of development. The object: that very grasped image-object, settled and established in the mind. It means it is well applied, inserted, having become settled and stable in the mind-door consciousness continuum. The connection is: that is called the image-object. Because the state of its being present with purity and clarity, like that of the moon's orb, occurs only by the power of the mind that has attained purity and clarity by the suppression of defilements and has generated light. Not by the power of that object. For such a quality is not found in conceptual phenomena. Therefore, it is said that when the counterpart image arises, the suppression of the obstructive phenomena called hindrances is accomplished, as stated in "from then on," etc. Obstructions: they hinder, they cause the mind inclined to liberation to fall, thus they are obstructions. Hindrance phenomena. Those by which obstructions are especially abandoned are "freed from obstructions." For one who practices well: for one who practices well. Having accomplished the seven kinds of image protection methods. Like a well-guarded embryo in the womb, repeatedly cultivating through meditation, that is the meaning. Dwelling, alms-round, talk, person, food, season; and posture – these seven, if unsuitable, one should avoid. If suitable, one should cultivate the seven, for one who practices thus; in no long time, for someone, absorption arises, it is said. "Attains the first rūpāvacara jhāna" means that, having transcended the sphere of craving for sensual pleasures, having attained an exceedingly subtle and refined state, endowed with jhāna factors a hundred or a thousand times more stable than access concentration, the first rūpāvacara jhāna, as if entering into that sign, it proceeds – this is the meaning. The connection is: "having made that first jhāna masterable." Among the five masteries, having arisen from the first jhāna, one first adverts to initial application. Then sustained application. Then rapture. Then happiness. Then concentration. Then again initial application. Then sustained application – thus, for one repeatedly adverting to the jhāna factors, when the mind-moments focused on those respective jhāna factors, though interspersed by a few life-continuum moments, proceed as if uninterrupted. Then the masteries of adverting and reviewing become mastered. These, however, reach their peak in Omniscient Buddhas. For them, when desiring swift activity during times like the Twin Miracle, the mind-moments focused on the respective jhāna factors proceed with only four or five impulsion moments. And the intervening life-continuum moments, which are preparatory to the last impulsion, known as 'life-continuum vibration,' occur only twice. Where another jhāna factor comes into view. For the life-continuum does not vibrate if the object has not come into view. And there is no arising of adverting without life-continuum vibration. Except for Omniscient Buddhas, for others who have attained mastery, there is no counting of the intervening life-continuum moments, it is said in the Paṭisambhidāmaggaṭṭhakathā. In the Visuddhimagga, however, this peak mastery is attained by the Blessed One during the time of the Twin Miracle. i. Or as it is said in other places, "He makes it so." The ability to enter absorption more quickly is called the mastery of entering. Therefore, it is said in the Pāli, "There is no slowness in entering." This method applies to the rest as well. Likewise, the ability to maintain the entered absorption for even a very short moment, such as the snap of a finger, is called the mastery of abiding. The ability to emerge more quickly from the entered absorption is called the mastery of emerging. However, the mastery of reviewing is accomplished by the accomplished mastery of adverting. But in the Vibhāvanī, it is also said: "The ability to maintain absorption for as long as one wishes is called the mastery of abiding." Likewise, "The ability to emerge at the end of the determined time, without emerging before the determined time, is called the mastery of emerging." That too is appropriate. For in the Pāli, it is said: "He abides in the first absorption wherever he wishes, whatever he wishes, for as long as he wishes. There is no slowness in abiding." By this and so on, whether it be quicker or longer, the ability to determine or to emerge, making it neither less nor more, for as long as one wishes to maintain absorption, or to emerge from it, is also shown. If this is the case, the mastery of emerging is also accomplished by the accomplished mastery of abiding. Thus, the distinction between these two is also pointless. "Vasanaṃ vasī" means "ability." It is said to be "sovereignty." "Vasīeva vasitā" is like "devoeva devatā." The connection is "having made, he strives." In "for the abandonment of the gross factor such as initial application," when one has made the first absorption mastered and stands, initial application appears as gross. Then, his resolve is established thus: "Oh, may this be absorption without initial application!" Then, as he performs the preliminary work on that counterpart sign, that development is called the development of the fading away of initial application. That too, until initial application... Until it is not exhausted, that is called preliminary development. But when the cutting of initial thought is complete, that is called access development. This is the method in the access stages of the remaining jhānas as well. Thus, by the power of developing dispassion for each jhāna factor, for the abandoning of the gross initial thought and so on, of each respective jhāna factor. This means the arising of subtle factors like sustained thought and so on, the subtle factors of sustained thought and so on— four, three, two, or again two jhāna factors— arising again without that gross factor of initial thought and so on. "Pāhata" (abandoned) means for one who strives. The meaning is, for one who makes strenuous effort called exertion. "Second jhāna and so on" means the second jhāna and so on, the remaining rūpāvacara jhānas. "As is appropriate" – this, in the twenty-two meditation subjects, refers to the kasiṇas and mindfulness of breathing, which are suitable for the second jhāna and so on. But in the remaining eighteen meditation subjects, because the immaterial jhānas arise only by way of transcending the object. And for transcending that (object), there is what is called the 'opening up' of the kasiṇa. Therefore, to show those kasiṇas in which that 'opening up' is possible, it is said "in kasiṇas excluding space." For the space kasiṇa, even when 'opened up', it remains just space, so there is no possibility of transcending it. "Having opened up" means: in the kasiṇa sign as perceived, not making the perception of a kasiṇa sign, but in its place, "infinite space, infinite space"— when one develops the perception of space in the mind, that kasiṇa sign disappears. Only space of that measure appears. Thus, by dispelling the kasiṇa perception, and by developing the perception of space, the meaning is, having opened up and separated any kasiṇa. "Having taken the obtained space as object" – this is connected with the subsequent part. This is the method in the first immaterial consciousness and so on as well. "By way of infinity" means "infinite space" –