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Sīmavisodhanīpāṭha -(Realm Purification Text)(English | 中文 | བོད་ཡིག)

English

and it is said that he later declines. But the equal-headed one is of three kinds: the equal-headed in posture, the equal-headed in disease, and the equal-headed in life. There, one who, endowed with whatever posture among the postures of standing and so on, undertakes insight, attains arahantship in that very posture and is extinguished; this is called the equal-headed in posture. But one who, having contracted a disease, establishes insight in an internal disease itself, attains arahantship and is extinguished by that very disease; this is called the equal-headed in disease. But one in whom, among the thirteen heads, the defilement-head, ignorance, is completely consumed by the path of arahantship, and the continuity-head, the life faculty, is completely consumed by the decease consciousness; this is called the equal-headed in life. There, what are the thirteen heads? The thirteen heads are: the head of impediment, the head of craving-bondage, the head of conceit-obsession, the head of view-distraction, the head of agitation-defilement, the head of ignorance-conviction, the head of confidence-exertion, the head of energy-establishment, the head of mindfulness-non-distraction, the head of concentration-vision, the head of wisdom-continuity, the head of the life-faculty's domain, the head of liberation-formation. And here, the path-consciousness that completely consumes ignorance can completely consume the life faculty, but the decease consciousness that completely consumes life cannot completely consume ignorance; the consciousness that completely consumes ignorance is one thing, the consciousness that completely consumes the life faculty is another. How is this head equal? By equality of turn. For in whatever turn the arising of the path occurs, in the path of stream-entry, the path-result-extinction-abandoned-remaining-defilements... By way of reviewing, there are five reviews; likewise, five at the once-returning path, five at the non-returning path, and four at the arahantship path due to the absence of remaining defilements. Established in the knowledge of reviewing, which is nineteen in total, having subsided into the life-continuum, and attaining final Nibbāna, this coincidence of turns means that the exhaustion of both heads is simultaneous. And in the path of arahantship, the life faculty, the head of continuity, though the path, ceasing from its function, terminates it above the death consciousness by way of non-occurrence, yet, as long as there is death, the life faculty, the head of continuity, is said to terminate the death consciousness. By the exhaustion of defilements, the turns of reviewing that are to be produced immediately after the path consciousness are complete. Due to the completeness of reviewing the abandoned defilements, it is fitting to say that it is the turn of the exhaustion of defilements. Therefore, having equated the head of defilements, the exhaustion of ignorance, and the head of continuity, the exhaustion of the life faculty, it is said that by this coincidence of turns, the exhaustion of defilements should be understood as neither prior nor subsequent to the exhaustion of life. However, in the Saṃyutta commentary, it is said that the person for whom the exhaustion of taints and the exhaustion of life are neither prior nor subsequent, that person is of simultaneous heads. And here, there are two heads: the head of continuity and the head of defilements. Therein, the head of continuity is the life faculty. The head of defilements is ignorance. Among them, the life faculty destroys the death consciousness. The path consciousness destroys ignorance. There is no simultaneous arising of the two consciousnesses. However, after the path comes fruition, after fruition comes the life-continuum, and rising from the life-continuum, the reviewing is complete, or is it incomplete? Even when severing the head with a sharp sword, one or two turns of reviewing will certainly arise, but due to the rapid change of consciousnesses, the destruction of taints and the exhaustion of life occur as if in a single moment. And in the Ṭīkā, it says, "Of the two consciousnesses, the death consciousness and the path consciousness. That is..." Paccavekkhaṇa. Fully complete, for the arising of seven javana-cittas. Incomplete, for the arising of five. Although it is said, "either one or two," that is said in a figurative sense. It is said, "Until one or two tadārammaṇa-cittas," those at the bottom say two arise. Here, by this commentary and sub-commentary statement, "Fully complete, for the arising of seven javana-cittas, incomplete, for the arising of five," it should be concluded here that in the death-proximate process, due to the paccavekkhaṇa of equal heads, kriya-javanas arise seven times in a complete manner, and five times in an incomplete manner. And because it is said, "He dies unconfused," it is understood that in the death-proximate time, there is a javana-process of seven times in a complete manner. And in this case, the qualifier "in slow arising" in "but in slow arising, only five times in the time of death, etc." would be meaningful. The "only" in "only five times" excludes six or seven times in the time of slow arising. But in an unconfused time, it allows even six or seven times. And because the kāmāvacara-javanas are of unfixed measure, even in a strong time, they are fully complete, thus, "in a strong time of kāmāvacara-javanas, seven or six times, but in slow arising, only five times in the time of death, etc. In the time of the Buddha's twin miracle, etc., four or five paccavekkhaṇa-javana-cittas arise in quick arising." Because the manner of arising according to unfixed measure has come, in this section on the designation of equal heads, too, because the death-proximate process-citta is not separately obtained, since nibbāna occurs at the end of paccavekkhaṇa with the bhavaṅga-citta, seven javana-cittas should be expected in a complete manner, this is our opinion, it should be considered after examination, a more reasonable explanation should be sought if one is found. Thus, in terms of the ultimate Saṅgha, four pairs of persons, eight individuals. Individual noble ones, forty-four types of individuals, eight hundred types of individuals, all these combined, in this world, the Sangha is to be known as rare. Indeed, noble individuals are exceedingly rare. Even when the Teaching exists, now even a Stream-enterer is unavailable. This is the consideration of the ultimate Sangha. The conventional Sangha, however, is the Sangha of worldlings, ordained with a motion and three declarations, and even that is rare. Why? Because it is obtained only at the time of a Buddha's arising. Indeed, even when hundreds of thousands of Paccekabuddhas arise when a Buddha has not arisen, ordination is not available in their presence, because sons of good families who go forth in the presence of Paccekabuddhas are unable to give refuge and a meditation subject. Paccekabuddhas, like a dream seen by a mute person, are unable to explain to others the truth they have attained themselves. Therefore, being unable to ordain and assign them to a meditation subject, they only teach the basic practices, saying, "Thus should you wear the lower robe, thus should you wear the upper robe," and so on. Therefore, the conventional Sangha is obtained only at the time of a Buddha's arising. Moreover, they are not only rare, but even a small act done for them with mindfulness has immeasurable fruit. For it was said by the Blessed One, "In the future, Ananda, there will be those who are corrupt and of bad character, wearing the yellow robe. Even when they give alms to the Sangha, I say, Ananda, that the alms given to the Sangha are immeasurable and incalculable. But I do not say, Ananda, that alms given to an individual are more fruitful than alms given to the Sangha in any way." Indeed, in the commentary on the Discourse on the Division of Offerings in the Upper Fifty, it is said, "When alms are given to the Sangha of those wearing the yellow robe, the merit is immeasurable due to the number of virtues." Alms given to the Sangha are for one who is able to make an impression on the Sangha. But making an impression on the Sangha is difficult. For whoever says, "Alms given to the Sangha "I will give a possession" having promised a gift, going to the monastery, he says, "Venerable sir, give a certain elder, intending it for the Sangha." Then, having obtained a novice from the Sangha, he becomes altered, thinking, "I have obtained a novice." His offering does not belong to the Sangha. Even having obtained a great elder, if he generates joy thinking, "I have obtained a great elder," it still does not belong. His offering does not belong to the Sangha. But whoever, having obtained from the Sangha a novice, an ordained monk, a young or old elder, a fool or a wise man, whatever it may be, being without doubt, is able to make a resolution in the Sangha, thinking, "I give to the Sangha," his offering is said to belong to the Sangha. It seems those living across the ocean do thus. There, a householder, the owner of a monastery, intending for the Sangha, having requested from the Sangha, "Give a certain bhikkhu," having obtained a certain bhikkhu of bad conduct, having the seat dusted, having prepared a seat, having hung a canopy above, having honored him with incense, perfumes, and flowers, having washed and anointed his feet, as if making obeisance to the Buddha, he gave the possession with resolution to the Sangha. That bhikkhu, after the meal, having come to the door of the house to tidy up the monastery, [asked], "Give a hoe." The lay follower, remaining seated, kicked the hoe with his foot and gave it, saying, "Take it." People said to him, "Early this morning, you could not say enough of the honor done to him, now there is not even the slightest respect. What is this?