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Evamadhigate pana etasmiṃ tena yoginā vālavedhinā viya,When it has been attained in this way, the mode of its attainment must be discerned by the meditator as if he were a hair-splitter or
sūdena viya ca ākārā pariggahetabbā.a cook.
Yathā hi sukusalo dhanuggaho vālavedhāya kammaṃ kurumāno yasmiṃ vāre vālaṃ vijjhati,For when a very skilful archer, who is working to split a hair, actually splits the hair on one occasion,
tasmiṃ vāre akkantapadānañca dhanudaṇḍassa ca jiyāya ca sarassa ca ākāraṃ pariggaṇheyya.he discerns the modes of the position of his feet, the bow, the bowstring, and the arrow thus:
‘‘Evaṃ me ṭhitena evaṃ dhanudaṇḍaṃ evaṃ jiyaṃ evaṃ saraṃ gahetvā vālo viddho’’ti.“I split the hair as I stood thus, with the bow thus, the bowstring thus, the arrow thus.”
So tato paṭṭhāya tatheva te ākāre sampādento avirādhetvā vālaṃ vijjheyya.From then on he recaptures those same modes and repeats the splitting of the hair without fail.
Evameva yogināpi ‘‘imaṃ nāma me bhojanaṃ bhuñjitvā evarūpaṃ puggalaṃ sevamānenaSo too the meditator must discern such modes as that of suitable food, etc., thus: “I attained this after eating this food, attending on such a person,
evarūpe senāsanein such a lodging,
iminā nāma iriyāpathena imasmiṃ kāle idaṃ adhigata’’nti ete bhojanasappāyādayo ākārā pariggahetabbā.in this posture at this time.”
Evañhi so naṭṭhe vā tasmiṃ te ākāre sampādetvā puna uppādetuṃ,In this way, when that [absorption] is lost, he will be able to recapture those modes and renew the absorption,
appaguṇaṃ vā paguṇaṃ karonto punappunaṃ appetuṃ sakkhissati.or while familiarizing himself with it he will be able to repeat that absorption again and again.
Yathā ca kusalo sūdo bhattāraṃ parivisanto tassa yaṃ yaṃ ruciyā bhuñjati, taṃ taṃ sallakkhetvāAnd just as when a skilled cook is serving his employer, he notices whatever he chooses to eat
tato paṭṭhāya tādisameva upanāmento lābhassa bhāgī hoti,and from then on brings only that sort and so obtains a reward,
evamayampi adhigatakkhaṇe bhojanādayo ākāre gahetvāso too this meditator discerns such modes as that of the food, etc., at the time of the attaining,
te sampādento naṭṭhe naṭṭhe punappunaṃ appanāya lābhī hoti.and he recaptures them and re-obtains absorption each time it is lost.
Tasmā tena vālavedhinā viya sūdena viya ca ākārā pariggahetabbā.So he must discern the modes as a hair-splitter or a cook does.
Vuttampi cetaṃ bhagavatā –And this has been said by the Blessed One:
‘‘Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, paṇḍito byatto kusalo sūdo rājānaṃ vā rājamahāmattaṃ vā nānaccayehi sūpehi paccupaṭṭhito assa ambilaggehipi tittakaggehipi kaṭukaggehipi madhuraggehipi khārikehipi akhārikehipi loṇikehipi aloṇikehipi.“Bhikkhus, suppose a wise, clever, skilful cook set various kinds of sauces before a king or a king’s minister, such as sour, bitter, sharp, [151] sweet, peppery and unpeppery, salty and unsalty sauces;
Sa kho so, bhikkhave, paṇḍito byatto kusalo sūdo sakassa bhattu nimittaṃ uggaṇhāti ‘idaṃ vā me ajja bhattu sūpeyyaṃ ruccati, imassa vā abhiharati, imassa vā bahuṃ gaṇhāti, imassa vā vaṇṇaṃ bhāsati, ambilaggaṃ vā me ajja bhattu sūpeyyaṃ ruccati, ambilaggassa vā abhiharati, ambilaggassa vā bahuṃ gaṇhāti, ambilaggassa vā vaṇṇaṃ bhāsati…pe… aloṇikassa vā vaṇṇaṃ bhāsatī’ti.then the wise, clever, skilful cook learned his master’s sign thus ‘today this sauce pleased my master’ or ‘he held out his hand for this one’ or ‘he took a lot of this one’ or ‘he praised this one’ or ‘today the sour kind pleased my master’ or ‘he held out his hand for the sour kind’ or ‘he took a lot of the sour kind’ or ‘he praised the sour kind’ … or ‘he praised the unsalty kind’;
Sa kho so, bhikkhave, paṇḍito byatto kusalo sūdo lābhī ceva hoti acchādanassa, lābhī vetanassa, lābhī abhihārānaṃ.then the wise, clever, skilful cook is rewarded with clothing and wages and presents.
Taṃ kissa hetu? Tathā hi so, bhikkhave, paṇḍito byatto kusalo sūdo sakassa bhattu nimittaṃ uggaṇhāti.Why is that? Because that wise, clever, skilful cook learned his master’s sign in this way.
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, idhekacco paṇḍito byatto kusalo bhikkhu kāye kāyānupassī viharati…pe… vedanāsu vedanā… citte cittā… dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṃ. Tassa dhammesu dhammānupassino viharato cittaṃ samādhiyati, upakkilesā pahīyanti,So too, bhikkhus, here a wise, clever, skilful bhikkhu dwells contemplating the body as a body … He dwells contemplating feelings as feelings … consciousness as consciousness … mental objects as mental objects, ardent, fully aware and mindful, having put away covetousness and grief for the world. As he dwells contemplating mental objects as mental objects, his mind becomes concentrated, his defilements are abandoned.
so taṃ nimittaṃ uggaṇhāti.He learns the sign of that.
Sa kho so, bhikkhave, paṇḍito byatto kusalo bhikkhu lābhī ceva hoti diṭṭhadhammasukhavihārānaṃ, lābhī satisampajaññassa.Then that wise, clever, skilful bhikkhu is rewarded with a happy abiding here and now, he is rewarded with mindfulness and full awareness.
Taṃ kissa hetu? Tathā hi so, bhikkhave, paṇḍito byatto kusalo bhikkhu sakassa cittassa nimittaṃ uggaṇhātī’’ti (saṃ. ni. 5.374).Why is that? Because that wise, clever, skilful bhikkhu learned his consciousness’s sign” (S V 151–52).
Nimittaggahaṇena cassa puna te ākāre sampādayato appanāmattameva ijjhati, na ciraṭṭhānaṃ.And when he recaptures those modes by apprehending the sign, he just succeeds in reaching absorption, but not in making it last.
Ciraṭṭhānaṃ pana samādhiparibandhānaṃ dhammānaṃ suvisodhitattā hoti.It lasts when it is absolutely purified from states that obstruct concentration.
Yo hi bhikkhu kāmādīnavapaccavekkhaṇādīhi kāmacchandaṃ na suṭṭhu vikkhambhetvā,When a bhikkhu enters upon a jhāna without [first] completely suppressing lust by reviewing the dangers in sense desires, etc.,
kāyapassaddhivasena kāyaduṭṭhullaṃ na suppaṭipassaddhaṃ katvā,and without [first] completely tranquillizing bodily irritability by tranquillizing the body,
ārambhadhātumanasikārādivasena thinamiddhaṃ na suṭṭhu paṭivinodetvā,and without [first] completely removing stiffness and torpor by bringing to mind the elements of initiative, etc., (§55),
samathanimittamanasikārādivasena uddhaccakukkuccaṃ na susamūhataṃ katvā,and without [first] completely abolishing agitation and worry by bringing to mind the sign of serenity, etc., [152]
aññepi samādhiparibandhe dhamme na suṭṭhu visodhetvā jhānaṃ samāpajjati,and without [first] completely purifying his mind of other states that obstruct concentration, then that bhikkhu
so avisodhitaṃ āsayaṃ paviṭṭhabhamaro viya avisuddhaṃ uyyānaṃ paviṭṭharājā viya ca khippameva nikkhamati.soon comes out of that jhāna again, like a bee that has gone into an unpurified hive, like a king who has gone into an unclean park.
Yo pana samādhiparibandhe dhamme suṭṭhu visodhetvā jhānaṃ samāpajjati,But when he enters upon a jhāna after [first] completely purifying his mind of states that obstruct concentration,
so suvisodhitaṃ āsayaṃ paviṭṭhabhamaro viya suparisuddhaṃ uyyānaṃ paviṭṭharājā viya ca sakalampi divasabhāgaṃ antosamāpattiyaṃyeva hoti.then he remains in the attainment even for a whole day, like a bee that has gone into a completely purified hive, like a king who has gone into a perfectly clean park.
Tenāhu porāṇā –Hence the Ancients said:
‘‘Kāmesu chandaṃ paṭighaṃ vinodaye, Uddhaccamiddhaṃ vicikicchapañcamaṃ;“So let him dispel any sensual lust, and resentment, Agitation as well, and then torpor, and doubt as the fifth;
Vivekapāmojjakarena cetasā, Rājāva suddhantagato tahiṃ rame’’ti.There let him find joy with a heart that is glad in seclusion, Like a king in a garden where all and each corner is clean.”
Tasmā ciraṭṭhitikāmena paribandhakadhamme visodhetvā jhānaṃ samāpajjitabbaṃ.So if he wants to remain long in the jhāna, he must enter upon it after [first] purifying his mind from obstructive states.
77. Nimittavaḍḍhananayo[Extension of the Sign]
Cittabhāvanāvepullatthañca yathāladdhaṃ paṭibhāganimittaṃ vaḍḍhetabbaṃ.In order to perfect the development of consciousness he should besides extend the counterpart sign according as acquired.
Tassa dve vaḍḍhanābhūmiyo upacāraṃ vā appanaṃ vā.Now, there are two planes for extension, namely, access and absorption;
Upacāraṃ patvāpi hi taṃ vaḍḍhetuṃ vaṭṭati appanaṃ patvāpi.for it is possible to extend it on reaching access and on reaching absorption.
Ekasmiṃ pana ṭhāne avassaṃ vaḍḍhetabbaṃ.But the extending should be done consistently in one [or the other],
Tena vuttaṃ ‘‘yathāladdhaṃ paṭibhāganimittaṃ vaḍḍhetabba’’nti.which is why it was said “he should besides extend the counterpart sign according as acquired.”
Tatrāyaṃ vaḍḍhananayo,The way to extend it is this.
tena yoginā taṃ nimittaṃ pattavaḍḍhanapūvavaḍḍhanabhattavaḍḍhanalatāvaḍḍhanadussavaḍḍhanayogena avaḍḍhetvāThe meditator should not extend the sign as a clay bowl or a cake or boiled rice or a creeper or a piece of cloth is extended.
yathā nāma kassako kasitabbaṭṭhānaṃ naṅgalena paricchinditvā paricchedabbhantare kasati, yathā vā pana bhikkhū sīmaṃ bandhantā paṭhamaṃ nimittāni sallakkhetvā pacchā bandhanti, evameva tassa yathāladdhassa nimittassa anukkamena ekaṅguladvaṅgulativaṅgulacaturaṅgulamattaṃ manasā paricchinditvā yathāparicchedaṃ vaḍḍhetabbaṃ.He should first delimit with his mind successive sizes for the sign, according as acquired, that is to say, one finger, two fingers, three fingers, four fingers, and then extend it by the amount delimited, just as a ploughman delimits with the plough the area to be ploughed and then ploughs within the area delimited, or just as bhikkhus fixing a boundary first observe the marks and then fix it.
Aparicchinditvā pana na vaḍḍhetabbaṃ.He should not, in fact, extend it without having delimited [the amount it is to be extended by].
Tato vidatthiratanapamukhapariveṇavihārasīmānaṃAfter that has been done, he can further extend it, doing so by delimiting successive boundaries of, say, a span, a ratana (=2 spans), the veranda, the surrounding space, the monastery,
gāmanigamajanapadarajjasamuddasīmānañca paricchedavasena vaḍḍhayantena cakkavāḷaparicchedena vā tato vāpi uttari paricchinditvā vaḍḍhetabbaṃ.and the boundaries of the village, the town, the district, the kingdom and the ocean, [153] making the extreme limit the world-sphere or even beyond.
Yathā hi haṃsapotakā pakkhānaṃ uṭṭhitakālato paṭṭhāya parittaṃ parittaṃ padesaṃ uppatantā paricayaṃ katvāJust as young swans first starting to use their wings soar a little distance at a time, and by gradually increasing it
anukkamena candimasūriyasantikaṃ gacchanti, evameva bhikkhu vuttanayena nimittaṃ paricchinditvā vaḍḍhento yāva cakkavāḷaparicchedā tato vā uttari vaḍḍheti.eventually reach the presence of the moon and sun, so too when a bhikkhu extends the sign by successive delimitations in the way described, he can extend it up to the limit of the world-sphere or even beyond.
Athassa taṃ nimittaṃ vaḍḍhitavaḍḍhitaṭṭhāne pathaviyā ukkūlavikūlanadīviduggapabbatavisamesuThen that sign [appears] to him like an ox hide stretched out with a hundred pegs over the earth’s ridges and hollows, river ravines, tracts of scrub and thorns, and rocky inequalities (see M III 105)
saṅkusatasamabbhāhataṃ usabhacammaṃ viya hoti.in any area to which it has been extended.
Tasmiṃ pana nimitte pattapaṭhamajjhānena ādikammikena samāpajjanabahulena bhavitabbaṃ, na paccavekkhaṇabahulena.When a beginner has reached the first jhāna in this sign, he should enter upon it often without reviewing it much.
Paccavekkhaṇabahulassa hi jhānaṅgāni thūlāni dubbalāni hutvā upaṭṭhahanti.For the first jhāna factors occur crudely and weakly in one who reviews it much.
Athassa tāni evaṃ upaṭṭhitattā upari ussukkanāya paccayataṃ āpajjanti.Then because of that they do not become conditions for higher endeavour.
So appaguṇe jhāne ussukkamāno pattapaṭhamajjhānā ca parihāyati, na ca sakkoti dutiyaṃ pāpuṇituṃ.While he is endeavouring for the unfamiliar [higher jhāna] he falls away from the first jhāna and fails to reach the second.
Tenāha bhagavā –Hence the Blessed One said:
‘‘Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, gāvī pabbateyyā bālā abyattā akhettaññū akusalā visame pabbate carituṃ.“Bhikkhus, suppose there were a foolish stupid mountain cow, with no knowledge of fields and no skill in walking on craggy mountains,
Tassā evamassa ‘yaṃnūnāhaṃ agatapubbañceva disaṃ gaccheyyaṃ, akhāditapubbāni ca tiṇāni khādeyyaṃ, apītapubbāni ca pānīyāni piveyya’nti.who thought: ‘What if I walked in a direction I never walked in before, ate grass I never ate before, drank water I never drank before?’
Sā purimaṃ pādaṃ na supatiṭṭhitaṃ patiṭṭhāpetvā pacchimaṃ pādaṃ uddhareyya,and without placing her forefoot properly she lifted up her hind foot;
sā na ceva agatapubbaṃ disaṃ gaccheyya, na ca akhāditapubbāni tiṇāni khādeyya, na ca apītapubbāni pānīyāni piveyya.then she would not walk in the direction she never walked in before or eat the grass she never ate before or drink the water she never drank before,
Yasmiñcassā padese ṭhitāya evamassa ‘yaṃnūnāhaṃ agatapubbañceva…pe… piveyya’nti. Tañca padesaṃ na sotthinā paccāgaccheyya.and also she would not get back safely to the place where she had thought, ‘What if I walked in a direction I never walked in before … drank water I never drank before?’
Taṃ kissa hetu? Tathā hi sā, bhikkhave, gāvī pabbateyyā bālā abyattā akhettaññū akusalā visame pabbate carituṃ,Why is that? Because that mountain cow was foolish and stupid with no knowledge of fields and no skill in walking on craggy mountains.
evameva kho, bhikkhave, idhekacco bhikkhu bālo abyatto akhettaññū akusalo vivicceva kāmehi…pe… paṭhamaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharituṃ.So too, bhikkhus, here is a certain foolish stupid bhikkhu with no knowledge of fields and no skill, quite secluded from sense desires, secluded from unprofitable things, in entering upon and dwelling in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by applied thought and sustained thought with happiness and bliss born of seclusion;
So taṃ nimittaṃ nāsevati, na bhāveti, na bahulīkaroti, na svādhiṭṭhitaṃ adhiṭṭhāti,he does not repeat, develop or cultivate that sign or properly establish it.
tassa evaṃ hoti ‘yaṃnūnāhaṃ vitakkavicārānaṃ vūpasamā…pe… dutiyaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja vihareyya’nti.He thinks: ‘What if with the subsiding of applied and sustained thought I entered upon and dwelt in the second jhāna, which is … with happiness and bliss born of concentration?’ [154]
So na sakkoti vitakkavicārānaṃ vūpasamā…pe… dutiyaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharituṃ.He is unable with the subsiding of applied and sustained thought to enter upon and dwell in the second jhāna, which is … with happiness and bliss born of concentration.
Tassevaṃ hoti ‘yaṃnūnāhaṃ vivicceva kāmehi…pe… paṭhamaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja vihareyya’nti.Then he thinks: ‘What if, quite secluded from sense desires, secluded from unprofitable things, I entered upon and dwelt in the first jhāna, which is … with happiness and bliss born of seclusion?’
So na sakkoti vivicceva kāmehi…pe… paṭhamaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharituṃ. Ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu ubhato bhaṭṭho ubhato parihīno, seyyathāpi sā gāvī pabbateyyā bālā abyattā akhettaññū akusalā visame pabbate caritu’’nti (a. ni. 9.35).He is unable, quite secluded from sense desires, secluded from unprofitable things, to enter upon and dwell in the first jhāna which is … with happiness and bliss born of seclusion. This bhikkhu is called one who has slipped between the two, who has fallen between the two, just like the foolish stupid mountain cow with no knowledge of fields and no skill in walking on craggy mountains …” (A IV 418–19).
Tasmānena tasmiṃyeva tāva paṭhamajjhāne pañcahākārehi ciṇṇavasinā bhavitabbaṃ.Therefore he should acquire mastery in the five ways first of all with respect to the first jhāna.
Tatrimā pañca vasiyo āvajjanavasī, samāpajjanavasī, adhiṭṭhānavasī,Herein, these are the five kinds of mastery: mastery in adverting, mastery in attaining, mastery in resolving (steadying the duration),
vuṭṭhānavasī, paccavekkhaṇavasīti.mastery in emerging, and mastery in reviewing.
Paṭhamaṃ jhānaṃ yatthicchakaṃ yadicchakaṃ yāvadicchakaṃ āvajjeti,“He adverts to the first jhāna where, when, and for as long as, he wishes;
āvajjanāya dandhāyitattaṃ natthīti āvajjanavasī.he has no difficulty in adverting; thus it is mastery in adverting.
Paṭhamaṃ jhānaṃ yatthicchakaṃ…pe… samāpajjati, samāpajjanāya dandhāyitattaṃ natthīti samāpajjanavasī.He attains the first jhāna where … he has no difficulty in attaining; thus it is mastery in attaining” (Paṭis I 100),
Evaṃ sesāpi vitthāretabbā.and all the rest should be quoted in detail (XXIII.27).
Ayaṃ panettha atthappakāsanā, paṭhamajjhānato vuṭṭhāya paṭhamaṃ vitakkaṃ āvajjayato bhavaṅgaṃ upacchinditvāThe explanation of the meaning here is this. When he emerges from the first jhāna and first of all adverts to the applied thought, then, next to the adverting that arose interrupting the life-continuum,
uppannāvajjanānantaraṃ vitakkārammaṇāneva cattāri pañca vā javanāni javanti.either four or five impulsions impel with that applied thought as their object.
Tato dve bhavaṅgāni, tato puna vicārārammaṇaṃ āvajjanaṃ,Then there are two life-continuum [consciousnesses]. Then there is adverting with the sustained thought as its object
vuttanayāneva javanānīti evaṃ pañcasu jhānaṅgesu yadā nirantaraṃ cittaṃ pesetuṃ sakkoti, athassa āvajjanavasī siddhā hoti.and followed by impulsions in the way just stated. When he is able to prolong his conscious process uninterruptedly in this way with the five jhāna factors, then his mastery of adverting is successful.
Ayaṃ pana matthakappattā vasī bhagavato yamakapāṭihāriye labbhati,But this mastery is found at its acme of perfection in the Blessed One’s Twin Marvel (Paṭis I 125),
aññesaṃ vā evarūpe kāle.or for others on the aforesaid occasions.
Ito paraṃ sīghatarā āvajjanavasī nāma natthi.There is no quicker mastery in adverting than that.
Āyasmato pana mahāmoggallānassaThe venerable Mahā-Moggallāna’s
nandopanandanāgarājadamane viyaability to enter upon jhāna quickly, as in the taming of the royal nāga-serpent Nandopananda (XII.106f.),
sīghaṃ samāpajjanasamatthatā samāpajjanavasī nāma.is called mastery in attaining.
Accharāmattaṃ vā dasaccharāmattaṃ vā khaṇaṃ ṭhapetuṃAbility to remain in jhāna for a moment consisting in exactly a finger-snap or exactly ten finger-snaps
samatthatā adhiṭṭhānavasī nāma.is called mastery in resolving (steadying the duration).
Tatheva lahuṃ vuṭṭhātuṃ samatthatā vuṭṭhānavasī nāma.Ability to emerge quickly in the same way is called mastery in emerging.
Tadubhayadassanatthaṃ buddharakkhitattherassa vatthuṃ kathetuṃ vaṭṭati.The story of the Elder Buddharakkhita may be told in order to illustrate both these last.
So hāyasmā upasampadāya aṭṭhavassiko hutvā[155] Eight years after his admission to the Community
therambatthale mahārohaṇaguttattherassa gilānupaṭṭhānaṃ āgatānaṃthat elder was sitting in the midst of thirty thousand bhikkhus possessed of supernormal powers who had gathered to attend upon the sickness of the Elder Mahā-Rohanagutta at Therambatthala.
tiṃsamattānaṃ iddhimantasahassānaṃ majjhe nisinno therassa yāguṃ paṭiggāhayamānaṃ upaṭṭhākanāgarājānaṃ gahessāmītiHe saw a royal supaṇṇa (bird) swooping down from the sky intending to seize an attendant royal nāga-serpent as he was getting rice-gruel accepted for the elder.
ākāsato pakkhandantaṃ supaṇṇarājānaṃ disvā tāvadeva pabbataṃ nimminitvā nāgarājānaṃ bāhāyaṃ gahetvā tattha pāvisi.The Elder Buddharakkhita created a rock meanwhile, and seizing the royal nāga by the arm, he pushed him inside it.
Supaṇṇarājā pabbate pahāraṃ datvā palāyi.The royal supaṇṇa gave the rock a blow and made off.
Mahāthero āha – ‘‘sace, āvuso, buddharakkhito nābhavissa, sabbeva gārayhā assāmā’’ti.The senior elder remarked: “Friends, if Rakkhita had not been there, we should all have been put to shame.”
Paccavekkhaṇavasī pana āvajjanavasiyā eva vuttā.Mastery in reviewing is described in the same way as mastery in adverting;
Paccavekkhaṇajavanāneva hi tattha āvajjanānantarānīti.for the reviewing impulsions are in fact those next to the adverting mentioned there (§132).