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Idāni ‘‘so taṃ nimittaṃ suggahitaṃ karotī’’tiādīsu ayaṃ vinicchayakathā –Now, as to the words, *he sees that the sign is properly apprehended*, etc., the explanation is this.
Tena yoginā tasmiṃ sarīre yathāvuttanimittaggāhavasena suṭṭhu nimittaṃ gaṇhitabbaṃ.The meditator should apprehend the sign thoroughly in that body in the way of apprehending the sign already described.
Satiṃ sūpaṭṭhitaṃ katvā āvajjitabbaṃ.He should advert to it with well-established mindfulness.
Evaṃ punappunaṃ karontena sādhukaṃ upadhāretabbañceva vavatthapetabbañca.He should see that it is properly remembered, properly defined, by doing that again and again.
Sarīrato nātidūre nāccāsanne padese ṭhitena vā nisinnena vā cakkhuṃ ummīletvā oloketvā nimittaṃ gaṇhitabbaṃ.Standing in a place not too far from and not too near to the body, he should open his eyes, look and apprehend the sign.
‘‘Uddhumātakapaṭikkūlaṃ uddhumātakapaṭikkūla’’nti satakkhattuṃ sahassakkhattuṃ ummīletvā oloketabbaṃ,He should open his eyes and look a hundred times, a thousand times, [thinking], “Repulsiveness of the bloated, repulsiveness of the bloated,”
nimmīletvā āvajjitabbaṃ.and he should close his eyes and advert to it.
Evaṃ punappunaṃ karontassa uggahanimittaṃ suggahitaṃ hoti.As he does so again and again, the learning sign becomes properly apprehended by him.
Kadā suggahitaṃ hoti?When is it properly apprehended?
Yadā ummīletvā olokentassa nimmīletvā āvajjentassa ca ekasadisaṃ hutvā āpāthamāgacchati,When it comes into focus alike whether he opens his eyes and looks or closes his eyes and adverts,
tadā suggahitaṃ nāma hoti.then it is called properly apprehended.
So taṃ nimittaṃ evaṃ suggahitaṃ katvā sūpadhāritaṃ upadhāretvā suvavatthitaṃ vavatthapetvāWhen he has thus properly apprehended the sign, properly remembered it, and properly defined it,
sace tattheva bhāvanāpariyosānaṃ pattuṃ na sakkoti,then if he is unable to conclude his development on the spot,
athānena āgamanakāle vuttanayeneva ekakena adutiyenahe can go to his own lodging, alone, in the same way as described of his coming, with no companion,
tadeva kammaṭṭhānaṃ manasikarontena sūpaṭṭhitaṃ satiṃ katvākeeping that same meditation subject in mind, with mindfulness well established,
antogatehi indriyehi abahigatena mānasena attano senāsanameva gantabbaṃ.and with his mind not turned outwards owing to his faculties being turned inwards.
Susānā nikkhamanteneva ca āgamanamaggo vavatthapetabbo,As he leaves the charnel ground he should define the path he comes back by thus:
yena maggena nikkhantosmi, ayaṃ maggo pācīnadisābhimukho vā gacchati, pacchimauttaradakkhiṇadisābhimukho vā gacchati,“The path by which I have left goes in an easterly direction, westerly … northerly … southerly direction,”
vidisābhimukho vā gacchati.or “It goes in an intermediate direction”;
Imasmiṃ pana ṭhāne vāmato gacchati, imasmiṃ dakkhiṇato,or “In this place it goes to the left, in this place to the right”;
imasmiṃ cassa ṭhāne pāsāṇo, imasmiṃ vammiko, imasmiṃ rukkho, imasmiṃ gaccho, imasmiṃ latātiand “In this place there is a stone, in this a termite-mound, in this a tree, in this a bush, in this a creeper.”
evaṃ āgamanamaggaṃ vavatthapetvāWhen he has defined the path he has come back by
āgatena caṅkamantenāpi tabbhāgiyova caṅkamo adhiṭṭhātabbo,and when, once back, he is walking up and down, he should see that his walk is oriented towards it too;
asubhanimittadisābhimukhe bhūmippadese caṅkamitabbanti attho.the meaning is that he should walk up and down on a piece of ground that faces in the direction of the sign of foulness.
Nisīdantena āsanampi tabbhāgiyameva paññapetabbaṃ.And when he sits, he should prepare a seat oriented towards it too.
Sace pana tassaṃ disāyaṃ sobbho vā papāto vā rukkho vā vati vā kalalaṃ vā hoti,But if there is a bog or a ravine or a tree or a fence or a swamp in that direction,
na sakkā taṃdisābhimukhe bhūmippadese caṅkamituṃ,if he cannot walk up and down on a piece of ground facing in that direction,
āsanampi anokāsattā na sakkā paññapetuṃ.if he cannot prepare his seat thus because there is no room for it,
Taṃ disaṃ anapalokentenāpi okāsānurūpe ṭhāne caṅkamitabbañceva nisīditabbañca.then he can both walk up and down and sit in a place where there is room, even though it does not face that way;
Cittaṃ pana taṃdisābhimukhaṃyeva kātabbaṃ.but he should turn his mind in that direction.
Idāni ‘‘samantā nimittupalakkhaṇā kimatthiyā’’tiādipañhānaṃNow, as to the questions beginning with *what is the purpose … characterizing the surrounding signs*?
‘‘asammohatthā’’tiādivissajjane ayaṃ adhippāyo.The intention of the answer that begins with the words, *has non-delusion for its purpose*, is this:
Yassa hi avelāyaṃ uddhumātakanimittaṭṭhānaṃ gantvāIf someone goes at the wrong time to the place where the sign of the bloated is,
samantā nimittupalakkhaṇaṃ katvā nimittaggahaṇatthaṃ cakkhuṃ ummīletvāand opens his eyes for the purpose of apprehending the sign by characterizing the surrounding signs,
olokentasseva taṃ matasarīraṃ uṭṭhahitvā ṭhitaṃ viyathen as soon as he looks the dead body appears as if it were standing up
ajjhottharamānaṃ viya anubandhamānaṃ viya ca hutvā upaṭṭhāti,and threatening[^9] and pursuing him,
so taṃ bībhacchaṃ bheravārammaṇaṃ disvāand when he sees the hideous and fearful object,
vikkhittacitto ummattako viya hoti,his mind reels, he is like one demented,
bhayaṃ chambhitattaṃ lomahaṃsaṃ pāpuṇāti.gripped by panic, fear and terror, and his hair stands on end.
Pāḷiyaṃ hi vibhattaaṭṭhatiṃsārammaṇesu aññaṃ evarūpaṃ bheravārammaṇaṃ nāma natthi.For among the thirty-eight meditation subjects expounded in the texts no object is so frightening as this one.
Imasmiṃ hi kammaṭṭhāne jhānavibbhantako nāma hoti.There are some who lose jhāna in this meditation subject.
Kasmā?Why?
Atibheravattā kammaṭṭhānassa.Because it is so frightening.
Tasmā tena yoginā santhambhetvāSo the meditator must stand firm.
satiṃ sūpaṭṭhitaṃ katvāEstablishing his mindfulness well, he should remove his fears in this way:
matasarīraṃ uṭṭhahitvā anubandhanakaṃ nāma natthi.“No dead body gets up and pursues one.
Sace hi so ‘‘etassa samīpe ṭhito pāsāṇo vā latā vā āgaccheyya, sarīrampi āgaccheyya.If that stone or that creeper close to it were to come, the body might come too;
Yathā pana so pāsāṇo vā latā vā nāgacchati, evaṃ sarīrampi nāgacchati.but since that stone or that creeper does not come, the body will not come either.
Ayaṃ pana tuyhaṃ upaṭṭhānākāro saññajo saññāsambhavo,Its appearance to you in this way is born: of your perception, created by your perception.
kammaṭṭhānaṃ te ajja upaṭṭhitaṃ,Today your meditation subject has appeared to you.
mā bhāyi bhikkhū’’tiDo not be afraid, bhikkhu.”
tāsaṃ vinodetvā hāsaṃ uppādetvā tasmiṃ nimitte cittaṃ sañcarāpetabbaṃ.He should laugh it off and direct his mind to the sign.
Evaṃ visesamadhigacchati.In that way he will arrive at distinction.
Idametaṃ sandhāya vuttaṃ ‘‘samantā nimittupalakkhaṇā asammohatthā’’ti.The words “Characterizing the surrounding signs has non-delusion for its purpose” are said on this account.
Ekādasavidhena pana nimittaggāhaṃ sampādento kammaṭṭhānaṃ upanibandhati.To succeed in apprehending the sign in the eleven ways is to anchor the meditation subject.
Tassa hi cakkhūni ummīletvā olokanapaccayā uggahanimittaṃ uppajjati.For the opening of his eyes and looking conditions the arising of the learning sign;
Tasmiṃ mānasaṃ cārentassa paṭibhāganimittaṃ uppajjati.and as he exercises his mind on that the counterpart sign arises;
Tattha mānasaṃ cārento appanaṃ pāpuṇāti.and as he exercises his mind on that he reaches absorption.
Appanāyaṃ ṭhatvā vipassanaṃ vaḍḍhento arahattaṃ sacchikaroti.When he is sure of absorption, he works up insight and realizes Arahantship.
Tena vuttaṃ ‘‘ekādasavidhena nimittaggāho upanibandhanattho’’ti.Hence it was said: *apprehending the sign in the* [*other*] *eleven ways has anchoring* [*the mind*] *for its purpose*.
Gatāgatamaggapaccavekkhaṇā vīthisampaṭipādanatthāti ettha pana*The reviewing of the path gone by and come by has keeping* [*the mind*] *on the track for its purpose*:
yā gatamaggassa ca āgatamaggassa ca paccavekkhaṇā vuttā,the meaning is that the reviewing of the path gone by and of the path come back by mentioned
sā kammaṭṭhānavīthiyā sampaṭipādanatthāti attho.is for the purpose of keeping properly to the track of the meditation subject.
Sace hi imaṃ bhikkhuṃ kammaṭṭhānaṃ gahetvā āgacchantaṃ antarāmaggeFor if this bhikkhu is going along with his meditation subject and people on the way
keci ajja, bhante, katimīti divasaṃ vā pucchanti,ask him about the day, “What is today, venerable sir?”
pañhaṃ vā pucchanti,or they ask him some question [about Dhamma],
paṭisanthāraṃ vā karonti,or they welcome him,
ahaṃ kammaṭṭhānikoti tuṇhībhūtena gantuṃ na vaṭṭati.he ought not to go on in silence, thinking “I have a meditation subject.”
Divaso kathetabbo, pañho vissajjetabbo.The day must be told, the question must be answered,
Sace na jānāti, na jānāmīti vattabbaṃ.even by saying “I do not know” if he does not know,
Dhammiko paṭisanthāro kātabbo.a legitimate welcome must be responded to.
Tassevaṃ karontassa uggahitaṃ taruṇanimittaṃ nassati.As he does so, the newly acquired sign vanishes.
Tasmiṃ nassantepi divasaṃ puṭṭhena kathetabbameva.But even if it does vanish, he should still tell the day when asked;
Pañhaṃ ajānantena na jānāmīti vattabbaṃ.if he does not know the answer to the question, he should still say “I do not know,”
Jānantena ekadesena kathetumpi vaṭṭati, paṭisanthāropi kātabbo.and if he does know it, he should explain it surely;[^10] and he must respond to a welcome.
Āgantukaṃ pana bhikkhuṃ disvā āgantukapaṭisanthāro kātabbova.Also reception of visitors must be attended to on seeing a visiting bhikkhu,
Avasesānipi cetiyaṅgaṇavattabodhiyaṅgaṇavattauposathāgāravattabhojanasālājantāgharaācariyupajjhāyaāgantukagamikavattādīni sabbāni khandhakavattāni pūretabbāneva.and all the remaining duties in the Khandhakas must be carried out too, that is, the duties of the shrine terrace, the duties of the Bodhi-tree terrace, the duties of the Uposatha house, the duties of the refectory and the bath house, and those to the teacher, the preceptor, visitors, departing bhikkhus, and the rest.
Tassa tāni pūrentassāpi taṃ taruṇanimittaṃ nassati,And the newly acquired sign vanishes while he is carrying out these too.
puna gantvā nimittaṃ gaṇhissāmīti gantukāmassāpiWhen he wants to go again, thinking “I shall go and take up the sign,”
amanussehi vā vāḷamigehi vā adhiṭṭhitattā susānampi gantuṃ na sakkā hoti,he finds he cannot go to the charnel ground because it has been invaded by non-human beings or by wild beasts,
nimittaṃ vā antaradhāyati.or the sign has disappeared.
Uddhumātakaṃ hi ekameva vā dve vā divase ṭhatvā vinīlakādibhāvaṃ gacchati.For a bloated corpse only lasts one or two days and then turns into a livid corpse.
Sabbakammaṭṭhānesu etena samaṃ dullabhaṃ kammaṭṭhānaṃ nāma natthi.Of all the meditation subjects there is none so hard to come by as this.
Tasmā evaṃ naṭṭhe nimitteSo when the sign has vanished in this way,
tena bhikkhunā rattiṭṭhāne vā divāṭhāne vā nisīditvā …the bhikkhu should sit down in his night quarters or in his day quarters
evaṃ yāva pallaṅkaṃ ābhujitvā nisinnaṭṭhānaṃ, tāva gatāgatamaggo paccavekkhitabbo:and first of all review the path gone by and come by up to the place where he is actually sitting cross-legged, doing it in this way:
ahaṃ iminā nāma dvārena vihārā nikkhamitvā“I went out of the monastery by this gate,
asukadisābhimukhaṃ maggaṃ paṭipajjitvāI took a path leading in such and such a direction,
asukasmiṃ nāma ṭhāne vāmaṃ gaṇhi,I turned left at such and such a place,
asukasmiṃ dakkhiṇaṃ.I turned right at such and such a place,
Tassa asukasmiṃ ṭhāne pāsāṇo, asukasmiṃ vammikarukkhagacchalatānamaññataraṃ.in one part of it there was a stone, in another a termite-mound or a tree or a bush or a creeper;
Sohaṃ tena maggena gantvā asukasmiṃ nāma ṭhāne asubhaṃ addasaṃ.having gone by that path, I saw the foulness in such and such a place,
Tattha asukadisābhimukho ṭhatvāI stood there facing in such and such a direction
evañcevañca samantā nimittāni sallakkhetvāand observed such and such surrounding signs,
evaṃ asubhanimittaṃ uggahetvāI apprehended the sign of foulness in this way;
asukadisāya susānato nikkhamitvāI left the charnel ground in such and such a direction,
evarūpena nāma maggena idañcidañca karonto āgantvāI came back by such and such a path doing this and this,
idha nisinnoti.and I am now sitting here.”
Tassevaṃ paccavekkhato taṃ nimittaṃ pākaṭaṃ hoti, purato nikkhittaṃ viya upaṭṭhāti.As he reviews it in this way, the sign becomes evident and appears as if placed in front of him;
Kammaṭṭhānaṃ purimākāreneva vīthiṃ paṭipajjati.the meditation subject rides in its track as it did before.
Tena vuttaṃ ‘‘gatāgatamaggapaccavekkhaṇā vīthisampaṭipādanatthā’’ti.Hence it was said: *the reviewing of the path gone by and come by has keeping* [*the mind*] *on the track for its purpose*.
Idāni ānisaṃsadassāvī ratanasaññī hutvā cittīkāraṃ upaṭṭhapetvā sampiyāyamāno tasmiṃ ārammaṇe cittaṃ upanibandhatīti etthaNow, as to the words, *when he has established reverence for it by seeing its advantages and by perceiving it as a treasure and so come to love it, he anchors the mind on that object*:
uddhumātakapaṭikkūle mānasaṃ cāretvā jhānaṃ nibbattetvāhere, having gained jhāna by exercising his mind on the repulsiveness in the bloated,
jhānapadaṭṭhānaṃ vipassanaṃ vaḍḍhentohe should increase insight with the jhāna as its proximate cause,
‘‘addhā imāya paṭipadāya jarāmaraṇamhā parimuccissāmī’’ti evaṃ ānisaṃsadassāvinā bhavitabbaṃ.and then he should see the advantages in this way: “Surely in this way I shall be liberated from ageing and death.”
Yathā pana duggato puriso mahagghaṃ maṇiratanaṃ labhitvāJust as a pauper who acquired a treasure of gems
dullabhaṃ vata me laddhanti tasmiṃ ratanasaññī hutvā gāravaṃ janetvā vipulena pemena sampiyāyamāno taṃ rakkheyya,would guard and love it with great affection, feeling reverence for it as one who appreciates the value of it, “I have got what is hard indeed to get!”
evameva … tasmiṃ ratanasaññinā hutvā cittīkāraṃ upaṭṭhapetvā sampiyāyamānena taṃ nimittaṃ rakkhitabbaṃ:so too [this bhikkhu] should guard the sign, loving it and feeling reverence for it as one who appreciates the value of it,
‘‘dullabhaṃ me idaṃ kammaṭṭhānaṃ laddhaṃ duggatassa mahagghamaṇiratanasadisaṃ.“I have got this meditation subject, which is indeed as hard to get as a very valuable treasure is for a pauper to get.
Catudhātukammaṭṭhāniko hi attano cattāro mahābhūte pariggaṇhāti,For one whose meditation subject is the four elements discerns the four primary elements in himself,
ānāpānakammaṭṭhāniko attano nāsikavātaṃ pariggaṇhāti,one whose meditation subject is breathing discerns the wind in his own nostrils,
kasiṇakammaṭṭhāniko kasiṇaṃ katvā yathāsukhaṃ bhāveti,and one whose meditation subject is a kasiṇa makes a kasiṇa and develops it at his ease,
evaṃ itarāni kammaṭṭhānāni sulabhāni.so these other meditation subjects are easily got.
‘Idaṃ pana ekameva vā dve vā divase tiṭṭhati, tato paraṃ vinīlakādibhāvaṃ pāpuṇātī’tiBut this one lasts only one, or two days, after which it turns into a livid corpse.
natthi ito dullabhatara’’ntiThere is none harder to get than this one.”
Rattiṭṭhāne ca divāṭhāne caIn his night quarters and in his day quarters
‘‘uddhumātakapaṭikkūlaṃ uddhumātakapaṭikkūla’’nti tattha punappunaṃ cittaṃ upanibandhitabbaṃ.he should keep his mind anchored there thus, “Repulsiveness of the bloated, repulsiveness of the bloated.”
Punappunaṃ taṃ nimittaṃ āvajjitabbaṃ, manasikātabbaṃ. Takkāhataṃ vitakkāhataṃ kātabbaṃ.And he should advert to the sign, bring it to mind and strike at it with thought and applied thought over and over again.
Tassevaṃ karoto paṭibhāganimittaṃ uppajjati.As he does so, the counterpart sign arises.
Tatridaṃ nimittadvayassa nānākaraṇaṃ,Here is the difference between the two signs.
uggahanimittaṃ virūpaṃ bībhacchaṃ bheravadassanaṃ hutvā upaṭṭhāti.The learning sign appears as a hideous, dreadful and frightening sight;
Paṭibhāganimittaṃ pana yāvadatthaṃ bhuñjitvā nipanno thūlaṅgapaccaṅgapuriso viya.but the counterpart sign appears like a man with big limbs lying down after eating his fill.
Tassa paṭibhāganimittapaṭilābhasamakālamevaSimultaneously with his acquiring the counterpart sign,
bahiddhā kāmānaṃ amanasikārā vikkhambhanavasena kāmacchando pahīyati.his lust is abandoned by suppression owing to his giving no attention externally to sense desires [as object].
Anunayappahāneneva cassa lohitappahānena pubbo viya byāpādopi pahīyati.And owing to his abandoning of approval, ill will is abandoned too, as pus is with the abandoning of blood.
Tathā āraddhavīriyatāya thinamiddhaṃ,Likewise stiffness and torpor are abandoned through exertion of energy,
avippaṭisārakarasantadhammānuyogavasena uddhaccakukkuccaṃ,agitation and worry are abandoned through devotion to peaceful things that cause no remorse;
adhigatavisesassa paccakkhatāya paṭipattidesake satthari paṭipattiyaṃ paṭipattiphale ca vicikicchā pahīyati,and uncertainty about the Master who teaches the way, about the way, and about the fruit of the way, is abandoned through the actual experience of the distinction attained.
iti pañca nīvaraṇāni pahīyanti.So the five hindrances are abandoned.
Tasmiññeva ca nimitte cetaso abhiniropanalakkhaṇo vitakko,And there are present applied thought with the characteristic of directing the mind on to that same sign,
nimittānumajjanakiccaṃ sādhayamāno vicāro,and sustained thought accomplishing the function of pressing on the sign,
paṭiladdhavisesādhigamapaccayā pīti,and happiness due to the acquisition of distinction,
pītimanassa passaddhisambhavato passaddhi,and tranquillity due to the production of tranquillity in one whose mind is happy,
tannimittaṃ sukhaṃ,and bliss with that tranquillity as its sign,
sukhitassa cittasamādhisambhavato sukhanimittā ekaggatā ca,and unification that has bliss as its sign due to the production of concentration in one whose mind is blissful.
iti jhānaṅgāni pātubhavanti.So the jhāna factors become manifest.
Evamassa paṭhamajjhānapaṭibimbabhūtaṃ upacārajjhānampi taṅkhaṇaññeva nibbattati.Thus access, which is the obverse of the first jhāna, is produced in him too at that same moment.
Ito paraṃ yāva paṭhamajjhānassa appanā ceva vasippatti ca, tāva sabbaṃ pathavīkasiṇe vuttanayeneva veditabbaṃ.All after that up to absorption in the first jhāna and mastery in it should be understood as described under the earth kasiṇa.