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Mettābhāvanākathā[(1) Loving-Kindness]
Anussatikammaṭṭhānānantaraṃ uddiṭṭhesu pana mettā, karuṇā, muditā, upekkhāti imesu catūsu brahmavihāresu.[295] The four divine abidings were mentioned next to the recollections as meditation subjects (III.105). They are loving-kindness, compassion, gladness and equanimity.
Mettaṃ bhāvetukāmena tāva ādikammikena yogāvacarena upacchinnapalibodhena gahitakammaṭṭhānena.A meditator, who wants to develop firstly loving-kindness among these, if he is a beginner, should sever the impediments and learn the meditation subject.
Bhattakiccaṃ katvā bhattasammadaṃ paṭivinodetvā vivitte padese supaññatte āsane sukhanisinnena.Then, when he has done the work connected with the meal and got rid of any dizziness due to it, he should seat himself comfortably on a well-prepared seat in a secluded place.
Ādito tāva dose ādīnavo, khantiyañca ānisaṃso paccavekkhitabbo.To start with, he should review the danger in hate and the advantage in patience.
Kasmā?Why?
Imāya hi bhāvanāya doso pahātabbo, khanti adhigantabbā. Na ca sakkā kiñci adiṭṭhādīnavaṃ pahātuṃ, aviditānisaṃsaṃ vā adhigantuṃ.Because hate has to be abandoned and patience attained in the development of this meditation subject, and he cannot abandon unseen dangers and attain unknown advantages.
Tasmā ‘‘duṭṭho kho, āvuso, dosena abhibhūto pariyādiṇṇacitto pāṇampi hanatī’’tiādīnaṃ (a. ni. 3.72) vasena dose ādīnavo daṭṭhabbo.Now, the danger in hate should be seen in accordance with such suttas as this: “Friends, when a man hates, is a prey to hate and his mind is obsessed by hate, he kills living things, and …” (A I 216).
‘‘Khantī paramaṃ tapo titikkhā, nibbānaṃ paramaṃ vadanti buddhā’’ (dī. ni. 2.90; dha. pa. 184); ‘‘khantibalaṃ balānīkaṃ, tamahaṃ brūmi brāhmaṇaṃ’’ (dha. pa. 399; su. ni. 628); ‘‘khantā bhiyyo na vijjatī’’tiādīnaṃ (saṃ. ni. 1.250) vasena khantiyaṃ ānisaṃso veditabbo.And the advantage in patience should be understood according to such suttas as these: “No higher rule, the Buddhas say, than patience, And no Nibbāna higher than forbearance” (D II 49; Dhp 184); “Patience in force, in strong array: ’Tis him I call a brahman” (Dhp 399); “No greater thing exists than patience” (S I 222).
Athevaṃ diṭṭhādīnavato dosato cittaṃ vivecanatthāya, viditānisaṃsāya ca khantiyā saṃyojanatthāya mettābhāvanā ārabhitabbā.Thereupon he should embark upon the development of loving-kindness for the purpose of secluding the mind from hate seen as a danger and introducing it to patience known as an advantage.
Ārabhantena ca āditova puggalabhedo jānitabbo ‘‘imesu puggalesu mettā paṭhamaṃ na bhāvetabbā, imesu neva bhāvetabbā’’ti.But when he begins, he must know that some persons are of the wrong sort at the very beginning and that loving-kindness should be developed towards certain kinds of persons and not towards certain other kinds at first. [296]
Ayañhi mettā appiyapuggale, atippiyasahāyake, majjhatte, verīpuggaleti imesu catūsu paṭhamaṃ na bhāvetabbā.For loving-kindness should not be developed at first towards the following four kinds of persons: an antipathetic person, a very dearly loved friend, a neutral person, and a hostile person.
Liṅgavisabhāge odhiso na bhāvetabbā. Kālakate na bhāvetabbāva.Also it should not be developed specifically (see §49) towards the opposite sex, or towards a dead person.
Kiṃkāraṇā appiyādīsu paṭhamaṃ na bhāvetabbā?What is the reason why it should not be developed at first towards an antipathetic person and the others?
Appiyaṃ hi piyaṭṭhāne ṭhapento kilamati.To put an antipathetic person in a dear one’s place is fatiguing.
Atippiyasahāyakaṃ majjhattaṭṭhāne ṭhapento kilamati, appamattakepi cassa dukkhe uppanne ārodanākārappatto viya hoti.To put a very dearly loved friend in a neutral person’s place is fatiguing; and if the slightest mischance befalls the friend, he feels like weeping.
Majjhattaṃ garuṭṭhāne ca piyaṭṭhāne ca ṭhapento kilamati.To put a neutral person in a respected one’s or a dear one’s place is fatiguing.
Verimanussarato kodho uppajjati, tasmā appiyādīsu paṭhamaṃ na bhāvetabbā.Anger springs up in him if he recollects a hostile person. That is why it should not be developed at first towards an antipathetic person and the rest.
Liṅgavisabhāge pana tameva ārabbha odhiso bhāventassa rāgo uppajjati.Then, if he develops it specifically towards the opposite sex, lust inspired by that person springs up in him.
Aññataro kira amaccaputto kulūpakattheraṃ pucchi ‘‘bhante, kassa mettā bhāvetabbā’’ti?An elder supported by a family was asked, it seems, by a friend’s son, “Venerable sir, towards whom should loving-kindness be developed?”
Thero ‘‘piyapuggale’’ti āha.The elder told him, “Towards a person one loves.”
Tassa attano bhariyā piyā hoti.He loved his own wife.
So tassā mettaṃ bhāvento sabbarattiṃ bhittiyuddhamakāsi.Through developing loving-kindness towards her he was fighting against the wall all the night.[^1]
Tasmā liṅgavisabhāge odhiso na bhāvetabbā.That is why it should not be developed specifically towards the opposite sex.
Kālakate pana bhāvento neva appanaṃ, na upacāraṃ pāpuṇāti.But if he develops it towards a dead person, he reaches neither absorption nor access.
Aññataro kira daharabhikkhu ācariyaṃ ārabbha mettaṃ ārabhi.A young bhikkhu, it seems, had started developing loving-kindness inspired by his teacher.
Tassa mettā nappavattati.His loving-kindness made no headway at all.
So mahātherassa santikaṃ gantvā ‘‘bhante, paguṇāva me mettājhānasamāpatti, na ca naṃ samāpajjituṃ sakkomi, kiṃ nu kho kāraṇa’’nti āha.He went to a senior elder and told him, “Venerable sir, I am quite familiar with attaining jhāna through loving-kindness, and yet I cannot attain it. What is the matter?”
Thero ‘‘nimittaṃ, āvuso, gavesāhī’’ti āha.The elder said, “Seek the sign, friend, [the object of your meditation].”
So gavesanto ācariyassa matabhāvaṃ ñatvā aññaṃ ārabbha mettāyanto samāpattiṃ appesi.He did so. Finding that his teacher had died, he proceeded with developing loving-kindness inspired by another and attained absorption.
Tasmā kālakate na bhāvetabbāva.That is why it should not be developed towards one who is dead.
Sabbapaṭhamaṃ pana ‘‘ahaṃ sukhito homi niddukkho’’ti vā, ‘‘avero abyāpajjo anīgho sukhī attānaṃ pariharāmī’’ti vā evaṃ punappunaṃ attaniyeva bhāvetabbā.First of all it should be developed only towards oneself, doing it repeatedly thus: “May I be happy and free from suffering” or “May I keep myself free from enmity, affliction and anxiety and live happily.”
Evaṃ sante yaṃ vibhaṅge (vibha. 643) vuttaṃ – ‘‘Kathañca bhikkhu mettāsahagatena cetasā ekaṃ disaṃ pharitvā viharati? Seyyathāpi nāma ekaṃ puggalaṃ piyaṃ manāpaṃ disvā mettāyeyya, evameva sabbe satte mettāya pharatī’’ti. ‘‘Yañca paṭisambhidāyaṃ (paṭi. ma. 2.22) – ‘‘Katamehi pañcahākārehi anodhisopharaṇā mettā cetovimutti bhāvetabbā, sabbe sattā averā hontu’’ abyāpajjā anīghā sukhī attānaṃ pariharantu. Sabbe pāṇā… sabbe bhūtā… sabbe puggalā… sabbe attabhāvapariyāpannā averā abyāpajjā anīghā sukhī attānaṃ pariharantū’’tiādi – Vuttaṃ. Yañca mettasutte (khu. pā. 9.3; su. ni. 145) – ‘‘Sukhinova khemino hontu, Sabbasattā bhavantu sukhitattā’’tiādi. – Vuttaṃ, taṃ virujjhati. Na hi tattha attani bhāvanā vuttāti ce.If that is so, does it not conflict with what is said in the texts? For there is no mention of any development of it towards oneself in what is said in the Vibhaṅga: “And how does a bhikkhu dwell pervading one direction with his heart filled with loving-kindness? Just as he would feel loving-kindness on seeing a dearly loved person, so he pervades all beings with loving-kindness” (Vibh 272); and in what is said in the Paṭisambhidā: “In what five ways is the mind-deliverance of loving-kindness [practiced] with unspecified pervasion? May all beings be free from enmity, affliction and anxiety and live happily. May all breathing things [297] … all who are born … all persons … all those who have a personality be free from enmity, affliction and anxiety and live happily” (Paṭis II 130); and in what is said in the Mettā Sutta: “In joy and safety may all beings be joyful at heart” (Sn 145). [Does it not conflict with those texts?]
Tañca na virujjhati.It does not conflict.
Kasmā?Why not?
Tañhi appanāvasena vuttaṃ. Idaṃ sakkhibhāvavasena.Because that refers to absorption. But this [initial development towards oneself] refers to [making oneself] an example.
Sacepi hi vassasataṃ vassasahassaṃ vā ‘‘ahaṃ sukhito homī’’tiādinā nayena attani mettaṃ bhāveti, nevassa appanā uppajjati.For even if he developed loving-kindness for a hundred or a thousand years in this way, “I am happy” and so on, absorption would never arise.
‘‘Ahaṃ sukhito homī’’ti bhāvayato pana yathā ahaṃ sukhakāmo dukkhapaṭikkūlo jīvitukāmo amaritukāmo ca, evaṃ aññepi sattāti attānaṃ sakkhiṃ katvā aññasattesu hitasukhakāmatā uppajjati.But if he develops it in this way: “I am happy. Just as I want to be happy and dread pain, as I want to live and not to die, so do other beings, too,” making himself the example, then desire for other beings’ welfare and happiness arises in him.
Bhagavatāpi – ‘‘Sabbā disā anuparigamma cetasā, Nevajjhagā piyataramattanā kvaci; Evaṃ piyo puthu attā paresaṃ, Tasmā na hiṃse paramattakāmo’’ti. (saṃ. ni. 1.119; udā. 41); – Vadatā ayaṃ nayo dassito.And this method is indicated by the Blessed One’s saying: I visited all quarters with my mind Nor found I any dearer than myself; Self is likewise to every other dear; Who loves himself will never harm another (S I 75; Ud 47).
Tasmā sakkhibhāvatthaṃ paṭhamaṃ attānaṃ mettāya pharitvā tadanantaraṃ sukhappavattanatthaṃ yvāyaṃ piyo manāpo garu bhāvanīyo ācariyo vā ācariyamatto vā upajjhāyo vā upajjhāyamatto vā tassa dānapiyavacanādīni piyamanāpattakāraṇāni sīlasutādīni garubhāvanīyattakāraṇāni ca anussaritvā ‘‘esa sappuriso sukhī hotu niddukkho’’tiādinā nayena mettā bhāvetabbā.So he should first, as example, pervade himself with loving-kindness. Next after that, in order to proceed easily, he can recollect such gifts,[^2] kind words, etc., as inspire love and endearment, such virtue, learning, etc., as inspire respect and reverence met with in a teacher or his equivalent or a preceptor or his equivalent, developing loving-kindness towards him in the way beginning, “May this good man be happy and free from suffering.”
Evarūpe ca puggale kāmaṃ appanā sampajjati.With such a person, of course, he attains absorption.
Iminā pana bhikkhunā tāvatakeneva tuṭṭhiṃ anāpajjitvā sīmāsambhedaṃ kattukāmena tadanantaraṃ atippiyasahāyake, atippiyasahāyakato majjhatte, majjhattato verīpuggale mettā bhāvetabbā.But if this bhikkhu does not rest content with just that much and wants to break down the barriers, he should next, after that, develop loving-kindness towards a very dearly loved friend, then towards a neutral person as a very dearly loved friend, then towards a hostile person as neutral.
Bhāventena ca ekekasmiṃ koṭṭhāse muduṃ kammaniyaṃ cittaṃ katvā tadanantare tadanantare upasaṃharitabbaṃ.And while he does so, he should make his mind malleable and wieldy in each instance before passing on to the next.
Yassa pana verīpuggalo vā natthi, mahāpurisajātikattā vā anatthaṃ karontepi pare verīsaññāva nuppajjati, tena ‘‘majjhatte me mettacittaṃ kammaniyaṃ jātaṃ, idāni naṃ verimhi upasaṃharāmī’’ti byāpārova na kātabbo.But if he has no enemy, or he is of the type of a great man who does not perceive another as an enemy even when the other does him harm, he should not interest himself as follows: “Now that my consciousness of loving-kindness has become wieldy towards a neutral person, I shall apply it to a hostile one.” [298]
Yassa pana atthi, taṃ sandhāya vuttaṃ ‘‘majjhattato verīpuggale mettā bhāvetabbā’’ti.Rather it was about one who actually has an enemy that it was said above that he should develop loving-kindness towards a hostile person as neutral.
Sace panassa verimhi cittamupasaṃharato tena katāparādhānussaraṇena paṭighamuppajjati, athānena purimapuggalesu yattha katthaci punappunaṃ mettaṃ samāpajjitvā vuṭṭhahitvā punappunaṃ taṃ puggalaṃ mettāyantena paṭighaṃ vinodetabbaṃ.If resentment arises in him when he applies his mind to a hostile person because he remembers wrongs done by that person, he should get rid of the resentment by entering repeatedly into loving-kindness [jhāna] towards any of the first-mentioned persons and then, after he has emerged each time, directing loving-kindness towards that person.
Sace evampi vāyamato na nibbāti, atha –But if it does not die out in spite of his efforts, then:
Kakacūpamaovāda-ādīnaṃ anusārato; Paṭighassa pahānāya, ghaṭitabbaṃ punappunaṃ.Let him reflect upon the saw With other figures of such kind, And strive, and strive repeatedly, To leave resentment far behind.
Tañca kho iminā ākārena attānaṃ ovadanteneva ‘‘are kujjhanapurisa, nanu vuttaṃ bhagavatā – ‘Ubhatodaṇḍakena cepi, bhikkhave, kakacena corā ocarakā aṅgamaṅgāni okanteyyuṃ, tatrāpi yo mano padoseyya. Na me so tena sāsanakaro’ti (ma. ni. 1.232) ca,He should admonish himself in this way: “Now, you who get angry, has not the Blessed One said this: ‘Bhikkhus, even if bandits brutally severed limb from limb with a two-handled saw, he who entertained hate in his heart on that account would not be one who carried out my teaching?’” (M I 129). And this:
‘Tasseva tena pāpiyo, yo kuddhaṃ paṭikujjhati; Kuddhamappaṭikujjhanto, saṅgāmaṃ jeti dujjayaṃ. ‘‘‘Ubhinnamatthaṃ carati, attano ca parassa ca; Paraṃ saṅkupitaṃ ñatvā, yo sato upasammatī’ti ca. (saṃ. ni. 1.188); –”To repay angry men in kind Is worse than to be angry first; Repay not angry men in kind And win a battle hard to win. The weal of both he does promote, His own and then the other’s too, Who shall another’s anger know And mindfully maintain his peace” (S I 162). And this:
‘‘‘Sattime, bhikkhave, dhammā sapattakantā sapattakaraṇā kodhanaṃ āgacchanti itthiṃ vā purisaṃ vā. Katame satta? Idha, bhikkhave, sapatto sapattassa evaṃ icchati aho vatāyaṃ dubbaṇṇo assāti. Taṃ kissahetu? Na, bhikkhave, sapatto sapattassa vaṇṇavatāya nandati. Kodhanāyaṃ, bhikkhave, purisapuggalo kodhābhibhūto kodhapareto kiñcāpi so hoti sunhāto suvilitto kappitakesamassu odātavatthavasano, atha kho so dubbaṇṇova hoti kodhābhibhūto. Ayaṃ, bhikkhave, paṭhamo dhammo sapattakanto sapattakaraṇo kodhanaṃ āgacchati itthiṃ vā purisaṃ vā. Puna caparaṃ, bhikkhave, sapatto sapattassa evaṃ icchati ahovatāyaṃ dukkhaṃ sayeyyāti…pe… na pacurattho assāti…pe… na bhogavā assāti…pe… na yasavā assāti…pe… na mittavā assāti…pe… na kāyassa bhedā paraṃ maraṇā sugatiṃ saggaṃ lokaṃ upapajjeyyāti. Taṃ kissa hetu? Na, bhikkhave, sapatto sapattassa sugatigamanena nandati. Kodhanāyaṃ, bhikkhave, purisapuggalo kodhābhibhūto kodhapareto kāyena duccaritaṃ carati, vācāya manasā duccaritaṃ carati. So kāyena vācāya manasā duccaritaṃ caritvā kāyassa bhedā paraṃ maraṇā apāyaṃ duggatiṃ vinipātaṃ nirayaṃ upapajjati kodhābhibhūto’ti (a. ni. 7.64) ca,“Bhikkhus, there are seven things gratifying and helpful to an enemy that happen to one who is angry, whether woman or man. What seven? Here, bhikkhus, an enemy wishes thus for his enemy, ‘Let him be ugly!’ Why is that? An enemy does not delight in an enemy’s beauty. Now, this angry person is a prey to anger, ruled by anger; though well bathed, well anointed, with hair and beard trimmed and clothed in white, yet he is ugly, being a prey to anger. This is the first thing gratifying and helpful to an enemy that befalls one who is angry, whether woman or man. Furthermore, an enemy wishes thus for his enemy, ‘Let him lie in pain!’ … ‘Let him have no fortune!’ … ‘Let him not be wealthy!’ … ‘Let him not be famous!’ … ’Let him have no friends!’ [299] … ’Let him not on the breakup of the body, after death, reappear in a happy destiny in the heavenly world!’[^3] Why is that? An enemy does not delight in an enemy’s going to a happy destiny. Now, this angry person is a prey to anger, ruled by anger; he misconducts himself in body, speech and mind. Misconducting himself thus in body, speech and mind, on the breakup of the body, after death, he reappears in a state of loss, in an unhappy destiny, in perdition, in hell, being a prey to anger” (A IV 94). And this:
‘‘‘Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, chavālātaṃ ubhatopadittaṃ majjhe gūthagataṃ neva gāme kaṭṭhatthaṃ pharati, na araññe kaṭṭhatthaṃ pharati. Tathūpamāhaṃ, bhikkhave, imaṃ puggalaṃ vadāmī’ti ca,“As a log from a pyre, burnt at both ends and fouled in the middle, serves neither for timber in the village nor for timber in the forest, so is such a person as this I say” (A II 95, It 90).
‘‘So dāni tvaṃ evaṃ kujjhanto na ceva bhagavato sāsanakaro bhavissasi, paṭikujjhanto ca kuddhapurisatopi pāpiyo hutvā na dujjayaṃ saṅgāmaṃ jessasi, sapattakaraṇe ca dhamme attāva attano karissasi, chavālātūpamo ca bhavissasī’’ti.“If you are angry now, you will be one who does not carry out the Blessed One’s teaching; by repaying an angry man in kind you will be worse than the angry man and not win the battle hard to win; you will yourself do to yourself the things that help your enemy; and you will be like a pyre log.” (Source untraced)
Tassevaṃ ghaṭayato vāyamato sace taṃ paṭighaṃ vūpasammati, iccetaṃ kusalaṃ.If his resentment subsides when he strives and makes effort in this way, it is good.
No ce vūpasammati, atha yo yo dhammo tassa puggalassa vūpasanto hoti parisuddho, anussariyamāno pasādaṃ āvahati, taṃ taṃ anussaritvā āghāto paṭivinetabbo.If not, then he should remove irritation by remembering some controlled and purified state in that person, which inspires confidence when remembered.
Ekaccassa hi kāyasamācārova upasanto hoti. Upasantabhāvo cassa bahuṃ vattapaṭipattiṃ karontassa sabbajanena ñāyati. Vacīsamācāramanosamācārā pana avūpasantā honti.For one person may be controlled in his bodily behaviour with his control in doing an extensive course of duty known to all, though his verbal and mental behaviour are not controlled.
Tassa te acintetvā kāyasamācāravūpasamoyeva anussaritabbo.Then the latter should be ignored and the control in his bodily behaviour remembered.
Ekaccassa vacīsamācārova upasanto hoti. Upasantabhāvo cassa sabbajanena ñāyati. So hi pakatiyā ca paṭisanthārakusalo hoti sakhilo sukhasambhāso sammodako uttānamukho pubbabhāsī madhurena sarena dhammaṃ osāreti, parimaṇḍalehi padabyañjanehi dhammakathaṃ katheti. Kāyasamācāramanosamācārā pana avūpasantā honti.Another may be controlled in his verbal behaviour, and his control known to all—he may naturally be clever at welcoming kindly, easy to talk with, congenial, open-countenanced, deferential in speech, and he may expound the Dhamma with a sweet voice and give explanations of Dhamma with well-rounded phrases and details—though his bodily and mental behaviour are not controlled.
Tassa te acintetvā vacīsamācāravūpasamoyeva anussaritabbo.Then the latter should be ignored and the control in his verbal behaviour remembered.
Ekaccassa manosamācārova upasanto hoti, upasantabhāvo cassa cetiyavandanādīsu sabbajanassa pākaṭo hoti.Another may be controlled in his mental behaviour, and his control in worshiping at shrines, etc., evident to all.
Yo hi avūpasantacitto hoti, so cetiyaṃ vā bodhiṃ vā there vā vandamāno na sakkaccaṃ vandati, dhammassavanamaṇḍape vikkhittacitto vā pacalāyanto vā nisīdati.For when one who is uncontrolled in mind pays homage at a shrine or at an Enlightenment Tree or to elders, he does not do it carefully, [300] and he sits in the Dhamma-preaching pavilion with mind astray or nodding,
Upasantacitto pana okappetvā vandati, ohitasoto aṭṭhiṃkatvā kāyena vā vācāya vā cittappasādaṃ karonto dhammaṃ suṇāti.while one whose mind is controlled pays homage carefully and deliberately, listens to the Dhamma attentively, remembering it, and evincing the confidence in his mind through his body or his speech.
Iti ekaccassa manosamācārova upasanto hoti, kāyavacīsamācārā avūpasantā honti, tassa te acintetvā manosamācāravūpasamoyeva anussaritabbo.So another may be only controlled in his mental behaviour, though his bodily and verbal behaviour are not controlled. Then the latter should be ignored and the control in his mental behaviour remembered.
Ekaccassa pana imesu tīsu dhammesu ekopi avūpasanto hoti, tasmiṃ puggale ‘‘kiñcāpi esa idāni manussaloke carati, atha kho katipāhassa accayena aṭṭhamahānirayasoḷasaussadanirayaparipūrako bhavissatī’’ti kāruññaṃ upaṭṭhapetabbaṃ.But there may be another in whom not even one of these three things is controlled. Then compassion for that person should be aroused thus: “Though he is going about in the human world now, nevertheless after a certain number of days he will find himself in [one of] the eight great hells or the sixteen prominent hells.[^4]”
Kāruññampi hi paṭicca āghāto vūpasammati.For irritation subsides too through compassion.
Ekaccassa tayopime dhammā vūpasantā honti, tassa yaṃ yaṃ icchati, taṃ taṃ anussaritabbaṃ.In yet another all three may be controlled. Then he can remember any of the three in that person, whichever he likes;
Tādise hi puggale na dukkarā hoti mettābhāvanāti.for the development of loving-kindness towards such a person is easy.
Imassa ca atthassa āvibhāvatthaṃ – ‘‘pañcime, āvuso, āghātapaṭivinayā. Yattha bhikkhuno uppanno āghāto sabbaso paṭivinodetabbo’’ti (a. ni. 5.162) idaṃ pañcakanipāte āghātapaṭivinayasuttaṃ vitthāretabbaṃ.And in order to make the meaning of this clear the following sutta from the Book of Fives should be cited in full: “Bhikkhus, there are five ways of dispelling annoyance whereby annoyance arisen in a bhikkhu can be entirely dispelled” (A III 186–90).
Sace panassa evampi vāyamato āghāto uppajjatiyeva, athānena evaṃ attā ovaditabbo –But if irritation still arises in him in spite of his efforts, then he should admonish himself thus:
Attano visaye dukkhaṃ, kataṃ te yadi verinā; Kiṃ tassāvisaye dukkhaṃ, sacitte kattumicchasi.Suppose an enemy has hurt You now in what is his domain, Why try yourself as well to hurt Your mind?—That is not his domain.
Bahūpakāraṃ hitvāna, ñātivaggaṃ rudammukhaṃ; Mahānatthakaraṃ kodhaṃ, sapattaṃ na jahāsi kiṃ.In tears you left your family. They had been kind and helpful too. So why not leave your enemy, The anger that brings harm to you?
Yāni rakkhasi sīlāni, tesaṃ mūlanikantanaṃ; Kodhaṃ nāmupaḷālesi, ko tayā sadiso jaḷo.This anger that you entertain Is gnawing at the very roots Of all the virtues that you guard— Who is there such a fool as you?
Kataṃ anariyaṃ kammaṃ, parena iti kujjhasi; Kiṃ nu tvaṃ tādisaṃyeva, yo sayaṃ kattumicchasi.Another does ignoble deeds, So you are angry—How is this? Do you then want to copy too The sort of acts that he commits?
Dosetukāmo yadi taṃ, amanāpaṃ paro kari; Dosuppādena tasseva, kiṃ pūresi manorathaṃ.Suppose another, to annoy, Provokes you with some odious act, Why suffer anger to spring up, And do as he would have you do?
Dukkhaṃ tassa ca nāma tvaṃ, kuddho kāhasi vā navā; Attānaṃ panidāneva, kodhadukkhena bādhasi.If you get angry, then maybe You make him suffer, maybe not; Though with the hurt that anger brings You certainly are punished now.
Kodhaṃ vā ahitaṃ maggaṃ, ārūḷhā yadi verino; Kasmā tuvampi kujjhanto, tesaṃyevānusikkhasi.If anger-blinded enemies Set out to tread the path of woe, Do you by getting angry too Intend to follow heel to toe?
Yaṃ dosaṃ tava nissāya, sattunā appiyaṃ kataṃ; Tameva dosaṃ chindassu, kimaṭṭhāne vihaññasi.If hurt is done you by a foe Because of anger on your part, Then put your anger down, for why Should you be harassed groundlessly? [301]
Khaṇikattā ca dhammānaṃ, yehi khandhehi te kataṃ; Amanāpaṃ niruddhā te, kassa dānīdha kujjhasi.Since states last but a moment’s time Those aggregates, by which was done The odious act, have ceased, so now What is it you are angry with?
Dukkhaṃ karoti yo yassa, taṃ vinā kassa so kare; Sayampi dukkhahetuttamiti kiṃ tassa kujjhasī’’ti.Whom shall he hurt, who seeks to hurt Another, in the other’s absence? Your presence is the cause of hurt; Why are you angry, then, with him?
Sace panassa evaṃ attānaṃ ovadatopi paṭighaṃ neva vūpasammati, athānena attano ca parassa ca kammassakatā paccavekkhitabbā.But if resentment does not subside when he admonishes himself thus, then he should review the fact that he himself and the other are owners of their deeds (kamma).
Tattha attano tāva evaṃ paccavekkhitabbā ‘‘ambho tvaṃ tassa kuddho kiṃ karissasi? Nanu taveva cetaṃ dosanidānaṃ kammaṃ anatthāya saṃvattissati? Kammassako hi tvaṃ kammadāyādo kammayoni kammabandhu kammapaṭisaraṇo, yaṃ kammaṃ karissasi, tassa dāyādo bhavissasi, idañca te kammaṃ neva sammāsambodhiṃ, na paccekabodhiṃ, na sāvakabhūmiṃ, na brahmattasakkattacakkavattipadesarājādisampattīnaṃ aññataraṃ sampattiṃ sādhetuṃ samatthaṃ, atha kho sāsanato cāvetvā vighāsādādibhāvassa ceva nerayikādidukkhavisesānañca te saṃvattanikamidaṃ kammaṃ. So tvaṃ idaṃ karonto ubhohi hatthehi vītaccite vā aṅgāre, gūthaṃ vā gahetvā paraṃ paharitukāmo puriso viya attānameva paṭhamaṃ dahasi ceva duggandhañca karosī’’ti.Herein, he should first review this in himself thus: “Now, what is the point of your getting angry with him? Will not this kamma of yours that has anger as its source lead to your own harm? For you are the owner of your deeds, heir of your deeds, having deeds as your parent, deeds as your kin, deeds as your refuge; you will become the heir of whatever deeds you do (see A III 186). And this is not the kind of deed to bring you to full enlightenment, to undeclared enlightenment or to the disciple’s grade, or to any such position as the status of Brahmā or Sakka, or the throne of a Wheel-turning Monarch or a regional king, etc.; but rather this is the kind of deed to lead to your fall from the Dispensation, even to the status of the eaters of scraps, etc., and to the manifold suffering in the hells, and so on. By doing this you are like a man who wants to hit another and picks up a burning ember or excrement in his hand and so first burns himself or makes himself stink.”
Evaṃ attano kammassakataṃ paccavekkhitvā parassapi evaṃ paccavekkhitabbāHaving reviewed ownership of deeds in himself in this way, he should review it in the other also:
‘‘esopi tava kujjhitvā kiṃ karissati? Nanu etassevetaṃ anatthāya saṃvattissati? Kammassako hi ayamāyasmā kammadāyādo…pe… yaṃ kammaṃ karissati, tassa dāyādo bhavissati. Idañcassa kammaṃ neva sammāsambodhiṃ, na paccekabodhiṃ, na sāvakabhūmiṃ, na brahmattasakkattacakkavattipadesarājādisampattīnaṃ aññataraṃ sampattiṃ sādhetuṃ samatthaṃ, atha kho sāsanato cāvetvā vighāsādādibhāvassa ceva nerayikādidukkhavisesānañcassa saṃvattanikamidaṃ kammaṃ. Svāyaṃ idaṃ karonto paṭivāte ṭhatvā paraṃ rajena okiritukāmo puriso viya attānaṃyeva okirati.“And what is the point of his getting angry with you? Will it not lead to his own harm? For that venerable one is owner of his deeds, heir of his deeds … he will become the heir of whatever deeds he does. And this is not the kind of deed to bring him to full enlightenment, to undeclared enlightenment or to the disciple’s grade, or to any such position as the status of Brahmā or Sakka, or to the throne of a Wheel-turning Monarch or a regional king, etc.; but rather this is the kind of deed to lead to his fall from the Dispensation, even to the status of the eaters of scraps, etc., and to the manifold suffering in the hells, and so on. By doing this he is like a man who wants to throw dust at another against the wind and only covers himself with it.”
Vuttañhetaṃ bhagavatā – ‘‘‘Yo appaduṭṭhassa narassa dussati, Suddhassa posassa anaṅgaṇassa; Tameva bālaṃ pacceti pāpaṃ, Sukhumo rajo paṭivātaṃva khitto’’’ti. (dha. pa. 125; su. ni. 667);For this is said by the Blessed One: “When a fool hates a man that has no hate, Is purified and free from every blemish, [302] Such evil he will find comes back on him, As does fine dust thrown up against the wind” (Dhp 125).
Sace panassa evaṃ kammassakatampi paccavekkhato neva vūpasammati, athānena satthu pubbacariyaguṇā anussaritabbā.But if it still does not subside in him when he reviews ownership of deeds in this way, then he should review the special qualities of the Master’s former conduct.
Tatrāyaṃ paccavekkhaṇānayo – ambho pabbajita, nanu te satthā pubbeva sambodhā anabhisambuddho bodhisattopi samāno cattāri asaṅkhyeyyāni kappasatasahassañca pāramiyo pūrayamāno tattha tattha vadhakesupi paccatthikesu cittaṃ nappadūsesi.Here is the way of reviewing it: “Now you who have gone forth, is it not a fact that when your Master was a Bodhisatta before discovering full enlightenment, while he was still engaged in fulfilling the perfections during the four incalculable ages and a hundred thousand aeons, he did not allow hate to corrupt his mind even when his enemies tried to murder him on various occasions?
Seyyathidaṃ, sīlavajātake tāva attano deviyā paduṭṭhena pāpaamaccena ānītassa paṭirañño tiyojanasataṃ rajjaṃ gaṇhantassa nisedhanatthāya uṭṭhitānaṃ amaccānaṃ āvudhampi chupituṃ na adāsi.“For example, in the Sīlavant Birth Story (J-a I 261) when his friends rose to prevent his kingdom of three hundred leagues being seized by an enemy king who had been incited by a wicked minister in whose mind his own queen had sown hate for him, he did not allow them to lift a weapon.
Puna saddhiṃ amaccasahassena āmakasusāne galappamāṇaṃ bhūmiṃ khaṇitvā nikhaññamāno cittappadosamattampi akatvāAgain when he was buried, along with a thousand companions, up to the neck in a hole dug in the earth in a charnel ground, he had no thought of hate.
kuṇapakhādanatthaṃ āgatānaṃ siṅgālānaṃ paṃsuviyūhanaṃ nissāya purisakāraṃ katvā paṭiladdhajīvito yakkhānubhāvena attano sirigabbhaṃ oruyha sirisayane sayitaṃ paccatthikaṃ disvā kopaṃ akatvāva aññamaññaṃ sapathaṃ katvā taṃ mittaṭṭhāne ṭhapayitvā āha –And when, after saving his life by a heroic effort helped by jackals scraping away soil when they had come to devour the corpses, he went with the aid of a spirit to his own bedroom and saw his enemy lying on his own bed, he was not angry but treated him as a friend, undertaking a mutual pledge, and he then exclaimed:
‘‘Āsīsetheva puriso, na nibbindeyya paṇḍito; Passāmi vohamattānaṃ, yathā icchiṃ tathā ahū’’ti. (jā. 1.1.51);“The brave aspire, the wise will not lose heart; I see myself as I had wished to be” (J-a I 267).
Khantivādījātake dummedhena kāsiraññā ‘‘kiṃvādī tvaṃ samaṇā’’ti puṭṭho ‘‘khantivādī nāmāha’’nti vutte sakaṇṭakāhi kasāhi tāḷetvā hatthapādesu chijjamānesu kopamattampi nākāsi.“And in the Khantivādin Birth Story he was asked by the stupid king of Kāsi (Benares), ‘What do you preach, monk?’ and he replied, ‘I am a preacher of patience’; and when the king had him flogged with scourges of thorns and had his hands and feet cut off, he felt not the slightest anger (see J-a III 39).
Anacchariyañcetaṃ, yaṃ mahallako pabbajjūpagato evaṃ kareyya. Cūḷadhammapālajātake pana uttānaseyyakopi samāno –“It is perhaps not so wonderful that an adult who had actually gone forth into homelessness should have acted in that way; but also as an infant he did so.
‘‘Candanarasānulittā, bāhā chijjanti dhammapālassa; Dāyādassa pathabyā, pāṇā me deva rujjhantī’’ti. (jā. 1.5.49);For in the Cūḷa-Dhammapāla Birth Story his hands and feet were ordered to be lopped off like four bamboo shoots by his father, King Mahāpatāpa, and his mother lamented over him thus: “Oh, Dhammapāla’s arms are severed That had been bathed in sandalwood; He was the heir to all the earth: O king, my breath is choking me!” (J-a III 181). [303]
Evaṃ vippalapamānāya mātuyā pitarā mahāpatāpena nāma raññā vaṃsakaḷīresu viya catūsu hatthapādesu chedāpitesu tāvatāpi santuṭṭhiṃ anāpajjitvā sīsamassa chindathāti āṇatte“Then his father, still not satisfied, commanded that his head be cut off as well.
‘‘ayaṃ dāni te cittapariggaṇhanakālo, idāni ambho dhammapāla, sīsacchedāṇāpake pitari, sīsacchedake purise, paridevamānāya mātari, attani cāti imesu catūsu samacitto hohī’’ti daḷhaṃ samādānamadhiṭṭhāya paduṭṭhākāramattampi nākāsi.But even then he had not the least trace of hate, since he had firmly resolved thus: ‘Now is the time to restrain your mind; now, good Dhammapāla, be impartial towards these four persons, that is to say, towards your father who is having your head cut off, the man who is beheading you, your lamenting mother, and yourself.’
Idañcāpi anacchariyameva, yaṃ manussabhūto evamakāsi.“And it is perhaps not so wonderful that one who had become a human being should have acted in that way; but also as an animal he did so.
Tiracchānabhūtopi pana chaddanto nāma vāraṇo hutvā visappitena sallena nābhiyaṃ viddhopi tāva anatthakārimhi luddake cittaṃ nappadūsesi.For while the Bodhisatta was the elephant called Chaddanta he was pierced in the navel by a poisoned shaft. But even then he allowed no hate towards the hunter who had wounded him to corrupt his mind,
Yathāha – ‘‘Samappito puthusallena nāgo, Aduṭṭhacitto luddakaṃ ajjhabhāsi; Kimatthayaṃ kissa vā samma hetu, Mamaṃ vadhī kassa vāyaṃ payogo’’ti. (jā. 1.16.124);according as it is said: The elephant, when struck by the stout shaft, Addressed the hunter with no hate in mind: What is your aim? What is the reason why You kill me thus? What can your purpose be? (J-a V 51).
Evaṃ vatvā ca kāsirañño mahesiyā tava dantānamatthāya pesitomhi bhadanteti vutte tassā manorathaṃ pūrento chabbaṇṇarasminiccharaṇasamujjalitacārusobhe attano dante chetvā adāsi.“And when the elephant had spoken thus and was told, ‘Sir, I have been sent by the king of Kāsi’s queen to get your tusks,’ in order to fulfil her wish he cut off his own tusks whose gorgeous radiance glittered with the flashes of the six-coloured rays and gave them to him.
Mahākapi hutvā attanāyeva pabbatapapātato uddharitena purisena –“And when he was the Great Monkey, the man whom he had pulled out of a rocky chasm thought:
‘‘Bhakkho ayaṃ manussānaṃ, yathevaññe vane migā; Yaṃnūnimaṃ vadhitvāna, chāto khādeyya vānaraṃ. ‘‘Āhitova gamissāmi, maṃsamādāya sambalaṃ; Kantāraṃ nittharissāmi, pātheyyaṃ me bhavissatī’’ti. (jā. 1.16.205-206); –‘Now, this is food for human kind Like other forest animals, So why then should a hungry man Not kill the ape to eat? [I ask.] I’ll travel independently Taking his meat as a provision; Thus I shall cross the waste, and that Will furnish my viaticum’ (J-a V 71).
Evaṃ cintetvā silaṃ ukkhipitvā matthake sampadāliteThen he took up a stone and dashed it on his head.
assupuṇṇehi nettehi taṃ purisaṃ udikkhamāno –But the monkey looked at him with eyes full of tears and said:
‘‘Mā ayyosi me bhadante, tvaṃ nāmetādisaṃ kari; Tvaṃ khosi nāma dīghāvu, aññaṃ vāretumarahasī’’ti. (jā. 1.16.209); –‘Oh, act not so, good sir, or else The fate you reap will long deter All others from such deeds as this That you would do to me today’ (J-a V 71).
Vatvā tasmiṃ purise cittaṃ appadūsetvā attano ca dukkhaṃ acintetvā tameva purisaṃ khemantabhūmiṃ sampāpesi.And with no hate in his mind and regardless of his own pain he saw to it that the man reached his journey’s end in safety.
Bhūridatto nāma nāgarājā hutvā uposathaṅgāni adhiṭṭhāya vammikamuddhani sayamāno kappuṭṭhānaggisadisena osadhena sakalasarīre siñciyamānopi peḷāya pakkhipitvā sakalajambudīpe kīḷāpiyamānopi tasmiṃ brāhmaṇe manopadosamattampi na akāsi.“And while he was the royal nāga (serpent) Bhūridatta, [304] when he had undertaken the Uposatha precepts and was lying on the top of a termite-mound, though he was [caught and] sprinkled with medicinal charms resembling the fire that ushers in the end of an aeon, and was put into a box and treated as a plaything throughout the whole of Jambudīpa, yet he had no trace of hate for that brahman,
Yathāha – ‘‘Peḷāya pakkhipantepi, maddantepi ca pāṇinā; Alampāne na kuppāmi, sīlakhaṇḍabhayā mamā’’ti. (cariyā. 2.16);according as it is said: ‘While being put into the coffer And being crushed down with his hand, I had no hate for Ālambāna Lest I should break my precept vow’ (Cp 85).
Campeyyopi nāgarājā hutvā ahituṇḍikena viheṭhiyamāno manopadosamattampi nuppādesi.“And when he was the royal nāga Campeyya he let no hate spring up in his mind while he was being cruelly treated by a snake charmer,
Yathāha – ‘‘Tadāpi maṃ dhammacāriṃ, upavutthauposathaṃ; Ahituṇḍiko gahetvāna, rājadvāramhi kīḷati.according as it is said: “While I was living in the Law Observing the Uposatha A snake charmer took me away To play with at the royal gate.
‘‘Yaṃ so vaṇṇaṃ cintayati, nīlaṃ pītaṃ va lohitaṃ; Tassa cittānuvattanto, homi cintitasannibho.Whatever hue he might conceive, Blue and yellow, and red as well, So in accordance with his thought I would become what he had wished;
‘‘Thalaṃ kareyyaṃ udakaṃ, udakampi thalaṃ kare; Yadihaṃ tassa kuppeyyaṃ, khaṇena chārikaṃ kare.I would turn dry land into water, And water into land likewise. Now, had I given way to wrath I could have seared him into ash,
‘‘Yadi cittavasī hessaṃ, parihāyissāmi sīlato; Sīlena parihīnassa, uttamattho na sijjhatī’’ti. (cariyā. 2.21-24);Had I relaxed mind-mastery I should have let my virtue lapse; And one who lets his virtue lapse Cannot attain the highest goal” (Cp 85).
Saṅkhapālanāgarājā hutvā tikhiṇāhi sattīhi aṭṭhasu ṭhānesu ovijjhitvā pahāramukhehi sakaṇṭakā latāyo pavesetvā nāsāya daḷhaṃ rajjuṃ pakkhipitvā soḷasahi bhojaputtehi kājenādāya vayhamāno dharaṇītale ghaṃsiyamānasarīro mahantaṃ dukkhaṃ paccanubhonto kujjhitvā olokitamatteneva sabbe bhojaputte bhasmaṃ kātuṃ samatthopi samāno cakkhuṃ ummīletvā paduṭṭhākāramattampi na akāsi.“And when he was the royal nāga Saṅkhapāla, while he was being carried along on a carrying pole by the sixteen village boys after they had wounded him in eight places with sharp spears and inserted thorn creepers into the wounds’ orifices, and while, after threading a strong rope through his nose, they were causing him great agony by dragging him along bumping his body on the surface of the ground, though he was capable of turning those village boys to cinders with a mere glance, yet he did not even show the least trace of hate on opening his eyes,
Yathāha – ‘‘Cātuddasiṃ pañcadasiñcaḷāra, Uposathaṃ niccamupāvasāmi; Athāgamuṃ soḷasa bhojaputtā, Rajjuṃ gahetvāna daḷhañca pāsaṃ.according as it is said: ‘On the fourteenth and the fifteenth too, Āḷāra, I regularly kept the Holy Day, Until there came those sixteen village boys Bearing a rope and a stout spear as well.
‘‘Bhetvāna nāsaṃ atikassa rajjuṃ, Nayiṃsu maṃ samparigayha luddā; Etādisaṃ dukkhamahaṃ titikkhaṃ, Uposathaṃ appaṭikopayanto’’ti. (jā. 2.17.180-181);The hunters cleft my nose, and through the slit They passed a rope and dragged me off like that. But though I felt such poignant agony, I let no hate disturb my Holy Day” (J-a V 172). [305]
Na kevalañca etāneva, aññānipi mātuposakajātakādīsu anekāni acchariyāni akāsi.“And he performed not only these wonders but also many others too such as those told in the Mātuposaka Birth Story (J-a IV 90).
Tassa te idāni sabbaññutaṃ pattaṃ sadevaloke kenaci appaṭisamakhantiguṇaṃ taṃ bhagavantaṃ satthāraṃ apadisato paṭighacittaṃ nāma uppādetuṃ ativiya ayuttaṃ appatirūpanti.Now, it is in the highest degree improper and unbecoming to you to arouse thoughts of resentment, since you are emulating as your Master that Blessed One who reached omniscience and who has in the special quality of patience no equal in the world with its deities.”
Sace panassa evaṃ satthu pubbacaritaguṇaṃ paccavekkhatopi dīgharattaṃ kilesānaṃ dāsabyaṃ upagatassa neva taṃ paṭighaṃ vūpasammati, athānena anamataggiyāni paccavekkhitabbāni.But if, as he reviews the special qualities of the Master’s former conduct, the resentment still does not subside in him, since he has long been used to the slavery of defilement, then he should review the suttas that deal with the beginninglessness [of the round of rebirths].
Tatra hi vuttaṃ – ‘‘Na so, bhikkhave, satto sulabharūpo, yo na mātābhūtapubbo, yo na pitābhūtapubbo, yo na bhātā, yo na bhaginī, yo na putto, yo na dhītābhūtapubbā’’ti (saṃ. ni. 2.137-142).Here is what is said: “Bhikkhus, it is not easy to find a being who has not formerly been your mother … your father … your brother … your sister … your son … your daughter” (S II 189–90).
Tasmā tasmiṃ puggale evaṃ cittaṃ uppādetabbaṃ, ‘‘ayaṃ kira me atīte mātā hutvā dasamāse kucchiyā pariharitvā muttakarīsakheḷasiṅghāṇikādīni haricandanaṃ viya ajigucchamānā apanetvā ure naccāpentī aṅgena pariharamānā posesi, pitā hutvā ajapathasaṅkupathādīni gantvā vāṇijjaṃ payojayamāno mayhamatthāya jīvitampi pariccajitvā ubhatobyūḷhe saṅgāme pavisitvā nāvāya mahāsamuddaṃ pakkhanditvā aññāni ca dukkarāni karitvā ‘puttake posessāmī’ti tehi tehi upāyehi dhanaṃ saṃharitvā maṃ posesi. Bhātā, bhaginī, putto, dhītā ca hutvāpi idañcidañcupakāraṃ akāsīti tatra me nappatirūpaṃ manaṃ padūsetu’’nti.Consequently he should think about that person thus: “This person, it seems, as my mother in the past carried me in her womb for ten months and removed from me without disgust, as if it were yellow sandalwood, my urine, excrement, spittle, snot, etc., and played with me in her lap, and nourished me, carrying me about on her hip. And this person as my father went by goat paths and paths set on piles,[^5] etc., to pursue the trade of merchant, and he risked his life for me by going into battle in double array, by sailing on the great ocean in ships and doing other difficult things, and he nourished me by bringing back wealth by one means or another thinking to feed his children. And as my brother, sister, son, daughter, this person gave me such and such help. So it is unbecoming for me to harbour hate for him in my mind.”
Sace pana evampi cittaṃ nibbāpetuṃ na sakkotiyeva, athānena evaṃ mettānisaṃsā paccavekkhitabbā –But if he is still unable to quench that thought in this way, then he should review the advantages of loving-kindness thus:
‘‘ambho pabbajita, nanu vuttaṃ bhagavatā – ‘Mettāya kho, bhikkhave, cetovimuttiyā āsevitāya bhāvitāya bahulīkatāya yānīkatāya vatthukatāya anuṭṭhitāya paricitāya susamāraddhāya ekādasānisaṃsā pāṭikaṅkhā. Katame ekādasa? Sukhaṃ supati, sukhaṃ paṭibujjhati, na pāpakaṃ supinaṃ passati, manussānaṃ piyo hoti, amanussānaṃ piyo hoti, devatā rakkhanti, nāssa aggi vā visaṃ vā satthaṃ vā kamati, tuvaṭaṃ cittaṃ samādhiyati, mukhavaṇṇo pasīdati, asammūḷho kālaṅkaroti, uttarimappaṭivijjhanto brahmalokūpago hotī’ti (a. ni. 11.15).“Now, you who have gone forth into homelessness, has it not been said by the Blessed One as follows: ‘Bhikkhus, when the mind-deliverance of loving-kindness is cultivated, developed, much practiced, made the vehicle, made the foundation, established, consolidated, and properly undertaken, eleven blessings can be expected. What are the eleven? A man sleeps in comfort, wakes in comfort, and dreams no evil dreams, he is dear to human beings, he is dear to non-human beings, deities guard him, fire and poison and weapons do not affect him, his mind is easily concentrated, the expression of his face is serene, he dies unconfused, if he penetrates no higher he will be reborn in the Brahmā-world’ (A V 342). [306]
‘‘Sace tvaṃ idaṃ cittaṃ na nibbāpessasi, imehi ānisaṃsehi paribāhiro bhavissasī’’ti.If you do not stop this thought, you will be denied these advantages.”
Evampi nibbāpetuṃ asakkontena pana dhātuvinibbhogo kātabbo.But if he is still unable to stop it in this way, he should try resolution into elements.
Kathaṃ?How?
‘‘Ambho pabbajita, tvaṃ etassa kujjhamāno kassa kujjhasi? Kiṃ kesānaṃ kujjhasi, udāhu lomānaṃ, nakhānaṃ…pe… muttassa kujjhasi? Atha vā pana kesādīsu pathavīdhātuyā kujjhasi, āpodhātuyā, tejodhātuyā, vāyodhātuyā kujjhasi? Ye vā pañcakkhandhe dvādasāyatanāni aṭṭhārasa dhātuyo upādāya ayamāyasmā itthannāmoti vuccati, tesu kiṃ rūpakkhandhassa kujjhasi, udāhu vedanā saññā saṅkhāraviññāṇakkhandhassa kujjhasi? Kiṃ vā cakkhāyatanassa kujjhasi, kiṃ rūpāyatanassa kujjhasi…pe… kiṃ manāyatanassa kujjhasi, kiṃ dhammāyatanassa kujjhasi? Kiṃ vā cakkhudhātuyā kujjhasi, kiṃ rūpadhātuyā, kiṃ cakkhuviññāṇadhātuyā…pe… kiṃ manodhātuyā, kiṃ dhammadhātuyā, kiṃ manoviññāṇadhātuyā’’ti?“Now, you who have gone forth into homelessness, when you are angry with him, what is it you are angry with? Is it head hairs you are angry with? Or body hairs? Or nails? … Or is it urine you are angry with? Or alternatively, is it the earth element in the head hairs, etc., you are angry with? Or the water element? Or the fire element? Or is it the air element you are angry with? Or among the five aggregates or the twelve bases or the eighteen elements with respect to which this venerable one is called by such and such a name, which then, is it the materiality aggregate you are angry with? Or the feeling aggregate, the perception aggregate, the formations aggregate, the consciousness aggregate you are angry with? Or is it the eye base you are angry with? Or the visible-object base you are angry with? … Or the mind base you are angry with? Or the mental-object base you are angry with? Or is it the eye element you are angry with? Or the visible-object element? Or the eye-consciousness element? … Or the mind element? Or the mental-object element? Or the mind-consciousness element you are angry with?”
Evañhi dhātuvinibbhogaṃ karoto āragge sāsapassa viya ākāse cittakammassa viya ca kodhassa patiṭṭhānaṭṭhānaṃ na hoti.For when he tries the resolution into elements, his anger finds no foothold, like a mustard seed on the point of an awl or a painting on the air.
Dhātuvinibbhogaṃ pana kātuṃ asakkontena dānasaṃvibhāgo kātabbo.But if he cannot effect the resolution into elements, he should try the giving of a gift.
Attano santakaṃ parassa dātabbaṃ, parassa santakaṃ attanā gahetabbaṃ.It can either be given by himself to the other or accepted by himself from the other.
Sace pana paro bhinnājīvo hoti aparibhogārahaparikkhāro, attano santakameva dātabbaṃ.But if the other’s livelihood is not purified and his requisites are not proper to be used, it should be given by oneself.
Tassevaṃ karoto ekanteneva tasmiṃ puggale āghāto vūpasammati.And in the one who does this the annoyance with that person entirely subsides.
Itarassa ca atītajātito paṭṭhāya anubandhopi kodho taṅkhaṇaññeva vūpasammati, cittalapabbatavihāre tikkhattuṃ vuṭṭhāpitasenāsanena piṇḍapātikattherena ‘‘ayaṃ, bhante, aṭṭhakahāpaṇagghanako patto mama mātarā upāsikāya dinno dhammiyalābho, mahāupāsikāya puññalābhaṃ karothā’’ti vatvā dinnaṃ pattaṃ laddhamahātherassa viya.And in the other even anger that has been dogging him from a past birth subsides at the moment, as happened to the senior elder who received a bowl given to him at the Cittalapabbata Monastery by an almsfood-eater elder who had been three times made to move from his lodging by him, and who presented it with these words: “Venerable sir, this bowl worth eight ducats was given me by my mother who is a lay devotee, and it is rightly obtained; let the good lay devotee acquire merit.”
Evaṃ mahānubhāvametaṃ dānaṃ nāma.So efficacious is this act of giving.
Vuttampi cetaṃ – ‘‘Adantadamanaṃ dānaṃ, dānaṃ sabbatthasādhakaṃ; Dānena piyavācāya, unnamanti namanti cā’’ti.And this is said: A gift for taming the untamed, A gift for every kind of good; Through giving gifts they do unbend And condescend to kindly speech. [307]
Tassevaṃ verīpuggale vūpasantapaṭighassa yathā piyātippiyasahāyakamajjhattesu, evaṃ tasmimpi mettāvasena cittaṃ pavattati.When his resentment towards that hostile person has been thus allayed, then he can turn his mind with loving-kindness towards that person too, just as towards the one who is dear, the very dear friend, and the neutral person.
Athānena punappunaṃ mettāyantena attani piyapuggale majjhatte verīpuggaleti catūsu janesu samacittataṃ sampādentena sīmāsambhedo kātabbo.Then he should break down the barriers by practicing loving-kindness over and over again, accomplishing mental impartiality towards the four persons, that is to say, himself, the dear person, the neutral person and the hostile person.
Tassidaṃ lakkhaṇaṃ, sace imasmiṃ puggale piyamajjhattaverīhi saddhiṃ attacatutthe ekasmiṃ padese nisinne corā āgantvā ‘‘bhante, ekaṃ bhikkhuṃ amhākaṃ dethā’’ti vatvā ‘‘kiṃ kāraṇā’’ti vutte ‘‘taṃ māretvā galalohitaṃ gahetvā balikaraṇatthāyā’’ti vadeyyuṃ,The characteristic of it is this. Suppose this person is sitting in a place with a dear, a neutral, and a hostile person, himself being the fourth; then bandits come to him and say, “Venerable sir, give us a bhikkhu,” and on being asked why, they answer, “So that we may kill him and use the blood of his throat as an offering;”
tatra ceso bhikkhu ‘‘asukaṃ vā asukaṃ vā gaṇhantū’’ti cinteyya, akatova hoti sīmāsambhedo.then if that bhikkhu thinks, “Let them take this one, or this one,” he has not broken down the barriers.
Sacepi ‘‘maṃ gaṇhantu, mā ime tayo’’tipi cinteyya, akatova hoti sīmāsambhedo.And also if he thinks, “Let them take me but not these three,” he has not broken down the barriers either.
Kasmā? Yassa yassa hi gahaṇamicchati, tassa tassa ahitesī hoti, itaresaṃyeva hitesī hoti.Why? Because he seeks the harm of him whom he wishes to be taken and seeks the welfare of the other only.
Yadā pana catunnaṃ janānamantare ekampi corānaṃ dātabbaṃ na passati, attani ca tesu ca tīsu janesu samameva cittaṃ pavatteti, kato hoti sīmāsambhedo.But it is when he does not see a single one among the four people to be given to the bandits and he directs his mind impartially towards himself and towards those three people that he has broken down the barriers.
Tenāhu porāṇā –Hence the Ancients said:
‘‘Attani hitamajjhatte, ahite ca catubbidhe; Yadā passati nānattaṃ, hitacittova pāṇinaṃ. ‘‘Na nikāmalābhī mettāya, kusalīti pavuccati; Yadā catasso sīmāyo, sambhinnā honti bhikkhuno. ‘‘Samaṃ pharati mettāya, sabbalokaṃ sadevakaṃ; Mahāviseso purimena, yassa sīmā na ñāyatī’’ti.When he discriminates between The four, that is himself, the dear, The neutral, and the hostile one, Then “skilled” is not the name he gets, Nor “having amity at will,” But only “kindly towards beings.” Now, when a bhikkhu’s barriers Have all the four been broken down, He treats with equal amity The whole world with its deities; Far more distinguished than the first Is he who knows no barriers.
Evaṃ sīmāsambhedasamakālameva ca iminā bhikkhunā nimittañca upacārañca laddhaṃ hoti.Thus the sign and access are obtained by this bhikkhu simultaneously with the breaking down of the barriers.
Sīmāsambhede pana kate tameva nimittaṃ āsevanto bhāvento bahulīkaronto appakasireneva pathavīkasiṇe vuttanayeneva appanaṃ pāpuṇāti.But when breaking down of the barriers has been effected, he reaches absorption in the way described under the earth kasiṇa without trouble by cultivating, developing, and repeatedly practicing that same sign.
Ettāvatānena adhigataṃ hoti pañcaṅgavippahīnaṃ pañcaṅgasamannāgataṃ tividhakalyāṇaṃ dasalakkhaṇasampannaṃ paṭhamajjhānaṃ mettāsahagataṃ.At this point he has attained the first jhāna, which abandons five factors, possesses five factors, is good in three ways, is endowed with ten characteristics, and is accompanied by loving-kindness.
Adhigate ca tasmiṃ tadeva nimittaṃ āsevanto bhāvento bahulīkaronto anupubbena catukkanaye dutiyatatiyajjhānāni, pañcakanaye dutiyatatiyacatutthajjhānāni ca pāpuṇāti.And when that has been obtained, then by cultivating, developing, and repeatedly practicing that same sign, he successively reaches the second and third jhānas in the fourfold system, and the second, third and fourth in the fivefold system. [308]
So hi paṭhamajjhānādīnaṃ aññataravasena mettāsahagatena cetasā ekaṃ disaṃ pharitvā viharati. Tathā dutiyaṃ, tathā tatiyaṃ, tathā catutthaṃ. Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṃ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṃ lokaṃ mettāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā viharati (vibha. 642; dī. ni. 1.556).Now, it is by means of one of these jhānas beginning with the first that he “Dwells pervading (intent upon) one direction with his heart endued with loving-kindness, likewise the second direction, likewise the third direction, likewise the fourth direction, and so above, below, and around; everywhere and equally he dwells pervading the entire world with his heart endued with loving-kindness, abundant, exalted, measureless, free from enmity, and free from affliction” (Vibh 272; D I 250).
Paṭhamajjhānādivasena appanāppattacittasseva hi ayaṃ vikubbanā sampajjati.For this versatility comes about only in one whose consciousness has reached absorption in the first jhāna and the rest.
Ettha ca mettāsahagatenāti mettāya samannāgatena.And here endued with loving-kindness means possessing loving-kindness.
Cetasāti cittena.With his heart (cetasā): with his mind (cittena).
Ekaṃ disanti ekamekissā disāya paṭhamapariggahitaṃ sattaṃ upādāya ekadisāpariyāpannasattapharaṇavasena vuttaṃ.One direction: this refers to anyone direction in which a being is first discerned and means pervasion of the beings included in that one direction.
Pharitvāti phusitvā ārammaṇaṃ katvā.Pervading: touching, making his object.
Viharatīti brahmavihārādhiṭṭhitaṃ iriyāpathavihāraṃ pavatteti.He dwells (viharati): he causes the occurrence of an abiding (vihāra—dwelling or continuation) in postures that is devoted to the divine abidings (see IV.103).
Tathā dutiyanti yathā puratthimādīsu disāsu yaṃkiñci ekaṃ disaṃ pharitvā viharati, tatheva tadanantaraṃ dutiyaṃ tatiyaṃ catutthañcāti attho.Likewise the second: just as he dwells pervading anyone direction among those beginning with the eastern one, so he does with the next one, and the third and the fourth, is the meaning.
Iti uddhanti eteneva nayena uparimaṃ disanti vuttaṃ hoti.So above: in that same way in the upper direction is what is meant.
Adho tiriyanti adhodisampi tiriyaṃdisampi evameva. Tattha ca adhoti heṭṭhā. Tiriyanti anudisāsu.Below, around: so too the lower direction and the direction all round. Herein, below is underneath, and around is in the intermediate directions.
Evaṃ sabbadisāsu assamaṇḍale assamiva mettāsahagataṃ cittaṃ sāretipi paccāsāretipīti.So he sends his heart full of loving-kindness back and forth in all directions like a horse in a circus ground.
Ettāvatā ekaṃ disaṃ pariggahetvā odhiso mettāpharaṇaṃ dassitaṃ.Up to this point specified pervasion with loving-kindness is shown in the discernment of each direction separately.
Sabbadhītiādi pana anodhiso dassanatthaṃ vuttaṃ. Tattha sabbadhīti sabbattha.Everywhere, etc., is said for the purpose of showing unspecified pervasion. Herein, everywhere means in all places.
Sabbattatāyāti sabbesu hīnamajjhimukkaṭṭhamittasapattamajjhattādippabhedesu attatāya. ‘‘Ayaṃ parasatto’’ti vibhāgaṃ akatvā attasamatāyāti vuttaṃ hoti.Equally (sabbattatāya): to all classed as inferior, medium, superior, friendly, hostile, neutral, etc., just as to oneself (attatā); equality with oneself (atta-samatā) without making the distinction, “This is another being,” is what is meant.
Atha vā sabbattatāyāti sabbena cittabhāgena īsakampi bahi avikkhipamānoti vuttaṃ hoti.Or alternatively, equally (sabbattatāya) is with the whole state of the mind; not reserving even a little, is what is meant. [309]
Sabbāvantanti sabbasattavantaṃ, sabbasattayuttanti attho.Entire (sabbāvant): possessing all beings (sabbasattavant); associated with all beings, is the meaning.
Lokanti sattalokaṃ.World is the world of beings.
Vipulenātievamādipariyāyadassanato panettha puna mettāsahagatenāti vuttaṃ.Endued with loving-kindness is said again here in order to introduce the synonyms beginning with abundant.
Yasmā vā ettha odhiso pharaṇe viya puna tathāsaddo itisaddo vā na vutto, tasmā puna mettāsahagatena cetasāti vuttaṃ.Or alternatively, endued with loving-kindness is repeated because the word likewise or the word so is not repeated here as it was in the case of the [preceding] specified pervasion.
Nigamavasena vā etaṃ vuttaṃ.Or alternatively, it is said as a way of concluding.
Vipulenāti ettha ca pharaṇavasena vipulatā daṭṭhabbā.And abundant should be regarded here as abundance in pervading.
Bhūmivasena pana etaṃ mahaggataṃ paguṇavasena ca appamāṇasattārammaṇavasena ca appamāṇaṃ, byāpādapaccatthikappahānena averaṃ, domanassappahānato abyāpajjaṃ, niddukkhanti vuttaṃ hoti.But it is exalted in plane [from the sensual-sphere plane to the fine-material-sphere plane], measureless through familiarity and through having measureless beings as its object, free from enmity through abandonment of ill will and hostility, and free from affliction through abandonment of grief; without suffering, is what is meant.
Ayaṃ mettāsahagatena cetasātiādinā nayena vuttāya vikubbanāya attho.This is the meaning of the versatility described in the way beginning, “With his heart endued with loving-kindness.”
Yathā cāyaṃ appanāppattacittasseva vikubbanā sampajjati, tathā yampi paṭisambhidāyaṃ (paṭi. ma. 2.22) ‘‘pañcahākārehi anodhisopharaṇā mettācetovimutti, sattahākārehi odhisopharaṇā mettā cetovimutti, dasahākārehi disāpharaṇā mettā cetovimuttī’’ti vuttaṃ, tampi appanāppattacittasseva sampajjatīti veditabbaṃ.And just as this versatility is successful only in one whose mind has reached absorption, so too that described in the Paṭisambhidā should be understood to be successful only in one whose mind has reached absorption, that is to say: “The mind-deliverance of loving-kindness is [practiced] with unspecified pervasion in five ways. The mind-deliverance of loving-kindness is [practiced] with specified pervasion in seven ways. The mind-deliverance of loving-kindness is [practiced] with directional pervasion in ten ways” (Paṭis II 130).
Tattha ca sabbe sattā averā abyāpajjā anīghā sukhī attānaṃ pariharantu, sabbe pāṇā, sabbe bhūtā, sabbe puggalā, sabbe attabhāvapariyāpannā averā…pe… pariharantūti imehi pañcahākārehi anodhisopharaṇā mettā cetovimutti veditabbā.And herein, the mind-deliverance of loving-kindness is [practiced] with unspecified pervasion in these five ways: “May all beings be free from enmity, affliction and anxiety, and live happily. May all breathing things … all creatures … all persons … all those who have a personality be free from enmity, affliction and anxiety, and live happily” (Paṭis II 130).
Sabbā itthiyo averā…pe… attānaṃ pariharantu, sabbe purisā, sabbe ariyā, sabbe anariyā, sabbe devā, sabbe manussā, sabbe vinipātikā averā…pe… pariharantūti imehi sattahākārehi odhisopharaṇā mettā cetovimutti veditabbā.The mind-deliverance of loving-kindness is [practiced] with specified pervasion in these seven ways: “May all women be free from enmity, affliction and anxiety and live happily. May all men … all Noble Ones … all not Noble Ones … all deities … all human beings … all in states of loss be free from enmity, affliction and anxiety, and live happily” (Paṭis II 131).
Sabbe puratthimāya disāya sattā averā…pe… attānaṃ pariharantu. Sabbe pacchimāya disāya, sabbe uttarāya disāya, sabbe dakkhiṇāya disāya, sabbe puratthimāya anudisāya, sabbe pacchimāya anudisāya, sabbe uttarāya anudisāya, sabbe dakkhiṇāya anudisāya, sabbe heṭṭhimāya disāya, sabbe uparimāya disāya sattā averā…pe… pariharantu. Sabbe puratthimāya disāya pāṇā, bhūtā, puggalā, attabhāvapariyāpannā, averā…pe… pariharantu. Sabbā puratthimāya disāya itthiyo, sabbe purisā, ariyā, anariyā, devā, manussā, vinipātikā averā…pe… pariharantu. Sabbā pacchimāya disāya, uttarāya, dakkhiṇāya, puratthimāya anudisāya, pacchimāya, uttarāya, dakkhiṇāya anudisāya, heṭṭhimāya disāya, uparimāya disāya itthiyo…pe… vinipātikā averā abyāpajjā anīghā sukhī attānaṃ pariharantūti imehi dasahākārehi disāpharaṇā mettā cetovimutti veditabbā.The mind-deliverance of loving-kindness is [practiced] with directional pervasion in these ten ways: “May all beings in the eastern direction be free from enmity, affliction and anxiety, and live happily. May all beings in the western direction … northern direction … southern direction [310] … eastern intermediate direction … western intermediate direction … northern intermediate direction … southern intermediate direction … downward direction … upward direction be free from enmity, affliction and anxiety, and live happily. May all breathing things in the eastern direction … May all creatures in the eastern direction … May all persons in the eastern direction … May all who have a personality in the eastern direction … [etc.] … in the upward direction be free from enmity, affliction and anxiety, and live happily. May all women in the eastern direction … May all men in the eastern direction … May all Noble Ones in the eastern direction … May all not Noble Ones in the eastern direction … May all deities in the eastern direction … May all human beings in the eastern direction … May all those in states of loss in the eastern direction … [etc.] … be free from enmity, affliction and anxiety, and live happily” (Paṭis II 131).
Tattha sabbeti anavasesapariyādānametaṃ.Herein, all signifies inclusion without exception.
Sattāti rūpādīsu khandhesu chandarāgena sattā visattāti sattā.Beings (satta): they are held (satta), gripped (visatta) by desire and greed for the aggregates beginning with materiality, thus they are beings (satta).
Vuttañhetaṃ bhagavatā – ‘‘Rūpe kho, rādha, yo chando yo rāgo yā nandī yā taṇhā, tatra satto, tatra visatto, tasmā sattoti vuccati… vedanāya… saññāya… saṅkhāresu… viññāṇe yo chando yo rāgo yā nandī yā taṇhā, tatra satto, tatra visatto, tasmā sattoti vuccatī’’ti (saṃ. ni. 3.161).For this is said by the Blessed One: “Any desire for matter, Rādha, any greed for it, any delight in it, any craving for it, has held (satta) it, has gripped (visatta) it, that is why ‘a being’ (satta) is said” (S III 190).
Ruḷhīsaddena pana vītarāgesupi ayaṃ vohāro vattatiyeva, vilīvamayepi bījanivisese tālavaṇṭavohāro viya.But in ordinary speech this term of common usage is applied also to those who are without greed, just as the term of common usage “palm fan” (tālavaṇṭa) is used for different sorts of fans [in general] even if made of split bamboo.
Akkharacintakā pana atthaṃ avicāretvā nāmamattametanti icchanti. Yepi atthaṃ vicārenti, te satvayogena sattāti icchanti.However, [in the world] etymologists (akkhara-cintaka) who do not consider meaning have it that it is a mere name, while those who do consider meaning have it that a “being” (satta) is so called with reference to the “bright principle” (satta).[^6]
Pāṇanatāya pāṇā, assāsapassāsāyattavuttitāyāti attho.Breathing things (pāṇa): so called because of their state of breathing (pāṇanatā); the meaning is, because their existence depends on in-breaths and out-breaths.
Bhūtattā bhūtā, saṃbhūtattā abhinibbattattāti attho.Creatures (bhūta): so called because of being (bhūtatta = becomeness); the meaning is, because of their being fully become (sambhūtatta), because of their being generated (abhinibbattatta).
Punti vuccati nirayo. Tasmiṃ galantīti puggalā, gacchantīti attho.Persons (puggala): “puṃ” is what hell is called; they fall (galanti) into that, is the meaning.
Attabhāvo vuccati sarīraṃ. Khandhapañcakameva vā, tamupādāya paññattimattasambhavato.Personality (attabhāva) is what the physical body is called; or it is just the pentad of aggregates, since it is actually only a concept derived from that pentad of aggregates[^7]
Tasmiṃ attabhāve pariyāpannāti attabhāvapariyāpannā. Pariyāpannāti paricchinnā, antogadhāti attho.[What is referred to is] included (pariyāpanna) in that personality, thus it “has a personality” (attabhāva-pariyāpanna). “Included in” is delimited by; “gone into” is the meaning.
Yathā ca sattāti vacanaṃ, evaṃ sesānipi ruḷhīvasena āropetvā sabbānetāni sabbasattavevacanānīti veditabbāni.And all the remaining [terms] should be understood as synonyms for “all beings” used in accordance with ordinary speech as in the case of the term “beings.”
Kāmañca aññānipi sabbe jantū sabbe jīvātiādīni sabbasattavevacanāni atthi, pākaṭavasena pana imāneva pañca gahetvā ‘‘pañcahākārehi anodhisopharaṇā mettā cetovimuttī’’ti vuttaṃ.Of course, [311] there are other synonyms too for all “beings,” such as all “folks,” all “souls,” etc.; still it is for clarity’s sake that “The mind-deliverance of loving-kindness is [practiced] with unspecified pervasion in five ways” is said and that only these five are mentioned.
Ye pana sattā pāṇātiādīnaṃ na kevalaṃ vacanamattatova, atha kho atthatopi nānattameva iccheyyuṃ, tesaṃ anodhisopharaṇā virujjhati, tasmā tathā atthaṃ agahetvā imesu pañcasu ākāresu aññataravasena anodhiso mettā pharitabbā.Those who would have it that there is not only a mere verbal difference between “beings,” “breathing things,” etc., but also an actual difference in meaning, are contradicted by the mention of unspecified pervasion. So instead of taking the meaning in that way, the unspecified pervasion with loving-kindness is done in any one of these five ways.
Ettha ca sabbe sattā averā hontūti ayamekā appanā. Abyāpajjā hontūti ayamekā appanā. Abyāpajjāti byāpādarahitā.And here, may all beings be free from enmity is one absorption; free from affliction is one absorption—free from affliction (abyābajjha) is free from afflictedness (byābādha-rahita);[^8]
Anīghā hontūti ayamekā appanā. Anīghāti niddukkhā. Sukhī attānaṃ pariharantūti ayamekā appanā.free from anxiety is one absorption—free from anxiety is free from suffering; may they live happily is one absorption.
Tasmā imesupi padesu yaṃ yaṃ pākaṭaṃ hoti, tassa tassa vasena mettā pharitabbā.Consequently he should do his pervading with loving-kindness according to whichever of these phrases is clear to him.
Iti pañcasu ākāresu catunnaṃ appanānaṃ vasena anodhisopharaṇe vīsati appanā honti.So with the four kinds of absorption in each of the five ways, there are twenty kinds of absorption in unspecified pervasion.
Odhisopharaṇe pana sattasu ākāresu catunnaṃ vasena aṭṭhavīsati.In specified pervasion, with the four kinds of absorption in each of the seven ways, there are twenty-eight kinds of absorption.
Ettha ca itthiyo purisāti liṅgavasena vuttaṃ. Ariyā anariyāti ariyaputhujjanavasena. Devā manussā vinipātikāti upapattivasena.And here “woman” and “man” are stated according to sex; “Noble Ones” and “not Noble Ones” according to Noble Ones and ordinary people; “deities” and “human beings” and “those in states of loss” according to the kind of rebirth.
Disāpharaṇe pana sabbe puratthimāya disāya sattātiādinā nayena ekamekissā disāya vīsati vīsati katvā dvesatāni, sabbā puratthimāya disāya itthiyotiādinā nayena ekamekissā disāya aṭṭhavīsati aṭṭhavīsati katvā asīti dvesatānīti cattāri satāni asīti ca appanā.In directional pervasion, with twenty kinds of absorption in each of the directions beginning with “all beings in the eastern direction,” there are two hundred kinds of absorption; and with twenty-eight kinds in each of the directions beginning with “all women in the eastern direction” there are two hundred and eighty kinds; so these make four hundred and eighty kinds of absorption.
Iti sabbānipi paṭisambhidāyaṃ vuttāni aṭṭhavīsādhikāni pañca appanāsatānīti.Consequently all the kinds of absorption mentioned in the Paṭisambhidā amount to five hundred and twenty-eight.
Iti etāsu appanāsu yassa kassaci vasena mettaṃ cetovimuttiṃ bhāvetvā ayaṃ yogāvacaro ‘‘sukhaṃ supatī’’tiādinā nayena vutte ekādasānisaṃse paṭilabhati.So when this meditator develops the mind-deliverance of loving-kindness through any one of these kinds of absorption, he obtains the eleven advantages described in the way beginning, “A man sleeps in comfort” (§37).
Tattha sukhaṃ supatīti yathā sesā janā samparivattamānā kākacchamānā dukkhaṃ supanti, evaṃ asupitvā sukhaṃ supati.Herein, sleeps in comfort means that instead of sleeping uncomfortably, turning over and snoring as other people do, he sleeps comfortably,
Niddaṃ okkantopi samāpattiṃ samāpanno viya hoti.he falls asleep as though entering upon an attainment.
Sukhaṃ paṭibujjhatīti yathā aññe nitthunantā vijambhantā samparivattantā dukkhaṃ paṭibujjhanti, evaṃ appaṭibujjhitvā vikasamānamiva padumaṃ sukhaṃ nibbikāraṃ paṭibujjhati.He wakes in comfort: instead of waking uncomfortably, groaning and yawning and turning over as others do, he wakes comfortably without contortions, like a lotus opening. [312]
Napāpakaṃ supinaṃ passatīti supinaṃ passantopi bhaddakameva supinaṃ passati, cetiyaṃ vandanto viya pūjaṃ karonto viya dhammaṃ suṇanto viya ca hoti.He dreams no evil dreams: when he sees dreams, he sees only auspicious ones, as though he were worshipping a shrine, as though he were making an offering, as though he were hearing the Dhamma.
Yathā pana aññe attānaṃ corehi samparivāritaṃ viya vāḷehi upaddutaṃ viya papāte patantaṃ viya ca passanti, evaṃ pāpakaṃ supinaṃ na passati.But he does not see evil dreams as others do, as though being surrounded by bandits, as though being threatened by wild beasts, as though falling into chasms (see XIV, n. 45).
Manussānaṃ piyo hotīti ure āmuttamuttāhāro viya sīse piḷandhamālā viya ca manussānaṃ piyo hoti manāpo.He is dear to human beings: he is as dear to and beloved by human beings as a necklace worn to hang on the chest, as a wreath adorning the head.
Amanussānaṃ piyo hotīti yatheva manussānaṃ, evaṃ amanussānampi piyo hoti visākhatthero viya.He is dear to non-human beings: he is just as dear to non-human beings as he is to human beings, as in the Elder Visākha’s case.
So kira pāṭaliputte kuṭumbiyo ahosi.He was a landowner, it seems, at Pāṭaliputta (Patna).
So tattheva vasamāno assosi ‘‘tambapaṇṇidīpo kira cetiyamālālaṅkato kāsāvapajjoto icchiticchitaṭṭhāneyeva ettha sakkā nisīdituṃ vā nipajjituṃ vā utusappāyaṃ senāsanasappāyaṃ puggalasappāyaṃ dhammassavanasappāyanti sabbamettha sulabha’’nti.While he was living there he heard this: “The Island of Tambapaṇṇi (Sri Lanka), apparently, is adorned with a diadem of shrines and gleams with the yellow cloth, and there a man can sit or lie wherever he likes; there the climate is favourable, the abodes are favourable, the people are favourable, the Dhamma to be heard is favourable, and all these favourable things are easily obtained there.”
So attano bhogakkhandhaṃ puttadārassa niyyādetvā dussante baddhena ekakahāpaṇeneva gharā nikkhamitvā samuddatīre nāvaṃ udikkhamāno ekamāsaṃ vasi.He made over his fortune to his wife and children and left his home with only a single ducat (kahāpaṇa) sewn into the hem of his garment. He stopped for one month on the sea coast in expectation of a ship,
So vohārakusalatāya imasmiṃ ṭhāne bhaṇḍaṃ kiṇitvā asukasmiṃ vikkiṇanto dhammikāya vaṇijjāya tenevantaramāsena sahassaṃ abhisaṃhari.and meanwhile by his skill in trading he made a thousand during the month by buying goods here and selling them there in lawful enterprise.
Anupubbena mahāvihāraṃ āgantvā pabbajjaṃ yāci.Eventually he came to the Great Monastery [(Mahāvihāra) at Anurādha-pura], and there he asked for the going forth into homelessness.
So pabbājanatthāya sīmaṃ nīto taṃ sahassatthavikaṃ ovaṭṭikantarena bhūmiyaṃ pātesi. ‘‘Kimeta’’nti ca vutte ‘‘kahāpaṇasahassaṃ, bhante’’ti vatvā ‘‘upāsaka, pabbajitakālato paṭṭhāya na sakkā vicāretuṃ, idānevetaṃ vicārehī’’ti vutte ‘‘visākhassa pabbajjaṭṭhānamāgatā mā rittahatthā gamiṃsū’’ti muñcitvā sīmāmāḷake vippakiritvā pabbajitvā upasampanno.When he was being conducted to the chapter house (sīmā) for the going-forth ceremony, the purse containing the thousand pieces dropped out from under his belt. When asked “What is that?” he replied, “It is a thousand ducats, venerable sirs.” They told him, “Lay follower, it is not possible to distribute them after the going forth. Distribute them now.” Then he said, “Let none who have come to the scene of Visākha’s going forth depart empty-handed,” and opening [the purse] he strewed them over the chapter house yard, after which he received the going forth and the full admission.
So pañcavasso hutvā dvemātikā paguṇā katvā pavāretvā attano sappāyaṃ kammaṭṭhānaṃ gahetvā ekekasmiṃ vihāre cattāro māse katvā samappavattavāsaṃ vasamāno cari.When he had acquired five years’ seniority and had become familiar with the two Codes (Pātimokkha; see III.31) he celebrated the Pavāraṇā at the end of the Rains, took a meditation subject that suited him, and set out to wander, living for four months in each monastery and doing the duties on a basis of equality with the residents.
Evaṃ caramāno –While he was wandering in this way:
Vanantare ṭhito thero, visākho gajjamānako; Attano guṇamesanto, imamatthaṃ abhāsatha. ‘‘Yāvatā upasampanno, yāvatā idha āgato; Etthantare khalitaṃ natthi, aho lābhā te mārisā’’ti.The elder halted in a wood To scan the tenor of his way; He thundered forth this roundelay Proclaiming that he found it good: So from your full-admission day Till in this place you paused and stood No stumbling mars your bhikkhuhood; Be thankful for such grace, I say. [313]
So cittalapabbatavihāraṃ gacchanto dvedhā pathaṃ patvā ‘‘ayaṃ nu kho maggo udāhu aya’’nti cintayanto aṭṭhāsi.On his way to Cittalapabbata he came to a road fork and stood wondering which turn to take.
Athassa pabbate adhivatthā devatā hatthaṃ pasāretvā ‘‘esa maggo’’ti vatvā dasseti.Then a deity living in a rock held out a hand pointing out the road to him.
So cittalapabbatavihāraṃ gantvā tattha cattāro māse vasitvā paccūse gamissāmīti cintetvā nipajji.He came to the Cittalapabbata Monastery. After he had stayed there for four months he lay down thinking, “In the morning I depart.”
Caṅkamasīse maṇilarukkhe adhivatthā devatā sopānaphalake nisīditvā parodi.Then a deity living in a maṇila tree at the end of the walk sat down on a step of the stair and burst into tears.
Thero ‘‘ko eso’’ti āha.The elder asked, “Who is that?”
Ahaṃ, bhante, maṇiliyāti.—“It is I, Maṇiliyā, venerable sir.”
Kissa rodasīti?—“What are you weeping for?”
Tumhākaṃ gamanaṃ paṭiccāti.—“Because you are going away.”
Mayi idha vasante tumhākaṃ ko guṇoti?—“What good does my living here to you?”
Tumhesu, bhante, idha vasantesu amanussā aññamaññaṃ mettaṃ paṭilabhanti, te dāni tumhesu gatesu kalahaṃ karissanti, duṭṭhullampi kathayissantīti.—“Venerable sir, as long as you live here non-human beings treat each other kindly. Now, when you are gone, they will start quarrels and loose talk.”[^9]
Thero ‘‘sace mayi idha vasante tumhākaṃ phāsuvihāro hoti, sundara’’nti vatvā aññepi cattāro māse tattheva vasitvā puna tatheva gamanacittaṃ uppādesi.The elder said, “If my living here makes you live at peace, that is good,” and so he stayed there another four months. Then he again thought of leaving,
Devatāpi puna tatheva parodi.but the deity wept as before.
Etenevupāyena thero tattheva vasitvā tattheva parinibbāyīti evaṃ mettāvihārī bhikkhu amanussānaṃ piyo hoti.And so the elder lived on there, and it was there that he attained Nibbāna. This is how a bhikkhu who abides in loving-kindness is dear to non-human beings.
Devatā rakkhantīti puttamiva mātāpitaro devatā rakkhanti.Deities guard him: deities guard him as a mother and father guard their child.
Nāssaaggi vā visaṃ vā satthaṃ vā kamatīti mettāvihārissa kāye uttarāya upāsikāya viya aggi vā, saṃyuttabhāṇakacūḷasivattherasseva visaṃ vā, saṃkiccasāmaṇerasseva satthaṃ vā na kamati, na pavisati.Fire, poison and weapons do not affect him: they do not affect, do not enter into, the body of one who abides in loving-kindness, like the fire in the case of the lay woman devotee Uttarā (see XII.34 and Dhp-a III 310), like the poison in the case of the Saṃyutta reciter the Elder Cūḷa-Siva, like the knife in the case of the novice Saṅkicca (see Dhp-a II 249);
Nāssa kāyaṃ vikopetīti vuttaṃ hoti.they do not disturb the body, is what is meant.
Dhenuvatthumpi cettha kathayanti.And they tell the story of the cow here too.
Ekā kira dhenu vacchakassa khīradhāraṃ muñcamānā aṭṭhāsi.A cow was giving milk to her calf, it seems.
Eko luddako taṃ vijjhissāmīti hatthena samparivattetvā dīghadaṇḍasattiṃ muñci.A hunter, thinking “I shall shoot her,” flourished a long-handled spear in his hand and flung it.
Sā tassā sarīraṃ āhacca tālapaṇṇaṃ viya pavaṭṭamānā gatā, neva upacārabalena, na appanābalena, kevalaṃ vacchake balavapiyacittatāya.It struck her body and bounced off like a palm leaf—and that was owing neither to access nor to absorption, but simply to the strength of her consciousness of love for her calf.
Evaṃ mahānubhāvā mettāti.So mightily powerful is loving-kindness.
Tuvaṭaṃ cittaṃ samādhiyatīti mettāvihārino khippameva cittaṃ samādhiyati, natthi tassa dandhāyitattaṃ.His mind is easily concentrated: the mind of one who abides in loving-kindness is quickly concentrated, there is no sluggishness about it. [314]
Mukhavaṇṇo vippasīdatīti bandhanā pavuttaṃ tālapakkaṃ viya cassa vippasannavaṇṇaṃ mukhaṃ hoti.The expression of his face is serene: his face has a serene expression, like a palmyra fruit loosed from its stem.
Asammūḷho kālaṅkarotīti mettāvihārino sammohamaraṇaṃ nāma natthi, asammūḷhova niddaṃ okkamanto viya kālaṃ karoti.He dies unconfused: there is no dying deluded for one who abides in loving-kindness. He passes away undeluded as if falling asleep.
Uttarimappaṭivijjhantoti mettāsamāpattito uttariṃ arahattaṃ adhigantuṃ asakkonto ito cavitvā suttappabuddho viya brahmalokamupapajjatīti.If he penetrates no higher: if he is unable to reach higher than the attainment of loving-kindness and attain Arahantship, then when he falls from this life, he reappears in the Brahmā-world as one who wakes up from sleep.
Ayaṃ mettābhāvanāyaṃ vitthārakathā.This is the detailed explanation of the development of loving-kindness.
Karuṇābhāvanākathā[(2) Compassion]
Karuṇaṃ bhāvetukāmena pana nikkaruṇatāya ādīnavaṃ karuṇāya ca ānisaṃsaṃ paccavekkhitvā karuṇābhāvanā ārabhitabbā.One who wants to develop compassion should begin his task by reviewing the danger in lack of compassion and the advantage in compassion.
Tañca pana ārabhantena paṭhamaṃ piyapuggalādīsu na ārabhitabbā.And when he begins it, he should not direct it at first towards the dear, etc., persons;
Piyo hi piyaṭṭhāneyeva tiṭṭhati. Atippiyasahāyako atippiyasahāyakaṭṭhāneyeva. Majjhatto majjhattaṭṭhāneyeva. Appiyo appiyaṭṭhāneyeva. Verī veriṭṭhāneyeva tiṭṭhati.for one who is dear simply retains the position of one who is dear, a very dear companion retains the position of a very dear companion, one who is neutral retains the position of one who is neutral, one who is antipathetic retains the position of one who is antipathetic, and one who is hostile retains the position of one who is hostile.
Liṅgavisabhāgakālakatā akhettameva.One of the opposite sex and one who is dead are also not the field for it.
‘‘Kathañca bhikkhu karuṇāsahagatena cetasā ekaṃ disaṃ pharitvā viharati? Seyyathāpi nāma ekaṃ puggalaṃ duggataṃ durūpetaṃ disvā karuṇāyeyya, evameva sabbasatte karuṇāya pharatī’’ti vibhaṅge (vibha. 653) pana vuttattā sabbapaṭhamaṃ tāva kiñcideva karuṇāyitabbarūpaṃ paramakicchappattaṃ duggataṃ durūpetaṃ kapaṇapurisaṃ chinnāhāraṃ kapālaṃ purato ṭhapetvā anāthasālāya nisinnaṃ hatthapādehi paggharantakimigaṇaṃ aṭṭassaraṃ karontaṃ disvā ‘‘kicchaṃ vatāyaṃ satto āpanno, appeva nāma imamhā dukkhā mucceyyā’’ti karuṇā pavattetabbā.In the Vibhaṅga it is said: “And how does a bhikkhu dwell pervading one direction with his heart endued with compassion? Just as he would feel compassion on seeing an unlucky, unfortunate person, so he pervades all beings with compassion” (Vibh 273). Therefore first of all, on seeing a wretched man, unlucky, unfortunate, in every way a fit object for compassion, unsightly, reduced to utter misery, with hands and feet cut off, sitting in the shelter for the helpless with a pot placed before him, with a mass of maggots oozing from his arms and legs, and moaning, compassion should be felt for him in this way: “This being has indeed been reduced to misery; if only he could be freed from this suffering!”
Taṃ alabhantena sukhitopi pāpakārī puggalo vajjhena upametvā karuṇāyitabbo.But if he does not encounter such a person, then he can arouse compassion for an evil-doing person, even though he is happy, by comparing him to one about to be executed.
Kathaṃ?How?
Seyyathāpi saha bhaṇḍena gahitacoraṃ ‘‘vadhetha na’’nti rañño āṇāya rājapurisā bandhitvā catukke catukke pahārasatāni dentā āghātanaṃ nenti.Suppose a robber has been caught with stolen goods, and in accordance with the king’s command to execute him, the king’s men bind him and lead him off to the place of execution, giving him a hundred blows in sets of four.
Tassa manussā khādanīyampi bhojanīyampi mālāgandhavilepanatambulānipi denti.Then people give him things to chew and eat and also garlands and perfumes, unguents and betel leaves.
Kiñcāpi so tāni khādanto ceva paribhuñjanto ca sukhito bhogasamappito viya gacchati, atha kho taṃ neva koci ‘‘sukhito ayaṃ mahābhogo’’ti maññati, aññadatthu ‘‘ayaṃ varāko idāni marissati, yaṃ yadeva hi ayaṃ padaṃ nikkhipati, tena tena santike maraṇassa hotī’’ti taṃ jano karuṇāyati.Although [315] he goes along eating and enjoying these things as though he were happy and well off, still no one fancies that he is really happy and well off. On the contrary people feel compassion for him, thinking, “This poor wretch is now about to die; every step he takes brings him nearer to the presence of death.”
Evameva karuṇākammaṭṭhānikena bhikkhunā sukhitopi puggalo evaṃ karuṇāyitabbo ‘‘ayaṃ varāko kiñcāpi idāni sukhito susajjito bhoge paribhuñjati, atha kho tīsu dvāresu ekenāpi katassa kalyāṇakammassa abhāvā idāni apāyesu anappakaṃ dukkhaṃ domanassaṃ paṭisaṃvedissatī’’ti.So too a bhikkhu whose meditation subject is compassion should arouse compassion for an [evil-doing] person even if he is happy: “Though this poor wretch is now happy, cheerful, enjoying his wealth, still for want of even one good deed done now in any one of the three doors [of body, speech and mind] he can come to experience untold suffering in the states of loss.”
Evaṃ taṃ puggalaṃ karuṇāyitvā tato paraṃ eteneva upāyena piyapuggale, tato majjhatte, tato verimhīti anukkamena karuṇā pavattetabbā.Having aroused compassion for that person in that way, he should next arouse compassion for a dear person, next for a neutral person, and next for a hostile person, successively in the same way.
Sace panassa pubbe vuttanayeneva verimhi paṭighaṃ uppajjati, taṃ mettāya vuttanayeneva vūpasametabbaṃ.But if resentment towards the hostile person arises in the way already described, he should make it subside in the way described under loving-kindness (§§14–39).
Yopi cettha katakusalo hoti, tampi ñātirogabhogabyasanādīnaṃ aññatarena byasanena samannāgataṃ disvā vā sutvā vā tesaṃ abhāvepi vaṭṭadukkhaṃ anatikkantattā ‘‘dukkhitova aya’’nti evaṃ sabbathāpi karuṇāyitvāAnd here too when someone has done profitable deeds and the meditator sees or hears that he has been overtaken by one of the kinds of ruin beginning with ruin of health, relatives, property, etc., he deserves the meditator’s compassion; and so he does too in any case, even with no such ruin, thus “In reality he is unhappy,” because he is not exempt from the suffering of the round [of becoming].
vuttanayeneva attani piyapuggale majjhatte verimhīti catūsu janesu sīmāsambhedaṃ katvā taṃ nimittaṃ āsevantena bhāventena bahulīkarontena mettāya vuttanayeneva tikacatukkajjhānavasena appanā vaḍḍhetabbā.And in the way already described the meditator should break down the barriers between the four kinds of people, that is to say, himself, the dear person, the neutral person and the hostile person. Then cultivating that sign, developing it and repeatedly practicing it, he should increase the absorption by the triple and quadruple jhāna in the way already stated under loving-kindness.
Aṅguttaraṭṭhakathāyaṃ pana paṭhamaṃ veripuggalo karuṇāyitabbo, tasmiṃ cittaṃ muduṃ katvā duggato, tato piyapuggalo, tato attāti ayaṃ kamo vutto, so ‘‘duggataṃ durūpeta’’nti pāḷiyā na sameti,But the order given in the Aṅguttara Commentary is that a hostile person should first be made the object of compassion, and when the mind has been made malleable with respect to him, next the unlucky person, next the dear person, and next oneself. That does not agree with the text, “an unlucky, unfortunate person” (§78).
tasmā vuttanayenevettha bhāvanamārabhitvā sīmāsambhedaṃ katvā appanā vaḍḍhetabbā.Therefore he should begin the development, break down the barriers, and increase absorption only in the way stated here.
Tato paraṃ ‘‘pañcahākārehi anodhisopharaṇā sattahākārehi odhisopharaṇā dasahākārehi disāpharaṇā’’ti ayaṃ vikubbanā, ‘‘sukhaṃ supatī’’tiādayo ānisaṃsā ca mettāyaṃ vuttanayeneva veditabbāti.After that, the versatility consisting in the unspecified pervasion in five ways, the specified pervasion in seven ways, and the directional pervasion in ten ways, and the advantages described as “He sleeps in comfort,” etc., should be understood in the same way as given under loving-kindness.
Ayaṃ karuṇābhāvanāya vitthārakathā.This is the detailed explanation of the development of compassion. [316]
Muditābhāvanākathā[(3) Gladness]
Muditābhāvanaṃ ārabhantenāpi na paṭhamaṃ piyapuggalādīsu ārabhitabbā.One who begins the development of gladness[^10] should not start with the dear person and the rest;
Na hi piyo piyabhāvamatteneva muditāya padaṭṭhānaṃ hoti, pageva majjhattaverino.for a dear person is not the proximate cause of gladness merely in virtue of dearness, how much less the neutral and the hostile person.
Liṅgavisabhāgakālakatā akhettameva.One of the opposite sex and one who is dead are also not the field for it.
Atippiyasahāyako pana siyā padaṭṭhānaṃ, yo aṭṭhakathāyaṃ soṇḍasahāyoti vutto.However, the very dear companion can be the proximate cause for it—one who in the commentaries is called a “boon companion,”
So hi muditamuditova hoti, paṭhamaṃ hasitvā pacchā katheti, tasmā so vā paṭhamaṃ muditāya pharitabbo.for he is constantly glad: he laughs first and speaks afterwards. So he should be the first to be pervaded with gladness.
Piyapuggalaṃ vā sukhitaṃ sajjitaṃ modamānaṃ disvā vā sutvā vā ‘‘modati vatāyaṃ satto, aho sādhu aho suṭṭhū’’ti muditā uppādetabbā.Or on seeing or hearing about a dear person being happy, cheerful and glad, gladness can be aroused thus: “This being is indeed glad. How good, how excellent!”
Imameva hi atthavasaṃ paṭicca vibhaṅge (vibha. 663) vuttaṃ ‘‘kathañca bhikkhu muditāsahagatena cetasā ekaṃ disaṃ pharitvā viharati? Seyyathāpi nāma ekaṃ puggalaṃ piyaṃ manāpaṃ disvā mudito assa, evameva sabbasatte muditāya pharatī’’ti.For this is what is referred to in the Vibhaṅga: “And how does a bhikkhu dwell pervading one direction with his heart endued with gladness? Just as he would be glad on seeing a dear and beloved person, so he pervades all beings with gladness” (Vibh 274).
Sacepissa so soṇḍasahāyo vā piyapuggalo vā atīte sukhito ahosi, sampati pana duggato durūpeto, atītameva cassa sukhitabhāvaṃ anussaritvā ‘‘esa atīte evaṃ mahābhogo mahāparivāro niccappamudito ahosī’’ti tamevassa muditākāraṃ gahetvā muditā uppādetabbā.But if his boon companion or the dear person was happy in the past but is now unlucky and unfortunate, then gladness can still be aroused by remembering his past happiness and apprehending the glad aspect in this way: “In the past he had great wealth, a great following and he was always glad.”
‘‘Anāgate vā pana puna taṃ sampattiṃ labhitvā hatthikkhandhaassapiṭṭhisuvaṇṇasivikādīhi vicarissatī’’ti anāgatampissa muditākāraṃ gahetvā muditā uppādetabbā.Or gladness can be aroused by apprehending the future glad aspect in him in this way: “In the future he will again enjoy similar success and will go about in gold palanquins, on the backs of elephants or on horseback, and so on.”
Evaṃ piyapuggale muditaṃ uppādetvā atha majjhatte tato verimhīti anukkamena muditā pavattetabbā. Appanā vaḍḍhetabbā.Having thus aroused gladness with respect to a dear person, he can then direct it successively towards a neutral one, and after that towards a hostile one.
Sace panassa pubbe vuttanayeneva verimhi paṭighaṃ uppajjati, taṃ mettāyaṃ vuttanayeneva vūpasametvāBut if resentment towards the hostile one arises in him in the way already described, he should make it subside in the same way as described under loving-kindness (§§14–39).
‘‘imesu ca tīsu attani cā’’ti catūsu janesu samacittatāya sīmāsambhedaṃ katvāHe should break down the barriers by means of mental impartiality towards the four, that is, towards these three and himself.
taṃ nimittaṃ āsevantena bhāventena bahulīkarontena mettāyaṃ vuttanayeneva tikacatukkajjhānavaseneva appanā vaḍḍhetabbā.And by cultivating that sign, developing and repeatedly practicing it, he should increase the absorption to triple and quadruple jhāna in the way already stated under loving-kindness.
Tato paraṃ ‘‘pañcahākārehi anodhisopharaṇā sattahākārehi odhisopharaṇā dasahākārehi disāpharaṇā’’ti ayaṃ vikubbanā, ‘‘sukhaṃ supatī’’tiādayo ānisaṃsā ca mettāyaṃ vuttanayeneva veditabbāti.Next, the versatility consisting in unspecified pervasion in five ways, specified pervasion in seven ways, and directional pervasion in ten ways, and also the advantages described as “He sleeps in comfort,” etc., should be understood in the same way as stated under loving-kindness.
Ayaṃ muditābhāvanāya vitthārakathā.This is the detailed explanation of the development of gladness.
Upekkhābhāvanākathā[317] [(4) Equanimity]
Upekkhābhāvanaṃ bhāvetukāmena pana mettādīsu paṭiladdhatikacatukkajjhānena paguṇatatiyajjhānā vuṭṭhāya ‘‘sukhitā hontū’’tiādivasena sattakelāyanamanasikārayuttattā, paṭighānunayasamīpacārittā, somanassayogena oḷārikattā ca purimāsu ādīnavaṃ, santasabhāvattā upekkhāya ānisaṃsañca disvā yvāssa pakatimajjhatto puggalo, taṃ ajjhupekkhitvā upekkhā uppādetabbā.One who wants to develop equanimity must have already obtained the triple or quadruple jhāna in loving-kindness, and so on. He should emerge from the third jhāna [in the fourfold reckoning], after he has made it familiar, and he should see danger in the former [three divine abidings] because they are linked with attention given to beings’ enjoyment in the way beginning “May they be happy,” because resentment and approval are near, and because their association with joy is gross. And he should also see the advantage in equanimity because it is peaceful. Then he should arouse equanimity (upekkhā) by looking on with equanimity (ajjhupekkhitvā) at a person who is normally neutral;
Tato piyapuggalādīsu.after that at a dear person, and the rest.
Vuttañhetaṃ ‘‘kathañca bhikkhu upekkhāsahagatena cetasā ekaṃ disaṃ pharitvā viharati? Seyyathāpi nāma ekaṃ puggalaṃ neva manāpaṃ na amanāpaṃ disvā upekkhako assa, evameva sabbe satte upekkhāya pharatī’’ti (vibha. 673).For this is said: “And how does a bhikkhu dwell pervading one direction with his heart endued with equanimity? Just as he would feel equanimity on seeing a person who was neither beloved nor unloved, so he pervades all beings with equanimity” (Vibh 275).
Tasmā vuttanayena majjhattapuggale upekkhaṃ uppādetvā atha piyapuggale, tato soṇḍasahāyake, tato verimhīti evaṃ ‘‘imesu ca tīsu attani cā’’ti sabbattha majjhattavasena sīmāsambhedaṃ katvāTherefore he should arouse equanimity towards the neutral person in the way already stated. Then, through the neutral one, he should break down the barriers in each case between the three people, that is, the dear person, then the boon companion, and then the hostile one, and lastly himself.
taṃ nimittaṃ āsevitabbaṃ bhāvetabbaṃ bahulīkātabbaṃ.And he should cultivate that sign, develop and repeatedly practice it.
Tassevaṃ karoto pathavīkasiṇe vuttanayeneva catutthajjhānaṃ uppajjati.As he does so the fourth jhāna arises in him in the way described under the earth kasiṇa.
Kiṃ panetaṃ pathavīkasiṇādīsu uppannatatiyajjhānassāpi uppajjatīti? Nuppajjati. Kasmā? Ārammaṇavisabhāgatāya.But how then? Does this arise in one in whom the third jhāna has already arisen on the basis of the earth kasiṇa, etc.? It does not. Why not? Because of the dissimilarity of the object.
Mettādīsu uppannatatiyajjhānasseva pana uppajjati, ārammaṇasabhāgatāyāti.It arises only in one in whom the third jhāna has arisen on the basis of loving-kindness, etc., because the object is similar.
Tato paraṃ pana vikubbanā ca ānisaṃsapaṭilābho ca mettāyaṃ vuttanayeneva veditabboti.But after that the versatility and the obtaining of advantages should be understood in the same way as described under loving-kindness.
Ayaṃ upekkhābhāvanāya vitthārakathā.This is the detailed explanation of the development of equanimity.
Pakiṇṇakakathā[General]
Brahmuttamena kathite, brahmavihāre ime iti viditvā; Bhiyyo etesu ayaṃ, pakiṇṇakakathāpi viññeyyā.Now, having thus known these divine abidings Told by the Divine One (brahmā) supremely [wise], There is this general explanation too Concerning them that he should recognize.
Etāsu hi mettākaruṇāmuditāupekkhāsu atthato tāva mejjatīti mettā, siniyhatīti attho. Mitte vā bhavā, mittassa vā esā pavattītipi mettā.Now, as to the meaning firstly of loving-kindness, compassion, gladness and equanimity: it fattens (mejjati), thus it is loving-kindness (mettā); it is solvent (siniyhati) is the meaning. Also: it comes about with respect to a friend (mitta), [318] or it is behaviour towards a friend, thus it is loving-kindness (mettā).
Paradukkhe sati sādhūnaṃ hadayakampanaṃ karotīti karuṇā. Kiṇāti vā paradukkhaṃ hiṃsati vināsetīti karuṇā. Kiriyati vā dukkhitesu pharaṇavasena pasāriyatīti karuṇā.When there is suffering in others it causes (karoti) good people’s hearts to be moved (kampana), thus it is compassion (karuṇā). Or alternatively, it combats (kiṇāti)[^11] others’ suffering, attacks and demolishes it, thus it is compassion. Or alternatively, it is scattered (kiriyati) upon those who suffer, it is extended to them by pervasion, thus it is compassion (karuṇā).
Modanti tāya taṃsamaṅgino, sayaṃ vā modati, modanamattameva vā tanti muditā.Those endowed with it are glad (modanti), or itself is glad (modati), or it is the mere act of being glad (modana), thus it is gladness (muditā).
‘‘Averā hontū’’tiādibyāpārappahānena majjhattabhāvūpagamanena ca upekkhatīti upekkhā.It looks on at (upekkhati), abandoning such interestedness as thinking “May they be free from enmity” and having recourse to neutrality, thus it is equanimity (upekkhā).
Lakkhaṇādito panettha hitākārappavattilakkhaṇā mettā, hitūpasaṃhārarasā, āghātavinayapaccupaṭṭhānā, sattānaṃ manāpabhāvadassanapadaṭṭhānā. Byāpādūpasamo etissā sampatti, sinehasambhavo vipatti.As to the characteristic, etc., loving-kindness is characterized here as promoting the aspect of welfare. Its function is to prefer welfare. It is manifested as the removal of annoyance. Its proximate cause is seeing loveableness in beings. It succeeds when it makes ill will subside, and it fails when it produces (selfish) affection.
Dukkhāpanayanākārappavattilakkhaṇā karuṇā, paradukkhāsahanarasā, avihiṃsāpaccupaṭṭhānā, dukkhābhibhūtānaṃ anāthabhāvadassanapadaṭṭhānā. Vihiṃsūpasamo tassā sampatti, sokasambhavo vipatti.Compassion is characterized as promoting the aspect of allaying suffering. Its function resides in not bearing others’ suffering. It is manifested as non-cruelty. Its proximate cause is to see helplessness in those overwhelmed by suffering. It succeeds when it makes cruelty subside and it fails when it produces sorrow.
Pamodanalakkhaṇā muditā, anissāyanarasā, arativighātapaccupaṭṭhānā, sattānaṃ sampattidassanapadaṭṭhānā. Arativūpasamo tassā sampatti, pahāsasambhavo vipatti.Gladness is characterized as gladdening (produced by others’ success).[^12] Its function resides in being unenvious. It is manifested as the elimination of aversion (boredom). Its proximate cause is seeing beings, success. It succeeds when it makes aversion (boredom) subside, and it fails when it produces merriment.
Sattesu majjhattākārappavattilakkhaṇā upekkhā, sattesu samabhāvadassanarasā, paṭighānunayavūpasamapaccupaṭṭhānā, ‘‘kammassakā sattā, te kassa ruciyā sukhitā vā bhavissanti, dukkhato vā muccissanti, pattasampattito vā na parihāyissantī’’ti evaṃ pavattakammassakatādassanapadaṭṭhānā. Paṭighānunayavūpasamo tassā sampatti, gehasitāya aññāṇupekkhāya sambhavo vipatti.Equanimity is characterized as promoting the aspect of neutrality towards beings. Its function is to see equality in beings. It is manifested as the quieting of resentment and approval. Its proximate cause is seeing ownership of deeds (kamma) thus: “Beings are owners of their deeds. Whose[^13] [if not theirs] is the choice by which they will become happy, or will get free from suffering, or will not fall away from the success they have reached?” It succeeds when it makes resentment and approval subside, and it fails when it produces the equanimity of unknowing, which is that [worldly-minded indifference of ignorance] based on the house life.
Catunnampi panetesaṃ brahmavihārānaṃ vipassanāsukhañceva bhavasampatti ca sādhāraṇappayojanaṃ. Byāpādādipaṭighāto āveṇikaṃ. Byāpādapaṭighātappayojanā hettha mettā. Vihiṃsāaratirāgapaṭighātappayojanā itarā.The general purpose of these four divine abidings is the bliss of insight and an excellent [form of future] existence. That peculiar to each is respectively the warding off of ill will, and so on. For here loving-kindness has the purpose of warding off ill will, while the others have the respective purposes of warding off cruelty, aversion (boredom), and greed or resentment.
Vuttampi cetaṃ – ‘‘Nissaraṇañhetaṃ, āvuso, byāpādassa yadidaṃ mettā cetovimutti. Nissaraṇañhetaṃ, āvuso, vihesāya yadidaṃ karuṇā cetovimutti. Nissaraṇañhetaṃ, āvuso, aratiyā yadidaṃ muditā cetovimutti. Nissaraṇañhetaṃ, āvuso, rāgassa yadidaṃ upekkhā cetovimuttī’’ti (dī. ni. 3.326; a. ni. 6.13).And this is said too: “For this is the escape from ill will, friends, that is to say, the mind-deliverance of loving-kindness … For this is the escape from cruelty, friends, that is to say, the mind-deliverance of compassion … For this is the escape from boredom, friends, that is to say, the mind-deliverance of gladness … For this is the escape from greed, friends, that is to say, the mind-deliverance of equanimity” (D III 248).
Ekekassa cettha āsannadūravasena dve dve paccatthikā. Mettābrahmavihārassa hi samīpacāro viya purisassa sapatto guṇadassanasabhāgatāya rāgo āsannapaccatthiko, so lahuṃ otāraṃ labhati, tasmā tato suṭṭhu mettā rakkhitabbā. Pabbatādigahananissito viya purisassa sapatto sabhāgavisabhāgatāya byāpādo dūrapaccatthiko, tasmā tato nibbhayena mettāyitabbaṃ. Mettāyissati ca nāma, kopañca karissatīti aṭṭhānametaṃ.And here each one has two enemies, one near and one far. The divine abiding of loving-kindness [319] has greed as its near enemy,[^14] since both share in seeing virtues. Greed behaves like a foe who keeps close by a man, and it easily finds an opportunity. So loving-kindness should be well protected from it. And ill will, which is dissimilar to the similar greed, is its far enemy like a foe ensconced in a rock wilderness. So loving-kindness must be practiced free from fear of that; for it is not possible to practice loving-kindness and feel anger simultaneously (see D III 247–48).
Karuṇābrahmavihārassa ‘‘cakkhuviññeyyānaṃ rūpānaṃ iṭṭhānaṃ kantānaṃ manāpānaṃ manoramānaṃ lokāmisapaṭisaṃyuttānaṃ appaṭilābhaṃ vā appaṭilābhato samanupassato pubbe vā paṭiladdhapubbaṃ atītaṃ niruddhaṃ vipariṇataṃ samanussarato uppajjati domanassaṃ, yaṃ evarūpaṃ domanassaṃ, idaṃ vuccati gehasitaṃ domanassa’’ntiādinā (ma. ni. 3.307) nayena āgataṃ gehasitaṃ domanassaṃ vipattidassanasabhāgatāya āsannapaccatthikaṃ. Sabhāgavisabhāgatāya vihiṃsā dūrapaccatthikā. Tasmā tato nibbhayena karuṇāyitabbaṃ. Karuṇañca nāma karissati, pāṇiādīhi ca viheṭhissatīti aṭṭhānametaṃ.Compassion has grief based on the home life as its near enemy, since both share in seeing failure. Such grief has been described in the way beginning, “When a man either regards as a privation failure to obtain visible objects cognizable by the eye that are sought after, desired, agreeable, gratifying and associated with worldliness, or when he recalls those formerly obtained that are past, ceased and changed, then grief arises in him. Such grief as this is called grief based on the home life” (M III 218). And cruelty, which is dissimilar to the similar grief, is its far enemy. So compassion must be practiced free from fear of that; for it is not possible to practice compassion and be cruel to breathing things simultaneously.
Muditābrahmavihārassa ‘‘cakkhuviññeyyānaṃ rūpānaṃ…pe… lokāmisapaṭisaṃyuttānaṃ paṭilābhaṃ vā paṭilābhato samanupassato pubbe vā paṭiladdhapubbaṃ atītaṃ niruddhaṃ vipariṇataṃ samanussarato uppajjati somanassaṃ, yaṃ evarūpaṃ somanassaṃ, idaṃ vuccati gehasitaṃ somanassa’’ntiādinā (ma. ni. 3.306) nayena āgataṃ gehasitaṃ somanassaṃ sampattidassanasabhāgatāya āsannapaccatthikaṃ, sabhāgavisabhāgatāya arati dūrapaccatthikā. Tasmā tato nibbhayena muditā bhāvetabbā. Mudito ca nāma bhavissati, pantasenāsanesu ca adhikusalesu dhammesu vā ukkaṇṭhissatīti aṭṭhānametaṃ.Gladness has joy based on the home life as its near enemy, since both share in seeing success. Such joy has been described in the way beginning, “When a man either regards as gain the obtaining of visible objects cognizable by the eye that are sought … and associated with worldliness, or recalls those formerly obtained that are past, ceased, and changed, then joy arises in him. Such joy as this is called joy based on the home life” (M III 217). And aversion (boredom), which is dissimilar to the similar joy, is its far enemy. So gladness should be practiced free from fear of that; for it is not possible to practice gladness and be discontented with remote abodes and things connected with the higher profitableness simultaneously.
Upekkhābrahmavihārassa pana ‘‘cakkhunā rūpaṃ disvā uppajjati upekkhā bālassa mūḷhassa puthujjanassa anodhijinassa avipākajinassa anādīnavadassāvino assutavato puthujjanassa yā evarūpā upekkhā, rūpaṃ sā nātivattati. Tasmā sā upekkhā gehasitāti vuccatī’’tiādinā (ma. ni. 3.308) nayena āgatā gehasitā aññāṇupekkhā dosaguṇāvicāraṇavasena sabhāgattā āsannapaccatthikā. Sabhāgavisabhāgatāya rāgapaṭighā dūrapaccatthikā. Tasmā tato nibbhayena upekkhitabbaṃ. Upekkhissati ca nāma, rajjissati ca paṭihaññissati cāti aṭṭhānametaṃ.Equanimity has the equanimity of unknowing based on the home life as its near enemy, since both share in ignoring faults and virtues. Such unknowing has been described in the way beginning, “On seeing a visible object with the eye equanimity arises in the foolish infatuated ordinary man, in the untaught ordinary man who has not conquered his limitations, who has not conquered future [kamma] result, who is unperceiving of danger. Such equanimity as this does not surmount the visible object. Such equanimity as this is called equanimity based on the home life” (M III 219). And greed and resentment, which are dissimilar to the similar unknowing, are its far enemies. Therefore equanimity must be practiced free from fear of that; [320] for it is not possible to look on with equanimity and be inflamed with greed or be resentful[^15] simultaneously.
Sabbesampi ca etesaṃ kattukāmatā chando ādi, nīvaraṇādivikkhambhanaṃ majjhaṃ, appanā pariyosānaṃ. Paññattidhammavasena eko vā satto aneke vā sattā ārammaṇaṃ.Now, zeal consisting in desire to act is the beginning of all these things. Suppression of the hindrances, etc., is the middle. Absorption is the end. Their object is a single living being or many living beings, as a mental object consisting in a concept.
Upacāre vā appanāya vā pattāya ārammaṇavaḍḍhanaṃ. Tatrāyaṃ vaḍḍhanakkamo, yathā hi kusalo kassako kasitabbaṭṭhānaṃ paricchinditvā kasati, evaṃ paṭhamameva ekamāvāsaṃ paricchinditvā tattha sattesu imasmiṃ āvāse sattā averā hontūtiādinā nayena mettā bhāvetabbā. Tattha cittaṃ muduṃ kammaniyaṃ katvā dve āvāsā paricchinditabbā. Tato anukkamena tayo, cattāro, pañca, cha, satta, aṭṭha, nava, dasa, ekā racchā, upaḍḍhagāmo, gāmo, janapado, rajjaṃ, ekā disāti evaṃ yāva ekaṃ cakkavāḷaṃ, tato vā pana bhiyyo tattha tattha sattesu mettā bhāvetabbā. Tathā karuṇādayoti ayamettha ārammaṇavaḍḍhanakkamo.The extension of the object takes place either in access or in absorption. Here is the order of it. Just as a skilled ploughman first delimits an area and then does his ploughing, so first a single dwelling should be delimited and loving-kindness developed towards all beings there in the way beginning, “In this dwelling may all beings be free from enmity.” When his mind has become malleable and wieldy with respect to that, he can then delimit two dwellings. Next he can successively delimit three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, one street, half the village, the whole village, the district, the kingdom, one direction, and so on up to one world-sphere, or even beyond that, and develop loving-kindness towards the beings in such areas. Likewise with compassion and so on. This is the order in extending here.
Yathā pana kasiṇānaṃ nissando āruppā, samādhinissando nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṃ, vipassanānissando phalasamāpatti, samathavipassanānissando nirodhasamāpatti, evaṃ purimabrahmavihārattayanissando ettha upekkhābrahmavihāro. Yathā hi thambhe anussāpetvā tulāsaṅghāṭaṃ anāropetvā na sakkā ākāse kūṭagopānasiyo ṭhapetuṃ, evaṃ purimesu tatiyajjhānaṃ vinā na sakkā catutthaṃ bhāvetunti.Just as the immaterial states are the outcome of the kasiṇas, and the base consisting of neither perception nor non-perception is the outcome of concentration, and fruition attainment is the outcome of insight, and the attainment of cessation is the outcome of serenity coupled with insight, so the divine abiding of equanimity is the outcome of the first three divine abidings. For just as the gable rafters cannot be placed in the air without having first set up the scaffolding and built the framework of beams, so it is not possible to develop the fourth (jhāna in the fourth divine abiding) without having already developed the third jhāna in the earlier (three divine abidings).
Ettha siyā, kasmā panetā mettākaruṇāmuditāupekkhā brahmavihārāti vuccanti? Kasmā ca catassova? Ko ca etāsaṃ kamo, abhidhamme ca kasmā appamaññāti vuttāti?And here it may be asked: But why are loving-kindness, compassion, gladness, and equanimity, called divine abidings? And why are they only four? And what is their order? And why are they called measureless states in the Abhidhamma?
Vuccate, seṭṭhaṭṭhena tāva niddosabhāvena cettha brahmavihāratā veditabbā. Sattesu sammāpaṭipattibhāvena hi seṭṭhā ete vihārā. Yathā ca brahmāno niddosacittā viharanti, evaṃ etehi sampayuttā yogino brahmasamā hutvā viharantīti seṭṭhaṭṭhena niddosabhāvena ca brahmavihārāti vuccanti.It may be replied: The divineness of the abiding (brahmavihāratā) should be understood here in the sense of best and in the sense of immaculate. For these abidings are the best in being the right attitude towards beings. And just as Brahmā gods abide with immaculate minds, so the meditators who associate themselves with these abidings abide on an equal footing with Brahmā gods. So they are called divine abidings in the sense of best and in the sense of immaculate. [321]
Kasmā ca catassovātiādi pañhassa pana idaṃ vissajjanaṃ. Visuddhimaggādivasā catasso, Hitādiākāravasā panāsaṃ; Kamo pavattanti ca appamāṇe, Tā gocare yena tadappamaññā.Here are the answers to the questions beginning with “Why are they only four?”: Their number four is due to paths to purity And other sets of four; their order to their aim As welfare and the rest. Their scope is found to be Immeasurable, so “measureless states” their name.
Etāsu hi yasmā mettā byāpādabahulassa, karuṇā vihesābahulassa, muditā aratibahulassa, upekkhā rāgabahulassa visuddhimaggo. Yasmā ca hitūpasaṃhāraahitāpanayanasampattimodanaanābhogavasena catubbidhoyeva sattesu manasikāro. Yasmā ca yathā mātā daharagilānayobbanappattasakiccapasutesu catūsu puttesu daharassa abhivuḍḍhikāmā hoti, gilānassa gelaññāpanayanakāmā, yobbanappattassa yobbanasampattiyā ciraṭṭhitikāmā, sakakiccapasutassa kismiñci pariyāye abyāvaṭā hoti, tathā appamaññāvihārikenāpi sabbasattesu mettādivasena bhavitabbaṃ. Tasmā ito visuddhimaggādivasā catassova appamaññā.For among these, loving-kindness is the way to purity for one who has much ill will, compassion is that for one who has much cruelty, gladness is that for one who has much aversion (boredom), and equanimity is that for one who has much greed. Also attention given to beings is only fourfold, that is to say, as bringing welfare, as removing suffering, as being glad at their success, and as unconcern, [that is to say, impartial neutrality]. And one abiding in the measureless states should practice loving-kindness and the rest like a mother with four sons, namely, a child, an invalid, one in the flush of youth, and one busy with his own affairs; for she wants the child to grow up, wants the invalid to get well, wants the one in the flush of youth to enjoy for long the benefits of youth, and is not at all bothered about the one who is busy with his own affairs. That is why the measureless states are only four as “due to paths to purity and other sets of four.”
Yasmā catassopetā bhāvetukāmena paṭhamaṃ hitākārappavattivasena sattesu paṭipajjitabbaṃ, hitākārappavattilakkhaṇā ca mettā. Tato evaṃ patthitahitānaṃ sattānaṃ dukkhābhibhavaṃ disvā vā sutvā vā sambhāvetvā vā dukkhāpanayanākārappavattivasena, dukkhāpanayanākārappavattilakkhaṇā ca karuṇā. Athevaṃ patthitahitānaṃ patthitadukkhāpagamānañca nesaṃ sampattiṃ disvā sampattipamodanavasena, pamodanalakkhaṇā ca muditā. Tato paraṃ pana kattabbābhāvato ajjhupekkhakattasaṅkhātena majjhattākārena paṭipajjitabbaṃ, majjhattākārappavattilakkhaṇā ca upekkhā. Tasmā ito hitādiākāravasā panāsaṃ paṭhamaṃ mettā vuttā, atha karuṇā muditā upekkhāti ayaṃ kamo veditabbo.One who wants to develop these four should practice them towards beings first as the promotion of the aspect of welfare—and loving-kindness has the promotion of the aspect of welfare as its characteristic; and next, on seeing or hearing or judging[^16] that beings whose welfare has been thus wished for are at the mercy of suffering, they should be practiced as the promotion of the aspect of the removal of suffering—and compassion has the promotion of the aspect of the removal of suffering as its characteristic; and then, on seeing the success of those whose welfare has been wished for and the removal of whose suffering has been wished for, they should be practiced as being glad—and gladness has the act of gladdening as its characteristic; but after that there is nothing to be done and so they should be practiced as the neutral aspect, in other words, the state of an onlooker—and equanimity has the promotion of the aspect of neutrality as its characteristic; therefore, since their respective aims are the aspect of welfare, etc., their order should be understood to correspond, with loving-kindness stated first, then compassion, gladness and equanimity.
Yasmā pana sabbāpetā appamāṇe gocare pavattanti. Appamāṇā hi sattā etāsaṃ gocarabhūtā. Ekasattassāpi ca ettake padese mettādayo bhāvetabbāti evaṃ pamāṇaṃ agahetvā sakalapharaṇavaseneva pavattāti. Tena vuttaṃ – Visuddhimaggādivasā catasso, Hitādiākāravasā panāsaṃ; Kamo pavattanti ca appamāṇe, Tā gocare yena tadappamaññāti.All of them, however, occur with a measureless scope, for their scope is measureless beings; and instead of assuming a measure such as “Loving-kindness, etc., should be developed only towards a single being, or in an area of such an extent,” they occur with universal pervasion. That is why it was said: [322] Their number four is due to paths to purity And other sets of four; their order to their aim As welfare and the rest. Their scope is found to be Immeasurable, so “measureless states” their name.
Evaṃ appamāṇagocaratāya ekalakkhaṇāsu cāpi etāsu purimā tisso tikacatukkajjhānikāva honti. Kasmā? Somanassāvippayogato. Kasmā panāyaṃ somanassena avippayogoti? Domanassasamuṭṭhitānaṃ byāpādādīnaṃ nissaraṇattā. Pacchimā pana avasesaekajjhānikāva. Kasmā? Upekkhāvedanāsampayogato. Na hi sattesu majjhattākārappavattā brahmavihārupekkhā upekkhāvedanaṃ vinā vattatīti.Though they have a single characteristic in having a measureless scope, yet the first three are only of triple and quadruple jhāna [respectively in the fourfold and fivefold reckonings]. Why? Because they are not dissociated from joy. But why are their aims not dissociated from joy? Because they are the escape from ill will, etc., which are originated by grief. But the last one belongs only to the remaining single jhāna. Why? Because it is associated with equanimous feeling. For the divine abiding of equanimity that occurs in the aspect of neutrality towards beings does not exist apart from equanimous [that is to say, neither-painful-nor-pleasant] feeling.
Yo panevaṃ vadeyya ‘‘yasmā bhagavatā aṭṭhakanipāte catūsupi appamaññāsu avisesena vuttaṃ ‘tato tvaṃ bhikkhu imaṃ samādhiṃ savitakkampi savicāraṃ bhāveyyāsi, avitakkampi vicāramattaṃ bhāveyyāsi, avitakkampi avicāraṃ bhāveyyāsi, sappītikampi bhāveyyāsi, nippītikampi bhāveyyāsi, sātasahagatampi bhāveyyāsi, upekkhāsahagatampi bhāveyyāsī’ti (a. ni. 8.63), tasmā catasso appamaññā catukkapañcakajjhānikā’’ti.However, someone might say this: “It has been said by the Blessed One in the Book of Eights, speaking of the measureless states in general: ‘Next, bhikkhu, you should develop the concentration with applied thought and sustained thought, and you should develop it without applied thought and with sustained thought only, and you should develop it without applied thought and without sustained thought, and you should develop it with happiness, and you should develop it without happiness, and you should develop it accompanied by gratification, and you should develop it accompanied by equanimity’ (A IV 300). Consequently all four measureless states have quadruple and quintuple jhāna.”
So māhevantissa vacanīyo. Evañhi sati kāyānupassanādayopi catukkapañcakajjhānikā siyuṃ, vedanādīsu ca paṭhamajjhānampi natthi, pageva dutiyādīni. Tasmā byañjanacchāyāmattaṃ gahetvā mā bhagavantaṃ abbhācikkhi, gambhīraṃ hi buddhavacanaṃ, taṃ ācariye payirupāsitvā adhippāyato gahetabbaṃ.He should be told: “Do not put it like that. For if that were so, then contemplation of the body, etc., would also have quadruple and quintuple jhāna. But there is not even the first jhāna in the contemplation of feeling or in the other two.[^17] So do not misrepresent the Blessed One by adherence to the letter. The Enlightened One’s word is profound and should be taken as it is intended, giving due weight to the teachers.”
Ayañhi tatrādhippāyo – ‘‘sādhu me, bhante, bhagavā saṃkhittena dhammaṃ desetu, yamahaṃ bhagavato dhammaṃ sutvā eko vūpakaṭṭho appamatto ātāpī pahitatto vihareyya’’nti evaṃ āyācitadhammadesanaṃ kira taṃ bhikkhuṃ yasmā so pubbepi dhammaṃ sutvā tattheva vasati, na samaṇadhammaṃ kātuṃ gacchati, tasmā naṃ bhagavā ‘‘evameva panidhekacce moghapurisā mamaññeva ajjhesanti, dhamme ca bhāsite mamaññeva anubandhitabbaṃ maññantī’’ti apasādetvā puna yasmā so arahattassa upanissayasampanno, tasmā naṃ ovadanto āha – ‘‘tasmātiha te bhikkhu evaṃ sikkhitabbaṃ, ajjhattaṃ me cittaṃ ṭhitaṃ bhavissati susaṇṭhitaṃ, na cuppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā cittaṃ pariyādāya ṭhassantīti. Evañhi te bhikkhu sikkhitabba’’nti. Iminā panassa ovādena niyakajjhattavasena cittekaggatāmatto mūlasamādhi vutto.And the intention here is this: The Blessed One, it seems, was asked to teach the Dhamma thus: “Venerable sir, it would be good if the Blessed One would teach me the Dhamma in brief, so that, having heard the Blessed One’s Dhamma, I may dwell alone, withdrawn, diligent, ardent and self-exerted” (A IV 299). But the Blessed One had no confidence yet in that bhikkhu, since although he had already heard the Dhamma he had nevertheless gone on living there instead of going to do the ascetic’s duties, [and the Blessed One expressed his lack of confidence] thus: “So too, some misguided men merely question me, and when the Dhamma is expounded [to them], they still fancy that they need not follow me” (A IV 299). However, the bhikkhu had the potentiality for the attainment of Arahantship, and so he advised him again, [323] saying: “Therefore, bhikkhu, you should train thus: ‘My mind shall be steadied, quite steadied internally, and arisen evil unprofitable things shall not obsess my mind and remain.’ You should train thus” (A IV 299). But what is stated in that advice is basic concentration consisting in mere unification of mind[^18] internally in the sense of in oneself (see Ch. XIV, n. 75).
Tato ‘‘ettakeneva santuṭṭhiṃ anāpajjitvā evaṃ so eva samādhi vaḍḍhetabbo’’ti dassetuṃ ‘‘yato kho te bhikkhu ajjhattaṃ cittaṃ ṭhitaṃ hoti susaṇṭhitaṃ, na cuppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā cittaṃ pariyādāya tiṭṭhanti. Tato te bhikkhu evaṃ sikkhitabbaṃ mettā me cetovimutti bhāvitā bhavissati bahulīkatā yānikatā vatthukatā anuṭṭhitā paricitā susamāraddhāti. Evañhi te bhikkhu sikkhitabba’’nti evamassa mettāvasena bhāvanaṃ vatvā puna ‘‘yato kho te bhikkhu ayaṃ samādhi evaṃ bhāvito hoti bahulīkato, tato tvaṃ bhikkhu imaṃ mūlasamādhiṃ savitakkampi savicāraṃ bhāveyyāsi…pe… upekkhāsahagatampi bhāveyyāsī’’ti vuttaṃ.After that he told him about its development by means of loving-kindness in order to show that he should not rest content with just that much but should intensify his basic concentration in this way: “As soon as your mind has become steadied, quite steadied internally, bhikkhu, and arisen evil unprofitable things do not obsess your mind and remain, then you should train thus: ‘The mind-deliverance of loving-kindness will be developed by me, frequently practiced, made the vehicle, made the foundation, established, consolidated, and properly undertaken.’ You should train thus, bhikkhu” (A IV 299–300), after which he said further: “As soon as this concentration has been thus developed by you, bhikkhu,[^19] and frequently practiced, then you should develop this concentration with applied thought and sustained thought … and you should develop it accompanied by equanimity” (A IV 300).
Tassattho – yadā te bhikkhu ayaṃ mūlasamādhi evaṃ mettāvasena bhāvito hoti, tadā tvaṃ tāvatakenāpi tuṭṭhiṃ anāpajjitvāva imaṃ mūlasamādhiṃ aññesupi ārammaṇesu catukkapañcakajjhānāni pāpayamāno savitakkampi savicārantiādinā nayena bhāveyyāsīti.The meaning is this: “Bhikkhu, when this basic concentration has been developed by you by means of loving-kindness, then, instead of resting content with just that much, you should make this basic concentration reach quadruple and quintuple jhāna in other objects by [further] developing it in the way beginning ‘With applied thought.’”
Evaṃ vatvā ca puna karuṇādiavasesabrahmavihārapubbaṅgamampissa aññesu ārammaṇesu catukkapañcakajjhānavasena bhāvanaṃ kareyyāsīti dassento ‘‘yato kho te bhikkhu ayaṃ samādhi evaṃ bhāvito hoti bahulīkato. Tato te bhikkhu evaṃ sikkhitabbaṃ karuṇā me cetovimuttī’’tiādimāha.And having spoken thus, he further said: “As soon as this concentration has been thus developed by you, bhikkhu, and frequently practiced, then you should train thus: ‘The mind-deliverance of compassion will be developed by me …’ (A IV 300), etc., pointing out that “you should effect its [further] development by means of quadruple and quintuple jhāna in other objects, this [further] development being preceded by the remaining divine abidings of compassion and the rest.”
Evaṃ mettādipubbaṅgamaṃ catukkapañcakajjhānavasena bhāvanaṃ dassetvā puna kāyānupassanādipubbaṅgamaṃ dassetuṃ ‘‘yato kho te bhikkhu ayaṃ samādhi evaṃ bhāvito hoti bahulīkato, tato te bhikkhu evaṃ sikkhitabbaṃ kāye kāyānupassī viharissāmī’’ti ādiṃ vatvā ‘‘yato kho te bhikkhu ayaṃ samādhi evaṃ bhāvito bhavissati subhāvito, tato tvaṃ bhikkhu yena yeneva gagghasi, phāsuññeva gagghasi, yattha yattheva ṭhassasi, phāsuññeva ṭhassasi, yattha yattheva nisīdissasi, phāsuññeva nisīdissasi, yattha yattheva seyyaṃ kappessasi, phāsuññeva seyyaṃ kappessasī’’ti arahattanikūṭena desanaṃ samāpesi. Tasmā tikacatukkajjhānikāva mettādayo, upekkhā pana avasesaekajjhānikāvāti veditabbā. Tatheva ca abhidhamme (dha. sa. 251 ādayo; vibha. 673 ādayo) vibhattāti.Having thus shown how its [further] development by means of quadruple and quintuple jhāna is preceded by loving-kindness, etc., and having told him, “As soon as this concentration has been developed by you, bhikkhu, and frequently practiced, then you should train thus: ‘I shall dwell contemplating the body as a body,’” etc., he concluded the discourse with Arahantship as its culmination thus: “As soon as this concentration has been developed by you, bhikkhu, completely developed, then wherever you go you will go in comfort, wherever you stand you will stand in comfort, wherever [324] you sit you will sit in comfort, wherever you make your couch you will do so in comfort” (A IV 301). From that it must be understood that the [three] beginning with loving-kindness have only triple-quadruple jhāna, and that equanimity has only the single remaining jhāna. And they are expounded in the same way in the Abhidhamma as well.
Evaṃ tikacatukkajjhānavasena ceva avasesaekajjhānavasena ca dvidhā ṭhitānampi etāsaṃ subhaparamādivasena aññamaññaṃ asadiso ānubhāvaviseso veditabbo. Haliddavasanasuttasmiṃ hi etā subhaparamādibhāvena visesetvā vuttā. Yathāha – ‘‘subhaparamāhaṃ, bhikkhave, mettaṃ cetovimuttiṃ vadāmi. Ākāsānañcāyatanaparamāhaṃ, bhikkhave, karuṇaṃ cetovimuttiṃ vadāmi. Viññāṇañcāyatanaparamāhaṃ, bhikkhave, muditaṃ cetovimuttiṃ vadāmi. Ākiñcaññāyatanaparamāhaṃ, bhikkhave, upekkhaṃ cetovimuttiṃ vadāmī’’ti (saṃ. ni. 5.235).And while they are twofold by way of the triple-quadruple jhāna and the single remaining jhāna, still they should be understood to be distinguishable in each case by a different efficacy consisting in having “beauty as the highest,” etc. For they are so described in the Haliddavasana Sutta, according as it is said: “Bhikkhus, the mind-deliverance of loving-kindness has beauty as the highest, I say … The mind-deliverance of compassion has the base consisting of boundless space as the highest, I say … The mind-deliverance of gladness has the base consisting of boundless consciousness as the highest I say … The mind-deliverance of equanimity has the base consisting of nothingness as the highest, I say” (S V 119–21).[^20]
Kasmā panetā evaṃ vuttāti? Tassa tassa upanissayattā. Mettāvihārissa hi sattā appaṭikkūlā honti. Athassa appaṭikkūlaparicayā appaṭikkūlesu parisuddhavaṇṇesu nīlādīsu cittaṃ upasaṃharato appakasireneva tattha cittaṃ pakkhandati. Iti mettā subhavimokkhassa upanissayo hoti, na tato paraṃ, tasmā subhaparamāti vuttā.But why are they described in this way? Because each is the respective basic support for each. For beings are unrepulsive to one who abides in loving-kindness. Being familiar with the unrepulsive aspect, when he applies his mind to unrepulsive pure colours such as blue-black, his mind enters into them without difficulty. So loving-kindness is the basic support for the liberation by the beautiful (see M II 12; M-a III 256), but not for what is beyond that. That is why it is called “having beauty as the highest.”
Karuṇāvihārissa pana daṇḍābhighātādirūpanimittaṃ pattadukkhaṃ samanupassantassa karuṇāya pavattisambhavato rūpe ādīnavo parividito hoti. Athassa parividitarūpādīnavattā pathavīkasiṇādīsu aññataraṃ ugghāṭetvā rūpanissaraṇe ākāse cittaṃ upasaṃharato appakasireneva tattha cittaṃ pakkhandati. Iti karuṇā ākāsānañcāyatanassa upanissayo hoti, na tato paraṃ, tasmā ākāsānañcāyatanaparamāti vuttā.One who abides in compassion has come to know thoroughly the danger in materiality, since compassion is aroused in him when he sees the suffering of beings that has as its material sign (cause) beating with sticks, and so on. So, well knowing the danger in materiality, when he removes whichever kasiṇa [concept he was contemplating], whether that of the earth kasiṇa or another, and applies his mind to the space [that remains (see X.6)], which is the escape from materiality, then his mind enters into that [space] without difficulty. So compassion is the basic support for the sphere of boundless space, but not for what is beyond that. That is why it is called “having the base consisting of boundless space as the highest.”
Muditāvihārissa pana tena tena pāmojjakāraṇena uppannapāmojjasattānaṃ viññāṇaṃ samanupassantassa muditāya pavattisambhavato viññāṇaggahaṇaparicitaṃ cittaṃ hoti. Athassa anukkamādhigataṃ ākāsānañcāyatanaṃ atikkamma ākāsanimittagocare viññāṇe cittaṃ upasaṃharato appakasireneva tattha cittaṃ pakkhandatīti muditā viññāṇañcāyatanassa upanissayo hoti, na tato paraṃ, tasmā viññāṇañcāyatanaparamāti vuttā.When he abides in gladness, his mind becomes familiar with apprehending consciousness, since gladness is aroused in him when he sees beings’ consciousness arisen in the form of rejoicing over some reason for joy. Then when he surmounts the sphere of boundless space that he had already attained in due course and applies his mind to the consciousness that had as its object the sign of space, [325] his mind enters into it without difficulty. So gladness is the basic support for the base consisting of boundless consciousness, but not for what is beyond that. That is why it is called “having the sphere of boundless consciousness as the highest.”
Upekkhāvihārissa pana ‘‘sattā sukhitā vā hontu dukkhato vā vimuccantu, sampattasukhato vā mā vimuccantū’’ti ābhogābhāvato sukhadukkhādiparamatthagāhavimukhabhāvato avijjamānaggahaṇadukkhaṃ cittaṃ hoti. Athassa paramatthagāhato vimukhabhāvaparicitacittassa paramatthato avijjamānaggahaṇadukkhacittassa ca anukkamādhigataṃ viññāṇañcāyatanaṃ samatikkamma sabhāvato avijjamāne paramatthabhūtassa viññāṇassa abhāve cittaṃ upasaṃharato appakasireneva tattha cittaṃ pakkhandati. Iti upekkhā ākiñcaññāyatanassa upanissayo hoti, na tato paraṃ, tasmā ākiñcaññāyatanaparamāti vuttāti.When he abides in equanimity, his mind becomes skilled[^21] in apprehending what is (in the ultimate sense) non-existent, because his mind has been diverted from apprehension of (what is existent in) the ultimate sense, namely, pleasure, (release from) pain, etc., owing to having no further concern such as “May beings be happy” or “May they be released from pain” or “May they not lose the success they have obtained.” Now his mind has become used to being diverted from apprehension of [what is existent in] the ultimate sense, and his mind has become skilled in apprehending what is non-existent in the ultimate sense, (that is to say, living beings, which are a concept), and so when he surmounts the base consisting of boundless consciousness attained in due course and applies his mind to the absence, which is non-existent as to individual essence, of consciousness, which is a reality (is become—see M I 260) in the ultimate sense, then his mind enters into that (nothingness, that non-existence) without difficulty (see X.32). So equanimity is the basic support for the base consisting of nothingness, but not for what is beyond that. That is why it is called “having the base consisting of nothingness as the highest.”
Evaṃ subhaparamādivasena etāsaṃ ānubhāvaṃ viditvā puna sabbāpetā dānādīnaṃ sabbakalyāṇadhammānaṃ paripūrikāti veditabbā. Sattesu hi hitajjhāsayatāya sattānaṃ dukkhāsahanatāya, pattasampattivisesānaṃ ciraṭṭhitikāmatāya, sabbasattesu ca pakkhapātābhāvena samappavattacittā mahāsattā ‘‘imassa dātabbaṃ, imassa na dātabba’’nti vibhāgaṃ akatvā sabbasattānaṃ sukhanidānaṃ dānaṃ denti. Tesaṃ upaghātaṃ parivajjayantā sīlaṃ samādiyanti. Sīlaparipūraṇatthaṃ nekkhammaṃ bhajanti. Sattānaṃ hitāhitesu asammohatthāya paññaṃ pariyodapenti. Sattānaṃ hitasukhatthāya niccaṃ vīriyamārabhanti. Uttamavīriyavasena vīrabhāvaṃ pattāpi ca sattānaṃ nānappakārakaṃ aparādhaṃ khamanti. ‘‘Idaṃ vo dassāma karissāmā’’ti kataṃ paṭiññaṃ na visaṃvādenti. Tesaṃ hitasukhāya avicalādhiṭṭhānā honti. Tesu avicalāya mettāya pubbakārino honti. Upekkhāya paccupakāraṃ nāsīsantīti evaṃ pāramiyo pūretvā yāva dasabalacatuvesārajjachaasādhāraṇañāṇaaṭṭhārasabuddhadhammappabhede sabbepi kalyāṇadhamme paripūrentīti evaṃ dānādisabbakalyāṇadhammaparipūrikā etāva hontīti.When he has understood thus that the special efficacy of each resides respectively in “having beauty as the highest,” etc., he should besides understand how they bring to perfection all the good states beginning with giving. For the Great Beings’ minds retain their balance by giving preference to beings’ welfare, by dislike of beings’ suffering, by desire for the various successes achieved by beings to last, and by impartiality towards all beings. And to all beings they give gifts, which are a source a pleasure, without discriminating thus: “It must be given to this one; it must not be given to this one.” And in order to avoid doing harm to beings they undertake the precepts of virtue. They practice renunciation for the purpose of perfecting their virtue. They cleanse their understanding for the purpose of non-confusion about what is good and bad for beings. They constantly arouse energy, having beings’ welfare and happiness at heart. When they have acquired heroic fortitude through supreme energy, they become patient with beings’ many kinds of faults. They do not deceive when promising “We shall give you this; we shall do this for you.” They are unshakably resolute upon beings’ welfare and happiness. Through unshakable loving-kindness they place them first [before themselves]. Through equanimity they expect no reward. Having thus fulfilled the [ten] perfections, these [divine abidings] then perfect all the good states classed as the ten powers, the four kinds of fearlessness, the six kinds of knowledge not shared [by disciples], and the eighteen states of the Enlightened One.[^22] This is how they bring to perfection all the good states beginning with giving.
Iti sādhujanapāmojjatthāya kate visuddhimagge Samādhibhāvanādhikāre Brahmavihāraniddeso nāma Navamo paricchedo.The ninth chapter called “The Description of the Divine Abidings” in the Treatise on the Development of Concentration in the Path of Purification composed for the purpose of gladdening good people.