TheMind

likeFire

Unbound

AnImageintheEarlyBuddhistDiscourses

ṬhānissaroBhikkhu

(GeoffreyDeGraff)

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c o py r i g h tCopyright©1993ThanissaroBhikkhu(FourthEdition,Revised2010)

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Verywellthen,myfriend,Iwillgiveyouananalogy;for there are caseswhere it is through the use of ananalogy that intelligent people can understand themeaningofwhatisbeingsaid.

MN24

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A b b r e v i a t i o n s

VEDICTEXTS:

AV AtharvaVedaBAU BṛhadāraṇyakaUpaniṣadChU ChāndogyaUpaniṣadKaṭhU KaṭhaUpaniṣadKauU KauśītakīUpaniṣadMaiU MaitrīUpaniṣadRV ṚgVedaŚvU ŚvetāśvataraUpaniṣad

PALIBUDDHISTTEXTS:AN AṅguttaraNikāyaDN DīghaNikāyaIti ItivuttakaKhp KhuddakaPāṭhaMN MajjhimaNikāyaMv MahāvaggaSN SaṁyuttaNikāyaSn SuttaNipātaThag TheragāthāThig TherīgāthāUd Udāna

ReferencestoDN,Iti,Khp,&MNaretodiscourse(sutta).ThereferencetoMvistochapter,section,&sub-section.ReferencestootherPalitextsaretosection(saṁyutta,nipāta,orvagga)&discourse.

Alltranslationsaretheauthor’sown.ThosefromthePaliCanonarefromtheRoyalThaiEdition(Bangkok:MahamakutRajavidyalaya,1982).

Termsmarkedinthetextwithanasterisk(*)areexplainedintheGlossary.

BecausePalihasmanywaysofexpressingtheword‘and,’Ihave—toavoidmonotony—usedtheampersand(&)tojoinlistsofwords&

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shortphrases,andtheword‘and’tojoinlongphrases&clauses.

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P r e f a c e

TOSTUDYANCIENTTEXTSislikevisitingaforeigncity:Time&inclinationdeterminewhetheryouwantaquick,pre-packagedtourofthehighlights,alessstructuredopportunityforpersonalexploration,orboth.Thisbookontheconnotationsofthewordsnibbāna(nirvāṇa)&upādānaintheearlyBuddhisttextsisorganizedontheassumptionthatbothapproachestothetopichavetheirmerits,andsoitconsistsoftwoseparatebutrelatedparts.PartI,TheAbstract,isthequicktour—abriefsurveytohighlightthemainpointsoftheargument.PartII,TheEssay,isachancetomakefriendswiththenatives,soakupthelocalatmosphere,andgainyourowninsights.Ittakesamoreobliqueapproachtotheargument,lettingthetextsthemselvespointthewaywithaminimumofinterference,sothatyoumayexplore&ponderthematleisure.PartIisforthosewhoneedtheirbearingsandwhomightgetimpatientwiththeseemingindirectionofPartII;PartIIisforthosewhoareinterestedincontemplatingthenuances,thetangentialconnections,&thesenseofcontextthatusuallygetlostinamorestructuredapproach.

Eitherpartmaybereadonitsown,butIwouldliketorecommendthatanyoneseriouslyinterestedintheBuddha’steachingstakethetimetoreadreflectivelythetranslationsthatformthemainbodyofPartII.PeopleintheWest,evencommittedBuddhists,areoftenremarkablyignorantoftheBuddha’soriginalteachingsaspresentedintheearlytexts.Muchofwhattheyknowhasbeenfilteredforthem,atsecondorthirdhand,withouttheirrealizingwhatwasaddedorlostinthefiltration.AlthoughthequotationsinPartII,bytheirsheerlength&numbers,mayattimesseemlikeoverkill,theyareimportantforthecontexttheygivetotheteachings.Oncetheteachingshavecontext,youcanhaveasurersenseofwhatistrueBuddhaDhammaandwhatarefiltrationproducts.

Thisbookhasbeenmanyyearsinpreparation.Itbeganfromacasualremarkmadeoneeveningbymymeditationteacher—PhraAjaanFuangJotiko—totheeffectthatthemindreleasedislikefirethathasgoneout:Thefireisnotannihilated,hesaid,butisstillthere,diffusedintheair;itsimplynolongerlatchesontoanyfuel.Thisremarkgavemefoodforthoughtforalongtimeafterwards.WhenIcametolearnPali,myfirstinterestwastoexploretheearlytextstolearnwhatviewstheycontainedabouttheworkingsoffireandhowtheseinfluencedthemeaningofnibbāna—literally,‘extinguishing’—asanamefortheBuddhistgoal.Theresultofmyresearchisthisbook.

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Manypeoplehavehelpedinthisproject,directlyorindirectly,andIwouldliketoacknowledgemydebtstothem.Firstofall,PhraAjaanFuangJotiko,inadditiontobeingtheoriginalinspirationfortheresearch,providedmewiththetrainingthathasformedthebasisformanyoftheinsightspresentedhere.Theexampleofhislife&teachingswaswhatoriginallyconvincedmeofBuddhism’sworth.A.K.Warder’sexcellentIntroductiontoPalimadelearningPaliajoy.MarciaColish&J.D.Lewis,twoofmyprofessorsatOberlinCollege,taughtme—withnosmallamountofpatience—howtoread&interpretancienttexts.Ven.BhikkhuBodhi,DonaldSwearer,JohnBullitt,MargaretDornish,RobertEbert,MichaelGrossi,LawrenceHoward,&DorisWeirallreadearlierincarnationsofthemanuscriptandmadevaluablesuggestionsforimprovements.I,ofcourse,amresponsibleforanymistakesthatmaystillremain.

Finally,Iwouldliketodedicatethisbookingratitudetomyfather,HenryLewisDeGraff,andtothememoryofmymother,EstherPennyBoutcherDeGraff,whotaughtmethevalueoftruth,innerbeauty,&goodnessfromanearlyage.

ṬhānissaroBhikkhu(GeoffreyDeGraff)

MettaForestMonasteryAugust,1993

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PartOne:TheAbstract

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AB ST RACT

“Released…withunrestrictedawareness.”

ACCORDINGTOTHEPALICANON—theearliestextantrecordoftheBuddha’steachings—thefabricationsoflanguagecannotproperlybeusedtodescribeanythingoutsideoftherealmoffabrication.Inonemodeofanalysis,thisrealmisdividedintothesixsenses(countingthemindasthesixth)&theirobjects;inanothermode,intothefiveaggregatesofform,feeling,perception,fabrications,&consciousness.However,passagesintheCanon(suchasAN4:173andSN35:117)pointtoanotherrealm—wherethesixsenses&theirobjectscease—whichcanbeexperiencedalthoughnototherwisedescribed,evenintermsofexisting,notexisting,both,orneither.ThegoalofBuddhistpracticebelongstothissecondrealm,andthisofcourseraisedproblemsfortheBuddhainhowtoteach&describethatgoal.

Hesolvedtheproblembyillustratingthegoalwithsimiles&metaphors.Thebest-knownmetaphorforthegoalisthenamenibbāna(nirvāṇa),whichmeanstheextinguishingofafire.Attemptstoworkouttheimplicationsofthismetaphorhavealltoooftentakenitoutofcontext.Somewriters,drawingonmodern,everydaynotionsoffire,cometotheconclusionthatnibbānaimpliesextinction,aswefeelthatafiregoesoutofexistencewhenextinguished.Others,however,notethattheVedas—ancientIndianreligioustextsthatpredateBuddhismbymanythousandsofyears—describefireasimmortal:Evenwhenextinguisheditsimplygoesintohiding,inalatent,diffusedstate,onlytoberebornwhenanewfireislit.ThesewritersthenassumethattheBuddhaacceptedtheVedictheoryinitsentirety,andsomaintainthatnibbānaimplieseternalexistence.

TheweaknessofboththeseinterpretationsisthattheydonottakeintoaccountthewaythePaliCanondescribes(1)theworkingsoffire,(2)thelimitsbeyondwhichnophenomenonmaybedescribed,and(3)thepreciseimplicationsthattheBuddhahimselfdrewfromhismetaphorinlightof(1)&(2).Thepurposeofthisessayistoplacethismetaphorinitsoriginalcontexttoshowwhatitwasandwasnotmeanttoimply.

AnydiscussionofthewaytheBuddhausedthetermnibbānamustbeginwiththedistinctionthattherearetwolevelsofnibbāna(or,tousetheoriginalterminology,twonibbānaproperties).Thefirstisthenibbānaexperiencedbyapersonwhohasattainedthegoalandisstillalive.Thisisdescribedmetaphoricallyastheextinguishingofpassion,aversion,&

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delusion.Thesecondisthenibbānaafterdeath.Thesimileforthesetwostatesisthedistinctionbetweenafirethathasgoneoutbutwhoseembersarestillwarm,andonesototallyoutthatitsembersarecold.TheBuddhausedtheviewsoffirecurrentinhisdayinsomewhatdifferentwayswhendiscussingthesetwolevelsofnibbāna,andsowemustconsiderthemseparately.

Tounderstandtheimplicationsofnibbānainthepresentlife,itisnecessarytoknowsomethingofthewayinwhichfireisdescribedinthePaliCanon.There,fireissaidtobecausedbytheexcitationoragitationoftheheatproperty.Tocontinueburning,itmusthavesustenance(upādāna).Itsrelationshiptoitssustenanceisoneofclinging,dependence,&entrapment.Whenitgoesout,theheatpropertyisnolongeragitated,andthefireissaidtobefreed.Thusthemetaphorofnibbānainthiscasewouldhaveimplicationsofcalmingtogetherwithreleasefromdependencies,attachments,&bondage.Thisinturnsuggeststhatofalltheattemptstodescribetheetymologyofthewordnibbāna,theclosestistheoneBuddhaghosaproposedinThePathofPurification:Un-(nir)+binding(vāna):Unbinding.

Tounderstandfurtherwhatismeantbytheunbindingofthemind,itisalsoimportanttoknowthatthewordupādāna—thesustenanceforthefire—alsomeansclinging,andthataccordingtotheBuddhathemindhasfourformsofclingingthatkeepitinbondage:clingingtosensuality,toviews,toprecepts&practices,andtodoctrinesoftheself.Ineachcase,theclingingisthepassion&desirethemindfeelsforthesethings.Toovercomethisclinging,then,themindmustseenotonlythedrawbacksofthesefourobjectsofclinging,but,moreimportantly,thedrawbacksoftheactofpassion&desireitself.

Theminddoesthisbyfollowingathreefoldtraining:virtue,concentration,&discernment.Virtueprovidesthejoy&freedomfromremorsethatareessentialforconcentration.Concentrationprovidesaninternalbasisofpleasure,rapture,equanimity,&singlenessofmindthatarenotdependentonsensualobjects,sothatdiscernmentcanhavethestrength&stabilityitneedstocutthroughthemind’sclingings.Discernmentfunctionsbyviewingtheseclingingsaspartofacausalchain:seeingtheirorigin,theirpassingaway,theirallure,thedrawbacksoftheirresults,&,finally,emancipationfromthem.

AlthoughtheCanonreportscaseswhereindividualscutthroughallfourformsofclingingatthesametime,themorecommonpatternisfordiscernmentfirsttocutthroughsensualclingingbyfocusingontheinconstancy&stressfulnessofallsensoryobjectsandontheworthlessnessof

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anypassionordesiredirectedtothem.Thusfreed,themindcanturnitsdiscernmentinwardinasimilarwaytocutthroughitsclingingtothepracticeofconcentrationitself,aswellastoviewsingeneralandnotionsof‘self’inparticular.Onceitnolongerviewsexperienceintermsofself,theentireself/not-selfdichotomycollapses.

ThemindatthispointattainsDeathlessness,althoughthereisnosenseof‘I’intheattainment.Thereissimplytherealization,‘Thereisthis.’Fromthispointonwardthemindexperiencesmental&physicalphenomenawithasenseofbeingdissociatedfromthem.Onesimileforthisstateisthatofahideremovedfromthecarcassofacow:Evenifthehideisthenplacedbackonthecow,onecannotsaythatitisattachedasbefore,becausetheconnectivetissuesthatonceheldthehidetothecarcass—inotherwords,passion&desire—haveallbeencut(bytheknifeofdiscernment).Thepersonwhohasattainedthegoal—calledaTathāgatainsomecontexts,anarahantinothers—thuslivesouttheremainderofhis/herlifeintheworld,butindependentofit.

DeathasexperiencedbyaTathāgataisdescribedsimplyas,‘Allthis,nolongerbeingrelished,growscoldrighthere.’AllattemptstodescribetheexperienceofnibbānaorthestateoftheTathāgataafterdeath—asexisting,notexisting,both,orneither—arerefutedbytheBuddha.Toexplainhispoint,heagainmakesuseofthemetaphoroftheextinguishedfire,althoughherehedrawsontheVedicviewoflatentfireasmodifiedbyBuddhistnotionsofwhatdoesanddoesnotliewithintherealmofvaliddescription.

TodescribethestateoftheTathāgata’smind,therehastobeawayofknowingwhathis/herconsciousnessisdependenton.Herewemustrememberthat,accordingtothetexts,ameditatormaydevelopintuitivepowersthroughthepracticeofconcentrationenablinghim/hertoknowthestateofanotherperson’smind,orthedestinationofthatpersonafterdeath.Todoso,though,thatperson’sconsciousnessmustbedwellingonaparticularobject,foritisonlythroughknowledgeoftheobjectthatthestateofthemindcanbeknown.Withordinarypeoplethisisnoproblem,forordinaryconsciousnessisalwaysdependentononeobjectoranother,butwithTathāgatasthisisimpossible,fortheirconsciousnessistotallyindependent.Becausetermssuchasexisting,notexisting,both,orneither,applyonlytowhatmaybemeasuredagainstacriterionofknowing,theycannotapplytotheTathāgata.

TheBuddhaborrowstwopointsfromtheVedicnotionoffiretoillustratethispoint.Evenifonewantstoassumethatfirestillexistsafterbeingextinguished,itis(1)sosubtlethatitcannotbeperceived,and(2)sodiffusethatitcannotbesaidtogotoanyoneplaceorinanyparticulardirection.

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Justasnotionsofgoingeast,west,north,orsouthdonotapplytoanextinguishedfire,notionsofexistingandsoforthdonotapplytotheTathāgataafterdeath.

Asforthequestionofhownibbānaisexperiencedafterdeath,theBuddhasaysthatthereisnolimitinthatexperiencebywhichitcouldbedescribed.Theword‘limit’hereistheimportantone.InoneoftheancientVedicmythsofcreation,theuniversestartswhenalimitappearsthatseparatesmalefromfemale,skyfromearth.ThustheimplicationoftheBuddha’sstatementisthattheexperienceofnibbānaissofreefromeventhemostbasicnotionsmakinguptheuniversethatitliesbeyonddescription.Thisimplicationisborneoutbyotherpassagesstatingthatthereisnothinginthatexperienceoftheknownuniverse—earth,water,wind,fire,sun,moon,darkness,coming,going,orstasis—atall.

Thus,whenviewedinlightofthewaythePaliCanondescribestheworkingsoffireandusesfireimagerytodescribetheworkingsofthemind,itisclearthatthewordnibbānaisprimarilymeanttoconveynotionsoffreedom:freedominthepresentlifefromagitation,dependency,&clinging;andfreedomafterdeathfromeventhemostbasicconceptsorlimitations—suchasexistence,non-existence,both,orneither—thatmakeupthedescribableuniverse.

Here,Hemaka,withregardtothingsthataredear

—seen,heard,sensed,&cognized—thereis:

thedispellingofdesire&passion,theundyingstateofUnbinding.

Thoseknowingthis,mindful,fullyextinguished/unboundinthehere&now,

areforevercalmed,havecrossedover

entanglementintheworld.Sn5:8

‘Freed,disjoined,&releasedfromtenthings,theTathāgatadwellswithunrestrictedawareness,Vāhuna.Whichten?Freed,disjoined,&releasedfromform…feeling…perception…fabrications…consciousness…birth…aging…death…stress*…defilement,hedwellswithunrestrictedawareness.Justasared,blue,orwhitelotusborninthewaterand

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growinginthewater,risesupabovethewaterandstandswithnowateradheringtoit,inthesamewaytheTathāgata—freed,disjoined,&releasedfromthesetenthings—dwellswithunrestrictedawareness.’

AN10:81

‘Justasthegreatoceanhasbutonetaste,thetasteofsalt,evensodoesthisdoctrine&disciplinehavebutonetaste:thetasteofrelease.’

AN8:19

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PartTwo:TheEssay

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I N T RODUCT ION

“Theenlightenedgooutlikethisflame.”

THEDISCOURSESofthePaliCanonmakeafrequentanalogybetweentheworkingsoffireandthoseofthemind:Themindunawakenedtothesupremegoalislikeaburningfire;theawakenedmind,likeafiregoneout.Theanalogyismadebothindirectly&directly:indirectlyintheuseofterminologyborrowedfromthephysicsoffiretodescribementalevents(thewordnibbānabeingthebest-knownexample);directlyinanynumberofmetaphors:

IhaveheardthatononeoccasiontheBlessedOne—whilestayingatUruvelāonthebankoftheNerañjarāRiverintheshadeoftheBodhitree,newlyawakened—wassittingintheshadeoftheBodhitreeforsevendaysinonesession,sensitivetotheblissofrelease.Afterthepassingofthosesevendays,onemergingfromthatconcentration,hesurveyedtheworldwiththeeyeofanAwakenedOne.Ashedidso,hesawlivingbeingsburningwiththemanyfeversandaflamewiththemanyfiresbornofpassion,aversion,&delusion.

Ud3:10

‘TheAllisaflame.WhichAllisaflame?Theeyeisaflame.Formsareaflame.Eye-consciousnessisaflame.Eye-contactisaflame.Andwhateverthereisthatarisesindependenceoneye-contact,experiencedaspleasure,pain,orneitherpleasurenorpain,thattooisaflame.Aflamewithwhat?Aflamewiththefireofpassion,thefireofaversion,thefireofdelusion.Aflame,Itellyou,withbirth,aging,&death,withsorrows,lamentations,pains,distresses,&despairs.‘Theearisaflame.Soundsareaflame….‘Thenoseisaflame.Aromasareaflame….‘Thetongueisaflame.Flavorsareaflame….‘Thebodyisaflame.Tactilesensationsareaflame….‘Theintellectisaflame.Ideasareaflame.Intellect-consciousnessisaflame.Intellect-contactisaflame.Andwhateverthereisthatarisesindependenceonintellect-contact,experiencedaspleasure,painorneitherpleasurenorpain,thattooisaflame.Aflamewithwhat?Aflamewiththefireofpassion,thefireofaversion,thefireofdelusion.Aflame,Itellyou,

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withbirth,aging,&death,withsorrows,lamentations,pains,distresses,&despairs.

SN35:28

Thefireofpassionburnsinamortalexcited,smitten,withsensuality;

thefireofaversion,inamalevolentpersontakinglife;

thefireofdelusion,inabewilderedpersonignorantofthenobleDhamma.

Notunderstandingthesefires,people—fondofself-identity—

unreleasedfromtheshacklesofdeath,swelltheranksofhell,

thewombsofcommonanimals,demons,therealmofthehungryshades.

Whilethosewho,day&night,aredevotedtothemessageoftheOneRightlySelf-awakened,

putoutthefireofpassion,constantlyperceivingtherepulsive.

They,superlativepeople,putoutthefireofaversionwithgoodwill,

andthefireofdelusionwiththediscernmentleadingtopenetration.

They,masterful,untiringbynight&day,havingputout[thefires],

having,withoutremainder,understoodstress,go,withoutremainder,

totallyout.They,thewise,withanattainer-of-wisdom’s

noblevisionwithregardtorightgnosis,

directlyknowingtheendingofbirth,returntonofurtherbecoming*.

Iti93

Notonlyistheextinguishingofpassion,aversion,&delusioncompared

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totheextinguishingofafire,butsoisthepassingawayofapersoninwhomtheyareextinguished.

Endedtheold,thereisnonewtakingbirth.

Dispassionedtheirmindstowardfuturebecoming,

they,withnoseed,nodesireforgrowth,

theenlightenedgooutlikethisflame.

Khp6

SisterSumedhā:This,withoutaging,

thiswithoutdeath,this,theunaging,undyingstate

withnosorrow,hostility,bonds,

withnoburning….Thig16:1

WhentheBlessedOnewastotallygoneout—simultaneouslywiththetotalgoingout—Ven.Anuruddhautteredthesestanzas:

‘Hehadnoin-&-outbreathing,theonewhowasSuch*,thefirm-mindedone.imperturbable&bentonpeace:

thesagecompletinghisspan.

Withheartunbowedheenduredthepain.

Likeaflame’sgoingoutwastheliberation

ofawareness.’DN16

Theaimofthisessayistoexploretheimplicationsofthisimagery—togiveasenseofwhatitwas&wasnotintendedtoconvey—byfirstmakingreferencetotheviewsconcerningthephysicsoffirecurrentintheBuddha’s

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time.This,shortofanactualexperienceofAwakening—somethingnobookcanprovide—seemsthemostnaturalapproachfordrawingtheproperinferencesfromthisimagery.Otherwise,weareboundtointerpretitintermsofourownviewsofhowfireworks,amistakeasmisleading&anachronisticasthatofpaintingapictureoftheBuddhadressedasAlbertEinsteinorIsaacNewton.

Thepresentationhereismorelikeaphoto-mosaicthananexposition.Quotationshavebeenaligned&overlappedsoastoreflect&expandononeanother.Commentshaveintentionallybeenkepttoabareminimum,soastoallowthequotationstospeakforthemselves.Theweaknessofthisapproachisthatitcoversseveralfrontsatonceandcanmakeitspointsonlyincrementally.Itsstrengthliesinitscumulativeeffect:revealing—beneathapparentlydisparateteachings—unifyingpatternsthatmightgounnoticedinamorelinearnarrative,muchassatellitepicturescanrevealburiedarcheologicalremainsthatwouldgounnoticedbyapersonstandingontheground.

OneofthenoteworthyfeaturesofthePaliCanonisthatcommonpatternsofthought&imageryshapetheextemporaneouswordsofawidevarietyofpeoplereportedwithinit.HerewewillhearthevoicesnotonlyoftheBuddha—thespeakerinallpassagesfromtheCanonwherenoneisidentified—butalsooflaypeoplesuchasCitta,monkssuchasVens.Ānanda&MahāKaccāyana,andnunssuchasSistersNandā,Sumedhā,&Pāṭācārā.Eachhashisorherownstyleofexpression,bothinpoetry&inprose,buttheyallspeakfromasimilarityofbackground&experiencethatmakesitpossibletoviewtheirmessageasasinglewhole,instructureaswellascontent.

Thestructurewearemostconcernedwithherecentersontheimageofextinguishedfireanditsimplicationsfortheword‘nibbāna’(nirvāṇa)&relatedconcepts.Usedwithreferencetofire,nibbānameans‘beingout’or‘goingout.’Usedwithreferencetothemind,itreferstothefinalgoalandtothegoal’sattainment.Ouressayintotheclusterofmeaningssurroundingthiswordismeanttoreadlikeajourneyofexploration,butabriefpreviewwillhelpuskeeptrackbothofwhereweareinrelationtothemapprovidedbytheAbstract,andofwherewearegoing.

ThefirstchaptersurveysancientVedicideasoffireassubsistinginadiffusedstateevenwhenextinguished.ItthenshowshowtheBuddhatookanoriginalapproachtothoseideastoillustratetheconceptofnibbānaafterdeathasreferringnottoeternalexistence,butrathertoabsolutefreedomfromallconstraintsoftime,space,&being.

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Theremainingthreechaptersdealwiththeconceptofnibbānainthepresentlife.ChapterIIintroducesaclusterofBuddhistideasconcerningthenatureofburningfire—asagitated,clinging,bound,&dependent—anddrawsouttheimplicationsthattheseideashaveforwhathappenswhenafiregoesoutand,inparallelfashion,whenthemindattainsnibbāna.Inparticular,itconcludesthatofalltheetymologiestraditionallyofferedfornibbāna,Buddhaghosa’s‘unbinding’isprobablyclosesttotheoriginalconnotationsoftheterm.

ChapterIIItakesupthenotionofclingingasitappliestothemind—assensuality,views,habits&practices,anddoctrinesoftheself—toshowindetailwhatisloosenedinthemind’sunbinding,whereasChapterIVshowshow,bydetailingthewayinwhichthepracticeofvirtue,concentration,&discernmentfreesthemindfromitsfetters.Thisfinalchapterculminatesinanarrayofpassagesfromthetextsthatrecapitulatethepatternoffire-&-freedomimagerycoveredintheprecedingdiscussion.Ifreadreflectively,theyalsoserveasremindersthattheirperspectivesontheconceptofnibbānacanbestbeconnectedonlyinlightofthatpattern.

Weshouldnoteattheoutset,though,thatnibbānaisonlyoneoftheBuddhistgoal’smanynames.OnesectionoftheCanonlists33,andthecompositeimpressiontheyconveyisworthbearinginmind:

Theunfabricated,theend,theeffluent-less*,thetrue,thebeyond,

thesubtle,thevery-hard-to-see,theageless,permanence,theundecaying,

thesurface-less,non-objectification,peace,thedeathless,

theexquisite,bliss,solace,theexhaustionofcraving,

thewonderful,themarvelous,thesecure,security,

nibbāna,theunafflicted,thepassionless,thepure,

release,non-attachment,theisland,shelter,harbor,refuge,

theultimate.SN42:1-44

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CHAPT ER I

“Thisfirethathasgoneout…inwhichdirectionfromhere

hasitgone?”

THEDISCOURSESreporttwoinstanceswherebrāhmansaskedtheBuddhaaboutthenatureofthegoalhetaught,andherespondedwiththeanalogyoftheextinguishedfire.Thereiseveryreasontobelievethat,inchoosingthisanalogy,hewasreferringtoaconceptoffirefamiliartohislisteners,and,astheyhadbeeneducatedintheVedictradition,thatheprobablyhadtheVedicconceptoffireinmind.This,ofcourse,isnottosaythathehimselfadheredtotheVedicconceptorthathewasreferringtoitinallitsdetails.HewassimplydrawingonaparticularaspectoffireasseenintheVedassothathislistenerscouldhaveafamiliarreferencepointformakingsenseofwhathewassaying.

Now,althoughtheVedictextscontainseveraldifferenttheoriesconcerningthephysicsoffire,thereisatleastonebasicpointonwhichtheyagree:Fire,evenwhennotmanifest,continuestoexistinalatentform.TheVedicviewofallphysicalphenomenaisthattheyarethemanifestationofpre-existentpotenciesinherentinnature.Eachtypeofphenomenonhasitscorrespondingpotency,whichhasbothpersonal&impersonalcharacteristics:asagodandasthepowershewields.Inthecaseoffire,boththegod&thephenomenonarecalledAgni:

Agni,whoisgenerated,beingproduced[churned]bymenthroughtheagencyofsahas.

RV6,48,5

‘Sahas’hereisthepotency,thepowerofsubjugation,wieldedbyAgnihimself.JanGonda,indiscussingthispassage,comments,‘Theunderlyingtheorymusthavebeen…thatamanandhisphysicalstrengtharebynomeansabletoproduceagodorpotencyofAgni’srank.OnlythecooperationorconjunctionofthatspecialprinciplewhichseemstohavebeencentralinthedescriptionsofAgni’scharacter,hispowerofsubjugation,hisoverwhelmingpower,canleadtotheresultdesired,theappearanceofsparksandthegenerationoffire.’Further,‘adivinebeinglikeAgniwasinawayalreadypre-existentwhenbeinggeneratedbyapairofkindlingsticks’(1957,pp.22-3).Asfireburns,Agni‘continuesentering’intothefire(AV

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4,39,9).Scatteredinmanyplaces—asmanyseparatefires—heisneverthelessone&thesamething(RV3,55).Otherfiresareattachedtohimasbranchestoatree(RV8,19).

Whenfireisextinguished,Agniandhispowersdonotpassoutofexistence.Instead,theygointohiding.Thispointisexpressedinamyth,mentionedfrequentlyintheVedictexts,ofAgni’stryingtohidehimselffromtheothergodsinplaceswherehethoughttheywouldneverperceivehim.IntheversiontoldinRV10,51,thegodsfinallyfindthehiddenAgniasanembryointhewater.

[AddressedtoAgni]:Greatwasthemembrane&firm,thatenvelopedyouwhenyouenteredthewaters….Wesearchedforyouinvariousplaces,OAgni,knowerofcreatures,whenyouhadenteredintothewaters&plants.

RV10,51

AsChaunceyBlairnotes,‘TheconceptofAgniinthewatersdoesnotimplydestructionofAgni.Heismerelyahidden,apotentialAgni,andnolesscapableofpowerfulaction’(1961,p.103).

TheimplicationsofAgni’sbeinganembryoarebestunderstoodinlightofthetheoriesofbiologicalgenerationheldinancientIndia:

Thehusband,afterhavingenteredhiswife,becomesanembryoandisbornagainofher.

LawsofMānu,9,8

JustasancientIndianssawanunderlyingidentityconnectingafather&hisoffspring,sotoodidtheyperceiveasingleidentityunderlyingthemanifest&embryonicformsoffire.Inthisway,Agni,repeatedlyreborn,wasseenasimmortal;andinfact,theVedasattributeimmortalitytohimmorefrequentlythantoanyotherofthegods.

Toyou,immortal!Whenyouspringtolife,allthegodssingforjoy….Byyourpowerstheyweremadeimmortal….[Agni],whoextendedhimselfoveralltheworlds,istheprotectorofimmortality.

RV6,7

Notonlyimmortal,butalsoomnipresent:Agniinhismanifestformispresentinallthreelevelsofthecosmos—heaven,air,&earth—assun,

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lightning,&flame-fire.Asforhislatentpresence,hestatesinthemythofhishiding,‘mybodiesenteredvariousplaces’;asurveyoftheVedasrevealsawidevarietyofplaceswherehisembryosmaybefound.Someofthem—suchasstone,wood,plants,&kindlingsticks—relatedirectlytothemeansbywhichfireiskindled&fueled.Othersrelatemoretofire-likequalities&powers,suchasbrilliance&vitality,presentinwater,plants,animals,&allbeings.Inthefinalanalysis,Agnifillstheentireuniverseasthelatentembryoofgrowth&vitality.AsRaimundoPanikkarwrites,‘Agni…isoneofthemostcomprehensivesymbolsoftherealitythatisall-encompassing’(1977,p.325).

Agnipervades&deckstheheaven&earth…hisformsarescatteredeverywhere.

RV10,80

He[Agni]whoistheembryoofwaters,embryoofwoods,embryoofallthingsthatmove&donotmove.

RV1,70,2

Inplants&herbs,inallexistentbeings,I[Agni]havedepositedtheembryoofincrease.Ihaveengenderedallprogenyonearth,andsonsinwomenhereafter.

RV10,183,3

You[Agni]havefilledearth,heaven,&theairbetween,andfollowthewholecosmoslikeashadow.

RV1,73,8

Wecalluponthesagewithholyverses,AgniVaiśvānaratheever-beaming,whohassurpassedbothheaven&earthingreatness.Heisagodbelow,agodaboveus.

RV10,88,14

ThisviewthatAgni/fireinalatentstateisimmortal&omnipresentoccursalsointheUpaniṣadsthatwerecomposedcirca850-750B.C.andlateracceptedintotheVedicCanon.Theauthorsofthesetextsusethisviewtoillustrate,bywayofanalogy,thedoctrinesofaunitaryidentityimmanentinallthings,andoftheimmortalityofthesoulinspiteofapparentdeath.

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Now,thelightthatshineshigherthanthisheaven,onthebacksofall,onthebacksofeverything,inthehighestworlds,thanwhichtherearenohigher—trulythatisthesameasthelightherewithinaperson.Thereisthishearingofit—whenoneclosesone’searsandhearsasound,aroar,asofafireblazing.

ChU3.13.7-8

Truly,thisBrahma[thegodthattheUpaniṣadssayisimmanentinthecosmos]shineswhenfireblazes,anddisappearswhenitdoesnotblaze.Itsbrilliancegoestothesun;itsvitalbreathtothewind.ThisBrahmashineswhenthesunisseen,anddisappearswhenitisnotseen.Itsbrilliancegoestothemoon,itsvitalbreathtothewind.[Similarlyformoon&lightning.]Truly,allthesedivinities,havingenteredintowind,donotperishwhentheydie[disappear]inthewind;indeed,fromtheretheycomeforthagain.

KauU2.12

Inthemajornon-canonicalUpaniṣads—whoseperiodofcompositionisbelievedtooverlapwiththetimeoftheBuddha—theanalogyisevenmoreexplicit:

Astheonefirehasenteredtheworldandbecomescorrespondinginformtoeveryform,sotheInnerSoulofallthingscorrespondsinformtoeveryform,

andyetisoutside.KaṭhU2.2.9

Asthematerialformoffire,whenlatentinitssource,

isnotperceived—andyetitssubtleform

isnotdestroyed,butmaybeseizedagain

initsfuel-source—sotrulyboth[theuniversalBrahmā

&theindividualsoul]are[tobeseized]inthebodybymeansof[themeditationword]AUM.

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Makingone’sbodythelowerfrictionstick,

andAUMtheupperstick,practicingthedrillofmeditativeabsorption,

onemayseethegod,hiddenasitwere.

ŚvU1.13-14

OneinterestingdevelopmentinthisstratumoftheVedicliteratureisthepositivesenseinwhichitcomestoregardextinguishedfire.TheVedichymns&earlierUpaniṣadssawburningfireasapositiveforce,theessenceoflife&vitality.Thesetexts,though,seethetranquility&inactivityoftheextinguishedfireasanidealimageforthesoul’sdesireddestination.

TothatGod,illuminedbyhisownintellect,doI,desiringliberation,resortforrefuge—

tohimwithoutparts,withoutactivity,

tranquil,impeccable,spotless,

thehighestbridgetothedeathless,likeafirewithfuelconsumed.

ŚvU6.18-19

Asfirethroughlossoffuelgrowsstill[extinguished]initsownsource,

sothoughtbylossofactivenessgrowsstillinitsownsource….

Forbytranquilityofthought

onedestroysgood&evilkarma.

Withtranquilsoul,stayedontheSoul,oneenjoys

unendingease.MaiU6.34

Whetherthisre-evaluationoftheimageoffire—seeingitsextinguishingaspreferabletoitsburning—predatedthefoundingofBuddhism,wasinfluencedbyit,orsimplyparalleledit,noonecansayforsure,astherearenofirmdatesforanyoftheUpaniṣads.Atanyrate,inbothstagesoftheVedicattitudetowardfire,thethoughtofafiregoingoutcarriedno

25

connotationsofgoingoutofexistenceatall.Instead,itimpliedareturntoanomnipresent,immortalstate.Thishasledsomescholarstoassumethat,inusingtheimageofanextinguishedfiretoillustratethegoalhetaught,theBuddhawassimplyadoptingtheVedicpositionwholesaleandmeantittocarrythesameimplicationsasthelastquotationabove:apleasanteternalexistenceforatranquilsoul.

ButwhenwelookathowtheBuddhaactuallyusedtheimageofextinguishedfireinhisteachings,wefindthatheapproachedtheVedicideaoflatentfirefromanotherangleentirely:Iflatentfireiseverywhereallatonce,itisnowhereinparticular.Ifitisconceivedasalwayspresentineverything,ithastobesolooselydefinedthatithasnodefiningcharacteristics,nothingbywhichitmightbeknownatall.Thus,insteadofusingthesubsistenceoflatentfireasanimageforimmortality,heusesthediffuse,indeterminatenatureofextinguishedfireasunderstoodbytheVediststoillustratetheabsoluteindescribabilityofthepersonwhohasreachedtheBuddhistgoal.

Justasthedestinationofaglowingfirestruckwitha[blacksmith’s]ironhammer,graduallygrowingcalm,

isn’tknown:Evenso,there’snodestinationtodescribe

forthosewhoarerightlyreleased—havingcrossedovertheflood

ofsensuality’sbonds—forthosewho’veattained

unwaveringease.Ud8:10

‘But,VenerableGotama[thebrāhman,AggivessanaVacchagotta,isaddressingtheBuddha],themonkwhosemindisthusreleased:Wheredoeshereappear?’‘“Reappear,”Vaccha,doesn’tapply.’‘Inthatcase,VenerableGotama,hedoesnotreappear.’‘“Doesnotreappear,”Vaccha,doesn’tapply.’‘…bothdoes&doesnotreappear.’‘…doesn’tapply.’‘…neitherdoesnordoesnotreappear.’‘…doesn’tapply.’….

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‘Atthispoint,VenerableGotama,Iambefuddled;atthispoint,confused.Themodicumofclaritycomingtomefromyourearlierconversationisnowobscured.’‘Ofcourseyou’rebefuddled,Vaccha.Ofcourseyou’reconfused.Deep,Vaccha,isthisphenomenon,hardtosee,hardtorealize,tranquil,refined,beyondthescopeofconjecture,subtle,to-be-experiencedbythewise.Forthosewithotherviews,otherpractices,othersatisfactions,otheraims,otherteachers,itisdifficulttoknow.Thatbeingthecase,Iwillnowputsomequestionstoyou.Answerasyouseefit.Howdoyouconstruethis,Vaccha:Ifafirewereburninginfrontofyou,wouldyouknowthat,“Thisfireisburninginfrontofme”?’‘…yes…’‘Andsupposesomeoneweretoaskyou,Vaccha,“Thisfireburninginfrontofyou,dependentonwhatisitburning?”Thusasked,howwouldyoureply?’‘…Iwouldreply,“Thisfireburninginfrontofmeisburningdependentongrass&timberasitssustenance.”’‘Ifthefireburninginfrontofyouweretogoout,wouldyouknowthat“Thisfireburninginfrontofmehasgoneout”?’‘…yes…’‘Andsupposesomeoneweretoaskyou,“Thisfirethathasgoneoutinfrontofyou,inwhichdirectionfromherehasitgone?East?West?North?Orsouth?”Thusasked,howwouldyoureply?’‘Thatdoesn’tapply,VenerableGotama.Anyfireburningdependentonasustenanceofgrass&timber,beingunnourished—fromhavingconsumedthatsustenanceandnotbeingofferedanyother—isclassifiedsimplyas“out”[nibbuto].’‘Evenso,Vaccha,anyformbywhichonedescribingtheTathāgatawoulddescribehim:ThattheTathāgatahasabandoned,itsrootdestroyed,madelikeapalmyrastump,deprivedoftheconditionsofexistence,notdestinedforfuturearising.Freedfromtheclassificationofform,Vaccha,theTathāgataisdeep,boundless,hard-to-fathom,likethesea.“Reappears”doesn’tapply.“Doesnotreappear”doesn’tapply.“Bothdoes&doesnotreappear”doesn’tapply.“Neitherreappearsnordoesnotreappear”doesn’tapply.‘Anyfeeling…Anyperception…Anyfabrication…‘AnyconsciousnessbywhichonedescribingtheTathāgatawoulddescribehim:ThattheTathāgatahasabandoned….Freedfromtheclassificationofconsciousness,Vaccha,theTathāgataisdeep,boundless,

27

hard-to-fathom,likethesea.’MN72

Thepersonwhohasattainedthegoalisthusindescribablebecausehe/shehasabandonedallthingsbywhichhe/shecouldbedescribed.ThispointisassertedinevenmorethoroughgoingfashioninapairofdialogueswheretwoinexperiencedmonkswhohaveattemptedtodescribethestateoftheTathāgataafterdeatharecross-examinedonthematterbyVen.Sāriputta&theBuddhahimself.

Ven.Sāriputta:‘Howdoyouconstruethis,myfriendYamaka:DoyouregardformastheTathāgata?’

Ven.Yamaka:‘No,friend.’Ven.Sāriputta:‘DoyouregardfeelingastheTathāgata?’Ven.Yamaka:‘No,friend.’Ven.Sāriputta:‘…perception…?’Ven.Yamaka:‘No,friend.’Ven.Sāriputta:‘…fabrications…?’Ven.Yamaka:‘No,friend.’Ven.Sāriputta:‘…consciousness…?’Ven.Yamaka:‘No,friend.’Ven.Sāriputta:‘DoyouregardtheTathāgataasbeinginform?Elsewhere

thanform?Infeeling?Elsewherethanfeeling?Inperception?Elsewherethanperception?Infabrications?Elsewherethanfabrications?Inconsciousness?Elsewherethanconsciousness?’

Ven.Yamaka:‘No,friend.’Ven.Sāriputta:‘DoyouregardtheTathāgataasform-feeling-perception-

fabrications-consciousness?’Ven.Yamaka:‘No,friend.’Ven.Sāriputta:‘DoyouregardtheTathāgataasthatwhichiswithout

form,withoutfeeling,withoutperception,withoutfabrications,withoutconsciousness?’

Ven.Yamaka:‘No,friend.’Ven.Sāriputta:‘Andso,myfriendYamaka—whenyoucan’tpindown

theTathāgataasatruthorrealityeveninthepresentlife—isitproperforyoutodeclare,“AsIunderstandtheTeachingexplainedbytheBlessedOne,amonkwithnomoreeffluents,onthebreak-upofthe

28

body,isannihilated,perishes,&doesnotexistafterdeath”?’Ven.Yamaka:‘Previously,friendSāriputta,Ididfoolishlyholdthatevil

supposition.Butnow,havingheardyourexplanationoftheTeaching,Ihaveabandonedthatevilsupposition,andtheTeachinghasbecomeclear.’

Ven.Sāriputta:‘Then,friendYamaka,howwouldyouanswerifyouarethusasked:“Amonk,aworthyone,withnomoreeffluents,whatisheonthebreak-upofthebody,afterdeath?”’

Ven.Yamaka:‘Thusasked,Iwouldanswer,“Form…feeling…perception…fabrications…consciousnessareinconstant.Thatwhichisinconstantisstressful.Thatwhichisstressfulhasstoppedandgonetoitsend.”’

SN22:85

TheBuddhaputsthesameseriesofquestionstothemonkAnurādhawho—knowingthattheTathāgataafterdeathcouldnotbedescribedintermsofexistence,non-existence,both,orneither—hadattemptedtodescribetheTathāgatainotherterms.AfterreceivingthesameanswersasVen.YamakahadgivenVen.Sāriputta,theBuddhaconcludes:

‘Andso,Anurādha—whenyoucan’tpindowntheTathāgataasatruthorrealityeveninthepresentlife—isitproperforyoutodeclare,“Friend,theTathāgata—thesuprememan,thesuperlativeman,attainerofthesuperlativeattainment—beingdescribed,isdescribedotherwisethanwiththesefourpositions:TheTathāgataexistsafterdeath,doesnotexistafterdeath,bothdoes&doesnotexistafterdeath,neitherexistsnordoesnotexistafterdeath”?’‘No,lord.’‘Verygood,Anurādha.Bothformerly&now,Anurādha,itisonlystressthatIdescribe,andthestoppingofstress.’

SN22:86

Thusnoneofthefouralternatives—reappearing/existing,notreappearing/existing,both,&neither—canapplytotheTathāgataafterdeath,becauseeveninthislifetimethereisnowayofdefiningoridentifyingwhattheTathāgatais.

Toidentifyapersonbythecontentsofhisorhermind—suchthingsasfeelings,perceptions,orfabrications—therewouldhavetobeawayofknowingwhatthosecontentsare.Inordinarycases,thetextssay,thisis

29

possiblethrougheitheroftwocognitiveskillsthatameditatorcandevelopthroughthepracticeofmeditationandthatbeingsonhigherplanesofexistencecanalsoshare:theabilitytoknowwherealivingbeingisrebornafterdeath,andtheabilitytoknowanotherbeing’sthoughts.

Inbothskillstheknowledgeismadepossiblebythefactthattheordinarymindexistsinastateofdependencyonitsobjects.Whenabeingisreborn,itsconsciousnesshastobecomeestablishedatacertainpoint:Thispointiswhatamasterofthefirstskillperceives.Whentheordinarymindthinks,itneedsamentalobjecttoactasaproporsupport(ārammaṇa)foritsthoughts:Thissupportiswhatamasterofthesecondskillperceives.Themindofapersonwhohasattainedthegoal,though,isfreefromalldependenciesandsooffersnomeansbywhichamasterofeitherskillcanperceiveit.

ThentheBlessedOnewentwithalargenumberofmonkstotheBlackRockontheslopeofIsigili.FromafarhesawVen.Vakkalilyingdeadonacouch.Nowatthattimeasmokiness,adarknesswasmovingtotheeast,movingtothewest,movingtothenorth,thesouth,above,below,movingtotheintermediatedirections.TheBlessedOnesaid,‘Monks,doyouseethatsmokiness,thatdarkness…?’‘Yes,lord.’‘ThatisMāra*,theEvilOne.HeissearchingfortheconsciousnessofVakkalitheclansman:“WhereistheconsciousnessofVakkalitheclansmanestablished?”But,monks,throughunestablishedconsciousness,Vakkalitheclansmanhasattainedtotalnibbāna.’

SN22:87

[TheBuddhadescribesthemeditativestateofapersonwhohasachievedthegoalandisexperiencingaforetasteofnibbānaafterdeathwhilestillalive.Wewilldiscussthenatureofthismeditativestatebelow.Here,though,weareinterestedinhowthispersonappearstothosewhowouldnormallybeabletofathomanotherperson’smind.]‘Thereisthecase,Sandha,whereforanexcellentthoroughbredofamantheperceptionofearthwithregardtoearthhasceasedtoexist;theperceptionofliquidwithregardtoliquid…theperceptionofheatwithregardtoheat…theperceptionofwindwithregardtowind…theperceptionofthedimensionoftheinfinitudeofspacewithregardtothedimensionoftheinfinitudeofspace…theperceptionofthedimensionoftheinfinitudeofconsciousnesswithregardtothedimensionoftheinfinitudeofconsciousness…theperceptionofthedimensionof

30

nothingnesswithregardtothedimensionofnothingness…theperceptionofthedimensionofneitherperceptionnornon-perceptionwithregardtothesphereofneitherperceptionnornon-perception…theperceptionofthisworldwithregardtothisworld…thenextworldwithregardtothenextworld…andwhateverisseen,heard,sensed,cognized,attained,soughtafter,ponderedbytheintellect:theperceptionwithregardeventothathasceasedtoexist.‘Absorbedinthisway,theexcellentthoroughbredofamanisabsorbeddependentneitheronearth,liquid,heat,wind,thedimensionoftheinfinitudeofspace,thedimensionoftheinfinitudeofconsciousness,thedimensionofnothingness,thedimensionofneitherperceptionnornon-perception,thisworld,thenextworld;noronwhateverisseen,heard,sensed,cognized,attained,soughtafterorponderedbytheintellect—andyetheisabsorbed.Andtothisexcellentthoroughbredofaman,absorbedinthisway,thegods,togetherwithIndra,theBrahmās&theirviceroys,payhomageevenfromafar:

“Homagetoyou,Othoroughbredman.Homagetoyou,Osuperlativeman—

ofwhomwehavenodirectknowledgeevenbymeansofthatwithwhich

youareabsorbed.”’AN11:10

Thusthemindthathasattainedthegoalcannotbeknownordescribedfromtheoutsidebecauseitiscompletelyfreeofanydependency—anysupportorobjectinsideit—bywhichitmightbeknown.ThispointformsthecontextforthedialogueinwhichthebrāhmanUpasīvaaskstheBuddhaaboutthepersonwhoattainsthegoal.

Upasīva:Ifhestaysthere,OAll-aroundEye,unaffectedformanyyears,

righttherewouldhebecooled&released?Would[his]consciousnessbecomelikethat?

TheBuddha:Asaflameoverthrownbytheforceofthewind

goestoanendnotfittingtoclassify,sothesagefreedfromnaming(mental)activity

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goestoanendnotfittingtoclassify.

Upasīva:Hewhohasreachedtheend:

Doeshenotexist,orisheforeternityfreefromaffliction?

Please,sage,declarethistomeasthisphenomenonhasbeenknownbyyou.

TheBuddha:Onewhohasreachedtheendhasnocriterionbywhichanyonewouldsaythat—

forhimitdoesn’texist.Whenallphenomenaaredoneawaywith,doneawayareallmeansofspeakingaswell.

Sn5:6

Theimportantterminthelastverseispamāṇa:‘criterion’.Itisapregnantterm,withmeaningsbothinphilosophicalandinordinaryusage.Inphilosophicaldiscourse,itreferstoameansofknowledgeorastandardusedtoassessthevalidityofanassertionorobject.IntheBuddha’stimeandlater,variousschoolsofthoughtspecializedindiscussingthenatureandroleofsuchcriteria.TheMaitriUpaniṣadcontainsoneoftheirbasictenets:

Becauseofitsprecision,this[thecourseofthesunthroughthezodiac]isthecriterionfortime.Forwithoutacriterion,thereisnoascertainingthethingstobeassessed.

MaiU6.14

Thuswhenamindhasabandonedallphenomena,thereisnomeansorcriterionbywhichanyoneelsecouldknoworsayanythingaboutit.Thismuchisobvious.Buttheversealsoseemstobesayingthatthegoalisindescribablefromtheinside—forthepersonexperiencingit—aswell.First,theverseisinresponsetoUpasīva’sinquiryintothegoalastheBuddhahasknownit.Secondly,theline,‘forhimitdoesn’texist,’canmeannotonlythatthepersonexperiencingthegoaloffersnocriteriatotheoutsidebywhichanyoneelsemightdescribehim/her,butalsothattheexperienceoffersnocriteriafromtheinsidefordescribingiteither.Andaswehavealreadynoted,theoutsidecriteriabywhichapersonmightbedescribedaredeterminedpreciselybywhatisthereinsidetheperson’smind.Thus,forthe

32

personexperiencingthegoal,therewouldnotevenbeanymeansofknowingwhetherornottherewasapersonhavingtheexperience.Therewouldsimplybetheexperiencein&ofitself.

Thisiswheretheordinarymeaningofpamāṇa—aslimitormeasurement—comesin.ThismeaninggoesbacktotheVedichymns.There,theactofmeasuringisseenasanessentialpartoftheprocessofthecreation(or‘building,’likeahouse)ofthecosmos.InoneṚgVedichymn(X.129),forexample,thecreationofmindisfollowedbytheappearanceofahorizontallimitormeasuringlineseparatingmalefromfemale(heavenfromearth).Fromthisline,therestofthecosmosislaidout.

Sotosaythatnocriterion/measurement/limitexistsforthepersonexperiencingthegoalmeansthattheperson’sexperienceistotallyfreeofallthemostelementaryperceptions&distinctionsthatunderlieourknowledgeofthecosmos.Andtheword‘free’—oneofthefewtheBuddhausesinastraightforwardwaytodescribethemindthathasattainedthegoal—thuscarriestwomeanings:freefromdependency,aswehavealreadyseen;andfreefromlimitations,evenofthemostabstruse&subtlestsort.

Thissecondreadingoftheverse—dealingwiththelimitlessness&indescribabilityofthegoalforthepersonexperiencingit—issupportedbyanumberofotherpassagesinthePaliCanonreferringexplicitlytotheinnerexperienceofthegoal.

Consciousnesswithoutsurface,withoutend,luminousallaround:

Herewater,earth,fire,&windhavenofooting.Herelong&short,

coarse&fine,fair&foul,name&form

areallbroughttoanend.Withthestoppingof[sensory]consciousness,

eachisherebroughttoanend.DN11

‘Thereis,monks,thatdimensionwherethereisneitherearthnorwater,norfirenorwind,nordimensionoftheinfinitudeofspace,nordimensionoftheinfinitudeofconsciousness,nordimensionofnothingness,nordimensionofneitherperceptionnornon-perception,northisworld,northenextworld,norsun,normoon.Andthere,Isay,there

33

isneithercoming,norgoing,norstasis,norpassingaway,norarising:withoutstance,withoutfoundation,withoutsupport[mentalobject].This,justthis,istheendofstress.’

Ud8:1

Wherewater,earth,fire,&windhavenofooting:Therethestarsdonotshine,

thesunisnotvisible,themoondoesnotappear,darknessisnotfound.

Andwhenabrāhman,asagethroughsagacity

hasknown[this]forhimself,thenfromform&formless,

frompleasure&pain,heisfreed.

Ud1:10

‘Consciousnesswithoutsurface,withoutend,radiantallaround,isnotexperiencedthroughthesolidityofearth,theliquidityofwater,theradianceoffire,thewindinessofwind,thedivinityofdevas[andsoonthroughalistofthevariouslevelsofgodhoodto]theallnessoftheAll.’

MN49

Thephrase‘theallnessoftheAll’canbestbeunderstoodwithreferencetothefollowingthreepassages:

‘WhatistheAll?Simplytheeye&forms,ear&sounds,nose&aromas,tongue&flavors,body&tactilesensations,intellect&ideas.This,monks,istermedtheAll.Anyonewhowouldsay,“RepudiatingthisAll,Iwilldescribeanother,”ifquestionedonwhatexactlymightbethegroundsforhisstatement,wouldbeunabletoexplain,andfurthermore,wouldbeputtogrief.Why?Becauseitliesbeyondrange.’

SN35:23

Ifthesixsenses&theirobjects—sometimescalledthesixspheresofcontact—constitutetheAll,isthereanythingbeyondtheAll?

Ven.MahāKoṭṭhita:‘Withtheremainderlessstopping&fadingofthesixspheresofcontact[vision,hearing,smell,taste,touch,&intellection]

34

isitthecasethatthereisanythingelse?’Ven.Sāriputta:‘Don’tsaythat,myfriend.’Ven.MahāKoṭṭhita:‘Withtheremainderlessstopping&fadingofthesix

spheresofcontact,isitthecasethatthereisnotanythingelse?’Ven.Sāriputta:‘Don’tsaythat,myfriend.’Ven.MahāKoṭṭhita:‘…isitthecasethattherebothis&isnotanything

else?’Ven.Sāriputta:‘Don’tsaythat,myfriend.’Ven.MahāKoṭṭhita:‘…isitthecasethatthereneitherisnorisnot

anythingelse?’Ven.Sāriputta:‘Don’tsaythat,myfriend.’Ven.MahāKoṭṭhita:‘Beingasked…ifthereisanythingelse,yousay,

“Don’tsaythat,myfriend.”Beingasked…ifthereisnotanythingelse…iftherebothis&isnotanythingelse…ifthereneitherisnorisnotanythingelse,yousay,“Don’tsaythat,myfriend.”Now,howisthemeaningofthisstatementtobeunderstood?’

Ven.Sāriputta:‘Saying…isitthecasethatthereisanythingelse…isitthecasethatthereisnotanythingelse…isitthecasethattherebothis&isnotanythingelse…isitthecasethethereneitherisnorisnotanythingelse,oneisobjectifyingthenon-objectified.Howeverfarthesixspheresofcontactgo,thatishowfarobjectificationgoes.Howeverfarobjectificationgoes,thatishowfarthesixspheresofcontactgo.Withtheremainderlessfading&stoppingofthesixspheresofcontact,therecomestobethestopping,theallayingofobjectification.’

AN4:173

Thedimensionofnon-objectification,althoughitmaynotbedescribed,mayberealizedthroughdirectexperience.

‘Monks,thatdimensionshouldbeexperiencedwheretheeye[vision]stopsandtheperception[label]offormfades.Thatdimensionshouldbeexperiencedwheretheearstopsandtheperceptionofsoundfades…wherethenosestopsandtheperceptionofaromafades…wherethetonguestopsandtheperceptionofflavorfades…wherethebodystopsandtheperceptionoftactilesensationfades…wheretheintellectstopsandtheperceptionofidea/phenomenonfades:Thatdimensionshouldbeexperienced.’

SN35:117

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Thisexperienceofthegoal—absolutelyunlimitedfreedom,beyondclassificationandexclusiveofallelse—istermedtheelementalnibbānapropertywithno‘fuel’remaining(anupādisesa-nibbāna-dhātu).Itisoneoftwowaysinwhichnibbānaisexperienced,thedistinctionbetweenthetwobeingexpressedasfollows:

‘Monks,therearethesetwoformsofthenibbānaproperty.Whichtwo?Thenibbānapropertywithfuelremaining,andthenibbānapropertywithnofuelremaining.‘Andwhatisthenibbānapropertywithfuelremaining?Thereisthecasewhereamonkisanarahantwhoseeffluentshaveended,whohasattainedcompletion,finishedthetask,laiddowntheburden,attainedthetruegoal,destroyedthefetterofbecoming,andisreleasedthroughrightgnosis.Hisfive[sense]facultiesstillremainand,owingtotheirbeingintact,heexperiencesthepleasing&thedispleasing,andissensitivetopleasure&pain.Hisendingofpassion,aversion,&delusionistermedthenibbānapropertywithfuelremaining.‘Andwhatisthenibbānapropertywithnofuelremaining?Thereisthecasewhereamonkisanarahant…releasedthroughrightgnosis.Forhim,allthatissensed,beingunrelished,willgrowcoldrighthere.Thisistermedthenibbānapropertywithnofuelremaining.’

Iti44

Thephrasereferringtotherangeoffeelingas‘growingcoldrighthere’isasetexpressiondescribingdeathasexperiencedbyonewhohasreachedthegoal.Theversefollowingthispassagestatesexplicitlythatthisiswhatismeanthere.

Thesetwoproclaimedbytheonewithvision

nibbānapropertiestheoneindependenttheonewhoisSuch:

oneproperty,hereinthislife

withfuelremainingfromtheendingof[craving],theguidetobecoming

andthatwithnofuelremaining

36

afterthislifeinwhichbecomings

entirelystop.

Thosewhoknowthisunfabricatedstate,theirmindsreleasedthroughtheendingof[craving],

theguidetobecoming,

they,attainingtheTeaching’score,delightinginending,

haveabandonedallbecomings:they,theSuch.

Iti44

TheVersesoftheElderUdāyinsuggestasimiletoillustratethedistinctionbetweenthesetwonibbānaproperties:

Agreatblazingfireunnourishedgrowscalm

andthoughitsembersexistissaidtobeout:

Conveyingameaning,thisimageistaughtbythecognizant.GreatNāgas*willrecognize

theNāgaastaughtbytheNāgaasfreefrompassion,

freefromaversion,freefromdelusion,

withouteffluent.Hisbodydiscarded,theNāga

willgototallyoutwithouteffluent.

Thag15:2

HereVen.Udāyincomparesthenibbānapropertywithfuelremaining—thestateofbeingabsolutelyfreefrompassion,aversion,&delusion—toafirewhoseflameshavediedout,butwhoseembersarestillglowing.Althoughhedoesnotcompletetheanalogy,heseemstoimplythatthenibbānapropertywithoutfuelremaining—whentheWorthyOnediscardshisbodyatdeath—islikeafiresototallyoutthatitsembershavegrown

37

cold.Thusthecompletelyfree&unadulteratedexperiencewehavebeen

discussingisthatofnibbānaafterdeath.Thereare,though,statesofconcentrationwhichgiveaforetasteofthisexperienceinthepresentlifeandwhichenabledtheBuddhatosaythathetaughtthegoalonthebasisofdirectknowledge.

Ven.Ānanda:‘Inwhatway,venerablesir,mightamonkattainconcentrationofsuchaformthathewouldhaveneithertheperceptionofearthwithregardtoearth,norofwaterwithregardtowater,noroffire…wind…thedimensionoftheinfinitudeofspace…thedimensionoftheinfinitudeofconsciousness…thedimensionofnothingness…thedimensionofneitherperceptionnornon-perception…thisworld…norofthenextworldwithregardtothenextworld,andyethewouldstillbepercipient?’

TheBuddha:‘Thereisthecase,Ānanda,wherehewouldbepercipientofthis:“Thisispeace,thisisexquisite—thepacificationofallfabrications;therelinquishingofallacquisitions;theendingofcraving;dispassion;stopping;nibbāna.”’

AN10:6

[Ven.ĀnandaputsthesamequestiontoVen.Sāriputta,whorespondsthathehimselfoncehadexperiencedsuchaconcentration.]

Ven.Ānanda:‘Butwhatwereyoupercipientofatthattime?’Ven.Sāriputta:‘”Thestoppingofbecoming—nibbāna—thestoppingof

becoming—nibbāna”:Oneperceptionaroseinmeasanotherperceptionstopped.Justasinablazingwoodchipfire,oneflamearisesasanotherflamestops,evenso,“Thestoppingofbecoming—nibbāna—thestoppingofbecoming—nibbāna”:Oneperceptionaroseinmeasanotheronestopped.Iwaspercipientatthattimeof“thestoppingofbecoming—nibbāna.”’

AN10:7

Ven.Ānanda:‘Itisamazing,myfriend,itismarvelous,howtheBlessedOnehasattained&recognizedtheopportunityforthepurificationofbeings…andthedirectrealizationofnibbāna,wheretheeyewillbe,andforms,andyetonewillnotbesensitivetothatdimension;wheretheearwillbe,andsounds…wherethenosewillbe,andaromas…

38

wherethetonguewillbe,andflavors…wherethebodywillbe,andtactilesensations,andyetonewillnotbesensitivetothatdimension.’

Ven.Udāyin:‘Isoneinsensitivetothatdimensionpercipientornotpercipient?’

Ven.Ānanda:‘…percipient…’Ven.Udāyin:‘…percipientofwhat?’Ven.Ānanda:‘Thereisthecasewhere—withthecompletetranscending

ofperceptionsofform,andthepassingawayofperceptionsofresistance,andnotattendingtoperceptionsofdiversity—(perceiving,)‘infinitespace,’oneremainsinthedimensionoftheinfinitudeofspace:Percipientinthisway,oneisnotsensitivetothatdimension.‘Further,withthecompletetranscendingofthedimensionoftheinfinitudeofspace,(perceiving,)‘infiniteconsciousness,’oneremainsinthedimensionoftheinfinitudeofconsciousness:Percipientinthisway,oneisnotsensitivetothatdimension.‘Further,withthecompletetranscendingofthedimensionoftheinfinitudeofconsciousness,(perceiving,)‘Thereisnothing,’oneremainsinthedimensionofnothingness:Percipientinthisway,oneisnotsensitivetothatdimension.‘Once,friend,whenIwasstayinginSāketaattheGameRefugeintheBlackForest,thenunJaṭilāBhāgikāwenttomeand,onarrival—havingbowedtome—stoodtooneside.Asshewasstandingtooneside,shesaidtome:“Ven.Ānanda,theconcentrationwhereby—neitherpresseddownnorforcedback,norwithfabricationskeptblockedorsuppressed—stillasaresultofrelease,contentedasaresultofstillness,andasaresultofcontentmentoneisnotagitated:ThisconcentrationissaidbytheBlessedOnetobethefruitofwhat?”’‘Isaidtoher,“…ThisconcentrationissaidbytheBlessedOnetobethefruitofgnosis[theknowledgeoffullAwakening].”Percipientinthisway,friend,oneisnotsensitivetothatdimension.’

AN9:37

Inthisextraordinarystateofmentalpoise—neitherpressed,forced,blocked,orsuppressed—nibbānainthepresentlifeisexperiencedasfreedomfromallperceptiondealingwiththesixsensoryspheres&thedimensionsofmeditativeabsorption.Althoughoneisconscious,andthesedimensionsarepresent,onedoesnotpartakeofthem.

Onthelevelofordinarysensoryexperience,however,nibbānainthepresentlifeisexperiencedbytheWorthyOneasthepassingawayof

39

passion,aversion,&delusion.Thisimpliesthatthesethreestatesareanalogoustofire;andaswesawintheIntroduction,theyaredirectlyreferredtoasfiresatvariouspointsintheCanon.Onthesurface,thenotionofpassion&aversionasfireshardlyrequiresexplanation,butinordertogainafullerappreciationoftheanalogiesthattheCanondrawsbetweenfireontheonehand,andpassion,aversion,&delusionontheother,wefirstneedsomebackgroundonthespecificallyBuddhistviewsonfireitcontains.

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CHAPT ER I I

“Fireburnswithclinging,andnotwithoutclinging.”

ALTHOUGHTHECOMPILERSofthePaliCanonwerenotconcernedwithteachingthephysicalsciences,therearefrequentpassageswheretheycitethebehaviorofthephysicaluniverse,insimilesorexamples,toillustratepointsofdoctrine.Anumberofthesepassagesdiscussquestionsofheat,motion,meteorology,theetiologyofdiseases,andsoforth,inenoughdetailtoshowthatacommontheoryunderliestheirexplanation.Thattheorycentersontheconceptof‘dhātu,’propertyorpotential.Thephysicalpropertiespresentedinthistheoryarefour:thoseofearth(solidity),liquid,heat,&wind(motion).Threeofthem—liquid,heat,&wind—arepotentiallyactive.Whentheyareaggravated,agitatedorprovoked—thePalitermhere,‘pakuppati’,isusedalsoonthepsychologicallevel,whereitmeansangeredorupset—theyactastheunderlyingcauseforactivityinnature.Fire,forexample,issaidtooccurwhentheheatpropertyisprovoked.

‘Therecomesatimewhentheexternalheatpropertyisprovokedandconsumesvillage,town&city,countryside&ruralarea;andthen,comingtotheedgeofagreendistrict,theedgeofaroad,theedgeofarockydistrict,tothewater’sedge,ortoalush,well-wateredarea,goesoutfromlackofsustenance.’

MN28

Onceafirehasbeenprovoked,itneeds‘upādāna’—commonlytranslatedasfuel—tocontinueburning.Upādānahasothermeaningsbesidesfuel,though—oneisthenourishmentthatsustainsthelife&growthofatree—andaswewillseebelow,windcanalsofunctionasafire’supādāna.Thus,‘sustenance’wouldseemtobeamoreprecisetranslationfortheterm.

‘Howdoyouconstruethis,youngman:Whichfirewouldbemorebrilliant,luminous,&dazzling—thatwhichburnedindependenceonasustenanceofgrass&timber,orthatwhichburnedindependenceonhavingrelinquishedasustenanceofgrass&timber?’‘Ifitwerepossible,Gotama,forafiretoburnindependenceonhavingrelinquishedasustenanceofgrass&timber,thatfirewouldbethemorebrilliant,luminous,&dazzling.’

41

‘It‘simpossible,youngman,thereisnowaythatafirecouldburnindependenceonhavingrelinquishedasustenanceofgrass&timber,asidefromafeatofpsychicpower….’

MN99

‘Justasafire,Vaccha,burnswithsustenance,andnotwithoutsustenance,evensoIdeclaretherebirthofonewhohassustenance,andnotofonewithoutsustenance.’‘But,VenerableGotama,atthemomentaflameisbeingsweptonbythewindandgoesafardistance,whatdoyousayisitssustenancethen?’‘Vaccha,whenaflameisbeingsweptonbythewindandgoesafardistance,Isaythatitiswind-sustained.Thewind,Vaccha,isitssustenanceatthattime.’‘Andatthemomentwhenabeingsetsthisbodyasideandhasnotyetattainedanotherbody,whatdoyousayisitssustenancethen?’‘Actually,Vaccha,whenabeingsetsthisbodyasideandhasnotyetattainedanotherbody,Isaythatitiscraving-sustained.Craving,Vaccha,isitssustenanceatthattime.’

SN44:9

Anothermeaningforupādānaisclinging,whichsuggeststhat,justasatreeclingstothesoilthatprovidesitssustenance,fireclingstoitsfuel.Thustheabovepassagecouldalsoread,‘fireburnswithclingingandnotwithoutclinging‘—acharacteristicoffirethatwasobservedinotherancientAsiantraditions,suchastheChineseIChing,aswell.

TheclingingnatureoffireisreflectedinanumberofotheridiomsusedbythePaliCanontodescribeitsworkings.Forone,anobjectthatcatchesfireissaidtoget‘stuck’(passive)orto‘stick’(active):Adherenceisatwo-wayprocess.

‘Justasawingboneortendonparings,monks,thrownintoafiredon’tcatchfire[lit:‘stick’or‘getstuck’],keepapart,turnaside,andarenotdrawnin;evensotheheartofamonkwhospendstimeoftenwithamindaccustomedtofocusingontherepulsive,doesn’tsticktothe[thoughtof]engaginginthesexualact,keepsapart,turnsaside,andisnotdrawnin,andremainseitherindifferentorrepelled.’

AN7:46

Thesecondsideoftheattachment—thatfire,instickingtosomething,

42

getsstuck—isreflectedinyetanotheridiominthePaliCanon:Whenitleavesapieceoffuelithasbeenclingingto,itissaidtobereleased.

‘Justasfire…afterbeingreleasedfromahouseofreedsorahouseofgrass,burnsevengabledhouses,plastered,latched,shutagainstthewind;evenso,alldangersthatarise,arisefromfools,andnotfromwisepeople;alldisasters…alltroublesthatarise,arisefromfoolsandnotfromwisepeople.’

MN115

Thissenseoffire’sbeingentrappedasitburnsechoesthestanzafromtheŚvetāśvataraUpaniṣad,quotedabove(page19),thatreferstofireasbeing‘seized’whenignitedbythefrictionoffiresticks.ApparentlytheBuddhistswerenotaloneintheirtimeinseeingattachment&entrapmentastheywatchedafireburn.AndthiswouldaccountforthewayearlyBuddhistpoetrytendstocoupletheimageofanextinguishedfirewiththenotionoffreedom:

likeaflame’sgoingoutwastheliberationofawareness.

DN16

asaflameoverthrownbytheforceofthewind…sothesagefreedfromnamingactivity…

Sn5:6

So,tosummarize:TheimageofanextinguishedfirecarriednoconnotationsofannihilationfortheearlyBuddhists.Rather,theaspectsoffirethattothemhadsignificanceforthemind-fireanalogyarethese:Fire,whenburning,isinastateofagitation,dependence,attachment,&entrapment—bothclinging&beingstucktoitssustenance.Extinguished,itbecomescalm,independent,indeterminate,&unattached:Itletsgoofitssustenanceandisreleased.

Thissamenexusofevents,appliedtotheworkingsofthemind,occursrepeatedlyinCanonicalpassagesdescribingtheattainmentofthegoal:

‘Oneattachedisunreleased;oneunattachedisreleased.Shouldconsciousness,whenstanding[still],standattachedtoform,supportedbyform[asitsobject],establishedonform,wateredwithdelight,itwouldexhibitgrowth,increase,&proliferation.Shouldconsciousness,

43

whenstanding[still],standattachedtofeeling…toperception…tofabrications…itwouldexhibitgrowth,increase,&proliferation.Weresomeonetosay,“Iwilldescribeacoming,agoing,apassingaway,anarising,agrowth,anincrease,oraproliferationofconsciousnessapartfromform,fromfeeling,fromperception,fromfabrications,”thatwouldbeimpossible.‘Ifamonkabandonspassionforthepropertyofform…feeling…perception…fabrications…consciousness,thenowingtotheabandoningofpassion,thesupportiscutoff,andthereisnobaseforconsciousness.Consciousness,thusunestablished,notproliferating,notperforminganyfunction,isreleased.Owingtoitsrelease,itstandsstill.Owingtoitsstillness,itiscontented.Owingtoitscontentment,itisnotagitated.Notagitated,he[themonk]istotally“nibbāna-ed”rightwithin.Hediscernsthat“Birthisended,theholylifefulfilled,thetaskdone.Thereisnothingfurtherforthisworld.”’

SN22:53

Thisbeingthesetofevents—stillness,independence,unattachment—associatedwiththeextinguishingofafireandtheattainmentofthegoal,itwouldappearthatofalltheetymologiesofferedtoexplaintheword‘nibbāna,’theoneclosesttoitsoriginalconnotationsisthatquotedbyBuddhaghosainThePathofPurification(VIII,247).Therehederivesthewordfromthenegativeprefix‘nir,’plus‘vāna,’orbinding*:‘Unbinding’.

Modernscholarshavetendedtoscornthisderivationasfanciful,andtheyfavorsuchhypothesesas‘blowingout,’‘notblowing’or‘covering.’ButalthoughthesehypothesesmaymakesenseintermsofmodernWesternideasaboutfire,theyarehardlyrelevanttothewaynibbānaisusedintheCanon.Freedom,ontheotherhand,ismorethanrelevant.Itiscentral,bothinthecontextofancientIndiantheoriesoffireandinthepsychologicalcontextofattainingthegoal:‘Notagitated,heistotallyunboundrightwithin.’

So‘Unbinding’wouldseemtobethebestequivalentfornibbānawehaveinEnglish.Whatkindofunbinding?Wehavealreadygainedsomeidea—liberationfromdependency&limitations,fromagitation&death—butitturnsoutthatnibbānaisnottheonlytermtheBuddhaborrowedfromtheworkingsoffiretodescribetheworkingsofthemind.Upādānaisanother,andasurveyofhowheappliedittothemindwillhelptoshowwhatisloosedinthemind’sunbindingandhow.

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CHAPT ER I I I

“Fortycartloadsoftimber.”

UPĀDĀNAcarriesbothofitsmeanings—clinging&sustenance—whenappliedtothemind.Itrefersontheonehandbothtomentalclinging&totheobjectclungto,andontheothertoboththeactoftakingmentalsustenance&thesustenanceitself.This,ofcourse,raisesthequestion,‘Sustenanceforwhat?’Inthedescriptionofdependentco-arising,upādānaformstheconditionforbecomingand,throughbecoming,forbirth,aging,death,andtheentiremassofsuffering&stress.Thustheanswer:‘Sustenanceforbecoming’&itsattendantills.

‘Justasifagreatmassoffire,often…twenty…thirtyorfortycartloadsoftimberwereburning,andintoitamanwouldperiodicallythrowdriedgrass,driedcowdung,&driedtimber,sothatthegreatmassoffire—thusnourished,thussustained—wouldburnforalong,longtime;evenso,monks,inonewhokeepsfocusingontheallureofthosephenomenathatoffersustenance[lit:“flammablephenomena”],cravingdevelops;withcravingascondition,sustenance;withsustenanceascondition,becoming;withbecomingascondition,birth;withbirthascondition,aging,illness&death,sorrow,lamentation,pain,distress,&despairallcomeintoplay.Thusistheoriginofthisentiremassofsuffering&stress.‘Justasifagreatmassoffire…wereburning,intowhichamansimplywouldnotperiodicallythrowdriedgrass,driedcowdung,ordriedtimber,sothatthegreatmassoffire—itsoriginalsustenancebeingconsumed,andnootherbeingoffered—would,withoutnourishment,goout;evenso,monks,inonewhokeepsfocusingonthedrawbacksofthosephenomenathatoffersustenance,cravingstops.Fromthestoppingofcraving,sustenancestops.Fromthestoppingofsustenance,becoming…birth…aging,illness&death,sorrow,lamentation,pain,distress,&despairallstop.Thusisthestoppingofthisentiremassofsuffering&stress.’

SN12:52

TheBuddhamadeadistinctionbetweenphenomenathatoffersustenance&thesustenanceitself.

‘Andwhat,monks,arephenomenathatoffersustenance?Whatis

45

sustenance?Form,monks,isaphenomenonofferingsustenance.Anydesireorpassionrelatedtoit,issustenancerelatedtoit.Feeling…Perception…Fabrications…Consciousnessisaphenomenonofferingsustenance.Anydesireorpassionrelatedtoit,issustenancerelatedtoit.’

SN22:121

Thuspassion&desireareboththeactoftakingsustenanceandthesustenanceitself,whileform,feeling,perception,fabrications,&consciousnesssimplyoffertheopportunityforthemtooccur.

Alternatively,wecantranslatethedistinctionasonebetweenclingablephenomena&theclingingitself.

‘Andwhat,monks,areclingablephenomena?Whatisclinging?Form,monks,isaclingablephenomenon.Anydesireorpassionrelatedtoit,isclingingrelatedtoit.Feeling…Perception…Fabrications…Consciousnessisaclingablephenomenon.Anydesireorpassionrelatedtoit,isclingingrelatedtoit.’

SN22.121

Inthiscase,passion&desirearetheactofclingingandtheobjectclungto,whileform,feeling,&therestsimplyoffertheopportunityforthemtooccur.

Still,thetwosidesofthisdistinctionaresocloselyinterrelatedthattheyarehardlydistinctatall.

Visākha:‘Isitthecasethatclinging/sustenanceisthesamethingasthefiveaggregatesforclinging/sustenance[form,feeling,perception,fabrications,&consciousness],orisitsomethingseparate?’

SisterDhammadinnā:‘Neitherisclinging/sustenancethesamethingasthefiveaggregatesforclinging/sustenance,myfriend,norisitsomethingseparate.Whateverdesire&passionthereiswithregardtothefiveaggregatesforclinging/sustenance,thatistheclinging/sustenancethere.’

MN44

(Theuseofthewordaggregate(khandha)heremayrelatetothefireimage,askhandhacanalsomeanthetrunkofatree.)

Thedesire&passionforthesefiveaggregatescantakeanyoffourforms.

46

‘Monks,therearefour[modesof]sustenanceforbecoming.Whichfour?Sensualityasaformofsustenance,viewsasaformofsustenance,habits&practicesasaformofsustenance,doctrinesoftheselfasaformofsustenance.’

MN11

ThesefourmodesofsustenanceactasthefocusformanyofthepassagesintheCanondescribingtheattainmentofthegoal.Becausetheyaresocloselyrelatedtothenotionofnibbāna—theyarethebindingloosenedintheunbindingofthemind—eachofthemdeservestobeconsideredindetail.

First,sensuality.TheBuddharecommendedrelinquishingattachmenttosensuality,notbecausesensualpleasuresareinanywayevil,butbecausetheattachmentitselfisdangerous:bothintermsofthepainexperiencedwhenarelishedpleasureinevitablyends,andintermsofthedetrimentalinfluencesuchattachmentcanhaveonaperson’sactions—andthusonhisorherfuturecondition.

‘It’swithacause,monks,thatsensualthinkingoccurs,andnotwithoutacause….Andhowisit,monks,thatsensualthinkingoccurswithacauseandnotwithoutacause?Independenceonthepropertyofsensualitythereoccurstheperceptionofsensuality.Independenceontheperceptionofsensualitythereoccurstheresolveforsensuality…thedesireforsensuality…thefeverforsensuality…thequestforsensuality.Questingforsensuality,monks,anuninstructed,run-of-the-millpersonconductshimselfwronglythroughthreemeans:throughbody,throughspeech,&throughmind….‘Justasifamanweretothrowaburningfirebrandintoadry,grassywildernessandnotquicklystampitoutwithhishands&feet,andthuswhateveranimalsinhabitingthegrass&timberwouldcometoruin&loss;evenso,monks,anycontemplativeorbrāhmanwhodoesnotquicklyabandon,dispel,demolish,&wipeoutofexistenceanout-of-tune,unskillfulperceptiononceithasarisen,willdwellinstressinthepresentlife—threatened,despairing,&feverish—andonthebreak-upofthebody,afterdeath,canexpectabaddestination.’

SN14:12

Thisisnottodenythatsensualpleasuresprovideacertainformofhappiness,butthishappinessmustbeweighedagainstthegreaterpains&disappointmentssensualitycanbring.

47

‘Nowwhatistheallureofsensuality?Thereare,monks,thesefivestringsofsensuality.Whichfive?Formscognizableviatheeye—agreeable,pleasing,charming,endearing,fosteringdesire,enticing.Soundscognizableviatheear…Aromascognizableviathenose…Flavorscognizableviathetongue…Tactilesensationscognizableviathebody—agreeable,pleasing,charming,endearing,fosteringdesire,enticing.Nowwhateverpleasureorjoyarisesindependenceonthesefivestringsofsensuality,thatistheallureofsensuality.‘Andwhatisthedrawbackofsensuality?Thereisthecasewhere,onaccountoftheoccupationbywhichaclansmanmakesaliving—whethercheckingoraccountingorcalculatingorplowingortradingorcattletendingorarcheryorasaking’sman,orwhatevertheoccupationmaybe—hefacescold,hefacesheat,beingharassedbymosquitoes&flies,wind&sun&creepingthings,dyingfromhunger&thirst.‘Nowthisdrawbackinthecaseofsensuality,thismassofstressvisiblehere&now,hassensualityforitsreason,sensualityforitssource,sensualityforitscause,thereasonbeingsimplysensuality.‘Iftheclansmangainsnowealthwhilethusworking&striving&makingeffort,hesorrows,grieves,&laments,beatshisbreast,becomesdistraught:“Myworkisinvain,myeffortsarefruitless!”Nowthisdrawbacktoointhecaseofsensuality,thismassofstressvisiblehere&now,hassensualityforitsreason….‘Iftheclansmangainswealthwhilethusworking&striving&makingeffort,heexperiencespain&distressinprotectingit:“Howwillneitherkingsnorthievesmakeoffwithmyproperty,norfireburnit,norwatersweepitaway,norhatefulheirsmakeoffwithit?”Andashethusguardsandwatchesoverhisproperty,kingsorthievesmakeoffwithit,orfireburnsit,orwatersweepsitaway,orhatefulheirsmakeoffwithit.Andhesorrows,grieves,&laments,beatshisbreast,becomesdistraught:“Whatwasmineisnomore!”Nowthisdrawbacktoointhecaseofsensuality,thismassofstressvisiblehere&now,hassensualityforitsreason….‘Furthermore,itiswithsensualityforthereason,sensualityforthesource,sensualityforthecause,thereasonbeingsimplysensuality,thatkingsquarrelwithkings,nobleswithnobles,brāhmanswithbrāhmans,householderswithhouseholders,motherwithchild,childwithmother,fatherwithchild,childwithfather,brotherwithbrother,sisterwithsister,brotherwithsister,sisterwithbrother,friendwithfriend.Andthenintheirquarrels,brawls,&disputes,theyattackoneanotherwithfistsorwithclodsorwithsticksorwithknives,sothattheyincurdeathor

48

deadlypain.Nowthisdrawbacktoointhecaseofsensuality,thismassofstressvisiblehere&now,hassensualityforitsreason….‘Furthermore,itiswithsensualityforthereason,sensualityforthesource…that(men),takingswords&shieldsandbucklingonbows&quivers,chargeintobattlemassedindoublearraywhilearrows&spearsareflyingandswordsareflashing;andtheretheyarewoundedbyarrows&spears,andtheirheadsarecutoffbyswords,sothattheyincurdeathordeadlypain.Nowthisdrawbacktoointhecaseofsensuality,thismassofstressvisiblehere&now,hassensualityforitsreason….‘Furthermore,itiswithsensualityforthereason,sensualityforthesource…that(men),takingswords&shieldsandbucklingonbows&quivers,chargeslipperybastionswhilearrows&spearsareflyingandswordsareflashing;andtheretheyaresplashedwithboilingcowdungandcrushedunderheavyweights,andtheirheadsarecutoffbyswords,sothattheyincurdeathordeadlypain.Nowthisdrawbacktoointhecaseofsensuality,thismassofstressvisiblehere&now,hassensualityforitsreason,sensualityforitssource,sensualityforitscause,thereasonbeingsimplysensuality.’

MN13

Sumedhātoherfiancé:InthefaceoftheDeathless,

whatworthareyoursensualpleasures?

Foralldelightsinsensualityareburning&boiling,aggravated,aglow….

Ablazinggrassfirebrand,heldinthehand:

Thosewholetgodonotgetburned.

Sensualityislikeafirebrand.Itburns

thosewhodonotletgo.

Thig16:1

Eventhemorehonorableemotionsthatcandevelopfromsensualattraction—suchaslove&personaldevotion—ultimatelyleadtosuffering&

49

stresswhenoneisinevitablypartedfromthepersononeloves.

‘OnceinthissameSāvatthitherewasacertainmanwhosewifedied.Owingtoherdeathhewentmad,outofhismindand—wanderingfromstreettostreet,crossroadstocrossroads—wouldsay,“Haveyouseenmywife?Haveyouseenmywife?”Fromthisitmayberealizedhowfromadearone,owingtoadearone,comessorrow&lamentation,pain,distress,&despair.‘OnceinthissameSāvatthitherewasawifewhowenttoherrelatives’home.Herrelatives,havingseparatedherfromherhusband,wantedtogivehertoanotheragainstherwill.Soshesaidtoherhusband,“Theserelativesofmine,havingseparatedus,wanttogivemetoanotheragainstmywill,”whereuponhecutherintwoandslashedhimselfopen,thinking,“Deadwewillbetogether.”Andfromthisitmayberealizedhowfromadearone,owingtoadearone,comessorrow&lamentation,pain,distress,&despair.’

MN87

‘Howdoyouconstruethis,monks:Whichisgreater,thetearsyouhaveshedwhiletransmigrating&wanderingthislongtime—crying&weepingfrombeingjoinedwithwhatisdispleasing,frombeingseparatedfromwhatispleasing—orthewaterinthefourgreatoceans?’…‘Thisisthegreater:Thetearsyouhaveshed….Whyisthat?Fromaninconstruablebeginning,monks,comestransmigration.Abeginningpointisnotevident,thoughbeingshinderedbyignoranceandfetteredbycravingaretransmigrating&wanderingon.Longhaveyouthusexperiencedstress,experiencedpain,experiencedloss,swellingthecemeteries—longenoughtobecomedisenchantedwithallconditionedthings,enoughtobecomedispassionate,enoughtobereleased.’

SN15:3

AthemerecurrentthroughouttheCanonisthatcompleteknowledgeofanyobjectdoesnotendwithanunderstandingofitsallure&drawbacks,butgoesontocomprehendwhatbringsemancipationfromthementalfettersbasedonboth.

‘Andwhatistheemancipationfromsensuality?Whateveristhesubduingofpassion&desire,theabandoningofpassion&desireforsensuality,thatistheemancipationfromsensuality.’

MN13

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Ven.SundaraSamudda:Ornamented,finelyclothed

garlanded,adorned,

herfeetstainedredwithlac,sheworeslippers:

acourtesan.Steppingoutofherslippers—

herhandsraisedbeforeme

palm-to-palmoverherheart—shesoftly,tenderly,

inmeasuredwordsspoketomefirst:

‘Youareyoung,recluse.Heedmymessage:

Partakeofhumansensuality.Iwillgiveyouluxury.

TrulyIvowtoyou,Iwilltendtoyouastoafire.

Whenweareold,bothleaningoncanes,

thenwewillbothbecomerecluses,winningthebenefitsofbothworlds.’

Andseeingherbeforeme—acourtesan,ornamented,finelyclothed,

handspalm-to-palmoverherheart—likeasnareofdeathlaidout,

aptattentionaroseinme,thedrawbacksappeared,

disenchantmentstoodatanevenkeel:Withthat,myheartwasreleased….

Thag7:1

Seeingaformunmindfully,focusingonitspleasingfeatures,

oneknowswithmindenflamedandremainsfastenedtoit.

[Noticehowtheselinesdrawdirectlyontheimageofburningas

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entrapment.]

One’sfeelings,bornoftheform,grownumerous.

Greed&provocationinjureone’smind.

ThusamassingstressoneissaidtobefarfromUnbinding.

[Andsoonwiththerestofthesixsenses.]

Onenotenflamedwithforms—seeingaformwithmindfulnessfirm—

knowswithmindunenflamedanddoesn’tremainfastenedthere.

Whileoneisseeingaform—andevenexperiencingfeeling—

itfallsawayanddoesnotaccumulate.Faringmindful.

andthusnotamassingstress,oneissaidtobe

inthepresenceofUnbinding.

[Andsoonwiththerestofthesixsenses.]SN35:95

‘Thereareforms,monks,cognizableviatheeye—agreeable,pleasing,charming,endearing,fosteringdesire,enticing.Ifamonkrelishesthem,welcomesthem,&remainsfastenedtothem,heissaidtobeamonkfetteredbyformscognizablebytheeye.HehasgoneovertoMāra’scamp;hehascomeunderMāra’spower.TheEvilOnecandowithhimashewill.’

[Andsoonwiththerestofthesixsenses.]SN35:115

‘Thereareformscognizablebytheeye—agreeable…enticing.Ifamonkrelishesthem,welcomesthem,&remainsfastenedtothem,then…hisconsciousnessisdependentonthem,issustainedbythem.Withsustenance/clinging,themonkisnottotallyunbound….‘Ifhedoesnotrelishthem,welcomethem,orremainfastenedtothem,then…hisconsciousnessisnotdependentonthem,isnotsustainedby

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them.Withoutsustenance/clinging,themonkistotallyunbound.’

[Andsoonwiththerestofthesixsenses.]SN35:118

Hereagain,weseethereciprocalnatureofattachment:Oneisboundbywhatonerelishes&latchesonto—orrather,bytheactofrelishing&latchingon,inandofitself.

Citta:‘Venerablesirs,itisjustasifablackox&awhiteoxwerejoinedwithasinglecollaroryoke.Ifsomeoneweretosay,“Theblackoxisthefetterofthewhiteox,thewhiteoxisthefetteroftheblack”—speakingthisway,wouldhebespeakingrightly?’

Someeldermonks:‘No,householder.Theblackoxisnotthefetterofthewhiteox,noristhewhiteoxthefetteroftheblack.Thesinglecollaroryokebywhichtheyarejoined:Thatisthefetterthere.’

Citta:‘Inthesameway,theeyeisnotthefetterofforms,norareformsthefetteroftheeye.Whateverdesire&passionarisesindependenceonthetwoofthem:Thatisthefetterthere.Theearisnotthefetterofsounds….Thenoseisnotthefetterofaromas….Thetongueisnotthefetterofflavors….Thebodyisnotthefetteroftactilesensations….Theintellectisnotthefetterofideas,norareideasthefetteroftheintellect.Whateverdesire&passionarisesindependenceonthetwoofthem:Thatisthefetterthere.’

SN41:1

Inotherwords,neitherthesensesnortheirobjectsarefettersforthemind.Beautifulsights,sounds,&soforth,donotentrapit,nordothesensesthemselves.Instead,itistrappedbytheactofdesire&passionbasedonsuchthings.

‘Monks,therearethesefivestringsofsensuality.Whichfive?Formscognizableviatheeye—agreeable…enticing;sounds…aromas…flavors…tactilesensationscognizableviathebody—agreeable…enticing.Butthesearenotsensuality.TheyarecalledstingsofsensualityinthedisciplineoftheNobleOnes.

‘Thepassionforhisresolvesisaman’ssensuality,notthebeautifulsensualpleasures

foundintheworld.

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Thepassionforhisresolvesisaman’ssensuality.Thebeautiesremainastheyareintheworld,whilethewise,inthisregard,

subduetheirdesire.’AN6:63

Thussensualpleasures,whichbelongtotherealmofform,arethe‘clingablephenomena’thatoffersustenanceforthebondofdesire&passion.Or,toborrowanimagefromVen.Rāhula,theyarethebait—aslongasoneisblindtotheirtruenature—forfallingintothetrapofone’sowncraving&heedlessness.

Ven.Rāhula:They[theunawakened]:

blindedbysensualpleasures,

coveredbythenet,veiledwiththeveilofcraving,

boundbytheKinsmanoftheHeedless*likefishinthemouthofatrap.

Thag4:8

Forthisreason,freedomfromsensualityasaclinging/sustenancerequiresatwo-prongedapproach:torealizethetruenatureofthebaitandtoextricateoneselffromthetrap.Thefirststepinvolvesexaminingtheunattractivesideofthehumanbody,forastheBuddhasays,

‘Monks,Idon’tknowofevenoneotherformthatstaysinaman’smindandconsumesitliketheformofawoman…oneothersound…smell…taste…touchthatstaysinaman’smindandconsumesitlikethetouchofawoman.Thetouchofawomanstaysinaman’smindandconsumesit.‘Idon’tknowofevenoneotherformthatstaysinawoman’smindandconsumesitliketheformofaman…oneothersound…smell…taste…touchthatstaysinawoman’smindandconsumesitlikethetouchofaman.Thetouchofamanstaysinawoman’smindandconsumesit.’

AN1:1

‘Justasifasackwithopeningsatbothendswerefullofvariouskindsofgrain—wheat,rice,mungbeans,kidneybeans,sesameseeds,huskedrice—andamanwithgoodeyesight,pouringitout,weretoreflect,“Thisis

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wheat.Thisisrice.Thesearemungbeans.Thesearekidneybeans.Thesearesesameseeds.Thisishuskedrice,”inthesameway,monks,amonkreflectsonthisverybodyfromthesolesofthefeetonup,fromthecrownoftheheadondown,surroundedbyskinandfullofvariouskindsofuncleanthings:“Inthisbodythereareheadhairs,bodyhairs,nails,teeth,skin,flesh,tendons,bones,bonemarrow,kidneys,heart,liver,membranes,spleen,lungs,largeintestines,smallintestines,gorge,feces,bile,phlegm,pus,blood,sweat,fat,tears,oil,saliva,mucus,fluidinthejoints,urine”….‘Oragain,asifheweretoseeacorpsecastawayinacharnelground—oneday,twodays,threedaysdead—bloated,livid&festering,heappliesittothisverybody,“Thisbody,too:Suchisitsnature,suchisitsfuture,suchitsunavoidablefate”….‘Oragain,asifheweretoseeacorpsecastawayinacharnelground,pickedatbycrows,vultures,&hawks;bydogs,hyenas,&variousothercreatures…askeletonsmearedwithflesh&blood,connectedwithtendons…afleshlessskeletonsmearedwithblood,connectedwithtendons…askeletonwithoutfleshorblood,connectedwithtendons…bonesdetachedfromtheirtendons,scatteredinalldirections—hereahandbone,thereafootbone,hereashinbone,thereathighbone,hereahipbone,thereabackbone,herearib,thereachestbone,hereashoulderbone,thereaneckbone,hereajawbone,thereatooth,hereaskull…theboneswhitened,somewhatlikethecolorofshells…piledup,morethanayearold…decomposedintoapowder,heappliesittothisverybody,“Thisbody,too:Suchisitsnature,suchisitsfuture,suchitsunavoidablefate.”Soheabidescontemplatingthebodyin&ofitself,internally,externallyorbothinternally&externally.’

DN22

Thepurposeofthiscontemplationisnottodevelopamorbidfascinationwiththegrotesque,butsimplytocorrectthedistortionofperceptionthattriestodenytheunattractiveaspectsofthebodyandtoadmitonly‘thesignofthebeautiful‘—itsattractiveside.Nowofcoursethiscontemplationhasitsdangers,foritcangooverboardintostatesofaversion&depression,butthesearenotincurable.AtseveralpointsintheCanon,wheretheBuddhaseesthatmonkshaveletthecontemplationoffoulnessadverselyaffecttheirminds,herecommendsthattheycalmtheiraversionbyfocusingonthein&outbreathasacompanionmeditation.

Ultimately,asamorebalancedperceptionofthebodydevelops,onemaymakeuseofthesecondprongoftheapproach:turningone’sattentionfrom

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theobjectofthelusttotheactoflustitself,seeingitasanactofmentalfabrication—foolish,inconstant,&stressful—andsoremovinganysenseofidentificationwithit.This,inturn,cancalmthemindtoanevendeeperlevelandleadontoitsUnbinding.

Ven.Vaṅgīsa:WithsensuallustIburn.Mymindisonfire.

Please,Gotama,outofkindness,tellmehowtoputitout.

Ven.Ānanda:Fromdistortedperception

yourmindisonfire.

Shunthesignofthebeautiful,accompaniedbylust.

Seefabricationsasother,asstress,notasself.

Extinguishyourgreatlust.Don’tkeepburning

again&again.Thag21

‘Foronewhokeepsfocusingonthefoulness[ofthebody],anyobsessionwithpassionforthepropertyofbeautyisabandoned.Foronewhohasmindfulnessofbreathingwell-establishedtotheforewithinoneself,annoyingexternalthoughts&inclinationsdon’texist.Foronewhokeepsfocusingontheinconstancyofallfabrications,ignoranceisabandoned,clearknowingarises.

Focusingonfoulnessinthebody,

mindfulofin&outbreathing,

seeingthepacificationofallfabrications

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—alwaysardent—heisamonkwho’sseenrightly.

Fromthatheistheresetfree.Amasterofdirectknowing,

atpeace,

heisasagegonebeyondbonds.’

Iti85

SisterNandā:AsI,heedful,

examineditaptly,

[avisionofabeautifulpersongrowingsick,unclean,&putrid]

thisbody—asitactuallyis—wasseeninside&out.

ThenwasIdisenchantedwiththebodyanddispassionatewithin:

Heedful,detached,calmedwasI,

unbound.Thig5:4

Viewsarethesecondmodeofclinging/sustenance.And,aswiththeabandoningofattachmenttosensuality,theabandoningofattachmenttoviewscanleadtoanexperienceofUnbinding.

‘Iargueforthis,’doesn’toccurtoonewhenconsideringwhat’sgrasped

amongdoctrines.Lookingforwhatisungrasped

withregardtoviews,

anddetectinginnerpeace,Isaw.

Sn4:9

AttachmenttoviewscanblockanexperienceofUnbindinginanyof

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threemajorways.First,thecontentoftheviewitselfmaynotbeconducivetothearisingofdiscernmentandmayevenhaveaperniciousmoraleffectonone’sactions,leadingtoanunfavorablerebirth.

IhaveheardthatoncetheBlessedOnewasdwellingamongtheKoliyans….ThenPuṇṇatheKoliyan,abovine,andSeniya,acaninenakedascetic,approachedtheBlessedOne.Onarrival,PuṇṇatheKoliyanbovine,bowingdowntotheBlessedOne,sattooneside,whileSeniya,thecaninenakedascetic,exchangedcourteousgreetingswiththeBlessedOne,andafteranexchangeoffriendlygreetingsandcourtesies,sattooneside,curlinguplikeadog.Whilehewassittingthere,PuṇṇatheKoliyanbovinesaidtotheBlessedOne,‘Sir,Seniya,thisnakedascetic,isacanine,adoer-of-hard-tasks.Heeatsfoodthatisthrownontheground.Hehaslongundertaken&conformedtothatdog-practice.Whatishisfuturedestination,whatishisfuturecourse?’[TheBuddhaatfirstdeclinestoanswer,butonbeingpressed,finallyresponds:]‘Thereisthecasewhereapersondevelopsthedog-practicefully&perfectly….Havingdevelopedthedog-practicefully&perfectly,havingdevelopedadog’svirtuefully&perfectly,havingdevelopedadog’smindfully&perfectly,havingdevelopedadog’sdemeanorfully&perfectly,thenonthebreak-upofthebody,afterdeath,hereappearsinthecompanyofdogs.Butifheisofsuchaviewas,“BythisvirtueorpracticeorasceticismorholylifeIwillbecomeagreaterorlessergod,”thatishiswrongview.Now,Puṇṇa,therearetwodestinationsforonewithwrongview,Isay:hellortheanimalwomb.Sothedog-practice,ifperfected,leadshimtothecompanyofdogs;ifdefective,tohell.’

MN57

‘Justasifinthelastmonthofthehotseasonamāluvacreeperpodweretoburstopen,andamāluvacreeperseedweretofallatthefootofasālatree.Thedeitylivinginthetreewouldbecomefrightened,apprehensive,&anxious.Herfriends&companions,relatives&kin—gardendeities,forestdeities,treedeities,deitieslivinginherbs,grass,&forestmonarchs—wouldgathertogethertoconsoleher:“Havenofear,havenofear.Inalllikelihoodapeacockissuretoswallowthismāluvacreeperseed,oradeerwilleatit,orabrushfirewillburnitup,orwoodsmenwillpickitup,ortermiteswillcarryitoff,andanywayitprobablyisn’treallyaseed.”‘Andthennopeacockswallowedit,nodeerateit,nobrushfireburneditup,nowoodsmenpickeditup,notermitescarrieditoff,anditreallywas

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aseed.Wateredbyarain-ladencloud,itsproutedinduecourseandcurleditssoft,tender,downytendrilaroundthesālatree.‘Thethoughtoccurredtothedeitylivinginthesālatree:“Nowwhatfuturedangerdidmyfriends…foresee,thattheygatheredtogethertoconsoleme?…It’spleasant,thetouchofthismāluvacreeper’ssoft,tender,downytendril.”‘Thenthecreeper,havingenwrappedthesālatree,havingmadeacanopyoverit,&cascadingdownaroundit,causedthemassivelimbsofthesālatreetocomecrashingdown.Thethoughtoccurredtothedeitylivinginthetree:“Thiswasthefuturedangermyfriends…foresaw,thattheygatheredtogethertoconsoleme….It’sbecauseofthatmāluvacreeperseedthatI’mnowexperiencingsharp,burningpains.”‘Inthesameway,monks,therearesomecontemplatives&brāhmanswhoholdtoadoctrine,aviewlikethis:“Thereisnoharminsensuality.”Thustheymeetwiththeirdownfallthroughsensuality.Theyconsortwithwomenwandererswhoweartheirhaircoiledandlong.‘Thethoughtoccurstothem:“Nowwhatfuturedangerdothose[other]contemplatives&brāhmansforeseethattheyteachtherelinquishing&analysisofsensuality?It’spleasant,thetouchofthiswomanwanderer’ssoft,tender,downyarm.”‘Thustheymeetwiththeirdownfallthroughsensuality.Withthebreak-upofthebody,afterdeath,theywillgotoabadbourn,destitution,therealmofthehungryshades,hell.Theretheywillexperiencesharp,burningpains.Thethoughtwilloccurtothem:“Thiswasthefuturedangerthosecontemplatives&brāhmansforesawthattheytaughttherelinquishing&analysisofsensuality.It’sbecauseofsensuality,asaresultofsensuality,thatwearenowexperiencingthesesharp,burningpains.”’

MN45

Secondly,apartfromtheactualcontentoftheviews,apersonattachedtoviewsisboundtogetintodisputeswiththosewhoholdopposingviews,resultinginunwholesomementalstatesforthewinnersaswellasthelosers.

Engagedindisputesinthemidstofanassembly,—anxious,desiringpraise—

theonedefeatedischagrined.Shakenwithcriticism,heseeksforanopening.

hewhosedoctrineis[judgedas]demolished,defeated,bythosejudgingtheissue:

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Helaments,hegrieves—theinferiorexponent—‘Hebeatme,’hemourns.

Thesedisputeshavearisenamongcontemplatives.Inthemareelation&dejection.

Seeingthis,oneshouldabstainfromdisputes,fortheyhavenoothergoalthanthegainingofpraise.

Hewhoispraisedthereforexpoundinghisdoctrine

inthemidstoftheassembly,laughsonthataccount&growshaughty,

attaininghisheart’sdesire.Thathaughtinesswillbehisgroundsforvexation,

forhe’llspeakinpride&conceit.Seeingthis,oneshouldabstainfromdisputes.Nopurityisattainedbythem,saytheskilled.

Sn4:8

Thirdly,andmoreprofoundly,attachmenttoviewsimplicitlyinvolvesattachmenttoasenseof‘superior’&‘inferior,’andtothecriteriausedinmeasuringandmakingsuchevaluations.AswesawinChapterI,anymeasureorcriterionactsasalimitationorbondonthemind.

That,saytheskilled,isabindingknot:thatindependenceonwhichyouregardanotherasinferior.

Sn4:5

Whoeverconstrues‘equal’‘superior’or‘inferior,’

bythathe’ddispute;whereastooneunaffectedbythesethree,

‘equal’‘superior’

donotoccur.Ofwhatwouldthebrāhman*say‘true’or‘false,’

disputingwithwhom,

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heinwhom‘equal,’‘unequal’arenot….Asthepricklylotusisunsmearedbywater&mud,

sothesage,anexponentofpeace,

withoutgreed,isunsmearedbysensuality&

theworld.Anattainer-of-wisdomisn’tmeasured,

madeproud,byviewsorbywhatisthought,forheisn’taffectedbythem.

Hewouldn’tbeledbyaction,learning;doesn’treachaconclusioninanyentrenchments.Foronedispassionatetowardperception

therearenoties;foronereleasedbydiscernment,

nodelusions.Thosewhograspatperceptions&views

goaboutbuttingtheirheadsintheworld.Sn4:9

Animportantpointtonoticeisthatattachmenttoviewsmustbeabandonedthroughknowledge,andnotthroughskepticism,agnosticism,ignorance,oramindlessopennesstoallviews.ThispointismadeclearintheDiscourseoftheSupremeNet.TheretheBuddhagivesalistof62philosophicalpositionsconcerningthenatureoftheself,thecosmos,&thestateofultimatefreedomintheimmediatepresent.Thelistisintendedtobeexhaustive—the‘net’inthetitleofthediscourse—coveringallpossibleviews&positionsonthesesubjectsdividedintotencategories,oneofthecategories—equivocation—includingcasesofagnosticism.

‘Thereare,monks,somecontemplatives&brāhmanswho,beingaskedquestionsregardingthisorthat,resorttoverbalcontortions,toeel-likewriggling,onfourgrounds.…Thereisthecaseofacertaincontemplativeorbrāhmanwhodoesnotdiscernasithascometobethat“Thisisskillful,”orthat“Thisisunskillful.”Thethoughtoccurstohim:“Idon’tdiscernasithascometobethat‘Thisisskillful,’orthat‘Thisis

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unskillful.’IfI…weretodeclarethat‘Thisisskillful,’orthat‘Thisisunskillful,’thatwouldbeafalsehoodonmypart.Whateverwouldbeafalsehoodonmypartwouldbeadistressforme.Whateverwouldbeadistressformewouldbeanobstacleforme.”So,outoffearoffalsehood,aloathingforfalsehood,hedoesnotdeclarethat“Thisisskillful,”orthat“Thisisunskillful.”Beingaskedquestionsregardingthisorthat,heresortstoverbalcontortions,toeel-likewriggling:“Idon’tthinkso.Idon’tthinkinthatway.Idon’tthinkotherwise.Idon’tthinknot.Idon’tthinknotnot.”[Thesecondcaseisvirtuallyidenticalwiththefirst,exceptforthemotivation:]…‘“IfI—notdiscerningasithascometobethat‘Thisisskillful’orthat‘Thisisunskillful’—weretodeclarethat‘Thisisskillful,’orthat‘Thisisunskillful,’thatwouldbeadesireonmypart,apassion,anaversion,oranirritationonmypart.Whateverwouldbeadesireorpassionoraversionorirritationonmypartwouldbeaclingingonmypart.Whateverwouldbeaclingingonmypartwouldbeadistressforme.Whateverwouldbeadistressformewouldbeanobstacleforme.’So,outoffearofclinging,aloathingforclinging,hedoesnotdeclarethat‘Thisisskillful,’orthat‘Thisisunskillful.’Beingaskedquestionsregardingthisorthat,heresortstoverbalcontortions,toeel-likewriggling:‘Idon’tthinkso.Idon’tthinkinthatway.Idon’tthinkotherwise.Idon’tthinknot.Idon’tthinknotnot.’‘[Thethirdcase:]Thereisthecaseofacertaincontemplativeorbrāhmanwhodoesnotdiscernasithascometobethat“Thisisskillful,”orthat“Thisisunskillful”.…“IfI,notdiscerningasithascometobethat‘Thisisskillful,’orthat‘Thisisunskillful,’weretodeclarethat‘Thisisskillful,’orthat‘Thisisunskillful’—Therearecontemplatives&brahmanswhoarepundits,subtle,mastersofdebate.Likehair-splittingmarksmen,theyprowlabout,shooting[philosophical]standpointstopieces,asitwere,withtheirdialectic.Theymightcross-questionmethere,pressmeforreasons,rebukeme.Whentheywouldcross-questionmethere,pressmeforreasons,rebukeme,Imightnotbeabletostandmygroundagainstthem.ThefactthatIwouldnotstandmygroundwouldbeadistressforme.Whateverwouldbeadistressformewouldbeanobstacleforme.”So,outofafearforinterrogation,aloathingforinterrogation…heresortstoverbalcontortions,toeel-likewriggling.…‘[Thefourthcase:]Thereisthecaseofacertaincontemplativeorbrāhmanwhoisdull&exceedinglystupid.Outofdullness&exceedingstupidity,he—beingaskedquestionsregardingthisorthat—resortstoverbal

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contortions,toeel-likewriggling:“Ifyouaskmeifthereexistsanotherworld[afterdeath],ifIthoughtthatthereexistsanotherworld,wouldIdeclarethattoyou?Idon’tthinkso.Idon’tthinkinthatway.Idon’tthinkotherwise.Idon’tthinknot.Idon’tthinknotnot.Ifyouaskedmeifthereisn’tanotherworld…bothis&isn’t…neitherisnorisn’t…iftherearebeingswhowanderon…iftherearen’t…bothare&aren’t…neitherarenoraren’t…iftheTathāgataexistsafterdeath…doesn’t…both…neither…Idon’tthinkso.Idon’tthinkinthatway.Idon’tthinkotherwise.Idon’tthinknot.Idon’tthinknotnot.”’

DN1

Agnosticism,then,isnotawayofabandoningstandpointsbutissimplyanotherstandpoint:Likeallstandpoints,itmustbeabandonedthroughknowledge.Thetypeofknowledgecalledfor—inwhichstandpointsareregarded,notintermsoftheircontent,butaseventsinacausalchain—isindicatedbytherefrainthatfollowseachofthetencategoriesoftheSupremeNet.

‘This,monks,theTathāgatadiscerns.Andhediscernsthatthesestandpoints,thusseized,thusgraspedat,leadtosuch&suchadestination,tosuch&suchastateintheworldbeyond.Andhediscernswhatishigherthanthis.Andyetdiscerningthat,hedoesnotgraspatthatactofdiscerning.Andasheisnotgraspingatit,unbinding[nibbuti]isexperiencedrightwithin.Knowing,astheyhavecometobe,theorigin,ending,allure,&drawbacksoffeelings,alongwiththeemancipationfromfeelings,theTathāgata,monks—throughlackofsustenance/clinging—isreleased.’

DN1

Anotherlistofspeculativeviews—asetoftenpositionssummarizingthestandardtopicsdebatedbythevariousschoolsofcontemplativesintheBuddha’stime—recursfrequentlyintheCanon.Non-Buddhistdebatersuseditasaready-madechecklistforgauginganindividual’spositionsonthecontroversialissuesofthedayandtheyoftenputittotheBuddha.Invariably,hewouldreplythathedidnotholdtoanyofthetenpositions.

‘Seeingwhatdrawback,then,isMasterGotamathusentirelydissociatedfromeachofthesetenpositions?’‘Vaccha,thepositionthat“theworldiseternal”isathicketofviews,awildernessofviews,acontortionofviews,awrithingofviews,afetterof

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views.Itisaccompaniedbysuffering,distress,despair,&fever,anditdoesnotleadtodisenchantment,dispassion,stopping;tocalm,directknowledge,self-awakening,Unbinding.‘Thepositionthat“theworldisnoteternal”…‘…“theworldisfinite”…‘…“theworldisinfinite”…‘…“thesoulisthesamethingasthebody”…‘…“thesoulisonethingandthebodyanother”…‘…“afterdeathaTathāgataexists”…‘…“afterdeathaTathāgatadoesnotexist”…‘…“afterdeathaTathāgatabothexists&doesnotexist”…‘…“afterdeathaTathāgataneitherexistsnordoesnotexist”…doesnotleadtodisenchantment,dispassion,stopping;tocalm,directknowledge,self-awakening,Unbinding.’‘DoesMasterGotamahaveanypositionatall?’‘A“position,”Vaccha,issomethingthataTathāgatahasdoneawaywith.WhataTathāgataseesisthis:“Suchisform,suchitsorigin,suchitsdisappearance;suchisfeeling,suchitsorigin,suchitsdisappearance;suchisperception…sucharefabrications…suchisconsciousness,suchitsorigin,suchitsdisappearance.”Becauseofthis,Isay,aTathāgata—withtheending,fadingout,stopping,renunciation&relinquishingofallconstruings,allexcogitations,allI-making&my-making&obsessionswithconceit—is,throughlackofsustenance/clinging,released.’

MN72

TheconstruingstheBuddharelinquishedincludeviewsnotonlyintheirfull-blownformasspecificpositions,butalsointheirrudimentaryformasthecategories&relationshipsthatthemindreadsintoexperience.ThisisapointhemakesinhisinstructionstoBāhiya,whichledimmediatelytothelatter’sattainingthegoal.Whenthemindimposesinterpretationsonitsexperience,itisengagingimplicitlyinsystem-buildingandallthelimitationsoflocation&relationshipthatsystem-buildinginvolves.Onlywhenitcanfreeitselfofthoseinterpretationsandthefetterstheyplaceonit,canitgaintruefreedom.

‘Therefore,Bāhiya,youshouldtrainyourselfthus:Inreferencetotheseen,therewillbeonlytheseen.Inreferencetotheheard,onlytheheard.Inreferencetothesensed,onlythesensed.Inreferencetothecognized,

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onlythecognized.Thatishowyoushouldtrainyourself.Whenforyoutherewillbeonlytheseeninreferencetotheseen…onlytheheard…onlythesensed…onlythecognizedinreferencetothecognized,then,Bāhiya,thereisnoyouinconnectionwiththat.Whenthereisnoyouinconnectionwiththat,thereisnoyouthere.Whenthereisnoyouthere,youareneitherherenoryondernorbetweenthetwo.This,justthis,istheendofstress.’

Ud1:10

Habits&practices.TheCanonmentionsavarietyofhabits&practices—thethirdmodeofclinging/sustenance.ProminentamongthemareBrāhmanicalrituals&Jainpracticesofself-torture,andaccordingtotheCommentarythesearethehabits&practicesreferredtointhiscontext.Yetalthoughthegoalwillalwaysremainoutofreachaslongasoneremainsattachedtosuchpractices,theabandonmentofthisattachmentisneverin&ofitselfsufficientforattainingthegoal.

Butthereisanotherpracticewhich,thoughanecessarypartoftheBuddhistpath,canneverthelessoffersustenanceforbecoming;andwhich—astheobjectofattachmenttobetranscended—figuresprominentlyindescriptionsofthegoal’sattainment.Thatpracticeisjhāna,ormeditativeabsorption.Itmightbearguedthatthisisstretchingtheterm,‘practice’(vata),alittlefar,butjhānadoesnotfallunderanyoftheotherthreesustenancesforbecomingatall,andyetitdefinitelydoesfunctionassuchasustenance,sothereseemstobelittlechoicebuttoplaceithere.

DifferentpassagesintheCanonnumberthelevelsofjhānaindifferentways.Thestandarddescriptiongivesfour,althoughthepuremindfulness&equanimityattainedonthefourthlevelmayfurtherbeappliedtofourprogressivelymore&morerefinedformlesssensations—termedthe‘peacefulemancipations,formlessnessbeyondforms’—thataltogethergiveeightlevels,oftenreferredtoastheeightattainments.

Anumberofobjectscanserveasthebasisforjhāna.Thebreathisone,andananalysisoftheCanon’sdescriptionofthefirststagesofbreathmeditationwillgiveanideaofwhatjhānainvolves.

Thefirststepissimplybeingmindfulofthebreathinthepresent:

‘Thereisthecaseofamonkwho,havinggonetoaforest,totheshadeofatreeortoanemptybuilding,sitsdownfoldinghislegscrosswise,holdinghisbodyerect,&keepingmindfulnesstothefore.Alwaysmindful,hebreathesin;mindfulhebreathesout.

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Thencomesevaluation:Hebeginstodiscernvariationsinthebreath:

‘Breathinginlong,hediscerns,“Iambreathinginlong”;orbreathingoutlong,hediscerns,“Iambreathingoutlong.”Orbreathinginshort,hediscerns,“Iambreathinginshort”;orbreathingoutshort,hediscerns,“Iambreathingoutshort.”

Theremainingstepsarewilled,ordetermined:He‘trainshimself,’firstbymanipulatinghissenseofconsciousawareness,makingitsensitivetothebodyasawhole.(Thisaccountsfortheterm‘mahaggataṁ’—enlargedorexpanded—usedtodescribethemindinthestateofjhāna.)

‘Hetrainshimself,“Iwillbreatheinsensitivetotheentirebody”…“Iwillbreatheoutsensitivetotheentirebody.”

Nowthatheisawareofthebodyasawhole,hecanbegintomanipulatethephysicalsensationsofwhichheisaware,calmingthem—i.e.,calmingthebreath—soastocreateasenseofrapture&ease.

‘Hetrainshimself,“Iwillbreatheincalmingbodilyfabrication”…“Iwillbreatheoutcalmingbodilyfabrication.”Hetrainshimself,“Iwillbreatheinsensitivetorapture”…“I,willbreatheoutsensitivetorapture.”Hetrainshimself,“Iwillbreatheinsensitivetopleasure”…“Iwillbreatheoutsensitivetopleasure.”

(Aswewillseebelow,hemaximizesthissenseofrapture&pleasure,makingitsuffusetheentirebody.)

Nowthatbodilyprocessesarestilled,mentalprocessesbecomeapparentastheyoccur.Thesetooarecalmed,leaving—aswewillseebelow—aradiantawarenessoftheminditself.

‘Hetrainshimself,“Iwillbreatheinsensitivetomentalfabrication”…“Iwillbreatheoutsensitivetomentalfabrication.”Hetrainshimself,“Iwillbreatheincalmingmentalfabrication”…“Iwilltobreatheoutcalmingmentalfabrication.”Hetrainshimself,“Iwillbreatheinsensitivetothemind”…“Iwilltobreatheoutsensitivetothemind”’….

MN118

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Thestandarddescriptionofjhāna,however,doesnotrefertoanyparticularobjectasitsbasis,butsimplydividesitintofourlevelsdeterminedbythewaythemindrelatestotheobjectasitbecomesmore&moreabsorbedinit.

‘Furthermore,monks,themonk—quitesecludedfromsensuality,secludedfromunskillfulqualities—entersandremainsinthefirstjhāna:rapture&pleasurebornofseclusion,accompaniedbydirectedthought&evaluation.Hepermeates&pervades,suffuses&fillsthisverybodywiththerapture&pleasurebornofseclusion,sothatnothingofhisentirebodyisunpervadedbyrapture&pleasurebornfromseclusion.‘Justasanadeptbathmanorbathman’sapprenticewouldpourbathpowderintoabrassbasinandkneadittogether,sprinklingitagain&againwithwater,sothathisballofbathpowder—saturated,moisture-laden,permeatedwithin&without—wouldneverthelessnotdrip;evenso,monks,themonkpermeates…thisverybodywiththerapture&pleasurebornofseclusion.Andasheremainsthusearnest,ardent,&intent,anylongingsrelatedtothehouseholdlifeareabandoned,andwiththeirabandoninghismindgathers&settlesinwardly,unified&composed.Thatishowamonkdevelopsmindfulnessimmersedinthebody.‘Andfurthermore,withthestillingofdirectedthoughts&evaluations,heenters&remainsinthesecondjhāna:rapture&pleasurebornofconcentration,unificationofawarenessfreefromdirectedthought&evaluation—internalassurance.Hepermeates&pervades,suffuses&fillsthisverybodywiththerapture&pleasurebornofconcentration,sothatnothingofhisentirebodyisunpervadedbyrapture&pleasurebornofconcentration.‘Justlikealakewithspring-waterwellingupfromwithin,havingnoinflowfromeast,west,north,orsouth,andwiththeskiesperiodicallysupplyingabundantshowers,sothatthecoolfountofwaterwellingupfromwithinthelakewouldpermeate&pervade,suffuse&fillitwithcoolwaters,therebeingnopartofthelakeunpervadedbythecoolwaters;evensomonks,themonkpermeates…thisverybodywiththerapture&pleasurebornofconcentration.Andasheremainsthusearnest,ardent&intent…hedevelopsmindfulnessimmersedinthebody.‘Andfurthermore,withthefadingofrapture,heremainsequanimous,mindful,&alert,andsensespleasurewiththebody.Heenters&remainsinthethirdjhāna,ofwhichthenobleonesdeclare,“Equanimous&mindful,hehasapleasantabiding.”Hepermeates&pervades,suffuses

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&fillsthisverybodywiththepleasuredivestedofrapture,sothatnothingofhisentirebodyisunpervadedbypleasuredivestedofrapture.‘Justasinablue-,white-,orred-lotuspond,theremaybesomeoftheblue,white,orredlotusesthat,born&growinginthewater,stayimmersedinthewaterandflourishwithoutstandingupoutofthewater,sothattheyarepermeated&pervaded,suffused&filledwithcoolwaterfromtheirrootstotheirtips,therebeingnothingofthoseblue,white,orredlotusesunpervadedbycoolwater;evenso,monks,themonkpermeates…thisverybodywiththepleasuredivestedofrapture.Andasheremainsthusearnest,ardent&intent…hedevelopsmindfulnessimmersedinthebody.‘Andfurthermore,withtheabandoningofpleasure&pain—aswiththeearlierdisappearanceofjoys&distress—heenters&remainsinthefourthjhāna:purityofequanimity&mindfulness,neitherpleasurenorstress.Hesits,permeatingthebodywithapure,brightawareness,sothatnothingofhisentirebodyisunpervadedbypure,brightawareness.‘Justasifamanweresittingcoveredfromheadtofootwithawhiteclothsothattherewouldbenopartofhisbodytowhichthewhiteclothdidnotextend;evenso,monks,themonksits,permeatingthebodywithapure,brightawareness.Andasheremainsthusearnest,ardent,&intent…hedevelopsmindfulnessimmersedinthebody.’

MN119

‘Directedthought’mentionedinthereferencetothefirstlevelofjhānacorresponds,inthedescriptionofbreathmeditation,tothemindfulnessdirectedtothebreathinthepresent.‘Evaluation’correspondstothediscernmentofvariationsinthebreath,andtothemanipulationofawareness&thebreathsoastocreateasenseofrapture&pleasurethroughoutthebody(thebathmankneadingmoisturethroughouttheballofbathpowder).Thestillwatersinthesimileforthethirdlevelofjhāna,asopposedtothespringwaterswellingupinthesecondlevel,correspondtothestillingofmentalfabrications.Andthepure,brightawarenessinthefourthlevelcorrespondstothestageofbreathmeditationwherethemeditatorissensitivetothemind.

Thusasthemindprogressesthroughthefirstfourlevelsofjhāna,itshedsthevariousmentalactivitiessurroundingitsoneobject:Directedthought&evaluationarestilled,rapturefades,andpleasureisabandoned.Afterreachingastateofpure,bright,mindful,equanimousawarenessinthefourthlevelofjhāna,themindcanstartsheddingitsperception(mentallabel)oftheformofitsobject,thespacearounditsobject,itself,&thelackof

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activitywithinitself.Thisprocesstakesfoursteps—thefourformlessnessesbeyondform—culminatinginastatewhereperceptionissorefinedthatitcanhardlybecalledperceptionatall.

‘Withthecompletetranscendingofperceptionsofform,andthepassingawayofperceptionsofresistance,andnotattendingtoperceptionsofdiversity,(perceiving,)“Infinitespace,”oneenters&remainsinthedimensionoftheinfinitudeofspace….‘Withthecompletetranscendingofthedimensionoftheinfinitudeofspace,(perceiving,)“Infiniteconsciousness,”oneenters&remainsinthedimensionoftheinfinitudeofconsciousness….‘Withthecompletetranscendingofthedimensionoftheinfinitudeofconsciousness,(perceiving,)“Thereisnothing,”oneenters&remainsinthedimensionofnothingness….‘Withthecompletetranscendingofthedimensionofnothingness,oneenters&remainsinthedimensionofneitherperceptionnornon-perception.

DN15

Toabandonattachmenttojhānaasasustenanceforbecomingmeans,nottostoppracticingit,butrathertopracticeitwithoutbecomingengrossedinthesenseofpleasureorequanimityitaffords,sothatonecandiscernitstruenatureforwhatitis.

Whenthishadbeensaid,VenerableĀnandaaskedtheBlessedOne:‘Inthecase,lord,whereamonkhasreachedthepointthat—(perceiving,)“Itshouldnotbe,itshouldnotoccurtome;itwillnotbe,itwillnotoccurtome.Whatis,whathascometobe,thatIabandon”—heobtainsequanimity.Wouldthismonkbetotallyunbound,ornot?’‘Acertainsuchmonkmight,Ānanda,andanothermightnot.’‘Whatisthecause,whatisthereason,wherebyonemightandanothermightnot?’‘Thereisthecase,Ānanda,whereamonkhasreachedthepointthat—(perceiving,)“Itshouldnotbe,itshouldnotoccurtome;itwillnotbe,itwillnotoccurtome.Whatis,whathascometobe,thatIabandon”—heobtainsequanimity.Herelishesthatequanimity,welcomesit,remainsfastenedtoit.Ashedoesso,hisconsciousnessisdependentonit,sustainedbyit.Withsustenance,Ānanda,amonkisnottotallyunbound.’

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‘Beingsustained,whereisthatmonksustained?’‘Thedimensionofneitherperceptionnornon-perception.’‘Then,indeed,beingsustained,heissustainedbythesupremesustenance.’‘Beingsustained,Ānanda,heissustainedbythesupremesustenance;forthis—thedimensionofneitherperceptionnornon-perception—isthesupremesustenance.Thereis[however]thecasewhereamonk…reachesequanimity.Hedoesnotrelishthatequanimity,doesnotwelcomeit,doesnotremainfastenedtoit.Suchbeingthecase,hisconsciousnessisnotdependentonit,isnotsustainedbyit.Withoutsustenance,Ānanda,amonkistotallyunbound.’

MN106

Oncethemindcandetachitselffromthepleasure&equanimityofferedbyjhāna,itcanbeinclinedtowardthatwhichtranscendsjhāna—theunconditionedqualityofdeathlessness.

‘Thereisthecase,Ānanda,whereamonk…enters&remainsinthefirstjhāna:rapture&pleasurebornofseclusion,accompaniedbydirectedthought&evaluation.Heregardswhateverphenomenatherethatareconnectedwithform,feeling,perception,fabrications,&consciousnessasinconstant,stressful,adisease,acancer,anarrow,painful,anaffliction,alien,adissolution,empty,not-self.Heturnshismindawayfromthosephenomenaand,havingdoneso,inclinesittothephenomenon[dhamma]ofdeathlessness:“Thisispeace,thisisexquisite—thepacificationofallfabrications;therelinquishingofallacquisitions;theendingofcraving;dispassion;stopping;Unbinding.”‘Stayingrightthere,hereachestheendingofeffluents.Or,ifnot,then—throughthisveryDhamma-passion,thisveryDhamma-delight,andfromthetotalwastingawayofthefirstfivefetters*—heisduetobereborn[inthePureAbodes],theretobetotallyunbound,neveragaintoreturnfromthatworld.[Similarlywiththeotherlevelsofjhānaupthroughthedimensionofnothingness.]’

MN64

Thefactthatthevariouslevelsofjhānaarenurtured&willed,andthusdependentonconditions,isimportant:Arealizationofexactlyhowtheyarenurtured—arealizationacquiredonlythroughpracticalexperiencewiththem—cangiveinsightintotheconditionednatureofallmentaleventsand

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isoneofthewaysinwhichtheattachmenttojhāna,assustenanceforbecoming,canbeabandoned.

AnindicationofhowthishappensisgiveninoutlineformintheDiscourseonMindfulnessofIn&OutBreathing.Totakeupthedescriptionofbreathmeditationwhereweleftoff:Oncethereisdirectawarenessoftheminditself,thevariouslevelsofjhānaarereviewed.Now,however,primaryattentionisfocused,notontheobject,butonthemindasitrelatestotheobject—thedifferentwaysinwhichitcanbesatisfied&steadied,andthedifferentfactorsfromwhichitcanbereleasedbytakingitthroughthedifferentlevels(e.g.,releasingitfromdirectedthought&evaluationbytakingitfromthefirsttothesecondlevel,andsoforth).

‘Hetrainshimself,“Iwillbreathein…&outgladdeningthemind.”Hetrainshimself,“Iwillbreathein…&outsteadyingthemind.”Hetrainshimself,“Iwillbreathein…&outreleasingthemind.”

Thestatesofgladdening,steadiness,&releaseexperiencedontheselevels,though,arewilledandthereforeconditioned.Thenextstepistofocusonthefactthatthesequalities,beingconditioned,areinconstant.Oncethemindseesdirectlythatinconstancyisinherentbothinthepleasureofferedbyjhānaandintheactofwillthatbringsitabout,onebecomesdispassionatetowardit,stopscravingit,andcanrelinquishany&allattachmenttoit.

‘Hetrainshimself,“Iwillbreathein…&outfocusingoninconstancy.”Hetrainshimself,“Iwillbreathein…&outfocusingondispassion.”Hetrainshimself,“Iwillbreathein…&outfocusingonstopping.”Hetrainshimself,“Iwillbreathein…&outfocusingonrelinquishing.”’

MN118

Attheconclusiontothediscourse,theBuddhastatesthatbreathmeditation,whenpracticedoften&repeatedlyinthisway,resultsinthematurationofclearknowledge&release.

Amorevividdescriptionofhowmasteryofjhānacanleadtotheinsightthattranscendsit,isgivenintheDiscourseontheAnalysisoftheProperties:

‘[Onattainingthefourthlevelofjhāna]thereremainsonlyequanimity:pure&bright,pliant,malleable&luminous.Justasifaskilledgoldsmithorgoldsmith’sapprenticeweretoprepareafurnace,heatupacrucible,and,takinggoldwithapairoftongs,placeitinthecrucible.Hewould

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blowonittime&again,sprinklewateronittime&again,examineittime&again,sothatthegoldwouldbecomerefined,well-refined,thoroughlyrefined,flawless,freefromdross,pliant,malleable&luminous.Thenwhateversortofornamenthehadinmind—whetherabelt,anearring,anecklace,oragoldchain—itwouldservehispurpose.Inthesameway,thereremainsonlyequanimity:pure&bright,pliant,malleable&luminous.He[themeditator]discernsthat“IfIweretodirectequanimityaspure&brightasthistowardthedimensionoftheinfinitudeofspace,Iwoulddevelopthemindalongthoselines,andthusthisequanimityofmine—thussupported,thussustained—wouldlastforalongtime.[Similarlywiththeremainingformlessstates.]”‘Hediscernsthat“IfIweretodirectequanimityaspure&brightasthistowardthedimensionoftheinfinitudeofspaceandtodevelopthemindalongthoselines,thatwouldbefabricated.[Similarlywiththeremainingformlessstates.]”Heneitherfabricatesnormentallyfashionsforthesakeofbecomingorun-becoming.Thisbeingthecase,heisnotsustainedbyanythingintheworld[doesnotclingtoanythingintheworld].Unsustained,heisnotagitated.Unagitated,heistotallyunboundrightwithin.Hediscernsthat“Birthisended,theholylifefulfilled,thetaskdone.Thereisnothingfurtherforthisworld.”’

MN140

Doctrinesoftheselfformthefourthmodeofclinging/sustenance.TheCanonreportsawidevarietyofsuchdoctrinescurrentintheBuddha’stime,onlytorejectthemout-of-handfortwomajorreasons.Thefirstisthateventheleastarticulatedsenseofselforself-identificationinevitablyleadstostress&suffering.

‘Monks,doyouseeanyclinging/sustenanceintheformofadoctrineofselfwhich,inclingingto,therewouldnotarisesorrow,lamentation,pain,distress,&despair?’‘No,lord.’‘…NeitherdoI….Howdoyouconstruethis,monks:Ifapersonweretogatherorburnordoashelikeswiththegrass,twigs,branches,&leaveshereinJeta’sGrove,wouldthethoughtoccurtoyou,“It’susthatthispersonisgathering,burning,ordoingwithashelikes”?’‘No,lord.Whyisthat?Becausethosethingsarenotourselfanddonotpertaintoourself.’‘Evenso,monks,whateverisnotyours:Letgoofit.Yourlettinggoofit

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willbeforyourlong-termhappiness&benefit.Andwhatisnotyours?Formisnotyours….Feelingisnotyours….Perception…Fabrications….Consciousnessisnotyours.Letgoofit.Yourlettinggoofitwillbeforyourlong-termhappiness&benefit.’

MN22

Thesecondreasonforrejectingdoctrinesoftheselfisthat,whateverformtheytake,theyallcontaininherentinconsistencies.TheBuddha’smostsystematictreatmentofthispointisintheGreatDiscourseonCausation,whereheclassifiesalltheoriesoftheselfintofourmajorcategories:thosedescribingaself(a)possessedofform&finite;(b)possessedofform&infinite;(c)formless&finite;and(d)formless&infinite.Thetextgivesnoexamplesforthecategories,butwemightcitethefollowingasillustrations:(a)theoriesthatdenytheexistenceofasoul,andidentifytheselfwiththebody;(b)theoriesthatidentifytheselfwithallbeingorwiththeuniverse;(c)theoriesofdiscretesoulsinindividualbeings;(d)theoriesofaunitarysouloridentityimmanentinallthings.

Discussingthesevariouscategories,theBuddhastatesthatpeoplewhoadheretoanyofthemwillstatethattheselfalreadyisofsuchanature,thatitisdestinedtoacquiresuchanatureafterdeath,orthatitcanbemadeintosuchanaturebyvariouspractices.Hethengoesontodiscussthevariouswayspeopleassumeaselfasdefinedinrelationtofeeling.

‘Inwhatrespect,Ānanda,doesoneassumewhenassumingaself?Assumingfeelingtobetheself,oneassumesthat“Feelingismyself”[or]“Feelingisnotmyself:Myselfisoblivious[tofeeling]”[or]“Neitherisfeelingmyself,norismyselfoblivioustofeeling,butrathermyselffeels,inthatmyselfissubjecttofeeling.”‘Now,onewhosays,“Feelingismyself,”shouldbeaddressedasfollows:“Therearethesethreefeelings,myfriend—feelingsofpleasure,feelingsofpain,&feelingsofneitherpleasurenorpain.Whichofthesethreefeelingsdoyouassumetobetheself?Atamomentwhenafeelingofpleasureissensed,nofeelingofpainorofneitherpleasurenorpainissensed.Onlyafeelingofpleasureissensedatthatmoment.Atamomentwhenafeelingofpainissensed,nofeelingofpleasureorofneitherpleasurenorpainissensed.Onlyafeelingofpainissensedatthatmoment.Atamomentwhenafeelingofneitherpleasurenorpainissensed,nofeelingofpleasureorofpainissensed.Onlyafeelingofneitherpleasurenorpainissensedatthatmoment.‘“Now,afeelingofpleasureisinconstant,compounded,dependenton

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conditions,subjecttopassingaway,dissolution,fading,&stopping.Afeelingofpain…Afeelingofneitherpleasurenorpainisinconstant…subjecttostopping.Havingsensedafeelingofpleasureas‘myself,’thenwiththestoppingofone’sveryownfeelingofpleasure,‘myself’hasperished.Havingsensedafeelingofpainas‘myself’…Havingsensedafeelingofneitherpleasurenorpainas‘myself,’thenwiththestoppingofone’sveryownfeelingofneitherpleasurenorpain,‘myself’hasperished.”‘Thusheassumes,assumingintheimmediatepresentaselfinconstant,entangledinpleasure&pain,subjecttoarising&passingaway,hewhosays,“Feelingismyself.”Thusinthismanner,Ānanda,onedoesnotseefittoassumefeelingtobetheself.‘Asforthepersonwhosays,“Feelingisnottheself:Myselfisoblivious[tofeeling],”heshouldbeaddressedasfollows:“Myfriend,wherenothingwhatsoeverissensed[experienced]atall,wouldtherebethethought,‘Iam’?”’‘No,lord.’‘Thusinthismanner,Ānanda,onedoesnotseefittoassumethat“Feelingisnotmyself:Myselfisoblivious[tofeeling].”‘Asforthepersonwhosays,“Neitherisfeelingmyself,norismyselfoblivioustofeeling,butrathermyselffeels,inthatmyselfissubjecttofeeling,”heshouldbeaddressedasfollows:“Myfriend,shouldfeelingsaltogetherandeverywaystopwithoutremainder,thenwithfeelingcompletelynotexisting,owingtothestoppingoffeeling,wouldtherebethethought,‘Iam’?”’‘No,lord.’‘Thusinthismanner,Ānanda,onedoesnotseefittoassumethat“Neitherisfeelingmyself,norismyselfoblivioustofeeling,butrathermyselffeels,inthatmyselfissubjecttofeeling.”‘Now,Ānanda,inasfarasamonkdoesnotassumefeelingtobetheself,northeselfasoblivious,northat“Myselffeels,inthatmyselfissubjecttofeeling,”then,notassuminginthisway,heisnotsustainedbyanythingintheworld.Unsustained,heisnotagitated.Unagitated,heistotallyunboundrightwithin.Hediscernsthat“Birthisended,theholylifefulfilled,thetaskdone.Thereisnothingfurtherforthisworld.”‘Ifanyoneweretosaywithregardtoamonkwhosemindisthusreleasedthat“TheTathāgataexistsafterdeath,”ishisview,thatwouldbemistaken;that“TheTathāgatadoesnotexistafterdeath”…that“TheTathāgatabothexists&doesnotexistafterdeath”…that“TheTathāgata

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neitherexistsnordoesnotexistafterdeath”ishisview,thatwouldbemistaken.Why?Havingdirectlyknowntheextentofdesignationandtheextentoftheobjectsofdesignation,theextentofexpressionandtheextentoftheobjectsofexpression,theextentofdescriptionandtheextentoftheobjectsofdescription,theextentofdiscernmentandtheextentoftheobjectsofdiscernment,theextenttowhichthecyclerevolves:Havingdirectlyknownthat,themonkisreleased.[Tosaythat,]“Themonkreleased,havingdirectlyknownthat,doesnotsee,doesnotknowishisopinion,”thatwouldbemistaken.’[Thislastsentencemeansthatthemonkreleasedisnotanagnosticconcerningwhatliesbeyondtheextentofdesignation,andsoforth.Hedoesknow&seewhatliesbeyond,eventhough—asVen.SāriputtasaidtoVen.MahaKoṭṭhita—hecannotexpressit,inasmuchasitliesbeyondobjectification.SeethediscussionofSN35:23,AN4:173,&SN35:117inChapterOne.]

DN15

Viewsoftheselfcancenteraroundnotonlyfeeling,butalsophysicalform,perception,fabrications,&consciousness—thefiveaggregatesforsustenance—which,accordingtoanotherpassageintheabovediscourse,covertheextentofwhatcanbedesignated,expressed,&described,butnoneofwhich,oninvestigation,canrightfullybedesignatedasself.

IhaveheardthatononeoccasiontheBlessedOnewasstayingatVārāṇasi,intheGameRefugeatIsipatana.Thereheaddressedthegroupoffivemonks:‘Form,monks,isnot-self.Ifformweretheself,thisformwouldnotlenditselftodis-ease.Onecouldgetformtobelikethisandnotbelikethat.Butpreciselybecauseformisnot-self,itlendsitselftodis-ease.Andonecannotgetformtobelikethisandnotbelikethat.‘Feelingisnot-self….Perceptionisnot-self….Fabricationsarenot-self….‘Consciousnessisnot-self.Ifconsciousnessweretheself,thisconsciousnesswouldnotlenditselftodis-ease.Onecouldgetconsciousnesstobelikethisandnotbelikethat.Butpreciselybecauseconsciousnessisnot-self,itlendsitselftodis-ease.Andonecannotgetconsciousnesstobelikethisandnotbelikethat.‘Howdoyouconstruethus,monks—Isformconstantorinconstant?’—‘Inconstant,lord.’—‘Andwhateverisinconstant:Isiteasefulorstressful?’—‘Stressful,lord.’—‘Andisitrighttoassumewithregardtowhateverisinconstant,stressful,subjecttochange,that“Thisis

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mine.Thisismyself.ThisiswhatIam”?’—‘No,lord.’‘….Isfeelingconstantorinconstant?…Isperceptionconstantorinconstant?…Arefabricationsconstantorinconstant?…‘Isconsciousnessconstantorinconstant?’—‘Inconstant,lord.’—‘Andwhateverisinconstant:Isiteasefulorstressful?’—‘Stressful,lord.’—‘Andisitrighttoassumewithregardtowhateverisinconstant,stressful,subjecttochange,that“Thisismine.Thisismyself.ThisiswhatIam”?’—‘No,lord.’‘Thus,monks,anyformwhatsoeverthatispast,future,orpresent;internalorexternal;blatantorsubtle;commonorsublime;farornear:everyformistobeseenasitactuallyiswithrightdiscernmentas:“Thisisnotmine.Thisisnotmyself.ThisisnotwhatIam.”‘Anyfeelingwhatsoever.…‘Anyperceptionwhatsoever.…‘Anyfabricationswhatsoever.…‘Anyconsciousnesswhatsoeverthatispast,future,orpresent;internalorexternal;blatantorsubtle;commonorsublime;farornear:everyconsciousnessistobeseenasitactuallyiswithrightdiscernmentas:“Thisisnotmine.Thisisnotmyself.ThisisnotwhatIam.”‘Seeingthus,theinstructednobledisciplegrowsdisenchantedwithform,disenchantedwithfeeling,disenchantedwithperception,disenchantedwithfabrications,disenchantedwithconsciousness.Disenchanted,hegrowsdispassionate.Throughdispassion,heisreleased.Withrelease,thereistheknowledge,“Released.”Hediscernsthat“Birthisended,theholylifefulfilled,thetaskdone.Thereisnothingfurtherforthisworld.”’ThatiswhattheBlessedOnesaid.Gratified,thegroupoffivemonksdelightedathiswords.Andwhilethisexplanationwasbeinggiven,theheartsofthegroupoffivemonks,throughnotclinging[notbeingsustained],werereleasedfromeffluents.

SN22:59

Onthesurface,doctrinesabouttheselfwouldappearsimplytobeanothervarietyofspeculativeview.Theydeserveseparatetreatment,though,becausetheyallcomedowntoadeeplyrootedsenseof‘Iam’—aconceitcoloringallperceptionatthemostfundamentallevel.

‘Monks,anycontemplativesorbrāhmanswhoassumeinvariouswayswhenassumingaself,allassumethefiveaggregatesforsustenanceoracertainoneofthem.Whichfive?Thereisthecasewhereanuninstructed,

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run-of-the-millperson…assumesformtobetheself,ortheselfaspossessingform,formasintheself,ortheselfasinform.Heassumesfeelingtobetheself…perceptiontobetheself…fabricationstobetheself…Heassumesconsciousnesstobetheself,ortheselfaspossessingconsciousness,consciousnessasintheself,ortheselfasinconsciousness.‘Thus,boththisassumption&theunderstanding,“Iam,”occurtohim.Andsoitiswithreferencetotheunderstanding“Iam”thatthereistheappearanceofthefivefaculties—eye,ear,nose,tongue,&body[thesensesofvision,hearing,smell,taste,&touch].‘Now,thereistheintellect,thereareideas[mentalqualities],thereisthepropertyofignorance.Toanuninstructed,run-of-the-millperson,touchedbyexperiencebornofthecontactofignorance,thereoccur[thethoughts]:“Iam,”“Iamthus,”“Iwillbe,”“Iwillnotbe,”“Iwillbepossessedofform,”“Iwillbeformless,”“Iwillbepercipient[conscious],”“Iwillbenon-percipient,”or“Iwillbeneitherpercipientnornon-percipient.”‘Thefivefaculties,monks,continueastheywere.Andwithregardtothemtheinstructednoblediscipleabandonsignoranceandgivesrisetoclearknowing.Owingtothefadingofignoranceandthearisingofclearknowing,[thethoughts]—“Iam,”“Iamthis,”…“Iwillbeneitherpercipientnornon-percipient”—donotoccurtohim.’

SN22:47

Thesenseof‘Iam’canpreventapersonfromreachingthegoal,evenwhenhefeelsthathehasabandonedattachmenttosensuality,speculativeviews,&theexperienceofjhāna.

‘Thereisthecase,monks,whereacertaincontemplativeorbrāhman,withtherelinquishingofspeculationsaboutthepastandtherelinquishingofspeculationsaboutthefuture,frombeingtotallynotdeterminedonthefettersofsensuality,andfromthesurmountingoftheraptureofseclusion[inthefirstjhāna],ofpleasurenot-of-the-flesh,&ofthefeelingofneitherpleasurenorpain[inthefourthjhāna],thinks,“Iamatpeace,Iamunbound,Iamwithoutclinging/sustenance!”‘Withregardtothis,theTathāgatadiscerns:“Thisvenerablecontemplativeorbrāhman,withtherelinquishingofspeculationsaboutthepast…thinks,‘Iamatpeace,Iamunbound,Iamwithoutclinging/sustenance!”Yes,heaffirmsapracticeconducivetoUnbinding.Butstillheclings,clingingtoaspeculationaboutthepastor…a

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speculationaboutthefuture…orafetterofsensuality…ortheraptureofseclusion…orpleasurenot-of-the-flesh…orafeelingofneitherpleasurenorpain.Andthefactthathethinks,‘Iamatpeace,Iamunbound,Iamwithoutclinging/sustenance!’—thatinitselfpointstohisclinging.”‘Withregardtothis—fabricated,gross—thereisstillthecessationoffabrications.Knowing,“Thereisthat,”seeingtheescapefromit,theTathāgatahasgonebeyondit.’

MN102

Whereasthecontemplativeorbrāhmanunderdiscussioninthispassagereadsan‘I’intowhatheisexperiencing,theBuddhasimplyobservesthat‘Thereisthis….’Thisunadornedobservation—whichsimplyseeswhatispresentinanexperienceaspresent,andwhatisabsentasabsent—istreatedindetailintheLesserDiscourseonEmptiness.TheretheBuddhadescribeshowtodevelopitmethodically,inascendingstagespassingthroughthelevelsofjhāna—inthiscasebasedontheobject‘earth’,orsolidity—andleadingultimatelytoAwakening.

‘Ānanda,justasthispalaceofMigāra’smother[inthemonasteryconstructedbyLadyVisākhānearSāvatthi]isemptyofelephants,cattle,&mares,emptyofgold&silver,emptyofassembliesofwomen&men,andthereisonlythisnon-emptiness—thesinglenessbasedonthecommunityofmonks;evenso,Ānanda,amonk—notattendingtotheperception[mentallabel]ofvillage,notattendingtotheperceptionofhumanbeing—attendstothesinglenessbasedontheperceptionofwilderness.Hismindtakespleasure,findssatisfaction,settles,&indulgesinitsperceptionofwilderness.‘Hediscernsthat“Whateverdisturbancesthatwouldexistbasedontheperceptionofvillage…thatwouldexistbasedontheperceptionofhumanbeing,arenotpresent.Thereisonlythismodicumofdisturbance:thesinglenessbasedontheperceptionofwilderness.”Hediscernsthat“Thismodeofperceptionisemptyoftheperceptionofvillage.Thismodeofperceptionisemptyoftheperceptionofhumanbeing.Thereisonlythisnon-emptiness:thesinglenessbasedontheperceptionofwilderness.”Thusheregardsitasemptyofwhateverisnotthere.Whateverremains,hediscernsaspresent:“Thereisthis.”Andsothis,hisentryintoemptiness,accordswithactuality,isundistortedinmeaning,&pure.‘Further,Ānanda,themonk—notattendingtotheperceptionofhumanbeing,notattendingtotheperceptionofwilderness—attendstothe

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singlenessbasedontheperceptionofearth.Hismindtakespleasure,findssatisfaction,settles,&indulgesinitsperceptionofearth.Justasabull’shideisstretchedfreefromwrinkleswithahundredstakes,evenso—withoutattendingtoalltheridges&hollows,theriverravines,thetractsofstumps&thorns,thecraggyirregularitiesofthisearth—heattendstothesinglenessbasedontheperceptionofearth.Hismind…settles&indulgesinitsperceptionofearth.‘Hediscernsthat“Whateverdisturbancesthatwouldexistbasedontheperceptionofhumanbeing…thatwouldexistbasedontheperceptionofwilderness,arenotpresent.Thereisonlythismodicumofdisturbance:thesinglenessbasedontheperceptionofearth.”Hediscernsthat“Thismodeofperceptionisemptyoftheperceptionofhumanbeing…emptyoftheperceptionofwilderness.Thereisonlythisnon-emptiness:thesinglenessbasedontheperceptionofearth.”Thusheregardsitasemptyofwhateverisnotthere.Whateverremains,hediscernsaspresent:“Thereisthis.”Andsothis,hisentryintoemptiness,accordswithactuality,isundistortedinmeaning,&pure.‘Further,Ānanda,themonk—notattendingtotheperceptionofwilderness,notattendingtotheperceptionofearth—attendstothesinglenessbasedontheperceptionofthedimensionoftheinfinitudeofspace….[andsoonthroughthefourlevelsofformlessjhāna.Then:]‘Further,Ānanda,themonk—notattendingtotheperceptionofthedimensionofnothingness,notattendingtotheperceptionofthedimensionofneitherperceptionnornon-perception—attendstothesinglenessbasedonthesignlessconcentrationofawareness.Hismindtakespleasure,findssatisfaction,settles,&indulgesinitssignlessconcentrationofawareness.‘Hediscernsthat“Whateverdisturbancesthatwouldexistbasedontheperceptionofthedimensionofnothingness…thatwouldexistbasedontheperceptionofthedimensionofneitherperceptionnornon-perception,arenotpresent.Andthereisonlythismodicumofdisturbance:thatconnectedwiththesixsensoryspheres,dependentonthisverybodywithlifeasitscondition.”Hediscernsthat“Thismodeofperceptionisempty….[etc.]”‘Further,Ānanda,themonk—notattendingtotheperceptionofthedimensionofnothingness,notattendingtotheperceptionofthedimensionofneitherperceptionnornon-perception—attendstothesinglenessbasedonthesignlessconcentrationofawareness.Hismindtakespleasure,findssatisfaction,settles,&indulgesinitssignlessconcentrationofawareness.

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‘Hediscernsthat“Thissignlessconcentrationofawarenessisfabricated&mentallyfashioned.”Andhediscernsthat“Whateverisfabricated&mentallyfashionedisinconstant&subjecttostopping.”Forhim—thusknowing,thusseeing—themindisreleasedfromtheeffluentofsensuality,theeffluentofbecoming,theeffluentofignorance.Withrelease,thereistheknowledge,“Released.”Hediscernsthat“Birthisended,theholylifefulfilled,thetaskdone.Thereisnothingfurtherforthisworld.”‘Hediscernsthat“Whateverdisturbancesthatwouldexistbasedontheeffluentofsensuality…theeffluentofbecoming…theeffluentofignorance,arenotpresent.Andthereisonlythismodicumofdisturbance:thatconnectedwiththesixsensoryspheres,dependentonthisverybodywithlifeasitscondition.”Hediscernsthat“Thismodeofperceptionisemptyoftheeffluentofsensuality…theeffluentofbecoming…theeffluentofignorance.Andthereisjustthisnon-emptiness:thatconnectedwiththesixsensoryspheres,dependentonthisverybodywithlifeasitscondition.”Thusheregardsitasemptyofwhateverisnotthere.Whateverremains,hediscernsaspresent:“Thereisthis.”Andsothis,hisentryintoemptiness,accordswithactuality,isundistortedinmeaning,pure—

superior&unsurpassed.’MN121

Ven.Ānanda:‘It’ssaidthattheworldisempty,theworldisempty,lord.Towhatextentisitsaidthattheworldisempty?’

TheBuddha:‘Insofarasitisemptyofselforofanythingpertainingtoself:Thusitissaidthattheworldisempty.Andwhatisemptyofselforofanythingpertainingtoself?Theeyeisemptyofselforofanythingpertainingtoself.Forms…Eye-consciousness…Eye-contactisemptyofselforofanythingpertainingtoself.‘Theear…Thenose…Thetongue…Thebody…‘Theintellectisemptyofselforofanythingpertainingtoself.Ideas…Intellect-consciousness…Intellect-contactisemptyofselforofanythingpertainingtoself.Thusitissaidthattheworldisempty.’

SN35:85

Inabandoningthenotionofselfwithregardtotheworld—heredefinedinthesametermsasthe‘All’(page31,above)—theBuddhadidnot,however,holdtoatheorythatthereisnoself.

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Havingsattooneside,VacchagottathewanderersaidtotheBlessedOne,‘Nowthen,VenerableGotama,isthereaself?’Whenthiswassaid,theBlessedOnewassilent.‘Thenistherenoself?’Again,theBlessedOnewassilent.ThenVacchagottathewanderergotupfromhisseatandleft.Then,notlongafterVacchagottathewandererhadleft,VenerableĀnandasaidtotheBlessedOne,‘Why,lord,didtheBlessedOnenotanswerwhenaskedaquestionbyVacchagottathewanderer?’‘Ānanda,ifI,beingaskedbyVacchagottathewandererifthereisaself,weretoanswerthatthereisaself,thatwouldbeconformingwiththosecontemplatives&brāhmanswhoareexponentsofeternalism[i.e.,theviewthatthereisaneternalsoul].AndifI…weretoanswerthatthereisnoself,thatwouldbeconformingwiththosecontemplatives&brāhmanswhoareexponentsofannihilationism[i.e.thatdeathistheannihilationofconsciousness].IfI…weretoanswerthatthereisaself,wouldthatbeinkeepingwiththearisingofknowledgethatallphenomenaarenot-self?‘No,lord.’‘AndifI…weretoanswerthatthereisnoself,thebewilderedVacchagottawouldbecomeevenmorebewildered:“DoestheselfthatIusedtohave,nownotexist?”’

SN44:10

ThisdialogueisoneofthemostcontroversialintheCanon.ThosewhoholdthattheBuddhatookapositiononewayortheotheronthequestionofwhetherornotthereisaselfhavetoexplainawaytheBuddha’ssilence,andusuallydosobyfocusingonhisfinalstatementtoĀnanda.IfsomeoneelsemorespirituallymaturethanVacchagottahadaskedthequestion,theysay,theBuddhawouldhaverevealedhistrueposition.

Thisinterpretation,though,ignoresthefactthatoftheBuddha’sfourexpressreasonsfornotansweringthequestion,onlythelastisspecifictoVacchagotta.Thefirsttwoholdtruenomatterwhoisaskingthequestion:TosaythatthereisorisnotaselfwouldbetofallintooneoftwophilosophicalpositionsthattheBuddhafrequentlyattackedasincompatiblewithhisteaching.Asforhisthirdreason,theBuddhawantedtobeconsistentwith‘thearisingofknowledgethatallphenomenaarenot-self,’notbecausehefeltthatthisknowledgewasworthholdingontoin&ofitself(cf.hisstatementtoUpasīva,Sn5:6,thatintheexperienceofthegoalallphenomenaaredoneawaywith),butbecausehesawthatthearisingofsuchknowledgecould,throughcausingthemindtoletgoofallformsofclinging/sustenance,lead

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toliberation.Thispointbecomesclearwhenwecomparetheexchangewith

Vacchagotta,givenabove,tothisonewithMogharāja:

Mogharāja:HowdoesoneviewtheworldsoasnottobeseenbyDeath’sking?

TheBuddha:Viewtheworld,Mogharāja,

asempty—

alwaysmindful,tohaveremovedanyviewaboutself.Thiswayoneisabove&beyonddeath.ThisishowoneviewstheworldsoasnottobeseenbyDeath’sking.

Sn5:15

Thefundamentaldifferencebetweenthisdialogue&theprecedingoneliesinthequestionsasked:Inthefirst,VacchagottaaskstheBuddhatotakeapositiononthemetaphysicalquestionofwhetherornotthereisaself,andtheBuddharemainssilent.Inthesecond,Mogharājaasksforawaytoviewtheworldsothatonecangobeyonddeath,andtheBuddhaspeaks,teachinghimtoviewtheworldwithoutreferencetothenotionofself.

Thissuggeststhat,insteadofbeingametaphysicalassertionthatthereisnoself,theteachingonnot-selfismoreastrategy,atechniqueofperceptionaimedatleadingbeyonddeathtoUnbinding—awayofperceivingthingsthatinvolvesnoself-identification,nosensethat‘Iam’,noattachmentto‘I’or‘mine.’AndthiswouldbeinkeepingwiththediscernmenttheBuddharecommendsintheDiscourseontheSupremeNet(DN1):onethatjudgesviewsnotintermsoftheircontent,butintermsofwheretheycomefromandwheretheylead.

IfapersonaimingatUnbindingisnottoviewtheworldintermsofself,theninwhattermsshouldheorsheviewit?TheBuddha’scommenttoAnurādha(page25)—‘ItisonlystressthatIdescribe,andthestoppingofstress’—suggestsananswer,andthisanswerisborneoutbyaseriesofotherpassagesintheCanon.

‘Lord,“Rightview,rightview,”itissaid.Towhatextentisthereright

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view?’‘By&large,Kaccāyana,thisworldissupportedby[takesasitsobject]apolarity,thatofexistence&non-existence.Butwhenoneseestheoriginationoftheworldasithascometobewithrightdiscernment,“non-existence”withreferencetotheworlddoesn’toccurtoone.Whenoneseesthestoppingoftheworldasithascometobewithrightdiscernment,“existence”withreferencetotheworlddoesn’toccurtoone.‘By&large,Kaccāyana,thisworldisinbondagetoattachments,clingings[sustenances],&biases.Butonesuchasthisdoesn’tgetinvolvedwithorclingtotheseattachments,clingings,fixationsofawareness,biases,orobsessions;norisheresolvedon“myself.”Hehasnouncertaintyordoubtthatmerestress,whenarising,isarising;stress,whenpassingaway,ispassingaway.Inthis,hisknowledgeisindependentofothers.It’stothisextent,Kaccāyana,thatthereisrightview.’

SN12:15

‘Thereisthecasewhereanuninstructed,run-of-the-millperson…doesnotdiscernwhatideasarefitforattention,orwhatideasareunfitforattention.Thisbeingso,hedoesn’tattendtoideasfitforattention,andattends[instead]toideasunfitforattention….Thisishowheattendsinappropriately:“WasIinthepast?WasInotinthepast?WhatwasIinthepast?HowwasIinthepast?Havingbeenwhat,whatwasIinthepast?WillIbeinthefuture?WillInotbeinthefuture?WhatwillIbeinthefuture?HowwillIbeinthefuture?Havingbeenwhat,whatwillIbeinthefuture?”Orelseheisinwardlyperplexedabouttheimmediatepresent:“AmI?AmInot?WhatamI?HowamI?Wherehasthisbeingcomefrom?Whereisitbound?”‘Asthispersonattendsinappropriatelyinthisway,oneofsixkindsofviewarisesinhim:TheviewIhaveaselfarisesinhimastrue&established,ortheviewIhavenoself…ortheviewItispreciselybecauseofselfthatIperceiveself…ortheviewItispreciselybecauseofselfthatIperceivenot-self…ortheviewItispreciselybecauseofnot-selfthatIperceiveselfarisesinhimastrue&established,orelsehehasaviewlikethis:Thisveryselfofmine—theknowerthatissensitivehere&theretotheripeningofgood&badactions—istheselfofminethatisconstant,everlasting,eternal,notsubjecttochange,andwillendureaslongaseternity.Thisiscalledathicketofviews,awildernessofviews,acontortionofviews,awrithingofviews,afetterofviews.Boundbyafetterofviews,theuninstructedrun-of-the-millpersonisnotfreedfrombirth,aging,&death,fromsorrow,lamentation,pain,distress,&despair.Heisnotfreedfromstress,Isay.

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‘Thewell-taughtnobledisciple…discernswhatideasarefitforattention,andwhatideasareunfitforattention.Thisbeingso,hedoesn’tattendtoideasunfitforattention,andattends(instead)toideasfitforattention….Heattendsappropriately,Thisisstress…Thisistheoriginofstress…Thisisthestoppingofstress…Thisisthewayleadingtothestoppingofstress.Asheattendsappropriatelyinthisway,threefettersareabandonedinhim:identity-view,uncertainty,&graspingathabits&practices.’

MN2

‘Nowthis,monks,isthenobletruthofstress:Birthisstress,agingisstress,deathisstress;sorrow,lamentation,pain,distress,&despairarestress;associationwiththeunbelovedisstress,separationfromthelovedisstress,notgettingwhatiswantedisstress.Inshort,thefiveaggregatesforsustenancearestress.‘Andthis,monks,isthenobletruthoftheoriginationofstress:thecravingthatmakesforfurtherbecoming—accompaniedbypassion&delight,relishingnowhere&nowthere—i.e.,cravingforsensualpleasure,cravingforbecoming,cravingfornon-becoming.‘Andthis,monks,isthenobletruthofthestoppingofstress:theremainderlessfading&stopping,renunciation,relinquishment,release,&lettinggoofthatverycraving.‘Andthis,monks,isthenobletruthofthewayleadingtothestoppingofstress:preciselythisnobleeightfoldpath—rightview,rightresolve,rightspeech,rightaction,rightlivelihood,righteffort,rightmindfulness,rightconcentration.‘Visionarose,insightarose,discernmentarose,knowledgearose,illuminationarosewithinmewithregardtothingsneverheardbefore:“Thisisthenobletruthofstress”….“Thisnobletruthofstressistobecomprehended”….“Thisnobletruthofstresshasbeencomprehended”….“Thisisthenobletruthoftheoriginationofstress”….“Thisnobletruthoftheoriginationofstressistobeabandoned”….“Thisnobletruthoftheoriginationofstresshasbeenabandoned”….“Thisisthenobletruthofthestoppingofstress”….“Thisnobletruthofthestoppingofstressistoberealized”….“Thisnobletruthofthestoppingofstresshasbeenrealized”….“Thisisthenobletruthofthewayleadingtothestoppingofstress”….“Thisnobletruthofthewayleadingtothestoppingofstressistobedeveloped”….“Thisnobletruthofthewayleadingtothestoppingofstresshasbeendeveloped.”

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‘And,monks,aslongasthisthree-round,twelve-permutationknowledge&visionofmineconcerningthesefournobletruthsastheyhavecometobewasnotpure,Ididnotclaimtohavedirectlyawakenedtotheunexcelledrightself-awakening….Butassoonasthisthree-round,twelve-permutationknowledge&visionofmineconcerningthesefournobletruthsastheyhavecometobewastrulypure,thendidIclaimtohavedirectlyawakenedtotheunexcelledrightself-awakening….Knowledge&visionaroseinme:“Unprovokedismyrelease.Thisisthelastbirth.Thereisnownofurtherbecoming.”’

SN56:11

‘Justasiftherewereapoolofwaterinamountainglen—clear,limpid,&unsullied—whereamanwithgoodeyesstandingonthebankcouldseeshells,gravel,&pebbles,andalsoshoalsoffishswimmingabout&resting,anditwouldoccurtohim,“Thispoolofwaterisclear,limpid&unsullied.Herearetheseshells,gravel&pebbles,andalsotheseshoalsoffishswimmingabout&resting.”Sotoo,themonkdiscernsasitactuallyis,that“Thisisstress….Thisistheoriginationofstress….Thisisthestoppingofstress….Thisisthewayleadingtothestoppingofstress….Theseareeffluents….Thisistheoriginationofeffluents….Thisisthestoppingofeffluents….Thisisthewayleadingtothestoppingofeffluents.”Hisheart,thusknowing,thusseeing,isreleasedfromtheeffluentofsensuality,releasedfromtheeffluentofbecoming,releasedfromtheeffluentofignorance.Withrelease,thereistheknowledge,“Released.”Hediscernsthat“Birthisended,theholylifefulfilled,thetaskdone.Thereisnothingfurtherforthisworld.”‘This,greatking,isafruitofthecontemplativelife,visiblehere&now,moreexcellentthanthepreviousonesandmoresublime.Andasforanothervisiblefruitofthecontemplativelife,higher&moresublimethanthis,thereisnone.’

DN2

ThusforthepersonwhoaimsatUnbinding,theBuddharecommendsatechniqueofperceptionthatregardsthingssimplyintermsofthefourtruthsconcerningstress,withnoself-identification,nosensethat‘Iam’,noattachmentto‘I’or‘mine’involved.Although,asthefollowingpassagestates,theremaybeatemporary,functionalidentitytoone’srangeofperception,this‘identity’goesnofurtherthanthat.Onerecognizesitforwhatitis:inconstant&conditioned,andthusnotworthyofbeingtakenasaself—forintranscendingattachmenttoit,thereistherealizationof

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deathlessness.

Ven.Ānanda:‘It’samazing,lord;it’sastounding.Fortruly,theBlessedOnehaspointedoutthewaytocrossoverthefloodbygoingfromonesupporttothenext.Butwhatthen,lord,isthenobleliberation?’

TheBuddha:‘Thereisthecase,Ānanda,whereanoblediscipleconsidersthat“Sensualpleasurehere&nowandinlivestocome;formhere&nowandinlivestocome;perceptionsofformhere&nowandinlivestocome;perceptionsofimperturbability,perceptionsofthedimensionofnothingness,perceptionsofthedimensionofneitherperceptionnornon-perception:[All]thatisanidentity,totheextentthatthereisidentity.[But]thisisdeathless:theliberationofthemindthroughlackofclinging/sustenance.”’

MN106

Oncethesenseofselfistranscended,itspolaropposite—thesenseofsomethingstandingincontradistinctiontoaself—istranscendedaswell.IntheDiscourseatKālaka’sPark,theBuddhaexpressesthislackofaself/non-selfpolaritydirectlyintermsofsensoryexperience.Forapersonwhohasattainedthegoal,experienceoccurswithno‘subject’or‘object’superimposedonit,noconstruingofexperienceorthingexperienced.Thereissimplytheexperiencein&ofitself.

‘Monks,whateverinthisworld—withitsgods,Māras&Brahmās,itsgenerationscompletewithcontemplatives&brāhmans,princes&men—isseen,heard,sensed,cognized,attained,soughtafter,ponderedbytheintellect:ThatdoIknow.Whateverinthisworld…isseen,heard,sensed,cognized,attained,soughtafter,ponderedbytheintellect:ThatIdirectlyknow.ThatisknownbytheTathāgata,butintheTathāgataithasnotbeenestablished….‘Thus,monks,theTathāgata,whenseeingwhatistobeseen,doesn’tconstrue[anobjectas]seen,doesn’tconstrueanunseen,doesn’tconstrue[anobject]to-be-seen,doesn’tconstrueaseer.‘Whenhearing.…‘Whensensing.…‘Whencognizingwhatistobecognized,hedoesn’tconstrue[anobjectas]cognized,doesn’tconstrueanuncognized,doesn’tconstrue[anobject]to-be-cognized,doesn’tconstrueacognizer.‘Thus,monks,theTathāgata—beingsuch-likewithregardtoall

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phenomenathatcanbeseen,heard,sensed,&cognized—is“Such.”AndItellyou:Thereisnoother“Such”higherormoresublime.

‘Whateverisseenorheardorsensedandfastenedontoastruebyothers,OnewhoisSuch—amongtheself-fettered—wouldn’tfurtherclaimtobetrueorevenfalse.Havingseenwellinadvancethatarrow

wheregenerationsarefastened&hung

—“Iknow,Isee,that’sjusthowitis!”—

there’snothingoftheTathāgatafastened.’AN4:24

Aviewistrueorfalseonlywhenoneisjudginghowaccuratelyitreferstosomethingelse.Ifoneisregardingitsimplyasaneventin&ofitself,true&falsenolongerapply.ThusfortheTathāgata—whonolongerneedstoimposenotionsofsubjectorobjectonexperience,andcanregardsights,sounds,feelings,&thoughtspurelyin&ofthemselves—viewsarenotnecessarilytrueorfalse,butcansimplyserveasphenomenatobeexperienced.Withnonotionofsubject,thereisnogroundsfor‘Iknow,Isee;’withnonotionofobject,nogroundsfor‘That’sjusthowitis.’So—althoughaTathāgatamaycontinueusing‘true’&‘false’inthecourseofteachingothers,andmaycontinuereflectingonrightviewasameansofabidingmindfully&comfortablyinthepresent—notionsoftrue,false,self,&notselfhavelostalltheirholdingpoweroverthemind.Asaresult,themindcanseeconditionedeventsintheirsuchness—‘sucharetheaggregates,suchtheirorigin,suchtheirdisappearance’—andisleftfreetoitsownSuchness:unrestrained,uninfluencedbyanythingofanysort.

***

Thisconcludesoursurveyofthefourmodesofclinging/sustenance—passion&delightforsensuality,forviews,forhabits&practices,andfordoctrinesoftheself—andshouldbeenoughtogiveasenseofwhatisloosedintheUnbindingofthemind.Allthatremainsnowisthequestionofhow.

ManyofthepassageswehaveconsideredseemtosuggestthattotalUnbindingmayberealizedbylettinggoofanyoneofthesefourmodesofsustenance.Whatmostlikelyhappensinsuchcases,though,isthattheabandoningofonemodeimmediatelytriggersanabandoningoftheremainingthree,forthereareothercasesreportedintheCanonwherethe

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experienceofUnbindingcomesinstagesspreadovertime:thearisingoftheeyeofDhamma,whichfreesonefrompassion&delightforidentityviews,uncertainty,andgraspingathabits&practices;theattainmentofNon-returning,whichfreesonefrompassion&delightforsensuality;andtheattainmentofArahantship,whichfreesonefrompassion&delightforallviews,thepracticeofjhāna,&theconceit‘Iam.’Whythesestageshappeninthisorder,andhowtheyrelatetothepracticesmeanttoinducethem,iswhatwewilltakeupnext.

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CHAPT ER I V

“Andtakingapin,Ipulledoutthewick.”

ATHEMErecurrentinthepassageswehavebeenconsideringisthattheabandonmentofclinging/sustenanceiseffectedthroughknowledge.

‘Thesefour[modesof]sustenancehavewhatastheircause,whatastheirorigin,fromwhataretheyborn,fromwhatdotheyarise?Thesefour[modesof]sustenancehavecravingastheircause,cravingastheirorigin,arebornfromcraving,andarisefromcraving.‘Andwhatdoescravinghaveasitscause…?…feeling….Andwhatdoesfeelinghaveasitscause…?…contact….Andwhatdoescontacthaveasitscause…?…thesixsensespheres….Andwhatdothesixsensesphereshaveastheircause…?…name&form….Andwhatdoname&formhaveastheircause…?…consciousness….Andwhatdoesconsciousnesshaveasitscause…?…fabrications….Andwhatdofabricationshaveastheircause…?…ignorance….‘And,monks,assoonasignoranceisabandonedinamonk,andclearknowingarises,he—fromthefadingofignoranceandthearisingofclearknowing—clingsneithertosensualityassustenance,nortoviewsassustenance,nortohabits&practicesassustenance,nortodoctrinesoftheselfassustenance.Notclinging[unsustained],heisnotagitated.Unagitated,heistotallyunboundrightwithin.Hediscernsthat“Birthisended,theholylifefulfilled,thetaskdone.Thereisnothingfurtherforthisworld.”’

MN11

Theword‘vijjā’—translatedhereasclearknowing—alsomeans‘science.’Andjustasscienceimpliesamethod,thereisamethod—adiscipline—underlyingtheknowledgethatleadstoUnbinding.ThatmethodisdescribedfromanumberofperspectivesintheCanon,eachdescriptionstressingdifferentaspectsofthestepsinvolved.Thestandardformula,though,isthenobleeightfoldpath,alsoknownasthemiddleway.

‘Therearethesetwoextremesthatonewhohasgoneforthisnottoindulgein.Whichtwo?Thatwhichisdevotedtosensualitywithreferencetosensualobjects:base,vulgar,common,ignoble,unprofitable;

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andthatwhichisdevotedtoself-affliction:painful,ignoble,unprofitable.Avoidingbothoftheseextremes,themiddlewayrealizedbytheTathāgata—producingvision,producingknowledge—leadstocalm,todirectknowledge,toself-awakening,toUnbinding.‘AndwhatisthemiddlewayrealizedbytheTathāgatathat—producingvision,producingknowledge—leadstocalm,todirectknowledge,toself-awakening,toUnbinding?Preciselythisnobleeightfoldpath:rightview,rightresolve,rightspeech,rightaction,rightlivelihood,righteffort,rightmindfulness,rightconcentration.’

SN56:11

Theeightfactorsofthepathfallunderthreeheadings,thefirsttwofactorscomingunderdiscernment,thenextthreeundervirtue,andthefinalthreeunderconcentration.Thesethreeheadingsarecalledthethreefoldtraining;thedynamicamongthem,leadingtotheknowledge&visionofrelease,isoneofnaturalcause&effect.

‘It’snaturalthatinavirtuousperson,oneofconsummatevirtue,freedomfromremorsewillarise….It’snaturalthatinapersonfreefromremorsegladnesswillarise…thatinagladpersonrapturewillarise…thatforanenrapturedpersonthebodywillbecalmed…thatapersonofcalmedbodywillfeelpleasure…thatthemindofapersonfeelingpleasurewillbecomeconcentrated…thatapersonwhosemindisconcentratedwillseethingsastheyhavecometobe…thatapersonseeingthingsastheyhavecometobewillgrowdisenchanted…thatadisenchantedpersonwillgrowdispassionate…thatadispassionatepersonwillrealizetheknowledge&visionofrelease.’

AN11:2

Accordingtothestandarddescriptionofthenobleeightfoldpath,theheadingofdiscernmentincludesseeingthingsintermsofthefournobletruthsaboutstress,andmaintainingtheresolvetoreleaseoneselffromsensuality,toabandonillwill,andtoavoiddoingharm.Virtueincludesabstainingfromlying,fromdivisivespeech,fromharshspeech,&fromidlechatter;fromkilling,stealing,&havingillicitsex;andfromengagingindishonestorabusiveformsofmakingaliving,suchasdealinginpoison,slaves,weapons,intoxicants,oranimalflesh.

Thefactorsthatgointoconcentration,though,aresomewhatmorecomplex.

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‘Andwhat,monksisrighteffort?Thereisthecasewhereamonkgeneratesdesire,endeavors,arousespersistence,upholds&exertshisintentforthesakeofthenon-arisingofevil,unskillfulqualitiesthathavenotyetarisen…forthesakeoftheabandoningofevil,unskillfulqualitiesthathavearisen…forthesakeofthearisingofskillfulqualitiesthathavenotyetarisen…(and)forthemaintenance,non-confusion,increase,plenitude,development,&culminationofskillfulqualitiesthathavearisen.This,monks,isrighteffort.‘Andwhatisrightmindfulness?Thereisthecasewhereamonkremainsfocusedonthebodyin&ofitself—ardent,alert,&mindful—subduinggreed&distresswithreferencetotheworld.Heremainsfocusedonfeelingsin&ofthemselves….Heremainsfocusedonthemindin&ofitself….Heremainsfocusedonmentalqualitiesin&ofthemselves—ardent,alert,&mindful—subduinggreed&distresswithreferencetotheworld.‘Thuseitherinternallyheremainsfocusedonthebodyin&ofitself,orexternally…orbothinternally&externally…orelseheremainsfocusedonthephenomenonoforiginationwithreferencetothebody…orthephenomenonofpassingawaywithreferencetothebody…orthephenomenonoforigination&passingawaywithreferencetothebody.Orhismindfulnessthat“Thereisabody,”ismaintainedjusttotheextentofknowledge&recollection.Andheremainsindependent,notsustainedby[clingingto]anythingintheworld.[Similarlywithfeelings,mind&mentalqualities.]’

DN22

(SeeUd1:10above,instructionstoBāhiya.)Rightconcentrationisthepracticeofthefourbasiclevelsofjhāna.Thesethreefactorsarecomponentpartsofasinglewhole.Infact,their

balancedinterrelatednessiswhatmakesthem‘right.’Thefirstlevelofjhānarequirestheabandoningofunskillfulmentalqualities(thehindrances*),whichispartofthedutyofrighteffort;and,aswesawinthedescriptionofbreathmeditation,jhānabeginswithmindfulnessofthepresent.Asjhānaispracticed&mastered,skillfulqualities(suchasthefactorsforAwakening*)arefostered&maintained;physicalprocessesarestilledsothatmentalqualitiesmaybecomeclearlyapparentastheyoccur;mindfulnessismadepureontheattainmentofthefourthlevelofjhāna;andallfouroftheestablishingsofmindfulnessaredeveloped.

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‘Onwhateveroccasion,monks,amonkbreathinginlongdiscernsthatheisbreathinginlong;orbreathingoutlong,discernsthatheisbreathingoutlong;orbreathinginshortdiscernsthatheisbreathinginshort;orbreathingoutshort,discernsthatheisbreathingoutshort;trainshimselftobreathein…&…outsensitivetotheentirebody;trainshimselftobreathein…&…outcalmingbodilyfabrication:Onthatoccasion,monks,themonkremainsfocusedonthebodyin&ofitself—ardent,alert,&mindful—subduinggreed&distresswithreferencetotheworld….‘Onwhateveroccasionamonktrainshimselftobreathein…&…outsensitivetorapture;trainshimselftobreathein…&…outsensitivetopleasure;trainshimselftobreathein…&…outsensitivetomentalfabrication;trainshimselftobreathein…&…outcalmingmentalfabrication:Onthatoccasionthemonkremainsfocusedonfeelingsin&ofthemselves—ardent,alert,&mindful—subduinggreed&distresswithreferencetotheworld….‘Onwhateveroccasionamonktrainshimselftobreathein…&…outsensitivetothemind;trainshimselftobreathein…&…outgladdeningthemind;trainshimselftobreathein…&…outsteadyingthemind;trainshimselftobreathein…&…outreleasingthemind:Onthatoccasionthemonkremainsfocusedonthemindin&ofitself—ardent,alert,&mindful—subduinggreed&distresswithreferencetotheworld….‘Onwhateveroccasionamonktrainshimselftobreathein…&…outfocusingoninconstancy;trainshimselftobreathein…&…outfocusingondispassion;trainshimselftobreathein…&…outfocusingonstopping;trainshimselftobreathein…&…outfocusingonrelinquishing:Onthatoccasionthemonkremainsfocusedonmentalqualitiesin&ofthemselves—ardent,alert,&mindful—subduinggreed&distresswithreferencetotheworld.’

MN118

IntheGreatDiscourseontheEstablishingsofMindfulness,theBuddhadescribesmindfulnessofmentalqualitiesin&ofthemselves,inpart,intermsofthehindrancesandthefactorsforAwakening,qualitiesthatarerespectivelysetaside&fosteredinthepracticeofjhāna.

‘Andhowdoesamonkremainfocusedonmentalqualitiesin&ofthemselveswithreferencetothefivehindrances?Thereisthecasewhere,therebeingsensualdesirepresentwithin,amonkdiscerns,“Thereissensualdesirepresentwithinme.”Or,therebeingnosensualdesirepresentwithin,hediscerns,“Thereisnosensualdesirepresentwithin

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me.”Hediscernshowthereisthearisingofunarisensensualdesire.Andhediscernshowthereistheabandoningofsensualdesireonceithasarisen.Andhediscernshowthereisnofurtherappearanceinthefutureofsensualdesirethathasbeenabandoned.[Thesameformulaisrepeatedfortheremaininghindrances:illwill,sloth&torpor,restlessness&anxiety,anduncertainty.]….‘Andhowdoesamonkremainfocusedonmentalqualitiesin&ofthemselveswithreferencetothesevenfactorsforAwakening?Thereisthecasewhere,therebeingmindfulnessasafactorforAwakeningpresentwithin,amonkdiscernsthat“MindfulnessasafactorforAwakeningispresentwithinme.”Or,therebeingnomindfulnessasafactorforAwakeningpresentwithin,amonkdiscernsthat“MindfulnessasafactorforAwakeningisnotpresentwithinme.”HediscernshowthereisthearisingofunarisenmindfulnessasafactorforAwakening.Andhediscernshowthereisthedevelopment&consummationofmindfulnessasafactorforAwakeningonceithasarisen.[ThesameformulaisrepeatedfortheremainingfactorsforAwakening:investigationofphenomena,persistence,rapture,serenity,concentration&equanimity.]’

DN22

Thusthepracticeofrightmindfulnessdoesnotrepressundesirablementalqualities—i.e.,itdoesnotdenytheirpresence.Rather,itnoticesthemastheyoccursothatthephenomenonoftheiroccurrencecanbeunderstood.Oncetheyareunderstoodforwhattheyareasphenomena,theylosetheirpowerandcanbeabandoned.

However,thepracticeofrightmindfulnessfocuses,notonthehaphazardoccurrenceofmentalqualities,butontheeliminationofundesirablequalities—thehindrances—thatobstructjhāna,andonthedevelopmentofdesirablequalities—thefactorsforAwakening—thatjhānafosters.Asthesefactorsarestrengthenedthroughthecontinuedpracticeofjhāna,theymakepossibleaclearerawarenessofsensoryprocessesastheyoccur.Thefactorsofrapture,serenity,&equanimity,existingindependentlyoftheinputofthefivesenses,makethemindlessinvolvedinsensorypleasures,lessinclinedtosearchforemotionalsatisfactionfromthem;thefactorsofmindfulness,investigationofphenomena,persistence,&concentrationenableclearinsightintotheeventsthatmakeupsensoryperception.

Toseeeventsinthebody&mindsimplyasthat—events,conditioned,arising&passingaway—createsafurthersenseofdistance,disenchantment,&de-identification.

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‘Knowing&seeingtheeyeasithascometobe,knowing&seeingforms…eye-consciousness…eye-contactastheyhavecometobe,knowing&seeingwhateverarisesconditionedbyeye-contact—experiencedaspleasure,pain,orneitherpleasurenorpain—asithascometobe,oneisuninfatuatedwiththeeye…forms…eye-consciousness…eye-contact…whateverarisesconditionedbyeye-contactandisexperiencedaspleasure,pain,orneitherpleasurenorpain….‘Knowing&seeingtheear….Knowing&seeingthenose….Knowing&seeingthetongue….Knowing&seeingthebody….‘Knowing&seeingtheintellectasithascometobe,knowing&seeingideas…intellect-consciousness…intellect-contactastheyhavecometobe,knowing&seeingwhateverarisesconditionedbymentalcontact—experiencedaspleasure,pain,orneitherpleasurenorpain—asithascometobe,oneisuninfatuatedwiththeintellect…ideas…intellect-consciousness…intellect-contact…whateverarisesconditionedbyintellect-contactandisexperiencedaspleasure,pain,orneitherpleasurenorpain.‘Forhim—remaininguninfatuated,unconjoined,unconfused—thefiveaggregatesforsustenanceheadtowardfuturediminution.Thecravingthatmakesforfurtherbecoming—accompaniedbypassion&delight,relishingnowthis&nowthat—isabandonedbyhim.Hisbodilydisturbances&mentaldisturbancesareabandoned.Hisbodilytorments&mentaltormentsareabandoned.Hisbodilydistresses&mentaldistressesareabandoned.Heissensitivebothtoeaseofbody&easeofawareness.‘Anyviewbelongingtoonewhohascometobelikethisishisrightview.Anyresolve,hisrightresolve.Anyeffort,hisrighteffort.Anymindfulness,hisrightmindfulness.Anyconcentration,hisrightconcentration:justasearlierhisactions,speech,&livelihoodwerealreadywell-purified.Thusforhimthenobleeightfoldpathgoestotheculminationofitsdevelopment…thefourestablishingsofmindfulnessgototheculminationoftheirdevelopment…thesevenfactorsforAwakeninggototheculminationoftheirdevelopment.[And]forhimthesetwoqualitiesoccurintandem:calm&insight.’

MN149

Withtheunionofcalm&insightattheculminationofthepath,Awakeningoccurs.TheCanonrecordsmanyinstanceswhereAwakeningissudden&total,andmanywhereitoccursinstages:Thereasonforthe

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differenceisn’tstated,butperhapsinsuddenAwakeningthemindgoesthroughthevariousstagesinquicksuccession.Atanyrate,abrieflookatthestageswillgivesomethingofanideaofthedynamicsofthemind’sUnbinding.

Thestandardlistofthestagesgivesfour,anddescribesthemintermsofhowmanyofthetenFettersthemindsheds:(1)identity-views,(2)uncertainty,(3)graspingathabits&practices,(4)sensualpassion,(5)irritation,(6)passionforform,(7)passionforformlessness,(8)conceit,(9)restlessness,&(10)ignorance.

‘Thereareinthiscommunityofmonks,monkswho,withthetotalendingof[thefirst]threefetters,areStream-winners,steadfast,neveragaindestinedforstatesofwoe,headedforself-awakening….‘Thereare…monkswho,withthetotalendingof[thefirst]threefettersandthewaningofpassion,aversion,&delusion,areOnce-returners.Afterreturningonlyoncetothisworldtheywillputanendtostress….‘Thereare…monkswho,withthetotalendingofthefirstfivefetters,areduetobereborn[inthePureAbodes],theretobetotallyunbound,neveragaintoreturnfromthatworld….‘Thereare…monkswhoareArahants,whoseeffluentsareended,whohavereachedfulfillment,donethetask,laiddowntheburden,attainedthetruegoal,totallydestroyedthefetterofbecoming,andwhoarereleasedthroughrightgnosis.’

MN118

Analternativewayofclassifyingthestagesliststhree:

‘Thereisthecaseofthemonkwhohasattainedfullaccomplishmentwithregardtovirtue,amodicumofaccomplishmentwithregardtoconcentration,andamodicumwithregardtodiscernment….‘Thereisthecaseofthemonkwhohasattainedfullaccomplishmentwithregardtovirtue,fullaccomplishmentwithregardtoconcentration,andamodicumofaccomplishmentwithregardtodiscernment….‘Thereisthecaseofthemonkwhohasattainedfullaccomplishmentwithregardtovirtue,fullaccomplishmentwithregardtoconcentration,andfullaccomplishmentwithregardtodiscernment.Withtheendingoftheeffluents,heremainsintheeffluentlessreleaseofawareness&releaseofdiscernment,havingknownandmadethemmanifestforhimselfrightinthepresent.’

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AN3:88

Asthetextmakesclear,Stream-winnersandOnce-returnersarethosewhohavefullydevelopedvirtue,Non-returnersarethosewhohavefullydevelopedvirtue&concentration,andArahantsarethosewhohavefullydevelopedallthreepartsofthepath:virtue,concentration,&discernment.

Thisisnottosay,however,thatStream-winnershavenotdevelopeddiscernmenttoafairlyhighdegree.Infact,theunvaryingdefinitionofStream-winnersisthattheyhave‘seenwithdiscernment,’andtheirlevelofAwakeningiscalledthearisingoftheDhammaeye.WhattheyseewiththisDhammaeyeisalwaysexpressedinthesameterms:

ThenVen.AssajigavethisexpositionofDhammatoSāriputtathewanderer:

‘Whateverphenomenaarisefromacause:theircause

&theircessation.SuchistheteachingoftheTathāgata,

theGreatContemplative.’

ThentoSāriputtathewanderer,asheheardthisexpositionofDhamma,therearosethedustless,stainlessDhammaeye:Whateverissubjecttooriginationisallsubjecttocessation.

MvI.23.5

Forthisrealizationtooccur,itmustfollowonaglimpseofwhatstandsinoppositionto‘allthatissubjecttoorigination,’i.e.,aglimpseoftheUnconditioned—deathlessness.

[ImmediatelyafterwinningtotheStream]SāriputtathewandererwenttoMoggallānathewanderer.Moggallānathewanderersawhimcomingfromafarand,onseeinghim.said,‘Brightareyourfaculties,myfriend;pureyourcomplexion,&clear.CoulditbethatyouhaveattainedtheDeathless?’‘Yes,myfriend,Ihave….’

MvI.23.5

AlthoughtheirAwakeningisnotyetcomplete,Stream-winnersseeenoughoftheDeathlesstoremovealluncertaintyabouttheBuddha‘s

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teachings.

ToUpālithehouseholder,ashewassittingrightthere,therearosethedustless,stainlessDhammaeye:Whateverissubjecttooriginationisallsubjecttocessation.Then—havingseentheDhamma,havingreachedtheDhamma,knowntheDhamma,gainedafootingintheDhamma,havingcrossedover&beyonduncertainty,havinghadnomorequestioning—UpālithehouseholdergainedfearlessnessandbecameindependentofotherswithregardtotheTeacher’smessage.

MN56

TheirglimpseofdeathlessnessisalsoenoughtoconvinceStream-winnersoftheworthlessnessofidentityviewsthatcenteronthefiveaggregatesofsustenance,allofwhichcomeunderthecategoryof‘allthatissubjecttoorigination.’

‘Māgandiya,itisjustasiftherewereablindmanwhocouldn’tseeblackobjects…white…blue…yellow…red…thesunorthemoon.Nowsupposethatacertainmanweretotakeagrimy,oil-stainedragandfoolhim,saying,“Here,mygoodman,isawhitecloth—beautiful,spotless,&clean.”Theblindmanwouldtakeitandwearit.‘Thensupposehisfriends,companions,&relativestookhimtoadoctor,andthedoctortreatedhimwithmedicine:purgesfromabove&purgesfrombelow,ointments&counter-ointments,andtreatmentsthroughthenose.Andthankstothemedicinehiseyesightwouldappear&growclear.Thentogetherwiththearisingofhiseyesight,hewouldabandonwhateverpassion&delighthefeltforthatgrimy,oil-stainedrag.Andhewouldregardthatmanasanenemy&nofriendatall,andthinkthathedeservedtobekilled.“Mygosh,howlonghaveIbeenfooled,cheated,&deceivedbythatman&hisgrimy,oil-stainedrag!—‘Here,mygoodman,isawhitecloth—beautiful,spotless,&clean.’”‘Inthesameway,Māgandiya,ifIweretoteachyoutheDhamma—thisfreedomfromDisease,thisUnbinding—andyouonyourpartweretounderstandthatfreedomfromDiseaseandseethatUnbinding,thentogetherwiththearisingofyoureyesight,youwouldabandonwhateverpassion&delightyoufeltwithregardforthefiveaggregatesforsustenance.Anditwouldoccurtoyou,“Mygosh,howlonghaveIbeenfooled,cheated,&deceivedbythismind!Forinclinging,itwasjustformthatIwasclingingto…itwasjustfeeling…justperception…justfabrications…justconsciousnessthatIwasclingingto.Withmyclinging

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ascondition,thereisbecoming….birth…aging&death…sorrow,lamentation,pains,distresses,&despairsallcomeintoplay.Andthusistheoriginationofthisentiremassofstress.”’

MN75

Becausetheyrealizethattheirglimpseofthegoalcamethroughanactofdiscernment,Stream-winnersnolongergraspathabits&practices.Whatthismeansisthattheynolongerviewmereadherencetohabits&practicesasasufficientmeanstothegoalin&ofitself,althoughtheycontinuetoabidebythehabitsofrightspeech,action,&livelihoodandbythepracticeofjhānathatfosteredtheirdiscernmenttobeginwith.Havingseentheefficacyoftheirownactions,theywillneverintentionallydoevilagain.Thisiswhatperfectstheirvirtue.Still,theyhaveyettofullycomprehendthepracticeofjhāna,andsotheirmindsremainattachedtothephenomena—with&withoutform—onwhichthatpracticeisbased.Asthetextssay,theyareboundbytheirincompletemasteryofconcentration&discernment,andbysevenremainingFetterstothecycleofbirth&death.

AsforNon-returners,theyhavemasteredjhānatotheextentthattheycanuseitasavantagepointforwatchingthearising&passingawaythatoccursinreferencetothefivesenses,whilethepleasure,rapture,&equanimityitoffersservethemasafulcrumpointforuprootinganydesireforthepleasuresofthosefivesenses,togetherwithallfeelingsofirritationthatcomewhensuchdesiresarenotmet.

They,too,haveseentheDeathless,butaswithStream-winners,theirdiscernmentisnotyetfullycomprehensive:Theyhaveyettoturnitontheactofseeing:thetools—calm&insight—thatleadtothatdiscernment,andthesubtlelevelsofpassion&delightthataccompanyit.

Thetextsexpressthispointinavarietyofways.SomepassagessimplylisttheFettersthatNon-returnershaveyettoabandon:passionforform,passionforformlessness,conceit,restlessness,&ignorance.OthersgivemoreexperientialaccountsofwhatishappeninginaNon-returner’smind.FromreadingtheselatteraccountsitispossibletoseehowthefiveFettersinthelistareinterconnected:AlthoughNon-returnersshedattachmenttoidentityviewsbackwhentheyattainedStreamentry,theystillhavealingeringsenseoftheconceit‘Iam’,associatedwiththefiveaggregatesforsustenance—possessingform&formless—astheyfunctionsubtlyinthearisingofcalm&insightasaprocessofbecoming.Andwhiletheyhavegainedenoughinsightintothefivesensestoletgoofanyattachmenttothem,theystillsufferfromacertainamountofignoranceconcerningthesubtlerlevelofbecominginherentinthatconceit.Thisleadstorefinedformsofpassion&delightthat

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keepthemrestless&boundtothesixthsense:themind.

‘Thereisthecase,Ānanda,whereamonk…enters&remainsinthefirstjhāna:rapture&pleasurebornofseclusion,accompaniedbydirectedthought&evaluation.Heregardswhateverphenomenatherethatareconnectedwithform,feeling,perceptions,fabrications,&consciousnessasinconstant,stressful,adisease,acancer,anarrow,painful,anaffliction,alien,adissolution,empty,notself.‘Heturnshismindawayfromthosephenomena,andhavingdoneso,inclineshismindtothephenomenon[dhamma]ofdeathlessness:“Thisispeace,thisisexquisite—thepacificationofallfabrications;therelinquishingofallacquisitions;theendingofcraving;dispassion;stopping;Unbinding.”Stayingrightthere,hereachestheendingoftheeffluents.Or,ifnot,then—throughthisveryDhamma-passion,thisveryDhamma-delight,andfromthetotalendingofthefirstfiveFetters—heisduetobereborn[inthePureAbodes],theretobetotallyunbound,neveragaintoreturnfromthatworld.[Similarlywitheachoftheremaininglevelsofjhāna.]’

MN64

Severalstrandsofourdiscussionconvergeatthispassage.Tobeginwith,theactofdiscernmentdescribedhere—incliningthemindtotheDeathless—isidenticalwiththeobjectofconcentrationdescribedbytheBuddhaatAN10:6.Thiswouldthusbeaninstanceofcalmoccurringinconcertwithinsight(seeabove).

Secondly,asthepassagepointsout,thecrucialdifferencebetweenArahantsandNon-returnersiswhetherornotthemindfeelspassion&delightforthisactofdiscernment.Herethedistinctionsconcerningsustenance&clingingraisedatthebeginningofChapterIIIcomesubtlyintoplay.Anyactofdiscernment,evenonthislevel,comesunderthefiveaggregatesforsustenance,ascomposedofperception,fabrications,&consciousness.Ifnotfullyseenforwhatitis,itcanthusactasaphenomenonofferingsustenance(orasaclingablephenomenon).Anypassion&delightforit—andthesethemselvesareperceptions&fabrications—functionasrefinedsustenance/clinginginthemodesofviews(ofinferior/superior),mentalabsorption,&asenseof‘Iam’involvedintheactofdiscerning.Thusthemindstillcontainstheconditionsforbecomingonarefinedlevel,andthisstandsinthewayofitstotalfreedom.

Tiedbyboth

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theyokeofsensuality&theyokeofbecoming,

beingscontinueintransmigration,leadingtobirth&death.

Thosewhohaveabandonedsensualitywithoutreachingtheendingofeffluents,

aretiedbytheyokeofbecoming:aresaidtobenon-returners.Whilethosewhohavecutoffuncertainty

havenomoreconceit

orfurtherbecoming.Theywhohavereached

theendingofeffluents,

whileintheworld,havegonebeyond.

Iti96

Ven.Khemaka,aNon-returner,speaksshortlybeforeheattainsArahantship:‘Justlikethescentofablue,red,orwhitelotus:Ifsomeoneweretocallitthescentofapetalorthescentofthecolororthescentofafilament,wouldhebespeakingcorrectly?’‘No,friend.’‘Thenhowwouldhedescribeitifheweredescribingitcorrectly?’‘…Asthescentoftheflower.’‘Inthesameway,friends,Idon’tsaythatthis“Iam”isform,northatthis“Iam”isotherthanform.Idon‘tsaythatthis“Iam”isfeeling…perception…fabrications….Idon‘tsaythatthis“Iam”isconsciousness,northatthis“Iam”isotherthanconsciousness.It’sjustthatformethe“Iam”withregardtothefiveaggregatesforsustenancehasnotbeenremoved,althoughIdon’tregardthemas“Thisisme.”‘…Justlikeacloth,spotted&stained,whoseownersgiveitovertoawasherman:Thewashermanscrubsitwithsaltearthorlyeorcowdungandthenrinsesitinclearwater.Noweventhoughtheclothiscleanandspotless,itstillhasaslight,lingeringresidualscentofsaltearthorlyeorcowdung.Thewashermangivesittotheowners,theownersputitawayinawickerboxfilledwithincense,anditsslight,lingeringresidualscentofsaltearth,lye,orcowdungdisappears.‘Inthesameway,eventhoughanobledisciplehasabandonedthefive

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lowerFetters,hestillhaswithregardtothefiveaggregatesforsustenanceaslight,lingeringresidual“Iam”conceit,an“Iam”desire,an“Iam”obsession.Butatalatertimehekeepsfocusingonthephenomenaofarising&passingawaywithregardtothefiveaggregatesofsustenance:“Suchisform,suchitsorigination,suchitsdisappearance.Suchisfeeling….Suchisperception….Sucharefabrications….Suchisconsciousness,suchitsorigination,suchitsdisappearance.”Ashekeepsfocusingonthearising&passingawayofthesefiveaggregatesforsustenance,theslight,lingeringresidual“Iam”conceit,“Iam”desire,“Iam”obsessionhehadwithregardtothemdisappears.’

SN22:89

Onlywhendiscernmentissofullydeveloped&totallycomprehensivethatithasnolingeringconceits,desires,orobsessionsforanything—notevenforthefabricationsofpassion&delightthatconditionsubtlelevelsofbecomingaroundtheexperienceofthedeathless—canitcompleteitsemancipationfromthesixspheresofsensorycontactthatmakeuptheAll.

Ven.Moggallāna[shortlybeforebecominganArahant]:‘Briefly,lord,towhatextentisamonk—releasedthroughtheendingofcraving—utterlycomplete,utterlyfreefrombonds,afolloweroftheutterlyholylife,utterlyconsummate:foremostamonghuman&heavenlybeings?’

TheBuddha:‘Thereisthecase,Moggallāna,ofthemonkwhohasheard,“Allthingsareunworthyofattachment.”Havingheardthatallthingsareunworthyofattachment,hefullyknowseverything.Fullyknowingeverything,hefullycomprehendseverything.Fullycomprehendingeverything,thenwhateverfeelingheexperiences—pleasure,pain,neitherpleasurenorpain—hekeepsfocusingoninconstancywithregardtoit,keepsfocusingondispassion,focusingonstopping,focusingonrelinquishing.Ashekeepsfocusingoninconstancy…dispassion…stopping…relinquishingwithregardtothatfeeling,heisunsustainedby[doesnotclingto]anythingintheworld.Unsustained,heisnotagitated.Unagitated,heisunboundrightwithin.Hediscerns:“Birthisended,theholylifefulfilled,thetaskdone.Thereisnothingfurtherforthisworld.”‘It’stothisextent,Moggallāna,thatamonk,inbrief,isreleasedthroughtheendingofcraving,utterlycomplete,utterlyfreefrombonds,afolloweroftheutterlyholylife,utterlyconsummate:foremostamonghuman&heavenlybeings.’

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AN7:58

KnowingtheAllfromallaround,

notpassionateforanyaimsatall:

He,havingcomprehendedtheAll,

hasgonebeyondallstress.

Iti7

‘Nowwhenamonkdiscerns—astheyactuallyare—theorigin&passingawayofthesixspheresof(sensory)contact,theirallure,theirdrawbacks,&theemancipationfromthem,thenhediscernswhatissuperiortoallthesethings.’

DN1

‘Withignoranceascondition,thereoccurfabrications;withfabricationsascondition,[sensory]consciousness;with[sensory]consciousnessascondition,name&form;withname&formascondition,thesixsensespheres….‘Butwiththeremainderlessfading&stoppingofignorance,fabricationsstop.Withthestoppingoffabrications,[sensory]consciousnessstops.Withthestoppingof[sensory]consciousness,name&form…thesixsensespheres…contact…feeling…craving…clinging…becoming…birthstops.Withthestoppingofbirth,thenaging&death,sorrow,lamentation,pain,&distressallstop.Thusisthestoppingofthisentiremassofstress.’

MN115

‘Thatwhicharisesindependenceontheeyeaspleasureorjoy,thatistheallureoftheeye.Whatever[aspects]oftheeyeareinconstant,stressful,&subjecttochange,thatisthedrawbackoftheeye.Whateveristhesubduingofpassion&desire,theabandoningofpassion&desirefortheeye,thatistheemancipationfromtheeye.[Similarlywiththeear,nose,tongue,body,&intellect,andwithforms,sounds,aromas,flavors,tactilesensations,&ideas.]’

SN35:13-14

102

‘This,theunsurpassed,foremoststateofpeace,hasbeenrealizedbytheTathāgata:liberation,throughlackofclinging/sustenance,havingknown,astheyactuallyare,theorigin,thepassingaway,theallure,thedrawbacksof—andtheemancipationfrom—thesixspheresof(sensory)contact.’

MN102

Thisunsurpassed,foremoststateofpeacethatcomesasthemindrealizesemancipationfromtheAll,istotallyUnconditioned.

‘Thereis,monks,anunborn—unbecome—unmade—uncompounded.Iftherewerenotthatunborn—unbecome—unmade—uncompounded,therewouldnotbethecasethatemancipationfromtheborn—become—made—compoundedwouldbediscerned.Butpreciselybecausethereisanunborn—unbecome—unmade—uncompounded,emancipationfromtheborn—become—made—compoundedisthusdiscerned.’

Ud8:3

Wherewater,earth,fireandwindhavenofooting:Therethestarsdonotshine,

thesunisnotvisible,,themoondoesnotappear,darknessisnotfound.

Andwhenabrāhman,asagethroughsagacity,hasknown[this]forhimself,

thenfromform&formless,frompleasure&pain,

heisfreed.Ud2:10

HavingfullyrealizedtheUnconditioned,themindnolongerfallsundertheswayofstress&inconstancy.Nolongerengrossed,itfindsthatitssenseofparticipation&engagementinalltheprocessesofexperiencedisbandsonce&forall.

Ven.Nandaka:‘Sisters,itisjustasifanadeptbutcherorbutcher’sapprentice,havingkilledacow,weretocarveitupwithasharpcarvingknifesothat—withoutdamagingthesubstanceoftheinnerflesh,withoutdamagingthesubstanceoftheouterhide—hewouldcut,sever,&detach

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onlytheskinmuscles,connectivetissues,&attachmentsinbetween;andhavingcut,severed,&detachedtheouterskin,andthencoveringthecowagainwiththatveryskin,heweretosaythatthecowwasactuallyjoinedtotheskin:Wouldhebespeakingrightly?’‘No,sir.Whyisthat?…becausenomatterhowmuchhemightsaythatthecowwasactuallyjoinedtotheskin,thecowwouldstillbedisjoinedfromtheskin.’‘Thissimile,sisters,Ihavegiventoconveyamessage.Themessageisthis:Thesubstanceoftheinnerfleshstandsforthesixinnersensespheres[thesenses];thesubstanceoftheouterhidestandsforthesixoutersensespheres[theirobjects].Theskinmuscles,connectivetissues,&attachmentsinbetweenstandforpassion&delight.Andthesharpknifestandsfornoblediscernment,whichcuts,severs,&detachesthedefilements,fetters,&attachmentsinbetween.’

MN146

Althoughthesenses&theirobjectsaretherejustasbefore,thefundamentalaffectivelinkthattiesthemindtosensationshasbeencut.Anditscuttingmeansunconditionalfreedomforthemind.

Ven.MahāKaccāyana:‘ConcerningthebriefstatementtheBlessedOnemade,afterwhichheenteredhisdwellingwithoutexpoundingthedetailedmeaning—i.e.,“Amonkshouldinvestigateinsuchawaythat,hisconsciousnessneitherexternallyscattered&diffused,norinternallyfixated,hewouldfromlackofclinging/sustenancebeunagitated.When…fromlackofclinging/sustenancehewouldbeunagitated,thereisnoseedfortheconditionsoffuturebirth,aging,death,orstress”—Iunderstandthedetailedmeaningofthisstatementtobethis:‘Howisconsciousnesssaidtobescattered&diffused?Thereisthecasewhereaformisseenwiththeeye,andconsciousnessfollowsthedriftof[lit.:‘flowsafter’]theimageoftheform,istiedtotheattractionoftheimageoftheform,ischainedtotheattractionoftheimageoftheform,isfettered&joinedtotheattractionoftheimageoftheform:Consciousnessissaidtobeexternallyscattered&diffused.[Similarlywiththeremainingsenses.]‘Andhowisconsciousnesssaidnottobeexternallyscattered&diffused?Thereisthecasewhereaformisseenwiththeeye,andconsciousnessdoesnotfollowthedriftoftheimageoftheform,isnottiedto…chainedto…fettered,orjoinedtotheattractionoftheimageoftheform:

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Consciousnessissaidnottobeexternallyscattered&diffused.[Similarlywiththeremainingsenses.]‘Andhowisthemindsaidtobeinternallyfixated?Thereisthecasewhereamonk…enters&remainsinthefirstjhāna.Hisconsciousnessfollowsthedriftoftherapture&pleasurebornofseclusion,istiedto…chained…fettered,&joinedtotheattractionoftherapture&pleasurebornofseclusion.Orfurther…heenters&remainsinthesecondjhāna.Hisconsciousnessfollowsthedriftoftherapture&pleasurebornofconcentration,istiedto…chained…fettered,&joinedtotheattractionoftherapture&pleasurebornofconcentration.Orfurther…heenters&remainsinthethirdjhāna….Hisconsciousnessfollowsthedriftoftheequanimity&pleasure….Orfurther…heenters&remainsinthefourthjhāna.Hisconsciousnessfollowsthedriftoftheneitherpleasurenorpain,istiedto…chainedto…fettered,&joinedtotheattractionoftheneitherpleasurenorpain:Themindissaidtobeinternallyfixated.‘Andhowisthemindsaidnottobeinternallyfixated?Thereisthecasewhereamonk…enters&remainsinthefirstjhāna.Hisconsciousnessdoesnotfollowthedriftoftherapture&pleasurebornofseclusion,isnottiedto…chainedto…fettered,orjoinedtotherapture&pleasurebornofseclusion.[Similarlywiththeremaininglevelsofjhāna.]‘Andhowisagitationcausedbyclinging/sustenance?Thereisthecaseofanuninstructed,run-of-the-millperson…whoassumesformtobetheself,ortheselfaspossessingform,orformasintheself,ortheselfasinform.Hisformchanges&isunstable.Becauseofthechange&instabilityofhisform,consciousnessaltersinaccordancewiththechangeintheform.Withtheconcomitantarisingofagitationbornfromthisalteration,themindstaysconsumed.Andbecauseoftheconsumptionofawareness,hefeelsfearful,threatened,&solicitous.Itisthus,friends,thatagitationiscausedbyclinging/sustenance.[Similarlywithfeeling,perception,fabrications,&consciousness.]‘Andhowisnon-agitationcausedbylackofclinging/sustenance?Thereisthecaseofaninstructednobledisciple…whodoesnotassumeformtobetheself,ortheselfaspossessingform,orformasintheself,ortheselfasinform.Hisformchanges&isunstable,butconsciousnessdoesnotforthatreasonalterinaccordancewiththechangeinform.Hismindisnotconsumedwithanyconcomitantagitationbornfromsuchachange.Becausehisawarenessisnotconsumed,hedoesnotfeelfearful,threatened,orsolicitous.Itisthus,friends,thatnon-agitationiscausedbylackofclinging/sustenance.[Similarlywithfeeling,perception,fabrications&consciousness.]’

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MN138

‘Onewhoisdependenthaswavering.Onewhoisindependenthasnowavering.Therebeingnowavering,thereiscalm.Therebeingcalm,thereisnodesire.Therebeingnodesire,thereisnocomingorgoing.Therebeingnocomingorgoing,thereisnopassingawayorarising.Therebeingnopassingawayorarising,thereisneitheraherenoratherenorabetween-the-two.This,justthis,istheendofstress.’

Ud8:4

‘Sensingafeelingofpleasure,he[apersonwhohasreachedthegoal:ThisisthecontinuationofMN140,quotedinChapterThree]discernsthatitisfleeting,notgraspedat,notrelished.Sensingafeelingofpain….Sensingafeelingofneitherpleasurenorpain,hediscernsthatitisfleeting,notgraspedat,notrelished.Sensingafeelingofpleasure,hesensesitdisjoinedfromit.Sensingafeelingofpain….Sensingafeelingofneitherpleasurenorpain,hesensesitdisjoinedfromit.Whensensingafeelinglimitedtothebody,hediscernsthat“Iamsensingafeelinglimitedtothebody.”Whensensingafeelinglimitedtolife,hediscernsthat“Iamsensingafeelinglimitedtolife.”Hediscernsthat“Withthebreak-upofthebody,aftertheterminationoflife,allthatisexperienced,notbeingrelished,willgrowcoldrighthere.”‘Justasanoillampburnsindependenceonoil&wick;andfromtheterminationoftheoil&wick—andfromnotbeingprovidedanyothersustenance—itgoesoutunnourished;evenso,whensensingafeelinglimitedtothebody,hediscernsthat“Iamsensingafeelinglimitedtothebody.”Whensensingafeelinglimitedtolife,hediscernsthat“Iamsensingafeelinglimitedtolife.”Hediscernsthat“Withthebreak-upofthebody,aftertheterminationoflife,allthatissensed,notbeingrelished,willgrowcoldrighthere.”‘Thusamonksoendowedisendowedwiththehighestresolvefordiscernment,forthis—theknowledgeoftheendingofallstress—isthehighestnoblediscernment.‘Hisrelease,beingfoundedontruth,doesnotfluctuate,forwhateverisdeceptiveisfalse;Unbinding—theundeceptive—istrue.Thusamonksoendowedisendowedwiththehighestresolvefortruth,forthis—Unbinding,theundeceptive—isthehighestnobletruth.‘Whereasformerlyhefoolishlyhadtakenon&broughttocompletion(mental)acquisitions,hehasnowabandonedthem,theirrootdestroyed,

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madelikeapalmyrastump,deprivedoftheconditionsofdevelopment,notdestinedforfuturearising.Thusamonksoendowedisendowedwiththehighestresolveforrelinquishing,forthis—therenunciationofallacquisitions—isthehighestnoblerelinquishing.‘Whereasformerlyhefoolishlyhadgreed—aswellasdesire&infatuation—hehasnowabandonedthem,theirrootdestroyed…notdestinedforfuturearising.Whereasformerlyhefoolishlyhadmalice—aswellasill-will&hatred—hehasnowabandonedthem….Whereasformerlyhefoolishlyhadignorance—aswellasdelusion&confusion—hehasnowabandonedthem,theirrootdestroyed,madelikeapalmyrastump,deprivedoftheconditionsofdevelopment,notdestinedforfuturearising.Thusamonksoendowedisendowedwiththehighestresolveforcalm,forthis—thecalmingofpassions,aversions,&delusions—isthehighestnoblecalm.“Oneshouldnotbenegligentofdiscernment,shouldguardthetruth,bedevotedtorelinquishing,andtrainonlyforcalm.”Thusitwassaid,andinreferencetothiswasitsaid.‘“Hehasbeenstilledwherethecurrentsofconstruingdonotflow.Andwhenthecurrentsofconstruingdonotflow,heissaidtobeasageatpeace”:Thusithasbeensaid.Withreferencetowhatwasitsaid?“Iam”isaconstruing.“Iamthis”isaconstruing.“Iwillbe”isaconstruing.“Iwillnotbe”…“Iwillbepossessedofform”…“Iwillnotbepossessedofform”…“Iwillbepercipient”…“Iwillnotbepercipient”…“Iwillbeneitherpercipientnornon-percipient”isaconstruing.Construingisadisease,construingisacancer,construingisanarrow.Bygoingbeyondallconstruing,heiscalledasageatpeace.‘Furthermore,asageatpeaceisn’tborn,doesn’tage,doesn’tdie,isunagitatedandfreefromlonging.Hedoesn’thaveanythingwherebyhewouldbeborn.Notbeingborn,willheage?Notaging,willhedie?Notdying,willhebeagitated?Notbeingagitated,forwhatwillhelong?Itwasinreferencetothisthatitwassaid,“Hehasbeenstilledwherethecurrentsofconstruingdonotflow.Andwhenthecurrentsofconstruingdonotflow,heissaidtobeasageatpeace.”’

MN140

Ven.Sāriputta:‘Andhow,myfriend,isamonk’smindwell-composedbymeansofawareness?“Mymindiswithoutpassion”—hismindiswell-composedbymeansofawareness.“Mymindiswithoutaversion”….“Mymindiswithoutdelusion”….“Mymindisnotsubjecttopassion”…“toaversion”…“todelusion”—hismindiswell-composedbymeansofawareness.“Mymindisdestinednottoreturntostatesofsensuality”…

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“tostatesofform”…“toformlessstates”—hismindiswell-composedbymeansofawareness.‘Evenifpowerfulformscognizablebytheeyecomeintothevisualrangeofamonkwhosemindisthusrightlyreleased,hismindisneitheroverpowerednorevenengaged.Beingstill,havingreachedimperturbability,hefocusesontheirpassingaway.Andevenifpowerfulsounds…aromas…flavors…tactilesensations….Evenifpowerfulideascognizablebytheintellectcomeintothementalrangeofamonkwhosemindisthusrightlyreleased,hismindisneitheroverpowerednorevenengaged.Beingstill,havingreachedimperturbability,hefocusesontheirpassingaway.‘Justasiftherewereastonecolumn,sixteenspanstall,ofwhicheightspanswererootedbelowground,andthenfromtheeastthereweretocomeapowerfulwindstorm:Thecolumnwouldnotshivernorquivernorquake.Andthenfromthewest…thenorth…thesouththereweretosomeapowerfulwindstorm:Thecolumnwouldnotshivernorquivernorquake.Why?Becauseofthedepthoftherootandthewell-buriednessofthestonecolumn.Inthesameway,myfriend,evenifpowerfulformscognizablebytheeyecomeintothevisualrangeofamonkwhosemindisthusrightlyreleased…etc….hismindisneitheroverpowerednorevenengaged.’

AN9:26

Everywherethesage

independentholdsnothingdearorundear.

Inhimlamentation&selfishnesslikewateronawhitelotus

donotadhere.Asawaterbeadonalotusleaf,aswateronaredlily,

doesn’tadhere,sothesagedoesn’tadhere

inconnectionwiththeseen,theheard,orthesensed;

for,cleansed,

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hedoesn’tconstrue

bymeansoftheseen,theheard,orthesensed.Innootherway

doeshewishforpurity,

forheneithertakesonpassionnorputsitaway.

Sn4:6

Thisradicalfreedom—unattachedtosensation,untouchedbythepowerofpassion,aversion,&delusion—istheUnbindingexperiencedinthepresentlife.

SisterPāṭācārā:Washingmyfeet,Inoticed

thewater.

Andinwatchingitflowfromhightolow,

myheartwascomposedlikeafinethoroughbredsteed.

Thentakingalamp,Ienteredthehut,checkedthebedding,satdownonthebed.

Andtakingapin,Ipulledoutthewick:Liketheflame’sunbinding

wastheliberationofawareness.

Thig5:10

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E n d N o t e s

Becoming(bhava):Statesofsensuality,form,&formlessnessthatcandevelopfromcraving&clinging,andprovidetheconditionforbirthonboththeinternal&externallevels.

Binding(vāna):Relatedterms(cf.nibbāna—nibbuta)wouldbevivaṭa,open;saṅvuta,closed,restrained,tiedup;&parivuta,surrounded.SeePTSDictionary,*Varatiand*Vuṇāti.

Brāhman:ThebrāhmansofIndiahavelongmaintainedthatthey,bytheirbirth,areworthyofthehighestrespect.Buddhistsborrowedtheterm,‘brāhman,’toapplytothosewhohaveattainedthegoal,toshowthatrespectisearnednotbybirth,race,orcaste,butbyspiritualattainment.

Effluent(āsava):Fourqualities—sensuality,views,becoming,&ignorance—that‘flowout’ofthemindandcreatetheflood(ogha)oftheroundofdeath&rebirth.Alternativetranslation:fermentation.

FactorsforAwakening(sambojjhaṅga):Thesevenqualities,developedthroughjhāna,thatleadthemindtoAwakeningare(1)mindfulness,(2)analysisofphenomena,(3)persistence,(4)rapture,(5)serenity,(6)concentration,&(7)equanimity.

Fetters(saṅyojana):Thetenfettersthatbindthemindtotheroundofdeath&rebirthare(1)identityviews,(2)uncertainty,(3)graspingathabits&practices,(4)sensualpassion,(5)irritation,(6)passionforform,(7)passionforformlessness,(8)conceit,(9)restlessness,&(10)ignorance.

Hindrances(nīvaraṇa):Thefivehindrancesthatpreventthemindfromgainingconcentrationare(1)sensualdesire,(2)illwill,(3)sloth&torpor,(4)restlessness&anxiety,and(5)uncertainty.

KinsmanoftheHeedless:AnepithetforMāra.

Māra:Thepersonificationofevil&temptation.

Nāga:Atermcommonlyusedtorefertostrong,stately,&heroicanimals,suchaselephants&magicalserpents.InBuddhism,itisalsousedtorefertothosewhohaveattainedthegoal.

Stress(dukkha):Dukkha,whichistraditionallytranslatedintheCommentariesas,‘thatwhichishardtobear,’isnotoriousforhavingno

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trulyadequateequivalentinEnglish,but‘stress’—initsbasicsenseasastrainonbodyormind—seemstobeascloseasEnglishcanget.InthePaliCanon,dukkhaappliesbothtophysical&tomentalphenomena,rangingfromtheintensestressofacuteanguishorpaintotheinnateburdensomenessofeventhemostsubtlementalorphysicalfabrications.

Such(tādin):Anadjectivetodescribeonewhohasattainedthegoal.Itindicatesthattheperson’sstateisindefinablebutnotsubjecttochangeorinfluencesofanysort.

Tathāgata:Literally,‘onewhohasbecomereal(tatha-āgata)’or‘onewhohastrulygone(tathā-gata),‘anepithetusedinancientIndiaforapersonwhohasattainedthehighestreligiousgoal.InBuddhism,itusuallyrefersspecificallytotheBuddha,althoughoccasionallyitalsoreferstoanyofhisdiscipleswhohaveattainedtheBuddhistgoal.

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B i b l i o g r a p h y

Blair,ChaunceyJ.HeatintheRigVedaandAtharvaVeda.(NewHaven:AmericanOrientalSociety,1961.)

Buddhaghosa,Bhadantācariya.ThePathofPurification,trans.byBhikkhuÑāṇamoli.(Kandy:BuddhistPublicationSociety,1975.)

Collins,Steven.SelflessPersons:ImageryandThoughtinTheravādaBuddhism.(Cambridge:CambridgeUniversityPress,1982.)

Ergardt,JanT.FaithandKnowledgeinEarlyBuddhism.(Leiden:E.J.Brill,1977.)

Gonda,Jan.SomeObservationsontheRelationsbetween‘Gods’and‘Powers’intheVeda,aproposofthePhrase,sunuhsahasah.(s’Gravenhage:Mouton&Co.,1957.)

Griffith,Ralph(trans.).TheHymnsoftheRigVeda.(Varanasi:TheChowkhambaSanskritSeriesOffice,1963.)

Jayatilleke,K.N.EarlyBuddhistTheoryofKnowledge.(London:GeorgeAllen&UnwinLtd.,1963.)

Johansson,RuneE.A.ThePsychologyofNirvāṇa.(London:GeorgeAllen&UnwinLtd.,1969.)

Knipe,DavidM.IntheImageofFire:TheVedicExperiencesofHeat.(Delhi:MotilalBanarsidass,1975.)

Ñāṇananda,Bhikkhu.ConceptandRealityinEarlyBuddhistThought.(Kandy:BuddhistPublicationSociety,1971.)

__________.TheMagicoftheMind:AnExpositionoftheKalakaramaSutta.(Kandy:BuddhistPublicationSociety,1974.)

NyanaponikaThera.AnattāandNibbāna:EgolessnessandDeliverance.(Kandy:BuddhistPublicationSociety,1971.)

O’Flaherty,WendyDoniger.TheRigVeda:AnAnthology.(Harmondsworth:PenguinBooksLtd.,1984.)

PaliTextSociety’sPali-EnglishDictionary.Ed.T.W.RhysDavidsandW.Stede.(London:Routledge&KeganPaulLtd.,1972.)

Panikkar,Raimundo.TheVedicExperience.(Berkeley:UniversityofCaliforniaPress,1977.)

Radhakrishnan,S.(ed.&trans.).ThePrincipalUpaniṣads.(London:GeorgeAllen&Unwin,1953.)

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Warder,A.K.OutlineofIndianPhilosophy.(Delhi:MotilalBanarsidass,1971.)

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TableofContents

Titlepage 2Copyright 3Abbreviations 5Preface 7PartOne:TheAbstract 9PartTwo:TheEssay 15INTRODUCTION 16CHAPTERI 21CHAPTERII 41CHAPTERIII 45CHAPTERIV 89

EndNotes 110Bibliography 112

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