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(Paññābhāvanānisaṃsa-niddesa)
1.
(vi) WHAT  ARE  THE  BENEFITS  IN  DEVELOPING  UNDERSTANDING? (See XIV.1)  [698]
To that question, which was asked above, we reply that this development of
understanding has many hundred benefits. But it would be impossible to explain
its benefits in detail, however long a time were taken over it. Briefly, though, its
benefits should be understood as these: (A) removal of the various defilements,
(B) experience of the taste of the noble fruit, (C) ability to attain the attainment of
cessation, and (D) achievement of worthiness to receive gifts and so on.
[A. Removal of the Defilements]
2.
Herein, it should be understood that one of the benefits of the mundane
development of understanding is the removal of the various defilements
beginning with [mistaken] view of individuality. This starts with the delimitation
of mentality-materiality. Then one of the benefits of the supramundane
development of understanding is the removal, at the path moment, of the various
defilements beginning with the fetters.
With dreadful thump the thunderbolt
Annihilates the rock.
The fire whipped by the driving wind
Annihilates the wood.
The radiant orb of solar flame
Annihilates the dark.
Developed understanding, too,
Annihilates inveterate
Defilements’ netted overgrowth,
The source of every woe.
This blessing in this very life
A man himself may know.
[B. The Taste of the Noble Fruit]
3. Not only the removal of the various defilements but also the experience of
the taste of the noble fruit is a benefit of the development of understanding. [699]
For it is the fruitions of stream-entry, etc.—the fruits of asceticism—that are called
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the “noble fruit.” Its taste is experienced in two ways, that is to say, in its occurrence
in the cognitive series of the path, and in its occurrence in the attainment of
fruition. Of these, only its occurrence in the cognitive series of the path has been
shown (XXII.3f.).
4. Furthermore, when people say that the fruit is the mere abandoning of fetters1
and nothing more than that, the following sutta can be cited in order to convince
them that they are wrong: “How is it that understanding of the tranquilizing of
effort is knowledge of fruit? At the moment of the stream-entry path right view in
the sense of seeing emerges from wrong view, and it emerges from the defilements
and from the aggregates that occur consequent upon that [wrong view], and
externally it emerges from all signs. Right view arises because of the tranquilizing
of that effort. This is the fruit of the path” (Paṭis I 71), and this should be given in
detail. Also such passages as, “The four paths and the four fruits—these states
have a measureless object” (Dhs §1408), and, “An exalted state is a condition, as
proximity condition, for a measureless state” (Paṭṭh II 227 (Be)), establish the
meaning here.
5. However, in order to show how it occurs in the attainment of fruition there is
the following set of questions:
(i)
What is fruition attainment?
(ii)
Who attains it?
(iii)
Who do not attain it?
(iv)
Why do they attain it?
(v)
How does its attainment come about?
(vi)
How is it made to last?
(vii)
How does the emergence from it come about?
(viii)
What is next to fruition?
(ix)
What is fruition next to?
6.
Herein, (i) What is fruition attainment? It is absorption in the cessation in
which the noble fruition consists.
(ii) Who attains it? (iii) Who do not attain it? No ordinary men attain it. Why?
Because it is beyond their reach. But all Noble Ones attain it. Why? Because it is
within their reach. But those who have reached a higher path do not attain a
lower fruition because the state of each successive person is more tranquilized
than the one below. And those who have only reached a lower path do not attain
a higher fruition because it is beyond their reach. But each one attains his
appropriate fruition. This is what has been agreed here.
7. But there are some who say that the stream-enterer and once-returner do not
attain it, and that only the two above them attain it. The reason they give is that
1.
“It is the Andhakas, etc., who maintain this; for they take the sutta wrongly which
says, ‘“Arahantship” is said, friend Sāriputta; what is Arahantship?—The destruction
of greed, the destruction of hate, the destruction of delusion: that is what is called
Arahantship” (S IV 252), taking it literally and asserting that nothing exists called
Arahantship and that it is only the abandoning of defilements that is so called by
common usage. And they deny that there are any other fruitions” (Vism-mhṭ 891).
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only these two show achievement in concentration. But that is no reason, since
even the ordinary man attains such mundane concentration as is within his
reach. But why argue here over what is and what is not a reason? Is it not said in
the texts as follows?
“Which ten states of change-of-lineage arise [700] through insight?
“For the purpose of obtaining the stream-entry path it overcomes arising,
occurrence … (etc., see XXII.5) … despair, and externally the sign of formations,
thus it is change-of-lineage.
“For the purpose of attaining the stream-entry fruition …
“For the purpose of attaining the once-return path …
“For the purpose of attaining the once-return fruition …
“For the purpose of attaining the non-return path …
“For the purpose of attaining the non-return fruition …
“For the purpose of attaining the Arahant path …
“For the purpose of attaining the Arahant fruition …
“For the purpose of attaining the void abiding …
“For the purpose of attaining the signless abiding it overcomes arising,
occurrence … (etc.) … despair, and externally the sign of formations, thus it is
change-of-lineage” (Paṭis I 68).2 From that it must be concluded that all Noble
Ones attain each their own fruit.
8. (iv) Why do they attain it? For the purpose of abiding in bliss here and now.
For just as a king experiences royal bliss and a deity experiences divine bliss, so
too the Noble Ones think, “We shall experience the noble supramundane bliss,”
and after deciding on the duration, they attain the attainment of fruition whenever
they choose.3
9. (v)  How does its attainment come about? (vi) How is it made to last? (vii) How
does the emergence from it come about?
(v) In the first place its attainment comes about for two reasons: with not
bringing to mind any object other than Nibbāna, and with bringing Nibbāna to
mind, according as it is said: “Friend, there are two conditions for the attainment
of the signless mind-deliverance; they are the non-bringing to mind of all signs,
and the bringing to mind of the signless element” (M I 296).
10. Now, the process of attaining it is as follows. A noble disciple who seeks the
attainment of fruition should go into solitary retreat. He should see formations
with insight according to rise and fall and so on. When that insight has
progressed [as far as conformity], then comes change-of-lineage knowledge
2.
The quotation in the Vism texts does not quite agree with the Paṭis text (Ee) where
(as the sense demands) the words “bahiddhā saṅkhāranimittaṃ” do not follow the four
fruitions and the two abidings but only the four paths.
3. “Although they are resultant states, nevertheless the states of fruition attainment
occur in the noble person only when he chooses since they do not arise without the
preliminary work and do so only when they are given predominance” (Vism-mhṭ 895).
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with formations as its object.4 And immediately next to it consciousness becomes
absorbed in cessation with the attainment of fruition. And here it is only fruition,
not path, that arises even in a trainer, because his tendency is to fruition
attainment.
11. But there are those5 who say that when a stream-enterer embarks on insight,
thinking, “I shall attain fruition attainment,” he becomes a once-returner, and a
once-returner, a non-returner. They should be told: “In that case a non-returner
becomes an Arahant and an Arahant, a Paccekabuddha and a Paccekabuddha,
a Buddha. For that reason, and because it is contradicted as well by the text
quoted above, none of that should be accepted. Only this should be accepted:
fruition itself, not path, arises also in the trainer. And if the path he has arrived
at had the first jhāna, his fruition will have the first jhāna too when it arises. If
the path has the second, so will the fruition. And so with the other jhānas.”
This, firstly, is how attaining comes about. [701]
12. (vi) It is made to last in three ways, because of the words: “Friend, there are
three conditions for the persistence of the signless mind-deliverance: they are
the non-bringing to mind of all signs, the bringing to mind of the signless
element, and the prior volition” (M I 296–97). Herein, the prior volition is the
predetermining of the time before attaining;6 for it is by determining it thus, “I
shall emerge at such a time,” that it lasts until that time comes. This is how it is
made to last.
13.
(vii) Emergence from it comes about in two ways, because of the words:
“Friend, there are two conditions for the emergence from the signless mind-
deliverance: they are the bringing to mind of all signs, and the non-bringing to
mind of the signless element” (M I 297). Herein, of all signs means the sign of
materiality, sign of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. Of course,
a man does not bring all those to mind at once, but this is said in order to include
all. So the emergence from the attainment of fruition comes about in him when
he brings to mind whatever is the object of the life-continuum.7
14. (viii)  What is next to fruition? (ix) What is fruition next to? In the first case
(viii) either fruition itself is next to fruition or the life-continuum is next to it. But
(ix) there is fruition that is (a) next to the path, (b) there is that next to fruition, (c)
there is that next to change-of-lineage, and (d) there is that next to the base
consisting of neither perception nor non-perception.
4.
“Why does change-of-lineage not have Nibbāna as its object here as it does when
it precedes the path? Because states belonging to fruition are not associated with an
outlet [as in the case of the path]. For this is said: ‘What states are an outlet? The four
unincluded paths’ (Dhs §1592)” (Vism-mhṭ 895).
5.
“Those of the Abhayagiri Monastery in Anurādhapura” (Vism-mhṭ 895).
6. “The ‘volition’ is attaining after deciding the time limit in this way, ‘When the moon, or
the sun, has gone so far, I shall emerge,’ which is an act of volition” (Vism-mhṭ 897).
7.
“It is because he is called ‘emerged from attainment’ as soon as the life-continuum
consciousness has arisen that ‘he brings to mind that which is the object of the life-continuum’
is said. Kamma, etc., are called the object of the life-continuum (see Ch. XVII, §133ff.)”
(Vism-mhṭ 897).
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Herein, (a) it is next to the path in the cognitive series of the path. (b) Each one
that is subsequent to a previous one is next to fruition. (c) Each first one in the
attainments of fruition is next to change-of-lineage. And conformity should be
understood here as “change-of-lineage”; for this is said in the Paṭṭhāna: “In the
Arahant, conformity is a condition, as proximity condition, for fruition
attainment. In trainers, conformity is a condition, as proximity condition, for
fruition attainment” (Paṭṭh I 159). (d) The fruition by means of which there is
emergence from the attainment of cessation is next to the base consisting of neither
perception non-perception.
15. Herein, all except the fruition that arises in the cognitive series of the path
occur as fruition attainment. So whether it arises in the cognitive series of the
path or in fruition attainment:
Asceticism’s fruit sublime,
Which tranquilizes all distress,
Its beauty from the Deathless draws,
Its calm from lack of worldliness. [702]
Of a sweet purifying bliss
It is the fountainhead besides,
Whose honey-sweet ambrosia
A deathless sustenance provides.
Now, if a wise man cultivates
His understanding, he shall know
This peerless bliss, which is the taste
The noble fruit provides; and so
This is the reason why they call
Experience here and now aright
Of flavour of the noble fruit
A blessing of fulfilled insight.
[C. The Attainment of Cessation]
16. And not only the experience of the taste of the noble fruit but also the ability
to attain the attainment of cessation should be understood as a benefit of the
development of understanding.
17.
Now, in order to explain the attainment of cessation there is this set of
questions:
(i)
What is the attainment of cessation?
(ii)
Who attains it?
(iii)
Who do not attain it?
(iv)
Where do they attain it?
(v)
Why do they attain it?
(vi)
How does its attainment come about?
(vii)
How is it made to last?
(viii)
How does the emergence from it come about?
(ix)
Towards what does the mind of one who has emerged tend?
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(x)
What is the difference between one who has attained it and one
who is dead?
(xi)
Is the attainment of cessation formed or unformed, mundane or
supramundane, produced or unproduced?
18.
Herein, (i) What is the attainment of cessation? It is the non-occurrence of
consciousness and its concomitants owing to their progressive cessation.
(ii)  Who attains it? (iii) Who do not attain it? No ordinary men, no stream-
enterers or once-returners, and no non-returners and Arahants who are bare-
insight workers attain it. But both non-returners and those with cankers destroyed
(Arahants) who are obtainers of the eight attainments attain it. For it is said:
“Understanding that is mastery, owing to possession of two powers, to the
tranquilization of three formations, to sixteen kinds of exercise of knowledge,
and to nine kinds of exercise of concentration, is knowledge of the attainment of
cessation” (Paṭis I 97). And these qualifications are not to be found together in
any persons other than non-returners and those whose cankers are destroyed,
who are obtainers of the eight attainments. That is why only they and no others
attain it.
19. But which are the two powers? And the [three formations] … and mastery?
Here there is no need for us to say anything; for it has all been said in the
description of the summary [quoted above], according as it is said:
20.
“Of the two powers: of the two powers, the serenity power and the insight
power. [703]
“What is serenity as a power? The unification of the mind and non-distraction
due to renunciation are serenity as a power. The unification of the mind and
non-distraction due to non-ill will are serenity as a power. The unification of the
mind and non-distraction due to perception of light … [to non-distraction … to
defining of states (dhamma) … to knowledge … to gladness … to the eight
attainments, the ten kasiṇas, the ten recollections, the nine charnel-ground
contemplations, and the thirty-two modes of mindfulness of breathing]8 … the
unification of the mind and non-distraction due to breathing out in one who is
contemplating relinquishment9 is serenity as a power.
21.
“In what sense is serenity a power? Owing to the first jhāna it does not
waver on account of the hindrances, thus serenity is a power. Owing to the
second jhāna it does not waver on account of applied and sustained thought,
thus serenity is a power … (etc.) … Owing to the base consisting of neither
perception nor non-perception it does not waver on account of the perception of
the base consisting of nothingness, thus serenity is a power. It does not waver
and vacillate and hesitate on account of agitation and on account of the
defilements and the aggregates that accompany agitation, thus serenity is a
power. This is the serenity power.
8.
The list in brackets represents in summarized form the things listed at Paṭis I 94–
95, repeated in this context in the Paṭisambhidā but left out in the Vism quotation.
9.
The serenity shown here is access concentration (see Vism-mhṭ 899).
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22. “What is insight as a power? Contemplation of impermanence is insight as
a power. Contemplation of pain … Contemplation of not-self … Contemplation
of dispassion … Contemplation of fading away … Contemplation of cessation
… Contemplation of relinquishment is insight as a power. Contemplation of
impermanence in materiality … (etc.) … Contemplation of relinquishment in
materiality is insight as a power. Contemplation of impermanence in feeling …
in perception … in formations … in consciousness is insight as a power …
Contemplation of relinquishment in consciousness is insight as a power.
Contemplation of impermanence in the eye … (etc., see XX.9) … Contemplation
of impermanence in ageing-and-death … (etc.) … Contemplation of
relinquishment in ageing-and-death is insight as a power.
23.
“In what sense is insight a power? Owing to the contemplation of
impermanence it does not waver on account of perception of permanence, thus
insight is a power. Owing to the contemplation of pain it does not waver on
account of perception of pleasure … Owing to the contemplation of not-self it
does not waver on account of the perception of self … Owing to the contemplation
of dispassion it does not waver on account of delight … Owing to the
contemplation of fading away it does not waver on account of greed … Owing to
the contemplation of cessation it does not waver on account of arising … Owing
to the contemplation of relinquishment it does not waver on account of grasping,
thus insight is a power. It does not waver and vacillate and hesitate on account of
ignorance and on account of the defilements and the aggregates that accompany
ignorance, thus insight is a power.
24. “Owing to the tranquilization of three formations: owing to the tranquilization of
what three formations? In one who has attained the second jhāna the verbal formations
consisting in applied and sustained thought are quite tranquilized. In one who has
attained the fourth jhāna the bodily formations consisting in in-breaths and out-
breaths are quite tranquilized. In one who has attained cessation of perception and
feeling the mental formations consisting in feeling and perception are quite
tranquilized. It is owing to the tranquilization of these three formations.
25.
“Owing to sixteen kinds of exercise of knowledge: owing to what sixteen kinds
of exercise of knowledge? Contemplation of impermanence is a kind of exercise
of knowledge. Contemplation of pain … Contemplation of not-self …
Contemplation of dispassion … Contemplation of fading away … Contemplation
of cessation … Contemplation of relinquishment … Contemplation of turning
away is a kind of exercise of knowledge. [704] The stream-entry path is a kind of
exercise of knowledge. The attainment of the fruition of stream-entry … The
once-return path … The attainment of the fruition of once-return … The non-
return path … The attainment of the fruition of non-return … The Arahant path
… The attainment of the fruition of Arahantship is a kind of exercise of
knowledge. It is owing to these sixteen kinds of exercise of knowledge.
26.
“Owing to nine kinds of exercise of concentration: owing to what nine kinds of
exercise of concentration? The first jhāna is a kind of exercise of concentration.
The second jhāna … [The third jhāna … The fourth jhāna … Th
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e attainment of the base consisting of boundless space … The attainment of the
base consisting of boundless consciousness … The attainment of the base
consisting of nothingness … ]. The attainment of the base consisting of neither
perception nor non-perception is a kind of exercise of concentration. And the
applied thought and sustained thought and happiness and bliss and unification
of mind that have the purpose of attaining the first jhāna … (etc.) … And the
applied thought and sustained thought and happiness and bliss and unification
of mind that have the purpose of attaining the attainment of the base consisting
of neither perception nor non-perception. It is owing to these nine kinds of
exercise of concentration.10
27. “Mastery: there are five kinds of mastery. There is mastery in adverting, in
attaining, in resolving, in emerging, in reviewing. He adverts to the first jhāna
where, when, and for as long as he wishes, he has no difficulty in adverting,
thus it is mastery in adverting. He attains the first jhāna where, when, and for as
long as he wishes, he has no difficulty in attaining, thus it is mastery in attaining.
He resolves upon [the duration of] the first jhāna where, … thus it is mastery in
resolving. He emerges from the first jhāna, … thus it is mastery in emerging. He
reviews the first jhāna where, when, and for as long as he wishes, he has no
difficulty in reviewing, thus it is mastery in reviewing. He adverts to the second
jhāna … (etc.) … He reviews the attainment of the base consisting of neither
perception nor non-perception where, when, and for as long as he wishes, he
has no difficulty in reviewing, thus it is mastery in reviewing. These are the five
kinds of mastery” (Paṭis I 97–100).
28. And here the words: “Owing to sixteen kinds of exercise of knowledge”
state the maximum. But in a non-returner the mastery is owing to fourteen kinds
of exercise of knowledge. If that is so, then does it not come about also in the
once-returner owing to twelve? And in the stream-enterer owing to ten?—It does
not. Because the greed based on the cords of sense desire, which is an obstacle to
concentration, is unabandoned in them. It is because that is not abandoned in
them that the serenity power is not perfected. Since it is not perfected they are
not, owing to want of power, able to attain the attainment of cessation, which has
to be attained by the two powers. But it is abandoned in the non-returner and so
his power is perfected. Since his power is perfected he is able to attain it.
Hence the Blessed One said: “Profitable [consciousness] of the base consisting
of neither perception nor non-perception in one emerging from cessation is a
condition, as proximity condition, for the attainment of fruition” (Paṭṭh I 159).
For this is said in the Great Book of the Paṭṭhāna11 with reference only to non-
returners’ emerging from cessation. [705]
10. The nine are the four fine-material jhānas, the four immaterial jhānas, and the
access concentration preceding each of the eight attainments, described in the last
sentence and counted as one.
11. “The word ‘profitable’ used in this Paṭṭhāna passage shows that it app1ies only to
non-returners, otherwise ‘functional’ would have been said” (Vism-mhṭ 902).
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29. (iv) Where do they attain it? In the five-constituent becoming. Why? Because
of the necessity for the succession of [all] the attainments (cf. S IV 217). But in the
four-constituent becoming there is no arising of the first jhāna, etc., and so it is
not possible to attain it there. But some say that is because of the lack of a physical
basis [for the mind there].12
30. (v) Why do they attain it? Being wearied by the occurrence and dissolution
of formations, they attain it thinking, “Let us dwell in bliss by being without
consciousness here and now and reaching the cessation that is Nibbāna.”13
31. (vi) How does its attainment come about? It comes about in one who performs
the preparatory tasks by striving with serenity and insight and causes the
cessation of [consciousness belonging to] the base consisting of neither
perception nor non-perception. One who strives with serenity alone reaches the
base consisting of neither perception nor non-perception and remains there, while
one who strives with insight alone reaches the attainment of fruition and remains
there. But it is one who strives with both, and after performing the preparatory tasks,
causes the cessation of [consciousness belonging to] the base consisting of neither
perception nor non-perception, who attains it. This is in brief.
32. But the detail is this. When a bhikkhu who desires to attain cessation has
finished all that has to do with his meal and has washed his hands and feet
well, he sits down on a well-prepared seat in a secluded place. Having folded
his legs crosswise, set his body erect, established mindfulness in front of him, he
attains the first jhāna, and on emerging he sees the formations in it with insight
as impermanent, painful, not-self.
33. This insight is threefold as insight that discerns formations, insight for the
attainment of fruition, and insight for the attainment of cessation. Herein, insight
that discerns formations, whether sluggish or keen, is the proximate cause only for
a path. Insight for the attainment of fruition, which is only valid when keen, is
similar to that for the development of a path. Insight for the attainment of cessation
is only valid when it is not over-sluggish and not over-keen. Therefore he sees those
formations with insight that is not over-sluggish and not over-keen.
34. After that, he attains the second jhāna, and on emerging he sees formations
with insight in like manner. After that, he attains the third jhāna … (etc.) … After
that, he attains the base consisting of boundless consciousness, and on emerging
he sees the formations in it in like manner. Likewise he attains the base consisting
12. “They say so because of absence of heart-basis; but the meaning is because of
absence of basis called physical body. For if anyone were to attain cessation in the
immaterial worlds he would become indefinable (appaññattika) owing to the non-
existence of any consciousness or consciousness concomitant at all, and he would be
as though attained to final Nibbāna without remainder of results of past clinging; for
what remainder of results of past clinging could be predicated of him when he had
entered into cessation? So it is because of the lack of the necessary factors that there
is no attaining of the attainment of cessation in the immaterial worlds” (Vism-mhṭ
902).
13. “‘Reaching the cessation that is Nibbāna’: as though reaching Nibbāna without
remainder of result of past clinging. ‘In bliss’ means without suffering” (Vism-mhṭ 902).
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of nothingness. On emerging from that he does the fourfold preparatory task,
that is to say, about (a) non-damage to others’ property, (b) the Community’s
waiting, (c) the Master’s summons, and (d) the limit of the duration. [706]
35.
(a) Herein, non-damage to others’ property refers to what the bhikkhu has
about him that is not his personal property: a robe and bowl, or a bed and chair,
or a living room, or any other kind of requisite kept by him but the property of
various others. It should be resolved14 that such property will not be damaged,
will not be destroyed by fire, water, wind, thieves, rats, and so on. Here is the form
of the resolve: “During these seven days let this and this not be burnt by fire; let
it not be swept off by water; let it not be spoilt by wind; let it not be stolen by
thieves; let it not be devoured by rats, and so on.” When he has resolved in this
way, they are not in danger during the seven days.
36. If he does not resolve in this way, they may be destroyed by fire, etc., as in the
case of the Elder Mahā Nāga. The elder, it seems, went for alms into the village
where his mother, a lay follower, lived. She gave him rice gruel and seated him in
the sitting hall. The elder sat down and attained cessation. While he was sitting
there the hall caught fire. The other bhikkhus each picked up their seats and
fled. The villagers gathered together, and seeing the elder, they said, “What a
lazy monk! What a lazy monk!” The fire burned the grass thatch, the bamboos,
and timbers, and it encircled the elder. People brought water and put it out. They
removed the ashes, did repairs,15 scattered flowers, and then stood respectfully
waiting. The elder emerged at the time he had determined. Seeing them, he said,
“I am discovered!,” and he rose up into the air and went to Piyaṅgu Island. This
is “non-damage to others’ property.”
37.
There is no special resolving to be done for what is his own personal
property such as the inner and outer robes or the seat he is sitting on. He protects
all that by means of the attainment itself, like those of the venerable Sañjīva. And
this is said: “There was success by intervention of concentration in the venerable
Sañjīva. There was success by intervention of concentration in the venerable
Sāriputta” (Paṭis I 212—see XII.30).
38.
(b)  The Community’s waiting is the Community’s expecting. The meaning
is: till this bhikkhu comes there is no carrying out of acts of the Community. And
here it is not the actual Community’s waiting that is the preparatory task, but the
adverting to the waiting. So it should be adverted to in this way: “While I am
sitting for seven days in the attainment of cessation, if the Community wants to
enact a resolution, etc., I shall emerge before any bhikkhu comes to summon
me.” [707] One who attains it after doing this emerges at exactly that time.
14.
“‘It should be resolved’: the thought should be aroused. For here the resolve
consists in arousing the thought. In the non-arising of consciousness-originated
materiality, etc., and in the absence of support by a postnascence condition, etc., the
physical body continues the same only for seven days; after that it suffers wastage. So
he limits the duration to seven days when he attains cessation, they say”
(Vism-mhṭ 903).
15. Paribhaṇḍa—“repair work”: this meaning is not given in PED; cf. M-a IV 157
(patching of old robes), and M-a I 291.
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39. But if he does not do so, then perhaps the Community assembles, and not
seeing him, it is asked, “Where is the bhikkhu so and so?” They reply, “He has
attained cessation.” The Community dispatches a bhikkhu, telling him, “Go
and summon him in the name of the Community.” Then as soon as the bhikkhu
stands within his hearing and merely says, “The Community is waiting for you,
friend,” he emerges. Such is the importance of the Community’s order. So he
should attain in such-wise that, by adverting to it beforehand, he emerges by
himself.
40. (c) The Master’s summons: here too it is the adverting to the Master’s summons
that is the preparatory task. So that also should be adverted to in this way:
“While I am sitting for seven days in the attainment of cessation, if the Master,
after examining a case, makes known a course of training, or teaches the Dhamma,
the origin of which discourse is some need that has arisen,16 I shall emerge
before anyone comes to summon me.” For when he has seated himself after
doing so, he emerges at exactly that time.
41. But if he does not do so, when the Community assembles, the Master, not
seeing him, asks, “Where is the bhikkhu so and so?” They reply, “He has attained
cessation.” Then he dispatches a bhikkhu, telling him, “Go and summon him in
my name.” As soon as the bhikkhu stands within his hearing and merely says,
“The Master calls the venerable one,” he emerges. Such is the importance of the
Master’s summons. So he should attain in such wise that, by adverting to it
beforehand, he emerges himself.
42.
(d)  The limit of duration is the limit of life’s duration. For this bhikkhu
should be very careful to determine what the limit of his life’s duration is. He
should attain only after adverting in this way: “Will my own vital formations go
on occurring for seven days or will they not?” For if he attains it without adverting
when the vital formations are due to cease within seven days, then since the
attainment of cessation cannot ward off his death because there is no dying
during cessation,17 he consequently emerges from the attainment meanwhile. So
he should attain only after adverting to that. For it is said that while it may be
permissible to omit adverting to others, this must be adverted to.
43.
Now, when he has thus attained the base consisting of nothingness and
emerged and done this preparatory task, he then attains the base consisting of
16. The word atthuppatti (“the origin being a need arisen”) is a technical commentarial
term. “There are four kinds of origins (uppatti) or setting forth of suttas (sutta-
nikkhepa): on account of the speaker’s own inclination (attajjhāsaya), on account of
another’s inclination (parajjhāsaya), as the result of a question asked (pucchāvasika),
and on account of a need arisen (atthuppattika)’ (M-a I 15, see also Ch. III.88).
17. “‘Vital formations’ are the same as 1ife span; though some say that they are the
life span, heat and consciousness. These are the object only of his normal consciousness.
There is no death during cessation because dying takes place by means of the final
life-continuum [consciousness]. He should attain only after adverting thus, ‘Let sudden
death not occur.’ For in the case of sudden death he would not be able to declare final
knowledge, advise the bhikkhus, and testify to the Dispensation’s power. And there
would be no reaching the highest path in the case of a non-returner” (Vism-mhṭ 904).
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neither perception nor non-perception. Then after one or two turns of
consciousness have passed, he becomes without consciousness, he achieves
cessation. But why do consciousnesses not go on occurring in him after the two
consciousnesses? Because the effort is directed to cessation. For this bhikkhu’s
mounting through the eight attainments, coupling together the states of serenity
and insight, [708] is directed to successive cessation, not to attaining the base
consisting of neither perception nor non-perception. So it is because the effort is
directed to cessation that no more than the two consciousnesses occur.
44. But if a bhikkhu emerges from the base consisting of nothingness without
having done this preparatory task and then attains the base consisting of neither
perception nor non-perception, he is unable then to become without
consciousness: he returns to the base consisting of nothingness and settles
down there.
45. And here the simile of the man and the road not previously travelled may
be told. A man who had not previously travelled a certain road came to a ravine
cut by water, or after crossing a deep morass he came to a rock heated by a fierce
sun. Then without arranging his inner and outer garments, he descended into
the ravine but came up again for fear of wetting his belongings and remained
on the bank, or he walked up on to the rock but on burning his feet he returned
to the near side and waited there.
46. Herein, just as the man, as soon as he had descended into the ravine, or
walked up on to the hot rock, turned back and remained on the near side because
he had not seen to the arrangement of his inner and outer garments, so too as
soon as the meditator has attained the base consisting of neither perception nor
non-perception, he turns back and remains in the base consisting of nothingness
because the preparatory task has not been done.
47. Just as when a man who has travelled that road before comes to that place,
he puts his inner garment on securely, and taking the other in his hand, crosses
over the ravine, or so acts as to tread only lightly on the hot rock and accordingly
gets to the other side, so too, when the bhikkhu does the preparatory task and
then attains the base consisting of neither perception nor non-perception, then
he achieves cessation, which is the other side, by becoming without
consciousness.
48. (vii) How is it made to last? It lasts as long as the time predetermined for its
duration, unless interrupted meanwhile by the exhaustion of the life span, by
the waiting of the Community, or by the Master’s summons.
49. (viii) How does the emergence from it come about? The emergence comes about
in two ways thus: by means of the fruition of non-return in the case of the non-
returner, or by means of the fruition of Arahantship in the case of the Arahant.
50. (ix) Towards what does the mind of one who has emerged tend? It tends towards
Nibbāna. For this is said: “When a bhikkhu has emerged from the attainment of
the cessation of perception and feeling, friend Visākha, his consciousness
inclines to seclusion, leans to seclusion, tends to seclusion” (M I 302). [709]
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51.
(x)  What is the difference between one who has attained and one who is dead?
This is also given in a sutta, according as it is said: “When a bhikkhu is dead,
friend, has completed his term, his bodily formations have ceased and are quite
still, his verbal formations have ceased and are quite still, his mental formations
have ceased and are quite still, his life is exhausted, his heat has subsided, and
his faculties are broken up. When a bhikkhu has entered upon the cessation of
perception and feeling, his bodily formations have ceased and are quite still, his
verbal formations have ceased and are quite still, his mental formations have
ceased and are quite still, his life is unexhausted, his heat has not subsided, his
faculties are quite whole” (M I 296).
52. (xi) As to the question is the attainment of cessation formed or unformed, etc.? It is
not classifiable as formed or unformed, mundane or supramundane. Why?
Because it has no individual essence. But since it comes to be attained by one
who attains it, it is therefore permissible to say that it is produced, not
unproduced.18
This too is an attainment which
A Noble One may cultivate;
The peace it gives is reckoned as
Nibbāna here and now.
A wise man by developing
The noble understanding can
With it himself endow;
So this ability is called
A boon of understanding, too,
The noble paths allow.
[D. Worthiness to Receive Gifts]
53.
And not only the ability to attain the attainment of cessation but also
achievement of worthiness to receive gifts should be understood as a benefit of
this supramundane development of understanding.
54.
For, generally speaking, it is because understanding has been developed
in these four ways that a person who has developed it, is fit for the gifts of the
18. The subtleties of the word nipphanna are best cleared up by quoting a paragraph
from the Sammohavinodanī (Vibh-a 29): “The five aggregates are positively-produced
(parinipphanna) always, not un-positively-produced (aparinipphanna); they are always
formed, not unformed. Besides, they are produced (nipphanna) as well. For among
the dhammas that are individual essences (sabhāva-dhamma) it is only Nibbāna that is
un-positively-produced and un-produced (anipphanna).” The Mūla Þīkā comments on
this: “What is the difference between the positively-produced and the produced? A
dhamma that is an individual essence with a beginning and an end in time, produced
by conditions, and marked by the three characteristics, is positively produced. But
besides this, what is produced [but not positively produced] is a dhamma with no
individual essence (asabhāva-dhamma) when it is produced by the taking of a name or
by attaining [the attainment of cessation]” (Vibh-a 23). Cf. also XIV.72 and 77.
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world with its deities, fit for its hospitality, fit for its offerings, and fit for its
reverential salutation, and an incomparable field of merit for the world.
55. But in particular, firstly, one who arrives at development of under-standing
of the first path with sluggish insight and limp faculties is called, “one who
will be reborn seven times at most”; he traverses the round of rebirths seven times
in the happy destinies. One who arrives with medium insight and medium
faculties is called, “one who goes from noble family to noble family”; with two or
three rebirths in noble families he makes an end of suffering. One who arrives
with keen insight and keen faculties is called, “one who germinates only once”;
with one rebirth in the human world he makes an end of suffering (see A I 133).
By developing understanding of the second path, he is called a once-returner.
He returns once to this world and makes an end of suffering. [710]
56. By developing understanding of the third path he is called a non-returner.
According to the difference in his faculties he completes his course in one of five
ways after he has left this world: he becomes “one who attains Nibbāna early in
his next existence” or “one who attains Nibbāna more than half way through
his next existence” or “one who attains Nibbāna without prompting” or “one
who attains Nibbāna with prompting” or “one who is going upstream bound
for the Highest Gods” (see D III 237).
57.
Herein,  one who attains Nibbāna early in his next existence attains Nibbāna
after reappearing anywhere in the Pure Abodes, without reaching the middle of
his life span there. One who attains Nibbāna more than half way through his next
existence attains Nibbāna after the middle of his life span there. One who attains
Nibbāna without prompting generates the highest path without prompting,
with little effort. One who attains Nibbāna with prompting generates the highest
path with prompting, with effort. One who is going upstream bound for the Highest
Gods passes on upwards from wherever he is reborn [in the Pure Abodes] to the
Highest Gods’ becoming and attains Nibbāna there.
58. By developing understanding of the fourth path one becomes “liberated by
faith,” another “liberated by understanding,” another “both-ways liberated,”
another “one with the triple clear vision,” another “one with the six kinds of
direct-knowledge,” another “one of the great ones whose cankers are destroyed
who has reached the categories of discrimination.” It was about one who has
developed the fourth path that it was said: “But it is at the moment of the path
that he is said to be disentangling that tangle: at the moment of fruition he has
disentangled the tangle and is worthy of the highest offerings in the world with
its deities” (I.7).
59.
The noble understanding, when
Developed, will these blessings win;
Accordingly discerning men
Rejoice exceedingly therein.
60. And at this point the development of understanding with its benefits, which
is shown in the Path of Purification with its headings of virtue, concentration,
and understanding, in the stanza,
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“When a wise man, established well in virtue,
Develops consciousness and understanding,
Then as a bhikkhu ardent and sagacious,
He succeeds in disentangling this tangle” (I.1),
has been fully illustrated.
The twenty-third chapter called “The Description of the
Benefits of Understanding” in the Path of Purification
composed for the purpose of gladdening good people.