陰持入經

What is the medicine for craving? It is calm abiding. When craving has been resolved, the mind is also liberated; when the mind is liberated, the illness is immediately cured. What is the medicine for delusion? It is insight. When delusion has receded and been resolved, liberation through wisdom is attained, and the illness is cured. The Buddha taught that two dharmas should be understood: first, the self; second, form. Two dharmas should be abandoned: first, delusion; second, craving. Two dharmas should be personally known: first, wisdom; second, liberation. Two dharmas can be practiced: first, calm abiding; second, insight.

When calm abiding has been practiced, it causes consciousness to arise. When form has been cognized, craving can be abandoned. When craving has been resolved, the mind is immediately liberated, and one personally realizes and knows this.

When calm abiding has been fully practiced, delusion can immediately be abandoned. Once delusion has been abandoned, one is liberated through wisdom and personally realizes and knows this. If a bhikkhu uses these two dharmas personally to know the “self,” as well as form, and uses these two dharmas to abandon delusion and craving, then, being thus balanced, he is immediately without attachment.

Having fully practiced what should be practiced and wishing to pass beyond the world, there still remains a residual unconditioned state that has not yet been passed beyond. When the unconditioned has reached its consummation and the life faculty has reached its end, suffering is immediately ended, so that afterward there is no more suffering. The reason that suffering exists is the aggregates, as well as the elements and the sense bases.

When cessation has been completed and all is quiescent, thereafter the aggregates, elements, and sense bases no longer continue in succession and never arise again. This is the remainderless state, the final attainment of the world-transcending unconditioned. These are the two kinds of unconditioned state.

What is the pure root of non-greed? It is not acquiring, not coveting, and not seeking. This is called the pure root of non-greed.

What is this root? It is bodily purity through non-greed, purity of speech, and purity in the succession of other dharmas, with the mind’s intention as their root. This is the pure root of non-greed.

There is also the root of purity that the Buddha described as the eightfold practice. This is the root of purity. Among the roots of purity are three purifying factors of the Path belonging to the root of non-greed.

What are the three? First, Right Effort; second, Right Mindfulness; third, Right Concentration. These are the three classes of the pure root of the Path.

Therefore, it is called the pure root of non-greed. What is the root-dharma of harmlessness and freedom from anger? When patience is practiced, anger will not arise in the future.

The condition for patience is freedom from anger; being free from anger, one does not undergo calamity. Being without rage and without anger, not becoming angry, bearing no resentment, and entertaining no thought of resentment—this is the root-dharma of harmlessness and freedom from anger. Therefore, it is called the root-dharma of harmlessness and freedom from anger.

There are also three purifying factors of the Path that constitute the root-dharma of harmlessness and freedom from anger: first, Right Speech; second, Right Action; third, Right Livelihood. These are the three purifying factors of the Path. Therefore, it is called the root-dharma of harmlessness and freedom from anger.

What is the pure root of non-delusion? It is seeing the Four Truths as they really are through wisdom. There is accordance with reality and pure acceptance; one is neither ignorant nor deluded, does not follow delusion, and does not fall into delusion.

The luminous characteristic of wisdom’s clarity is seen through pure dharmas. This is the pure root of non-delusion. What is this root?

It is purity free from delusion. Bodily action, verbal action, and mental action are also continuous with pure dharmas. Its characteristic is the mind’s contemplation, which is the root of the dharmas contemplated.

It also consists of two purifying factors of the Path, which form the root of non-delusion: first, Right View; second, Right Intention. These are the two pure root-classes of the Path. Therefore, it is called the pure root of non-delusion.

These are the three purities. The eight factors of the Path have been distinctly set forth in their appropriate places; they are not permanent in this manner.

What is the perception of impermanence? All conditioned activities are precisely the objects of the perception of impermanence. To perceive, discern, and know their feeling is called the perception of impermanence. Furthermore, regarding the eight worldly dharmas—what are the eight? They are gain, loss, fame, obscurity, praise, blame, suffering, and pleasure—the mind neither falls into them nor accepts them. By contemplating them in this way without accepting them, stopping, guarding, observing, and reflecting, evil is brought to an end. This is called the perception of impermanence.

What is the perception of suffering? It concerns all conditioned activities of the world. These are the objects perceived as suffering, and their feeling is discerned and known. This is called the perception of suffering. What is its essential purpose? When one has directed the mind toward the perception of suffering, cultivated it, increased it, and frequently kept it in mind, craving is brought under control. One does not fall into craving; the mind does not accept it or follow it, does not lead onward into it, does not fall into it, and does not keep it in mind. When the mind is guarded and insight is maintained to this extent, attainment and cessation through calm abiding are achieved. Through such contemplation one reaches this essential purpose.

What is the perception of not-self? It is perceiving all dharmas as not constituting a self and not falling into the notion of self; it is knowing perception and feeling. This is called the perception of not-self. What follows from it? Having directed the mind toward the perception of not-self, one remembers, contemplates, and increases it, thereby preventing this body from being regarded as a self. Thus the mind does not accept the many states that should be abandoned. Not accepting them is insight, and defiled evil is brought to cessation through calm abiding. Thus this essential purpose is attained.

What is the perception of foul impurity? All conditioned activities of the world are contemplated as impure, and their feeling is personally known. This is called the perception of impurity.

What follows from this perception? Having directed the mind toward the perception of impurity, one remembers, contemplates, and increases it, thereby causing the mind to abandon the five worldly pleasures, not to be led by them, not to accept them, and not to fall into them again. When mindfulness has been guarded to this extent, defiled evil is brought to cessation.

Thus this essential purpose is attained. These are the four contemplative perceptions. Why is this so?

Because they enable one to know the five aggregates. Therefore, the Buddha gave this analysis: discerning and seeing the practice of the perception of impurity enables one to be liberated from the aggregate of form. Discerning and seeing the practice of the perception of suffering enables one to be liberated from the aggregate of feeling.

Discerning and seeing the practice of the perception of not-self enables one to be liberated from the aggregate of perception and the aggregate of formations. Discerning and seeing the practice of the perception of impermanence enables one to be liberated from the aggregate of consciousness. Through the practice of calm abiding, the aggregate of consciousness enables craving to be resolved.

Through the practice of insight, craving enables delusion to be resolved. Through non-greed, delusion causes greed to be abandoned. Through freedom from anger, greed causes anger to be abandoned.

Through non-delusion, anger causes delusion to be abandoned. Through the perception of impermanence, delusion enables the perception of permanence to be resolved. Through the perception of suffering, the perception of permanence enables the perception of pleasure to be resolved.

Through the perception of not-self, the perception of pleasure enables the perception of self to be resolved. Through the perception of impurity, the perception of self enables the perception of purity to be resolved. When the perception of purity is gathered into the mind through calm abiding, the mind can turn back.

This is the perception of calm abiding, through which meditative calm is attained.

Through the quiescence of all dharmas, that meditative calm can resolve what is experienced. This is the perception of insight, which brings all knowing to rest.

From desire one can turn perception back. This is the characteristic of non-greed, which turns one back so that grasping ceases and delusion will not arise again thereafter. This is the characteristic of freedom from anger, which turns one back from killing and brings cognition of matters and objects to rest.

This is the characteristic of non-delusion, which brings one to rest in the place of cessation. The conditioned activities of the world are characteristics of dharmas that can be experienced. This is the perception of impermanence.

It enables one to know whence things arise and also whence they cease. Consciousness is here; it is the activity of the world, producing the transformations of the world. What consciousness perceives is suffering and is the object of thought.

This is the field in which feeling is planted. None of the dharmas abide in perception. This is the perception of not-self.

It is the perception that sees a corpse whose body has decomposed, become bloated, putrid, and livid. Because this characteristic is apprehended, it is the perception of impurity. From this, through revulsion and rejection, one becomes quiescent and comes to rest.

These nine categories have been distinguished and explained so that all may see and know them, not merely one group. What does the complete explanation mean? It is for those of much learning and little learning, but not for those devoid of wisdom.

Without wisdom, one does not understand impermanence. When the mind abides in the scripture, mental states arise in succession. Through discerning insight, one is prevented from attaining or accepting the perception of impermanence, and thus falls into the five pleasures and is covered by them.

Losing the appropriate practice, one fails to understand the perception of suffering, falls into the five aggregates, appropriates the sense bases, and causes the mind to reckon that this body exists. Because these many roots—not merely one root—are not abandoned and not observed, one fails to enter the perception of not-self. Because the mind abides in delight in physical beauty, it regards this body as pure and does not consider the skin that covers it; thus it fails to enter the perception of impurity.

Not abiding in feeling or calm abiding, one disbelieves this perception, so that perception is absent and joy is not accepted. When these four things have been removed, one can enter a state resembling the unconditioned. The Buddha said that a bhikkhu who wishes to know and see the faculty of faith should seek it within the four channels: pure dharmas, not abandoning the characteristic of skillful means, reaching purity, and arising from purity so as not to fail to enter the four foundations of mindfulness.

The Buddha said that a bhikkhu who wishes to see and know the faculty of energy should seek it within the four right efforts. What was cultivated in the past is kept mutually in mind and not forgotten; through non-forgetfulness, one arises and enters the four foundations of mindfulness.

The Buddha said that a bhikkhu who wishes to see and know the faculty of mindfulness should observe it within the four foundations of mindfulness. Because there is a single mental perception, concentration arises from non-delusion and causes one to enter the four stages of dhyana.

The Buddha said: A bhikkhu who wishes to know the faculty of concentration should know it within the four dhyanas. Wisdom arises from fundamental examination. What can be preserved thereby arises and causes one to enter the Four Truths.

The Buddha said that a bhikkhu who wishes to see the faculty of wisdom should seek it within the Four Truths. There are four wheels: the wheel of dwelling in a favorable region, the wheel of relying upon wise persons, the wheel of one’s own original right aspiration, and the wheel of merit from former lives. When a bhikkhu dwells together with those possessing the characteristics of virtue, this is called dwelling in a favorable region.

When he obtains a place of reliance with a worthy person, he obtains the characteristic of relying upon virtue. This is reliance upon a wise person. From this he enters the state of having right aspiration, because he has obtained the characteristic of right aspiration.

This is personal right aspiration, which causes him to enter the state of merit. When pure practice possesses the characteristic of entry, it is called merit, which causes one to enter the five realms of pleasure.

The eleven fundamental dharmas of a bhikkhu’s moral discipline are these: First, observing moral discipline, he has no remorse. Second, having no remorse, his mind becomes joyful. Third, when joy is present, gladness arises.

Fourth, when the mind has obtained gladness, the body becomes tranquil. Fifth, when the body has become tranquil, he immediately obtains happiness. Sixth, when the mind has obtained happiness, it immediately attains right concentration.

Seventh, when the mind has attained right concentration, it knows things as they truly are. Eighth, having known things as they truly are, it immediately becomes quiescent. Ninth, having become quiescent, it immediately attains dispassion.

Tenth, having attained dispassion, it immediately attains liberation. Eleventh, having attained liberation, it immediately obtains the vision of wisdom. Possessing wisdom, one immediately knows: birth and death have ended, the practice of the Path is complete, and what had to be done has been accomplished; one will not again undergo suffering.

What is the characteristic of moral discipline? Observing moral discipline throughout one’s life causes one to attain freedom from remorse; the body does not increase the characteristics of transgression. From this one attains joy and reaches the state of joy.

The characteristic of satisfaction is joy, which causes one to reach the state of gladness. The characteristic of joy is sufficiency, which causes one to reach a state of tranquility. Through such practice one obtains the characteristic of tranquility and reaches the state of happiness.

Freedom from affliction is the characteristic of happiness, which causes one to reach the state of concentration. The mind follows direction without forgetfulness; this is the characteristic of concentration, which causes one to reach the state of wisdom that knows things “as they are,” without delusion. The characteristic of accordance with things “as they are” is the state of quiescence.

Knowing not-self is the characteristic of quiescence, which causes one to reach the state of separation. Neither drawing near nor coming together is separation; through this, one reaches liberation. No longer being subject to conditioned dharmas and not undergoing calamity is the characteristic of liberation, which causes one to attain the wisdom and vision of liberation.

There are four grounds of virtue. What are the four? They are the merits of four kinds of practitioners.

If a bhikkhu possesses wise knowledge, this is the Ground of Vision; he has attained the stream of the Path, the state of stream-entry. This is the merit of attaining the Path. If that bhikkhu knows things as they are, he is separated from evil.

This is called the Ground of Attenuation; he possesses the merit of once-returning. Because that bhikkhu rejects evil and no longer employs it, this is called the Ground of Separation. When he has attained the Ground of Separation, he no longer returns through the force of merit.

This is called the Ground of the Consummation of Desire, without attachment. What is meant by the merit of a practitioner? A disciple of the Path who possesses the eightfold practice of the Path is called a practitioner.

This itself is merit. Therefore, it is called the merit of a practitioner. Why is this so?

Because “pure practice” is its name. This is pure merit. It is virtue purified through the eightfold practice of the Path.

This is that merit. Therefore, it is called pure merit. That bhikkhu should attain the stream of the Path.

What is meant by being certainly in accordance with the Path? The disciple has severed three fetters. What are the three fetters?

First, knowing that the body is not a self; second, having no doubt; third, not bargaining with the observance of moral discipline. Having severed these three fetters, the disciple of the Path immediately enters the stream of the Path and no longer falls into evil destinies. At the utmost, after seven passages to the heavens and returns to the human realm, within these comings and goings he ends suffering and is liberated from suffering.

This is called the Ground of Vision, the merit of attaining the stream of the Path. What causes that bhikkhu’s mind to fall into identification with this body and to regard this body as a self? It is ignorance arising from not hearing the teaching.

Worldly people do not encounter an awakened person, nor do they receive instruction from one who has heard; and those who have heard have not yet distinguished and revealed the true Dharma. Their minds therefore conceive this form to be the self, see the self as pervading form, regard this form as belonging to the self, and regard form itself as their self. Feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are understood in the same way.

Having contemplated in this manner, they then accept the five pleasures. Because they accept this body, they fall into identification with the body and cause the mind to conceive an “I.” Because this “I” arises through a succession of attachments, they do not attain mastery and are led along from one thing to another. Such acceptance and satisfaction are received by the mind.

Having accepted and followed such a view in practice, they hold wrong view and fall into appropriation of this body. Seeing these five false views, that bhikkhu falls into the doubt of nonexistence. What are the five?

If he regards form as the seer, this body is compared as above. The same applies to feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. These are the five false views that cause one to fall into the view of nonexistence.

There are then fifteen further false views that cause one to fall into eternalism. Having thus seen and severed identification with this body, one immediately abandons the sixty-two false views. Having abandoned them, one falls neither into eternalism nor into annihilationism.

Having transcended both annihilationism and eternalism, the disciple of the Path abandons inverted and false views and seeks only to pass beyond the world. What is Right View, which prevents one from falling into the false view of a self? When a disciple of the Path hears the teaching and attains Right View, he penetrates the scriptures, accepts the world-transcending unconditioned, and understands the world-transcending Dharma.

He no longer sees this form as the self, the self as pervading form, this form as belonging to the self, or form itself as his self. Nor does he see feeling, perception, formations, or consciousness in that manner. He is immediately liberated from the three fetters.

What are the three? First, he no longer views this body as a self; second, he is free from anger; third, he is free from doubt. When a disciple of the Path is thus without doubt, he has no doubt regarding the Buddha, but possesses faith and joy in the Buddha.

Thus the Tathagata, unattached and rightly awakened, is complete in wisdom and conduct, blessed, knower of the world, unsurpassed. He is the master who subdues beings according to the Dharma, the teacher and instructor of gods and humans, the Supreme Buddha. To attain this faith free from doubt is to follow the practice of this Dharma and abide in the Dharma.

Freedom from the fetters and from doubt is faith and joy. The Buddha said: This Dharma can be studied and attained here and now. When present views have been transformed and understood, there is wisdom, for the tormenting hunger of this craving has been severed.

When its continuity has been severed, there is emptiness, with nothing to be attained. When craving has been destroyed, abandoned, and exhausted, there is the unconditioned. This is the second.

Free from fetters and doubt, one attains the Dharma and practices in accordance with the Dharma together with the assembled community of fellow practitioners. Because one is free from fetters and doubt, and because acceptance and joy are present, by accepting in this way one becomes a disciple of the Path. Practicing right acceptance together with the assembled fellow practitioners, one accepts as is appropriate.

Moral discipline is established, concentration is stabilized, wisdom is attained, liberation is accomplished, and the wisdom of liberation is made manifest and reached. Such is a disciple of the Buddha. The assembled practitioners comprise four persons; reckoned as four pairs, they are called eight persons.

Their practice of the Path is worthy of honor, incomparable, worthy of offerings, service, and reverence; it is the faultless field of merit, served by gods and humans alike. This is the third. Since this Dharma is free from doubt and one follows its practice, all conditioned activities are suffering.

Being free from the fetter of doubt and having attained acceptance and joy, one knows that craving is origination and that suffering also originates from craving. Being free from the fetter of doubt, having accepted, understood, rejoiced, and brought craving to an end—this is the cessation of suffering, free from doubt and fetters. Having obtained this acceptance, one immediately obtains joy; craving then ends.

This is the cessation of suffering, free from doubt and fetters. Having understood and accepted, one immediately obtains joy in the eightfold practice of the Path. Through accepting and practicing this, suffering is brought to an end, and doubt and fetters are no more.

According to the joy of understanding, if doubt originally remained unresolved, one would not understand the Buddha or the Dharma. If doubt exists regarding the assembly of practitioners, then doubt concerning Suffering, Origination, Cessation, and the Path remains unresolved. When doubt arising from one’s intention is understood in this way, why is it called an ulcer?

Because, once it has been understood, its root is severed and the tree no longer stands. Once destroyed, it never appears again; from its root onward, that dharma never arises again.

That bhikkhu’s observance of moral discipline may turn into two categories: first, falling into thirsting craving; second, failing to understand renunciation. The turning of moral discipline means that the mind is directed toward grasping and preserving that practice of morality. One thinks: “Through this I shall be reborn as a god, become equal to the gods, and ascend to heaven.

A person named Giáp... and celestial maidens will dwell with me among the gods, and together we shall enjoy pleasure.” Such aspiration, acquisition, thought, fetter, view, and mental direction constitute thirsting craving. Although one observes moral discipline, if one falls into bargaining, one does not understand the observance of moral discipline. What does turning toward bargaining mean?

It means that a practitioner of morality turns moral discipline into a bargain. What is this turning into bargaining? The thought arises: “Through moral discipline I shall attain purity; through moral discipline I shall attain liberation; through moral discipline I shall attain the essential goal; through it I shall cross beyond suffering and pleasure.” Or the thought arises: “Through vows I shall cross beyond.” This is failure to understand the turning of moral discipline into bargaining.

For what reason does one fail to understand its transformation into bargaining? Because the thought arises that through modes of dress, or through vows, one will transcend the world and be freed from suffering and pleasure. These two practices—modes of dress and vows—are imitations.

What are they imitations of? They are the two moral observances of dress and mental vows, which one believes will bring liberation, the essential goal, and passage beyond suffering and pleasure. One believes that through this suffering and pleasure the unconditioned will be attained.

One takes what is incorrect to be Dharma. The mind regards what is not liberation as liberation and what is not right as right. Following this practice, one accepts it and takes satisfaction in it, falsely forming the view that liberation comes from it.

This is failure to understand the bargaining involved in moral discipline. These are the two fetters. Having become a disciple of the Path, one abandons them so that they cease to exist; their roots are severed and the trees uprooted.

They never appear again and thereafter never arise again. This Dharma has been purified. Moral discipline becomes the moral discipline of the Path: in following its practice it is unbroken, unpierced, unlost, and free from regret, only increasing.

No wise person can take it away. Through it one attains concentration. These are the three fetters.

A disciple of the Path has severed them, entered the stream of the Path, and no longer falls into evil dharmas. He is certain to pass beyond the world within seven returns. In the heavens and among humans, when the period of his comings and goings is exhausted, he immediately escapes the essential suffering.

There are four correspondences. What are the four correspondences? First, correspondence through understanding; second, correspondence through severance and abandonment; third, correspondence through personal realization; fourth, correspondence through development to fullness.

Regarding the disciple of virtue and the Path: with Suffering, there is correspondence through understanding; with Origination, correspondence through severance and abandonment; with Cessation, correspondence through personal realization; and with the Path, correspondence through development to fullness. Calm abiding and insight thus operate together in one place, at one time, and in one mind. From beginningless time until now, what exists is precisely the mind that performs these four tasks.

What are the four? First, Suffering: through understanding Suffering, there is correspondence with Suffering. Second, Origination: through severing and abandoning Origination, there is correspondence with Origination.

Third, Cessation: through personally realizing Cessation, there is correspondence with Cessation. Fourth, the Path: through developing the Path to fullness, there is correspondence with the Path. Why is this so?

Because through understanding Suffering, there is correspondence. Why is this so? Because through severing and abandoning Origination, there is correspondence.

Why is this so? Because through personally realizing Cessation, there is correspondence. Why is this so?

Because through developing the Path to fullness, there is correspondence. It is like a bubble moving through water: upon reaching the culmination, there are four operations. It passes from this bank to the other bank, and upon arrival its continuity is severed.

So too, calm abiding and insight proceed together in one place, at one time, and in one mind; upon reaching their culmination, they accomplish four tasks. It is like the rising sun, which at its culmination performs four tasks: it reaches brightness, destroys darkness, and reveals forms. Their full manifestation is also like a boat crossing over: it leaves this bank, passes to the other bank, and reaches the severance of the continuity of things.

Calm abiding and insight are likewise: issuing forth together in one place, at one time, and in one mind, upon reaching their culmination they perform four tasks. They understand Suffering in appropriate correspondence; sever Origination in appropriate correspondence; personally realize Cessation in appropriate correspondence; and practice the essential Path in appropriate correspondence. Why is this so?

Because Suffering corresponds through being understood; Origination corresponds through being severed and understood; Cessation corresponds through personal realization and understanding; and the practice of the Path corresponds through essential understanding. Calm abiding and insight are likewise: proceeding together and continuously in one place, at one time, and in one mind, upon reaching their culmination, the practice is complete.

The four completed tasks are: Suffering is understood, Origination is severed, Cessation is personally realized, and the practice of the Path is fulfilled. It is like lighting a lamp or torch: upon reaching its full strength, it performs four tasks—it produces light, dispels darkness, reveals forms, and removes doubt. Calm abiding and insight are likewise, for they perform four tasks: knowing Suffering, severing Origination, personally realizing Cessation, and fulfilling the practice of the Path.

It is like a lamp which, when fully kindled, has four meanings: it manifests light, dispels darkness, reveals forms, and consumes its oil and wick. Calm abiding and insight are likewise: proceeding together in one place, at one time, and in one mind, upon reaching their culmination they perform four tasks. Knowing Suffering corresponds with Suffering; severing Origination corresponds with Origination; personally realizing Cessation corresponds with Cessation; and fulfilling the practice of the Path corresponds with the Path.

Why is this so? Because knowing Suffering corresponds with Suffering. Why is this so?

Because severing Origination corresponds with Origination. Why is this so? Because personally realizing Cessation corresponds with Cessation.

Why is this so? Because fulfilling the practice of the Path corresponds with the Path. Through what does this correspondence occur?

Through calm abiding and insight. What is correspondence? Why is it called sustaining?

The mind is bound to contemplation. When the mind is bound to contemplation, it immediately sees that the five aggregates are suffering. The binding of the mind is precisely calm abiding.

Seeing that the five aggregates are suffering is insight. In this state, the five aggregates are mutually proximate and can give rise to former desire, longing, and the wish to come together; not abandoning the place of Origination is precisely what must be severed and ended. The Path of calm abiding and insight is likewise: it causes the virtue of these Four Truths, in one place, at one time, and in one mind, to reach its culmination and bring about correspondence with the Four Truths.

Thus the disciple of virtue and the Path embodies the characteristic of the Dharma. When the Dharma has been corresponded with, this is called the Ground of Vision. Having attained the current of the Path and reached stream-entry, he again practices calm abiding and insight, causing sensual craving, anger, and the binding tendencies to be further eliminated.

He becomes a disciple of the Path subject to one more return. Through the fulfillment of this practice, at the place of return he destroys the root of suffering. This is the Ground of Attenuation.

Having completed the merit of once-returning, he abides in the resting place of virtue. Again increasing calm abiding and insight, he causes the remaining impulses of sensual craving and anger to be entirely abandoned. The fetters of sensual craving and anger that had not yet been fully abandoned are brought to an end.

When they have ended, as a disciple of the Path he has fully understood and exhausted the five lower fetters. What are the five? First, viewing the body in terms of self and not-self; second, resolving doubt; third, being neither deluded nor bargaining with moral discipline; fourth, being free from longing; fifth, being free from anger.

When these five fetters have been ended, the disciple of the Path no longer returns to the world. That world-transcending disciple of the Path does not return to this world. This is called the Ground of Rejection.

It is the merit of non-returning. Having reached and abided in the Merit of Non-returning, he again increases calm abiding and insight, causing the five higher fetters to be understood and abandoned. What are the five?

First, desire for form; second, desire for the formless; third, delusion; fourth, conceit; fifth, lack of understanding. When the five higher practices are fulfilled, the five fetters are abandoned. He then becomes an arhat, has passed beyond the world without outflows, and has finally attained liberation through the Right Path.

This is the Ground of Accomplishment. When the arhat has relinquished even the subtle unconditioned remainder, the worldly life faculty comes to an end, worldly suffering also ends, and suffering is never produced again. Because this disciple’s “aggregates, elements, and sense bases” have ended and become quiescent, there are no aggregates, elements, or sense bases; they do not continue in succession and never arise again.

This is called the final unconditioned state. For his disciples, the Buddha taught correspondence with the Truths, correspondence with each individual part, the Grounds, merit, severance, fault, separation, and the two unconditioned states.... Having taught all in this way, the Buddha completed the passage beyond the world.

If people wish to pass beyond the world, they must practice these dharmas.

What are the nine right concentrations cultivated in sequence? They are the four dhyanas, the four formless concentrations, and the concentration of complete cessation. These are the nine right concentrations in sequence.

The first dhyana abandons five things and accords with five proper factors. What are the five things abandoned? They are the five hindrances: first, sensual craving; second, anger; third, sloth and torpor; fourth, restlessness and remorse; fifth, doubt.

These are the five. Why does the dhyana described above abandon the hindrance of sensual craving? Sensual craving means attachment to the five pleasures: one seeks them when they arise, issues forth according to desire, does not relinquish them, and causes them to arise.

This is called the hindrance of sensual craving. What is the hindrance of anger? If a person produces conduct bearing the characteristic of anger, being driven by anger and giving rise to the root of what is contrary to Dharma, this is called the hindrance of anger.

What is the hindrance of sloth and torpor? Sloth is bodily dullness, mental dullness, bodily inactivity, mental inactivity, bodily delusion, mental delusion, heaviness of body, heaviness of mind, bodily discomfort, mental discomfort, bodily unresponsiveness, and mental unresponsiveness. This is sloth.

What is torpor? It is a mental state that causes the eyes to close and, whether moving or unmoving, prevents one from working. This is torpor.

The former part is sloth and the latter part is torpor; combined, these two are called the hindrance of sloth and torpor. What is the hindrance of restlessness and remorse? Restlessness is the body’s failure to remain still.

What is remorse? Thoughts about what could have been done, could not have been done, or was not attained are remorse. The former part is restlessness and the latter part is remorse.

Combined, these two are called the hindrance of restlessness and remorse. What is the hindrance of doubt? If one does not believe in the Buddha, does not believe in the Dharma, does not believe in the assembled practitioners—the Sangha—and does not understand Suffering, Origination, Cessation, and the Path, and this fetter consequently arises, it is called the hindrance of doubt.

There are also five kinds of doubt: doubt concerning the gathered teachings, doubt concerning the giving of instruction, doubt concerning distinctions within the Path, doubt concerning the wish to practice concentration, and doubt concerning attainment of the merit of the Path. Thus this explains doubt regarding concentration. These are the five hindrances.

What is meant by “hindrance”? A hindrance obstructs what counteracts it and obstructs all pure dharmas. How does it obstruct?

Sensual craving obstructs purity; anger obstructs mental equanimity; sloth obstructs calm abiding; torpor obstructs energy; the five pleasures obstruct practice; the fetter of restlessness obstructs freedom from remorse; doubt obstructs wisdom; and not knowing whence things originally arise obstructs liberating clarity.

SUTRA ON THE AGGREGATES, ELEMENTS, AND SENSE BASES

— End of the Lower Fascicle —

THE BUDDHA SAID:

WISDOM SEAL: EXPLANATION OF ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-THREE CONCENTRATIONS

You should know, Sariputra: the body of the Tathagata is no body; it has no action, no arising, no cessation, does not come from existence, has never been created, does not combine, does not wander, does not arrive, does not know, does not become habituated;

it is entirely pure, does not nurture, does not hate, does not go, does not remain, is not born, receives no karmic retribution, does not see, is uninterrupted, has no odor, does not taste, does not feel, does not cognize, does not understand, does not compare, does not know patience, has no anger, has no perception, is not mind, is apart from mind, is mentally equal, is not equal, casts off mind, gives nothing, has no five destinies, has severed the five destinies, possesses the essential requisites, has no gate, has no affliction, has no existence, has no fear, is not possible, is not impossible, has no karma, has no accomplishment, has no speech, has no softness, does not appear, is neither bright nor dark, neither extinguished nor unextinguished, is apart from extinguishment;

having been extinguished, it is pure, utterly pure, and that purity is not employed.

It is neither delight nor craving, neither a burden nor burdened; it is apart from burdens. Having abided, it accords with no place. It neither departs nor is lost, neither sinks nor perishes.

It is neither Dharma nor non-Dharma, neither a realm nor no realm, neither exhausted nor possessing exhaustion; it relinquishes exhaustion, has no wrath, is apart from the heavens, apart from echoes, apart from speech, apart from perception. It is neither conjoined nor unconjoined, neither ultimate nor non-ultimate, neither going nor not going, neither dual nor without joy. It does not receive that, has nothing seen, has no characteristic, is apart from characteristics, and does not seek characteristics.

Luminous, peaceful, and gradual, it is without attachment and apart from attachment; it gives rise to faith and is also nondual. It is designated Suchness, is the discernment of Suchness and the discernment of the meaning of Suchness. It does not fail beings in ferrying them across; there is no ferrying.

It removes without removing, saves without saving, and speaks without speaking duality. It has no equal, nothing comparable, is equal to empty space, has no place of equality, is equal in non-arising, equal in non-attainment. It does not cease, is apart from cessation; being quiescent, it is replete with quiescence and dissolved in quiescence.

The mind is liberated, wholesome conduct turns toward the essential, all retribution is severed, and fulfillment is complete. It is utterly true, with a luminous body and pure substance. It does not contemplate itself, has no practice, practices understanding, has no understanding, has no correspondence, is not equal, neither long nor round nor square.

It does not praise the aggregates, does not extol the species, does not commend the sense bases. It is not number, does not arrive at number, is not born again, cannot be seen, has no knowing, and does not die. It is not a worldly cause and condition; without body and without cause or condition, it nevertheless does not fall.

It has no dwelling place, is neither common nor beginning, neither mindfulness nor sorrow, neither matter nor dispute, neither an evil characteristic nor extinction, neither already extinguished nor an act of creation, neither non-creation nor non-wandering.