解脫道論 白話全本 · 冊12

The Opening: Five Matters Completed, One Not Yet Completed

At this point, the meditator has already clearly understood the aggregates, elements, sense bases, conditionality, and truths, and has already heard about precepts, ascetic practices, and meditation.

Still an ordinary person and not yet liberated, the meditator fears the bad destinations. The meditator has therefore contemplated the fearfulness of the bad destinations, the fearfulness of beginningless birth and death, the impossibility of obtaining even a single instant, the simile of three hundred spears, and the simile of love for one whose head is burning.

The four noble truths have not yet been distinguished.

To distinguish the noble truths, one should apply the method, form the desire, and arouse courageous energy. One should direct the mind exclusively to its object and bring this work to fulfillment.

The opening gives two series: what has already been obtained and what has already been contemplated. “Truths” occurs in the first series of what has already been clearly understood, yet the final sentence says that “the four noble truths have not yet been distinguished.” This is recorded as it stands.

First Question: How Should It Be Done?

Question: How should it be done?

Answer: At first the meditator should hear the four noble truths—whether in brief, in detail, or both briefly and in detail—and should retain them through hearing, meaning, and recitation.

The meditator then enters a secluded place and sits. With a mind neither distracted nor coming and going, the meditator should cause the four noble truths to arise.

First Cause the Truth of Suffering to Arise: Through Aggregates, Sense Bases, and Elements

First, one should cause the truth of suffering to arise—whether through the aggregates, the sense bases, or the elements.

The aggregate dhammas should be caused to arise through their own characteristic and through the characteristic of aggregates. As explained in detail in the aggregate method, so should this be understood.

The sense bases should be caused to arise through the characteristic of sense bases. As explained in detail in the sense-base method, so should this be understood.

The elements should be caused to arise through the characteristic of elements. As explained in detail in the element method, so should this be understood.

These three statements use one mold: first they name the approach, then the characteristic through which it is caused to arise, and finally each closes with “as explained in detail in that method, so should this be understood.” Three approaches and three closings, with none omitted. This is recorded as it stands.

First Closing: Only Aggregates, Sense Bases, and Elements

The meditator, having examined aggregates, sense bases, and elements in this way, sees only aggregates, sense bases, and elements: there is no being and no life. Having caused this to arise, the meditator has obtained the perception of formations.

Reduced to Two Kinds: Name and Form

At this point, what has arisen is reduced to two kinds, namely name and form.

In this account, the form aggregate is the form of the ten sense bases and ten elements. The four aggregates are the mind sense base and seven elements; these are called the dhamma sense base and dhamma element.

It is either name or form: the remaining name and the remaining form.

“The remaining name and the remaining form” is stated this way: through form there is emptiness; form is empty through name. Name is not separate from form, and form is not separate from name.

As the sound of a drum arises only in dependence on name-and-form, name arises in dependence on form, like a blind person and a lame person traveling far together.

Second Question: What Is the Difference Between Name and Form?

Question: What is the difference between name and form?

Answer:

Name has no body; form has a body.

Name has that which it knows; form has nothing that it knows.

Name turns lightly; form turns slowly.

Name has no mass; form has mass.

Name senses, knows, intends, and cognizes; form has none of these.

Form walks, leans, sits, lies down, bends, and stretches; name has none of these.

Name knows, “I walk, I lean, I sit, I lie down, I bend, and I stretch”; form has none of these.

Form drinks, eats, chews, and tastes; name has none of these.

Name knows, “I drink, I eat, I chew, and I taste”; form has none of these.

Form claps, plays, laughs, cries, and speaks in many ways; name has none of these.

Name knows, “I clap, I laugh, I play, I cry, and I speak in many ways”; form has none of these.

This is called the difference between name and form.

The first four items give a statement for each side and set the two positively against each other. The next seven instead say that one side “has none of these.” Within the last six, three pairs are laid out. In each pair the first statement says that form can perform certain actions while name has none of these; the next says that name knows “I perform those actions” while form has none of these. All three pairs are retained without omission.

Second Closing: Only Name-and-Form

The meditator, having examined name-and-form in this way, sees only name-and-form: there is no being and no life. Having caused this to arise, the meditator has obtained the perception of formations. At this point everything has been reduced.

The truth of suffering is caused to arise by causing purified knowledge and vision in accordance with reality to arise and by causing name-and-form to arise. This is the general statement of causing the truth of suffering to arise; it should be understood accordingly.

After causing the truth of suffering to arise in this way, the meditator forms the perception of a being. From here, the conditions of suffering should be contemplated.

One Repetition to Notice

“There is only a given set of dhammas, no being and no life; it has been caused to arise, and the perception of formations has been obtained”—this closing is used twice in the passage. The first time it gathers aggregates, sense bases, and elements; the second time it gathers name-and-form. Between them stands only the sentence, “At this point, what has arisen is reduced to two kinds, namely name and form.” After the second closing, the text immediately says, “At this point everything has been reduced.” This is recorded as it stands.

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Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · The Four Noble Truths Method and Name-and-Form · Vernacular · Summer 2026

First Question: What Is the Condition and Arising of This Suffering?

Question: What is the condition of this suffering, and what is its arising?

Answer: The meditator knows in this way:

This suffering has birth as its condition; birth has becoming as its condition; becoming has grasping as its condition; grasping has craving as its condition; craving has feeling as its condition; feeling has contact as its condition; contact has the six sense bases as its condition; the six sense bases have name-and-form as their condition; name-and-form has consciousness as its condition; consciousness has formations as its condition; formations have ignorance as their condition.

This series traces backward from suffering, link by link, in eleven statements, with no intermediate link omitted.

Thus ignorance conditions formations, formations condition consciousness, and birth conditions aging and death, producing grief, lamentation, suffering, and distress. In this way, the entire aggregate of suffering arises.

This summary gives only three links: the first two—ignorance conditions formations and formations condition consciousness—and the last—birth conditions aging and death. The middle links are omitted. This is recorded as it stands.

Causing the Truth of Arising to Arise

Having contemplated in detail how one is bound by conditions, the meditator now reduces the account: this feeling conditions craving, and that arising of suffering is caused to arise.

Knowledge of the stability of dhammas, noble knowledge that grasps conditionality, and purification through freedom from doubt are several names for the knowledge that causes the truth of arising to arise.

Cessation of Suffering: Viewed Through Reverse Cessation

Having caused the arising of suffering to arise and crossed beyond doubt in concentration, the meditator now contemplates the cessation of suffering.

What ceases? It is suffering that ceases. What ceases? It is this suffering that ceases.

The meditator knows in this way:

From the cessation of birth, this suffering ceases; from the cessation of birth, becoming ceases; from the cessation of becoming, grasping ceases; from the cessation of grasping, craving ceases; from the cessation of ignorance, formations cease.

In this five-statement list, the causal order of the first and last statements is opposite to that of the middle three. The first puts the cessation of birth first and the cessation of suffering after it; the last puts the cessation of ignorance first and the cessation of formations after it. Both agree with the earlier statements that suffering has birth as its condition and formations have ignorance as their condition. The middle three reverse this order. The list also jumps directly from the cessation of craving to the cessation of ignorance and formations, omitting feeling, contact, the six sense bases, name-and-form, and consciousness. This is recorded without correction or supplementation. No critical note occurs here.

Thus, from the cessation of ignorance, formations cease; from the cessation of formations, consciousness ceases; from the cessation of birth, aging, death, grief, lamentation, suffering, and distress cease. In this way, this entire aggregate of suffering ceases.

This summary likewise gives only three links, in exactly the same positions as the preceding summary. This is recorded as it stands.

Causing the Truth of Cessation to Arise

Having contemplated in detail the cessation of being bound by conditions, the meditator now reduces the account: this feeling conditions craving; from its cessation, suffering ceases. Thus the truth of cessation is caused to arise.

Causing the Truth of the Path to Arise

Having caused the truth of cessation to arise, the meditator now contemplates the path to the cessation of suffering: What is the path? What completeness brings craving to cessation?

The meditator knows in this way: contemplating the danger in the five appropriated aggregates is this path and this completeness that brings craving to cessation. Thus the truth of the path is caused to arise. As explained in detail in the noble-truth method, so should this be understood.

One Hundred and Eighty Dhammas: Two Calculations

Having caused the four truths to arise in sequence, the meditator now contemplates the five appropriated aggregates analytically, in sequence and by groups, through one hundred and eighty dhammas.

First Calculation

All form—past, future, and present; internal or external; large or small; coarse or subtle; far or near—is contemplated extensively as impermanent, as suffering, and as not-self.

All feeling, all perception, all formations, and all consciousness are treated in the same way.

Each aggregate has twelve approaches. For the five aggregates, the text writes 於五陰五十二成六十, literally running “five aggregates five-twelve make sixty” together without a break. Read as five times twelve, it yields sixty. Sixty visions of impermanence, sixty visions of suffering, and sixty visions of not-self make one hundred and eighty.

Read as the single number “fifty-two,” the written string does not agree with sixty. Read as five and twelve multiplied, it gives exactly sixty. The original written form is retained; punctuation is not supplied on the text’s behalf.

The qualifications listed above—past, future, present, internal, external, large, small, coarse, subtle, far, and near—number eleven, while the treatise calls them “twelve approaches.” If the word “all” in “all form” is also counted, there are exactly twelve. This is recorded without decision.

Second Calculation

Again, the one hundred and eighty approaches are: six internal sense bases, six external sense bases, six bodies of consciousness, six bodies of contact, six bodies of feeling, six bodies of perception, six bodies of intention, six bodies of craving, six applications of thought, and six examinations.

The text writes 此十六成六十, literally running “these ten-six make sixty” together. Ten times six makes sixty. Sixty visions of impermanence, sixty visions of suffering, and sixty visions of not-self—three sixties—make one hundred and eighty.

Read as the single number “sixteen,” the written string does not agree with sixty. The list contains exactly ten items, each attached to a six; ten times six gives exactly sixty. The original written form is retained; punctuation is not supplied on the text’s behalf.

How the Three Characteristics Are Contemplated

Across distant years, seasons, days, months, half-months, days and nights, times, moments of mind, and instants, formations become new and old through a process of turning, like the flame of a lamp continuing and turning. Thus formations are contemplated analytically as impermanent.

The suffering experienced in the bad destinations, hunger and thirst, fear, seeking, separation from the loved, aging, illness, death, grief, lamentation, suffering, and distress correspond to formations and continue. Thus formations are contemplated analytically as suffering.

What arises and is produced through aggregates, sense bases, elements, conditionality, truths, action, result, and conditions has no being, is unmoving, has no entity, and arises as formations by its own nature. Thus it is contemplated analytically as not-self.

With respect to formations and form: impermanence has the meaning of cessation; suffering, the meaning of fear; and not-self, the meaning of unreality. This is analyzed both in brief and in detail. Feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are treated in the same way: impermanence means cessation, suffering means fear, and not-self means unreality. This too is analyzed in brief and in detail.

Here, analytical contemplation of impermanence removes the perception of permanence; analytical contemplation of suffering removes the perception of pleasure; analytical contemplation of not-self removes the perception of self.

Second Through Fourth Questions: How Are the Three Characteristics Analyzed Extensively?

Question: How is impermanence analyzed extensively?

Answer: One sees all formations in accordance with reality: there is no conditioned boundary; cessation is the boundary. One causes the mind to arise with regard to the signless and settles the mind in the signless element. Therefore this is called analyzing impermanence extensively.

Question: How is suffering analyzed?

Answer: One causes the mind to fear all formations, causes the mind to arise from forming an aspiration, and settles the mind in non-aspiration. Therefore this is called analyzing suffering extensively.

Question: How is not-self analyzed extensively?

Answer: Regarding all dhammas, one sees that grasping arises from another and from this; one then settles the mind in the element of emptiness. Therefore this is called analyzing not-self extensively.

The three answers do not use one mold. In the answer on impermanence, both arising and settling are said to concern the “signless.” In the answer on suffering, arising is linked to “forming an aspiration,” while settling is linked to “non-aspiration,” a positive and a negative form. In the answer on not-self, an element is named only for settling; the point of arising is described as what is seen, not where the mind settles. This is recorded as it stands.

In this way one analyzes the three realms of becoming, five destinations, seven stations of consciousness, and nine abodes of beings, viewing them through cessation, fear, and unreality. (Analytical knowledge has ended.)

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Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · Conditions of the Four Noble Truths and Extended Contemplation of the Three Characteristics · Vernacular · Summer 2026

Continuing the Preceding Passage: Grasping a Sign to Penetrate Arising and Cessation

Having analyzed the three characteristics in the five appropriated aggregates, the meditator becomes inclined to enter and wishes to abandon formations.

At this point, the meditator grasps the sign of the present internal five appropriated aggregates and penetrates their arising and cessation. Thus this dhamma appears to arise from non-arising and is penetrated through arising and cessation.

Grasping a Sign Is Threefold

Here, there are three kinds of grasping a sign: grasping the sign of defilement, grasping the sign of concentration, and grasping the sign of 毘婆舍那—the first written form used here for insight contemplation.

1. Grasping the Sign of Defilement

Here, in the fields of what is seen, heard, sensed, and known, a foolish ordinary person forms the distortions of perceiving pleasure and permanence. The base text runs the words as “distortion-so, beginning-mind,” and the beginning mind grasps the sign through liking. Defilement adheres there, like a moth flying into a lamp. This is called grasping the sign of defilement.

The base text punctuates the clause as “distortion-so, beginning-mind through liking grasps the sign.” The following two cases both use the joined expression “so-beginning-mind”; by their form, the first can be read as “distortion; what the beginning mind, through liking, grasps as a sign.” The original characters are retained; punctuation is not supplied on the text’s behalf.

2. Grasping the Sign of Concentration

Question: How does one grasp the sign of concentration?

Answer: Here the meditator wishes to attain concentration. With mindfulness and right knowledge as the capacity that first directs the mind toward the thirty-eight practices, the meditator grasps a sign in each practice and binds the mind to it. This is to prevent distraction, like tethering an elephant. It is called grasping the sign of concentration.

3. Grasping the Sign of 毘婆奢那

Question: How does one grasp the sign of 毘婆奢那—the second written form used here for insight contemplation?

Answer: One who continually contemplates uses wisdom as the capacity that first directs the mind. Form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness are each distinguished by their own characteristic. One delights in relinquishment and wishes to cultivate that sign, like seizing a venomous snake. This is called grasping the sign of 毘婆奢那. Here, grasping the sign of 毘婆奢那 is desirable.

Each of the three kinds is linked to one simile, with none omitted: the sign of defilement is a moth that flies into the flame by itself; the sign of concentration is an elephant tethered in place; the sign of insight contemplation is a venomous snake seized in the hand. Each of the three similes occurs only once in the entire treatise. This is recorded as it stands.

The threefold heading uses 毘婆舍那, with the graph 舍, while the three occurrences in the question and explanation use 毘婆奢那, with 奢. Two written forms occur in a single unit. They are retained rather than standardized. One critical note occurs here.

Grasping the Signs of the Five Aggregates

Question: How does one grasp the signs of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness?

Answer: The sign of form and consciousness is taken through the earth element, water element, fire element, wind element, eye sense base, or body sense base.

One observes the characteristic of feeling in feeling as pleasant, painful, or neither painful nor pleasant.

One observes the characteristic of perception in perception as perception of form or perception of dhammas.

One observes and knows the characteristic of formations in formations as contact, intention, application of thought, examination, or attention.

One observes the characteristic of consciousness in consciousness as eye consciousness or mind consciousness.

Observing in this way, the meditator grasps the sign well and causes it to arise through what is wholesome. Causing it to arise in this way, the meditator grasps the signs of form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness.

This question deserves notice. The question names four—feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness—but the answer begins with form, treats five, and closes by naming the signs of all five. The question has four while the answer has five. This is recorded without addition or deletion. No critical note occurs here.

Grasping the Sign of Mind in Two Ways

Again, the sign of mind is grasped in two ways: through an occasion and through attention.

1. Grasping the Sign of Mind Through an Occasion

Question: How does one grasp the sign of mind through an occasion?

Answer: “Through this occasion my mind arose.” One should contemplate in this way: through this occasion of form and feeling, this occasion of perception, this occasion of formations, and this occasion of consciousness, my mind arose. One should contemplate accordingly. In this way one grasps the sign of mind through an occasion.

2. Grasping the Sign of Mind Through Attention

Question: How does one grasp the sign of mind through attention?

Answer: “When I attend to form in this way, this mind arises.” One should contemplate accordingly. “When I attend in this way to feeling, perception, and formations, my mind arises.” One should contemplate accordingly. In this way, one has grasped the sign of mind through attention.

The two closings differ in their exact wording. The first says, “One in this way, through an occasion, grasps the sign of mind”; the second, “In this way one has, through attention, grasped the sign of mind.” They are recorded without standardization.

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Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · Three Kinds of Grasping a Sign and Signs of Mind · Vernacular · Summer 2026

First Question: What Makes That Sign Well Grasped?

Question: What makes that sign well grasped?

Answer: Through this practice and this sign, perception concerning form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness becomes contemplation. If one is again capable of contemplating that sign through this practice and this sign, the sign is said to have become well grasped.

The base here reads “perception” after “form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness”; four witnesses instead read “sign.” This is recorded as written, and the body follows the base.

Penetrating Arising and Cessation

Penetration of arising and cessation includes arising, cessation, and penetration of arising and cessation.

Here, form has arisen and is present. Its characteristic of birth is arising; its characteristic of change is cessation. The meditator sees with the eye of wisdom these two statements.

To penetrate arising and cessation: feeling has arisen and is present, as have feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness. Their characteristic of birth is arising; their characteristic of change is cessation. The meditator sees with the eye of wisdom these two statements and penetrates arising and cessation.

The base says “these two statements”; the Gong witness reads “three.” This is recorded as written, and the body follows the base.

Three Ways: Cause, Condition, and Own Flavor

Again, one penetrates the characteristic of arising in three ways and the characteristic of cessation in three ways: through cause, condition, and own flavor.

Arising 1: Through Cause

Question: How does one penetrate the characteristic of arising through cause?

Answer: Craving, ignorance, and action are causes through which the aggregates arise. The meditator sees with the eye of wisdom and penetrates the characteristic of arising through cause.

Arising 2: Through Condition

How does one penetrate the characteristic of arising through condition?

Nutriment as condition causes the form aggregate to arise; contact as condition causes three aggregates to arise; name-and-form as condition causes the consciousness aggregate to arise. The meditator sees with the eye of wisdom and penetrates the characteristic of arising through condition.

This section differs from the ones before and after it. Those both begin with “Question” and continue with “Answer”; this one has neither word. It is recorded as written.

Arising 3: Through Own Flavor

Question: How does one penetrate the characteristic of arising through own flavor?

Answer: Like the flame of a lamp continuing without interruption, formations arise ever new from beginning to end. Through the characteristic, the meditator sees with the eye of wisdom and penetrates the characteristic of arising through own flavor.

Classification of the Three Ways

Here, through cause and the vision of arising, one completes the characteristic of the truth of arising and awakens by causing it to arise.

Through condition and own flavor, one sees the truth of suffering through arising, completes the characteristic of what is seen, and awakens to the impossibility of obtaining even an instant.

Thus one penetrates the characteristic of arising in three ways.

Of the three, the way of cause is classified under the truth of arising; the ways of condition and own flavor are classified under the truth of suffering. One stands against two.

The Characteristic of Cessation: Three Ways Gathered into One Question

Question: How does one penetrate the characteristic of cessation in three ways?

Answer: Through cessation of cause, cessation of condition, and cessation of own flavor.

Here, through the cessation of craving, ignorance, and action, the aggregates cease. The meditator sees with the eye of wisdom and penetrates the characteristic of cessation through cessation of cause.

Through cessation of nutriment, the form aggregate ceases; through cessation of contact, three aggregates cease; through cessation of name-and-form, the consciousness aggregate ceases. The meditator sees with the eye of wisdom and penetrates the characteristic of cessation through cessation of condition.

Like the flame of a lamp continuing without interruption, there is a formation of cessation at the beginning. The meditator sees with the eye of wisdom and penetrates the characteristic of cessation through own flavor.

Classification of Cessation

Here, through cessation of cause, one sees the truth of cessation, completes the characteristic of what is seen, and awakens to the characteristic of non-arising.

Through cessation of condition and own flavor, one sees cessation. Through the characteristic of the truth of suffering, one completes the initial vision and awakens to the impossibility of obtaining even an instant.

The cessation side likewise divides one against two: cessation of cause is classified under the truth of cessation; cessation of condition and own flavor are classified under the characteristic of the truth of suffering. This matches the division on the arising side.

Two Points to Notice

First, the three ways of penetrating arising are presented as three separate questions. The middle one, “through condition,” lacks both “Question” and “Answer.” The three ways of penetrating cessation, by contrast, are gathered into a single question and all three answered within it. The same three ways are divided on one side and gathered on the other. This is recorded as written.

Second, each act of penetration is joined to the exact phrase “sees with the eye of wisdom,” which occurs eight times here with none omitted: once for form, once for feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness together, once for each of the three ways of arising, and once for each of the three ways of cessation. The phrase occurs only these eight times in the whole treatise. This is recorded as written.

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Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · Well-Grasped Signs and Penetration of Arising and Cessation · Vernacular · Summer 2026

First Question: If the Truth of Suffering Has Been Seen, Why Must Higher Knowledge Arise?

Question: If one has seen the truth of suffering through arising and cessation and has obtained vision through the characteristic, why must higher knowledge arise?

Answer: What use is there in causing a vision of cessation to arise? What was to be seen through the characteristic of the truth of suffering has not yet been seen completely; only then is suffering fulfilled. One must continue until the dangers of formations have been exhausted and seen in accordance with reality, the mind has arisen from the characteristic of formations and crossed over in the non-formation, and the dangers of formations have been seen in accordance with reality. The mind has arisen from the characteristic of formations and crossed over in the non-formation. Here the seeing of suffering is fulfilled, because one has gone to the boundary.

It is like a bird surrounded by fire that has not escaped fear. If it has not yet reached the open sky, it sees the danger of the encircling fire and flies into the open sky. At that point its seeing of the fearfulness of the encircling fire is fulfilled. Fulfillment should be understood in the same way.

Penetration Through the Three Ways, Continuing the Preceding Passage

Here, through cause, condition, and vision of arising, one penetrates the characteristic of arising through causes and conditions: when this exists, this arises; because this arises, this comes to arise.

Because the cause ceases and the condition ceases, seeing the cause and condition of cessation penetrates the characteristic of birth: when this does not exist, this does not come to be; because this ceases, this ceases.

Through own flavor and through arising and cessation, what has arisen is seen and penetrated.

Four Dhammas Known

One knows the arising of conditioned dhammas and conditioned phenomena: their arising is known, their cessation is also known, and their presence is also known.

Thus four dhammas become known through seeing arising and cessation: the dhamma of one characteristic, the dhamma of various characteristics, the dhamma of no entity, and 正法—literally the “right dhamma.”

The fourth name in the heading is 正法, with the graph 正 (“right”). The five occurrences in the explanation below are instead 止法, with 止 (“stopping”). The two visibly different forms are retained without standardization. The last occurrence has a critical note.

Four Visions Undo Four Graspings

Here, formations attached to one continuity arise; that vision does not establish grasping at variety.

Through seeing their cessation, grasping at oneness is not established: formations are separated from own-nature and unmoving.

Through seeing beginning and end, grasping at self is not established: formations at beginning and end turn through conditions.

Thus through seeing dhammas, grasping at no entity is not established.

Four Assertions of Ordinary People

An uninstructed ordinary person, through not awakening to the “one,” makes assertions of permanence and annihilation; through not awakening to the “various,” makes an assertion of permanence; through not awakening to “no entity,” makes an assertion of self.

Thus, through not awakening to “dhamma,” such a person makes an assertion of no entity.

The order in the list of graspings is variety, oneness, self, and no entity. The order in the list of what ordinary people fail to awaken to is one, various, no entity, and dhamma, while the resulting assertions are permanence-and-annihilation, permanence, self, and no entity. The names and orders of the two lists do not correspond. This is recorded without forcing a correspondence.

Oneness and Diversity

Here, through language of equality and superior language of one characteristic:

Various characteristics are gathered as one characteristic; through the meaning of distinction, they become various.

Through the meaning of defilement, they become one in nature; through the meaning of method, they become diverse in nature.

Through the fruit of craving, they become one in nature; through the fruit of action, they become diverse in nature.

Three pairs are given, with none omitted.

When the meditator sees oneness in this way, the meditator does not grasp a view of diversity there. When the meditator sees diversity, the meditator does not grasp a permanent view of oneness there.

When one directly sees oneness, one removes the view that one person acts and another experiences. When one directly sees diversity, one removes the view that the same person acts and experiences.

When one directly sees oneness, one removes the annihilationist view. When one directly sees diversity, one removes the eternalist view.

The Dhamma of No Entity and 止法, the Stopping Dhamma

Seeing oneness and diversity through arising and cessation, the meditator asks: Through what does clarity concerning dhammas arise? Formations arise in the present, and one sees that they have no entity.

Why? All formations have no entity and do not move. Nothing else arises and remains; they remain in their own nature, and the gathering together of conditions serves as condition.

Thus, through the arising of 止法, the “stopping dhamma,” arising is produced. Here, through the meanings of having no life and being unmoving, the dhamma of no entity can be known; through the meanings of own-nature and condition, 止法 can be known.

It reveals emptiness and no entity and reveals what action has made. In this way, 止法 reveals no entity and is called dhamma; in this way, what reveals 止法 is called formation.

Here, through the dhamma of oneness one awakens to and penetrates the characteristic of suffering; through diversity one awakens to and penetrates the characteristic of impermanence; through awakening with the dhamma of no entity and through awakening with 止法, one penetrates the characteristic of not-self.

Second Question: Must All Formations Be Contemplated, or Is One Place Enough?

Question: Must the meditator contemplate arising and cessation in every place among all formations, without exception, or should one contemplate in one place?

Answer: At an initial place among formations, one grasps their sign and penetrates arising and cessation without remainder; all formations are thereby fulfilled.

It is like a person licking water at one place in the great ocean and immediately knowing that all its water is salty. This should be understood in the same way.

Fulfilled in Two Ways: Knowledge of Arising and Cessation Is Analytical Knowledge of Formations

Formations are fulfilled in two ways: through an occasion and through non-delusion.

Here, among the formations whose sign is grasped, arising and cessation are penetrated; those formations are fulfilled through their occasion. Because lack of knowledge has been abandoned, the remaining formations are fulfilled through non-delusion.

Here, knowledge of arising and cessation is analytical knowledge of formations. All formations are distinguished through the initial boundary of arising and the final boundary of cessation; they are stilled through the initial boundary of arising and the existing boundary of cessation; through arising from arising there is no beginning, and through cessation from cessation there is no end.

Therefore knowledge of arising and cessation becomes analytical knowledge of formations. (Knowledge of arising and cessation has ended.)

Among these three pairs, the first uses 初邊／後邊—“initial boundary / final boundary”—while the second uses 初邊／有邊—“initial boundary / existing boundary.” The second graph of the latter pair is not 後 (“final”) but 有 (“existing”). The visibly different forms are retained without standardization.

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Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · Penetration and Fulfillment of Knowledge of Arising and Cessation · Vernacular · Summer 2026

Continuing the Preceding Passage: Seeing Only the Cessation of Mind

Having thus rightly seen the characteristic of arising and cessation, finely distinguished formations, and delighted in attaining the concentration that delights in cessation, the meditator no longer attends to contemplating arising. The meditator sees only the cessation of mind.

Taking form as object and taking the arising and cessation of mind, the meditator relies on that object and sees the cessation of mind. In the same way, through sustaining feeling, through perception as object, through formations as object, through consciousness as object, and through the arising and cessation of mind, the meditator relies on that object and sees the arising and cessation of mind.

Again, cessation is seen through three ways: through a group, through a pair, and through analysis.

First Question: How Through a Group?

Question: How does one see through a group?

Answer: With regard to a posture and the mental and associated factors that arise from that posture, one sees their cessation there as a group.

Again, one has contemplated form as impermanent, feeling as impermanent, perception as impermanent, formations as impermanent, and consciousness as impermanent. At that time, one sees as a group the cessation of the mental and associated factors that arise with impermanence as their object. The same applies to suffering as object and not-self as object. In this way one should see through a group.

Second Question: How Through a Pair?

Question: How does one see through a pair?

Answer: Having contemplated this form as impermanent, one sees the arising and cessation of the mind that arises following impermanence. In the same way, having contemplated feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness as impermanent, one sees the arising and cessation of the mind that arises following impermanence as its object. The same applies after taking suffering as object and after taking not-self as object. In this way one should contemplate through a pair.

Third Question: How Through Analysis?

Question: How does one see through analysis?

Answer: Having contemplated this form as impermanent, one sees the arising and cessation of the mind that arises following impermanence as its object. Contemplating through analysis in this way, one sees the cessation of many minds. In the same way, one contemplates feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness as impermanent, and sees the arising and cessation of the mind that arises following impermanence as its object. Through this seeing, one sees the mind cease and then sees that seeing cease. In this way, through analysis, one sees the cessation of many minds.

Contemplation of suffering and contemplation of not-self proceed in the same way. Having thus analyzed, one directly contemplates only that cessation.

The object of that cessation of suffering becomes specialized, and one constantly seeks the moments of formations and thereby obtains benefit. With this wisdom, not conditioned by another, the meditator sees the entire world. By its own nature it reaches something like the tip of a mustard seed: within one mind-moment there are arising, aging, death, and change. At that time the meditator again sees in this way.

Verse

As the verse says:

Section in Five-Graph Lines

This pair is the nature of name-and-form, turning upon one cessation. The cessation of the phrase is a condition for that cessation and for what is born from its cause. The aggregates are impermanent and subject to cessation; suffering is subject to arising and subject to cessation.

Like the sound of a drum struck by a beater: it does not arise from the eye; the five dhammas beginning with form and odor do not arise from form; nor do they depart from these two phrases. The conditioned arises dependent on conditions.

Like the sound of a drum struck by a beater: it does not arise from the ear; the five dhammas beginning with form and odor do not arise from sound; nor do they depart from these two phrases.

Nor does it arise from the nose; the five dhammas beginning with form and odor do not arise from odor; nor do they depart from these two phrases.

Nor does it arise from the tongue; the five dhammas beginning with form and odor do not arise from taste; nor do they depart from these two phrases.

Nor does it arise from the body; the five dhammas beginning with form and odor do not arise from touch; nor do they depart from these two phrases.

It does not arise from the sense-base or form and does not emerge from the dhamma entrance; it arises in dependence on causes and conditions.

Like the sound of a drum struck by a beater: that faculty is weakest when it emerges; the initial cause is also weakest, that cause is also weakest, what arises is also weak, this common ground is weakest, the associated is also weakest, the combined is also weakest, and this mutual turning is always weak.

The mutually turning dhammas do not remain. There is no nature that turns mutually, no agent able to make them arise, and no one that makes arising occur. They are like a gandharva city—who first made it arise? It is not born through its own body, does not remain through its own power, and arises by following other dhammas, giving rise to all influx-laden dhammas.

Section in Seven-Graph Lines

Its own substance is weak and does not produce itself; it is not its own cause and not its own object. It has no conditioned place and no own-nature; all modes of existence lack an own-nature in their formations and characteristics.

For birth, its own body is weak and has no time. It comes from nowhere and goes nowhere. Its place has no arising and is a foreign land. Mind has neither what belongs to self nor the nature of life and body.

One mind, associated with suffering and pleasure, is swift: a moment, mountains and oceans, eighty thousand eons. Once it remains, it does not remain again; there are not two minds. What is associated has passed and is about to cease.

All those aggregates now remaining have already gone and are lost without interval. What is future will be lost in that interval. What has disappeared does not arise again with a different characteristic. Because it is not born, the present is born; when it is lost from mind, the world is absent.

In ultimate meaning there is no going and no coming. The future has no collection and is only turning birth. Remaining like a mustard seed, dhammas arise; when that dhamma has ceased, that is its beginning.

In the world the beginning is not mixed with dhamma. One sees no going or coming and sees no arising. Dhammas do not arise, like empty space; like lightning they arise and cease in an instant.

The form of the verse changes once within a single passage: the first twenty-six lines have five Chinese graphs per line, and the final thirteen have seven. That measured feature is recorded here.

One further point: at three places the critical edition has already changed the body text from 臝 in the Taishō base to 羸—at “this mutual turning is always 羸,” “its own substance is 羸 and weak,” and “for birth, its own body is 羸.” This text follows the graph presented by the critical edition, not the Taishō graph.

After Seeing Cessation: Distraction and Overestimation

Seeing cessation inexhaustibly in this way, the meditator enters concentration, like smoke arising when fire is drilled. The factors of awakening arise moment after moment; illumination and knowledge arise; joy, tranquility, happiness, grasping, liberation, and foundations of mindfulness arise. Equanimity and emergence are unclear here. With regard to these dhammas, the meditator may give rise either to distraction or to overestimation.

Fourth Question: How Is Distraction Removed?

Question: How is distraction removed?

Answer: Joy arises in the meditator with regard to a dhamma, and that joy causes it to become still more settled. In this way that sitting again causes it to become settled, and the meditator’s mental dhammas become gathered by regulation. If the mind is gathered by regulation through dhamma, it is always difficult for that mind to depart from concentration on contemplation of cessation. It continually penetrates and in this way departs.

Fifth Question: How Does Overestimation Arise?

Question: How does overestimation arise?

Answer: When the sign of illumination first arises for the meditator with regard to a dhamma, the meditator attains a supramundane dhamma. A sign of attainment is formed with respect to what has not yet been attained, and the meditator continually makes no further effort. In this way overestimation arises.

The discerning meditator knows that this defilement is a disturbance of concentration, knows the activity and object of mundane dhammas, and in this way knows Nibbāna as the object of supramundane dhammas. Having known in this way, the meditator removes distraction and overestimation through knowledge, sees only cessation as wholesome, practices it, and develops it repeatedly. (Knowledge of contemplating cessation has ended.)

Two Points to Record

First, “like the sound of a drum struck by a beater” appears three times in the verse: once for the eye, once for the ear, and once when it says that “that faculty is weakest when it emerges.” The nose, tongue, and body continue the preceding pattern without repeating the phrase.

Second, “nor do they depart from these two phrases” appears five times, once each for eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body. The following section on the dhamma entrance does not carry that phrase and instead says, “it arises in dependence on causes and conditions.” This is retained without supplementation.

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Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · Three Ways of Contemplating Cessation and Removing Distraction and Overestimation · Vernacular · Summer 2026

1. Knowledge That Arouses Fear

The meditator directly contemplates cessation in this way. Because contemplation of cessation has been accomplished, the meditator fears the cause of the aggregates and also fears the arising of the aggregates, and comes to fear the three kinds of becoming, the five destinations, the seven stations of consciousness, and the nine abodes of beings.

These are fearful like an evil person holding a knife, like a venomous snake, and like a mass of fire.

Thus, because contemplation of cessation has been accomplished, the meditator fears the cause of the aggregates, the arising of the aggregates, the three kinds of becoming, the five destinations, the seven stations of consciousness, and the nine abodes of beings.

By attending presently to impermanence, fear-perception (畏想, with “perception”) is produced; by means of security, non-perception is aroused.

By attending presently to suffering, fear of arising is produced; by means of security, non-arising is aroused.

By attending presently to not-self, fear of characteristic and arising is produced; by means of security, no-characteristic and non-arising are aroused.

Contemplation of danger, contemplation of disenchantment, and softness followed by conformity and acceptance—this is its general statement. (Knowledge That Arouses Fear has ended.)

The base text here has “produces fear-perception,” while four witnesses have the graph meaning “characteristic” rather than “perception.” This is recorded as it stands; the body follows the base text.

2. Knowledge Delighting in Liberation

The meditator practices with fear presently seen and causes knowledge to arise; knowledge delighting in liberation then arises.

When the characteristic of the aggregates is fearful, knowledge delighting in liberation arises. When the arising of the aggregates is fearful, knowledge delighting in liberation arises. When the three kinds of becoming, the five destinations, the seven stations of consciousness, and the nine abodes of beings are fearful, knowledge delighting in liberation arises.

It is like a bird surrounded by fire, delighting in liberation from it, and like a person surrounded by bandits, delighting in liberation from them.

Thus, when the cause of the aggregates, the arising of the aggregates, the three kinds of becoming, the five destinations, the seven stations of consciousness, and the nine abodes of beings are fearful to the meditator, knowledge delighting in liberation arises.

By attending presently to impermanence, one fears the cause; by attending presently to suffering, one fears arising; by attending presently to not-self, one fears cause and arising—knowledge delighting in liberation arises.

In this matter, ordinary persons and trainees direct the mind in two ways with respect to knowledge delighting in liberation, or contemplate joy. Directly contemplating in this matter, one penetrates what is above and directly contemplates joy; or the mind becomes distressed and creates an obstacle to practice.

One accomplishes penetration of the difficult-to-see course of reflection, and equanimity followed by conformity and acceptance—this is its general statement-with-words. (Knowledge Delighting in Liberation has ended.)

Two Matters to Record

First, the closing expressions of the two sections are not uniform: the first has “this is its general statement,” while the second has “this is its general statement-with-words.” Each section also closes with “followed by conformity and acceptance,” but the preceding expression differs: the first has “softness,” while the second has “equanimity.” They are recorded as they stand.

Second, the three objects of fear under the three characteristics are not uniform across the two sections. The first has fear-perception (畏想; four witnesses have “characteristic”), fear of arising, and fear of characteristic and arising; the second has fear-cause (畏因), fear of arising, and fear of cause and arising. The first and last items differ between the sections. They are recorded without being made uniform.

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Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · Knowledge That Arouses Fear and Knowledge Delighting in Liberation · Vernacular · Summer 2026

1. Attaining Knowledge of Similarity in Three Modes and Crossing the Right Fixed Course in Three Modes

The meditator presently practices knowledge delighting in liberation in this way. Delighting in liberation from all formations, the meditator treats Nibbāna and formations as a single characteristic and wishes to arouse the knowledge of similarity belonging to the gateway of liberation.

Knowledge of similarity is attained in three modes, and the right fixed course is crossed in three modes:

By presently seeing impermanence in the five aggregates, one attains knowledge of similarity. The five aggregates cease; Nibbāna is permanent. Presently seeing in this way, one crosses the right fixed course.

By presently seeing suffering in the five aggregates, one attains knowledge of similarity. The five aggregates cease; Nibbāna is ease. Presently seeing, one crosses the right fixed course.

By presently seeing not-self in the five aggregates, one attains knowledge of similarity. The five aggregates cease; Nibbāna is the ultimate meaning. Presently seeing, one crosses the right fixed course.

Within these three pairs, the side of the five aggregates is impermanent, suffering, and not-self, while the side of Nibbāna is permanent, ease, and the ultimate meaning. The two sides are opposed item by item. This is recorded as it stands.

The base text here reads, “the five aggregates cease; Nibbāna is permanent,” while the Ming witness has “calamity” instead of “permanent.” This is recorded as it stands; the body follows the base.

2. Presently Crossing and Having Crossed

Question: How does one presently cross the right fixed course through knowledge? How does one cross it already through knowledge?

Answer: Through disposition-removing knowledge one presently crosses the right fixed course; through path knowledge one has crossed the right fixed course.

3. What Does Knowledge of Similarity Mean?

Question: What does knowledge of similarity mean?

Answer: “Similarity” means the four establishments of mindfulness, the four right efforts, the four bases of success, the five faculties, the five powers, the seven factors of awakening, and the eight factors of the right path. Because it is similar to those, this is called the general statement-with-words of knowledge of similarity.

Non-resentment, seeing benefit, similarity, and acceptance—this is the general statement-with-words of knowledge of similarity. (Knowledge of Similarity has ended.)

The answer lists seven groups, but the treatise does not state their total. This is recorded as it stands, without supplying a count.

4. The Arising of Disposition-Removing Knowledge

Immediately and in sequence after knowledge of similarity, one rises from the characteristics of all formations, makes Nibbāna the matter, and disposition-removing knowledge arises.

5. What Does Disposition-Removal Mean?

Question: What does the name “disposition-removal” mean?

Answer:

Removing the states of an ordinary person is called disposition-removal; that which is removed by non-ordinary states is also called disposition-removal.

“Disposition” is Nibbāna. Further, one who plants and cultivates Nibbāna is called disposition-removing.

As the Abhidhamma says: removing birth is called disposition-removal; crossing beyond non-arising is also called disposition-removal.

Again, removing the cause of birth is called disposition-removal; crossing beyond non-arising and no-characteristic is called disposition-removal.

With respect to Nibbāna it is the first guide on the road; from outside, turning wisdom arises—this is the general statement-with-words of disposition-removal. (Disposition-Removing Knowledge has ended.)

The answer gives six consecutive explanations containing “called disposition-removal,” one of them expressly attributed to the Abhidhamma. This is recorded without deciding whether the explanations agree or differ.

One Matter to Record

Each of the passage’s two larger sections closes parenthetically—Knowledge of Similarity has ended; Disposition-Removing Knowledge has ended—just as the preceding passage’s two sections close parenthetically—Knowledge That Arouses Fear has ended; Knowledge Delighting in Liberation has ended. Four closing expressions form one sequence, closing one knowledge after another. This is recorded as it stands.

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Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · Knowledge of Similarity and Disposition-Removing Knowledge · Vernacular · Summer 2026

1. The Arising of Path Knowledge

Immediately and in sequence after disposition knowledge, one presently knows suffering, presently abandons arising, presently realizes cessation, and presently cultivates the path. Stream-enterer path knowledge and all awakening dhammas arise.

At this time, through stillness upon stillness, the meditator presently sees the boundary, the unconditioned, ghee, and virtue.

In one instant and with one knowledge, neither first nor later, the meditator distinguishes the Four Truths—distinguishing by knowing suffering, distinguishing by abandoning arising, distinguishing by realizing cessation, and distinguishing by cultivating the path. Thus distinction is accomplished.

As the simile verse says:

2. Verse

Like a person leaving this shore and crossing by boat to the farther shore;

there carrying things across, the person riding the boat removes its leaks.

3. Three Similes, Each Performing Four Acts

Like a boat crossing water, it performs four acts in a single instant, neither first nor later: leaving this shore, removing leaks, reaching the farther shore, and carrying things across.

As leaving this shore, so knowledge distinguishes suffering; as removing leaks, so it distinguishes the abandonment of arising; as crossing to the farther shore, so it realizes and distinguishes cessation; as carrying things across by boat, so it cultivates and distinguishes the path.

Like a lamp arising together, it performs four acts in a single instant, not first and not later: it has a small wick, dispels darkness, makes the oil diminish, and causes light to arise.

Like the sun arising together, it performs four acts in a single instant, neither first nor later: it makes forms visible, dispels darkness, removes cold, and causes light to arise.

As making forms visible, so knowledge distinguishes suffering; as dispelling darkness, so it distinguishes the abandonment of arising; as removing cold, so it realizes and distinguishes cessation; as causing light to arise, so it cultivates and distinguishes the path. As the sun, so is noble knowledge.

All three similes perform four acts. The boat and sun similes each receive a set of four correspondences with the Four Truths; the lamp simile receives none. This is recorded without supplying correspondences.

4. One Question: What Is This Characteristic Like?

Question: One presently sees suffering in accordance with reality—knowing suffering, abandoning arising, realizing cessation, and cultivating the path. What is this characteristic like? If suffering is not seen, the four distortions arise. At that time, as stated, one presently sees the boundary, the unconditioned, ghee, and virtue through stillness upon stillness, and with one knowledge, neither first nor later, distinguishes the Four Truths. What does this mean?

Answer:

At the time of knowledge of arising and cessation, fullness in seeing suffering has not yet been accomplished. Only when one sees the danger in all formations in accordance with reality, arouses the mind from the characteristic of formations, and crosses over to the unformed is the danger in all formations seen in accordance with reality. The mind arises from the characteristic of formations and crosses to the unformed. Here the leak in seeing suffering is reached, because one has reached the end.

Again it is said: if, through stillness upon stillness and through disposition-removing knowledge, one distinguishes the truths, then disposition-removing knowledge rises from the characteristic of formations and crosses to the unformed. If disposition-removing knowledge rises from the characteristic of formations, crosses to the unformed, and crosses to Nibbāna, only adhesion to the cause is its matter; by adhering to the matter, the mind attains concentration. Without concentration, serenity and insight do not arise, nor do the awakening dhammas reach fulfillment. Therefore the truths are distinguished through disposition-removing knowledge.

Immediately after that disposition-removing knowledge, path knowledge arises. At this time, concentration upon Nibbāna is attained. When the mind is concentrated, serenity and insight arise, and the awakening dhammas reach fulfillment. Therefore the truths are distinguished only through path knowledge.

It is like a person leaving a burning city with one foot across the threshold. One foot has already left the city, but at that time the person is not yet said to have left. Likewise, disposition-removing knowledge rises from the characteristic of formations and crosses to the unformed, but at that time it is not yet said to have crossed beyond the defilements, because the dhammas are not yet fulfilled.

It is like a person leaving a burning city with both feet already outside. Only then is the person said to have left the burning city. Likewise, immediately after disposition-removing knowledge, path knowledge arises. At that time one is said to have left the city of defilements, because the dhammas have been fulfilled.

Therefore the truths are distinguished through disposition-removing knowledge.

The same sentence, “the truths are distinguished through disposition-removing knowledge,” occurs twice in this section, with the intervening sentence “the truths are distinguished only through path knowledge.” This is recorded as it stands.

5. What Does “Distinguishing the Truths” Mean?

What does “distinguishing the truths” mean?

Answer: When the Four Noble Truths are said to be united in a single instant, that is called distinguishing the truths.

At this time, path knowledge is united and has the meaning of reliance. The faculties acquire the meanings of equality, immovability, strength, and conveyance. The awakening factors have the meaning of cause; path factors, establishing; establishments of mindfulness, excellence; right efforts, means; bases of success, actuality; truths, non-confusion. Serenity has the meanings of accompanying contemplation, insight, non-separation, pair, and covering. Purity of virtue has the meaning of non-confusion. Purity of mind-nature has the meanings of seeing, purity of seeing, and release. Liberation has the meanings of penetration, bright relinquishment, and release by cutting off. Knowledge of cessation has the meanings of faculty and wishing to arouse. Attention has the meaning of equality. Cessation of contact and feeling has the meanings of escape and presence. Concentration has the meaning of reliance; mindfulness, truth; wisdom, profound excellence; ghee, finality; Nibbāna, final equality.

Within this list of 140 Chinese characters, the graph 義 (“meaning”) occurs thirty-two times. The treatise states no total and explains none of the items individually. This is recorded without supplying a count.

6. Abandoning Three Fetters

Presently knowing and presently seeing in this way, the meditator abandons three fetters—identity view, doubt, and grasping at precepts (戒取)—together with the defilements associated with them.

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Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · Path Knowledge Distinguishes the Four Truths in a Single Instant · Vernacular · Summer 2026

First Question: What Is Identity View?

Question: What is identity view?

Answer: In this matter, an uninstructed ordinary person sees form as self, self as possessing form, form as belonging to self, and self as being in form. So too with feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness: consciousness as self, self as possessing consciousness, consciousness as belonging to self, and self as being in consciousness. This is called identity view.

This identity view has been abandoned. Because it has been abandoned, the sixty-two views are also abandoned, for identity view is the beginning of the sixty-two views.

Second Question: What Is Doubt?

Question: What is doubt?

Answer: One may doubt suffering, arising, cessation, or path; the Buddha, Dhamma, or Sangha; the initial boundary, final boundary, or initial-and-final boundary; or one may be uncertain about dhammas arisen through causes and conditions. This is called doubt. It too is abandoned.

Third Question: What Is 戒盜 (“Theft-of-Precept”)?

Question: What is 戒盜 (“theft-of-precept”)?

Answer: 戒盜 is of two kinds—craving and delusion.

“Through this precept, this practice, this ascetic practice, and this holy life, I shall ascend to heaven; I shall be born in every heavenly abode.” This is called craving 戒盜, “craving theft-of-precept.”

Other ascetics and brahmins hold this view through precepts, purity, and the practice of pure precepts. This is called delusion 戒盜, “delusion theft-of-precept.” It too is abandoned.

At the end of the preceding passage, the third fetter is named 戒取 (“grasping-at-precept”); this passage calls it 戒盜 (“theft-of-precept”). The two visibly different Chinese forms and their literal senses are retained without being made uniform.

Fourth Question: What Are the Defilements Dwelling in That One Place?

Question: What are the defilements dwelling in that one place?

Answer: Sensual desire, ill will, and delusion cause one to go to bad destinations. These are called the defilements dwelling in that one place, and they too are abandoned.

The three fetters are explained one by one, but their closing sentences are not uniform. Identity view closes with “this identity view has been abandoned”; doubt and 戒盜 close with “it too is abandoned”; the defilements dwelling in one place close only with “too are abandoned.” They are recorded as they stand.

The Fruit of Stream-Entry

Within this interval, one becomes one directed toward realization of the fruit of stream-entry.

Not yet having attained stream-entry, one dwells on the ground directed toward stream-entry, or the eighth ground, or the ground of seeing, or concentration definitively gives rise to turning wisdom from two. This is the general statement-with-words of stream-enterer path knowledge.

Immediately and in sequence after stream-entry, because the three fetters have been abandoned, one makes the unconditioned the matter. By a method not different from the dhammas equal to the path, stream-enterer fruition knowledge and the fruition mind arise. In two or three immediate arisings, one passes through them in sequence.

The subsequent mind arises from the subsequent: it contemplates the path, the fruit, Nibbāna, the defilements already abandoned, and the remaining defilements. This is called a stream-enterer.

One is fixed upon the non-regressing dhamma and directed toward awakening. To distinguish the future fruit: one is born from the Blessed One’s breast, born from his mouth, born from the Dhamma, and created by the Dhamma; one obtains a share of the Dhamma rather than a share of material things. This is called goodness complete in view.

Practicing and penetrating the noble dhamma, one reaches the gate of ghee and abides; complete in view, one reaches this wondrous dhamma. Having seen this wondrous dhamma, awakened knowledge is accomplished. With awakened brightness accomplished, one enters the stream of Dhamma, has wisdom penetrating the noble, opens the gate of ghee, and abides.

Therefore this verse is spoken:

Verse

A king of one country upon earth, a king in one heaven,

one ruling the whole world—the fruit of stream-entry surpasses them.

One Matter to Record

The treatise now has three forms for introducing a verse: “as the verse says,” “as the simile verse says,” and here “therefore this verse is spoken.” Three places, three forms. This is recorded as it stands.

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Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · The Three Fetters and the Fruit of Stream-Entry · Vernacular · Summer 2026

1. Further Cultivation toward the Three Higher Fruits

Once-Returner

The meditator abides on this ground and applies effort to what is above, in order to realize the fruit of once-returning. Beginning with seeing arising and cessation, one undertakes direct contemplation, just as stated at the outset. In present practice one proceeds “as one who has already seen the path” (如已見道); relying on the faculties, powers, awakening, and factors of awakening, one distinguishes the truths in this way.

Practicing in this way, one tends toward cessation and abandons coarse desire, ill will, and those defilements dwelling in one place. Immediately after that path, one realizes the fruit of stream-entry.

Here the base text reads “realizes the fruit of stream-entry,” although the fruit being sought is once-returning; four witnesses read “once-returner.” It is transcribed as it stands, and the body follows the base text.

Non-Returner

The meditator abides on this ground and applies effort to what is above, in order to realize the fruit of non-returning. Beginning with seeing arising and cessation, one undertakes present seeing, just as stated at the outset. In present practice one proceeds “as seeing the path” (如見道); relying on the faculties, powers, awakening, and factors of awakening, one distinguishes the truths in this way.

Tending toward cessation in this way, one abandons subtle desire, ill will, and those defilements dwelling in one place. Immediately after that path, one realizes the fruit of non-returning.

Arahant

The meditator abides on this ground and applies effort to what is above, in order to realize the fruit of arahantship. Beginning with seeing arising and cessation, one undertakes present seeing, just as stated at the outset. In present practice one proceeds “as oneself having seen the path” (如己見道); relying on the faculties, powers, awakening, and factors of awakening, one distinguishes the truths in this way.

Tending in this way to abandon desire for form, desire for the formless, conceit, agitation, and ignorance, one abandons all remaining defilements without remainder.

The three passages use one template, yet the sentence in the middle has three forms: one says 如已見道 (“as one who has already seen the path”), one says 如見道 (“as seeing the path”), and one says 如己見道 (“as oneself having seen the path”). They are transcribed as they stand and are not made uniform.

2. The Arahant’s Qualities and Collective Designations

From there the meditator realizes the fruit of arahantship. One contemplates the path, contemplates the fruit and Nibbāna, and contemplates the abandoned defilements. The bhikkhu becomes an arahant: the influxes are extinguished; what had to be done has been done; one has established oneself and laid down the burden; reached the wondrous meaning; cut the fetter of existence; attained right knowledge and liberation; departed from the fivefold and sixfold divisions; accomplished the one protection; is not bound by death; has removed the remainder, the truths, and equal cessation; seeks faith without turbidity; reflects and rests the body; is well liberated in conduct and well liberated in mind. Wisdom and the holy life have been established. One becomes a person, the foremost person, and attains the foremost attainment.

Such a one is called: one who has removed ill will, one who has crossed to the shore, one apart from defilements, one without obstructing bonds, one who has attained the noble 翻, one who has removed the burden, one who is unassociated, an ascetic, a brahmin, one who has bathed, one who has crossed the Vedas, the supreme brahmin, an arahant, one who has crossed, one who is freed, one who has subdued, one who is utterly stilled, and one who causes stilling. These are the collective designations of an arahant.

The designations are listed one by one, but no total is given. They are transcribed without supplying a count.

3. Three Kinds of Stream-Enterer

In this matter, if a stream-enterer does not apply further effort above the birth into which one has come, three kinds of stream-enterer are seen in three ways: first, the seven-birth stream-enterer; the family-to-family stream-enterer; and the one-birth stream-enterer.

In this matter, one of dull faculties becomes a seven-birth stream-enterer, one of middling faculties becomes family-to-family, and one of sharp faculties becomes a one-birth stream-enterer.

The seven-birth one goes to heaven and returns seven times, and here makes an end of suffering. The family-to-family stream-enterer goes to that family two or three times and then makes an end of suffering. The one-birth stream-enterer has already caused birth in human existence and makes an end of suffering.

4. Once-Returner

If a once-returner does not apply effort above the birth into which one has come, one returns once to this world and makes an end of suffering.

5. Five Kinds of Non-Returner

If a non-returner does not apply effort above the birth into which one has come, at death here one is born in the Pure Abodes.

Through the superiority of the faculties, five kinds are seen, constituting five kinds of non-returner: intermediate Nibbāna, Nibbāna upon birth, 不行般涅槃 (“Nibbāna without going”), 行般涅槃 (“Nibbāna with going”), and one who flows upward to the 阿迦尼吒 heaven.

In this matter:

One called an intermediate-Nibbāna person, before reaching the attached interval without interruption, causes the noble path to arise at a point dependent on the span of life, in order to remove the remaining fetters.

One who attains Nibbāna upon birth passes beyond the middle of the lifespan and, having been born, causes the noble path to arise in order to remove the remaining fetters.

One called 不行般涅槃 (“Nibbāna without going”): there is no different going; in order to remove the remaining fetters, one causes the noble path to arise.

One called 行般涅槃 (“Nibbāna with going”): there is no different going; in order to remove the remaining fetters, one causes the noble path to arise.

One who flows upward to the 阿迦尼吒 heaven passes at death from the 不煩 (“Non-Vexing”) heaven to the 不熱 (“Non-Heating”) heaven, at death from 不熱 to the 善見 (“Good-Seeing”) heaven, at death from 善見 to the 善現 (“Good-Manifestation”) heaven, and at death from 善現 is born in the 阿迦尼吒 heaven. In 阿迦尼吒, one causes the noble path to arise in order to remove the remaining fetters.

The explanations under the third and fourth items are word-for-word identical. At one of these places, four witnesses read “there is a different going” rather than “there is no different going.” It is transcribed as it stands, and the body follows the base text.

6. The Lifespans of the Five Heavens and the Twenty-Four Persons

In this matter, the lifespan in the 不煩 (“Non-Vexing”) heaven is ten thousand kalpas; in the 不熱 (“Non-Heating”) heaven, twenty thousand kalpas; in the 善見 (“Good-Seeing”) heaven, forty thousand kalpas; in the 善現 (“Good-Manifestation”) heaven, eighty thousand kalpas; and in the 阿迦尼吒 heaven, one hundred sixty thousand kalpas.

Across four grounds there are five persons on each; in 阿迦尼吒 there are four persons, for there is no upward-flowing person. Thus they constitute twenty-four persons.

Five persons on each of four grounds make twenty; the four persons in 阿迦尼吒 bring the total to twenty-four. Here the stated number agrees with what is listed.

7. The Arahant’s End of Suffering

Because an arahant has abandoned every defilement without remainder, no cause for a later existence is formed. Because there is no cause, the arahant is freed from lifespan, form, and life. Formations cease, this suffering is cut off, and no further suffering arises. This is called the end of suffering.

Therefore this verse is spoken:

Verse

Just as a hammer strikes iron, and sparks stream into water,

They come to stillness in sequence; where they go cannot be known.

So too, one rightly liberated, having crossed desire, bonds, and influxes,

Reaches unmoving bliss; where that one goes cannot be known.

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Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · Further Cultivation of the Fruits and Types of Noble Persons · Vernacular · Summer 2026

First Question: A Teacher Speaks of Sequence

Question: In this matter, a teacher says: cultivate the path sequentially, abandon the defilements sequentially, and distinguish the truths sequentially.

Answer: The fruit is realized either with twelve, with eight, or with four path knowledges.

Here the base text reads “twelve,” while the Song and Yuan witnesses read the Chinese graph for “one.” It is transcribed as it stands, and the body follows the base text.

Second Question: How Does This View Fail to Correspond?

Question: How does this view fail to correspond here?

Answer:

First Fault (This Fault Is Unnumbered)

If practice proceeds sequentially and the defilements are abandoned sequentially, realization therefore proceeds sequentially. If realizing the fruit sequentially in this way is acceptable because it corresponds with the path and fruit—then, if this is acceptable, does one fruit of stream-entry result? If this is not acceptable, the same applies to cultivating the path sequentially and abandoning the defilements sequentially.

Of the seven faults, only the first does not bear the number “first fault”; beginning with the second, each is numbered. It is transcribed as it stands.

Second Fault

Furthermore, the second fault: suppose it is acceptable that by seeing suffering, the defilements abandoned through seeing suffering are extinguished and abandoned. Then suffering has already been seen, those defilements have already been abandoned, and a four-part fruit of stream-entry is realized. This realization ought to be acceptable, because the means have been accomplished.

If this is acceptable, one realizes a four-part stream-enterer: a four-part seven-birth person, a four-part family-to-family person, a four-part one-birth person, and a four-part person abiding in the fruit. This does not correspond here. If this is not acceptable, then are the defilements abandoned through seeing suffering abandoned by seeing suffering? This does not correspond.

Third Fault

Furthermore, the third fault: if it is accepted that, by seeing suffering, the defilements abandoned through seeing suffering are abandoned, then through presently seeing suffering it should be acceptable that a four-part person abiding in the stream-entry path, a four-part faith-follower, and a four-part Dhamma-follower are formed, although the remaining three truths have not been seen.

If what is accepted is abiding in four stream-entry paths, becoming four faith-followers, and becoming four Dhamma-followers, this does not correspond here. If this is not acceptable, then the defilements abandoned through seeing suffering are abandoned by seeing suffering.

Fourth Fault

Furthermore, the fourth fault also does not correspond. Suppose it is acceptable that presently seeing the path makes one directed toward the fruit, and through seeing the path one becomes established in the fruit. Then presently seeing suffering should likewise make one directed toward the fruit, and through seeing it one should become established in the fruit, because what is seen is one kind. If this is so, an acceptable directed person and one established in the fruit produce many faults; this does not correspond here. If this is not acceptable, then presently seeing the path accomplishes realization, and through seeing the path one becomes established in the fruit—this too does not correspond.

Fifth Fault

Furthermore, the fifth fault: if by seeing the path one realizes the fruit, and it is acceptable that one realizes the fruit before seeing suffering, arising, and cessation, then seeing suffering, seeing arising, and seeing the cessation of suffering are without meaning.

Sixth Fault

Furthermore, the sixth fault: suppose it is acceptable that the fruit of stream-entry is realized with twelve, with eight, or with four path knowledges. Then through this realization, either twelve, eight, or four fruits of stream-entry ought to be acceptable. Thus there comes to be path knowledge without fruit. If the ground of such acceptability constitutes a fault, this does not correspond here. If this is acceptable, then is the fruit of stream-entry realized with twelve, with eight, or with four path knowledges? This too does not correspond.

Seventh Fault

Furthermore, the seventh fault: if it is acceptable that twelve, eight, or four path knowledges cause one fruit of stream-entry to arise, this too does not correspond. Many things causing one fruit to arise are like many 菴婆 fruits causing one fruit to be born.

Third Question: The Objection of Four Objects of Appropriation by Seeing in One Knowledge and One Instant

Question: If, with one knowledge in one instant and without before or after (無前無後), the four truths are distinguished, then one knowledge ought to become four objects of appropriation by seeing. If seeing suffering constitutes seeing the four truths, the four truths become the truth of suffering. If neither of these two meanings obtains, then “distinguishing the four truths in one instant, with one knowledge and without before or after” does not correspond.

Answer: It is not that one knowledge becomes four objects of appropriation by seeing, nor that the four truths become the truth of suffering. The meditator proceeds only from the four truths at the outset: diverse characteristics and one characteristic, because they were distinguished beforehand.

This answer contains only three sentences, while the objection above it has two branches. It is transcribed as it stands.

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Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · The Objection to Sequentially Distinguishing the Truths and the Four Truths in One Instant · Vernacular · Summer 2026

1. Penetration of the Four Truths and the Heading of the Dispersed Topics

At that time, through noble practice one penetrates the truth of suffering by such a characteristic, and thereby penetrates the four truths. The four truths, each with its own characteristic, become one characteristic in accordance with their meaning.

It is like the aggregates in their diverse characteristics and their one characteristic. They were previously distinguished as the form aggregate; by seeing impermanence, one sees the five aggregates as impermanent and continually sees impermanence, yet one does not take the form aggregate to be all five aggregates. The sense-fields and elements are to be understood in the same way.

Here the dispersed topics may be known: contemplation, thought, joy, feeling, ground, faculty, liberation, defilement, attainment, and the two concentrations.

Here contemplation is of two kinds: 禪觀—meditation contemplation—and 燥觀—dry contemplation.

The heading lists ten topics, but this passage explains only the first seven: contemplation, thought, joy, feeling, ground, faculty, and liberation. The remaining three—defilement, attainment, and the two concentrations—do not occur in this passage. They are transcribed as they stand.

2. The Seven Topics, One by One

Contemplation: Meditation Contemplation and Dry Contemplation

Question: What is meditation contemplation (禪觀)?

Having attained concentration, one suppresses the hindrances by the power of concentration, distinguishes form by comparison with name, and contemplatively sees the factors of meditation: calm is first, and insight is cultivated.

In dry contemplation (燥觀), one suppresses the hindrances by the power of discrimination, distinguishes name by comparison with form, and contemplatively sees formations: insight is first, and calm is cultivated.

The difference between the two contemplations lies precisely in which comes first. In one, calm is first; in the other, insight is first. This is transcribed as it stands.

Thought

Thought is treated from the standpoint of dry contemplation. In the first meditation, contemplation, the path, and the fruit are accompanied by thought. In the three later meditations, insight through change-of-lineage is accompanied by thought, while the path and fruit are without thought.

On the ground accompanied by thought, the path becomes the eightfold path; on the ground without thought it has seven factors, thought being removed.

Joy

For one who reaches the difficult course through dry contemplation, full insight and knowledge resembling it arise without suffering, and change-of-lineage, path, and fruit arise together with joy. For one fully possessed of the pleasant course through dry contemplation, insight in the second meditation and the path and fruit arise together with joy; in the third and fourth meditations, insight, path, and fruit do not arise together with joy.

On the ground accompanied by joy, the seven awakening factors arise with the path and fruit. On the ground without joy there are six factors of awakening, the awakening factor of joy being removed.

Feeling

For one who reaches the difficult course through dry contemplation, full insight through knowledge resembling it arises together with equanimity, while change-of-lineage, path, and fruit arise together with joy. For one fully possessed of the pleasant course through dry contemplation, insight in the three meditations and the path and fruit arise together with joy; in the fourth meditation, insight, path, and fruit arise together with equanimity.

Ground

There are two grounds: the ground of seeing and the ground of cultivation.

Here the stream-entry path is the ground of seeing; the remaining three paths and the four fruits of recluseship are the ground of cultivation. Seeing now what had never before been seen is called the ground of seeing; seeing in this way and cultivating in this way is the ground of cultivation.

Furthermore, there are two grounds: the ground of learning and the “ground of not-learning” (不學地). Here the four paths and three fruits of recluseship are the ground of learning; the fruit of arahantship is the “ground beyond learning” (無學地).

Thus “two grounds” are established twice in this passage under different divisions: the first pair divides seeing from cultivation, and the second divides learning from not-learning. Moreover, the second pair is headed 不學地, “ground of not-learning,” but explained as 無學地, “ground beyond learning.” They are transcribed without being made uniform.

Faculty

There are three supramundane faculties: the faculty “I shall know what is not yet known,” the faculty of having known, and the faculty of one whose knowing is complete.

Here the knowledge of the stream-entry path, first knowing what was previously unknown, becomes the knowledge of what is not yet known. The knowledges of three paths and three fruits, knowing further a Dhamma already known, are the faculty of knowing. The knowledge of the fruit of arahantship, with nothing remaining and knowing a Dhamma already known, is the faculty of completed knowing.

Liberation

There are three liberations: signless liberation, desireless liberation, and emptiness liberation.

Here, in the knowledge resembling the path, not constructing a sign is signless liberation; not constructing a wish is desireless liberation; not constructing an appropriation is emptiness liberation.

Furthermore, through contemplative seeing these three liberations are accomplished on diverse paths; through attainment they are accomplished on one path.

The final sentence turns toward the topic of the next passage. It is transcribed as it stands.

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Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · Meditation Contemplation, Dry Contemplation, and the Supramundane Divisions · Vernacular · Summer 2026

1. Each Contemplation Is Matched with One Liberation

Question: How does contemplative seeing become diverse paths?

Answer: Having contemplated and seen impermanence (已觀見無常), one accomplishes signless liberation; by contemplating and seeing suffering (以觀見苦), one accomplishes desireless liberation; by contemplating and seeing not-self (以觀見無我), one accomplishes emptiness liberation.

This general answer pairs each of three contemplations with one liberation, omitting none. Its first statement uses 已, “having already,” while the latter two use 以, “by means of.” The one-graph difference is preserved.

2. Contemplating Impermanence Accomplishes Signless Liberation

Question: How does contemplating and seeing impermanence accomplish signless liberation?

Answer: One brings impermanence immediately to mind; by the cessation of all formations, mind arises; one becomes possessed of many liberations; one gains the faculty of faith together with the other four faculties.

Of that kind, one knows the characteristic as it really is—the text here writes 如實智相, using the graph 智 for “knowledge.” Of that kind, all formations arise as impermanent. One causes fear of the characteristic to arise, and knowledge is born from the activity of the characteristic.

Mind arises from the characteristic, crosses over in the signless, and the body is liberated through signless liberation.

Thus, by contemplating impermanence (以觀無常), one accomplishes signless liberation.

(This close lacks the graph 見, “seeing,” that appears in its own question. Both later closes say “by contemplating and seeing.” The absence is preserved.)

3. Contemplating Suffering Accomplishes Desireless Liberation

Question: How does contemplating and seeing suffering accomplish desireless liberation?

Answer: One brings suffering immediately to mind; one causes mind to arise by fearing all formations; mind becomes very tranquil; one gains the faculty of concentration together with the other four faculties.

Of that kind, one knows arising as it really is—the text writes 如實知生, using 知. By means of that kind, all formations are seen as suffering. Through fear of arising, one causes knowledge of arising to arise.

Mind arises from arising, crosses over in the unarisen, and the body is liberated through desireless liberation.

Thus, by contemplating and seeing suffering, one accomplishes desireless liberation.

4. Contemplating Not-Self Accomplishes Emptiness Liberation

Question: How does contemplating and seeing not-self accomplish emptiness liberation?

Answer: One brings not-self immediately to mind; by emptiness, one causes all formations to arise; mind becomes greatly disenchanted; one gains the faculty of wisdom together with the other four faculties.

Of that kind, one knows characteristic and arising as they really are—the text writes 如實知相及生, again using 知. By means of that kind, all phenomena (一切諸法) become visible as not-self; through fear, one causes characteristic and arising to arise; dependent on characteristic and arising, only knowledge arises.

Mind becomes detached from characteristic and arising; in the cessation of the signless and the unarisen, mind crosses over to Nibbāna, and the body is liberated through emptiness liberation.

Thus, by contemplating and seeing not-self, one accomplishes emptiness liberation.

(This branch takes both characteristic and arising as its objects and therefore repeatedly has one more member. Its ending also adds “in the cessation of the signless and the unarisen, mind crosses over to Nibbāna,” which has no counterpart in the first two branches. It is preserved as written.)

Thus these three liberations become diverse paths through contemplation.

The last sentence closes this passage. The next takes up “one path.”

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Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · Each of the Three Contemplations Becomes One of the Three Liberations · Vernacular · Summer 2026

1. Mutually Attaining the Three Liberations on One Path

Question: How does attaining the three liberations become one path?

Answer: Having attained signless liberation, one comes to attain the three liberations.

Why? Through signlessness this person’s mind is liberated. Although liberated, through what has already been done and through appropriating the desireless liberation already attained, the three liberations become what is attained.

Why? Through construction, the mind is liberated—through liberation.

Through sign and appropriation, one attains emptiness liberation; the three liberations are also attained together.

Why? If the mind is liberated through appropriation, it is through liberation, sign, and construction.

Thus, having attained the three liberations, one accomplishes one path.

2. What Is the Difference Between Liberation and a Door of Liberation?

What is the difference between liberation and a door of liberation?

Answer: Only that path knowledge, liberated from defilements, is called liberation. In the sense of a door through which one enters the clarified essence, it is called a door of liberation.

Furthermore, liberation is only path knowledge; the object on which it depends is Nibbāna, and this is called a door of liberation.

3. General Heading of the Defilements

The defilements are 134 defilements: three unwholesome roots, three seekings, four influxes, four knots, four floods, four bonds, four clingings, four courses to bad destinations, five stinginesses, five hindrances, six roots of dispute, seven tendencies, the worldly eight conditions, nine conceits, ten bases of vexation, ten unwholesome courses of action, ten knots, ten wrong extremes, twelve inversions, and twelve unwholesome arisings of mind.

This heading contains twenty numbered topics. What follows names each topic and assigns the path by which it is abandoned.

4. Names of the Topics and Their Abandoning

Three Unwholesome Roots

The three unwholesome roots are greed, aversion, and delusion.

Of these three, aversion becomes attenuated through two paths and is extinguished without remainder by the non-returner path. Greed and delusion become attenuated through three paths and are extinguished without remainder by the arahant path.

Three Seekings

The three seekings are seeking sensual desire, seeking existence, and seeking the holy life.

Of these, seeking the holy life is extinguished without remainder by the stream-entry path; seeking sensual desire is extinguished by the non-returner path; and seeking existence by the arahant path.

Four Influxes

The four influxes are the influxes of sensual desire, existence, views, and ignorance.

The influx of views is extinguished by the stream-entry path; the influx of sensual desire by the non-returner path; and the influxes of existence and ignorance by the arahant path.

Four Knots

The four knots are the body-knot of sensual desire (貪欲身結), the body-knot of aversion, the body-knot of stealing discipline (戒盜身結), and the body-knot of appropriation of this truth.

The body-knot of stealing discipline and the body-knot of appropriation of this truth are extinguished by the stream-entry path; the body-knot of aversion by the non-returner path; and the body-knot of greed (貪身結) by the arahant path.

(The list says 貪欲身結, “body-knot of sensual desire,” while the abandoning statement says 貪身結, “body-knot of greed.” The forms remain distinct.)

Four Floods and Four Bonds

The four floods are the floods of sensual desire, existence, views, and ignorance.

The four bonds are the bonds of sensual desire, existence, views, and ignorance.

They are extinguished as stated in the first case.

(These two topics share one abandoning statement, the only such case in the passage.)

Four Clingings

The four clingings are clinging to sensual desire, clinging to views, clinging to discipline (戒取), and clinging to a doctrine of self.

Of these, three clingings are extinguished by the stream-entry path; clinging to sensual desire is extinguished by the arahant path.

(“Three clingings” gathers the three without naming each. It remains as written.)

Four Courses to Bad Destinations

The four courses to bad destinations are the courses through desire, aversion, fear, and delusion.

These four are extinguished by the stream-entry path.

Five Stinginesses

The five stinginesses are stinginess over dwelling, family, gains, form, and Dhamma.

These five are extinguished by the non-returner path.

Five Hindrances

The five hindrances are sensual desire, aversion, sloth, sleep, and the unsegmented Chinese sequence 調慢疑—agitation, conceit, doubt.

Of these, doubt is extinguished by the stream-entry path; sensual desire, aversion, and conceit by the non-returner path; sloth and agitation by the arahant path; and 睡眠隨色—literally, “sleep follows form.”

(The heading says five, while the abandoning statement names seven: doubt, sensual desire, aversion, conceit, sloth, agitation, and sleep. Its last listed item is the three-graph sequence 調慢疑; the text does not segment it. The final handling, 睡眠隨色, does not assign sleep to any path. Both irregularities remain as written.)

Six Roots of Dispute

The six roots of dispute are anger, concealment, envy, deceit, delight in evil, and contact with views.

Deceit, delight in evil, and contact with views are extinguished by the stream-entry path; anger, concealment, and envy by the non-returner path.

(This topic ends at the non-returner path and has no arahant-path portion.)

Seven Tendencies

The seven tendencies are the tendency to sensual attachment, aversion, conceit, views, doubt, the desire-for-existence tendency (有欲使), and ignorance.

The tendencies to views and doubt are extinguished by the stream-entry path; sensual attachment and aversion by the non-returner path; and conceit, the existence tendency (有使), and ignorance by the arahant path.

(The list says 有欲使, “desire-for-existence tendency,” while the abandoning statement says 有使, “existence tendency.” They remain distinct.)

The Worldly Eight Worldly Conditions

The worldly eight worldly conditions are gain, loss, disgrace, fame, praise, blame, suffering, and pleasure.

Aversion toward the four unwelcome conditions is extinguished by the non-returner path; the tendency toward the four welcome conditions by the arahant path.

(The general heading says 八法, “eight conditions,” while this explanation says 八世法, “eight worldly conditions.” They remain visibly distinct.)

Nine Conceits

The nine conceits are: from another who is superior, “I am superior”; with one who is superior, “I am equal”; from one who is superior, “I am inferior”; from one who is equal, “I am equal”; from one who is equal, “I am inferior”; from one who is inferior, “I am superior”; from one who is inferior, “I am equal”; and from one who is inferior, “I am inferior.”

The nine conceits are extinguished by the arahant path.

(The topic is called nine, but only eight statements are listed. No ninth statement is supplied.)

Ten Bases of Vexation: First

The ten bases of vexation are greed, aversion, delusion, conceit, views, doubt, sloth, agitation, shamelessness, and lack of moral dread.

Views and doubt are extinguished by the stream-entry path; aversion by the non-returner path; the remaining seven by the arahant path.

(The general heading says “ten bases of defilement,” while the explanation says “ten bases of vexation.” Its abandoning statement uniquely gathers “the remaining seven.”)

Ten Bases of Vexation: Second

The ten bases of vexation are these: a person becomes vexed because another has done, is doing, or will do what is harmful to me; because that person has done, is doing, or will do what is harmful to someone dear to me; and because a person not dear to me has done, is doing, or will do something, one becomes vexed in an inappropriate place.

The ten bases of vexation are extinguished by the non-returner path.

(This bears the same name as the preceding topic but denotes something entirely different. It has no separate position in the twenty-topic heading. The base nevertheless says “ten,” although the three persons multiplied by three times yield nine; the witnesses’ “nine” has not been adopted.)

Ten Unwholesome Courses of Action

The ten unwholesome courses of action are killing, taking what is not given, sexual misconduct, false speech, harsh speech, divisive speech, frivolous speech, greed, aversion, and wrong view.

Killing, taking what is not given, sexual misconduct, false speech, and wrong view are extinguished by the stream-entry path; harsh and divisive speech and aversion by the non-returner path; frivolous speech and greed by the arahant path.

Ten Tendencies

The ten tendencies (十使) are sensual attachment, aversion, conceit, views, doubt, clinging to discipline, attachment to existence, envy, stinginess, and ignorance.

Views, doubt, and clinging to discipline are extinguished by the stream-entry path; sensual attachment, aversion, envy, and stinginess by the non-returner path; and conceit, attachment to existence, and ignorance by the arahant path.

(The general heading says 十結, “ten knots,” while this explanation says 十使, “ten tendencies.” They remain visibly distinct.)

Ten Wrong Extremes

The ten wrong extremes are wrong view, wrong thought, wrong speech, wrong action, wrong livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, wrong concentration, wrong knowledge, and wrong liberation.

Wrong view, false speech as wrong speech, action, wrong livelihood, wrong knowledge, and wrong liberation are extinguished by the stream-entry path; wrong thought, harsh and divisive speech as wrong speech by the non-returner path; and frivolous speech as wrong speech, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness, and wrong concentration by the arahant path.

(The single name “wrong speech” is distributed across all three paths.)

Twelve Inversions

The twelve inversions are the inversion of perception, mind, and view that takes the impermanent as permanent; and likewise the painful as pleasant, the impure as pure, and not-self as self.

The three inversions that take the impermanent as permanent, the three that take not-self as self, the inversion of view that takes the impure as pure, and the inversion of view that takes suffering as pleasure are extinguished by the stream-entry path. The inversions of perception and mind that take the impure as pure are extinguished by the non-returner path. The inversions of perception and mind that take suffering as pleasure are extinguished by the arahant path.

Twelve Unwholesome Arisings of Mind

The twelve unwholesome arisings of mind are: an unprompted arising of mind associated with views and accompanied by joy, and a prompted arising; an unprompted arising not associated with views and accompanied by joy, and a prompted arising; an unprompted arising associated with views and accompanied by equanimity, and a prompted arising; an unprompted arising not associated with views and accompanied by equanimity, and a prompted arising; an unprompted arising associated with aversion and accompanied by grief, and a prompted mind (有行心); an arising of mind accompanied by agitation; and an arising of mind accompanied by doubt.

Of these, the four arisings associated with views and the arising accompanied by doubt are extinguished by the stream-entry path. Two associated arisings become attenuated through two paths and are extinguished without remainder by the non-returner path. The four arisings not associated with views and the arising accompanied by agitation become attenuated through three paths and are extinguished without remainder by the arahant path.

(The prompted item in the grief-and-aversion pair says only 有行心, “prompted mind,” while the other eleven items say “arising of mind.” The witnesses’ regularized 心起 has not been adopted.)

5. Final Heading of the Two Attainments

The two attainments are two attainments not shared with ordinary persons: accomplishment in fruition, and the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling.

The final sentence gives only their names. They are explained in the next two passages.

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Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · The Three Liberations on One Path and the Abandoning of Defilements · Vernacular · Summer 2026

1. Twelve Questions and Their Answers

Question: What is fruit attainment? Why is it called fruit attainment? Who cultivates it? Who causes it to arise? Why cultivate it? How is it cultivated? How does one attend to it? Through how many conditions is it accomplished? Through how many conditions does it abide? Through how many conditions does it arise? Is this attainment worldly or supramundane?

This single opening asks twelve questions. Only seven answers below receive their own headings, and the wording of three headings differs from the questions. “Who cultivates?” and “Who causes it to arise?” receive no separate heading; their answers are contained in the second topic. The form is preserved without supplementation.

What Is Fruit Attainment?

Answer: What is fruit attainment? This fruit of recluseship, in which the mind is settled in Nibbāna, is called fruit attainment.

Why Is It Called Fruit Attainment?

Why is it called fruit attainment? It is neither wholesome nor unwholesome; it is not an object; it is formed as the result of the supramundane path. Therefore, in this fruit attainment, arahants and non-returners fulfill this concentration.

Another statement says that all noble persons can cause it to arise. As the Abhidhamma says: to attain the stream-entry path, exclusion of arising is called change-of-lineage; all cases are like this.

Another statement says that all noble persons accomplish and fulfill this concentration, but only those persons cause it to arise.

As the elder Naluotuo (那羅陀) said: “Monastics! It is like an elder at a well in a mountain forest, with no rope there to draw water. A person comes, exposed to the sun (曝), exhausted by heat and longing from thirst. The person sees the well and knows that there is water, yet cannot remain in bodily contact with it. In the same way, I, an elder, truly and rightly know and clearly see that cessation is Nibbāna, but I am not an arahant whose influxes are exhausted.”

(Three statements stand side by side: the first limits fulfillment to arahants and non-returners; the second says all noble persons can cause it to arise; the third says all noble persons accomplish it but only those two cause it to arise. The author does not adjudicate among them.)

Why Cause It to Arise?

Why cause it to arise (何故令起)? Answer: One causes it to arise in order to abide happily in the presently seen Dhamma.

As the Blessed One taught Anan (阿難): “At that time, Anan, the Tathāgata did not attend to any signs. With only the cessation of one feeling, he caused signless concentration of mind to arise and abide.” At that time, Anan, the Tathāgata’s body became at ease.

How Is It Caused to Arise?

How, by what means, is it caused to arise (云何以令起)? Answer: The sitting meditator enters a very peaceful abiding, whether sitting or lying down, delighting in attaining fruit attainment. Beginning with contemplation of the arising and cessation of formations and continuing through change-of-lineage knowledge, immediately after change-of-lineage knowledge the mind is settled in fruit attainment upon Nibbāna. The path is cultivated in dependence on that meditation. This is what meditation accomplishes; it is called fruit attainment.

How Does One Attend to It?

How does one attend to it? Answer: One attends peacefully to the unconditioned realm of the clarified essence.

How Many Conditions?

Through how many conditions is it accomplished? Through how many conditions does it abide (幾緣住 in the question, 幾緣為住 in the answer)? Through how many conditions does it arise?

Answer: That attainment is accomplished through two conditions: not attending to any signs, and attending to the signless realm.

It abides through three conditions: not attending to any signs, attending to the signless realm, and the initial activity.

It arises through two conditions: attending to every sign, and not attending to the signless realm.

Worldly or Supramundane?

How is this concentration worldly or supramundane?

Answer: This is supramundane attainment, not worldly attainment.

2. The Non-Returner’s Difficulty

Question: When a non-returner directly contemplates fruit concentration, why, immediately after change-of-lineage, does the arahant path not arise?

Answer: Because it is not a place of delight, contemplative seeing does not arise; because there is no power.

Here two kinds of superior fruit are to be known:

Direct contemplation accomplishes a fruit with path and change-of-lineage;

when the directly realized path is immediately followed by the manifestation of fruit, it accomplishes a fruit without path and with change-of-lineage;

entering fruit concentration accomplishes a fruit without path and with change-of-lineage;

emerging from cessation concentration accomplishes a fruit without path and without change-of-lineage.

(The heading says “two kinds,” but four clauses follow. The text does not state what “two kinds” designates.)

(Fruit attainment is complete.)

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Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · Fruit Attainment · Vernacular · Summer 2026

1. Fourteen Questions and Their Answers

Question: What is the attainment of the cessation of perception and feeling (想受滅正受)? Who causes it to arise? Through how many powers is it accomplished and caused to arise? By removing how many activities is it caused to arise? How many preliminary matters are there? For what purpose does it arise? How does it arise? How does one emerge from it? With what mind does one emerge? After emerging, on what does the mind rest? By how many contacts is one contacted? How do activities first arise? What is the difference between a dead person and a person in entry into concentration that ceases perception and feeling? Is this concentration conditioned or unconditioned?

This opening asks fourteen questions. The answers below have fifteen headings, one more than the questions: “Who does not cause it to arise?” Several answer headings also differ verbally from their questions. They remain as written.

What Is the Attainment of the Cessation of Perception and Feeling?

Answer: Mind and mental factors do not arise. This is called concentration that ceases perception and feeling (滅想受定).

Who Causes It to Arise?

Who causes the concentration to arise? Answer: Arahants and non-returners fulfill this concentration.

Who Does Not Cause It to Arise?

Who does not cause it to arise? Answer: Ordinary persons, stream-enterers, once-returners, and those born in the formless realm, because it is not their sphere.

Ordinary persons cannot cause it to arise because the defilements obstructing concentration have not been abandoned. Stream-enterers and once-returners cannot because they are to arise again. Those in the formless realm cannot because it is not their place.

(This topic was not in the opening questions.)

Through How Many Powers Is It Accomplished and Caused to Arise?

Through how many powers is it accomplished and caused to arise? Answer: Through two powers: the power of calm and the power of insight.

Here, through the power of calm, one has mastery over the eight attainments; through the power of insight, mastery follows the seven contemplations.

What are the seven successive contemplations? Contemplation of impermanence, suffering, not-self, disenchantment, dispassion, cessation, and relinquishment.

The power of calm serves the factor of cessation meditation and immovable liberation. The power of insight serves seeing the danger in arising and liberation through the unarisen.

By Removing How Many Activities Is It Caused to Arise?

By removing how many activities is the concentration caused to arise? Answer: By removing three activities: verbal, bodily, and mental activity.

On entering the second meditation, thought and examination—the verbal activity—are removed. On entering the fourth meditation, out-breath and in-breath—the bodily activity—are removed. In a person entered into the concentration that ceases perception and feeling, perception and feeling—the mental activity—are removed.

How Many Preliminary Matters?

How many matters are preliminary? Answer: Four: a single binding, non-disturbance, far determination (遠分別), and discerning what is and is not a matter.

A single binding means wrapping the bowl and robe together in one place with the retained gaiji 𭞴 and undertaking it. Non-disturbance means undertaking, by every available means, the wish that this body not be disturbed. Far determination means measuring bodily strength and undertaking a determination by days: “After this long-far interval, I shall emerge when the term has passed.” Discerning what is and is not a matter means determining beforehand: if the Saṅgha assembles on a matter, one undertakes, “I shall emerge at that sound.”

A single binding protects the robe. Non-disturbance and long-far determination (久遠分別) protect the body. Discerning what is and is not a matter prevents obstruction of an assembly of the Saṅgha. While abiding in the base of nothingness, or when first performing the preliminary matter, one enters the first meditation.

(The heading says 遠分別, “far determination,” while the later explanation says 久遠分別, “long-far determination.” Four matters receive only three purpose-statements because non-disturbance and long-far determination share one. The forms remain distinct.)

Why Cause It to Arise?

Why cause it to arise? Answer: For abiding happily in the present Dhamma; it is the final immovable concentration of a noble person.

Furthermore, it is for arousing superknowledges and entering vast concentration. Examples are the arhat named Zhengming (正命羅漢), for protecting the body; the elder Shelifu (舍利弗); and the elder Bailuzidisha (白鷺子底沙). No unattested Indic names are supplied.

(The question says “for what purpose does it arise,” while this heading says “why cause it to arise.”)

How Is It Caused to Arise?

How is it caused to arise? The sitting meditator enters a very peaceful abiding, sitting or lying down, delighting in cessation and intending cessation, and enters the first meditation. Having entered, one emerges carefully and immediately sees that meditation as impermanent, painful, and not-self, continuing through knowledge of equanimity toward formations.

The same procedure is followed with the second, third, and fourth meditations, the base of infinite space, the base of infinite consciousness, and the base of nothingness: after entering and carefully emerging, one immediately sees the concentration as impermanent, painful, and not-self, continuing through knowledge of equanimity toward formations.

Then one immediately enters the base of neither perception nor non-perception and from there causes two or three minds of neither perception nor non-perception to arise. After they arise, one causes mind to cease. Once mind has ceased, it neither arises nor manifests as entry. This is called entry into the concentration that ceases perception and feeling (入滅想受定).

2. The Seven Topics Beginning with Emerging from It

How Does One Emerge from It?

How does one emerge from it? One does not attend, “I shall now emerge.” At the predetermined initial time, the prior determination takes effect.

With What Mind Does One Emerge?

With what mind does one emerge? A non-returner emerges with a non-returner’s fruition mind; an arahant with an arahant’s mind.

After Emerging, on What Does the Mind Rest?

After emerging, on what does that mind rest? Answer: The mind is directed solely toward peace.

By How Many Contacts Is One Contacted?

By how many contacts is one contacted? Answer: By three contacts: emptiness contact, signless contact, and desireless contact.

How Do Activities First Arise?

How do activities first arise? One proceeds from bodily activity, and from that, verbal activity.

Difference Between a Dead Person and a Person in Concentration

What is the difference between a dead person and a person entered into concentration that ceases perception (入滅想定人)? In a dead person, the three activities have sunk away and do not manifest (沒無現); lifespan is cut off, warmth is cut off, and the faculties are cut off. In a person entered into feeling-perception concentration (入受想定人), the three activities are cut off and sunken (斷沒); lifespan is not cut off, warmth is not cut off, and the faculties are not different (諸根不異). This is the difference.

(The dead person’s counterpart is called 入滅想定人, dropping “feeling,” while the practitioner is called 入受想定人, reversing perception and feeling. The first two practitioner conditions say “not cut off,” but the third says “faculties are not different,” not “not cut off.” The two phrases for the three activities are likewise different.)

Is This Concentration Conditioned or Unconditioned?

How is this concentration conditioned or unconditioned? Answer: It cannot be said that this concentration is conditioned or unconditioned.

3. Final Question: Why Can It Not Be Said?

Question: Why can this concentration not be said to be conditioned or unconditioned?

Answer: Conditioned phenomena do not exist within this concentration; the entry and emergence of unconditioned phenomena cannot be known. Therefore it cannot be said that this concentration is conditioned or unconditioned.

(Cessation meditation-concentration (滅禪定) is complete.)

(Thus the opening heading says 想受滅正受, the first answer 滅想受定, the procedure 入滅想受定, the comparison 入滅想定人 and 入受想定人, and the final note 滅禪定. All six distinct names are preserved.)

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Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · The Attainment of the Cessation of Perception and Feeling · Vernacular · Summer 2026

1. Completion

The twelve chapters of the Path of Freedom, through the Distinguishing of the Truths, are now complete.

(The two preceding topic-closes are inline notes enclosed in parentheses. This sentence instead forms a paragraph of the body.)

2. General Register of the Twelve Chapters

Here is the chapter register: Causation; Discipline (戒); Ascetic Practices; Concentration (定); Seeking a Good Friend (求善友); Distinguishing Conduct; Field of Conduct (行處); Doorways of Conduct; Five Superknowledges (五神通); Distinguishing Wisdom; Five Methods; Distinguishing the Truths. These twelve chapters are the sequence of chapters in the Path of Freedom.

(Five entries differ from the chapters’ own titles. 戒, “Discipline,” lacks “Analysis” from the title “Analysis of Discipline.” 定, “Concentration,” lacks it from “Analysis of Concentration.” 行處, “Field of Conduct,” lacks it from “Analysis of the Field of Conduct.” 五神通, “Five Superknowledges,” adds “super-” relative to the title “Five Knowledges.” Most decisively, 求善友, “Seeking a Good Friend,” is not the same wording as the title “Looking for a Spiritual Friend.” Recorded here as it stands.)

3. Three Concluding Verses

Boundless, beyond naming, inconceivable; immeasurable in skillful talent and skillful speech.

Who within this Dhamma can know? Only the sitting meditator can receive and retain it.

The subtle, supreme path is wholesome conduct; unconfused in the teaching, one parts from ignorance.

(Six lines of seven graphs, paired two by two: the first pair speaks of the Dhamma, the middle pair of the person, and the last pair of the fruit. This is the end of the whole book. Recorded here as it stands.)

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Shi Huijing · Waken · The Path of Freedom · Completion of the Twelve Chapters and Concluding Verses · Vernacular · Summer 2026