清淨道論 白話全本 · 冊10Visuddhimagga · Complete Vernacular · Vol. 10

The vernacular of this unit is this edition’s own rendering-with-exposition from the Pāli original (tr. mine); see this unit’s apparatus for the base-text particulars.

§1 Why Form Is Abandoned—Two Similes and Their Correspondence 〔CSCD §275〕

Chapter Ten: Explanation of the Immaterial

Explanation of the First Immaterial Attainment

After the divine abodes, among the four immaterial attainments that were listed, one who wishes first to develop the base of infinite space follows the statement: “Taking form as the cause, taking up sticks, taking up weapons, quarrels, fights, and disputes are seen; but in the immaterial there are none of these at all. Having reflected in this way, he enters upon the way for disenchantment with forms, for dispassion toward them, and for their cessation.” Seeing danger in material form produced by kamma¹ on account of these cases of taking up sticks and the like, as well as the thousand afflictions such as diseases of the eyes and ears, and wishing to surmount it, he arouses the fourth jhāna in any one of the nine kasiṇas beginning with the earth kasiṇa, apart from the limited-space kasiṇa.²

Although he has surmounted material form produced by kamma by means of the fourth form-sphere jhāna, the form of the kasiṇa³ is merely similar to that material form, so he wishes to surmount that as well. How? Suppose a man afraid of snakes were pursued by a snake in a forest and fled swiftly. At the place to which he escaped, he might see a patterned palmyra leaf, a creeper, a rope, or a fissure in cracked ground. He would still be afraid and terrified, and would not want to look at it at all. Or suppose a man lived in one village with an enemy who did him harm and was tormented by that enemy through killing, binding, burning his house, and so forth. He might go to another village to live, yet there too see a man whose appearance, voice, and manner resembled his enemy’s. He would still be afraid and terrified, and would not want to look at him at all.

Here is the correspondence of the similes. The time when those men were harassed by the snake or the enemy is like the time when a bhikkhu is associated with material form produced by kamma through taking it as an object. Their swift flight and departure for another village are like the time when the bhikkhu surmounts material form produced by kamma through the fourth form-sphere jhāna. Their fear, terror, and unwillingness to look when they see the patterned palmyra leaf and the rest at the place of escape, or a person resembling the enemy in the other village, are like the bhikkhu’s wish to surmount the form of the kasiṇa too after observing, “The form of the kasiṇa is merely similar to that.” The similes of a dog struck by a pig, a person afraid of ghosts, and so on should also be understood here.

§2 Removing the Kasiṇa and Taking Space—Preparatory Work and Absorption 〔CSCD §276〕

Having thus become disenchanted with the form of the kasiṇa that is the object of the fourth jhāna, and wishing to depart from it, he gains mastery in five ways⁴ and emerges from the well-mastered fourth form-sphere jhāna. He sees these dangers in that jhāna: “It takes as its object this form with which I have become disenchanted”; “It is close to joy, its adversary”; and “It is gross compared with the peaceful liberations.”⁵ Here, however, there is no grossness of factors, for just as this form-sphere fourth jhāna has two factors, so do the immaterial attainments.

Having seen these dangers there and exhausted his longing⁶ for it, he attends to the base of infinite space as peaceful and infinite. He extends the kasiṇa as far as the boundary of the world-system, or as far as he wishes, and removes the kasiṇa while attending to the space touched by it as “space, space” or “infinite space.”

When he removes it, he does not roll it up as one rolls a mat, nor lift it away as one removes a cake from a pot. He simply does not turn toward it, attend to it, or review it. When, without turning toward it, attending to it, or reviewing it, he attends only to the space touched by the kasiṇa as “space, space,” this is called “removing the kasiṇa.”

Nor does the kasiṇa that is being removed roll up or turn aside. It is called removed simply because of his non-attention to it and his attention to “space, space,” and only the space left by the removal of the kasiṇa appears. “Space left by removal of the kasiṇa,” “space touched by the kasiṇa,” and “space free from the kasiṇa” are all one and the same.

He repeatedly turns toward that sign of the space left by removing the kasiṇa as “space, space,” striking it with thought and striking it with applied thought. As he repeatedly turns toward it and strikes it with thought and applied thought, the hindrances are suppressed, mindfulness⁷ becomes established, and the mind becomes concentrated by access.⁸ He repeatedly cultivates, develops, and makes much of that sign. As he repeatedly turns toward it and attends to it, the consciousness of the base of infinite space enters absorption upon space, just as form-sphere consciousness does upon the earth kasiṇa and the others. Here too, in the preliminary phase, three or four impulsions belong to the sense sphere and are associated only with equanimous feeling; the fourth or fifth belongs to the immaterial sphere. The rest follows the method stated under the earth kasiṇa.

The distinction here is this. When immaterial-sphere consciousness has arisen in this way, the bhikkhu is like a man who binds one among a carriage bag, the mouth of a jar, and the like with an old blue cloth, or with an old cloth of some other color such as yellow, red, or white, and looks at it. When the cloth is carried away by the wind or by something else, he stands looking only at the space. In the same way, after dwelling while looking at the kasiṇa disk with the eye of jhāna, when that sign is suddenly removed through the preparatory attention “space, space,” he dwells looking only at space. At this point he is said to “enter and dwell in the base of infinite space, thinking ‘space is infinite,’ with the complete surmounting of perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of resistance, and with non-attention to perceptions of diversity.”

§3 Surmounting Perceptions of Form 〔CSCD §277〕

Here, “complete” means in every respect, or all without remainder.

“Perceptions of form” refers, with perception as the heading,¹⁰ both to the form-sphere jhānas and to their objects. For a form-sphere jhāna is also called “form” in such passages as “possessed of form, one sees forms”; its object is also called “form” in such passages as “one sees external forms, beautiful and ugly.” Thus “perception with respect to form” is “perception of form.” In this way, it is a designation for the form-sphere jhānas stated with perception as the heading. Or, “its perception is form,” so it is a “perception of form”; this means that its name is “form.” It should be understood that this is also a designation for their objects, divided into the earth kasiṇa and the others.

“Surmounting” means through dispassion and cessation. What is being said? With respect to the fifteen perceptions of form called jhānas, according to the wholesome, resultant, and functional modes, and the nine perceptions of form called objects, according to the earth kasiṇa and the others, he enters and dwells in the base of infinite space, which is both the cause of dispassion and the cause of cessation, through dispassion from and cessation of them in every respect or without remainder. For one who has not completely surmounted perceptions of form cannot enter and dwell in this base.

Because one who has not become dispassionate toward the object cannot surmount perception, and because when the perceptions have been surmounted the object has also been surmounted, the Vibhaṅga speaks only of surmounting the perceptions and not of surmounting the object: “Here, what are perceptions of form? The perception, perceiving, and state of having perceived in one who has entered a form-sphere attainment, one who has been reborn there, or one who abides happily here and now—these are called perceptions of form. He has passed beyond, gone beyond, and surmounted these perceptions of form. Therefore it is said, ‘with the complete surmounting of perceptions of form.’” But because these attainments are reached by surmounting the object, unlike the first jhāna and the others, which are reached upon the very same object, it should be understood that the explanation of meaning here is also made in terms of surmounting the object.

§4 The Disappearance of Perceptions of Resistance 〔CSCD §278〕

“With the disappearance of perceptions of resistance”: perceptions arisen through the impact of the eye and the other physical bases upon visible form and the other objects are perceptions of resistance. This is a designation for perceptions of visible form and the rest. As stated: “Here, what are perceptions of resistance? Perception of visible form, perception of sound, perception of odor, perception of flavor, and perception of the tangible—these are called perceptions of resistance.” Thus, with the disappearance, abandonment, and non-arising of all ten perceptions of resistance—the five wholesome resultants and the five unwholesome resultants—he makes them cease to occur.

These perceptions are admittedly absent for one who has entered the first jhāna and the others too, because at that time consciousness does not occur through the five doors. Even so, it should be understood that they are stated here, like pleasure and pain abandoned elsewhere but mentioned in connection with the fourth jhāna, and like identity view and the rest mentioned in connection with the third path, in order to arouse effort toward this jhāna and by way of praising it.

Alternatively, although they are absent for one who has entered a form-sphere attainment, they are not absent because they have been abandoned. Development in the form sphere does not lead to dispassion toward form, and their occurrence depends upon form; this development, however, does lead to dispassion toward form. It is therefore proper to say that they have been abandoned here. Not only is it proper to say this; it is proper to hold it unreservedly. Precisely because they had not been abandoned before this, the Blessed One called sound a “thorn” for one who has entered the first jhāna. And precisely because they are abandoned here, the immaterial attainments are called unwavering and peaceful liberations. Āḷāra Kālāma, while entered into an immaterial attainment, neither saw nor heard five hundred carts passing close by, one after another.¹¹

§5 Non-attention to Perceptions of Diversity and the Summary of the Three Phrases 〔CSCD §279〕

“With non-attention to perceptions of diversity” means perceptions occurring in diverse fields, or perceptions that are themselves diverse. For the Vibhaṅga analyzes them as follows: “Here, what are perceptions of diversity? The perception, perceiving, and state of having perceived in one who is not in attainment and who is accompanied by the mind element or by the mind-consciousness element—these are called perceptions of diversity.” The perceptions intended here, those of one not in attainment and included within the mind element and mind-consciousness element, occur in diverse fields of diverse nature, divided into visible form, sound, and so on. And because these perceptions—eight wholesome sense-sphere perceptions, twelve unwholesome perceptions, eleven wholesome-resultant sense-sphere perceptions, two unwholesome-resultant perceptions, and eleven functional sense-sphere perceptions, making forty-four in all—are diverse, of diverse nature, and mutually dissimilar, they are called “perceptions of diversity.” “With non-attention to all those perceptions of diversity” means not turning toward them, not bringing the mind together with them,¹² and not reviewing them. The meaning is that he does not turn toward them, attend to them, or review them.

Moreover, because the preceding perceptions of form and perceptions of resistance do not exist even in an existence produced by this jhāna—much less while one enters and dwells in this jhāna in that existence—the words “surmounting” and “disappearance” both state their absence. Among perceptions of diversity, however, twenty-seven perceptions—eight wholesome sense-sphere perceptions, nine functional perceptions, and ten unwholesome perceptions—do exist in an existence produced by this jhāna. It should therefore be understood that “non-attention” is said with respect to them. Even in that existence, one who enters and dwells in this jhāna does so only through non-attention to them; if one attends to them, one is not in attainment.

In brief, “with the surmounting of perceptions of form” states the abandonment of all form-sphere phenomena. “With the disappearance of perceptions of resistance and non-attention to perceptions of diversity,” it should be understood, states the abandonment of and non-attention to all sense-sphere consciousness and mental factors.

§6 Infinite Space and the Name “Base of Infinite Space” 〔CSCD §280〕

“Space is infinite”: because neither the boundary of its arising nor the boundary of its passing away is discerned, it is “infinite”; “space” means the space left by removing the kasiṇa. Its infinitude should also be understood in terms of attention. Hence the Vibhaṅga says: “He places and establishes the mind in that space and pervades it as infinite; therefore it is called ‘infinite space.’”

“He enters and dwells in the base of infinite space”: it has no boundary, so it is infinite; space is infinite, hence “infinite space”; infinite space itself is the “infinity of space.” That infinity of space is the “base” for the jhāna together with its associated phenomena in the sense of a dwelling place, just as the realm of the devas is the devas’ dwelling place; hence it is the “base of infinite space.”

“Enters and dwells” means that, having reached and accomplished that base of infinite space, he dwells with a bodily posture appropriate to it.

This is the detailed explanation of the meditation subject of the base of infinite space.

Notes

¹ Material form produced by kamma (karajarūpa): the material form of this body, produced by kamma; this discourse treats it as one thing abandoned by immaterial development.

² Limited-space kasiṇa (paricchinnākāsakasiṇa): the last of the ten kasiṇas. This discourse specifies that the fourth jhāna used to enter an immaterial attainment is based only on the other nine, excluding this kasiṇa; the treatise does not itself state why it is excluded.

³ Form of the kasiṇa (kasiṇarūpa): the form of the kasiṇa sign that is the object of the fourth jhāna; the treatise abandons it too because it resembles material form produced by kamma.

⁴ Mastery in five ways (pañcahākārā): mastery in turning toward, entering, remaining in, emerging from, and reviewing an attainment. These are enumerated in the chapter on the earth kasiṇa; this discourse refers back to them with a single expression and does not repeat the list.

⁵ Peaceful liberation (santavimokkha): a general designation for the immaterial attainments; here it is the comparison by which the fourth form-sphere jhāna is called gross.

⁶ Longing (nikanti): subtle delight in an attainment already reached. Unless exhausted, it prevents entry into the next attainment.

⁷ Mindfulness (sati): the mental factor that holds its object in memory without losing it and that the treatise regularly associates with understanding, energy, and concentration. It belongs to a more specific category here than the broad awareness commonly meant today by “mindfulness” and should be read according to the treatise’s own usage.

⁸ Access concentration (upacāra-samādhi) and absorption concentration (appanā-samādhi): in access concentration the hindrances have been suppressed, but the mind has not yet entered absorption; in absorption concentration the mind has entered fully into its object and does not waver.

⁹ Carriage bag (yānapputoḷi): one of the names for the covered receptacle in the simile. This edition reads the object in this way and does not determine its identification.

¹⁰ Perception as the heading (saññāsīsa): the treatise’s mode of explanation in which the word “perception” heads and encompasses both the jhāna and its object. Its later discussions of feeling, consciousness, contact, and other phenomena in this chapter follow the same method.

¹¹ Āḷāra Kālāma (Āḷāra Kālāma): the treatise states only that, while in an immaterial attainment, he neither saw nor heard the passing carts; it gives no other information about him here.

¹² Bringing the mind together (samannāhāra): the operation by which the mind converges upon an object. Here it is denied alongside turning toward and reviewing.

The vernacular of this unit is this edition’s own rendering-with-exposition from the Pāli original (tr. mine); see this unit’s apparatus for the base-text particulars.

§1 Seeing Danger and Taking the Consciousness That Pervaded Space 〔CSCD §281〕

Discourse on the Base of Infinite Consciousness

One who wishes to develop the base of infinite consciousness should gain mastery in five ways¹ over the attainment of the base of infinite space. Then, seeing the danger in the base of infinite space—“This attainment is close to the form-sphere jhāna, its adversary, and is not as peaceful as the base of infinite consciousness”—one exhausts longing² for it and attends to the base of infinite consciousness as peaceful. One repeatedly turns toward the consciousness that occurred while pervading space³ as “consciousness, consciousness,” attends to it, reviews it, and strikes it with thought and applied thought. One should not, however, attend to it as “infinite, infinite.”

As one repeatedly directs the mind toward that sign, the hindrances are suppressed, mindfulness becomes established, and the mind becomes concentrated by access. One repeatedly cultivates, develops, and makes much of that sign. As one does so, the consciousness of the base of infinite consciousness enters absorption upon the consciousness that occurred while pervading space, just as the consciousness of the base of infinite space enters absorption upon space. The method of absorption here should be understood according to the method already stated. At this point one is said to “enter and dwell in the base of infinite consciousness, thinking ‘consciousness is infinite,’ having completely surmounted the base of infinite space.”

§2 The Meaning of Surmounting and the Name “Base of Infinite Consciousness” 〔CSCD §282〕

Here, the expression “completely” follows the method already stated.

“Having surmounted the base of infinite space”: according to the method stated earlier, both the jhāna and the object are the base of infinite space. The object is the infinity of space, and because it is the object of the first immaterial jhāna, it is a “base” in the sense of a dwelling place, just as the deva realm is the devas’ dwelling place; hence it is the “base of infinite space.” Likewise, because it is the infinity of space and the cause for the arising of that jhāna, it is a “base” in the sense of a place of origin,⁴ as in “Kamboja is a base for horses”; hence it too is the “base of infinite space.” Since one must enter and dwell in the base of infinite consciousness only after surmounting both the jhāna and its object by making the former cease to occur and by not attending to the latter, it should be understood that the two are brought together under the single phrase “having surmounted the base of infinite space.”

“Infinite consciousness” means that one attends as “infinite consciousness” to the very consciousness that occurred while pervading space as “space is infinite.” Or it is infinite in terms of attention: because one attends without remainder to the consciousness whose object is space, one attends to it as “infinite.” The Vibhaṅga says: “‘Infinite consciousness’: one attends to that very space pervaded by consciousness and pervades it as infinite; therefore it is called ‘infinite consciousness.’”

Here, “by consciousness” should be understood as an instrumental used in the sense of the accusative.⁵ For the teachers of the commentary⁶ explain its meaning in precisely this way: “One pervades it as infinite; one attends to the consciousness that pervaded that very space.”

“Enters and dwells in the base of infinite consciousness”: because it has no boundary, it is “infinite”; the infinite is “infinity.” Instead of stating the full form “infinity of consciousness,” the contracted form is used; this is a conventional expression.⁷ That “infinity of consciousness,” being a base for the jhāna and its associated phenomena in the sense of a dwelling place, just as the deva realm is the devas’ dwelling place, is the “base of infinite consciousness.” The rest is as before.

This is the detailed explanation of the meditation subject of the base of infinite consciousness.

Notes

¹ Mastery in five ways (pañcahākārā): mastery in turning toward, entering, remaining in, emerging from, and reviewing an attainment. The chapter on the earth kasiṇa enumerates them; this discourse refers back with one expression and does not repeat the list.

² Longing (nikanti): subtle delight in an attainment already reached. Unless exhausted, it prevents entry into the next attainment.

³ Consciousness occurring while pervading space (ākāsaṃ pharitvā pavattaviññāṇa): the consciousness of the preceding attainment whose object was space, not a separately established phenomenon.

⁴ The sense of a dwelling place and the sense of a place of origin (adhiṭṭhānaṭṭha; sañjātidesaṭṭha): two meanings of “base” (āyatana). One is like the place where devas dwell; the other is like the place from which something comes. Both meanings and their respective similes appear here, and later discourses in this chapter follow the pattern.

⁵ Instrumental and accusative (karaṇavacana; upayogattha): two Pāli cases. The quoted form is the instrumental “by consciousness,” but its meaning should be understood as the accusative, “[attends to] consciousness.”

⁶ Teachers of the commentary (aṭṭhakathācariyā): the explanation of earlier teachers cited by the treatise; this is its only occurrence in this chapter.

⁷ Conventional expression (rūḷhīsadda): a form established by usage rather than fully governed by grammar. The treatise explains that the name here uses the contracted form viññāṇañca, rather than the full form “infinity of consciousness,” viññāṇānañca, for this reason.

The vernacular of this unit is this edition’s own rendering-with-exposition from the Pāli original (tr. mine); see this unit’s apparatus for the base-text particulars.

§1 Attention to Absence and the Simile of the Dispersed Gathering 〔CSCD §283〕

Discourse on the Base of Nothingness

One who wishes to develop the base of nothingness should gain mastery in five ways¹ over the attainment of the base of infinite consciousness. Then, seeing the danger in the base of infinite consciousness—“This attainment is close to the base of infinite space, its adversary, and is not as peaceful as the base of nothingness”—one exhausts longing² for it and attends to the base of nothingness as peaceful. One should then attend to the absence, emptiness, and aspect of seclusion³ of the consciousness of the base of infinite space that was the object of the base of infinite consciousness. How? Without attending to that consciousness, one should repeatedly turn toward “there is not, there is not,” or “empty, empty,” or “secluded, secluded,” attend to it, review it, and strike it with thought and applied thought.

As one directs the mind toward that sign, the hindrances are suppressed, mindfulness becomes established, and the mind becomes concentrated by access. One repeatedly cultivates, develops, and makes much of that sign. As one does so, the consciousness of the base of nothingness enters absorption upon the emptiness, seclusion, and absence of that same exalted⁴ consciousness that occurred while pervading space, just as the base of infinite consciousness entered absorption upon the exalted consciousness that pervaded space. Here too the method of absorption should be understood according to the method already stated.

The distinction here is this. When that absorption consciousness arises, the bhikkhu is like a man who sees the community of bhikkhus assembled in a circular hall⁵ or another place for some business, and then goes elsewhere. When the business of the gathering is finished and the bhikkhus have risen and departed, he returns, stands at the door, and looks again at the place. He sees only that it is empty and only that it is secluded. He does not think, “So many bhikkhus have died or gone away in different directions”; rather, he sees only its state of absence: “This is empty; this is secluded.” In the same way, after dwelling while seeing with the eye of the jhāna of the base of infinite consciousness the consciousness that had occurred upon space, when that consciousness disappears through the preparatory attention “there is not, there is not,” and so on, he dwells seeing only its absence, called its departure. At this point one is said to “enter and dwell in the base of nothingness, thinking ‘there is nothing,’ having completely surmounted the base of infinite consciousness.”

§2 The Meaning of Nothingness and Its Name 〔CSCD §284〕

Here too, “completely” follows the method already stated. “The base of infinite consciousness”: here too, according to the method stated earlier, both the jhāna and its object are the base of infinite consciousness. The object is the infinity of consciousness, and because it is the object of the second immaterial jhāna, it is a “base” in the sense of a dwelling place, just as the deva realm is the devas’ dwelling place; hence it is the “base of infinite consciousness.” Likewise, because it is the infinity of consciousness and the cause for the arising of that jhāna, it is a “base” in the sense of a place of origin, as in “Kamboja is a base for horses”; hence it too is the “base of infinite consciousness.” Since one must enter and dwell in the base of nothingness only after surmounting both the jhāna and its object by making the former cease to occur and by not attending to the latter, it should be understood that the two are brought together under the single phrase “having surmounted the base of infinite consciousness.”

“There is nothing” means attending in this way: “there is not, there is not,” “empty, empty,” or “secluded, secluded.” The Vibhaṅga says: “‘There is nothing’: one makes that very consciousness be absent, makes it disappear, causes it to vanish, and sees ‘there is nothing’; therefore it is said ‘there is nothing.’” Although this sounds like contemplation made in terms of exhaustion, its meaning should be understood in just this way. Because one does not turn toward, attend to, or review that consciousness, but attends only to its state of absence, emptiness, and seclusion, one is said to make it be absent, make it disappear, and cause it to vanish; it has no other meaning.

“Enters and dwells in the base of nothingness”: it has no possession of anything, so it is “one who possesses nothing”; this means that not even a mere portion of dissolution⁶ remains for it. The state of one who possesses nothing is “nothingness,” a designation for the departure of the consciousness of the base of infinite space. That nothingness, being a “base” for the jhāna in the sense of a dwelling place, just as the deva realm is the devas’ dwelling place, is the “base of nothingness.” The rest is as before.

This is the detailed explanation of the meditation subject of the base of nothingness.

Notes

¹ Mastery in five ways (pañcahākārā): mastery in turning toward, entering, remaining in, emerging from, and reviewing an attainment. The chapter on the earth kasiṇa enumerates them; this discourse refers back with one expression and does not repeat the list.

² Longing (nikanti): subtle delight in an attainment already reached. Unless exhausted, it prevents entry into the next attainment.

³ Absence, emptiness, and the aspect of seclusion (abhāva; suññatā; vivittākāra): three names for the non-presence of the preceding attainment’s consciousness, corresponding respectively to the three preparatory phrases “there is not,” “empty,” and “secluded.” The treatise places the three together and does not declare one alone correct.

⁴ Exalted (mahaggata): a common designation for consciousness of the form and immaterial spheres, distinguished from sense-sphere consciousness.

⁵ Circular hall (maṇḍalamāḷa): a monastery hall in which the community of bhikkhus assembles.

⁶ Mere dissolution (bhaṅgamatta): merely a portion of dissolution. By saying that not even this remains, the treatise shows the thoroughness of “nothingness.”

The vernacular of this unit is this edition’s own rendering-with-exposition from the Pāli original (tr. mine); see this unit’s apparatus for the base-text particulars.

§1 Two Ways of Seeing Danger and Attention to Peacefulness 〔CSCD §285〕

Discourse on the Base of Neither Perception nor Non-perception

One who wishes to develop the base of neither perception nor non-perception should gain mastery in five ways¹ over the attainment of the base of nothingness. Then one sees danger in the base of nothingness and benefit in what is above it in either of two ways: “This attainment is close to the base of infinite consciousness, its adversary, and is not as peaceful as the base of neither perception nor non-perception”; or, “Perception is a disease, perception is a boil, perception is a dart; this is peaceful, this is sublime—namely, neither perception nor non-perception.” Having exhausted longing² for the base of nothingness and attended to the base of neither perception nor non-perception as peaceful, one should repeatedly turn toward, as “peaceful, peaceful,” the attainment of the base of nothingness that occurred taking absence as its object, attend to it, review it, and strike it with thought and applied thought.

As one repeatedly directs the mind toward that sign, the hindrances are suppressed, mindfulness becomes established, and the mind becomes concentrated by access. One repeatedly cultivates, develops, and makes much of that sign. As one does so, the consciousness of the base of neither perception nor non-perception enters absorption upon the four aggregates called the attainment of the base of nothingness, just as the base of nothingness enters absorption upon the departure of consciousness. The method of absorption here should be understood according to the method already stated. At this point one is said to “enter and dwell in the base of neither perception nor non-perception, having completely surmounted the base of nothingness.”

§2 The Meaning of Surmounting and the King’s Simile 〔CSCD §286〕

Here too, “completely” follows the method already stated. “Having surmounted the base of nothingness”: here too, according to the method stated earlier, both the jhāna and its object are the base of nothingness. The object is nothingness, and because it is the object of the third immaterial jhāna, it is a “base” in the sense of a dwelling place, just as the deva realm is the devas’ dwelling place; hence it is the “base of nothingness.” Likewise, because it is nothingness and the cause for the arising of that jhāna, it is a “base” in the sense of a place of origin, as in “Kamboja is a base for horses”; hence it too is the “base of nothingness.” Since one must enter and dwell in the base of neither perception nor non-perception only after surmounting both the jhāna and its object by making the former cease to occur and by not attending to the latter, it should be understood that the two are brought together under the single phrase “having surmounted the base of nothingness.”

“The base of neither perception nor non-perception”: it is called this because it has perception of that kind. To show first the degree of practice at which that perception occurs, the Vibhaṅga introduces the phrase “one who is neither percipient nor non-percipient” and says: “One attends to that same base of nothingness as peaceful and develops the attainment with formations as residue;³ therefore one is called ‘neither percipient nor non-percipient.’” Here, “attends to it as peaceful” means that one attends to it as peaceful because of the peacefulness of its object: “How peaceful this attainment truly is, since it can remain with even the state of absence as its object!”

Question: if one attends to it as peaceful, how is it surmounted? Answer: because one does not wish to enter it. Although one attends to it as peaceful, there is no inclination,⁴ bringing together of the mind, or attention such as, “I shall turn toward it, enter it, resolve to remain in it, emerge from it, and review it.” Why? Because the base of neither perception nor non-perception is more peaceful and more sublime than the base of nothingness.

It is as if a king, in the greatness of his royal power and mounted upon a noble elephant, were traveling along a city street and saw craftsmen such as ivory workers. They had wrapped one cloth tightly around themselves, another around their heads, and their bodies were covered with ivory dust as they fashioned many kinds of ivory work and other crafts. The king might say, “Ah, these masters are truly skilled, to make crafts such as these,” and delight in their skill. Yet it would not occur to him, “If only I might abandon the kingship and become such a craftsman!” Why not? Because the glory of kingship has great benefit. He passes beyond the craftsmen and continues. In the same way, although one attends to that attainment as peaceful, there is no inclination, bringing together of the mind, or attention such as, “I shall turn toward this attainment, enter it, resolve to remain in it, emerge from it, and review it.”

Attending to it as peaceful in this way, one reaches, according to the method already stated, the perception that is supremely subtle and has reached absorption. Because of it one is called “neither percipient nor non-percipient” and is said to develop the attainment with formations as residue. “Attainment with formations as residue” means the fourth immaterial attainment, whose formations have reached the state of supreme subtlety.

§3 Explanation of “Neither Perception nor Non-perception” and Two Accounts of Novices 〔CSCD §287〕

Now, to show in terms of meaning what is called the “base of neither perception nor non-perception” by virtue of the perception attained in this way, the Vibhaṅga says: “‘The base of neither perception nor non-perception’ means the phenomena of consciousness and mental factors belonging to one who has entered the base of neither perception nor non-perception, one who has been reborn there, or one who dwells happily here and now.” Of these, the phenomena of consciousness and mental factors belonging to one in attainment are intended here.

The word meaning here is this. Because gross perception is absent and subtle perception is present, the jhāna together with its associated phenomena is neither percipient nor non-percipient; hence it is “neither perception nor non-perception.” It is neither perception nor non-perception, and because it is included in the mind base and the phenomenon base, it is also a “base”; hence it is the “base of neither perception nor non-perception.” Alternatively, the perception here is “not perception” because it is incapable of performing the function of acute perception, and it is “not non-perception” because it remains present in the subtle form of formations as residue; hence it is “neither perception nor non-perception.” It is neither perception nor non-perception and is a “base” for the remaining phenomena in the sense of a dwelling place; hence it is the “base of neither perception nor non-perception.”

It is not only perception here that is of this kind. Feeling too is neither feeling nor non-feeling, consciousness is neither consciousness nor non-consciousness, and contact is neither contact nor non-contact. The same method applies to the remaining associated phenomena. It should be understood that the teaching is presented with perception as the heading. This meaning should be made clear through such similes as oil smeared on a bowl.

It is said that a novice smeared a bowl with oil and set it aside. At the time for drinking gruel, an elder said, “Bring the bowl.” The novice replied, “Venerable sir, there is oil in the bowl.” The elder then said, “Bring the oil, novice; I shall fill a tube.” The novice replied, “Venerable sir, there is no oil.” Here, because the oil had remained inside overnight and would make the gruel improper⁵ if mixed with it, one says “there is oil”; but for filling a tube and the like, one says “there is none.” Likewise, that perception is “not perception” because it cannot perform the function of acute perception, and “not non-perception” because it remains present in the subtle form of formations as residue.

What, then, is the function of perception here? It is both to recognize the object and, by becoming a field for insight, to give rise to disenchantment. Just as the fire element in warm water cannot acutely perform the function of burning, so this perception cannot acutely perform the function of recognizing. Nor can it, like perception in the other attainments, become a field for insight and give rise to disenchantment. No bhikkhu who has not established an approach⁶ to the other aggregates is capable of contemplating the aggregates of the base of neither perception nor non-perception and reaching disenchantment, apart from the Venerable Sāriputta. Only a habitual insight practitioner of great wisdom, like Sāriputta, could do so. Even such a person can do so only through contemplation by groups—“It seems these phenomena, not having been, come into being; having been, they disappear”—not through insight into successive individual phenomena. This attainment has reached such subtlety.

Just as this meaning is clarified through the simile of oil smeared on a bowl, it should also be clarified through the simile of water on the road. It is said that an elder was walking along a road when a novice ahead saw a little water and said, “Venerable sir, there is water; take off your sandals.” The elder replied, “If there is water, bring the bathing cloth; let us bathe.” The novice said, “Venerable sir, there is none.” Here, one says “there is water” because there is enough to wet the sandals, but “there is none” in the sense that there is not enough for bathing. Likewise, that perception is “not perception” because it cannot perform the function of acute perception, and “not non-perception” because it remains present in the subtle form of formations as residue.

Not only through these two similes, but through other appropriate similes as well, this meaning should be made clear. The phrase “enters and dwells” follows the method already stated.

This is the detailed explanation of the meditation subject of the base of neither perception nor non-perception.

Notes

¹ Mastery in five ways (pañcahākārā): mastery in turning toward, entering, remaining in, emerging from, and reviewing an attainment. The chapter on the earth kasiṇa enumerates them; this discourse refers back with one expression and does not repeat the list.

² Longing (nikanti): subtle delight in an attainment already reached. Unless exhausted, it prevents entry into the next attainment.

³ Attainment with formations as residue (saṅkhārāvasesasamāpatti): a name established by the Vibhaṅga; the treatise itself explains it as “the fourth immaterial attainment whose formations have reached the state of supreme subtlety.”

⁴ Inclination and bringing together of the mind (ābhoga; samannāhāra): two operations by which the mind tends toward and converges upon an object, listed alongside attention. The treatise denies all three to show that one has no wish to enter the attainment.

⁵ Improper (akappiya): a Vinaya term for what is not allowable and should not be used. It belongs to a different category from “foulness” (asubha) as a meditation subject.

⁶ Establishing an approach (abhinivesa): repeatedly examining the aggregates until one finds a point of entry. Here it is a starting point for insight and differs in function from the “adherence” criticized in the insight chapters; this edition follows the apparatus in recording the two functions of one form.

The vernacular of this unit is this edition’s own rendering-with-exposition from the Pāli original (tr. mine); see this unit’s apparatus for the base-text particulars.

§1 Opening Verses and Transcendence of the Object—Not Transcendence of Factors 〔CSCD §288–289〕

Miscellany Discussion

The Protector peerless in form¹ taught the fourfold immaterial; having understood it thus, the Miscellany Discussion on it should also be known.

For the immaterial attainments—

These four all come to be through transcendence of the object; the discerning do not accept transcendence of factors among them.

For among them, the first comes through transcending the sign of form, the second through transcending space, the third through transcending the consciousness that had occurred upon space, and the fourth through transcending the departure of the consciousness that had occurred upon space. Thus it should be understood that all four immaterial attainments come to be through transcendence of the object. But the wise do not accept transcendence of factors among them. For there is no transcendence of factors in them as there is in the form-sphere attainments: in every one of them the jhāna factors are only the two of equanimity and one-pointedness of mind.²

§2 Each Successive Attainment Is More Sublime—The Similes of the Stories and the Cloths 〔CSCD §290〕

Even though this is so—

Here each successive one is more sublime; in this regard the similes of the stories and the cloths should be understood.

Suppose that on the lowest story of a four-storied mansion there were present sublime objects of the five cords of sensual pleasure³ by way of celestial dancing, song, music, fragrant scents, garlands, food, beds, clothing, and so forth. On the second story they would be more sublime than those, on the third more sublime still, and on the fourth all would be most sublime. There, although all four are indeed stories of the mansion and there is no difference among them in respect of being stories, yet through the distinction in abundance of the five cords of sensual pleasure, each upper story is more sublime than the one below it.

Again, suppose that four cloths of four pala, three pala, two pala, and one pala,⁴ made from coarse, fine, finer, and finest thread spun by one woman, were equal in length and breadth. There, although all four cloths are equal in length and breadth and there is no difference among them in measure, yet by reason of pleasant touch, fineness, and high value, each successive one is more sublime than the one before it. In the same way, although these four have only the two factors of equanimity and one-pointedness of mind, it should be understood that, through distinction in development, their factors become progressively more and more sublime; here each successive attainment is therefore more sublime.

§3 The Simile of Four People at a Shed in a Foul Place 〔CSCD §291〕

And as they become successively more and more sublime—

One person clings to a shed in a foul place, and another depends upon him; another stands outside without depending, and yet another depends upon that one. From these four people standing in this way, the discerning should know the four in sequence by their similarity.

Here is the application of the meaning. It is said that there was a shed in a foul place. Then a person came, became disgusted with the foulness, grasped the shed with his hands, and stood as if hanging there. Next another person came and depended upon the one clinging to the shed. Next another came and thought: “The one clinging to the shed and the one depending upon him are both badly placed. If the shed collapses, they will certainly fall with it. I shall stand outside instead.” Without depending upon the one who depended on the other, he stood outside. Next another person came, reflected on the insecurity of the one clinging to the shed and the one depending upon him, judged that the person outside was well placed, and stood depending upon him.

Here the shed in the foul place should be seen as the space left by removing the kasiṇa; the person who, disgusted with the foulness, clings to the shed should be seen as the base of infinite space, which, disgusted with the sign of form, takes space as its object; the person depending upon the one clinging to the shed should be seen as the base of infinite consciousness, which occurs referring to the base of infinite space that takes space as its object; the person who, after reflecting on the insecurity of both, does not depend upon the one clinging to the shed but stands outside should be seen as the base of nothingness, which does not make the base of infinite space its object but takes its absence as object; and the person who, after reflecting on the insecurity of the one clinging to the shed and the one depending upon him, judges the one outside to be well placed and stands depending upon him should be seen as the base of neither perception nor non-perception, which occurs referring to the base of nothingness standing in the outside place called the absence of consciousness.

§4 Taking It as Object Despite Seeing Its Danger—The Simile of People Depending on a King 〔CSCD §292〕

And as it occurs in this way—

Because there is no other, this makes that its object, as people, though seeing a king’s faults, depend on him for their livelihood.

For although this base of neither perception nor non-perception has seen the danger in the base of nothingness in this way—“This attainment is close to the base of infinite consciousness, its adversary”—it still makes that attainment its object because there is no other object. Like what? As people, though seeing a king’s faults, depend on him for their livelihood. Suppose there were a king, lord of every direction, who was unrestrained and coarse in bodily, verbal, and mental conduct. Although people saw his faults in this way—“This man’s conduct is coarse”—they could find no livelihood elsewhere and so lived depending upon him for their livelihood. In the same way, although this base of neither perception nor non-perception has seen the danger in the base of nothingness, because it cannot obtain another object it still makes that attainment its object.

§5 The Three Similes of Ladder, Mountain, and Knee, and the Chapter Ending 〔CSCD §293〕

And as it does so—

As one who has climbed a long ladder leans upon its rail, as one who has climbed a mountain peak leans upon the mountain’s summit, and as one climbing a mountain leans upon one’s own knee, even so this occurs leaning upon that jhāna.

In the Visuddhimagga, composed to gladden good people,

In the chapter on the development of concentration,

The exposition named “The Immaterial”:

The tenth chapter [is complete].

Notes

¹ Protector peerless in form (asadisarūpa nātha): in the verse, the Blessed One.

² One-pointedness of mind (cittekaggatā): the quality by which the mind is undistracted upon a single object; together with equanimity, it is one of the two jhāna factors in all the immaterial attainments.

³ Five cords of sensual pleasure (pañca kāmaguṇā): the five agreeable objects of visible form, sound, odor, taste, and touch.

⁴ Pala: an ancient Indian unit of weight; this edition transliterates its name without converting it into a modern measure.