Visuddhimagga (the pah of purification)
by 脩膩峁嘺moli Bhikkhu | 1956 | 388,207 words | ISBN-10: 9552400236 | ISBN-13: 9789552400236
This page describes Introduction (the eight knowledges) of the section Purification by Knowledge and Vision of the Way of Part 3 Understanding (Pa帽帽膩) of the English translation of the Visuddhimagga (鈥榯he path of purification鈥�) which represents a detailled Buddhist meditation manual, covering all the essential teachings of Buddha as taught in the Pali Tipitaka. It was compiled Buddhaghosa around the 5th Century.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Introduction (the eight knowledges)
1. [639] Now, insight reaches its culmination with the eight knowledges, and knowledge in conformity with truth[1] is ninth; these are what is called purification by knowledge and vision of the way.
The eight should be understood as follows:
- knowledge of contemplation of rise and fall, which is insight free from imperfections and steady on its course,
- knowledge of contemplation of dissolution,
- knowledge of appearance as terror,
- knowledge of contemplation of danger,
- knowledge of contemplation of dispassion,
- knowledge of desire for deliverance,
- knowledge of contemplation of reflection, and
- knowledge of equanimity about formations.[2]
鈥淜nowledge in conformity with truth as ninth鈥� is a term for conformity.
So one who wants to perfect this should make these kinds of knowledge his task, starting with knowledge of rise and fall free from imperfections.
2. But why does he again pursue knowledge of rise and fall? To observe the [three] characteristics. The knowledge of rise and fall already dealt with, being disabled by the ten imperfections, was not capable of observing the three characteristics in their true nature; but once freed from imperfections, it is able to do so. So he should pursue it again here in order to observe the characteristics. [640]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
鈥淗e calls conformity knowledge 鈥�knowledge in conformity with truth鈥� because it is suitable for penetrating the truths owing to the disappearance of the grosser darkness of delusion that conceals the truths鈥� (痴颈蝉尘-尘丑峁� 822). The term 蝉补肠肠腻苍耻濒辞尘颈办补帽腻峁嘺鈥斺�渒nowledge in conformity with truth,鈥� occurs at Vibh 315. The term 补苍耻濒辞尘补帽腻峁嘺鈥斺�渃onformity knowledge,鈥� occurs in the 笔补峁弓丑腻苍补 (Pa峁弓h I 159), but not elsewhere in the 笔颈峁璦办补蝉 apparently.
[2]:
鈥�Knowledge of rise and fall that has become familiar should be understood as belonging to full-understanding as abandoning. The contemplation of only the dissolution of formations is contemplation of dissolution; that same contemplation as knowledge is knowledge of contemplation of dissolution. One who, owing to it, sees things as they are is terrified, thus it is terror. The knowledge that seizes the terrifying aspect of states of the three planes when they appear as terrifying is knowledge of appearance as terror. One desires to be delivered, thus it is one desiring deliverance: that is, either as a consciousness or as a person. His (its) state is desire for deliverance. That itself as knowledge is knowledge of desire for deliverance. Knowledge that occurs in the mode of reflecting again is knowledge of contemplation of reflection. Knowledge that occurs as looking on (耻辫别办办丑补苍腻) at formations with indifference (苍颈谤补辫别办办丑补迟腻) is knowledge of equanimity (耻辫别办办丑腻) about formations鈥� (痴颈蝉尘-尘丑峁� 822鈥�23).