THE GREAT CHRONICLE OF BUDDHAS
330
(6) Purity of Knowledge and Insight of The Path (PaÔipadÈ-ÒÈÓa-dassana visuddhi)
(7) Purity of Knowledge and Insight (©ÈÓa-dassana visuddhi)
The set of nine Knowledges of Insight
13
(
VipassanÈ-ÒÈÓa
), beginning with
udayabbaya-
ÒÈÓa
and ending with
anuloma-ÒÈÓa
which arise in the mind continuum of the Bodhisatta,
is known as Purity of Knowledge and Insight of the Path. The Four Noble Paths, (
Ariya-
magga
), are known as the Purity of Knowledge and Insight,
©ÈÓa-dassana-visuddhi
.
(In this connection, it should especially be noted that:
SotÈpatti
-
magga
attained by
the Buddha was the first
jhÈna-magga
with the five factors of Initial application
(
vitakka
), sustained application (
vicÈra
), joy (
pÊti
), happiness (
sukha
), and one-
pointedness (
ekaggatÈ
).
SakadÈgÈmi-magga
was the second
jhÈna-magga
with the
three factors of
pÊti, sukha
, and
ekaggatÈ
.
AnÈgÈmi-magga
was the third
jhÈna-
magga
with the two factors of
sukha
and
ekaggatÈ
.
Arahatta-magga
was the fourth
jhÈna-magga
with the two factors of
upekkhÈ
and
ekaggatÈ
.)
—— Upakkilesa Sutta, UparipaÓÓÈsa AÔÔhakathÈ ——
In this manner, the series of the seven Purities, described above, constitute the right and
proper way to NibbÈna. Buddhas, Paccekabuddhas and noble Disciples of the past, present
and future, realise NibbÈna only through the series of these seven Purities; and, to say the
least, so do the noble individuals who attain the noble Path by developing at least
taca-
paÒcaka
meditation
14
or by hearing a Dhamma Discourse in verse delivered by a Buddha
through His projection of His image while He remained at the monastery. They attain the
Noble Path (
ariya-magga
), only going through these seven Purities successively.
A question may be raised thus: If all the Buddhas, Paccekabuddhas and Disciples of the
three passages of time realise NibbÈna only through the series of the seven Purities, should
not all these noble persons be alike in every respect? Why should there be such differences
as: He was a Buddha, he was a Paccekabuddha, he was a Chief Disciple, (
agga-sÈvaka
), he
was a Great Disciple, (
mahÈ-sÈvaka
), he was an ordinary Disciple, (
pakati-sÈvaka
)?
The answer is: Although NibbÈna is realised by all the Buddhas, Paccekabuddhas and
Noble Disciples only through the series of the Seven Purities, they are originally different
in wisdom (
paÒÒÈ
), in practice (
paÔipadÈ
), in faith (
saddhÈ
) and in inherent disposition
(
ajjhÈsaya-dhÈtu
).
Therefore, the noble individual, who realise
arahatta-phala
through knowledge acquired
by hearing the Dhamma from others (
sutamaya-ÒÈÓa
), after having developed the
pÈramÊs
according to the strength of his
saddhÈ
and
paÒÒÈ
throughout a period of around one
hundred thousand world-cycles, are designated
Pakati-sÈvakas
and
MahÈ-sÈvaka
s.
The noble individuals, who realise
arahatta-phala
through
sutamaya-ÒÈÓa
after having
developed the
pÈramÊs
throughout a period of one
asa~khyeyya
and one hundred thousand
world-cycles, or slightly less, are designated
Agga-sÈvakas
.
The noble individuals, who realise
arahatta-phala
through knowledge independently
acquired, without being taught by others, but by (
sayambhu-ÒÈÓa
) after having developed
13. Nine Knowledges of Insight: According to
Visuddhi-magga
, they are "(1) Knowledge of
contemplation of Rise and Fall, (
UdayavayanupassanÈ-ÒÈÓa
), which is free from imperfection
and steady on its course, (2) Knowledge of contemplation of Dissolution, (
BhanganupassanÈ-
ÒÈÓa
); (3) Knowledge of appearance as terror, (
BhayanupassanÈ-ÒÈÓa
); (4) Knowledge of
contemplation of danger, (
AdinavanupassanÈ-ÒÈÓa
); (5) Knowledge of contemplation of
dispassion, (
NibbidanupassanÈ-ÒÈÓa
); (6) Knowledge of desire for deliverance,
(
MuÒcitukamyatÈ-ÒÈÓa
); (7) Knowledge of contemplation of reflection, (
PaÔisa~khÈnupassanÈ-
ÒÈÓa)
; (8) Knowledge of uluanimity about formations, (
SankhÈrupekkhÈ-ÒÈÓa
) and (9)
Knowledge in Conformity with Truth, (
Anuloma-ÒÈÓa
) For further elucidation, see Chapter XXI
of The Path of Purification by Bhikkhu ©ÈÓamoli.)
14.
TacapaÒcaka
meditation: meditation on the first five features of the body with skin (
taca
) as the
fifth, the other four being hair on the head (
kesa
), hair on the body (
loma
), nail (
nakha
) and
teeth (
dantÈ
). It is part of the mindfulness meditation of the body (
kayagatÈsati
bhÈvanÈ
).