Direct Knowledge and the Three Trainings (Sikkhaa)

[Ted]

Hello !

Restraint from unwholesome actions is a virtue in Buddhism; such
virtue leads to non-remorse, to gladness, to happiness, to
tranquillity and joy(sukha, happiness) that is the requisite for
concentration (samadhi). Beyond concentration is higher mental
purification and higher understanding (adhipaññaa). Direct knowledge
is a kind of higher understanding. The process of purification
(trainings) in virtue, concentration and understanding is beautifully
described in the "Path of Discrimination" (Patisambhidamagga) by the
great Arahant Sariputta as follows.

[Ref. Page 47. The Path of Discrimination. Translated from the Pali by
Bhikkhu Nanamoli. Published by The Pali Text Society, Oxford, 2002.]

265. "In the case of killing living things abandoning is virtue,
abstention is virtue, volition is virtue, restraint is virtue, non-
transgression is virtue. Such virtues lead to non-remorse cognizance,
to gladness, to happiness, to tranquillity, to joy, to repetition, to
development, to making much of, to embellishment, to the requisite
[for concentration], to the equipment [of concentration], to
perfection, to complete dispassion, to fading away of greed, to
cessation, to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to
Nibbana: the purification consisting in restraint in such virtues is
the higher virtue. Cognizance established in the purification
consisting in restraint does not become distracted; the purification
consisting in non-distraction is the higher cognizance. He sees the
purification consisting in restraint correctly, and he sees the
purification in non-distraction correctly; the purification consisting
in seeing is the higher understanding.

"The meaning of restraint therein is training in the higher
virtue, the meaning of non-distraction therein is is training in
higher cognizance, the meaning of seeing therein is training in the
higher understanding.

"He trains by adverting to these three kinds of training[adhi-
sikkhaa], he trains by knowing them, by seeing them, by reviewing
them, by steadying [cognizance] upon them, by resolving with faith
upon them, by exerting energy upon them, by establishing mindfulness
upon them, by concentrating cognizance upon them, by understanding
them with understanding, by directly knowing what is to be directly
known, by fully understanding what is to be fully understood, by
abandoning what is to be abandoned, by realizing what is to be
realized, he trains by developing what should be developed." [end of
excerpt]

Killing (taking life) is just one of the ten unwholesome actions,
namely : Killing, taking what is not given, sexual misconduct, false
speech, malicious speech, harsh speech, gossip(foolish babble),
covetousness (also, selfishness), ill-will, and wrong views. For each
of the ten unwholesome actions virtue is in the sense of its restraint
and its non-transgression. [The above paragraphs are to be repeated
for each of the other nine unwholesome actions.]

An on-going review of the book "The Path of Discrimination" (up to
page 68, as of today) can be found at the following Website :

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SariputtaDhamma/

Best wishes.

[Tep Sastri]

Hello!

The Buddha's saying in SN 54.13 captures the essence of the practice of dhammaanupassana of the Satipa.t.thaana:

[SN 54.13 Ananda Sutta:] "He who sees clearly with discernment the abandoning of greed & distress is one who oversees with equanimity, which is why the monk on that occasion remains focused on mental qualities in & of themselves --ardent, alert, & mindful-- putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world."  http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn54/sn54.013.than.html

When greed & distress is in charge the mind is not calm, therefore equanimity cannot arise. When greed & distress is not under control because the sense-doors are not well guarded, seeing clearly is not possible.  Therefore, there is equanimity only when greed & distress is abandoned.  A related discussion is in the SariputtaDhamma group message #19774.  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SariputtaDhamma/message/19774

..........

So it is seen that practice of dhammaanupassana, the fourth foundations of mindfulness, in one who clearly knows the abandoning of greed & distress (abhijjha-domanassa) would lead to equanimity. Indeed, equanimity as a factor for awakening and the other six factors for awakening are fully developed through any of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness.  This is confirmed in MN 118 Anapanasati Sutta:

 "And how are the four foundations of mindfulness developed & pursued so as to bring the seven factors for awakening to their culmination?

"[1] On whatever occasion the monk remains focused on the body in & of itself --ardent, alert, & mindful-- putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world, on that occasion his mindfulness is steady & without lapse. When his mindfulness is steady & without lapse, then mindfulness as a factor for awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.

"[2] Remaining mindful in this way, he examines, analyzes, & comes to a comprehension of that quality with discernment. When he remains mindful in this way, examining, analyzing, & coming to a comprehension of that quality with discernment, then analysis of qualities as a factor for awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.

[3] In one who examines, analyzes, & comes to a comprehension of that quality with discernment, persistence is aroused unflaggingly.When persistence is aroused unflaggingly in one who examines, analyzes, & comes to a comprehension of that quality with discernment, then persistence as a factor for awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.

"[4] In one whose persistence is aroused, a rapture not-of-the-flesh arises. When a rapture not-of-the-flesh arises in one whose persistence is aroused, then rapture as a factor for awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.

"[5] For one enraptured at heart, the body grows calm and the mind grows calm. When the body & mind of a monk enraptured at heart grow calm, then serenity as a factor for awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.

"[6] For one who is at ease --his body calmed-- the mind becomes concentrated. When the mind of one who is at ease --his body calmed-- becomes concentrated, then concentration as a factor for awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.

"[7] He carefully watches the mind thus concentrated with equanimity. When he carefully watches the mind thus concentrated with equanimity, equanimity as a factor for awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.  [Repeat the steps  [1] - [7] above for the other three foundations of mindfulness.]   http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.118.than.html

What does "that quality" in [2] and [3] above refer to?   

As I understand it this is any dhamma (e.g. the All) that is to be fully understood in the higher learning (adhi-sikkhaa).

Best wishes.

.............................

[Tep Sastri]

Hello!

Talking about training (sikkha) for higher understanding, someone may be curious about how it might be done. The following Sutta shows that wisdom or pa~n~naa does not arise in isolation from the trainings in higher virtues and higher mind. Direct knowing is one of supporting conditions (paccaya) for the three higher trainings.

http://metta.lk/tipitaka/2Sutta-Pitaka/4Anguttara-Nikaya/Anguttara1/3-tikanipata/009-samanavaggo-e.html

Kassakasutta.m 

84. Bhikkhus, these three activities should be done earlier by the farmer. What three?

"Here bhikkhus, the farmer should first prepare the field, then harrow it well carefully and embed the seeds at the right time. At the right time he should lead the water in and at the right time lead it out. Bhikkhus, these three are the activities that should be done earlier by the farmer.

"Bhikkhus, in the same manner these three activities should be done earlier by the bhikkhu. What three? Training in the higher virtues, training the mind to a higher degree and training for higher wisdom. Bhikkhus, these three are the activities of a recluse. Therefore bhikkhus, you should train thus: Our interest will be keen for training in the higher virtues, for training the mind to a higher degree and for a higher training in wisdom."

..............

The dhammas that support (as condition: paccaya) for the three higher trainings are adverting, knowing, seeing, reviewing, steadying the mind, resolving with faith, exerting with energy, establishing mindfulness, concentrating the mind (unifying it), understanding  with pa~n~na(discern, pajaanaati), directly knowing, full understanding,  abandoning, developing (bhaavana), and realizing.   [Patisambhidamagga III, 247]

http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/SariputtaDhamma/conversations/messages/21742

Best wishes.

On Thursday, February 8, 2007 6:15:15 PM UTC-6, Tep Sastri wrote: