Basic Principles of Insight Practice
The contemplation of conditioned phenomena giving rise to clear understanding and to seeing things as they truly are is an essential ingredient to realizing path and fruit. Everyone who practises for the goal of Buddhism, whether they use tranquillity or insight as a vehicle, and regardless of which of the four modes of practice (tranquillity preceded by insight, etc.) they follow, must pass this stage of insight (vipassanā) meditation. Someone who uses insight as a vehicle will practise in this way from the beginning, whereas someone using tranquillity as a vehicle will apply this meditation in the final stages.
Drawing upon the previous section on tranquillity meditation, this contemplation is an extension of the earlier cited passage: By seeing with wisdom the taints are completely destroyed. In other words, it refers to ‘liberation by wisdom’ (paññā-vimutti). There are many standard definitions in the Pali Canon to describe this path of insight. Before looking at these definitions, let us examine some passages describing the Buddha’s enlightenment (which are also outlines of insight). This will reveal how a single event can be explained in many different ways:
When my knowledge and vision of these Four Noble Truths as they really are in their three phases and twelve aspects was thoroughly purified in this way, then I claimed to have awakened to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment in this world…. The knowledge and vision arose in me: ‘Unshakable is the liberation of my mind. This is my last birth. Now there is no more renewed existence.’1
When I directly knew as they really are the gratification (assāda), the danger (ādīnava) and the escape (nissaraṇa) in the case of these five aggregates subject to clinging, then I claimed to have awakened to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment in this world…. ‘Now there is no more renewed existence.’2
When I directly knew as they really are the gratification, the danger and the escape in the case of these six internal sense bases, then I claimed to have awakened to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment in this world…. ‘Now there is no more renewed existence.’3
When I directly knew as they really are the origin and the passing away, the gratification, the danger and the escape in the case of these five spiritual faculties (faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration and wisdom), then I claimed to have awakened to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment in this world…. ‘Now there is no more renewed existence.’4
When I directly knew as they really are the origin and the passing away, the gratification, the danger and the escape in the case of these six sense faculties (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind), then I claimed to have awakened to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment in this world…. ‘Now there is no more renewed existence.’5
Monks, concentration by mindfulness of breathing, when developed and cultivated, is of great fruit and benefit…. I too, monks, before my enlightenment, while I was still a bodhisatta, not yet fully enlightened, frequently dwelt in this abiding. While I frequently dwelt in this abiding, neither my body nor my eyes became fatigued and my mind, by not clinging, was liberated from the taints.6
‘Feeling (vedanā) is this way.’ Thus, monks, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, true knowledge, and light…. ‘This is the origin of feeling’…. ‘This is the way leading to the origination of feeling’…. ‘This is the cessation of feeling’…. ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of feeling’…. ‘This is the gratification in feeling’…. ‘This is the danger in feeling’…. ‘This is the escape from feeling’: thus monks … there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, true knowledge, and light.7
‘This is the contemplation of the body in the body (kāye kāyānupassanā).’ Thus, monks, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, true knowledge, and light…. ‘That contemplation of the body in the body is to be developed’…. ‘That contemplation of the body in the body has been developed’…. ‘This is the contemplation of feelings in feelings’…. ‘This is the contemplation of mind in mind’…. ‘This is the contemplation of phenomena (dhamma) in phenomena’… .‘That contemplation of phenomena in phenomena has been developed’: thus monks … light.8
‘This is the basis for spiritual power (iddhi-pāda) of enthusiasm.’ Thus, monks, in regard to things unheard before, there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, true knowledge, and light…. ‘That basis for spiritual power of enthusiasm is to be developed’…. ‘That basis for spiritual power of enthusiasm has been developed’…. ‘This is the basis for spiritual power of energy’…. ‘This is the basis for spiritual power of dedicated application of mind (citta)’…. ‘This is the basis for spiritual power of investigation’…. There arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, true knowledge, and light.9
Monks, before my enlightenment, while I was still a bodhisatta, not yet fully enlightened, it occurred to me: ‘Alas, this world has fallen into trouble, in that it is born, ages, and dies, it passes away and is reborn, yet it does not understand the escape from this suffering [headed by] aging-and-death. When now will an escape be discerned from this suffering [headed by] aging-and-death?’
Then, monks, it occurred to me: ‘When what exists does aging-and-death come to be? By what is aging-and-death conditioned?’ Then, monks, through careful attention, there took place in me a breakthrough by wisdom: ‘When there is birth, aging-and-death comes to be; aging-and-death has birth as its condition….’
‘When what exists does birth come to be? … does becoming come to be? … does clinging come to be? … does craving come to be? … does feeling come to be? … does contact come to be? … do the six sense bases come to be? … does name-and-form come to be? … Then, monks, the question occurred to me: ‘When what exists does consciousness come to be? By what is consciousness conditioned?’ Then monks, through careful attention, there took place in me a breakthrough by wisdom: ‘When there is name-and-form, consciousness comes to be; consciousness has name-and-form as its condition.’
Then, monks, it occurred to me: ‘This consciousness turns back; it does not go further than name-and-form. It is to this extent that one may be born and age and die, pass away and be reborn, that is, when there is consciousness with name-and-form as its condition and name-and-form with consciousness as its condition. With name-and-form as condition, the six sense bases; with the six sense bases as condition, contact…. Such is the origin of this whole mass of suffering.’
‘Origination, origination’—thus, monks, in regard to things unheard before there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, true knowledge, and light.
Then, monks, it occurred to me: ‘When what does not exist does aging-and-death not come to be? With the cessation of what does the cessation of aging-and-death come about?’ Then, monks, through careful attention, there took place in me a breakthrough by wisdom: ‘When there is no birth, aging-and-death does not come to be; with the cessation of birth comes cessation of aging-and-death….’
‘When what does not exist does birth not come to be? … does becoming not come to be? … does clinging not come to be? … does craving not come to be? … does feeling not come to be? … does contact not come to be? … do the six sense bases not come to be? … does name-and-form not come to be? … Then, monks, it occurred to me: ‘When what exists does consciousness not come to be? With the cessation of what does the cessation of consciousness come about?’ Then monks, through careful attention, there took place in me a breakthrough by wisdom: ‘When there is no name-and-form, consciousness does not come to be; with the cessation of name-and-form comes cessation of consciousness.’
Then, monks, it occurred to me: ‘I have discovered this path to enlightenment, that is, with the cessation of name-and-form comes cessation of consciousness; with the cessation of consciousness comes cessation of name-and-form; with the cessation of name-and-form, cessation of the six sense bases; with the cessation of the six sense bases, cessation of contact…. Such is the cessation of this whole mass of suffering.
‘Cessation, cessation’—thus, monks, in regard to things unheard before there arose in me vision, knowledge, wisdom, true knowledge, and light.
So too, monks, I saw the ancient path, the ancient road travelled by the Perfectly Enlightened Ones of the past…. It is just this Noble Eightfold Path; that is, right view, right intention … right concentration. I followed that path and by doing so I have directly known aging-and-death, its origin, its cessation, and the way leading to its cessation. I have directly known birth … becoming … clinging … craving … feeling … contact … the six sense bases … name-and-form … consciousness … volitional formations, their origin, their cessation, and the way leading to their cessation. Having directly known them, I have explained them to the bhikkhus, the bhikkhunīs, the male lay followers, and the female lay followers. This holy life, monks, has become successful and prosperous, popular, widespread, firmly established, well-proclaimed among devas and humans.10
There are many standard definitions for the realization of arahantship through insight by the Buddha’s disciples. Some are similar to the passages presented above of the Buddha’s enlightenment while others vary, but essentially they are the same: phenomena (most often the five aggregates or the twelve sense spheres) are divided into different parts and their true nature is examined according to the three characteristics: impermanence, dukkha and not-self. Many passages focus on the belief in self and emphasize the characteristic of not-self. Some passages trace the relationship between conditions in the context of Dependent Origination. From the angle of Dhamma practice, these passages all refer to one or more of the groups found in the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment (bodhipakkhiya-dhammā).11 The outlines explaining particular ways of contemplation can be extremely helpful for insight practice if one can capture their meaning and not get confused by the technical language. Below are some examples of these outlines; the commentaries say the Buddha gave these teachings on different occasions depending on the disposition of the listener.12
1. Contemplations of the Five Aggregates
Monks, form is impermanent, feeling is impermanent, perception is impermanent, volitional formations are impermanent, consciousness is impermanent. Seeing thus, monks, the instructed noble disciple experiences disenchantment towards form … feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness. Experiencing disenchantment, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion [his mind] is liberated. When it is liberated there comes the knowledge: ‘It is liberated.’ He understands: ‘Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more for this state of being.’
Monks, form is subject to pressure (dukkha)…. Feeling…. Perception…. Volitional formations…. Consciousness is subject to pressure…. Seeing thus, the instructed noble disciple experiences disenchantment….
Monks, form is not-self (anattā)…. Feeling…. Perception…. Volitional formations…. Consciousness is not-self…. Seeing thus, the instructed noble disciple experiences disenchantment.13
The contemplation in this passage on the three characteristics is sometimes changed to similar contemplations, for example: ‘Form is Māra,’ ‘feelings are hot embers,’ ‘form is subject to arising and cessation,’ etc.14
Monks, form … feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness is impermanent. What is impermanent is subject to pressure (dukkha). What is subject to pressure is not-self. What is not-self should be seen as it really is with correct wisdom thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’ Seeing thus the instructed noble disciple experiences disenchantment.15
Monks, the body is not-self. If the body were self it would not lead to affliction, and it would be possible to have it of the body: ‘May my body be this way; may it not be that way.’ But because the body is not-self, the body leads to affliction, and it is not possible to have it of the body: ‘May my body be this way; may it not be that way.’
Feeling is not-self … Perception is not-self … Volitional formations are not-self … Consciousness is not-self. For if consciousness were self it would not lead to affliction, and it would be possible to have it of consciousness: ‘May my consciousness be this way; may it not be that way.’ But because consciousness is not-self, consciousness leads to affliction, and it is not possible to have it of consciousness: ‘May my consciousness be this way; may it not be that way.’
‘What do you think, monks, is the body permanent or impermanent?’
‘Impermanent, venerable sir.’
‘Is that which is impermanent oppressive (dukkha) or easeful (sukha)?’
‘Oppressive, venerable sir.’
‘Is what is impermanent, oppressive and of the nature to change fit to be regarded thus:“This is mine, this is I, this is my self?”’
‘No, venerable sir.’
‘What do you think, monks, are feelings permanent or impermanent?’ … ‘is perception permanent or impermanent?’ … ‘are volitional formations permanent or impermanent?’ … ‘is consciousness permanent or impermanent?’
‘Impermanent, venerable sir….’
‘Is what is impermanent, oppressive and of the nature to change fit to be regarded thus: “This is mine, this is I, this is my self?”’
‘No, venerable sir.’
‘Therefore, monks, you should see any kind of physical form … feeling … perception … volitional formation … consciousness whatsoever, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, coarse or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near, as it actually is with proper wisdom thus: “This is not mine, this is not I, this is not my self.” Seeing thus the instructed noble disciple experiences disenchantment.’16
Whatever kind of form … feeling … perception … volitional formation … consciousness there is, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, coarse or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near: a bhikkhu inspects it, ponders it, and carefully investigates it, and it would appear to him to be void, hollow, insubstantial. For what substantiality could there be in form … feeling … perception … volitional formation … consciousness?17
Monks, a monk sees as impermanent form … feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness which is actually impermanent: that is his right view. Seeing rightly, he experiences dispassion. With the destruction of delight comes the destruction of lust; with the destruction of lust comes the destruction of delight. With the destruction of delight and lust the mind is liberated and is said to be well liberated.18
Monks, attend carefully to form. Recognize the impermanence of form as it really is. When a monk attends carefully to form and recognizes the impermanence of form as it really is, he experiences dispassion towards form. With the destruction of delight comes the destruction of lust; with the destruction of lust comes the destruction of delight … the mind is liberated and is said to be well liberated.
Monks, attend carefully to feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness.19
2. Contemplations of the Sense Spheres
Monks, the eye … ear … nose … tongue … body … mind is impermanent. Seeing thus, the instructed noble disciple experiences dispassion…. The eye … ear … nose … tongue … body … mind is subject to pressure…. The eye … ear … nose … tongue … body … mind is not-self…. Forms … sounds … odours … tastes … tactile objects … mental phenomena are impermanent … subject to pressure … not-self. Seeing thus, the instructed noble disciple experiences disenchantment.20
The contemplation in this passage on the three characteristics is sometimes changed to similar contemplations, for example: ‘The eye is obscured,’ ‘the eye is burning,’ and ‘the eye is subject to destruction.’21
Monks, the eye … ear … nose … tongue … body … mind is impermanent. What is impermanent is subject to pressure. What is subject to pressure is not-self. What is not-self should be seen as it really is with correct wisdom thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’ Seeing thus the instructed noble disciple experiences disenchantment….
Monks, forms … sounds … odours … tastes … tangibles … mental phenomena are impermanent. What is impermanent is subject to pressure. What is subject to pressure is not-self. What is not-self should be seen as it really is with correct wisdom thus: ‘This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.’ Seeing thus the instructed noble disciple experiences disenchantment.22
‘What do you think, monks, is the body permanent or impermanent?’
‘Impermanent, venerable sir.’
‘Is that which is impermanent oppressive or easeful?’
‘Oppressive, venerable sir.’
‘Is what is impermanent, oppressive and of the nature to change fit to be regarded thus: “This is mine, this is I, this is my self?”’
‘No, venerable sir.’
‘What do you think, monks, is the ear … nose … tongue … body … mind … eye-consciousness … ear consciousness … mind consciousness … eye-contact … mind-contact … whatever feeling arises with eye-contact as condition … whatever feeling arises with mind-contact as condition—whether pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant23—permanent or impermanent?’
‘Impermanent, venerable sir’….
‘Is what is impermanent, oppressive and of the nature to change fit to be regarded thus: “This is mine, this is I, this is my self?”’
‘No, venerable sir’….
‘Seeing thus the instructed noble disciple experiences disenchantment.’24
Monks, the eye is impermanent. The cause and condition for the arising of the eye is also impermanent. As the eye has originated from what is impermanent, how could it be permanent?….
The eye is subject to stress. The cause and condition for the arising of the eye is also stressful. As the eye has originated from what is stressful, how could it be easeful?….
The eye is not-self. The cause and condition for the arising of the eye is also not-self. As the eye has originated from what is not-self, how could it be self?
Seeing thus the instructed noble disciple experiences disenchantment.25 (The same for the remaining five sense bases and the six sense objects.)
Monks, a monk sees as impermanent the eye … ear … nose … mind … sights … sounds … mental phenomena which are actually impermanent: that is his right view. Seeing rightly, he experiences dispassion. With the destruction of delight comes the destruction of lust … the mind is liberated and is said to be well liberated.26
Monks, attend carefully to the eye. Recognize the impermanence of the eye as it really is. When a monk attends carefully to the eye and recognizes the impermanence of the eye as it really is, he experiences dispassion towards the eye. With the destruction of delight comes the destruction of lust … the mind is liberated and is said to be well liberated.
Monks, attend carefully to the ear … nose … mind … sights … sounds … mental phenomena.27
A certain bhikkhu approached the Blessed One … and said to him: ‘Venerable Sir, is there one thing through the abandoning of which ignorance is abandoned by a bhikkhu and true knowledge arises?’
The Buddha replied: ‘When a bhikkhu knows and sees the eye … forms … the ear … sounds … the mind … mental objects … mind consciousness … mind-contact … whatever feeling arises with mind-contact as condition—whether pleasant or painful or neutral—as impermanent, ignorance is abandoned by him and true knowledge arises.’28
A certain bhikkhu approached the Blessed One … The Buddha replied: ‘Here, bhikkhu, a bhikkhu has heard,29 “Nothing is worth adhering to.”30 The concept “nothing is worth adhering to” is [merely] his acquired knowledge. He studies (abhiññā—‘directly knows’; ‘pays attention to’) everything; having studied everything, he fully understands (pariññā) everything . Having fully understood everything, he sees all signs differently.31 He sees the eye differently, he sees forms differently … whatever feeling arises with eye-contact as condition … that too he sees differently. When a bhikkhu knows and sees thus, ignorance is abandoned by him and true knowledge arises.’ (Same for the remaining sense spheres, the six kinds of consciousness, the six contacts, and the three kinds of feeling.)32
3. General Inquiry
‘Bhikkhus, when what exists, by clinging to what, do pleasure and pain arise internally?…. When there is form, bhikkhus, by clinging to form, pleasure and pain arise internally. When there is feeling … perception … volitional formations … consciousness, by clinging to consciousness, pleasure and pain arise internally.
‘What do you think, monks, is form (feeling, etc.) permanent or impermanent?’
‘Impermanent, venerable sir’….
‘Is that which is impermanent oppressive or easeful?’
‘Oppressive, venerable sir.’
‘But without clinging to what is impermanent, oppressive, and subject to change, could pleasure and pain arise internally?’
‘No, venerable sir.’
‘Seeing thus, the instructed noble disciple experiences disenchantment.’33
There are many variations to this passage above, indicating that self-identity, personality view (sakkāya-diṭṭhi), and other wrong views (micchā-diṭṭhi) stem from attaching to and misunderstanding the five aggregates.34
Bhikkhus, this Dhamma has been taught by me discriminately. The Four Foundations of Mindfulness have been taught by me discriminately. The Four Right Efforts … the Four Bases for Success … the Five Spiritual Faculties … the Five Powers … the Seven Factors of Enlightenment … the Noble Eightfold Path has been taught by me discriminately. Bhikkhus, in regard to the Dhamma that has been thus taught by me discriminately, a reflection arose in the mind of a certain bhikkhu thus: ‘How should one know, how should one see, for the immediate destruction of the taints to occur?’….
Here, bhikkhus, the uninstructed worldling … regards form (feeling, perception, etc.) as self. That regarding, bhikkhus, is a formation. That formation—what is its source, what is its origin, from what is it born and produced? When the uninstructed worldling is contacted by a feeling born of ignorance-contact, craving arises: thence that formation is born.
Thus, bhikkhus, that formation is impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen; that craving … feeling … contact … that ignorance is impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen. When one knows and see thus, bhikkhus, the immediate destruction of the taints occurs.35
Bhikkhus, while a bhikkhu dwells mindful and clearly comprehending,36 diligent, ardent, and resolute, if there arises in him a pleasant feeling, he understands thus: ‘There has arisen in me a pleasant feeling. Now that is dependent, not independent. Dependent on what? Dependent on this very body. But this body is impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen. So when the pleasant feeling has arisen in dependence on a body that is impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen, how could it be permanent?’ He dwells contemplating impermanence in the body and in pleasant feeling, he dwells contemplating vanishing, contemplating fading away, contemplating cessation, contemplating relinquishment. As he dwells thus, the underlying tendency to lust in regard to the body and in regard to pleasant feeling is abandoned by him….
While a bhikkhu dwells mindful … if there arises in him a painful feeling, he understands…. The underlying tendency to aversion in regard to the body and in regard to painful feeling is abandoned by him.
While a bhikkhu dwells mindful … if there arises in him a neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, he understands…. The underlying tendency to ignorance in regard to the body and in regard to neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling is abandoned by him.37
4. All-Encompassing Contemplations
The Venerable Mahākoṭṭhita approached the Venerable Sāriputta and said to him: ‘Friend Sāriputta, what are the things that a virtuous bhikkhu should carefully attend to?’
‘Friend Koṭṭhita, a virtuous bhikkhu should carefully attend to the five aggregates subject to clinging as impermanent, as subject to pressure, as a disease, as a tumour, as a dart, as misery, as an affliction, as alien, as disintegrating, as empty, as not-self…. When, friend, a virtuous bhikkhu carefully attends to these five aggregates subject to clinging, it is possible that he may realize the fruit of stream-entry.’
‘But, friend Sāriputta, what are the things that a bhikkhu who is a stream-enterer should carefully attend to?’
‘Friend Koṭṭhita, a bhikkhu who is a stream-enterer should carefully attend to these five aggregates subject to clinging as impermanent … as not-self. When, friend, a bhikkhu who is a stream-enterer carefully attends thus to these five aggregates subject to clinging, it is possible that he may realize the fruit of once-returning.’
‘But, friend Sāriputta, what are the things that a bhikkhu who is a once-returner should carefully attend to?’
‘Friend Koṭṭhita, a bhikkhu who is a once returner should carefully attend to these five aggregates subject to clinging as impermanent … as not-self. When, friend, a bhikkhu who is a once-returner carefully attends thus to these five aggregates subject to clinging, it is possible that he may realize the fruit of non-returning.’
‘But, friend Sāriputta, what are the things that a bhikkhu who is a non-returner should carefully attend to?’
‘Friend Koṭṭhita, a bhikkhu who is a non-returner should carefully attend to these five aggregates subject to clinging as impermanent … as not-self. When, friend, a bhikkhu who is a non-returner carefully attends thus to these five aggregates subject to clinging, it is possible that he may realize the fruit of arahantship.’
‘But, friend Sāriputta, what are the things that a bhikkhu who is an arahant should carefully attend to?’
‘Friend Koṭṭhita, a bhikkhu who is an arahant should carefully attend to these five aggregates subject to clinging as impermanent … as not-self. For the arahant, friend, there is nothing further that has to be done and no repetition of what he has already done. However, when these things are developed and cultivated, they lead to a pleasant dwelling in this very life and to mindfulness and clear comprehension.’38
***
1 Vin. I. 11; S. V. 422-3.
2 S. III. 28.
3 S. IV. 7-8.
4 S. V. 204.
5 S. V. 206.
6 S. V. 316-7.
7 S. IV. 233-4.
8 S. V. 178-9; these are the Four Foundations of Mindfulness.
9 S. V. 258; each sentence in this passage contains the phrase ‘volitional formations of striving’ in conjunction with each spiritual basis in question, e.g.: ‘This is the basis for spiritual power that possesses concentration due to desire and volitional formations of striving.’
10 S. II. 104-7 (beginning section also found at S. II. 10); on the difference between the Buddha and paññā-vimutta see: S. III. 66.
11 The thirty-seven bodhipakkhiya-dhammā: four foundations of mindfulness, four right efforts, four paths to success, four spiritual faculties, four spiritual powers, seven limbs of enlightenment, and the Eightfold Path.
12 See: SA. II. 262.
13 E.g.: S. III. 21; an alternative translation for ‘disenchantment’ (nibbidā) is ‘disengagement’; an alternative translation for ‘dispassionate’ (virāga) is ‘disentangled.’
14 See: S. III. 71, 177, 195-8.
15 E.g.: S. III. 22, 82-3.
16 S. III. 66-8.
17 S. III. 140-42.
18 S. III. 51.
19 S. III. 52.
20 S. IV. 155-6.
21 See: S. IV. 19-21, 26-9.
22 S. IV. 1-3. This passage can be found with slight variation in many locations; see: S. IV. 151-5. At S. IV. 170 the contemplation is extended to cover the six kinds of consciousness (viññāṇa), the six contacts (phassa), and the three kinds of feeling (vedanā)—pleasurable, painful and neutral.
23 In the instruction to Venerable Rāhula, the section: ‘Whatever feeling arises with eye-contact as condition … whether pleasant or painful or neither-painful-nor-pleasant’ is changed to: ‘Anything included in feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness arisen with eye-contact as condition’ (S. IV. 106-7).
24 S. IV. 48; slight variations of this passage are found at: S. IV. 24-5, 34, 43, 44-5, 54-5, 63-4, 135.
25 S. IV. 129-32.
26 S. IV. 142.
27 S. IV. 142-3.
28 S. IV. 49-50; slight variations are found at: S. IV. 30-32.
29 Suta: ‘heard,’ ‘studied.’
30 Sabbe dhammā nālaṁ abhinivesāya.
31 Nimitta: ‘signs’; discernible features of things. He sees things differently from when he was still subject to attachment.
32 S. IV. 50; abhiññā: ‘specific’ knowledge; ‘personal’ knowledge; knowledge through direct experience; pariññā: comprehensive knowledge; knowing the true nature of something; knowing the qualities and features of something.
33 S. III. 180-1.
34 S. III. 181-7.
35 S. III. 96-7; there are many variations to the phrase: regards form (feeling, perception, etc.) as self (see: S. III. 97-9).
36 One practises the Four Foundations of Mindfulness.
37 S. IV. 211-2.
38 S. III. 167-9; the following sutta (S. III. 169) is similar but changes the term ‘virtuous bhikkhu’ to ‘well-instructed bhikkhu.’ S. V. 298-9 states that both a trainee (sekha) and one beyond training (asekha) should ‘enter and dwell in’ the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. The four jhānas are usually developed by ‘trainees’ (and those lower than trainees), but can also be used by arahants for a ‘pleasant dwelling in this life’ and for mindfulness and clear comprehension (e.g.: M. III. 4; D. III. 222-3; A. II. 44-5; A. III. 323). Mindfulness of the body is similarly used for a ‘pleasant dwelling in this life’ (see: A. I. 43).