When the meditator has thus become skilled in achieving the fruition
attainment, he should resolutely set his mind upon the task of
attaining to the higher paths and fruitions. What should now be done
by one who has set himself that task? Just as before, he should carry
out the practice of noticing (anything occurring) at the six sense
doors.

Hence, the meditator should notice any bodily and mental process
that becomes evident to him at the six sense doors. While he is thus
engaged, he will see, at the stage of knowledge of arising and passing
away, that the first objects consisting of formations appear to him
rather coarse, and that his mind is not well concentrated. The
development of insight belonging to the higher paths is, in fact, not
as easy as that of insight belonging to the fruition attainment
already achieved by the meditator. It is in fact somewhat difficult,
due to the fact that insight has to be developed anew. It is, however,
not so very difficult as it was at the first time when beginning the
practice. In a single day, or even in a single hour, he can gain the
knowledge of equanimity about formations. This statement is made here,
basing it on the experience usually gained by persons of the present
day who had to be given guidance from the start and who did not
possess particularly strong intelligence. Here it is applied, by
inference, to similar types of persons in general.

But although equanimity about formations has been attained, if the
spiritual faculties[47] have not yet reached full maturity, it just
goes on repeating itself. Though he who has won (one of the lower)
fruitions may be able to enter into it several times within one hour,
yet if his spiritual faculties are immature, he cannot attain the next
higher path within as much as one day, two, three, or more days. He
abides merely in equanimity about formations. If, however, he then
directs his mind to reach the fruition already attained, he will reach
it perhaps in two or three minutes.

When, however, the spiritual faculties are mature, one who carries
out the practice of insight for attaining to a higher path will find
that immediately after equanimity about formations has reached its
culmination, the higher path and fruition arise in the same way as
before (i.e. as at the time of the first path and fruition), that is
to say, it is preceded by the stages of adaptation and maturity. After
the fruition, the stages of reviewing, etc., that follow are also the
same as before.

Anything else concerning the method of practice for insight and the
progress of knowledge right up to Arahantship can be understood in
precisely the same way as described. Hence there is no need to
elaborate it any further.

Conclusion

Now, the present treatise on the "Progress of Insight through the
Stages of Purification" has been written in a concise form, so that
meditators can easily comprehend it. Hence complete details have not
been given here. And since it was written with a view to making it
easily intelligible, in many passages of this treatise relevant
canonical references have not been quoted, and there are repetitions
and other faults of literary composition. But these shortcomings of
presentation and the incompleteness of canonical references may here
be overlooked by the reader. Only the meaning and purpose should be
heeded well by the wise. It is to this that I would invite the
reader's attention.

Though in the beginning it was mentioned that this treatise has
been written for those who have already obtained distinctive results
in their practice, others may perhaps read it with advantage, too.

Now these are my concluding good wishes for the latter type of
readers: Just as a very delicious, appetizing, tasty and nutritious
meal can be appreciated fully only by one who has himself eaten it,
and not without partaking of it, in the same way, the whole series of
knowledges described here can be understood fully only by one who has
himself seen it by direct experience, and not otherwise. So may all
good people reach the stage of indubitable understanding of this whole
series of knowledges! May they also strive to attain it!

This treatise on the purities and insights,
For meditators who have seen things clear,
Although their store of learning may be small --
The Elder, Mahasi by name, in insight's method skilful,
Has written it in Burmese tongue and into Pali rendered it.

The Treatise on the Purities and Insights
composed on 22.5.1950
is here concluded.

* * * * * * * *

NOTES

1. Here, and in the title of this treatise, the Pali term //nana//
has been rendered by "insight," as at the outset the word
"knowledge," the normal rendering of //nana//, might not be taken
by the reader with the full weight and significance which it will
receive in the context of the present treatise. In all the
following occurrences, however, this Pali term has been translated
by "knowledge," while the word "insight" has been reserved for the
Pali term //vipassana//. When referring to the several types and
stages of knowledge, the plural "knowledges" has been used, in
conformity with the Pali //nanani//.

2. In the canonical Buddhist scriptures, the seven stages of
purification (//visuddhi//) are mentioned in the Discourse on the
Stage Coaches (Majjhima Nikaya No. 24). They are also the
framework of the Venerable Buddhaghosa's //Path of Purification//
(//Visuddhimagga//), where they are explained in full.
(Translation by Nanamoli Thera, publ. by BPS.)

3. "Motion" (//vayo//, lit. wind, air) refers to the last of the four
material elements (//dhatu//), or primary qualities of matter. The
other three are: earth (solidity, hardness), water (adhesion), and
fire (caloricity). These four elements, in varying proportional
strength, are present in all forms of matter. The so-called "inner
wind element" which applies in this context is active in the body
as motion, vibration, and pressure manifesting itself in the
passage of air through the body (e.g. in breathing), in the
movement and pressure of limbs and organs, and so on. It becomes
perceptible as a tactile process, or object of touch
(//photthabbarammana//), through the pressure caused by it.

4. The attention directed to the movement of the abdomen was
introduced into the methodical practice of insight-meditation by
the author of this treatise, the Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw, and
forms here the basic object of meditative practice. For details
see //The Heart of Buddhist Meditation// by Nyanaponika Thera
(London: Rider & Co., 1962; BPS, 1992), pp. 94f., 106. If
preferred, the breath itself may instead be taken as the basic
object of meditative attention, according to the traditional
method of "mindfulness of breathing" (//anapanasati//); see
//Heart of Buddhist Meditation//, pp.108ff. //Mindfulness of
Breathing// by Nanamoli Thera (BPS, 1982).

5. According to the Buddhist Abhidhamma teachings, only the three
elements of earth, fire, and wind constitute the tactile substance
in matter. The element of water is not held to be an object of
touch even in cases where it predominates, as in liquids. What is
tactile in any given liquid is the contribution of the other three
elements to its composite nature.

6. "Door" is a figurative expression for the sense organs (which,
including the mind, are sixfold), because they provide, as it
were, the access to the world of objects.

7. The preceding sequence of terms is frequently used in the
Discourses (Suttas) of the Buddha to refer to those individuals
who have attained to the first supramundane stage on the road to
Arahantship, i.e. stream-entry (//sotapatti//), or the following
ones. See Note 33. The term //Dhamma// refers here to Nibbana.

8. I. The Five Precepts binding on all Buddhist laymen, are:
abstention from (1) killing, (2) stealing, (3) unlawful sexual
intercourse, (4) lying, (5) intoxicants.

II. The Eight Uposatha Precepts are: abstention from (1)
killing, (2) stealing, (3) all sexual intercourse, (4) lying, (5)
intoxicants, (6) partaking of solid food and certain liquids after
noon, (7) abstention from (a) dance, song, music, shows
(attendance and performance), (b) from perfumes, ornaments, etc.,
(8) luxurious beds. This set of eight precepts is observed by
devout Buddhist lay followers on full-moon days and on other
occasions.

III. The Ten Precepts: (1)-(6) = II, 1-6; (7) = II, 7 (a); (8)
= II, 7 (b); (9) = II, 8; (10) abstention from acceptance of gold
and silver, money, etc.

9. The other three items of the monk's fourfold pure conduct are
control of the senses, purity of livelihood, and pure conduct
concerning the monk's requisites.

10. Access (or "neighbourhood") concentration (//upacara-samadhi//) is
that degree of mental concentration that approaches, but not yet
attains, the full concentration (//appana-samadhi//) of the first
absorption (//jhana//). It still belongs to the sensuous plane
(//kamavacara//) of consciousness, while the jhanas belong to the
fine-material plane (//rupavacara//).

11. //Pancupadanakkhandha//. These five groups, which are the objects
of grasping, are: (1) corporeality, (2) feeling, (3) perception,
(4) mental formations, (5) consciousness.

12. Also called //sukkhavipassana-yanika//.

13. Literally: "according to their true nature and function."

14. This method of meditation aims at "knowledge by direct experience"
(//paccakkha-nana//), resulting from mindfulness directed towards
one's own bodily and mental processes. It is for that reason that
here express mention is made of "one's own life continuity."
Having gathered the decisive direct experience from the
contemplation of his own body and mind, the meditator will later
extend the contemplation to the life-processes of others, by way
of inference (//anumana//). See, in the Satipatthana Sutta, the
recurrent passage: "contemplating the body, etc., externally."

15. "Noticing" (//sallakkhana//) is a key term in this treatise. The
corresponding verb in the Pali language is //sallakkheti//
(//sam// + //lakh//), which can be translated adequately as well
as literally by "to mark clearly." Though the use of "to mark" in
the sense of "to observe" or "to notice" is quite legitimate in
English, it is somewhat unusual and unwieldy in its derivations.
Hence the rendering by "noticing" was chosen. "Noticing" is
identical with "bare attention," the term used in the translator's
book //The Heart of Buddhist Meditation//.

16. The Sub-commentary to the Brahmajala Sutta explains as follows:
"Things in their true nature (//paramatthadhamma//) have two
characteristics or marks: specific characteristics and general
characteristics. The understanding of the specific characteristics
is knowledge by experience (//paccakkha-nana//), while the
understanding of the general characteristics is knowledge by
inference (//anumana-nana//)." The specific characteristic, for
instance, of the element of motion (//vayo-dhatu//) is its nature
of supporting, its function of moving; its general characteristics
are impermanence, etc.

17. The three terms printed in italics are standard categories of
definition used in the Pali Commentaries and the
//Visuddhimagga//. In the case of mental phenomena, a fourth
category, "proximate condition" (//padatthana//) is added. The
definition of the element of motion (or of wind) occurs, for
instance, in the //Visuddhimagga// (XI, 93) and is shown in this
treatise to be a fact of direct experience.

18. "Purification of mind" refers to mental concentration of either of
two degrees of intensity: full concentration or access
concentration (see Note 10). In both types of concentration, the
mind is temporarily purified from the five mental hindrances (see
Note 20), which defile the mind and obstruct concentration.

19. The "other" objects may also belong to the same series of events,
for instance, the recurrent rise and fall of the abdomen.

20. The five mental hindrances (//nivarana//) which obstruct
concentration, are: (1) sense-desire, (2) ill-will, (3) sloth and
torpor, (4) agitation and remorse, (5) sceptical doubt. For
details, see //The Five Mental Hindrances and their Conquest//, by
Nyanaponika Thera (BPS Wheel No. 26).

21. Insight reaches its culmination on attaining to the perfection of
the "purification by knowledge and vision of the course of
practice." See Note 41 and the //Visuddhimagga//, XXI,1.

22. This passage is translated in //The Way of Mindfulness// by Soma
Thera (3rd ed., BPS, 1967), p. 104, where, for our term "access
concentration," the rendering "partial absorption" is used.

23. When occurring during the practice of tranquillity meditation.

24. This is the fully absorbed concentration (//jhana//) achieved at
the attainment of the noble paths and fruitions.

25. In the Commentary to the Majjhima Nikaya No.111, the Anupada
Sutta.

26. The //Visuddhimagga// says that both terms, "knowledge by
inductive insight" and "comprehension by groups," are names for
the same type of insight. According to the //Paramattha-manjusa//,
its Commentary, the former term was used in Ceylon, the latter in
India.

27. The ten corruptions of insight (//vipassanupakkilesa//) are first
mentioned in the //Patisambhidamagga// (PTS, Vol. II, pp.100f.)
and are explained in the //Visuddhimagga// (XX,105ff.). The names
and the sequence of the terms as given in this treatise differ
slightly from those found in the above two sources.

28. The five grades of rapture (//piti//), dealt with in the
//Visuddhimagga// (IV,94) are: (1) minor, (2) momentarily
recurring, (3) flooding, (4) elevating, (5) suffusing.

29. This passage refers to the six pairs of qualitative factors of
mental activity, which, according to the Abhidhamma, are present
in all moral consciousness though in different degrees of
development. The first pair is tranquillity (a) of consciousness,
and (b) of its concomitant mental factors. The other pairs are
agility, pliancy, wieldiness, proficiency, and uprightness, all of
which have the same twofold division as stated before. These six
pairs represent the formal, or structural, side of moral
consciousness. For details see //Abhidhamma Studies//, by
Nyanaponika Thera (2nd ed. BPS, 1985), pp.81f.

30. These six obstructions of mind are countered by the six pairs of
mental factors mentioned in Note 29 and in the following sentence
of the text.

31. //Non-action//, non-activity or non-busyness, refers to the
receptive, but keenly watchful, attitude of noticing (or bare
attention).

32. //Advertence// is the first stage of the perceptual process, as
analysed in the Abhidhamma. It is the first "turning-towards" the
object of perception; in other words, initial attention.

33. The supramundane paths and fruitions are: stream-entry,
once-returning, non-returning, and Arahantship. By attaining to
the first path and fruition, that of stream-entry, final
deliverance is assured at the latest after seven more rebirths.

34. "Conceptual objects of shapes" (//santhana-pannatti//). The other
two types of concepts intended here are: the concepts of
individual identity derived from the //continuity// of serial
phenomena (//santati-pannatti//), and collective concepts derived
from the //agglomeration// of phenomena (//samuha-pannatti//).

35. "The idea of formations with their specific features": this phrase
elaborates the meaning applicable here of the Pali term
//nimitta//, which literally means "mark," "sign," "feature," i.e.
the idea or image conceived of an object perceived.

36. "With its particular structure" (//sa-viggaha//): the distinctive
(//vi//) graspable (//gaha//) form of an object.

37. //Bhay'upatthana//. The word //bhaya// has the subjective aspect
of fear and the objective aspect of fearfulness, danger. Both are
included in the significance of the term in this context.

38. This refers to the knowledges described in the following (Nos.
7-11).

39. //Niroja//. Lit. "without nutritive essence."

40. According to the //Visuddhimagga//, the "insight leading to
emergence" is the culmination of insight, and is identical with
the following three knowledges: equanimity about formations,
desire for deliverance, and knowledge of re-observation. It is
called "leading to emergence" because it emerges from the
contemplation of formations (conditioned phenomena) to the
supramundane path that has Nibbana as its object.

41. The //Visuddhimagga// says (XXI,130): "The knowledge of adaptation
derives its name from the fact that it adapts itself to the
earlier and the later states of mind. It adapts itself to the
preceding eight insight knowledges with their individual
functions, and to the thirty-seven states partaking of
enlightenment that follow."

42. //Gotrabhu-nana// (maturity knowledge) is, literally, the
"knowledge of one who has become one of the lineage (//gotra//)."
By attaining to that knowledge, one has left behind the
designation and stage of an unliberated worldling and is entering
the lineage and rank of the noble ones, i.e. the stream-enterer,
etc. Insight has now come to full maturity, maturing into the
knowledge of the supramundane paths and fruitions. Maturity
knowledge occurs only as a single moment of consciousness; it does
not recur, since it is immediately followed by the path
consciousness of stream-entry or once-returning, etc.