..續本文上一頁 satisfaction in Dhamma. The ability to remain unmoved by anything becomes so strongly developed that it may even delude the meditator into believing he has already attained the Fruit of the Path and Nirvana itself. These things are a great difficulty for anyone encountering them for the first time. As you can see they constitute a barrier in the way of vipassana. The meditator, however, is likely to regard them as highly desirable until such time as he develops the unobscured knowledge that these things are in fact obstacles and succeeds in cutting out these finer defilements completely. This knowledge of what is the right path and what is not constitutes the third stage in vipassana and the fifth Purification.

　　Until such time as the aspirant has developed this knowledge of what really constitutes the right path, he has to be always steering himself away from the various side tracks. Once this knowledge of the path to be followed has become fully established, however, any further knowledge will automatically develop along the right line. It will progress step by step, bringing perfectly clear understanding of the true nature of things and ultimately perfect freedom from, and non-involvement in things. The mind, equipped with this right understanding, is all set to attain insight into the Four Noble Truths, and is said to have attained the Purity by Knowledge and Vision of the progress along the Path. This is counted as the fourth stage in vipassana and the sixth Purification. The Tipitaka contains no detailed explanation of the stages in this Knowledge and Vision of the progress along the Path, but later teachers recognized in it nine steps, as follows:

　　a) Vipassana has progressed properly, and the birth, aging, pain and death of phenomena have been thoroughly scrutinized. The arising and passing away of phenomena has been perceived in all clarity. All phenomenal existence is seen to consist of just an endless process of arising and ceasing like the glittering dazzle on the surface of the sea, or like the forming and bursting of the foamy crests of waves. This is known as knowledge of arising and passing away (Udayabbayanupassana - nana). It is brought about by concentrated introspection so clear, and sustained for so long a time that the knowledge becomes firmly established, like a dye absorbed by the mind, powerful enough to make the meditator become disenchanted with things and give up clinging to them. This is the first step in the Knowledge and Vision of the Progress along the Path.

　　b) Arising and passing away, if observed simultaneously, cannot be perceived with such clarity as they can if either one is concentrated on separately. At this stage, the meditator gives up watching one of the two, namely arising, and concentrates exclusively on the passing away. This permits him to see the process of disintegration and decay in such depth and intensity that he comes to realize that decay and perishing are universally evident no matter where in the world one looks. A mind dwelling in this knowledge is said to be equipped with knowledge of decay and dissolution (Bhanganupassana - nana). This is the second step in the developing of knowledge.

　　c) Knowledge of decay and dissolution, when sufficiently well developed, gives rise next to the awareness that all things are to be feared. All phenomenal existence, whether in the sensual realm, in the form realm, or in the formless realm, is seen as inherently fearsome. All spheres of existence are seen as thoroughly fearsome because the decay and dissolution of all phenomena is perceived in every conscious moment. Thus an intense apprehension arises in the mind of one possessing this awareness and becomes established as a genuine fear. This awareness sees nothing but fearsomeness, like …

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