(derivation uncertain; Sanskrit avrha) is one of the five Pure Abodes (suddha^va^sa, q.v.) in the fine-material sphere. For details, s. under Ana^ga^mi^.
The 2-fold division, kamma and upapatti, is probably found for the first time in Vibh. of the Abh. Canon, but it expresses throughout the genuine teaching of the suttas.
”becoming”, ”process of existence”, consists of 3 planes: sensuous existence (ka^ma-bhava), fine-material existence (rúpa-bhava), immaterial existence (arúpa-bhava). Cf. loka.
The whole process of existence may be divided into two aspects:
(1) Karma-process (kamma-bhava), i.e. the karmically active side of existence, being the cause of rebirth and consisting in wholesome and unwholesome volitional actions. See Karma, paticca-samuppa^da (IX).
(2) Karma-produced rebirth, or regenerating process (uppattibhava), i.e. the karmically passive side of existence consisting in the arising and developing of the karma-produced and therefore morally neutral mental and bodily phenomena of existence. Cf. Tab. - (App.).
(lit: influxes), ”cankers”, taints, corruption”s, intoxicant biases. There is a list of four (as in D. 16, Pts.M., Vibh.): the canker of sense-desire (ka^ma^sava), of (desiring eternal) existence (bhava^sava), of (wrong) views (dittha^sava), and of ignorance (avijja^sava). A list of three, omitting the canker of views, is possibly older and is more frequent in the Suttas, e.g. in M. 2, M. 9, D. 33; A. III, 59, 67; A. VI, 63. - In Vibh. (Khuddakavatthu Vibh.) both the 3-fold and 4-fold division are mentioned. The fourfold division also occurs under the name of ”floods” (ogha) and ”yokes” (yoga).
Through the path of Stream-Entry, the canker of views is destroyed; through the path of Non-Returning, the canker of sense-desire; through the path of Arahatship, the cankers of existence and ignorance. M. 2 shows how to overcome the cankers, namely, through insight, sense-control, avoidance, wise use of the necessities of life, etc. For a commentarial exposition, see Atthasa^lini Tr. I, p. 63f: II, pp. 475ff.
Khi^na^sava, ”one whose cankers are destroyed”, or ”one who is canker-free”, is a name for the Arahat or Holy One. The state of Arahatship is frequently called a^savakkhaya, ”the destruction of the cankers”. Suttas concluding with the attainment of Arahatship by the listeners, often end with the words: "During this utterance, the hearts of the Bhikkhus were freed from the cankers through clinging no more" (anupa^da^ya a^savehi citta^ni vimuccimsú”ti).
is the name of one of the most frightful hells (niraya, q.v.).
4 ways of showing sangaha-vatthu. (q.v.).
(fr. javati, to impel): ”impulsion”, is the phase of full cognition in the cognitive series, or perceptual process (citta-vi^thi; s. vin~n~a^na-kicca) occurring at its climax, if the respective object is large or distinct. It is at this phase that karma is produced, i.e. wholesome or unwholesome volition concerning the perception that was the object of the previous stages of the respective process of consciousness. There are normally 7 impulsive moments. In mundane consciousness (lokiya, q.v.), any of the 17 karmically wholesome classes of consciousness (Tab. I, 1-17) or of the 12 unwholesome ones (Tab. I, 22-23) may arise at the phase of impulsion. For the Arahat, however, impulsion has no longer a karmic, i.e. rebirth-producing character, but is a karmically independent function (kiriya, q.v.; Tab. I, 72-89). There are further 8 supermundane classes of impulsion (Tab. I, 18-21, 66-69).
The 4 impulsive moments immediately before entering an absorption (jha^na, q.v.) or one of the supermundane paths (magga; s. ariyapuggala) are: the preparatory (parikamma), approach (upaca^ra), adaptation (anuloma), and maturity-moment (gotrabhú, q.v.) In connection with entering the earth-kasina absorption (s. kasina), they are explained as follows, in Vis.M. IV: "After the breaking off of the subconscious stream of being (bhavanga-sota, q.v.), there arises the ”advertence at the mind-door” (manodva^ra^vajjana, s. vin~n~a^nakicca), taking as object the earthkasina (whilst thinking), ”Earth! Earth!” Thereupon, 4 or 5 impulsive moments flash forth, amongst which the last one (maturity-moment) belongs to the fine-material sphere (rúpa^vacara), whereas the rest belong to the sense-sphere (ka^ma^vacara; s. avacara), though the last one is more powerful in thought conception, discursive thinking, interest (rapture), joy and concentration (cf. jha^na) than the states of consciousness belonging to the sense-sphere. They are called ”preparatory” (parikamma-sama^dhi), as they are preparing for the attainment-concentration (appana^-sama^dhi);”approaching” (upaca^ra-sama^dhi), as they are close to the attainment-concentration and are moving in its neighbourhood;”adaptive” (anuloma), as they adapt themselves to the preceding preparatory states and to the succeeding attainment concentration. The last one of the four is called ”matured” (gotrabhú). In a similar way, the impulsive moments before reaching the divine ear are described in Vis.M. XIII, 1. - Cf. Karma - (App.).
The only reference in the Sutta Pitaka is Pts.M. II, 73: kusalakammassa javana-khane, "in the impulsion-moment of a wholesome karma." In the Abhidhamma Pitaka it is briefly mentioned in the Pattha^na, but without explanation, as if already known. The teaching of the flashing forth of 4 javana immediately before entering the jha^na or lokuttara-magga, i.e. parikamma, upaca^ra, anuloma, gotrabhú is, as such, without doubt a later development in the commentarial literature.
”sphere”, realm. The 3 spheres of existence are: the sensuous sphere (ka^ma^vacara), the fine-material sphere (rúpa^vacara), the immaterial sphere (arúpa^vacara)."Which things are of the sensuous sphere (ka^ma^vacara)? Whatever things exist within the interval bounded beneath by the Avi^ci-hell and above by the Paranimmitavasavatti-heaven (s. deva), having therein their sphere, and being therein included, to wit: the groups of existence, the elements, bases (s. khandha, dha^tu, a^yatana), corporeality, feeling, perception, mental formations and consciousness, all these things are of the sensuous sphere. - But which things are of the fine material sphere (rúpa^vacara)? Whatever things exist within the interval bounded beneath by the Brahma-world and above by the Akanittha-world (s. deva), having therein their sphere, and being therein included ... and also consciousness and mental factors in one who has entered the (fine-material) absorptions, or who has been reborn in that sphere, or who already during his life-time is living in happiness (of the absorptions), all these things are of the fine-material sphere. - Which things are of the immaterial sphere (arúpa^vacara)? Consciousness and mental factors arising within the interval bounded beneath by the beings reborn in the sphere of unbounded space and above by the beings reborn in the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception (s. jha^na 5-8), and consciousness and mental factors in one who has entered the (immaterial absorptions), or who has been reborn in that sphere, or who already during his lifetime is living in happiness (of the immaterial absorptions), all these things are of the immaterial sphere." (Cf. Dhs. 1280, 1282, 1284; Vibh. XVIII). (App.).
ka^ma^vacara is already met with in the oldest sutta texts (e.g. D. 1). Rúpa^vacara and arúpa^vacara, however, occur probably for the first time in Pts.M. (I. 83ff.), while in the Abhidhamma Canon and the Com. all the 3 terms are frequently mentioned and explained.
”ignorance,” nescience, unknowing; synonymous with delusion (moha, s. múla), is the primary root of all evil and suffering in the world, veiling man”s mental eyes and preventing him from seeing the true nature of things. It is the delusion tricking beings by making life appear to them as permanent, happy, substantial and beautiful and preventing them from seeing that everything in reality is impermanent, liable to suffering, void of ”I” and ”mine”, and basically impure (s. vipalla^sa). Ignorance is defined as ”not knowing the four truths, namely, suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the way to its cessation” (S. XII, 4).
As ignorance is the foundation of all life-affirming actions, of all evil and suffering, therefore it stands first in the formula of Dependent Origination (paticca-samuppa^da, q.v.). But for that reason, says Vis.M. (XVII, 36f) ignorance should not be regarded as "the causeless root-cause of the world ... It is not causeless. For a cause of it is stated thus ”With the arising of cankers (a^sava, q.v.) there is the arising of ignorance” (M. 9). But there is a figurative way in which it can be treated as a root-cause; namely, when it is made to serve as a starting point in an exposition of the Round of Existence ... As it is said: ”No first beginning of ignorance can be perceived, Bhikkhus, before which ignorance was not, and after which it came to be. But it can be perceived that ignorance has its specific condition (idappaccaya)" (A. X, 61). The same statement is made (A. X, 62) about the craving for existence (bhava-tanha^; s. tanha^). The latter and ignorance are called "the outstanding causes of kamma that lead to unhappy and happy destinies" (Vis.M. XVII, 38).
As ignorance still exists - though in a very refined way until the attainment of Arahatship or Holiness, it is counted as the last of the 10 fetters (samyojana, q.v.) which bind beings to the cycle of rebirths. As the first two roots of evil, greed and hate (s. múla), are on their part rooted in ignorance, consequently all unwholesome states of mind are inseparably bound up with it. Ignorance (or delusion) is the most obstinate of the three roots of evil.
Ignorance is one of the cankers (a^sava, q.v.) and proclivities (anusaya, q.v.). It is often called a hindrance (ni^varana; e.g. in S.XV, 3; A.X, 61) but does not appear together with the usual list of five hindrances.
tanha^ (q.v.), ra^ga (q.v.); further s. múla.
buddha (or satthu)- sa^sana: s. sa^sana.
ditthi = uccheda-ditthi; s. ditthi.
(from existence), contemplation of: s. vipassana^ (VI . 5)
sota and bhavanga citta: The first term may tentatively be rendered as the ”undercurrent forming the condition of being, or existence”, and the second as ”subconsciousness”, though, as will be evident from the following, it differs in several respects from the usage of that term in Western psychology. Bhavanga (bhava-anga), which, in the canonical works, is mentioned twice or thrice in the Pattha^na, is explained in the Abhidhamma commentaries as the foundation or condition (ka^rana) of existence (bhava), as the sine qua non of life, having the nature of a process, lit. a flux or stream (sota). Herein, since time immemorial, all impressions and experiences are, as it were, stored up, or better said, are functioning, but concealed as such to- full consciousness, from where however they occasionally emerge as subconscious phenomena and approach the threshold of full consciousness, or crossing it become fully conscious. This so-called ”subconscious life-stream” or undercurrent of life is that by which might be explained the faculty of memory, paranormal psychic phenomena, mental and physical growth, karma and rebirth. etc. An alternative rendering is ”life-continuum”.
It should be noted that bhavanga-citta is a karma-resultant state of consciousness (vipa^ka, q.v.), and that, in birth as a human or in higher forms of existence, it is always the result of good, or wholesome karma (kusala-kamma-vipa^ka), though in varying degrees of strength (s. patisandhi, end of the article). The same holds true for rebirth consciousness (patisandhi) and death consciousness (cuti), which are only particular manifestations of subconsciousness. In Vis.M. XIV it is said:
"As soon as rebirth-consciousness (in the embryo at the time of conception) has ceased, there arises a similar subconsciousness with exactly the same object, following immediately upon rebirth-consciousness and being the result of this or that karma (volitional action done in a former birth and remembered there at the moment before death). And again a further similar state of subconsciousness arises. Now, as long as no other consciousness arises to interrupt the continuity of the life-stream, so long the life-stream, like the flow of a river, rises in the same way again and again, even during dreamless sleep and at other times. In this way one has to understand the continuous arising of those states of consciousness in the life-stream." Cf. vin~n~a^na-kicca. For more details, s. Fund. 11. (App.).
(equivalents: ahimsa^, avihesa^): ”harmlessness”, nonviolence, absence of cruelty. The ”thought of harmlessness” (or: ”non-cruelty”; avihimsa^-vitakka) is one of the three constituents of right thought (samma^-sankappa), i.e. the 2nd factor of the Eightfold Path (s. magga). In the several lists of ”elements” (dha^tu) appears also an ”element of harmlessness” (avihesa^-dha^tu), in the sense of an elementary quality of noble thought. See Dhp. 225, 261, 270, 300.
”undistractedness”, is a synonym of concentration (sama^dhi, q.v.), one-pointedness of mind (citt”ekaggata^) and tranquillity (samatha, q.v.; further s. samatha-vipassana^).
This term in the sense of ”amoral” or ”karmically neutral”, does not occur in the old sutta texts, while it is found in Pts.M. (e.g. I, 79ff). It plays an important role in the Abh. Canon (e.g. Dhs.) and the philosophical commentaries.
lit.”indeterminate” - i.e. neither determined as karmically ”wholesome” nor as ”unwholesome” - are the karmically neutral, i.e. amoral, states of consciousness and mental factors. They are either mere karma-results (vipa^ka, q.v.), as e.g. all the sense perceptions and the mental factors associated therewith, or they are karmically independent functions (kiriya-citta, q.v.), i.e. neither karmic nor karma-resultant. See Tab. I. (App.).
morality consisting in good: abhisama^ca^rikasi^la (q.v.) .
”hatelessness”, non-ill-will, goodness; is one of the three kinds of right thought (s. sacca, IV. 2), or wholesome thoughts (vitakka, q.v.) and is the 9th of the 10 wholesome courses of actions (kammapatha II. q.v.). The most frequently used synonyms are adosa (s. múla) and metta^ (s. brahma-viha^ra).
”canker of existence”; s. a^sava.
s: a^sava.
lit.: re-becoming;”renewed existence”, is a sutta term for ”rebirth”, which, in later literature mostly is called patisandhi (q.v.). The attainment of Sainthood (arahatta), implying the end of future rebirths, is often expressed in the words: "This is the last birth. Now there is no more a renewed existence!" (natthi ”da^ni punabbhavo) (M. 26; D. 15; Therag. 87, 339; Sn. 502). - The term is often linked with abhinibbatti (”arising”).
"But how, o brother, does it come to renewed existence and arising in the future (a^yatim punabbhava^bhinibbatti)? Because beings, obstructed by ignorance and fettered by craving, find ever fresh delight now here, now there, for this reason there is renewed existence and arising in the future" (M. 43). See also S.XII. 38. Abhinibbatti also stands sometimes alone in signifying ”rebirth”, e.g. in A. VI, 61; X, 65.
Cf., in the 2nd Truth, the adj. ponobhavika, ”leading to renewed existence”.
See A. III, 76; Sn. 163, 273, 514, 733; S. VII, 12; X, 3.
”Doctrine of the Elders”, is a name of the oldest form of the Buddha”s teachings, handed down to us in the Pa^li language. According to tradition, its name is derived from the fact of having been fixed by 500 holy Elders of the Order, soon after the death of the Master.
Therava^da is the only one of the old schools of Buddhism that has survived among those which Maha^ya^nists have called ”Hinaya^na”. It is sometimes called Southern Buddhism or Pa^li Buddhism. It is found today in Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Chittagong (East Bengal. ) - Cf. Guide, p. 60. - (App.). thi^na middha: ”sloth and torpor”, constitute the 3rd of the 5 hindrances (ni^varana, q.v.). They may or may not, be associated with greedy consciousness (s. Tab. 23. 25, 27, 29 and II).
This term was already used by the Buddha himself in speaking of the doctrine of a^la^ra-Ka^la^ma (s. M. 26). As a name for the Buddha”s doctrine it belongs to the commentarial literature.
s. manopavica^ra.
s. bhava, loka.
”sensuous existence”; s. bhava.
s. bhava, paticcasamuppa^da.
”the one in whom all cankers are destroyed” is a name for the Arahat, or Holy One; s. a^sava.
”determining”, defining. In its application to insight meditation, this term occurred first in Pts.M. (I, p. 53); but in a verbal form, as a past participle, already in M. 111: tyassa dhamma^ anupada-vavatthita^ honti, "these things (the mental factors) were determined by him (i.e. Sa^riputta) successively" (s. Abh. St., p. 54). In Vis.M. XX, 130, it is said: ”The determining of the truth of suffering is effected with the determining of mind-and-body in the purification of view (s. visuddhi III). The determining of the truth of origination is effected with the discerning of conditions in the purification by transcending doubt (s. visuddhi IV). The determining of the truth of the path is effected by emphasis on the right path in the purification by knowledge and vision of what is path and not-path (s. visuddhi V). Thus the determining of the 3 truths (suffering, origin, path) has been first effected by means of mundane (lokiya, q.v.) knowledge only." - See sammasana, visuddhi.
For the determining of the 4 physical elements, s. dha^tuvavattha^na.
see above.
”belief in being” (eternal personality); s. sassataditthi, ditthi.
”craving for (eternal) existence”; s. tanha^.
”mental indulging”. There are mentioned 18 ways of indulging: 6 in gladness (somanassúpavica^ra), 6 in sorrow (domanassa), 6 in indifference (upekkha^)."Perceiving with the eye a visible form ... hearing with the ear a sound ... being in mind conscious of an object, one indulges in the joy-producing object, the sorrow-producing object, the indifference-producing object..." (M. 137; A. III, 61). - In the Com. to A., upavica^ra is said to be identical with vitakka-vica^ra (q.v.).
”rebirth-process”; s. bhava.
”craving for non-existence”, or for self-annihilation; s. tanha^.
”non-disappearance”, is one of the 24 conditions (paccaya, q.v.).
”earth-element”. or ”solid element”. It is cognizable through the sensations of pressure, touch, cold, heat. pain, etc. - About the 4 elements. s. dha^tu, khandha (I. A.).
”earth-kasina” (s. kasina).
s. satta^va^sa.
ka^ma-tanha^ (-ra^ga), is one of the 10 fetters (samyojana, q.v.), and one of the 3 kinds of craving (tanha^, q.v.).
”indulging in indifference”; s. manopavica^ra.
”continuity of subconsciousness”; s. santa^na
one-group existence, is the existence of the unconscious beings (asan~n~a-satta, q.v.) as they possess only the corporeality-group. Cf. catu-voka^ra-bhava, pan~ca-voka^ra-bhava.
”abodes of beings”. In the sutta-texts (e.g. D. 33; A.IX, 24) 9 such abodes are mentioned:
"There are, o monks, 9 abodes of beings, namely:
(1) "There are beings who are different in body and different in perception, such as the human beings, some heavenly beings, and some beings living in the world of suffering (vinipa^tika, q.v.).
(2) ””There are beings who are different in body but equal in perception, such as the first-born gods of the Brahma-world (i.e. at the beginning of each new world-formation; s. deva II).
(3) ””There are beings who are equal in body but different in perception, such as the Radiant Gods (a^bhassara, s. deva II).
(4) "There are beings who are equal in body and equal in perception, such as the All-Illuminating Gods (subha-kinha; s. deva II).
(5) "There are beings without perception and feeling, such as the unconscious beings (asan~n~a-satta, q.v.).
(6) "There are beings who, through the complete overcoming of perceptions of matter (rúpa-san~n~a), the disappearance of perceptions of sense-reaction (patigha-san~n~a), and the non-attention to perceptions of variety thinking: ”Boundless is space”, are reborn in the sphere of buundless space (s. deva, III; jha^na, 5).
(7) "There are beings who, through the complete overcoming of the sphere of boundless space, thinking: ”Boundless is consciousness”, are reborn in the sphere of boundless consciousness (s. jha^na 6).
(8) "There are beings who, through the complete overcoming of the sphere of boundless consciousness, thinking: ”Nothing is there, are reborn in the sphere of nothingness (s. jha^na, 7).
(9) "There are beings who, through the complete overcoming of the sphere of nothingness, are reborn in the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception (s. jha^na, 8)" (A. IX, 24).
According to the Com. to A., the beings of the Pure Abodes (suddha^va^sa, q.v.) are not mentioned here, for the reason that they exist only in those world-periods in which Buddhas appear. Cf. vin~n~a^na-tthiti.
”four-group existence”, is the existence in the immaterial world (arúpa-loka; s. loka), since only the four mental groups (feeling, perception, mental formations, consciousness, s. khandha) are found there, the corporeality group being absent. Cf. pan~ca-voka^ra-bhava, eka-voka^ra-bhava. (App.: voka^ra).
This term is first used in Pts.M. while the subject in question is often treated in the old sutta texts (e.g. M. 28, 62, 140, etc.). Cf. sammasana.
”analysis (or determining) of the 4 elements”, is described in Vis.M. XI, 2, as the last of the 40 mental exercises (s. bha^vana^). In a condensed form this exercise is handed down in D. 22 and M. 10 (s. satipattha^na), but in detail explained in M. 28, 62, 140. The simile of the butcher in M. 10 ("Just, o monks, as a skilled butcher or butcher”s apprentice, after having slaughtered a cow and divided it into separate portions, should sit down at the junction of four highroads; just so does the disciple contemplate this body with regard to the elements") is thus explained in Vis.M. XI.: "To the butcher, who rears the cow, brings it to the slaughter-house, ties it, puts it there, slaughters it, or looks at the slaughtered and dead cow, the idea ”cow” does not disappear as long as he has not yet cut the body open and taken it to pieces. As soon, however, as he sits down, after having cut it open and taken it to pieces, the idea ”cow” disappears to him, and the idea ”meat” arises. And he does not think: ”A cow do I sell, or ”A cow do they buy.” Just so, when the monk formerly was still an ignorant worldling, layman or a homeless one, the ideas ”living being” or ”man” or ”individual” had not yet disappeared as long as he had not taken this body, whatever position or direction it had, to pieces and analysed it piece by piece. As soon, however, as he analysed this body into its elements, the idea ”living being” disappeared to him, and his mind became established in the contemplation of the elements." - (App.).
”indulging in grief”; s. manopavica^ra.
”indulging in gladness”; s. mano-pavica^ra.
”retrospective knowledge”, refers to the recollected mental image obtained in concentration, or to any inner experience just passed, as for instance, any absorption (jha^na q.v.), or any supermundane path, or fruition of the path, etc. (s. ariya-puggala). As it is said: "At the end of fruitional consciousness, consciousness sinks into the subconscious stream of existence (bhavanga-sota, q.v.). Then, breaking off the stream of existence, mental advertence (manodva^ra^vajjana) arises at the mind-door, for the purpose of retrospecting the (just passed) path-moment. Now, as soon as this stage has passed, 7 moments of impulsive consciousness (javana-citta), one after the other, flash up while retrospecting the path. After they again have sunk into the subconscious stream, there arise, for the purpose of retrospecting the fruition of the path the moments of advertence and impulsion, during whose arising the monk is retrospecting the path, retrospecting the fruition, retrospecting the abandoned defilements, retrospecting the still remaining defilements, retrospecting Nibba^na as object ....”This blessing have I attained”....”This and that defilement still remains in me”....”This object have I beheld in my mind”, etc." (Vis.M. XXII).
”purity of reflection”, is a name for wise consideration in using the 4 requisites allowed to the monk, i.e. robes, food, dwelling, and medicine; s. si^la (4).
”five-group existence”, is a name for existence in the sensuous sphere (ka^ma^vacara), or in the fine-material sphere (rúpa^vacara, s. avacara), since all the 5 groups of existence (khandha, q.v.) are found there. In the immaterial sphere (arúpa^vacara, s. avacara), however, only the 4 mental groups are found, and in the world of unconscious beings (asan~n~a^-satta, q.v.) only the one corporeality group. Cf eka-voka^ra-bhava and catu-pan~ca-voka^ra-bhava; further s. avacara. - (App.: voka^ra).
These 2 compound terms belong exclusively to the exegetical literature, while the term bhavanga is several times, briefly and unexplained, mentioned in the Patth. of the Abh. Canon, as though already known at that time.
ninefold vital group; s. rúpa-kala^pa.
”analysis of the four elements”; s. dha^tu-vavattha^na.
s. ca^ritta, etc. - The effort to avoid, s. padha^na.
”heavenly beings with power over the productions of others”, constitute a class of heavenly beings in the sensuous sphere (ka^ma-loka). Ma^ra (q.v.) is said to be their ruler. Cf. loka, deva I.
”knowledge consisting in contemplation of misery”, ...
”knowledge consisting in contemplation of misery”,
is one of the 8 kinds of insight (vipassana^) that form the ”purification of the knowledge and vision of the path-progress (s. visuddhi, VI. 4).
It is further one of the 18 chief kinds of insight (s. vipassana^).