..续本文上一页bbana, just as the water in a mountain cataract is sure to flow to the sea. They will flow to their natural truth: the mental fullness and completeness of a person who has practiced mental development until discernment arises within. We will meet with a special form of skill — transcendent skill — whose power will stay with us always, a quality that”s certain and sure, termed certain truth, certain wisdom, making us people certain for nibbana.

　　So this level of discernment — termed the discernment of liberating insight — is especially important. It arises on its own, not from cogitating along the lines of old concepts we”ve learned, but from abandoning them. Old concepts are what obscure the new knowledge that”s ready to arise.

　　The nature of liberating insight is like an electric light: Simply press the switch once, and things all around are made bright. In the same way, when the mind reaches a stage of readiness, insight will arise in a single mental instant, and everything will become clear: elements, aggregates, and the sense media. We”ll know, on the one hand, what”s inconstant (aniccam), stressful (dukkham), and not-self (anatta); and on the other hand, what”s uncommon, i.e., niccam — what”s constant and true; sukham — true happiness, termed niramisa-sukha; and atta — the self. The eye of the mind can know both sides and let go both ways. It”s attached neither to what”s inconstant, stressful and not-self; nor to what”s constant (niccam), good (sukham), and right (atta). It can let these things go, in line with their true nature. The knowledge that comes from discernment, cognitive skill, and intuitive insight, it can let go as well. It isn”t attached to views — for there”s yet another, separate sort of reality that has no "this" or "that." In other words, it doesn”t have the view or conceit, "I am." It lets go of the assumptions that, "That”s the self," "That”s not-self," "That”s constant," "That”s inconstant," "That arises," "That doesn”t arise." It can let go of these things completely. That”s the Dhamma, and yet it doesn”t hold onto the Dhamma, which is why we say that the Dhamma is not-self. It also doesn”t hold on to the view that says, "not-self." It lets go of views, causes, and effects, and isn”t attached to anything at all dealing with wordings or meanings, conventions or practices.

　　This, then, is discernment that arises from the development of the mind.

　　To summarize: The discernment that comes from studying and reflecting is classed as Dhamma on the level of theory. The discernment that comes from developing the mind is classed as Dhamma on the level of practice. The results that arise are two —

　　1. Mundane discernment: comprehension — of the world and the Dhamma — falling under mundane influences and subject to change.

　　2. Transcendent discernment: awareness that goes beyond the ordinary, giving rise to clear realization within. People who reach this level are said to have awakened and opened their eyes, which is what is meant by "Buddho."

　　* * * * * * * *

　　To summarize everything, there are three main points —

　　1. Virtue, which in terms of where its principles are found is the Vinaya Pitaka.

　　2. Concentration, which in terms of where its principles are found is the Suttanta Pitaka.

　　3. Discernment, which in terms of where its principles are found is the Abhidhamma Pitaka.

　　Expressed in terms of their meaning, they refer to three modes of behavior to be developed —

　　1. Virtue: keeping our words and deeds honest and in good order. This is a means of killing off one of the causes of stress, i.e., kama-tanha (sensual craving), mental states that take pleasure in growing attached and involved in sights, sounds, smells, flavors, tactile sensations, and ideas, known through the senses of sight, hearing, smell, tas…

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