..续本文上一页me, the first noble attainment is reached; the second time, the second attainment is reached; the third time, the third; and the fourth time, the fourth. When the qualities of virtue, concentration, and discernment are brought together in fully mature form, the mind is released from physical and mental phenomena through the power of discernment, in line with the teaching,

　　paññaya paribhavitam cittam

　　sammadeva asavehi vimuccati:

　　"When the mind has been matured through discernment, it gains complete release from all mental effluents." The mind is able to let go of physical and mental phenomena. Physical and mental phenomena are not the mind; the mind isn”t physical and mental phenomena. The mind isn”t virtue, concentration, and discernment.

　　sabbe dhamma anatta:

　　The mind doesn”t identify any quality as itself, or itself as any of these qualities. It simply is — deathlessness. This is called disbanding because passion, aversion, and delusion have disbanded completely. There is no more becoming for the mind, no more birth, no more involvement with the elements, aggregates, and sense media, and — unlike ordinary run-of-the-mill people — no longer any intoxication with any of these things. As a passage in the Canon puts it:

　　mada-nimmadano — no longer intoxicated with the three levels of existence;

　　pipasa-vinayo — no longer thirsting for sensual pleasures;

　　alaya-samugghato — involvement with the aggregates has been withdrawn, leaving the aggregates free to follow their own natural state;

　　vattupacchedo — the cycle through the three levels of existence has been cut absolutely;

　　tanhakkhayo — craving is done with;

　　virago — passion is done with;

　　nirodho — unawareness has disbanded without leaving a trace;

　　nibbana — the mind is freed from its shackles and bonds.

　　The Deathless is reached. Birth, aging, illness, and death are eliminated. Ultimate, unchanging ease is attained. The aggregates disband without leaving a trace, in line with the synopsis of dependent origination: "Simply with the disbanding of this unawareness — with no trace of remaining passion — fashionings disband... consciousness (with regard to the six senses) disbands... physical and mental phenomena disband... the six sense media disband... sensory contacts disband... the three kinds of feeling disband... the three kinds of craving disband... the four kinds of clinging disband... becoming disbands... birth disbands... aging, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, and despair all disband and no longer appear as stress."

　　The mind is Dhamma, free from effluents, because it has gained insight into all fashioned things. It is released from all unawareness, craving, and clinging, and has cut all ten fetters. This is the fruition of arahantship. Those who have reached this level have completed the religion. They have no more defilements or cravings; no one has anything further to teach them. Even the Buddha himself doesn”t have it within his power to formulate any further instructions for them. This is why they are said to have completed the religion. If you were to describe their virtues, they would be infinite.

　　Arahants are classified into four groups:

　　1. Sukha-vipassako: those who have gained "dry" release through the power of insight, having developed the bare minimum of concentration before attaining the knowledge that does away with mental effluents (asavakkhaya-ñana) and gaining release. They have no other powers or skills.

　　2. Tevijjo: those who have attained the three skills —

　　a. Pubbenivasanussati-ñana: the ability to remember their own past lives.

　　b. Cutupapata-ñana: the ability to see living beings as they pass from death to rebirth.

　　c. Asavakkhaya-ñana: the knowledge that does away with the effluents of defilement.

　　3. Chalabhiñño: those who have attained the six intuitive powers —

　　a. Iddhividhi: the ability to display supernormal powers.

　　b. Dibba-sota: clairaudience.

　　c. Cetopariya-ñana: the ability to know the thoughts of others.

　　d. Pubbenivasanussati-ñana: the ability to remember previous lives.

　　e. Dibba-cakkhu: clairvoyance.

　　f. Asavakkhaya-ñana: The ability to do away with mental effluents.

　　4. Patisambhidappatto: those who have mastered the four forms of acumen —

　　a. Attha-patisambhida: acumen with regard to meaning.

　　b. Dhamma-patisambhida: acumen with regard to mental qualities.

　　c. Nirutti-patisambhida: acumen with regard to linguistic conventions.

　　d. Patibhana-patisambhida: acumen with regard to expression.

　　These are the different classes of arahants. It”s not the case that they are all alike. Those who have attained release through dry insight have developed insight meditation more than tranquillity. Those who attain the three skills have developed tranquillity and insight in equal measure. Those who attain the six intuitive powers have developed two parts tranquillity to one part insight. Those who attain the four forms of acumen have developed three parts tranquillity to one part insight. This is why they differ from one another. (Tranquillity here refers to the eight levels of jhana). If you want detailed discussions of these various attainments, see the discussions of the three skills, the eight skills, and the four forms of acumen given after the section on jhana. The skills mentioned on this level, though, are all transcendent, and are completely apart from the corresponding mundane skills.

《The Craft of the Heart - The Path to Arahantship》全文阅读结束。