..续本文上一页 piercing feeling due to striving -- it can equal this but not exceed it. But, by this severe austerity, I have not attained any superior human condition worthy of the Noble One”s knowledge and vision. Might there be another way to awakening

　　"I thought of a time when my Sakyan father was working and I was sitting in the cool shade of a rose-apple tree -- quite secluded from sensual desires, secluded from unprofitable things I had entered upon and abode in the first meditation, which is accompanied by thinking and exploring with happiness and pleasure born of seclusion. I thought: `Might that be the way to awakening

　　” Then, following up that memory there came the recognition that this was the way to awakening.

　　"Then I thought: `Why am I afraid of such pleasure

　　 It is pleasure that has nothing to do with sensual desires and unprofitable things.” Then I thought: `I am not afraid of such pleasure, for it has nothing to do with sensual desires and unprofitable things.”

　　"I thought: `It is not possible to attain that pleasure with a body so excessively emaciated. Suppose I ate some solid food -- boiled rice and sour milk

　　”"

　　M.I,246f (adapted from Nanamoli, LoB, p.21)

　　The Buddha-to-be had experienced a vast range of spiritual practices which were traditionally held to be the only means for realising Truth. He was, however, still not satisfied. In his disappointment and disillusionment he sought a different way. Turning away from the path of painful self-mortification he thought to try the way of non-sensual spiritual pleasure. This was a very unique and controversial move. Five ascetics who had been attending him during his super-human privations left him in disgust, thinking he had given up the spiritual struggle. Alone and on a new course the Buddha-to-be renewed his spiritual search.

　　9. "Now when I had taken ample nutriment and had regained strength, aloof from sense pleasures, aloof from unskilful things, I entered upon and dwelt in the First Absorption, which is accompanied by thinking and reflecting, with happiness and joy born of aloofness. But such pleasant feeling as arose persisted without gaining power over my mind. "With the allaying of thinking and reflecting I entered upon and dwelt in the Second Absorption, which has the mind internally tranquillised and fixed on one point, free from thinking and reflecting, with happiness and joy born of concentration. But such pleasant feeling as arose persisted without gaining power over my mind.

　　"With the fading of joy, I dwelt in equanimity, mindful and clearly aware; experiencing in my being that pleasure of which the noble ones say: `Equanimity and mindfulness is a pleasurable abiding”, I entered upon and dwelt in the Third Absorption. But such pleasant feeling as arose persisted without gaining power over my mind.

　　"With the giving up of pleasure and pain, and with the disappearance of former mental ease and dis-ease, I entered upon and dwelt in the Fourth Absorption, which has neither pain nor pleasure and is purified by equanimity and mindfulness. But such pleasant feeling as arose persisted without gaining power over my mind." (M.I,247f)

　　The development of these four stages of increasingly deeper concentration and absorption into the meditation object gives the mind a greater degree of strength and power which can then be used towards the goal of awakening. The Buddha-to-be had already previously developed these, except now he was using them as a tool to strengthen the mind rather than as an end in themselves.

　　Having discovered a new path, re-established his resolve and reached an exceptionally refined degree of mental development, the Buddha-to-be was open to a profound human experience -- the experience of Awakening. This exceptional experience is expressed in the real…

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