A New Chapter: The One-Mind Nyāsa Opens

"When dying out of the desire realm and being reborn into the desire realm, how many faculties cease?" and so on, as stated at length. This passage displays a great many distinct gateways of analysis — differences of realm, of individual, of faculty, of the death-existence, of the intermediate existence, of the rebirth-existence, of gradual dying, and of sudden dying. "When dying out of the desire realm and being reborn into the desire realm, how many faculties cease?" Answer: either four, or nine, or eight, or thirteen, or nine, or fourteen, or ten, or fifteen. For one who dies gradually, with a neutral mind, four cease — the body-, life-, mind-, and equanimity-faculties; with a wholesome mind, nine cease — the preceding four plus faith with its four companions. For one who dies suddenly: if of no sexual form, with a neutral mind, eight cease — the eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body faculties, the life-faculty, the mind-faculty, and equanimity; with a wholesome mind, thirteen cease — the preceding eight plus faith with its four companions. If of a single sexual form, with a neutral mind, nine cease — the preceding eight plus whichever one of the sexual faculties applies; with a wholesome mind, fourteen cease — the preceding nine plus faith with its four companions. If of dual sexual form, with a neutral mind, ten cease — the preceding nine plus the remaining sexual faculty as well; with a wholesome mind, fifteen cease — the preceding ten plus faith with its four companions. "To which realm are the mind and mental factors that cease here bound?" Answer: to the desire realm. "How many faculties become present?" Answer: either eight, nine, or ten — eight if of no sexual form, namely the eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body faculties, the life-faculty, the mind-faculty, and equanimity; nine if of a single sexual form, adding whichever one of the sexual faculties applies; and ten if of dual sexual form, adding both. "To which realm are the mind and mental factors that become present here bound?" Answer: to the desire realm. "When dying out of the desire realm and being reborn into the form realm, how many faculties cease?" Answer: either four, or nine, or nine, or fourteen. For one who dies gradually, with a neutral mind, four cease —

the body-, life-, mind-, and equanimity-faculties; with a wholesome mind, nine cease — the preceding four plus faith with its four companions. For one who dies suddenly, with a neutral mind, nine cease — the eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body faculties, the life-faculty, the mind-faculty, and equanimity, together with whichever one of the male or female faculty applies; with a wholesome mind, fourteen cease — the preceding nine plus faith with its four companions. "To which realm are the mind and mental factors that cease here bound?" Answer: to the desire realm. "How many faculties become present?" Answer: eight — the eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body faculties, the life-faculty, the mind-faculty, and equanimity.

"To which realm are the mind and mental factors that become present here bound?" Answer: to the form realm. "When dying out of the desire realm and being reborn into the formless realm, how many faculties cease?" Answer: either four,

or nine, or nine, or fourteen, exactly as already described. "To which realm are the mind and mental factors that cease here bound?" Answer: to the desire realm. "How many faculties become present?" Answer: three — the life-, mind-, and equanimity-faculties. "To which realm are the mind and mental factors that become present here bound?" Answer: to the formless realm. "When dying out of the form realm and being reborn into the form realm, how many faculties cease?" Answer: either eight, or thirteen. With a neutral mind, eight cease — the eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body faculties, the life-faculty, the mind-faculty, and equanimity; with a wholesome mind, thirteen cease — the preceding eight plus faith with its four companions. "To which realm are the mind and mental factors that cease here bound?" Answer: to the form realm. "How many faculties become present?" Answer: eight, exactly as already described. "To which realm are the mind and mental factors that become present here bound?" Answer: to the form realm. "When dying out of the form realm and being reborn into the desire realm, how many faculties cease?" Answer: either eight, or thirteen, exactly as already described. "To which realm are the mind and mental factors that cease here bound?" Answer: to the form realm. "How many faculties become present?" Answer: either eight, nine, or ten, exactly as already described. "To which realm are the mind and mental factors that become present here bound?" Answer: to the desire realm. "When dying out of the form realm and being reborn into the formless realm, how many faculties cease?" Answer: either eight, or thirteen, exactly as already described. "To which realm are the mind and mental factors that cease here bound?" Answer: to the form realm. "How many faculties become present?" Answer: three, exactly as already described. "To which realm are the mind and mental factors that become present here bound?" Answer: to the formless realm. "When dying out of the formless realm and being reborn into the formless realm, how many faculties cease?" Answer: either three, or eight. With a neutral mind, three cease — the life-, mind-, and equanimity-faculties; with a wholesome mind, eight cease — the preceding three plus faith with its four companions. "To which realm are the mind and mental factors that cease here bound?" Answer: to the formless realm. "How many faculties become present?" Answer: three, exactly as already described. "To which realm are the mind and mental factors that become present here bound?" Answer: to the formless realm. "When dying out of the formless realm and being reborn into the desire realm, how many faculties cease?" Answer: either three, or eight, exactly as already described. "To which realm are the mind and mental factors that cease here bound?"

Answer: to the formless realm. "How many faculties become present?" Answer: either eight, nine, or ten, exactly as already described. "To which realm are the mind and mental factors that become present here bound?" Answer: to the desire realm. "When dying out of the formless realm and being reborn into the form realm, how many faculties cease?" Answer: either three, or eight, exactly as already described. "To which realm are the mind and mental factors that cease here bound?" Answer: to the formless realm. "How many faculties become present?" Answer: eight, exactly as already described. "To which realm are the mind and mental factors that become present here bound?" Answer: to the form realm.

"When an arhat enters final nirvāṇa, how many faculties cease last?" Answer: either four, or nine, or eight, or three. For one who enters final nirvāṇa gradually in the desire realm, four — the body-, life-, mind-, and equanimity-faculties. For one who enters it suddenly, nine — the eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body faculties, the life-faculty, the mind-faculty, and equanimity, together with whichever one of the male or female faculty applies. For one in the form realm, eight — the eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body faculties, the life-faculty, the mind-faculty, and equanimity. For one in the formless realm, three — the life-, mind-, and equanimity-faculties. One might ask: for what reason must every sentient being, without exception, abide in equanimity at both death and rebirth-linking? Answer: among the five feelings, none carries an aspect as faint and dim as equanimity does; and among the ten periods of life, none carries so faint and dim an aspect as the moments of death and rebirth do — and it is for this reason that equanimity alone accompanies death and rebirth-linking.

The Faculties Aggregate, within the One-Mind Nyāsa, Chapter Five, Part One: "do dharmas that arise, abide, and cease together with mind associate with mind?" Such is the chapter heading, and such is the explanation of its meaning. Having grasped this, a full analysis should now be given. One might ask: why raise this discussion at all? Answer: to block the view of one who holds that association is not truly real, and so on, as stated at length — it is for this reason that the present discussion is raised. "Do dharmas that arise, abide, and cease together with mind associate with mind?" Answer: whatever dharma is associated with mind arises, abides, and ceases together with mind — namely, every mental factor without exception. There is a dharma that arises, abides, and ceases together with mind, yet is not associated with mind — namely, mind-following matter, and formations dissociated from mind. Here, "arising" means coming into being; "abiding" means aging; "ceasing" means impermanence. "Do dharmas that arise, abide, and cease together with mind take the same single object as mind?" Answer: whatever dharma takes the same single object as mind arises, abides, and ceases together with mind — namely, every mental factor without exception. There is a dharma that arises, abides, and ceases together with mind, yet does not take the same single object as mind — namely, mind-following matter, and formations dissociated from mind. One might ask: why raise this further discussion? Answer: to block the view of one who holds that the object-condition is not truly real, and so on, as stated at length — it is for this reason that the present discussion is raised.

The sense of "following mind" is of ten kinds — namely, arising together, abiding together, ceasing together, sharing a single result, sharing a single outflow, and sharing a single ripening;

wholesome when mind is wholesome, unwholesome when mind is unwholesome, and neutral when mind is neutral; and falling within one and the same time-period. "Sharing a single result" means sharing the result of liberation; "sharing a single outflow" means sharing an outflow-result; "sharing a single ripening" means sharing a ripening-result; "falling within one and the same time-period" means being included within one and the same time-period together. This is stated comprehensively; speaking more precisely, within the path that cuts off fetters, contaminated forms carry eight distinct senses of "following" — arising together, abiding together, ceasing together, sharing a result, sharing an outflow, and sharing a ripening, being wholesome and falling within one and the same time-period. Within the contaminated path of preparation, liberation, and further advancement, and within every other contaminated wholesome mental class besides, there are seven such senses — arising together, abiding together, ceasing together, sharing an outflow, and sharing a ripening, being wholesome and falling within one and the same time-period. Within the uncontaminated path that cuts off fetters, there are likewise seven senses — arising together, abiding together, ceasing together, sharing a result, and sharing an outflow, being wholesome and falling within one and the same time-period. Within the uncontaminated path of preparation, liberation, and further advancement, there are six senses — arising together, abiding together, ceasing together, and sharing an outflow, being wholesome and falling within one and the same time-period. An unwholesome mental class carries seven senses — arising together, abiding together, ceasing together, sharing an outflow, and sharing a ripening, being unwholesome and falling within one and the same time-period. A neutral mental class carries six senses — arising together, abiding together, ceasing together, and sharing an outflow, being neutral and falling within one and the same time-period. Moreover, mind and mental factors, considered in relation to one another, are called "following" on account of five distinct causes — dependence, object, aspect, result, and ripening; mind, considered in relation to mind-following matter and formations dissociated from mind, is called "following" on account of only two causes — result and ripening. The full sense of "following" is explained at length in the Miscellaneous Aggregate. "Do dharmas that arise together with mind, never apart from mind, likewise abide together and cease together with mind, never apart from mind?" and so on, as stated at length. One might ask: why raise this discussion at all? Answer: an earlier nyāsa, though already clarifying that mind and mental factors alike perish moment by moment, had not yet addressed matter and the rest — the present discussion is raised specifically to clarify this. It is also raised in order to block the position of certain śramaṇas who hold a theory of three moments — namely, that every form-dharma abides for three moments, while mind and mental factors perish in a single moment alone. This position itself divides into two — a theory of mixed arising, and a theory of sequential arising. The theory of mixed arising holds as follows: in dependence on a first eye-faculty, a first eye-consciousness arises; once they have co-arisen, the eye-faculty abides while the eye-consciousness ceases; in dependence on a second eye-faculty, a second eye-consciousness arises; once they have co-arisen, the eye-faculty abides while the eye-consciousness ceases; in dependence on a third eye-faculty, a third eye-consciousness arises; once they have co-arisen, the eye-faculty abides while the eye-consciousness ceases — and it should be understood that this third eye-consciousness then ceases together with the very first eye-faculty. One might ask: what fault does this position carry? Answer: on this account, the first eye-consciousness has a basis for its arising, yet no basis for its ceasing;

the second eye-consciousness is likewise so; the third eye-consciousness has a basis for its arising, and, though it does have a basis for its ceasing, that basis belongs to another eye-faculty entirely — this is the fault it carries, since consciousness ought properly to arise and cease in dependence on one and the same basis throughout. The theory of sequential arising holds as follows: in dependence on a first eye-faculty, a first eye-consciousness arises; once they have co-arisen, the eye-faculty abides while the eye-consciousness ceases; then, still in dependence on that very same eye-faculty, a second eye-consciousness arises; the eye-faculty abides while the eye-consciousness ceases; then, again in dependence on that same eye-faculty, a third eye-consciousness arises, and this consciousness ceases together with the eye-faculty itself, at one and the same time. One might ask: what fault does this position carry? Answer: on this account, the first eye-consciousness has a basis for its arising, yet no basis for its ceasing; the second eye-consciousness has neither a basis for its arising nor a basis for its ceasing; the third eye-consciousness has no basis for its arising, yet does have a basis for its ceasing — this is the fault it carries, since consciousness ought properly to arise and cease in dependence on one and the same basis throughout. Moreover, these two theories share a further common fault: were a being to die out of the human destiny and be reborn into the hells, that being would, on this account, not yet have relinquished the human destiny even while already having obtained the hell-destiny — resulting in a confusion of destinies and a confusion of bodies alike. "Confusion of destinies" means that such a being would belong to the hell-destiny and to the human destiny at one and the same time; "confusion of bodies" means that such a being would possess both a hell-body and a human body at one and the same time — a grave fault indeed. According to the intention underlying these two theories, when one enters the attainment of no-perception or of cessation, the faculties and the great elements, though arising together with mind and never apart from mind, would then go on to abide apart from mind and cease apart from mind. It is precisely to block this position that the present discussion is raised. "Do dharmas that arise together with mind, never apart from mind, likewise abide together and cease together with mind, never apart from mind?" Answer: for a sentient being of the desire or form realm not abiding within the attainment of no-perception or of cessation, the faculties and the great elements arise together with mind, never apart from mind, and likewise abide together and cease together with mind, never apart from mind. But for one abiding within the attainment of no-perception or of cessation, these become apart from mind. One might ask: in what sense are they "apart from mind"? Answer: they arise apart from mind, abide apart from mind, and cease apart from mind, since mind and mental factors have there been cut off from their own continuity. As it is said: "one does not cultivate the eye-faculty, up through the mind-faculty." What does it mean not to cultivate the eye-faculty, and so on, as stated at length? Cultivation is of four kinds — the cultivation of obtaining, the cultivation of habituation, the cultivation of antidote, and the cultivation of elimination, fully explained already in the Knowledge Aggregate. The present discussion is framed specifically in terms of the latter two.

One might ask: in what sense is the eye-faculty and the rest not cultivated, and in what sense is it cultivated? Answer: up until the antidote-path for the eye-faculty and the rest has not yet arisen, this is called "not cultivating the faculty" — this is spoken with reference to the cultivation of antidote. Moreover, up until whatever afflictions take the eye-faculty and the rest as their object have not yet been cut off, not yet fully known, this too is called "not cultivating the faculty" —

this is spoken with reference to the cultivation of elimination. Once the antidote-path for the eye-faculty and the rest has arisen, this is called "cultivating the faculty" — again spoken with reference to the cultivation of antidote.

Moreover, once whatever afflictions take the eye-faculty and the rest as their object have already been cut off, already fully known, this too is called "cultivating the faculty" — spoken with reference to the cultivation of elimination. This, then, is a brief exposition of the Vibhāṣā's own treatment here. "In what sense is the eye-faculty, up through the body-faculty, not cultivated?" Answer: as long as one has not yet become free from craving for the eye-faculty, has not yet become free from desire, moistening, delight, or thirst for it, and as long as the uninterrupted path capable of exhausting craving for form has not yet been cultivated and settled into — exactly as with the eye-faculty, so too, mutatis mutandis, with not cultivating the ear, nose, tongue, and body faculties. "Not yet become free from craving for the eye-faculty" means not yet free from craving directed at the eye; "not yet free from desire" means the desire aspect of that craving not yet cut off, not yet fully known; "not yet free from moistening" means the moistening aspect of that craving not yet cut off, not yet fully known; "not yet free from delight" means the delight aspect of that craving not yet cut off, not yet fully known; "not yet free from thirst" means the thirst aspect of that craving not yet cut off, not yet fully known. "The uninterrupted path capable of exhausting craving for form" means the uninterrupted path capable of exhausting craving bound to the form realm; "not yet been cultivated and settled into" means not yet practiced, and not yet brought to rest through practice — "practice" referring to the cultivation of obtaining, "rest" to the cultivation of habituation; or "arising" referring to cultivation, "ceasing" to rest; or "already arisen" referring to cultivation, "already ceased" to rest. It should be understood that, in this passage, "not yet become free from craving for the eye-faculty" and so on may be spoken with reference to either the cultivation of antidote or the cultivation of elimination,

while "the uninterrupted path capable of exhausting craving for form" and so on may likewise be spoken with reference to either the cultivation of elimination or the cultivation of antidote. Another position holds that "not yet become free from craving for the eye-faculty" and so on refers to craving taking the eye-faculty itself as object not yet being cut off, not yet fully known, while "the uninterrupted path capable of exhausting craving for form" and so on refers to every other affliction not yet being cut off, not yet fully known.

Another position holds that "not yet become free from craving for the eye-faculty" and so on refers to the fettered obtaining not yet being severed, while "the uninterrupted path capable of exhausting craving for form" and so on refers to the obtaining of freedom-from-fetters not yet being realized — exactly as with the fettered obtaining and the obtaining of freedom-from-fetters not yet severed and not yet realized, so too, mutatis mutandis, should be understood the removing of fault not yet accomplished, the cultivating of virtue not yet accomplished, the abandoning of what is inferior not yet accomplished, the realizing of what is sublime not yet accomplished, the relinquishing of what is meaningless not yet accomplished, the obtaining of what is meaningful not yet accomplished, the exhausting of craving's own heat-and-affliction not yet accomplished, and the receiving of the bliss of one no longer feverish with desire not yet accomplished. Another position holds that "not yet become free from craving for the eye-faculty" and so on refers to the uninterrupted path not yet having begun its own function, while "the uninterrupted path capable of exhausting craving for form" and so on refers to the path of liberation not yet having begun its own function. Another position holds that "not yet become free from craving for the eye-faculty" and so on refers to not yet having become free from the contamination of the desire realm up through the third dhyāna, while "the uninterrupted path capable of exhausting craving for form" and so on refers to not yet having become free from the contamination of the fourth dhyāna. Exactly as with not cultivating the eye-faculty, so too, mutatis mutandis, with not cultivating each of the remaining four faculties. "In what sense is the mind-faculty not cultivated?" Answer: as long as one has not yet become free from craving for the mind-faculty, has not yet become free from desire, moistening, delight, or thirst for it, and as long as the uninterrupted path capable of exhausting craving for the formless has not yet been cultivated and settled into. "Not yet become free from craving for the mind-faculty" means not yet free from craving directed at the mind; the remaining phrases should be understood exactly as before. "The uninterrupted path capable of exhausting craving for the formless" means the uninterrupted path capable of exhausting craving bound to the formless realm; "not yet cultivated and settled into" should be understood exactly as before. It should likewise be understood that, in this passage, "not yet become free from craving for the mind-faculty" and so on may be spoken with reference to either the cultivation of antidote or the cultivation of elimination, while "the uninterrupted path capable of exhausting craving for the formless" and so on may likewise be spoken with reference to either the cultivation of elimination or the cultivation of antidote; and "not yet been cultivated" should be understood exactly as before. There then follow three further positions, exactly as already explained above. A fifth position holds that "not yet become free from craving for the mind-faculty" and so on refers to not yet having become free from the contamination of the desire realm up through the sphere of nothing-at-all, while "the uninterrupted path capable of exhausting craving for the formless" and so on refers to not yet having become free from the contamination of the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception.

As it is said: "one cultivates the eye-faculty, up through the mind-faculty." What does it mean to cultivate the eye-faculty, up through the body-faculty, and so on, as stated at length? Answer: as long as one has already become free from craving for the eye-faculty, has already become free from desire, moistening, delight, or thirst for it, and as long as the uninterrupted path capable of exhausting craving for form has already been cultivated and settled into — exactly as with cultivating the eye-faculty, so too, mutatis mutandis, with cultivating the ear, nose, tongue, and body faculties. "What does it mean to cultivate the mind-faculty?" Answer: as long as one has already become free from craving for the mind-faculty, has already become free from desire, moistening, delight, or thirst for it, and as long as the uninterrupted path capable of exhausting craving for the formless has already been cultivated and settled into. Every phrase in this passage should be understood as exactly the reverse of what was already explained for "not cultivating" above.

"Whatever being does not yet possess a trainee's faculty and now obtains a trainee's faculty, and so on, as stated at length." One might ask: why raise this discussion at all? Answer: those confused about regression hold that regression is not truly real; the present discussion is raised precisely to make clear that regression is indeed real. "Whatever being does not yet possess a trainee's faculty and now obtains a trainee's faculty — does that being invariably enter the fixed state of correct destiny?" Answer: whoever enters the fixed state of correct destiny does indeed thereby, without exception, come to newly obtain a trainee's faculty. There is a being who newly obtains a trainee's faculty without having entered the fixed state of correct destiny — namely, one who, at the moment of regressing from the fruit of arhatship, thereby newly obtains, having previously relinquished them, those very trainee faculties once more. "Whatever being does not yet possess a trainee's faculty and now obtains a trainee's faculty — does that being invariably stand immediately after the mundane supreme dharma?" Answer: whoever stands immediately after the mundane supreme dharma does indeed thereby, without exception, come to newly obtain a trainee's faculty. There is a being who newly obtains a trainee's faculty without standing immediately after the mundane supreme dharma — namely, one who, at the moment of regressing from the fruit of arhatship, thereby newly obtains, having previously relinquished them, those very trainee faculties once more.

One might ask: why raise this further discussion? Answer: the earlier passage, though already clarifying the very substance of entering the fixed state of correct destiny, had not yet clarified what serves as its own immediately preceding condition — the present discussion is raised specifically in order to clarify this.

"Whatever being relinquishes an uncontaminated faculty and obtains an uncontaminated faculty — does that being invariably pass from fruit to fruit?" Answer: whoever passes from fruit to fruit does indeed thereby, without exception, relinquish an uncontaminated faculty and obtain an uncontaminated faculty — namely, a stream-enterer realizing the fruit of once-returning relinquishes every uncontaminated faculty belonging to the fruit of stream-entry and to this superior fruit-path, and obtains every uncontaminated faculty belonging to the fruit of once-returning; "passing from fruit to fruit" here means passing from the fruit of stream-entry to the fruit of once-returning — and exactly the same holds, mutatis mutandis, when a once-returner realizes the fruit of non-returning, and when a non-returner realizes the fruit of arhatship — one should understand this in just the same way, and likewise when regressing from a fruit one should understand it in just the same way as well. There is a being who relinquishes an uncontaminated faculty and obtains an uncontaminated faculty without passing from fruit to fruit — namely, when the class-knowledge of the path arising at the very edge of direct realization becomes present, or when a time-liberated arhat, refining his own faculties, attains the immovable type. One might ask: it is understandable enough that this holds when the class-knowledge of the path arises,

but how can it also hold when a time-liberated arhat, refining his own faculties, attains the immovable type? Answer: this passage ought properly to have spoken only of the class-knowledge of the path arising at the very edge of direct realization, and nothing else — and as for why it also mentions this other case, it is meant to make clear that the present discussion speaks only of passing from one dissimilar kind of fruit to another dissimilar kind of fruit; when a time-liberated arhat, refining his own faculties, attains the immovable type, though the very type of person involved differs, the fruit itself does not differ, and so this cannot properly be called "passing from fruit to fruit" at all.

"Whatever being relinquishes an uncontaminated faculty and obtains an uncontaminated faculty — does an uncontaminated faculty invariably cease and an uncontaminated faculty invariably arise for that being?" Answer: this calls for a tetralemma. There is a being who relinquishes an uncontaminated faculty and obtains an uncontaminated faculty, yet for whom no uncontaminated faculty ceases and no uncontaminated faculty arises — namely, one who regresses from the fruit of arhatship, of non-returning, or of once-returning, and one who obtains the fruit of once-returning or of non-returning by means of the mundane path, since at that very moment no uncontaminated faculty is currently manifest at all. There is a being for whom an uncontaminated faculty ceases and an uncontaminated faculty arises, yet who does not thereby relinquish an uncontaminated faculty and obtain an uncontaminated faculty — namely, one for whom an already-obtained uncontaminated faculty is currently manifest,

ceasing and arising in unbroken succession; such a being does not thereby relinquish or obtain any faculty, since it is simply a previously obtained path becoming present once more, nor does such a being relinquish the noble path itself, since the noble path is relinquished only on three occasions — at the moment of regression, at the moment of obtaining a fruit, and at the moment of refining one's own faculties — and this is not any of those three moments. There is a being who relinquishes an uncontaminated faculty and obtains an uncontaminated faculty, for whom an uncontaminated faculty also ceases and an uncontaminated faculty also arises — namely, when the class-knowledge of the path arises at the very edge of direct realization, when one obtains the fruit of once-returning or of non-returning by means of the uncontaminated path, when one obtains the fruit of arhatship, and when a time-liberated arhat, refining his own faculties, attains the immovable type. When the class-knowledge of the path arises at the very edge of direct realization: the uncontaminated faculty relinquished belongs to the path of seeing; the uncontaminated faculty obtained belongs to the path of cultivation; the uncontaminated faculty that ceases is the class-patient-acceptance-of-the-path's own co-arisen class; the uncontaminated faculty that arises is the class-knowledge-of-the-path's own co-arisen class. When obtaining the fruit of once-returning by means of the uncontaminated path: the uncontaminated faculty relinquished —

belongs to the fruit of stream-entry and to this superior fruit-path; the uncontaminated faculty obtained belongs to the fruit of once-returning; the uncontaminated faculty that ceases —

belongs to the sixth uninterrupted path; the uncontaminated faculty that arises belongs to the sixth path of liberation. Obtaining the fruit of non-returning by means of the uncontaminated path should be understood accordingly, mutatis mutandis. When obtaining the fruit of arhatship: the uncontaminated faculty relinquished belongs to the fruit of non-returning and to this superior fruit-path;

the uncontaminated faculty obtained belongs to the fruit of arhatship; the uncontaminated faculty that ceases is the vajra-like concentration's own co-arisen class; the uncontaminated faculty that arises is the very first knowledge of exhaustion's own co-arisen class. When a time-liberated arhat, refining his own faculties, attains the immovable type: the uncontaminated faculty relinquished belongs to the class of time-liberation; the uncontaminated faculty obtained belongs to the class of non-time-liberation; the uncontaminated faculty that ceases —

belongs to the ninth uninterrupted path; the uncontaminated faculty that arises belongs to the ninth path of liberation. Every other stage of faculty-refinement follows this same pattern in brief, and so is not separately stated. There is a being who neither relinquishes an uncontaminated faculty nor obtains an uncontaminated faculty, for whom neither does an uncontaminated faculty cease nor does an uncontaminated faculty arise — namely, every remaining case beyond those already described. Here, the very term "case" is used in this passage precisely to name the fourth alternative not already captured by the first three. What, then, does this fourth case actually comprise?

It comprises the ordinary being's own stage, up through the stage of an intensified patient acceptance — at these stages, there is neither relinquishment nor obtaining, neither cessation nor arising, of any uncontaminated faculty at all. At the stage of the mundane supreme dharma, there is obtaining without relinquishment, and arising without cessation, of an uncontaminated faculty. For noble ones abiding in the patient acceptance of the dharma-knowledge of suffering,

up through the dharma-knowledge of the path, there is obtaining without relinquishment, and both cessation and arising, of an uncontaminated faculty. Abiding in the class-patient-acceptance of the path, there is both relinquishment and obtaining, and both cessation and arising, of an uncontaminated faculty. When realizing the fruit of once-returning from the fruit of stream-entry by means of the mundane path —

if the mundane path serves as one's preparatory approach, then, while abiding in that preparatory approach, there is obtaining without relinquishment, and cessation without arising, of an uncontaminated faculty; if the mundane path serves as one's preparatory approach and one abides in the preparatory approach through the five uninterrupted paths and five paths of liberation, there is obtaining without relinquishment, and neither cessation nor arising, of an uncontaminated faculty; abiding in the sixth uninterrupted path, there is both relinquishment and obtaining, yet neither cessation nor arising, of an uncontaminated faculty. By means of the uncontaminated path: if the mundane path serves as one's preparatory approach, then, while abiding in that preparatory approach, there is obtaining without relinquishment, and arising without cessation, of an uncontaminated faculty; if the uncontaminated path serves as one's preparatory approach and one abides in the preparatory approach through the five uninterrupted paths and five paths of liberation, there is obtaining without relinquishment, and both cessation and arising, of an uncontaminated faculty; abiding in the sixth uninterrupted path, there is both relinquishment and obtaining, and both cessation and arising, of an uncontaminated faculty.

Realizing the fruit of non-returning from the fruit of once-returning should be understood accordingly, mutatis mutandis. When realizing the fruit of arhatship from the fruit of non-returning, becoming free from the contamination of the first dhyāna, by means of the mundane path: if the mundane path serves as one's preparatory approach, then, while abiding in that preparatory approach, there is obtaining without relinquishment, and cessation without arising, of an uncontaminated faculty; if the uncontaminated path serves as one's preparatory approach and one abides in the preparatory approach through the nine uninterrupted paths and nine paths of liberation,

there is obtaining without relinquishment, and neither cessation nor arising, of an uncontaminated faculty. By means of the uncontaminated path: if the mundane path serves as one's preparatory approach, then, while abiding in that preparatory approach, there is obtaining without relinquishment, and arising without cessation, of an uncontaminated faculty; if the uncontaminated path serves as one's preparatory approach and one abides in the preparatory approach through the nine uninterrupted paths and nine paths of liberation, there is obtaining without relinquishment, and both cessation and arising, of an uncontaminated faculty. Exactly as with becoming free from the contamination of the first dhyāna, so too, mutatis mutandis, up through becoming free from the contamination of the sphere of nothing-at-all. When becoming free from the contamination of the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception: if the mundane path serves as one's preparatory approach, then, while abiding in that preparatory approach, there is obtaining without relinquishment, and arising without cessation, of an uncontaminated faculty; if the uncontaminated path serves as one's preparatory approach and one abides in the preparatory approach through the eight uninterrupted paths and eight paths of liberation, there is obtaining without relinquishment, and both cessation and arising, of an uncontaminated faculty; abiding in the ninth uninterrupted path, there is both relinquishment and obtaining, and both cessation and arising, of an uncontaminated faculty. When one resolved through faith refines his faculties to attain the one who has arrived at views: if the mundane path serves as one's preparatory approach, then, while abiding in that preparatory approach, there is obtaining without relinquishment, and arising without cessation, of an uncontaminated faculty; if the uncontaminated path serves as one's preparatory approach, then, while abiding in that preparatory approach, there is obtaining without relinquishment, and both cessation and arising, of an uncontaminated faculty; abiding in the uninterrupted path, there is both relinquishment and obtaining, and both cessation and arising, of an uncontaminated faculty. When a time-liberated arhat, refining his own faculties, attains the immovable type, this should be understood exactly as with becoming free from the contamination of the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. Speaking of the very first instant, when cultivating the mixed dhyānas: there is obtaining without relinquishment, and cessation without arising, of an uncontaminated faculty; at the second instant, there is obtaining without relinquishment, and arising without cessation, of an uncontaminated faculty; at the third instant, this should be understood exactly as at the first instant. When drawing forth the five supernormal penetrations, abiding in the five uninterrupted paths and three paths of liberation,

when giving rise to the immeasurables, the mundane liberations, masteries, and totalities, the contemplation of foulness, mindfulness of breathing, the mundane foundations of mindfulness,

mundane unobstructed understanding, the concentration free of contention, the knowledge of aspiration, the limit-attainment concentration, and the emptiness-of-emptiness, wishless-of-wishless, and signless-of-signless concentrations, and when entering the attainment of cessation with subtle perception and the rest — at each of these times, there is obtaining without relinquishment, and neither cessation nor arising, of an uncontaminated faculty. When giving rise to the uncontaminated knowledge of others' minds, when giving rise to the uncontaminated foundations of mindfulness, uncontaminated liberations, and uncontaminated unobstructed understanding, and so on, there is obtaining without relinquishment, and both cessation and arising, of an uncontaminated faculty. When giving rise to a mind at the very edge of exceeding subtlety, and when giving rise to the wisdom born of hearing or of reflection, there is neither obtaining nor relinquishment, and neither cessation nor arising, of an uncontaminated faculty. In all such further distinct stages as these, the fourth alternative should be understood accordingly, case by case — it is for this reason that the passage speaks of it only in brief,

using the phrase "every remaining case."

"Whatever faculty is the faculty of the yet-unknown, and so on, as stated at length." One might ask: why raise this discussion at all? Answer: to resolve a doubt for those who remain uncertain.

As the Compendium of Topics states: "what is the faculty of the yet-unknown? It is the wisdom-faculty of a trainee who has not yet directly realized the truth, or of one following faith or following the Dharma, who is now directly realizing the four noble truths not yet directly realized." That passage speaks only of what is presently combined together, capable of actually bearing this faculty's own function — one might mistakenly suppose that only this present, combined, functioning state constitutes the faculty of the yet-unknown, and that it can never be past or future. To resolve this doubt once and for all, the discussion makes clear that this faculty is found across all three time-periods, and it is for this reason that the present discussion is raised. "Whatever faculty is the faculty of the yet-unknown — is that faculty invariably now directly realizing the four noble truths not yet directly realized?" Answer: this calls for a tetralemma. There is a faculty of the yet-unknown that is not now directly realizing the four noble truths not yet directly realized — namely, the faculty of the yet-unknown belonging to the past or the future; such a faculty carries the very character of the faculty of the yet-unknown and is therefore still so named, yet is not now directly realizing the four noble truths not yet directly realized, since its own past function has already ceased and its own future function has not yet begun. There is a dharma now directly realizing the four noble truths not yet directly realized that is not itself the faculty of the yet-unknown — namely, every non-faculty dharma that is now directly realizing the four noble truths not yet directly realized. What does this comprise? Perception, volition, contact, and attention; desire, resolute conviction, shame, and conscience; non-greed, non-hatred, and tranquility; equanimity, non-heedlessness, and non-harming;

discursive thought and investigation; mind-following matter; and formations dissociated from mind — all such dharmas, though capable of directly realizing the four noble truths not yet directly realized, are not the faculty of the yet-unknown, since it is only when combined together as nine that they constitute this faculty. There is a faculty of the yet-unknown that is also now directly realizing the four noble truths not yet directly realized — namely, the faculty of the yet-unknown that is now directly realizing the four noble truths not yet directly realized, that is, the present, combined, functioning faculty of the yet-unknown. And there is what is neither the faculty of the yet-unknown nor now directly realizing the four noble truths not yet directly realized — namely, every remaining case beyond those already described. What does this comprise? Excluding this faculty's own intrinsic nature across all three time-periods, and the non-faculty dharmas associated and co-existent with it in the present, every other past or future non-faculty dharma associated and co-existent with it, together with the already-known and complete-knowledge faculties' own co-arisen class, every contaminated mind and mental factor, every remaining matter and formation dissociated from mind, and the unconditioned as well — all of these constitute the fourth alternative, and it is for this reason that the passage speaks of "every remaining case." Exactly as with the faculty of the yet-unknown, so too, mutatis mutandis, should the already-known and complete-knowledge faculties each be explained at length, case by case.

"Should the knowledge of exhaustion be called the knowledge of exhaustion, or class-knowledge, up through the knowledge of the path, and so on, as stated at length?" One might ask: why does this passage analyze specifically these three kinds of knowledge? Answer: this is simply the intention of the composer of this treatise, and so on, as explained at length before. "Should the knowledge of exhaustion be called the knowledge of exhaustion?" Answer: it should be called the knowledge of exhaustion — namely, one who knows for oneself that one has already fully known suffering, already permanently cut off origin, already realized cessation, and already cultivated the path. Or it may be called dharma-knowledge — namely, one who knows for oneself that one has already fully known the formations bound to the desire realm as suffering, already permanently cut off the formations bound to the desire realm as origin, already realized the cessation of the formations bound to the desire realm, and already cultivated the path that cuts off the formations bound to the desire realm. Or it may be called class-knowledge — namely, one who knows for oneself that one has already fully known the formations bound to the form and formless realms as suffering, already permanently cut off the formations bound to the form and formless realms as origin, already realized the cessation of the formations bound to the form and formless realms, and already cultivated the path that cuts off the formations bound to the form and formless realms. Or it may be called the knowledge of suffering — namely, one who knows for oneself that one has already fully known the suffering bound to all three realms. Or it may be called the knowledge of origin — namely, one who knows for oneself that one has already permanently cut off the origin bound to all three realms. Or it may be called the knowledge of cessation — namely, one who knows for oneself that one has already realized the cessation of the formations bound to all three realms. Or it may be called the knowledge of the path — namely, one who knows for oneself that one has already cultivated the path that cuts off the formations bound to all three realms. One might ask: why is the knowledge of exhaustion not the knowledge of others' minds?

Answer: the knowledge of exhaustion is not itself an observing-nature, whereas the knowledge of others' minds is precisely an observing-nature. Why is it not mundane knowledge? Answer: the knowledge of exhaustion is uncontaminated, whereas mundane knowledge is contaminated. Having shown its own intrinsic nature, the passage now goes on to show its ground. It may involve discursive thought and investigation — namely, when relying on proximate access or the first dhyāna. It may involve discursive thought alone — namely, when relying on the meditative interval. Or it may involve neither — namely, when relying on the upper three dhyānas or the three lower formless attainments. Having shown its ground, the passage now goes on to show its association. It may be associated with pleasure — namely, when relying on the third dhyāna. It may be associated with joy — namely, when relying on the first two dhyānas. Or it may be associated with equanimity — namely, when relying on proximate access, the meditative interval, the fourth dhyāna, or the three lower formless attainments. Having shown its association, the passage now goes on to show its aspect. It may be associated with the wishless —

namely, under ten aspects. Or it may be associated with the signless — namely, under four aspects. One might ask: why is the knowledge of exhaustion not associated with emptiness? Answer: emptiness pertains to the ultimate truth engaging the ultimate truth, whereas the knowledge of exhaustion pertains to the ultimate truth engaging the mundane —

as it is said, "I know that my own birth is now exhausted," engaging the notion of a self, and it is for this reason that it is not associated with emptiness. Having shown its aspect, the passage now goes on to show its object. It may take the desire realm's own contaminated dharmas as object, or those of the form or formless realms — this refers to taking suffering and origin as object. Or it may take the unconditioned as object — this refers to taking cessation and the path as object.

Exactly as with the knowledge of exhaustion, so too the knowledge of non-arising, with certain distinctions. It should be called the knowledge of non-arising — namely, one who knows for oneself that one will no longer fully know suffering, no longer permanently cut off origin, no longer realize cessation, and no longer cultivate the path. Right view of one beyond training should be called right view of one beyond training — namely, knowing the five grasping-aggregates through four aspects, knowing the cause of the five grasping-aggregates through four aspects, knowing the cessation of the five grasping-aggregates through four aspects, and knowing the path that cuts off the five grasping-aggregates through four aspects. Or it may be called dharma-knowledge — namely, knowing the four truths of the desire realm. Or it may be called class-knowledge — namely, knowing the four truths of the form and formless realms. Or it may be called the knowledge of others' minds — namely, knowing another's uncontaminated mind and mental factors. Or it may be called the knowledge of suffering, origin, cessation, or the path — namely, separately knowing the four truths of the three realms. One might ask: why is right view of one beyond training not mundane knowledge? Answer: this is uncontaminated, whereas that is contaminated. Having shown its own intrinsic nature, the remaining four questions concerning ground and so on should be understood exactly as already explained before, with this one distinction — that this, too, is associated with emptiness, since it too operates through the aspect of emptiness and non-self. "Should every very first knowledge of exhaustion be said to be immediately preceded by the uninterrupted path, and so on, as stated at length?" One might ask: why raise this discussion at all? Answer: the earlier passage, though already clarifying these three kinds of knowledge, had not yet clarified their own immediately preceding condition or the differences among their own objects — the present discussion is raised specifically in order to clarify this. "Should every very first knowledge of exhaustion be said to be immediately preceded by the uninterrupted path?" Answer: yes, since the very first knowledge of exhaustion invariably arises immediately after the vajra-like concentration. "And, conversely, is every dharma immediately preceded by the uninterrupted path invariably the very first knowledge of exhaustion?" Answer: yes, since the vajra-like concentration invariably gives rise to the knowledge of exhaustion immediately afterward. "Should every very first knowledge of non-arising be said to be immediately preceded by the knowledge of exhaustion?" Answer: yes, since the very first knowledge of non-arising invariably arises immediately after the knowledge of exhaustion. "And, conversely, is every dharma immediately preceded by the knowledge of exhaustion invariably the knowledge of non-arising?" Answer: it may be the knowledge of exhaustion itself — namely, for one of the time-liberated type; or it may be the knowledge of non-arising — namely, for one of the non-time-liberated type; or it may be right view of one beyond training — namely, for one of the time-liberated type. One might ask: whatever takes the uninterrupted path as object, becoming present immediately afterward — does that dharma invariably take the very first knowledge of exhaustion as object, becoming present immediately afterward? Answer: if it becomes present immediately afterward while taking as object whatever is capable of giving rise to that uninterrupted path, then it does indeed take the very first knowledge of exhaustion as object, becoming present immediately afterward; but if it becomes present immediately afterward without taking as object whatever is capable of giving rise to that uninterrupted path, then it does not take the very first knowledge of exhaustion as object, becoming present immediately afterward. That is to say, if the vajra-like concentration is associated with all six kinds of knowledge, then it is associated with the dharma- and class-knowledge of cessation and of the path, and with the four kinds of class-knowledge; the very first knowledge of exhaustion is then included within two kinds of knowledge — the class-knowledge of suffering and of origin. If the vajra-like concentration is associated with the class-knowledge of suffering and of origin, then it shares the very same objective sphere as the very first knowledge of exhaustion, since both alike take as their object the four aggregates arising within the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, for those same four aggregates are themselves included within the very grasping of birth and of death. If the vajra-like concentration is instead associated with the dharma- and class-knowledge of cessation and of the path, then it differs from the very first knowledge of exhaustion's own objective sphere, since it takes as its object the cessation of the three realms and the path capable of achieving it, whereas the knowledge of exhaustion takes as its object the peak of existence's own suffering and origin. One might ask: whatever takes that knowledge of exhaustion as object, becoming present immediately afterward — does that dharma invariably take the knowledge of non-arising as object, becoming present immediately afterward? Answer: yes. And, conversely, whatever takes the knowledge of non-arising as object, becoming present immediately afterward — does that dharma invariably take the knowledge of exhaustion as object, becoming present immediately afterward? Answer: yes, since these two kinds of knowledge alike take the four truths as their object through the very same fourteen aspects.