Perceptions and Applied Thought

As for those who hold that the treatise here is composed with reference to both acquisitional cultivation and habitual cultivation together, they explain: if one cultivates the perception of impermanence, this means the perception of impermanence, whether manifest in the present or not manifest in the present, is being cultivated. As for contemplating that perception of impermanence, this means taking the perception of impermanence as one's object — that is, at the very time one is cultivating it, taking the meaning of the perception of impermanence as one's object. If one cultivates the perception of impermanence, does one thereby contemplate the perception of impermanence? Answer: this should be explained through four alternatives. There is cultivating the perception of impermanence without contemplating the perception of impermanence.

This means cultivating the perception of impermanence while taking other dharmas as one's object — as when, taking the aggregates of feeling, formations, and consciousness as one's object, apart from the perception of impermanence, one gives rise to the perception of impermanence from within the remaining aggregate of perception; or when, taking the unconditioned as one's object, one cultivates the perception of impermanence. Question: at what stage does this occur? Answer: this is said to occur at the stage of increasing warmth and summit, when the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations arise together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object; at the initial stage of summit and forbearance, and the increasing stage, when the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the truth of cessation as its object arises; if, by means of the cognition of cessation, one relinquishes the defilement of the desire realm up through the sphere of nothingness, taking the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object as the preliminary effort — throughout all the paths of preliminary effort, uninterrupted path, and liberation; the same holds for relinquishing the defilement of the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, except at the ninth path of liberation. If, by means of the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the truth of cessation as its object, one refines the faculties from liberated-by-conviction into arrived-through-insight, taking the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object as the preliminary effort, during that path of preliminary effort, uninterrupted path, and liberation — the same holds for refining the faculties at the stage beyond training, except at the ninth path of liberation. If, by means of the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object, one engages in the mixed cultivation of dhyāna; if one draws forth the superknowledges of supernormal power, the divine eye, and the divine ear; if, by means of the feeling- and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object, one gives rise to the superknowledge of cognition of others' minds; if one gives rise to the contemplation of foulness, mindfulness of breathing, the first three liberations, the eight stations of mastery, the first eight totality-devices, or the analytical knowledges of phrasing and eloquence; if one gives rise to non-contention, or the concentrations of emptiness-of-emptiness, wishlessness-of-wishlessness, or signlessness-of-signlessness — some say, except when giving rise to wishlessness-of-wishlessness — at all such times the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object arise.

For those who hold that all dharmas are of ultimate meaning, when the analytical knowledge of meaning arises based on the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object; and for those who hold that nirvāṇa alone is of ultimate meaning, when the analytical knowledge of meaning arises, together with the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations, the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object, the analytical knowledge of eloquence, the cognition of aspiration, the limiting concentration, the formless liberations, and the subtle mind immediately prior to entering the attainment of cessation — at all such times one cultivates the perception of impermanence without contemplating the perception of impermanence. There is contemplating the perception of impermanence without cultivating the perception of impermanence — this means taking the perception of impermanence as one's object while cultivating other perceptions. The other perceptions are the perception of suffering-in-impermanence, the perception of non-self-in-suffering, and other wholesome, defiled, or neutral perceptions. Here, the wholesome perceptions are those of the preliminary-effort kind and the naturally-acquired kind. The preliminary-effort wholesome perceptions are those accomplished through learning, reflection, and cultivation — those accomplished through learning and reflection are as explained before. Those accomplished through cultivation are the non-impermanence-aspect perceptions accomplished through cultivation that arise taking the perception of impermanence as their object, without thereby cultivating the perception of impermanence itself. Question: at what stage does this occur? Answer: at the initial stage of warmth, when taking the truths of origin and the path as one's object; once one has entered the certainty of rightness, during the four mind-moments of the direct realization of origin, and the three mind-moments of the direct realization of the path; if, as an ordinary being, one relinquishes the defilement of the desire realm up through the sphere of nothingness, taking the dharma-mindfulness-foundation that takes the perception of impermanence as its object as the preliminary effort — throughout all the paths of preliminary effort, uninterrupted path, and liberation; when, as an ordinary being, one draws forth the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the perception of impermanence as its object together with the superknowledges of cognition of others' minds and recollection of past abodes; when, as an ordinary being, one gives rise to the four immeasurables together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the perception of impermanence as its object; when, as an ordinary being, one gives rise to the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the perception of impermanence as its object together with the formless liberations, and gives rise to the spheres of infinite space, infinite consciousness, and the totality-devices — at all such times, this is called a wholesome perception. The defiled and neutral perceptions are as explained before. This is called contemplating the perception of impermanence without cultivating the perception of impermanence.

Answer: this is said to occur at the initial stage of warmth, when the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the truth of suffering as its object arises; at the increasing stage of warmth and summit, the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the perception of impermanence as its object arises; at the initial stage of summit and forbearance, and the increasing stage, the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the three truths as its object arises. If one gives rise to the supreme mundane dharma; once one has entered the certainty of rightness, during the four mind-moments of the direct realization of suffering, and at the moment of the subsequent cognition of the path; if, by means of the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the perception of impermanence as its object, one relinquishes the defilement of the desire realm up through the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, and takes this as the preliminary effort — throughout all the paths of preliminary effort, uninterrupted path, and liberation; if, by means of the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the perception of impermanence as its object, one refines the faculties from liberated-by-conviction into arrived-through-insight, or from liberated-dependent-on-time into unshakeable, and takes this as the preliminary effort — throughout all the paths of preliminary effort, uninterrupted path, and liberation; if, by means of the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the perception of impermanence as its object, one engages in the mixed cultivation of dhyāna; if one gives rise to the superknowledges of cognition of others' minds and recollection of past abodes taking the perception of impermanence as their object; if one gives rise to the four immeasurables; for those who hold that all dharmas are of ultimate meaning, when the analytical knowledge of meaning and the analytical knowledge of eloquence taking the perception of impermanence as their object arise, together with the cognition of aspiration, the limiting concentration, the formless liberations, and the subtle mind immediately prior to entering the attainment of cessation; when one gives rise to the spheres of infinite space, infinite consciousness, and the totality-devices — some say, also when one gives rise to the concentration of wishlessness-of-wishlessness — at all such times one cultivates the perception of impermanence and also contemplates the perception of impermanence. There is neither cultivating the perception of impermanence nor contemplating the perception of impermanence — this refers to what remains apart from the foregoing cases. Question: at what stage does this occur? Answer: this is said to occur at the initial stage of warmth, when the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the truth of cessation as its object arises; once one has entered the certainty of rightness, during the four mind-moments of the direct realization of cessation; and at every remaining stage that neither takes the perception of impermanence as its object nor cultivates the perception of impermanence — this should all be understood correspondingly. The recitation of the masters of outlying lands should likewise be understood as before. As with the perception of impermanence, so too the perception of suffering-in-impermanence and the perception of non-self-in-suffering, except that each is spoken of under its own name, and in the third alternative one excludes — some say — wishlessness-of-wishlessness, the perception of foulness, the perception of distaste for food, the perception of non-delight in the entire world, the perception of death, the perception of abandonment, the perception of dispassion, and the perception of cessation. As for what should be understood accordingly: the perception of foulness and the rest should likewise be explained through four alternatives, though with certain differences. That is, if one cultivates the perception of foulness, does one thereby contemplate the perception of foulness? Answer: this should be explained through four alternatives. There is cultivating the perception of foulness without contemplating the perception of foulness — this means cultivating the perception of foulness while taking other dharmas as one's object. Question: at what stage does this occur? Answer: this is said to occur when, by means of the cognition of cessation and the path, one relinquishes the defilement of the desire realm up through the third dhyāna, taking the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object as the preliminary effort, at the final path of liberation of every path of preliminary effort — some say, at every path of liberation; if, in dependence on a form-realm concentration, one relinquishes the defilement of the fourth dhyāna up through the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, taking the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object as the preliminary effort, throughout every path of preliminary effort; if, being born in the desire or form realm, one attains the fruit of arhatship at the final path of liberation, by means of the cognition of cessation and the path; if one refines the faculties from liberated-by-conviction into arrived-through-insight, taking the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object as the preliminary effort, during that path of preliminary effort — whether the path of liberation is fixed or not is as explained before; if one refines the faculties from liberated-dependent-on-time into unshakeable, in dependence on a form-realm concentration, taking the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object as the preliminary effort, during that path of preliminary effort and the final path of liberation; if, by means of the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object, one engages in the mixed cultivation of dhyāna; if one draws forth the superknowledges of supernormal power, the divine eye, the divine ear, and cognition of others' minds, through four uninterrupted paths and one path of liberation, and, taking other dharmas as one's object, at the path of liberation of the superknowledge of cognition of others' minds; if one gives rise to the contemplation of foulness, mindfulness of breathing, the first three liberations, the eight stations of mastery, the first eight totality-devices, or the analytical knowledges of phrasing and eloquence; if, in dependence on a form-realm concentration, one gives rise to the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object; for those who hold that all dharmas are of ultimate meaning, when, in dependence on a form-realm concentration, the analytical knowledge of meaning based on the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object arises; and for those who hold that nirvāṇa alone is of ultimate meaning, when the analytical knowledge of meaning arises; if, in dependence on a form-realm concentration, one gives rise to the analytical knowledge of eloquence, together with the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations,

together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object, the cognition of aspiration, and the limiting concentration; if one gives rise to non-contention; if, in dependence on a form-realm concentration, one gives rise to the concentrations of emptiness-of-emptiness, wishlessness-of-wishlessness, or signlessness-of-signlessness — at all such times one cultivates the perception of foulness without contemplating the perception of foulness. There is contemplating the perception of foulness without cultivating the perception of foulness — this means taking the perception of foulness as one's object while cultivating other perceptions. The other perceptions are the perception of impermanence, the perception of suffering-in-impermanence, the perception of non-self-in-suffering, and other wholesome, defiled, or neutral perceptions. Here, the wholesome perceptions are those of the preliminary-effort kind and the naturally-acquired kind. The preliminary-effort wholesome perceptions are those accomplished through learning, reflection, and cultivation. Those accomplished through learning are the perceptions accomplished through learning that arise taking the perception of foulness as their object. Those accomplished through reflection are the perceptions accomplished through reflection that arise taking the perception of foulness as their object. Those accomplished through cultivation are the perceptions accomplished through cultivation that arise taking the perception of foulness as their object,

without thereby cultivating the perception of foulness itself. Question: at what stage does this occur? Answer: this is said to occur at the initial stages of warmth, summit, and forbearance, and their increasing stages, when taking the truths of suffering and origin as one's object; at the increasing stage of warmth and summit, the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the perception of foulness as its object arises; if one gives rise to the supreme mundane dharma; once one has entered the certainty of rightness, during the four mind-moments each of the direct realization of suffering and of origin; if, by means of the mundane path, or by the cognition of suffering and origin, one relinquishes the defilement of the desire realm up through the third dhyāna, through all nine uninterrupted paths and eight paths of liberation — some say, only at the uninterrupted paths; if, by means of the mundane path, one relinquishes the defilement of the fourth dhyāna, taking the dharma-mindfulness-foundation, in the proximate stage of the sphere of infinite space, that takes the perception of foulness as its object, as the preliminary effort, throughout all the paths of preliminary effort and uninterrupted path; if, by means of the cognition of suffering and origin, one relinquishes the defilement of the fourth dhyāna, through nine uninterrupted paths and nine paths of liberation; if, by means of the cognition of suffering and origin, one refines the faculties from liberated-by-conviction into arrived-through-insight, that uninterrupted path — whether the path of liberation is fixed or not is as explained before; if, in dependence on the proximate stage of the sphere of infinite space, one gives rise to the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the perception of foulness as its object — at all such times, this is called a wholesome perception. The defiled and neutral perceptions are as explained before, except that they take the perception of foulness as their object. At all such times one contemplates the perception of foulness without cultivating the perception of foulness. There is cultivating the perception of foulness and also contemplating the perception of foulness — this means taking the perception of foulness as one's object while cultivating the perception of foulness. Question: at what stage does this occur? Answer: this is said to occur when, by means of the mundane path or the cognition of suffering and origin, one relinquishes the defilement of the desire realm up through the third dhyāna, taking the dharma-mindfulness-foundation that takes the perception of foulness as its object as the preliminary effort, at the final path of liberation of every path of preliminary effort — some say, at every path of liberation as well; if, in dependence on a form-realm concentration, one relinquishes the defilement of the fourth dhyāna up through the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, taking this very dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the perception of foulness as its object as the preliminary effort, throughout every path of preliminary effort; if, by means of the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the truths of suffering and origin as its object, one refines the faculties from liberated-by-conviction into arrived-through-insight, taking the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the perception of foulness as its object as the preliminary effort — whether the path of liberation is fixed or not is as explained before —

if, in dependence on a form-realm concentration, one refines the faculties from liberated-dependent-on-time into unshakeable, taking the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the perception of foulness as its object as the preliminary effort, during that path of preliminary effort; if, by means of the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the perception of foulness as its object, one engages in the mixed cultivation of dhyāna; if one gives rise to the superknowledge of cognition of others' minds taking the perception of foulness as its object; if one gives rise to the superknowledge of recollection of past abodes; if one gives rise to the four immeasurables; if, in dependence on a form-realm concentration, one gives rise to the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the perception of foulness as its object; for those who hold that all dharmas are of ultimate meaning, when, in dependence on a form-realm concentration, the analytical knowledge of meaning taking the perception of foulness as its object arises; when one gives rise to the limiting concentration taking the perception of foulness as its object — at all such times one cultivates the perception of foulness and also contemplates the perception of foulness. There is neither cultivating the perception of foulness nor contemplating the perception of foulness — this refers to what remains apart from the foregoing cases. Question: at what stage does this occur? Answer: this is said to occur at the initial stages of warmth, summit, and forbearance, and their increasing stages, when the dharma-mindfulness-foundations taking the truths of cessation and the path as their object arise; if, at the increasing stage of warmth and summit, the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object arise; once one has entered the certainty of rightness, during the four mind-moments each of the direct realization of cessation and of the path;

if, by means of the cognition of cessation and the path, one relinquishes the defilement of the desire realm up through the third dhyāna, through all nine uninterrupted paths and eight paths of liberation — some say, only at the uninterrupted paths; if, by means of the cognition of cessation and the path, one relinquishes the defilement of the fourth dhyāna, through nine uninterrupted paths and nine paths of liberation; if, by means of the mundane path, one relinquishes the defilement of the fourth dhyāna, in dependence on the proximate stage of the sphere of infinite space, taking the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object as the preliminary effort, through nine paths of liberation of that path of preliminary effort; if, in dependence on a form-realm concentration, one relinquishes the defilement of the sphere of infinite space up through the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, through every uninterrupted and liberation path; if, in dependence on a formless-realm concentration, one relinquishes the defilement of the sphere of infinite space, taking the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object as the preliminary effort, throughout all the paths of preliminary effort, uninterrupted path, and liberation; if, in dependence on a formless-realm concentration, one relinquishes the defilement of the upper three formless spheres, throughout all the paths of preliminary effort, uninterrupted path, and liberation, except, for one born in the desire or form realm, the final path of liberation of relinquishing the defilement of the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception; if, by means of the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the truths of cessation and the path as its object, one refines the faculties from liberated-by-conviction into arrived-through-insight, that uninterrupted path — whether the path of liberation is fixed or not is as explained before; if one refines the faculties from liberated-dependent-on-time into unshakeable, in dependence on a formless-realm concentration, taking the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object as the preliminary effort, throughout all the paths of preliminary effort, uninterrupted path, and liberation, except the final path of liberation;

if one gives rise to the latter two totality-devices of the formless liberations; if, in dependence on a formless-realm concentration, one gives rise to the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object; if, in dependence on a formless-realm concentration, one gives rise to the analytical knowledge of meaning, the analytical knowledge of eloquence, emptiness-of-emptiness, wishlessness-of-wishlessness, or signlessness-of-signlessness, and gives rise to the subtle mind immediately prior to entering the attainment of cessation — this is so for the wholesome stage. As for the defiled and neutral stages, they do not take the perception of foulness as their object,

nor does any mindless stage. At all such times one neither cultivates the perception of foulness nor contemplates the perception of foulness. The perception of foulness, the perception of distaste for food, and so on up through the perception of cessation are likewise all explained through four alternatives, and the distinctions among them should be reasoned out accordingly.

If one gives rise to a thought of desire, does one thereby contemplate that thought of desire? Answer: this should be explained through four alternatives. There is giving rise to a thought of desire without contemplating it — this means giving rise to a thought of desire while taking other dharmas as one's object, as when, taking the aggregates of feeling, perception, and consciousness as one's object, one gives rise to a thought of desire from within the remaining aggregate of formations apart from the thought of desire itself. This is called giving rise to a thought of desire without contemplating it, because one's object is other dharmas. There is contemplating a thought of desire without giving rise to it — this means taking the thought of desire as one's object while giving rise to other kinds of applied thought. There are three kinds of these: wholesome, defiled, and neutral. The wholesome kind comprises the preliminary-effort kind and the naturally-acquired kind; the preliminary-effort wholesome kind extends to that accomplished through learning, reflection, and cultivation. That accomplished through learning is what arises, accomplished through learning, taking the thought of desire as its object; that accomplished through reflection is what arises, accomplished through reflection, taking the thought of desire as its object; that accomplished through cultivation is what arises, accomplished through cultivation, taking the thought of desire as its object. Question: at what stage does this occur? Answer: this is said to occur at the initial stages of warmth, summit, and forbearance, when the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the desire realm as its object arises; at the increasing stage of warmth and summit, the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the thought of desire as its object arises; if one gives rise to the supreme mundane dharma; once one has entered the certainty of rightness, during the two mind-moments of the direct realization of suffering — namely, forbearance regarding the cognition of the dharma of suffering, and the cognition of the dharma of suffering — and the two mind-moments of the direct realization of origin — namely, forbearance regarding the cognition of the dharma of origin, and the cognition of the dharma of origin; if, by means of the cognition of suffering and origin, one relinquishes the defilement of the desire realm, taking the dharma-mindfulness-foundation that takes the thought of desire as its object as the preliminary effort, through nine uninterrupted paths and nine paths of liberation of that path of preliminary effort; if, by means of the mundane cognition, one relinquishes the defilement of the desire realm, taking the dharma-mindfulness-foundation that takes the thought of desire as its object as the preliminary effort, through nine uninterrupted paths of that path of preliminary effort; if, in dependence on the stage not yet attained, one relinquishes the defilement of the first dhyāna up through the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, taking the dharma-mindfulness-foundation that takes the thought of desire as its object as the preliminary effort, throughout every path of preliminary effort — and so on up through, if in dependence on the fourth dhyāna one relinquishes the defilement of the fourth dhyāna up through the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, taking the dharma-mindfulness-foundation that takes the thought of desire as its object as the preliminary effort, throughout every path of preliminary effort; if, by means of the cognition of the dharma of suffering and origin, one refines the faculties from liberated-by-conviction into arrived-through-insight, taking the dharma-mindfulness-foundation that takes the thought of desire as its object as the preliminary effort, during that path of preliminary effort, uninterrupted path, and liberation; if one refines the faculties from liberated-dependent-on-time into unshakeable, if, by means of the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the thought of desire as its object, one takes this as the preliminary effort, during that path of preliminary effort; if, by means of the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the thought of desire as its object, one engages in the mixed cultivation of dhyāna; if one gives rise to the superknowledge of cognition of others' minds taking the thought of desire as its object; if one gives rise to the superknowledge of recollection of past abodes taking the desire realm as its object; if one gives rise to the four immeasurables; if one gives rise to the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the thought of desire as its object; for those who hold that all dharmas are of ultimate meaning,

when the analytical knowledge of meaning based on the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the thought of desire as its object arises; if one gives rise to non-contention, the cognition of aspiration, or the limiting concentration based on the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the thought of desire as its object — at all such times, this is called wholesome. As for the defiled kind, it means giving rise, taking the thought of desire as one's object, to the view of a real self, grasping at self and what belongs to self, explained at length as before.

As for the neutral kind, it means giving rise, taking the thought of desire as one's object, to an intention that is neither in accordance with reason nor contrary to reason. At all such times one contemplates the thought of desire without giving rise to it. There is giving rise to a thought of desire and also contemplating it — this means taking the thought of desire as one's object while giving rise to a thought of desire, as when the thought of desire remains manifest in the present for a long, continuous stretch, taking as its object the thought-of-desire of one's own past, future, and present continuum, as well as that of others across the three time-periods. There is neither giving rise to a thought of desire nor contemplating it — this refers to what remains apart from the foregoing cases. The masters of outlying regions recite it thus: this means giving rise to other kinds of applied thought while taking other dharmas as one's object —

as when, taking the aggregates of feeling, perception, and consciousness as one's object, apart from the thought of desire, one gives rise to other kinds of applied thought from within the remaining aggregate of formations; or when, taking the unconditioned as one's object, one gives rise to various kinds of applied thought; and every other stage that neither gives rise to a thought of desire nor contemplates a thought of desire. As with the thought of desire, so too the thought of malice and the thought of harming, except that each is spoken of under its own name. If one gives rise to a thought of renunciation, does one thereby contemplate that thought of renunciation? Answer: this should be explained through four alternatives. There is giving rise to a thought of renunciation without contemplating it — this means giving rise to a thought of renunciation while taking other dharmas as one's object, as when, taking the aggregates of feeling, perception, and consciousness as one's object, apart from the thought of renunciation, one gives rise to a thought of renunciation from within the remaining aggregate of formations; or when, taking the unconditioned as one's object, one gives rise to a thought of renunciation. Question: at what stage does this occur? Answer: this is said to occur in dependence on the stage not yet attained and on the first dhyāna, at the initial stages of warmth and summit, and their increasing stages, when the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the truth of cessation as its object arises; at the increasing stage of warmth and summit, the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object arise; once one has entered the certainty of rightness, during the four mind-moments of the direct realization of cessation; if, in dependence on the stage not yet attained, by means of the cognition of cessation, one relinquishes the defilement of the desire realm and the first dhyāna, and, in dependence on the first dhyāna, by means of the cognition of cessation, one relinquishes the defilement of the first dhyāna, taking the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object as the preliminary effort, throughout all the paths of preliminary effort, uninterrupted path, and liberation; in dependence on those same two grounds, by means of the cognition of suffering, origin, and cessation, one relinquishes the defilement of the second dhyāna up through the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, taking the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object as the preliminary effort, throughout all the paths of preliminary effort, uninterrupted path, and liberation; in dependence on that same ground, by means of the cognition of cessation, one refines the faculties from liberated-by-conviction into arrived-through-insight, if, by means of the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object, one takes this as the preliminary effort, during that path of preliminary effort, uninterrupted path, and liberation; in dependence on that same ground, by means of the cognition of suffering, origin, and cessation, one refines the faculties from liberated-dependent-on-time into unshakeable, taking the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object as the preliminary effort, throughout all the paths of preliminary effort, uninterrupted path, and liberation; if, by means of the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object, one engages in the mixed cultivation of the first dhyāna; if, in dependence on the first dhyāna, one draws forth the superknowledges of supernormal power, the divine eye, the divine ear, and cognition of others' minds, through four uninterrupted paths and one path of liberation, and, taking other dharmas as one's object, at the path of liberation of the superknowledge of cognition of others' minds; if, in dependence on the stage not yet attained, one gives rise to mindfulness of breathing;

if, in dependence on the stage not yet attained and the first dhyāna, one gives rise to the first two liberations, the first four stations of mastery, the contemplation of foulness, and the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object; for those who hold that all dharmas are of ultimate meaning, when the analytical knowledge of meaning based on the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object arises; and for those who hold that nirvāṇa alone is of ultimate meaning, when the analytical knowledge of meaning arises — in dependence on those same two grounds, when the analytical knowledge of the dharma and the analytical knowledge of phrasing arise; if the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object give rise to the analytical knowledge of eloquence — in dependence on those same two grounds, when the concentrations of emptiness-of-emptiness, wishlessness-of-wishlessness, and signlessness-of-signlessness arise — some say, only when signlessness-of-signlessness arises — at all such times one gives rise to the thought of renunciation without contemplating it, because one's object is other dharmas.

There is contemplating a thought of renunciation without giving rise to it — this means taking the thought of renunciation as one's object while giving rise to other kinds of applied thought. There are three kinds of these: wholesome, defiled, and neutral. The wholesome kind excludes that accomplished through reflection; the rest are as explained before. Question: at what stage does that accomplished through cultivation occur? Answer: this is said to occur in dependence on the dhyāna-interval and the upper three dhyānas, at the initial stages of warmth, summit, and forbearance, and their increasing stages, when the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the three truths as its object arises; at the increasing stage of warmth and summit, the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the thought of renunciation as its object arises; if one gives rise to the supreme mundane dharma; once one has entered the certainty of rightness, during the four mind-moments each of the direct realization of suffering, origin, and the path; if, in dependence on the dhyāna-interval, by means of the cognition of suffering, origin, and the path, one relinquishes the defilement of the first dhyāna, and, taking this together with the mundane dharma-mindfulness-foundation that takes the thought of renunciation as its object, as the preliminary effort, throughout all the paths of preliminary effort, uninterrupted path, and liberation; in dependence on the dhyāna-interval, by means of the cognition of the path, one relinquishes the defilement of the second dhyāna up through the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, and, taking this together with the mundane dharma-mindfulness-foundation of the cognition of suffering and origin that takes the thought of renunciation as its object, as the preliminary effort, throughout all the paths of preliminary effort, uninterrupted path, and liberation, except the final path of liberation of relinquishing the defilement of the summit of existence; if, in dependence on the proximate stage of the second dhyāna, one relinquishes the defilement of the first dhyāna, and, in dependence on this, taking the dharma-mindfulness-foundation that takes the thought of renunciation as its object as the preliminary effort, throughout every uninterrupted path of preliminary effort; if, in dependence on the second dhyāna, by means of the cognition of the path, one relinquishes the defilement of the second dhyāna up through the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, and, taking this together with the mundane dharma-mindfulness-foundation of the cognition of suffering and origin that takes the thought of renunciation as its object, as the preliminary effort, throughout all the paths of preliminary effort, uninterrupted path, and liberation, except the final path of liberation of relinquishing the defilement of the summit of existence; as with dependence on the second dhyāna, so too dependence on the third and fourth dhyānas; if, in dependence on the sphere of infinite space, by means of the cognition of the path, one relinquishes the defilement of the sphere of infinite space up through the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, and, taking this together with the mundane dharma-mindfulness-foundation that takes the thought of renunciation as its object, as the preliminary effort, throughout all the paths of preliminary effort, uninterrupted path, and liberation, except the final path of liberation of relinquishing the defilement of the summit of existence; as with dependence on the sphere of infinite space, so too dependence on the sphere of infinite consciousness and the sphere of nothingness; if, in dependence on the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, one relinquishes that very defilement, taking the dharma-mindfulness-foundation that takes the thought of renunciation as its object as the preliminary effort, during that path of preliminary effort; if, in dependence on the dhyāna-interval up through the fourth dhyāna, by means of the cognition of suffering, origin, and the path, one refines the faculties from liberated-by-conviction into arrived-through-insight, and, taking this together with the mundane dharma-mindfulness-foundation that takes the thought of renunciation as its object, as the preliminary effort, during that path of preliminary effort, uninterrupted path, and liberation; in dependence on those same grounds, by means of the cognition of the path, one refines the faculties from liberated-dependent-on-time into unshakeable, and, taking this together with the mundane dharma-mindfulness-foundation of the cognition of suffering and origin that takes the thought of renunciation as its object, as the preliminary effort, during that path of preliminary effort, through nine uninterrupted paths and eight paths of liberation; if, in dependence on a formless-realm concentration, by means of the cognition of the path, one refines the faculties from liberated-dependent-on-time into unshakeable, and, taking this together with the mundane dharma-mindfulness-foundation that takes the thought of renunciation as its object, as the preliminary effort, during that path of preliminary effort, through nine uninterrupted paths and eight paths of liberation; if, by means of the mundane dharma-mindfulness-foundation, in the cognition of suffering, origin, and the path, that takes the thought of renunciation as its object, one engages in the mixed cultivation of the upper three dhyānas; if, in dependence on the upper three dhyānas, one draws forth the superknowledges of cognition of others' minds and recollection of past abodes taking the thought of renunciation as their object; if, in dependence on the dhyāna-interval up through the fourth dhyāna, one gives rise to the immeasurables; if one gives rise to the formless liberations taking the thought of renunciation as their object; if, in dependence on the dhyāna-interval up through the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, one gives rise to the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the thought of renunciation as its object; for those who hold that all dharmas are of ultimate meaning, in dependence on the dhyāna-interval up through the fourth dhyāna, when the analytical knowledge of meaning based on the mundane dharma-mindfulness-foundation of the cognition of suffering, origin, and the path that takes the thought of renunciation as its object arises; in dependence on a formless-realm concentration, when the analytical knowledge of meaning based on the mundane dharma-mindfulness-foundation of the cognition of the path that takes the thought of renunciation as its object arises; in dependence on the dhyāna-interval up through the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, when the analytical knowledge of eloquence taking the thought of renunciation as its object arises; if one gives rise to the cognition of aspiration and the limiting concentration taking the thought of renunciation as their object, and gives rise to the subtle mind immediately prior to entering the attainment of cessation — at all such times, this is called wholesome. As for the defiled kind, it means giving rise, taking the thought of renunciation as one's object, to the view of a real self, grasping at self and what belongs to self, explained at length as before. As for the neutral kind, it means giving rise, taking the thought of renunciation as one's object, to an intention that is neither in accordance with reason nor contrary to reason. At all such times one contemplates the thought of renunciation without giving rise to it.

There is giving rise to a thought of renunciation and also contemplating it — this means taking the thought of renunciation as one's object while giving rise to a thought of renunciation, as when the thought of renunciation remains manifest in the present for a long, continuous stretch, taking as its object the thought-of-renunciation of one's own past, future, and present continuum, as well as that of others across the three time-periods. Question: at what stage does this occur? Answer: this is said to occur in dependence on the stage not yet attained and the first dhyāna, at the initial stages of warmth, summit, and forbearance, and their increasing stages, when the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the three truths as its object arises.

At the increasing stage of warmth and summit, the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the thought of renunciation as its object arises; if one gives rise to the supreme mundane dharma; once one has entered the certainty of rightness, during the four mind-moments each of the direct realization of suffering, origin, and the path; if, by means of the mundane path and the cognition of suffering, origin, and the path, one relinquishes the defilement of the desire realm, and takes this as the preliminary effort, throughout all the paths of preliminary effort, uninterrupted path, and liberation; if, in dependence on the stage not yet attained and the first dhyāna, by means of the cognition of suffering, origin, and the path, one relinquishes the defilement of the first dhyāna, and, taking this together with the mundane dharma-mindfulness-foundation that takes the thought of renunciation as its object, as the preliminary effort, throughout all the paths of preliminary effort, uninterrupted path, and liberation; in dependence on those same two grounds, by means of the cognition of the path, one relinquishes the defilement of the second dhyāna up through the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, and, taking this together with the mundane dharma-mindfulness-foundation of the cognition of suffering and origin that takes the thought of renunciation as its object, as the preliminary effort, throughout all the paths of preliminary effort, uninterrupted path, and liberation, except the final path of liberation of relinquishing the defilement of the summit of existence; in dependence on those same two grounds, by means of the cognition of suffering, origin, and the path, one refines the faculties from liberated-by-conviction into arrived-through-insight, and, taking this together with the mundane dharma-mindfulness-foundation that takes the thought of renunciation as its object, as the preliminary effort, throughout all the paths of preliminary effort, uninterrupted path, and liberation; in dependence on those same two grounds, by means of the cognition of the path, one refines the faculties from liberated-dependent-on-time into unshakeable, and, taking this together with the mundane dharma-mindfulness-foundation of the cognition of suffering and origin that takes the thought of renunciation as its object, as the preliminary effort, during that path of preliminary effort, through nine uninterrupted paths and eight paths of liberation;

if, by means of the mundane dharma-mindfulness-foundation, in the cognition of suffering, origin, and the path, that takes the thought of renunciation as its object, one engages in the mixed cultivation of the first dhyāna; if, in dependence on the first dhyāna, one draws forth the superknowledges of cognition of others' minds and recollection of past abodes taking the thought of renunciation as their object; if, in dependence on the stage not yet attained and the first dhyāna, one gives rise to the immeasurables, and to the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the thought of renunciation as its object; for those who hold that all dharmas are of ultimate meaning, in dependence on the stage not yet attained and the first dhyāna, when the analytical knowledge of meaning based on the mundane dharma-mindfulness-foundation, in the cognition of suffering, origin, and the path, that takes the thought of renunciation as its object arises; in dependence on those same two grounds, when the analytical knowledge of eloquence taking the thought of renunciation as its object arises — some say, in dependence on those same two grounds, when the concentrations of emptiness-of-emptiness and wishlessness-of-wishlessness arise — at all such times one gives rise to the thought of renunciation and also contemplates it. There is neither giving rise to a thought of renunciation nor contemplating it — this refers to what remains apart from the foregoing cases. Question: at what stage does this occur? Answer: this is said to occur in dependence on the dhyāna-interval up through the fourth dhyāna, at the initial stages of warmth, summit, and forbearance, and their increasing stages, when the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking the truth of cessation as its object arises; at the increasing stage of warmth and summit, when the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object arise; once one has entered the certainty of rightness, during the four mind-moments of the direct realization of cessation; if, in dependence on the dhyāna-interval, by means of the cognition of cessation, one relinquishes the defilement of the first dhyāna, taking the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object as the preliminary effort, throughout all the paths of preliminary effort, uninterrupted path, and liberation; in dependence on the dhyāna-interval, by means of the cognition of suffering, origin, and cessation, one relinquishes the defilement of the second dhyāna up through the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, taking the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object as the preliminary effort, throughout all the paths of preliminary effort, uninterrupted path, and liberation; if, in dependence on the proximate stage of the second dhyāna, one relinquishes the defilement of the first dhyāna, taking the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object as the preliminary effort, during that path of preliminary effort and liberation; if, in dependence on the second dhyāna, by means of the cognition of suffering, origin, and cessation, one relinquishes the defilement of the second dhyāna up through the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, taking the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object as the preliminary effort,

throughout all the paths of preliminary effort, uninterrupted path, and liberation — as with dependence on the second dhyāna, so too dependence on up through the sphere of nothingness; if, in dependence on the proximate stage of the third dhyāna, one relinquishes the defilement of the second dhyāna, and, in dependence on this, taking the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object as the preliminary effort, throughout all the paths of preliminary effort, uninterrupted path, and liberation — as with dependence on the proximate stage of the third dhyāna, so too dependence on the proximate stage of the fourth dhyāna; if, in dependence on the proximate stage of the sphere of infinite space, one relinquishes the defilement of the fourth dhyāna — as for those who hold that the formless proximate stages have a distinct object, they say that, in dependence on this, taking the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object as the preliminary effort; as for those who hold that the formless proximate stages have no distinct object, they say that, in dependence on this, taking the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object as the preliminary effort, throughout all the paths of preliminary effort, uninterrupted path, and liberation — as with dependence on the proximate stage of the sphere of infinite space, so too up through dependence on the proximate stage of the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception; if, in dependence on the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, one relinquishes that very defilement, giving rise to the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object as the preliminary effort, during that path of preliminary effort; if, in dependence on the dhyāna-interval up through the fourth dhyāna, by means of the cognition of cessation, one refines the faculties from liberated-by-conviction into arrived-through-insight, taking the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object as the preliminary effort, during that path of preliminary effort and uninterrupted path; if, in dependence on the dhyāna-interval up through the sphere of nothingness, by means of the cognition of suffering, origin, and cessation, one refines the faculties from liberated-dependent-on-time into unshakeable, taking the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object as the preliminary effort, throughout all the paths of preliminary effort, uninterrupted path, and liberation; if, in dependence on the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, one refines the faculties from liberated-dependent-on-time into unshakeable, taking the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object as the preliminary effort, during that path of preliminary effort; if, by means of the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object, one engages in the mixed cultivation of the upper three dhyānas; if, in dependence on the upper three dhyānas, one draws forth the superknowledges of supernormal power, the divine eye, the divine ear, and, taking other dharmas as one's object, the superknowledges of cognition of others' minds and recollection of past abodes; if, in dependence on the dhyāna-interval and the second dhyāna, one gives rise to the first two liberations and the first four stations of mastery; if one gives rise to the third and the eighth liberations, and the latter four stations of mastery and the ten totality-devices; if one gives rise to the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations

together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object, and the four formless liberations; if, in dependence on the dhyāna-interval up through the fourth dhyāna, one gives rise to the contemplation of foulness, and, in dependence on the dhyāna-interval and the proximate stages of the second and third dhyānas, one gives rise to mindfulness of breathing; if, in dependence on the dhyāna-interval up through the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, one gives rise to the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object; for those who hold that all dharmas are of ultimate meaning, in dependence on the dhyāna-interval up through the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, when the analytical knowledge of meaning based on the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object arises; and for those who hold that nirvāṇa alone is of ultimate meaning, when, in dependence on those same grounds, the analytical knowledge of meaning arises; in dependence on those same grounds, when the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object give rise to the analytical knowledge of eloquence;

in dependence on the dhyāna-interval up through the fourth dhyāna, when the analytical knowledge of the dharma arises — some say, and, in dependence on the dhyāna-interval, when the analytical knowledge of phrasing arises; if one gives rise to the body-, feeling-, and mind-mindfulness-foundations together with the dharma-mindfulness-foundation taking other dharmas as its object, the cognition of aspiration, and the limiting concentration, and gives rise to the subtle mind immediately prior to entering the attainment of cessation; if one gives rise to non-contention; if, in dependence on the dhyāna-interval up through the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception,

one gives rise to the concentrations of emptiness-of-emptiness, wishlessness-of-wishlessness, and signlessness-of-signlessness — at all such times one neither gives rise to nor contemplates a thought of renunciation. As with the thought of renunciation, so too the thought of non-malice and the thought of non-harming. The three unwholesome kinds of applied thought and the three wholesome kinds of applied thought are explained at length as in the Contemplation Section of the Miscellaneous Aggregation Chapter.