Seven Kinds of Meaning, Seven Kinds of Joy

Seven kinds of meaning exist: meaning to be investigated, meaning to be grasped, meaning to be avoided, meaning to be drawn forth, meaning to be restrained, meaning to be upheld, and meaning to be developed.

Seven kinds of joy answer these seven kinds of meaning: joy drawn from hearing, from reflection, from cultivation, from freedom from the hindrances, from debate, from recollecting one's own virtue, and from never resting content with what is inferior.

Five kinds of Dharma exist: the taught Dharma, the practiced Dharma, the Dharma to be embraced, the Dharma to be enjoyed, and the realized Dharma.

Three virtues together make for skillful archery: the bow's own virtue, the arrow's own virtue, and the virtue of striking the target's center. The bow possesses two virtues: a genuinely sturdy nature, and the capacity to bring the task to completion. The arrow possesses one virtue: the capacity to bring the task to completion.

Striking the target's center comprises three kinds of skill: ultimate skill, skill through sustained practice, and skill through a teacher's instruction.

The Buddha's teaching is of three kinds: the gradual teaching, the uninterrupted teaching, and the teaching never repeated. The Buddha's boundless teaching, moreover, is expressed through three underlying approaches: an approach distinguished by doctrine, one distinguished by wording, and one distinguished by the difficulty of a given passage's own meaning.

A traveler on the road needs five antidotes: against blazing sunlight, against danger, against a river to cross, against thirst, and against bodily fatigue.

Precept-keeping bears two marks capable of leading a practitioner to a favorable rebirth: receiving the precepts, and keeping them without any gap.

Enjoying the pleasures of desire in this present life involves three undertakings: seeking out wealth, guarding it once acquired, and indulging in its enjoyment.

The decay of a lifespan is twofold, considered by timescale: coarse decay, the death that finally arrives, and subtle decay, the moment-to-moment arising and ceasing of body and mind. Considered by stage, decay is likewise twofold: a coarse, visible stage, and a subtle, invisible one.

The virtue of correct conduct comprises swift conduct, decisive conduct, and subtle conduct. Wisdom's own intrinsic virtue belongs to the stage of concentration, never retrogressing, transcendent, already thoroughly cultivated, moving without hindrance through its own domain, and surpassing every wholesome root of its own kind as well as every wholesome root of any other kind.

An ordinary being clings to three forms of attachment, each countered by cultivating the four foundations of mindfulness: attachment to one's own support, attachment to material support and veneration, and attachment to future existence.

What is the mark of reflective realization? A practitioner who has accomplished it comes to a settled understanding that every formation is impermanent and suffering, that every phenomenon is without self, and that nirvana alone is peace, an understanding that, once reached even as an ordinary being, no renunciant, Brahmin, demon, Brahmā king, or other influence can shake. What is the mark of the realization of faith? A practitioner who has accomplished it, whether an ordinary being or a noble one, never in this life or any future life falsely claims another teacher, teaching, or community to be genuinely correct.

What is the mark of the realization of precepts? A practitioner who has accomplished it never again deliberately kills, steals, engages in sexual misconduct, speaks falsely, or drinks intoxicants. What is the mark of the realization belonging to direct insight into the truth? A practitioner who has accomplished it never acts on mistaken view, never doubts what has been realized, never grows attached to excellent rebirths, never mistakes worldly prosperity for what is pure, never slanders any of the three vehicles, never commits an act of immediate retribution, and will never undergo an eighth round of rebirth.

What is the mark of the realization at the edge of direct insight? A practitioner who has accomplished it never fears any challenge raised by another. What is the mark of the final and complete realization? A practitioner who has accomplished it never violates the five precepts, never fears being questioned about what the Buddha declined to answer, and never mistakes feeling as produced by self, other, both, or neither. Such varied marks together are the characteristic marks belonging to the six kinds of direct realization.

What is reflective realization's own intrinsic nature? The superior wisdom born of reflection, or, more broadly, the factors of enlightenment operating together with it. What is the realization of faith's own intrinsic nature? A superior, purified confidence, mundane or transcendent, taking the Three Jewels as its object, or, more broadly, the factors of enlightenment operating together with it. What is the realization of precepts' own intrinsic nature? The bodily and verbal conduct a noble one holds dear, or, more broadly, the factors of enlightenment operating together with it.

What is the realization belonging to direct insight's own intrinsic nature? Wisdom taking the inexpressible truth as its object, or, more broadly, the factors of enlightenment operating together with it. What is the realization at the edge of direct insight's own intrinsic nature? Discriminating wisdom taking the truth as expressed through ordinary language as its object, or, more broadly, the factors of enlightenment operating together with it. What is the final and complete realization's own intrinsic nature? The knowledge that affliction is exhausted and no further rebirth remains, or, more broadly, the factors of enlightenment operating together with it.

Of the six kinds of realization, how many are bound to the desire realm, and how many are entirely unbound? One, reflective realization, is bound to the desire realm alone. One, the realization of faith, is partly bound to any of the three realms depending on where an ordinary being dwells; that unbound portion, together with three others, precepts, direct insight, and final realization, makes four kinds genuinely unbound. And one, the realization at the edge of direct insight, spans both conditions at once.

One kind, reflective realization, is obtained without depending on any absorption; the rest are obtained in dependence on every such level. Three kinds, together with one portion of a fourth, arise in dependence on five levels. If the realization belonging to direct insight is called unconceptualized because it is free of every mark, how can it arise in dependence on an absorption still possessing applied and sustained thought? Because one enters that absorption by examining suchness itself with all its branches present, and so, though the absorption possesses applied and sustained thought, the realization itself is free of marks and without conceptualization.

Of these realizations, how many take the conventional truth as their object, and how many the ultimate? One takes the conventional truth, together with one portion of another. One takes no object at all. One takes the ultimate truth as conventionally designated, together with one portion of another. And one takes the ultimate truth beyond designation, together with one portion of another.

Of these realizations, how many possess marks and how many are free of marks? Four possess marks, one is free of marks, and one both possesses marks and is free of them. How many possess conceptualization and how many are free of it? Just as with marks and their absence, so it should be understood with conceptualization and its absence.

Of these realizations, how many are accompanied by joy, how many by pleasure, and how many by equanimity? The first is accompanied by joy alone; the rest may be accompanied by joy, pleasure, or equanimity alike.

Of these realizations, how many serve as the wearing-down antidote, the severing antidote, the maintaining antidote, and the distancing antidote? Two serve only as the wearing-down antidote; one serves as the severing, maintaining, and distancing antidotes together; one serves as the maintaining and distancing antidotes; and two serve as no antidote at all.

Of these realizations, how many suppress affliction's manifest activity, and how many permanently destroy its latent tendency? Three suppress manifest activity; one serves as both antidotes together; and two serve as neither. How many sever the weak, middling, and strong grades of affliction belonging to each level? One alone. The rest merely accord with it and serve as its companions, and are not the severing antidote itself.

The six realizations attain nine complete knowings: severing the afflictions abandoned by seeing suffering and origin within the desire realm establishes the first, and so on through severing craving for the formless, which establishes the ninth. Of these six realizations, which attains how many? One attains all nine; the rest attain none of them.

When these realizations serve as the antidote severing affliction, do they sever after having arisen, or before arising? Not before arising; and although it is said "having arisen," this is not a later moment. The severing of affliction and the arising of its antidote are perfectly equal in time; it is only conventionally that we say the antidote arises and then afflictions are severed.

Of these realizations, which attains how many fruits? One attains all four fruits; one is what obtains when the renunciant's fruit reaches its fullness; and the rest are either companions accompanying the attainment of a fruit or the preliminary practice leading toward it.

Of these realizations, how many can transform the faculties? All except one. Of these realizations, how many can draw forth the superknowledges and other excellent virtues? All except one.

Reflective realization generates the pure qualities of correct practice, generates blameless joy, resolves every doubt, enters into the virtue of cultivation, draws forth the remaining realizations, and leads toward every favorable destiny. The realization of faith, through its own aspiration, generates unshakeable conviction regarding the Three Jewels, purifies correct practice, and in part leads toward a favorable destiny. The realization of precepts liberates one from the sufferings of the lower destinies.

The realization belonging to direct insight attains every renunciant's fruit, draws forth the purity of every virtue, draws forth the remaining realizations, and contributes toward a luminous fruit within a favorable destiny. The realization at the edge of direct insight answers questions skillfully regarding every conventionally expressed truth, brings swift penetrating wisdom, and draws forth the realizations that follow. The final and complete realization draws forth the foremost ease of dwelling in this life, liberates one from the entire great suffering of birth and death, and sustains the final body.

Reflective realization comprises countless kinds: reflection on discourses, on repeated verses, on prophetic explanations, and so on through extensive teachings, marvels, and doctrinal expositions; on suffering, origin, cessation, and path; on suchness, the ultimate limit, and the realm of phenomena; on the aggregates, elements, and sense-fields; on the śrāvaka vehicle and on the Mahāyāna. The realization of faith likewise comprises countless kinds: correctly recollecting the countless perfectly awakened buddhas of the past together with their teaching and community, and likewise those of the future and the present.

The realization of precepts likewise comprises countless kinds, varying with which of the ten unwholesome courses of action one refrains from, and varying too with the continuum in which it arises, from a stream-enterer's through an arhat's, a solitary realizer's, a bodhisattva's, and a tathāgata's alike. The realization belonging to direct insight likewise comprises countless kinds, accomplished through the mindfulnesses, right exertions, bases of power, faculties, powers, factors of enlightenment, and path-branches. As with it, so too should the remaining two realizations be understood.

Since these realizations are established by just such names and just such words, should those names be said to constitute their nature, or not? Conventionally speaking, they should be said to constitute their nature; from the standpoint of ultimate truth, they should not. Why? Because the meaning of every phenomenon is, by its very nature, inexpressible.

Reflective realization arises from a buddha appearing in the world, drawing near a genuine teacher, hearing the true teaching, one's continuum having matured, and correct attention, and produces its own accomplishments as its result; and so should every realization be understood. The differences: the realization of faith additionally takes the other realizations as causes, as does the realization of precepts; the realization belonging to direct insight additionally takes reflective realization, the wholesome roots conducive to penetration, and one's own lineage as causes; and the remaining two additionally take the realization belonging to direct insight as their cause.

Two realizations are subsumed by no attention; one by the attention of delighted absorption; one by delighted absorption and investigation together; one by seclusion, delighted absorption, and the culmination of practice; and one by the fruit of practice's culmination. The remaining attentions, discerning characteristics and firm conviction, are outflows of realization rather than realization itself. Where do the knowledge of the boundless and the wholesome roots conducive to penetration belong? Not to any realization; they too are outflows of realization.

Is every reflective realization also a realization of faith, and every realization of faith also reflective? Four lines are required. There is reflective realization that is not faith: settled reflection on objects other than the Three Jewels. There is faith that is not reflective: confidence in the Three Jewels born of hearing or cultivation. There is what is both: settled reflection on the Three Jewels. Whatever falls outside these is the fourth line. By this reasoning the rest should likewise be given four lines, and countless further patterns of questioning apply as well, all to be understood according with the reasoning proper to the śrāvaka vehicle.

Stinginess and defilement together are called the defilement of stinginess, since eight defilements stain the mind-continuum and serve as stinginess's own footing. What are the eight? First, never having grown accustomed to giving, treasuring wealth and food in this present life. Second, clinging so heavily to one's own body and life that future lives are disregarded. Third, constantly dwelling with the stingy and going along with them. Fourth, seeing no excellent virtue in the field one would give to, and grading fields of merit against one another.

Fifth, never having cultivated compassion, and seeing no excellent virtue in the one before you. Sixth, repeatedly dwelling on the thought that wealth is hard to accumulate, thereby breeding laziness and slackness. Seventh, clinging to wrong view, and defilement mixed into whatever giving is done. Eighth, giving in the hope of gaining wealth, and dedicating the merit toward exactly that.

Five kinds of conduct are called well-tempered: conduct producing wealth, conduct producing a favorable destiny, conduct producing freedom from suffering, conduct producing one's own benefit, and conduct producing others' benefit. Conduct producing wealth is meritorious activity whose nature is giving; conduct producing a favorable destiny, meritorious activity whose nature is precepts; conduct producing freedom from suffering, meritorious activity whose nature is cultivation; conduct producing one's own benefit, the śrāvaka and solitary-realizer path; and conduct producing others' benefit, the bodhisattva path.

To attain them, five perceptions should be cultivated: the perception of impurity toward the objects of desire; the perception that one's own body and life will swiftly perish; the perception that the desire realm is fearsome; the perception of impermanence toward all conditioned formations; and the perception of compassion toward all beings.

Next, the Ghee-Simile Sūtra should be explained. Every wholesome dharma has aspiration as its root, is born from correct attention, is gathered by contact, is drawn in by feeling, has mindfulness as its master, concentration as its chief, wisdom as its highest, liberation as its firmness, and renunciation as its final edge.

How is the twelvefold classification of scripture understood? Through five aspects: knowing its provisional names, knowing what it gathers in, knowing its sequence, knowing whose teaching it is, and knowing its basis. What is knowing provisional names? Recognizing that the various teachings are designations conceptually established. What is knowing what they gather in? Recognizing the bodies of names, phrases, and syllables through which the various teachings are expounded.

What is knowing sequence? Recognizing the order running from one teaching to another and from one phrase to the next. What is knowing whose teaching it is? Recognizing that a teaching was spoken by the Tathāgata, by a disciple, by a layperson, or by one gone forth. What is knowing its basis? Recognizing that a teaching was given for one's own benefit, for the benefit of others, or so that gods and humans might obtain benefit and ease. These five aspects are how the twelvefold classification of scripture is understood.

How is the meaning a teaching conveys understood? Likewise through five aspects: knowing the occasion, knowing the variation of phrasing, knowing the sequence, knowing the reasonings, and knowing the summarized meaning. Knowing the occasion means recognizing that some to be trained required a display, and others required congratulation. Knowing the variation of phrasing means recognizing the differing approaches, aspects, and explanatory terms. Knowing sequence means recognizing the order of exposition, of establishing a position, and of completion.

What is knowing the reasonings? Recognizing four: the reasoning of dependence, the reasoning of establishment, the reasoning of function, and the reasoning of natural law. What is knowing the summarized meaning? Recognizing that this is language concerning the aggregates, this concerning the elements, sense-fields, dependent origination, what is and is not possible, or the truths; this concerning the foundations of mindfulness and so on through the eightfold noble path; this concerning karma; this concerning affliction; and this concerning the higher trainings in precepts and the rest.

What is knowing the time? It proceeds through five aspects: recognizing the defilement presently manifesting; recognizing the defilement about to manifest; recognizing the undefiled condition; arousing the corresponding antidote as the occasion requires; and applying the antidote itself.

Knowing the measure applies to what is eaten, drunk, and chewed, and so on at length. Two things here accord with severing affliction: what accords through sustaining, and what accords through effort. What accords through sustaining means knowing the right measure in all that is eaten, drunk, chewed, and tasted. What accords through effort means knowing the right measure while walking, standing, and so on at length.

Knowing the measure in what is received means knowing at what time one should receive, from where, what, and up to what limit. At what time? During the day's first portion, which is also when it is consumed. From where? Excluding five kinds of place one should not frequent. What? Pure food permitted by the Tathāgata, excluding wine, meat, and whatever should not be drunk or eaten. Up to what limit? Receiving with knowledge of the measure, neither harming oneself nor harming another.

Up to what limit should one consume? Consuming with knowledge of the measure, so as not to be left hungry and distressed, not to consume what fails to support severing affliction, and not to throw the body's elements out of balance. What is knowing the measure in effort? Knowing at what time, in what place, toward what activity, and up to what limit one should exert oneself. Up to what limit? Exerting effort with knowledge of the measure, so that it produces neither excessive dullness nor excessive agitation.

What is knowing an assembly of the noble class? Knowing their names, lineage, standing, what they consume, and on through the extent of their lifespan; and likewise for assemblies of elders and householders. What is knowing an assembly of renunciants? Knowing their names, who is young, who senior, who venerable, who upholds the discourses and who the treatises, and knowing who is a practitioner of yoga.

For what reasons should one call on lay households, and speak or remain silent? To seek the requisites of life; to bring the unconfident to confidence and deepen the confidence of the confident; to console those gravely ill or suffering; to relieve those weighed down by sorrow; to reconcile those in mutual hostility; to accommodate what another needs done; to respond to another's request; to accompany one's preceptor, instructor, or fellow practitioners; or to attend to the community's business. For these reasons one should go, and speak or remain silent.

How should one go? As the Śrāvaka Ground has already described. How should one stand? Having arrived, one does not enter at once, but stands beside the inner door with conceit subdued, then enters unhurriedly and without suspicion, standing composedly at the place of meeting, offering greeting first with an open, smiling face, free of any frown, and only then speaking words of kindness. How should one sit? On whatever proper seat is permitted, with correct and dignified bearing.

How should one speak? Knowing well how to speak at the right time, in accordance with reason, in the right measure, with a settled mind, and with straightforwardness. The right time is threefold. First, when the listener wishes to hear rather than not; one who does not wish to hear is hungry, thirsty, physically exhausted, or afflicted by fever or chill. Second, when the listener is composed in proper bearing rather than not; improper bearing means, for instance, that one should not stand to teach someone seated, except in serious illness, as the Prātimokṣa describes at length.

Third, when the listener's mind is free of defilement rather than troubled. A troubled mind is hurried and pressed, flustered, scattered, or muddled, or belongs to a servant on an errand, someone at work, someone killing, an adversary, or one bearing a grudge. Speaking in accordance with reason is threefold: one speaks only when asked, teaches in accordance with the Dharma when the request is proper, and teaches what benefits when the request is in fitting measure. Speech in the right measure has three marks: it is orderly and unmixed; its wording is complete; and it never repeats what has already been said.

Stillness is likewise threefold: stillness of bearing, of voice, and of mind. Stillness of bearing means the faculties are settled, free of agitation, neither arrogant nor excitable, the limbs not moving while speaking. Stillness of voice means what is said is neither too loud nor too rapid. Stillness of mind means that even when provoked one speaks without resentment, still less when unprovoked, and always from an undefiled mind. Straightforward speech is likewise threefold, and at all times free of falsity, what is hidden and what is shown being one and the same.

How should one know when to be silent? By recognizing five occasions. First, when a listener deliberately interjects so as to stir commotion. Second, when a listener says outright, stop, I do not wish to hear. Third, when a listener looks for faults and speaks contentiously, showing every sign of opposition. Fourth, when a donor comes offering robes or food, at which the receiver should be silent and accept. Fifth, when an opponent arrives intent on debate, at which one should be silent and listen.

Through three aspects one should know for oneself whether one possesses faith, and whether one is a person of good family: by its basis, by its own nature, and by its time. Among these, faith is the factor of entering; precepts are the factor of calming once entered; learning is the factor of insight; generosity is the provision supporting calming and insight; and the wisdom born of one's own reflection, together with a teacher's instruction, is what takes hold of calming and insight.

Three causes give rise to a lack of faith: not correctly knowing the virtues of the Three Jewels; following non-Buddhist views; and never having been trained by any of the three marvels of buddhas and noble disciples. Three causes prevent frequenting quiet groves: being bound by heedlessness and sloth; having too many affairs; and depending on others' direction. Three causes make one disinclined to seek out a teacher: a nature that fears nothing; a nature given to conceit; and reliance on the written word alone.

Three causes make one disinclined to draw near a teacher: a nature not sharp; judging the other not a worthy field; and lacking strong delight in doing so. Three causes make one disinclined to ask: being unskilled regarding the teaching; unskilled regarding its meaning; and unskilled regarding both. Three causes prevent close listening: excessive unreasoned thought; too many affairs; and a mind entangled by the hindrances. Three causes prevent firm retention: not listening; listening badly; and wisdom either covered over or overpowered.

Three causes prevent examining phenomena: delighting in idle talk; loving noisy company; and not having developed examining wisdom. Three causes prevent practicing in accordance with the Dharma: clinging to body and life; through that same force, attachment to gain; and attachment to being respected. Three causes leave one unwilling to work for others: an inferior disposition; thin compassion; and lacking capacity. The bright side is the reverse of all the above, and its characteristics should be understood accordingly.

For what reason would great śrāvakas who have already attained supernatural power go to the ghost realm to question its inhabitants about the past deeds behind their present state? Was it to resolve their own doubts, or to benefit beings? If to resolve their own doubts, that makes no sense, since they had already attained supernatural power. If to benefit beings, it should be explained how. The answer: for beings' benefit, namely to benefit both these hungry ghosts and others besides.

Why? Because through supernatural power the hungry ghosts are made to recollect former lives and state for themselves the unwholesome deeds they once did, whereupon deep remorse arises; the Dharma is then taught and they are able to take it in, and through this they swiftly leave the ghost realm. Great śrāvakas possessing supernatural power, having heard of the unpleasant results and former unwholesome deeds, return to the human world and pass the account on, so that those who hear grow weary of wrongdoing, abandon the unwholesome, and cultivate the wholesome.

Through six marks the form belonging to the desire realm should be known as coarse. Which six? Coarse through multiplicity; through heaviness; through impurity; through hardness; through liability to damage; and through not following the mind. No further text of decisive analysis appears for this ground; and no text of decisive analysis appears for the Solitary-Realizer Ground either.