In the Buddha's Words - Bhikkhu Bodhi [236]
7 Samathapubbaṅgamaṃ vipassanaṃ. Mp: “This refers to a meditator who first obtains serenity and then takes up insight meditation.” The commentators call such a meditator one who makes serenity the vehicle of practice (samathayānika ). See Vism 587; Ppn 18:3.
8 “The path” (magga) is the first supramundane path, that of stream-entry. To “develop that path,” according to Mp, means to practice for the attainment of the three higher paths. On the ten fetters, see pp. 374–75; on the seven underlying tendencies, see p. 426 (chapter I, n.5).
9 Vipassanāpubbaṅgamaṃ samathaṃ. Mp: “This refers to one who by natural bent first attains to insight and then, based on insight, produces concentration.” In the commentarial literature this is called one who makes insight the vehicle (vipassanāyānika). See Vism 588; Ppn 18:4.
10 Samathavipassanaṃ yuganaddhaṃ. In this mode of practice, one enters the first jhāna and then, after emerging from it, applies insight to that experience, i.e., one sees the five aggregates of the jhāna (form, feeling, perception, etc.) as impermanent, bound up with suffering, and nonself. Then one enters the second jhāna and contemplates it with insight. One applies the same procedure to the other jhānas as well until the path of stream-entry, etc., is realized.
11 Dhammuddhaccaviggahitaṃ mānasaṃ hoti. Mp says that “agitation” (uddhacca) arises here as a reaction to the ten “corruptions of insight” (vipassanūpakkilesa) that one misunderstands as indicating path-attainment. (On the corruptions of insight, see Vism 633–38; Ppn 20:105–28.) It is possible, however, that the “agitation about the teaching” is mental distress brought on by eagerness to realize the Dhamma. This state of spiritual anxiety, when suddenly resolved, can sometimes precipitate an instantaneous experience of awakening. For an example, see the story of Bāhiya Dārucīriya at Ud 1:10.
12 Mp explains internal serenity of mind (ajjhattaṃ cetosamatha) as the concentration of full absorption (i.e., jhāna), and the higher wisdom of insight into phenomena (adhipaññādhammavipassanā) as the insight knowledge discerning formations (saṅkhārapariggāhaka-vipassanāñāṇa).
13 “Formations” (saṅkhārā) are the conditioned phenomena comprised in the five aggregates. On the aggregates, see Texts IX,4(1)(a)–(e).
14 Spk applies the scholastic distinction of the three types of escape (nissaraṇa) to each hindrance. One escapes from the hindrance by suppression (vikkhambhananissaraṇa ) through jhāna; one escapes in a particular respect (tadaṅganissaraṇa ) through insight; and one escapes by eradication (samucchedanissaraṇa) through the supramundane path. Thus: (1) sensual desire is suppressed by the first jhāna based on the unattractive nature of the body (asubha; see Text VIII,8 §10) and eradicated by the path of arahantship (since kāmacchanda is here interpreted widely enough to include desire for any object, not only sensual desire); (2) ill will is suppressed by the first jhāna based on loving-kindness and eradicated by the path of nonreturning; (3) dullness and drowsiness are suppressed by the perception of light (i.e., visualization of a bright light, like the disc of the sun or the full moon) and eradicated by the path of arahantship; (4) restlessness and remorse are suppressed by serenity, remorse is eradicated by the path of nonreturning and restlessness by the path of arahantship; and (5) doubt is suppressed by the defining of phenomena (dhammavavatthāna; see Vism 587–89; Ppn 18:3–8) and eradicated by the path of stream-entry.
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