The Path of Purity Part II (of Concentration)

IJL—Acceptance of the Subjects of Meditation 131• * * •owing to the increasing of the sign (after-image): an4 thatperception of the skeleton is not clear because there is noincrease. And what is • said as "This entire earth have Idiffused with perception of the skeleton " is said by way ofhelping him who has attained it. 1 For just as in the time ofDharnmasolTa, an " Indian " cuckoo, seeing its reflection onthe glass walls all around, was aware of " cuckoo " in everydirection and uttered a sweet song, so the Elder, havinggot perception of the skeleton and seeing the after-imageestablished in all directions, thought that the whole earthwas burdened with bones. *If that be the case (that the image should not be increased),then is it opposed to the statement, 2 that the Jhanas of theFoul Things have unlimited objects ? There is no such*opposition; for some grasp the image in a swollen corpse ora big skeleton, others m either object of a small size. Inthis way, for some, the Jhana has a limited object, for othersan unlunited object. Or it is concerning one who increasesthe sign of the Foul, not seeing any fault in so d*oing, that theobject has been said to be unlimited. But they should not beincreased owing to the absence of any advantage. Similarly,neither should the others be increased. Why % Because hewho increases, say, the respiration-sign, only increases theaccumulation of wind, 3 and it is limited in locality. Thusowing to its faultiness and limitation in locality, it should notbe increased.The Divine States have as objects, beings. He who increasestheir sign may increase the number of beings 4 (contemplated),but that is of no use. Therefore they also should not beincreased. But the words " Re suffuses one quarter with mindassociated with love " 5 have been said as to the grasping (theobject noj yet grasped). (Mentally) to grasp and augmentthe number of beings in one quarter, beginning with theresidents of one monastery, of two monasteries and so on indue order—but not to increase the sign—is to " suffuse one1 Not i>y way of developing the sign.2 Dhammasanganlf § 263.3 Read vdtarasi yew vaddhaU.4 Jlead sattarasi yeva vaddheyya.5 Or amity. Dlgha i, 250, etc.