Agony and Ecstasy

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36 It is the perfect enlightenment of a Buddha and an arahant which casts out not only all perplexity, but even the possibility of doubt, the possibility of wilful scepticism, in the knowledge that insight has been reached, that the perception of saññā is also the wisdom of paññā.
The Five Ecstasies Before dealing in detail with the different states of ecstasy or mental absorption (jhāna) as they respectively induce an inhibition of the corresponding mental hindrances (nīvaraṇa), a description of the progress of mind-culture (bhāvanā) in the chronological order of events, will be useful. As the choice of location, object of concentration and preparation of seat and clothing are entirely to be suited to the individual’s inclination and character, they cannot be discussed here in a general survey. They constitute the ‘workshop’ (kammaṭṭhāna); and some guidance from one with a practical outlook would be useful in directing one’s choice. A solitary place, the absence of noise and distraction are naturally to be recommended. The position of the body should be such that the mind can forget that there is a body, but excess comfort should not be allowed to induce drowsiness, and a dreamy state mistaken for trance. A fit body and an alert mind are prerequisites. There are forty objects of concentration, and one should select one according to one’s temperament. All of them mad lead up to the preliminary stage of mental culture (parikamma bhāvanā). The object to be contemplated is called the preliminary symbol or the mark for preparation (parikamma nimitta). This may be a material object like a disk of clay (paṭhavī kasiṇa), a circle of fire (tejo kasiṇa), an aperture for space or light, or simply a coloured flat surface. This is just the instrument to bind the thought and to prevent 37
Page 3: Copyright Notice This work is licen
Page 7 and 8: Introducing the Subject I am aware
Page 9 and 10: 7 From: Henri G. A. van Zeyst Kandy
Page 11: 9 DOUBLEDAY A COMMUNICATIONS CORPOR
Page 14 and 15: 12 virtue, then in mere seeing what
Page 16 and 17: 14 and touching, by causing them to
Page 18 and 19: 16 Now, the mental factor of desire
Page 20 and 21: 18 of the action of sense-satisfact
Page 22 and 23: 20 express itself in harmful deeds
Page 24 and 25: 22 that bad luck does not mean gain
Page 26 and 27: 24 against this background through
Page 28 and 29: 26 “Noddest thou, Moggallāna, do
Page 30 and 31: 28 without which there can be no th
Page 32 and 33: 30 to establish the new Jerusalem,
Page 34 and 35: 32 Thus, not only I am that failure
Page 36 and 37: 34 Now, this doubt which is a hesit
Page 40 and 41: 38 it from wandering about distract
Page 42 and 43: 40 The following table will give an
Page 44 and 45: 42 But inhibition or tranquillisati
Page 46 and 47: 44 Discursive thought The art of re
Page 48 and 49: 46 linked to the five hindrances (n
Page 50 and 51: 48 or just the sociological argumen
Page 52 and 53: 50 (jhāna) in the spheres of pure
Page 54 and 55: 52 Ecstatic Joy Rapturous delight (
Page 56 and 57: 54 This delight (pīti) is to the o
Page 58 and 59: 56 pathetic, joy (muditā) so close
Page 60 and 61: 58 means the experience of a desira
Page 62 and 63: 60 spiritual joy (pīti), not admit
Page 64 and 65: 62 to the sphere of sense (kāmāva
Page 67 and 68: Sublimation and Beyond In a process
Page 69 and 70: 67 Space Matter is form (rūpatī
Page 71 and 72: 69 What is thought? What is conscio
Page 73 and 74: 71 the slayer: I am Brahma. I am Sh
Page 75 and 76: 73 Abstraction is something of a vi
Page 77 and 78: 75 In the sphere of mental absorpti
Page 79 and 80: 77 direct communication there can b
Page 81 and 82: 79 spondence courses, even if they
Page 83 and 84: 81 delights of the world, as experi
Page 85 and 86: ut is making it into an idea. Still
Page 87: to the whole, when all the forces o

Agony and Ecstasy

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