Nyanatiloka Buddhist Dictionary

has gained and is developing the factor of enlightenment 'energy' (viriya°) ....(4) "Whenever in him, while firm in energy, arises supersensuous rapture ... at such a time he hasgained and is developing the factor of enlightenment 'rapture' (píti°) ..(5) "Whenever, while enraptured in mind, his body and his mind become composed ... at such atime he has gained and is developing the factor of enlightenment 'tranquillity' (passaddhi°).(6) "Whenever, while being composed in his body and happy, his mind becomes concentrated ...at such a time he has gained and is developing the factor of enlightenment 'concentration'(samádhi°)(7) "Whenever he looks with complete indifference on his mind thus concentrated ... at such atime he has gained and is developing the factor of enlightenment 'equanimity' (upekkhá).Literature: Bojjhanga Samyutta (S. XLVI); Bojjhanga Vibh. - For the conditions leading to thearising of each of the factors, see the Com. to Satipatthána Sutta (Way of Mindfulness, by SomaThera; 3rd ed., 1967, BPS). Further, The 'Seven Factors of Enlightenment, by Piyadassi Thera(WHEEL 1.)bondages, mental: cetaso vinibandha (q.v.).bonds, the 4: yoga (q.v.).both-ways liberated, s. ubhato-bhága-vimutta, ariyapuggala B. 4.boundless consciousness (and b. space), Sphere of: s. jhána 5, 6.brahma-cariya: 'pure (chaste) or holy life', is a term for the life of the monk. Also a lay-devotee whoobserves the 8 moral precepts (sikkhápada, q.v.), takes as the third precept the vow of chastity, i.e. fullabstention from sexual relations. The highest aim and purpose of b. is, according to M. 29, the 'unshakabledeliverance of mind' (akuppá ceto-vimutti).brahma-káyika-deva: The 'heavenly beings of the Brahma-world' inhabit the first 3 heavens of thefine-material world, (rúpaloka), corresponding to the 1st absorption (jhána, q.v.). The highest ruler of them iscalled the Great Brahma (Mahá-Brahmá). With caustic humor he is said (D. 11) to pretend: "I am Brahma,the Great Brahmá, the Most High, the Invincible One, the Omniscient One, the Ruler, the Lord, the Creator,the Maker, the Perfect One, the Preserver, the Controller, the Father of all that was and will be." Cf. deva (II.1-3).brahma-loka: 'Brahma-world', in the widest sense, is a name for the fine-material (rúpa-loka) andimmaterial world (arúpa-loka); in a narrower sense, however, only for the first three heavens of thefine-material world. Cf. Brahma-káyika-deva.brahma-vihára: the 4 'sublime' or 'divine abodes', also called the 4 boundless states (appamaññá), are:loving-kindness (mettá), compassion (karuná), altruistic (or sympathetic) joy (muditá), equanimity (upekkhá).The stereotype text on the development of these 4 sublime abodes (brahma-vihára-bhávaná; s. bhávaná),often met with in the Suttas,- is as follows: "'There, o monks, the monk with a mind full of loving-kindnesspervading first one direction, then a second one, then a third one, then the fourth one, just so above, belowand all around; and everywhere identifying himself with all, he is pervading the whole world with mind fullof loving-kindness, with mind wide, developed, unbounded, free from hate and ill-will." Hereafter followsthe same theme with compassion, altruistic joy, and equanimity.Literature: Detailed explanation in Vis.M. IX. - For texts s. "Path", 97ff; texts on mettá in The Practice ofLoving Kindness, by Ñánamoli Thera (WHEEL 7). - The Four Sublime States, by Nyanaponika Thera(WHEEL 6). - Brahma Vihára, by Narada Thera (Vajirarama, Colombo, 1962).