The Practice Which leads to Nibbana - A Buddhist Library

w 18developed concentration, discerned all of the 28 kinds of matter,and discerned all mentality that is present internally.Discerning Mentality ExternallyThen after the meditator has discerned mentality internally hecan proceed to discern mentality externally. To do this he beginsby discerning the four elements internally and then discern the fourelements in the clothes he is wearing. While doing this he will beable to discern that his clothes break down into particles and he isable to discern 8 types of matter in each of these particles. Theyare called nutriment as the eighth particles arisen from temperature.In this case the temperature that they arise from is the fire elementin each external particle.The meditator then discerns matter in this way internally andexternally alternately for three or four times. Then using his light ofconcentration he goes on to observe matter that is a little furtherdistant such as the floor on which he is sitting. He is also able todiscern the 8 types of matter in each of these particles and again hediscerns matter internally and externally alternately three or fourtimes.After this he discerns the matter in the building he is sitting in,the area around the building including the trees, etc., and in thisway he gradually expands the field of his discernment externallyuntil he can discern all inanimate matter that is external to himselfand also all matter that is internal.Sometimes while discerning matter that is external the meditatorfinds that he also sees transparent matter present in inanimate objects.This is because there are small insects and animals living in thoseplaces and he is seeing the transparent matter of those beings.After the meditator discerns the external matter that is inanimatehe goes on to discern external matter that is animate and associated