Path of Freedom [Vimuttimagga]

78 Vimuttimaggaplates appears together with mind. Here the mind does not gain collectednessthrough viewing the mandala, but it (the after-image) can be seen with closedeyes as before (while looking at the mandala) only in thought. If he wills tosee it far, he sees it afar. As regards seeing it near, to the left, to the right,before, behind, within, without, above and below, it is the same. It appearstogether with mind. This is called the after-image.THE SIGNWhat is the meaning of sign?The meaning of (conditioning) cause is the meaning of sign. It is evenas the Buddha taught the bhikkhus: [414] "All evil demeritorious states occurdepending on a sign". 1 This is the meaning of conditioning cause. Andagain, it is said that the meaning of wisdom is the meaning of the sign. TheBuddha has declared: "With trained perception one should forsake". 2 Thisis called wisdom. And again, it is said that the meaning of image is the meaningof the sign. It is like the thought a man has on seeing the reflection of hisown face and image. The after-image is obvious.PROTECTING THE SIGNAfter acquiring the sign the yogin should, with heart of reverence towardshis teacher, protect that excellent sign. If he does not protect, he will, surely,lose it.Q. How should he protect it?A. He should protect it through three kinds of actions: through refrainingfrom evil, practice of good and through constant endeavour.How does one refrain from evil? One should refrain from pleasure ofwork, of various kinds of trivial talk, of sleeping, of frequenting assemblies,immoral habits; (one should refrain from) the non-protection of the faculties, 3intemperance as regards food, non-practice of the meditations, jhdnas, andnon-watchfulness in the first and last watches of the night, non-reverence forthat which he has learned (the rule), the company of bad friends and seeingimproper objects of sense. To partake of food, to sit and to lie down, atthe improper time, are not wholesome. To conquer these states is (to do)good. Thus he should always practise.Q. What is the meaning of constant endeavour?1. Cp. D.I, 70: Idha mahd-raja bhikkhu cakkhund riipam disvd na nimittaggdhi hotindnuvyanjanaggdhf. Yatvddhikaranam enam cakkhundriyam asarhvutam viharantamabhijjhd-domanassd pdpakd akusald dhammd anvdssaveyyum tassa samvardya pdfipaijati,rakkhati cakkhundriyam, cakkhundriye sarhvaram dpajjati.2. Cp. D.I, 181: Sikkhd ekd sanhd uppajjanti, sikkhd ekd sahhd nirujjhanti.3; A. Ill, 116: Pane* ime bhikkhave dhammd sekhassa (=sekhassdti sikkhakassa sakaraniyassa—Mp. Ill, 274) bhikkhuno parihdndya sathvattanti. Katame pancal Kammdrdmatd,bhassdrdmatd nidddrdmatd, sanganikdrdmatd, yathdvimuttam cittam na pacchavekkhati.