Path of Freedom [Vimuttimagga]

96 Vimuttimaggabath-powder which is made fine and bright, so the kasina sign contains the hard(earth) out of which one produces joy which is soft and pure and thereforebright. Because the mind and the mental properties fill the object, the coppervessel is said to be like the kasina sign. Mind and the mental properties arelike the bath-powder. Thus it should be understood.Q. Why is the bath-powder likened to the mind and the mental properties ?A. As bath-powder, owing to coarseness, does not adhere and is scatteredby the wind, so the mind and mental properties when they are separated fromjoy and bliss, become coarse. And if they are separated from concentrationthey do not adhere and are scattered by the winds of the five hindrances. Thereforeit is said that the bath-powder is like the mind and mental properties.What is comparable to water? Namely, joy and bliss and concentration. Aswater moistens, renders malleable, makes it round, so joy and bliss moistenand render malleable the mind and mental properties, and produce concentration.Therefore water is like joy and bliss. Like the stirring of thebath-powder with water are initial and sustained application of thought.Thus they should be understood.Q. What is likened to the rounded thing?A. Namely, initial and sustained application of thought. As a skilful bathattendantputs the bath-powder into the copper vessel, mixes it with water,makes it round with his hand, and having made it round, he rounds it furtherwith more wet powder and puts it into the vessel without scattering, so does theyogin place his mind and mental properties in the object and produce tranquillitywell. In the first meditation, jhdna, joy and bliss should be regarded as water,initial and sustained application of thought as the hand that stirs and makesit (the powder) round. Thus one is able to produce tranquillity well. Themind and mental properties become rounded with joy and bliss and are notscattered because of the mind being kept on the object of meditation. Thusthe rounded bath-powder is like initial and sustained application of thought.Just as the bath-powder is moistened thoroughly and just as it, through adhering,does not scatter, so the yogin in the first meditation, jhdna, is filled with joyfrom head to foot and from foot to skull, skin and hair, and dwells withoutfalling. Thus one dwells in the realm of Brahma.Q. Joy and bliss are called formless states. How then can they fill thebody?A. Name depends on form. Form depends on name. Therefore, ifname is full of joy, form also is full of joy. If name is full of bliss, form also isfull of bliss. And again, form that is bliss-produced, causes calm of body,and owing to the bliss of form the entire body is tranquillized. Thus there isno contradiction.THREE KINDS OF REBIRTHThe merit which can produce rebirth in the world of Brahma is thus;In