Path of Freedom [Vimuttimagga]

Subjects of Meditation 137its near cause. Its merits are equal to those of bloatedness. The rest is aswas fully taught above.{The perception of) the gnawed has ended.(6) THE PERCEPTION OF THE DISMEMBEREDQ. What is the meaning of the dismembered? What is the practisingof it? What are its salient characteristic, function and near cause? Whatare its benefits? [426] How is the sign grasped?A. The state of (severed) limbs scattered hither and thither is called"the dismembered". 1 The understanding of this through right knowledge —this is called the perception of the dismembered. The undisturbed dwellingof the mind (on the sign) is called the practising of it. The reflection on thedismembered sign is its salient characteristic. (The perception of) disagreeablenessis its function. The thought of putrescence is its near cause. Its benefitsare equal to those of bloatedness."How is the sign grasped?": All the (scattered) limbs are gathered andplaced together so that they are about two inches apart from each other. Havingarranged them thus, one grasps the sign of the dismembered. This is how thesign is grasped. The rest is as was fully taught above.{The perception of) the dismembered has ended.(7) THE PERCEPTION OF THE CUT AND THE DISMEMBEREDQ. What is the meaning of the cut and the dismembered? What is thepractising of it? What are its salient characteristic, function and near cause?What are its benefits? How is the sign grasped?A. "The cut and the dismembered": Corpses, lying in various places,of those done to death with stick, sword or arrow — these are called, the cutand the dismembered. 2 To know the put and the dismembered through rightknowledge is called the perception of the cut and the dismembered. Theundisturbed dwelling of the mind (on the sign) is the practising of it. Thereflection on the sign of the cut and the dismembered is its salient characteristic.(The perception of) disagreeableness is its function. The thought of putrescenceis its near cause. Its benefits are equal to those of bloatedness.3 Cp. A.III, 324; M. I, 58; D. II, 296-7: Puna caparam afthikdni apagata-sambandhdnidisd-vidisdsu vikkhittdni ahhena hatthatthikam ahhena pddatfhikam ahhena jahghatthikarhahhena uratthikam ahhena katatthikam ahhena pitjhi-kanfakam ahhena sisa-katdham>so imam eva kdyam upasamharati: 'Ayam pi kho kayo evam-dhammo evam-bhdvi etamanatito ti\2. Cp. Vis. Mag. 179: Hatah ca tarn purimanayerf eva vikkhittakah cd ti hatavikkhittakam.Kdkapdddkdrena angapaccangesu satthena hanitvd vuttanayena vikkhittassa chavasarirass*etam adhivacanam.