Path of Freedom [Vimuttimagga]

140 VimuttimaggaQ. Why are these (putrescence signs) not increased?A. When a man wishes to separate from passion, he causes the arisingof the perception regarding the nature of his body. Because, if he has theperception of the nature of his body, he can quickly acquire the perception ofits disagreeableness and cause the arising of the after-image. If the perceptionof putrescence is increased, the sign which he has grasped in his body willdisappear. If he loses the perception of his own body, he will not be ableto acquire the thought of disagreeableness quickly. Therefore, he shouldnot increase.And again, it is taught that if a man is without passion, he may increaseit for the sake of developing the great thought. This is in accordance withthe teaching of the Abhidhamma: "One dwells without passion and the rest,practises the first meditation, jhana, rightly, dwells on the perception of bloatednessand causes the arising of the boundless object". 1 The great ElderSingalapita uttered this stanza:The heir of the Buddha, he,the almsman, in the fearful wood,has with "bony-precept" filledthis earth, entirely.I think this almsman will,in no long time, abandon lust. 2THE RECOLLECTION OF THE BUDDHAQ. What is the recollection of the Buddha? What is the practising ofit? What are its salient characteristic, function and near cause? What areits benefits? What is the procedure?A. The Enlightened One is the Blessed One who by his own efforts, withouta teacher, understands the Noble Truths which were never heard before.He knows all. He possesses power. 3 He is free. Because of these qualities,he is called the Enlightened One. The yogin remembers the EnlightenedOne, the Blessed One, the Supremely Enlightened One and the worth ofthe Enlightenment, He recollects, repeatedly recollects, recollects again andagain, does not forget to recollect on these. He remembers (the EnlightenedOne's) faculties and powers. He practises right recollectedness. Thus isthe recollection of the Buddha. The undisturbed dwelling of the mind (inthe recollection of the Buddha) — this is called the practising of it. The1. Not traced.2. Th. 18: Ahii buddhassa ddyddo bhikkhu Bhesakafdvane,kevalam atthisahndya aphari pathavim imam.Marine 'ham kdmardgam so khippam eva pahiyatiti.—Singalapita Thera.3. Nidd. I, 457: Buddho tiyo so Bhagavd sayambhu andcariyako pubbe ananussutesu dhammesusdmam saccdni abhisambujjhi, tattha ca sabbahhutam patto, balesu ca vasibhdvam patto.Also Pts. I, 174 where 'pubbe* is substituted by 'Buddhe\