Path of Freedom [Vimuttimagga]

190 VimuttimaggaTHE FOUR RESOLVESNow, the Bodhisatta and the Mahasatta having practised loving-kindness,having fulfilled the ten perfections, fulfil the four resolves. They are the resolveof truth, the resolve of liberality, the resolve of peace and the resolve of wisdom. 1Here, the perfection of truth, the perfection of resolution and the perfectionof energy, fulfil the resolve of truth.The perfection of giving, the perfection of virtue and the perfection ofrenunciation, fulfil the resolve of liberality.The perfection of patience, the perfection of loving-kindness and the perfectionof equanimity, fulfil the resolve of peace.The perfection of wisdom fulfil the resolve of wisdom.Thus the Bodhisatta and the Mahasatta having practised loving-kindnessand fulfilled the ten perfections, fulfil the four resolves and attain to two states,namely, serenity and insight. 2Here, the resolve of truth, the resolve of liberality and the resolve of peacefulfil serenity. The resolve of wisdom fulfils insight. Through the fulfilmentof serenity, they attain to all meditations, jhanas, and hold to emancipationand concentration firmly. They cause the arising of the concentration of thetwin-miracle 3 and the concentration of the attainment of great compassion. 4With the attainment of insight, they are endowed with all supernormalknowledge, 5 analytical knowledge, 6 the powers, 7 the confidences. 8 Thereafterthey cause the arising of natural knowledge 9 (?) and omniscience. 10 Thusthe Bodhisatta and the Mahasatta practise loving-kindness, and graduallyattain to Buddhahood.Loving-kindness has endedATHE IMMEASURABLE THOUGHT OF COMPASSIONQ. What is compassion? What is the practising of it? What are itssalient characteristic, function and manifestation? What are its benefits?What is the procedure?A. As parents who on seeing the suffering of their dear and only child,compassionate it, saying, "O, how it suffers!", so one compassionates allbeings. This is compassion. One dwells undisturbed in compassion — this1. The order is different from D. III. 229: Cattari aditthandni. Pannd-additthanamsaccaditthanarh, cdgdditthanam, upasamddhiffhdnam.2. Samatha, vipassand (transliteration).3. Yamakapdtihdriya. 4. Mahdkarundsamdpatti.5. Abhinnd. 6. Patisambhidd. 7. Bala.8. Vesdrajja. 9. Pakati-Mna- 10. SabbaMutd-ndna.