Path of Freedom [Vimuttimagga]

204 Vimuttimagganature of nutriment; are different owing to differences of nature; are differentowing to differences of arising; are different owing to the differences in birth;are different owing to differences in faring. Thus one determines the elementsthrough "sameness and difference".SIMILE OF THE PUPPETQ. How should one determine the elements through "puppet"? A. Itis comparable to a skilful master of puppets who makes of wood (effigies) ofhumans, complete in every part, in the form of man or woman, and makesthese walk, dance, sit or squat through the pulling of strings. Thus thesepuppets are called bodies; the master of puppets is the past defilement bywhich this body is made complete; the strings are the tendons; the clay isflesh; the paint is the skin; the interstices are space. (By) jewels, raimentand ornaments (they) are called men and women. Thoughts (of men andwomen) are to be known as the tugging by the element of air. Thus theywalk, dwell, go out, or come in, stretch out, draw in, converse or speak. 1These puppet-men, born together with the element of consciousness,are subject to anxiety, grief and suffering through the causes and conditionsof anxiety and torment. They laugh or frolic or shoulder. Food sustainsthese puppets; and the faculty of life 2 keeps these puppets going. The endingof life results in the dismembering of the puppet. If there happens to be defilingkamrna, again a new puppet will arise. The first beginning of such a puppetcannot be seen; also, the end of such a puppet cannot be seen. 3 Thus onedetermines the elements through "puppet". And that yogin by these waysand through these activities discerns this body through "puppet" thus:"There is no being; there is no soul".When that yogin has investigated through the object of the elementsand through the arising of feeling, perception, the formations and consciousness,he discerns name and form. Thenceforward he sees that name-and-form issuffering, is craving, is the source of suffering; and he discerns that in thedestruction of craving lies the destruction of suffering, and that the Noble1. (a) Sn. 193-94: Car am vd yadi vd tittham, nisinno uda vd sayam,samminjeti pasdreti,—esd kdyassa iftjand.A tthinahdrusarhyutto tacamamsdvalepanoChaviya kayo paticchanno yathabhutam na dissati.(b) Ps. I, 252: "Ndvd mdlutavegena jiyavegena tejanamYatha ydti tatha kayo ydti vdtdhato ayarh.Yantasuttavesert eva cittasuttavaseri* idarhpayuttarh kdyayantam pi ydti thati nisidati.Ko nama ettha so satto yo vind hetupaccayeattano dnubhavena titthe vd yadi vd vaje"* ti.(c) Ps. I, 265; Sv. I, 197: Abbhantare atta nama koci samminjento va pasdrento vdrfatthi. Vutta-ppakara-citta-kiriya-vdyodhatu-vipphdrena pana suttakaddhana-vasenaddru-yantassa hattha-pada-ldlanarh viya samminjana-pasdranarh hotiti evarh pajdnanamparC ettha asammoha-sampajannan ti veditabbam.2. Jivitindriya.3. S. II, 178; III, 149, 151: Anamataggdyarh bhikkhave samsdro pubbdkoti na pahndyatiavijjdnivarandnam sattanam tanhdsamyojandnam sandhavatam samsaratarh.