Path of Freedom [Vimuttimagga]

The Five Methods 275Origin is the characteristic of cause. Cessation is the characteristic of nonbirth.The Path is the characteristic of the means of success. And again,ill is the characteristic of grief, despair, the put together, the limited. Originis the characteristic of accumulation, cause, condition, fetters, clinging.Cessation is the characteristic of renunciation, solitude, the non-conditionedand the choice. The Path is the characteristic of vehicle, arriving, seeing,reliance. Thus should these be known through characteristics.THROUGH SERIESQ. How, through series? A. The Truth of 111 is taught first, becuaseit is gross and because it could be easily understood in this world. The Truthof Origin is taught next. The ending of the origin is the ending of ill. Afterthat the Truth of Cessation is taught for the purpose of ending completely.And the Path is taught last. This (method) is like (that of) a cleverphysician, who at first gets at the root of the disease and later inquires as tothe contributory causes. For the ending of the disease, he prescribes accordingto the nature of the disease. Here, one should know the disease as ill;the cause and condition as origin; the ending of the disease as cessation; andthe medicine as the Path. Thus should these be known through series. 1IN BRIEFQ. How, in brief? A. Birth is ill; the being born is the origin; theending of ill is cessation; the path leading to the cessation of ill is the Path.Where there is defilement, there is ill. Defilement is the origin. The removalof defilement is cessation. The means of removal is the Path. (The Truth ofIII removes the illusion of self; (the Truth of) Origin removes the view ofnihilism; (the Truth of) Cessation removes the view of eternalism; (the Truthof) the Path removes all wrong views. Thus should these be known in brief.1. Cp. (a) A. Ill, 238: Seyyatha pi bho puriso dbddhiko dukkhito bd/hagildno, tassa kusalobhisakko thanaso dbddham nihareyya, evam eva kho bho yato yato tassa bhotoGotamassa dhammam sundti yadi suttaso yadi geyyaso yadi veyydkaranaso yadiabbhutadhammaso, tato tato sokaparidevadukkhadomanassupdydsd abbhatthamgacchanti.(b) A. IV, 340: 'Bhisakko' ti bhikkhave Tathagatass' etarii adhivacanam arahatosammdsambuddhassa.(c) It. 101: Aham-asmi bhikkhave brdhmano ydcayogo sadd payatapdni antimadehadharoanuttaro bhisakko sallakatto (=Anuttaro bhisak(k)o sallakatto ti duttikicchassavatfadukkharogassa tikicchanato uttamo bhisak(k)o, ahhehi anuddharaniyanamrdgddisalldnam kantanato samucchedavasena samuddharanato uttamosallakantanavejjo—It.-a. II, 143).(d) Petaka. 123-24: Tattha dve rogd sattanam avijjd ca bhavatanhd ca. Etesarhdvinnam rogdnam nighdtdya Bhagavatd dve bhesajjdni vuttani samatho ca vipassandca. Imdni dve bhesajjdni patisevento dve aroge sacchikaroti: rdga-vimgamcetovimuttim avijjdvirdgah ca panndvimuttim.Tattha tanhdrogassa samatho bhesajjam, rdgavirdgd cetovimutti arogam.Avijjdrogassa vipassand bhesajjam, avijjdvirdgd panhdvimutti arogam.Evam hi Bhagavd c'dha: dve dhammd parihheyyd namah ca rupaii ca, dvedhammd pahdtabbd avijjd ca bhavatanhd ca, dve dhammd bhavetabbd samatho ca