Path of Freedom [Vimuttimagga]

Vimuttimagga 355Further the Buddha says in this connection that if that man had no faith,he would not have drawn near, sat down near by, and while paying attention,heard the doctrine and realised the truth.Conscientiousness and the fear of doing evil are called the world-protectingqualities. 1 These must be strong in one who, by faith in the Jewels, wishes topurify his virtue. 2 These world-protecting qualities make for the refinementof mind essential for the purification of virtue, the first stage in the orderlyprogress of the Buddhist yogi.One who observes the precepts carefully is never callous in regard toothers' good. He acts in a way that does not harm, injure, or distress others.The yogi bent on reaching the first stage of purity wants to be entirely freefrom any sense of guilt or remorse, 3 as they are not helpful to tranquillity,which he wants to acquire, and which has to be supported by strong virtue.Until a man has penetrated the meaning of virtue and appreciated fully itsimportance for the attainment of JHANA,' which has been described by theBuddha as a state that is separate from sense-desires and other mental conditionsthat hinder the development of insight, 4 ' he does hot produce the sensitivenessnecessary for the purification of the first stage of progress on thePath.One who is established in the purity of virtue has to guard his senses sothat he may not be overwhelmed by evil thoughts. This is done by makingthe mind see things in the way leading to right understanding. Such a onetrains himself in the practice of detachment, neutrality, or indifference, to allthat he contacts. . . .As earth, water, fire, and air, are not affected, and not worried, repelled,or vexed, by what is cast on them, so the yogi must be possessed of unshakableserenity and calm, in all circumstances. Then the things that flow into hismind through the senses will not be able to inflame him. 5Control of the sense-faculties, abandoning of thoughts of sense-desires,bringing into being the factors of enlightenment, and protecting the sign of1. A. I, 51: Dve'me bhikkhave sukkd dhammd lokam pdlenti.Katame dve ? Hiri ca ottappan ca.2. A. IV, 336: Hirottappe sati hirottappasamdpannassa upanisampanno hoti indriyasamvaro,indriyasamvare sati indriyasarhvarasampannassa upanisampannam hoti sllam.3. A. V, 1: Ekamantam nisinno kho dyasmd Anando Bhagavantam etad avoca 'kimatthiyanibhante kusaldni sildni kimdnisamsdnV ti ? 'Avippatisdratthani kho Ananda kusaldni sildniavippatisdrdnisarhsdnVti.4. A. IT, 211: So ime panca nivarane pahdya cetaso upakkilese pahndyd dubbalikaranevivicc 1 eva kdmehi... .pe... .catuttham jhanam upasampajja viharati.5. M..I, 423-24 {Mahd-Rdhulovdda Sutta):Pathavisamam Rdhula bhavanarhbhavehi,pathavisamarhhi te Rdhula, bhavanarh bhavayato uppannd mandpdmandpd phassa cittarh napariyaddyathassanti. Seyyatha pi Rdhula pathaviya sucim pi nikkhipanti asucim pi nikkhipanti gutagatampi nikkhipanti muttagatam pi nikkhipanti khelagatam pi nikkhipanti pubbagatam pinikkhipanti lohitagatam pi nikkhipanti, na ca tena pathavi attiyati vd hardyati vdjigucchati vd,evam eva kho tvam Rdhula pathavisamam bhavanam bhavehi... cittarh napariyaddyathassanti.Aposamam Rdhula bhavanam bhavehi.... T.ejosamam .... Vdyosamam .... AkdsasamarhRdhula bhavanam bhavehi, cittarh na pariyaddya thassanti.