Path of Freedom [Vimuttimagga]

IntroductionThe Vimuttimagga and the Visuddhimagga.On certain points the Vimuttimagga and the Visuddhimagga hold contraryviews. For instance, the latter says that by developing the Buddhdnussati(the recollection of the Buddha) the factors of meditation, jhdna, arise ina single moment; that as the qualities of the Buddha are unfathomable or elseowing to reflection on his numerous qualities appand (fixed meditation) isnot attained, and only upacdra (access-concentration) is reached. The Vimuttimaggaon the other hand says that "from the recollection of the Buddhathe four meditations, jhdnas arise". This statement seems to agree with thesutta and its commentary quoted in note 3 on pp. 148-49.They agree that in practising Andpdnasati (mindfulness of respiration)the breath should not be followed inside or outside because it distracts themind. This causes the body and the mind to waver and tremble. The simileof the man sawing wood illustrating where the breath should be noted (i.e., atnose-tip or on the lip) is common to both works. The Visuddhimagga quotesother similes in illustration. It also quotes (p. 280) the Patisambhiddmagga(I, p. 165) which warns against the practice of trying to follow the inhaledbreath to the heart (hadaya) and the navel (ndbhi) and the outgoing breathback from the navel to the heart and nose-tip, for, both the mind and thebody become 'disquieted and perturbed and shaky' if this practice is resortedto. The Visuddhimagga (p. 278) says that there are eight stages in the practiceof Andpdnasati, the first four of which are (1) counting, (2) connection,(3) touching, and (4) fixing. Here the Venerable Buddhaghosa Theradoes not quote authority for this statement as he usually does. The Vimuttimagga(p. 159) supplies this omission by saying that 'certain predecessors'taught these four ways. Here both base themselves on authority outsidethe texts and the commentaries.In discussing the earth kasina, the Visuddhimagga (p. 123) says, 'The fourblemishes of the earth kasina are due to the intrusion of blue, yellow, red,or white'. But it does not give any reason. The Vimuttimagga (p. 72)says, 'By dwelling on white, black, or red, he practises colour kasina'. Itis seen here that by practising one subject of meditation another cannot bedeveloped — for instance, when one practises Andpdnasati one does notbecome proficient in, say, Buddhdnussati, though this is sometimes imaginedto be possible. If, for instance, one sees the form of the Buddha or aBuddha statue while developing any other meditation, then it is a clear caseof failure in the practice of that particular meditation, though the seeing ofthese signs in itself is a good thing. The proper occasion for these signsto appear is when Buddhdnussati is practised.That the Vimuttimagga is an inspiring work is stated elsewhere. It isconfirmed by the spontaneous testimony of those who have read theXLV