Path of Freedom [Vimuttimagga]

4 VimuttimaggaTHE MEANING OF TRAININGQ. What is the meaning of tiaining? A. To be trained in the thingswherein training is necessary, to be trained in the excellent training and to betrained to transcend all training. Thus to be trained in these three trainingsis called the acknowledgement of the Path of Freedom.REMOVAL OF THE IMPURITIESThrough these three kinds of training one attains to purity: purity ofvirtue, 1 purity of thought, 2 and purity of views. 3 Thus virtue is purity ofvirtue, concentration is purity of thought, and wisdom is purity of views.Virtue cleanses away the impurities caused through transgression ofprecepts (— this is called the purification of virtue). Concentration cleansesaway the encompassing impurities-—this is called the purification of the mind.Wisdom removes the impurities of ignorance—this is called the purificationof views. And again, virtue removes the impurities of demeritorious action.Concentiation removes the encompassing impurities. Wisdom removes theimpurities of the latencies. 4 Through these three purities a manacknowledges Freedom's Path.THE THREE KINDS OF GOODAgain, a man acknoweldges the path through three kinds of good: theinitial good, the medial good, the final good. 5 Virtue is the initial (good);concentration is the medial (good); wisdom is the final (good). Why is virtuethe initial good? There is a man who is energetic; he attains to the stage ofnon-retrogression; on account of non-retrogression, he is joyful; on accountof joy, he becomes buoyant; on account of buoyancy, his body is thrilled;on account of his body being thrilled, lie is happy; on account of happiness,his mind is at ease — this is called 'the initial good'. 'Concentration is themedial good' thus: Through concentration a man understands things as theyare — this is called the medial good. 'Wisdom is the final good 9 thus: Understandingthings as they are, a man is disgusted: through disgust he separatesfrom passion; through separation from passion, he frees himself; having freedhimself, he knows it (the nature of his freedom). 6 Thus a man accomplishesthe Path of the triple good.1. Silavisuddhi. 2. Cittavisuddhi. 3. Ditthivisuddhi. 4 C'p. Vis. Mag. 5, 6: Tat hasitena kilesatiam vitikkamapatipakkho pakdsito hoti; saniadhind pariyutihdnapatipakkho;panndya anusayapatipakkho. Sflena ca duccaritasankilesavisot.'hanam pakdsitaih hoti;saniadhind tanhdsankilesavisodhanam; panndya ditthisankilesa visodhanam.5. Adi-, majjha-, panyosdna-kalydna. 6. Cp. A. V, 2: hi kho Ananda kusaldni sildniavippatisdratihdni avippatisdrdnisaihsdni, avippatisdro pdmujjattho pdmujj'dnisatnso,pdmujjarh pitattham pitcmisariisam, piti passaddhatthd passaddhdnisariisd, passaddhisukhatthd sukhdnisamsd, sukhani samddhattham samddhanisaihsam, samddhi yalhdbhutandtiadassanatthoyathdbhutandnadassananisariiso, yathdbhutananadassanam rnhbidavudgatthaihmbbidaviragdnisamsam, nibbida virago vimuttindnadassanatiho vimuttihdnadassandfiisamso,