NOTES

1. The eight Uposatha precepts are: abstention from (1) killing, (2) stealing, (3) all sexual intercourse, (4) lying, (5) intoxicants, (6) partaking of solid food and certain liquids after twelve o'clock noon, (7) dance, song, music, shows (attendance and performance), the use of perfumes, ornaments, etc., and (8) luxurious beds.

2. There are four noble individuals (ariya-puggala). They are those who have obtained a state of sanctity:

a. The stream-winner (sotapanna) is one who has become free from the first three of the ten fetters which bind him to the sensuous sphere, namely, personality belief, skeptical doubt, and attachment to mere rules and rituals.

b. The once-returner (sakadagami) has weakened the fourth and fifth of the ten fetters, sensuous craving and ill will.

c. The nonreturner (anagami) becomes fully free from the above-mentioned five lower fetters and is no longer reborn in the sensuous sphere before reaching nibbana.

d. Through the path of holiness one further becomes free of the last five fetters: craving for fine material existence (in celestial worlds), craving for immaterial (purely mental) existence, conceit, restlessness, ignorance.

3. The thirty-two parts of the body, as used in body contemplation, are: head hair, body hair, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, sinews, bones, marrow, kidney, heart, liver, diaphragm, spleen, lungs, intestines, mesentery, stomach, excrement, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, lymph, tears, serum, saliva, nasal mucus, synovial fluid, urine, brain.

4. Some of these points where the touch sensation may be observed are: where thigh and knee touch, or the hands placed together, or finger to finger, thumb to thumb, closing of the eyelids, tongue inside the mouth, lips touching when mouth is closed.

5. Taruna-udayabbaya-nana. On the degrees of insight knowledge, see The Progress of Insight by The Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw (publ. by The Forest Hermitage, Kandy, Ceylon).

6. The preceding section describes the "analytical knowledge of body and mind" (namarupa pariccheda-nana), belonging to the "Purification of View."

7. The preceding section refers to "knowledge by discerning conditionality" (paccaya-pariggaha-nana), belonging to the "Purification by Overcoming Doubt."

8. The preceding paragraphs refer to the "knowledge of comprehension."

9. These phenomena are the "ten corruptions of in sight." They have the character of "corruptions" only when they cause attachment in the meditator, or lead to conceit, i.e., if, in misjudging these phenomena and overrating his achievements, he believes to have attained to the paths of sainthood. These "corruptions" occur at the stage of "weak know ledge of rise and fall."

10. This refers to "purification by knowledge and wisdom of what is path and not-path."

11. Reference is here to the "final knowledge of rise and fall."

12. "Knowledge of dissolution."

13. "Knowledge of fearfulness."

14. "Knowledge of misery."

15. "Knowledge of disgust."

16. "Knowledge of desire for deliverance."

17. There are ten characteristics of impermanence, twenty-five of suffering and five of no-self.

18. This refers to "knowledge of re-observation (or reflection)."

19. At the suggestion of the Venerable Author, the following two references are here quoted, in explanation of the stages in the realization of nibbana, on the paths of stream-entry, once-returning, etc.:

a. "'One who sees nibbana, which merges in the deathless (in the sense of the end) realizes it . . .

"The seeing of nibbana, at the moment of the first path is realizing as seeing (dassana). At the other path moments it is realizing as developing (bhavana)."

b. ". . . Suppose a man who can see is travelling along a path on a cloudy night. The path is obscured by the darkness. Lightning flashes and dispels the dark. In the absence of darkness the path becomes clear. This happens on a second journey, and again on a third journey. Here, like the man who can see his setting out on the path, is the effort of insight put forth by the disciple for the stream-winning path. Like the obliteration of the way in darkness is the darkness covering the truths. Like the moment when the lightning flashes and dispels the darkness is the moment when the light of the stream-winning path arises and dispels the darkness covering the truths. Like the manifestation of the way when darkness clears is the time of the manifestations of the four truths to the stream-winning path; and what is manifest in the path is even manifest to the person who has got it. Like the second journey is the effort of insight to get the once returning path.... Like the third journey is the effort of insight to get the never-returning path ..."