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The four formless absorptions (腻谤奴辫测补蝉补尘腻辫补迟迟颈) are: i) the sphere of infinity of space (腻办腻艣腻苍补苍迟测腻测补迟补苍补), ii) the sphere of infinity of consciousness (惫颈箩帽腻苍腻苍补苍迟测腻测补迟补苍补), iii) the sphere of nothing at all (腻办颈峁僣补苍测腻测补迟补苍补), iv) the sphere of neither-discrimination-nor-non-discrimination (苍补颈惫补蝉补峁僯帽腻苍腻蝉补峁僯帽腻测补迟补苍补).

1. Defiled absorptions, acquired by birth, acquired by effort.

These four formless absorptions are each of three kinds: stained (samala), acquired by birth (耻辫补辫补迟迟颈辫谤腻迟颈濒补尘产丑颈办补) or acquired by effort (辫谤腻测辞驳颈办补).^[1] [212a]

1) The thirty-one bad propensities (补苍耻艣补测补) contained in the four 腻谤奴辫测补s^[2] and the formations associated with the mind (肠颈迟迟补蝉补峁僷谤补测耻办迟补蝉补峁僺办腻谤补) arising within these propensities are stained (samala).

2) Acquired by birth (耻辫补辫补迟迟颈辫谤腻迟颈濒补尘产丑颈办补). 鈥� Those who have practiced the four immaterial absorptions (腻谤奴辫测补蝉补尘腻辫补迟迟颈) are reborn by virtue of ripening of these actions (办补谤尘补惫颈辫腻办补) in the formless realm (腻谤奴辫测补诲丑腻迟耻) and obtain four clear (惫颈蝉辫补峁ａ弓补) and morally undefined (补惫测腻办峁泃补) skandhas.^[3]

3) Acquired by effort (辫谤腻测辞驳颈办补). 鈥� Examining the grossness (补耻诲腻谤测补) and harmfulness of form (谤奴辫补), the cause of old age (箩补谤腻), sickness (惫测腻诲丑颈), death (尘补谤补峁嘺) and all kinds of suffering, the yogin considers it 鈥榓s a sickness, as an ulcer, as a poisoned arrow鈥� (rogato ga峁嘾atah 艣alyatah samanupa艣yati).^[4] He tells himself that all of it is deception (惫补帽肠补苍补) and falsehood (尘峁涐梗腻惫腻诲补) that he must avoid. Having reflected in this way, he overcomes all notion of matter, he destroys all notion of resistance, he forgets all notion of multiplicity and penetrates into the absorption of infinity of space (sa sarva艣o 谤奴辫补蝉补峁僯帽腻n膩峁� samatikram膩t pratigha蝉补峁僯帽腻n膩m asta峁僩am膩n n膩n膩tva蝉补峁僯帽腻n膩m amanasik膩r膩d 膩k膩艣膩naty膩yatanasam膩ppatti峁� pravi艣ati).^[5]

2. Process of access to the absorptions

Question. 鈥� How can these three kinds of notions [of matter, resistance, multiplicity] be destroyed?

Answer. 鈥� These three kinds of notions (蝉补峁僯帽腻), all coming from a complex of causes and conditions (丑别迟耻辫谤补迟测补测补蝉腻尘补驳谤墨), are without intrinsic nature (苍颈岣�s惫补产丑腻惫补) and, since their intrinsic self nature does not exist, they are all deceptions, non-realities, easily destroyed.

Furthermore, [the yogin says to himself], distinctions (vikalpa) regarding form are eliminated little by little (产丑腻驳补艣补岣�) and finally no longer exist. This is why, if they do not exist later, neither do they exist now. Under the influence of error (惫颈辫补谤测腻蝉补), beings seize the characteristics of identity (ekatva) and difference (anyatva) in composite matter, and their minds become attached to the nature of matter. As for me, I must not imitate these fools; I must seek the true reality (产丑奴迟补惫补蝉迟耻) in which there is neither identity nor difference.

Furthermore, the yogin reflects thus:^[6]

1) When I rejected and avoided dharmas, I obtained considerable benefits. First I abandoned my wealth, my wife and children; I left home and found the pure discipline (惫颈艣耻诲诲丑补艣墨濒补); my mind is secure (测辞驳补办峁�e尘补); I have no more fear.

2) Putting away desires (办腻尘补), evil and wicked dharmas (辫腻辫腻 补办耻艣补濒补 诲丑补谤尘腻岣�), I obtained the first 诲丑测腻苍补. joy and happiness (辫谤墨迟颈蝉耻办丑补), the result of detachment (vivekaja),

3) By suppressing enquiry and analysis (vitarkavic膩r膩峁嚹佱箖 vyutpa艣am膩), by inner purification (补诲丑测腻迟尘补峁� 蝉补峁僷谤补蝉腻诲腻迟), I obtained the second 诲丑测腻苍补 where there is great joy and happiness (mah膩辫谤墨迟颈蝉耻办丑补).

4) By renouncing joy (pr墨ter vir膩g膩t), I found myself in the third 诲丑测腻苍补 which is by far the happiest.

5) Suppressing this happiness (sukhasya prah膩峁嚹乼), I obtained the fourth 诲丑测腻苍补, purified by renunciation and reflection.

6) Now I abandon these four 诲丑测腻苍补s, for it is still necessary to obtain the wonderful absorptions (蝉补尘腻辫补迟迟颈).

This is why the yogin 鈥榯ranscends the notion of matter (谤奴辫补蝉补峁僯帽腻m atikr膩mati), destroys the notion of resistance (pratigha蝉补峁僯帽腻m nirodhayati) and no longer thinks about the notion of multiplicity (n膩n膩tva蝉补峁僯帽腻峁� na manasikaroti)鈥�.

3. Transcending ideas

The Buddha spoke of three kinds of form (谤奴辫补): 鈥�1) There is form that is visible and resistant (asti 谤奴辫补峁� sanidar艣ana峁� sapratigham); 2) There is invisible resistant form (asti 谤奴辫补m anidar艣ana峁� sapratigham); 3) There is invisible non-resistant form (asti 谤奴辫补m anidar艣anam apratigham).鈥�^[7]

When the yogin 鈥榯ranscends the notion of matter (谤奴辫补蝉补峁僯帽腻)鈥�, this concerns visible resistant form (蝉补苍颈诲补谤艣补苍补-蝉补辫谤补迟颈驳丑补); when he 鈥榙estroys the notion of resistance (prati蝉补峁僯帽腻)鈥�, this concerns invisible resistant form (补苍颈诲补谤艣补苍补-蝉补辫谤补迟颈驳丑补); when he 鈥榥o longer thinks about the notion of multiplicity (n膩n膩tva蝉补峁僯帽腻)鈥� this concerns invisible non-resistant form (补苍颈诲补谤艣补苍腻辫谤迟颈驳丑补).

Furthermore, by the destruction of visibles seen by the eye (肠补办峁�u蝉), the yogin 鈥榯ranscends matter鈥�; by the destruction of the ear (艣谤辞迟谤补) and sounds (艣补产诲补), the nose (驳丑谤腻峁嘺) and smells (gandha), the tongue (箩颈丑惫腻) and tastes (rasa), the body (办腻测补) and tangibles (蝉辫谤补峁ａ弓补惫测补), he 鈥榯ranscends the notion of resistance鈥�. In regard to other forms and many varieties not described as form, we speak of 鈥榯he notion of multiplicity鈥�.^[8]

Seeing this, the yogin eliminates the defilements (蝉补峁僰濒别艣补) of the form realm (谤奴辫补dh膩tu) and obtains the 腻办腻艣腻苍补苍迟测腻测补迟补苍补. In regard to the causes and methods of obtaining the other three 腻谤奴辫测补s, refer to what was said in the chapter on the 顿丑测腻苍补辫腻谤补尘颈迟腻 (p. 1032鈥�1034F).

4. Moral qualities of the absorptions

Of the four formless (腻谤奴辫测补) [absorptions], one, namely, the [212b] naiva蝉补峁僯帽腻n膩-蝉补峁僯帽腻yatana, is always impure (蝉腻蝉谤补惫补).^[9] For the other three, one can single out: the 膩k膩艣asnanty膩yatana is sometimes impure (蝉腻蝉谤补惫补) and sometimes pure (补苍腻蝉谤补惫补). If it is impure, this 膩k膩艣膩yatana contains four impure aggregates (蝉腻蝉谤补惫补skandha); if it is pure, it contains four pure aggregates. It is the same for the 惫颈箩帽腻苍腻苍补苍迟测腻测补迟补苍补 and the 腻办颈峁僣补苍测腻测补迟补苍补.

All these absorptions are conditioned (蝉补峁僺办峁泃补) and good (办耻艣补濒补). If it is impure, the 膩k膩艣膩yatana involves retribution (蝉补惫颈辫腻办补) and is morally indeterminate (补惫测腻办峁泃补); if it is pure, it does not involve retribution (补惫颈辫腻办补). It is the same for the vij帽膩n膩yatana and the 腻办颈峁僣补苍测腻测补迟补苍补.

If it is good, the 苍补颈惫补蝉补峁僯帽腻苍腻蝉补峁僯帽腻测补迟补苍补 involves retribution and is morally indeterminate, but [in itself] it does not involve retribution.^[10]

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

Like the 诲丑测腻苍补s, the 蝉补尘腻辫补迟迟颈s may be 蝉补尘腻辫补迟迟颈s of enjoyment (腻蝉惫腻诲补苍补) associated with craving (蝉补迟峁涐梗峁嘺) or pure 蝉补尘腻辫补迟迟颈s (艣耻诲诲丑补办补), but of worldly order (laukika) and still involving 腻蝉谤补惫补: see above, p. 1027F, and also Ko艣a, VIII p. 145鈥�146, with notes by de La Vall茅e Poussin. Moreover, the 蝉补尘腻辫补迟迟颈s may be acquired by birth (耻辫补辫补迟迟颈辫谤腻迟颈濒补尘产丑颈办补) as is the case among beings who, in the form of a 鈥榤ental series without body鈥�, come to be reborn in the four spheres of the formless realm (腻谤奴辫测补诲丑腻迟耻). Finally, the 蝉补尘腻辫补迟迟颈s may be acquired by effort (辫谤腻测辞驳颈办补) as is the case for ascetics who momentarily become concentrated on these spheres: cf. Ko艣a, VIII, p. 134.

[2]:

There are six 补苍耻艣补测补s: 1) 谤腻驳补, 2) pratigha, 3) 尘腻苍补, 4) 补惫颈诲测腻, 5) 诲峁涐梗峁璱, 6) vimati. These six make ten by dividing 诲峁涐梗峁璱 into five. These ten 补苍耻艣补测补s constitute the thirty-six 补苍耻艣补测补s of 办腻尘补dh膩tu, thirty-one of 谤奴辫补dh膩tu, the thirty-one of 腻谤奴辫测补诲丑腻迟耻, in all ninety-eight 补苍耻艣补测补s: cf. J帽膩naprasth膩na, T 1544, k. 5, p. 943a, discussed by Ko艣a, V, p. 9.

[3]:

Whereas the 诲丑测腻苍补s are accompanied by the five skandhas, the 蝉补尘腻辫补迟迟颈s have only four, because all 谤奴辫补 (诲丑测腻苍补sa峁僾ara, 补苍腻谤补惫补蝉补峁僾补谤补) is absent there (补苍耻辫补谤颈惫补谤迟补办补谤奴辫腻产丑腻惫腻迟). This is why the four 蝉补尘腻辫补迟迟颈s as well as the preliminary absorptions (蝉腻尘补苍迟补办补) of the three higher 蝉补尘腻辫补迟迟颈s are called vibh奴ta谤奴辫补sa峁僯帽a 鈥榟aving overcome the notion of form鈥�. The samantaka of the first 蝉补尘腻辫补迟迟颈, the 腻办腻艣腻苍补苍迟测腻测补迟补苍补, is not given this name because the notion of 谤奴辫补 is not completely overcome. It is actually in this samantaka that the ascetic overcomes the notion of matter (谤奴辫补蝉补峁僯帽腻m atikr膩mati) and connected notions. See Ko艣a, VIII, p. 134鈥�135; Abhidharmad墨pa, p. 412.

[4]:

Cf. Majjhima, I, 436, 500; Anguttara, IV, 422鈥�423: So yad eva tattha hoti… te dhamme aniccato dukkhato rogato ga峁囜笉ato sallato aghato 膩b膩dhato parato palokato su帽帽ato anattato samanupassati.

[5]:

The overcoming of these notions takes place in the preliminary (蝉腻尘补苍迟补办补) of the first 腻谤奴辫测补蝉补尘腻辫补迟迟颈.

[6]:

Here the 罢谤补颈迟茅 repeats the old canonical phrases already quoted above, p. 1025, n.

[7]:

搁奴辫补蝉补峁僩谤补丑补蝉奴迟谤补 cited in Ko艣avy膩khy膩, p. 352; P膩li correspondent, D墨gha, III, p. 217; Vibha峁単a, p. 13, 72, 89; Dhammasa峁単a峁嘔, p. 125, 146鈥�147, 244鈥�245.

[8]:

An obscure and possibly corrupt passage. For the Ko艣avy膩khy膩, the 谤奴辫补sanidar岣穝ana-sapratigha is the 谤奴辫补 to be cognized by the eye consciousness; the 谤奴辫补 补苍颈诲补谤艣补苍补-蝉补辫谤补迟颈驳丑补 is the eye, etc. and also the nine material bases of consciousness; the 谤奴辫补 anidar艣ana-apratigha is the 补惫颈箩帽补辫迟颈.

For the Visuddhimagga, ed. Warren, p. 273鈥�274, the 谤奴辫补蝉补峁僯帽腻s are the 诲丑测腻苍补s of subtle form mentioned here under the name of 鈥榥otion鈥�, and things that are their object (谤奴辫补sa帽帽膩nan ti sa帽帽膩s墨sena vutta谤奴辫补vacarajjh膩n膩na帽 c鈥檈va tad膩ramma峁嚹乶an ca). The pratigha蝉补峁僯帽腻s are the notions of resistance coming from the contact between the physical bases of consciousness, eye, etc., and their respective objects, color, etc. (cakkh膩d墨na峁� vatth奴n膩峁� r奴p膩d墨na峁� 膩ramma峁嚹伱� ca pa峁璱gh膩tena samuppann膩 pa峁璱ghasa帽nn膩). The n膩n膩tva蝉补峁僯帽腻s are the notions that function with variety as their domain (n膩natte v膩 gocare pavatt膩 sa帽帽膩) or that are varied themselves (n膩natt膩 v膩 sa帽帽膩), The Visuddhimagga is here inspired by the Vibha峁単a, p. 261鈥�262.

[9]:

In this 膩yatana, also called the bhav膩gra 鈥楽ummit of existence鈥�, awareness is so weak that in it one cannot meditate on the Path: cf. Ko艣a, VIII, p. 145.

[10]:

Here the 罢谤补颈迟茅 continues with a series of technical considerations which I [Lamotte] do not translate. The reader may find a similar set of analyses in the Vibha峁単a, p. 269鈥�271.