Essential Early Buddhist Doctrines      Unit MBI

  LESSON 12     

The Four Bases of Power

Zeal (the impulse to transform intention )

Virile Force (the will to execute action)

Conscious Strength of the Purity of Mind

Discriminative Investigation

The force by which the eagle flies, the trout fights it’s way upstream, the cheetah catches its prey and the elephant develops its power is Iddhi. The word is probably derived from the Vedic word “rddhi” which in turn comes from “ardh” which means to prosper. In the human world before Buddhism, showing perhaps the decadence of the human creature, it signified endowments. The four Iddhis of a king, for example, were “personal beauty, long life, good health, and popularity”.  The Iddhi of a hunter were “craft and skill with which he captures game”; his prey, in those days, fortunately had the Iddhi “by which they could outwit the hunter”.

Today the Iddhi of the natural world has been greatly reduced, due to the modern Iddhi called “the force of destiny and progress”. Thus it is considered that it was by virtue of Iddhi that the super-endowed human mystics and masters generated their various psychic powers in the world.

These powers were spoken of in the first unit with regard to Buddha and his psychic endowments, but it is important now to see what Buddha had to say about them.

The mystic wonder that Buddha himself advocated was the miracle of instruction. But he was not speaking, as many might suppose, of “educating” which is a social Iddhi, but of the Iddhi of teaching that raises man not to progress but to Awakening.

The psychic powers and the telepathy of an un-awakened person, no matter how theoretically spiritually advanced he was, were looked upon by Buddha as inferior when compared to the higher Iddhi, the Aryan Iddhi of instruction.

       Lesson 12                  The Four Bases of Power

Digha Nikaya 11

Kevatta Sutta

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying at Nalanda in Pavarika's mango grove. Then Kevatta the householder approached the Blessed One and, on arrival, having bowed down, sat to one side. As he was sitting there he said to the Blessed One: "Venerable sir, this Nalanda is powerful, both prosperous and populous, filled with people who have faith in the Blessed One. It would be good if the Blessed One were to direct a monk to display a miracle of psychic power from his superior human state so that Nalanda would to an even greater extent have faith in the Blessed One."

When this was said, the Blessed One said to Kevatta the householder, "Kevatta, I don't teach the monks in this way: 'Come, monks, display a miracle of psychic power to the lay people clad in white.'"

A second time... A third time, Kevatta the householder said to the Blessed One: "I won't argue with the Blessed One, but I tell you: Venerable sir, this Nalanda is powerful, both prosperous and populous, filled with people who have faith in the Blessed One. It would be good if the Blessed One were to direct a monk to display a miracle of psychic power from his superior human state so that Nalanda would to an even greater extent have faith in the Blessed One."

A third time, the Blessed One said to Kevatta the householder, "Kevatta, I don't teach the monks in this way: 'Come, monks, display a miracle of psychic power to the lay people clad in white.'

"Kevatta, there are these three miracles that I have declared, having directly known and realized them for myself. Which three? The miracle of psychic power, the miracle of telepathy, and the miracle of instruction.

The Miracle of Psychic Power

"And what is the miracle of psychic power? There is the case where a monk wields manifold psychic powers. Having been one he becomes many; having been many he becomes one. He appears. He vanishes. He goes unimpeded through walls, ramparts, and mountains as if through space. He dives in and out of the earth as if it were water. He walks on water without sinking as if it were dry land. Sitting cross-legged he flies through the air like a winged bird. With his hand he touches and strokes even the sun and moon, so mighty and powerful. He exercises influence with his body even as far as the Brahma worlds.

"Then someone who has faith and conviction in him sees him wielding manifold psychic powers... exercising influence with his body even as far as the Brahma worlds. He reports this to someone who has no faith and no conviction, telling him, 'Isn't it awesome. Isn't it astounding, how great the power, how great the prowess of this contemplative. Just now I saw him wielding manifold psychic powers... exercising influence with his body even as far as the Brahma worlds.'

Then the person without faith, without conviction, would say to the person with faith and with conviction: 'Sir, there is a charm called the Gandhari charm by which the monk wielded manifold psychic powers... exercising influence with his body even as far as the Brahma worlds.' What do you think, Kevatta -- isn't that what the man without faith, without conviction, would say to the man with faith and with conviction?"

"Yes, venerable sir, that's just what he would say."

"Seeing this drawback to the miracle of psychic power, Kevatta, I feel horrified, humiliated, and disgusted with the miracle of psychic power.

The Miracle of Telepathy

"And what is the miracle of telepathy? There is the case where a monk reads the minds, the mental events, the thoughts, the pondering of other beings, other individuals, 'Such is your thinking, here is where your thinking is, thus is your mind.'

"Then someone who has faith and conviction in him sees him reading the minds... of other beings... He reports this to someone who has no faith and no conviction, telling him, 'isn’t it awesome. Isn't it astounding, how great the power, how great the prowess of this contemplative. Just now I saw him reading the minds... of other beings...'

"Then the person without faith, without conviction, would say to the person with faith and with conviction: 'Sir, there is a charm called the Manika charm by which the monk read the minds... of other beings...' What do you think, Kevatta -- isn't that what the man without faith, without conviction, would say to the man with faith and with conviction?"

"Yes, venerable sir, that's just what he would say."

"Seeing this drawback to the miracle of telepathy, Kevatta, I feel horrified, humiliated, and disgusted with the miracle of telepathy.

The Miracle of Instruction

"And what is the miracle of instruction? There is the case where a monk gives instruction in this way: 'Direct your thought in this way, don't direct it in that. Attend to things in this way, don't attend to them in that. Let go of this, enter and remain in that.' This, Kevatta, is called the miracle of instruction.

"Furthermore, there is the case where a Tathagata appears in the world, worthy and rightly self-awakened. He teaches the Dhamma admirable in its beginning, admirable in its middle, admirable in its end. He proclaims the holy life both in its particulars and in its essence, entirely perfect, surpassingly pure.

"A householder or householder's son, hearing the Dhamma, gains conviction in the Tathagata and reflects: 'Household life is confining, a dusty path. The life gone forth is like the open air. It is not easy living at home to practice the holy life totally perfect, totally pure, like a polished shell. What if I were to shave off my hair and beard, put on the ochre robes, and go forth from the household life into homelessness?'

"So after some time he abandons his mass of wealth, large or small; leaves his circle of relatives, large or small; shaves off his hair and beard, puts on the ochre robes, and goes forth from the household life into homelessness.

"When he has thus gone forth, he lives restrained by the rules of the monastic code, seeing danger in the slightest faults. Consummate in his virtue, he guards the doors of his senses, is possessed of mindfulness and alertness, and is content.

Let us then look at these four bases of power,-- Zeal, Virile Force, Conscious Strength of the Purity of Mind and Discriminative Investigation. These are the four Iddhis for one progressing towards Awakening, who might be preparing him or herself, unconsciously perhaps, for the Bodhisattva role,-- teaching others.

Samyutta Nikaya LI.20

Iddhipada-vibhanga Sutra

"These four bases of power, when developed and pursued, are of great fruit and great benefit. And how are the four bases of power developed and pursued so as to be of great fruit and great benefit?

"There is the case where a monk develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on zeal and the fabrications of exertion, thinking, 'This desire of mine will be neither overly sluggish nor overly active, neither inwardly restricted nor outwardly scattered.' He keeps perceiving what is in front and behind so that what is in front is the same as what is behind, what is behind is the same as what is in front. What is below is the same as what is above, what is above is the same as what is below. Night is the same as day, day is the same as night. By means of awareness, thus open and unhampered, he develops a brightened mind.

"He develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on virile force…

"He develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on conscious strength...

"He develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on discriminative investigation

"And how is zeal is overly sluggish? Whatever zeal is accompanied by laziness, conjoined with laziness, which is called overly sluggish zeal.

"And how is zeal overly active? Whatever zeal is accompanied by restlessness, conjoined with restlessness that is called overly active zeal.

"And how is zeal inwardly restricted? Whatever zeal is accompanied by sloth and drowsiness, conjoined with sloth and drowsiness that is called inwardly restricted zeal.

"And how is zeal outwardly scattered? Whatever zeal is stirred up by the five strings of sensuality, outwardly dispersed and dissipated, which is called outwardly scattered zeal.

"And how does a monk dwell perceiving what is in front and behind so that what is in front is the same as what is behind, and what is behind is the same as what is in front? There is the case where a monk's perception of what is in front and behind is well in hand, well-attended to, well-considered, well-tuned by means of discernment. This is how a monk continues perceiving what is in front and behind so that what is in front is the same as what is behind, and what is behind is the same as what is in front.

"And how does a monk dwell so that what is below is the same as what is above, and what is above is the same as what is below? There is the case where a monk reflects on this very body, from the soles of the feet on up, from the crown of the head on down, surrounded by skin, and full of various kinds of unclean things: 'In this body there are head hairs, body hairs, nails, teeth, skin, flesh, tendons, bones, bone marrow, kidneys, heart, liver, pleura, spleen, lungs, large intestines, small intestines, gorge, faeces, bile, phlegm, pus, blood, sweat, fat, tears, skin-oil, saliva, mucus, fluid in the joints, urine.' This is how a monk dwells so that what is below is the same as what is above, and what is above is the same as what is below.

"And how does a monk dwell by night as by day, and by day as by night? There is the case where a monk at night develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on zeal and the fabrications of exertion by means of the same modes and signs and themes that he uses by day, and by day he develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on zeal and the fabrications of exertion by means of the same modes and signs and themes that he uses by night.

This is how a monk dwells by night as by day, and by day as by night.

"And how does a monk -- by means of an awareness open and unhampered -- develop a brightened mind? There is the case where a monk has the perception of light, the perception of daytime well in hand and well established. This is how a monk -- by means of an awareness, open and unhampered -- develops a brightened mind.

This discourse on Zeal (the impulse to transform intention), is repeated for the Virile Force (the will to execute action), Conscious Strength of the Purity of Mind and Discriminative Investigation.

"When a monk has thus developed and pursued the four bases of power, he experiences manifold supra-normal powers.”

You will remember that Buddha declared that he felt “horrified, humiliated, and disgusted” with the miracle of psychic power and telepathy. Clearly this disgust was not generated by their possession, but by the inherent dangers of their use and the way they appeared to those who had not developed them.

It is clear that they are useful powers for a master who can use them efficiently. You can perhaps see how the telepathic analysis of people helps the master to find the correct way to teach them according to their needs.  However, when they are used, they must be concealed from the eyes of those of little understanding

. . . He discerns a mind with passion as a mind with passion, and a mind without passion as a mind without passion. He discerns a mind with aversion as a mind with aversion, and a mind without aversion as a mind without aversion. He discerns a mind with delusion as a mind with delusion, and a mind without delusion as a mind without delusion.

He discerns a restricted mind as a restricted mind, and a scattered mind as a scattered mind. He discerns an enlarged mind as an enlarged mind, and an un-enlarged mind as an un-enlarged mind. He discerns an excelled mind as an excelled mind, and an unexcelled mind as an unexcelled mind. He discerns a concentrated mind as a concentrated mind, and an un-concentrated mind as an un-concentrated mind. He discerns a released mind as a released mind, and an unreleased mind as an unreleased mind.

. . . "Through the ending of the mental effluents, he remains in the effluent-free awareness-release and discernment-release, having known and made them manifest for himself right in the here and now.

"This is how these four bases of power, when developed and pursued, are of great fruit and great benefit."

Knowing then the Four Bases of Power that open the door to the Bodhisattva power of teaching, let us look at them in more detail and see perhaps how they may be developed.

Zeal

Zeal (Chanda) is the impulse to transform intention into action. Correctly termed in its noble sense, it is called Dhammacchanda. The mundane wish “to do” (Kattacumyatta) is not the Zeal spoken of here.

It is one thing to see what is best to do, but generally the best thing to do is not profitable or agreeable for the Identities. To give up one’s seat in bus to a sour old woman, if this is to be performed correctly, requires zeal,-- not a sense of social obligation or duty. Thus the noble force of correct attitude says, “This is correct and in accord with my true nature”. The correct attitude is accompanied by an experience of good will, not a smug satisfaction that declares, “See, I am doing my duty” or “What a good person I am”. It infuses life into Conscious Strength, vitalizing both mundane and spiritual life --thus it is akin to the life force (Jivitindrya).

Virile Force

The Virile Force (Viriya) is the will to execute action. It is defined as the state of an energetic person and has the characteristic of supporting (Upattham-bana), upholding (Paggahana), and sustaining (Ussahana). It is regarded as the root of all noble and correct achievement. It was likened by Nerada Maha Thera to an army maintaining its position instead of retreating. In this way, it resists the voices of Mara, the Identities, that destroy all noble resolve.

Its great characteristic is that it embodies both determination and persistence and  cannot be shaken by irresolution, thus it is essential for the accomplishment of noble action.

The Conscious Strength of the Purity of Mind

The Conscious Strength of the Purity of Mind (Citta) is a consciousness that has discernment (Vijanana) as its base. It is a determinant of the form of the mental state that leads to noble action. The principle difference between this consciousness, which is related to the purity of mind, and mundane conscious thought (Cetana) is that it coordinates the mental states in accord with the Buddha Nature and not the Identities.

Discriminative Investigation

Discriminative Investigation (Vijanana) completes the set of four powers. It is essentially a free critical investigative capacity that is not directed by the mundane conscious mind. It is rather a penetrative seeing. With respect to the Bodhisattva teaching capacity, it is like a combination of the telepathic power that Buddha has delineated and the faculty of correct judgement that determines the correct course of action.

The Five Factors of Absorption

There are clearly other factors that aid in the sustaining and development of the four powers. They are the five supporting factors of absorption:

Initial application

Sustained application

Interest

Joy

One-pointedness

Initial application

Initial application (vitakka). The pali word vitakka assumes different nuances of meaning in the sutras and in the Abhidamma. In the sutras it is used to give a sense of ideas, thoughts and reasoning, but here, in the Abhidamma, it is allied with consciousness. It is the correct application of the initial casting of the mind to the topic or object. It is like the alighting of a butterfly upon a leaf.

Sustained application

Sustained application (vicara) is the continued application of the mind upon an object. It is a steady, but not forceful application for profound examination (anumajjana) . It is like the purposive movements of an eagle as it planes in

observation of its prey.

Interest

Interest must be impartially and justly balanced, therefore it is a balanced state of mind. The best description is “impartial looking” (upekkha). It is an indirect enemy of intellectual indifference and thus allies itself with equanimity, which is raised to the bojjhanga level (tatramajjhattata).

Joy

Joy (piti), translated sometimes as happiness, has the property of creating and sustaining interest in the object of attention.   

Khuddaka Piti is the thrill that causes a reaction of the flesh.

Khanika Piti is an instantaneous joy like a flash of lightning.

Okkantika Piti is like breakers on the sea shore.

Ubbega Piti is a transporting joy that generates an experience like floating in air.

Pharana Piti is a joy that suffuses the whole body like an internal overflowing.

One-pointedness (ekaggata)

One-pointedness is the focusing of the mind upon one object. It was described elegantly in the manual of Abhidhamma as “a steady lamp-flame in a windless place”.  It actually appears to flicker so slightly that it is almost imperceptible, but it remains fixed and steady like a pillar that cannot be shaken.

Barrenness and Bondage

The four powers permit liberation from “spiritual barrenness and mental bondage”.  Now that is a term that nicely defines the mundane world of today. It is spiritually barren and mentally bound. It bears no noble fruit; it is cold and devoid of true life.

It should be no surprise that barrenness was also present in Buddha’s time. However, the cancer in the womb had not yet fully spread throughout the body as it has today so that it clasped the “heart” in its grip of barren and bound globalisation.

                                          Cetokhila-Sutta

Thus have I heard. The Blessed One was once dwelling at Savatthi, in the park of Anathapinaika. There the Blessed One addressed the brethren, saying, 'Brethren!'

'Yea, Lord!' said those brethren, in assent, to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One spake:

'Whatsoever brother, O Bhikkhus, has not quite become free from the five kinds of spiritual barrenness, has not altogether broken through the five kinds of mental bondage -- that such a one should reach up to the full advantage of, should attain to the full growth in, to full breadth in, this doctrine and discipline] -- that can in no wise be!'

Spiritual Barrenness

Regarding the Master

 'And who has not become free from the five kinds of spiritual barrenness?'

'In the first place, O Bhikkhus, when a brother doubts in the Teacher, is uncertain regarding him, has not confidence in him, and has not faith in him; then is his mind not inclined towards zeal, vital force, conscious strength and discrimination.

'But whoever’s mind inclineth not towards zeal, vital force, conscious strength and discrimination, he has not become free from this first spiritual barrenness.

Buddha was faced with the same sort of lack of confidence that we find today. It is clear that without confidence in the master relative to the pronouncement of the Dharma, and in the presence of uncertainty, there can be no progress. If a lack of confidence and uncertainty exists, then the only solution is to encounter another master or develop the four powers within oneself that will allow one to penetrate into the master’s heart.

Regarding the Dharma

'And further, O Bhikkhus, when a brother doubts in the System of Belief (the spoken Dharma), is uncertain regarding it, has not confidence in it, has not faith in it; then is his mind not inclined towards zeal, vital force, conscious strength and discrimination.

'But whoever’s mind inclineth not towards zeal, vital force, conscious strength and discrimination, he has not become free from this second spiritual barrenness.

It is an even more serious barrenness to doubt the Dharma. To doubt the Dharma is to doubt life in oneself and in the natural path.

Why is one normally led to doubt the Dharma? A clinging to this world of the senses is the most common cause. 

Regarding Belief in the Brother (Sister)hood

 'And further, O Bhikkhus, when a brother has doubt in the Brotherhood (Sangha), is uncertain about it, has no confidence in it, has no faith in it; then is his mind not inclined towards zeal, vital force, conscious strength and discrimination.

'But whoever’s mind inclineth not towards zeal, vital force, conscious strength and discrimination, he has not become free from this third spiritual barrenness.

Society is made up of a huge mass of small groups. Each person, depending upon his tastes and whims, can be connected with one group or another. In every case the gains are weighed against the costs and sacrifice. Although there are many common goals and objectives, one’s personal goal is always uppermost. If the common cause coincides with one’s own, then there is a belief in the group.

In a spiritual Sangha, things are different, for one’s own interest is that of the group. It is rather like the “all for one and one for all” of the three musketeers. Here the musketeers of the Sangha are countless, and our vision sees them in the past the present and the future. All must be for one, and one must be for all, naturally responding in the common cause.

What is that common cause? To act for the benefit of all sentient creatures, a noble, natural and complete cause to which I would add, “for the benefit of all flora as well”, which are not usually included in the Buddhist concept of sentient.

Regarding Belief in Spiritual Self-training

'And further, O Bhikkhus, when a brother has doubt in the System of Self-training (Sikkha, which is spiritual training), is uncertain about it, has no confidence in it, has no faith in it; then is his mind not inclined towards zeal, vital force, conscious strength and discrimination.

'But whoever’s mind inclineth not towards zeal, vital force, conscious strength and discrimination, he has not become free from this fourth spiritual barrenness.

There are many things that one finds difficult in spiritual training. The idea of restraint, for example, is fought by the Identities tooth and nail, and one’s Identity wishes and demands will need to be released along the way. Dedication to the path, along with a constant vigilance that we are not used to, is required. Meditation is not easy and most important advances are subliminal. Seldom is there an awareness of progress and thus impatience arises. Expectations are the main enemy. However, one must overcome all this and set one’s mind to the task.

Regarding Intolerance with one’s Brothers

'And further, O Bhikkhus, when a brother is angry with his fellow-disciples, discontented with them, excited against them, barren towards them, the mind of the brother, O Bhikkhus, thus angry with his fellow-disciples, discontented with them, excited against them, barren towards them does not incline towards zeal, vital force, conscious strength and discrimination.

'But whoever’s mind inclineth not towards zeal, vital force, conscious strength and discrimination, he has not become free from this fifth spiritual barrenness.

'It is such a one, O Bhikkhus, who is not free from the five kinds of spiritual barrenness.'

It is certain that any Sangha only remains as strong as its weakest link. That weak link arises when there is egoism involved. There is an old adage that says, “if one understands, there is no need for forgiveness”. That holds true in this case.

All the members of a Sangha (assuming sincerity) are in combat with their own internal demons. It is not an easy battle and there is an ebb and flow in the tide of battle. Understanding this and being able to see that one’s own battle is not yet won allows the engendering of the Four Powers that eradicate this spiritual blockage.

Mental Bondage

Mental Attachments to Objects

'And who has not broken through the five kinds of spiritual bondage?'

'In the first place, O Bhikkhus, when a brother has not got rid of the passion for lusts, has not got rid of the desire after lusts, has not got rid of the attraction to lusts, has not got rid of the thirst for lusts, has not got rid of the fever of lust, has not got rid of the craving after lusts. –

'Whosoever brother, O Bhikkhus, has not got rid of the passion for lusts, has not got rid of the desire after lusts, has not got rid of the attraction to lusts, has not got rid of the thirst for lusts, has not got rid of the fever of lust, has not got rid of the craving after lusts, his mind does not incline to zeal, vital force, conscious strength and discrimination.

'But whoever’s mind inclineth not toward zeal, vital force, conscious strength and discrimination, he has not broken through this first spiritual bondage.

Human craving and clinging is predicated upon false needs aroused by Identity demands. We know that these demands lead to suffering, but most people are prepared to accept the suffering, since normally it appears so small a sacrifice for the great pleasure that objects bring.

We mistakenly believe that we are masters over this attachment. “It is we who decide”, is the common cry. But we are mistaken, for just as the bell alone resulted in control over the responses of the dog in Pavlov’s experiment, so we are controlled by the objects that surround us. We can throw off this bondage if we apply ourselves to the task, but first we must see that the problem exists with all its inherent dangers. That, in itself, is not easy.

Mental Attachment to the Body

'And further, O Bhikkhus, when a brother has not got rid of the passion for a body, has not got rid of the desire after a body, has not got rid of the attraction to a body, has not got rid of the thirst for a body, has not got rid of the fever of a body, has not got rid of the craving after a body. --

'Whosoever brother, O Bhikkhus, has not got rid of the passion for a body, has not got rid of the desire after a body, has not got rid of the attraction to a body, has not got rid of the thirst for a body, has not got rid of the fever of a body, has not got rid of the craving after a body, his mind does not incline to zeal, vital force, conscious strength and discrimination.

'But whoever’s mind inclineth not toward zeal, vital force, conscious strength and discrimination, he has not broken through this second spiritual bondage.

Our apparent body, apparently separated from our mind, is a precious thing, and it is certain that as a host for our consciousness it is important. But when the body is converted into a tool for gain or an object of worship, then we are in a dangerous trap in which the chains grow stronger and stronger, ever more wound about us.

We are constantly prostituting our bodies, selling them off to the highest bidder.

It may seem trivial to wear certain clothes that make one’s body appear attractive for pleasure, work or any other reason. That is selling one’s body. You can think, I am sure, of the thousands of ways we sell our bodies every day, not just in posture and decoration but in the subtleties of eye and hand movements.

Who gains? That is the question that each person must answer.

Mental Attachment to Form (Sensation)

'And further, O Bhikkhus, when a brother has not got rid of the passion for a form (rupa), has not got rid of the desire after a form, has not got rid of the attraction to a form, has not got rid of the thirst for a form, has not got rid of the fever of a form, has not got rid of the craving after a form. –

'Whosoever brother, O Bhikkhus, has not got rid of the passion for a form, has not got rid of the desire after a form, has not got rid of the attraction to a form, has not got rid of the thirst for a form, has not got rid of the fever of a form, has not got rid of the craving after a form, his mind does not incline to zeal, vital force, conscious strength and discrimination.

Form and sensation are closely allied. Without sensation there is no form. Without the illusion of form constructed by consciousness, sensation would be empty. We cling to form, as we have seen in discussing the Five Clinging Aggregates, and we crave the sensations of that form. The pure sensation and consciousness of form are natural phenomena generated by the mind, but attachment turns them into liabilities and impediments to liberation.

Mental Attachment to Ease and Comfort

'But whoever’s mind inclineth not toward zeal, vital force, conscious strength and discrimination, he has not broken through this third spiritual bondage.

'And further, O Bhikkhus, a brother may have eaten enough and to satiety, and begins to follow after the case of sleep, the ease of softness, the ease of sloth.

'Whosoever brother, O Bhikkhus, when he has eaten enough and to satiety, begins to follow after the ease of sleep, the ease of softness, the ease of sloth, his mind does not incline to zeal, vital force, conscious strength and discrimination.

'But whoever’s mind inclineth not toward zeal, vital force, conscious strength and discrimination, he has not broken through this fourth spiritual bondage.

My father always declared that laziness, not necessity, is the mother of invention. He may well have been correct, for the lazy mind looks for ways of ease and comfort and when it doesn’t find them, then it must invent them. Perhaps this is unfair to many of the brilliant scientists who have invented things to make life easier, but one is forced to ask, for example, if the “electric light” has really been such a great advantage.

It has certainly killed the idea that “early to bed early to rise makes a man healthy wealthy and wise,” and Stevenson’s motor has led the way to the industrial revolution that permits, in a simple shoe shop, the possible craving for thousands of different models.  We cannot even be sure that the invention of Caxton has really enriched our lives completely when we see the thousands of useless texts that flood the market, taking the place of the wise fireside tales of the old seers.

Clearly we cannot hold the inventions responsible, only those who use and abuse them, led by their desire for exaggerated and unnatural ease and comfort. How much more serious is the clinging and craving for the ease and comfort of the spiritual path.

Mental Attachment to Belonging

'And further, O Bhikkhus, a brother may have adopted the religious life in the aspiration of belonging to some one or other of the angel hosts', and thinking to himself: "By this morality, or by this observance, or by this austerity, or by this religious life, I shall become an angel, or one of the angels!" –

'Whosoever brother, O Bhikkhus, may have adopted the religious life in the aspiration of belonging to some one or other of the angel hosts, and thinking to himself: "By this morality, or by this observance, or by this austerity, or by this religious life, I shall become an angel, or one of the angels!" his mind does not incline to zeal, vital force, conscious strength and discrimination.

'But whoever’s mind inclineth not toward zeal, vital force, conscious strength and discrimination, he has not broken through this fifth spiritual bondage.

'It is such a one, O Bhikkhus, who has not broken through the five kinds of mental bondage.

In this age, when there is great and often exaggerated fear of sects, there is sometimes avoidance of the claim that one is on the spiritual path of Buddhism. But for many, there still remains an inner pride that they belong. This is based clearly on the concept of “I am”, not “we are” and there is a wealth of difference between these two extremes.

The Attainment of Freedom

'And whosoever brother, O Bhikkhus, has not quite become free from the five kinds of spiritual barrenness, has not altogether broken through the five kinds of mental bondage -- that such a one should reach up to the full advantage of, should attain to the full growth in, to full breadth in, this doctrine and discipline -- that can in no wise be!

. . . 'But whosoever brother, O Bhikkhus, has become quite free from the five kinds of spiritual barrenness, has altogether broken through the five kinds of mental bondage -- that such a one should reach up to the full advantage of, should attain to full growth in, to full breadth in, this doctrine and discipline -- that can well be!'

 . . . 'He practises the road to saintship', which is accompanied by the union of “ the will to acquire it” (zeal) with earnest contemplation, and with the struggle against the incorrect.

 He practises the road to saintship, which is accompanied by the union of exertion (Virile Force) with earnest contemplation, and with the struggle against the incorrect.

 He practises the road to saintship, which is accompanied by the union of thought (Conscious Strength of the Purity of Mind ) with earnest contemplation, and with the struggle against the incorrect.

 He practises the road to saintship, which is accompanied by the union of investigation (Discriminative Investigation) with earnest contemplation and the struggle against the incorrect, -- and strong determination (to remain upon the path) too as a fifth.

'The brother, O Bhikkhus, thus endowed with fifteen-fold determination (these five, considered relative to the past, present and future) becomes destined to come forth into the light, capable of the higher wisdom, sure of attaining to the supreme security.

. . . Thus spake the Blessed One. And those Brethren, delighted in heart, exalted the word of the Blessed One.

Exercise 12

Many of the Sutras used in this unit and others are usually distinguished by the way in which a single thought, or one or two allied thoughts, are stated at the beginning and then elaborated and repeated through a number of consecutive paragraphs.

Whether this literary form was merely traditional, or purposeful as a useful tool, we cannot say, but if attention is made only to the words and not the spirit, they could be considered monotonous and tiresome. One must try to be aware of the circumstances in which they were spoken as well as the intent and the subtleties involved. 

There have been 37 factors mentioned that lead to Awakening. In each group, there is some repetition. Your task then is first to list the different factors. Then choose the three that you would most like to develop and tell me why, and choose the three that you would find most difficult to develop and tell me why.