Yuganaddha Sutta (A. i. 475.)

Yuganaddha Sutta

(A. i. 475.)

     Thus have I heard. Once the Venerable Œnanda lived in KosambÊ, at Ghosita’s monastery. There the Venerable Œnanda addressed the monks:

“Brother bhikkhus!” And the monks replied, “Yes, brother.” Thereupon the Venerable Œnanda said:

     “Brethren! Whosoever, be it a monk or a nun, declares before me to have attained to Arahantship, all these do so by one of four ways. By what four?

     “Herein, brethren, a monk develops vipassanÈ preceded by samatha. While he thus develops vipassanÈ preceded by samatha, magga is born in him. He now cultivates, develops and strengthens that magga, and while doing so, the fetters are abandoned and the latent tendencies of defilements come to an end. (Samatha-yÈnika, ®ÊkÈ)

      “Or again, brethren, a monk develops samatha preceded by vipassanÈ. While he thus develops samatha preceded by vipassanÈ, magga is born in him. He now cultivates, develops and strengthens that magga, and while doing so, the fetters are abandoned and the latent tendencies of defilements come to an end. (VipassanÈ-yÈnika, ®ÊkÈ)

     “Or again, brethren, a monk develops samatha and vipassanÈ joined in pairs. While he thus develops samatha and vipassanÈ joined in pairs, maggais born in him. He now cultivates, develops and strengthens that magga, and while doing so, the fetters are abandoned and the latent tendencies of defilements come to an end.

    “Or again, brethren, a monk’s mind is seized by the agitation (distraction) regarding the impediments of vipassanÈ. But, brethren, there comes a time when his mind becomes settled, steady, unified and concentrated internally (i. e., on the object of vipassanÈ); then magga is born in him. He now cultivates, develops and strengthens that magga, and while doing so, the fetters are abandoned and the latent tendencies of defilements come to an end.

    “Whosoever, brethren, be it a monk or a nun, declares before me to have attained to Arahantship, all these do so by one of these four ways.

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magga: first supramundane Path ( A. A. ii. 346); or preliminary mundane path (A. ®. ii.344), i.e., vipassanÈ.

cultivates: by way of nibbidÈnupassanÈ, contemplation on disenchantment; or by way of bhayatupaÔÔhÈnaÒÈÓa, knowledge of manifestation as fearful. (A. ®.)

develops: by way of muccitukamyatÈ, the desire to escape; by way of muccitukamyatÈÒÈÓa and others. (A. ®.)

strengthens: by way of paÔisa~khÈnupassanÈ, contemplation of re-reflection; or by way of vuÔÔhÈnagÈminÊvipassanÈ, vipassanÈ of going towards emergence. (A. ®.)

Translation of PatisambbhidÈmagga AtthakathÈ passage:

He develops vipassanÈ that has samatha as a forerunner (literal translation of ‘a monk develops vipassanÈ preceded by samatha’): he develops vipassanÈ making samatha the forerunner; first he develops samÈdhi(concentration) and later he develops vipassanÈ, is the meaning.

He develops samatha that has vipassanÈ as a forerunner (literal translation of ‘a monk develops samatha preceded by vipassanÈ’) : he develops samathamaking vipassanÈ the forerunner; first he develops vipassanÈ, and later he develops samÈdhi, is the meaning.

He develops (the two) joined in pairs: he develops making (the two) joined in pairs. Herein, it is impossible to comprehend the formations (sa~khÈras) with the same citta (consciousness) with which he enters into samÈpatti (JhÈna). But this person comprehends the formations in propotion as he enters into samÈpattis, and he enters into samÈpattis in propotion as he comprehends the formations. How? He enters into first jhÈna; emerging from that jhÈna he comprehends the formations. After comprehending the formations he enters into the second jhÈna. Emerging from that (second jhÈna) he comprehends the formations. After comprehending the formations he enters into the third jhÈna . . . nevasaÒÒÈnÈsaÒÒÈyatana (fourth Ar|pÈvacara jhÈna) attainment. Emerging from that (fourth Ar|pÈvacara jhÈna attainment) he comprehends the formations. Thus he is said to develop samatha and vipassanÈ joined in pairs. (PaÔisambhidÈmagga AÔÔhakathÈ, ii. 186, 187; my own translation.)

But, brethren, there comes a time when . . . : By this sentence the Thera (Venerable Œnanda) shows the time when, after discarding the agitation caused by impediments of vipasaanÈ by defining what is right path and what is not, a yogi reaches back to the course of vipassanÈ. (Ibid. 187.) 

M. A.

    Some develop vipassanÈ preceded by samatha,and some develop samatha preceded by vipassanÈ. How? Herein, one yogi first develops upacÈra samÈdhi or appanÈ samÈdhi. This is samatha. He then contemplates on that jhÈna and the states associated with it by way of impermanence and others. This is vipassanÈ. Thus first there is samatha and later there is vipassanÈ.

  Again, one yogi, without developing the samÈdhi mentioned above, contemplates on the five aggregates of clinging by way of impermanence and others. This is vipassanÈ. On the maturity of vipassanÈ, there arises to him one-pointedness of mind by way of taking relinquishment (nibbÈna) as object. This is samatha. Thus first there is vipassanÈ and later there is samatha.  (M. A. i. 113.)

Samatha-yÈnika: Samatha itself is a vehicle. One who has this vehicle is Samatha-yÈnika. It is the name given to one who develops vipassanÈafter establishing himself either in jhÈnaor neighborhood to jhÈna. (Vism®. ii. 350.)

VipassanÈ-yÈnika: One who has vipassanÈ as vehicle.

Suddha-vipassanÈ-yÈnika: One who has pure (unmixed) vipassanÈ as vehicle.

Sukkha-vipassaka: Dry-vipassanÈ-practitioner.

PaÒÒÈvimuttÈ kho mayaÑ Èvuso ti Èvuso mayaÑ nijjhÈnakÈ sukkhavipassakÈ paÒÒÈmatten’ eva vimuttÈ ti dasseti. (S.A. ii. 117.) Friends, we, vipassanÈ practitioners having no jhÈnas, have been freed by pure (unmixed) knowledge only.

If the extent of an overconfident person (i.e., one who thinks that he has reached enlightenment although, in fact, he has not) who is a samÈpatti-attainer is stated, it covers that of an overconfident person who is a dry vipassanÈ practitioner. If the extent of an arahant who is a samÈpatti-attainer is stated, it covers that of an arahant who is a dry vipassanÈ practitioner.  (S. A. ii. 117.)

Contemplation of vipassanÈ for a Samatha-yÈnika is by first practicing samatha; but for a VipassanÈ-yÈnikathe contemplation of vipassanÈ is without dependence on samatha. (Ibid. 351.)