Supplementary Explanation on Śruta-mayī Prajñā and Cintā-mayī Prajñā

Commentary on the Abhidharmakośa, Volume 23, Original Text: According to the treatise above, it means that after the three characteristics and the seven aspects, etc., one arouses the mindfulness of the general characteristic and enters the heat stage. The contemplation of the three characteristics refers to the meaning of the three categories: the aggregates (skandha), the sense bases (āyatana), and the elements (dhātu). The seven aspects of skillful understanding are: knowing the suffering of form as it is, the origin of form, the cessation of form and the path to it, the path leading to the cessation of form, the gratification of form, the danger of form, and the escape from form. Similarly, one knows the seven aspects concerning feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness as they truly are. Knowing form as it truly is is known by four knowledges: namely, dharma-knowledge, analytical knowledge, worldly knowledge, and knowledge of suffering.

Explanation: Comparing it with the treatise mentioned above, one should understand that after contemplating the meaning of the three categories (aggregates, sense bases, elements) and the seven aspects of skillful understanding, one will arouse the mindfulness of dharmas focused on the general characteristic of the five aggregates and enter the wholesome root of the heat stage. The contemplation of the three characteristics is the observation of the three dharmas: aggregates, sense bases, and elements. The seven aspects of skillful understanding are: knowing the suffering of the form aggregate as it is, the origin of the form aggregate, the cessation of the form aggregate and the path to it, the path leading to the cessation of the form aggregate, the gratification of the form aggregate, the danger of the form aggregate, and the escape from the form aggregate. Furthermore, knowing the seven aspects concerning the feeling aggregate, the perception aggregate, the formations aggregate, and the consciousness aggregate are all understood similarly to those concerning the form aggregate. Moreover, knowing the form aggregate as it truly is gives rise to four knowledges: dharma-knowledge, analytical knowledge, worldly knowledge, and knowledge of suffering.

Liberated beings possess ten knowledges: dharma-knowledge, analytical knowledge, worldly knowledge, knowledge of suffering, knowledge of others' minds, knowledge of origin, knowledge of cessation, knowledge of the path, knowledge of exhaustion, and knowledge of non-arising. Because one has truly contemplated the seven aspects of skillful understanding within each of the five aggregates, one will know the form aggregate with wisdom as it truly is. The wisdom knowing the form aggregate has four kinds: namely, dharma-knowledge, analytical knowledge, worldly knowledge, and knowledge of suffering. Dharma-knowledge is the wisdom that perceives the selflessness, impermanence, suffering, and emptiness of all dharmas in general. Analytical knowledge is the wisdom that perceives dharmas of the same class within the general dharmas. Worldly knowledge is the skillful application of wisdom regarding dharmas within the worldly realm, adapting to teach sentient beings according to their sharp or dull faculties. Knowledge of suffering is the true observation of the world of the five aggregates, knowing with wisdom that all dharmas of the world are suffering and not to be clung to.

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