Section Three: For Whom Are the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination Established?

(288) The Dialogue on the Twelve Links of Dependent Origination between Śāriputra and Mahākauṣṭhila

Original Text: At that time, the Venerable Śāriputra and the Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila were on Gṛdhrakūṭa Mountain. Then, the Venerable Śāriputra, having risen from meditation in the afternoon, went to the Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila. After exchanging greetings and pleasantries, he sat to one side and said to the Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila: “I wish to ask you a question. Do you have leisure to answer me?” The Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila said to the Venerable Śāriputra: “Venerable sir, please ask. If I know, I shall answer.” The Venerable Śāriputra asked the Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila: “What do you think, Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila, is there aging?” He replied: “There is.”

Explanation: One afternoon, the Venerable Śāriputra rose from meditation and went to the dwelling of the Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila. After exchanging greetings and inquiries, he sat to one side and said to Mahākauṣṭhila: “I have a question I wish to ask you. I wonder if you have the leisure to answer me.” Mahākauṣṭhila said: “Venerable sir, please ask. I will answer what I know.” Śāriputra then asked Kauṣṭhila: “Venerable, how do you regard this? Does the phenomenon of aging exist in the world?” Kauṣṭhila replied that it does.

Original Text: The Venerable Śāriputra asked again: “Is there death?” He replied: “There is.” He asked again: “How is it? Is aging-and-death self-created? Is it created by another? Is it created by both self and other? Or does it arise without cause, neither by self nor by another?” He replied: “Venerable Śāriputra, aging-and-death is not self-created, not created by another, not created by both self and other, nor is it not created by both self and other, nor does it arise without cause. Yet, due to the condition of birth, aging-and-death exists.”

Explanation: Śāriputra asked again: “Does the phenomenon of death exist in the world?” Kauṣṭhila replied: “It does.” Śāriputra asked again: “What is your view? Is the phenomenon of aging-and-death spontaneously existent, or is it produced through causes and conditions from others? Or is it produced through the conjunction of spontaneous existence and conditions from others? Or is it neither spontaneously existent nor produced through conditions from others, but arises without any cause or condition?” Kauṣṭhila replied: “Aging-and-death is not a spontaneously existent phenomenon, nor is it produced solely through conditions from others, nor is it produced through the conjunction of spontaneous existence and conditions from others, nor is it not produced through the conjunction of spontaneous existence and conditions from others, nor is it produced without any cause or condition. Yet, due to the condition of birth, aging-and-death arises accordingly.”

Original Text: Similarly, [he asked about] birth, becoming, clinging, craving, feeling, contact, the six sense-bases, and name-and-form: Are they self-created? Created by another? Created by both self and other? Or neither self nor other, arising without cause? He replied: “Venerable Śāriputra, name-and-form is not self-created, not created by another, not created by both self and other, nor is it not created by both self and other, nor does it arise without cause. Yet, that name-and-form arises dependent on consciousness.”

Explanation: Śāriputra asked again: “Similarly, the phenomena of birth, becoming, clinging, craving, feeling, contact, the six sense-bases, and name-and-form — are they spontaneously existent, or produced through causes and conditions from others? Or produced through the conjunction of spontaneous existence and conditions from others? Or neither produced through the conjunction of spontaneous existence and conditions from others, nor arising without cause or condition?” Kauṣṭhila replied to Śāriputra: “The phenomenon of birth is not spontaneously existent, nor does it depend solely on conditions from others, nor is it produced through the conjunction of spontaneous existence and conditions from others, nor is it neither produced through such conjunction nor without cause or condition, yet it arises due to the condition of the threefold becoming.

The threefold becoming is not spontaneously existent, nor does it depend solely on conditions from others, nor is it produced through the conjunction of spontaneous existence and conditions from others, nor is it neither produced through such conjunction nor without cause or condition, yet it arises due to the condition of clinging. The phenomenon of clinging is not spontaneously existent, nor is it produced solely through conditions from others, nor is it produced through the conjunction of spontaneous existence and conditions from others, nor is it neither produced through such conjunction nor without cause or condition, yet it arises due to the condition of craving. Craving is not spontaneously existent, nor does it depend solely on conditions from others, nor is it produced through the conjunction of spontaneous existence and conditions from others, nor is it neither produced through such conjunction nor without cause or condition, yet it arises due to the condition of feeling.

Feeling is not spontaneously existent, nor does it depend solely on conditions from others, nor is it produced through the conjunction of spontaneous existence and conditions from others, nor is it neither produced through such conjunction nor without cause or condition, yet it arises due to the condition of contact. Contact is not spontaneously existent, nor does it depend solely on conditions from others, nor is it produced through the conjunction of spontaneous existence and conditions from others, nor is it neither produced through such conjunction nor without cause or condition, yet it arises due to the condition of the six sense-bases.

The six sense-bases are not spontaneously existent, nor do they depend solely on conditions from others, nor are they produced through the conjunction of spontaneous existence and conditions from others, nor are they neither produced through such conjunction nor without cause or condition, yet they arise due to the condition of name-and-form. Name-and-form is not spontaneously existent, nor is it produced solely through conditions from others, nor is it produced through the conjunction of spontaneous existence and conditions from others, nor is it neither produced through such conjunction nor without cause or condition, yet it arises due to the condition of the karmic seeds of the six consciousnesses.

Original Text: He asked again: “Is that consciousness self-created? Created by another? Created by both self and other? Or neither self nor other, arising without cause?” He replied: “Venerable Śāriputra, that consciousness is not self-created, not created by another, not created by both self and other, nor is it not created by both self and other, nor does it arise without cause. Yet, that consciousness arises dependent on name-and-form.”

Explanation: Śāriputra asked again: “Are the karmic seeds of the six consciousnesses spontaneously existent, or do they arise depending on conditions from others? Or are they produced through the conjunction of spontaneous existence and conditions from others? Or are they neither spontaneous nor dependent on others, arising without cause or condition?” Kauṣṭhila replied to Śāriputra: “The karmic seeds of the six consciousnesses are not spontaneously existent, nor do they exist solely depending on conditions from others, nor are they produced through the conjunction of spontaneous existence and conditions from others, nor are they neither produced through such conjunction nor without cause or condition, yet the six consciousnesses arise because name-and-form exists.”

Original Text: The Venerable Śāriputra again asked the Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila: “Earlier you said name-and-form is not self-created, not created by another, not created by both self and other, nor is it not created by both self and other, nor does it arise without cause, yet that name-and-form arises dependent on consciousness. Now you say consciousness arises dependent on name-and-form. What is the meaning of this?” The Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila replied: “Now I shall give an analogy. Just as a wise person understands through analogy. For example, three reeds stand in an open space, leaning on each other in turn, and thus stand upright. If one is removed, the other two cannot stand. If two are removed, the one cannot stand. Leaning on each other in turn, they stand upright. Similarly, consciousness dependent on name-and-form is like this, leaning on each other in turn, they grow.”

Explanation: Śāriputra asked Kauṣṭhila again: “You just said name-and-form is not spontaneously existent, nor is it produced solely through conditions from others, nor is it produced through the conjunction of spontaneous existence and conditions from others, nor is it neither produced through such conjunction nor without cause or condition, yet name-and-form arises because the karmic seeds of the six consciousnesses exist. Now you say the six consciousnesses arise because name-and-form exists. What principle is this?”

Kauṣṭhila replied: “I will now give an analogy. If one is wise, one can comprehend the principle through an analogy. For example, three reeds standing on open ground must lean against each other to remain upright. If one reed is removed, the other two cannot stand; if two are removed, the remaining one cannot stand. Only by mutually supporting each other can they stand upright. The mutual dependence of consciousness and name-and-form is also like this; only through mutual dependence can they grow.”

The five aggregates of name-and-form arise dependent on the karmic seeds of the six consciousnesses. The principle is this: because the six consciousnesses continuously create bodily, verbal, and mental actions, karmic seeds are stored, and the world of the five aggregates cannot cease; in future lives, the five-aggregate body will continue to arise within the three realms. Because future karmic seeds still exist, there will be an intermediate state body (antarābhava), and future name-and-form. The mental faculty (manas, the seventh consciousness) within the intermediate state body flows within the six paths of rebirth following the karmic seeds, and together with the ālaya-vijñāna (storehouse consciousness), takes rebirth, giving rise to the initial name-and-form of the next life — ‘name’ being the mental faculty (seventh consciousness), and ‘form’ being the fertilized egg. Consciousness arises dependent on name-and-form: as the name-and-form of a sentient being in the fetal stage continues to develop, the six sense-bases mature; when the six sense faculties contact the six sense objects, the six consciousnesses arise within the five-aggregate body of name-and-form. Thus, name-and-form and the six consciousnesses have a relationship of mutual dependence; each can arise and function, and in this way, birth and death continue without end.

In the tenfold dependent origination, there is also the teaching that consciousness is dependent on name-and-form and name-and-form is dependent on consciousness. Here, ‘consciousness’ does not refer to the consciousness of the six consciousnesses, but to the consciousness of the ālaya-vijñāna, the consciousness of the eighth consciousness. It means that the ālaya-vijñāna, depending on the condition of the five aggregates of name-and-form, can function and create within the world of the five aggregates. Name-and-form also needs to depend on the ālaya-vijñāna to arise, develop, and continuously function. Without the ālaya-vijñāna to depend upon, there would be no production of name-and-form; without name-and-form, the ālaya-vijñāna abides in the state of nirvāṇa without remainder.

Original Text: The Venerable Śāriputra said: “Excellent, excellent, Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila! Among the Śrāvakas of the World-Honored One, you are one of wisdom and understanding, skilled in training, fearless, who has seen the Dharma of immortality and fully realized it with the body. Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila, you possess such profound and profound meaning and unimpeded eloquence; all kinds of difficult questions you are able to answer. Like a priceless jewel revered by the world, I now revere the Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila in the same way. I have now obtained great good benefit from you. Other practitioners of purity, having repeatedly visited you, have also obtained good benefit. Because that Venerable is skilled in teaching the Dharma, I shall now, because of the Dharma taught by the Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila, praise and extol it with thirty kinds of praise, rejoicing in accord.”

Explanation: Śāriputra praised him, saying: “Excellent, Mahākauṣṭhila! You are among the Śrāvaka disciples of the World-Honored One who are wise and understanding, skilled in subduing your own mind, fearless, who have witnessed the nectar of the Dharma, because you have fully realized the liberating Dharma of immortality and can testify with your body: ‘My birth is ended, the holy life has been established, what had to be done has been done, I know for myself that there is no further becoming.’ You possess such unimpeded eloquence in the profound meaning of the Dharma; others’ various objections and questions, you can all resolve and respond to in debate. You are like a priceless jewel revered by the world. I now revere the Venerable Mahākauṣṭhila in the same way. I have now obtained the benefit of wholesome Dharma from you, and other practitioners of purity have also obtained wholesome benefit through repeated inquiries and exchanges with you. Because you, Venerable, are skilled in teaching the Dharma, I shall now, regarding the Dharma teachings spoken by the Venerable Kauṣṭhila, give thirty kinds of praise, extolling the merit and rejoicing in the merit.”

(289) How to Develop Dispassion Toward the Five Aggregates and Attain Liberation

Original Text: At that time, the World-Honored One addressed the bhikṣus: “The foolish, uninstructed worldling becomes disenchanted with, dispassionate toward, and detached from the body of the four great elements, but not toward consciousness. Why is that? Because they see that the body of the four great elements increases and decreases, can be grasped and abandoned. But regarding the mind, mental consciousness, the foolish, uninstructed worldling cannot generate disenchantment, dispassion, and liberation. Why is that? Because for a long time, throughout the long night, they have cherished it, clung to it as ‘I’ and ‘mine,’ thinking ‘this is mine, I am this, this is my self, this is in me, I am in this.’ Therefore, the foolish, uninstructed worldling cannot generate disenchantment, dispassion, and detachment toward it.”

Explanation: The Buddha addressed the bhikṣus, saying: “Foolish worldlings, uninstructed in the liberating Dharma, can develop revulsion toward their own body composed of the four great elements, relinquish the various desires for the body, and abandon and disregard the body. But they do not do so toward the conscious mind; they cannot relinquish desire for, abandon, or detach from the conscious mind. Why is that? Because worldlings can see that the body composed of the four great elements undergoes increase and decrease, is impermanent, not fixed or unchanging; therefore, they can grasp or abandon the body.

But toward their own conscious mind and mental faculty, foolish, uninstructed worldlings cannot develop revulsion, cannot relinquish desire or attain liberation. Why is this so? Because throughout the long night of birth and death, they cherish their own conscious mind particularly dearly, clinging to the conscious mind as ‘I,’ binding themselves, gaining and grasping, saying ‘this is me,’ ‘this is mine,’ ‘I am in the consciousness,’ ‘the consciousness is in me,’ ‘I and consciousness mutually exist.’ Therefore, foolish, uninstructed worldlings cannot develop revulsion and dispassion toward the conscious mind, nor abandon it.

The Buddha used the terms ‘foolish, uninstructed worldlings.’ Though some may dislike hearing this, the Buddha is not insulting people; he is stating a fact. Worldlings are foolish and uninstructed. Without hearing the true Dharma, deeply enveloped in ignorance, they are foolish and uninstructed. If they had heard [the Dharma], their foolishness would be dispelled, and they would become wise.

The body is relatively easy for sentient beings to see through because its phenomena of birth, death, and change are relatively obvious. The body arises from the combination of the four great elements: earth, water, fire, and wind. The earth element has the nature of solidity, such as muscles, bones, tendons, hair, nails, teeth, skin, etc. — all these substances possess solidity and contain the seed of the earth element. Without solidity, one could not walk, stand, sit, or lie down. The water element has the nature of moisture; the surface of the body, internal organs, blood, sweat, urine, etc., all have moisture and contain the seed of the water element. The fire element has the nature of warmth; the body has temperature both internally and externally — this is the fire nature, containing the seed of the fire element. After death, there is no fire element; the corpse becomes cold. The wind element has the nature of movement; breathing, the flow of blood, the movement of energy channels — all are functions of the wind nature, containing the seed of the wind element. Without the wind nature, blood could not flow, and food could not be digested, absorbed, and excreted.

All material forms are formed by the combination of earth, water, fire, and wind in certain proportions. Whichever component predominates determines the primary nature of the substance. Different combinations result in different substances; thus, the organs and parts of the body differ. Not only our body, but all matter in the universe is composed of the four great elements. Different proportions of the four great elements result in different substances. The six sense objects — forms, sounds, smells, tastes, touches, and mental objects — are all composed of the four great elements and belong to material forms; they merely manifest differently, and the conscious minds that perceive them differ. The seeds of the four great elements reside in the tathāgatagarbha (womb of the Buddhas). The tathāgatagarbha projects the seeds of the four great elements to form the body; therefore, the body is born from the tathāgatagarbha.

The increase and decrease of the body, such as weight gain or loss, the placement or removal of body organs — these changes show that this body is false and unreal. Seeing through the birth, death, and changeability of the body, one can develop revulsion, relinquish desire, and detach from it, no longer wishing to follow it, no longer cherishing or protecting it, feeling that the body is insignificant, merely a false shell, not the real self.

But foolish, uninstructed worldly sentient beings cannot develop revulsion toward the conscious mind, cannot relinquish desire for it, nor detach from it. Where is the root cause? Because sentient beings enjoy clinging to the functions of consciousness; the functions of consciousness are vivid and captivating, so they constantly grasp and appropriate them as their own. All functional activities of the body exist because of consciousness. For example, walking, standing, sitting, and lying down cannot occur without body consciousness; walking, standing, sitting, and lying down are functions arising from body consciousness. Life activities cannot be separated from these activities of movement and rest; therefore, sentient beings cling to them. With body consciousness, one can move; with eye consciousness, one can see; with ear consciousness, one can hear; with nose consciousness, one can smell; with the mental consciousness, one can think, discriminate, analyze, judge, reason, and engage in false thoughts. The various consciousnesses cooperate to produce various functions. The mental consciousness and the first five consciousnesses function together in discrimination and activity. These functional activities feel real, vivid, and alive; this is ‘me’ and ‘mine,’ hence the attachment and unwillingness to let go.

It is difficult to realize that the conscious mind is not the self. It clearly feels like there is an ‘I’ that knows all dharmas, very real — ‘I’ am indeed sitting here listening to the Dharma; ‘my’ eyes see forms, indeed seeing all material forms contacted; ‘I’ can indeed hear sounds — not recognizing that the functions of seeing, hearing, feeling, and knowing of the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and body are false. Thus, they grasp and refuse to let go. They are even less able to regard the various functions of the mental consciousness as false, feeling that the mental consciousness indeed can think, engage in false thoughts, reason, and plan. Therefore, sentient beings cannot see the conscious mind as false. But if this barrier is not overcome, neither the lesser nor greater fruits [of enlightenment] can be attained.

Therefore, the Buddha said: Foolish, uninstructed worldlings can develop revulsion toward the body of the four great elements, relinquish desire for it, and detach from it, but toward their own conscious mind, they cannot relinquish desire, cannot develop revulsion, cannot detach from it. They like their own mind, always follow their mind’s wishes in doing things, cannot relinquish desire for their own mind because they feel that this conscious mind indeed possesses these functions.

Sentient beings, life after life throughout the long night of birth and death, cherish and bind themselves, always following their own wishes, cherishing themselves, cherishing their own conscious mind. ‘I’ want to obtain this, ‘I’ want to possess that, ‘I’ want to occupy this — all are the wishes of this conscious mind. Thus, they take the functional activities of this conscious mind as the self, as a truly existent, eternally indestructible self. In reality, the conscious mind ceases in several situations. For example, while listening to the Dharma, one might fall asleep and not know what was said afterward — at that time, the conscious mind ceases and does not exist. When asleep without dreams, the six consciousnesses also cease and do not exist. When one wakes up, these consciousnesses arise again. They cease and arise, capable of arising and ceasing; the conscious mind is always in the process of birth and death, constantly changing.

The functional activities of the ālaya-vijñāna, however, always exist like that, unchanging, not relying on external conditions; its functional activities do not change. The ālaya-vijñāna always produces all dharmas, manifests all dharmas; nothing can obstruct it. That is the real. Whether in meditation or asleep, regardless of the situation, it always exists, always has its functional nature and activities. The first six consciousnesses cannot do this; they are always subject to birth, death, and change.

Original Text: The foolish, uninstructed worldling would rather cling to the body of the four great elements as ‘I’ and ‘mine’ than cling to consciousness as ‘I’ and ‘mine.’ Why is that? Because the body of the four great elements may last for ten years, twenty, thirty, or even a hundred years. If well cared for, it may last a little longer.

Explanation: The Buddha said: Foolish, uninstructed worldlings would rather regard the body composed of the four great elements as ‘I’ and ‘mine,’ but cannot regard the conscious mind as ‘I’ and ‘mine.’ Why is that? Because the body composed of the four great elements can only last for ten years, twenty years, thirty years, or up to a hundred years before perishing. If the body is well cared for, it might last a little over a hundred years.

Original Text: But that mind, mental consciousness, changes moment by moment, day and night, instant by instant — arising and ceasing differently, like a monkey roaming among the trees in a forest, instantly here and there, grasping branches, letting go of one and seizing another. That mind, mental consciousness, is also like this, arising and ceasing differently.

Explanation: But the mind, mental consciousness, flows continuously day and night, moment by moment, constantly changing, arising and ceasing instant by instant, arising here and ceasing there. Like a monkey wandering in the forest, in just a short while it roams many places, climbing trees, grasping branches, letting go of one branch to seize another, never idle. What people call the mind, mental consciousness, is also like this — arising and ceasing differently: arising at one time and ceasing at another, arising in one place and ceasing in another, ceasing in this state and arising in that state, ceasing in this body and arising in that body, day and night, constantly transforming, never ceasing, arising at different times, in different places, in different forms.

The most severe self-view (satkāya-dṛṣṭi) of worldlings is regarding the functional activities of the conscious mind as ‘I’ and ‘mine.’ This self-view is the most difficult to eradicate. The self-view regarding the body is slightly easier to eradicate because the phenomena of the body’s birth, death, and change are easier to observe and can be separated from the conscious mind. The phenomena of the conscious mind’s birth, death, and change are not easy to observe and understand because all functional activities of the five-aggregate body belong to the conscious mind — they are too subtle and continuous, thus feeling real, seeming like one’s own activity, one’s own function. It is difficult to separate and see through the functions of feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness of the conscious mind as not being oneself.

If one regards the conscious mind as ‘I’ and ‘mine,’ at the time of death, one tries desperately to cling to the conscious mind, wanting intensely to see, hear, feel, and know, fearing the gradual fading of seeing, hearing, feeling, and knowing. One clearly perceives the functions of the conscious mind becoming weaker and weaker, the body becoming less and less functional, but one simply does not want the conscious mind to cease, feeling great pain, unable to accept the phenomenon of death. Even so, worldlings still do not recognize that their conscious mind is impermanent, subject to birth, death, and change; they still hope these functions will continue to operate.

Original Text: The well-instructed noble disciple skillfully reflects and observes all dependent arising, thinking: ‘Pleasant contact is the condition for pleasant feeling. When pleasant feeling is felt, one knows the pleasant feeling as it really is. When that pleasant contact ceases, the feeling born from the condition of pleasant contact also ceases, subsides, becomes cool, and disappears. Similarly, [for] unpleasant contact, pleasant contact, unpleasant contact, neutral contact — as conditions, they give rise to unpleasant feeling, pleasant feeling, unpleasant feeling, neutral feeling. When neutral feeling is felt, one knows the neutral feeling as it really is. When that neutral contact ceases, the neutral feeling born from the condition of neutral contact also ceases, subsides, becomes cool, and disappears.’

Explanation: The well-instructed noble disciple should skillfully reflect on and observe all dependent arising, observing that when the conditions for pleasant contact come together, pleasant feeling arises; when pleasant feeling is felt, one should know the pleasant sensation as it really is; when pleasant contact ceases, the feeling born from the condition of pleasant contact also ceases, the mind becomes cool, still, and ceases. Just like pleasant feeling, when unpleasant contact arises, one should know the unpleasant sensation as it really is, and similarly when pleasant contact, unpleasant contact, and neutral contact conditions give rise to pleasant feeling, unpleasant feeling, and neutral feeling, one should know the pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral feelings as they really are. When the conditions for pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral contact cease, pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral contact also cease, and the mind becomes cool and still.

Original Text: Reflecting thus: ‘This feeling arises from contact, bound by pleasant contact. Because of that pleasant contact, that pleasant feeling arises. When that pleasant contact ceases, that pleasant feeling also ceases, subsides, becomes cool, and disappears.’

Explanation: The well-instructed noble disciple should reflect thus: Because these contacts can give rise to the pleasant feeling of contact and the bondage of contact, when each pleasant contact arises, each pleasant feeling arises; when each pleasant contact ceases, each pleasant feeling also ceases, and the mind becomes cool and still.

The well-instructed noble disciple can skillfully reflect on and observe all dependent arising. All dharmas in the world are dependently arisen; there is not a single dharma that is not dependently arisen. With causes and conditions, worldly dharmas assemble; without causes and conditions, dharmas do not manifest. Different conditions give rise to different dharmas; thus, sentient beings’ bodies differ, and their living environments differ. Where do the conditions come from? Seeds formed by bodily, verbal, and mental karma. The well-instructed noble disciple can skillfully reflect on and observe dependent arising, while worldlings do not skillfully reflect and observe. They consider the appearance of all dharmas in the five aggregates to be normal, a matter of course. The noble disciple, when observing dependent arising, deeply investigates the source and causes of birth, aging, sickness, and death, tracing back to the very first cause.

Using pleasant feeling as an example of dependently arisen dharmas, unpleasant contact, pleasant contact, unpleasant contact, and neutral contact all produce feelings because of dependent arising. Pain, pleasure, joy, sorrow, and equanimity — the arising of these feelings is all due to contact: pleasant contact, unpleasant contact, pleasant contact, unpleasant contact, neutral contact give rise to various feelings. Without the condition of these contacts, these mental feelings would not arise. Therefore, the contacts of pain, pleasure, joy, sorrow, and equanimity are all false; the feelings are also false, impermanent, subject to birth, death, and change. Behind all dependent arising, there are causes and mysteries.

What is neutral feeling? Not feeling pain nor pleasure, not feeling comfort nor discomfort, feeling as if one has forgotten oneself, without many other feelings — this is neutral feeling. When does neutral feeling arise? It arises more often during meditation. Occasionally, one might feel as if one has forgotten oneself, forgotten everything around, not producing pleasant feelings, not producing unpleasant feelings. At that time, it is neutral feeling. When the mind has concentration, one can clearly feel: ‘I am now experiencing unpleasant feeling,’ ‘I am now experiencing pleasant feeling,’ ‘I am now experiencing joyful feeling,’ ‘I am now experiencing sorrowful feeling.’ ‘I indeed know these feelings; I perceive them as they really are.’ If those contacts of pain, pleasure, joy, sorrow, and equanimity cease, the feelings of pain, pleasure, joy, sorrow, and equanimity will also disappear and cease. After cessation, it becomes still, ceases, and the mind becomes cool and tranquil.

Original Text: Thus, the well-instructed noble disciple becomes disenchanted with form, disenchanted with feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness. Disenchanted, he becomes dispassionate. Dispassionate, he is liberated. With liberating knowledge, [he knows]: ‘Birth is ended, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to any state of being.’

Explanation: Thus, the well-instructed noble disciple develops revulsion toward the aggregate of form, revulsion toward the aggregates of feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness. Due to revulsion, he does not delight in form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness; he does not like form, feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness; the mind is liberated. Thus, he possesses the knowledge and vision of liberation, and says: “My life is about to end, the pure holy life has been established, the tasks of this life have all been completed, I know for myself that after death there will be no future world of the three realms, no future dharmas of the three realms.”