Post # 46 – The seven stages of purification' (satta-visuddhi)- Part1
Are you visiting this Blog for the first time? It would be good if you could visit the 1st Post to know about this Blog and then read the others in sequence.
We have been discussing effective Dhamma practice by busy householders.
We discussed Punya Kamma (meritorious
acts) and Kusala Kamma (ethically
skillful acts) which were virtues that we develop to ensure a well endowed
birth in a happier realm after death. We
also focused on the path to liberation as that was the essence of what Buddha
taught. That is attaining the world transcending wisdom to realize Nibbana.
In this Post we are looking at another attribute
that develops as we engage in this Dhamma practice to attain the above goal. The
Buddha has said that when we progressively gain the wisdom to attain
enlightenment, the Seven
Stages of Purification matures
step by step. In the Pali language these
seven stages are termed as satta
vissudhi.
In dealing with this in
this Post, I believe I am touching upon another important aspect of the
teaching. When we recognize the meaning behind these virtues we know
that they develop within us while engaging in the daily Buddhist practices by a
busy householder outlined in this Blog and that little extra 'dedicated' effort for their
development is necessary. In this Post and the one to follow you will therefore
find some elaborations on the Seven Stages of Purification.
I have come across many references to the Seven Stages of Purification made by
learned scholars of the Dhamma in my search for effective Dhamma Practice by
the busy householder. I will now try to bring some of these to your attention
to create the necessary backdrop for our discussion.
Ven.
Renukane Chandawimala Thero who has described the 37 factors to be developed
for attaining Nibbana (sath tiss bodhipakkhiya-dhamma), says that the
seven virtues (Seven Stages of Purification) are also developed through serenity and insight meditation”. These seven
virtues support the 37 factors.
In a book titled “The Seven Stages of
Purification and The Insight Knowledges- A Guide to the Progressive Stages of
Buddhist Meditation”- the Ven. Matara Sri Nanarama Mahàthera gives the
following account on this topic.
He says that direct canonical
reference to the Seven Stages of Purification is found in the Rathavinãta Sutta (The Discourse on the
Relay of Chariots - the twenty-fourth in the Majjhima Nikàya) and the Dasuttara
Sutta (the Sutta No. 34 of the Digha
Nikàya). Citing the Rathavinãta Sutta the Mahathera says - the path of
practice leading to the attainment of Nibbàna
unfolds in seven stages, known as the Seven Stages of Purification (satta visuddhi).
I also found another reference to these
seven purifications in the web (Rathavinīta
Sutta http://dharmafarer.googlepages.com). It states that this series of seven
purifications serves as the most succinct outline of the entire path a
meditator passes through in his inner journey from bondage to liberation.
In the Rathavinãta Sutta, the Seven Stages of Purification are presented
through a dialogue in which the questions of the Ven. Sàriputta as to the
purpose of living the holy life are met with striking replies from the Ven. Puṇṇa Mantāni-putta— all meant to highlight some salient features of this teaching. This discussion between the two monks is
actually their first meeting, at which Ven. Sāriputta does not reveal his
identity, in order to elicit a detailed explanation of the Dhamma from Ven. Puṇṇa Mantāni-putta.
Puṇṇa Mantāniputta’s explanation is
that the seven stages of purification, neither as single nor as a whole is Nibbana. It progresses through the
various stages of purification that leads us to Nibbana. The seven stages of purification, in other words, are the
spiritual means to a liberating end. This reply reveals that not even the
seventh and last purification is to be regarded as the purpose of living the
holy life. The purpose is nothing but the complete extinction of all
defilements without any kind of grasping. In other words, it is the attainment
of Nibbàna — the uncompounded element
(asankhata dhàtu).
To clarify this point further, the Ven.
Puṇṇa Mantāniputta gives the following parable of the Relay of Chariots: “Friend, it is as though while King Pasenadi
of Kosala was staying in Sàvatthi, something to be done urgently should arise
in Sàketa, and seven relays of chariots would be arranged for him between
Sàvatthi and Sàketa. Then, friend, King Pasenadi of Kosala, having left
Sàvatthi by the palace-gate, might mount the first chariot in the relay, and by
means of the first chariot in the relay, he would reach the second chariot in
the relay. He would dismiss the first chariot in the relay and would mount the
second chariot in the relay, and by means of the second chariot in the relay,
he would reach the third chariot in the relay. He would dismiss the second chariot in the relay and would mount the third chariot …. (and so on)… and by means of
the sixth chariot in the relay, he would reach the seventh chariot in the
relay. He would dismiss the sixth chariot in the relay and would mount the seventh
chariot in the relay, and by means of the seventh chariot in the relay, he
would reach the palace-gate in Sàketa.”
The seven purifications are as follows:
i.
the purification of moral virtue (sīla -visuddhi), implies the purity
obtained through abstinence from bodily and verbal misconduct as well as from
wrong livelihood.
ii.
the purification
of the mind (citta-visuddhi) is the
purity resulting from cleansing the mind of attachment, aversion, inertia,
restlessness and conflict, and from securing it against their influx.
iii.
the purification of views (ditthi-visuddhi), is brought about by dispelling the distortions of
wrong views
iv.
the purification by overcoming doubt (kankhavitara-visuddhi), is purity
through the conquest of all doubts concerning the pattern of samsaric existence
v.
the purification by knowledge and vision of the
path and the not-path (maggâmagga-ñanadassana-visuddhi)
signifies the purity attained by passing beyond the alluring distractions which
arise in the course of meditation.
vi.
the purification by knowledge and vision of the
way (pathipada-ñanadassana-visuddhi),
is the purity resulting from the temporary removal of defilements (fetters tying you down to the Samsaric process) which
obstruct the path of practice.
vii.
the purification of knowledge and vision (nana-dassana-visuddhi) is the complete
purity gained by eradicating defilements together with their underlying
tendencies by means of the supra-mundane paths. It consists of the knowledge of
the four paths, which are - the path of Stream-entry, the path of Once-return,
the path of Non-return and the path of Arahantship.
Ven. Matara Sri Nanarama Mahàthera says
that in the attainment of Nibbàna itself,
our minds are in direct relation to the seventh and last stage of this series. This is the knowledge of the supra-mundane
path. But this purification cannot be attained all at once, since the seven
stages of purification form a causally related series in which one has to pass
through the first six purifications in turn before one can arrive at the
seventh.
The Mahathera also says that these seven purifications are counted
among nine items collectively called factors of endeavor tending to
purification (pàrisuddhi-padhàniyanga). Each of the nine factors is called “a factor
of striving for total purity” (pārisuddhi
padhāni aṅgā), and are the nine states to be cultivated. The eighth and ninth being the purification
of wisdom (paññā visuddhi), and the
purification of liberation (vimutti
visuddhi)
These seven purifications are to be cultivated
successively, as illustrated in the above parable of the Relay of Chariots,
with each stage leading to and supporting the next, until liberation (that is, Nibbana) is attained. None of these
seven stages therefore is liberation itself.
The above references indicate that Theravāda meditation primarily works with a system of “seven purifications” (satta-visuddhi). The purity implied is reckoned in terms of the elimination of the unwholesome factors that oppose each purification.
Please await Post # 47 for ‘The seven stages
of purification' (satta-visuddhi)’ – Part 2 for more
detailed explanations on each.
