Analysis of the Mental Faculties Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
"Monks, there are these five faculties. Which five? The faculty of conviction, the faculty of persistence, the faculty of mindfulness, the faculty of concentration, the faculty of discernment.
"Now what is the faculty of conviction? There is the case where a monk, a disciple of the noble ones, has conviction, is convinced of the Tathágata’s Awakening: 'Indeed, the Blessed One is worthy and rightly self-awakened, consummate in knowledge and conduct, well-gone, an expert with regard to the world, unexcelled as a trainer for those people fit to be tamed, the Teacher of divine and human beings, awakened, blessed.' This is called the faculty of conviction.
"And what is the faculty of persistence? There is the case where a monk, a disciple of the noble ones, keeps his persistence aroused for abandoning unskillful mental qualities and taking on skillful mental qualities. He is steadfast, solid in his effort, not shirking his duties with regard to skillful mental qualities. He generates desire, endeavors, arouses persistence, upholds and exerts his intent for the sake of the non-arising of evil, unskillful qualities that have not yet arisen... for the sake of the abandoning of evil, unskillful qualities that have arisen... for the sake of the arising of skillful qualities that have not yet arisen...(and) for the maintenance, non-confusion, increase, plenitude, development, and culmination of skillful qualities that have arisen. This is called the faculty of persistence.
"And what is the faculty of mindfulness? There is the case where a monk, a disciple of the noble ones, is mindful, highly meticulous, remembering and able to call to mind even things that were done and said long ago. He remains focused on the body in and of itself -- ardent, alert, and mindful -- putting aside greed and distress with reference to the world. He remains focused on feelings in and of themselves... the mind in and of itself... mental qualities in and of themselves -- ardent, alert, and mindful -- putting aside greed and distress with reference to the world. This is called the faculty of mindfulness.
"And what is the faculty of concentration? There is the case where a monk, a disciple of the noble ones, making it his object to let go, attains concentration, attains singleness of mind. Quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful mental qualities, he enters and remains in the first jhana: rapture and pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought and evaluation. With the stilling of directed thought and evaluation, he enters and remains in the second jhana: rapture and pleasure born of composure, unification of awareness free from directed thought and evaluation -- internal assurance. With the fading of rapture he remains in equanimity, mindful and alert, and physically sensitive of pleasure. He enters and remains in the third jhana, of which the Noble Ones declare, 'Equanimous and mindful, he has a pleasurable abiding.' With the abandoning of pleasure and pain -- as with the earlier disappearance of elation and distress -- he enters and remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity and mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain. This is called the faculty of concentration.
"And what is the faculty of discernment? There is the case where a monk, a disciple of the noble ones, is discerning, endowed with discernment of arising and passing away -- noble, penetrating, leading to the right ending of stress. He discerns, as it is actually present: 'this is stress... This is the origination of stress... This is the cessation of stress... This is the path of practice leading to the cessation of stress.' This is called the faculty of discernment.
"These are the five faculties."
Indriyabhavana Sutta Introduction
Indriiyani is a word and idea that is older than Buddhism. "The Indrianis" are sometimes translated "Sense Organs". PED remarks that this is erroneous. In the straight forward sense this is correct, but what we have here is an idea that must be seen from an older higher perspective. Here you have "fresh man" observing the world as though for the first time, through the eyes (senses) of his god: Indra. So while modern man hears "seeing" as an indifferent, ordinary phenomena; what Indriani represents is the view that "seeing" is a god-like power. Where God sees The All through his mighty eye, Man sees "his world" like God sees The All...that is the pre-Buddhist sense of Indriani and why there was an early tendancy to translate the term as "sense organ."
Then, as with this sutta, the Buddha puts a twist on the idea (which was, if this sutta is good evidence, lost to those using it at the time anyway). The Buddha takes the concept and raises it, as a power, even above what Indra might have enjoyed.
"Becoming Indra"
Or
"The Powers of the Aristocrats"
I hear tell,
Once upon a time Bhagava, Dark-Jungle Town, Mukhelu Grove residing. There, Uttara, a brahman youth who was the student of Parasariya and who (putting one and one together) was most likely the person who became known later as Thera Parapara, having approached the Lucky Man, having greeted him respectfully and exchanged polite talk, took a low seat to one side and waited in eager anticipation of the afternoon's discourse.
Then the Lucky man said this to Uttara the brahman youth: "Tell me, Uttara, does Parasariya teach Becoming Indra?"
"Yes, Good Gotama, Parasariya does teach Becoming Indra."
"How, exactly, Uttara, does Parasariya teach Becoming Indra?"
"Here, Good Gotama, Parasariya teaches 'See no material form with the eye, hear no sound with the ear.'
"In this case, Uttara, a blind man will have become Indra, a deaf man will have become Indra, for a blind man sees no material form with the eye, a deaf man hears no sound with the ear."
At this Uttara fell silent, shaken, bowled over, downcast, overwhelmed, at-a-loss, speechless.
Bhagava, seeing the shaken, bowled over, downcast, overwhelmed, at-a-loss, speechless state of Uttara, addressed the Venerable Ananda: "The way Parasariya teaches Becoming Indra is one thing, Ananda, the way Becoming Indra is taught in the Discipline of the Aristocrats is something altogether unsurpassed."
"Now is the Time, Bhagava! Now is the Time, Well-gone! When the Becoming Indra in the unsurpassed way it is taught in the Discipline of the Aristocrats is presented it will be remembered by the Bhikkhus!
"Very well, Ananda. Pay attention! Give ear! I will speak!"
"So be it, Bhagava!"
"What is The Unsurpssed Becoming Indra in the Discipline of the Aristocrats?
Here, Ananda, when a Beggar sees a material form with the eye, from this there arises the liked, the disliked, the liked-and-disliked.[1]
He understands the situation this way: 'Present in me now is that which is liked, disliked, liked-and-disliked. This is occuring as a consequence of confouning, it is a biproduct, the rebound of an earlier conjuration...but this, this is calm, this is high, that is, objective detachment.' That way the birth of the liked, the birth of the disliked, the birth of the liked-and-disliked is aborted and objective detachment stands fast.
In the same way, Ananda, as a man with eyes in his head that can see, could open his eyes, or having opened his eyes could close them, such is the rapidity, such is the speed, such is the small amount of trouble involved in aborting the birth of the liked, the birth of the disliked, the birth of the liked-and-disliked and standing fast in objective detachment.[2]
This is The Way, Ananda, in the Discipline of the Aristocrats, The Unsurpassed Becoming Indra is taught with regard to eye-consciousness and visible objects.
Again, Ananda, when a Beggar hears a sound with the ear, from this there arises the liked, the disliked, the liked-and-disliked.
He understands the situation this way: 'Present in me now is that which is liked, disliked, liked-and-disliked. This is occuring as a consequence of confouning, it is a biproduct, the rebound of an earlier conjuration...but this, this is calm, this is high, that is, objective detachment.' That way the birth of the liked, the birth of the disliked, the birth of the liked-and-disliked is aborted and objective detachment stands fast.
In the same way, Ananda, as a strong man can easily [SNAP FINGERS] snap his fingers, such is the rapidity, such is the speed, such is the small amount of trouble involved in aborting the birth of the liked, the birth of the disliked, the birth of the liked-and-disliked and standing fast in objective detachment.
This is The Way, Ananda, in the Discipline of the Aristocrats, The Unsurpassed Becoming Indra is taught with regard to ear-consciousness and sounds.
Again, Ananda, when a Beggar smells a smell with the nose, from this there arises the liked, the disliked, the liked-and-disliked.
He understands the situation this way: 'Present in me now is that which is liked, disliked, liked-and-disliked. This is occuring as a consequence of confouning, it is a biproduct, the rebound of an earlier conjuration...but this, this is calm, this is high, that is, objective detachment.' That way the birth of the liked, the birth of the disliked, the birth of the liked-and-disliked is aborted and objective detachment stands fast.
In the same way, Ananda, as drops of rain roll-off a downturned lotus leaf without sticking, such is the rapidity, such is the speed, such is the small amount of trouble involved in aborting the birth of the liked, the birth of the disliked, the birth of the liked-and-disliked and standing fast in objective detachment.
This is The Way, Ananda, in the Discipline of the Aristocrats, The Unsurpassed Becoming Indra is taught with regard to nose-consciousness and scents.
Again, Ananda, when a Beggar tastes a taste with the tongue, from this there arises the liked, the disliked, the liked-and-disliked.
He understands the situation this way: 'Present in me now is that which is liked, disliked, liked-and-disliked. This is occuring as a consequence of confouning, it is a biproduct, the rebound of an earlier conjuration...but this, this is calm, this is high, that is, objective detachment.' That way the birth of the liked, the birth of the disliked, the birth of the liked-and-disliked is aborted and objective detachment stands fast.
In the same way, Ananda, as a gob of spit formed on the end of the tongue of a strong man is easily expelled, such is the rapidity, such is the speed, such is the small amount of trouble involved in aborting the birth of the liked, the birth of the disliked, the birth of the liked-and-disliked and standing fast in objective detachment.
This is The Way, Ananda, in the Discipline of the Aristocrats, The Unsurpassed Becoming Indra is taught with regard to tongue-consciousness and tastes.
Again, Ananda, when a Beggar feels a touch with the body, from this there arises the liked, the disliked, the liked-and-disliked.
He understands the situation this way: 'Present in me now is that which is liked, disliked, liked-and-disliked. This is occuring as a consequence of confouning, it is a biproduct, the rebound of an earlier conjuration...but this, this is calm, this is high, that is, objective detachment.' That way the birth of the liked, the birth of the disliked, the birth of the liked-and-disliked is aborted and objective detachment stands fast.
In the same way, Ananda, as a strong man can stretch out his arm, if folded, or, if stretched out can bend it back, such is the rapidity, such is the speed, such is the small amount of trouble involved in aborting the birth of the liked, the birth of the disliked, the birth of the liked-and-disliked and standing fast in objective detachment.
This is The Way, Ananda, in the Discipline of the Aristocrats, The Unsurpassed Becoming Indra is taught with regard to body-consciousness and touches.
Again, Ananda, when a Beggar becomes conscious of a mental object with the mind, from this there arises the liked, the disliked, the liked-and-disliked.
He understands the situation this way: 'Present in me now is that which is liked, disliked, liked-and-disliked. This is occuring as a consequence of confouning, it is a biproduct, the rebound of an earlier conjuration...but this, this is calm, this is high, that is, objective detachment.' That way the birth of the liked, the birth of the disliked, the birth of the liked-and-disliked is aborted and objective detachment stands fast.
In the same way, Ananda, as if during the day an iron cauldron had been heated red-hot and into it one or two drops of watter were to fall . . . long is the time between drops; and then [SNAP FINGERS] they're gone like a shot, such is the rapidity, such is the speed, such is the small amount of trouble involved in aborting the birth of the liked, the birth of the disliked, the birth of the liked-and-disliked and standing fast in objective detachment.
This is The Way, Ananda, in the Discipline of the Aristocrats, The Unsurpassed Becoming Indra is taught with regard to mind-consciousness and mental objects.
This is The Way, Ananda, in the Discipline of the Aristocrats, The Unsurpassed Becoming Indra is taught.
But how, Ananda, is a beginner to practice, having come This Way?
Here, Ananda, when a Beggar sees a material form with the eye, from this there arises the liked, the disliked, the liked-and-disliked.
So when the liked, the disliked, the liked-and-disliked has arisen he becomes aware of the danger, exercises humility and avoidance.[3]
When a Beggar hears a sound with the ear, smells a scent with the nose, tastes a taste with the tongue, feels a touch with the body or becomes conscious of a mental object with the mind, from this there arises the liked, the disliked, the liked-and-disliked.[4]
So when the liked, the disliked, the liked-and-disliked has arisen he becomes aware of the danger, exercises humility and avoidance.
This is The Way, Ananda, a beginner is taught to practice The Unsurpassed Becoming Indra in the Discipline of the Aristocrats.
And how, Ananda, is it with an Aristocrat who has Become Indra?
Here, Ananda, when a Beggar sees a material form with the eye, from this there arises the liked, the disliked, the liked-and-disliked.
Sucha one as suchas sucha may wishum wishes suchas such:
"Let me live not perceiving what goes against the grain in what goes against the grain." And suchis such as suchas is for such a such'n such as suchis such.
Or he may wish: "Let me live perceiving what goes against the grain in what does not go against the grain."
Or he may wish: "Let me live not perceiving what goes against the grain in both what goes against the grain and what does not go against the grain."
Or he may wish: "Let me live perceiving what goes against the grain in both what goes against the grain and what does not go against the grain."
Or he may wish: "Let me live avoiding both what goes against the grain and what does not go against the grain, satisfied, clearly conscious, detached."
And suchis such as suchas is for such a such'n such as suchis such.
Here, Ananda, when a Beggar hears a sound with the ear, smells a scent with the nose, tastes a taste with the tongue, feels a touch with the body, becomes conscious of a mental object with the mind, from this there arises the liked, the disliked, the liked-and-disliked.
If he should wish:
"Let me live not perceiving what goes against the grain in what goes against the grain," then he lives not perceiving what goes against the grain in what goes against the grain.
Or he may wish: "Let me live perceiving what goes against the grain in what does not go against the grain," then he lives perceiving what goes against the grain in what does not go against the grain.
Or he may wish: "Let me live not perceiving what goes against the grain in both what goes against the grain and what does not go against the grain," then he lives not perceiving what goes agains the grain in both what goes against the grain and what does not go against the grain.
Or he may wish: "Let me live perceiving what goes against the grain in both what goes against the grain and what does not go against the grain," then he lives perceiving what goes against the grain in both what goes against the grain and what does not go against the grain.
Or he may wish: "Let me live avoiding both what goes against the grain and what does not go against the grain, satisfied, clearly conscious, detached," then he lives avoiding both what goes against the grain and what does not go against the grain, satisfied, clearly conscious, detached.
This is The Way it is, Ananda, for an Aristocrat who has Become Indra.
Thus, Ananda, is the The Way The Unsurpssed Becoming Indra is taught in the Discipline of the Aristocrats.
This is the way the beginner is taught to practice the Unsurpassed Becoming Indra in the Discipline of the Aristocrats.
This is the way how it is for an Aristocrat who has Become Indra is described.
That, Ananda, which ought to be done by a teacher for his students, out of compassion for them, has been done by me. Here are the roots of trees. Here are places of solitude. Practice the Burnings, Ananda, do not be careless, do not allow cause for later regret! This is our instruction to you!
This is what Bhagava said, and those Beggars gathered round were thrilled by what they heard.
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