7 th Class Notes: Abhidharma 6–Knowledge and Meditation CONTEXT: - As we have seen in the last few classes, the world [4 th class] is result and though it is part of the process of suffering, it is not what drives saṃsāra. Although what happens to us is the unfolding of suffering, it is not the basic cause. The basic cause is the defilements and actions ( karma) undertaken in the context of the defilements [5 th class]. - The defilements arise in relation to objects ( that is, the world). Through the defilements we are bound to objects. - The goal is realizing freedom from the defilements, as we studied last week [6 th class] in terms of the Paths of Seeing and Cultivation. This week [7 th class] we turn to the basic causes of realizing this freedom: knowledge and meditation. - Freedom from the defilements is actualized through ―complete understanding‖ ( parijñā) of the objects through which the defilements arise. Such complete understanding is cultivated through knowledge and meditation. - Just as karma is the principle cause of the world, but only with the underlying condition of the defilements, knowledge is the principle cause of acquiring the cessation of the defilements, but only with the underlying condition of meditation. - Knowledge and meditation unfold the 4 th Noble Truth of the Path. This completes the basic Abhidharma explication of the Four Noble Truths and Buddhism in general. I. KNOWLEDGES ( JÑĀ NA) - The knowledges or insights ( jñāna) include the various types of liberating knowledge and the inter-relationships among them. The liberating knowledges discern the dharmas in their own-beings (sva-lak ṣaṇa) and their common characteristics ( sāmānya-lak ṣaṇa), in this case, the modes of understanding of the Four Noble Truths. - The knowledges are cultivated through the 3 kinds of understanding and study of the 4 Truths (discussed last week). - Given the root defilement of ignorance, knowledge is basically concerned with liberating beings from saṃsārathrough seeing how things actually are or happen ( yathā-bhūtam). It is through the knowledges that the dharmas are distinguished and clarified as ultimately existing. A. The Functions ofPrajñā - The Abhidharma explication of knowledge and understanding involves a number of interrelated terms: Prajñā : Understanding.Prajñā is a universal mental factor, present in some form in all moments of consciousness. Abhidharma definition: discernment of dharmas ( dharma-pravicaya ). Jñā na: Knowledge. A mode ofprajñā characterized by decisive (niścita) understanding; also characterized as knowledge that repeatedly discerns; knowledge realizes and comprehends, fully and thoroughly. Kṣānti: Receptivity or patience. A form ofprajñā, the ability to completely accept or receive a teaching or truth (in a non-repeatable way). D ṛṣṭ i: Views. Their essential nature is prajñā; characterized by examination or judgment (santirana). Darśana: Seeing; this is seeing as in the Path of Seeing (darśana-mārga), including 8 patiences & 7 knowledges. Abhisamaya: Direct comprehension or realization. Understanding the Four Noble Truths in the Path of Seeing and 1st moment of the Path of Cultivation. Realizing how things actually are, understanding reality in its true aspect. Prajñā (understanding) PurePrajñā ImpurePrajñāView (dṛṣṭ i) The Pure Patiences ( k ṣānti) of the Path of Seeing. They are view because they are examination ( santirana). They are not knowledge, because at the moment of patience, the defilement of doubt, which each Patience abandons, is not already abandoned. n/a N o t K n o w l e d g e Dharma Knowledges of Direct Realization ( abhisamaya). These are seeing because they are examination and since doubt has been abandoned they are knowledge, that is, certain. Also includes the prajñāof the pure Path ofMeditation up to the Knowledge of Destruction. 6 impureprajñās are both knowledge and view, namely theprajñāassociated with the 5 defilements (kleśa) which are views by nature (view of self, false views, view of extremes, esteeming views, esteeming morality & asceticism) and, 6th, good prajñā , which is right worldly views ( laukikī samyag-dṛṣṭ i). K n o w l e d g e ( j ñ ā n a ) Not view 2: Knowledge of Destruction ( k ṣaya- jñāna) and Knowledge of Non-arising (anutpāda- jñāna) (They are not view because they do not include examination & inquiry) Prajñāassociated with the 5 sense consciousnesses and someprajñāassociated with mind consciousness is impure, knowledge, but not view (no examination).
