The Buddhist Publication Society - Access to Insight

1 The Buddhist Publication Society is an approved charity dedicated to making known the Teaching of the Buddha, which has a vital message for people of all creeds. Founded in 1958, the BPS has published a wide variety of books and book-lets covering a great range of topics. Its publications include accurate annotated translations of the Buddha s discourses, standard reference works, as well as original contemporary expositions of Buddhist thought and practice. These works present Buddhism as it truly is a dynamic force which has influenced receptive minds for the past 2500 years and is still as relevant today as it was when it first arose.

2 Buddhist Publication Society Box 61 54, Sangharaja Mawatha, Kandy, Sri Lanka Hardbound Copy: A printed hardbound version of this book is avail-able from the Buddhist Publication Society ; see the Translations from the Pali page at the BPS online bookshop at of use: Copyright revised, third, online edition. Copyright 2011 Bud-dhist Publication may redistribute this PDF file in an unaltered form provided that: (1) you must only make such unaltered PDF copies available free of charge; (2) you clearly indicate that any passages of this work reproduced into other publications (printed as well as digital) are derived from this source document.

3 Otherwise, all rights s Note: The BPS thanks all those who assisted with making this book available in a digital as well as printed edition. This book is the result of the work of Mr John Bullitt of Access to Insight who initiated this digital edition, the several volunteers who helped him to convert the previous edition of this book to digital text, the other volunteers who helped the BPS with proofread-ing, Bhikkhu Nyanatusita, the BPS editor, who helped with and coordinated the proofreading, formatting, and typesetting, corrected the Pali, etc.

4 , and the work of the BPS typesetters Bhikkhu Sacramento Upatissa and Mr Nalin Ariyaratna who skilfully typeset the text. Path of PurificationVisuddhimagga ti hatu saddhammosabbe satt bhavantu sukhitatt To my Upajjh ya,the late venerable P l n Siri Vajira aMah n yakathera of Vajir r ma,Colombo, Sri Lanka. Path of Purification(Visuddhimagga)byBhadant cariya BuddhaghosaTranslated from the Pali byBhikkhu amoli 1975, 1991, 2010 Buddhist Publication Society .

5 All rights edition: 1956 by Mr. Ananda Semage, edition: 1964 Reprinted: 1979 by BPST hird edition: 1991 Reprinted: 1999 Fourth edition: 2010 National Library and Documentation Centre Cataloguing-in- Publication DataBuddhaghosa HimiThe Path of Purification: Visuddhimaga/Buddhaghosa Himi; tr. byNyanamoli Kandy: Buddhist Publication Society , 2010, 794p.; (BP No 207)ISBN 978-955-24-0023-6i. DDC 22ii. Titleiii. Nyanamoli Himi Buddhism2. Theravada BuddhismThe sponsor of this edition of the Path of Purification devoutly offers the meritto the beloved members of her family who have predeceased her, namely, herparents, Dr Harry and Mrs Mabel Amarasinghe, her husband, Joyce and her brothers, Dr Prasannatissa Harischandra Amarasinghe,Ananda Lakshman Amarasinghe and Dr Upali Amarasinghe, who livedhappily in accordance with the Dhamma with great kindness to all.

6 And withgreat social commitment and 978-955-24-0023-6 Printed bySamayawardana PrintersColombo (GENERAL) xixPrinted Editions of the xixList of Abbreviations for Texts xxiMessage from his Holiness the Dalai Lama ..xxiiiPublisher s Foreword to Third s Foreword to Fourth s PAT H OF PURIFICATIONPart I Virtue (S la) OF 5[I. Introductory].. 5[II. Virtue].. 1 0CH. IITHE ASCETIC 5 5 Part II Concentration (Sam dhi)CH. IIITAKING A MEDITATION 8 1[A. Development in Brief].

7 8 6[B. Development in Detail].. 8 7[The Ten Impediments].. 8 7CH. IVTHE EARTH KASI 113[The Eighteen Faults of a Monastery].. 113[The Five Factors of the Resting Place].. 116[The Lesser Impediments].. 116[Detailed Instructions for Development].. 117[The Earth Kasi a].. 117[Making an Earth Kasi a].. 118[Starting Contemplation].. 119[The Counterpart Sign].. 120[The Two Kinds of Concentration].. 121[Guarding the Sign].. 122[The Ten Kinds of Skill in Absorption].. 124[The Five Similes].

8 130[Absorption in the Cognitive Series].. 131[The First Jh na].. 133[Extension of the Sign] .. 145vi[The Second Jh na].. 148[The Third Jh na].. 151[The Fourth Jh na].. 156[The Fivefold Reckoning of Jh na].. 160CH. VTHE REMAINING KASI 162[The Water Kasi a].. 162[The Fire Kasi a].. 163[The Air Kasi a].. 163[The Blue Kasi a].. 164[The Yellow Kasi a].. 164[The Red Kasi a].. 165[The White Kasi a].. 165[The Light Kasi a].. 165[The Limited-Space Kasi a].. 166[General].. 166CH.

9 VIFOULNESS AS A MEDITATION 169[General Definitions].. 169[The Bloated].. 170[The Livid] .. 179[The Festering].. 179[The Cut Up].. 179[The Gnawed] .. 180[The Scattered].. 180[The Hacked and Scattered].. 180[The Bleeding].. 180[The Worm-Infested].. 180[A Skeleton].. 180[General].. 182CH. VIISIX 186[(1)Recollection of the Enlightened One] .. 188[Accomplished].. 188[Fully Enlightened].. 192[Endowed With Clear Vision and Virtuous Conduct] .. 193[Sublime].. 196[Knower of Worlds] .. 198[Incomparable Leader of Men to be Tamed].

10 202[Teacher of Gods and Men] .. 203[Enlightened].. 204[Blessed].. 204[(2)Recollection of the Dhamma] .. 209[Well Proclaimed].. 210[Visible Here and Now] .. 212[Not Delayed] .. 213[Inviting of Inspection].. 213[Onward-Leading].. 214[Is Directly Experienceable by the Wise].. 214viiCONTENTS (GENERAL)[(3)Recollection of the Sa gha].. 215[Entered on the Good, Straight, True, Proper Way] .. 215[Fit for Gifts].. 216[Fit for Hospitality].. 217[Fit for Offering].. 217[Fit for Salutation].