Patisambhidamagga: The Path of Discrimination

Excerpts from the Treatise on Liberation

Monks, there are these three liberations (vimokkha). What three? Emptiness liberation, signlessness liberation, and desirelessness liberation. These, monks, are three liberations.

What is emptiness liberation?

Here, monks, a monk, gone to the forest or to the root of a tree or to an empty place, reflects: 'This is empty of a self or that which belongs to a self.' In this way he construes no misinterpretation [regarding phenomena], therefore it is liberation through emptiness. This is emptiness liberation.

What is signlessness liberation?

Here, monks, a monk, gone to the forest or to the root of a tree or to an empty place, reflects: 'This is empty of a self or that which belongs to a self.' In this way he construes no signs [regarding phenomena], therefore it is liberation through signlessness. This is signlessness liberation.

What is desirelessness liberation?

Here, monks, a monk, gone to the forest or to the root of a tree or to an empty place, reflects: 'This is empty of a self or that which belongs to a self.' In this way he construes no desire [regarding phenomena], therefore it is liberation through desirelessness. This is desirelessness liberation.

Knowledge from contemplation of the impermanence of form ... feeling ... perception ... fabrications ... consciousness ... etc., is emptiness liberation because it liberates from misinterpreting [these phenomena] as being permanent.

Knowledge from contemplation of the unsatisfactoriness of form ... feeling ... perception ... fabrications ... consciousness ... etc., is emptiness liberation because it liberates from misinterpreting [these phenomena] as being pleasant/satisfactory.

Knowledge from contemplation of the selflessness of form ... feeling ... perception ... fabrications ... consciousness ... etc., is emptiness liberation because it liberates from misinterpreting [these phenomena] as being a self.

Knowledge from contemplation of the signlessness of form ... feeling ... perception ... fabrications ... consciousness ... etc., is emptiness liberation because it liberates from misinterpreting [these phenomena] as having [inherent] signs.

Knowledge from contemplation of the desirelessness of form ... feeling ... perception ... fabrications ... consciousness ... etc., is emptiness liberation because it liberates from misinterpreting [these phenomena] as being desirable.

Knowledge from contemplation of the emptiness of form ... feeling ... perception ... fabrications ... consciousness ... etc., is emptiness liberation because it liberates from all misinterpretation [i.e. reification].

Excerpts from the Treatise on Emptiness

What is emptiness in [relation to] change?

[Because it is] produced, form is empty of own-nature; ceased, form is changed and empty.

[Because they are] produced, feelings are empty of own-nature; ceased, feelings are changed and empty.

[Because they are] produced, perceptions are empty of own-nature; ceased, perceptions are changed and empty.

[Because they are] produced, fabrications are empty of own-nature; ceased, fabrications are changed and empty.

[Because it is] produced, consciousness is empty of own-nature; ceased, it is changed and empty.

[Because it is] produced, the eye is empty ..., the ear is empty ..., the nose is empty ..., the tongue is empty ..., the body is empty of own-nature; ceased, it is changed and empty.

[Because it is] produced, visible form is empty ..., sound is empty ..., odor is empty ..., flavor is empty ..., tactile sensation is empty of own-nature; ceased, it is changed and empty.

[Because it is] produced, visual consciousness is empty ..., auditory consciousness is empty ..., olfactory consciousness is empty ..., gustatory consciousness is empty ..., tactile consciousness is empty ..., mental consciousness is empty of own-nature; ceased, it is changed and empty.

[Because it is] produced, eye-contact is empty ..., ear-contact is empty ..., nose-contact is empty ..., tongue-contact is empty ..., body-contact is empty ..., mind-contact is empty of own-nature; ceased, it is changed and empty.

[Because they are] produced, feelings produced from eye-contact are empty ..., feelings produced from ear-contact are empty ..., feelings produced from nose-contact are empty ..., feelings produced from tongue-contact are empty ..., feelings produced from body-contact are empty ..., feelings produced from mind-contact are empty of own-nature; ceased, they are changed and empty.

[Because they are] produced, perceptions of visible form are empty ..., perceptions of sound are empty ..., perceptions of odor are empty ..., perceptions of flavor are empty ..., perceptions of tactile sensation are empty ..., perceptions of mental phenomena [i.e. feeling, perception, and fabrications] are empty of own-nature; ceased, they are changed and empty.

[Because it is] produced, volitional intention pertaining to visible form is empty ..., volitional intention pertaining to sound is empty ..., volitional intention pertaining to odor is empty ..., volitional intention pertaining to flavor is empty ..., volitional intention pertaining to tactile sensation is empty ..., volitional intention pertaining to mental phenomena [i.e. feeling, perception, and fabrications] is empty of own-nature; ceased, it is changed and empty.

[Because it is] produced, craving [and aversion] for visible form is empty ..., craving [and aversion] for sound is empty ..., craving [and aversion] for odor is empty ..., craving [and aversion] for flavor is empty ..., craving [and aversion] for tactile sensation is empty ..., craving [and aversion] for mental phenomena [i.e. feeling, perception, and fabrications] is empty of own-nature; ceased, it is changed and empty.

[Because it is] produced, directed thought pertaining to visible form is empty ..., directed thought pertaining to sound is empty ..., directed thought pertaining to odor is empty ..., directed thought pertaining to flavor is empty ..., directed thought pertaining to tactile sensation is empty ..., directed thought pertaining to mental phenomena [i.e. feeling, perception, and fabrications] is empty of own-nature; ceased, it is changed and empty.

[Because it is] produced, discursive thinking pertaining to visible form is empty ..., discursive thinking pertaining to sound is empty ..., discursive thinking pertaining to odor is empty ..., discursive thinking pertaining to flavor is empty ..., discursive thinking pertaining to tactile sensation is empty ..., discursive thinking pertaining to mental phenomena [i.e. feeling, perception, and fabrications] is empty of own-nature; ceased, it is changed and empty.

[Because it is] produced, solid form (earth) is empty ..., liquid form (water) is empty ..., gaseous form (air/wind) is empty ..., temperature (fire) is empty of own-nature; ceased, it is changed and empty.

[Because it is] produced, the eye sensory sphere is empty ..., the visible form sensory sphere is empty ..., the ear sensory sphere is empty ..., the sound sensory sphere is empty ..., the nose sensory sphere is empty ..., the odor sensory sphere is empty ..., the tongue sensory sphere is empty ..., the flavor sensory sphere is empty ..., the body sensory sphere is empty ..., the tactile sensation sensory sphere is empty ..., the mind sensory sphere is empty ..., the mental phenomena sensory sphere is empty of own-nature; ceased, it is changed and empty.

[Because it is] produced, the eye element is empty ..., the visible form element is empty ..., the visual consciousness element is empty ..., the ear element is empty ..., the sound element is empty ..., the auditory consciousness element is empty ..., the nose element is empty ..., the odor element is empty ..., the olfactory consciousness element is empty ..., the tongue element is empty ..., the flavor element is empty ..., the gustatory consciousness element is empty ..., the body element is empty ..., the tactile sensation element is empty ..., the tactile consciousness element is empty ..., the mind element is empty ..., the mental phenomena element is empty ..., the mental consciousness element is empty of own-nature; ceased, it is changed and empty.

[Because it is] produced, the sensual desire element is empty ..., the form element is empty ..., the formless element is empty of own-nature; ceased, it is changed and empty.

[Because it is] produced, ignorance is empty ..., fabrications are empty ..., consciousness is empty ..., name and form are empty ..., the sixfold sensory spheres are empty ..., contact is empty ..., feeling is empty ..., craving is empty ..., grasping is empty ..., becoming is empty of own-nature; ceased, it is changed and empty.

What is supreme emptiness?

This Dhamma is supreme, this Dhamma is superior, this Dhamma is excellent: the calming of all fabrications, the relinquishing of all substrata of becoming, the exhaustion of craving, the fading away of greed, cessation, Nibbana. This is supreme emptiness.

What is internal emptiness?

Internally the eye is empty of a self or that which belongs to a self or of what is permanent and everlasting and eternal and not subject to change.

Internally the ear is empty of a self or that which belongs to a self or of what is permanent and everlasting and eternal and not subject to change.

Internally the nose is empty of a self or that which belongs to a self or of what is permanent and everlasting and eternal and not subject to change.

Internally the tongue is empty of a self or that which belongs to a self or of what is permanent and everlasting and eternal and not subject to change.

Internally the body is empty of a self or that which belongs to a self or of what is permanent and everlasting and eternal and not subject to change.

Internally the mind is empty of a self or that which belongs to a self or of what is permanent and everlasting and eternal and not subject to change.

This is internal emptiness.

What is external emptiness?

Externally visible form is empty of a self or that which belongs to a self or of what is permanent and everlasting and eternal and not subject to change.

Externally sound is empty of a self or that which belongs to a self or of what is permanent and everlasting and eternal and not subject to change.

Externally odor is empty of a self or that which belongs to a self or of what is permanent and everlasting and eternal and not subject to change.

Externally flavor is empty of a self or that which belongs to a self or of what is permanent and everlasting and eternal and not subject to change.

Externally tactile sensation is empty of a self or that which belongs to a self or of what is permanent and everlasting and eternal and not subject to change.

Externally mental phenomena are empty of a self or that which belongs to a self or of what is permanent and everlasting and eternal and not subject to change.

This is external emptiness.

What is emptiness both ways?

Internally the eye and externally visible form are both empty of a self or that which belongs to a self or of what is permanent and everlasting and eternal and not subject to change.

Internally the ear and externally sound are both empty of a self or that which belongs to a self or of what is permanent and everlasting and eternal and not subject to change.

Internally the nose and externally odor are both empty of a self or that which belongs to a self or of what is permanent and everlasting and eternal and not subject to change.

Internally the tongue and externally flavor are both empty of a self or that which belongs to a self or of what is permanent and everlasting and eternal and not subject to change.

Internally the body and externally tactile sensation are both empty of a self or that which belongs to a self or of what is permanent and everlasting and eternal and not subject to change.

Internally the mind and externally mental phenomena are both empty of a self or that which belongs to a self or of what is permanent and everlasting and eternal and not subject to change.

This is emptiness both ways.

What is the ultimate meaning (paramattha) of emptiness [as it relates to] all kinds of emptiness, which is the terminating of [temporal] occurrence in one who is fully aware?

(The seven hindrances and their antidotes)

Here, through renunciation one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of impulsive sensual desire; through nonaggression one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of aggression; through perception of light one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of laziness/sleepiness; through nondistraction one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of agitation; through understanding phenomena one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of doubt; through knowledge one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of ignorance; through gladness one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of boredom.

(The four jhanas and four formless attainments)

Through the first jhana one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of the hindrances; through the second jhana one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of directed thought and discursive thinking; through the third jhana one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of happiness (piti); through the fourth jhana one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of pleasantness (sukha); through the attainment of the sphere of infinite space one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of perceptions of form, perceptions of resistance, and perceptions of diversity; through the attainment of the sphere of infinite consciousness one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of perception of the sphere of infinite space; through the attainment of the sphere of nothingness one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of perception of the sphere of infinite consciousness; through the attainment of the sphere of neither-perception-nor-nonperception one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of perception of the sphere of nothingness.

(The eighteen principle contemplations)

Through the contemplation of impermanence one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of the perception of permanence; through the contemplation of unsatisfactoriness one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of the perception of satisfactoriness; through the contemplation of not-self one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of the perception of self; through the contemplation of dispassion one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of delight; through the contemplation of fading away one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of greed; through the contemplation of cessation one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of arising; through the contemplation of relinquishment one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of grasping; through the contemplation of decay one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of the perception of compactness; through the contemplation of fall one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of accumulation; through the contemplation of change one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of the perception of everlastingness; through the contemplation of signlessness one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of signs; through the contemplation of desirelessness one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of desire; through the contemplation of emptiness one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of misinterpretation; through the clear seeing (vipassana) of phenomena (dhammas) that is higher discernment (adhipanna) one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of misinterpretation due to grasping at a core; through correct knowledge (yathabhuta-nana) and seeing one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of misinterpretation due to delusion; through the contemplation of [the] danger [of fabricating] one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of misinterpretation due to reliance [on fabrications]; through the contemplation of reflection one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of non-reflection; through the contemplation of turning away one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of misinterpretation due to bondage.

(The four transcendent paths)

Through the stream-entry path one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of defilements associated with wrong view; through the once-returner path one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of gross defilements; through the non-returner path one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of secondary defilements; through the arahant path one who is fully aware terminates the occurrence of all defilements [i.e. ignorance].

(The Nibbana element)

Or through the unconditioned element (nibbana-dhatu) without any clinging/grasping remaining-for one who is fully aware this occurrence of eye ends and no further occurrence of eye arises; this occurrence of ear ends and no further occurrence of ear arises; this occurrence of nose ends and no further occurrence of nose arises; this occurrence of tongue ends and no further occurrence of tongue arises; this occurrence of body ends and no further occurrence of body arises; this occurrence of mind ends and no further occurrence of mind arises.

This is the ultimate meaning (paramattha) of emptiness [as it relates to] all kinds of emptiness, which is the terminating of occurrence in one who is fully aware.


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Translated from the Pali by Geoff Shatz (with reference to PTS English translation by Bhikkhu Nanamoli).