What is "wise reflection"?

Xin-xing, Bodhi [Monastery] Bulletin, 11/05; Dhr. Seven, Sheldon S. (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

It is by wise attention that one transcends the level of an ordinary person and reaches the level of a noble one, an enlightened person.

Enlightenment is attained by means of [practicing] the Noble Eightfold Path. The Buddha says there are four factors that can help us reach the Noble Eightfold Path:

1. associating with superior persons;
2. hearing the true Dharma;
3. wise reflection; and
4. practice in accordance with the Dharma.

Among these four factors, wise reflection or attention plays a very important role. Wise attention helps us overcome the Five Hindrances and develop the Seven Factors of Enlightenment.

It is by wise attention that one transcends the level of an ordinary person and reaches the level of a "noble one," an enlightened person along the various stages. But what exactly is meant by wise reflection?

The Pali language expression translated as wise attention is yoniso manasikara. Wise attention applies the method of Dependent Origination in unique ways to the understanding of human existence. It is very difficult to capture this nuance in any English translation of the expression.

In order to understand what yoniso manasikara means in English, let us first see how the Pali Text Society's Pali-English Dictionary (PTS) treats the term. According to the PTS dictionary, yoni means "origin," and yoniso, an ablative form of this word, means "down to its origin or foundation."

Manasikara means "attention, pondering, fixed thought." Thus, yoniso manasikara means "fixing one's attention with a purpose or thoroughly." It is proper attention with thorough method in one's thought.

Wise attention for removing the "taints"

The Buddha's teaching on wise attention, as given in the Sabbasava Sutra or "The Discourse on All the Taints" (MN 2) has a theme: the application of wise attention to the task of eradicating the "taints" (asava), which are the fundamental defilements that keep us bound to the cycle of suffering and rebirth (samsara).

It is by unwise attention that unarisen taints arise, and arisen taints increase. Thus, unwise attention keeps us in bondage to samsara. On the other hand, it is by wise attention that unarisen taints do not arise, and arisen taints are destroyed.

In the sutra the Buddha explains how an "uninstructed ordinary person" attends unwisely, whereas a well-taught noble [i.e., enlightened at least to the first stage of awakening] disciple attends wisely.

The uninstructed ordinary person does not know what is fit for attention and what is unfit. So one attends unwisely to past, present, and future, engages in speculations about one's identity in these three periods of time, and becomes entangled in views concerning a truly existent self.

These speculative views, the Buddha says, are called "the fetter of views." And "fettered by the fetter of views, the uninstructed ordinary person is not freed from birth, aging, and death; one is not freed from suffering, I say."

In contrast to deluded ordinary people like us, a well-taught noble disciple understands what things are fit for attention and what things are unfit for attention. One attends wisely to the things that should be attended to, and these things turn out to be the Four Noble Truths:

“One wisely attends, ‘This is suffering,' ‘this is the origin of suffering,' ‘this is the cessation of suffering,' ‘this is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.'"

When one attends wisely in this way, one abandons the first three “fetters":

• the view of a real existing self,
• doubt about the Buddha and the Dharma (his teachings), and
• adherence to useless rules and observances.

From the above we can see that an uninstructed ordinary person attends to human existence "unwisely" by mere philosophical speculations, which lead one into an endless labyrinth of doubt.

In contrast, a well-taught noble disciple attends to human existence wisely, by the scheme of the Four Noble Truths, and this leads to liberating wisdom.

In what sense is philosophical speculation an approach to human existence characterized by unwise attention? And in what sense does the scheme of the Four Noble Truths give us an approach to human existence through wise attention?

The Commentary on the Sabbasava Sutra defines wise attention as "attention that is the right means (upaya) on the right track (patha)." Unwise attention is "attention that is the wrong means on the wrong track (uppatha)."

Unfortunately, the Commentator does not explain in what sense wise attention is "the right means." It is just this question that we shall now explore. More

Wise attention means that when we investigate suffering,

we trace suffering down to its cause, origin, or

foundation. We do so thoroughly, in order,

wisely, properly, and judiciously.