“Meditators, there are eight causes and conditions that lead to gaining wisdom fundamental to the spiritual life when it has not yet been gained and furthermore to its increase, maturation, and consummation (fulfillment) by development after it has been gained. What are the eight?
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| I can do this, too! |
(1) “Here, a meditator lives depending on the Teacher or on a certain monastic in the position of a teacher, toward whom one has set up a keen sense of
moral shame and moral dread, affection and reverence. This is the first cause and condition that leads to gaining wisdom fundamental to the spiritual life when it has not yet been gained and furthermore to its increase, maturation, and consummation by development after it has been gained.
(2) “As one is living dependent on the Teacher or on a certain monastic in the position of a teacher, toward whom one has set up a keen sense of moral shame and moral dread, affection and reverence, one approaches that teacher from time to time and inquires: ‘How is this, venerable? What is the meaning of that?’ That venerable one then discloses what has not been disclosed, clears up what is obscure, and dispels perplexity about numerous perplexing points. This is the second cause and condition….
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| Solitude is of two kinds, physical and mental |
(3) “Having heard that Teaching (
Dhamma), one resorts to
two kinds of withdrawal -- withdrawal of the body and withdrawal of the mind. This is the third cause and condition that leads to gaining the wisdom fundamental to the spiritual life….
(4) “One is virtuous; one dwells restrained by the [precepts or Pātimokkha], possessed of good conduct and resort, seeing danger in the smallest faults. Having undertaken the training rules, one trains in them. This is the fourth cause and condition that leads to gaining wisdom fundamental to the spiritual life….
(5) “One has learned much, remembers what one has learned, and accumulates what one has learned. Those teachings that are good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, with the right meaning and phrasing, which proclaim the perfectly complete and pure spiritual life — such teachings as these one has learned much of, retained in mind, recited verbally, mentally investigated, and penetrated well by view. This is the fifth cause and condition that leads to gaining wisdom fundamental to the spiritual life….
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| What a mystery it is to "go within" |
(6) “One has aroused energy for abandoning unwholesome qualities and acquiring wholesome qualities; one is strong, firm in exertion, not casting off the duty of cultivating wholesome qualities. This is the sixth cause and condition that leads to gaining wisdom fundamental to the spiritual life….
(7) “In the midst of the spiritual community (Saṅgha), one does not engage in rambling and pointless talk. Either one speaks on the Dhamma, or one requests someone else to do so, or one adopts noble silence. This is the seventh cause and condition that leads to gaining the wisdom fundamental to the spiritual life….
(8) “One dwells contemplating arising and vanishing in the Five Aggregates clung to as self:
- ‘Such is form, such its origin, such its passing away;
- such is feeling…
- such is perception…
- such are volitional activities (mental formations)…
- such is consciousness, such its origin, such its passing away.’
“This is the eighth cause and condition that leads to gaining wisdom fundamental to the spiritual life when it has not yet been gained and to its increase, maturation, and fulfillment by development after it has been gained.
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| Knowing and seeing |
(1) “One's fellows esteem one [for these eight qualities and say]... This [meditator] surely knows and sees.’ This quality leads to affection, respect, esteem, accord, and unity....
(8) “‘This [meditator] dwells contemplating the arising and vanishing of the Five Aggregates clung to as self…. This [meditator] surely knows and sees.’ This quality, too, leads to affection, respect, esteem, accord, and unity.
“These, meditators, are the eight causes and conditions that lead to gaining wisdom fundamental to the spiritual life when it has not yet been gained and to its increase, maturation, and consummation by development after it has been gained.”
Building backyard Studio Shed
