Explanation of the Sixth Stage Part 7

The Aggregates as Oneself and the Aggregates Correctly Understood
Concerning the truth of suffering it arises and ceases within the Aggregates which are on their own Do not becom involved with them; beware of the cause of suffering, for it will in due course give rise to suffering; therefore leave them alone.

The aggregates see and hear on their own; they are hungry, thirsty, cold or hot on their own; they grow old, become sick and die on their own. We cannot command them to exist, for they exist on their own; thus do we say that the aggregates are on their own.

Beware of altering the aggregates, for wherever one alters them; one forms the cause of suffering. Altering the aggregates means that one forms aggregates of greed, anger and delusion. The altered aggregates then arise and associate with the "aggregates on their own". We do not know what the "aggregates on their own" are, but their nature is to function in the way described above.

The "Aggregates On Their Own" means, the Internal and External Spheres-of-Sensation (Ayatana). Ayatana means, the things which come together". If they do not come together, they are not called "Ayatana". When the eye sees forms, then eye-consciousness arises; when the ear hears sounds, ear-consciousness arises. The eye with forms, or the ear with sounds, are the Body-Aggregate. The consciousness which arises, based on the eye or the ear, is the Mind-Aggregate.
The mind and body, having arisen, then cease. We do not recognise the nature of the mind and body, nor the five aggregates, nor the spheres-of-sensation, which are like something which is burning hot. So we seize hold of them in order to become their owners and we ourselves then start to burn. We burn with the fires of greed, hate, and delusion, and the heat produced, gives rise to birth, old age, sickness and death, to whirling about in the Round of Existence (Vatฺtฺa-Samsara).

Establishing the Understanding of Arising and Falling

When one has established:
1. The Understanding-of-Arising-and-Falling(Udayabbaya-Nana),1 which is the Truth of One's Suffering.
The remaining forms of Understanding (Nana) need not be established, for they arise on their own. One must only establish the Understanding-of-Arisingand-Falling, which is followed by the remaining types which can lead one through to the State of Arahat

2. The Understanding-of-Dissolution (Bhanga-Nana)

3. Understanding-as-Awareness-of-Fearfulness (Bhayatupattha-Nana); seeing Existence (Samsara) as dangerous and fearful. This is the result which comes from the Understanding-of-Arising-and-Falling. Having seen the danger of existence, one may then come to the :

4. Understanding-of-Misery (Adinava-Nana) of it. One is then likely to have a revulsion for existence. This is :

5. Understanding-as-Turning-Away (Nibbidanana). When one has become weary of existence, one will look for a way of escape. This is called:

6. Understanding-as-Desire-for-Deliverance (Muccitu-Kamyata-Nana). In order to escape, one must then look for a method of getting free. This is called :

7. Understanding-as-Reflecting-Contemplation (Patฺisankha-Nana). This deals with the method of overcoming Existence (Samsara), and is the most important section; the central theme being to abandon the mind so that neither love nor hate arise.