7 Factors of Enlightenment

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Seven Factors of Enlightenment, with Commentary Amplification

MINDFULNESS

Characteristic: non-superficiality

Function: Non-disappearance, to keep the object in view

Manifestation: confrontation

Ways of Arousing:

Buddha: mindfulness

Commentaries:

1. Clear comprehension
2. Avoid the unmindful (persons)
3. Seek out the mindful
4. Incline the mind towards mindful development

 

INVESTIGATION

Characteristic: intuitive understanding of conditions

Function: To dispel darkness/ignorance

Manifestation: nonconfusion

Ways of arousing:

Buddha: Direct perception

Commentaries:

1. Ask questions about meditation and spiritual life
2. Cleanliness of internal and external bases (body and environment)
3. Balance controlling faculties
4. Avoid the unwise
5. Seek out the wise
6. Reflect on profound teachings
7. Commit to cultivate

 

COURAGEOUS EFFORT

Characteristic: Enduring patience in the face of suffering and difficulty

Function: Supporting the mental state

Manifestation: A bold and courageous mind

Ways of arousing:

Buddha: Wise attention

Commentaries:

1. Reflection of states of misery that one can fall into
2. Reflection on benefits of effort
3. Reflection on and trying to emulate the nobility of previous practitioners
4. Respect and appreciation for support
5. Reflection on the sevenfold heritage of a noble person
   1. Faith
   2. Morality
   3. Moral shame
   4. Moral dread
   5. Learning and expertise in the theory and practice of meditation
   6. Liberality in giving up the kilesas and generosity in giving
   7. Wisdom
6. Reflecting on the greatness of the Buddha
7. Reflecting on the greatness of the Dharma, which links the lineage of Buddhas, monks and nuns to oneself.
8. Reflection on the greatness of those who practice brahmacariya, or the sangha
9. Avoiding the lazy
10. Seeking the energetic persons
11. Incline the mind to develop energy

 

RAPTURE

Characteristic: happiness, delight and satisfaction

Function: lightness and energy of body and mind

Manifestation: psychical sensations of lightness

Ways of arousing:

Buddha: wise attention making a strong effort in bringing about wholesome feelings of rapture connected to the triple gem.

Commentaries:

1. Recollection of the virtues of the Buddha
2. Recollection of the virtues of the Dharma
3. Recollection of the virtues of the Sangha
4. Recollection of ones own moral purity
5. Recollection of ones own generosity
6. Recollection of the virtues of devas and brahmas
7. Reflection on the peace of cessation of the kilesas, either in nibbana, in the jhanas or in deep meditations one has experienced
8. Avoid rough, angry and coarse persons.
9. Seek out the warm, loving and refined
10. Reflect on the suttas
11. Incline the mind towards developing rapture

 

TRANQUILITY

Characteristic: Calmness of body and mind, end of agitation

Function: to extract or suppress mental heat due to restlessness, dissipation or remorse

Manifestation: non-agitation of body and mind

Ways of arousing:

Buddha: Wise attention directed toward developing wholesome mental states, especially meditative states, which allow tranquility

Commentaries:

1. Sensible food
2. Suitable weather
3. Comfortable posture
4. Maintaining a balanced effort in practice
5. Avoiding bad-tempered, rough or cruel people
6. Associating with calm and gentle people
7. Inclining focus towards developing concentration

 

CONCENTRATION

Characteristic: Non-dispersal

Function: to collect the mind

Manifestation: peace and stillness

Ways of arousing:

Buddha: continuous wise attention aimed at the development of concentration

Commentaries:

1. Purity of internal and external bases (inner and outer environment)
2. Balance in controlling faculties
   1. Faith
   2. Effort or energy
   3. Mindfulness
   4. Concentration
   5. Wisdom
3. Skill in the concentration object
4. Uplifting the mind when it is depressed
5. Calming the mind when it is excited
6. Bringing happiness to the mind when it is withered by pain
7. Continuous awareness
8. Avoiding the unconcentrated
9. Seeking out the concentrated
10. Reflecting on the peace of jhanic absorptions
11. Inclining focus towards developing concentration

 

EQUANIMITY

Characteristic: The balancing of opposed mental states

Function: To fill in where there is a lack and to reduce excess

Manifestation: A state of ease and balance

Ways of arousing:

Buddha: Wise attention, continuous mindfulness based on the intention to develop equanimity

Commentaries:

1. An attitude attitude of equanimity toward all living beings, not to be too attached to anyone
2. A balanced attitude toward nonliving objects, such as property
3. Avoiding people who are deeply possessive or otherwise lack equanimity
4. Association with those who are not to strongly attached to beings or possessions, and who otherwise demonstrate equanimity
5. Inclining the mind toward developing equanimity

 

 Based on an appendix in the book In This Very Life by Sayadaw U Pandita