The Life or Legend of Gaudama, the Buddha of the Burmese (Volume II)Bigandet, Paul Ambroise
Religion
The Life or Legend of Gaudama, the Buddha of the Burmese (Volume II)
Bigandet, Paul Ambroise
Buddhism -- Burma; Burma -- Religion; Gautama Buddha
The three places above those of Nats, called Brahma-parisitsa,
Brahmah-parau-hita, Maha-Brahma, are occupied by the contemplatives who
have reached the first step of Dzan, or meditation. The three following,
Pareitta-ba, Appa-ma-naba, Appa-sara, are tenanted by the beings who have
attained the second degree of contemplation. The three next to those
just enumerated are: Paweitta-sou-ba, Appa-mana-sou-ba, Souba-kannaka.
They are the abodes of the contemplatives who have ascended to the third
step of meditation. The two following steps of the ladder, Wa-happala,
A-sou-gna-sat, are tenanted by the contemplatives of the fourth degree;
and the five that follow, viz., Awiha, Atabpa, Sou-dasa, Sou-dasi,
Agga-nita, are occupied by the contemplatives of the fifth degree; that
is to say, by the beings who have entered the Thoda, or current of
perfection, and who have qualified themselves for obtaining the state of
deliverance, or Neibban.
Above those seats we find the four and last abodes of Arupa, without
form. They are called: Akasanitza-yatana, Wigniana-witza-yatana,
Akeitsignia-yatana, Newa-thagnia-nathagnia-yatana.
[50] The number of tseits or ideas is one hundred and twenty, divided as
follows:—
1. The tseits or ideas of the beings as yet under the influence of
passion; they are named Kama-watsara-tseits.
2. The tseits or ideas peculiar to beings who have not as yet been
able to raise themselves entirely above materiality; they are called
Rupa-watzara-tseits.
3. There are four tseits peculiar to those beings, who, setting aside the
coarser portions of this world, launch forth into abstract truth, and
delight in the contemplation of the highest, purest, and most boundless
things the mind may imagine. They are known as the ideas working on what
may be called immaterial, impalpable objects.
The ideas of the first series belong to all the beings located in the
four states of punishment, in the seat of man, and in the six seats of
Nats, that is to say, in the eleven seats where is the reign of passions.
Those of the second series belong to the beings located in the sixteen
seats of the Brahmas, including those who have entered into the current
of perfection, by following the four Meggas, and enjoying the merits and
rewards connected with the condition of the perfect.
The ideas of the third series are the happy lot of those superior beings
who soar high in the regions of pure spiritualism, leaving below them all
the things that have a reference to this world, such as we see it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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