• Title page
  • Contents (Detailed, by Topic and Paragraph No.)
    • Printed Editions of the Visuddhimagga
    • Translations of the Visuddhimagga
    • Other Works
    • List of Abbreviations for Texts Used
    • Other Abbreviations
    • Message from his Holiness the Dalai Lama
    • Publisher’s Foreword to Third Edition
    • Publisher’s Foreword to Fourth Edition
    • Translator’s Preface
  • Introduction
    • Background and Main Facts
    • The Visuddhimagga and its Author
    • The Vimuttimagga
    • Trends in the Development of Theravāda Doctrine
    • The Paramatthamañjusā
    • Some Main Threads in the Visuddhimagga
    • Concerning the Translation
    • Concluding Remarks
  • Chapter I Description of Virtue (Sīla-niddesa)
    • [I. Introductory]
    • [II. Virtue]
  • Chapter II The Ascetic Practices (Dhutaṅga-niddesa)
    • [The 13 kinds of Ascetic Practices]
  • Chapter III Taking a Meditation Subject (Kammaṭṭhāna-gahaṇa-niddesa)
    • [A. Development in Brief]
    • [B. Development in Detail]
  • Chapter IV The Earth Kasiṇa (Pathavī-kasiṇa-niddesa)
    • [The Eighteen Faults of a Monastery]
    • [The Five Factors of the Resting Place]
    • [The Lesser Impediments]
    • [Detailed Instructions for Development]
    • [The Earth Kasiṇa]
    • [Making an Earth Kasiṇa]
    • [Starting Contemplation]
    • [The Counterpart Sign]
    • [The Two Kinds of Concentration]
    • [Guarding the Sign]
    • [The Ten Kinds of Skill in Absorption]
    • [The Five Similes]
    • [Absorption in the Cognitive Series]
    • [The First Jhāna]
    • [Extension of the Sign]
    • [The Second Jhāna]
    • [The Third Jhāna]
    • [The Fourth Jhāna]
    • [The Fivefold Reckoning of Jhāna]
  • Chapter V The Remaining Kasiṇas (Sesa-kasiṇa-niddesa)
    • [The Water Kasiṇa]
    • [The Fire Kasiṇa]
    • [The Air Kasiṇa]
    • [The Blue Kasiṇa]
    • [The Yellow Kasiṇa]
    • [The Red Kasiṇa]
    • [The White Kasiṇa]
    • [The Light Kasiṇa]
    • [The Limited-Space Kasiṇa]
    • [General]
  • Chapter VI Foulness as a Meditation Subject (Asubha-kammaṭṭhāna-niddesa)
    • [General Definitions]
    • [The Bloated]
    • [The Livid]
    • [The Festering]
    • [The Cut Up]
    • [The Gnawed]
    • [The Scattered]
    • [The Hacked and Scattered]
    • [The Bleeding]
    • [The Worm-Infested]
    • [A Skeleton]
    • [General]
  • Chapter VII Six Recollections (Cha-anussati-niddesa)
    • [(1) Recollection of the Enlightened One]
    • [Accomplished]
    • [Fully Enlightened]
    • [Endowed With Clear Vision and Virtuous Conduct]
    • [Sublime]
    • [Knower of Worlds]
    • [Incomparable Leader of Men to be Tamed]
    • [Teacher of Gods and Men]
    • [Enlightened]
    • [Blessed]
    • [(2) Recollection of the Dhamma]
    • [Well Proclaimed]
    • [Visible Here and Now]
    • [Not Delayed]
    • [Inviting of Inspection]
    • [Onward-Leading]
    • [Is Directly Experienceable by the Wise]
    • [(3) Recollection of the Saṅgha]
    • [Entered on the Good, Straight, True, Proper Way]
    • [Fit for Gifts]
    • [Fit for Hospitality]
    • [Fit for Offering]
    • [Fit for Salutation]
    • [As an Incomparable Field of Merit for the World]
    • [(4) Recollection of Virtue]
    • [(5) Recollection of Generosity]
    • [(6) Recollection of Deities]
    • [General]
  • Chapter VIII Other Recollections as Meditation Subjects (Anussati-kammaṭṭhāna-niddesa)
    • [(7) Mindfulness of Death]
      • [Definitions]
      • [Development]
      • [Eight Ways of Recollecting Death]
      • [Conclusion]
    • [(8) Mindfulness Occupied with the Body]
      • [Text]
      • [Word Commentary]
      • [Development]
      • [The Sevenfold Skill in Learning]
      • [The Tenfold Skill in Giving Attention]
      • [Starting the Practice]
      • [The Thirty-two Aspects in Detail]
      • [Head Hairs]
      • [Body Hairs]
      • [Nails]
      • [Teeth]
      • [Skin (Taca)]
      • [Flesh]
      • [Sinews]
      • [Bones]
      • [Bone Marrow]
      • [Kidney]
      • [Heart]
      • [Liver]
      • [Midriff] [28]
      • [Spleen]
      • [Lungs]
      • [Bowel]
      • [Entrails (Mesentery)]
      • [Gorge]
      • [Dung]
      • [Brain]
      • [Bile]
      • [Phlegm]
      • [Pus]
      • [Blood]
      • [Sweat]
      • [Fat]
      • [Tears]
      • [Grease]
      • [Spittle]
      • [Snot]
      • [Oil of the Joints]
      • [Urine]
      • [The Arising of Absorption]
    • [(9) Mindfulness of Breathing]
      • [Text]
      • [Word Commentary]
      • [Word Commentary Continued—First Tetrad]
      • [Method of Development]
      • [Word Commentary Continued—Second Tetrad]
      • [Word Commentary Continued—Third Tetrad]
      • [Word Commentary Continued—Fourth Tetrad]
      • [Conclusion]
    • [(10) Recollection of Peace]
  • Chapter IX The Divine Abidings (Brahmavihāra-niddesa)
    • [(1) Loving-Kindness]
      • [Getting Rid of Resentment]
      • [The Breaking Down of the Barriers—The Sign]
      • [Texts and Commentary]
    • [(2) Compassion]
    • [(3) Gladness]
    • [(4) Equanimity]
      • [General]
      • [Meanings]
      • [Characteristic, Etc.]
      • [Purpose]
      • [The Near and Far Enemies]
      • [The Beginning, Middle and End, Etc.]
      • [The Order in Extension]
      • [The Outcome]
      • [Four Questions]
      • [As Producing Three Jhānas and Four Jhānas]
      • [The Highest Limit of Each]
  • Chapter X The Immaterial States (Āruppa-niddesa)
    • [(1) The Base Consisting of Boundless Space]
      • [Text and Commentary]
    • [(2) The Base Consisting of Boundless Consciousness]
      • [Text and Commentary]
    • [(3) The Base Consisting of Nothingness]
      • [Text and Commentary]
    • [(4) The Base Consisting of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception]
      • [Text and Commentary]
    • [General]
  • Chapter XI Concentration—Conclusion: Nutriment and the Elements (Samādhi-niddesa)
    • [Perception of Repulsiveness in Nutriment]
    • [Defining of The Elements: Word Definitions]
    • [Texts and Commentary in Brief]
    • [In Detail]
    • [Method of Development in Brief]
    • [Method of Development in Detail]
      • [(1) With Constituents in Brief]
      • [(2) With Constituents by Analysis]
      • [(3) With Characteristics in Brief]
      • [(4) With Characteristics by Analysis]
    • [Additional Ways of Giving Attention]
    • [Development of Concentration—Conclusion]
    • [The Benefits of Developing Concentration]
  • Chapter XII The Supernormal Powers (Iddhividha-niddesa)
    • [The Benefits of Concentration (Continued)]
      • [(1) The Kinds of Supernormal Power]
  • Chapter XIII Other Direct-knowledges (Abhiññā-niddesa)
    • [(2) The Divine Ear Element]
    • [(3) Penetration of Minds]
    • [(4) Recollection of Past Lives]
    • [(5) The Divine Eye—Knowledge of Passing Away and Reappearance of Beings]
    • [General]
  • Chapter XIV The Aggregates (Khandha-niddesa)
    • [A. Understanding]
    • [B. Description of the Five Aggregates]
    • [The Materiality Aggregate]
    • [The Consciousness Aggregate]
    • [The 89 Kinds of Consciousness—see Table III]
    • [The 14 Modes of Occurrence of Consciousness]
    • [The Feeling Aggregate]
    • [The Perception Aggregate]
    • [The Formations Aggregate—see Tables II & IV]
    • [According to Association with Consciousness]
    • [C. Classification of the Aggregates]
    • [Materiality]
    • [Feeling]
    • [Perception, Formations and Consciousness]
    • [D. Classes of Knowledge of the Aggregates]
  • Chapter XV The Bases and Elements (Āyatana-dhātu-niddesa)
    • [A. Description of the Bases]
    • [B. Description of the Elements]
  • Chapter XVI The Faculties and Truths (Indriya-sacca-niddesa)
    • [A. Description of the Faculties]
    • [B. Description of the Truths]
    • [The Truth of Suffering]
    • [(i) Birth]
    • [(ii) Ageing]
    • [(iii) Death]
    • [(v) Lamentation]
    • [(vi) Pain]
    • [(vii) Grief]
    • [(viii) Despair]
    • [(ix) Association with the Unloved]
    • [(x) Separation from the Loved]
    • [(xi) Not to Get What One Wants]
    • [(xii) The Five Aggregates]
    • [The Truth of the Origin of Suffering]
    • [The Truth of the Cessation of Suffering]
    • [Discussion on Nibbāna]
    • [The Truth of the Way]
    • [General]
  • Chapter XVII The Soil of Understanding—Conclusion: Dependent Origination (Paññā-bhūmi-niddesa)
    • [Section A. Definition of Dependent Origination]
    • [Section B. Exposition]
    • [I. Preamble]
    • [II. Brief Exposition]
    • [III. Detailed Exposition]
    • [(i) Ignorance]
    • [(ii) Formations]
      • [The 24 Conditions]
      • [How Ignorance is a Condition for Formations]
      • [No Single Fruit from Single Cause]
      • [(iii) Consciousness]
        • [(1) Kinds of Mundane Resultant Consciousness]
        • [(2) The Occurrence of Resultant Consciousness]
        • [2. (a) In the Course of an Existence]
        • [2. (b) At Rebirth-Linking]
        • [How Kamma is a Condition]
        • [(3) How Formations are a Condition for Consciousness]
    • [(iv) Mentality-Materiality]
    • [(v) The Sixfold Base]
      • [(1) Mentality as Condition]
      • [(3) Mentality-Materiality as Condition]
    • [(vi) Contact]
      • [How the Sixfold Base is a Condition for Contact]
    • [(vii) Feeling]
    • [(viii) Craving]
    • [(ix) Clinging]
      • [How Craving is a Condition for Clinging]
    • [(x) Becoming]
      • [How Clinging is a Condition for Becoming]
    • [(xi)–(xii) Birth, Etc.]
    • [Section C. The Wheel of Becoming]
    • [(i) The Wheel]
    • [(ii) The Three Times]
    • [(iii) Cause and Fruit]
    • [(iv) Various]
  • Chapter XVIII Purification of View (Diṭṭhi-visuddhi-niddesa)
    • [Defining of Mentality-Materiality]
    • [(1) Definition Based on the Four Primaries]
    • [(2) Definition Based on the Eighteen Elements]
    • [(3) Definition Based on the Twelve Bases]
    • [(4) Definition Based on the Five Aggregates]
    • [(5) Brief Definition Based on the Four Primaries]
    • [If the Immaterial Fails to Become Evident]
    • [How the Immaterial States Become Evident]
    • [No Being Apart from Mentality-Materiality]
    • [Interdependence of Mentality and Materiality]
  • Chapter XIX Purification by Overcoming Doubt (Kaṅkhāvitaraṇa-visuddhi-niddesa)
    • [Ways of Discerning Cause and Condition]
    • [Neither Created by a Creator nor Causeless]
    • [Its Occurance is Always Due to Conditions]
    • [General and Particular Conditions]
    • [Dependent Origination in Reverse Order]
    • [Dependent Origination in Direct Order]
    • [Kamma and Kamma-Result]
    • [No Doer Apart from Kamma and Result]
    • [Full-Understanding of the Known]
  • Chapter XX Purification by Knowledge and Vision of What is the Path and What is Not the Path (Maggāmagga-ñāṇadassana-visuddhi-niddesa)
    • [The Three Kinds of Full-Understanding]
    • [Insight: Comprehension by Groups]
    • [Comprehension by Groups—Application of Text]
    • [Strengthening of Comprehension in Forty Ways]
    • [Nine Ways of Sharpening the Faculties, Etc.
    • [Comprehension of the Material]
    • [(a) Kamma-Born Materiality]
    • [(b) Consciousness-Born Materiality]
    • [(c) Nutriment-Born Materiality]
    • [(d) Temperature-Born Materiality]
    • [Comprehension of the Immaterial]
    • [The Material Septad]
    • [The Immaterial Septad]
    • [The Eighteen Principal Insights]
    • [Knowledge of Rise and Fall—I]
    • [The Ten Imperfections of Insight]
  • Chapter XXI Purification by Knowledge and Vision of the Way (Paṭipadā-ñāṇadassana-visuddhi-niddesa)
    • [Insight: The Eight Knowledges]
    • [1. Knowledge of Rise and Fall—II]
    • [2. Knowledge of Dissolution]
    • [3. Knowledge of Appearance as Terror]
    • [4. Knowledge of Danger]
    • [5. Knowledge of Dispassion]
    • [6. Knowledge of Desire for Deliverance]
    • [7. Knowledge of Reflection]
    • [Discerning Formations as Void]
    • [8. Knowledge of Equanimity about Formations]
    • [The Triple Gateway to Liberation]
    • [The Seven Kinds of Noble Persons]
    • [The Last Three Knowledges are One]
    • [Insight Leading to Emergence]
    • [The Twelve Similes]
    • [The Difference in the Noble Path’s Factors, Etc.]
    • [9. Conformity Knowledge]
    • [Sutta References]
  • Chapter XXII Purification by Knowledge and Vision (Ñāṇadassana-visuddhi-niddesa)
    • [I. Change-of-Lineage, Paths, and Fruits]
    • [The First Path—First Noble Person]
    • [The First Fruition—Second Noble Person]
    • [The Second Path—Third Noble Person]
    • [The Second Fruition—Fourth Noble Person]
    • [The Third Path—Fifth Noble Person]
    • [The Third Fruition—Sixth Noble Person]
    • [The Fourth Path—Seventh Noble Person]
    • [The Fourth Fruition—Eighth Noble Person]
    • [II. The States Associated with the Path, Etc.]
    • [The Four Functions]
    • [The Four Functions in a Single Moment]
    • [The Four Functions Described Separately]
    • [Conclusion]
  • Chapter XXIII The Benefits In Developing Understanding (Paññābhāvanānisaṃsa-niddesa)
    • [A. Removal of the Defilements]
    • [B. The Taste of the Noble Fruit]
    • [C. The Attainment of Cessation]
    • [D. Worthiness to Receive Gifts]
  • Conclusion
    • [Postscript]
  • Pali-English Glossary of Some Subjects and Technical Terms
  • Table I.The Materiality Aggregate [1]
  • Table II.The Formations Aggregate [1]
  • Table III. Consciousness Aggregate[1]
  • Table IV. The Combination of the Formations Aggregate and Consciousness Aggregate [1]
  • Table V. The Cognitive Series in the Occurrence of Consciousness (citta-vīthi) as Presented in the Visuddhimagga and Commentaries
  • Table VI.Dependent Origination (paṭicca-samuppāda)[1]