Seven Factors of Enlightenment

Lord Buddha says; “Just as all rafters of the house go together to the peak, slope to the peak, join at the peak, and of them all, the peak is reckoned as Chief.  O Monks! The wisdom you cultivate slopes to Nirvana, inclines to Nirvana, and peaks at Nirvana.”

At different occasions and circumstances, Lord Buddha gave sermons on seven factors of enlightenment.  The seven factors are the constituent components of the Bodhi -the insight and awareness, and the clear understanding of the Four Noble Truths. 

The following seven factors in unison induce enlightenment. 

1...Sati:  Mindfulness

Lord Buddha’s final words to his disciples were; “Transient are all component things.  Work out your deliverance with heedfulness, being aware and mindful of Dharma!” 

The last words of Venerable Sariputra were; “Strive with heedfulness!  This is my advice to you.” 

In both injunctions the core message is heedfulness.  Man cannot be heedful unless he is aware of his actions whether they are mental, verbal or physical at every moment of his waking life. 

Only when a man is fully awake, aware and mindful of his activities can he distinguish good from bad and right from wrong; avoid ill and perform good.

Mindfulness is highest mental development and it is superior to knowledge, because in the absence of mindfulness, man cannot make best use of his knowledge.  Knowledge devoid of mindfulness tends to lead man astray and entice him away from the path of rectitude and duty. 

Mindfulness entails to Anupassana -contemplation, deep reflection and profound consideration.  One should practice Anupassana on: (1) Kaya -body, (2) Vedana –feeling, (3) Citta –mind, and (4) Dhamma –mental objects and make best use of knowledge whatever the level of knowledge may be.

2...Dhammavicaya:  Thoughtfulness of Dhamma.

Dhammavicaya means seeing things in right perspective and knowing the true nature of both, animate and inanimate beings.  It is through keen investigation one understands that every phenomenon or compound object passes through inconceivable moments of arising, reaching a peak and ceasing. 

The whole universe is constantly changing, not remaining the same for two consecutive moments. Everything is subject to causes, conditions and effects.  Systematic reflection is possible through right mindfulness that naturally urges to discriminate, to reason and to investigate. 

Being investigative is not doubting but observing Dhamma.  Being thoroughly correct with right attitude is Dhamma.  It is the advice of Lord Buddha as he condemns blind faith. 

Compulsion in any form is bad and so is blind faith.  Lord Buddha says; “The truth of the Dhamma can be grasped only through calm concentrative thought and insight and never through blind faith.

One who cultivates Dhammavicaya, endeavours to realise Nama-Rupa-Santati, the confluence of mind and matter, their rise and fall or arising and passing away, and realises the evanescent nature of his own mind and body. 

Those who have realised Nama-Rupa-Santati see what is impermanent and not lasting as sorrow fraught, and what is sorrow fraught is void of a permanent and everlasting soul or self.  With this Vipassana Nana, the penetrative insight, they are able to completely destroy the latent tendencies of being ignorant and experiencing sorrow.”

3...Virya:  Energy

Virya is a mental property and the sixth limb of the Noble Eightfold Path, called Samma Vayama, the Right Effort. 

Lord Buddha, from the moment of his enlightenment to the last moment of his life, was not subjected to physical and mental fatigue.  He never relaxed in his exertion for the wellbeing of all sentient beings. 

Lord Buddha's life inspires us to be ever strong and firm in purpose and sincerely resolute to make necessary effort, and strive for deliverance with diligence. 

Lord Buddha says; “Atta Saranum Anannya Saranum: Be ye the island unto yourself, be ye your own refuse.”  Lord Buddha exhorted his follower to acquire self-reliance. 

Lord Buddha made it clear that he is not a saviour.  He only showed the path and said; others may lend a helping hand but deliverance from suffering must be wrought by each one personally by one's own action. 

A follower of Lord Buddha must not under any circumstances relinquish hope and effort.  As an aspirant of supreme ideals one must have the same inspiring motto of Lord Buddha: “Ma Nivatta, Abhikkhama –Falter not, Advance.” 

One who is mindful and investigative should make effort to fight one's way out and never give up the quest and swerve from the path of rectitude and enlightenment. 

Lord Buddha, by precept and example, was an exponent of strenuous life.  Following his footsteps, we must with unflinching energy with fixed determination strive to: (1) eradicate evils that have arisen in our mind, (2) prevent the un-arisen evil, (3) develop un-arisen good, and (4) promote further growth of good already arisen.

4...Piti:  Rapture or Happiness.

Piti means rapture or happiness.  It is a supreme mental quality which suffuses our body and mind. 

We should cultivate all-important factors of happiness.  No one can bestow on another the gift of happiness; each one has to build it up by one's own endeavour. 

As happiness is a thing of the mind, a state of mind; it should be sought not in external and material things though they may in a small way be instrumental. 

Lord Buddha says; “Contentment is a characteristic of the really happy individual.” 

An ordinary worldly person seems to think that it is difficult to cultivate and develop contentment; but it is possible. 

By courage, determination, calm and contemplative thought, by controlling one’s evil inclinations, and by curbing the impulses –the sudden tendencies to act without reflection; one can keep the mind from being soiled and experience happiness through contentment.  

It is in man’s mind arise conflicts of diverse kinds.  Hard it is to give up what lures and enslaves us; and hard it is to get rid of the evil spirits that haunt the human heart in the form of unwholesome thoughts manifesting in the form of lust, greed, hatred, pride, jealousy, fear, worry, restlessness, delusion and ignorance. 

Until, by constant training of the mind by following Noble Eightfold Path, one cannot defeat the multitude of enemies and attain to the very crest of purity and peace.

Real happiness or rapture comes not through craving and clinging to animate or in-animate beings, but by Nekkhamma –giving up, renunciation.  It is the detached attitude toward the Samsara that brings about true happiness. 

Seeing a form, hearing a sound, perceiving an odour, testing a flavour, feeling some tangible thing, cognising an idea, people experience certain degree of pleasure.  But all are passing show of phenomenon. 

Unalloyed joy comes from by being contended, generous, unswerving regards to truth in words and action, and by speaking truth timely in pleasant words, fit and to the point that promote concords, and worthy of being born in mind. 

5...Passadi:  Calm abiding.

Passadi means calm abiding or tranquillity in Kaya -body, and Citta -mind. 

Kaya Passadi is not just the calm abiding of physical body alone.  It also includes the outer consciousness or the mental properties: Vedana -calm abiding of feeling, Sanna -perception, and Samkhara -the volitional activities or conformations. 

Citta Passadi is calm abiding of the mind, the Vijnana -the aggregates of inner consciousness.

Hard it is to tranquilise the mind.  It wanders at will, quivers and splits, and it is unsteady and fickle.  It is difficult to guard and hold it back.  Such is the nature of ultra-subtle mind.  However by systematic reflection one is able to settle down our mind to tranquillity. 

Unless we cultivate tranquillity of mind, concentration of mind cannot be successfully developed.  Only a tranquilised mind keeps away all superficialities and futilities. 

Calm abiding remaining composed in mind, in the midst of unfavourable environment, is hard indeed. But the man who cultivates tranquillity of mind builds up strength.  The man who cultivates tranquillity of mind, does not get upset, confused or excited and unshaken by loss or gain, blame or praise, and undisturbed by adversity.  Such frame of mind is brought about by viewing this sentient world in its proper perspective. 

Lord Buddha says; "It is good to tame the mind, because a well tamed mind brings happiness." 

Buddha Dharma is for taming the mind and not letting it free.  Personal character develops by subduing and taming the mind on right path and not otherwise. 

Buddhism is the science of mind and art of life living in harmony.  By taming the mind and opening up our heart we make progress for living a life in harmony. 

6...Samadhi:  Concentration

Lord Buddha says; “Samahito Yatha Bhutam Pajanati -The calm and concentrated mind sees things as they really are."  It is only when the mind is tranquil it can concentrate on a subject of meditation. 

Concentration is the intensified steadiness of the mind.  It is concentration that fixes the mind alright and causes it to be unmoved and undisturbed. 

Samadhi -right concentration, when practiced correctly, ensures the mind and mental properties in a state of balance.  Right concentration dispels passion that disturbs the mind, and brings purity and placidity of mind.  The concentrated mind is not distracted by sense objects and not disturbed even under most adverse circumstances. 

One who intent to practice Samadhi should develop Sila –virtue, for it is virtue that nourishes mental life, and makes it coherent and calm, equable and full of rich content. 

Many are the impediments to Samadhi, but five have been specified as five hindrances as (i) sensual desires, (ii) ill-will, (iii) obduracy of mind and mental factors, (iv) restlessness and worry, and (v) doubt, are most important ones. 

The practitioner who has been able to attain Samadhi understands the true nature of the world and comes across the five hindrances and eradicates the Anusaya Klesas -the latent corruptions with Vipassna -intuitional insight, and attains perfect purity. 

At the highest level of perfection the practitioners wipes out all the latent impurities with their rootlets and brings this Samsara -repetitive wandering, to a standstill.  He is one whose Samsara is indubitably ended.  For him there is no rebirth.

7...Upekkha:  Equanimity

Upekkha means equanimity, the mental equipoise as a result of calm concentrative mind.  It is hard, indeed, to be undisturbed when touched by the vicissitudes of life, but the one who cultivates this difficult quality of equanimity remains undisturbed.  Upekkha is a matter of mental hygiene.

“It is easy enough to be pleasant,

When life flows along like a song,

But the man worthwhile

Is the man who can smile

When everything goes dead wrong.”

One who has cultivated and reached the state of perfect neutrality of mind, one who is in perfect state of equanimity, sees all being impartially and remains equipoise at all circumstances.  He has given up negative emotions completely and has established purity of mind.  He has destroyed impartial attitude towards all beings even to inanimate beings. 

Lord Buddha had repeated this teaching on seven factors for enlightenment on his last journey from Rajgirh to Kushinagar.