The Foundations of Buddhism

The Buddhist Path

TABLE 7· The scheme of the five paths and the ten bodhisattva stages

WHOLESOME ROOT

CONNECTED WITH

PENETRATIVE INSIGHT

PATH BODHISATTVA

STAGE

of the adept Buddhahood

of cultivation

of seeing

highe~t ordinary state l

summit o f app 1.. rcatron

acceptance

initial glimmering

of equipment

ro. cloud of

Dharma

9· excellent

8. unshaking
   7· far-reaching


9. face-to-face
   5· invincible
   4· resplendent
   3· radiant


10. stainless
    r.joyful

PERFECTION

IO. knowledge

9· strength

8. determination
   7· skill in means


9. wisdom
   s.dhyana
   4· vigour
   3· patient acceptance


10. good conduct
    r. generosity

then to watching feeling as pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral, then

to watching one's general mental state; and finally, at the fourth
stage, to integrating the previous three stages so that finally one
watches the totality of physical and mental processes. This final
stage is equivalent to watching the five aggregates: the world is

seen as consisting simply in the interplay of five groups of phys-

ical and mental events.
Vasubandhu presents this set of contemplations as involving
a gradual movement from the gross to the subtle. His presenta-

tion corresponds closely to Buddhaghosa's presentation of the

insight practice involved at the stage of the 'purification of view'.

As the meditator contemplates the world of dharmas his mind

eventually settles in a state of concentration which involves
an initial direct seeing of the four truths. This attainment is
described as the 'heat' or 'glow' (~magata) of wisdom and it marks
the first stage of the path of application. The attainment of 'the