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This has also attracted the attention of the great Savant Nāga sena who did not check his temptation of explaining the term. He says that the understansing (Pañña) has two characteristics--cutting off and sheding flood of light. It differs from attention (manasikära). While appearing, it removes the darkness of ignorance and generates light of wisdom, whereby the Four-Noble Truths together with three-fold nature of reality become crystal clear. It is just like holding a lamp in the dark room whereby one can clearly see the things lying therein. It has further been also explained in four-fold method by pointing out its characteristic etc. Here its characteristic has been shown as penetrating into the nature of Dhamma, just like penetration of an arrow sought by a skillful archer. Its function is to illuminate the objects like a lamp and it manifests as non-bewilderment, similar to a perfect guide in a forest. Understanding in this way is the proper vision of an ardent (Yogāvacara) to view the things as they appear and as they really are.
These are the five controlling factors which when developed and practiced properly bring purity of mind and enable one to realize the goal of life. Here one should know the process of that development and practice. In this context the tradition says that firstly, the five controlling factors should be understood with their four-fold ways of examination. Knowing them so, they should be observed again and again and should be treated as the amicable factors for bringing harmony in life. They should be harboured in mind repeatedly with a wish that they should develop so as to help in the right endeavour. They should also be bifurcated from other states and should be nourished with friendliness in our mind. In this way in course of time, there should be development of these five factors in an effective manner, capable to control and regulate the mind,
In this connection, the tradition makes a suggestion based on a practical experience about the practice of five-fold controlling factor. It says that the equanimity of the five faculties stculd be maintained, and put into a balanced state. One should neither be made too stiong, nor too weak. If one becomes too strong then the proper function of the other not possible. For instance, if Faith becomes strong and others weak, then the Energy faculty cannot perform its function of exerting, the Mindfulness faculty its function of creating awareness, the Concentration faculty its function of not distracting and the Understanding faculty its function of visualizing. Therefore, the Faith faculty should be modified and kept in a balanced state. Similar attention should also be paid with reference to other faculties. It is also seen that if the Energy faculty becomes strong, the Faith faculty cannot perform its function of inspiring confidence nor the other faculties have their proper functions. Therefore, its modification is essential.?
There is also a process of balancing of these faculties. All the faculties should not be mixed while making modifications with respect of their functions for balancing. The Faith and the Understanding faculties should be put together in one group for balancing. Why it is so ? It is seen that when the Faith becomes strong. it does not allow Understanding to function well and thereby makes it weak. As such the confidence. which is developed, is uncritical and lean towards superstition. Again when Understanding becomes strong and Faith weak, then there is the development of distraction and also bewilderness of consciousness. The mind leans towards madness. It is just like becoming unable to cure a sick person diseased of medicine itself. It is also said that when Concentration becomes strong and Energy weak, then there is the predominence of idleness, as the Concentration starts favouring laziness and not the efforts. When Energy becomes strong and Concentration weak, the Energy leans towards distraction and the latter becomes disturbed.
Then what one should do? One should maintain the balanced state of Faith faculty and Understanding faculty on one hand the Concentration faculty and Energy faculty on the other. When there shall be the
1. 2.
Q.K.M. 1, (M.P.) 61-62. V.M. 87-88.
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