How is the gradual refinement of the 5 mental
abilities?
There are these 5 mental
Abilities:
The ability of
faith,
The ability of
energy,
The ability of
awareness,
The ability of
concentration,
The ability of
understanding!
What are the six aspects of these abilities?
They are dominant.
They are initiating.
They make
quality.
They are stabilizing.
They are completing.
They are the
foundation.
How are the abilities to be understood in the
sense of being dominant?
When one leaves behind skeptic doubt, the faith ability is found
in one as being dominated
by definitive decision. This faith
ability dominated by resolute determination to decision,
then facilitates exertion,
presence, non-distraction and seeing.
When one leaves behind laziness, the energy ability is found in one as being
dominated
by exertion of effort. This energy
ability dominated by exerting effort, then facilitates
presence, non-distraction, seeing and decisiveness.
When one leaves behind negligence, the awareness ability is found in one as
being dominated
by
presence. This awareness ability
dominated by presence, firmly founded, then facilitates
non-distraction, seeing, decisiveness and exertion.
When one leaves behind agitation, the concentration ability is found in one
as being dominated
by non-distraction. This concentration
ability dominated by non-distraction, calm, then facilitates
seeing, decisiveness, exertion and
presence.
When one leaves behind ignorance, the understanding ability is found in one
as being dominated
by seeing. This understanding ability
dominated by seeing, penetrative and clear, then facilitates
decisiveness, exertion,
presence and non-distraction.
This is how the abilities are to be found
and
understood as through dominance!
More on these 5 Mental Abilities:
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Faith_Summary.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Ability_of_Energy.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Awareness_Ability.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Concentration_Ability.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Understanding_Ability.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Five_Abilities_Summary.htm
Source: Sariputta in: The Path of Discrimination: Patidasambhidamagga
https://store.pariyatti.org/Path-of-Discrimination-2nd-Edition_p_2126.html
