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Advice on Softening for Vipasyana

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This passage is a famous instruction from the Papañcasūdanī (Ps), the commentary on the Majjhima Nikāya. It describes the dynamic relationship between Tranquility (Samādhi) and Insight (Vipassanā)—specifically how to “soften” the mind when effort becomes too rigid.

Pali:

Yassa hi samādhipi taruṇo vipassanāpi. Tassa vipassanaṃ paṭṭhapetvā aticiraṃ nisinnassa kāyo kilamati, anto aggi viya uṭṭhahati, kacchehi sedā muccanti, matthakato usumavaṭṭi viya uṭṭhahati, cittaṃ haññati vihaññati vipphandati. So puna samāpattiṃ samāpajjitvā taṃ paridametvā mudukam katvā, samassāsetvā puna vipassanaṃ paṭṭhapeti. Tassa puna aticiraṭṃ nisinnassa tatheva hoti. So puna samāpattiṃ samāpajjitvā tatheva karoti. Vipassanāya hi bahūpakārā samāpatti.

Line-by-Line Translation

1. The Starting Condition

  • Pāḷi: Yassa hi samādhipi taruṇo vipassanāpi.

  • Sanskrit: यस्य हि समाधिरपि तरुणो विपश्यनापि।

  • English: For one whose concentration is immature and whose insight is also immature.

2. The Physical Strain

  • Pāḷi: Tassa vipassanaṃ paṭṭhapetvā aticiraṃ nisinnassa kāyo kilamati,

  • Sanskrit: तस्य विपश्यनां प्रस्थाप्य अतिचिरं निषण्णस्य कायः क्लाम्यति,

  • English: If he sits for too long a time after having applied himself to insight, his body becomes weary,

3. Internal Heat and Agitation

  • Pāḷi: anto aggi viya uṭṭhahati, kacchehi sedā muccanti, matthakato usumavaṭṭi viya uṭṭhahati, cittaṃ haññati vihaññati vipphandati.

  • Sanskrit: अन्तः अग्निरिव उत्तिष्ठति, कक्षाभ्यां स्वेदाः मुच्यन्ते, मस्तकतः ऊष्मवर्तिरिव उत्तिष्ठति, चित्तं हन्यते विहन्यते विष्फन्दते।

  • English: a fire as it were rises up within him, sweat is released from his armpits, a vapor rises from the top of his head like a wick of steam, and his mind is struck, distressed, and agitated.

4. The Remedy (Softening)

  • Pāḷi: So puna samāpattiṃ samāpajjitvā taṃ paridametvā mudukam katvā, samassāsetvā puna vipassanaṃ paṭṭhapeti.

  • Sanskrit: स पुनः समापत्तिं समापद्य तं परिदम्य मृदुकं कृत्वा, समाश्वास्य पुनः विपश्यनां प्रस्थापयति।

  • English: He should enter into meditative absorption (Samāpatti) again to tame the mind, making it soft (mṛduka) and refreshed, and then apply himself to insight once more.

5. The Cycle of Practice

  • Pāḷi: Tassa puna aticiraṭṃ nisinnassa tatheva hoti. So puna samāpattiṃ samāpajjitvā tatheva karoti.

  • Sanskrit: तस्य पुनः अतिचिरं निषण्णस्य तथैव भवति। स पुनः समापत्तिं समापद्य तथैव करोति।

  • English: When he has sat again for a very long time and the same thing happens, he enters absorption again and does as before.

6. The Conclusion

  • Pāḷi: Vipassanāya hi bahūpakārā samāpatti.

  • Sanskrit: विपश्यनायाः हि बहूपकारा समापत्तिः॥

  • English: For indeed, meditative absorption is of great assistance to insight.

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