Podcast | Studying And Practicing With “The Iddhipāda-Vibhaṅga Sutta — An Analysis Of The Bases Of Power”: Perceptions Of Night, Daytime And Light (5 of 7)

Series introduction:

While I reference some non-Buddhist material most everything in the notes and podcasts for this series on The Iddhipāda-Vibhaṅga Sutta are solely my effort to relate considerations, questions, experiences, explorations, suggestions, interpretations and practices involved and associated with this sutta.

This series comes via seven categories/blog posts/podcasts:

1. Introduction; the key encapsulation/encoding/summary paragraph of the whole sutta which includes and weaves in the four powers; and a reading of one of two translations for the sutta
2. Unpacking of the hindrances and the other of two translations for the sutta
3. A (type of) situational awareness
4. 32 parts of the body
5. Perceptions of night, daytime and light
6. “Psychic Powers,” practice combinations and miscellany
7. Summary, findings, observations and comparisons

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In more detail, the four Iddhipāda — sometimes translated as bases of psychic power, basis of psychic power, bases of power, base of spiritual power, wings to success, accomplishments, or roads to power — are:

1. chanda: desire; enthusiasm; purpose; wish
2. viriya: persistence; energy; effort; will
3. citta: intent; consciousness; knowing mind; mental development; devoting mind to; heart-mind
4. vīmaṃsā: investigation; inquiry; discernment; discrimination; reason; interest; intelligent curiosity; [(perhaps a new contribution, or for chanda:) balanced and helpful enthrallment, fascination]; feedback and fine tuning, adjustment; learn from doing

Along with aiding our even mundane accomplishments and mastery, perhaps the Iddhipāda play a significant role in approaching will — the way one decides on and initiates action — and at the core of The Iddhipāda-Vibhaṅga Sutta is an analysis of will along with instructions for its training, development, and use.

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Part Five: Perceptions of Night, Daytime and Light

nemo malux felix — “The treacherous can not withstand the daylight”

The first two portions of this podcast are without notes. [There I mention all actions involve intent. I guess some exceptions in the mundane sense could be instincts and “temporary insanity”.]

The last part of the podcast references my notes, mainly regarding the following portion of the “The Iddhipāda-Vibhaṅga Sutta — An Analysis Of The Bases Of Power”:

“And how does a monk dwell by night as by day, and by day as by night? There is the case where a monk at night develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on desire & the fabrications of exertion by means of the same modes [permutations] & signs & themes that he uses by day, and by day he develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on desire & the fabrications of exertion by means of the same modes & signs & themes that he uses by night. This is how a monk dwells by night as by day, and by day as by night.

“And how does a monk—by means of an awareness open & unhampered—develop a brightened mind? There is the case where a monk has the perception of light, the perception of daytime [at any hour of the day] well in hand & well-established. This is how a monk—by means of an awareness open & unhampered—develops a brightened mind.

[The above discussion is then repeated for persistence, intent, & discrimination.]

or translated:

“And how does a mendicant meditate as by day, so by night; as by night, so by day? It’s when a mendicant develops the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to enthusiasm and active effort, with the same features, attributes, and signs by day as by night. And they develop it with the same features, attributes, and signs by night as by day. That’s how a mendicant meditates as by day, so by night; as by night, so by day.

And how, with an open and unenveloped heart, does a mendicant develop a mind that’s full of radiance? It’s when a mendicant has properly grasped the perception of light, and has properly grasped the perception of day. That’s how, with an open and unenveloped heart, a mendicant develops a mind that’s full of radiance.”

[above portion repeated three more times, but swapping out “enthusiasm” for “energy,” then swapping out for “mental development,” and finally for “inquiry”]

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I practiced with the former translation which contains more specific detail than the latter.

Three groups of bigger and primary questions:

1. Why these instructions? See later parts in this series for my speculation
2. How exactly does one meditate as by day, so by night; as by night, so by day to develop “the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to enthusiasm and active effort, energy and active effort, mental development and active effort, and inquiry and active effort”? or the translation desire & the fabrications of exertion; persistence & the fabrications of exertion; intent & the fabrications of exertion; & discrimination & the fabrications of exertion. BTW, if you haven’t noticed, the Buddha was big on exertion and effort.
3. For contemplation and meditation: What are the various (relative) perception(s)(, processes and dynamics) of: day; night; night and day; day and night; light; darkness; varying degrees and amounts of light and darkness together; (and how about the uncommon perceptions of daytime during night; nighttime during the day; light when dark; and darkness when light)? How about more metaphorical perceptions for light such as awakening, knowledge, realization, benevolence, vision, illumination and for darkness such as ignorance?

How do we discern and detect day (and night) (in the body)?

Some examples of modes [permutations], signs, themes, features, and attributes for day:

• sunlight
• activity, energy
• (mass) movement
• sounds of birds
• warmth
• depending on season and location, elements of earth (physical objects) and air (movement) may be more prevalent during the day
• numerous, albeit superficial connections amongst fellow human beings

Some examples of modes [permutations], signs, themes, features, and attributes for night:

• protection
• rest
• comfort
• sleep
• stillness
• sounds of insects and night creatures
• depending on season and location, elements of fire (warmth/coolness) and water (bathroom at night and more challenging to find) may be more prevalent at night
• fewer, but deeper, more intimate connections

• How do we connect with perceptions? Perhaps via contact, feeling or sensing, and active thought.
• To what significant extent are consciousness and energy involved with this? How are they involved?
• Light’s role in the snake/stick perception/misperception
• Holding in awareness (one or various) perceptions of light and day during night and (one or various) perceptions of night during day as meditation objects for these two time periods.
• Stark, and sometimes intense, exploration in/of polarity
• Can there be jhanas with/using: “by day he develops the base of power endowed with concentration founded on desire & the fabrications of exertion by means of the same modes & signs & themes that he uses by night” or “immersion due to enthusiasm, and active effort, with the same features, attributes, and signs by day as by night” as the meditation object since immersion and concentration is involved?
• How does/would prolonged and consistent meditation and dwelling “by night as by day, and by day as by night” influence those one lives with and/or near? Are practical measures needed with this? If so, what and why?

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Out of this placement of King and Priest as the highest offices of this world emerged the restatement of the ancient ritual of establishing two pillars at the entrance of every temple, oriented to the rising sun (rising son = Horus Rising or Horizon) coming over the horizon on the first day of spring on the vernal equinox. These two pillars represent the Line of the King and the Line of the Priest, who established their lineages to control the Land and the Law throughout history to the present time.

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The storyline of the Isis and Osiris mystery cult is simple and quite instructive. There are nine godheads in the primary Egyptian Pantheon known as the Ennead. Anu sits at the top of the Council of Nine (the Ennead). Below him are two sets of brother/sister twins (husband and wife) that embody the physical Earth in its primordial elements: Earth, Air, Fire and Water. Out of these emerge another two sets of brother/sister twins (husband and wife), representing the polarity of dark and light in the false light matrix of the hologram containment field. These are Isis and Osiris on the light side, from who emerges the prodigal Sun/Son Horus, who rises in the east at the Horizon (Horus Rising). Set and Nephthys counter the light as it is extinguished on the western horizon by Set as he removes the light of the day at Sun-Set and gives it over to his sister/wife to cover the Night. Light and Dark, Black and White, the never-ending polarity, displayed for all to see on every Masonic temple floor, in Westminster Abbey and many more.

from p.43 and p.104 of An Overview of the World System of Bondage and Separation from Life

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