What leads to the cessation of conceit?
Noble Eightfold Path
âBhikkhus, there are these three discriminations. What three? The discrimination âI am superior,â the discrimination âI am equal,â the discrimination âI am inferior.â These are the three discriminations. The Noble Eightfold Path is to be developed for direct knowledge of these three discriminations, for the full understanding of them, for their utter destruction, for their abandoning.
âWhat Noble Eightfold Path? Here, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu develops right view ⊠right concentration, which is based upon seclusion, dispassion, and cessation, maturing in release. This Noble Eightfold Path is to be developed for the direct knowledge of these three discriminations ⊠for their abandoning .â (SN45.162)
âFriends, the evil herein is greed and it is hate. There is a Middle Way for the abandoning of greed and hate, giving vision, giving knowledge, that leads to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to NibbÄna.
âAnd what is that Middle Way? It is just this Noble Eightfold Path, that is to say, right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration. This is the Middle Way giving vision, giving knowledge, that leads to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to NibbÄna.
ââFriends, the evil herein is anger and it is revengeâŠ
ââFriends, the evil herein is contempt and it is domineeringâŠ
ââFriends, the evil herein is envy and it is avariceâŠ
ââFriends, the evil herein is deceit and it is fraudâŠ
ââFriends, the evil herein is obduracy and it is presumptionâŠ
ââFriends, the evil herein is conceit and it is pride (haughtiness)âŠ
ââFriends, the evil herein is vainity and it is negligence. There is a Middle Way for the abandoning of vanity and negligence⊠that leads to peace, to direct knowledge, to enlightenment, to NibbÄna .â (MN3)
The perception of impermanence
"Rahula, develop meditation on the perception of impermanence; for when you develop meditation on the perception of impermanence, the conceit âI amâ will be abandoned. (MN62)
"Ananda, there are these five aggregates affected by clinging, in regard to which a bhikkhu should abide contemplating rise and fall thus: âSuch is material form, such its arising, such its disappearance; such is feeling, such its arising, such its disappearance; such is perception, such its arising, such its disappearance; such are formations, such their arising, such their disappearance; such is consciousness, such its arising, such its disappearance.â
When he abides contemplating rise and fall in these five aggregates affected by clinging, the conceit âI amâ based on these five aggregates affected by clinging is abandoned in him. When that is so, that bhikkhu understands: âThe conceit âI amâ based on these five aggregates affected by clinging is abandoned in me.â In that way he has full awareness of that . (MN122)
âAnd furthermore, when the monk is established in these five qualities, there are four additional qualities he should develop: He should develop [contemplation of] the unattractive so as to abandon passion. He should develop good will so as to abandon ill will. He should develop mindfulness of in-&-out breathing so as to cut off thinking. He should develop the perception of inconstancy so as to uproot the conceit, âI am.â For a monk perceiving inconstancy, the perception of not-self is made steady. One perceiving not-self attains the uprooting of the conceit, âI amââNibbana right in the here-&-now . (Ud4.1, AN9.1, AN9.4)
âMendicants, when the perception of impermanence is developed and cultivated it eliminates all desire for sensual pleasures, for rebirth in the realm of luminous form, and for rebirth in a future life. It eliminates all ignorance and eradicates all conceit âI amâ.
In the autumn, a farmer ploughing with a large plough shears through all the root networks. In the same way, when the perception of impermanence is developed ⊠it eradicates all conceit âI amâ.
[cut some examples of how this perception is superior]
âŠâAfter the rainy season the sky is clear and cloudless. And when the sun rises, it dispels all the darkness from the sky as it shines and glows and radiates. In the same way, when the perception of impermanence is developed and cultivated it eliminates all desire for sensual pleasures, for rebirth in the realm of luminous form, and for rebirth in a future life. It eliminates all ignorance and eradicates all conceit âI amâ.
And how is the perception of impermanence developed and cultivated so that ⊠it eradicates all conceit âI amâ? âSuch is form, such is the origin of form, such is the ending of form. Such is feeling ⊠Such is perception ⊠Such are choices ⊠Such is consciousness, such is the origin of consciousness, such is the ending of consciousness.â
Thatâs how the perception of impermanence is developed and cultivated so that it eliminates all desire for sensual pleasures, for rebirth in the realm of luminous form, and for rebirth in a future life. Thatâs how it eliminates all ignorance and eradicates all conceit âI amâ .â (SN22.102)
âAfter some time they meditate observing rise and fall in the five grasping aggregates. âSuch is form, such is the origin of form, such is the ending of form. Such is feeling ⊠Such is perception ⊠Such are choices ⊠Such is consciousness, such is the origin of consciousness, such is the ending of consciousness.â As they do so, that lingering residue âI amâ is eradicated.â (SN22.89)
Not me, not mine, not my self
âVenerable sir, how does one know, how does one see, so that in regard to this body with its consciousness and all external signs, there is no I-making, mine-making, and underlying tendency to conceit?" "Bhikkhu, any kind of material form whatever, whether past or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near - one sees all material form as it actually is with proper wisdom thus: "This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.â Any kind of feeling whatever⊠.Any kind of perception whateverâŠAny kind of formations whateverâŠAny kind of consciousness whatever⊠.one sees all consciousness as it actually is with proper wisdom thus: "This is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.â It is when one knows and sees thus that in regard to this body with its consciousness and all external signs there is no I-making, mine-making, or underlying tendency to conceit .â (MN109, SN18.21, SN22.71, SN22.91)
The result of this will beâŠâ the mind is rid of I-making, mine-making, and conceit, has transcended discrimination, and is peaceful and well liberated" (SN18.22 SN22.72. SN22.92
The perception of not-self in suffering
âWhen the perception of not-self in suffering is developed and cultivated itâs very fruitful and beneficial. It culminates in freedom from death and ends in freedom from death.â Thatâs what I said, but why did I say it? When a mendicant often meditates with a mind reinforced with the perception of not-self in suffering, their mind is rid of I-making, mine-making, and conceit for this conscious body and all external stimuli. It has gone beyond discrimination, and is peaceful and well freed.
If a mendicant often meditates with a mind reinforced with the perception of not-self in suffering, but their mind is not rid of I-making, mine-making, and conceit for this conscious body and all external stimuli; nor has it gone beyond discrimination, and is not peaceful or well freed, they should know: âMy perception of not-self in suffering is undeveloped. I donât have any distinction higher than before. I havenât attained a fruit of development.â In this way they are aware of the situation.
But if a mendicant often meditates with a mind reinforced with the perception of not-self in suffering, and their mind is rid of I-making, mine-making, and conceit for this conscious body and all external stimuli; and it has gone beyond discrimination, and is peaceful and well freed, they should know: âMy perception of not-self in suffering is well developed. I have realized a distinction higher than before. I have attained a fruit of development.â In this way they are aware of the situation. âWhen the perception of not-self in suffering is developed and cultivated itâs very fruitful and beneficial. It culminates in freedom from death and ends in freedom from death.â Thatâs what I said, and this is why I said it . (AN7.49)
âAt Savatthi. Then the Venerable Rahula approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, sat down to one side, and said to him: âVenerable sir, how should one know, how should one see so that, in regard to this body with consciousness and in regard to all external signs, I-making, mine-making, and the underlying tendency to conceit no longer occur within?â
"Any kind of form whatsoever, Rahula, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or nearâone sees all form as it really is with correct wisdom thus: âThis is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.â "Any kind of feeling whatsoeverâŠ. Any kind of perception whatsoever⊠Any kind of volitional formations whatsoeverâŠAny kind of consciousness whatsoever, whether past, future, or present, internal or external, gross or subtle, inferior or superior, far or near-one sees all consciousness as it really is with correct wisdom thus: âThis is not mine, this I am not, this is not my self.â "When one knows and sees thus, Rahula, then in regard to this body with consciousness and in regard to all external signs, I making, mine-making, and the underlying tendency to conceit no longer occur within ." (SN18.21) (SN18.22, SN22.71, SN22.72, SN22.82, SN22.91)
No delight, not welcoming and hold on to perceptions and notions
âBhikkhus, as to the source through which perceptions and notions tinged by mental proliferation beset a man: if nothing is found there to delight in, welcome and hold to, this is the end of the underlying tendency to lust, of the underlying tendency to aversion, of the underlying tendency to views, of the underlying tendency to doubt, of the underlying tendency to conceit, of the underlying tendency to desire for being, of the underlying tendency to ignorance; this is the end of resorting to rods and weapons, of quarrels, brawls, disputes, recrimination, malice, and false speech; here these evil unwholesome states cease without remainder.â (MN18)
Mindfulness directed to the body
"Bhikkhus, when one thing is developed and cultivated, (586) ignorance is abandonedâŠ(587) true knowledge arisesâŠ(588) the conceit âI amâ is abandoned⊠(589) the underlying tendencies are uprooted⊠(590) The fetters are abandoned. What is that one thing? Mindfulness directed to the body. When this one thing is developed and cultivated, ignorance is abandonedâŠtrue knowledge arisesâŠthe conceit "I amâ is abandonedâŠthe underlying tendencies are uprooted⊠the fetters are abandoned. (AN1.586-590)
"Again, Bhante, suppose a bhikkhu were to see a corpse thrown aside in a charnel ground, one, two or three days dead, bloated, livid, and festering. He compares his own body with it thus: 'This body, too, is Of the same nature; it will be like that; it is not beyond that. Or suppose he were to see a corpse thrown aside in a charnel ground, being devoured by crows, hawks, vultures, dogs, jackals, or various kinds of living beings. He compares his own body with it thus: 'This body, too, is of the same nature; it will be like that; it is not beyond that. Or suppose he were to see a corpse thrown aside in a charnel ground, a skeleton With flesh and blood, held together with sinewsâŠa fleshless skeleton smeared with blood, held together .with sinews⊠a skeleton without flesh and blood, held together with sinew s disconnected bones scattered in all directions: here a handbone, there a footbone, here a shinbone, there a thighbone, here a hipbone, there a backbone, and there the skull. He compares his own body with it thus: 'This body, too, is of the same nature; it will be like that; it is not beyond that. Or suppose he were to see a corpse thrown aside in a charnel ground. bones bleached white, the color of shells . . . bones heaped up, more than a year old . . . bones rotted, crumbled to dust. He compares his own body with it thus: 'This body, too, is of the same nature; it will be like that; it is not beyond that. This subject of recollection, developed and cultivated in this way, leads to the uprooting of the conceit 'I am â (AN6.29)
Meditation on the Signless
âDevelop meditation on the signless,
And discard the tendency to conceit.
Then, by breaking through conceit,
You will be one who fares at peace. (SN8.4)
No sakkaya ditthiâs
âMendicants, whatever ascetics and brahmins regard various kinds of things as self, all regard the five grasping aggregates, or one of them. What five? Itâs when an unlearned ordinary person has not seen the noble ones, and is neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the noble ones. Theyâve not seen true persons, and are neither skilled nor trained in the teaching of the true persons.
They regard form as self, self as having form, form in self, or self in form. They regard feeling ⊠perception ⊠choices ⊠consciousness as self, self as having consciousness, consciousness in self, or self in consciousness.
So theyâre not rid of this way of regarding things and the conceit âI amâ. As long as theyâre not rid of the conceit âI amâ, the five faculties are conceivedâthe eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body. The mind, ideas, and the element of ignorance are all present. Struck by feelings born of contact with ignorance, an unlearned ordinary person thinks âI amâ, âI am thisâ, âI will beâ, âI will not beâ, âI will have formâ, âI will be formlessâ, âI will be percipientâ, âI will not be percipientâ, âI will be neither percipient nor non-percipientâ.
The five faculties stay right where they are. But a learned noble disciple gives up ignorance about them and gives rise to knowledge. With the fading away of ignorance and the arising of knowledge, they donât think âI amâ, âI am thisâ, âI will beâ, âI will not beâ, âI will have formâ, âI will be formlessâ, âI will be percipientâ, âI will be non-percipientâ, âI will be neither percipient nor non-percipient â.â (SN22.47)
In the next post: What does it mean to be without conceit?
