Developmental Overview
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The four noble truths are the foundational structure of the Pāḷi dhamma. They serve as the comprehensive orientation for us as practitioners. Within this framework, unsatisfactoriness is to be fully understood. Craving, which is the origin of unsatisfactoriness, is to be abandoned. The elimination of craving, which is the cessation of unsatisfactoriness, is to be realized. And the middle way of practice leading to this liberation from craving is to be developed.
As we become more and more adept in our ability to understand the four noble truths and apply this understanding in all of our daily experiences, we’ll find that our practice becomes simpler and that all aspects of our life become increasingly aligned with the noble eightfold path. This represents the comprehensive engagement of living an authentic and meaningful life. This alignment — the ability to embody the path — is a developmental process, which unfolds as our practice matures. This comprehensive development culminates in complete awakening.
This relationship between (i) the four noble truths as our comprehensive orientation, (ii) the noble eightfold path as the factors of comprehensive engagement, and (iii) the skillful qualities which arise sequentially as this path unfolds and develops, are presented in the following table.
| Comprehensive Orientation |
Comprehensive Engagement |
Comprehensive Development1 |
| unsatisfactoriness (dukkha) |
integral view (sammādiṭṭhi) |
dissatisfaction (dukkha) |
| origin of unsatisfactoriness (dukkhasamudaya) |
integral resolve (sammāsaṅkappa) |
faith (saddhā) |
| cessation of unsatisfactoriness (dukkhanirodha) |
integral speech (sammāvācā) |
gladness (pāmojja) |
| middle way of practice (majjhimāpaṭipadā) |
integral action (sammākammanta) |
joy (pīti) |
| integral livelihood (sammāājīva) |
tranquility (passaddhi) |
|
| integral effort (sammāvāyāma) |
pleasure (sukha) |
|
| integral mindfulness (sammāsati) |
meditative composure (samādhi) |
|
| integral composure (sammāsamādhi) |
gnosis & vision of things as they are (yathābhūtañāṇadassana) |
|
| disenchantment (nibbidā) |
||
| dispassion (virāga) |
||
| liberation (vimutti) |
||
| gnosis of elimination (khayeñāṇa) |
In our everyday life there are numerous things which captivate each of us and capture our attention. But because these things are temporary and difficult to sustain according to our wishes, they are incapable of providing lasting happiness. This is the case for almost all of the things which fascinate us and consume much of our time, whether it’s the propagation of creature comforts, habitual emotions, or self-confirming thought patterns. Thus, we find ourselves caught in never-ending cycles struggling to create and re-create desirable situations and moods so as to be happy and satiate our wants, even as the objects of our desire are slipping through our fingers. We are being held captive by our infatuation with the very things that captivate us.
This ongoing struggle is unsatisfactory (dukkha). Craving is what propels and motivates the struggle. We are confined by our own mistaken pursuit of happiness by pursuing things that will never satisfy. Our current situation is one of captivity.
But if we can begin to see both the allure as well as the drawbacks and shortcomings of the things which captivate us and capture our attention, it’s possible that this understanding will allow us to change our focus. With this new orientation we can choose to focus on and develop skillful qualities and living situations which are more easily sustainable. We can learn to apply all of our energies in ways that promote long term happiness and benefit.
Subset A: Process Model of Factors of Awakening
Nested within the stages of comprehensive development in the third column of the above table is the process model of the seven factors of awakening.
| Integral Orientation |
Integral Engagement |
Integral Development |
| contemplation of the body (kāyānupassanā) |
exertion of restraint (saṃvarappadhāna) |
mindfulness (sati) |
| contemplation of feelings (vedanānupassanā) |
exertion of abandoning (pahānappadhāna) |
dhamma-investigation (dhammavicaya) |
| contemplation of mind (cittānupassanā) |
exertion of development (bhāvanāppadhāna) |
energy (vīriya) |
| contemplation of phenomena (dhammānupassanā) |
exertion of maintaining (anurakkhaṇāppadhāna) |
joy (pīti) |
| tranquility (passaddhi) |
||
| meditative composure (samādhi) |
||
| equanimity (upekkhā) |
Subset B: Process Model of Integral Composure
Nested within the developmental process model of the seven factors of awakening in the third column of the above table of Subset A is the process model of integral meditative composure, which includes the development of the four jhānas.2
| First Jhāna (Paṭhamajjhāna) |
Second Jhāna (Dutiyajjhāna) |
Third Jhāna (Tatiyajjhāna) |
Fourth Jhāna (Catutthajjhāna) |
| directed thought (vitakka) |
joy (pīti) |
pleasure (sukha) |
equanimity (upekkhā) |
| evaluation (vicāra) |
pleasure (sukha) |
equanimity (upekkhā) |
neither-pain-nor-pleasure (adukkhamasukhā) |
| joy (pīti) |
internal clarity (ajjhatta sampasādana) |
mindfulness (sati) |
purity of mindfulness (satipārisuddhi) |
| pleasure (sukha) |
singleness of mind (cittekaggatā) |
full awareness (sampajañña) |
singleness of mind (cittekaggatā) |
| singleness of mind (cittekaggatā) |
singleness of mind (cittekaggatā) |
Subset C: Process Model of Liberating Discernment
Also nested within the stages of comprehensive development in the third column of the first table is the process model of liberating discernment.
| Liberating Orientation |
Liberating Engagement |
Liberating Development |
| recognition of unattractiveness (asubhasaññā) |
recognition of disenchantment (nibbidasaññā) |
stream-winner (sotāpanna) |
| recognition of impermanence (aniccasaññā) |
recognition of dispassion (virāgasaññā) |
once-returner (sakadāgāmi) |
| recognition of unsatisfactoriness (dukkhasaññā) |
recognition of cessation (nirodhasaññā) |
non-returner (anāgāmī) |
| recognition of selflessness (anattasaññā) |
recognition of release (paṭinissaggasaññā) |
arahant (arahant) |
Notes
- This developmental path sequence is found in SN 12.23 (S ii 29) Upanisa Sutta. This same developmental sequence, or significant portions of it, is also presented in Vin i 294, D i 73, D i 182, D i 207, D i 214, D i 232, D i 250, D iii 241, D iii 279, D iii 288, M i 37, M i 283, S iv 78, S iv 351-8, S v 156, S v 398, A i 243, A iii 21, A iii 285, A v 1-6, A v 312, A v 315, A v 317, A v 329, A v 333. ↩
- This enumeration of the jhāna factors for each of the four jhānas is according to the Pāḷi Peṭakopadesa. ↩
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