AS A WHOLE, THE WELLSPRING of thought and imagination is called sankhara khandha. Each thought, each inkling of an idea ripples briefly through the mind and then ceases. In and of themselves, these mental ripples have no specific meaning. They merely flash briefly into awareness and then cease without a trace. Only when sañña khandha takes them up do they become thoughts and ideas with a specific meaning and content. Sañña khandha is the mental aggregate of memory, recognition and interpretation. Sañña takes fragments of thought and interprets and expands them, making assumptions about their significance, and thus turning them into issues. Sankhara then perpetuates these issues in the form of incessant, discursive thinking. Sañña, however, is the principal instigator. As soon as sankhara flashes up briefly, sañña immediately grasps it and defines its existence as this or that—agitating everything. These two are the mental faculties that cause all the trouble. Together they spin tales—of fortune and of woe—and then interpret them to be the reality of oneself. Relying on memory to identify everything that arises in awareness, sañña defines them and gives them meaning.
整体上，念头和想象的泉源被称作行蕴。每一个念头，每一个想法会在心中短暂波动然后消失。这些心理波动本质上没有什么特别的意义，它们只不过在觉知中一闪然后不留痕迹地消失。只有当想蕴拿起它们，它们才变成有特定意义和内容的思想和意见。想蕴是记忆、认知和诠释的名蕴。想(saññã)拿取念头的片段然后诠释并扩充它们，假设它们的意义，把它们变成议题。行(sankhãra)接着把这议题延续成连绵不断的妄想。无论如何，想是主要的煽动者，一旦行短暂闪动，想就立刻执取它，把它定义为这个或那个——骚动一切。这两个是制造一切麻烦的心理功能，两个一起编故事——幸运的或悲惨的——然后把它们诠释成自我的真实。想依靠记忆来辨认一切从觉知中的生起，想定义它们、赋予它们意义。
Sankharas arise and cease with distinct beginnings and endings, like flashes of lightning or fireflies blinking on and off. When observed closely, sañña khandha is far more subtle than sankhara khandha. Bursting into awareness, sankharas are the basic building blocks of thought. Sañña, on the other hand, is not experienced as flashes of thought. When the mind is perfectly still and the khandhas are very quiet, we can cl, early feel the manner in which each khandha arises. Sañña will slowly spread out, permeating the citta like ink moving through blotting paper, expanding slowly until it forms a mental picture. Following sañña’s lead, the sankharas, that are constantly arising, begin to form a picture and create a story around it that will then take on a life of its own. Thoughts about this or that begin with sañña recognizing and interpreting the ripplings of sankhara, molding them into a recognizable image which sankhara then continuously elaborates. Both of these mental factors are natural phenomena. They arise spontaneously, and are distinct from the awareness that knows them.
行的生起和灭去有明显的开始和结束，就好像闪电或萤火虫那样一闪一闪。在仔细观察下，想蕴比行蕴来得更微细。行闯进觉知，是念头的基本构建。想，不会像念头闪动般的被体验到。当心完全停止，诸蕴非常平静时，我们可以清楚感知到每一蕴生起的方式。想会慢慢扩散开来渗透心，就像墨水在吸墨水纸上扩散开来，它慢慢扩展直到形成心理图像。随着想的领导，不断生起的行，开始制造图像和围绕着它编制故事，然后它们就有自己的生命。首先想辨认、诠释行的波动，把它们塑造成可辨认的影像，行接着继续详细描述，这就是各种各样的思想的形成。这两个心理功能都是自然的现象，它们同时生起，跟知道它们的觉知截然不同。
Now, when the citta has investigated the khandhas repeatedly, ceaselessly and relentlessly, it will develop an expertise. Contemplating by means of wisdom, we are able to first relinquish the physical khandha. At the beginning stage of the investigation, wisdom will see through the physical body before it sees through—and can let go of—the other khandhas. Henceforth, the citta can gradually relinquish its attachment to feeling, memory, thought and consciousness in the same manner.
现在，当心重复不断、无休止地观察诸蕴时，它会变得纯熟。以智慧分别思维，首先我们可以舍弃色蕴。在前面的观察阶段，智慧在看透——并且放下——其他蕴之前，会先看透色身。在这之后，心会以同样的方式，逐渐舍弃对受、想、行和识的执着。
Put simply, the citta lets go when wisdom sees through the mental components of personality; before then, it holds on. Once wisdom has penetrated them completely, the citta can relinquish them all, recognizing that they are merely ripplings inside the citta and have no real substance. Whether good or bad, thoughts arise and cease all the same. No matter how they appear in the mind, they are just configurations created by sañña and sankhara and will simply vanish. There are no exceptions. No thought lasts more than an instant. Lacking duration, thoughts lack true substance and meaning; and therefore, they cannot be trusted.
简单来说，当智慧看透自我的心理组合，心就会放下；这之前，它会执着不放。一旦智慧彻底穿透它们，心就可以全部放下它们，认出它们只是心里面的波动罢了，没有实质存在。不管好或者坏，念头一样地生起和灭去。无论它们怎么样在心中呈现，都只是想和行制造的组合，并且会就这样灭去，无一例外，没有一个念头存在超过一瞬间。念头缺乏真正的实质和意义，不能持续存在，因此，它们不可依靠。
So, what keeps providing us with these thoughts? What keeps producing them? One moment it’s churning out one thought; the next moment, another, forever deceiving oneself. They come from sights, sounds, tastes, smells and tactile sensations; they come from feeling, memory, thought and consciousness. We take our assumptions about our perceptions for granted, perpetuating the fraud until it becomes a fire burning our hearts. The citta is contaminated by just these factors, these conventions of the mind.
所以，是什么令我们不断思想？是什么制造它们？一会儿它搅拌出一个念头，下一会儿，另一个，永远在欺骗自己。它们从色、声、香、味和触来，它们从受、想、行和识来。我们对认知的假设理所当然地认同，延续这骗局直到它变成大火燃烧我们的心。心正是被这些因素，这些心的习气所染污。
The purpose of the investigation is the removal of these factors. Their absence reveals the true nature of the citta. We will see that when the citta does not venture out to become involved with an object, it remains naturally calm and radiant; as in the saying: “Monks, the original citta is intrinsically bright and clear, but it becomes defiled by the commingling of kilesas that pass through.” The original citta is the radiant citta. This statement refers to the original nature of the citta that wanders from birth to birth in the cycle of rebirth. It may be compared to the citta of a newborn infant whose mental faculties are not sufficiently developed to fully comprehend sense objects. It does not refer to the original nature of the citta that has transcended the cycle of rebirth and is absolutely pure.
观察的目的是为了清除这些因素，它们被清除了，心真正的本性就显现出来。我们可以看到，心没有冒出去介入对象的话，它保持自然宁静并发光。就如所说的：“比丘们！本来的心内在是光明和清澈的，可是它和穿过的烦恼混合在一起而受染污。”本来的心是光明的心。这句指的是在生死轮回中一生又一生流转的心其原来的本质。它可以比拟刚出生的婴儿，心的官能还未发育健全，无法充分掌握感官对象。它不是指已超越生死轮回，绝对清净的心的本质。
As we investigate the citta thoroughly, stage by stage, the defiling elements that previously roamed about will converge into a single radiant point, merging with the natural radiance inside the citta. This radiance is so majestic and mesmerizing that even exceptional mental faculties like supreme-mindfulness and supreme-wisdom will invariably fall under its spell at first. It’s a completely novel experience, never before encountered. It amazes and appears so extraordinary, so majestic and awe-inspiring, that it seems nothing could possibly compare with it at that moment. And why shouldn’t it be? It has been an absolute monarch, ruling over the three worlds of existence for countless eons. This point of radiance has held the citta under its power and command since time immemorial. And it will continue to mesmerize as long as the citta lacks the superior mindfulness and wisdom necessary to free itself from the power it exerts, forcing the citta to experience birth on countless levels of existence resulting from actions dictated by this subtle kilesa. Ultimately, it is this refined, natural radiance of mind that causes living beings to wander ceaselessly through samsara, experiencing birth and death.
当我们一个阶段接一个阶段全面地观察心，在之前四处漫游的各种杂染元素会汇集成一个光明点，与心里面自然的光明融合。这个光明是那么的宏伟，即使是像大念住(supreme-mindfulness)和大智慧(supreme-wisdom)那样卓越的心理功能，开始时也会被它的魅力所倾倒。这完全是个新奇的经验，从不曾经历过。它展现的惊异和殊胜，那么宏伟令人敬畏，使它当时看似无可比拟。为什么不呢？它是个绝对的统治者，无量劫以来统治三界的存在。只要心缺乏卓越的念住和智慧来解脱它的力量，这个光明点就会继续迷惑心。从无始以来它就掌控和支配着心，这微细的烦恼施加压力于心，强迫它造业，逼迫心不断投生，经历无数层次的生命。最后，是这精细、自然放光的心导致生命不断轮回流转，经历生死。
Once the citta clearly understands rupa, vedana, sañña, san-khara and viññana with absolute certainty, all that remains are subtle variations of the ripplings that occur exclusively within the citta. These are a subtle form of sankhara causing movement within the citta: a subtle form of sukha, a subtle form of dukkha, a subtle radiant splendor within the citta. That’s all they are. Supreme-mindfulness and supreme-wisdom will take these internal stirrings as the focus of the investigation, constantly observing and analyzing them.
一旦心彻底肯定它已清楚地明白色、受、想、行和识，剩下的就只是心内部微弱的变化在波动，这是微细的行(sankhãra)形成心内在的波动：一个微细形态的乐，一个微细形态的苦，一个微细光明在心内发光，这就是一切。大念住和大智慧会把这些内在的搅动当作焦点观察，不断研究分析它们。
The radiance, produced by the convergence of the various kilesas, will be a clearly-perceived point of brightness, a very refined radiance that is centered at a specific point within the citta. A refined and corresponding dullness will occasionally arise to tarnish that radiant center, which causes an equally subtle form of dukkha to emerge as well. In truth, brightness and dullness are two sides of the same coin: both are conventional realities. At this level, radiance, dullness, and dukkha are companions, appearing together.
这光明，由各种烦恼汇集而成，会是个能被清晰认知的光明点，它一个非常精细的光明，集合在心中一个特定的点。一个相应精细的黯淡会不时生起，使这光明中心变暗，使同样形式微细的苦浮现。事实上，光明和黯淡是同一枚硬币的两面，两者都是世间真实。在这个层次，光明、黯淡和苦都是同伴，同时浮现。
For this reason, when the citta experiences this wonderful radiance, it is always slightly wary that the experience may be marred by variations at any moment. Mindfulness and wisdom work to protect and maintain the radiance against tarnish. Regardless of its subtlety, the blemish is still a symptom of the kilesas; so meditators must not be complacent. These subtle changes in the citta’s radiance must be examined by wisdom with utmost persistence.
由于这个原因，心体验这奇妙的光明时，它始终会小心翼翼，怕不知什么时候这体验会被变化破坏。念住和智慧努力保护并维持这光明免于黯淡。不管多么微细，这污点仍然是烦恼的一个征兆。所以禅修者不应该自满，一定要以最大的恒心用智慧去观察心中光明的这些微细变化。
In order to eliminate this burden of anxiety and reach a definitive resolution to this matter, ask yourself: What exactly is this radiance? Focus your attention on it until you know. Why is it so changeable? One moment it’s luminous; the next it’s slightly tarnished. One moment there’s sukha; the next there’s dukkha. One moment there’s total satisfaction, the next moment dissatisfaction creeps in. Notice the subtle sukha that behaves with just the slightest irregularity. Then, with the slightest appearance of dukkha, in line with the refined nature of the citta at this level, it is sufficient to make us suspicious. Why does this subtle and refined state of the citta display such a variety of conditions? It is not always constant and true.
为了解除这忧虑带来的负担，并对这问题获得圆满的答案，问你自己：这光明到底是什么？把你的注意力专注在这之上，直到你明白为止。为什么它那么多变化？一瞬间它发光，另一瞬间它稍微黯淡；一瞬间它乐，另一瞬间它苦；一瞬间它彻底满足，另一瞬间不满潜入。注意这微细的乐表现出最微细的不规律。然后，与心在这个层次的微细程度一致，显示出最微细的苦。这些足以让我们怀疑，为什么微细精致到这个程度的心，还会显示出这类不同的状态？它不是始终稳定和真实。
Relentlessly pursue this line of inquiry. Be fearless. Don’t be afraid that the destruction of that luminosity will be the destruction of your own true essence. Just focus on that central point to see clearly that the radiance has the same characteristics—of anicca, dukkha and anatta—as all the other phenomena that you have already examined. The only difference is that the radiance is far more subtle and refined.
不屈不饶地连续不断追踪发问，不要害怕，不要怕说那光明的毁灭会是你自己真正本质的毁灭。只要专注在那中心点，看清那光明，就如所有你观察过的现象一般，有同样的相——无常、苦和无我。唯一的不同是，那光明更加微细精致。
At this stage of the investigation, nothing should be taken for granted; nothing in the realm of conventional reality should be trusted. Bring your focus deep into the citta and let wisdom take up the challenge. All things that are counterfeit originate in the citta. This radiance is the most conspicuous among them. It is the ultimate counterfeit. Since you cherish and safeguard it more than anything else, you will hardly want to interfere with it. Within the entire physical body, nothing stands out so prominently as this brilliance. It provokes such a mesmerizing sense of inner amazement—and, consequently, such a protective feeling of attachment—that you want nothing to disturb it. There it is. Look at it: it is none other than the supreme ruler of the universe—avijja. But you don’t recognize it. Never having seen it before, you will naturally be deceived by the radiance you encounter at this stage. Later, when mindfulness and wisdom are fully prepared, you will know the truth without any need of prompting. This is avijja. The true avijja is right here. It is nothing but a mesmerizing point of brilliance. Don’t imagine avijja to be a demon or a beast; for in truth, it is really the most alluring and endearing paragon of beauty in the whole world.
这个阶段的观察，没有任何东西可以想当然尔，在世间实相的领域内没有任何东西可以信任。把你的专注深深带进心内，让智慧接受挑战。所有的赝品都源自于心，这当中最显著的是那光明，它是终极赝品。由于它比其他一切更加值得珍惜保护，你不想去打扰它。整个物质身体内，再没有任何东西像这光明那么凸显出来，它激起这么一种催眠作用的内在惊叹——还有，接下来有种保护欲的执着——你不希望让任何东西扰乱它。这就是了，看吧：这就是那宇宙间的终极统治者——无明。可是你认不出它，因为不曾见过面，在这个阶段你自然会被遇上的光明所欺骗。之后，在念住和智慧充分准备时，你会在不需要提示之下知道真相。这就是无明，真正的无明就在此，它是一个迷人的光明。不要把无明想象成一个魔鬼或一只猛兽，事实上，它是全世界最引诱人、最漂亮惹人喜爱的完美模范。
True avijja is very different from what you expect it to be. Therefore, when you encounter avijja you fail to recognize it; and your practice gets caught there. If you have no teacher to advise you and point out a way to investigate, then you will be at an impasse for a long time before you realize its true nature and can go beyond it. When you do have a teacher to advise you on how to proceed, then you can quickly understand the basic principle and strike decisively at that center of radiance without putting any trust in it. You must conduct your investigation here as you have done with other natural phenomena.
真正的无明与我们想象的非常不同。因此，当你遇到无明时会认不出来，然后你的修行就卡在那里。如果没有老师教导你，为你指出观察的方向，在觉悟它的真正本质并超越它之前，你会有很长一段时间陷入这死胡同内。有老师指导你下一步如何走的话，你可以迅速明白根本的道理，不再信任那光明中心，并给予它致命性的打击。你一定要像观察其他自然现象般的观察这里。
Having relinquished all attachment to the five khandhas, the citta is exceedingly refined at this stage. Although it has let go of everything else, it has yet to let go of itself. Its own intrinsic knowing nature remains permeated by avijja’s fundamental ignorance about its own true essence, and therefore, remains attached to itself. It is here that avijja converges into a single point of focus. All of its external outlets having been cut off, it converges into the citta without a way to flow out. Avijja’s outlets are the eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body, leading to sights, sounds, smells, tastes and tactile sensations. Once mindfulness and wisdom are skilled enough to cut off these outflows for good, avijja is left without an outlet for its expression. Its external agents have been neutralized; all that remains is a subtle incessant vibration resonating within the citta. Being deprived of an outlet for its activities, it depends solely on the citta as its base of activity. As long as wisdom is unable to thoroughly transcend it, avijja will appear as subtle feelings of sukha, subtle feelings of dukkha, and a radiance that truly overwhelms and amazes. So the citta keeps focusing the investigation on those factors.
心放下对五蕴的所有执着之后，在这个阶段非常的精妙。虽然已经放下其他的一切，可是它还未放下自己，它内在知道的特性依然渗透着无明的根本，对自己真正的本性无知，因此，依然执着于自己。就在这里无明汇集成一个焦点，由于一切外在的出口已被切断，它无法外流只好汇集到心里面。无明的出口是眼、耳、鼻、舌和身，带来色、声、香、味和触的感觉。一旦念住和智慧足够熟练永远地切断这些出口，无明就变得没有出口显现。它外在的代理已经被解除，剩下的只是在心中微细不断地震动共鸣。被剥夺了活动的出口，它只好把心作为活动的根据地。只要智慧没法全面超越它，无明就现为微细的乐受、微细的苦受，以及一个真正威慑和震惊的光明。所以心要持续观察这些因素。
Every conventional reality—no matter how refined it is or how bright and majestic it seems—invariably manifests some irregular symptoms. These are sufficient to catch the citta’s attention and make it search for a solution. Both the very refined sukha and dukkha that arise exclusively within the citta, and the amazing radiance that emanates from it, have their origin in avijja. But since we have never before encountered them, we are deluded into grasping at them when we first investigate this point. We are lulled into a sound sleep by avijja, believing that the subtle feelings of satisfaction and shining radiance are our true essence beyond name and form. Oblivious to our mistake, we accept this majestic citta, complete with avijja, as our one true self.
一切世间真实——不管看来多么精致或多么光明宏伟——不可避免的会显现出一些不规律的征兆。这些足以让心注意到，并使它寻找解答。完全从心中生起的这两个非常精致的乐和苦，以及从那里流露出来的那惊异的光明，都根源于无明。可是由于我们从来未见过它们，第一次观察这个点时，我们被愚弄以至紧紧执着于它们，我们被无明哄骗催眠，相信那微细的满足感和发光的光明超越了名和相，是我们真正的本性。未能觉察到错误，我们接受这宏伟但包含了无明的心，以为是我们真正的自己。
But not for long. At this level, the powerful faculties of supreme-mindfulness and supreme-wisdom are not complacent. They routinely scrutinize, investigate and analyze—back and forth, continually. Eventually they will realize the truth. They will notice that the subtle feelings of sukha and dukkha display slight variations that seem out of keeping with that majestic radiance. Even though the dukkha that manifests itself is ever so slight, it is enough to make us suspicious. Why does the citta have these varying conditions? It’s never constant. These tiny irregularities that are observed within the radiant center of the citta manifest just enough fluctuation to attract the attention of mindfulness and wisdom.
可是在这个层次，过不了多久，大念住和大智慧的强大功能就会感到不满足，他们例行地不断前后仔细检验、观察和分析，最后它们会觉悟真相。他们会发现这微细的乐受和苦受显现轻微的变化，显得与那宏伟的光明不协调。虽然苦是那么轻微地显现自己，但已足以引起怀疑：为什么心有这些变化状态？它不是恒常不变的。这些在心的光明中心发现微细的不规律，虽然只是显现微细的波动，却足以吸引念住和智慧的注意。
Once they are detected, mistrust arises, alerting wisdom that they should be investigated. So the quality of the citta’s knowing then becomes the focus of the investigation. Mindfulness and wisdom concentrate on this point, trying to discover what this knowing really consists of. They have already investigated everything else, stage by stage, to the extent that all other factors have been successfully eliminated. But this knowing presence, which is so bright and so amazing: what exactly is it? As mindfulness and wisdom pin their concentration on it, the citta becomes the focal point of a full-scale investigation. It is turned into a battlefield for supreme-mindfulness and supreme-wisdom. Before long, they are able to destroy the avijja-citta that, from avijja’s perspective, appears so magnificent and majestic. They now totally obliterate it; so that not even the smallest trace remains within the citta.
When investigated with sharp, incisive wisdom until its nature is clearly understood, this phenomenon will disintegrate and dissolve away in an entirely unexpected manner. That moment of awakening could be called “Enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree” or “The total destruction of samsara’s cemeteries”. An unimpeachable certainty arises, then. The moment when that radiant center disintegrates, something even more remarkable—something that has been concealed by avijja—will be revealed in all its fullness. Within the citta, it feels as though a powerful tremor shakes the entire universe. This crucial moment, when the citta breaks away from all forms of conventional reality, is one of indescribable wonder and magnificence. It is precisely here—at the moment when avijja is finally extinguished—that Arahattamagga is transformed into Arahattaphala. When the path is fully developed, the fruition of Arahantship is attained. Dhamma and citta have attained complete perfection. From that moment on, all problems cease. This is the nature of Nibbana.
一旦它们被发现，不信任感就会生起，警惕智慧去观察它们。因此心的能知成为观察的焦点，念住和智慧专注在这个点，尝试揭发这能知到底由什么构成。它们已经一步一步地观察了其他的一切，到所有的因素都被成功消除的地步。可是这个那么光明、那么惊异的能知：到底是什么？当念住和智慧用注意力盯上它，心成了全面观察的焦点，成了大念住和大智慧的战场。不久，他们就可以摧毁——从无明的角度而言，显得那么宏伟和壮观的——无明—心。它们现在彻底地摧毁它，连最微小的痕迹都不让它在心中遗留下来。当以尖锐、直接的智慧观察，直到它的本性被清楚明白，这现象会以完全没有预期到的方式分崩离析。这时刻的开悟可以称为“菩提树下的证悟”或“轮回坟墓的彻底摧毁”。然后，一个无可怀疑的证信生起。光明中心分解的那一刻，某些更非凡的——过去被无明覆盖——会全面显现出来。在心里面，它觉得仿佛是强烈的震动摇晃整个宇宙。当心从一切世间真实的相分离出来的这一重要时刻，有着无法描述的震撼和庄严。恰恰在这里——无明最终熄灭的那一刻——阿罗汉道转化成阿罗汉果。当道已圆满完成时，即证阿罗汉的果位。法和心已证得圆满，从那一刻起，所有的问题熄灭。这是涅槃的本性。
When that nature which we imagine to be so awesome and amazing finally disintegrates, something that is impossible to describe arises in full measure. That nature is Absolute Purity. When compared to that state of purity, the avijja that we once held in such awesome regard resembles cow dung; and the nature that was concealed by avijja appears to be pure gold. Even a baby knows which is the more precious between cow dung and gold; so we needn’t waste time and proclaim our stupidity by making comparisons.
当我们想象中那么令人敬畏和惊异的本质最后分解时，某些不可思议全面地生起,它的本质彻底清净。与它相比较，我们曾经那么敬畏、紧紧执着的无明就好像是堆牛粪，而被无明所覆盖的本质显得像纯金。即使是幼儿也知道牛粪和黄金哪个比较珍贵，所以我们不必丢人现眼浪费时间来比较这两者。
The disintegration of avijja marks the moment when Arahatta-magga and Arahattaphala arrive together at their final destination. If we make a comparison with climbing the stairs to a house, one foot is on the last step, the other foot is on the floor of the house. We have not yet reached the house with both feet. Only when both feet are firmly on the floor of the house can we say that we have “reached the house”. The citta “reaches Dhamma” when it has both feet firmly planted in the supreme Dhamma. It has attained the singularity of Nibbana. From that moment of attainment, the citta is completely free. It manifests no further activities for the removal of kilesas. This is Arahattaphala: the fruition of Arahantship. It is experienced exclusively by those who are free of kilesas—those living Arahants who attain sa-upadisesa-nibbana.
无明的分解，标志着阿罗汉道和阿罗汉果同时抵达它们的终点。如果以登楼梯进房子作比较，如果一只脚已在房子内的地上，另一只脚还在最后一级阶梯，那我们还未双脚进入房子。只有当我们双脚稳稳踏在房子的地上，才可以说我们“到家”了。心双脚稳固地根植在至高无上的法时，就“证法”。它已证得涅槃的殊胜，从证悟的那刻起，心彻底自由了。它不再进行熄灭烦恼的活动。这是阿罗汉果：阿罗汉的果位。它只被解脱烦恼者——那些证得有余涅槃，活着的阿罗汉——所体验。
As for rupa, vedana, sañña, sankhara and viññana, they are merely conditions, natural phenomena that spontaneously arise and cease without the ability to impact or contaminate the citta in anyway. The same applies to sights, sounds, smells, tastes and tactile sensations: each has its own separate reality. Their existence no longer poses a problem as the citta is now free of the ignorance that caused it to make false assumptions about them. Now that the citta is fully aware of the truth, it knows the reality of its knowing presence as well as the reality of all natural phenomena within and without. With each having its own separate reality, the conflicts that used to arise between them no longer exist. All are free to go their separate ways. At this stage, the long-standing conflict between the kilesas and the citta is finally over.
至于色、受、想、行和识，它们只是同时生起灭去的状态、自然的现象，没有任何方式能够冲击或染污心。对色、声、香、味和触也一样，它们有各自的真实，它们的存在不再给心带来问题。之前无明使心对它们起错误的认知，目前心已解脱于无明了。心现在充分觉知真相，它明白它自己知道的真相，也明白一切内外自然现象的真相。它们每一个都有各自分开的真实，之前彼此间的矛盾已不再存在，一切都自由地各走各路。在这个阶段，烦恼与心之间长期的冲突终于过去了。
When the truth is known in this way, the citta feels no anxiety or apprehension concerning the life and death of the khandhas. The citta simply perceives the activities of the khandhas—how they arise, interact and cease; and how they eventually disintegrate at death. But since the essential knowing nature of the citta never dies, fear of death is not a factor. One accepts death—when it comes—as well as life—when it continues. Both are aspects of the same truth.
这样明白真理时，心对五蕴的生与死不再焦虑忧惧，心只是认知五蕴的活动——它们怎么生起、互动和灭去，还有最后死亡时它们如何的分离。既然心知道的根本特性永远不死，就不再怕死。当死亡到来时，他接受死亡；活着时，他接受生命，两者是同一真理的两个侧面。
