The Three Stages of Full Understanding (Pariññā)

The Three Stages of Full Understanding (Pariññā) are: Ñātapariññā, Tīraṇapariññā, and Pahānapariññā. As these are Pali terms, they may sound unfamiliar. Ñātapariññā means abandoning the defilement of wrong view (diṭṭhi kilesā) through understanding. Tīraṇapariññā means abandoning the defilement of wrong view through practice. Pahānapariññā means abandoning the defilement of wrong view through the supramundane Path. For easier understanding, the Venerable Mogok Sayadaw would sometimes use the terms "Know it out!", "Practice it out!", and "Abandon it out!". At other times, he used "Uproot by understanding", "Uproot by development", and "Uproot by abandonment". He also used the terms "Knowledge of Understanding", "Knowledge of Development", and "Knowledge of Abandonment". "Development" (bhāvanā) and "Practice" are synonymous in Burmese. "Abandon" (pahāna) refers to the act of discarding, not the four lower realms (apāya). Thus, "abandoning out" refers to the complete, root-level eradication of identity view (sakkāya-diṭṭhi). This means that to eradicate identity view, one must use three methods of abandonment: "one way through understanding, another through development, and another through abandonment." These three are also called the "Threefold Full Understanding" (Pariññā) or the "Threefold Process". Among these three, understanding supports development, and development supports abandonment. To be clear: the five aggregates are the phenomenon of identity (sakkāya dhamma), not the view (diṭṭhi). One must understand the five aggregates as the phenomenon of identity. This understanding is done with Right View (sammā-diṭṭhi). When one knows with wisdom that it is the five aggregates of identity, and Right View becomes associated with the identity (sakkāya), it is uprooted through understanding. There is no longer the perception of 'I' or 'other' regarding the identity. One only knows it as the five aggregates. One only knows it as mind and matter (nāma-rūpa). This is knowing the existing mind and matter correctly. The identity view from behind can no longer arise. Therefore, one must make Right View become associated with the identity (Sakkāya + Sammā-Diṭṭhi). Not having attained this view throughout countless lifetimes is why beings have remained in saṃsāra for so long. Because one has mistakenly perceived the five aggregates of identity as 'I' and 'other', associating the identity with wrong view (Diṭṭhi), one remains stuck in identity view (Sakkāya + Diṭṭhi). To uproot this identity view, one must look at the identity with the correct view of Right View. One could also say to look with wisdom. While one correctly knows the identity as the five aggregates, identity view is being uprooted. This is uprooting through understanding. Since it is uprooted merely by understanding, it can only be absent while one is knowing. If one is not mindful, it will return. As a second stage, whenever feeling or mind, or any part of the five aggregates of identity, arises and ceases, arises and ceases, one must continually observe it. When one observes, the insight into arising and passing away (udayabbaya) and Right View (sammā-diṭṭhi), the Path (magga), are engaged. If a feeling arises on the body, observe its arising and passing. If something arises at the eye, observe it. If something arises at the ear, observe it. If something arises at the nose, observe it. If something arises on the tongue, observe it. If something arises in the abdomen, observe it. By observing in this way to see arising and passing, if one practices frequently, identity view is abandoned. This is called uprooting identity view through the wisdom of development (bhāvanā-ñāṇa), the wisdom of observation. At this stage too, identity view is only uprooted while one is actively developing. If one stops practicing, it will return. It will return when vipassanā wisdom is absent. Therefore, one cannot be fully secure with merely uprooting through understanding or uprooting through development. Only when it is utterly uprooted, root and branch, can one be truly at ease. Only in the final stage, uprooting through the wisdom of abandonment (pahāna), will it be completely eradicated. For this root-level eradication, if one observes any one of the five aggregates through one of the four foundations of mindfulness (satipaṭṭhāna), one will see only arising and passing, which is the Truth of Suffering (Dukkha Saccā). Whichever aggregate one observes, one will only see arising and passing. Arising and passing is itself the Truth of Suffering. Whenever one looks at the present body with wisdom, one sees only the suffering of arising and the suffering of ceasing. Thus, one can conclude that the entire body is only the Truth of Suffering, with not a trace of the Truth of Happiness (Sukha Saccā). When this wisdom matures to the point of making this determination, one has fully comprehended the Truth of Suffering. When the penetrating wisdom of one's own realization (paccakkha-ñāṇa) arises, able to discern "This is indeed the Truth of Suffering," all arising and passing ceases completely. At that moment, all four types of perceptual distortion (diṭṭhi-vipallāsa) cease. This is the cessation of identity view. With the cessation of suffering, wrong view also ceases simultaneously. It ceases in a way that it never arises again. First, suffering ceases; then, the origin (samudaya), which is wrong view (diṭṭhi), ceases. In the middle, the true Path wisdom arises, and these two—before and after—cease. This kind of eradication of identity view is called uprooting through abandonment (pahānapariññā). Since it is uprooted in a way that it never returns, it is a secure, definitive uprooting of wrong view. The uprooting that occurs from listening to Dhamma and studying texts is uprooting through understanding. The uprooting that occurs while practicing mindfulness and development is called uprooting through development. When, through repeated practice, the Truth of Suffering ahead ceases and the Truth of Origin (Samudaya Saccā) behind ceases, the wrong view that is eradicated is then called uprooted through abandonment. Uprooting through abandonment is the most beneficial method. Once identity view is uprooted through abandonment, the past unwholesome kammas that would have led to the lower realms, which were mixed with wrong view, are also uprooted. The unwholesome kammas leading to the lower realms that one foolishly, mistakenly, and harmfully committed in this present life are also simultaneously uprooted. It also preemptively cuts off all future foolish, unwholesome actions. It cuts off all unwholesome kammas that lead to the lower realms. It cuts the past unwholesome kamma, the present unwholesome kamma, and the future unwholesome kamma—all three are severed. Thus, all seeds leading to the lower realms are utterly discarded. The gates to the four lower realms are securely closed. Ven. Dr. Parami