Practices    (Patipatti)
The Sixteen Yanas

 

12. Anulomanana (Knowledge of Adaptation and Conformity)
           
           This yana helps the yogi to realize the Four Noble Truths because it is a very complete wisdom. This wisdom derives from the previous yana. This yana is very strong wisdom: it has more faith, more earnestness, more mindfulness, and more wisdom than the previous yanas – because it has realized dukkha-sacca and samudaya-sacca. Stated in terms of Bodhipakkhiyadhamma, this wisdom is perfect at the level of the Bojjhangas (Seven Factors of Enlightenment) because it helps to realize the Four Noble Truths.
           There are three steps of wisdom in Buddhism (see Fig. 3-1):
1st and 2nd yana: Yataparinna (full knowledge as the known)
3rd and 4th yana: Tiranaparinna (full knowledge as investigating)
5th to 14th yana: Pahanaparinna (full knowledge as abandoning)
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           Vipassana-dhura (duty) starts from the 1st yana and gets rid of kilesa step by step, until the 12th yana (Anulomanana) is reached. This wisdom is still mundane (lokiya) – it has mundane functions. At Anulomanana the first two Noble Truths, Dukkha-Sacca and Samudaya-Sacca, have been realized, using the three characteristics as an object. With this yana nama and rupa end as an object. And so does vipassana-nana.
           Anulomanana is the wisdom that brings any one of the three characteristics (nama-rupa) to cross over to maggavitthi, which is the citta that governs path consciousness (see last 3 paragraphs of 11th yana). This occurs in just three thought moments (cittakhana). The wisdom for Anulomanana comes from sankhara-pekkhanana (eleventh yana). Anulomanana (twelfth) is a supportive or aiding condition (paccaya) of Gottara-bhunana (thirteenth).
           The process of crossing from Anulomanana (12th) to Gottara-bhunana (13th) is as follows:
Figure 3-2
Anulomanana
 
           It is like swinging on a rope across a stream. The grasping of the rope is at Parikamma (the 1st wisdom of Anulomanana), which prepares one for Maggacitta (path consciousness); the next swing of the rope takes one to the midstream or Upacara (the second wisdom); and Anulomanana then takes one just above the other shore. When one drops down to the further shore, the mind is in Gottarabhu-nana. The mind now has nibbana as an object.
           Anulomanana is the last yana, which is in the mundane sphere – i.e., has nama-rupa as an object. From now on nibbana becomes the object.
           
           The way described above, in which the mundane mind goes to supramundane, is called dhammaniyana (the order of the norm).
           
           
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