Accounts of Seven Enlightened Factors

Summary: Seven factors conducive to enlightenment (SFCTE) are principal factors for

practice in Buddhism. Practicing seven enlightened factors, practitioners gradually

fulfill their minds with necessary qualities which are essential to promote a full

enlightenment and full emancipation. Thus, by using information concerning these

seven factors in Sutras and Abhidharma texts, this paper aims (1)to describe the

characteristics of seven factors conducive to enlightenment, and (2) to give a

meaningful overview on how to apply seven factors in daily activity effectively.

1 Introduction

Training the three actions, speech, body, and mind is the major objective of all

methods given by the Buddha. It is believed that in Buddhism, there are about 84,000

methods which are all available for practitioners to apply for their practices. And, of

course, practitioners can choose any methods that suit them best to practice, and they

do not have to worry that methods that they have held are not powerful, because every

method given by Buddha is an effective method which can carry practitioners to their

respective destinations. But among teachings given by Buddha, there are many

objectives which are extremely necessary for practitioners, and which should be taken

by practitioners since they are essential factors which can promote ultimate

enlightenment. For example, four universal truths, the Four Noble Truth, the Eightfold

Path, and SFCTE. Compared to other objectives given by Buddha, seven factors

conducive to enlightenment are not popular objectives; however, seven factors play an

important role for ripening of ultimate wisdom for those who are in the process of

practicing meditation, aiming to achieve ultimate awareness.

 Although seven factors, mindfulness, investigation, effort, joy, tranquility,

concentration and equanimity are figures of one individual and independent group, they

are closely related to others teachings given by the Buddha. To take for example,

mindfulness is the first object of seven factors; it is also the object in the teaching of

Buddha on four foundations of mindfulness. Effort is not only one of the objectives of

seven factors, but is also the objective of other teachings such as Paramitas, five

faculties, five powers, and Eightfold Path.

In individuals, each of seven factors plays a principal role in fulfilling adequate

qualities for higher states of mind as well as a full enlightenment. Without seven factors,

practitioners are not able to achieve a full enlightenment. For instance, without

mindfulness, practitioners are not able to bolster their practice because mindfulness is

the fundamental for the arising of investigation. Without true investigation,

practitioners may walk wrongly and oppositely to their respective goal because they do

not know what they should study, and what they should practice. And also without true

investigation, practitioners are highly likely to hold wrong effort. And without right

effort, which is the third objective of SFCTE, practitioners are unable to enhance their

practice on mindfulness or other methods.

Thus, on the purpose to clarify the meanings of seven factors in sutras and

Abhidhrama books, this paper has two aims: (1) clarifying the meanings of each of

seven factors in sutras and books of Abhidharma, and (2) giving meaningful overview

on how to practice seven factors effectively.

2 Seven enlightened factors in sutras and Abhidharma texts

 Seven factors conducive to enlightenment are considered as valuable and

effective tools which can promote ultimate awareness because by cultivating these

factors practitioners are able to relinquish all disturbing emotions, and then they are

able to renounce the Samsara which is full of suffering and defilements. In other words,

seven factors conducive to enlightenment are effective tools that can help practitioners

to fulfill the qualities to obtain ultimate wisdom and to instill unconditioned compassion

which are two inevitable elements of ultimate awareness. With ultimate wisdom,

practitioners are able to understand clearly and deeply two kinds of self, individual self

and phenomenon self which are devoid of the self and are co-arising. With

unconditioned compassion, practitioners are able to endure difficulties to help others

understand Dharma and practice Dharma, and with unconditioned compassion,

practitioners are able to consider all sentient beings equal in nature.

The first factor of SFCTE is mindfulness. Generally, mindfulness is the awareness

about the actions of the body, feelings, and state of mind in the present moment or it is

the way of being present with the present actions and feelings. In another way of

understanding, mindfulness concludes methods which require practitioners to pay

intensive contemplation on the factors of a body and mind to realize the truth or reality

of the individual. For external phenomena, mindfulness is the method to contemplate on

characteristics of phenomena to find out the reality of all phenomena. In Maha

satipatthana sutta, Buddha talked about four kinds of mindfulness:

a. Mindfulness of the body which is the contemplation on the objectives of the body to

calm the mind or to realize the reality of the body. When practitioners contemplate on

their breath constantly, they can calm their minds. Moreover, if practitioners

contemplate on the changeable aspects of their bodies intensively and constantly, they
will realize that their bodies are impure and immortal. Hence, they will be able to

relinquish attachment to the body and they will be able to overcome all temptations of

their desire to go forward to their ultimate enlightenment.

b. Mindfulness of the feeling is the way to contemplate on the process of existence,

remaining and ceasing of sensations. Whether negative or positive the feelings are,

practitioners just stay focused on the processes of feelings, for instance how a feeling

arises, how it remains, and how it ceases.

c. Mindfulness of the states of the mind is the procedure of realizing the reality of the

mind by just contemplating on the states of mind. For example, when practitioners feel

lazy, they do nothing at that time but stay focused on that state of mind, the laziness.

There are 121 kinds taught in Abhidharma texts. However, some are not presented in

the state’s mind of ordinary people and it is difficult for many people to memorize them

while they have to observe the states of their minds. Thus, for some, remembering some

common states of mind is easier for them in this manner of practice.

d. Mindfulness of the phenomena is the method in which practitioners contemplate on

the characteristics of phenomena to understand deeply and clearly the reality of them.

Most practitioners just use the teachings of the Buddha as the base for their

contemplation. For example, ‘’all conditioned things are impermanent ‘’ is well-known

teaching in Buddhism. Although many people often recite this quotation every day, they

seem not be able to understand the meaning of this quotation. Thus, contemplating on

the ‘’impermanence’’ is the best way to understand the reality of phenomena deeply and

clearly. Since then, practitioners are able to relinquish all mundane pursuit in order to

achieve complete enlightenment.

 Mindfulness, in accord to Abhidharma, is defined in a different way from sutras;

however, its meaning in Abhidharma just modifies for its characteristics described in

sutras. For example, Vinbhanga (verse 467. P 289) Buddha asserted that when monks

are mindful of objects constantly, this is mindfulness. And Vbhanga (verse 468. P 290),

mindfulness is described as the constant and intensive contemplation on internal and

external objects. Therefore, by contemplation on the four foundations of mindfulness

constantly and intensively, practitioners gradually fulfill their qualities with

mindfulness.

Investigation is called Dhammavicaya in Pali; it means right and correct

searching of Dharma. Searching for Dharma is one important factor for success because

a good and correct method can promote happiness and then liberation. However, what

should be the standard for choosing Dharma? Obviously, there is no standard at all for

choosing Dharma; nevertheless, it is necessary to have right view and wisdom for

investigation of Dharma as Buddha (Samyutta V) talked ‘’contemplating on every object

and phenomenon with wisdom is investigation.’’

To enrich our knowledge as well as to improve our practices, practitioners first

should know how to study and how to practice properly and effectively. Of course, for

the first step, they should have a fundamental knowledge about Dharma, and then they

can apply what they have studied for practice. However, to have a fundamental

knowledge, practitioners should be on the right track on the process of study.

Otherwise, they just hold a wrong and ineffective knowledge about Dharma, and they, of

course, cannot bolster their practice with that wrong and ineffective knowledge. Hence,

there comes wisdom as the principal factor for the process of investigation. With

wisdom, practitioners will be able to understand what is wrong and what is right. For
example, accepting the existence of the self is wrong, refusing all conditioned things are

impermanent is holding a wrong view. Contrary, realizing that all phenomena are

devoid of the self is highly equivalent to the teachings of Buddha.

In terms of practice, investigation is to choose the suitable and effective method

for practice. It is believed that there are more than 84,000 methods which are best

antidotes for sentient beings to heal their illnesses; however, to bring benefit on

practice, they should have suitable methods which can carry them to their respective

destinations. For example, if a person, who is very much attached to sexual desire, takes

counting his breath as the procedure of practice, it, precisely, is not effective for him to

solve his problem. Reasonably, in this case, he has to take the impermanence of his body

as well as of women’s body as the major objective for his practice. To do this, he

gradually will realize that his body and women’s bodies are impure and changeable.

This realization is the best antidote for sexual desire.

In Adhidharma, (verse, 467. P 296), investigation is mentioned as the manner in

which practitioners have to dwell with mindfulness when they search and investigate

phenomena for their studies and practices. Or, in another way of explanation, to have

right and correct investigation, practitioners have to take mindfulness as the

fundamental. But why does investigation base on mindfulness? Practicing mindfulness,

practitioners at least have the right view about the reality of phenomena. Thus, to have

a right and correct investigation, practitioners should base their searching on the

knowledge of mindfulness. Contrary, without dwelling with mindfulness, practitioners

are not able to comprehend what is wrong, what is right. Hence, they may get lost in the

process of getting to their respective destinations.

 Also, in accordance with Abhidharma (verse 468. P 297), investigation is not only

the way to search for internal but also for external phenomena. In this term of meaning,

investigation is obviously the same with its meaning taught by Buddha in sutras. In the

internal aspect, investigation is the way to choose the suitable method for practice. In

the external aspect, it is the procedure to comprehend phenomena clearly before

practitioners apply for their practice.

The third factor of SFCTE is effort. Effort is determined to do something until it is

completed despite difficulties which may occur on the way of completing it. Effort is the

potential factor for success in every field. Without effort people are hardly able to get to

their respective goals. For example, a person wants to be a good writer, but he does not

try to practice writing hard. As a result, he will not be able to become a good writer.

There are also two manners of effort, bodily effort and mental effort. Bodily effort is to

persist to do something even though we face many difficulties. Mental effort is the most

important factor for success and it is the base for bodily effort and it is high- motivation

to do something. Therefore, effort is an earnest and determined decision to do

something.

Effort has three stages, initial, sustained, and fulfilling stages ( anapanasati

sutta). It means that effort should be maintained throughout the process of practice

until one gains ultimate wisdom. If one, in the initial stage, is very diligent but he gives

up his diligence on the process of his practice, he will totally fail to achieve any of

meditative levels as well as full enlightenment. Also, Buddha ( Sangiti sutta) talked

about four kinds of effort:

1. Effort of restraining the arising of unwholesome actions that have not arisen.
2. Effort of restraining the arising of unwholesome actions that have arisen.

3. Effort of cultivating wholesome actions that have not been yet done.

4. Effort of cultivating wholesome actions that have been done.

According to Vinbhanga (467. P289), effort is illustrated as the necessary factor

for full knowledge, full enlightenment and full emancipation. As mentioned above, effort

is the inevitable figure for success for everything. In conventional terms, without effort,

people cannot achieve their targets. And, for achieving the ultimate goal, effort is really

essential. Without effort, practitioners cannot even achieve any meditative levels; thus,

it is more highly unlikely that they can achieve full enlightenment which is a subject of

ultimate aspect.

The next factor of the seven enlightened factors is joy. It is the state of delight

and is possessed by those who practice with diligence, and on the right track to attain

four enlightened fruits. By doing positive actions, practitioners gradually get rid of

attachment in human pleasures and pursuits, and they dwell in the happiness and peace

of practice.

Contrary to remarkable joy which is generated from doing positive actions and

practicing meditation, mundane joy is generated from contact between the mind-

consciousness and external objects. There are five external objects which come into

contact with equivalent faculties (eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body faculty). And when

faculties contact external objects, the feeling appears. Joyful feeling appears when

faculties contact with elegant and beautiful objects of sound and visible forms or tasty

and smelling food or smooth, soft things.

 Vibhanga describes joy as the state of consciousness which arises from the

process of practicing meditation. Those who practice meditation can fulfil their qualities

with joy, gladness, rejoicing, merriment and delight when they get used to practicing

meditation. How to understand this? Let me explain. People without practicing

meditation are full of destructive feelings and thoughts, and they often suffer because of

their destructive thoughts and feelings. For those who practice meditation, by the

power of calmness, they, step by step, overcome temptation thoughts in their minds.

And when they can defeat their temptation thoughts, they live with joy and gladness.

This is the result of being laxer the influence of destructive emotions on their thoughts

and their actions as well.

Tranquility stands fifth among seven enlightened factors. Tranquility is

illustrated as peace and calmness and it is created in the process of practicing

meditation. By practicing meditation diligently, practitioners gradually get rid of

disturbing emotions and they also fulfil their knowledge with the right understanding

about the reality of phenomena. Thus, they do not desire to enjoy mundane pleasures

and pursuits but they enjoy dwelling in the contemplative wisdom and calm state which

is the result of being free from disturbing emotions.

Also tranquility is the state in which the aggregate of feeling, perception,

formation and consciousness are calm and serene ( Vibhanga p 301). Feeling,

perception, formation and consciousness belong to the mental state compared to the

physical state. Thus, tranquility is surely the state of mind only. What is a calm and

serene mind? The answer is that a mind without or less disturbing emotions is a calm

and serene mind. However, to be without or less disturbing emotions, practitioners are

required to engage in training of three kinds of action, actions of body, speech and mind.
In addition, restraining doing unwholesome deeds and involving in wholesome deeds

are the best way to train the actions of body and speech. Practicing meditation or

involving yourself with mindfulness is the best way to train the mind.

Concentration is the intensified steadiness of the mind compared to a fragment

mind which constantly changes with its objects ( Vibhanga. P 301). In other words,

concentration is the way to gather thoughts on only one object for as long as possible.

By right concentration, practitioners can maintain the mind and mental properties in

the balance state like a steady hand holding a pair of scales. Right concentration also

helps practitioners dispel passions which disturb the mind from purity.

Buddhagossa (Path of Purification) argued that concentration of many sorts has

various aspects. It means that people have distinct purposes and procedures to practice

concentration. Some may take reciting Buddha’s name as the way of practicing

concentration. Others may choose to count their breath for concentration. Furthermore,

some just take concentration for healing sickness; others for relaxing or getting stress.

Buddhists take concentration as the tool to get rid of Samsara and to attain Nirvana.

There are two kinds of concentration mentioned in Path of Purification, access

and absorption concentration. Access concentration is the way of practice in which the

mind becomes concentrated on the plane of access by abandonment of hindrances.

Absorption concentration is the way of practice in which the mind becomes

concentrated on the plane of obtainment by the manifestation of the Jhana factors.

Equanimity is not the state of mind but the comprehension without

discriminations, discrimination of purity and impurity, good and bad, beauty and

ugliness, samsara and nirvana. It is not that practitioners have to make them
unconscious to know the qualities and characteristics of phenomena, but they have to

comprehend that emptiness is the reality of all phenomena. Since then, they understand

that all pairs of phenomena, purity and impurity, good and bad, samsara and nirvana

are the same in nature; this is a real understanding about selflessness of phenomena

( praijaparamita sutra).

Equanimity is also well-controlled by the mind from the impact of changes of

conditions and phenomena, such as gain and loss, good-repute and ill-repute, praise and

censure, pain and happiness. Those who do not practice anything at all are sure to be

controlled by the impact of changes, for instance, they are happy when they gain

something new and valuable, and they suffer when they lose something valuable.

Practitioners who are fulfilled with equanimity are not controlled by changes of

phenomena because they understand that all unconditioned things are impermanent,

and that all phenomena are devoid of the self, and that all phenomena are emerged by

causes and effects.

Vinbhanga ( p 302) stated that when practitioners develop the supramundane

Jhana tending to release, dispersive of continuing of death and rebirth , and he for the

abandonment of wrong view, and for the entering the stages, attains and dwells in the

first Jhana in which hard practice and knowledge gradually are acquired. And that state

is equanimity, having equanimity, supreme equanimity and state of balance of

consciousness. This is called equanimity-factor – enlightenment.

3 Apply seven factors in practice

Among seven factors, investigation is the root because investigation which

contains the right view is the fundamental for right study and right practice that
promote full wisdom and full enlightenment ( vibhanga. P 306). For example, a person,

without right view, is not able to enhance his practice even though he is very diligent to

practice because he may not know what is wrong, what is right. To conclude, truth

investigation is the factor that always associates and accompanies the process of

practice, so it helps practitioners navigate forward enlightenment rightly.

How to cultivate seven factors correctly? Buddha ( Kundaliya sutta. Samyutta)

asserted that practicing four kinds of mindfulness is the best way to cultivate seven

enlightened factors. As mentioned above, four kinds of mindfulness are the roots not

only for other enlightened factors, but also for other qualities. Practicing four kinds of

mindfulness is the cultivation of knowledge on characteristics and reality of all

phenomena, such as non-self, impermanence, and suffering. Thus, from practicing

mindfulness, practitioners gradually enhance investigation factors which navigate them

toward enlightenment correctly.

Buddha ( kundaliya sutra) also said that cultivation of mindfulness should be

accompanied with three actions: action of body, speech and mind. To accumulate three

actions, the four kinds of effort should be taken as the fundamental. By that

fundamental, practitioners should try to skip doing bad, and they should try to cultivate

virtuous deeds. Moreover, whenever practitioners encounter pleasant objects, they

should not be attached, be happy by those objects, but they should be aware of them.

For example, when a practitioner hears an elegant voice, he should not be attached to

the voice, but he is just aware that it is the elegant voice. When a practitioner eats tasty

food, he is just aware that the food is tasty. He should not let his desire arise by

attaching to the taste of the food. Thus, by training three actions, practitioners enrich

their practice on mindfulness, and when their practices on mindfulness is advanced,

they are fulfilling qualities of seven factors in their mind. As a result, they are able to

reach the ultimate destination with ultimate wisdom and full awareness.

4 Conclusion

Seven factors conducive to enlightenment are inevitable factors for full

enlightenment. Although there are distinct sources about seven factors in Sutras and

books of Abhidharma of the three surviving Buddhist sects, the seven enlightened

factors are not different from its meaning in sutras and books of Abhidharma. Practicing

seven enlightened factors, practitioners gradually fulfill the essential qualities which

promote full awareness because the qualities of seven are the best antidotes for

disturbing emotions. And when one is free from disturbing emotions, they are free from

Samsara which is full of suffering.

Practicing four foundations of mindfulness provides practitioners with true

understanding about the selflessness, impermanence, and interdependence which are

necessary knowledge for realization of reality of phenomena. And taking mindfulness as

the base, true investigation, which is the root of the rest of factors, arises. Hence,

mindfulness can be understood as the fundamental for arising of the rest of factors. So,

to fulfill all qualities of seven enlightened factors, practitioners just contemplate on four

kinds of mindfulness: mindfulness of body, feeling, state of mind and phenomena.

In addition, each of seven factors is related to other teachings of Buddha, such as

effort and concentration are one of eight objectives of the Eightfold Path, joy, tranquility

and equanimity are objectives of four Immeasurable. However, in this paper, because of

limited sources, we just focus on defining the meanings and the value of seven factors

by using related information in sutras and books of Dharma. Therefore, the seven
factors are not completely introduced in this paper. On the other hand, almost all

teachings of Buddha are to point out the reality of phenomena by advising people to

cultivate merit and wisdom by training of the three actions, action of body, speech, and

mind. Hence, to fulfill the qualities of seven factors, practitioners do not have to get to

know them by studying many teachings, but they just have to keep training their actions

of body, speech and mind.

References

Anapanasati sutra ( No 78 Majihima Nikaya).

Kundaliya sutra ( samyutta book V. Chap 2).

Mahasatipathna sutra, trans by Ujotika and U Dhamminda

http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/mahasati.pdf 23/02/ 2016

Path of Purification ( p 131).

Praijnaparamita sutra, trans by Venerable Lok To (2000). Buddha Dharma Association

inc.

Sangiti sutra ( No 18 Dirgha Agama ) or ( No 33 Digha Nikaya).

Vibhanga ( p 289- 316).

Charry

Spring 2016, Songkhla, Thailand