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# The Seven Dimensions of Self-Awakening

#### 1. Mind

The dimension of self-awakening that is mind, which is rooted in solitude, in calm, in ending and letting go.

Essentially:

Live, while you live in a body, in the senses, in emotions, and in the word,
Understanding body, the senses, the emotions and the word,
Seeing them as they really are
Seeing how they arise
Seeing how they end
Watchful and Diligent
appamāda
Satisfied
Reviewing and Calming Down
Overcoming any hunger/thirst that may appear
Releasing it all
Above it all
Downbound to nothing at all in the world

#### 2. Dhamma Research

The dimension of self-awakening that is dhamma research, which is rooted in solitude, in calm, in ending and letting go.

Research, investigation, study of 'things' and 'The Dhamma', including coming into the presence of a teacher, listening, remembering, thinking about, testing, and evaluation of the results of testing.

#### 3. Energy

The dimension of self-Awakening that is understanding and knowledge of how to generate and use energy, which is rooted in solitude, in calm, in ending and Letting Go.

And what is the food that nourishes the dimension of self-awakening that is energy so as to cause it to arise if not present in the here and now, or to cause it to increase if present in the here and now?
It is putting forth effort, exertion, striving.

#### 4. Enthusiasm

The dimension of self-awakening that is enthusiasm, which is rooted in solitude, in calm, in ending and letting go.

#### 5. Impassivity

The dimension of self-awakening that is impassivity, poise, being above it all, unflappable, unreachable by the turmoil of the world, which is rooted in solitude, in calm, in ending and letting go.

#### 6. Serenity

The Dimension of Self-Awakening that is Serenity, which is rooted in solitude, in calm, in ending and letting go.

"And what is food for the arising of the limb of awakening that is serenity which has not yet arisen, or for the cultivation and fulfillment thereof, if already arisen?

There are sights that calm, that bewilder not. Investigative attention to such is the food for the arising of serenity which has not yet arisen, or for it's cultivation and fulfillment, if already arisen.

#### 7. Objective Detachment

The dimension of self-awakening that is objective detachment, which is rooted in solitude, in calm, in ending and letting go.

§

#### Attaining Balance Using The Seven Dimensions of Awakening

Using the 'Mind' dimension, make yourself aware of your mental state with reference to its being sluggish or over-active.

If the mind is sluggish, ignore impassivity, serenity, and objective detachment and turn to investigating things, energy building, and generating enthusiasm.

How come?

Because it is not easy to get rid of sluggishness by using impassivity, serenity, and objective detachment.
That's how come.

In the same way as if a man who wanted to make a fire blaze up would not put together wet grass, wet cow dung and green sticks in the rain and wind and sprinkle it with dust and have a reasonable expectation for the fire to blaze up,
but if he put together dry grass, dry cow dung, dry twigs, and blow on it gently and shelter it with his hands from the wind and dust he would have a reasonable expectation for the fire to blaze up.

In the same way, if the mind is sluggish, ignore impassivity, serenity, and objective detachment and turn to investigating things, energy building, and generating enthusiasm.

If the mind is excited, ignore investigating dhamma, energy building, and generating enthusiasm and turn to impassivity, serenity, and objective detachment.

How Come?

Because it is not easy to calm the excited mind using investigating Dhamma, energy building, and generating enthusiasm.
That's how come.

In the same way as if a man who wanted to extinguish a fire by heaping on it dry grass, dry cow dung, dry twigs would not have a reasonable expectation of extinguishing that fire,
but if he put on it wet grass, wet cow dung, wet twigs, and exposed it to rain and covered it with dirt he would have a reasonable expectation of extinguishing that fire.

In the same way, if the mind is excited, ignore investigating Dhamma, energy building, and generating enthusiasm and turn to impassivity, getting high, and objective detachment.

§

#### Recognizing, Establishing, and Perfecting
The Seven Dimensions of Self Awakening

When you are alone and above it all and turn the mind to recollection of Dhamma and remember Dhamma and think about Dhamma and work out Dhamma in your mind, this is the dimension of self-awakening that is 'mind.'

Starting is its establishment.

When the dimension of awakening that is mind is cultivated this way it comes to perfection.

When you recognize, establish and perfect mind in this way you are consciously researching and applying insight and directing investigative attention to Dhamma. This is the dimension of self-awakening that is Dhamma Research, this is the establishment of Dhamma Research.

When the dimension of awakening that is Dhamma Research is cultivated this way it comes to perfection.

When you recognize, establish, and perfect Dhamma research in this way, you focus consciousness, investigate Dhamma and apply insight gleaned from that research and energy is aroused. That is the dimension of awakening that is energy, the establishment of energy.

When the dimension of awakening that is energy is cultivated this way it comes to perfection.

When you recognize, establish, and perfect energy-building in this way, you focus consciousness, investigate Dhamma and apply insight gleaned from research and energy is aroused and are aroused in a non-carnal manner, this is the dimension of self-awakening that is enthusiasm, this is the establishment of enthusiasm.

When the dimension of awakening that is enthusiasm is cultivated this way it comes to perfection.

When you recognize, establish, and perfect enthusiasm in this way, you focus consciousness, investigate Dhamma and apply insight gleaned from research and energy is aroused and you become enthusiastic and at this time the body becomes tranquil, the mind becomes tranquil. That tranquillity, that repose of body and mind is the impassivity dimension of self awakening, this is the establishment of impassivity.

When the dimension of awakening that is impassivity is cultivated this way it comes to perfection.

When you recognize, establish, and perfect impassivity in this way you have enthusiasm and the body and mind have become tranquillized, then there arises happiness of body, concentration of mind. This is the dimension of awakening that is serenity, this is the establishment of serenity.

When the dimension of awakening that is serenity is cultivated this way it comes to perfection.

When you recognize, establish, and perfect serenity in this way, you have enthusiasm and the body and mind have become tranquillized and there is established happiness of body and concentration of mind, then you are one who detachedly observes the calmed mind. This is the dimension of awakening that is objective detachment, this is the establishment of objective detachment.

When the dimension of awakening that is objective detachment is cultivated this way it comes to perfection.

§

#### The Practice, by Sariputta

"Friends! There are these seven dimensions of self-awakening:
mind, Dhamma research, energy building, enthusiasm, impassivity, getting high, and objective detachment.

In whatever dimension of awakening I want to spend my day,
in that dimension of awakening I am able to spend my day.
In whatever dimension of awakening I want to spend my evening,
in that dimension of awakening I am able to spend my evening.

If I wish to spend my time in the dimension of awakening that is mind,
I am clearly conscious that it is limitless within,
or that it has begun,
or when it is established
I am clearly conscious of that.

And again, if the practice fails,
I am clearly conscious
that it is because of this or that.

And it is the same with the other dimensions of awakening.

In the same way that the wardrobe
of a King or Great Noble
is full of various colored clothes.
In whatever set of clothes he wants to spend the day,
in that set of clothes he is able to spend his day.
In whatever set of clothes he wants to spend the evening,
in that set of clothes he is able to spend his evening.

§

#### The Advantages, by Gotama

Now, Beggars, when the seven dimensions of awakening are practiced, made a big thing, seven advantages can be seen.
What seven?

In this life, before death,
he becomes one who has realization of the final goal, omniscience, freedom from time, liberation, objective detachment.

If he does not accomplish this before death,
he does so at the time of his death.

If he does not accomplish this before death
or at the time of his death,
because he has warn down the Five Lower Yokes, he accomplishes this in an immaterial location
"Knocking on the Door of Nibbāna"
midway through the ordinary lifespan there.

If he does not accomplish this before death
or at the time of his death,
or in an immaterial location conducive to accomplishing the goal,
then as a consequence of wearing down the Five Lower Attachments
he wins a reduction of his time in that location.

... or, in any case he does so without the need for own-making: the creation of an individualized world.

... or, he does so after the creation of an individualized world.

... or, he becomes a Non-Returner in this life headed toward the highest immaterial abode where he makes an end of pain.

§

#### Roof Peak

In the same way as the beams of a house with a peaked roof all lean toward the peak, tend toward the peak, meet at the peak, and the peak is considered the peak, in the same way, one who cultivates the seven dimensions of awakening leans toward Nibbāna, tends toward Nibbāna, ends in Nibbāna.

#### Creatures

In the same way as all beings that use the four postures do so in dependence on the Earth,
In the same way, it is in dependence on ethical culture, supported by ethical culture, that the seven dimensions of awakening are cultivated.

#### The Sun

In the same way as the dawn is the first sign of the sun's arising,
in the same way, Beggars,
friendship with the good
is the first sign of the arising of
the seven dimensions of awakening.

§

Beggars!

I see no other single thing

Which, cultivated and made a big thing of

Is more conducive

To the letting go of attachments as

The seven dimensions of awakening

§

Enthusiasm

Once upon a time Anāthapiṇḍika the Householder, accompanied by about five hundred other lay disciples, visited the Lucky Man, greeted him with closed palms and sat down to one side. There the Lucky Man said this to him:

"Indeed, householder, you have been of service to The Order, giving gifts of the essentials: food, clothing, shelter and medicine. But you should not let yourself be content with the thought:

"We have been of service to The Order, giving gifts of the essentials."

Wherefore, householder, train yourself this way:

"Let us occasionally experience the Enthusiasm that comes from enjoying solitude."

Then, when he had spoken, the Ancient, Sariputta, said to the Lucky Man: "Wonderful, Lucky Man! Marvelous, Lucky Man! How well said is that which was said by the Lucky Man: 'Train yourself this way, householder:

'Let us, occasionally experience the Enthusiasm that comes from enjoying solitude.' Lucky Man, when the Ariyan disciple gains and holds on to the enthusiasm that comes from enjoying solitude, five things cannot reach him:

At that time, the pain and Misery that come from lust cannot reach him

At that time, the pleasure and gladness that come from Lust cannot reach him

At that time, the pain and misery that come from Low Works cannot reach him

At that time, the pleasure and gladness that come from Low Works cannot reach him

At that time, the pain and misery that come from Good Deeds cannot reach him."

And Gotama said: "Well said Sariputta!" and repeated all that he just said.