If I waited till I fully grok a text, I would never write, and that might be the best thing, but I find value in expressing incomplete thoughts, and efforts. The is a public diary that I edit as I go along.
The Vimuttimagga is an ancient text purportedly written by the arahant Upatissa. The Visuddhimagga is written by Buddhaghosa. These two works are often spoken together. I say them over and over again to differentiate them.
The Path of Freedom, an alternate name for the Vimuttimagga, was lost in the original Pali, it is translated back from a surviving Chinese translation.
Wikipedia: "Gunaratana further notes that Buddhaghosa invented several key meditation terms which are not to be found in the suttas, such as "parikamma samadhi (preparatory concentration), upacara samadhi (access concentration), appanasamadhi (absorption concentration)." Gunaratana also notes that the Buddhaghosa's emphasis on kasina-meditation is not to be found in the suttas, where dhyana is always combined with mindfulness. Bhikkhu Sujato has argued that certain views regarding Buddhist meditation expounded in the Visuddhimagga are a "distortion of the Suttas" since it denies the necessity of jhana."
Interesting sectarian note: "Despite the general belief that he was Indian by birth, he later may have been claimed by the Mon people of Burma as an attempt to assert primacy over Sri Lanka in the development of Theravada tradition."
"According to Maria Heim, he is "one of the greatest minds in the history of Buddhism" and British philosopher Jonardon Ganeri considers Buddhaghosa "a true innovator, a pioneer, and a creative thinker." Yet, according to Buddhadasa, Buddhaghosa was influenced by Hindu thought, and the uncritical respect for the Visuddhimagga has even hindered the practice of authentic Buddhism."
Quote: Vimuttimagga on virtue: "The destruction of sense desires by renunciation (is virtue). This virtue can remove evil. It is the 'virtue of volition', the 'virtue of restraint', the 'virtue of abstention'. The destruction of ill will by not-ill will, the destruction of rigidity and torpor by the perception of brightness, the destruction of agitation and anxiety by non-distraction, the destruction of uncertainty by the determination of states, the destruction of ignorance by knowledge, the destruction of discontent by gladness, the destruction of the five hindrances by the first meditation"
p.9-10: ""Anger, malice, hypocrisy, agitation, covetousness, jealousy, wile, craftiness, resentment, disputatiousness, pride, self-conceit, arrogance, negligence, idleness, lust, non-contentment with little, not following the wise, non-mindfulness, harsh speech, evil companionship, evil knowledge, evil views, impatience, want of faith, immodesty, indecorum, indulgence of body mouth and palate, vulgarity, contact with women, not honouring the teacher, non-practice of restraint of the senses, non-practice of concentration in the first and last watches of the night, not reciting the discourses in the first and last watches of the night—these thirty-four states are 'obstacles'." (p. 9-10 Path of Freedom)
p.39: "Concentration means that one has purity of mind, endeavours steadfastly, dwells with the truth having the benefit of tranquillity and is not distracted. This is called concentration. And again, it means not allowing one's mind to be bent by the strong wind of passion. It is comparable to the unflickering flame of the lamp behind the palace. It is said in the Abhidhamma thus: "What fixes the mind aright, causes it to be not dependent on any, causes it to be unmoved, undisturbed, tranquillized and non-attached, and rightens the faculty of concentration and the power of concentration is called concentration.""
p. 40: "'What is 'meditation' ? It is to contemplate on reality, to remove resentment, to make the mind happy, to discard the hindrances, to gain freedom, to equalize, to arouse concentration skilfully, to acquire liberation, to dwell in right observance, to wish to arouse concentration and to aspire to possess freedom."
Copies Vimuttimagga:
PDF Translated from the Chinese by Rev. N.R.M. Ehara, Soma Thera, and Kheminda Thera
PDF of the copy I'm reading from 1961
PDF The Open Buddhist University
Visuddhimagga
Access to insight version by Nanamoli 1975
Links: Vimuttimagga in Encyclopedia of Buddhism
Link to read the ancient biography of Buddhaghosa called Buddhaghosuppatti, which says he was from India and came to Sri Lanka, and has more the air of a legendary account. The Mahāvaṃsa, which is earlier, describes him as a Vedic scholar who is converted in debate by Revata. There are no corroborating accounts.
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