Sam Vara composed: ↑ Mon Dec 24, 2018 8:39 am And he might, obviously, have understood the significance of some of the course aspects prior to his knowledge, however the suttas do not discuss that at all.
The above is inaccurate. In the Buddha’s description of his progress towards enlightenment the advancement of best thought/resolve is described (renunciation, non-ill will, harmlessness), and the establishment of mindfulness is validated.
Likewise the process of ideal effort is explained.
“As I discovered that it causes my own affliction, it went away. As I discovered that it leads to the affliction of others … to the condition of both … it obstructs discernment, promotes vexation, & does not cause Unbinding, it decreased. Whenever thinking imbued with sensuality had actually developed, I merely abandoned it, dispelled it, cleaned it out of presence.
[…]”Whatever a monk keeps pursuing with his thinking & considering, that ends up being the inclination of his awareness. If a monk keeps pursuing thinking imbued with renunciation, abandoning believing imbued with sensuality, his mind is bent by that believing imbued with renunciation. If a monk keeps pursuing thinking imbued with non-ill will, deserting believing imbued with ill will, his mind is bent by that believing imbued with non-ill will. If a monk keeps pursuing thinking imbued with harmlessness, deserting thinking imbued with harmfulness, his mind is bent by that thinking imbued with harmlessness.”
[…]”Unflagging perseverance was excited in me, and unmuddled mindfulness developed. “
[…]”I directed it to the understanding of the ending of the mental fermentations. I discerned, as it had actually become, that ‘This is stress … This is the origination of tension … This is the cessation of tension … This is the method resulting in the cessation of tension … These are fermentations … This is the origination of fermentations … This is the cessation of fermentations … “– MN 19
