➥ anusaya and anuseti.

• for anusaya:
  • proclivity (to something)
  • unwholesome proclivity
  • identification
• for anusayā:
  • unwholesome proclivities
  • identification
• for anuseti:
  • identify with
  • to lurk within
  • to lurk within one
  • to linger

Anusaya: ‘proclivity’

Anusaya means tendency, but ‘always in a bad sense,’ says PED. The Madhupiṇḍika Sutta appropriately calls the anusayas ‘unvirtuous, spiritually unwholesome factors’ (pāpakā akusalā dhammā MN i 109). Accordingly, we call anusayas ‘proclivities’ which means ‘a strong natural proneness, usually to something objectionable or evil’ (Webster’s).

Anuseti: ‘lurk within’ and ‘linger’

Anuseti means ‘to lie down with.’ Illustrations below show it can be called ‘to lurk within’ or ‘to linger.’ Relevant quotes are presented below.

Anuseti: ‘identify with.’

In some circumstances anuseti means ‘to identify with.’ This needs a substantial explanation because it is unnoted by translators and lexicographers alike.

‘To identify with’: explanation

To show that anuseti means ‘to identify with,’ we will use an argument that includes the concept of ‘being measured,’ as follows:

• 1) Firstly, when we say ‘to identify with’ we mean ‘to see things as “[in reality] mine,” or “[in reality] what I am,” “my [absolute] Selfhood.”’

  etaṁ mama eso’hamasmi eso me attā ti.

• 2) Secondly, when the Dutiya Bhikkhu Sutta says ‘one is measured because of anuseti’ (yaṁ kho bhikkhu anuseti taṁ anumīyati, SN iii 36-7) we take ‘measured’ to mean ‘measured against others via the three modes of self-centredness.’ These are the tisso vidhā, namely: ‘I am better,’ ‘I am equal,’ ‘I am worse’ (SN v 56).
• 3) That ‘being measured’ comes from ‘identifying with’ is shown in the Surādha Sutta, which says that transcending the modes [of self-centredness] (vidhā samatikkantaṁ) is attained by not identifying with the five aggregates, as follows:

• One perceives all bodily form… field of sensation according to reality with perfect penetrative discernment as “not [in reality] mine,” “not [in reality] what I am,” “not my [absolute] Selfhood”’

sabbaṁ rūpaṁ… sabbaṁ viññāṇaṁ n’etaṁ mama n’eso’hamasmi na me so attā ti.

… Thus knowing, thus seeing, in regard to this [wretched human] body together with its consciousness and all external phenomena, the mind is rid of the illusions of personal identity and personal ownership and self-centredness, it has transcended the modes [of self-centredness], and is peaceful and liberated [from perceptually obscuring states].

Evaṁ kho surādha jānato evaṁ passato imasmiñca saviññāṇake kāye bahiddhā ca sabbanimittesu ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānāpagataṁ mānasaṁ hoti vidhā samatikkantaṁ santaṁ suvimuttanti. (SN iii 80-1)

• 4) We have seen that the Surādha Sutta says ‘being measured’ comes from ‘identifying with,’ and the Dutiya Bhikkhu Sutta says being measured (anumīyati) comes from anuseti. Therefore anuseti means ‘to identify with.’
• 5) Accordingly, the Dutiya Bhikkhu Sutta can be translated as follows:

‘What one identifies with, by that one is measured.’

yaṁ kho bhikkhu anuseti taṁ anumīyati. (SN iii 36-7)

This makes perfect sense, and validates our argument.

Advantage: rational

Rendering anuseti as ‘to identify with’ has two advantages. Firstly, translations are rational, as for example here:

• Whatever one identifies with, one is reckoned in terms of.

yaṁ kho bhikkhu anuseti tena saṅkhaṁ gacchati. (SN iii 35)

Advantage: congruous

The second advantage of translating anuseti as ‘to identify with’ is that it avoids the incongrous idea of ‘having a tendency to the five aggregates.’ For example Bodhi says:

• If, venerable sir, one has an underlying tendency towards form, then one is measured in accordance with it

Rūpaṁ ce bhante anuseti taṁ anumīyati. (translation of SN iii 36)

This is incongruous, for the following reasons:

• 1) ‘Tendency’ goes with verbs and mental states, but not other nouns. For example, a tendency to argue, to doubt, to anger etc.
• 2) Webster’s dictionary accordingly says tendency means ‘a proneness to a particular kind of thought or action.’
• 3) The seven anusaya’s themselves follow this principle, with a list that includes the proclivity to repugnance, to self-centredness etc. But no ‘tendency to the five aggregates.’

Therefore when anuseti is applied to nouns that are not mental states, we use the verb ‘to identify with,’ and our comparable rendering for SN iii 36 is:

• If, bhante, one identifies with bodily form, by that one is measured.

Rūpaṁ ce bhante anuseti taṁ anumīyati. (SN iii 36)

Anusaya: same principle

The same principle holds for the noun anusaya. Rendering it ‘proclivity’ makes good sense when it is linked to verbs and mental states. But when linked to other types of nouns, we call it ‘identification.’ This avoids the obvious problems of Bodhi’s translations, where anuseti is always ‘underlying tendency.’ Let us compare translations of two quotes:

Quote 1) Bodhi says:

• the underlying tendency to lust lies within one.

Tassa rāgānusayo anuseti. (Bodhi, MN iii 285)

This translation is satisfactory because lust is a mental state. Our translation of the quote is comparable:

• The proclivity to attachment lurks within him.

Tassa rāgānusayo anuseti. (MN iii 285)

Quote 2) Bodhi says:

• The desire, lust, delight, and craving, the engagement and clinging, the mental standpoints, adherences, and underlying tendencies regarding the form element: these have been abandoned by the Tathāgata.

rūpadhātuyā kho gahapati yo chando yo rāgo yā nandi yā taṇhā ye upayupādānā cetaso adhiṭṭhānābhinivesānusayā te tathāgatassa pahīnā. (Bodhi, SN iii 10)

This quote involves a noun that is not a mental state (‘underlying tendencies regarding the form element’). We translate the passage with ‘identification’ (‘identification in regards to bodily form’) as follows:

• The fondness, attachment, spiritually fettering delight, craving, clinging, grasping, obstinate adherence, stubborn attachment, and identification in regards to bodily form have been abandoned by the Perfect One

rūpadhātuyā kho gahapati yo chando yo rāgo yā nandi yā taṇhā ye upayupādānā cetaso adhiṭṭhānābhinivesānusayā te tathāgatassa pahīnā. (SN iii 10)

Conclusion

In conclusion, where they involve nouns that are not mental states, anusaya and anuseti mean ’identification’ and ‘to identify with.’

Illustration: anusaya, proclivity

Discard the proclivity to self-centredness

mānānusayamujjaha. (SN i 188)

The illusion of personal identity, the illusion of personal ownership, and the proclivity to self-centredness

ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā. (SN ii 275)

The proclivity to attachment should be abandoned in regard to pleasant sense impression

sukhāya vedanāya rāgānusayo pahātabbo

The proclivity to repugnance should be abandoned in regard to unpleasant sense impression

dukkhāya vedanāya paṭighānusayo pahātabbo

The proclivity to uninsightfulness into reality should be abandoned in regard to neutral sense impression

adukkhamasukhāya vedanāya avijjānusayo pahātabbo. (SN iv 205)

• For whatever the reason that entrenched perception and conception assail a man

yatonidānaṁ purisaṁ papañcasaññāsaṅkhā samudācaranti

… if there is found nothing there to be delighted in, welcomed, or clung to

ettha ce natthi abhinanditabbaṁ abhivaditabbaṁ ajjhositabbaṁ

… this is the end of the proclivity to attachment

esevanto rāgānusayānaṁ

… this is the end of the proclivity to repugnance

esevanto paṭighānusayānaṁ

… this is the end of the proclivity to dogmatism

esevanto diṭṭhānusayānaṁ

… this is the end of the proclivity to doubt [about the excellence of the teaching]

esevanto vicikicchānusayānaṁ. (MN i 109)

➥ anusayā: (main article see: anusaya)

Illustration: anusayā, unwholesome proclivities

He in whom there are no unwholesome proclivities, in whom the origins of whatever is spiritually unwholesome are abolished,

Yassānusayā na santi keci mūlā akusalā samūhatāse. (Snp 14)

Seven unwholesome proclivities

Sattannaṁ bhikkhave anusayānaṁ

• proclivity to attachment to sensuous pleasure

kāmarāgānusayassa

• proclivity to repugnance

paṭighānusayassa

• proclivity to dogmatism

diṭṭhānusayassa

• proclivity to doubt [about the excellence of the teaching]

vicikicchānusayassa

• proclivity to self-centredness

mānānusayassa

• proclivity to attachment to individual existence

bhavarāgānusayassa

• proclivity to uninsightfulness into reality

avijjānusayassa. (AN iv 9)

Illustration: anusayā, identification

The fondness, attachment, spiritually fettering delight, craving, clinging, grasping, obstinate adherence, stubborn attachment, and identification in regards to bodily form have been abandoned by the Perfect One

rūpadhātuyā kho gahapati yo chando yo rāgo yā nandi yā taṇhā ye upayupādānā cetaso adhiṭṭhānābhinivesānusayā te tathāgatassa pahīnā. (SN iii 10)

➥ anuseti: (main article see: anusaya)

Illustration: anuseti, identify with

Whatever one is intent upon, conceives of, and identifies with, this becomes the basis for the establishment of one’s stream of consciousness.

bhikkhave ceteti yañca pakappeti yañca anuseti ārammaṇametaṁ hoti viññāṇassa ṭhitiyā

When there is the basis, there is the establishment of one’s stream of consciousness.

Yañca ārammaṇe sati patiṭṭhā viññāṇassa hoti.

When one’s stream of consciousness is established and has [egoistically] matured, there is the appearance of immaterial-factors-and-bodily-form.

Tasmiṁ patiṭṭhite viññāṇe virūḷhe nāmarūpassa avakkanti hoti. (SN ii 66)

Even if one is not intent upon something, and does not conceive of it, but nonetheless one identifies with it, this becomes the basis for the establishment of one’s stream of consciousness.

no ce bhikkhave ceteti no ce pakappeti atha ce anuseti ārammaṇametaṁ hoti viññāṇassa ṭhitiyā. (SN ii 67)

Whatever one identifies with, one is reckoned in terms of.

yaṁ kho bhikkhu anuseti tena saṅkhaṁ gacchati;

Whatever one does not identify with, one is not reckoned in terms of.

yaṁ nānuseti na tena saṅkhaṁ gacchatī ti.

If one identifies with bodily form… fields of sensation, then one is reckoned in terms of it.

Rūpaṁ… viññāṇaṁ ce anuseti tena saṅkhaṁ gacchati.

If one does not identify with bodily form… fields of sensation, then one is not reckoned in terms of it.

Rūpaṁ… viññāṇaṁ ce nānuseti na tena saṅkhaṁ gacchati. (SN iii 35)

What one identifies with, by that one is measured. By what one is measured, one is reckoned.

Yaṁ kho bhikkhu anuseti taṁ anumīyati. Yaṁ anumīyati tena saṅkhaṁ gacchati

What one does not identify with, by that one is not measured. By what one is not measured, one is not reckoned.

yaṁ nānuseti na taṁ anumīyati yaṁ nānumīyati na tena saṅkhaṁ gacchatīti.

If one identifies with the five aggregates, by that one is measured. By what one is measured, one is reckoned.

Rūpaṁ… viññāṇaṁ ce anuseti taṁ anumīyati yaṁ anumīyati tena saṅkhaṁ gacchati.

If one does not identify with the five aggregates, by that one is not measured. By what one is not measured, one is not reckoned.

Rūpaṁ… viññāṇaṁ ce nānuseti na taṁ anumīyati yaṁ nānumīyati na tena saṅkhaṁ gacchati. (SN iii 36-7)

Illustration: anuseti, lurk within

Wrong view [of reality] has lurked within the ignorant for a long time

Dīgharattamanusayitaṁ diṭṭhigatamajānataṁ

The ignorant indeed say one is a Brahman on account of birth.

Ajānantā no pabruvanti jātiyā hoti brāhmano. (Snp 649)

The Blessed One has through his explanations removed the arrow of doubt and uncertainty [about the way of spiritual fulfilment, and of unfulfilment] long lurking in me.

bhagavatā vyākatā dīgharattānusayitañca pana me vicikicchākathaṅkathāsallaṁ tañca bhagavatā abbūḷhanti. (DN ii 283)

When affected by a pleasant sense impression, he takes delight in it, he welcomes it, and persists in cleaving to it.

so sukhāya vedanāya phuṭṭho samāno abhinandati abhivadati ajjhosāya tiṭṭhati.

The proclivity to attachment lurks within him.

Tassa rāgānusayo anuseti. (MN iii 286)

Illustration: anuseti, lurk within one

The proclivity to attachment lurks within one in relation to pleasant sense impression.

sukhāya kho āvuso visākha vedanāya rāgānusayo anuseti

The proclivity to repugnance lurks within one in relation to unpleasant sense impression.

dukkhāya vedanāya paṭighānusayo anuseti

The proclivity to uninsightfulness into reality lurks within one in relation to neutral sense impression.

adukkhamasukhāya vedanāya avijjānusayo anusetīti. (MN i 302)

Illustration: anuseti, linger within

And of what sort is he who is like carving on a rock? In this regard, some person is frequently angry (abhiṇhaṁ kujjhati). Moreover that anger lingers within him for a long time

so ca khvassa kodho dīgharattaṁ anuseti

And of what sort is he who is like carving on the ground? In this regard, some person is frequently angry (abhiṇhaṁ kujjhati), but his anger does not linger within him for a long time

so ca khvassa kodho na dīgharattaṁ anuseti. (AN i 284)