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Grammatical Analysis

Maggañāṇa: [nt.] Path knowledge. Formed by magga (path, way) + ñāṇa (knowledge).

Orthodox Definition

Maggañāṇa is the actual moment of Awakening. It is a strictly supramundane (lokuttara) active consciousness (kusalacitta) that arises for exactly one single mind-moment in the cognitive series.

Taking Nibbāna as its direct object, the Path consciousness simultaneously performs four functions in a single flash:

  1. It fully comprehends Suffering (pariññā).
  2. It abandons Craving/Origin (pahāna).
  3. It realizes Cessation (sacchikiriya).
  4. It develops the Noble Eightfold Path (bhāvanā).

Crucially, it acts like a thunderbolt that permanently destroys specific fetters (saṃyojana) relative to the stage of awakening (Stream-entry, Once-Return, Non-Return, or Arahatship). Those defilements can never arise again in the mind stream.

Quote

Saccābhisamayakālasmiñhi maggañāṇassa ekakkhaṇe pariññā, pahānaṃ, sacchikiriyā, bhāvanāti cattāri kiccāni honti.
For at the time of the penetration of the Truths, the path-knowledge simultaneously performs four functions: full comprehension, abandonment, realization, and development.

Yathā nāvā apubbaṃ acarimaṃ ekakkhaṇe cattāri kiccāni karoti, orimaṃ tīraṃ pajahati, sotaṃ chindati, bhaṇḍaṃ vahati, pārimaṃ tīraṃ appeti, evameva maggañāṇaṃ apubbaṃ acarimaṃ ekakkhaṇe cattāri saccāni abhisameti, dukkhaṃ pariññābhisamayena abhisameti, samudayaṃ pahānābhisamayena abhisameti, maggaṃ bhāvanābhisamayena abhisameti, nirodhaṃ sacchikiriyābhisamayena abhisameti.
Just as a boat performs four functions simultaneously, without prior or subsequent action – it leaves the near shore, cuts through the current, carries its cargo, and reaches the far shore – even so, path-knowledge simultaneously penetrates the four Truths, without prior or subsequent action: it penetrates suffering by the penetration of full comprehension, it penetrates the origin by the penetration of abandonment, it penetrates the path by the penetration of development, and it penetrates cessation by the penetration of realization.

Kiṃ vuttaṃ hoti?
What is meant by this?

Nirodhaṃ ārammaṇaṃ katvā kiccavasena cattāripi saccāni pāpuṇāti passati paṭivijjhatīti.
It means that by taking cessation as its object, it reaches, sees, and penetrates all four Truths by way of function.

Yathā orimaṃ tīraṃ pajahati, evaṃ maggañāṇaṃ dukkhaṃ parijānāti.
Just as it leaves the near shore, so path-knowledge fully comprehends suffering.

Yathā sotaṃ chindati, evaṃ samudayaṃ pajahati.
Just as it cuts through the current, so it abandons the origin.

Yathā bhaṇḍaṃ vahati, evaṃ sahajātādipaccayatāya maggaṃ bhāveti.
Just as it carries its cargo, so it develops the path by way of co-arising and other conditions.

Yathā pārimaṃ tīraṃ appeti, evaṃ pārimatīrabhūtaṃ nirodhaṃ sacchikarotīti evaṃ upamāsaṃsandanaṃ veditabbaṃ.
Just as it reaches the far shore, so it realizes cessation, which is like the far shore; thus, the comparison should be understood.

— Paṭisambhidāmagga-aṭṭhakathā (Saddhammappakāsinī)

Yaṃ pana asanivicakkābhihatassa rukkhassa viya ariyamaggañāṇena saṃyojanādīnaṃ dhammānaṃ yathā na puna pavatti, evaṃ pahānaṃ, idaṃ samucchedappahānaṃ nāma.
The abandonment whereby the defilements such as the fetters do not arise again through the knowledge of the Noble Path, just as a tree struck by a lightning bolt does not grow again—this is called samucchedappahāna.

Yaṃ sandhāya vuttaṃ ‘‘samucchedappahānañca lokuttaraṃ khayagāmimaggaṃ bhāvayato’’ti (paṭi. ma. 1.24).
It is with reference to this that it is said: “And samucchedappahāna for one developing the supramundane path leading to destruction.”

Iti imesu tīsu pahānesu samucchedappahānameva idha adhippetaṃ.
Among these three kinds of abandonment, samucchedappahāna is what is intended here.

— Visuddhimagga (Chapter XXII)

Textual References

  • Abhidhamma: Dhammasaṅgaṇī – The precise classification of the supramundane path states and their associated mental factors.
  • Canonical: Paṭisambhidāmagga – The structural proof of the simultaneous realization of the Four Noble Truths.
  • Commentary: Visuddhimagga (Chapter XXII) – Detailing the “Purification by Knowledge and Vision,” the ultimate goal of the meditation system.
  • Commentary: Paṭisambhidāmagga-aṭṭhakathā (Saddhammappakāsinī) – Illustrates the simultaneous execution of the four path functions using the simile of a boat’s four simultaneous actions.

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