English
5. The Explanation of the Paramaṭṭhaka Sutta Now, the explanation of the Paramaṭṭhaka Sutta will be given – 31. Dwelling on views as supreme, whatever a being holds as excellent in the world; He says all others are inferior to that, therefore, he is not free from disputes. "Dwelling on views as supreme" means: There are some ascetics and brahmins who are attached to views. They, taking hold of, grasping, seizing, clinging to, and adhering to one or another of the sixty-two views as "this is supreme, foremost, excellent, distinguished, principal, ultimate, pre-eminent," dwell, reside, abide, and live in their own view. Just as householders dwell in houses, or those with offenses dwell in offenses, or those with defilements dwell in defilements; in the same way, there are some ascetics and brahmins who are attached to views. They, taking hold of, grasping, seizing, clinging to, and adhering to one or another of the sixty-two views as "this is supreme, foremost, excellent, distinguished, principal, ultimate, pre-eminent," dwell, reside, abide, and live in their own view – "dwelling on views as supreme." "Whatever a being holds as excellent in the world" means: "Whatever" means that which. "Holds as excellent" means makes excellent, makes foremost, excellent, distinguished, principal, ultimate, pre-eminent. He makes it excellent, foremost, excellent, distinguished, principal, ultimate, pre-eminent, saying "this teacher is omniscient." He makes it excellent, foremost, excellent, distinguished, principal, ultimate, pre-eminent. He makes it excellent, foremost, excellent, distinguished, principal, ultimate, pre-eminent, saying "this Dhamma is well-proclaimed..., this community is well-practiced..., this view is good..., this practice is well-enacted..., this path is leading to liberation." He produces, brings forth, makes it excellent, foremost, excellent, distinguished, principal, ultimate, pre-eminent. "Being" means a sentient being, a person... (and so on)... a human being. "In the world" means in the world of woe... (and so on)... in the world of sense bases – "whatever a being holds as excellent in the world." "He says all others are inferior to that" means: his own teacher, the teaching of the Dhamma, the community, the view... Setting aside this path and way, he casts away, throws up, and rejects all other doctrines. "That teacher is not omniscient, the Dhamma is not well-proclaimed, the Sangha is not well-practiced, the view is not good, the practice is not well-established, the path is not leading to liberation, there is no purity or purification or complete purification here, no release or liberation or complete liberation here, there are none here who become pure or purified or completely purified, or who are released or liberated or completely liberated, they are inferior, very inferior, low, contemptible, worthless, insignificant." Thus he says, thus he speaks, thus he declares, thus he explains, thus he expresses. "Inferior" – thus he calls all others. Therefore, he does not transcend disputes. "Therefore" means for that reason, for that cause, for that condition, for that origin. "Disputes" means quarrels of views, contentions of views, conflicts of views, disputes of views, and strife of views. "Does not transcend" means not gone beyond, not completely gone beyond, does not transcend. Therefore, he does not transcend disputes. Therefore, the Blessed One said: "Dwelling in views as supreme, whatever a being considers superior in the world; he calls all others inferior to that, therefore, he does not transcend disputes." 32. When he sees an advantage in himself, in what is seen, heard, practiced, or cognized; grasping only that there, he sees all others as inferior. "When he sees an advantage in himself, in what is seen, heard, practiced, or cognized." "In himself" means what is in oneself. "Self" is called a view. He sees two advantages in his own view: an advantage in this present life, and an advantage in the life to come. What is the advantage in this present life for a view? Whatever view the teacher holds, his disciples hold that same view. The disciples respect, revere, honor, and worship that teacher who holds that view, and because of that, he obtains robes, almsfood, lodging, medicines for the sick, and other requisites. This is the advantage in this present life for a view. What is the advantage in the life to come for a view? This view is sufficient... or to the state of being a nāga, or to the state of being a supaṇṇa, or to the state of being a yakkha, or to the state of being an asura, or to the state of being a gandhabba, or to the state of being a great king, or to the state of being Indra, or to the state of being Brahmā, or to the state of being a deva; this view is sufficient for purity, complete purity, perfect purity, for liberation, complete liberation, perfect liberation; by this view they are purified, completely purified, perfectly purified, they are liberated, completely liberated, perfectly liberated; by this view I shall be purified, completely purified, perfectly purified, I shall be liberated, completely liberated, perfectly liberated; he expects a future result. This is the future benefit of the view. In one's own view, he sees these two benefits, also in purity of sight he sees two benefits, also in purity of hearing he sees two benefits, also in purity of moral conduct he sees two benefits, also in purity of vows he sees two benefits, also in purity of perception he sees two benefits – both a benefit in this very life and a benefit in the future life. Which is the benefit in this very life of purity of perception? Whatever view the teacher holds, that view the disciples hold... This is the benefit in this very life of purity of perception. Which is the future benefit of purity of perception? This view is sufficient for the state of being a nāga or... This is the future benefit of purity of perception. Also in purity of perception, he sees, perceives, observes, contemplates, examines these two benefits – whatever benefit he sees in himself, in what is seen, heard, in moral conduct, in vows, or in what is perceived. He grasps that very thing there. "That very thing" means that view. "There" means in his own view, his own acceptance, his own preference, his own doctrine. "He grasps" means having taken, having grasped, having seized, having clung to, having adhered to, thinking "this is supreme, foremost, excellent, distinguished, principal, highest, best" – he grasps that very thing there. He sees all others as inferior. Another teacher, a teaching, a group, a view, a practice, a path, he sees as low, inferior, mean, contemptible, worthless, insignificant. sees, looks, observes, examines— he sees everything else as inferior. Therefore, the Blessed One said: “Whatever advantage he sees in himself, in what is seen, heard, virtuous, or thought, that alone he grasps there, and sees everything else as inferior.” 33. That bond too the skilled declare, by relying on which one sees others as inferior. Therefore, a monk should not rely on what is seen, heard, thought, or on virtue and vows. “That bond too the skilled declare.” “Skilled” means those who are skilled in aggregates, skilled in elements, skilled in sense bases, skilled in dependent origination, skilled in foundations of mindfulness, skilled in right exertions, skilled in bases of psychic power, skilled in faculties, skilled in powers, skilled in factors of awakening, skilled in the path, skilled in fruits, skilled in Nibbāna. These skilled ones declare thus: “This is a bond, this is an attachment, this is a fetter, this is an impediment.” Thus they declare, thus they explain, thus they speak, thus they expound, thus they express— “That bond too the skilled declare.” “By relying on which one sees others as inferior.” “By relying on which” means relying on, depending on, adhering to, approaching, settling upon, resolved upon a teacher, a teaching, a group, a view, a practice, a path. “Sees others as inferior” means he sees, looks, observes, closely observes, examines another teacher, teaching, group, view, practice, path as inferior, very inferior, low, mean, contemptible, small, insignificant— “by relying on which one sees others as inferior.” “Therefore, a monk should not rely on what is seen, heard, thought, or on virtue and vows.” “Therefore” means for that reason, for that cause, for that condition, for that origin, he should not rely on, should not grasp, should not cling to, should not adhere to what is seen, or purity of seeing, what is heard, or purity of hearing, what is thought, or purity of thought, virtue, or purity of virtue, a vow, or purity of a vow— “Therefore, a monk should not rely on what is seen, heard, thought, or on virtue and vows.” Should lie down. Therefore the Blessed One said: "That bond, indeed, the skilled ones call, by relying on which one sees another as inferior; Therefore, indeed, what is seen, or heard, or perceived, a monk should not rely on rules and vows." Even a view in the world one should not form, whether by knowledge or by rules and vows; One should not bring oneself to be equal, nor think oneself inferior or superior. "Even a view in the world one should not form, whether by knowledge or by rules and vows." Whether by the knowledge of the eight attainments, or by the knowledge of the five supernormal powers, or by wrong knowledge, or by virtue, or by vows, or by rules and vows, one should not form a view, not generate, not produce, not bring forth, not manifest. "In the world" means in the world of suffering... (and so on)... in the world of sense-spheres. Even a view in the world one should not form, whether by knowledge or by rules and vows. "One should not bring oneself to be equal." One should not bring oneself to think "I am equal"