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B0102051702pārāyanavagganiddeso (chapter commentary)

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abandoned, eradicated, calmed, subsided, incapable of future arising, burnt by the fire of knowledge – all paths of discourse are uprooted. Therefore the Blessed One said: For one who has set, there is no measure, [Upasīva, said the Blessed One] That by which one might speak of him, that is not for him; When all phenomena are uprooted, all paths of discourse are also uprooted. With the conclusion of the verse, those who were with the brahmin... etc. ...sat with clasped hands, paying homage: "The Blessed One, venerable sir, is my Teacher, I am a disciple." The Sixth Explanation of Upasīva the Student's Question. 7. The Explanation of Nanda the Student's Question 46. There are sages in the world, [thus said Venerable Nanda] People say this, but how is it? Do they call one a sage who is endowed with knowledge, or indeed one who is endowed with a livelihood? "There are sages in the world." "Santi" means they exist, are found, are present, are obtainable. "Loke" means in the world of woe... etc. ...in the world of sense-spheres. "Munayo" means those named sages: Ājīvakas, Nigaṇṭhas, ascetics with matted hair, hermits. (Devas perceive them as sages in the world, but they are not sages.) There are sages in the world. "Thus said Venerable Nanda." "Iccā" is a word-junction... etc. "Āyasmā" is an affectionate address... etc. "Nanda" is the name of that brahmin... etc. the expression is "thus said Venerable Nanda." "People say this, but how is it?" "Janā" means khattiyas and brahmins and vessas and suddas and householders and renunciants and devas and humans. "Vadanti" means they speak, they say, they declare, they express. This, how is it? A question of doubt, a question of uncertainty, a question of perplexity, a question of indecision: "Is it so? Is it not so? What is it? How is it?" People say, "What is this like?" "Do they call a sage one endowed with knowledge?" By the knowledge of the eight attainments, or by the knowledge of the five supernormal powers, endowed, fully endowed, reached, fully reached, arisen, fully arisen, possessed, they call, speak, declare, explain, describe a sage. "Do they call a sage one endowed with knowledge?" "Or indeed, one endowed with a way of life?" Or by the practice of a life of many varied, extremely difficult, harsh austerities, endowed, fully endowed, reached, fully reached, arisen, fully arisen, possessed, they call, speak, declare, explain, describe a sage. "Or indeed, one endowed with a way of life?" Therefore, that brahmin said: "There are sages in the world, People say, 'What is this like?' Do they call a sage one endowed with knowledge, Or indeed, one endowed with a way of life?" 47. Not by views, not by tradition, not by knowledge, Here, Nanda, the skilled ones call a sage; Having removed the dart, without anguish, without longing, Those who wander, them I call sages. "Not by views, not by tradition, not by knowledge." Not by views means not by purity of views. Not by tradition means not by purity of tradition. Not by knowledge means not by the knowledge of the eight attainments, not by the knowledge of the five supernormal powers, not by wrong knowledge. Not by views, not by tradition, not by knowledge. "Here, Nanda, the skilled ones call a sage." Skilled ones 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 the fruit, skilled in Nibbana; by purity of views, or by purity of tradition, or by the knowledge of the eight attainments, or by the knowledge of the five supernormal powers, or by wrong knowledge, or by what is seen, or by what is heard, endowed, fully endowed, reached, fully reached, arisen, fully arisen... ...they do not speak of, do not declare, do not say, do not reveal, do not use the term "sage" for one who is endowed with it – here, Nanda, the skilled speak of a sage. "Having dispelled the army, free from affliction, without longing, Those who wander, them I call sages." "Army" is called the army of Māra. Bodily misconduct is the army of Māra. Verbal misconduct is the army of Māra. Mental misconduct is the army of Māra. Greed is the army of Māra. Hatred is the army of Māra. Delusion is the army of Māra. Anger... ...enmity... ...hypocrisy... ...arrogance... ...envy... ...avarice... ...deceit... ...fraud... ...obstinacy... ...presumption... ...conceit... ...over-estimation... ...intoxication... ...heedlessness... All defilements, all misconducts, all distresses, all fevers, all torments, all unwholesome volitional formations are the army of Māra. This was said by the Blessed One: "Lust is your first army, The second is called discontent; The third is hunger and thirst, The fourth is called craving. "The fifth is sloth and torpor, The sixth is called fear; The seventh is doubt, Hypocrisy and obstinacy are your eighth; Gain, fame, honor, And wrongly acquired renown. "He who exalts himself, And despises others; This, Namuci, is your army, Striking at the Dark One; No coward conquers it, But having conquered, one obtains happiness." Because by the four noble paths, all the army of Māra and all the opposing defilements have been conquered, defeated, broken, scattered, and turned away, therefore they are called "having dispelled the army." "Free from affliction" means: greed is affliction, hatred is affliction, delusion is affliction, anger is affliction, enmity is affliction... all unwholesome volitional formations are afflictions. Those whose afflictions are abandoned, uprooted, calmed, tranquilized, incapable of future arising, burnt by the fire of wisdom, they are called "free from affliction." "Without longing" means: longing is called craving. That which is greed, attachment... ignorance, covetousness, the root of unwholesomeness. Those whose longing, whose craving, is abandoned, uprooted, calmed, tranquilized, incapable of future arising, by the fire of wisdom... burnt by craving, they are called without hope, Arahants, with defilements destroyed. Having cast off weapons, without affliction, without hope, those who wander, them I call sages. Those who, having cast off weapons, are without affliction and without hope, who wander, abide, move, act, maintain, live, pass their lives, them I call sages in the world, I declare, I teach, I make known, I establish, I reveal, I analyze, I make clear, I proclaim. Having cast off weapons, without affliction, without hope, those who wander, them I call sages. Therefore, the Blessed One said: "Not by views, not by learning, not by knowledge, do the skilled sages here, Nanda, speak; Having cast off weapons, without affliction, without hope, those who wander, them I call sages." 48. "Whatever recluses and brahmins there are, [thus spoke the venerable Nanda] They speak of purity even by what is seen and heard; They speak of purity even by virtue and vows, They speak of purity in many ways. Have they, O Blessed One, striving there, wandering, crossed over birth and old age, O friend? I ask you, O Blessed One, tell me this." "Whatever recluses and brahmins there are." "Whatever" is a word that encompasses all, in every way, completely, without remainder, without exception. "Recluses" are those who have gone forth into homelessness outside of this teaching, who have entered the life of a wanderer. "Brahmins" are those who are called "bhovādi" (those who address others as "bho"). Thus: "Whatever recluses and brahmins there are." "Thus spoke the venerable Nanda." "Thus" is a word for the connection of words... (etc.). "Venerable" is a term of endearment... (etc.). "Nanda" is the name of that brahmin... (etc.) ... an appellation. Thus: "Thus spoke the venerable Nanda." "They speak of purity even by what is seen and heard." They speak, declare, say, explain, express purity, purification, complete purification, liberation, complete liberation, perfect liberation even by what is seen. They speak, declare, say, explain, express purity, purification, complete purification, liberation, complete liberation, perfect liberation even by what is heard. They speak, declare, say, explain, express purity, purification, complete purification, liberation, complete liberation, perfect liberation even by what is seen and heard. Thus: "They speak of purity even by what is seen and heard." "They speak even by virtue and vows..." they declare, they teach, they speak, they reveal, they express purity, purification, utter purity, release, deliverance, complete deliverance by virtue; they declare, they teach, they speak, they reveal, they express purity, purification, utter purity, release, deliverance, complete deliverance by vows; they declare, they teach, they speak, they reveal, they express purity, purification, utter purity, release, deliverance, complete deliverance by virtue and vows – by virtue and vows they declare purity. "In various ways they declare purity" means they declare, they teach, they speak, they reveal, they express purity, purification, utter purity, release, deliverance, complete deliverance by various kinds of curious rites and auspicious practices – in various ways they declare purity. "Are those, O Blessed One, restrained in that?" "Are they?" is a question of doubt, a question of uncertainty, a question of dilemma, a question of indecision, "Is it so, is it not so, what is it, how is it?" – "Are they?" "Those" refers to the adherents of views. "Blessed One" is a term of respect... ...a true designation, namely, "Blessed One" – "Are those, O Blessed One?" "Restrained in that?" "In that" means in their own view, in their own acceptance, in their own preference, in their own doctrine. "Restrained" means restrained, prepared, guarded, protected, watched over, controlled. "They act" means they act, they dwell,