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4. Elucidation Chapter 1. Analysis of the Discourse-Nutriment What is the discourse-nutriment there? The verse "On enjoyment and danger" is this discourse-nutriment. What does it teach? Enjoyment, danger, escape, fruit, means, command. "Monks, I will teach you the Dhamma, beautiful in the beginning, beautiful in the middle, beautiful in the end, with meaning and with letter, entirely complete and pure, I will proclaim the holy life." What is the enjoyment there? For one desiring desires, and if that is fulfilled for him; Truly, he becomes joyful, the mortal, having obtained what he wishes. This is enjoyment. What is the danger there? If for that one desiring, for that being with craving arisen; Those desires decline, he suffers as if pierced by a dart. This is danger. What is the escape there? Whoever avoids desires, as if a snake's head with his foot; That mindful one overcomes this entanglement in the world. This is escape. What is the enjoyment there? Fields, land, or gold, cattle, horses, servants; Women, relatives, various desires, the man who clings to these. This is enjoyment. What is the danger there? The weak overpower him, dangers crush him; Then suffering follows him, like water a broken boat. This is danger. What is the escape there? Therefore, a being, ever mindful, should avoid desires; Abandoning them, he crosses the flood, like one who has reached the far shore by boat. This is escape. What is the fruit there? Dhamma truly protects the one who practices Dhamma, like a great umbrella in the rainy season; This is the benefit of Dhamma well-practiced, the Dhamma-practitioner does not go to a bad destination. This is the fruit. What is the means there? "All formations are impermanent"... (etc.) "All formations are suffering"... (etc.) "All phenomena are non-self," when one sees with wisdom; Then one becomes disenchanted with suffering, this is the path to purity. Thus. This is the means. Among these, what is the command? "The one with eyes, sees the uneven, with effort present; The wise one in the living world, should avoid evils." This is the command. "'Look upon the world as empty, Mogharāja,' this is the command, 'always mindful,' this is the means; 'Having uprooted the view of self, thus one crosses over death.'" This is the fruit. 6. Therein, the Blessed One teaches liberation to the person of quick understanding, teaches danger and liberation to the person of developed understanding, and teaches gratification, danger, and liberation to the person who needs guidance. Therein are four paths, four types of individuals. The one whose conduct is craving, dull, with the faculty of mindfulness, proceeds to slow direct knowledge by the painful path, by means of the foundations of mindfulness. The one whose conduct is craving, exalted, with the faculty of concentration, proceeds to quick direct knowledge by the painful path, by means of the jhānas. The one whose conduct is views, dull, with the faculty of energy, proceeds to slow direct knowledge by the pleasant path, by means of the right efforts. The one whose conduct is views, exalted, with the faculty of wisdom, proceeds to quick direct knowledge by the pleasant path, by means of the truths. Both those whose conduct is craving proceed to insight preceded by tranquility, for the fading away of passion, for liberation of mind. Both those whose conduct is views proceed to tranquility preceded by insight, for the fading away of ignorance, for liberation by wisdom. Therein, those who proceed by paths preceded by tranquility should be understood by the method of the 'Nandiyāvaṭṭa' (turning of delight), and those who proceed by paths preceded by insight should be understood by the method of the 'Sīhavikkīḷita' (lion's play). 7. And this method, where does it arise? When the Teacher teaches the Dhamma, or some other venerable spiritual companion, having heard that Dhamma, one gains faith. Therein, the investigation, the exertion, the weighing, the examination—this is wisdom born of hearing. Likewise, by means of what is heard, the investigation, the weighing, the examination examination with the mind, this is wisdom born of thought. When knowledge arises, connected with attention, from these two kinds of wisdom, either in the stage of insight or in the stage of development, this is wisdom born of development. 8. From the voice of another, wisdom born of hearing. Arising from oneself, from proper attention, wisdom born of thought. When knowledge arises from the voice of another and from proper attention arising from oneself, this is wisdom born of development. One who has these two kinds of wisdom, born of hearing and born of thought, is one who understands quickly. One who has wisdom born of hearing, but not wisdom born of thought, is one who understands after elaboration. One who has neither wisdom born of hearing nor wisdom born of thought, is one who needs to be guided. 9. What does this teaching of the Dhamma teach? The four truths: suffering, its origin, its cessation, the path. Disadvantage and result is suffering, enjoyment is the origin, escape is the cessation, means and command is the path. These are the four truths. This is the Wheel of Dhamma. As the Blessed One said: "This is suffering," by me, monks, in Bārāṇasī, at Isipatana in the Deer Park, the unsurpassed Wheel of Dhamma was set in motion, not to be turned back by any ascetic or brahmin or god or Māra or Brahmā or anyone in the world, the entire Wheel of Dhamma. Therein are immeasurable words, immeasurable syllables, immeasurable consonants, immeasurable modes of expression, explanations. The elucidation, manifestation, disclosure, analysis, and making clear of this very meaning is the declaration: "This is the noble truth of suffering." "This is the origin of suffering," by me, monks, in Bārāṇasī, at Isipatana in the Deer Park, the unsurpassed Wheel of Dhamma was set in motion... "This is the cessation of suffering," by me, monks... "This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering," by me, monks, in Bārāṇasī, at Isipatana in the Deer Park, the unsurpassed Wheel of Dhamma was set in motion, not to be turned back by any ascetic or brahmin or god or Māra or Brahmā. Or by anyone in the world. Therein are immeasurable words, immeasurable letters, immeasurable expressions, immeasurable modes, etymological explanations, designations. Of this very meaning, elucidation, manifestation, disclosure, analysis, making clear, designation— this too is the Noble Truth, the path leading to the cessation of suffering. Therein the Blessed One elucidates with letters, manifests with words, discloses with expressions, analyzes with modes, makes clear with etymologies, designates with explanations. Therein the Blessed One opens up with letters and with words, elaborates with expressions and with modes, expands with etymologies and with explanations. Therein the opening is the beginning, the elaboration is the middle, the expansion is the end. This Dhamma-Vinaya, being opened up, disciplines the person who understands by opening; therefore they call it "good in the beginning." Being elaborated, it disciplines the person who understands by elaboration; therefore they call it "good in the middle." Being expanded, it disciplines the person to be led; therefore they call it "good in the end." 10. Therein, six terms are meaning: elucidation, manifestation, disclosure, analysis, making clear, designation— these six terms are meaning. Six terms are expression: letter, word, expression, mode, etymology, explanation— these six terms are expression. Therefore the Blessed One said: "Monks, I will teach you the Dhamma, good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end, with meaning, with expression." "Entire" means supramundane, not mixed with worldly things. "Complete" means full, not deficient, not excessive. "Pure" means spotless, all defilements gone, perfectly clean, established in all excellences. This is called "the Tathāgata's word," "practiced by the Tathāgata," "delighted in by the Tathāgata," and this holy life is known. Therefore the Blessed One said: "I will proclaim the holy life, entire, complete, and pure." Whose is this Dhamma teaching, y for yogis. Therefore, Venerable Mahākaccāna said: “Enjoyment and danger, And the escape, and the fruit, and the means; And the command of the Blessed One, Is the teaching method for yogis.” The teaching method is appointed. 2. Analysis of the Investigation Method 11. What is the investigation method here? The verse, “What is asked and what is answered,” this is the investigation method. What does it investigate? It investigates the word, it investigates the question, it investigates the answer, it investigates the prior and subsequent, it investigates the enjoyment, it investigates the danger, it investigates the escape, it investigates the fruit, it investigates the means, it investigates the command, it investigates the recitation, it investigates all nine suttantas. How would it be, just as Venerable Ajita in the Pārāyana asks the Blessed One a question: “By what is the world enveloped, By what does it not shine forth; What do you say is its anointing, What is its great fear?” These four words are asked, that is one question. Why? Because it grasps one object. For thus it is said, “By what is the world enveloped?” he asks about the world as the basis, “By what does it not shine forth?” he asks about the non-shining of the world, “What do you say is its anointing?” he asks about the anointing of the world, “What is its great fear?” he asks about the great fear of that very world. The world is threefold: the world of defilements, the world of existence, the world of faculties. Therein the answer: “The world is enveloped by ignorance, By wavering and heedlessness it does not shine forth; I say craving is its anointing, Suffering is its great fear.”