English
And whatever others, by means of the four-wheeled connection, and for that very reason, are engaged in struggle, all phenomena leading to transmigration should be designated. There, this explanation of the verse corresponds to the question and the explanation. Whatever the Blessed One sets forth in words, whether by sound or with explanation, or in recitation, he recites in as many words. 46. Monks, a bhikkhu endowed with eight qualities is fit to be a messenger. is fit to go. These eight terms are laid down. With six terms the Blessed One chants along. “Whoever is not disturbed when he meets an assembly of aggressive speakers, And does not give up his word, and does not conceal the teaching, “And speaks without doubt, and when questioned does not get angry; Such a monk, indeed, is fit to go on a mission.” Therein, as many terms as the Blessed One lays down, with that many he chants along. “Endowed with seven qualities, monks, a good friend is dear, respected, and revered,” thus in detail, this the Blessed One chants along with seven terms. Thus, the learned one chants along, a lesser word or term is laid down, the learned one lays down nine terms, the chanting along is less, the chanting along is more. This is called the chanting along and the analysis, this analysis is called a method. Therein, what is the method of suitability? Of all methods, that which is their ground and their range, the examination of suitability and unsuitability, that method is declared as suitability. Of the sixteen methods, as the teaching, as the analysis, and as that which is indicated, this is the indication. That this question is not suitable in the suttas, that inquiry therein, this is suitability. Just as beings become defiled with causes and conditions, there is a cause, there is a condition for the defilement of beings; beings become purified with causes and conditions, there is a cause, there is a condition for the purification of beings. By a virtuous person, Ānanda, it should not be declared, “Lest remorse arise in me…” (and so on) “…an undeclared state should be made,” this is the path to purification. What is its cause, what is its condition? For the aggregate of virtue, there are four, four causes and conditions. Association with good people and dwelling in a suitable country, this is the condition of clinging, with condition. That old kamma which would be its result, a condition, by that condition, right self-application, this is the cause. Thus, the aggregate of virtue has causes and conditions, this is mundane virtue. That which is supermundane Higher virtue, its three faculties are conditions – the faculty of faith, the faculty of energy, the faculty of concentration – this is the condition. And the faculty of mindfulness and the faculty of wisdom are causes. By wisdom leading to penetration, that virtue arises. And the virtue of the stream-enterer, therefore, this is the cause, this is the condition. Again, for concentration, tranquility, joy, and gladness are conditions. That happiness is a cause, therefore the aggregate of concentration is with cause and with condition. That one who is concentrated knows things as they are, this is wisdom. For that, external sound and internal appropriate attention are both cause and condition. Thus these three aggregates are with cause and with condition, and so are the seven wisdoms. And it does not apply in the seven expositions and suttas. This is the method of reasoning. It should be seen in the four great references. 47. What is the proximate cause there? The Conqueror teaches the Dhamma, and of that Dhamma, what is the proximate cause; Thus for all phenomena, this method is the proximate cause. Therein, the five sense-pleasures are the proximate cause of sensual passion. For whomever sensual passion arises, has arisen, or will arise, it is not elsewhere than in these five forms and sense-bases that sensual passion has its proximate cause. It is said, therefore, the five sense-pleasures are the proximate cause of sensual passion. The five faculties are the proximate cause of passion for form. The mind-faculty is the proximate cause of passion for existence. The five aggregates are the proximate cause of personality view. The sixty-one views are the proximate cause of passion for views. The sense-sphere realm is the proximate cause of sensual passion. The formless realm is the proximate cause of passion for the formless. The perception of happiness is the proximate cause of sensual passion. The perception of ill-will is the proximate cause of ill-will. Lack of clear comprehension is the proximate cause of delusion. The nine grounds for resentment are the proximate cause of ill-will. The nine kinds of conceit are the proximate cause of conceit. Pleasant feeling is the proximate cause of the latent tendency to lust. Painful feeling is the proximate cause of the latent tendency to aversion. Neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling is the proximate cause of the latent tendency to ignorance. Attachment to a self-theory... Debt and false speech are the basis of greed. Taking life, slanderous speech, and harsh speech are the basis of ill-will. Wrong view and idle chatter are the basis of delusion. Becoming, possessions, and self-expression are the basis of conceit. Grasping at external things is the basis of 'mine-making'. Attachment to the body is the basis of wrong view. Bodily fault is the basis of fault. Bodily impurity is the basis of greed. Whatever phenomenon arises with whatever object, whether by the basis of truth, or by the basis of phenomena, or by underlying tendencies, that phenomenon is the basis of that. With that object, that phenomenon arises. Just as a person, not finding a footing for the first step, lifts the second step, then retracts the following step. But if one does not find a footing for the second step, one lifts another step. Whatever condition there is for that. Thus, a phenomenon, whether wholesome, unwholesome, or indeterminate, not finding a basis, does not proceed. Just as the proper acquisition of an applied phenomenon, this is called the 'Basis Method'. 48. Therein, what is the 'Characteristic Method'? When one phenomenon is spoken of, all phenomena that share that characteristic; All are considered spoken of, that method is called the 'Characteristic Method'. And by the verse: "Well-begun, constantly, mindfulness of the body," by the body-mindfulness spoken of, mindfulness of feelings, mindfulness of mind, and mindfulness of phenomena are spoken of by one of the four foundations of mindfulness. For the mind does not proceed in a single station of consciousness; it proceeds in various ways. By the body-mindfulness spoken of, mindfulness of feelings, mindfulness of mind, and mindfulness of phenomena are spoken of. For when body-mindfulness is developed, the four foundations of mindfulness do not fail to reach the perfection of development. Thus, when such phenomena are spoken of, all phenomena are also spoken of. "The purification of one's own mind, this is the teaching of the Buddhas" - by this verse, mental phenomena are spoken of, in the mind, form what was said. This mind-and-body is the noble truth of suffering. Then, the purification of one's own mind: whatever one cleanses, that is suffering. By which one cleanses, that is the path. From which there is cleansing, that is cessation. Dependent on the eye and forms, eye-consciousness arises, therein co-arising are feeling, perception, volition, contact, attention, these phenomena have one characteristic, that of arising. And whoever becomes disenchanted with forms, he becomes disenchanted with feeling, he also becomes disenchanted with perception, volitional formations, and consciousness. Thus, those phenomena which have one characteristic, when one phenomenon among them is pointed out, all phenomena are pointed out, this is called the characteristic method. Therein, what is the four-fold method? Interpretation and intention, expression and teaching; The meaning of the Sutta, connection of prior and later, this is the four-fold method. Therein, what is interpretation? How should it be sought out? As said by the Blessed One, a monk endowed with eleven factors quickly attains greatness in the Dhamma, he is skilled in meaning, he is skilled in Dhamma, he is skilled in interpretation, he is skilled in feminine expressions, and in masculine expressions, and in neutral expressions, and in past expressions, and in future expressions, and in present expressions. Skilled in single intention, skilled in various intentions. In what was it taught? In past, future, and present. By feminine expressions, masculine expressions, neutral expressions, everything is pointed out according to the Sutta. From its expression, from skill in interpretation, whoever discerns the well-interpreted and ill-interpreted nature of a Sutta, this should be established thus. And this should not be established. This is called skill in interpretation. 49. Therein, what is skill in intention? That the import of every Sutta taught goes to 'this was taught by the Blessed One'. For example, the verse: 'Diligence is the path to the Deathless, heedlessness is the path to death.' Here, what is the Blessed One's intention? Those who desire eighty (years of life) they They will dwell heedfully, this is the intention. The time for practice does not turn back, and he will not fall into evil there. The path of feeling, by the sage proclaimed, having shaken off defilements and taints, from suffering, liberation is declared. What is the Blessed One's intention here? Those who are perfected by suffering, they will arouse energy for the destruction of suffering. This is the Blessed One's intention there. Thus, by verse or by explanation, by this discourse, practitioners, whoever practices according to the Dhamma, that is the intention; this is called the intention of the teaching.