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B01030402niddeso (description)

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English

Exposition 1. Designation of a Single Person 1. And what person is temporarily liberated? Here, a certain person, from time to time, from occasion to occasion, dwells having touched the eight liberations with the body, and having seen with wisdom, some of his taints are destroyed. This person is called "temporarily liberated". 2. And what person is not temporarily liberated? Here, a certain person does not dwell having touched the eight liberations with the body from time to time, from occasion to occasion, but having seen with wisdom, his taints are destroyed. This person is called "not temporarily liberated". All noble persons are not temporarily liberated in the noble liberations. 3. And what person is of a wavering nature? Here, a certain person is a recipient of attainments accompanied by form or accompanied by formlessness. But he is not a recipient at will, not a recipient without difficulty, not a recipient without trouble; he does not enter or emerge from them whenever he wishes, however he wishes, for as long as he wishes. It is indeed possible that, due to the negligence of that person, those attainments might waver. This person is called "of a wavering nature". 4. And what person is of an unwavering nature? Here, a certain person is a recipient of attainments accompanied by form or accompanied by formlessness. But he is a recipient at will, a recipient without difficulty, a recipient without trouble; he enters and emerges from them whenever he wishes, however he wishes, for as long as he wishes. It is impossible, there is no occasion, that due to the negligence of that person, those attainments might waver. This person is called "of an unwavering nature". All noble persons are of an unwavering nature in the noble liberations. 5. And what person is of a declining nature? Here, a certain person is a recipient of attainments accompanied by form or accompanied by formlessness. But he is not a recipient at will, not a recipient without difficulty, not a recipient without trouble; he does not enter or emerge from them whenever he wishes, however he wishes, for as long as he wishes. It is possible It is found to be the case, that this person, by falling into heedlessness, might decline from those attainments – this person is called "one liable to decline". 6. And what person is "one not liable to decline"? Here, a certain person is an obtainer of attainments associated with form or associated with formlessness. And he is an obtainer at will, without difficulty, without trouble; he enters and emerges whenever he wishes, however he wishes, for as long as he wishes. It is impossible, there is no opportunity, that this person, by falling into heedlessness, might decline from those attainments – this person is called "one not liable to decline". All noble persons are not liable to decline in noble liberation. 7. And what person is "one capable by intention"? Here, a certain person is an obtainer of attainments associated with form or associated with formlessness. And he is not an obtainer at will, not without difficulty, not without trouble; he does not enter and emerge whenever he wishes, however he wishes, for as long as he wishes. If he intends, he does not decline from those attainments. If he does not intend, he declines from those attainments – this person is called "one capable by intention". 8. And what person is "one capable by protection"? Here, a certain person is an obtainer of attainments associated with form or associated with formlessness. And he is not an obtainer at will, not without difficulty, not without trouble; he does not enter and emerge whenever he wishes, however he wishes, for as long as he wishes. If he protects, he does not decline from those attainments. If he does not protect, he declines from those attainments – this person is called "one capable by protection". 9. And what person is a "common person"? For whom the three fetters are not abandoned; and who is not practicing for the abandonment of those things – this person is called a "common person". 10. And what person is "one who has changed lineage"? Immediately after which things there is an entry into the noble Dhamma, by those things, together with... not yet attained – this person is called 'lineage-transcender'. 11. And what person has ceased from fear? The seven trainees have ceased from fear, and those ordinary people who are virtuous. The Arahant is beyond fear. 12. And what person is incapable of progress? Those persons who are endowed with a karma-obstruction, endowed with a defilement-obstruction, endowed with a result-obstruction, faithless, without desire, of poor wisdom, dull, are incapable of entering the fixed path of righteousness in wholesome states – these persons are called 'incapable of progress'. 13. And what person is capable of progress? Those persons who are not endowed with a karma-obstruction, not endowed with a defilement-obstruction, not endowed with a result-obstruction, faithful, with desire, wise, not dull, are capable of entering the fixed path of righteousness in wholesome states – these persons are called 'capable of progress'. 14. And what person is fixed? The five persons of immediate retribution, and those of wrong view are fixed, and the eight noble persons are fixed. The remaining persons are unfixed. 15. And what person is a practitioner? The four persons endowed with the path are practitioners, the four persons endowed with the fruit are established in the fruit. 16. And what person is 'equal-headed'? The person for whom without prior or later there is the exhaustion of defilements and the exhaustion of life – this person is called 'equal-headed'. 17. And what person is a 'kappa-stander'? And if this person were practicing for the realization of the fruit of stream-entry, and it were the time for the kappa to burn up, the kappa would not yet burn up until this person realizes the fruit of stream-entry. This person is called a 'kappa-stander'. All persons endowed with the path are 'kappa-standers'. 18. And what person is noble? The eight noble persons are noble. The remaining persons are ignoble. 19. And what person is a trainee? The four persons endowed with the path, and the three persons endowed with the fruit are 'trainees'. The Arahant is a non-trainee. Av All persons are neither learners nor non-learners. 20. What kind of person is a three-knowledge person? A person endowed with three knowledges is called a "three-knowledge person." 21. What kind of person is a six-supernormal-knowledge person? A person endowed with six supernormal knowledges is called a "six-supernormal-knowledge person." 22. What kind of person is a Perfectly Self-Enlightened One? Here, a certain person, by himself, comprehends the truths in teachings unheard before; and there he attains omniscience, and mastery over the powers – this person is called a "Perfectly Self-Enlightened One." 23. What kind of person is a Private Buddha? Here, a certain person, by himself, comprehends the truths in teachings unheard before; but he does not attain omniscience there, nor mastery over the powers – this person is called a "Private Buddha." 24. What kind of person is one liberated in both ways? Here, a certain person, dwells having touched with the body the eight liberations; and having seen with wisdom, his defilements are destroyed – this person is called "one liberated in both ways." 25. What kind of person is one liberated by wisdom? Here, a certain person, does not indeed dwell having touched with the body the eight liberations; but having seen with wisdom, his defilements are destroyed. This person is called "one liberated by wisdom." 26. What kind of person is a body-witness? Here, a certain person, dwells having touched with the body the eight liberations; and having seen with wisdom, some of his defilements are destroyed. This person is called a "body-witness." 27. What kind of person is one attained to view? Here, a certain person, understands "this is suffering" as it really is, understands "this is the origin of suffering" as it really is, understands "this is the cessation of suffering" as it really is, understands "this is the path leading to the cessation of suffering" as it really is. And the teachings proclaimed by the Tathāgata are well-seen and well-penetrated by his wisdom. And having seen with wisdom, some of his defilements are destroyed – this person is called "one attained to view." attained. 28. And what kind of person is one liberated by faith? Here, a certain person understands, as it really is, "This is suffering"; understands, as it really is, "This is the origin of suffering"; understands, as it really is, "This is the cessation of suffering"; understands, as it really is, "This is the path leading to the cessation of suffering." And for him, the teachings proclaimed by the Tathāgata are well-seen and well-examined by wisdom. And having seen by wisdom, some of his defilements are destroyed, but not as for one who has attained to view – this person is called "one liberated by faith." 29. And what kind of person is a Dhamma-follower? For the person who is practicing for the realization of the fruit of stream-entry, whose faculty of wisdom is pre-eminent, he develops the noble path that is led by wisdom, preceded by wisdom – this person is called a "Dhamma-follower." The person practicing for the realization of the fruit of stream-entry is a Dhamma-follower; when established in the fruit, he is one who has attained to view. 30. And what kind of person is a faith-follower? For the person who is practicing for the realization of the fruit of stream-entry, whose faculty of faith is pre-eminent, he develops the noble path that is led by faith, preceded by faith – this person is called a "faith-follower." The person practicing for the realization of the fruit of stream-entry is a faith-follower; when established in the fruit, he is one liberated by faith. 31.

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