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B020301Dhammasaṅgaṇi aṭṭhakathā(dharma collection commentary)

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it reveals its own general meaning. For all of these are Dhammas by the characteristic of nature, holding, etc. And the words wholesome, etc., being spoken before the word Dhamma, reveal their own specific meaning to it. For Dhamma is either wholesome, unwholesome, or undeclared. Thus, these, being spoken separately, are accepted as revealing only their own meaning. Being spoken together with the word Dhamma, they are accepted by the wise in the world as revealing either their own general meaning or specific meaning. Therefore, all that has been said here, imagining this unity and diversity of meaning and causing the imputation of faults, is without cause. This, then, is the sequential word explanation of the wholesome triad. By this same method, the method for the remaining triads and dyads should be understood. But hereafter, we will speak only of the distinctions. 2. In 'for pleasant feeling,' etc., the word 'pleasant' is seen in pleasant feeling, pleasant root, pleasant object, pleasant cause, pleasant condition, basis, non-oppression, Nibbāna, etc. For this is seen in pleasant feeling in "and from the abandoning of pleasure," etc. In "Happy is the arising of Buddhas," "Happy is detachment in the world," etc., in pleasant root. In "Since, Mahāli, form is pleasant, follows pleasure, enters into pleasure," etc., in pleasant object. "This, monks, is a designation for happiness, namely, meritorious deeds." In these and other instances, it refers to the cause of happiness. "It is not easy, monks, to describe how happy are the heavens," "Those who do not see Nandana do not know happiness," in these and other instances, it refers to the place that is the condition for happiness. "These are the dwellings of happiness in this very life," in these and other instances, it refers to non-affliction. "Nibbāna is the supreme happiness," in these and other instances, it refers to Nibbāna. But here, it should be understood as referring to pleasant feeling alone. The word 'feeling' occurs in instances such as, "Known feelings arise," referring to the one who feels. The word 'suffering' is seen in instances of painful feeling, object of suffering, object causing suffering, condition for suffering, place that is the condition for suffering, and so on. For example, "and the abandonment of suffering," is seen as painful feeling. "Birth is suffering," is seen as an object of suffering. "Because, Mahāli, form is suffering, subject to suffering, liable to suffering," is seen as an object causing suffering. "The accumulation of evil is suffering," is seen as a condition for suffering. "It is not easy, monks, to describe how painful are the hells," is seen as a place that is the condition for suffering. But here, it should be understood as referring to painful feeling alone. Herein is the meaning of the words: It causes happiness, therefore it is happiness. It causes suffering, therefore it is suffering. Neither suffering nor happiness is neither-suffering-nor-happiness. The 'ma' is stated due to the combination of words. All of them feel, experience the flavor of the object, therefore they are feelings. Among them, happiness has the characteristic of experiencing what is desirable, suffering has the characteristic of experiencing what is undesirable, and neither-suffering-nor-happiness has the characteristic of experiencing the opposite of both. Now, the word 'associated' in all three places, its meaning is: associated with similar qualities. With which qualities? With having a single arising, and so on. "Are there no phenomena associated with any phenomena?" Indeed, in the denial of this question, "Surely, there are some phenomena with some "With these qualities associated, co-arisen, mixed, of one arising, of one cessation, of one basis, of one object," thus, the meaning of association is stated by way of being of one arising, etc. Thus, associated because endowed with similar characteristics by these being of one arising, etc. 3. In the resultant triad, the results of wholesome and unwholesome deeds, distinct from each other, are results. This is a designation for immaterial phenomena that have attained the state of result. Resultant-state-phenomena are phenomena of a resultant nature. Just as beings of the nature of birth and aging, whose nature is birth and aging, are called subject to birth, subject to aging, so too, phenomena of a resultant nature, whose nature is result, are phenomena of a resultant nature, in the sense of being productive of results. The third term is stated in terms of rejecting both natures. 4. In the clung-to-and-clinging-to triad, clung to by craving and views, through actions accompanied by them, taken as results, are clung to. Having approached the state of object, beneficial to clinging in relation to the connection of clinging, are clinging to. This is a designation for the conditions of clinging that are object-based. Both clung to and clinging to are clung-to-and-clinging-to; this is a designation for material and immaterial phenomena produced by defiled actions. Thus, in this way, the meaning of the remaining two terms should be understood along with the negation. 5. In the defiled-and-defiling triad, that which defiles is defilement, meaning it disturbs and torments. Endowed with defilement are defiled. Being able to cause defilement by making oneself the object, or being engaged in defilement, not transgressing its state of object, are defiling. This is a designation for the conditions of defilement that are object-based. Both defiled and defiling are defiled-and-defiling. The remaining two terms should also be understood in the same way as stated in the previous triad. 6. In the thought triad, with thought, in association with the present, are with thought. With investigation, are with investigation. Both with thought and with investigation are with-thought-and-with-investigation. Devoid of both are without-thought-and-without-investigation. Among thought and investigation, They are only applied to application, to measurement, therefore they are only applied to consideration. That is, they do not associate with application beyond consideration. And being without application and only applied to consideration, they are without application and only applied to consideration. 7. In the triad of joy, being associated with joy, having attained the state of simultaneous arising, etc., is associated with joy, associated with joy. The same method applies to the other two terms. Here, equanimity is said to be neither painful nor pleasant feeling. For it disregards the activity of pleasure and pain, being established in a state of neutrality, it proceeds in that manner, therefore it is equanimity. Thus, taking only two terms from the triad of feeling, this triad is stated to show the distinction of joyless happiness from happiness with joy. 8. In the triad of seeing, by seeing means by the path of stream-entry. For it is called seeing because it first sees Nibbāna. Although the change-of-lineage sees earlier, just as a man who has come to the king for some business, even though he sees the king riding on an elephant from afar on the road, if asked 'Have you seen the king?' says 'I do not see' because the task to be done has not been done. Even so, having seen Nibbāna, it is not called seeing because of the absence of the abandonment of defilements that must be done. For that knowledge stands in the place of adverting of the path. By cultivation means by the remaining three paths. For the remaining three paths arise by way of cultivation in the same thing that has been seen by the first path, they do not see anything previously unseen, therefore it is called cultivation. The third term is stated by way of rejecting both. 9. In the triad of what is to be abandoned immediately, they have a cause to be abandoned by seeing, therefore they have a cause to be abandoned by seeing. The same method applies to the second term. In the third term, not having grasped the meaning that they have a cause not to be abandoned by seeing or by cultivation, the meaning should be taken as they have a cause not to be abandoned by seeing or by cultivation. Otherwise, there would be a non-inclusion of the causeless; for they have no cause at all that could be abandoned by seeing or by cultivation. Even for the causeless, the abandonment of causes would be incurred, not of the effects; for it is the cause that is said to be "abandoned neither by seeing nor by development," not those effects. Both of these are unintended. Therefore, the meaning to be taken is that there is a cause for them that is "abandoned neither by seeing nor by development," hence "having a cause abandoned neither by seeing nor by development." 10. By deeds and defilements that accumulate, it is accumulated, hence accumulation. This is a name for rebirth, decease, and the course of existence. By being the cause and the means of production, they go to that accumulation, or they lead the person in whom they occur to the accumulation as stated, hence "going to accumulation"; this is a designation for wholesome and unwholesome things with influxes. From that, since accumulations are devoid of accumulation, and Nibbāna is devoid of accumulation, it is "devoid of accumulation." By occurring having that as the object, they go to the devoid of accumulation, hence "going to the devoid of accumulation"; this is a designation for the Noble Paths. Moreover, like a bricklayer building a wall, they go accumulating what occurs, hence "going to accumulation." Just as a person demolishing a built brick wall, they go de-accumulating what occurs, hence "going to the devoid of accumulation." The third term is stated by negating both. 11. In the state of a trainee, born in the three trainings, hence a trainee. This is for the seven trainees, hence trainees. Because the training is not complete, they train themselves, hence trainees.