English
for one establishing reflection only in mind, mental action occurs. Thus, cultivation, being of the nature of merit, is threefold only by way of bodily, verbal, and mental action. Thus, this object of form, being wholesome, the King of Dhamma showed, dividing it into nine doors of action, by way of the threefold basis of meritorious action. The same method applies to objects of sound, etc. For, in sounds like the sound of a drum, etc., having made an attractive sound the object, by the same method stated below, this wholesomeness arises by three rules. There, sound, root and tuber, Like plucking and giving a blue lotus by the stalk, or placing it in the hand, is not possible, but by making it with its parts, one gives the sound-offering. Therefore, when "I will give a sound-offering," with any instrument such as a drum or a lute, he makes an offering to the Three Jewels, "This is my sound-offering," he sets up drums and so on, gives ghee, medicine, oil, molasses, etc., to the Dhamma-preaching monks, proclaims the hearing of the Dhamma, chants melodiously, tells the Dhamma story, makes a talk for those sitting nearby, a talk of rejoicing, then it is purely meritorious action of giving. When he does this same procedure according to family lineage or customary practice, then it is meritorious action of morality. When, having done all this, he establishes contemplation that, "This much sound, even if it is the size of the Brahma world, will go to destruction, will go to decay," then it is meritorious action of mental development. There, the meritorious action of giving, when, taking drums and so on, he makes the offering with his own hand, even when placing them for continuous offering, he places them with his own hand, "This is my sound-offering," he goes to proclaim the hearing of the Dhamma, or goes to make a Dhamma talk or a melodious chant, then it is bodily action. When he commands, "Go, fathers, make our sound-offering as an offering to the Three Jewels," "This is my sound-offering," in the courtyard of the shrine, he commands, "Place this drum, this lute," he himself proclaims the hearing of the Dhamma, tells the Dhamma story, chants melodiously, then it is verbal action. When, without moving the bodily or verbal elements, he mentally relinquishes the existing object, thinking, "I will give a sound-offering," then it is mental action. The meritorious action of morality, too, "Sound-offering is my family lineage, family tradition, family custom," for one making an offering with drums and so on with his own hand, placing drums and so on with his own hand in the shrine courtyard and so on, giving ghee and medicine with his own hand to the Dhamma preachers, for the purpose of proclaiming the hearing of the Dhamma, telling the Dhamma story, chanting melodiously, with the head of customary practice, When one goes, there is bodily action. When one commands, "Giving sound is our family tradition, our lineage, our custom, go, children, make offerings to the Buddha Jewel, etc.," or when one recites the Dhamma or chants melodiously in the manner of the family lineage, there is verbal action. When one mentally relinquishes an existing object, without moving the body or speaking, thinking, "Giving sound is my family tradition, I will give sound," there is mental action. In mental development too, when one establishes the arising and passing away of sound while walking, there is bodily action. But when one contemplates verbally without moving the body, there is verbal action. When one contemplates the sound base mentally without moving the body or speaking, there is mental action. Thus, the King of the Dhamma showed how even wholesome actions based on sound can be divided into nine doors of action through the threefold basis of meritorious action. With regard to root-fragrances and so on, when one makes an attractive fragrance the object, this wholesome action arises through the same three rules as stated above. There, when one obtains any fragrance from root-fragrances and so on, enjoys it in terms of fragrance, and worships the Buddha Jewel, etc., thinking, "Giving fragrance is mine," then it is meritorious through giving, and everything should be understood in detail in the same way as stated in the giving of color. Thus, the King of the Dhamma showed how even wholesome actions based on fragrance can be divided into nine doors of action through the threefold basis of meritorious action. With regard to root-flavors and so on, when one makes an attractive flavor the object, this wholesome action arises through the same three rules as stated above. There, when one obtains any attractive flavor from root-flavors and so on, enjoys it in terms of flavor, and gives or relinquishes it, thinking, "Giving flavor is mine," then it is meritorious through giving, and everything should be understood in detail in the same way as stated in the giving of color. Here, in morality, Dutthagamani Abhaya, having given to twelve thousand monks, enjoyed the delicious flavor, thinking, "It is not our custom to consume without giving to the Sangha." Beginning with forest dwellings, the topics are found in the Great Commentary. This is the distinction. Thus, the King of Dhamma showed how even a pleasant taste can be a wholesome act, dividing it through the nine doors of action based on the three kinds of meritorious deeds. Regarding tangible objects, the earth element, the fire element, and the air element, these three great elements are called tangible objects. In this context, the connection should not be made based on these elements, but rather based on things like chairs and tables. For when one obtains any desirable tangible object such as a chair or table, and delights in it as a tangible object, and gives it away, saying, "This gift of a tangible object is mine," then it becomes a meritorious act of giving, and all this should be understood in detail in the same way as described in the case of color. Thus, the King of Dhamma showed how even a pleasant tangible object can be a wholesome act, dividing it through the nine doors of action based on the three kinds of meritorious deeds. Regarding mental objects, the six internal sense bases, the three characteristics, the three immaterial aggregates, the fifteen subtle forms, and the concept of Nibbana, these are included and not included in the mental object sense base, and these mental objects are called mental objects. In this context, the connection should not be made based on these, but rather based on giving food, giving drink, and giving life. For when one makes a desirable mental object among food and so on as the object, then this wholesome act arises through the three rules as described below. There, when one gives ghee, butter, and so on, saying, "This gift of food is mine," when one gives drink, that is, the eight kinds of drinks, when one gives life, that is, gives alms food by ticket, gives alms food to the Sangha, gives medicine to sick monks, provides a physician, clears away cobwebs, destroys ant hills, destroys bird cages, arranges for the release of prisoners, stops the drum of slaughter, and does other such deeds for the protection of life, then it becomes a meritorious act of giving. But when one continues the giving of food, drink, and life with the intention, "The giving of food, drink, and life is my family tradition, my lineage, my ancestral custom," When there is giving, it is merit made of giving. When one establishes decay and vanishing in a mental object, it is merit made of meditation. But when giving occurs, and one personally gives food, drink, and life, then it is bodily action. When one orders children and spouses to give, then it is verbal action. When, without moving body or speech, one thinks in the mind, "I will give" existing things in the form of food, drink, and life, then it is mental action. But when one personally gives existing things in accordance with family lineage, etc., then it is bodily action made of morality. When one orders children and spouses to give in accordance with family lineage, etc., then it is verbal action. When one thinks in the mind alone, "I will give" existing things in accordance with family lineage, etc., then it is mental action. But for one walking back and forth, establishing decay and vanishing in a mental object, it is bodily action made of meditation. For one establishing decay and vanishing with speech, without moving the body, it is verbal action. For one establishing decay and vanishing in a mental object in the mind alone, without moving body or speech, it is mental action. Thus, meditation-made action is threefold, as bodily, verbal, and mental action. Thus, the King of the Dhamma has shown this mental object, this wholesome thing, dividing it into nine doors of action in terms of the threefold basis of meritorious action. Thus, this mind has been shown in various objects, in terms of various mental objects. But this can be obtained in various mental objects even in a single object. How? For in the four requisites, six mental objects are obtained in a robe: For the color of a new robe is pleasing, beautiful, this is the mental object of color. At the time of use, it makes a rustling sound, this is the mental object of sound. Whatever scent of black dye, etc., is there, this is the mental object of smell. The mental object of taste is spoken of in terms of the taste of use. Whatever pleasant touch is there, this is the mental object of touch. The pleasant feeling that arises dependent on the robe, A mental object as object. Taste as object is easily obtained in alms food. Thus, having made a connection in the four conditions according to the variety of objects, the distinction of giving, etc., should be understood. But the object of this mind is fixed, since it does not arise without an object. But the door is not fixed. Why? Because the action is not fixed.