English
Non-delusion prevents imbalance through delusion. Through these three, in due order, Are these three: the perception of renunciation, The perception of non-ill-will, the perception of non-harming. And these three perceptions: the perception of foulness, The perception of boundlessness, the perception of elements. Through non-greed, avoidance of indulgence in sensual pleasures; Through non-hatred, avoidance of self-mortification; Through non-delusion, practice of the Middle Way. Thus, through non-greed, the breaking of the body-tie of covetousness, Through non-hatred, the body-tie of ill-will, Through non-delusion, the remaining two ties. The first two mindfulness foundations, Are accomplished through the power of the first two, The latter two, through the power of the latter. Here, non-greed is a condition for health; For the non-greedy do not indulge in unsuitable things, even if desirable, Therefore, they are healthy. Non-hatred is a condition for youth; For the non-hateful, unburnt by the fire of anger that brings wrinkles and gray hair, Remain young for a long time. Non-delusion is a condition for long life; For the non-deluded, knowing what is beneficial and harmful, Avoiding the harmful and cultivating the beneficial, live long. Here, non-greed is a condition for wealth, For the non-greedy... For by generosity is the acquisition of possessions. By non-hatred, the attainment of friends, both by gaining friends through loving-kindness and by not declining. By non-delusion, self-attainment, for the undeluded, doing only what is beneficial to themselves, develop themselves. And greedlessness is a condition for the divine abode, non-hatred for the Brahma abode, non-delusion for the noble abode. By greedlessness, one is calmed in one's own party regarding the seven aggregates, due to the absence of suffering caused by clinging to their destruction; by non-hatred, in the party of others, for one without hatred lacks even the perception of enemies in enemies; by non-delusion, in the neutral party, for the undeluded lacks all clinging. And by greedlessness, the perception of impermanence arises; for the greedy, desiring enjoyment, do not see even impermanent formations as impermanent. By non-hatred, the perception of suffering; for one with a disposition of non-hatred, relinquishing the grasping of objects of anger, sees formations as suffering. By non-delusion, the perception of non-self; for the undeluded, skilled in grasping reality, understands the five aggregates as without a master, as incapable of governing. And just as these lead to the perception of impermanence and so on, so too do the perception of impermanence and so on lead to these. For by the perception of impermanence, greedlessness arises, by the perception of suffering, non-hatred, by the perception of non-self, non-delusion. For who, having rightly known 'this is impermanent,' would generate desire for it, or knowing formations as 'suffering,' would generate further exceedingly sharp suffering of anger, and understanding emptiness of self, would again fall into delusion? Description of the Wholesome Courses of Action Not coveting is non-covetousness. Not harming physical and mental happiness, benefit in this world and the next, qualities obtained through merit, and fame and reputation is non-ill-will. Seeing rightly, or beautiful is the view, is right view. These are just names for greedlessness and so on. But below, these qualities were taken in terms of roots, here they are to be understood in terms of courses of action. Description of the Two Protectors of the World Shame and fear of blame were also taken below in terms of strengths, here in terms of protectors of the world. For these two qualities protect the world. As it was said, Monks, there are these two bright principles that protect the world. Which two? Moral shame and moral dread. These two bright principles, monks, protect the world. If, monks, these two bright principles did not protect the world, there would be no recognition of 'mother,' 'aunt,' 'uncle's wife,' 'teacher's wife,' or 'the wives of those worthy of respect.' The world would fall into promiscuity, like goats, chickens, pigs, dogs, and jackals. But because, monks, these two bright principles protect the world, there is recognition of 'mother,' 'aunt,' 'uncle's wife,' 'teacher's wife,' or 'the wives of those worthy of respect.' Description of Passaddhi and other Pairs Tranquility of the body is bodily tranquility. Tranquility of the mind is mental tranquility. Here, 'body' refers to the three aggregates of feeling, etc. Both of these, when taken together, are bodily and mental tranquility, characterized by the calming of bodily and mental agitation, having the function of suppressing bodily and mental agitation, manifesting as the unmoving coolness of body and mind, with body and mind as their basis. They should be seen as the opposites of restlessness and other defilements that cause the non-tranquility of body and mind. Lightness of the body is bodily lightness. Lightness of the mind is mental lightness. These are characterized by the calming of bodily and mental heaviness, having the function of suppressing bodily and mental heaviness, manifesting as the non-sluggishness of body and mind, with body and mind as their basis. They should be seen as the opposites of sloth and torpor and other defilements that cause the heaviness of body and mind. Softness of the body is bodily softness. Softness of the mind is mental softness. These are characterized by the calming of bodily and mental rigidity, having the function of suppressing bodily and mental rigidity, manifesting as non-resistance, with body and mind as their basis. They should be seen as the opposites of stubbornness, conceit, and other defilements that cause the rigidity of body and mind. Workability of the body is bodily workability. Workability of the mind is mental workability. These are characterized by the calming of bodily and mental unworkability, having the function of suppressing the unworkability of body and mind. They have the taste of subduing sluggishness, with the accomplishment of directing and focusing on objects and the establishment of body and mind. They should be seen as opposing the hindrances that cause the inactivity of body and mind. They bring serenity to serene objects, and bring the benefit of skillful action, like the purity of gold. The proficiency of the body is bodily proficiency. The proficiency of the mind is mental proficiency. They have the characteristic of non-illness of body and mind, the taste of subduing illness of body and mind, with the manifestation of being without danger and the establishment of body and mind. They should be seen as opposing the defilements that cause illness of body and mind, such as disbelief. The uprightness of the body is bodily uprightness. The uprightness of the mind is mental uprightness. They have the characteristic of integrity of body and mind, the taste of subduing crookedness of body and mind, with the manifestation of non-deceit and the establishment of body and mind. They should be seen as opposing the defilements that cause crookedness of body and mind, such as deceit and fraud. She remembers, therefore she is mindful. He understands fully, therefore there is full awareness; meaning, he knows in all ways, in various manners. Discernment of purpose, suitability, domain, and non-confusion: the distinction between these four should be understood in terms of their aspects. And their characteristics and so on should be understood in the same way as described for the faculties of mindfulness and wisdom. Thus, these two qualities, already mentioned below, are again taken up in this place in terms of their benefit. He abandons opposing qualities, therefore there is serenity. He sees phenomena in various ways as impermanent and so on, therefore there is insight. Wisdom is the essence. The characteristics and so on of these two have also been described below. Here, however, they are taken up in terms of their being yoked together. He grasps co-arisen qualities, therefore there is grasping. Due to being the opponent of distraction, known as restlessness, there is non-distraction. The characteristics and so on of these have also been described below. Here, however, it should be understood that these two are taken up for the purpose of yoking energy and concentration. Explanation of Insertion Those who... And also at that time, are there other conditioned, immaterial phenomena? Are these phenomena wholesome? 'Contact exists...pe... non-distraction exists,' not only are these fifty-nine phenomena recited in the order of the text, but also, at the time when a first, unprompted, great consciousness accompanied by joy, rooted in three causes, arises in the sense-sphere, at that time, whatever other phenomena exist, associated with those very contacts, etc., conditioned by their own appropriate causes, immaterial due to the absence of form, discernible in their nature, all these phenomena are wholesome. Having thus shown the fifty-nine phenomena included in the Pāli text as aspects of consciousness, the King of the Dhamma reveals nine other phenomena by way of "and also." For in those suttas, 'desire, conviction, attention, equanimity, compassion, gladness, abstinence from bodily misconduct, abstinence from verbal misconduct, abstinence from wrong livelihood,' these nine phenomena appear. And in this great consciousness, there is the desire to do wholesome deeds, but it is not included in the Pāli text as an aspect of consciousness. Therefore, it is included here by way of "and also." Conviction exists, attention exists, equanimity exists. The preliminary stage of loving-kindness exists; it is already included when non-aversion is taken. The preliminary stage of compassion exists, the preliminary stage of gladness exists. The preliminary stage of equanimity exists;