English
In between the two, for forty-five years, like one stringing a garland of flowers, like one weaving a necklace of jewels, the deathless-revealing true Dhamma spoken is called the middle Buddha-word. When all that is collected, from the point of view of the basket, there are three baskets; from the point of view of the collection, there are five collections; from the point of view of the division, there are nine divisions; from the point of view of the Dhamma-aggregate, there are eighty-four thousand Dhamma-aggregates. How? All of that, from the point of view of the basket, is only of three kinds: the Basket of Discipline, the Basket of Discourses, and the Basket of Abhidhamma. Therein, the two recitations of the rules, the two divisions, Twenty-two sections and sixteen appendices, this is called the Vinaya Piṭaka. The Dīgha Nikāya is a collection of thirty-four suttas, beginning with the Brahmajāla Sutta. The Majjhima Nikāya is a collection of one hundred and fifty-two suttas, beginning with the Mūlapariyāya Sutta. The Saṃyutta Nikāya is a collection of seven thousand seven hundred and sixty-two suttas, beginning with the Oghataraṇa Sutta. The Aṅguttara Nikāya is a collection of nine thousand five hundred and fifty-seven suttas, beginning with the Cittapariyādāna Sutta. The Khuddaka Nikāya has fifteen divisions, namely, Khuddakapāṭha, Dhammapada, Udāna, Itivuttaka, Suttanipāta, Vimānavatthu, Petavatthu, Theragāthā, Therīgāthā, Jātaka, Niddesa, Paṭisambhidā, Apadāna, Buddhavaṃsa, and Cariyāpiṭaka, this is called the Suttanta Piṭaka. The Abhidhamma Piṭaka consists of seven treatises, beginning with the Dhammasaṅgaṇī. Herein – Because of its varied and special methods, and because of disciplining body and speech, This is called Vinaya by those skilled in Vinaya. For here are various methods, the fivefold Pātimokkha, the sevenfold Āpattikkhandha, the Mātikā, the Vibhaṅga, and other distinctions, and special methods such as those for strengthening or relaxing rules, and the methods of new enactments. And because it disciplines body and speech by prohibiting bodily and verbal misconduct. Therefore, because of its varied methods, its special methods, and its disciplining of body and speech, this is called Vinaya. Therefore, for the sake of understanding its etymological meaning, it was said: "Because of its varied and special methods, and because of disciplining body and speech, This is called Vinaya by those skilled in Vinaya." But the other – Because of indicating meanings, because of being well-spoken, because of flowing, and because of purifying, And because of being a thread, it is called 'Sutta'. For it indicates meanings, such as one's own welfare and the welfare of others. And the meanings here are well-spoken, spoken in accordance with the inclinations of those to be trained. And it flows with meanings, like a stream with fruit, it is said to produce. And it purifies, like a cow with milk, it is said to drip. And it protects them well, it is said to guard. And it is of the nature of a thread. Just as a carpenter's plumb line is a standard, so is this for the wise. And just as flowers strung together by a thread do not scatter or fall apart, so are meanings held together by this. Therefore, to understand the meaning of this statement, it is said: "Because it indicates meanings, because it is well-spoken, because of its connection and its cutting off; It is called 'Sutta' because it is a thread, and because it shares the nature of a thread." The meaning of the word Abhidhamma has already been stated. Another way: Those things that are superior here, characterized, revered, defined; And the doctrines that are spoken of as exceeding, therefore it is called Abhidhamma. For this prefix 'abhi' is seen in the senses of superior, characterized, revered, defined, and exceeding. Thus, it occurs in the sense of superior in passages like "My painful feelings intensely increase, they do not decrease" (MN 3.384; SN 5.195). In the sense of characterized in passages like "Those nights that are well-known, well-marked" (MN 1.49). In the sense of revered in passages like "King of kings, lord of men" (MN 2.399; Sn 558). In the sense of defined in passages like "Capable of instructing in Abhidhamma and Abhivinaya" (Mahavagga 85); meaning in both Dhamma and Vinaya, without confusion with each other. In the sense of exceeding in passages like "With surpassing beauty" (Vinaya Vagga 75). And here, doctrines that are superior are also stated in the way beginning with "He cultivates the path for the attainment of form, pervading one direction with a mind imbued with loving-kindness" (Dhs. 163 ff.). Those that are well-characterized because they can be characterized by objects, etc., in the way beginning with "Form as object, or sound as object" (Dhs. 1). Also those that are revered in the way beginning with "Learner's doctrines, non-learner's doctrines, supramundane doctrines" (Dhs. Tika-matika 11; Duka-matika 12); the meaning is worthy of reverence. Also those that are defined because they are defined by their nature in the way beginning with "There is contact, there is feeling" (Dhs. 1). Also those that are exceeding in the way beginning with "Elevated doctrines, immeasurable doctrines, unsurpassed doctrines" (Dhs. Tika-matika 12; Duka-matika 99). These are the doctrines spoken. Therefore, this is said for the sake of skill in understanding its meaning: "Those doctrines that are superior, Distinguished, honored, and defined; And those doctrines that are spoken above, Therefore, it is called Abhidhamma." Whatever is not distinguished in this, that is - The Pitaka, those skilled in the Pitaka, Say it is for the purpose of containing the teachings; Therefore, combining it, All three, beginning with the Vinaya, should be understood. For the teachings are also called Pitaka, In passages such as "Do not by means of the Pitaka-attainment" (A.N. 3.66). And any container whatsoever, In passages such as "Then a man might come, taking a basket-spade" (M.N. 1.228; A.N. 3.70). Therefore, those skilled in the Pitaka say that the Pitaka is for the purpose of containing the teachings. Now, combining it, all three, beginning with the Vinaya, should be understood. Therefore, having made a compound with the word "Pitaka" in this twofold sense, The Vinaya and that Pitaka, because of being a teaching, And because of being a container of that particular meaning, is the Vinaya Pitaka. In the same way as said, the Suttanta and that Pitaka is the Suttanta Pitaka. The Abhidhamma and that Pitaka is the Abhidhamma Pitaka. Thus, these three, beginning with the Vinaya, should be understood. Having understood thus, again, for the sake of skill in various ways in those very Pitakas - The distinction of teaching, instruction, and discourse, In them, as appropriate; And the state of being profound in training and abandonment, One should fully illuminate. The distinction of teachings, attainment, And also failure, whatever, wherever, A bhikkhu obtains, All that too one should explain. Here, this full illumination and explanation is - These three Pitakas, in order, Are called the teaching of authority, the teaching of convention, and the teaching of ultimate reality; The instruction according to the offense, according to what is suitable, and according to the Dhamma; And the discourse on restraint, non-restraint, the removal of views, and the delimitation of name and form. Here, the Vinaya Pitaka, because it was taught by the Blessed One with an abundance of authority, is the teaching of authority; The Suttanta Pitaka, because it was taught by the Blessed One skilled in convention with an abundance of convention, is the teaching of convention; The Abhidhamma Pitaka, because it was taught by the Blessed One skilled in ultimate reality with an abundance of ultimate reality, is the teaching of ultimate reality. That is called teaching. Thus, firstly, those beings who have committed many offenses are disciplined here according to their offenses, that is called discipline according to offense; secondly, beings with diverse inclinations, tendencies, conduct, and dispositions are disciplined here according to their suitability, that is called discipline according to suitability; thirdly, beings who perceive 'I' and 'mine' in a mere mass of phenomena are disciplined here according to the Dhamma, that is called discipline according to the Dhamma. Thus, firstly, restraint and non-restraint, which are opposed to wrong conduct, are discussed here, that is called discussion of restraint and non-restraint; restraint and non-restraint are both small and great, like action and non-action, like result and non-result; secondly, the disentangling of views, which is opposed to the sixty-two views, is discussed here, that is called discussion of disentangling of views; thirdly, the defining of name and form, which is opposed to greed and other defilements, is discussed here, that is called discussion of defining name and form. In all three of these, three trainings, three abandonings, and a fourfold profundity should be understood. Thus, in the Vinaya Piṭaka, the training in higher morality is especially taught, in the Sutta Piṭaka, the training in higher mind, in the Abhidhamma Piṭaka, the training in higher wisdom. And in the Vinaya Piṭaka, abandoning by overcoming, because morality is opposed to the transgression of defilements; in the Sutta Piṭaka, abandoning by suppression, because concentration is opposed to the arising of defilements; in the Abhidhamma Piṭaka, abandoning by eradication, because wisdom is opposed to the underlying tendencies. And in the first, abandoning by temporary suppression of defilements, in the others, abandoning by suppression and eradication. And in the first, abandoning of the defilement of misconduct, in the others, abandoning of the defilements of craving and views.