English
He also has intention co-arisen with seven unwholesome thoughts. With those same thoughts, there is incitement of verbal action, incitement of bodily action, use of requisites, co-arisen effort, lack of mindfulness, co-arisen one-pointedness of mind. These wrong intention, etc., are called right intention, etc., on the path of once-returning. Through their abandonment, they should be understood as right intention, etc. Thus, on the path of once-returning, the eight factors come having been made functional. For the once-returner, there is a conceit that is an obstacle to the path of non-returning. It stands in the place of view. He also has intention, etc., co-arisen with seven thoughts. Through their abandonment, the functionality of the eight factors on the path of non-returning should be understood. For the non-returner, there is a conceit that is an obstacle to the path of arahantship. It stands in the place of view. But the five unwholesome thoughts that he has, intention, etc., co-arisen with them. Through their abandonment, the functionality of the eight factors on the path of arahantship should be understood. In these four paths, the four truths are seen by the first path. 'The three higher paths only see what has been seen, they do not see what has not been seen,' this is the common explanation of the teachers that they only see what has been seen. But the sophist says, 'They see what has not been seen.' So the questioner: "In the first path, which faculty do you distinguish?" Knowing, he will say, "The faculty of 'I shall know the unknown.'" "And in the higher paths, which?" When asked, he will say, "The faculty of knowledge." So the questioner: "When seeing the truths not yet seen, distinguish even in the higher paths the faculty of 'I shall know the unknown.' Thus your question will be settled." "But one thing abandons defilements, another; having abandoned, it abandons?" "One thing abandons another." "If one thing abandons another, it abandons defilements not yet abandoned. And one sees the truths not yet seen." Such a person should be asked: "How many truths are there?" Knowing, he will say, "Four." So the questioner: "According to your view, sixteen truths arise. You see what even the Buddhas have not seen. You are named Bahusaccaka. Do not take it like this. The seeing of truths is not something unprecedented, but one abandons defilements not yet abandoned." There, concerning the non-unprecedentedness of seeing the truths, a simile of chests is taken: It is said that one person had four jewel chests placed in a core of essence. That person, having a need arising in the chests at night, opened the door, lit a lamp, and with the darkness dispelled by the lamp, when the chests became manifest, having done what was needed in them, he closed the door and left. Again, darkness covered everything. A second time, a third time, he did the same. The fourth time, as the door was opened, and he was considering why the chests were not visible in the darkness, the sun rose, and with the darkness dispelled by the sunlight, having done what was needed in the chests, he departed. There, the four chests are like the four truths. When a need arises in them, the time of opening the door is like the time of directing insight towards the stream-entry path. The darkness is like the darkness that conceals the truths. The light of the lamp is like the light of the stream-entry path. With the darkness dispelled, the manifestation of the chests to that person is like the manifestation of the truths to the knowledge of the path. But the truths are manifest to the knowledge of the path only to the person endowed with the path. Having done what was needed in the chests, Like the time arrived, for the Sotāpatti path, having abandoned the defilements to be abandoned by oneself, the time of cessation. Again, like a covering of darkness, the densest obscuration of the truths to be pierced by the three higher paths. The second time, like the time of opening the door, for the Sakadāgāmi path, the bringing forth of insight. Like the light of a lamp, the light of the Sakadāgāmi path. Like the time of finishing the work in the boxes and leaving, for the Sakadāgāmi path, having abandoned the defilements to be abandoned by oneself, the time of cessation. Again, like a covering of darkness, the densest obscuration of the truths to be pierced by the two higher paths. The third time, like the time of opening the door, for the Anāgāmi path, the bringing forth of insight. Like the light of a lamp, the light of the Anāgāmi path. Like the time of finishing the work in the boxes and leaving, for the Anāgāmi path, having abandoned the defilements to be abandoned by oneself, the time of cessation. Again, like a covering of darkness, the densest obscuration of the truths to be pierced by the highest Arahant path. The fourth time, like the time of opening the door, for the Arahant path, the bringing forth of insight. Like the rising of the sun, the arising of the Arahant path. Like the dispelling of darkness, the removal of the densest obscuration of the truths by the Arahant path. With the darkness dispelled, like the appearance of those boxes, the appearance of the four truths to the knowledge of the Arahant path. Indeed, what is apparent to the knowledge is apparent to the person. Like the time of finishing the work in the boxes and leaving, for the Arahant path, the destruction of all defilements. Like the continuous flow of light from the rising of the sun, from the time of the Arahant path's arising, the absence of the densest obscuration of the truths again. This, for now, is the simile for the unprecedented appearance of seeing the truth. Indeed, one sees what has been seen. "But different defilements are abandoned by different paths," here, the simile of lye is taken. A certain man gave a soiled cloth to a washerman. The washerman, giving three lyes, lye of ashes, lye of cow dung, knowing the state of being eaten away by the lyes, having washed it in water, removes the coarse dirt. He washed it. Then, thinking it was not yet clean, he applied lye a second time, rinsed it in water, and then removed the less ingrained dirt. Then, thinking it was not yet clean, he applied lye a third time, rinsed it in water, and then removed the more ingrained dirt. Then, thinking it was not yet clean, he applied lye a fourth time, rinsed it in water, and removed all the dirt, even that ingrained within the threads, and gave it to the owner. He put it in a perfume box and wore it whenever he wished. There, the mind affected by defilements is like the soiled cloth. The time of applying the three types of lye is like the time of the practice in the three contemplations. Rinsing in water and removing the coarse dirt is like abandoning the five fetters with the Stream-entry path. The repeated application of those lyes is like the practice in those same three contemplations, thinking, "This mind is not yet pure." Then, removing the less ingrained dirt is like abandoning the two gross fetters with the Once-returning path. Then, the repeated application of the three lyes, thinking, "The cloth is not yet pure," is like the practice in those same three contemplations, thinking, "This mind is not yet pure." Then, removing the more ingrained dirt is like abandoning the two subtle fetters with the Non-returning path. The repeated application of the three lyes, thinking, "The cloth is not yet pure," is like the practice in those same three contemplations, thinking, "This mind is not yet pure." Then, rinsing and removing the dirt ingrained within the threads, and wearing the pure cloth, like a silver plate, placed in a perfume box, whenever one wishes, is like the passing of time in the fruition attainment dwelling, whenever one wishes, of the mind of the arahant, whose outflows are exhausted, purified by the abandonment of the eight defilements with the Arahantship path. This is the simile in "one abandons one defilement after another." And this was said: "Just as, friend, a cloth..." Soiled, grasped by dirt, they would give that cloth to the washerman. The washerman would scrub it with lye, or potash, or cow dung, and wash it in clear water. Though that cloth becomes pure, very clean, yet there remains in it a lingering odor of lye, or potash, or cow dung, unremoved. The washerman gives it to the owners. The owners place it in a fragrant casket. Whatever lingering odor of lye, or potash, or cow dung remains unremoved, that too goes to utter destruction. Just so, friend, though for a noble disciple the five lower fetters are abandoned, yet there remains in him a lingering 'I am' conceit in the five aggregates subject to clinging, 'I am' desire, 'I am' underlying tendency, unremoved. Later, he dwells contemplating rise and fall in the five aggregates subject to clinging: 'Such is form, such is the arising of form, such is the passing away of form; such is feeling, such is perception, such are volitions, such is consciousness, such is the arising of consciousness, such is the passing away of consciousness.' As he dwells contemplating rise and fall in these five aggregates subject to clinging, whatever lingering 'I am' conceit remains in him in the five aggregates subject to clinging, 'I am' desire, 'I am' underlying tendency, unremoved, that too goes to utter destruction. There, by the path of stream-entry, five unwholesome thoughts are abandoned, together with the evil qualities that arise as constituents of thought. By the path of once-returning, two thoughts accompanied by displeasure become weakened, together with the evil qualities that arise as constituents of thought. By the path of non-returning, those same are abandoned, together with the associated qualities. By the path of arahantship, five unwholesome thoughts are abandoned, together with the evil qualities that arise as constituents of thought.