English
the nature is revealed through the passage of time, known as the decline of life force, and the maturation of faculties like the eye. Therefore, these last two are to be understood as descriptions of nature. There, since the life force diminishes in one who has aged, therefore aging is spoken of as "decline of life force" by way of metaphorical application of the result. And since in youth the faculties such as the eye are very clear, able to easily grasp even subtle objects, but in one who has aged, they are mature, agitated, unclear, and unable to grasp even gross objects, therefore "maturation of faculties" is also spoken of only by way of metaphorical application of the result. Now, all this aging, as thus defined, is of two kinds: apparent and concealed. There, aging in material phenomena, seen in the breaking of teeth and so on, is called apparent aging. But aging in immaterial phenomena, since no such change is seen, is called concealed aging. Again, it is of two kinds: continuous and discontinuous. There, like in gems, gold, silver, coral, moon, and sun, and like in the hands of slow-moving creatures, and like in flowers, fruits, leaves, and so on of inanimate things, aging is called continuous aging, because the differences in color and so on are difficult to discern intermittently; that is, continuous aging. But in others, as has been said, aging is called discontinuous aging, because the differences in color and so on are easily discernible intermittently. Also, from the standpoint of characteristic and so on, the aging of form is characterized by the maturing of form, has the function of bringing near, has the manifestation of the passing away of newness, even though the inherent nature does not depart, and has the state of form that is ripening, like old rice. 644. In the description of impermanence, decay is in the sense of going to destruction, decline is in the sense of going to loss, dissolution is in the sense of breaking up. Or rather, since having attained that, form wastes away, vanishes, and breaks up, therefore "decay" is that in which it wastes away, "decline" is that in which it vanishes, "dissolution" is that in which it breaks up. 'Breaking'. Adding a prefix to the word, breaking is indeed complete breaking. Having become, in the sense of non-existence, not permanent, thus impermanent. Its state is impermanence. It disappears here, thus disappearance. For indeed, having reached death, form disappears, goes to invisibility. And not only form alone, but all five aggregates. Therefore, for the impermanence of all five aggregates, this very characteristic should be known. However, from the aspect of characteristic, the impermanence of form is characterized by complete breaking, has the taste of decay, has arising and passing away as its manifestation, and has the state of being broken as its proximate cause, thus it should be known. Below, birth is taken, aging is taken, in this place, death is taken. These three things are like enemies with raised swords to these beings. Just as a man has three enemies searching for an opportunity, wandering about. Among them, one might say thus – ‘taking him out and making him enter the forest is my burden’. The second, ‘having gone into the forest, striking and throwing him on the ground is my burden’. The third, ‘from the time he has fallen to the ground, cutting off his head with a sword is my burden’. Such are these, birth and so on. Birth here is like an enemy taking one out and making one enter the forest, because of causing rebirth in that place. Aging is like an enemy striking and throwing one on the ground in the forest, because of making the aggregates that have arisen weak, dependent, and inclined to a bed. Death is like an enemy cutting off the head with a sword of one who has fallen to the ground, because of leading the aggregates that have reached old age to the destruction of life. 645. In the explanation of nutriment of morsel food, that which is made into a morsel is morsel food. That which is brought is nutriment. Meaning, having made a morsel, it is eaten. Or, that which brings form is also ‘nutriment’. Thus, having extracted the name based on the object, again, to show this in detail based on the object itself, it is said, "rice, barley gruel," and so on. For rice and so on, up to molasses, are the twelve objects of nutriment intended here. Roots, fruits, and so on, not present in the Pāli, have entered into the implied. Now, to show those roots, fruits, etc., as things to be done, he says, beginning with "in whatever lands." There, "to be eaten with the mouth, to be consumed" means "mukhāsiyaṃ." "To be chewed with the teeth" means "dantavikhādanaṃ." "To be swallowed with the throat" means "galajjhoharaṇīyaṃ." Now, to show its function, he says, "kucchivitthambhanaṃ." For that root, fruit, etc., or rice gruel, etc., when swallowed, distends the stomach. This is its function. "By which sustenance beings maintain themselves," having shown the material food with all the terms below, now, to show only the extracted essence, this is said. What is the function of the material here? What of the essence? Protection from danger and maintenance. The material wards off danger but cannot maintain, the essence maintains but cannot ward off danger. Both together can both maintain and ward off danger. What is this danger called? Kammajatejo (karmic energy). For when there is no material such as rice, etc., in the inner stomach, kammajatejo arises and seizes the stomach lining, making it say, "I am hungry, give me food." At mealtime, it releases the stomach lining and seizes the material. Then the being becomes focused. Just as a shadow demon, having seized one who has entered the shadow, binds him with a divine chain and rejoices in his abode, then comes at the time of hunger and bites him on the head. Because he is bitten, he cries out. Hearing that cry, people come from here and there, thinking, "There is someone afflicted with suffering here." He seizes and eats those who come and rejoices in his abode. This should be understood in this way. For kammajatejo is like the shadow demon, the stomach lining is like the being bound and held by the divine chain, the material such as rice, etc., is like the people who come again, the seizing of the stomach lining by kammajatejo freed from the material is like biting on the head after descending, the time of saying "give food" is like the time of crying out by the bitten one, the seizing and eating of those who come at that signal and rejoicing in the abode is like the kammajatejo Releasing it, grasping the object, is singleness of mind. There, in a coarse object, the nutriment is weak. In a subtle one, it is strong. Having eaten coarse rice gruel, one is hungry in a moment. Having drunk ghee and staying, one doesn't desire food even for a day. Here, coarse and subtle should be understood by comparison. Compared to the food of crocodiles, the food of peacocks is subtle. It is said crocodiles swallow stones. And they dissolve, having reached their stomachs. Peacocks eat creatures like snakes and scorpions. Compared to the food of peacocks, the food of hyenas is subtle. It is said they eat horns and bones discarded for three years. And those, moistened only by their saliva, become soft like root vegetables. Compared to the food of hyenas, the food of elephants is subtle. They eat branches of various trees, etc. Compared to the food of elephants, the food of wild oxen, deer, etc., is subtle. It is said they eat sapless leaves of various trees, etc. Compared to their food, the food of cows is subtle. They eat fresh and dry grass. Compared to their food, the food of rabbits is subtle. Compared to the food of rabbits, the food of birds is subtle. Compared to the food of birds, the food of border dwellers is subtle. Compared to the food of border dwellers, the food of village headmen is subtle. Compared to the food of village headmen, the food of kings, great kings, and ministers is subtle. Compared to their food, the food of a wheel-turning monarch is subtle. Compared to the food of a wheel-turning monarch, the food of earth deities is subtle. Compared to the food of earth deities, the food of the Four Great Kings is subtle. Thus, the food of the Paranimmita-vasavattis should be expanded. But their food, being subtle, has reached its end. Also, by way of characteristic, etc., nutriment as edible food, having the characteristic of nourishing form, having the manifestation of supporting, having the basis of objects to be eaten by making a morsel, should be understood. 646. In the designation of non-grasping, just as the form to be grasped is only grasped, not grasped by another, so this is not grasped at all. are not originated. 647. "Touched" means what is to be touched. Meaning, known by touching. What is to be touched and also an element, is the touch element. Water and also an element by way of its nature of being devoid of beings and empty, is the water element. Now, since three forms are to be known by touching, therefore, to show them by dividing them, he says, "Which form is the touch element? The earth element," and so on. There, the earth element has the characteristic of hardness, the function of a base, the manifestation of receiving. The fire element has the characteristic of heat, the function of digesting, the manifestation of yielding softness. The air element has the characteristic of supporting, the function of stirring, the manifestation of directing. But the former, the water element, has the characteristic of flowing, the function of binding, the manifestation of cohesion. Here, each is to be understood as the foundation for the remaining three. "Hard" means stiff. "Soft" means not stiff. "Smooth" means polished. "Rough" means coarse. "Pleasant touch" means pleasant touch that is a condition for pleasant feeling.