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B020301Dhammasaṅgaṇi aṭṭhakathā(dharma collection commentary)

English

And those too are knowable only by some, unknowable by others. By the unconditioned, sense-sphere phenomena and so on are not knowable. But the unconditioned, because of being unknowable by Nibbāna, is knowable by some, unknowable by others. And those too... Because the fruits of the paths are not discernible, some are discernible, some are not discernible. 1102. In the analysis of taints, desire associated with the five sense pleasures is called the taint of sense desire. Desire and lust in the realms of form and formlessness, delight in absorption, desire born of eternalism, yearning based on existence, is called the taint of existence. The sixty-two views are called the taint of views. Ignorance in the eight bases is called the taint of ignorance. However, in the various contexts where taints appear, the distinctions such as onefold should be understood for the sake of non-confusion. In essence, these are onefold as taints in the sense of being long-standing companions. But in the Vinaya, "for the restraint of taints in this very life, for the warding off of taints in the life to come" (Pārā. 39), they appear as twofold. In the Suttas, in the section on the six sense bases, "there are these three taints, friend: the taint of sense desire, the taint of existence, the taint of ignorance" (Saṃ. Ni. 4.321), they appear as threefold. In the context of leading to liberation, "there are taints, monks, that lead to hell, there are taints that lead to the animal realm, there are taints that lead to the realm of ghosts, there are taints that lead to the human world, there are taints that lead to the world of gods" (A. Ni. 6.63), they appear as fivefold. In the Ahuneyya Sutta in the Book of Sixes, "there are taints to be abandoned by restraint, there are taints to be abandoned by use, there are taints to be abandoned by endurance, there are taints to be abandoned by avoidance, there are taints to be abandoned by removal, there are taints to be abandoned by development" (A. Ni. 6.58), they appear as sixfold. In the Sabbāsava Sutta (Ma. Ni. 1.14 ff.), they appear as sevenfold along with 'to be abandoned by seeing'. Here, however, they appear as fourfold due to the distinctions of the taint of sense desire, etc. Herein is the meaning of the words: taint in sense desires, which are reckoned as the five sense pleasures, is 'the taint of sense desire'. Taint in existence, which is reckoned as form and formlessness, both in terms of action and rebirth, is 'the taint of existence'. View itself is taint, 'the taint of views'. Ignorance itself is taint, 'the taint of ignorance'. 1103. In sense pleasures means in the five sense qualities. Sense desire means desire reckoned as sense desire, not the will to do. Inclined by desire, not inclined by Dhamma. Through the force of lust and passion, desire itself is passion, lustful desire. Through the force of delight and enjoyment, desire itself is delight, delightful desire. Thus, understanding the meaning of desire everywhere, desire-thirst due to thirsting, desire-affection due to affection, desire-burning due to burning, desire-infatuation due to infatuation, desire-obsession is to be understood due to swallowing and completing. This is said, this, divided by these eight terms, is called the canker of desire. 1104.Inclination to existence, inclination to becoming: inclination that arises in the realms of form and formlessness, solely through the desire for existence, is "inclination to becoming." The remaining terms should also be understood in this way. 1105."The world is eternal," is a type of view expressed in ten ways, beginning with "the world exists." There, regarding "the world is eternal," taking the five aggregates as "the world," and grasping "this world is permanent, lasting, eternal," the view arises through the mode of grasping "eternal." "The world is not eternal," regarding that same world, grasping "it is annihilated, it perishes," the view arises through the mode of grasping annihilation. "The world is finite," for one who has attained a limited kasina, and is absorbed in the kasina, "in a small measure or a potsherd measure," taking the form and formless phenomena arising in inner absorption as "the world," and grasping "finite" by the limit of the kasina, the view arises through the mode of grasping "the world is finite." That can be either an eternalist view or an annihilationist view. But for one who has attained an extensive kasina, and is absorbed in that kasina, taking the form and formless phenomena arising in inner absorption as "the world," and grasping "infinite" by the limit of the kasina, the view arises through the mode of grasping "the world is infinite." That can be either an eternalist view or an annihilationist view. "The life is the same as the body," because the "life" is taken as the body itself, which is subject to dissolution, when the body is annihilated, the view arises through the mode of grasping annihilation, "the life is also annihilated." In the second phrase, because the life is taken as different from the body, even when the body is annihilated, "the life is not annihilated." It is a view that proceeds in the manner of grasping at permanence. In statements like "The Tathāgata exists after death," the being is called a Tathāgata. The first eternalist view arises when one assumes the Tathāgata exists after death. The second annihilationist view arises when one assumes the Tathāgata does not exist. The third partially eternalist view arises when one assumes the Tathāgata both exists and does not exist. The fourth evasive view arises when one assumes the Tathāgata neither exists nor does not exist. These things are taints: these are the taint of sensual desire and the taint of becoming, combined into one due to the nature of lust. In brief, there are three, and in detail, four things called taints. Now, does sensual lust arise in relation to the Brahma realm, celestial mansions, wish-fulfilling trees, and ornaments, and is that the taint of sensual desire? It is not. Why? Because lust for the five strands of sense pleasure has already been abandoned here. Having reached the state of a root, greed is called a root. Having reached the state of a bond, it is called the bond of covetousness. Having reached the state of a defilement, greed is called a defilement. Now, is lust that arises together with views the taint of sensual desire? It is not; it is called the lust of views. For it was said, "A gift given to a person consumed by the lust of views is not of great fruit, not of great benefit." These taints can be brought forth in the order of defilements, and also in the order of the path. In the order of defilements, the taint of sensual desire is abandoned by the path of non-returning, the taint of becoming by the path of arahantship, the taint of views by the path of stream-entry, and the taint of ignorance by the path of arahantship. In the order of the path, the taint of views is abandoned by the path of stream-entry, the taint of sensual desire by the path of non-returning, and the taint of becoming and the taint of ignorance by the path of arahantship. 1121. In the explanation of conceit in connection with fetters, the conceit "I am superior" means conceit arising in the sense of excellence, thinking, "I am superior." The conceit "I am equal" means conceit arising in the sense of equality, thinking, "I am equal." The conceit "I am inferior" means conceit arising in the sense of inferiority, thinking, "I am inferior." Thus, these three conceits—conceit of superiority, conceit of equality, and conceit of inferiority—arise in three types of people. For even in one who is superior, the thought "I am superior" can arise. "I am superior," thus three conceits arise. Likewise for "I am equal," and "I am inferior." Therein, "I am superior" to one who is superior, is a true conceit. The other two are untrue conceits. "I am equal" to one who is equal... "I am inferior" to one who is inferior, is a true conceit. The other two are untrue conceits. What is said by this? It is said that three conceits arise for one person. But in the Khuddakavatthu, in the first section on conceit, it is said that one conceit arises for three people. Conceit, in the sense of making conceit. Thinking, the state of thinking, is a description of its form and nature. Elevation, in the sense of being elevated. It elevates the person in whom it arises, lifts them up and establishes them, thus it is elevation. A banner, in the sense of being raised up. It strongly grasps the mind in the sense of lifting it up, thus it is strong grasping. A flag is called a banner highly raised among many banners. Conceit, repeatedly arising, taking up one thing after another, is like a flag in the sense of being highly raised, thus it is a 'flag'. The desire for a flag is flag-desire, the state of that is flag-desire-ness. But that is of the mind, not of oneself. Therefore it is said - 'flag-desire-ness is of the mind'. For the mind associated with conceit desires a flag. And the state of that is flag-desire-ness; conceit is known as a flag. 1126. In the definition of envy, envy is that which is in others' gain, honor, respect, reverence, and worship, that which, in these gains etc. of others, is characterized by the wasting away of others' possessions, thinking "What is this to them?" Therein, gain is the obtaining of the four requisites, such as robes. For an envious person wastes away another's gain, does not want "What is this to them?" Honor is the obtaining of those same requisites, well-made and beautiful. Respect is the act of respecting, making heavy. Reverence is making beloved with the mind.