English
"Līna" means contracted due to being unexpanded. The other two are explanations of the characteristic and state. "Thina" means standing in a dense state due to being unexpanded, like a lump of ghee. "Thiyana" is an explanation of the characteristic. The state of being thiyita, thiyitatta, means stiffness due to the very lack of expansion. 1163. "Of the body" means of the mental body, which is the collection of the three aggregates. "Unfitness, unworkability" is in the same manner as stated below. "Onaaho" means that it covers the body, like a cloud covers the sky. "Pariyonāho" means covering in every way. "Antosamorodho" means completely obstructing within. Just as people who are seized after being besieged in a city are unable to go out, so too, qualities obstructed by torpor are unable to go out by way of expansion. Therefore, "antosamorodho" is said. "Medhati" means middha; it harms by way of unworkability. "Soppaṃ" means that by which one sleeps. "Pacalāyikā" means causing a state of instability in the eyes and other sense faculties. "Supana, supitatta" are explanations of the characteristic and state. But the reason for the repetition of the word "soppa" before those is already stated. "This is called the hindrance of sloth and torpor" means this, both sloth and torpor. Having done, it is called the hindrance of sloth and torpor, in the sense of obstructing. That which mostly arises in the early and later parts of sleep for trainees and ordinary people, that is completely cut off by the path of arahantship. But for those with extinguished outflows, it is a transition of the life-continuum due to the weakness of the physical body. When it occurs without confusion, they sleep, and that is called their sleep. Therefore, the Blessed One said: "I recall, Aggivessana, in the last month of summer, having spread out a quadruple cloak, I would lie down on my right side, mindful and fully aware, entering into sleep." However, this kind of weakness of the physical body is not subject to the path, it is found in both the conditioned and the unconditioned. When found in the conditioned, it is when an arahant has gone a long way, or is tired after doing some work, it is found at such a time. When found in the unconditioned, it is found in leaves and flowers. For the leaves of some trees spread out in the sunlight and curl up at night, lotus flowers and the like bloom in the sunlight and curl up again at night. But this torpor, being unwholesome, does not occur for those with extinguished outflows. Here, there might be: "Torpor is not unwholesome. Why? Because it is form. For form is indeterminate. And this is form. Therefore, here, 'infirmity and unserviceability of the body' is said, taking 'body'." If it is form merely because 'of the body' is said, then mental pliancy and other qualities would also be form. "And experiences pleasure with the body" and "realizes the ultimate truth with the body," the experiencing of pleasure and the realization of the ultimate truth would be through the physical body. Therefore, it should not be said, "Torpor is form." Here, the mental body is called body. If it is the mental body, then why is it said, "sleep, drowsiness"? For the mental body does not sleep, nor does it drowse. "Like signs, etc., of the faculty, its effect..." Just as these signs, etc., such as 'feminine gender, feminine sign, feminine secret, feminine manner' are said to be the result of the female organ, so too, soppa etc. are said to be the result of this middha, which is known as the weariness of the name-body. For when there is middha, these things occur. By way of metaphorical attribution of the result, middha, though formless, is spoken of as 'soppa, pacalāyikā, supanā, supitatta'. This meaning is also established by the definition, 'because it causes the state of agitation of the eye-lids, etc., it is pacalāyikā,' therefore middha is not form. And its formless nature is also shown by onāha, etc. For it is not possible for form to be 'onāho, pariyonāho, antosamorodho' of the name-body. 'But is it not form because of this very reason? For what is formless is not onāho, nor pariyonāho, nor antosamorodho of anything.' If so, there would be no obstruction either. Therefore. Just as mental states such as sensual desire are hindrances in the sense of obstruction, so too, this should be understood as having the nature of onāha, etc., by way of onāha, etc. Moreover, "having abandoned the five hindrances, the defilements of the mind, which weaken wisdom" (D. II, 146; S. V, 233), this is formless. For form is not a defilement of the mind, nor does it weaken wisdom. Why is it not? Was it not said – "There are, monks, some ascetics and brahmins who drink spirits and intoxicants, who do not abstain from drinking spirits and intoxicants; this, monks, is the first defilement of ascetics and brahmins" (A. IV, 50). And again it was said, "There are these six dangers, householder's son, in indulging in intoxicants, spirits, and strong drink, which cause negligence – immediate loss of wealth, increase of quarrels, a source of disease, a cause of disrepute, shameless exposure, and weakening of wisdom is the sixth factor" (D. III, 248). And this is also evident in experience. Just as when liquor is in the stomach, the mind is defiled, and wisdom is weakened, so too, like liquor, middha is both a defilement of the mind and a weakening of wisdom. No, from the indication of condition. For if liquor were a defilement, it would come to be indicated in the indications of defilements, such as: "Having abandoned these five hindrances, the defilements of the mind," or, "Indeed, monks, these five are defilements of the mind, by which defilements the mind is defiled, and is neither pliable, nor workable, nor radiant, but fragile, and does not become rightly concentrated for the destruction of the taints. What five? Sensual desire, monks, is a defilement of the mind," or, "And what, monks, are the defilements of the mind? Covetousness, unfair greed, is a defilement of the mind." But since, when it is drunk, defilements arise which are both defilements of the mind and weaken wisdom, therefore, because it is a condition for them, it is said thus from the indication of condition. But sloth and torpor are themselves both defilements of the mind and weaken wisdom, so torpor is immaterial. What further? From the statement of association. For it is said, "The hindrance of sloth and torpor is both a hindrance and associated with the hindrance of ignorance." Therefore, from the statement of association, this is not form. For form does not obtain the designation of association. But perhaps it might be said: "This is said according to the way it is obtained. Just as 'shell, conch, gravel, potsherd, fish shoal, moving and standing' is said, thus having made it one, it is said according to the way it is obtained. For a gravel potsherd only stands, it does not move, the other two both stand and move. So here also, torpor is only a hindrance, not associated, sloth is both a hindrance and associated, having made all one, it is said, 'both a hindrance and associated with a hindrance,' according to the way it is obtained. But torpor, just as a gravel potsherd only stands, it does not move, so it is only a hindrance, not associated." Therefore, is rūpa drowsiness? No, because the state of rūpa is not established. For it is clear that "a sugar-coated pot does not move" is established even without a sutta. Therefore, let the meaning here be according to what is obtained. But "drowsiness is rūpa" is not established. It is not possible to establish the state of rūpa with this sutta, so because the state of rūpa of drowsiness is not established, this is not said according to what is obtained, so drowsiness is arūpa. Furthermore, what else? Because of the statement "abandoning." For in the Vibhaṅga, "having abandoned drowsiness and torpor, because of the abandonment, rejection, release, relinquishment, and renunciation of that drowsiness and torpor, therefore it is said 'having abandoned drowsiness and torpor'" (Vibha. 547), and "this mind purifies, thoroughly purifies, completely purifies, releases, completely releases, and utterly releases from drowsiness and torpor, therefore it is said 'purifies the mind from drowsiness and torpor'" (Vibha. 551) – thus, "abandoning" etc. is said. But "rūpa" is not spoken of in this way, therefore also drowsiness is arūpa. No, because of the statement of non-association with the mind-born. For drowsiness is of three kinds – mind-born, season-born, and nutriment-born. Therefore, that which is mind-born there, its non-association with jhāna-cittas is stated in the Vibhaṅga, not the establishment of the state of arūpa, so drowsiness is rūpa. No, because the state of rūpa is not established. For if the state of rūpa of drowsiness were established, it would be possible to obtain this. There, the non-association of the mind-born is stated. And that itself is not established, so drowsiness is arūpa. Furthermore, what else? Because of the statement of abandonment. For by the Blessed One, "Having abandoned these six things, a bhikkhu is capable of attaining and abiding in the first jhāna; which six? Sensual desire, ill-will, drowsiness and torpor, restlessness, worry, and doubt; but the danger in sensual pleasures is well seen by him with right wisdom" (A. Ni. 6.73), and "having abandoned these five hindrances with strong wisdom, he will know his own benefit or the benefit of others" (A. Ni. 5.51) and in the beginning, the abandonment of drowsiness is also stated. But rūpa is not to be abandoned. As he said – "the aggregate of rūpa is to be fully known, to be completely understood, not to be It should be abandoned, not developed, not realized." Because of this statement of abandonment, only the immaterial is torpor. No, because there is also a statement of abandonment for form. "Form, monks, is not yours, abandon it.