English
‘Deed is, result of deed is not.’ That which is accumulated now, will give result in the future, is called, ‘Deed is, result of deed will be.’ That which, in the former way, falls into being without result, is called, ‘Deed is, result of deed will not be.’ That which itself is future, and its result is also future, is called, ‘Deed will be, result of deed will be.’ That which itself will be, and in the former way, falls into being without result, is called, ‘Deed will be, result of deed will not be.’ This is the Tathāgata's, this, by all these modes, the Tathāgata's knowledge of the difference of deeds and the difference of results, as unshaken, should be known as the second power. Explanation of the exposition of the second power. Exposition of the third power 811. In the exposition of the third power, 'path' or 'practice' is a name for deed itself. In 'leading to hell' etc., hell is so called because of being without taste and without delight. Going upwards, bent sideways, therefore animals; animal realm is just the animal realm. Petti because of being departed; that is, because of having gone after death. Petti is just the realm of the departed. Humans because of the elevation of mind; human realm is just the human world. They play with the five strands of sense desire, or by excessive attainment of status, therefore gods; god realm is just the world of the gods. Craving is called vāna; that is not there, therefore Nibbāna. Going to hell, therefore leading to hell. This is said with reference to the path. But the practice is called leading to hell. The same method applies to the remaining terms. All this is the path. The Tathāgata understands the result of action. How? Even when all the villagers together kill a pig or a deer, the intention of all is focused on the life faculty of another being. But that action differs for them at the moment of intention. For among them, one does it with eagerness, born of desire. One does it because they are pressured by others, saying, "Come, you do it too!" One wanders about as if sharing the same desire, unopposed. Among them, one is reborn in hell because of that very action, one in the animal realm, one in the realm of ghosts. The Tathāgata understands at the moment of intention, "Because of intending with this motivation, this one will be reborn in hell, this one in the animal realm, this one in the realm of ghosts." Even of those being reborn in hell, he understands, "This one will be reborn in the eight great hells, this one in the sixteen minor hells." Even of those being reborn in the animal realm, he understands, "This one will be footless, this one two-footed, this one four-footed, this one many-footed." Even of those being reborn in the realm of ghosts, he understands, "This one will suffer perpetual thirst, this one hunger and thirst, this one will live on what is given by others." And among those actions, he understands, "This action will not be able to draw rebirth, it is weak, it will ripen as supportive of the rebirth already given." Similarly, when all the villagers together give alms food, the intention of all is focused on the alms food. But that action differs for them at the moment of intention, in the same way as before. Among them, some will be reborn in the world of gods, some in the world of humans. The Tathāgata understands at the moment of intention, "Because of intending with this motivation, this one will be reborn in the world of humans, this one in the world of gods." Even of those being reborn in the world of gods, he understands, "This one will be reborn among those who have power over the creations of others, this one among those who delight in creation, this one in Tusita, this one in Yama, this one in Tāvatiṃsa, this one in Cātumahārājika, this one among the earth-dwelling gods; this one, however, the elder god-king." 'This one, having died, will be reborn there; this attendant of his, performing the second or third rank, will be reborn' thus he knows. Also of those being reborn among humans, 'This one will be reborn in a noble family, this one in a brahmin family, this one in a merchant family, this one in a worker family; this one, being reborn among humans, will become a king, this attendant of his, performing the second or third rank, will be reborn' thus he knows. And among those actions, 'This action will not be able to draw rebirth, being weak, it will ripen as a supplement to the rebirth already given' thus he knows. Likewise, in those establishing insight, by whatever method insight is begun, 'This one will attain arahantship, this one will not be able to attain arahantship, this one will only be a non-returner, this one only a once-returner, this one only a stream-enterer; this one, however, will not be able to realize the path or the fruit, he will only stand in insight with characteristics as its object; this one only in comprehending conditions, this one only in comprehending name-and-form, this one only in comprehending the immaterial, this one only in comprehending the material, this one will only determine the great elements, this one will not be able to discern anything' thus he knows. Also in those doing preparatory work for kasina, 'For this one, there will only be preparatory work, he will not be able to produce the sign; this one, however, will be able to produce the sign, he will not be able to attain absorption; this one, having attained absorption, having made the jhana a basis, having established insight, will attain arahantship' thus he knows. The explanation of the third power is finished. The Exposition of the Fourth Power 812. In the exposition of the fourth power, the diversity of aggregates means 'This is called the aggregate of form...pe... this is called the aggregate of consciousness' thus he knows the distinguishing of the five aggregates. Also among them, 'The aggregate of form is of one kind...pe... the aggregate of form is of eleven kinds. The aggregate of feeling is of one kind...pe... the aggregate of feeli Thus...and so forth... In one way, the aggregate of perception...and so forth... In one way, the aggregate of formations...and so forth... In one way, the aggregate of consciousness...and so forth... In many ways, the aggregate of consciousness, thus one understands the diversity of each aggregate. Diversity of elements: 'This is called the eye-element...and so forth... This is called the mind-object element. There, ten elements belong to the sense-sphere, two belong to the four form-spheres,' thus one understands the diversity of elements. Diversity of properties: 'This is called the eye-property...and so forth... This is called the mind-consciousness property. There, sixteen properties belong to the sense-sphere, two belong to the four form-spheres,' thus one understands the diversity of properties. Furthermore, the diversity of the world with its many and various properties: This is mentioned to show that the Tathāgata understands not only the diversity of the world of conditioned formations, but also the diversity of the world of unconditioned formations. For individual Buddhas and the two chief disciples know the diversity of the world of conditioned formations only partially, not completely, but they do not know the diversity of the unconditioned world. But the All-Knowing Buddha knows: 'When this property is abundant, the trunk of this tree is white, this one is black, this one is smooth; this one has thick bark, this one has thin bark; when this property is abundant, the leaf of this tree is of such and such a form and appearance; but when this property is abundant, the flower of this tree is blue, yellow, red, white, fragrant, foul-smelling; when this property is abundant, the fruit is small, large, long, short, round, well-formed, ill-formed, smooth, rough, fragrant, foul-smelling, sweet, bitter, sour, pungent, astringent; when this property is abundant, the thorn of this tree is sharp, very sharp, straight, crooked, copper-colored, black, blue, white,' thus one understands the diversity of the world of unconditioned formations. This is the power of the Buddhas, not of others. Explanation of the Fourth Power. Explanation of the Fifth Power 813. In the explanation of the fifth power, "those with inferior inclinations" means those with base intentions. "Those with superior inclinations" means those with noble intentions. "They resort to" means they depend on and cling to. "They associate with" means they approach. "They attend upon" means they repeatedly approach. If the teachers and preceptors are not virtuous, but the pupils are virtuous, they do not approach even their teachers and preceptors, but only monks similar to themselves, of like form. If the teachers and preceptors are of like form, but the others are not of like form, they also do not approach the teachers and preceptors, but only those with inferior inclinations like themselves. This kind of approaching is not only in this era, but also in the past and future, to show this, he said, beginning with "in the past too." That is easy to understand. But who determines that the immoral associate with the immoral, the virtuous associate with the virtuous, the unwise associate with the unwise, and the wise associate with the wise? The element of inclination determines it. It is said that many monks were going on a group alms round to a village. People brought much food, filled the bowls, and sent them away, saying, "Share it among yourselves as you see fit." The monks said, "Friends, the people are applying the element-connected action." Tipiṭaka Cūḷābhaya Thera, while going to Nāgadīpa with five hundred monks to worship the Cetiya, was invited by people in a village. There was one monk not of like form with the Thera. In Dhuravihāra also there was one monk not of like form. When these two groups of monks were entering the village,