English
A person is like a palāsa tree, a palāsa tree that is both its own means of victory and its food, hence, a palāsāhāra. A place of dispute, meaning a cause for dispute. Yugaggāha, meaning taking up equally. Appaṭinissagga, meaning not relinquishing what one has taken up. Furthermore, this palāsa, characterized by yugaggāha, has the essence of equating one's own qualities with the qualities of others, and the function of supporting and opposing in proportion to the merits of others. For a palāsa-like person does not yield the burden to another, but stands spreading it equally. Even when another monk in a discussion circle has brought up many suttas and reasons, he says, "What difference is there in your and my argument? Surely, our words are just the same, like pure gold that is indistinguishable in the middle." Issā and macchariya have already been explained. 894. In the explanation of māyā, "He speaks a word," meaning, knowing full well that "monks who transgress the precepts incur a heavy penalty," he speaks as if he is restrained, saying, "But there is no place for transgression for us." "He strives with his body," meaning, "Lest anyone know this evil deed I have done," he makes a show with his body. Māyā, like deceiving the eye, because it conceals existing faults. Māyāvitā, the state of being deceitful. Accāsarā, because beings rush beyond by doing evil and then concealing it. Vañcanā, because one deceives by making actions of body and speech different from what they are. Nikatī, because beings do deceit with it; meaning, they do falsely. Vikiraṇā, because one scatters evils, saying, "I do not do such things." Pariharaṇā, because one avoids, saying, "I do not do such things." Gūhanā, because one conceals with body, etc. Parigūhanā, complete concealment. Chādanā, because one covers evil with bodily and verbal actions, like covering dung with grass and leaves. Paṭicchādanā, complete covering. Anuttānīkammaṃ, because one does not show by making it face up. Anāvikammaṃ, because one does not show by making it manifest. Vocchādanā, thorough covering. Pāpakiriyā, the doing of evil again due to having covered up the deed. Ayaṃ vuccatīti, this is called katapaṭ. Māyā is said to have the characteristic of deception; the person endowed with it is like an ember covered with ashes, a stump covered with water, or a weapon wrapped in rags. In the explanation of deceit, "deceitful" means not speaking truthfully by displaying nonexistent qualities. Utterly deceitful is completely deceitful. "That which" means that which is in that person. "Deceit" is the craftiness of displaying nonexistent qualities. "Deceitfulness" is the characteristic of deceit. "Harshness" is a rough, unyielding nature, like the stalk of a lotus. "Harshness" is another word for the same. "Rigidity" and "being rigid" mean a firm craftiness, like something dug in and fixed. This is said to be deceit, characterized by revealing qualities one does not possess; it is impossible to know the inside or outside of a person endowed with it. With the left, he is a pig, with the right, a goat-stag; With the voice, a mongoose, with the horn, an old bull. Thus, he is like the yaksha-pig described. The explanations of ignorance, etc., have already been stated. 902. In the explanation of dishonesty, "dishonest" means the characteristic of being not upright. "Dishonesty" is the state of being not upright. "Crookedness" is like the curve of the moon. "Bentness" is like the meandering of cow dung. "Distortion" is like the curve of a plowshare. With all these terms, only the crookedness of body, speech, and mind is described. In the explanation of harshness, "not gentleness" is harshness. "The characteristic of harshness" is harshness. "Roughness" is roughness. "Rudeness" is the state of being rude due to the absence of affection, which is the cause of gentleness. "Uprightness of mind" is the state of mind that stands straight, without humility. The repetition of "harshness" is to distinguish it, "uprightness of mind is called harshness, not uprightness of mind is called honesty." 903. The explanations of non-patience, etc., should be understood as the opposite of the explanations of patience, etc. 908. In the explanation of fetters, "internal" means the realm of desire. "External" means the realms of form and formlessness. Although beings live in the realm of desire for only a short time, only a fourth part of an eon, in the other three parts In the realm of desire, existence is empty and void, Though they dwell long in the realms of form and formlessness, Yet for them, births and rebirths in the realm of desire are many, Few in the realms of form and formlessness. Where births and rebirths are many, There also attachment, longing, and desire are great; Where they are few, there they are few. Therefore, the realm of desire is called internal, The realms of form and formlessness are called external. Thus, bondage in the realm of desire, reckoned as internal, Is called internal fetter; Bondage in the realms of form and formlessness, reckoned as external, Is called external fetter. Each of these is fivefold. Therefore, it is said, "The five lower fetters, the five higher fetters." Herein is the meaning of the words: "Lower" means the realm of desire; Because it produces and accomplishes rebirth there, It clings to that lower realm, hence "lower fetters." "Higher" means the realms of form and formlessness; Because it produces and accomplishes rebirth there, It clings to that higher realm, hence "higher fetters." Explanation of the Section on Pairs. (3.) Explanation of the Section on Triads 909. In the Section on Triads, the cycle of roots is described by the three unwholesome roots. In unwholesome thoughts and so on, thought is to be understood in terms of thinking, perception in terms of perceiving, and element in terms of its own nature. In the Section on Misconduct, the first method is divided according to the paths of action, the second according to all-inclusive action, and the third only according to the intention that brings about the result. 914. In the Section on Taints, only three taints are described according to the textual method. 919. In the Section on Seeking, briefly, there, what is seeking for sensual pleasures? Sensual desire in seeking sensual pleasures, as stated in the way beginning "what is seeking for sensual pleasures," is seeking for sensual pleasures. Desire for existence in seeking existence, as stated in the way beginning "he has desire for existence," is seeking for existence. The seeking for the practice of the holy life, which is in accordance with the view that the world is eternal, as stated in the way beginning "the world is eternal," is to be understood as seeking for the practice of the holy life based on views. And since not only desire and views are seeking, but also action, which has the same object, is also seeking, therefore the second method is divided to show that. There, "having the same object" means being associated. One-pointedness should be understood. Therein, one-pointedness regarding sensual desire prevails only for beings in the sensuous realm; but one-pointedness regarding desire for existence prevails for Mahābrahmā. When arising from attainment and walking back and forth, at the time of savoring the factors of jhāna, unwholesome bodily action occurs; at the time of breaking silence and savoring, saying, 'Oh, happiness! Oh, happiness!' verbal action occurs; at the time of savoring mentally, without moving the bodily or verbal factors, mental action occurs. Even for all those of wrong views, due to clinging to extreme views, these occur in the manner of walking back and forth. 920. In the definition of "kind," in passages beginning with, "What kind of virtuous person do they call, what kind of wise person do they call?" (SN 1.95), the form and structure is called "kind." In passages beginning with, "Objects of knowledge of one kind" (Vibha. 751), it means a category. In passages beginning with, "He does not waver among kinds" (Thag. 1079), it means conceit. Here too, "kind" means conceit. For it is called "kind" because it differentiates in the manner of "I am superior," etc. Or, "kind" in the sense of establishing. Therefore, the kind of conceit that arises thus, 'I am superior,' the establishment of conceit, should be understood as "kind" in the sense of 'I am superior.' The same method applies to the other two terms. 921. In the definition of fear, fearing in dependence on birth is fear arisen due to birth. "Frightful" is a definition of the appearance. "Being terrified" is the movement of the body due to fear. "Horripilation" is the bristling of the hairs, the state of being raised up. Having shown fear in terms of its function with these two terms, then, "trembling of the mind" is shown in terms of its nature. 922. In the definition of darkness, ignorance is spoken of by way of doubt. For because of the statement, "Darkness is confusion, delusion, the flood of ignorance, great fear," ignorance is called darkness. However, for ease of teaching in terms of the three times, the teaching is given by way of doubt. Therein, "Am I a khattiya in the past, or a brahmin, a vessa, a sudda, black, white, short, tall?" Doubting thus, one doubts regarding the past time. "Will I be a khattiya in the future, or a brahmin, a vessa…pe…tall?" Doubting thus, one doubts regarding the future. He doubts concerning gain. 'Am I now a noble, or a brahmin, a merchant, a serf? Or am I form, or feeling, perception, volitions, consciousness?' Doubting thus, he doubts concerning the present moment. There, although there is no noble who does not know his noble status, or a brahmin his brahmin status, or a merchant his merchant status, or a serf his serf status, yet a being endowed with life, hearing the differences in color, etc., of the life of nobles, etc., doubting, 'What is our inner life like? Is it blue,