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B020302Sammohavinodanī aṭṭhakathā(removing delusion commentary)

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the path of yoga, the suitable dwelling of such a bhikkhu, said, "He resorts to a secluded dwelling," etc. There, "secluded" means empty, quiet, without noise. Indeed, to show this very meaning, "and uncrowded," etc., was said. There, "uncrowded" means unmixed, unconfined. There, that dwelling whose surroundings for a league or half a yojana are dense with mountains, dense with forests, dense with rivers, so that no one can approach at an improper time – this is called uncrowded even when near. But that which is half a yojana or a yojana away – this It is called secluded precisely because it is uncrowded. 527. Because one lies down and sits here, it is called a dwelling. To show its variety, "couch, chair," etc., was said. There, a couch is of four kinds: a couch with a frame of split bamboo, one bound with cane, one with legs like crabs, and one with attached legs. Likewise, a chair. A cushion is of five kinds: a wool cushion, a cotton cushion, a bark cushion, a grass cushion, and a leaf cushion. A "bimbohana" means a headrest. In extent, it is round, four finger-breadths wide; in length, it is the measure of the couch's width. A "vihāra" is a dwelling where, all around, a path for circumambulation is shown, and inside, places for night and day are made. An "aḍḍhayoga" is a house with a curved roof like a bird's wing. A "pāsāda" is a long mansion made with two pinnacles. An "aṭṭa" is a special kind of shelter with thick walls made of bricks, four or five stories high, for the purpose of repelling enemies, etc. A "māḷa" is a circular pavilion like a dining hall; but in the Vinaya commentary, it is said to be a square mansion with a single roof. A "leṇa" is a dwelling made by excavating a mountain or by erecting a wall in a place where a rock overhangs insufficiently. A "guhā" is a cave in the ground, or a mountain cave or a ground cave, where it is suitable to have a lamp burning day and night. A "rukkhamūla" is the foot of a tree, enclosed or unenclosed. A "veḷugumba" is a bamboo grove. Or, setting aside the places where monks wander about, wherever these couches, etc., are, wherever monks gather, whatever place is suitable for their gathering, all this is a dwelling. 528. "Bhajati" means approaches. "Sambhajati" means approaches well, without longing, with delight. "Sevati" means frequents in terms of dwelling; "nisevati" means frequents, dwelling closely without longing. "Saṃsevati" means frequents properly, fulfilling the duties of a dwelling. 529. Now, to show the variety of what was said to be "secluded," "a forest, the foot of a tree," etc., is begun. There, "a forest" according to the Vinaya is "excluding the village and the vicinity of the village." "The remainder is forest," so it comes. According to the Suttanta method, referring to a forest-dwelling monk, "A forest dwelling is a dwelling five bow-lengths beyond the last," so it comes. However, both the Vinaya and Suttanta are teachings by way of explanation. The Abhidhamma is a teaching without explanation. Thus, to show the forest according to the Abhidhamma method, having gone out, "outside the city gate" is said; the meaning is, having gone out beyond the city gate. 530. And because the root of a tree and so on are by nature easily understood, "the root of a tree is indeed the root of a tree," and so on, is said. Moreover, here, "the root of a tree" means any cool, shady, secluded root of a tree. "A mountain" means a rock. For there, having done one's water duties in the water channels, and sitting in the cool shade of a tree, while breezes blow from various directions, one's mind becomes concentrated. "A ravine" means kaṃ, which means water, and by that, daritaṃ, a mountain region split by water; that which they call a slope or a river grove. For there are sands like silver plates, and at the top, a dense forest like a canopy of jewels, and water flows like a jewel stalk. Having descended into such a ravine, having drunk water, having cooled one's limbs, having spread out the sand, having laid out a rag-robe, and sitting and practicing the ascetic life, one's mind becomes concentrated. "A mountain cave" means the space between two mountains, or a large opening like a tunnel in one mountain. The characteristics of a cemetery are stated in the Visuddhimagga. 531. "A forest thicket" means a place beyond the edge of the village, a place not frequented by people, where they neither plow nor sow. Therefore, in its definition, "A forest thicket is a designation for remote dwellings," and so on, is said. Because this alone is shown separately from the root of a tree and so on, therefore, it should be understood that its definition is made at the very end, without making a definition according to the order of the analysis. "Open air" means uncovered. Here, if one desires, having made a robe-hut, Asati. Like a heap of straw, a pile of straw. From a large heap of straw, having pulled out straw, they make dwellings similar to mountain cave shelters, and having thrown straw on top of trees and bushes, they sit underneath and practice the ascetic life; this was said with that in mind. In the description of forest regions, "salomahaṃsānaṃ" means where, having entered, goosebumps arise; of such frightening resting places. "Pariyantānaṃ" means standing at the edge due to remoteness. "Na manussūpacārānaṃ" means having gone beyond the forest edge that should be attended to by humans by means of plowing and sowing. "Durabhisambhavānaṃ" means impossible to overcome and dwell in by those who have not attained discernment. 532. In the description of "appasaddā," "appasaddaṃ" means quiet with respect to the sound of speech. 533. "Appanigghosaṃ" means quiet with respect to the sound of city noise. But since both of these are the same in meaning with respect to sound, therefore in its description it was said, "Whatever is quiet, that is silent." "Vijanavātaṃ" means devoid of the body-wind of people who wander about. "Vijanavādaṃ" is also a reading; meaning devoid of the speech of people. But since whatever is silent, that is devoid of both the movement of people and the speech of people, therefore in its description it was said, "Whatever is silent, that is a solitary wind." "Manussarāhaseyyakaṃ" means a place for the secret activities of humans. But since that is devoid of the movement of people, therefore in its description it was said, "Whatever is a solitary wind, that is a human secret resting place." "Paṭisallānasāruppaṃ" means suitable for seclusion. But since that is invariably a human secret resting place, therefore in its description it was said, "Whatever is a human secret resting place, that is suitable for seclusion." 534. In the description of "araññagatā," "araññaṃ" has already been said. Likewise, "rukkhamūlaṃ." But all the remaining resting places are included in "suññāgārena." 535. "Pallaṅkaṃ ābhujitvā" means having bound the thighs all around. Having bound firmly. Having placed the body upright, that is, keeping the upper body straight, aligning the eighteen vertebrae of the spine one upon the other. For one sitting thus, the skin, flesh, sinews, and bones do not bend. Then, those pains that would arise moment by moment due to their bending, those do not arise. When those do not arise, the mind becomes concentrated, the meditation subject does not wander, it grows and prospers. 536. "The body is upright, placed steadily," this too was said with this very meaning in mind. 537. "Having established mindfulness in front," that is, having established mindfulness facing the meditation subject, or having made it near the face, is the meaning. Therefore, it was said, "This mindfulness is established, well-established, at the tip of the nose or at the point of the mouth." Here, "the point of the mouth" should be seen as the middle part of the upper lip, where the nasal air is obstructed; or, "pari" is in the sense of surrounding, "mukha" is in the sense of exit, "sati" is in the sense of establishing; therefore, it is said, "mindfulness in front," thus the meaning here should be seen in the manner stated in the Paṭisambhidāmagga (Paṭi. ma. 1.164). Here is the summary: "Having made mindfulness surround the exit." 538. The explanation of covetousness is clear in meaning. Here is a brief explanation of it – "Having abandoned covetousness in the world," that is, the five aggregates subject to decay and destruction are the world. Therefore, "having abandoned lust for the five aggregates, having suppressed sensual desire," this is the meaning here. 539. "Free from covetousness," that is, because it is abandoned by way of suppression, free from covetousness, not like eye-consciousness, is the meaning. 541. "Purifies the mind from covetousness," that is, purifies the mind from covetousness; just as it releases it, and having released it, does not grasp it again, thus he does, is the meaning. In the explanatory passages, however, it should be understood that "cultivating, he purifies; developing, he thoroughly purifies; making frequent, he completely purifies," thus is the meaning to be understood. The same method applies to "releasing," and so on. 542-543. Having abandoned the fault of ill-will. The meaning of the rest should be understood in the same way as above. Byāpāda means the mind abandons its natural state, like rotten cucumbers. Padosa means it is corrupted by change, or it corrupts or destroys others. Both of these are synonyms for anger. Therefore, it was said, "What is byāpāda is padosa; what is padosa is byāpāda." And because this was not specified in terms of all-embracing, therefore, instead of saying "compassionate to all living beings," only "with a mind free from ill-will" was said. 546. Thīna is a sickness of the mind, middha is a sickness of the mental factors; Thīna and middha are thīnamiddha. They are stilled, these two qualities are stilled due to the continuity of cessation.