English
by way of the practice of effacement, to show the non-clinging nature of jhāna. But those who say that by the phrases ‘those moving in desire’ and ‘covetousness and so on’ here, anger, discontent, sensual desire, ill-will, and so on are included, and with this intention, reject the reading ‘those conducive to the attainment of jhāna,’ and say that the reading is ‘those hostile to the attainment of jhāna,’ that is merely their opinion, because such a reading does not exist. And those hostile to the attainment of jhāna are the hindrances and those associated with them. They Saying their removal, it is not fitting again for the urging of their non-existence and disappearance. Is it not that this meaning is found in the Anaṅgaṇa Sutta and Vatthūpama Sutta, where only gross evil qualities are intended there? This is true. But here, because it is said in relation to one who has attained the fourth jhāna, they are taken as subtle. The suttas are referred to here by the commonality of defilement and impurity. Thus it is said 'in accordance with the suttas,' not 'by the power of the suttas.' And it must necessarily be accepted thus, that for some who have attained jhāna, there is the existence of desires. Therefore, the Elder Acariya Dhammapāla, having taken the reading "conditions for the attainment of jhāna," rejected the reading "hindrances to the attainment of jhāna." In the Mahāgaṇṭhipada and in the Sinhalese Gaṇṭhipada of the Visuddhimagga, the meaning of this very reading "conditions for the attainment of jhāna" is stated. Therefore, this reading alone should be adopted, and its meaning here should be understood in the manner stated. Therefore, the reading "icchāvacarānaṃ means those who move by desire, who have entered by way of desire, various kinds of causes of anger that arise" should be understood as inappropriate. And for that very reason, this reading is not shown at all in the Visuddhimagga. By attaining the state of a basis for psychic power: by attaining the state of being a basis, a footing, for psychic power. By the perfection of development: by the perfection of development that is worthy of aspiration, due to the absence of anything further to be done. By attaining a sublime state: by attaining a sublime state due to being led to a primary state, in the highest sense and in the sense of being unsurpassed. And both of these are expressions of the cause for the stability of development. It stands by the attainment of a sublime state through perfected development. "Attained imperturbability" is an adjective for stability. Therefore it is said: "when it is stable, having attained imperturbability." In this context, "stable, attained imperturbability" are both one factor. But "concentrated" here... also one factor. Therefore, referring to a distinction from the first alternative, he says, "thus endowed with eight factors." He recollects past existences, or, the recollection of that is the recollection of past existences, because it arises dependent on that as its basis and other conditions. Explaining the meaning briefly stated as "the knowledge in the recollection of past existences is for that purpose," first showing past existence, then to show mindfulness and knowledge there, he says "past existence," etc. There, this word "pubbe" (formerly/past), from the statement "even one birth," etc., is intended here to refer to past existences, so he says "in past births." The word "nivāsa" (dwelling/existence) is an agentive noun. And there is no phenomenon that dwells apart from the aggregates, so he says "dwelt-in aggregates." Here, "dwelt-in" means having occurred in the continuum. And such things, having been, having arisen, having occurred repeatedly, and having arisen there, they ceased. So he says, "dwelt-in means inhabited, experienced, having arisen in one's own continuum and ceased." Thus, having stated the meaning of "nivāsa" in terms of phenomena included in one's own continuum, now, to speak generally, having said "dwelt-in phenomena, or dwelt-in," to explain that, "by way of the dwelling of objects," etc., is said. Indeed, even those that are objects (of experience), having been resorted to by resorting to objects, experienced by way of being made an object, are called "dwelt-in." But these are of two kinds, by being objects of one's own and others' consciousness. To show both of these, "of one's own," etc., is said. There, having said "known by one's own consciousness," the word "distinguished" (or "delimited"), (means that) those phenomena dwelt-in by way of the dwelling of objects are not merely known by consciousness, but rather, just as previously they were grasped by distinguishing with discerning wisdom through distinctions of name, clan, color, gender, food, etc., so too this knowledge grasps by distinguishing; this is said to illuminate this meaning. Or, known by others' consciousness are also dwelt-in; this is the connection. The meaning is, not only by one's own consciousness, but also known by others' consciousness. Here too, "distinguished" (is implied). ...the word 'is' should be brought and connected, or known and delimited by the consciousness of others. And the purpose of grasping it should be stated in the manner already mentioned. And since they were known and delimited by others in past existences, and those by whom they were known are also fully extinguished, it is to show the past existence, which is the domain of the knowledge of recollection of past lives, that has reached its peak, that it is said "in the recollection of those whose paths are cut off, etc." Those whose paths are cut off are the Perfectly Self-Enlightened Ones. Their recollection is the recollection of those whose paths are cut off. Some say that "by the word 'etc.' the recollections of Paccekabuddhas and disciples of the Buddha are taken." But all those whose paths are cut off, being fully extinguished in the element of Nibbāna without any remainder, have their path of transmigration cut off. Their recollection means the recollection of their practice. And that practice, in brief, is characterized by the grasping of the six sense-objects. Therefore, these are taken here by the grasping of what is known by the consciousness of others. Thus, it should be understood that the recollection of all Buddhas, Paccekabuddhas, and disciples, who were fully extinguished and not known by one's own consciousness in previous lives, is the recollection of those whose paths are cut off. And by the word 'etc.' here, is taken the recollection of those who are not fully extinguished, and not known by one's own consciousness in previous lives, not by following the current sequence of aggregates, but by way of a lion's leap. But these recollections of those whose paths are cut off, etc., as described, are only attainable by Buddhas. For in the past, only the Buddhas, the Fortunate Ones, thus saw, thus developed the path, thus realized the fruits and Nibbāna, thus disciplined those to be disciplined. In this, the knowledge of others has no reach whatsoever. But those who were known by one's own consciousness in previous lives, even if fully extinguished, being bound to the aggregates, the disciples still recollect them. The mindfulness by which one recollects past existences, that is the recollection of past existences. This should be brought and connected. They direct their mind... Having removed it from the meditation object, I directed it towards past lives, meaning, I made it inclined towards past lives, tending towards past lives, leaning towards past lives. In Pāli, because "abhininnāmesi" is a first-person singular verb, the meaning becomes clear when "ahaṃ" (I) is brought in and spoken with "so" (he), thus "so ahaṃ" (that I) is said. "Anekavidha" means manifold, in the sense of various existences, wombs, destinations, consciousness-stations, abodes of beings, and so on. "Pakārehi" means with various aspects, such as names, clans, etc. And this is an instrumental case indicating accompaniment. "Pavattitaṃ" means set forth, set forth by way of teaching. Therefore, it says "saṃvaṇṇita" (described), meaning elaborated. "Nivāsa" is a general term including various distinctions within it. Showing these distinctions by way of comprehensive inclusion, it says "the continuum of beings who have dwelt here and there." "Anugantvā anugantvā" means having followed again and again, having followed again and again with the movement of knowledge. "Anudeva" means "anu eva" (just after), the "da" sound came for the sake of euphonic conjunction. Having said "abhininnāmesi" (I directed), and then "anussarāmī" (I recollect), the prefix "anu" indicates recollection immediately following the mind's direction. Therefore, it says, "It shows that I recollect as soon as the mind is directed." The preliminary practice should be stated. That is, "A beginner monk, wishing to recollect past lives, after his meal, having returned from his alms round, having gone to a secluded place, having entered solitude, should enter the four jhānas in order, and having emerged from the fourth jhāna which is the basis for supernormal powers, he should advert to his very last sitting posture." In this way, the preliminary action, which is the preparation for the knowledge of past lives, should be stated. "For the purpose of showing the begun manner" means for the purpose of showing the distinctions of the past life that has been begun to be recollected. "Even one birth" means even one existence. For it is the continuum of aggregates, produced by a single kamma, delimited by its beginning and end, and containing various kinds of phenomena, that is here intended by "jāti" (birth), because it is born (jāyati). Therefore, it says "even one... etc.... continuum of aggregates." "Parihāyamāno" means diminishing, perishing, vanishing. "Kappo" means an incalculable eon. Kappo. That, in essence, is time. Its decline should be understood