English
Or, "knowing, seeing" is a designation of cause. The meaning is: because of knowing, because of seeing, the mind was liberated even from the sensual defilements. And here, by the inclusion of the defilement of becoming, just as the craving for becoming, the view of becoming is also equally included. So the defilement of views should also be understood as included. Because by reflecting on the abandoned defilements, one knows "birth is destroyed" due to the non-relinking nature of even existing kamma in the future. And because by reflecting on the path and so on, one understands "the holy life has been lived" and so on. Therefore it is said, "by 'birth is destroyed' and so on, its ground." There, "its" refers to the knowledge of reflection. "Ground" means the place of occurrence. With the intention by which the objection "but which one?" and so on was made, wishing to explain that and give a refutation, he says "not yet for him" and so on. The meaning is: "not yet for him is past birth destroyed" means it is not destroyed by the development of the path. There he states the reason: "because it was destroyed before." The meaning is: "not future birth is destroyed for him." And "not future" is said by way of a part, taking the general characteristic of being future. Therefore he says, "because there is no effort in the future." For effort is possible only in what exists, not in what does not exist, is the meaning. A specific future is intended here, and effort for its destruction is indeed obtainable. Therefore he says, "but that which is of the path" and so on. For by "but that which" and so on, by the development of the path, future birth is destroyed by way of the destruction of its cause. It is now revealed. The taking of the three existences as in the one, four, and five constituent existences is for showing the complete exhaustion of birth in the manner stated. That is, the aforementioned birth. He is the Blessed One. The dwelling in the holy life is here the accomplishment of the path of holy life, so it is said: "finished." With right view, as it proceeds in the accomplishment of the tasks of full understanding, etc., in the four truths, the proceeding of right thought, etc., is also evident as conducive to the full understanding and penetration of the truth of suffering, and their proceeding in the other truths by way of abandonment and penetration, etc. Therefore it is said: "by way of full understanding, abandonment, realization, and development, through the four paths." "There is no other state of being for this" means these modes are "thus," their state is "thusness," it means "for that purpose." And these modes, which are the activities of the noble path, such as full understanding, etc., are intended here, so it is said: "for the state of these sixteen tasks." For when one reflects on the path, they become evident through the power of the path and appear; and among full understanding, etc., abandonment is primary, and the others are for that purpose, so it is said: "or for the destruction of defilements." Or this is said by way of reflecting on abandoned defilements. "He understood: 'There is no other state of being for this'" Here there is another method: "for this state of being" is a dative of possession. So the meaning is this: "For this state of being, from this state of being, from this present continuum of aggregates, there is no other future continuum of aggregates for me. But these five aggregates, which are called the final existence, are fully understood and stand without support, like trees with severed roots." For roots that are not fully understood are a support. As it is said: "If, monks, in edible food there is passion, there is delight, there is craving, consciousness is established there, grown," etc. And he understood that these five aggregates, with the cessation of the final consciousness, will be extinguished like a fire without fuel. Grasped by the knowledge of reflection, not the first or second knowledge. It is the intention that it is like the attainment of the two commands, entirely. "Showing" means showing by way of conclusion. For in its own nature, it has indeed been shown before. The rest here, being in the stated manner, is very easily understood. "Born thrice" - by this, it shows this: "I, brahmin, am born by the first knowledge. Due to the absence of a prior-born or co-born, I am the elder, the senior of all. How much more so, then, having been born thrice by the three knowledges!" "Knowledge of past lives is knowledge of the past" - this should be understood as: "by the knowledge of past lives, having revealed the knowledge of the past, due to its nature as an object of the past and its being of that nature." Therein, "knowledge of the past" means unhindered knowledge in the past divisions, consisting of past aggregates, sense bases, and elements. Because the divine eye knowledge has the present as its object, and because the knowledge of beings' destinations according to their karma (knowledge of the future) is accomplished only through the divine eye, and because the divine eye is a supporting knowledge, and because the knowledge of penetrating others' minds is established in the divine eye itself, it is said: "by the divine eye, knowledge of the present and future." Therein, "by the divine eye" means by the divine eye knowledge with its supporting elements. The present aspect and the future aspect are the present and future aspects; the knowledge therein is the knowledge of the present and future aspects. Just as omniscience is attained through the attainment of the knowledge of the destruction of defilements, so too are other unique qualities of the Buddha, such as the unique knowledges, the ten powers, and the eighteen unique Buddha-qualities, accomplished. Therefore, it is said: "by the destruction of defilements, all mundane and supramundane qualities." Therefore, it is said: "having revealed all the qualities of omniscience." The discourse on the knowledge of the destruction of defilements is concluded. Discourse on the approval of the teaching 15. "With body and mind filled with the suffusion of joy" means with body and mind filled by the suffusion of joy. "Of ignorance" means "of ignorance." For due to the usage of the word "dhī" (wisdom), this is a genitive case in the sense of possession. "Abhikkantā" here means "passed, gone," so it means "it is seen at the end." For by this, it is said: "the first watch has passed." And "more excellent" means exceedingly more pleasing, delightful, such as... And he is called beautiful and good. He says, "He appears beautiful." Who is it? Among devas, nāgas, yakkhas, gandhabbas, and so on, who is the one? 'Me' means 'mine'. 'Pādāni' means 'feet'. 'Iddhiyā' means by this kind of divine power. 'Yasasā' means by this kind of retinue, by this distinction. 'Jalanti' means shining, gleaming. 'Abhikkantena' means by one exceedingly lovely, charming, handsome. 'Vaṇṇena' means by skin color, by the radiance of body color. 'Illuminating all directions' means illuminating all ten directions, like the moon and the sun, making a single radiance, a single light; this is the meaning of the verse. 'Abhirūpe' means in a splendid form, in a perfect form. Having shown the meaning of the double utterance "Excellent, good Gotama, excellent, good Gotama" as a repetition (āmeḍita), and determining its scope, he says, "in fear, in anger," and so on. There, "Thief, thief!", "Snake, snake!" and so on, are repetitions in fear. "Pierce, pierce!", "Strike, strike!" and so on, are in anger. "Good, good!" and so on, are in praise. "Go, go!", "Reap, reap!" and so on, are in haste. "Come, come!" and so on, are in curiosity. "Thinking 'Buddha, Buddha!'" and so on, are in wonder. "Come forth, venerable sirs, come forth, venerable sirs!" and so on, are in joy. "Where is my only son, where is my only son?" and so on, are in sorrow. "Oh happiness, oh happiness!" and so on, are in delight. The word 'ca' (and) has the meaning of including what is unsaid. Thereby, the inclusion of blame, disrespect, and so on, should be understood. There, "Wicked, wicked!" and so on, are in blame. "Handsome one, handsome one!" and so on, should be understood as disrespect. Showing that this was not said twice as a repetition, but rather in two senses, he says, "or else," and so on. The word 'abhikkantaṃ' is said in the neuter gender, referring to the utterance. But that, taking it as the Buddha's word, as a teaching of the Dhamma, is said as "this teaching of the Dhamma of the venerable Gotama." Only the meaning. This is 'destruction' (nāsana). Therefore, according to the meaning, the change in gender and case ending should be understood. The same method applies to the second word. "By the destruction of faults" means by the destruction of defilements such as lust. "By the attainment of virtues" means by the attainment of virtues such as morality. The virtues that the teaching attains, among these, the principal virtues should be shown. To show those principal virtues first, it is said: "by generating faith, by generating wisdom." Indeed, faith is foremost among worldly virtues. Wisdom is foremost among supramundane virtues. In "meaningful" and so on: meaningful by the accomplishment of meaning such as morality; well-expressed by the accomplishment of natural expression. Clear in words by the use of easily understandable terms; profound in meaning by its subtle and refined nature, making it difficult to understand. Pleasant to the ear by the use of smooth, soft, and sweet words; penetrating to the heart by its vast, pure, and lovely meaning. Not exalting oneself by dispelling conceit and arrogance; not disparaging others by crushing stubbornness and contention. Cool with compassion by its tendency towards beneficial intentions, calming the burning of lust and so on in others; clear with wisdom by dispelling the darkness of defilements.