English
Therefore, it says, "It stands before me as if constantly present." In "Yaṃ tvaṃ," "yaṃ" is a particle in the sense of cause, or an accusative case in the sense of instrument, so it says, "by which evil." In "anekapariyāyena," the word "pariyāya" means cause, so it says, "by many causes." "For dispassion" means for becoming dispassionate towards existence and enjoyments. "Not for being impassioned by passion" means for not being impassioned by passion towards existence and enjoyments. Therefore, it says, "For by the Blessed One," and so on. "This method applies to all passages" means that the intended meaning is evident in all passages. This is merely a figure of speech here, so in all passages like "for disunion," and so on, the meaning of the word is given as "for disuniting from defilements," and so on. It speaks with reference to the synonymous word spoken in the sense of development. "Not for entanglement" means not for entanglement with defilements. "Not for grasping" means not for grasping defilements, or not for grasping at existences and enjoyments due to craving and views. Here too, the meaning of "not for accumulation" should be understood in the same way. "The generated supramundane Nibbāna" means Nibbāna, which is free and separate from formations, and therefore, being transcended from the world, is supramundane. Here, in "for the suppression of intoxication," it should be understood that all such phrases as "for the removal of thirst," etc., are included by the word "or" in the sense of unstated aggregation, or by the word "etc." in the sense of beginning. It is said, "because by relying on that," etc., meaning that lust, conceit, intoxication, etc., which are abandoned by the Noble Path proceeding with Nibbāna as its object, are indeed abandoned upon reaching it. There, "by relying on that" means by relying on Nibbāna, due to the Noble Path having Nibbāna as its object-condition. Here, "conceit-intoxication, man-intoxication, etc." means that conceit, which arises in a superior person by relying on birth, etc., with thoughts like "I am superior," is called "intoxication" in the sense of generating intoxication, hence "conceit-intoxication." "Man-intoxication" is called man-conceit, the conceit that arises as "I am a man." Some say, "Conceit arising from the ability to indulge in unwholesome practices, or lust itself, is man-intoxication." The word "etc." includes strength-intoxication, youth-intoxication, etc. However, in the Mahāgaṇṭhipada and Majjhimagaṇṭhipada, it is said that "man-intoxication is existence," but that does not seem appropriate here. For it is not proper to say, "The Dhamma was taught by the Blessed One for the destruction of existence." "Free from intoxication" means the state of being free from intoxication. Indeed, to show this very meaning, "unintoxicated" is said. Here, "intoxications are suppressed" means they go to a state of non-intoxication, to destruction, hence "suppression of intoxication." This method applies to the remaining terms as well. "Thirst for sensual pleasures" means the desire for the appearance of sensual pleasures, which is craving for sensual pleasures. "Dwellings" means they are resorted to as things to be delighted in, hence "dwellings," the five sense objects, so it says "dwellings of the five sense objects." For in the five sense objects, six By the abandoning of inner passion, the five sense pleasures are also said to be abandoned. Therefore, it is said, "Whatever, monks, is desire-passion for forms," and so on. Or, attachments to the five sense pleasures are "five sense pleasure attachments." For "attachments" is a designation for the wanderings of craving, meaning they cling, they adhere, they indulge by way of delighting. "The three-realm round" means the round of kamma, defilements, and results in the three realms, by way of revolving. "He becomes dispassionate" means he perishes. It is said in the commentaries: "Becoming dispassionate" means the destruction of sensual pleasures; "ceasing" means destruction by a single blow. Even in the general exhortation "dispassion is cessation," because "the destruction of craving" is added, it is said that dispassion and cessation refer to craving itself. Here, "four wombs" (yonis) means "womb" (yoni) is a name for a portion of the aggregates, for a cause, and for the urinary tract. For in "the four wombs of nāgas" and "the four wombs of supaṇṇas," "yoni" means a portion of the aggregates. In "This is the cause for the attainment of earth-born fruit," it means "cause." In "I do not call him a brahmin, born of a womb, sprung from a mother," it means "urinary tract." But here, "yoni" is intended to mean a portion of the aggregates. "Yoni" means that beings, though not mixed with it, are mixed by reason of their common birth. In essence, it is a specific mode of the aggregates' partial occurrence, distinguished by the place of origin, such as an egg. And it is fourfold: egg-born, womb-born, moisture-born, and spontaneously arisen. And it is said: "These, Sāriputta, are the four wombs. Which are the four? The egg-born womb, the womb-born womb, the moisture-born womb, the spontaneously arisen womb." Among these, those born in an egg are egg-born. Those born in a womb are womb-born. Those born in moisture are moisture-born. Those that arise as if spontaneously, without these causes, are spontaneously arisen. And here, in the realm of ghosts, among animals, and among humans, all four wombs, such as the egg-born, are possible. Among humans, however, only some are spontaneously arisen, such as Mahāpaduma Kumāra and others. like. Egg-born beings, too, like the two Kontaputta Theras, and moisture-born beings, too, like the brahmin Pokkharasāti born in a lotus womb, and Queen Padumavatī, are only a few. But mostly humans are womb-born. Among the hungry ghosts, the parched-throated ones, due to their constant suffering, do not indulge in sensual pleasures. Therefore, they are not womb-born. Due to their fiery nature, a fetus does not stay in their womb. Therefore, they are only spontaneously arisen, as moisture-born existence is also impossible for them. But the remaining hungry ghosts can be of all four types of birth. And just as they are, so too are the yakkhas, and all four-footed, winged, long-bodied creatures, and so on, all of the four types of birth. All beings in hell, and the devas from the Cātummahārājika realm upwards, are spontaneously arisen. But earth-dwelling devas can be of all four types of birth. Among devas and humans, this is the distinction between moisture-born and spontaneously arisen: moisture-born beings are born weak and young, while spontaneously arisen beings are born as if sixteen years old. Here, "five destinations" (gatiyo) means destinations to be reached, or states of existence to be attained, according to good and bad kamma. Just as the kamma-existence, though not ultimately real as an agent, is established by the aggregate of conditions, and is said to be done by a being who possesses that continuity of existence, so too the destinations, which are characteristics of rebirth-existence, though not ultimately real as a goer, are said to be destinations to be reached by those whose kamma leads to them. Moreover, the word "gati" (destination) has many meanings: going-destination, birth-destination, inclination-destination, cessation-destination, and accomplishment-destination. Here, "having passed away, I go to that destination" and "whose destination devas, gandhabbas, and humans do not know" is the going-destination. "I do not know the coming or going of these virtuous bhikkhus" is the birth-destination. "Even so, brahmin, I know your destination and I know your passing away" is the inclination-destination. "Cessation is the destination of phenomena, Nibbāna..." The going of an Arahant is called the going of cessation. Only two goings arise, no others, this is called the going of accomplishment. Among these, here the going of destiny is intended. That, however, is fivefold by way of hell, animal realm, ghost realm, human beings, and devas. For it has been said: "There are these five goings, Sāriputta. Which five? Hell, animal realm, ghost realm, human beings, devas." Among these, that in which one arises, one arises by increasing it, thus 'aya' means happiness. There is no 'aya' here, thus 'niraya' (hell). For that reason, there is nothing to delight in, nothing to enjoy there, thus it is called 'niraya' by the meaning of no delight and no enjoyment. They go crookedly, thus 'tiracchānā' (animals), meaning they are long horizontally, not long vertically like devas and humans. From excellent happiness, the going away, the state of a ghost, the realm of those who have attained that state of a ghost, thus 'pettivisayo' (ghost realm), the ghost birth. By the abundance of mind, 'manussā' (humans). It is said 'manussā' by way of the quality of accumulated mind due to qualities like mindfulness, courage, and suitability for the holy life, by having a mind of excellent qualities. This meaning, however, should be understood without qualification by way of the inhabitants of Jambudīpa. As it is said: "By three things, monks, the humans of Jambudīpa excel the humans of Uttarakuru and the Tāvatiṃsa devas. By which three? They are brave, they are mindful, here is the dwelling of the holy life." Indeed, the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, the Paccekabuddhas, the chief disciples, the great disciples, the Cakkavattins, and other beings of great power arise there. However, the inhabitants of other great continents, along with the inhabitants of small islands, were also known as humans due to their similarity in form and so on. Others, however, say: "Humans are those in whom the mind is abundant with greed and so on, and with non-greed and so on. For those beings of human birth, greed and so on, and non-greed and so on, are especially abundant.