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B030106Vajirabuddhi ṭīkā(vajra awakening re commentary)

English

thus the unconditioned nature of the causeless state becomes exceedingly clear. Indeed. By seeing suffering, its meaning as deathless becomes manifest. For suffering is poison, and the deathless is Nibbāna. Similarly, by seeing the origin of the path, which has the characteristic of leading out, the meaning of cause becomes manifest, as in, “This is not the cause for the attainment of Nibbāna; this is the cause.” By seeing cessation, the meaning of vision is like the clarity of the eye when one sees extremely subtle forms, thinking, “How clear my eye is!” By seeing suffering, the meaning of dominance is like the exalted state of a ruler when seeing many sick, afflicted, and wretched people. Thus, in this way, by means of characteristics, and by one’s seeing the other truths, the three others become manifest, and so four meanings are stated for each. Purity from defilements is freedom from attachments. Those that destroy the opposing side are enemies. Those who are hostile and unfriendly are adversaries. By stating that he proclaimed after realizing, it shows the Buddha’s omniscience. Having thus shown his accomplishment in knowledge, he now states, “He taught the Dhamma,” and so on, to show his accomplishment in compassion. Or, what did he proclaim? Knowledge, all of which was for the welfare of the three worlds. He taught the Dhamma—what kind of Dhamma? “Beautiful in the beginning,” and so on. By this statement, he shows his worthiness to speak. The teaching Dhamma refers to advice and study. Purity of function refers to the purity of the function of abandoning defilements and having Nibbāna as its object. The holy life in the Dispensation is the three trainings, or the nine thousand crores, and so on. The path itself is the holy life, the path-holy life. The three Piṭakas, which reveal it, are here called with meaning and with phrasing. Brief exposition in the six meaning-sections is saṅkāsana. Exposition from the beginning is pakāsana. Elaboration of both by teaching is vivaraṇa. Further division is vibhajana. Making clear by similes, etc., is uttānīkaraṇa. Making known by generating delight in the minds of listeners and by sharpening their minds should be understood. In the phrasing sections, that which is unchangeable is akkhara; some say, “a single-syllable word is akkhara.” A word ending in a case ending is a pada. That which makes clear is byañjana, a sentence. Pa Or the ten modes are the statement. The manifestation of division is called mode. 'It touches, therefore it is contact' and so on, this explanation is etymology; the designation of what is indicated by etymology is called definition. 'It touches, therefore it is contact'; it is threefold – pleasant-feeling, painful-feeling, neither-painful-nor-pleasant-feeling. In these, this is the connection: by letters it illuminates, by words it makes manifest, by phrases it clarifies, by modes it divides, by etymologies it makes plain, by definitions it makes known. Or, having illuminated by letters, it makes manifest by words; having clarified by phrases, it divides by modes; having made plain by etymologies, it makes known by definitions. Or, having opened up by letters, it trains the 'one who understands by opening' with words; having clarified by phrases, it trains the 'one who understands by elaboration' with modes; having led by etymologies, it trains the 'one who is to be led' with definitions – this should be understood. 'Meaning' is the spoken meaning. The penetration of the specific nature of that very meaning is called 'realization'. Both of these are called 'meaning'. Therefore it is said: "It is meaningful through the profundity of meaning and the profundity of realization." 'Dhamma' or 'teaching' is just the expression. The pure holy life of the Dispensation, being faultless, and the path encompassed by the three trainings, both are included by the term 'holy life'. 'By practice' means 'due to practice'. 'Proficiency in the scriptures' means that the aggregates and so on, being repeatedly studied, become clear. Ill-spoken teachings, when studied, lead only to confusion. Is it bearable, the cold and heat and so on? Is life sustainable with the means of livelihood obtained? 'Free from affliction' means free from obstacles; 'free from disease' means free from illness. Is there lightness in bodily functions? Is there strength for monastic duties? Is there comfortable living, in the aforementioned way, due to freedom from affliction, or due to absence of weariness and so on? From sixty-seven onwards is the last stage of life; it is said to be facing north. When the world is revealed, "What do you look for here? There is no one here like you," thus it is said: "You are the foremost of the world with its devas," and so on. 'Asabhi' means supreme. Rebirth by the gods. By way of enjoying forms, or by way of desiring them, the joy-feelings arisen, connected with lust, arising according to the feeling of joy, from the heart's delight, like the taste of mangoes, are called "tastes of forms." "For the Tathāgata, they are abandoned," he says, by way of authority. Indeed, for the Tathāgata, they are made as if a palm tree whose crown is cut off, abandoned for anyone. How? By the word "tastes of forms," things that are of the nature of result are taken. Even though they exist, because craving and ignorance, which are like the crown, are cut off by the sword of the path, they are unable to produce resultant aggregates like a row of palm trees in the future. Therefore, they are made like a palm tree stump. "Wholesome joys are also included here," they say. By the first path, those related to courses of action are abandoned. By the second, the gross ones are uprooted. By the third, those related to sensual lust are made like a palm tree stump. By the fourth, those related to lust for form and formless lust are made non-existent. But showing their non-declinable nature, he says, "they are of a nature not to arise in the future." Or, by abandonment by suppression of components, they are abandoned at the moment of insight, or at the preliminary moment of jhāna. By abandonment by suppression, they are uprooted at the moment of jhāna. For it is said, "Quite secluded from sensual pleasures." By abandonment by eradication, they are made like a palm tree stump at the moment of attaining the third knowledge. But such "tastes of forms" and so on, made non-existent, are of a nature not to arise in the future— this is one and the same meaning. Or, by the first penetration, they are abandoned. By the second, they are uprooted. By the third, they are made like a palm tree stump. Since such things are called "made non-existent," therefore, they should be understood as of a nature not to arise in the future. Or else, by the knowledge of suffering, they are abandoned. By the knowledge of origin, they are uprooted. By the knowledge of cessation, they are made like a palm tree stump. By the knowledge of the path, they are made non-existent. By the knowledge of review, they should be understood as of a nature not to arise in the future. Or, by the worldly path, they are abandoned. By the path of vision, they are uprooted. By the three kinds of development path, they are made like a palm tree stump, and so on. Because they are not within the scope of the brahmin, the tastes of phenomena are not brought up. 11. Element of Phenomena. Here, omniscience is called the Dhamma-element. In accordance with words of compassion, it is said "like the full moon," and the word "sun" is in accordance with the words "due to being well-penetrated." They say the reason for the mind's equality with the earth is "the diffusion of compassion." Indeed, by revealing his own qualities that should be concealed, saying "my energy has been aroused," etc., he reveals his diffusion of compassion— this should be understood. Of excellent vast wisdom, of excellent extensive knowledge. Or *bhūrī* means earth, the meaning is "excellent wisdom spread like the earth." "He awoke here"— thus, by way of location, the tree is *bodhi*. "He himself awakes, or those endowed with it awake by it"— thus, the path is *bodhi*. Similarly, omniscience (is *bodhi*). "It is awakened to"— thus, Nibbāna is *bodhi*. For one who has the proximate cause of the three knowledges, the three knowledges should be understood as appropriate. Sharpness by way of one-pointedness. Even a sharp arrow, having reached its target, becomes blunt; this is not so. Its harshness by way of the faculty of mindfulness, its clarity by way of the faculty of faith, and its heroism by way of the faculty of energy, due to thoroughly overcoming the enemy defilements without retreating in between— these should be understood. The time of conception for giving birth to the path, due to being in conformity immediately after the equanimity of formations. Desire and intention are indeed craving, differing by states of condition – "He approaches the elephant's body, His heart inflamed with passion; When he has come together, he approaches passionate desire, The measure of the world fallen to desire is not enough." – As in these and other passages – Although the meaning is stated in the Vibhaṅga itself, the intention here is this: Even if the Vibhaṅga Pāḷi is brought forth and stated here, it would not be beneficial to all; therefore, I shall explain it according to the method of the commentary. "From this" means from sensual pleasures. Among physical seclusion and others, seclusion from substrata is the third. Therefore, having discarded the third and taken the two, and having taken suppression-seclusion among the temporary and others, it is said "there are only three." If so, would there be no distinction, as mental suppression would be the same thing? Due to the nature of absorption, it should not be seen thus. Body By the grasping of discernment, the grasping of the preliminary part is understood. Therefore, "mind's discernment"