English
is the knowledge of the recollection of past lives," it is said, "in the recollection of past lives," and so on. Now, to show the past life, the recollection of past lives, and the knowledge therein, by way of distinction, "therein," and so on, is said. The word "pubba" (past) refers to past existences, and the word "nivāsa" (abode/dwelling) is an agentive noun, so it is said, "the aggregates that have dwelt in past existences." And here, "having dwelt" means having occurred in one's own continuum, therefore it is said, "experienced," and so on. Now, to show the meaning of the word "nivāsa" in terms of one's own and others' continuums, having said "or phenomena that have dwelt, or dwelt," to explain that, "by way of the dwelling of objects," and so on, is said. For even phenomena that are objects are called "dwelt in" by knowledge, and to show that these are twofold by being objects of one's own and others' consciousness, "by oneself," and so on, is said. Or those known by others' consciousness are also "dwelt in" – this is the connection. Here too, the word "delimited" should be brought in and connected. For in beginningless saṃsāra, the aggregates of beings not previously known by oneself, being known by others, are called "known by others' consciousness." The recollection of these is more difficult than the former, because they became "known by others' consciousness" by being known by others, and they must be known according to their current continuums. And those known by others' consciousness are of two kinds: those fully extinguished (parinibbuta) and those not fully extinguished (aparinibbuta). And among these, the recollection of the fully extinguished is difficult, because their continuum is completely cut off. But to show that past life known by others, which has reached its peak, "in the recollection of those whose roots are cut off," and so on, is said. Therein, those whose roots are cut off, those who attained Nibbana in the past, those whose defilements are destroyed, because the path of transmigration is cut off for them. By the word "etc.", recollection is taken of those not yet attained Nibbana, and of those known by others' consciousness, by way of a lion's leap. By which mindfulness one recollects past existences, that is the recollection of past existences, it should be brought and connected thus. The word "vihita" is a synonym for "vidha," thus it says "of many kinds," meaning "of many kinds" by way of birth-matrix, etc. Or taking the meaning of "vihita" as "applied" or "described," when it should be said "vihita in many ways," it is indicated by omitting the middle word, thus it says "by many... (etc.)... described." By "ways" means by ways of name, clan, etc. "Described" means spoken by the Buddhas, etc. The word "anu" indicates the meaning of "immediately after," thus it says "immediately after inclining," and by this it shows the commencement of the preparatory work. By "for those who have fulfilled perfections," etc., it shows attainment even without preparatory work. In the sense of showing the commenced manner means in the sense of showing the aggregates dwelt in previously, which one has commenced to recollect. That which arises is birth, existence. That, having one kamma as its root, delimited by taking up and laying down, the continuum of aggregates, is here intended as "birth," thus it says "even one," etc. A "kappa" is an incalculable eon, but that is essentially time, designated based on phenomena that thus occur, its decline and growth should be understood by their means. "Saṃvaṭṭa" (contraction/dissolution): it has contraction, destruction, thus it is "saṃvaṭṭa," an incalculable eon. It stands with contraction, with destruction, by its nature, thus it is "saṃvaṭṭaṭṭhāyī" (enduring through contraction). Similarly in "vivaṭṭa," etc. Therein, "vivaṭṭana" is "vivaṭṭa," meaning arising, or growth. Destruction by fire is "tejosaṃvaṭṭa." But extensively, there is no distinction in the boundary of contraction, therefore it says "always." Like a single city, because of its undergoing change at the moment of birth, to show the designation "birth-field," it is said "it trembles at rebirth, etc." "Power operates" means the affliction of disease, etc., of all beings contained therein, is appeased. This is the meaning. What is said as "or as far as one might wish" refers to the range of perception, the manifestation everywhere by voice at a single moment, and the showing of one's own physical body, which the Blessed One acknowledged when he said "or as far as one might wish." "Among these" is the locative of determination. "Eating fallen fruits" means food from fruits that fell by themselves, and this was said with reference to the ascetic period. "By rebirth here" means by rebirth in this last existence. "Of one lineage" means of one lineage with the Tusita gods. "Others" refers to color and so on. "Heretics" means those who speak of the results of kamma. "Aspiration" refers to the period of accumulating merit and knowledge, characterized by aspiration. "By way of decease and re-linking" means seeing the decease of oneself or others in each respective existence, and without touching anything in between, taking only the re-linking, thus knowing the going to the desired place, as he said "for them..." and so on. "In both ways" means both by the succession of aggregates and by way of decease and re-linking. "Also by way of a lion's leap" means also by way of a lion's pounce. "Effort is 'ardor' in the sense of burning and tormenting defilements," thus he said "by the ardor of effort." Description of the discourse on the divine eye knowledge 13. "Divine" because it exists in the heavens, it is called the purified eye of the gods, thus he said "because it is like the divine." "Even far away" - by the word "even," the grasping of even a subtle object is included. All development succeeds by way of the initiation of effort, or it is the development of effort specifically from the development of the bases of power endowed with the primary volitional formations, thus he said "produced by the power of the development of effort." "By way of divine abiding" means by way of the four jhānas such as kasiṇa. By this, he states its divine nature in the sense of a distant cause. "Because it is supported by divine abiding" - by this, it is produced from the foundational jhāna which is a proximate cause. The meaning of "because it is supported by divine abiding" is also that the divine eye knowledge arises by relying on the fourth rūpāvacara jhāna, which is associated with oneself and has entered into divine abiding, serving as a supporting condition. With reference to the root "div" meaning shining and moving, by taking light... This is what was said. There, by grasping light, means by way of grasping kasina light. By the meaning of seeing, means by the nature of seeing forms, by this, it shows the eye-ness from the explanation that "the eye reveals forms." By performing the function of the eye, this means seeing similar signs by comparison, as the eye is like an eye, meaning performing the function of the eye which is seeing even and uneven things and so on. As it was said, it refers to a passage from the Sutta on Defilements (MN 3.242). There, regarding doubt and so on, when the Blessed One, not yet fully enlightened at the foot of the Bodhi tree, was seeing various forms with the divine eye, doubt arose: "What is this? What is this?" Then, to remove that doubt, as he did not pay attention to those forms, sloth and torpor arose. Then, to remove that, as he again paid attention to all forms, fright, as from ogres and so on, arose. As he paid attention to remove the fear, thinking "What is there to be afraid of here?", a defilement of concentration called elation, which is delight connected with the home, arose, due to his skill in paying attention. To suppress that, as he slackened his effort in paying attention, grossness, called bodily sluggishness, arose. To suppress that, as he again exerted effort, over-exertion arose. Again, to suppress that, as he slackened his effort, under-exertion arose. After suppressing that, as he saw divine forms, craving, called longing, arose. To suppress that, as he paid attention to various low forms and so on, diversified perception, called distraction by various objects, arose. Again, abandoning that, as he paid attention to only one thing, over-contemplation, excessive thinking about forms, arose. Brightness means the brightness arising from preparatory work. "And I do not see forms" means that the meaning should be understood as having this sequence of arising: "I do not see forms with the divine eye because I am absorbed in the brightness of preparatory work and in paying attention." "This of humans" refers to the human, gross form perceptible by the human eye. That same, of humans, Because of the range of horses, it is said to be the range of humans, so he said, "having surpassed the range of humans." "By seeing forms" means by seeing distant, subtle, and other forms. Since, by rule, the divine eye knowledge, having as its object forms that are pre-arisen and enduring, does not arise without advertence and preliminary work, nor, when arising, is a breaking form its object, due to its weakness, and the death-consciousness arises only at the moment of the breaking of kamma-born form, and the rebirth-consciousness at the moment of arising, therefore he said, "at the moment of death," etc. Here, the seeing of forms itself is the seeing of beings; by "passing away," etc., it is said in terms of individuals. "In beautiful and ugly forms" is said with reference to the word 'vaṇṇa' meaning 'shape' or 'figure', as in "having created the great form of an elephant king," etc. (Samyutta Nikaya 1.138) and similar instances. Having gone to a good destination are the well-gone, so he said, "gone to a good destination." "But by this word" means