English
Thus, this intention, which arises in the manner described, is called an "intention of opportunity." In this way, when one takes by intending according to these two types of intention, it should be understood as an "intention-based taking." Taking by concealing, on the other hand, is a "concealed taking." This should be understood as follows: If a bhikkhu sees a finger-ring or similar item left by others in a park or such place, and he thinks, "I will take it later," and he conceals it with earth or leaves, there is no removal at that point, so there is not yet an act of taking. But when the owners, having searched and not found it, have gone away with the thought, "We will find out tomorrow," then, when he removes it, there is an act of taking upon its removal. If, however, he takes it with the thought, "This is mine" during the period of concealment, or with the thought, "They are gone now, this is discarded property," like a rag from a dust-heap, then it is a debt for the item. Even if it is taken when they return on the second or third day, search, do not find it, and give up the search, it is still a debt for the item. If, having learned later, he is accused and does not return it, there is an act of taking when the owners give up the search. Why? Because due to his action, it was not seen by them. But if someone, with a thieving mind, without concealing such an item that is in its proper place, steps on it with his foot and pushes it into mud or sand, there is an act of taking as soon as it is pushed in. Taking by moving a marker stick is called a "marker-stick taking." This, too, should be understood as follows: If a bhikkhu, when robes are being divided, having dropped some marker stick made of bamboo splints or palm leaves, wishes to move a portion belonging to another that is more valuable, or much more valuable, or of equal value, to his own portion, and he lifts the marker stick that fell into his own portion with the intention of dropping it into the other's portion, he is merely holding it. When it is dropped into the other's portion, he is holding it. that. But when, after it has fallen, one removes another's grass from another's portion, the moment it is removed, it is an offense of taking. If one first removes grass from another's portion, and keeps it, intending to drop it into one's own portion, one is liable for keeping it, and also for dropping it. But if one removes one's own grass from one's own portion, one is liable for keeping it at the moment of removal. When one removes it and drops it into another's portion, the moment it leaves one's hand, it is an offense of taking. This is the taking of grass. This is the summary here; the detailed explanation should be taken from the Samantapāsādikā (Pārā. Aṭṭha. 1.92). "Having weighed" means having examined. "Proper" means a duty; the meaning is that there is no offense. "Crowd of people" means a commotion of many people. "When the crowd of people had departed" means when the people had gone away. "And having made this saffron robe your own, give it to this very bhikkhu" - for what reason did he say this? The owner of the robe had relinquished his claim, therefore it was not proper to take what was not given to him. The taker, too, from the time remorse arose, wandered about searching for the owner of the robe, thinking "I will give it." And when the owner of the robe said "It is mine," this taker also abandoned his attachment. Therefore, he said this. If so, why did the owner of the robe himself not say "Take what is yours"? To remove the remorse of both. How? Remorse might arise for the taker, thinking "It was not given by my own hand, it was a gift of goods." And remorse might arise for the other, thinking "I first relinquished my claim, and then took what was not given." "Of little value" means of small price. "Serves the purpose of wood" means accomplishes the task to be done with wood. "While I am present," etc. all this was said by the king out of faith, but the Elder should not think "It was done improperly." The depreciation mentioned here, such as by cutting a tooth-stick for one day, refers to something bought and taken by the owner of the goods. All this is according to the authority of the Aṭṭhakathā teachers. should be taken. Stone and gravel is stone-gravel. "The wise one should bear the meaning" is the explanation of this, "an offense or a non-offense," and so on. "A training rule equal to that" - before this, there is one verse: "The second, unequaled, which was proclaimed by the Conqueror; By him whose defilements were vanquished, is this rule of defeat here." Connecting it with that, the meaning is: "The second rule of defeat, which was proclaimed by the unequaled Conqueror, whose defilements were vanquished, is such that no other training rule in this Dispensation, interwoven with many methods and profound in its determination of meaning, is found to be equal to it." Therein, "by him whose defilements were vanquished" means by him who has utterly cut off all defilements, together with their latent tendencies, by the four path-knowledges, thereby bringing about the state of their non-arising again in the mental continuum. In the Vimativinodanī, however, it is said: "'By him whose defilements were vanquished' means by him whose defilements were conquered, that is, by him who is without defilements." "Here" means in this Dispensation. "By that" means by that second rule of defeat. "Meaning" refers to the meaning of the Pāli text. "Determination" refers to the determination beyond the Pāli text. Meaning and determination are "meaning-determination"; they are profound, hence "profound in meaning-determination." "Entered into the case" means when a case of taking what is not given has arisen in the midst of the Saṅgha, either by way of accusation or by way of one's own confession of one's transgression. "Herein" means in the case that has arisen. "Determination" means the ascertainment of offense or non-offense. "Without saying" means without saying, "You have incurred a defeat." "Even in a permissible object" means even in an object that is permissible for oneself to take, such as that belonging to one's mother or father. "Of light conduct" means one who quickly changes his mind with the thought of theft. "Poisonous snake" means poison capable of quickly spreading throughout the entire body. 233. "Superior human states" are the states of attainment of Buddhas and other supreme persons, which are superior to those of ordinary humans. "Declaring superior human states" is the declaration of these to others. The meaning is that one who is determining this should purify six points. Therein, "What have you attained?" is the question about attainment. "How have you attained?" is the question about how you have attained. How did you attain it? - a question about the means. When did you attain it? - a question about the time. Where did you attain it? - a question about the place. Which defilements have you abandoned? - a question about abandoned defilements. Of which states are you a recipient? - a question about acquired states. Now, to elaborate on that six-point purification, he says, "If indeed," and so on. There, "by this much" means: by merely this much verbal declaration, it cannot be done. For a declaration can be untrue for someone. To purify these six points, one should speak thus: Just as even an imitation gold appears like gold, and gold must be purified by rubbing, heating, and cutting, even so, to purify by including them in the six points just mentioned, one should speak. In "vimokkha and so on," the word "and so on" includes attainments, knowledge and vision, path development, and realization of fruit. It becomes clear, because there is no confusion of mindfulness for one who has attained a distinction. In the remaining questions too, the same method applies to the phrase "it becomes clear." For all, the defilements abandoned by the path they have attained become clear. This is said mostly. For some, indeed, doubt arises regarding the defilements to be abandoned by the path they have attained, like Mahānāma the Sakyan. For he, though a once-returner, asked the Blessed One, "It occurs to me, venerable sir, what state within me is not abandoned, by which at times states of greed overwhelm my mind, states of hatred overwhelm my mind, states of delusion overwhelm my mind?" This king, it is said, thought that greed, hatred, and delusion are completely abandoned by the path of the once-returner. The practice by which one's noble path comes is the preliminary practice, the path of arrival. "To be purified" means: is it pure, or not pure? It should be purified by way of investigation. "It is not purified" because of the possibility of negligent practice here and there. "To be removed" means: to be removed according to one's declaration. This is the essence. In the Sāratthadīpanī (Sārattha. Ṭī. 2.197-198) and Vimativinodanī (Vi. Vi. Ṭī. 1.197) it is said: "Being asked 'Is it not purified?', he spoke, having transgressed the sequence of practice. 'It should be removed,' it is said, 'because this Dhamma cannot be attained by the method you mentioned; it should be removed from the conceit of attainment.'" Having said "It is purified," to show the manner of purification, "for a long time" and so on was said. Here, in "is discerned," bringing in the word "if," the connection is "if that bhikkhu is discerned by that practice." Because of not clinging to the four requisites, it is said, "with a mind like a bird in the sky." The explanation is that the declaration is like what was said. There, "like what was said" means that the declaration of that bhikkhu is like what was said in this Sutta, meaning "equal." The practice is like the practice of one whose taints are destroyed, because the defilements have been suppressed for a long time; and this was said with reference to one who declares Arahantship.