English
distinguished by the preliminary practices such as the foundations of mindfulness, should also be investigated and joined, it is said, "Thus, all..." There, "thus" means in the manner stated by me, according to the stated method. "All" means the entire noble path, which is of many kinds, distinguished by the preliminary practices such as the foundations of mindfulness, should be joined. How? By whatever modes, such as non-covetousness, or such as present happiness, the concentration was stated by me, by those very modes, such as non-covetousness, or such as present happiness, whatever noble path can be joined with calm, that noble path should be investigated and joined with calm. Whatever noble path can be joined with insight, that noble path should be joined with insight. This is the meaning to be understood. Since it must be asked, "By which calm-abiding foundations and insight-qualities should it be joined? Which are these calm-abiding foundations and insight-qualities?" It is said, "They are comprised of three qualities: impermanence, suffering, and non-self." The meaning is that those calm-abiding foundations and insight-qualities are comprised, or grasped, by the three qualities of contemplation: "by wisdom of impermanence, by wisdom of suffering, by wisdom of non-self." Because of its association with impermanence, etc., the wisdom of contemplation is also called "impermanence, suffering, non-self." Since it must be asked, "What does that yogi person cultivate, who is cultivating calm-abiding foundations and insight?" It is said, "He cultivates calm and insight..." A person cultivating calm and insight, etc., is of three types: one whose nature is lust, one whose nature is hatred, one whose nature is delusion. "Among these, which person emerges through which door to liberation, training in which, abandoning which, not approaching which, fully understanding which..." what, what does he send forth, what, what does he shake off, what, what does he vomit, what, what does he extinguish, what, what does he uproot, what, what does he disentangle, and then depart?” Because it is to be asked, it is said: “a person of passionate temperament,” and so on. In the commentary, however, it is said: “Now, to show the doors of liberation for those individuals who are training in certain ways, and the three doors of liberation which are antidotes to certain defilements, it is said: ‘a person of passionate temperament,’ and so on.” Its meaning is also stated in the commentary (Netti. Aṭṭha. 55). Because it is to be said: “Why does one who cultivates the three doors of liberation cultivate the three aggregates?”, it is said: “There, the door of emptiness liberation,” and so on. “There” means among those three doors of liberation. The door of emptiness liberation is the aggregate of wisdom, because wisdom is predominant in the contemplation of non-self. The door of signless liberation is the aggregate of concentration, because concentration is predominant in the contemplation of impermanence. The door of desireless liberation is the aggregate of virtue, because virtue is predominant in the contemplation of suffering. Thus, since the three aggregates are encompassed by the three doors of liberation, that yogi person who cultivates the three doors of liberation certainly cultivates the three aggregates. This predominance of wisdom and so on is stated in the commentary (Netti. Aṭṭha. 55). One who cultivates the three aggregates cultivates the Noble Eightfold Path. Because it is to be asked: “Why does he cultivate?”, to show the reason, it is said: “There, that which,” and so on. The nature of the three aggregates as the Noble Eightfold Path has been explained, and we have understood it. Because it is to be asked: “How is the nature of calm and insight to be understood?”, to show the nature of calm and insight in the three aggregates, it is said: “There, the aggregate of virtue,” and so on. Because it is to be asked: “For the yogi person who cultivates calm and insight, what kind of cultivation do his life-continuums attain?”, it is said: “For him who cultivates calm and insight,” and so on. It is said. Body and mind are two constituents of existence, constituents of rebirth-existence, they go to increase development. Virtue and concentration are two steps, two feet of the path leading to the cessation of existence, they go to increase development. Because it is to be asked, "How do they go?" "Such is the monk," and so on, is said. "Developed in body" means a developed body, relating to proper bodily conduct, or bodily restraint, by which a monk is "developed in body." The same method applies to the rest. When the body, in terms of proper bodily conduct or bodily restraint, is being developed, right action and right effort, these two qualities, go to development, because they are virtues of bodily conduct. When virtue, in terms of restraint of speech and restraint of livelihood, is being developed, right speech and right livelihood, these two qualities, go to development, because they are virtues of restraint of speech and so on. When the mind, in terms of mental restraint, is being developed, right mindfulness and right concentration, these two qualities, go to development, because they are virtues of mental restraint. When wisdom is being developed, right view and right thought, these two qualities, go to development, because they are similar and mutually supportive. For indeed, by repeatedly thinking with right thought, wisdom increases. "Are right action and right effort, these two qualities, to be understood as distinguished only by way of the body? Or are they to be understood as distinguished by way of the mind?" Because this is to be asked, "Therein, what is right action," and so on, is said. What right action is, being wholesome bodily volition, and what right effort is, accompanied by that, may be bodily. What right action is, being abstention, and what right effort is, accompanied by that, may be mental. Therein, among these right action and right effort, which are bodily and mental, that right action and right effort which is included in the body, that right action and right effort goes to development when the body, in terms of proper bodily conduct or bodily restraint, is developed. That right action and right effort which is included in the mind, that right action and right effort in the mind, mental... when non-restraint is cultivated, it goes to cultivation—this is the connection. “How much attainment does that yogi person reach, cultivating calm and insight?” Because this should be investigated, “that one cultivating calm and insight,” and so on, was said. To show the five kinds of noble path attainment, “and quick attainment,” and so on, was said. Its meaning is explained in the commentary. “By whom is which attainment achieved?” Because this should be asked, “there, by calm,” and so on, was said. 56. The meaning of the discourse beginning “with an unguarded mind,” was investigated and explained by the teacher through the liberation of the fruit of arahantship for those to be trained, and it was known by us. “How should the ten powers of the teacher, endowed with the ten powers, be investigated?” Because this should be asked, “there, the one who teaches, endowed with the ten powers,” and so on, was said. In the commentary, however, it is said: “Thus the Great Elder, indicating the investigation method’s connection through the liberation of the fruit of arahantship by means of the verse ‘therefore for one with a guarded mind,’ and showing the investigation method in various ways by explaining the specific cultivations and the benefits of cultivation of its preliminary practice through many discourse passages due to skill in teaching, now, to show it also by means of the ten powers of the Tathāgata, said, ‘there, the one who teaches,’ and so on.” There, “there” means among those who cultivate calm and insight, those who are to be taught and those who teach. The teacher, endowed with the ten powers, who teaches the Dhamma beginning “with an unguarded mind,” does not deceive the disciples with advice. The ten powers of that teacher should be investigated—this is the connection. “How does he teach?” Because this should be asked, “he, threefold,” and so on, was said. Among those ten Tathāgata powers, the knowledge of what is possible and impossible is called the first Tathāgata power. “How should that power be investigated?” Because this should be asked, “he, thus advised,” and so on, was said. The meaning is stated in the commentary, and also in the Pāli text. It is revealed. The meaning should be understood as: The knowledge of what is possible and impossible is the first power of the Tathāgata to be investigated, where knowing "this situation is not possible" is called knowledge of the impossible, and knowing "this situation is possible" is called knowledge of the possible. (1) The first power of the Tathāgata, the knowledge of what is possible and impossible, has been investigated and explained by the teacher, and understood by us. Because it is to be asked, "How is the second power of the Tathāgata, the knowledge of the path leading everywhere, to be investigated?" it is said, "Thus, the possible and impossible." The meaning is that the second power of the Tathāgata, the knowledge of the path leading everywhere, is to be investigated, where the knowledge of the path leading everywhere is called the knowledge of knowing, "This path leads to this existence, this path leads to this existence," in all respects. (2) The second power of the Tathāgata, the knowledge of the path leading everywhere, has been investigated by the teacher, and understood by us. Because it is to be asked, "How is the third power of the Tathāgata, the knowledge of the many elements and diverse elements, to be investigated?" it is said, "Thus, the path leading everywhere," and so on.