English
aggregate of wisdom. Three gateways to liberation: emptiness, signlessness, desirelessness. Thus, taught in groups of three. What is this collection of wholesome states, which are like directions? It is purification for the three individuals: the instantly enlightened, the discerning, the trainable. Having connected them as purification, as a common aspect of purification, one mentally observes them as directional states: "Among these wholesome states, taught in groups of two and twelve, which are like directions, which wholesome state is a direction for which individual?" "This first wholesome state is the first direction for the instantly enlightened individual in terms of purification. This second wholesome state is the second direction for the discerning individual in terms of purification. This third wholesome state is the third direction for the trainable individual in terms of purification." Having connected them each as a direction, having appropriately extracted the truth of the path and the truth of cessation, the nature of the states to be analyzed is shown by a particular method of description. That particular method of description arises from the "three individuals" approach. And the observation of that, shown by a particular method of description, that particular method of description arises from the "direction-observation" approach. And having thus observed, the leading of individuals to the state of a specific direction-like dhamma, by which particular method of description it leads, that particular method of description arises from the "goad" approach. If one should ask, "How does the 'lion's play' approach arise?" "The four nutriments, the four perversions, the four clingings, the four bonds, the four defilements, the four floods, the four darts, the four stations of consciousness, the four wrong courses of action" (Netti. 87). This set of four, each set of four unwholesome states, taught in groups of four, which are like directions, is for the one with dull faculties, led by a painful practice and slow comprehension, of a craving nature. And for the one with keen faculties, led by a painful practice and swift comprehension, of a craving nature. And for the one with dull faculties, led by a pleasant practice and slow comprehension, of a... and for the person of view-conduct, for the person of pleasant practice, of swift direct knowledge, of certain liberation, of keen faculties, of view-conduct. Thus, the defilement of these four persons, in the defilement aspect, by the commonality of defilement, having combined them, "Among these ten tetrads of doctrines, described in groups of four, which unwholesome doctrine is a 'direction' for which person?" Mentally, in the defilement aspect, having looked at them as 'direction-doctrines', "This first unwholesome doctrine is called the first 'direction' for the person of painful practice, of slow direct knowledge, of certain liberation, of dull faculties, of craving-conduct. This second unwholesome doctrine is called the second 'direction' for the person of painful practice, of swift direct knowledge, of certain liberation, of keen faculties, of craving-conduct. This third unwholesome doctrine is called the third 'direction' for the person of pleasant practice, of slow direct knowledge, of certain liberation, of dull faculties, of view-conduct. This fourth unwholesome doctrine is called the fourth 'direction' for the person of pleasant practice, of swift direct knowledge, of certain liberation, of keen faculties, of view-conduct." Having combined them separately as 'directions', having extracted the truths of origin and suffering as appropriate, and the nature of the doctrines to be analyzed is shown by a particular descriptive method. That particular descriptive method arises from the 'lion's play' method. And its observation is shown by a particular descriptive method, that particular descriptive method arises from the 'direction-looking' method. Similarly, having observed, the leading of the doctrine, which is a specific 'direction', to the persons, is led by a particular descriptive method, that particular descriptive method arises from the 'goad' method. "Four practices, four foundations of mindfulness, four jhānas, four abidings, four right efforts, four wonderful and amazing doctrines, four determinations, four developments of concentration, four O wholesome states, the four immeasurables (Netti. 86). This collection of wholesome states, which are like directions, taught in groups of four by four, is for the purification of four types of individuals: For the person of painful practice, slow insight, leading to liberation, with dull faculties, of a craving nature; And for the person of painful practice, swift insight, leading to liberation, with keen faculties, of a craving nature; And for the person of pleasant practice, slow insight, leading to liberation, with dull faculties, of a view-nature; And for the person of pleasant practice, swift insight, leading to liberation, with keen faculties, of a view-nature. Having connected them in the aspect of purification, by way of common purification, and having observed mentally, as states that are directions: "Among these ten groups of four wholesome states, taught in groups of four by four, which wholesome state is a direction for which person?" "This first wholesome state, this first one, is called the first direction for the person of painful practice, slow insight, leading to liberation, with dull faculties, of a craving nature. This second wholesome state, this second one, is called the second direction for the person of painful practice, swift insight, leading to liberation, with keen faculties, of a craving nature. This third wholesome state, this third one, is called the third direction for the person of pleasant practice, slow insight, leading to liberation, with dull faculties, of a view-nature. This fourth wholesome state, this fourth one, is called the fourth direction for the person of pleasant practice, swift insight, leading to liberation, with keen faculties, of a view-nature." Thus, having connected them individually as directions, and having extracted the path truth and the cessation truth appropriately, the nature of the states to be analyzed is shown by a particular explanation. And that particular explanation arises from the method of the lion's play. And its observation is shown by a particular explanation. And that particular explanation arises from the method of observing directions. Similarly, obser... Having grasped the guidance of individuals to the special direction of the Dhamma, and by which special explanation it guides, that special explanation becomes the origin of the hook-method. Thus, in brief, the origin of the method is to be understood in due order. Thus, in the origin of the method, it is composed according to the strength of beings. The Explanation is finished. But by the wise, according to the commentaries and sub-commentaries, the profound meaning should be taken by dividing it in detail. Explanation of the Foundation of the Teaching 89. With "What is the origin of the method there?" and so on, the origin of the method has been established in every way by the teacher, and it is known by us. Because it is to be said: "Among the sixteen modes, five methods, and eighteen root-terms, how are the eighteen root-terms divided? Where are they to be seen by us?" Therefore, "Where are the eighteen root-terms to be seen there?" and so on, is said. "There" means: Among those sixteen modes, five methods, and eighteen root-terms, by which term are the eighteen root-terms divided by the teacher? Where are they to be seen in detail by us? - thus he asks. "The eighteen root-terms are divided by me in the Foundation of the Teaching, and they are to be seen in detail by you in the Foundation of the Teaching" - thus he answers. Indeed, the eighteen root-terms, when divided, are to be seen. But in the Commentary (Netti. Com. 89) – "Thus, having divided the origin of the method in every way, now, dividing the Foundation of the Teaching, since in the chapters on compilation and so on, the foundation was compiled by means of the root-terms themselves, but not shown in its own form, therefore, just as the foundation is to be determined from the root-terms, so too, the root-terms are to be determined from the foundation - for the purpose of showing this, he said: 'Where are the eighteen root-terms to be seen? In the Foundation of the Teaching.'" It is said. "The eighteen root-terms are to be seen in the Foundation of the Teaching" - thus it was said by the teacher. Because it is to be asked: "What is that Foundation of the Teaching?" Therefore, "What is the Foundation of the Teaching there?" and so on, is said. "There" means: Among those eighteen root-terms and the Foundation of the Teaching, what is that Foundation of the Teaching? - now... It is explained that the Sutta on defilement-sharing and so on, taught by the Blessed One, which is being determined by me, is called the Foundation of the Teaching. "Teaching" means the Teaching of study. "Foundation" means the standing, the occurrence, of that Teaching of study in ways such as defilement-sharing. The Sutta illuminating that is here called the Foundation. Therefore it is said: "The Sutta on defilement-sharing," and so on. Or else, "Teaching" means the three trainings of higher virtue, higher mind, and higher wisdom. That three-fold training is established by this defilement and so on, hence "Foundation". The foundation of the three-fold training, the Teaching, is "Foundation of the Teaching". The Sutta which is its basis is also, by way of metaphorical usage for its standing, called the Foundation of the Teaching. To show the nature of that Sutta on the Foundation of the Teaching – The Sutta on defilement-sharing, The Sutta on latent-tendency-sharing, The Sutta on penetration-sharing,