English
In the remaining ones too, the meaning of "having" should be taken. Alternatively, the meaning of "worldly" and so on is the primary meaning; the discourse that expresses it is also spoken of by way of transference of place. By this discourse-section, one praises the qualities of the Buddhas and so on, thus it is praise, a discourse-section. Since it should be asked: "Among those twenty-eight kinds of worldly and so on foundation-of-the-Teaching discourses, which discourse is a worldly discourse?" — "There, which is worldly?" and so on is said. There, among those twenty-eight kinds of worldly and so on foundation-of-the-Teaching discourses, which discourse is a worldly foundation-of-the-Teaching discourse? — this is asked. Monks, fresh milk that has come forth from the udder of a cow, at the moment of its coming forth, It does not change, it does not transform. Having given up its milk state, it does not attain the curd state. But later, through the mixture of sour gruel and the like, it gives up its milk state and attains the curd state. In the same way, the evil deed done by a fool does not ripen for that fool at the moment of its doing, by way of producing suffering in the lower realms and the like. But it ripens in a second or third existence and so on. A fire, covered by ash, concealed by cinders, does not burn the person who steps on it at the moment of stepping. But having heated the cinders, it burns later. In the same way, the evil deed done by a fool does not follow that fool at the moment of its doing, by way of burning him through producing suffering in the lower realms and the like. But in a second or third existence and so on, it follows that fool, burning him by way of producing suffering in the lower realms and the like. This Sutta, “Indeed, not… (etc.)… fire,” is called mundane, because it operates as a speaker and indicator of mundane meanings. Since it is to be said, “Only this much is mundane,” what is said is, “These four…” and so on. The meaning is clear. This Sutta, “These four… (etc.)… the moon in the dark fortnight,” is called mundane, because it operates as a speaker and indicator of mundane meanings. Since it is to be said, “Thus, only two kinds are mundane,” what is said is, “These eight, monks, are worldly conditions,” and so on. The meaning is clear. This Sutta, “These eight…” and so on, is called mundane, because it operates as a speaker and indicator of eight kinds of mundane meanings. The various kinds of mundane have been determined by the teacher, and understood by us. Since it is to be said, “Which Sutta is supramundane?” what is said is, “Among these, which is supramundane?” and so on. The same method should be understood for what follows. “Among these” means among those twenty-eight kinds of mundane and other Suttas. Just as well-trained horses, calmed, by a skilled charioteer, in the same way, for the monk who has abandoned conceit, who has abandoned the nine kinds of conceit, whose taints are destroyed, whose six senses The sense faculties, such as the eye, have attained tranquility. It is an exposition that gods and humans alike envy that bhikkhu who is steadfast, endowed with the characteristic of steadfastness, and free from defilements. This discourse, beginning with "whose faculties," is called supramundane because it functions as an expressor and indicator of the supramundane meaning. Because it is to be said, "Only this much," it is stated, "There are these five faculties, bhikkhus." This discourse, beginning with "these five," is also called supramundane because it functions as an expressor and indicator of the supramundane meaning. (1) Two verses are stated, beginning with "Having gained human existence, there are two tasks, what is to be done and what is not to be done." Here, in these verses, the verse line "and good deeds are wholesome" and the verse line "having performed good deeds, those who have done good deeds go from heaven to heaven" are stated. This verse line is called mundane because it functions as an expressor and indicator of the mundane meaning. Here, in these verses, the verse line "or the abandoning of fetters" and the verse line "by abandoning fetters, they are released from old age and death" are stated. This verse line is called supramundane in the manner described. This discourse, beginning with "having gained," is both mundane and supramundane in the manner described. Bhikkhus, when there is desire and lust for consciousness as nutriment, dependent on nutriment, there is the descent of mind-and-matter. "When there is consciousness... and so on... there is" is called mundane in the manner described. "When there is consciousness... and so on... cessation" is called supramundane. This discourse, beginning with "and if, bhikkhus, in consciousness," is both mundane and supramundane because it functions as an expressor and indicator of both the mundane meaning and the supramundane meaning in part. (2) 113. Having traversed all directions in the world of beings, one never found another dearer to oneself than oneself by mind. Just as oneself is dear, so too for other beings, each and every one, oneself is dearer. Therefore, because oneself is dearer, a wise person, desiring one's own welfare, should not harm another, making oneself an example. Should harm, is the connection. This Sutta, beginning with "all directions," is called "based on beings," because it proceeds by way of speaking and making known concerning beings. Whatever individuals whose defilements are destroyed will not exist again, all those individuals whose defilements are destroyed, having abandoned the body, their self-existence, will go to Nibbana. And whatever beings, ordinary people and so on, will exist in future existences, all those beings, ordinary people and so on, having abandoned the body, their self-existence, will go to the other world. That universal loss, the loss, death, or destruction of every being, whatever skilled person knows, that skilled person, having known that universal loss, should diligently practice the holy life, is the connection. This, beginning with "whatever," is, in the manner stated, "based on beings." A good friend endowed with seven qualities should not be abandoned by a skilled person throughout life. By which seven? Because of being endowed with perfect moral conduct and perfect right view, he is dear and to be loved. He is venerable like a rock-umbrella. He is to be esteemed because he is worthy of esteem. Having established in himself the five qualities beginning with "I speak at the right time, not at the wrong time," standing in the position of giving decisive advice and instruction to fellow practitioners or disciples, he is also an adviser. Being easy to speak to when spoken to by fellow practitioners or disciples, he is also tolerant of their words. He is also one who speaks profound talk, such as the Four Noble Truths and Dependent Origination, or other profound topics. Because he explains only in terms of Dhamma and Vinaya, he does not employ one in an inappropriate place. A good friend endowed with these seven qualities should not be abandoned throughout life. The Blessed One spoke this saying beginning with "by seven." Having spoken this saying beginning with "by seven," the Fortunate One then the Teacher spoke this verse. What did he speak? Dear, venerable, to be esteemed, And an adviser, tolerant of words; And one who speaks profound talk, And does not employ in an inappropriate place; That friend, by one who desires a friend, Should be served even for life. This verse-utterance the Teacher spoke, is the explanation. The reading "and not one who joins in an inappropriate place" exists. This utterance, beginning with "by seven," is based on beings. Whatever sensual pleasure and whatever divine pleasure there is in the world, these sensual and divine pleasures are not worth a sixteenth part of the pleasure of the destruction of craving, is the explanation. This discourse, beginning with "and whatever," is based on Dhamma. Where suffering ceases in Nibbāna, that Nibbāna, taught by the Perfectly Enlightened One, sorrowless, dustless, secure, is indeed very pleasant, is the explanation. This discourse, beginning with "very pleasant," is also based on Dhamma. (3) The mother, called craving, because it gives birth to beings in the three existences; and the father, called conceit, because conceit arises dependent on the father; and the two kings, called eternalism and annihilationism, like people in a country serve the king, the ruler of the country, because these two views are to be served by all wrong views; and the country, called the twelve sense-bases, which is the place where delight and lust operate, like a man who seeks gain travels through a country for profit, because delight and lust operate in the twelve sense-bases, with the operation called delight and lust; the brāhmaṇa, whose defilements are destroyed, who slays these, that brāhmaṇa, having slain them, goes free from trouble, free from suffering, is the explanation. Here, in the verse beginning "mother," the verse-utterance "mother... and having slain" is based on Dhamma. The verse-utterance "the brāhmaṇa goes free from trouble" is based on beings. This discourse, beginning with "mother," is based on both beings and Dhamma. "These four, monks, are bases of psychic power," this statement from a discourse passage is based on Dhamma. That person, endowed with the four bases of psychic power, places and inserts the mind, the foundational jhāna-mind, into the body, into the physical body. That person, desiring to go with the visible body, establishes the foundational jhāna-mind that has entered the physical body. And into the mind, into the foundational jhāna-mind, he places and inserts the body, the physical body. That person, desiring to go quickly elsewhere, resolves upon a body born of karma, endowed with the mind-state of the base-jhāna.