English
The connection is "the statement of the cause for release from the suffering of change." Because it is release from the suffering of the round of existence. That suffering of the round of existence is taken as the suffering of formations by way of complete and utter exhaustion. "Ekādhāraṃ" means a single object as a basis. Since two meanings were asked, namely "nivāraṇaṃ" (warding off), "vikkhambhanaṃ" (suppressing), "pidhānaṃ" (covering), and "samuccheda" (cutting off), it was said, "to show many bases." Therefore, it says, "the restraint called warding off... and they are covered, they are cut off." Its meaning is, "explain the suppression called warding off, the restraint, and the covering." By "vodāna" (purification), the purification of the streams by suppression is intended, and by "vuṭṭhāna" (emergence), the purification by cutting off is intended. Therefore, it says, "to clarify the twofold meaning of the question, 'eva' and so on was said." And so it says, "purifies... the noble path." The streams of wrong view, conceit, and ignorance also follow the streams of craving, so it says, ‘Mostly by way of compliance.’ By way of access, that is, by way of dependent access. In all, from the eye to the mind, that is, from all doors. In all ways, that is, by way of craving, wishing, clinging, exalting, and so on. ‘That very mindfulness’ means that mindfulness which was spoken of earlier as blocking the streams. At the moment of the path, I say it is the closing, the covering of the streams. But since mindfulness, even when it covers, is accompanied by wisdom at the moment of the path, and the function of wisdom is more prominent here, therefore it is said: ‘By wisdom are these covered.’ ‘Of covering and closing’— here, by the word ‘covering,’ prevention is meant. In whichever noble path is not yet attained, whatever volitional consciousness is liable to arise, when that path is attained, that consciousness ceases by non-arising and cessation, together with its associated mental and material phenomena. Thus it is said: ‘By the cessation of that very consciousness, together with it.’ For here, non-arising and cessation is intended by ‘cessation,’ as the unconditioned Nibbāna without remainder is intended. ‘By this it is connected’— that is, connection; here, the meaning being asked. ‘To show with its object’— here, the truths are the object. The nature to be abandoned is the truth of origin; its object is the truth of suffering. For it is said: ‘When a monk, bhikkhus, dwells observing gratification in things that lead to fetters, craving increases.’ The nature that abandons is the truth of the path; its object is the truth of cessation. Thus it is said: ‘With its object… …in the truths.’ Although it is begun here with ‘origin is abandoned in two planes,’ it is only a statement of division that says: ‘By insight, three fetters are abandoned; by development, seven fetters are abandoned.’ Thus it is said: ‘To show the division of what is to be abandoned by way of the division of what abandons.’ All remaining sensual passion and ill-will are abandoned by the third path; the others by the fourth path. Thus it is said: ‘But the others completely.’ There, in the three realms, distinguished by the round of kamma and its results. ...it turns. By way of fetters, it means always by way of joining, by way of binding. 12. Due to the knowledge of the supreme fruit, though it is one, it obtains two names by way of the designation of fruit, due to the knowledge of reviewing the cessation and non-arising of its sign. The obtaining of the name 'joy' by this sign of the object, explaining that, he said: "by cessation... and so on... by designation." 13. By grasping that very thing, it means by grasping the five sense faculties, of which touch is the fifth, and the five material faculties. By concomitance and so on, it means by being a condition such as co-arisen and so on, and immediately preceding and so on, and by support, object, and so on. "Associated" means that here, togetherness and non-distinction are intended, so he said: "referring to the state of being graspable without division." How does the faculty of concentration arise? He said: "Here, by grasping mindfulness, the abandoning of obsessions is intended." For the abandoning of obsessions is not possible by concentration. He strives by this, that is striving, energy. These are the volitional formations of energy. By one taste, it means just as the faculties have one taste, so by the state of having one taste, from recollection and from proceeding. And because the yogi should resolve that "truly, energy carries well by such a proceeding," it is called "encouragement" in the sense of carrying energy conducive to that. Therefore, he said: "Thus for me... and so on... by being a cause." The first meaning of the word 'iddhi' (power) is agentive, the second is instrumental, and for the word 'pāda' (basis), there is only one instrumental meaning. And the power that is to be accomplished is stated, but it is not accomplished. And the power that is to be accomplished is not co-referential with the basis, which is the instrument of accomplishment. So how can it be said that "by the first meaning, power itself is the basis"? Similarly, the power, which is called wisdom, to be accomplished by the instrument of the act of power, is to be accomplished by the instrument of the act of accomplishment. Since co-referentiality of two instruments is not possible, how can it be said that "by the second meaning, the basis of power"? It can, because the accomplished part of the basis is the means for accomplishment. Or else, "by the first meaning, the basis of power, by the second meaning, the i because it is connected thus: "power is indeed a foot, a foot of power." How? The immediate meaning is intended here as the first by the rule of proximity, then the former is the second. "If a bhikkhu making desire the chief, attains concentration," and so on, it is understood that the compound is stated by dropping the word 'adhipati' (chief) in "desire-concentration" (chandasamādhi), as in "desire-chief concentration" (chandādhipati samādhi), where it is said that one develops the foot of power endowed with concentration and volitional formations predominant with desire-concentration. And it is stated in the Sammohavinodanī (Vibh. A. 431) "concentration caused by desire, or concentration predominated by desire," just by way of showing the meaning of the word 'adhipati'. Therefore, here too, "desire-chief concentration" is to be understood as "desire-concentration." And that desire, showing it with faith as its head in the manner stated, is called "one-pointedness of mind with faith as its chief." Or "this is predominance" is said of energy. Having spoken in the singular with reference to the word 'energy', and because all four kinds of energy are intended, and by the division of states to be produced, it is said "these volitional formations." Thus, the compound is to be understood as "volitional formations that are predominant." And here the taking of 'predominant' is to exclude conditioned volitional formations and so on. Or, 'volitional formation' (saṅkhāra) is that which forms that particular distinction, all energy. Here, the taking of 'predominant' is to exclude anything else from being the accomplisher of the four tasks, thus the meaning is "predominant, excellent." In the explanation of the energy-power-foot, "endowed with energy-concentration and predominant volitional formations" (Vibh. 435), energy appears twice. The former is an adjective for concentration, "energy-chief concentration" is "energy-concentration." The latter is to show the factor of endowment. For there are only two factors of endowment everywhere: concentration, and predominant volitional formation. Desire and so on are adjectives for concentration. But predominant volitional formation is qualified only by the word 'predominant', not by desire and so on, so here the energy-chiefness of predominant volitional formation is not stated. And energy, having qualified concentration, stands as endowed. It is not said by the word for exertion, which is a component of the path, nor is the possession of two kinds of energy mentioned. But because a distinguished concentration is associated with desire and so on, and the exertion-formations are similarly distinguished, and other states too, therefore, they are called “the four bases of psychic power” by way of distinguishing concentration. And the distinguishing nature of desire and so on is by way of being the respective supports. Thus, in “desire-concentration… …base of psychic power,” the term “base” here, in the sense of support, means that desire and so on are bases of psychic power in the sense of means. For in the Abhidhamma, in the latter part of the Cūḷabhājanīya, it is stated that “the four bases of psychic power: the base of psychic power of desire,” and so on, meaning that desire and so on are themselves the bases of psychic power. And in the questioner of problems, having begun with “the four bases of psychic power – here, a monk, desire-concentration,” it is again explained that desire and so on are wholesome and so on. Indeed, the showing of the base of psychic power as a support is done for the purpose of showing the base of psychic power as a means. Otherwise, there would not be the fourfold nature. This is the determination of meaning according to the Pāli here. Having stated the dependence on eradication by components, abandonment, and seclusion, the non-mention of dependence on tranquilizing seclusion is because the bases of psychic power to be developed are mentioned in “develops the base of psychic power of desire-concentration…” For the bases of psychic power to be realized by one who has developed the bases of psychic power are those pertaining to the fruit. The word “vossagga” means relinquishment and also striving forward.