English
of the knowledge of the destruction of defilements, which is called "Great Enlightenment." And its going to the far shore should be understood as the accomplishment of its function and its capability. Likewise, the aforementioned knowledge of comprehension is the cause, the other is the effect. Or, together with the knowledge of comprehension, the knowledge of the destruction of defilements is the cause, and omniscience is the effect, as it is of the nature of its benefit. I worship, I bow down, or I praise. Subtle in meaning, profound in meaning, unfathomable to those whose stores of knowledge are not accumulated, diverse, distinguished, and various in methods, due to divisions like unity and the 'nandiyāvaṭṭa' pattern, thus "subtle, profound, and diverse in methods." One whose teaching is subtle, profound, and diverse in methods, thus "one whose teaching is subtle, profound, and diverse in methods." That one, whose teaching is subtle... (and so on)... in methods. Or, 'nayo' (method/guidance) means that which leads, the course of the Pāli (text). And that (course) is, in the aforementioned way, subtle in meaning, and profound in meaning and expression. It is diverse due to its various modes of presentation, such as conciseness, elaboration, and conformity. Thus, by way of designation and sub-designation, by way of defilement-related, worldly, and mixed (both), by way of wholesome aggregates, collections, time-released, and setting up wholesome roots, and so on... and in various ways, the Pāli language proceeds. Therein (Dī. Ni. Ṭī. 1. Ganthārambhakathāvaṇṇanā), the praise of the Blessed One is to be understood in two ways: from the attainment of his own welfare, and from the practice for the welfare of others. Among these, the attainment of his own welfare is to be understood from the acquisition of unobstructed knowledge, and from the complete abandonment of all defilements with their latent tendencies. The practice for the welfare of others is to be understood from the teaching of the Dhamma, which leads to the cessation of all suffering, by a mind indifferent to gain and honor, and from the arrival of the time for the maturation of knowledge, which is always intent on welfare, even towards those who are hostile. This practice for the welfare of others is here twofold: from application and from intention. And the twofold attainment of his own welfare, as stated, is made manifest. How? By "Mahākāruṇika" (Greatly Compassionate), his practice for the welfare of others is made manifest from intention. By "nipuṇa...pe... desana" (skillful...etc...teaching), it is made manifest from application. By "nātha" (protector), his practice for the welfare of others is made manifest in both ways, by indicating the function of compassion. By "ñeyyasāgarapāragu" (one who has crossed the ocean of the knowable), his attainment of his own welfare is made manifest in an excellent way, by indicating the function of knowledge that has reached the highest excellence. Alternatively, the praise of the Blessed One is to be understood in three ways: from cause, from result, and from benefit. Therein, the cause is great compassion, and this is shown in its own nature by the first word. The result is fourfold: the accomplishment of knowledge, the accomplishment of abandonment, the accomplishment of power, and the accomplishment of the physical body. Among these, the primary accomplishments, that of knowledge and abandonment, are made manifest by the word "ñeyyasāgarapāragu" (one who has crossed the ocean of the knowable). For when the primary is shown, the other two are also shown by their inseparability. Indeed, the glory of the Dhamma-body never exists for Buddhas without the accomplishments of power and the physical body. The benefit is the teaching of the Dhamma of liberation, by means of the three vehicles, without making any distinction between inner and outer. This is to be understood as made manifest by the two words "nāthaṃ, nipuṇa...pe... desana" (protector, skillful...etc...teaching). Therein (Dī. Ni. Ṭī. 1. Ganthārambhakathāvaṇṇanā), by "mahākāruṇika" (Greatly Compassionate), the root of perfect enlightenment is shown. For the Blessed One, whose mind was stirred by great compassion, from the mire of saṃsāra, Having made the aspiration for his own upliftment, gradually fulfilling the perfections, he attained unsurpassed perfect self-awakening. Thus, compassion is the root of perfect self-awakening. By "One who has gone to the far shore of the ocean of the knowable," he shows perfect self-awakening together with the practice of its preliminary part. For the knowledge of the path is the proximate cause of unobstructed knowledge, and unobstructed knowledge, whose proximate cause is the knowledge of the path, is called "perfect self-awakening." But the reflective knowledge of the aforementioned kind, together with the perfection of wisdom, is its preliminary practice. For by its power, the middle path, free from the two extremes of sloth and agitation, attachment and exertion, indulgence in sensual pleasures and self-mortification, eternalism and annihilationism, having reached the highest perfection, attained the fullness of development. By "Lord," he shows the fruit of perfect self-awakening, by illustrating his state as leader of the three worlds. For indeed, due to his unsurpassed accomplishment in effort, which is preceded by the removal of all harm and dedicated to the provision of complete welfare and happiness; due to his extreme helpfulness to all beings, gods and humans; and due to his being endowed with immeasurable and incomparable special qualities; the Blessed One, supreme among all beings, is called "Lord" because he is the object of unsurpassed reverence for immeasurable beings in immeasurable world-systems. By "subtle... [etc.] ...teaching," he shows the purpose of perfect self-awakening. For indeed, the Blessed One aspired to perfect self-awakening for the purpose of ferrying beings across the great flood of samsara, and that ferrying of beings is accomplished by the perfection of the teaching as described, because it is inseparable from it. By this, the Blessed One's extraordinary practice for the welfare of others is shown, while by the others, his accomplishment for his own welfare is shown. Thus, by both, his state as the fourth person among the four types of individuals, such as those who practice for their own welfare, is revealed. And by that, his state as the unsurpassed object of offerings, his state as the supremely venerable, and his state as a field for one's own act of veneration are revealed. And here, just as by the word "Greatly Compassionate" the Blessed One's great compassion is shown, so too by "One who has gone to the far shore of the knowable ocean," Great wisdom is shown. Among these, by taking compassion, the Blessed One's perfection of all worldly qualities is shown, by revealing the extraordinary qualities that have attained greatness in worldly matters. By taking wisdom, the perfection of all supramundane qualities is shown, by revealing the path-knowledge which is the basis for omniscient knowledge. The meaning achieved by taking both of these is revealed by the word 'Nātha' (Protector/Lord). By the word 'compassion', the approach is shown to be undefiled. By the word 'wisdom', the departure. Likewise, by taking compassion, the Blessed One's conduct in accordance with worldly convention is shown, because compassion is within the scope of worldly usage. By taking wisdom, the non-transgression of convention. For by not understanding the true nature of things, one transgresses convention and grasps at 'beings' and so on. Likewise, by taking compassion, the abiding in the attainment of great compassion is shown. By taking wisdom, unhindered knowledge in the three times, knowledge of the four noble truths, knowledge of the four analytical knowledges, knowledge of the four confidences. By taking compassion, since the knowledge of the attainment of great compassion is included, the course of knowledge is shown by way of the remaining extraordinary knowledges: the six supernormal powers, the unshakeable knowledges in the eight assemblies, the ten powers, the fourteen Buddha-knowledges, the sixteen knowledge-practices, the eighteen Buddha-qualities, the forty-four knowledge-bases, the seventy-seven knowledge-bases, and many such divisions of wisdom. Likewise, by taking compassion, the perfection of conduct. By taking wisdom, the perfection of knowledge. By taking compassion, sovereignty over beings. By taking wisdom, sovereignty over the Dhamma. By taking compassion, being a protector of the world. By taking wisdom, being a protector of oneself. Likewise, by taking compassion, being a benefactor. By taking wisdom, gratitude. By taking compassion, not harming others. By taking wisdom, not harming oneself. Or by taking compassion, the Buddha-making quality... Accomplishment of compassion; by grasping wisdom, the attainment of Buddhahood. Similarly, by grasping compassion, the saving of others; by grasping wisdom, the saving of oneself. Similarly, by grasping compassion, a mind of favor towards all beings; by grasping wisdom, a mind of detachment towards all phenomena is shown. And of all the Buddha's qualities, compassion is the beginning, being their source; wisdom is the end, there being nothing further to be done beyond it. Thus, by showing the beginning and the end, all the Buddha's qualities are shown. Similarly, by the word 'compassion', the aggregate of concentration, preceded by the aggregate of morality, is shown. For morality has compassion as its source, from which abstention from killing and so forth proceeds; and that (morality) is associated with the three jhānas. By the word 'wisdom', the aggregate of wisdom (is shown). And morality is the beginning of all the Buddha's qualities, concentration is in the middle, wisdom is the end.