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B030205Khuddakanikāya (ṭīkā)(minor division sub commentary)

English

so too, precedence is obtained by being master of oneself, it is said, "the master of those with a master, the faculties of all thought-arisings." "Of non-greed" means of a thought-arising associated with non-greed. "By the desire for renunciation" means by wholesome desire. The word "nekkhamma" (renunciation) is established in contexts like going forth (pabbajjā). For it has been said – "Going forth, the first jhāna, Nibbāna, and insight; All wholesome states are called 'nekkhamma'." (itivu. aṭṭha. 109; dī. ni. ṭī. 2.359; a. ni. ṭī. 2.2.66) – Among these, wholesome states are intended here. Therefore it is said, "by wholesome desire." Renunciation by desire as a supporting condition, not as a dominant condition. This is what is meant: if the mind-state is predominantly non-greed, the mind, with the desire for renunciation as a supporting condition, is its forerunner. The same method applies to the other two pairs of terms. Because the mind is the forerunner of those states, it is said to be their chief and principal, as in "mind-best means the mind of those states," and so on. "Mind-made" means made by the mind, and so forth; and that is the mind's conditionality for those co-arising states, as in "mind-made means... and so on... condition." In "Te pana" (but those), the word "pana" (but) indicates a distinction. By this, it shows that although desire and other factors are also conditions for those states, it is only by virtue of the mind, which is a special condition through the sense-faculty condition, that they are called "mind-made." Therein, "chandasamudānītā" means properly led upwards and upwards by the aforementioned desire for renunciation, hence, "samudāgatā" (arisen). For that very reason, because they arise from the thought of renunciation and so on, they are "anāvilasaṅkappasamuṭṭhānā" (originating from pure intentions). Because they are established together with the contact of the corresponding mind-consciousness element, they are "phassasamodhānā" (conjoined with contact). For it is said, "Having been touched, bhikkhus, one feels; having been touched, one perceives; having been touched, one intends" (Saṃ. Ni. 4.93). "This mind-action" means this wholesome mind-action, which occurs with a mind endowed with faith and clarity, without moving the body or speech organs. That, however, is threefold: accompanied by non-covetousness, accompanied by non-ill will, and accompanied by right view. "He speaks" means he accomplishes what is to be accomplished by means of speech-intimation, which proceeds by moving the speech organs through non-deception and so on. By this, wholesome verbal action proceeding through the door of the body is also included. Indeed, it will be said, "He speaks by the manifestation of speech-intimation and by assenting." All verbal action is fourfold in terms of truth and so on. "He acts" means he accomplishes what is to be accomplished by means of body-intimation, which proceeds by moving the body organs for his own and others' welfare and harm, through causes and non-causes. This is the meaning of 'ādheti'. Thereby, even wholesome bodily action arising from the door of speech is included. And thus it will be said: "He acts by the manifestation of bodily intimation, and by approval" (Netti. Atthakatha 76, explanation of the mixed food-gathering). When taken in terms of courses of action, it is threefold, such as abstaining from killing. Therefore, it is said: "Thus are shown the ten courses of wholesome action." The meaning of the verse also fits in terms of the ten bases of meritorious action. For thus it will be said: "He, with a clear mind," and so on. The word 'vā' (or) has an indefinite meaning: whether one speaks, or acts, or merely proceeds mentally. And thus it is explained. "Of the ten kinds of wholesome action" means of the ten kinds of wholesome courses of action, or of the wholesome action designated as the ten bases of meritorious action, in the manner to be stated. But are not only three bases of meritorious action, such as giving, mentioned there? True, but those others are included within these. Explaining in detail the following of happiness, which was briefly stated as "happiness follows," he said, "Here, a certain person," and so on. There, "being thus" means being in such a state, having not abandoned latent tendencies, and arising from pleasant feeling-producing contact. There, by "that mind," and so on, he determines the Four Noble Truths according to the meaning of the verse. Since the Truths were taught through the aggregates among the aggregates and so on established at the beginning, and because beings have diverse inclinations, for the skill in the ground of insight in various ways, and to show the connection between earlier and later, it was said thus: "Thus... (etc.)... are to be determined." Having determined enjoyment and so on by way of the Truths, to connect the flow of the teaching, he said, "There, by origin," and so on; that is in the manner already stated. And whatever else here is not divided in meaning, that should be understood as being in the manner stated below, and as having a clear meaning. "By the characteristic of thinking" means by the cause of the characteristic of thinking. Or the reading is "by the characteristic of thinking." Due to the absence of striving, due to the absence of activity. Because the mind is endowed with that clarity by which it is called "clear," the function of that clarity... having made it an object of mind, he said, "by the timely, and by the suitability of the object, with a pleased mind." And by assenting in that way, it is by assenting to contact without saying what should be said by speech, thus allowing it. In the second, by assenting in that way, what should be done by body is done as it is done, and by speech it is arranged in that way. "Because it is thus cultivated" means because it is thus accumulated, as happiness follows. "Therefore" means for that reason, by a pleased mind, by speaking, and by doing, it is said to be a cause. "In no other way" means in this very sense. "Therefore" means for that very reason. For he whose mind is pleased, whatever he speaks and does, from that very thing happiness follows him, it is said. "Because of being agreeable" means because of the presence of agreeable feeling. "Because of being desirable" means because of being pleasing. "Because of the arising of result from action," and "because of the action being capable of yielding fruit," and "because the action has been performed but the result has not yet arisen," he said, "having done... and so on... it follows, it is said," meaning that it is said to be due to the fact of having been done, because of the action. "Not transferred" means not transferred from the other continuum in which the action arose. "Because of being endowed with dominance" means because of being endowed with dominance by way of co-arisen dominance. For here, the precedence of co-arisen phenomena by way of the mind associated with them is intended. "Therefore" means precisely because of being endowed with dominance. "Of the mind" is the genitive case in the sense of application. The connection is "of those phenomena." "The wholesome nature is appropriate" because pleasure is caused by wise attention. "But in the analytical explanations, faith arises in those disciples," it is said. This is not faith, but rather unwholesome phenomena of that kind are so called, it should be understood. For thus it will be said, "This is not pleasure," and so on (Netti. Aṭṭha. 76, Missakahārasampātavaṇṇanā). "Happiness follows" is appropriate because action is capable of yielding fruit. For just as an action performed is capable of yielding fruit, so it is said to be "performed and accumulated." The mental investigations here are to be understood as investigations associated with renunciation, investigations associated with joy, and investigations associated with equanimity, with an emphasis on the wholesome. are attached. But since these occur only by relying on the mind, not without relying on it, it is said: “Mind is the proximate cause of mental considerations.” Here, in “proximate cause of the wholesome side,” wholesome contact, for instance, is a condition for the wholesome aggregate of feeling, the aggregate of perception, and the aggregate of mental formations, by way of conascence and so on. It is said: “Having been touched, monks, one feels; having been touched, one perceives; having been touched, one intends.” Similarly, it should be understood for feeling and so on. There is no need to speak of the conditionality of faith and so on. “Of all” means of the four planes. For wholesome kamāvacara phenomena are conditions for the wholesome of the four planes, as appropriate; similarly for those of other planes. Since it is said, “He speaks with a purified mind,” it is stated that speaking, which is specifically conditioned by right speech, is intended here, thus it is said, “Speaking is right speech.” Here, the intention is: “By this word ‘speaking,’ right speech is understood.” The same method applies to “Doing is right action.” Purity of livelihood arises for one established in very pure bodily and verbal action, not for others; thus it is said, “They are the proximate cause of right livelihood.” Here, “they” refers to right speech and right action. Since the abandonment and non-arising of unarisen and arisen unwholesome phenomena, and the arising and perfection of unarisen and arisen wholesome phenomena, are possible for one established in the eightfold morality of livelihood, and similarly, right mindfulness, which destroys perceptions of beauty and so on in the body, is possible only for one established in right effort, it is said, “Right livelihood… and so on… is the proximate cause.” The foremost morality is the Pātimokkha restraint, and it is accomplished by faith; thus it says, “That is the proximate cause of morality.”