English
“Of them” means of bodily and verbal actions. “By way of action as condition” means by being caused by wholesome action. “The meaning of the word is as stated” means “from thinking, from knowing the object,” and so on. “This turning” means this turning by way of similar and dissimilar phenomena. Here, the determination of wholesome roots, rightness, the path, and so on, is a turning of similar phenomena. by oneself. The removal of ignorance, becoming, and craving, is the turning away from dissimilar qualities. The divisions of the basis, ground, and parts of the analysis, are as stated, and are easily understood. Thus, showing only the division of phenomena, he said, "This is not..." and so on. There, having stated that the Sutta is interpretable, saying, "This should not be taken according to its literal meaning," he explains it with "For whoever..." and so on. "Only suffering follows" - why was this said? Is it not true that in any case, wishing for welfare is wholesome? This was not said with such a meaning in mind. Rather, it was said with reference to the false conviction that arises in people, due to the attribution of non-existent qualities to the sectarians who are the root of all misfortune in the world, and who reject all means to welfare and happiness, by describing what is unrighteous as righteous, and what is righteous as unrighteous. For whoever, even wishing to do a small amount of merit in the world, is hindered by relying on a wrong view, even he is blameworthy. How much more so are those who hinder right practice in the Noble Discipline? Therefore, the attribution, praise, and attendance there lead to suffering. Thus it was said: "Indeed, I am not, foolish man, envious of arahantship. But this wrong view of yours... ...will lead to your harm and suffering for a long time." And "Whoever praises what is blameworthy, the root of all misfortune is association with fools." This Sutta, he says, refers to the first verse, "Mind precedes... words..." "Of this" refers to the Sutta being commented upon. "Function designation" means the designation of the function called the dominant condition. "Primary designation" means the designation of the primary state. "Co-arising designation" means the designation of the co-existence of those phenomena with the mind. "Great elements" - the word "iti" here means "and so on," and by that, all material phenomena inseparable from the great elements are included. Regarding the compound word "manopubbaṅgamā" (mind precedes), he says that the word "mano" (mind) is merely a part of it, "not pure as a word." Therefore, he says, “‘Mind is the forerunner’ is the purity of the word.” “‘Like a shadow that never departs’ this is merely an example of following happiness, not the completion of the intended meaning. But ‘follows happiness’ is the completion of the intended meaning,” thus it is said, “purity of the word and purity of the beginning.” “Oneness” refers to the commonality of “mind is the forerunner” and so on. Thus in the remaining cases too. “Difference” is because the faith in the qualities stated generally by “mind is the forerunner” and so on is not established in the specific called “the faithful,” by being turned away by retention. In the remaining cases too, the method is the same. Faith is of the nature of affection; it removes the fault of harshness, like in lack of faith, thus it is said, “by overcoming ill-will.” “Externally” refers to the object of faith. “By entering into” means by entering into the object, by not leaping over it, by believing. “Donative merits and so on”— here, by the word “and so on,” are included things that arouse urgency, shame and dread, kasina circles, and so on. “Desirable objects and so on”— by the word “and so on,” the inclusion of desirable and neutral objects, door-states, attention, and so on, should be understood. “Likewise contact”— just as desirable objects and so on are conditions for feeling and so on, so too is contact, thus the word “likewise” summarizes the commonality of conditionality. For by “feeling and so on,” the three aggregates of feeling and so on are taken. “Feeling and so on for consciousness” refers to mind-and-matter. “Absence of greed is the proximate cause of morality” is said because morality is primarily patience. “Establishes” means practices, produces. “He” who thus cultivates wholesome consciousness. By “‘of unarisen’ and so on,” showing cultivation, abandonment, and superimposition, he analyzes the meaning of the verse in terms of the partaking of penetration and superimposes it; or, it is possible to connect it thus, it is cited in the explanation of proximate causes in terms of the partaking of latent tendencies. Thus, having shown the method of connecting the threads of meaning by means of the verse “Mind is the forerunner of all states,” now, to show it by another verse, he says, “Likewise, to one who gives merit,” and so on. There, “consisting of cultivation” means consisting of the cultivation of wisdom. “Absence of greed, wholesome The phrase "root of wholesome states" and so on, is said because giving and so on, are primarily non-greed and so on. And everywhere the word "said" should be understood and applied. "Of these" refers to lust and so on. And "escape" refers to final Nibbāna itself. The one whose virtue is renunciation, whose resolve is non-greed, who sees the danger in sensual pleasures, perfects virtue completely. Thus it is said: "Giving... and so on... the proximate cause." Here, gross defilements are the transgressing states, their abandonment is to be known as abandonment by suppression. "Middle" refers to the obsessional states. "Subtle" refers to the latent tendency states. "Accomplished ground" refers to the ground of the Arahant. "Giving" means giving the gift of fearlessness to the world with its deities, by non-greed accompanied by the path. "Merit" is supramundane wholesome kamma. "Restraining" means restraining oneself from defilements like "seeing as one's own" by the restraint of the path, through right speech, action, and livelihood included in the path. "Evil" is evil such as taking life. "Skilful" means skilful and discerning by right view of the path. "He abandons evil" means he utterly abandons, he eradicates, that evil phenomenon which is to be abandoned, by those respective paths. Therefore it is said: "The path is spoken of." By "Giving" and so on, the roots of wholesome states were previously stated without distinction. Now, distinguishing them, he says: "mundane roots of wholesome states" and so on. The ground of ordinary people and the ground of trainees are shown by indicating the incomplete nature of abandonment. The ground of Arahants is shown by indicating Nibbāna without clinging. The path leading to heaven is the preliminary practice. When merit is spoken of, the fruit of merit is also spoken of. Thus it is said: "Giving... and so on... he declared the teaching." Showing that without the truth-meditation subject there is no abandonment of defilements, he says: "Skilful... and so on... he declared the teaching." The word "evil" is also established in evil phenomena like taking what is not given. Thus it is said: "Thus all the training rules should be elaborated." The two liberations are the liberation of trainees and Arahants, and liberation with and without remainder. Thus he will say: "Nibbāna means the two Nibbāna elements" and so on. (Netti. Aṭṭha. 76) By way of cause and effect, or by grasping the cause, the result is taken, thus it is said: "two good destinations," and so on. The attainments of the cycle and the cessation of the cycle are the fruit of this teaching. Giving, virtue, and development are the means to that. "One who desires the two attainments should be diligent in giving and so on." Considering this meaning, the Lord's command is here, thus it is said: "the fruits and so on should be understood as appropriate." Investigation means the collection of investigation methods, that is the meaning of what is said. This method applies to what follows. "All three kinds of merit from giving," and so on, shows the investigation of the meaning of the words. Thereby, the delights and so on, and other meanings of the investigation methods, are indeed investigated in terms of their meaning. The relinquishment of objects such as form is stated, this is the connection. All means the entire task is stated without remainder. It is said that the resolve for generosity and so on of one devoted to giving reaches fulfillment, thus it is said: "to one who gives... and so on... the proximate cause." It is said that the resolve for truth of one abiding in the truth of abstinence and the truth of speech reaches fulfillment, thus it is said: "restraint... and so on... the proximate cause." It is said that wisdom reaches fulfillment due to skillfulness and due to the abandonment of evil, thus it is said: "skillful... and so on... the proximate cause." It is said that tranquility is established when all defilements such as lust are abandoned, thus it is said: "lust... and so on... the proximate cause." Skillful means skillful right view stated with reference to the individual, thus it is said: "skillful... and so on... due to having one characteristic as a factor of the path and so on." The word "and so on" includes factors of enlightenment and so on. By way of being to be eliminated means by way of being to be abandoned. Non-enmity means absence of enemies. By wholesome states means by blameless states, the intention is by fruits and Nibbāna. The great fruitfulness of giving, the Lord's supreme worthiness of offerings due to virtues such as morality, and unconditioned Nibbāna— the contemplation of these is the origin of this giving. This meaning is well-established in the Pāli. The etymologies, origins, and connections are easily understood, thus it is said: "the etymologies, origins, and connections should be stated."