English
Here, similar and dissimilar phenomena are revolved around the phenomenon taken in the teaching. By this, it is called *āvaṭṭa*. The *āvaṭṭa* method of exposition is characterized by revolving similar and dissimilar phenomena around the phenomena taken in the teaching. The *vibhatti* method of exposition is characterized by dividing defilement phenomena and purification phenomena into common and uncommon, by their proximate cause, and by their stage. By this, phenomena stated in the Sutta are revolved by way of their opposite. Here, it is called *parivatta*. The *parivattana* method of exposition is characterized by revolving the phenomena stated in the Sutta by their opposite. Here, the diverse expression that speaks of one and the same meaning stated in the Sutta is a special exposition called *vivacana*. *Vivacana* itself is *vevacana*. The *vevacana* method of exposition is characterized by the application of many synonymous words to a single meaning stated in the Sutta. By this, meanings stated in the Sutta are made known by various modes. Here, it is called *paññatti*. The *paññatti* method of exposition is characterized by the manner in which each phenomenon is to be designated by many designations. Here, phenomena found in the Sutta enter into, are included in, dependent origination and so forth. By this, it is called *otaraṇa*. The *otaraṇa* method of exposition is characterized by the Sutta's meaning descending through the gateways of dependent origination and so forth. Here, the words, meanings of words, and the beginnings of questions in the Sutta are purified and settled. By this, it is called *sodhana*. The *sodhana* method of exposition is characterized by the clarification of the words, meanings of words, and the beginnings of questions in the Sutta. Here, phenomena that are general and specific are established and proceed without conceptualization. By this, it is called *adhiṭṭhāna*. The *adhiṭṭhāna* method of exposition is characterized by the determination of the general and specific nature of phenomena found in the Sutta, without conceptualization. A specific mode of exposition is the foundation mode. That which is both a cause and a condition, brings about and produces a result, thus that cause and condition is a requisite. That specific mode of exposition which explains that requisite, both as cause and as condition, thus that specific mode of exposition is called the requisite mode. For the teachings found in the suttas, having determined the causes and conditions designated as requisites, a specific mode of exposition characterized by explanation is the requisite mode. The teachings found in the suttas are applied here through their proximate causes and so on. By this, it is called application. A specific mode of exposition characterized by the investigation of application of the teachings found in the suttas, through their proximate causes, synonyms, and the elimination of their opposite states, is the application mode. The meaning of the word should be stated everywhere also by way of the agentive sense, and should be applied in that way. The rest should be understood according to the commentary. "Among these, what are the sixteen modes: exposition," and so on, the nature of the modes is stated. For what purpose is "its subsequent recitation" and so on stated? For the sake of easy comprehension by means of the subsequent recitation verse, again "its subsequent recitation: exposition, investigation, reason," and so on is stated. There, "its" refers to the enumeration of the modes. "Subsequent recitation" means a verse sung afterwards. "Fifteenth" means the fifteenth. "Sixteenth" means the sixteenth. "Unmixed in meaning" means free from confusion in terms of the meaning of words like "exposition" and in terms of their characteristic meanings. Therefore it is said in the commentary: "And their unmixed nature becomes very clear in the explanation of their characteristics." The rest should be understood according to the commentary. Because it is to be stated, "Some modes appear as if mixed with other modes, why are they to be known as unmixed?" it is said, "of these very ones," and so on. There, "of these very ones it becomes" means that the unmixed nature of these sixteen modes occurs in the manner in which it is unmixed. "Ayā" means that the division of methods proceeds and occurs. "Ayā" by way of expansion means by way of extensive explanation. The particle 'ta' comes for the purpose of removing the fault of mixing. It is a specific statement of the division of methods. Division by method, by reason, is the division of methods, not of the five modes of division by method... The division of methods, proceeding by way of the basis, thus becomes in an unmixed manner; the meaning is that it should be known as unmixed in that. 2. The sixteen modes have been stated in their essence, and understood by us. Since it is to be said, "What are the five methods?", having thus asked, in order to state them in their essence, "Among these, what are the five methods?" and so on, was said. However, in the Commentary, it is said: "Having thus stated the modes, now in order to state the methods, 'Among these, what are' and so on, was said." (Netti. Aṭṭha. 2). In the Commentary, the meaning of the word is extensively explained, beginning with: "There, they lead to defilement and purification by way of division, therefore they are methods; or, these are led here by these, therefore they are methods." (Netti. Aṭṭha. 2). The primary meaning, according to the root 'nī' and the methods like Nandiyāvaṭṭa, is the arising of consciousness accompanied by knowledge, proceeding by taking defilement and purification as its object. The power of the decisive support condition of the methods like Nandiyāvaṭṭa is taken by way of the metaphorical use of the result. The word 'iti' refers to that power taken by way of the metaphorical use of the result. The methods like Nandiyāvaṭṭa, endowed with that power, are the meanings of the 'a' suffix. The Nandiyāvaṭṭa method is a special kind of exposition, characterized by leading, through the application of the four truths, for the discourse on the side of defilement by craving and ignorance, and for the discourse on the side of purification by tranquility and insight. There, the four truths are: craving and ignorance, being the root of existence, are the truth of origin; the remaining phenomena of the three planes are the truth of suffering; tranquility and insight are the truth of the path; and the unconditioned element to be attained by that is the truth of cessation. On the side of defilement, by the three factors like greed, and on the side of purification, by the three factors like non-greed, the individual is beautiful, hence Tipukkhalo (three-fold individual). For the meaning of the discourse on the side of defilement by unwholesome roots, and on the side of purification by wholesome roots, the Tipukkhalo is a special kind of exposition, characterized by leading, through the application of the four truths. The play of the Lord, the Lion, leads here, hence Sīhavikkīḷita (Lion's Play). For the entire side of defilement by perversions like the perception of beauty, and for the meaning of the discourse on the side of purification by faculties like faith, The method of the lion's play is a special kind of explanation, characterized by its guiding aspect, through the application of the four causes. The declaration of directions is the declaration of wholesome and other states, by way of the three aspects of meaning. In the explanations of the meaning of the suttas, made for applying each meaning-method, those purifying and other states, and defiling states, which are the directions of each method, are declared after being determined from the suttas. The declaration of those aforementioned states, simply by mind, with "this is the first direction, this is the second direction," and so on, is the declaration of directions. Because of bringing together the states thus declared, in the application of the three aspects of meaning, it is like a goad, thus it is a goad. The bringing together of wholesome and other states, which are the directions of each method, is the goad method. It illuminates, thus it is an illuminator. The method which illuminates and reveals the meaning of the sutta, because of thus illuminating and revealing, that method is called an illuminator. It is a method and it is an illuminator, thus a method-illuminator. The first method-illuminator is called the Nandi-āvatta. The second method-illuminator is called the Tipukkhalo. The third method-illuminator is called the Sīhavikkīḷita, thus it should be understood. Among those who have risen, he rises specially, thus he is supreme. That supreme one. "Gata" means known, "mata" is the meaning. Or the reading is "matā". The rest here should be understood according to the methods mentioned and according to the explanations. In the commentary on the explanation of the aforementioned special methods: "The conventional nature is merely the usage established by worldly convention, based on aggregates and so on. The ultimate nature is the characteristic of hardness, contact, and so on, of earth, touch, and so on. This is the summary here: When something is broken, or when the mind makes an exclusion of the other, if there is no such perception, this is conventional truth, as in a pot, and in water with its constituents. Conversely, it is ultimate truth." In the statement: Based on aggregates and so on, designated as pot, potsherd, water, mud, and so on, merely the usage of pot, potsherd, water, mud, and so on, established by the world's previous conventions of pot, potsherd, water, mud, and so on, is conventional nature, because it is not false by way of convention. The characteristic of hardness and so on, of earth and so on, of touch and so on...