English
There, by "by the method beginning with," the word "beginning" should be understood as including: the exposition of knowable phenomena, the division of designated and designating phenomena, the investigation of phenomena included in the three times, the purpose of crossing the four floods, the abandonment of the five delights, etc., the calming of the six craving-bodies, the collection of the seven sections beginning with the collection-section, the exposition of the eradication of the eight wrong views, and so on. 1. Explanation of the Collection Section "Yanti" is a pronoun with an indefinite meaning, stated in the sense of an instrument of action. The use of words for understanding meaning is dependent on meaning, purely a word-meaning. That, by the word "iti" which causes a reversal of word-meaning, (incomplete) "By means of sound, the meaning of the word arises," thus it is said, "‘Yanti’ is an indefinite designation of usage." The same method applies to ‘Loka’ as a designation of the agent, and so on. Thus, having explained the meaning of the stanzas like "ya" and so on, by showing their object, agent, verb, agent, adjective, etc., now, to show the meaning of the words by explaining their parts, he says "lokiyanti ettha" and so on. The word "loka" here, by its power, should be understood as referring to the world of beings. Therefore, it is said, "in the sense of being worthy of veneration." After the disappearance of the Dispensation, veneration is to be understood by the arising of another Buddha, just as it is now for Vipassī and other Fully Enlightened Buddhas. Although "Dīpaṅkara" and so on are mentioned by the Blessed One himself in the Buddha-lineage discourse (Bu. Vaṃ. 2.75), it is said with reference to the occurrence in the state of Sumedha the sage, thus he says, "as the Blessed One said when he was Sumedha." "By the order of full understanding" means by the sequence of understanding, full comprehension, and so on. "By the practice of understanding characteristics" means by insight. Therefore, it is said, "by means of the emptiness-door and so on." And thus it is said by the Blessed One concerning this excellent Dispensation, that it is to be known by the wise: "Let a wise person come, not deceitful, not fraudulent, of upright nature, I will instruct him, I will teach the Dhamma, practicing as he is instructed, he will not long hence himself realize, himself see" and so on (M.N. 2.281). The word "yaṃ" pertains to the Dispensation, and the word "lokapāla" (world-protector), even though it pertains to the Teacher and is subordinate to the world, how can it be the subject of the pronoun "tassā" (of that)? Considering this question, he says, "Here, 'salokapāla' (with the world-protector)" and so on. Even though subordinate, the word "lokapāla" is worthy of being referred to as if it were principal. For the order of words is one thing, and the order of meaning is another. Out of reverence for the Dhamma, the Blessed One, honoring the Dhamma, without considering those to be tamed, spent seven times seven days in attainments, entering attainments, and reviewing the Dhamma. Thus it is said, "of the Blessed One... etc. ... should be shown." There, by the word "etc.", the listening to the Dhamma by the disciples, and their going forth to meet him, and so on, should be understood as included. Thus it is, by the Blessed One's teaching of Dhamma, which is unperverted, unobstructed, emancipating, the unhindered state of omniscience is manifested; this is the meaning. By that, through the four fearlessnesses. Inseparable from that, the ten powers... etc. ... are manifested. Here, by the word 'etc.' in 'exclusive Buddha-qualities, etc.', the collection of such special qualities of the Blessed One should be understood: unhindered knowledges in the three times, knowledges of the four noble truths, knowledges of the four analytical knowledges, knowledges discerning the five destinations, knowledges of the six supernormal powers, the seven noble treasures, the seven factors of awakening, the eight kinds of knowledge, unshakeable knowledges in the eight assemblies, the eight liberations, the nine modes of concentration, the nine gradual attainments, the ten qualities that make one a protector, the ten noble dwellings, the twelve aspects of the Wheel of Dhamma, the thirteen ascetic practices, the fourteen Buddha-knowledges, the fifteen qualities of conduct, the sixteen modes of knowledge, the sixteen aspects of mindfulness of breathing, the nineteen knowledges of reviewing, the twenty-four knowledges of discerning conditions, the forty-four bases of knowledge, the seventy-seven bases of knowledge, the great diamond-like knowledge that moves through twenty-four hundred thousand million attainments, and the knowledges that proceed from the mode of teaching the investigation of the infinite ways of all-round establishment. Another method: It manifests excellence of qualities. And that excellence of qualities is to be known through great compassion and great wisdom, because the Teacher's perfection is achieved through them. Therein, the mode of the arising of great compassion is to be understood according to the method stated in the Paṭisambhidāmagga (Paṭi. Ma. 1.117), beginning with: 'Great compassion descends upon beings for the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, who see in many ways.' But the mode of the arising of great wisdom has already been stated. Therein, by compassion, the Blessed One's perfection of conduct, by wisdom, the perfection of knowledge. By compassion, sovereignty over beings, by wisdom, sovereignty over the Dhamma. By compassion, being a protector of the world, by wisdom, being a protector of oneself. By compassion, doing good first, by wisdom, gratitude. By compassion, not harming others, by wisdom, not harming oneself. By compassion, the accomplishment of qualities that make one a Buddha, by wisdom, the Buddha- The perfection of skill. Through compassion, the liberation of others; through wisdom, one's own liberation. Through compassion, a mind of helpfulness towards all beings; through wisdom, a mind of detachment towards all phenomena. Thus is the complete fulfillment of the practice for the welfare of others and the attainment of one's own welfare to be understood. In all three states: the states of cause, fruit, and benefit to beings. Realization is for the teaching of penetration; attention is for the teaching of practice; familiarization through hearing and so on is for the teaching of study. Thus it should be connected in terms of all three. Therefore it is said, "as is appropriate." By "dharma teaching with respect," having spoken of the veneration of teaching of all three kinds of good Dharma, which is here called "teaching," and then dividing it by way of praise and veneration, he says, "Noble, O monks," and so on. There, the word "with respect" should also be connected with the word "by praise." Or, the connection of words here should be understood by way of both kinds of veneration. Nobility and so on: the states of being noble, excellent, supreme, and so on. Leading out and so on: the showing of the cause of leading out, and so on. Well-proclaimed and so on: well-proclaimed, immediately visible, and so on. Now, to show that the qualities of the noble Sangha are also revealed by this verse, "Since, moreover," and so on, is said. From transcending foolishness and so on: from transcending the state of being foolish, unskilled, and so on. Special knowledge: knowledge born of learning, reflection, and development. The state of being heard, attended to, and penetrated: a distinction of states. Both: the word of expression and the word of meaning. In both ways: to be connected individually by way of instrument, object, and agent. Because it is to be practiced: because it is to be known. "And this verse," and so on, is the view of some. For indeed, others say, "This verse was spoken by the Elder himself." For sometimes, a Dharma teaching can indeed be self-referential, just as "The Tathāgata, O monks, endowed with the ten powers, is fearless with the four kinds of intrepidity," and so on. And having done so, the saying "What are the sixteen modes?" and so on, is justified. The meaning-entry as stated. by the extraction of meaning, which is called the root-word. It will come later, at the end of the section on exposition, it will come: "and the three methods are complete," and so on. "Is said" is an exposition of the agent in the passive voice, so he says "speaks." Or, "is said" is an exposition of the agent-passive. This is the meaning here: If both the methods and the ways are completely grasped by the commentator, then the Sutta is said, the Sutta itself explains. By this, he shows the ease of explaining the Sutta through mastery of the methods and ways. "In another way" means the meaning previously stated as "teaching" is now expressed as "discourse, discoursed" in a different manner. "Having determined" means having ascertained its absolute knowability. "Knowability" is the act of knowing obtained in the knowable words of the specific discourses and discoursed teachings. And since the discourses and discoursed teachings are solely for the purpose of knowing, knowing is primary, and determining that, he says: "Therein" means "in that knowing." Here he says: The questioner says this in the statement of meaning: "the nine-fold teaching, the nine kinds of Suttantas." His intention is this: There must be nine categories, distinct and free from intermingling. If so, then the Geyya (chant) and other categories would not be Sutta by nature, and the statement "nine kinds of Suttantas" would be contradictory. But if the Geyya and other categories are Sutta by nature, then "Sutta" as a separate Sutta category would not exist. If this were the case, it would become an eight-fold teaching. Therefore, he says: "How then...?" and so on.