English
The meditator, whether established in wisdom born of learning, or in wisdom born of thinking, or in both, begins insight meditation. "Associated with attention" means rightly connected and associated with attention in the sense of comprehending forms and formless things, and in the sense of impermanence and so on regarding formations. The meaning to be understood is this: The noble path-knowledge, called knowledge and vision purification, which arises in the mind-stream of the meditator who strives for insight meditation by accomplishing purification of view, purification by overcoming doubt, purification of knowledge and vision of what is path and not path, and purification of knowledge and vision of the way, whether in the realm of seeing Nibbāna or in the realm of meditation, this is wisdom born of meditation. Although the first path-knowledge is called "vision" because it is the first seeing of Nibbāna, it should be understood as "wisdom born of meditation" because it proceeds by way of meditation. The "realm of vision" refers to the first path and its fruit; the others are called "realms of meditation." 8. Our teacher, you have distinguished wisdom born of learning and so on by saying, "He who has a teacher," and so on. If this is so, there would be no such thing as wisdom born of thinking without learning. However, for the Great Bodhisattas, wisdom born of thinking exists even without learning. Bearing this objection in mind, and including it therein, he begins to distinguish it in another way by saying, "From another's voice," and so on. There, "from another's voice" From another's voice, the sound of teaching proceeds, this is its condition, thus it is "from another's voice." "Arisen in oneself" means arisen distinctly in one's own self. "Wise attention" is the wisdom born of thought, attention proceeding by way of grasping the nature of phenomena like form and so on, which are to be contemplated, as being subject to breaking up, bending, and so forth. By this, disciples are generally included. Nevertheless, since it is said of the instantly understanding and others, disciples are included here. Therefore, the former method is more suitable. "From another" means: the knowledge that arises due to the sound of teaching proceeding from a Dharma teacher, and the knowledge that arises due to being arisen in oneself and due to wise attention— this, because it proceeds by way of development, is called wisdom born of development. By this, disciples are generally included. Nevertheless, since it is said of the instantly understanding and others, disciples are included here. Therefore, the former method is more suitable. "From another" means: the knowledge that arises due to the sound of teaching proceeding from a Dharma teacher, and the knowledge that arises due to being arisen in oneself and due to wise attention— this, because it proceeds by way of development, is called wisdom born of development. Thus, having distinguished it, it should be known by the wise, by those wishing to know the profound meaning in detail, through the commentary's words "by such a division of practice" and so on (Netti. Aṭṭha. 9). The three kinds of wisdom, beginning with wisdom born of hearing, were distinguished by the teacher in various ways, and known by us. Because it is to be asked: "Among these, what is the name of the person who has one or two kinds of wisdom? What is the name of the person who has none?" Therefore, to distinguish persons by the division of wisdom and practice, saying: "The person who has this wisdom, or these, is called by such a name; the person who has none is called by such a name," the phrase "who has these" and so on was stated. Here, the exceedingly sharp-witted person who has these two kinds of wisdom: wisdom born of hearing and wisdom born of thought— this exceedingly sharp-witted person, because he knows by mere indication, is called "instantly understanding." He whose wisdom is not too sharp, who has wisdom from learning through outline and explanation, but not wisdom from reflection, this one, not too sharp in wisdom, knowing through outline and explanation, is called "one who understands after elaboration." He whose wisdom is dull, who has neither wisdom from learning nor wisdom from reflection through outline and explanation, this dull-witted one, knowing through outline, explanation, and counter-explanation, is called "one to be led," because he must be guided by a completely detailed teaching. In the commentary, it is said: "Now, in order to show the division of trainable individuals, for whom these wisdoms were brought forth, by connecting it, 'to whom,' etc., was said." 9. "There, the Blessed One, for one of swift understanding," explains the teaching; "There, the four paths" explains by divisions of paths; "This method" explains by divisions of knowledge. The three types of trainable individuals, who are recipients of the teaching, have been divided by the teacher and understood by us. "By which teaching discourse, to apply the teaching method, previously, 'Monks, I will teach you the Dhamma,' etc., the teaching discourse that was set forth as the subject of the teaching method, that teaching discourse, for what purpose does it teach the meanings such as gratification, determined by the teaching method?" Because this question must be asked, to determine and show "it teaches this meaning," "This Dhamma teaching" was begun. There, "this Dhamma teaching" means the Dhamma teaching, which is beautiful in the beginning, etc., which was previously set forth as the subject of the teaching method. Desiring to state for what purpose this Dhamma teaching teaches about gratification, etc., it asks. Having asked, it answers, "It teaches the four truths." To show these in their nature, it is said, "suffering, origin, cessation, path." They are called "truths" because of their unperverted nature as arising, causing arising, ceasing, and the means of cessation. In which teaching the truths are determined by the teaching method, it is proper that that teaching teaches the four truths. In which teaching gratification, etc., are determined, that teaching teaches the four truths. It cannot be said that it teaches. And below, the gratifications and so on were determined, therefore, having considered the objection that "gratifications and so on" should also be said, it was said, "the danger and the fruit are suffering," and so on. In the teaching, by way of explanation, the determined danger and fruit are the truth of suffering, gratification is the truth of origin, escape is the truth of cessation, the means and the command are the truth of the path, therefore, it must be said that "it teaches the four noble truths." The three-realm phenomena, apart from craving, are suffering, and they, being oppressed by impermanence and so on, are indeed danger. The fruit in the teaching is worldly, not supramundane, therefore, it must be said to be suffering. As for gratification, since the gratification of craving is taken, it should also be said, "gratification is the origin." A part of gratification is suffering itself, a part of gratification is both suffering and origin. The Noble Path with insight, and the Buddha's command, being the means for attaining the fruit of the teaching, it was said, "the means, and the command, are the path," and a part of escape should also be seen as the path. Since it should be asked, "Which teaching specifically teaches these four truths?", to show the specific determination, it was said, "These four truths are this Wheel of Dhamma." The connection should be made that "this spoken Wheel of Dhamma specifically teaches these four truths." Since it should be said, "Did the Blessed One say that the teaching which specifically teaches these four truths is the Wheel of Dhamma?", it was said, "As the Blessed One said," and so on. There, from the saying "birth is suffering," and so on (Mahāvagga 14), the class of three-realm phenomena, beginning with birth, apart from craving, is called "suffering" by way of being the basis of suffering, and by way of being suffering-of-suffering and so on. The connection is "by me, set in motion." He addresses "monks" to generate enthusiasm for listening. "In Bārāṇasī" means not far from the city of Bārāṇasī. "In Isipatana" means "Isi" (seer) from seeking and searching for the aggregates of virtue and so on. at the place where the Paccekabuddhas, who had spoken, fell. Migadāya means the place where safety was given to deer, made just like that. Anuttara means unsurpassed, unrivalled, due to there being nothing higher. Dhammacakka means the Dhamma, in the sense of bearing its own nature, such as the foundations of mindfulness, and a wheel, in the sense of setting in motion, thus, the Dhamma-wheel. Appaṭivattiya means irresistible. Why? Because the generator, the Blessed One, is the Lord of Dhamma, a Perfectly Self-Enlightened One, and because the knowable is unsurpassed, and because it is the means of penetrating the Four Noble Truths for Koṇḍañña and others, and for eighteen crores of Brahmās. Since it should be asked, "By whom is it irresistible?" it says, "By a recluse or..." and so on. There, "by a recluse" means one who has merely undertaken renunciation. "By a brahmin" means a brahmin by birth. For the ultimate recluses and brahmins, there is not even the arising of a thought to resist it. "By a deva" means a deva of the six sense-sphere heavens. "By Brahmā" refers to the form-realm Brahmās. By not merely saying, "By a recluse or... or by Brahmā," but by using the phrase "by anyone," the remaining Khattiyas, householders, and members of assemblies are included. Therefore, it should be understood that the eight kinds of assemblies— Khattiyas, brahmins, householders, recluses, the Four Great Kings, Tāvatiṃsa, Māra, and Brahmā— are all unable to resist it. "In the world" means among the multitude of beings,