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marked by attention to gratification. For by ignorance concealing the danger, unwise attention arises. Ignorance, marked by deluding about the truths, is the proximate cause of meritorious, demeritorious, and imperturbable volitional formations. Volitional formations, which are three-realm volitions marked by causing rebirth to sprout, are the proximate cause of resultant consciousness. Rebirth-linking consciousness, marked by arising as the state of existence called "rebirth-becoming", is the proximate cause of name-and-form. Name-and-form, marked by the combination of mental body and physical body, is the proximate cause of the six sense bases, due to being a co-nascent and other condition. The six sense bases, marked by the functioning of the six faculties beginning with the eye, are the proximate cause of the six kinds of contact in due order, due to being a support and other condition. The six kinds of contact, marked by the convergence of eye-sensitivity, visual object, eye-consciousness, etc., are the proximate cause of the six kinds of feeling, co-nascent with those six kinds of contact, in due order, due to being a co-nascent and other condition. Feeling, of three kinds, marked by experiencing the agreeable, the disagreeable, and the neutral, is the proximate cause of craving, which arises based on those three kinds of feeling, due to being a strong support and other condition. Craving, marked by clinging in one's own and others' continuities, it is the proximate cause of clinging. The four kinds of clinging, arising from that craving for grasping, have craving as their proximate cause, due to its being a strong supporting condition and other conditions. It should be read with the phrasing: "It is from feeling," "It is from craving," and "It is from clinging," or it could be an indication of gender inversion. That clinging, which is a condition for rebirth, producing the aggregates of existence, that clinging is the proximate cause of the two kinds of becoming. That kamma-becoming, characterized by the arising of mind-body and form-body, that kamma-becoming is the proximate cause of birth. That birth, which is rebirth, characterized by the manifestation of the aggregates, that birth is the proximate cause of aging. That old age, characterized by the ripening of the aggregates of existence, that old age is the proximate cause of death. And that conventional death, which is the cutting off of the life faculty, that conventional death is the proximate cause of sorrow. Because sorrow mostly arises in one contemplating the death of a dear one, that sorrow, which causes agitation regarding relatives and other dear ones, that sorrow is the proximate cause of lamentation. That lamentation, which is of the nature of wailing, that lamentation is the proximate cause of physical pain. That physical pain, characterized by bodily affliction, that physical pain is the proximate cause of mental distress. That mental distress, characterized by mental affliction, that mental distress is the proximate cause of despair. That despair, which causes suppression and oppression, that despair is the proximate cause of the despair of becoming, of the continuous becoming of conditions. To show what is meant by "of becoming," the phrase "these" and so on was stated. Therein, the factors of becoming are defilements, a component, a cause of becoming, and the cycles of kamma and result, which are called becoming, are its components, its parts. When, in the present and future times, these are completely produced, then that collection of phenomena, called the cycle of defilements, the cycle of kamma, and the cycle of results, should be understood as "becoming" in the phrase "of becoming." That threefold cycle, called becoming – the cycle of defilements, the cycle of kamma, and the cycle of results – is the proximate cause of saṃsāra, the preceding defilements, etc., produced in previous births... Because of the unbroken arising of transmigration, that noble path, which has the characteristic of leading out, that noble path is the proximate cause for cessation, for Nibbāna, because it is the cause that brings it about. One who is learned, being a support for all disciples and others, is like a ford, thus "tittha" (ford). One who knows is "ñū" (knower). One who knows the ford is "titthaññū" (knower of the ford). The state of being a knower of the ford is "titthaññutā" (knowledge of the ford). Proper attendance (to such a one), that is the proximate cause for knowing joy. Indeed, by properly attending to the learned one, joy connected with the Dhamma arises. And by joy, the strengthening of the meditation subject arises. Thus, by listening to suitable Dhamma, one knows rapture, thus "pītaññū" (knower of rapture). The state of being a knower of rapture is "pītaññutā" (knowledge of rapture). The strengthening of the meditation subject, that is the proximate cause for knowing attainment. Indeed, by the strengthening of the meditation subject, the knowing of the attainment of development arises, thus "pattaññutā" (knowledge of attainment). The knowing of the attainment of development is the proximate cause for knowing oneself. Indeed, by the knowing of the attainment of development, the knowing of oneself, endowed with the five factors of exertion, arises, thus "attaññutā" (knowledge of self), which is the proximate cause for past good deeds. Indeed, by knowing oneself endowed with the factors of exertion, past good deeds arise. Past good deeds are the proximate cause for dwelling in a suitable country. Indeed, by good deeds done in the past, dwelling in a suitable country is obtained. Dwelling in a suitable country is the proximate cause for reliance on good people. Indeed, by dwelling in a suitable country, reliance on good people is obtained. Reliance on good people is the proximate cause for right aspiration for oneself. Indeed, by reliance on good people, right aspiration for oneself arises. Right aspiration for oneself is the proximate cause for virtues. Indeed, by right aspiration for oneself, virtues are established. Virtues are the proximate cause for freedom from remorse. Indeed, for one reflecting on virtue established in oneself, there is no remorse. By freedom from remorse, joy arises. Therefore, freedom from remorse is the proximate cause for joy. By joy, rapture arises. Therefore, joy is the proximate cause for rapture. By rapture, tranquility arises. Therefore, rapture is the proximate cause for tranquility. By tranquility, happiness arises. Therefore, tranquility is the basis for happiness. Through happiness, concentration arises; therefore, happiness is the basis for concentration. Through concentration, knowledge and vision of things as they are arises; therefore, concentration is the basis for knowledge of things as they are. Through knowledge and vision of things as they are, knowledge of disenchantment arises; therefore, knowledge and vision of things as they are is the basis for disenchantment. Through disenchantment, dispassion arises; therefore, disenchantment is the basis for dispassion. Through dispassion, liberation arises; therefore, dispassion is the basis for liberation. Through liberation, knowledge and vision of liberation arises; therefore, liberation is the basis for knowledge and vision of liberation. Thus, by the method stated, whatever state is a strong support, whatever state is a condition, all such states should be understood as the basis for the state arisen from their conditions. Because it is to be asked, "By whom should the foundational nature of a strong supportive state, or a conditional state, for a state arisen from conditions, be believed?", the phrase "Therefore he said" and so on was stated. There, "by that" means that by whatever word the Venerable Mahākaccāna spoke, such as "The Victor teaches the Dhamma," regarding the foundational nature of any strong supportive state or conditional state for a state arisen from conditions, by that word, the foundational nature of those strong supportive states and conditional states should be believed. Because it is to be asked, "Is the aforementioned foundational method complete, or is there another to be determined and applied?", it was stated, "The foundational method is applied." Here, even what is not explicitly divided in the Pāli, the foundational method should be extracted and applied as appropriate, meaning it should be divided. Thus, in the analysis of the foundational method, this was composed according to the strength of beings. The explanation is finished. However, by the wise, the profound meaning should be taken by dividing it extensively according to the commentaries and sub-commentaries. 5. Explanation of the Analysis of the Characteristic Method 23. By whatever special description, being the analysis of the foundation, the foundations of ignorance and so forth are divided, That complete explanation of the meaning of terms, which is a special kind of description, is finished. Since it is to be asked, "What is the analysis of the characteristic method?", "Among these, what is the characteristic method?" and so on, was said. The meaning of the word "among these" has already been stated. It asks, "What special description is the characteristic method, the analysis of the characteristic method?" It should be understood that the detailed special description, "which phenomena" and so on, which is now being stated by me, is the characteristic method, the analysis of the characteristic method, of the instruction beginning "in a single phenomenon that has been stated." Therefore, it was said: "Among these, what is the characteristic method?" and so on, is called the analysis of the characteristic method (Netti. Aṭṭha. 23). This detailed characteristic method, which is now being stated, asks what kind of phenomenon, among the phenomena taught in the three Piṭakas, is to be characterized.