English
It is said that even though they are distinct in their nature, such as contact, because they occur in one continuum, they become common by basis, having the same basis, by dividing them in terms of their distinction. Since it might be asked, “Should only what is common by name and common by basis be distinguished? Is there nothing else to distinguish?” the phrase “or whatever else” was stated. The intention is that whatever other class of phenomena, such as common by function, common by condition, common by opposition, etc., that is of this kind, of the common kind, all that too, after examining it by way of analysis, and investigating it by way of reasoning, should be distinguished as appropriate commonalities by way of distinction. Since it might be asked, “Among these, common by name, etc., which are common by name, which are common by basis?” the phrase “of beings fixed in wrongness” was stated. The defilements to be abandoned by insight, which arise in the continuums of the six beings who have committed deeds fixed in wrongness, such as matricides, and of the four ordinary people who have committed unfixed deeds—those in bad destinations, those without root causes in good destinations, those with two root causes, and those with three root causes—are common by name as “to be abandoned by insight,” even though they are distinct in nature, such as personality view, doubt, and adherence to rites and rituals, because they do not transcend the name “to be abandoned by insight.” What of the aforementioned fixed and unfixed beings, those to be abandoned by insight? since they are the basis for their establishment, they are common in their basis, meaning they have the same basis. For an ordinary person, a being of four kinds such as one without a cause for a bad destiny, and for a stream-enterer, the lust for sensual pleasures and ill-will that arise in their mental continuum are common by the name of lust for sensual pleasures and ill-will, even though they are of different natures —some to be abandoned by the once-returner path and some by the non-returner path— because they do not go beyond the name of lust for sensual pleasures and ill-will. It should also be understood that for an ordinary person of the aforementioned kind and for a stream-enterer, since lust for sensual pleasures and ill-will are the basis for their establishment, they are common in their basis, meaning they have the same basis. For an ordinary person and for a non-returner, the higher fetters that arise in their mental continuum are common by the name of higher fetters, even though they are of different natures such as lust for form, etc., because they do not go beyond the name of higher fetters. It should also be understood that for an ordinary person and for a non-returner, since the higher fetters are the basis for their establishment, they are common in their basis, meaning they have the same basis. Therefore, it is said in the commentary: "Just as for those whose destiny is fixed by wrong view, so too for those whose destiny is unfixed, are the things to be abandoned by insight." In brief, however, defilements that are common in the defilement aspect are common by name, and defilements that are co-arising in the same place are common by basis. Since the commonalities in the defilement aspect have been explained by the teacher and understood by us, it is asked, "How are the commonalities in the purification aspect explained?" Therefore, "whatever a noble disciple" and so on, is said. Here, "whatever" generally refers to worldly attainments such as the attainment of the first absorption. "Noble disciple" should be understood as a disciple of the Noble One, the Blessed One, a noble disciple; a person who has attained absorption and who has attained the fruit, not one who is on the path. For one on the path does not attain any worldly attainment. All such worldly attainments, whether of the form realm or the formless realm, divine abidings, brahma abidings, the attainment of the first absorption, and so on, are common in these ways to those endowed with them, whether they are free from craving or not. It is common with defilements, because it does not transcend the name of worldly attainment, and because it is to be attained by those with and without defilements. It is said: "When a noble disciple attains worldly attainments, they attain them in stages, in stages. If this is so, how can it be common with those free from defilements?" Because this is to be believed, "For phenomena are common," and so on, was stated. However, in the Commentary, it is said: "Considering the question: 'How are they taken in stages? Are they to be taken in stages? How are they common?' Clarifying this, he said: 'For phenomena are common, thus mutually,' and so on." There, the phenomena to be attained in stages, in stages, by those with and without defilements, are common, because the successive, later arising types of phenomena, being mutually related to their respective earlier arising ones, do not transcend the name "worldly attainment" which is their fixed domain. Therefore, it should be believed and understood as common. Because it is said: "How does one not transcend when attaining successively?" To make this non-transcendence clear, "Whoever," and so on, was stated. Whoever is a noble disciple or one not free from defilements, endowed with these worldly attainment phenomena, that noble disciple or one not free from defilements, even when attaining successively, does not transcend that phenomenon, that worldly attainment phenomenon. It means they do not go to another and pass beyond it. By which worldly attainment phenomena one is endowed, these worldly attainment phenomena are to be seen as common. Because it is to be asked: "Among the phenomena mentioned in the Vāsanābhāgiya and other suttas, which are distinguished by this method of distinction, which of these phenomena are uncommon?" Therefore, "Among these, which phenomena are uncommon?" and so on, was stated. There, among those phenomena to be distinguished, he asks: "Which phenomena are uncommon?" Having asked, the uncommon phenomena are to be sought, up to the teaching. They are to be sought as "learners and non-learners," or they are to be sought as "capable and incapable." Or else, up to "learners and non-learners, capable and incapable." the teaching is stated, then, taking the teaching, the unique should be sought. How should it be sought? Among the noble ones, by way of the qualities of trainees and non-trainees, the name "trainees" is unique from non-trainees, and the name "non-trainees" is unique from trainees. Or, among the ignoble ones, the name "capable" is unique from the incapable, and the name "incapable" is unique from the capable. Because the fetters of sensual desire and ill-will are not abandoned, and are liable to arise as underlying tendencies, they are common to the eighth person, the stream-entry path-attainer, and the stream-enterer, the fruit-attainer. But the nature of the Dhamma, the characteristic of the Dhamma, is unique. This is what is meant: "The state of being a stream-entry path-attainer for the eighth person is unique from the stream-enterer. And the state of being a stream-entry fruit-attainer for the stream-enterer is unique from the eighth person, the stream-entry path-attainer. Or, the state of having defilements being abandoned for the eighth person is unique from the stream-enterer. And the state of having defilements abandoned for the stream-enterer is unique from the eighth person." Because the higher fetters are not abandoned, and are liable to arise as underlying tendencies, they are common to the eighth person in the state of a path-attainer, and to the non-return path-attainer who is similar to the eighth person, and to the non-returner, the fruit-attainer. But the nature of the Dhamma, the characteristic of the Dhamma, is unique. This is what is meant: "The state of being a non-return path-attainer for the eighth person is unique from the non-returner, the fruit-attainer. And the state of being a non-return fruit-attainer for the non-returner is unique from the eighth person. Or, the state of having defilements being abandoned for the eighth person is unique from the non-returner. And the state of having defilements abandoned for the non-returner, the fruit-attainer, is unique from the eighth person." It is also proper to say: "The state of a path-attainer is unique from the state of a fruit-attainer, and the state of a fruit-attainer is unique from the state of a path-attainer." The name "trainees" is common to all seven trainee individuals. The nature of the Dhamma is unique. Thus, for the four path-attainers, their respective path-attainer states are unique from each other's path-attainer states. And the states of the three lower fruits are also unique. The state of these three fruits, and the state of being in each fruit, the state of fruit for each other, are distinct. And the state of the four paths is also distinct. This is the meaning. "For trainees, the state of being on each path is distinct from the state of being in each fruit. And the state of being in each fruit is distinct from the state of being on each path." It is also proper to say this. For all those who have entered the path: "Paṭipannakas" are those who practice for the sake of fruit. For those four individuals endowed with the path, the name "paṭipannakas" is common. By nature, the state of being on each path is distinct. For all trainees, for the seven individuals who are trainees, morality is common. By nature, the state of being on each path and in each fruit is distinct. The phenomena mentioned in the suttas on defilements conducive to latent tendencies and defilements conducive to corruption, such as those to be abandoned by seeing, and those mentioned in the suttas on penetration and non-trainees, such as trainees and other phenomena,