English
Its subtlety is stated because it lacks stiffness, like stones softened by jackal's saliva, and because it lacks poison, like snakes and scorpions. Here, "characteristic of nutriment" means nutriment is a special quality, dependent on the elements, which is the essence of the sap that pervades every limb, and acts as a supporting force. The commentary on the section on appropriation is concluded. The commentary on the section on non-appropriation 646. "Is not appropriated" means it is not merely relied upon, but it is both relied upon and permeated. This is the meaning. 647. "But the former" means it is stated in the fivefold compilation by way of the prior mention of the earth element, water element, fire element, and wind element. In the exposition of the tangible base, the earth element and so on, mentioned previously, are understood to be the water element mentioned in the earlier enumeration. Or, it should be seen that the tangible base, being past, is later, and the water element, being future, is earlier. “Āyu” means the life faculty. “Kammajatejaṃ usmā” is heat generated by kamma. “Whatever element…pe… does not arise with a single impact” means it does not arise simultaneously in many earths that have come into contact at one moment, and similarly in fire and air. The initial arising in some cases is shown by way of being directed towards many objects when they come together, and by way of the predominance of the clarity of the object; but arising also occurs elsewhere. To understand the way this transition of consciousness from one object to another occurs, it asks, “How then does the transition of consciousness from one object occur?” 651. In iron balls and so on, the earth element, if not bound by such a water element, would scatter. Therefore, it is said, “the water element binds them and makes them firm.” Just as a suitable amount of water binds particles of dust and forms a lump of clay, so too, in iron balls and so on, the water element, arising there with corresponding conditions, binds them and holds them firm. “It becomes firm without touching” is said because the water element is intangible, and similarly, “it binds without touching.” For it should be understood that the mutual dependence of tangible elements by way of their tangibility is not the same as that of tangible and intangible elements. Indeed, in co-existent elements, which are inseparable, mutual dependence cannot be denied among those that are mutually conditioned, nor is it appropriate to consider touching and non-touching in those that are unified by inseparability as co-arisen. “It does not burn by being hot” rejects only the nature of fire, it does not affirm coldness. By rejecting the nature of fire, coldness is also rejected. For fire itself is cold in times of snowfall and so on. because of its ripening, and because heat and cold are mutually opposed, it is fitting that a different element, cold, does not arise with heat. However, the non-occurrence of cold in a heat aggregate, and of heat in a cold aggregate, is fitting because they are mutually opposed, being specific forms of fire-element. "Change of state" means the softness of hard things like jaggery, and the hardness of soft things like juices, due to specific causes, leading to the arising of slight or excessive earth-element, and so on. "Change of characteristic" means the abandonment of characteristics like harshness; this does not happen to them. It is only a change of state, which is called slightness or excessiveness, this is the meaning. 652. "Only of the ungrasped, etc.": This means they are taken in the designations, in the graspings of things that are entirely ungrasped, entirely not mind-originated, and so on. "Or whatever else": The word "pana" (but/however) also indicates that the former ones are not karmically owned, and so on. For if they were not to be expressed by one of the terms like "ungrasped," "not karmically owned," etc., because these terms are synonymous, they would also not be expressed by the others; or if they were to be expressed, they would be expressed. Therefore, it should be understood that since they are to be taken only in things that are entirely not karma-born, etc., they are not taken in things that are not entirely so. 666. "Entirely... etc.... is known": because they are modifications of these, but because they are not produced, their arising cannot be spoken of by anyone, this is the intention. The explanation of the Dyad-designation is finished. The explanation of the Tetrad-designation 966. "Of the last word": meaning, of the known word. For all form is known, and because it cannot be divided, there is nothing seen, heard, or cognized other than the known. Therefore, the question was not asked, but answered directly. For it is not possible to ask, "What form is seen?" about anything other than the known, this is the intention. Just as when two things are designated, the question "What form is that, which is grasped?" is asked with reference to something other than the grasped, similarly, when four things are designated, namely seen, etc., the question "What form is that, which is seen?" should be asked with reference to something other than the other three, namely heard, etc. Since that is not the case, it was not asked. And similarly for heard, etc. However, due to the specific taking of seeing, etc., The fourfold division is spoken of because of the existence of what is known by sight and so on, as something else. Description of the Fivefold Division 969. "Attained the state of fire" means it has attained the state of fire by its very nature. Here, it should be understood that making a method is the gathering of what is worthy of being gathered in another way, even if it has been spoken of. And this should be applied to the fourfold term "known." The existence of the breaking up of tangibles is a method in the eightfold division. Description of Miscellaneous Topics 975. By the statement "there are no hindrances," the abandonment of even sloth and torpor, which are hindrances, is spoken of. And form is not to be abandoned, nor can it be said that the Muni has no bodily ailment, as stated by "My back aches, I will stretch it." "Conscious sound" means a vocal sound, etc., produced by consciousness. Indeed, these do not arise. The ripening of form that is ripening is aging, the decay of what is decaying is impermanence. These are merely states of form, they are not self-existent entities. This is what is meant. Similarly, the generation of what is arising is birth, and that is merely a state of form, it is not self-existent. Therefore, it is said, "But in ultimate reality, birth does not arise." "Their condition is this" means "tappaccayā" (conditioned by them). The state of being conditioned by them is "tappaccayabhāvo." The usage that proceeds from the state of being conditioned by them is "tappaccayabhāvavohāro." This is obtained. "At the moment of the arisen phenomena" means "at the moment of the phenomena that are arising." For at that time, those phenomena do not not arise. Therefore, it is appropriate to say that birth is the state of arising, and its origination from kamma, etc., and its production by them. But at that time, those phenomena do not age or decay. Therefore, it is not appropriate to say that their states of aging and breaking up are originated from consciousness, etc., and produced by them. Even so, if it is said that the word "upādinna" (grasped) refers to being grasped by kamma that has been undertaken, not to being produced, and therefore the grasped nature of the grasped results should be spoken of as grasped? No, because the word "ādinna" (grasped) is a synonym for "produced." For what is produced by what has been undertaken is "upādinna." And it includes the moment of the influence of conditions and the production. This usage, arisen without cause, does not occur in aging-and-death, because of its absence then. Since aging-and-death are dependent-originated phenomena, when they arise, aging-and-death occurs; when they do not, it does not. For what is not born does not ripen or break up. Therefore, referring to birth as a condition, it is said, "aging-and-death is dependently originated." "Having its occurrence bound to a support" means that birth and so on have their occurrence bound to the support of arising and so on, because they are merely the state of arising and so on of things that are arising, ripening, and breaking up. If so, then birth and so on, being the nature of arising and so on of derived material forms and of eye-bases and so on, would be dependent on them. Would this lead to a derived-derived state for those dependent on derived material forms, just as the characteristics of elements dependent on elements are derived? No, because the state of being dependent on elements of the characteristics of derived material forms which are bound to elements, does not cease. Moreover, since the arising and so on of material forms included in one cluster occur simultaneously, the arising and so on of one cluster are each singular. Just as the life faculty of each cluster, which sustains the cluster, is called "derived material form," similarly, birth and so on, being the nature of the cluster's arising and so on, are also called "derived material forms." Similarly, forms of alteration and delimitation should also be understood. Climate-originated phenomena, related to kamma-originated phenomena, become distinguished by kamma, such as having good or bad color, good or bad shape, and so on. Therefore, it is called "kamma-condition." External climate-originated phenomena, which are causes for experiencing kamma-results, are "kamma-conditioned climate-originated phenomena." "Kamma-condition" means a condition that is a companion to kamma, or a condition that is a helper to kamma. That very climate is "kamma-conditioned climate."