English
leads to the complete attainment of benefit for those to be trained. Thus, "the meanings here are well-spoken," etc., is stated. It produces means it bears fruit. To explain the meaning of "suttāṇā" (well-protected), "and it protects them well" is stated. And the sutta's authority in the arrangements of self-benefit, other-benefit, etc., and its comprehensiveness of these should be connected, as well as the sutta's pre-eminence over others in revealing those meanings. This is the explanation of meaning, "because it indicates meanings," etc. Of this means of the sutta. In "abhikkamanti" (they advance), the prefix "abhi-" indicates the growth and excess of movement. And in "abhikkantena" (by advancing), it is appropriate that "kanti" (beauty/desire) is excessive and special, because the prefix acts as an adverb. In "abhiññātā" (well-known), "abhirājā" (excellent king), "abhivinaye" (in excellent discipline), the prefix "abhi-" is used in the sense of marked, honored, or distinguished. How can this be appropriate? Because it indicates the actions of marking, knowing, honoring, and distinguishing, and because night, king, and discipline are associated with these actions. They are endowed with growth through development, pervasion, and increase. By objects, etc., means by objects, associated actions, doors, paths, etc. Undifferentiated means the word "piṭaka" (basket/collection) is undifferentiated, i.e., common, among the Vinaya, Suttanta, and Abhidhamma, which are differentiated from each other. In the manner stated means in the manner beginning with "thus in two ways." The designation of meanings to be explained by the method of command, etc., as the expounder of those meanings. Teaching is awakening. Instruction, discipline, teaching is the act of instructing, disciplining, teaching according to the fault, etc., of the person to be instructed. Speech is the declaration of meaning such as restraint or non-restraint, which is to be spoken, making it bound by words. The word "bheda" should be applied separately: "one should explain the kinds of teachings, the kinds of instructions, and the kinds of speeches, as appropriate." "Bheda" means diversity, the act of making diverse. Training, and abandonments, and profundity are the profundity of training and abandonments; this too should be explained. "Yanti" refers to study, etc. "Yathā" means by ways of learning, etc., due to reasons such as reproach, etc. In these three, namely, "Dhamma, meaning, teaching, penetration," here, the meaning of the Canon, the teaching of the Canon, and the penetration of the meaning of the Canon are subjects of the Canon. Therefore, it is appropriate that the Vinaya Pitaka, etc., are the basis for meaning, teaching, and penetration. But if the Pitakas themselves are the Canon, how can they be the basis for Dhamma? Because the constituent parts of the Canon are the basis for the collection of the Canon, and because Dhamma, etc., are difficult to fathom, the Vinaya, etc., are profound through them. Thus, the fourfold profundity of the Vinaya, etc., is stated. Therefore, one should not object: "Only Dhamma, etc., are profound because they are difficult to fathom, not the Vinaya, etc." Therein, the profundity of Dhamma and meaning should be understood from the difficulty of penetration. And the profundity of teaching should be understood from the difficulty of the knowledge of teaching. However, because penetration cannot be produced, and because the arising of knowledge concerning it is difficult, its profundity should be understood. "Knowledge of cause is Dhamma-analytical insight." By this statement, how is the causal nature of Dhamma to be known? Because, in explaining the meaning of the constituent parts of the compound word "Dhamma-paṭisambhidā," it is said, "knowledge of cause." Indeed, in "analytical insight into Dhamma," the meaning of "Dhamma" is explained as "cause," and the meaning of "paṭisambhidā" is explained as "knowledge." Therefore, the words "hetu" (cause) and "Dhamma" are synonymous, and the words "ñāṇa" (knowledge) and "paṭisambhidā" are synonymous. The causal nature of the Dhamma is established by showing its meaning. The causal and resultant nature of the meaning should be understood in the same way. Here, the word Dhamma in “according to the Dhamma” encompasses all causes and cause-results. For it is a word denoting nature, not a word denoting the causal nature of the scriptures. Therefore, “according to the Dhamma” means in whichever Dhamma, such as ignorance and formations, in that very Dhamma. “Expression of Dhamma” is an unperverted expression that reveals the meaning. By this, it shows the Dhamma-interpretation mentioned in the Vibhaṅga: “Knowledge of Dhamma-interpretation and expression is the interpretation-paṭisambhidā.” Or, “statement in terms of sequence, etc.” By this, it shows the expression and statement of that Dhamma-interpretation, the occurrence of that word. “Intention” By this, it shows that the statement “teaching is designation” is said with reference to Dhamma-interpretation and expression, and not with reference to a designation apart from that. And to make clear the understanding thus spoken of, by what manner one understands, what one understands, and what its nature is, he says: “understanding of meanings, etc., in accordance with Dhamma, etc., from the perspective of its object and non-confusion.” Here, “understanding of meanings, etc., in accordance with Dhamma, etc., from the perspective of its object” is mundane understanding, whose object is the Dhamma of ignorance, etc., the meaning of formations, etc., and the designation of both. “Understanding of meanings, etc., in accordance with Dhamma, etc., from the perspective of non-confusion” is supramundane understanding, associated with the path, whose object is Nibbāna, destroying confusion regarding the Dhamma, meaning, and designation as stated. To show other penetration besides understanding, he says: “or of those, etc.” By the meaning of the word “penetration is paṭivedha,” understanding is meant. And by “that which is penetrated is paṭivedha,” the unperverted nature of those respective Dhammas, such as form, etc., is also fittingly called paṭivedha. To show the profundity of the Piṭakas through the Dhammas, etc., as stated, he says: “Now, since in these Piṭakas, etc.” And here, the penetration that is in these Dhammas, etc., found in those respective Piṭakas... in which the non-perverted nature of those phenomena is to be understood. The difficulty of comprehension should be known in the manner stated. This is the distinction here: "penetration, being of a non-perverted nature, is difficult to comprehend, and thus difficult to grasp." "They go" refers to grasping the scriptures incorrectly. "Meaning" refers to the spoken meaning and the purpose. "They do not examine" means they do not investigate. "They do not consent to insight" means they do not consent to the wisdom of insight; the intention is that they are not to be taken after seeing and approving with insight-wisdom. "Thus" means that by this scripture, becoming a means for the release from dispute, for the release from the blame of a dispute brought upon oneself by others, they learn the Dhamma. "Release from dispute" or "release from blame." "For what purpose" means for the purpose of completing virtue, etc., or for the release from clinging. "They learn the Dhamma" means they learn it properly. "Of it" means of that Dhamma. "They do not experience" means they do not find. Those phenomena, being wrongly grasped, lead to harm and suffering for a long time, becoming causes for reproach, conceit, pride, hypocrisy, and flattery. One appointed to a storehouse is a storekeeper, like a storekeeper, a guardian of the Dhamma-gems. The learning of one who is merely a storekeeper, without seeking any other purpose, is storekeeper's learning. "Of those very ones" is an emphatic statement, made with reference to the absence of detailed explanations in the Vinaya regarding the six supernormal powers and the four analytical knowledges to be attained. For in the Verañja section, only the three knowledges are explained. In the second instance, "of those very ones" is an emphatic statement made with reference to the four analytical knowledges, not the three knowledges. For these are included among the six supernormal powers and are already explained in the Suttas. The construction is "having known, being recited." "Of these" means of these Pitakas. "All of it" means all of the Buddha's words. It is "in conformity" because it conforms to the meaning. To explain this conformity, "why then" and so on was stated. "Even one collection" means even one group. Poṇikā and cikkhall and the Khattiyas, their dwelling was the Poṇikanikāya and the Cikkhallikanikāya. Thus, having completed the eighty-four thousand Dhamma-sections, the Buddha's teachings, the Piṭakas, and so on, through a council adorned with many wondrous manifestations, the first words of the Buddha and all the aforementioned categories, as well as other divisions like the uddāna-saṅgaha, are known through the council. To show this, the phrase "thus all this" and so on was begun. This Abhidhamma, by showing its nature as a Piṭaka, as the Abhidhamma Piṭaka, and so on, is to be understood as the middle teaching of the Buddha and the Tathāgata's original nature as an Abhidhammika. Here, it might be said, "If the Abhidhamma's nature as spoken by the Tathāgata were established, then its nature as a middle teaching of the Buddha would also be established, but that itself is not established." To prove its nature as spoken by the Buddha through the Vinaya and other texts, he shows the basis, saying, "among the bhikkhus who uphold it," and so on. "In the assembly of all times" means in the assembly of all schools, those who master all five nikāyas.