English
Even by the Blessed One— "What do you think, monks, which is more, Which is greater? This small stone I have taken in my hand, or the Himālaya, the king of mountains? Small… …taken, compared to the Himālaya, the king of mountains, it does not count, it is not a fraction, it is not even a comparison. Even so, monks, the suffering and sorrow that person experiences when being struck by three hundred spears, compared to the suffering of hell, does not count… …is not even a comparison. Thus, the suffering in the lower realms is revealed by way of simile. By stating that the causes of happiness are pure lotuses and so on, and by preventing rebirth there, the text shows that birth is a basis for suffering, beginning with “then indeed.” Birth as a cause of suffering, by being born without the process of gestation, the suffering of conception in the mother’s womb is rooted in conception itself, as it depends on ignorance. But that which arises from the process of gestation is rooted in the process of gestation, as it does not depend solely on conception. This is the difference between them. Pulling towards oneself is drawing near. Pulling from all sides is surrounding. Shaking downwards is shaking off. Shaking sideways, or all around, is shaking out. Scraping and applying caustic liquid is caustic application. Washing the whole body is bathing. Washing a part is cleansing. Heating by facing the sun is sunning. Heating with the five fires is to be understood as scorching. Or all heat is spoken of in both ways. Where indeed could it find a footing? Without birth, there is no footing for that suffering, this is the meaning. Or, without birth, where indeed could that being find a footing, where indeed could it be established to experience that suffering? In that case, how could there be suffering among animals without birth among animals? And if it were not, it would not be. Indeed, it does not exist, this connection should be made, or indeed, it is said. Because it does not exist, therefore it is said, this is the meaning. Description of Old Age 192. Aging itself is old age, or of aging The letter 'ā' is indicated by the sound 'tā'. Not observing as before, meaning, not observing acts of reverence, attendance, and so on, sorrow arises because of that, this is the meaning. Of mindfulness and so on: because of the absence of mindfulness, learning, energy, wisdom, and so on, and because one is despised by one's own children and wives, even by those who should be despised by oneself. And because of not being master of one's limbs and parts, and the absence of consideration for purity or impurity, the old age becomes like the time of a child or a youth, thus it says, "by attaining greater childishness." Description of the Definition of Death 193. "The action of time, the destroyer," what is said in the world, that is passing away, death, this is the meaning. Or, the time of passing away itself is called 'time' especially because it cannot be overcome; its action is merely the breaking up of the passing-away aggregates. In "Maccu maraṇaṃ" (death, dying), without making a compound, the breaking up which is called 'maccu', and the giving up of life which is 'maraṇaṃ', this is called 'maraṇaṃ', a separate connection is not unsuitable. Because of the occurrence of which breaking up of aggregates the expression "Tisso is dead, Phusso is dead" arises, that, because the continuum of aggregates is not cut off, is called "conventional death"; and the cutting off of the continuum is "cutting-off death." But in this sense, "death is suffering," considering the discourse on the truth of suffering to be a discourse on the cycle of existence, it says, "conventional death is intended." "Of that very name," it is said to avoid confusion due to its nature and its partial nature, in the multiplicity of the word 'death'. "Characteristic of passing away" speaks of the very characteristic of passing away indicated by "the state of passing away." "It separates from the aggregates of the present existence" means the flavor of separation, or it is called "flavor of separation" because it is the action of separation. "It appears as the separation of a being from a former existence," this is the proximate cause of separation. "Maraṇantikā" means near to death. If death does not occur, the aforementioned bodily and mental suffering will not occur, thus it says, "as the basis of both sufferings." "Because of the sign of evil kamma and so on" means because of the sign of evil kamma and the sign of evil destination, this is the meaning. Kamma also... Here, "sign" is said because it appears as a sign of rebirth. Even when it appears, no small amount of sorrow arises, thinking, "Alas, I have not done good deeds." "Of the good" means "of good deeds." "Without distinction" should be joined with "of all." "Of all" refers to all those who experience bodily suffering, specifically those "whose vital parts are being torn apart." "Severing of joints and bonds" refers to the suffering caused by the severing of the bonds of the joints. The word "ādi" (etc.) here means "cause," meaning "rooted in the severing of joints and bonds." "Like the bringing on of ruin and misfortune" means "like the occurrence of ruin and misfortune." For the bringing on of ruin and misfortune by wild animals, etc., the occurrence of ruin and misfortune is an example here. Description of Sorrow Happiness is the cause of well-being, its result is happiness. "Loss of relatives" means the decline of relatives through wealth, etc., and death. This is a distinction, referring to the specific meaning of terms like "loss of wealth" and the specific compound in "loss due to illness," etc. "Relatives' possessions are merely designations, their destruction" - with this meaning, referring to their uncompleted nature, he says "uncompleted." Indeed, referring to their uncompleted nature, it is said in the Visuddhimagga that "the ten forms are uncompleted." In the commentary on the Rūpakaṇḍa, they are also called "uncompleted." And in the Khandhavibhaṅga, the completed nature of what is to be completed, like the attainment of cessation, is stated, and the completed nature of non-existent phenomena, and the uncompleted nature of Nibbāna itself. The word "dhamma" means "cause," so he says "by the cause of the arising of suffering." "Burnt" means "burnt." Sorrow is the feeling of mental pain whose characteristics, etc., were stated earlier, so its characteristics, etc., should not be stated again. Nevertheless, since sorrow is a specific kind of mental pain, and sorrow has specific characteristics, etc., they should be stated, so he says "although," etc. Visār Contracted thought within, or drying up, internal burning. Burning up is consuming. Sorrowing in accordance with the loss of relatives and the like is lamenting, or sorrowing, burning, lamenting, following after that quality or fault. At the moment of impulsion, at the moment of mental-door impulsion. Indeed, showing that, he said, "So many for me," and so on. But even in the sense-door process of eye-consciousness and so on, at the moment of impulsion, distress is indeed a condition. Therefore, he said, "and at the moment of impulsion." Otherwise, one might take it that it is a condition only for bodily and mental suffering arising at the body-base and mental-door, because the words "bodily" and "mental" are used there specifically. "Is pierced" - it should be understood that this is said in an expressive way, where "pierces" should have been said. Description of Lamentation 195. "They wail by this" - thus "wailing" (ādeva) means that the sound is said to be the instrument for those who make a sound of wailing and fall into distortions such as shedding tears, due to their falling into such distortions. Empty speech, like chaff of rice and so on, is babbling. The word "lamentation" (lālappa) is the essence of proclaiming good and bad, making known good and bad. The word "lamentation" (paridevana) arises as a state of agitation in a person, without considering what is beneficial or unbeneficial, or those who should be ashamed; thus it is called "arising from agitation." Or agitation due to the non-cessation of the object of sorrow, not agitation from terror. And since this is made manifest by the word "lamentation," lamentation is called "arising from agitation." Overcome by sorrow, one makes fist-pounding and so on as a sign of lamentation, and one thinks of the passing away of relatives and so on precisely as a sign of lamentation; thus the state of lamentation as the object of suffering and distress is stated. "More" - that without which it does not occur, more than that distress which gives rise to lamentation, or more than the suffering mentioned previously, or more than that arising from dryness of throat, lips, palate, and so on; it includes other bodily and mental suffering arising from that cause. Description of Suffering and Distress 196-7. Bodily suffering is a strong supporting condition for bodily suffering; thus, "for one who suffers..." "suffering arises." Being overcome by this suffering, "I cannot enjoy the festival," a strong dejection arises, thus dejection is the basis for suffering. Referring to its moment of occurrence, "it oppresses" is said of bodily suffering, or due to its proximate cause. They turn around, they revolve. They fall apart, like a pillar thrown into a ravine, they are destroyed. Like a tree whose roots are cut, they fall into a cut-off abyss, with minds burning, they think based on previous dejection, when dejection is gone, such thinking does not exist. Description of Upāyāsa (Despair) 198. Sinking completely, preventing access to all objects, is saṃsīdana (complete sinking), being unable to rise, it is extremely powerful, or a distorted sinking is visīdana (despair). Not going to another object, a distorted attachment to the calamity of relatives and so on,