English
It is given up by abandoning due to non-attachment, and by the aspect of relinquishment. It is relinquished by casting it far away, so that it does not occur again. It is freed by releasing it from its bondage. It is not defiled by being unattached. Accumulation is origin; non-accumulation is its opposite. Undesignated: non-designation, or the absence of the designation "there is a bitter gourd." The path should be seen like a person desiring the non-occurrence of a bitter gourd vine. The abandonment of craving, which is the object of Nibbāna for the path, is like cutting the root of that vine for one whose mind is inclined to its non-occurrence. The non-occurrence of craving is like its non-occurrence. Nibbāna is to be seen. Like the southern door in the second simile, Nibbāna is to be seen, the path is to be seen like the executioners. The former simile was stated to show that by the path, the cessation of pleasant and agreeable forms is spoken of as ceased. The latter, too, is for that which has ceased by Nibbāna. The description of the exposition of the Cessation Truth is finished. 4. The Description of the Exposition of the Path Truth 205. “For the rejection of other paths” means to reject the non-existence of the practice leading to the cessation of suffering, which is imagined by the sectarians. Or, it is the rejection of the nature of another path. “Ariya” means that which makes a person noble, because it makes him noble. Or, it is that which makes one attain noble fruits, because it causes one to attain and generate noble fruits. It should be understood that the name “ariya” is obtained according to its function and according to its fruit. Without making a compound of another word, it should be understood that the word “aṭṭhaṅgiko” (eight-membered) is formed as “it has eight members, therefore it is eight-membered.” Speech endowed with four qualities gathers people; thus, right speech, which is the nature of abstinence from its opposite, by abandoning divisive wrong speech, performs the function of gathering people and those associated with it. Therefore, it is called “characterized by gathering.” Just as a deed like making a robe initiates and accomplishes a task to be done, or a deed called volition, which accomplishes various actions, initiates actions like moving hands and feet, so too, right action, by abandoning wrong action that initiates blameworthy actions to be done, performs the function of initiating blameless actions, and it proceeds by initiating associated phenomena. Therefore, it is called “characterized by initiation.” Right livelihood, by abandoning wrong livelihood which is a defilement of the body, speech, and the continuum of aggregates, is called “characterized by purification.” Its opposing defilements are ignorance, etc., which are seen as a single mass. “Sees” means “reveals.” For by that very member, reflection occurs there. “Likewise” means “with its opposing defilements.” It is a duty, from the accomplishment here of the duty to be done by prior knowledges of suffering and so on. Or from the function of this very knowledge revealing suffering and so on. It obtains three names from accomplishing the function of abandoning thoughts of sensual desire and so on. In the Sikkhāpada-Vibhaṅga, it is said: "Volitional abstentions and all associated phenomena are training rules." Thus, concerning the main volitional abstentions, it is said: "They are also abstentions, and they are also volitions." Or, at the time of abstaining from false speech and so on, these are abstentions. And at the time of speaking well-spoken words and so on, these are volitions to be applied. At the path moment, they are only abstentions, for volitions are not path factors. Just as one knowledge is the knowledge of suffering, etc., and just as one abstention is the state of abstaining from false speech, etc., so too, by one volition, the three functions of right speech, etc., are not accomplished. Thus, the state of right speech, etc., is not established. And if it were established, the state of being three factors would not be established. Even in the prior stage, and even at the path moment, it is right concentration. Although right concentration is differentiated by the four jhānas, by way of factors assisting concentration, such as initial application, sustained application, delight, happiness, equanimity, and so on. Nevertheless, just as effort has the four functions of effort, like preventing unarisen unwholesome states; and just as mindfulness has the four functions of mindfulness, like abandoning perceptions of beauty, etc., in the body, etc., which are ugly, painful, impermanent, and not-self; so too, one concentration does not accomplish the four-jhāna concentration function. Thus, even in the prior stage, in the mind of first jhāna concentration, the jhāna concentration is indeed first jhāna concentration, even at the path moment. Similarly, even in the prior stage, in the mind of fourth jhāna concentration, the jhāna concentration is indeed fourth jhāna concentration, even at the path moment. This is the meaning. Initial application, which assists in the breaking forth of speech, is also an assistant to right speech, which causes the cessation and occurrence of blameworthy and blameless speech. Thus it is said, "This is..." and so on. Speech that regulates the breaking forth of speech is helpful to right action, which regulates bodily actions. This is effort: the effort of the four right exertions. "By courses" means accomplishments, or in the nature of functions, and so on. "Having sought out" means having considered. The connection is: having grasped the first two truths. It shows the inclination towards the cessation and the path, as "desirable, lovely," not as delight. And that inclination is to be understood as the action there. "To be done" means from the perspective of full understanding. "Penetration of the object" refers to the penetration of realization. Why is it said that all knowledge of penetration is supramundane? Is not the penetration of grasping, etc., also penetration, and is it not supramundane? No, because the word "penetration" alone does not refer to the penetrations of grasping, etc., or because the knowledge that arises in the initial stages concerning suffering, etc., in terms of grasping, etc., is called "penetration" because it is a cause of penetration, not because it is penetration itself. But it is referring to the knowledge that is penetration itself when it says, "all knowledge of penetration is supramundane." The knowledge of grasping and inquiry are included in the knowledge of listening. Thus, it mentions only three kinds of knowledge: knowledge of listening, memorizing, and contemplating, which are mundane. The comprehension of the truths through grasping, etc., is comprehension. "Application" means action, or effort. It shows the desirability and difficulty of that great application with similes, as in "for the purpose of grasping the summit of existence," etc. In "padaghāta," the path traveled is called "pada." The means or reason by which a thought of sensual desire arises is its path traveled. The destruction of that is "padaghāta." "Ussukkāpetvā" means having made it endowed with increasing special tranquility, meaning having developed it. "In the Pāli texts where they are divided"—in which Pāli texts? In the Dhammasaṅgaṇī, eight kasiṇas, ten asubhas, four brahmavihāras, and four āruppas are divided. In the Agamas, ten recollections, the perception of repulsiveness in food, and the analysis of the four elements are divided in various places. "In these three" refers to the three states of sensual desire, etc. "Called wrong speech" shows the unity of what is to be abandoned by a single volition. Here, an Aryan disciple is a noble ordinary person, a trainee. "Transgression of the door of the body" means that abstention from killing, etc., which are motivated by livelihood, should be connected separately. This is its distinction, taking all four kinds as one in terms of path-nature. This path's distinction in terms of jhāna is being entirely similar, entirely dissimilar, or partially similar. It occurs by way of the rule of the foundational jhāna. Here, the rule of the foundational jhāna is made primary. In the Aṭṭhasālinī, however, it is the rule of insight, because it does not contradict any doctrine there. But here, it is the rule of the foundational jhāna, to avoid the doctrine of the jhāna-practitioner's inclination. The rule of insight, however, being common, should be understood as not rejected here either. And other teachers' doctrines, which will be stated, should be distinguished. Thus, distinguishing the aforementioned rule of the foundational jhāna, he says: "First, by the rule of the foundational jhāna..." In the immaterial realms, the fourth and fifth jhāna... (and so on)... is said in the Aṭṭhasālinī, is the meaning. But is it not said there: "In the immaterial realms, the third and fourth jhāna arise," not "the fourth and fifth jhāna"? True, but by showing the arising of those about which there is doubt, it should be understood that it is as if it were said that the fourth and fifth jhāna arise, in terms of meaning. Thus, he says this. And considering the whole, he says: "And that is supramundane, not mundane." For only the mundane fourth jhāna arises there, not the fourth and fifth (supramundane). "How here?" means: how should it be understood, due to the absence of a foundational jhāna? The meaning is that for that person, the three paths arise there, making their own jhāna-related first fruition, etc., the foundation for the development of the higher path. However, having developed the path related to the third and fourth jhāna, the immaterial jhāna arising there, and its jhāna-related fruition, are made the foundation for the development of the higher path. And thus other jhāna-related paths also arise.