English
And regarding the non-co-arisen, the ekasesa designation should be seen in the first phrase, thus: "of the non-co-arisen, and of the co-arisen." "From volitional formations, consciousness" shows only non-co-arisen causes and effects, because only resultant consciousness is intended. "From ignorance, volitional formations; from consciousness, name-and-form" and so on, are both non-co-arisen and co-arisen. "By each method" is the old reading, but now in many books the reading is "by each tetrad." Tetrads of methods means the turns of the tetrads in the methods, meaning that in the nine methods beginning with the root of ignorance, there are four turns of the tetrads of causes and so on, each distinguished by specifics such as "from name, the sixth sense-base." Established means unmixed with the aforementioned specifics. Of the tetrads means the tetrads of turns, implying the sixteen turns as the nature of the method. 1. Description of the Tetrad of Causes The effects together with their causes are stated as factors, not merely the causes. Therefore, in "from the sixth sense-base, contact," the sixth sense-base is not a factor. Hence it is said, "No, because it is not a factor." And having done so means because the effect together with its cause is a factor. In the three ways means in all three ways stated in the commentary (VibhA. 243) beginning with "the first by way of encompassing all." Specificity of cause and so on, here name and the sixth sense-base are specific causes. By the word "and so on" are taken specificity of origin, and specificity of the sense-bases being incomplete or complete. For these make the second and subsequent turns different. By specificity of meaning means although elsewhere "from the six sense-bases, contact" states the cause as the six sense-bases, thus because it arises without reliance on things like the conascents, it is also a mere name-condition. Thus, the profound nature of dependent origination, inferred from its diverse and varied aspects, is revealed, and all name-conditions are shown. Indeed, the Great Discourse on the Causes proceeded by revealing touch as a name-condition, as in: “Ananda, if those modes, those signs, those features, those indications, by which the mental body is designated, were absent, would the designation of touch in the physical body be discernible?” Thus, when it is said: “Touch is conditioned by name-and-form,” by saying “conditioned by name-and-form,” it is also said “conditioned by name.” In the four rounds, “formations” are mentioned, but sorrow and the like are not. In the first two rounds, form is not mentioned. In three rounds, the six sense-bases are not mentioned. This is how it should be understood. “All… …that runs” means it is common to all existences that are the basis for the arising of all consciousness, or common to all existences that are the basis for the arising of consciousness. “Similar result, similar condition” means it is to be supported by and is a supporter through conascent and other conditions. “Of that consciousness.” “Bringing forth consciousness” means the production of resultant consciousness. “Of this consciousness.” “Indicator of going” is said because the word ‘hi’ in common usage is said to mean ‘going’. In “vigata” (gone), the prefix ‘vi’ indicates negation. Thus, two negations clarify the original meaning. Therefore, it is said: “It is indeed going, in the sense of preventing what has gone.” Here, “in three ways, in four ways, or in five ways”: Perception and attention, etc., are in three ways through conascent, reliance, and presence conditions. Touch and volition, etc., are in four ways through these same conditions and also through nutriment, etc. Feeling and initial application, etc., are in five ways through these same conditions and also through jhana factors, faculties, etc. Just as concentration, so too energy should be understood. For it too is a condition in six ways through the conditions of dominance, faculty, and path. “By way of expression,” by this, in this… In the sixes, making co-nascent condition principal, the teaching proceeds; this shows their intention. "Attha" means a conditioned phenomenon. "Katthaci" means at some time, the condition of its own conditioned arising by its own respective (factors) is not not (a condition). And "Atthato" is also a reading. "From being, birth" and so on should not be said, but it is said. Therefore, it shows that it should not be taken that the first tetrad is said only by way of co-nascent condition. Therefore he says, "and that is not not said" and so on. And the connection of this with "from being, birth" and so on should not be said, should be understood. "Paccayavacana" means only the word for condition as said in "from ignorance as condition" and so on. "Tesaṃ" means of those teachers. The connection is said without connecting. But how is it said? He says, "in general...etc...said with reference to." And here, by "indicating co-nascent" and so on, by the saying of the intended meaning, he states the non-establishment; but by "from co-nascent" and so on, from implication. For in the absence (of possibility), it would be established from another meaning, or by saying, or from the meaning, the establishment of the intended meaning. "Aññattha" means in another Sutta. Having determined the past time, together with the present and future, for the purpose of showing the three times. "Taṃdesanāpariggahattha" means for comprehending the Mahānidāna teaching. And that is for the purpose of showing the state of mutual correspondence of both teachings. Thus, the teaching spoken by the Omniscient Buddha truly corresponds. "Imassa" means of this third turn. By not depending on others, by the undefiled arising, by not being smeared with impurity of the sense-sphere devas, and of all Brahmas, and by thus arising, the pre-eminence of the spontaneous birth should be understood. "Saṅgahanidassanavasena" means by way of showing, by way of example, the inclusion of the moisture-born only by the spontaneous birth. Even of the object condition, of contact, even though it is a cause for occurrence, but that, like the internal sixth sense-base which is a co-nascent and other condition, is said not to be pre-eminent (or excessive) "ā...". "Here, the object-condition is not the activator." "Some" means those with complete sense bases, those in the womb. "The last... and so on... always arises" means that the arising of sense bases in stages, as it happens to those in the womb, does not occur for beings of other origins. This is what is said. And so the commentary says, "because it illustrates co-arising." The explanation of the four conditions is finished. 2. Explanation of the Four Causes 244. "From non-existence" means from existence and non-existence. For that which exists only at the moment of birth, and not beyond that, would be an unseparated condition of birth, due to the existence of the rule of unseparated condition. But since existence (bhava) exists even beyond the moment of birth, it is not an unseparated condition for that (birth). Therefore, it is said, "the meaning is, from existence beyond that." "In existence" means in the term 'existence', or when existence is to be produced. This method applies to birth and so on, here too. "Just as, however," and so on, shows the ineffectiveness of the reasons stated, "due to the non-existence of an unseparated condition, and the non-existence of a rule," by illustrating their non-pervasiveness in the manner stated, because the unseparated conditionality of the condition-produced, which is not continuously existing, and of the conditioning phenomenon, is observed. "In the aggregates of formations," and so on, is said by way of purifying the path. He himself states its resolution. "That moment exists for it," thus "momentary"; "not momentary" is "non-momentary"; "due to its existence," means "due to its non-continuously existing nature." To show how causes exist, he says, "But as for the characteristics of the conditioned," and so on. "Thus" means, when the aforementioned method exists, it means "being thus." "For indeed... and so on... exists" shows that just as birth and so on do not have condition-produced status by way of unseparated condition, so too they do not have condition status. He states the reason for this: "because they are phenomena without intrinsic nature." "But how can birth and so on, being phenomena without intrinsic nature, be condition-produced and be conditions?" He says, "But as for those arising," and so on. "Of that" means of birth, aging, and death. "In the place to be stated" means "the place where 'except' is to be stated." "But what is that?" It is the aforementioned mentality, and mentality-and-materiality, formations. because old age and death are included in the form aggregate. By "that existence which is a condition for birth," it shows that even birth and the like, though included in existence, are not said to be "excluding" because they are not conditions for birth. The intention is that there is no suspicion of their being a condition for it. Therefore, it speaks of suspicion, when there is a distinction between what is to be excluded and what is to be included. The explanation of the Tetrad of Conditions is finished. 4. The Explanation of the Tetrad of Mutuality 246. "Of the conditioned by condition" means that which is of the nature of being conditioned by condition. "Standing separately" means that which is not included in existence. Only a specific part is taken here, as only the three aggregates of feeling and the like are intended and established. Excluding the conditioned by condition, only the name that is the condition is taken, just as there is no fixed rule of mutuality for grasping in existence, so there is no fixed rule of non-separation of conditions. "In the manner stated" means in the manner stated beginning with