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they desire that there is perception. 93. Because there is no individual apart from the aggregates of form, etc., it speaks in the sense that just as fire exists by grasping fuel, so too the individual exists by grasping the aggregates of form, etc., and does not exist apart from the aggregates of form, etc. The explanation of the inquiry into destinations is concluded. 12. Explanation of the inquiry into conventional designation based on grasping 97. In "grasping blue form, it is 'blue'," etc., it means in "the designation of an individual as 'blue' by grasping blue form," when one is asked "by grasping blue, it is 'blue'," that is the meaning. 98. With reference to a clever person: It is said with reference to a clever person, not a designation by a skilled person. The meaning should be understood as "thinking 'by grasping skillful feeling,' he acknowledges it." 112. Now... to show... he says "just as a tree," etc., meaning that having shown the former position, he states the latter. 115. Having extracted the statement "whose is form, he is possessed of form" said in the latter position, he says "because," etc. 116. By way of contemplation of consciousness: The intention is by way of the connection of consciousness with lust, etc., as illuminated by way of contemplation of consciousness. 118. By which: "Eye" means that the instrument referred to as "by which" is the eye. He speaks with reference to the idea that the eye itself sees form, meaning that the eye's seeing is nothing but its becoming a support for consciousness. The explanation of the inquiry into conventional designation based on grasping is concluded. 13. Explanation of the inquiry into personal effort 123. Mere instrument: The aggregates that operate as the producers and instigators of actions. 124. With reference to the idea that without past kamma, there is no birth for an individual, and for one who is born, there is no right or wrong conduct in places of knowledge, etc., he says "that past kamma is its," etc. 125. Of the cycle of kamma: Here, they say that the cycle of kamma is unbroken, meaning that the doer of kamma must also do other kamma, and the doer of that must do yet another. This should be considered: the doer of an individual becomes the doer of kamma. For one who desires its doer through being generated by parents, etc., there is a succession of doers of kamma. it falls into, and this should be investigated. 170. Due to the fear of contradiction with the Suttas, by such (statements) as "He acts, he experiences, O brahmin, this is one extreme" (SN 2.46). 171. By the saying "Here he rejoices, hereafter he rejoices" (Dhp 18), the meaning is that he acknowledges it is the same person both at the time of performing the action and at the time of experiencing the result. And when asked about self-made pleasure and pain, he rejects it due to contradiction with Suttas such as "Is pleasure and pain self-made, good Gotama? Do not say so, Kassapa" (SN 2.18). 176. This is merely a view. "It is the same one, it is neither he nor another" - this, however, does not exist. Therefore, the meaning is that such a speaker incurs (the consequence of) "not acting by oneself," etc. And by "furthermore," etc., this is shown: The inquiry "he acts," etc., is not stated merely by the will of another. But rather, for one who does not desire one of "he acts," etc., the other (is incurred), and for one who does not desire that, another (is incurred). Thus, having stood in the difficulty of agent and experiencer, it is also by incurring each one due to not desiring it in "he acts," etc. Or, it shows that this inquiry is made not only because all of "he acts," etc., are incurred, but also because each one individually is incurred. By "in the former way," etc., it shows that all the reasons for acknowledging, such as "here he rejoices," etc., should be combined into one. The explanation of the inquiry into the agent is finished. The chapter on the good is finished. 14. Explanation of the inquiry into supernormal knowledge 193. Here, by "the attainment of arahantship by way of the inquiry into supernormal knowledge, etc.," the inquiry into supernormal knowledge, "Is there anyone who performs psychic power?" and the statement, "If there is anyone who performs psychic power," and the bringing about of "then indeed," etc., this meaning, encompassed by the word "etc.," should be understood. Here, the knowledge of the destruction of defilements is called supernormal knowledge. Therefore, he says "the attainment of arahantship" as the attainment for an arahant possessing that supernormal knowledge. For the attainment of an arahant is indeed the attainment of that state. The explanation of the inquiry into supernormal knowledge is finished. 15-18. Inquiry into relatives, etc. Commentary 209. "Of such a kind" The meaning is: due to the absence of a real entity that is a third extreme. But if, rejecting thus, one were to speak of a person who is not a real entity, being a third extreme, then indeed, one wishing for such a person would be refuted by the Sutta. Why? Because there is no real entity of such a kind. Because there is no such nature of anyone. Due to being worthy of rejection, the rejection is of the opponent's view, concealing one's own doctrine. This meaning should be understood. The commentary on the inquiry into relatives, etc., is finished. 19. Commentary on the inquiry into penetration, etc. 218. By the statement "grasped feeling," it shows that for an ungrasped feeling, knowing "I am happy, I am unhappy" is not called full understanding. And it shows the ability of the meditator to discern even subtle feelings. 228. The statement about characteristics: Going within form is being with form. Going outside is being without form. This is the meaning. 237. These indeed— gross self-acquisition, mind-made self-acquisition, formless self-acquisition— these are the designations of the world. By which the Tathāgata speaks without clinging, which might be true or false. Even when no self is found in it, it is not found there. Not giving rise to clinging, to the view of self, he speaks only by way of the current worldly usage "self-acquisition." This is the meaning here. And here, having rejected the existence of a person by way of individual and general characteristics, by speaking of existence by worldly usage, it is said that there is no such nature as a person. If it existed, its existence by its own nature should be spoken of, not by worldly usage. But by this, as it accords, and as there is no clinging, so also the previous explanations of meaning should be connected. The reason for worldly convention: Because it proceeds by way of worldly convention, therefore it is called true. The characteristic of reality: is the cause of reality. Because it proceeds by the reality of phenomena, therefore it shows it to be true. The commentary on the inquiry into penetration, etc., is finished. A. The Description of the Discourse on Persons is concluded. 2. Discourse on Decline 1. Description of the Discourse on Decline due to Argumentative Reasoning 239. "These two things, monks, lead to the decline of a trainee monk." (A.N. 2.185) This Sutta is not a basis for the doctrine of the Arahant's decline, but rather for the doctrine of decline of Non-returners and others. Therefore, where it is said "they desire the Arahant's decline also", the word "also" should be understood to include Non-returners and Once-returners. "In the third case, only those with dull faculties are intended. For all of them, there is no decline, that is his doctrine." This is the earlier reading. But if only those with dull faculties are intended, a restriction should not be made, and it has been made. Therefore, they read: "In the third case, only those with sharp faculties are intended. For all of them, there is no decline, that is his doctrine." Taking the meaning incorrectly, it is said that "only the Stream-enterer is fixed", meaning that only he does not decline, not others. Not taking the meaning "for the sake of the higher paths", they say that "fixed" means "does not decline from the fruit of Stream-entry", and they take this meaning. The Description of the Discourse on Decline due to Argumentative Reasoning is concluded. 2. Description of the Decline in Connection with Noble Persons 241. And what is said here, beginning with... for one who stands in the fruit of the path of insight, immediately attaining Arahantship, and desiring to decline from there and remain in that state, he does not desire to attain Arahantship immediately again through effort. This should be considered. 262. It should be understood that a trainee who has attained jhāna but not mastery is referred to as a trainee. But the ordinary person, whether having attained mastery or not, is not included in the category of "temporarily liberated" or "permanently liberated". But if he is made to be included, he may be included in the state of "temporarily liberated" by virtue of his defilements being suppressed by attainments. The Description of the Decline in Connection with Noble Persons is concluded. 3. Description of the Decline Proven by Suttas 265. The distinction of superior and inferior, by means of Suttas beginning with: "Among these, that practice which is pleasant and quickly leads to direct knowledge, is declared excellent in both ways." (It is) said in Dī. Ni. 3.152. Like in "seen, heard, sensed," the word 'muta' here means "what is to be attained," thus it is said "fit to be touched." 267. And they conduce to the non-loss of what has not been attained. This is the meaning for one whose resolve has been made,