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Homage to the Blessed One, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One. In the Abhidhamma Piṭaka Dhammasaṅgaṇī-anuṭīkā Commentary on the Twenty Verses 1. Desiring to explain the meaning of the commentary on the Abhidhamma, the author, at the beginning of its initial verse, first clarifies the meaning, preceded by an explanation of its purpose and connection. He states that the practice of those with noble intentions and careful consideration is for the purpose of bringing about various benefits and happiness for others. Thus, at the beginning of the commentary on the Dhamma, it is as if the act of paying homage to the Teacher serves to remove obstacles, and also to generate the jewel of faith in the Teacher and the Dhamma, which leads to the ultimate attainment of happiness for others. To show this, he begins with "dhammasaṃvaṇṇanāya" (for the commentary on the Dhamma). Here, the word "Dhamma," though generally meaning "that which upholds" (because it upholds those who practice as instructed, preventing them from falling into lower realms), in the context of other words, refers specifically to the Pariyatti (scriptural) Dhamma. "Saṃvaṇṇanā" is that by which meaning is explained; it is the commentary. The Teacher is one who instructs in the Dhamma of liberation appropriately, through the three vehicles. "Paṇāma" is bowing, the inclination of body, speech, and mind towards the Teacher's virtues. "Kiriyā" is action, "paṇāmakaraṇa" is the act of bowing, the application of veneration. Although this will show that the intended bowing, as in "now making the intended bowing" and "having bowed at his feet," is the intended bowing, it should be understood in terms of all that is said by way of praise, such as "like compassion." For it, arising from the praise of the Teacher's special qualities like great compassion, serves to generate faith in the Teacher and in the well-proclaimed Dhamma (which is manifested by the Dhamma being commented upon, inseparable from the special qualities of great compassion), for those who have not yet developed faith, and to increase it for those who have. And by the Teacher's teaching of the Dhamma being unwavering, it speaks of the Dhamma as being a truthful teaching, and of the Teacher's great compassion and other qualities as being capable of producing special results, thus inspiring confidence. For the Teacher's success is through the Dhamma. by the Teacher, the Dhamma succeeds, and the attainment of Dhamma is accomplished by the Teacher's qualities, through the manifestation of the Teacher's qualities. Having thus shown one purpose of making salutation to the Teacher, now the connection is explained with "for by the faith in both" and so on. For one who is not faithful to the Teacher or the Dhamma does not properly practice the Dhamma that is being praised and is to be attained, nor does he achieve the great goal of non-attachment leading to Nibbāna, beginning with morality. Therefore, with the desire for others' proper practice in the praises of the Dhamma, and being enjoined by those who accept such Dhamma, the creation of faith in the Teacher and the Dhamma, and the making of salutation to the Teacher, is prescribed—this is the intention. The praise of the Blessed One's qualities is also a praise of his Dhamma and Sangha, as stated in "the words of salutation to the Triple Gem." And so it will be said, "by the praise of the Blessed One alone," and so on (Dhs. Mūlaṭī. 6). Or it is said with reference to what will be said, "and having honored his good Dhamma," and so on. For the purpose of informing others, or it should be connected with "for the wise." The unwise are not taken into account due to their immeasurability and unsuitability; rather, the wise are taken. For they, knowing the reverence for the Buddhas and others to be authoritative, consider his words to be worth hearing and believing, and by properly practicing them, they fulfill his intention. Here too, the connection should be understood in the same way as before, as it is declared with the desire for proper practice, even through the means of inspiring faith and so on. Here, the first interpretation of the meaning is stated for individuals who are followers of faith, the second for followers of Dhamma. Or the first is stated for those whose Teacher and Dhamma are not yet perfected, the second for those whose Teacher and Dhamma are perfected. Similarly, the first is concerned with showing the act of salutation to the first gem, the second to the others—this distinction should be understood. "Paṇāmakaraṇa" is that by which salutation is made, it is the volition that brings about the act of salutation. For it, due to the perfection of the field and the perfection of the teacher's intention, being experienced in this very life, as obtained It shows this meaning: "The homage to the Triple Gem... ...due to its special nature" that it is an abundance of merit capable of destroying the misfortunes like diseases, which are called "obstacles" because they come and fall in the middle, between the continuous results produced by past actions, by not giving power to actions that cause the non-attainment of happiness; which are the cause of affliction and destruction. And having done so, by speaking of the absence of defilements like greed, it shows the absence of the cause of obstacles, which is the failure of effort; by speaking of the attainment of benefits, it shows the existence of the success of effort, which is the cause of no obstacles; and by the statement "Among afflicted beings, he dwells unafflicted" (A.N. 6.10; 11.11), it reveals the dwelling in happiness in this very life. Thus, the Mahānāma Sutta itself is cited as an example. "For the purpose of showing the special qualities" — by this, it shows that even though homages of body and mind are capable of removing obstacles, a verbal homage is made special by clarifying the worthiness of homage of the object of homage. "For he is one of special qualities" — by this and so on, it shows the teacher's appropriateness of action. In "the teaching and the Vinaya Piṭaka," is it not inappropriate to speak of a distinction between teaching and Vinaya Piṭaka, since the Vinaya Piṭaka also consists of teachings? No, it is not inappropriate, just as in "in all three of these, these are the penetrations of Dhamma, meaning, and teaching" (Dhammasaṅgaṇī Aṭṭhakathā, Nidānakathā; Dīgha Nikāya Aṭṭhakathā 1, Paṭhamamahāsaṅgītikathā; Pārājika Aṭṭhakathā 1, Paṭhamamahāsaṅgītikathā), the individual teachings are the basis for the collective teaching. Or, the distinction is made because the Vinaya system, mentally established at the time of teaching, is the Vinaya Piṭaka, and the explanation of its meaning is the teaching. Alternatively, "teaching" (desanā) is that by which something is taught, meaning the thought-moment that gives rise to the teaching, and that thought-moment is concerned with the Vinaya Piṭaka and is preceded by compassion. Thus, the appropriateness of the distinction should be understood here. The same method applies to "Suttanta Piṭaka" and so on. How then is the teaching of the Blessed One in the Vinaya Piṭaka predominantly compassionate, in the Abhidhamma Piṭaka, is it understood as wisdom and compassion, or primarily wisdom? Because the Blessed One, even with the highest degree of shame and dread, spoke words like "sikharaṇī" (a term for a woman who has committed a serious offense), which should be avoided even by ordinary good people, and words of reproach according to the offense, in his Vinaya Piṭaka teachings, with a mind stirred by great compassion, in the midst of a large assembly. He also experienced physical fatigue in Verañjā and other places, due to the causes for the promulgation of various training rules. Therefore, although the wisdom that gives rise to the Vinaya promulgation is exceptionally important, being unique and incomparable, like the wisdom for other realms, conditions, and times, it is said with the intention that the function of compassion is greater than that, "in the Vinaya Piṭaka, compassion is primary." Indeed, the teaching is primarily compassion due to the predominance of the activity of compassion. In the Suttanta teachings, the Buddha, abundant in the attainment of great compassion, established profound meanings and words in the minds of those to be trained, in accordance with their dispositions; thus, it is primarily compassion and wisdom. In the Abhidhamma teachings, however, the analysis of form and non-form, which is the domain of omniscience, proceeds in accordance with the nature of phenomena; thus, it is primarily wisdom. And for that very reason, the teacher's custom is to praise the suitability of the description to the respective teachings, as shown by phrases like "for that very reason." "Skilled in form, the one with eyes, the ten, like the understanding of meaning through a collection of pomegranates and so on," the use of a word is for the understanding of meaning. It is a mere word-meaning, dependent on oneself and others. When the word "iti" (thus) is used to reverse the word-meaning, it becomes a word-meaning of the word. Thus, it says, " 'like compassion' is an illustrative phrase." An illustration occurs when there is a relationship with the phenomenon to be illustrated, and not otherwise. Explaining its illustrative nature, it says, "the meaning is, 'as for whom, how... ...it occurred.' " By showing the essence of the verse through the exposition of the illustrative and illustrated phenomena, along with their specific characteristics in terms of their basis, object, and activity, with phrases like " 'there, like compassion' is an illustrative phrase,"