English
Here, in this section on extracting the meaning. To show the possibility of bodily karma devoid of mindfulness, even for those who have attained fullness of mindfulness, it is said: "by way of latent tendencies." For those not free from passion, the mind might become agitated even with some unlimited object, so it is said, specifying: "in the absence of defilements." "Only by way of not paying attention" —the word "only" here negates the specific meaning of "mere non-attention," and points to that very specific meaning to be negated, not otherwise. "Laziness," and so on— the word "and so on" includes faults and so forth. "Not paying attention is indeed being unconcerned" —it should be understood that those who pay attention are not unconcerned, but they are not those who do not pay attention. Some, however, say: "For Arahants, the practice of giving, etc., without respect, is not due to inattention, but due to their body being unfit for action and their mind being engaged elsewhere." 1421. "Extremely skilled" means well-cultivated, having attained mastery very well. The intention is that even in such well-cultivated absorptions, activity occurs due to the weakness of investigation and effort there. "Shown previously" refers to what was shown previously by "three characteristics," "I am," and so on. Teachers say: "Meaning is 'carried' by the mind, 'gone to,' 'known' —as non-existent in terms of ultimate reality, and as existent in terms of conventional truth by way of worldly designation." Because the mind-states related to them do not have an object that can be expressed, they are called "having an inexpressible object" by way of a Bahubbīhi compound. This view, however, is like a nihilistic view, so, considering its absolute non-existence, and to show a different kind of non-existent concept, he says: "But in conventional truth," and so on. But how then... since it is absolutely non-existent, the arising of phenomena related to it and its not being an object of apprehension is said with "even what is non-existent," and so on. It is said that it should not be called an object like a small thing, thus denying its distinct established nature, like small things. Distraction is the mind's activity on various objects. Instability is the inability to remain active on a single object. The knowledge that precedes the second and subsequent paths, and that which precedes the fruition attainments, being of the sense-sphere, and being the place for advertence of the supramundane mind due to its object being Nibbāna, is considered similar to the knowledge preceding the first path, and thus it is said, "having taken gotrabhū in gotrabhū-udāna." "As a basis for everything" is in the locative case, meaning "to be produced" or "for the purpose," as in "in the non-pacification of the mind," and so on. Therefore, the meaning is "in all things to be produced, such as insight." That is why it says "in all," and so on. It should be understood that the knowledge of past lives, being of the sense-sphere, is not included in psychic powers and so on. They say its range extends from seven days in the past down to the present rebirth-linking. It seems appropriate that it also encompasses things connected with the aggregates even in the past seven days. "Having taken the base-jhāna consciousness with preliminary preparations" means having attained the base-jhāna, and having arisen from it, it is said with reference to the base-jhāna consciousness itself being taken with preliminary preparations, just like the physical body, with the thought, "May this body be swift-moving, like this consciousness." This determination, however, is to be understood as occurring in this way. Desiring to reach the intended place, having prioritized the wish to go, having attained the base-jhāna and arisen from it, having made a preliminary preparation with the physical body as object, with the thought, "May this body be swift-moving, like this consciousness," having descended into the life-continuum, and having arisen, having attained the base-jhāna, and having again descended into the life-continuum, the mind-door advertence arises, making the physical body its object, and so do the conformities. Then the determination consciousness also arises, making that same object its object. By its power, he arrives at the desired place. Now, when he goes with an invisible body, does he go at the moment of the arising of that will-power-mind, or at the moment of its duration, or at the moment of its dissolution? They wish that he goes at all three moments. "In the mind" means in the mind of the base-jhana. "He concentrates" means he makes it go swiftly, like a mind that follows the mind. Just as the mind, at the desired moment, even at a great distance, engages with an object, so too, the transformation of the body is the bringing about of a swift change in the physical body by means of the mind. And here, it should not be said that the arising in another place in a single mind-moment is not appropriate for material phenomena due to their slow change, because the physical body has been made to change swiftly by the will-power-mind. Therefore, it is said: "Having willed the body by means of the mind, and having entered into the perception of pleasure and the perception of lightness, he goes to the Brahma-world with an invisible body" (Visuddhi. 2.397). For the domain of psychic power of those with psychic power is inconceivable. "He concentrates the mind-continuum into the physical body" means that the continuum of those minds, by which one reaches the desired place with a visible body, makes for slow movement, and therefore, this will-power applied to the physical body is consistent with that. Having entered into this will-power-base-jhana, and having emerged, and having made the preliminary work with the jhana-mind that has emerged as the object, saying, "May this mind be slow-moving like this body," and having descended into the bhavanga, and having emerged from the bhavanga, and having entered into the base-jhana, and when it has again descended into the bhavanga, the mind-door adverting arises, making the base-jhana its object, and so do the conformities. Then the will-power-mind also arises, making that same object its object. By its power, even if the five consciousnesses, etc., arise in between, he goes to the desired place without falling. And when he goes in this way, if he wishes, he creates a path in the sky by means of the earth kasina and goes on foot. If he wishes, he creates a path by means of the wind kasina having resolved, it goes like a tuft of cotton in the wind. Indeed, the desire to go is the measure here. For when there is a desire to go, one who has made such a resolution, propelled by the force of the resolution, goes, appearing like an arrow shot from a bow. Therein, one who creates a path in the sky and goes, goes as if on ordinary ground, even without supernormal knowledge. Therefore, it is said, "he goes on foot." One who resolves upon the wind and goes, goes by a succession of wind elements arising from supernormal knowledge. In both cases, they say, he goes, observing the beauty of forests and parks in between, and hearing sounds that come within range. Some, however, say, "going to the desired place in a single mind-moment with an invisible body, and going on foot or by wind with a visible body, is going by the manifestation of bodily intimation arising from the supernormal mind." Others say, "there is no function of the supernormal mind in producing intimation." The two resolutions: the resolution of body and mind, which is the transformation of body and mind, and the object of the jhana-mind that is the basis of the physical body— both are resolutions. "Associated with that" means associated with the two resolutions as described. "By the presence of the perception of ease and lightness" means by the existence of the perception of ease and lightness, meaning, attaining that state. Here, "perception of ease" is a perception associated with equanimity. For equanimity is called "peaceful ease." And that very perception, being free from hindrances and from adversaries like initial application, should also be known as "perception of lightness." When these are present, even the physical body becomes light like a tuft of cotton. Thus, with such a light body, like a tuft of cotton driven by the wind, and invisible, in a single mind-moment, he goes as he wishes. Knowing the thought-process of the Blessed One, which arose as, "Indeed, I am freed from that unprofitable ascetic practice; indeed, it is good that I have awakened to perfect self-awakening," Mara thought, "I will make him unfree." "Having turned away from ascetic practices, that which is not The young men complain, "You think you are pure, but you are impure, You have strayed from the path of purity." It is said, referring to this and similar passages, "It is stated that the Buddha knows the minds of Māra and others." And the connection is that the retrospection of Nibbāna, and the knowledge of past lives, occur regarding Nibbāna... and regarding what is known. The phrase "regarding Nibbāna... and regarding what is known" is stated because retrospection, occurring after the knowledge of higher powers, can sometimes occur in the sphere of the knowledge of higher powers, as if it were in the sphere of the knowledge of higher powers. "Having an immeasurable object" means having the immeasurable aggregates as its object. Therefore, because there is no passage indicating that the knowledge of past lives has Nibbāna as its object, therefore. When speaking of the function of retrospection, without taking the conventional meaning, "retrospection" means remembering, reflecting again and again on past things like paths, etc., so it means that the function of the knowledge of past lives is indeed retrospection.