English
thus they are "equal to the others" (aññasamānā). The description of the mental factors equal to the others is finished. Description of Unwholesome Mental Factors 5. Having thus enumerated thirteen phenomena, some common to all consciousness, some miscellaneous, some beautiful, some other, now, in the order specified in the division of consciousness below, to show first those included in unwholesome phenomena, and then those included in wholesome phenomena, it is said: "delusion" (moho), etc. However, there are no exclusive phenomena for the rootless, so they are not mentioned separately. "Delusion" (moho) is that which deludes regarding the object, ignorance. Its characteristic is the obscuring of the object's true nature. Even though it arises through the apprehension of the object, it operates by concealing its true nature. "Shamelessness" (ahiriko) is not feeling shame, not being embarrassed; it can be a person or a group of phenomena. The state of the shameless is shamelessness (ahirikkaṃ), which is shamelessness itself. "Fearlessness of wrongdoing" (anottappaṃ) is not being afraid. Among these, shamelessness is characterized by not being disgusted by misconduct of body, etc., like a village pig by filth. Fearlessness of wrongdoing is characterized by not being terrified by it, like a moth by fire. Therefore, the ancients said: "The shameless one is not disgusted, by evil, like a pig by filth; The fearless of wrongdoing is not afraid, like a moth by fire." The state of being agitated is "restlessness" (uddhaccaṃ); it is characterized by the unpacified state of the mind, like ashes stirred up by striking a stone. "Greed" (lobho) is that which clings; it is characterized by attachment to the object, like monkey-glue. Mere desire of the mind to grasp an object is "intention" (chando); greed is intense craving for it; this is the distinction between them. "Wrong view" (diṭṭhi) is characterized by wrong conviction, saying: "This alone is true, all else is vain." Knowledge indeed knows the object as it truly is; wrong view grasps it falsely, abandoning its true nature; this is the distinction between them. "Conceit" (māno) is thinking: "I am superior," etc.; it is the characteristic of loftiness. Thus it is said, “its proximate cause is the desire for a banner.” That which defiles is defilement, it has the characteristic of fierceness, like a struck viper. That which envies is envy, it has the characteristic of begrudging others’ prosperity. The state of a miser is avarice, or avarice is that which arises with the thought, “May this wonder not be for others, but only for me.” It has the characteristic of concealing one’s own prosperity. That which is badly done is ill-done. Ill-done and well-done, bad conduct and good conduct. Even that which is not done is called ill-done, as in “that which I have not done is ill-done.” Here, however, ill-done is the remorseful thought that arises concerning what has been done and not done. Its state is worry, it has the characteristic of regretting ill-done and well-done, bad and good conduct. The state of being sluggish is sloth, a state of being bound together due to lack of enthusiasm and sinking down. The state of being torpid is torpor, lack of capability, or obstruction of power. Here, sloth is characterized by the unsuitability of the mind, torpor by that of the three aggregates beginning with feeling. This is the distinction between them. Thus, in the Pāḷi, “What is sloth? It is the unreadiness, the unsuitability of the mind. What is torpor? It is the unreadiness, the unsuitability of the body,” and so on, this description of them occurs. But since it says “of the body,” does it not follow that the unsuitability of the physical body is also torpor, and thus torpor would also have the nature of form? It does not follow, because it has been rejected by the teachers based on the reasons brought forth here and there. Thus, to refute the view of those who hold torpor to be form, the teachers elaborate in various ways in the commentaries and so on, after first presenting their arguments. Here is a summary of this: “Some say that torpor is also form, but this is not appropriate; because it is mentioned among things to be abandoned, like sensual desire and so on. “This is declared among the things to be abandoned, among the hindrances; but form is not declared as something to be abandoned by insight and so on. “From the Pāḷi text, ‘Monks, do not abandon form,’ where even a trace of form’s abandonability is seen. “There, t the abandoning of desire-and-lust for objects is declared; For it is said there, 'the casting off of desire-and-lust,' and so on. ‘‘Among material and immaterial torpor, the immaterial is taught there; If it is not there, then it is not, due to the general reading. ‘‘It is indeed possible to infer that which is thought to be material torpor; That too is a hindrance, being torpor, like the other. ‘‘And from the statement of association, it is certain that it is not material; For the association of immaterial aggregates is spoken of. ‘‘Similarly, in the immaterial, arising, from the reading, there is no materiality; But sleep for those whose defilements are destroyed, may be due to bodily sickness.’’ The description of unwholesome mental factors is concluded. Description of Beautiful Mental Factors 6. Believing is faith, confidence in the Buddha and so on, it has the characteristic of clarifying associated phenomena, like a water-clarifying gem. Recollection is mindfulness, non-forgetfulness, it has the characteristic of recalling associated phenomena. Being ashamed, shrinking from bodily misconduct and so on, is shame, it has the characteristic of shrinking from evil. Being afraid is fear of wrongdoing, it has the characteristic of dreading evil. Shame, like a respectable woman, shrinks from evil due to self-respect, fear of wrongdoing, like a courtesan, dreads evil due to respect for others. Non-greed is the opposite of greed, it has the characteristic of the mind not clinging to the object, like a liberated monk. Non-hatred is the opposite of hatred, it has the characteristic of non-fierceness, like a congenial friend. Neutrality regarding those phenomena is equanimity, it has the characteristic of observing mental states and mental factors, like a charioteer observing well-moving horses. Tranquillity of the body is bodily tranquillity. Tranquillity of the mind is mental tranquillity. Both have the characteristic of calming bodily and mental distress. Lightness of the body is bodily lightness. Similarly, mental lightness. They have the characteristic of calming bodily and mental heaviness. Malleability of the body is bodily malleability. Similarly, mental malleability. They have the characteristic of calming bodily and mental rigidity. Apt for action is adaptability, its state is adaptability, adaptability of the body is bodily adaptability. . So too, mental pliancy. These are characterized by the calming of bodily and mental unpliancy. The state of being skilled is skillfulness, that very skillfulness is pliancy, bodily pliancy is the body's pliancy. So too, mental pliancy. These are characterized by the calming of bodily and mental sickness. The straightness of the body is bodily straightness. So too, mental straightness. These are characterized by the uprightness of body and mind. In order, these arise from the conditions that counteract the agitation of the elements, such as initial thought, in the body and mind. Here, "body" refers to the three aggregates of feeling and so on. And because these two qualities, two by two, come together and destroy their respective opposing qualities, therefore, duality is mentioned here, not in concentration and so on. Moreover, by mental tranquility and so on, there is the state of tranquility and so on of the mind itself. But by bodily tranquility and so on, there is also the permeation of refined form arising from the physical body. Thus, duality is mentioned here to show that meaning. They are common to all wholesome states, arising in them by necessity, thus they are common to wholesome states. 7. By this they speak rightly, thus right speech, abstinence from verbal misconduct. It is fourfold: abstinence from false speech, abstinence from slanderous speech, abstinence from harsh speech, abstinence from frivolous talk. Action itself is conduct, like the end of a Sutta or a forest. Rightly performed conduct is right conduct, abstinence from bodily misconduct. It is threefold: abstinence from taking life, abstinence from taking what is not given, abstinence from sexual misconduct. By this they live rightly, thus right livelihood, abstinence from wrong livelihood. This is sevenfold by way of abstaining from bodily and verbal misconduct due to livelihood, or manifold by way of abstaining from wrong livelihood such as flattery and so on. All three of these, individually, are called threefold abstinences by way of abstinence through attainment, abstinence through undertaking, and abstinence through eradication, because they abstain from the aforementioned misconducts. 8. It acts, when there is suffering in others, it causes sorrow in the hearts of good people, or it scatters, disperses the suffering of others, or it harms it, or it is extended to those who suffer. What is compassion? It is characterized by the wish to remove the suffering of others. Whether the suffering of others is removed by it or not, it proceeds in that manner. What is sympathetic joy? It is that by which one rejoices, characterized by rejoicing in the prosperity of others. Because it has immeasurable beings as its object, it is immeasurable, these are the immeasurables. But it will say "the four immeasurables," why are only two mentioned here? Because loving-kindness and equanimity are included in non-aversion and even-mindedness.