English
"And so on, such as these kinds" means the kasina, the opening of space, the cessation And divisions like kasiṇa. By way of the shadow of meaning, that is, by way of the shadow of ultimate reality, by way of its counterpart. 41. By names such as 'name' and 'naming-action', that is, by these six names: name, naming-action, appellation, etymology, expression, and utterance. Among these, 'name' is that which inclines towards meanings. That is twofold by way of meaningful convention, and fourfold by way of common quality, action, or arbitrary designation. 'Naming-action' is just 'name'. Similarly, 'appellation'. 'Etymology' is the utterance, the speaking, after extracting the meaning through letters. 'Expression' is that which expresses meaning. 'Utterance' is that which speaks forth, it is the sequence of letters arranged in sound. Now, to show that this designation of name is sixfold by way of the combination of existing, non-existing, and both, it is said "designation of the existing," and so on. By this they designate, and by "form, feeling," and so on, they make clear. 42. "Of both" means of the two, the existing and the non-existing. "One with six supernormal powers" means one who has five supernormal knowledges and the knowledge of the destruction of defilements, thus six supernormal knowledges. Here, because the supernormal knowledges exist, and the person who attains them does not exist (ultimately), this is called "designation of the non-existing by means of the existing." Similarly, because "woman" does not exist (ultimately), and "sound" exists, "woman-sound" is "designation of the existing by means of the non-existing." Because the sensitive eye and the consciousness dependent on it both exist, "eye-consciousness" is "designation of the existing by means of the existing." Because both "king" and "son" are conventional truths, "king's son" is "designation of the non-existing by means of the non-existing." 43. "According to the sound of speech" means following, pursuing, recollecting, and making an object of the sound-made (words) like "earth, mountain, form, feeling," etc. Immediately after the occurrence of the ear-consciousness process, the mind-door arises. The mind-door consciousness continuum, which proceeds by way of name-thinking, has as its object, as its sphere, that which was previously grasped as a sign or basis: "this is the name for such and such a meaning." After that grasping of the name, according to the designation of name which pertains to conventional and ultimate reality, ... By understanding, meanings are known, divided into conventional and ultimate. This, like earth, mountains, forms, and feelings, is a designator of things to be designated, created by worldly convention, established by worldly usage. It is a concept grasped by the mind-door, in the form of a string of letters, known as a designation, called a name-designation, because it designates. Here, the mind-door process-series, which immediately follows the ear-consciousness process-series, is also included by the term "ear-consciousness process-series." Thus it is said, "by the ear-consciousness process-series." For one who hears a sound like "pot," there are two javana-moments for each sound, based on present and past objects. And one javana-moment based on the string of letters, which is the name-designation grasped by the intellect. Thus, the grasping of the name-designation occurs after the javana-process-series whose object is the past sound, which immediately follows the ear-consciousness process-series. After that, there is the comprehension of the meaning, say the teachers. The description of the kinds of designations is finished. Thus, in the Abhidhammatthavibhāvinī, a commentary on the Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha, The description of the chapter on conditions is finished. 9. Description of the Chapter on Meditation Subjects 1. After this exposition of conditions, I shall explain in order the two kinds of meditation subjects for the two kinds of development: those called tranquility, because they calm the hindrances, and those called insight, because they see in various ways, like impermanence. The meditation subject is the object that serves as the place for the occurrence of the two kinds of development. And the meditation process-series is the foundation for further yogic practice. This is the connection. Tranquility Meditation Subject Description of Temperaments 3. Greed is a temperament or nature, thus "greedy temperament." Similarly for "hateful temperament," and so on. The collection of temperaments is the classification of individuals based on root temperaments. However, by combination, there are sixty-three temperaments. As it is said: "Seven in the three beginning with greed, Seven in the three beginning with faith; When mixed with one, two, or three roots, There are seven times seven." Here, greedy temperament, hateful temperament, deluded temperament, greedy-hateful temperament, Greed-natured, Hatred-natured, Delusion-natured, Greed-hatred-delusion-natured— Thus, in the triad of greed and so on, there is one septet. Similarly, Faith-natured, Wisdom-natured, Reasoning-natured, Faith-wisdom-natured, Faith-wisdom-reasoning-natured, Wisdom-reasoning-natured, Faith-wisdom-reasoning-natured— Thus, in the triad of faith and so on, there is one. In this way, without mixing, there are fourteen natures. But when the primary one-two-three of the greed triad is combined with the faith triad: Greed-faith-natured, Greed-wisdom-natured, Greed-reasoning-natured, Greed-faith-wisdom-natured, Greed-faith-reasoning-natured, Greed-wisdom-reasoning-natured, Greed-faith-wisdom-reasoning-natured— Thus, in the way of the greed root, there is one septet. Similarly, "Hatred-faith-natured, Hatred-wisdom-natured, Hatred-reasoning-natured," and so on, In the way of the hatred root, there is one. "Delusion-faith-natured," and so on, In the way of the delusion root, there is one. Thus, in the way of a single root, there are three septets. Just as here, So in the way of two roots: "Greed-hatred-faith-natured, Greed-hatred-wisdom-natured, Greed-hatred-reasoning-natured," and so on, There are three septets. In the way of three roots: "Greed-hatred-delusion-faith-natured," and so on, There is one septet. Thus, when mixed, there are forty-nine natures, in the way of seven septets. So, these forty-nine, and the previous fourteen, are to be seen as sixty-three natures. Some, however, including wrong view, describe them as "sixty-four." The description of the types of natures is finished. Description of the types of development 4. Development, which is like a preparatory action, or an initial action, is called preliminary development. The development in the sense-sphere, starting from the suppression of hindrances up to the gotrabhū (change of lineage), is called access development. Because it moves near to absorption, like the vicinity of a village. The development that has attained the exalted state, is called absorption development, because it is led by reasoning, which is called absorption. Reasoning operates as if applying the associated states to the object. Thus, it is designated as "application, full application." And because it is led by that, All the great and supreme jhāna states are called "absorption." The description of the kinds of development is finished. Description of the kinds of signs 5. The sign of preliminary work is the object of preliminary work, such as a kasiṇa disk. That same sign, seen by the eye, as it were, is to be grasped by the mind, or it is the sign for one who is grasping, thus it is the grasping sign. The counterpart sign, free from the faults of color and other kasiṇa defects, is the object of access and absorption, thus it is the counterpart sign. 6. The earth itself is the kasiṇa, not staying in one place, but to be pervaded infinitely, in its entire aspect, thus it is the earth kasiṇa, the kasiṇa disk. The counterpart sign, and the jhāna that has it as its object, are called 'earth kasiṇa.' Similarly for water kasiṇa and so on. Among these, earth and the others are the four elemental kasiṇas. Blue and the others are the four color kasiṇas. Limited space is the space kasiṇa. The light of the moon and so on is the light kasiṇa, this should be understood. 7. A swollen, bloated, corpse is the bloated (uddhumātaka). That same, due to its loathsome nature, is the bloated (uddhumātaka). Similarly for the rest. A corpse mixed with white, red, etc., predominantly blue in color, is the discolored (vinīlaka), meaning especially blue. A corpse oozing pus is the putrid (vipubbaka). One cut in two in the middle is the cut-up (vicchiddaka). One eaten in various ways by dogs, jackals, etc., is the gnawed-at (vikkhāyitaka). One torn into pieces in various ways by dogs, jackals, etc., and scattered here and there, is the scattered (vikkhittaka). One struck with a weapon in the manner of crow's feet, etc., and scattered in various ways, is the hacked and scattered (hatavikkhittaka). One oozing blood is the bloody (lohitaka). One oozing with a swarm of worms is the worm-infested (puḷavaka). Even a single bone is the skeletal (aṭṭhika). 8. Recollection again and again is mindfulness. Mindfulness of the Buddha's qualities, such as being an Arahant, is Buddha-mindfulness. Mindfulness of the Dhamma's qualities, such as being well-proclaimed, is Dhamma-mindfulness. Mindfulness of the Saṅgha's qualities, such as being well-practiced, is Saṅgha-mindfulness. Recollection of one's own moral qualities, perfectly pure due to being unbroken, etc., is morality-mindfulness. Recollection of one's own qualities of being free from defilement and stinginess, etc. Recollection of generosity is recollection of generosity. "By which qualities of faith and so on, the devas attained divinity, such qualities are in me." Thus, placing devas as witnesses, recollecting one's own qualities of faith and so on,