English
Odors and the like, however, are not included here because they are not included there, not because they do not exist. Or, because the form base is within the range of the eye for those living on one plane or the remaining Brahmās, it is included here. But for the non-percipient beings, five bases, one nutriment, are known to arise. In the fourth section – "At the moment of arising in the formless realm, four aggregates, two bases, two elements, one truth, eight faculties, three roots, three nutriments, one contact… and so on… one mind" – The matrix terms are laid down and analyzed. Here, the faculties of mind, vitality, and equanimity, and the five beginning with faith, are known as the eight faculties. The rest is easily understood. Thus, the fourth round is understood through four sections. The fifth round, however, proceeds by way of analyzing those phenomena according to the distinction of planes, with the four dyads, "kāmāvacara phenomena, not kāmāvacara… and so on… included," laid down as matrix terms, and its meaning has already been stated below. The sixth round, however, is stated by pointing out conventional deities, deities by arising, and purified deities, in terms of the production of kamma, lifespan, and manifestation in the realms of human and divine beings. Here is its condensed meaning – beings, having done kāmāvacara wholesome deeds such as giving and morality, arise in the human world in families such as those of wealthy khattiyas, and in the six deva-worlds called Cātumahārājika, Tāvatiṃsa, Yāma, Tusita, Nimmānaratī, and Paranimmitavasavattī; there, from Mount Sineru, the middle of the surrounding mountains, down to the earth, across to the horizontal Cakkavāḷa Mountain, all the Cātumahārājikas are situated in this space, in the mountains, sky, trees, and paths; above that, up to the limit of the Cakkavāḷa, the Tāvatiṃsas and others are situated one above the other in order, and there is no deva-world that does not reach the surrounding Cakkavāḷa Mountain. Having developed limited first jhāna, they arise in the Brahma-pārisajja realm; having developed middling jhāna, in the Brahma-purohita realm; having developed excellent jhāna, in the Mahābrahmā realm; these three kinds of beings dwell on one level in the first jhāna plane. But there is a difference among them in terms of lifespan, radiance, and so on, and so it is above as well. In the fourfold method, the second jhāna, in the fivefold method, Having developed the second and third jhānas, the limited, the medium, and the excellent, they are reborn in the realms of Limited Glory, Immeasurable Glory, and Radiant Glory. Having developed the third jhāna in terms of limited, etc., they are reborn in the realms of Limited Beauty, Immeasurable Beauty, and All-Beautiful. Having developed the fourth jhāna, however, due to the variety of object-attention, desire, and determination, etc., some are reborn in the Non-Percipient realms, some in the Extensive-Result realms, some in the Untroubled, the Serene-Seers, the Clearly-Seeing, and some in the Highest realms, and in the four Formless Realms, the Space of Infinite Space, etc., in due order. There, some sectarians, seeing fault in the mind, saying, "Due to the mind arise passion, aversion, and the like, and sufferings caused by them," generating a cessation of perception, thinking, "This is Nibbāna in this very life," having developed jhāna for rebirth there, having become a mere form-body, standing, sitting, or lying down, having been reborn, they remain there for five hundred eons. Which jhāna ripens for those who have attained the eight attainments? The proficient one. Among all the proficient ones, the one whose resultant realm is desired, and in the absence of that desire, the one that is attained at the time of death, and in the absence of even that, the Peak of Perception and Non-Perception ripens as the best. In the Pure Abodes, in the Untroubled, etc., beings other than Non-Returners are not reborn, but Non-Returners can be reborn everywhere in the Brahma-worlds except the Non-Percipient realms. And for all Noble Ones, there is rebirth above from that rebirth, not rebirth below. For those Non-Returners who are reborn in the first jhāna realm, having purified nine Brahma-worlds, standing at the summit in the Extensive-Result realms, they attain final Nibbāna, they do not return, due to the absence of rebirth below for Noble Ones. The realms of Extensive-Result, Highest, and Peak of Perception and Non-Perception are the three best realms. Non-Returners reborn in these three places neither go upwards, nor downwards. They attain final Nibbāna there. And in the human world, trainees remain in the householder state as long as they live, not non-trainees. For they, on the day they attain Arahantship, either go forth, or... They pass away. But even perfected beings remain among the earth-dwelling deities as long as they live. Among the six desire-realm deities, only stream-enterers and once-returners remain; non-returners, however, can go to the form realm that very day, and it should be understood that perfected beings pass away. Thus, among beings born in these twenty-seven realms, encompassing humans, deities, and Brahma worlds, the lifespan of humans in this era of the Buddha is one hundred years, more or less. For beings in the lower realms and earth-dwelling deities, there is no fixed lifespan; karma is the measure. They may die in seven days, or they may last for an eon. For the Four Great Kings, fifty human years are one day and night; thirty such days are a month, twelve such months are a year, and their lifespan is five hundred divine years. This is equivalent to ninety hundred thousand human years. For the Thirty-three, one hundred human years are one day and night, and thus a divine thousand years is reached. Similarly, the years of the Yāmas and others should be calculated by doubling, and the lifespan should be understood as doubling or quadrupling from the lower to the higher realms. Among the Brahmas, the lifespan of the Brahma Retinue is one-third of an eon, that of the Brahma Priests is half an eon, that of the Great Brahma is one eon, and that of the Deities of Streaming Radiance is two eons; thus, doubling upwards, it should be applied up to the All-Beautiful. For the All-Beautiful, the lifespan is sixty-four eons, for the Non-Percipient and the Very Fruitful, it is five hundred eons, and for the Non-Afflicted, it is one thousand eons; thus, doubling upwards, it should be applied up to the Highest. For the Highest, it is sixteen thousand eons, and for the four formless realms, the lifespans are, in order, twenty, forty, sixty, and eighty-four thousand eons. Raised by the power of merit, Having gone to the realm of desire and form; Even having attained the peak of existence, They return to suffering. Even beings of such long life, Pass away with the exhaustion of their lifespan; There is no one who... "It is eternal," thus said the great sage. Therefore, the wise, prudent, Skilled, and thoughtful of the goal, Cultivate the supreme path For liberation from old age and death. Having cultivated the pure path, Leading to the ambrosia of Nibbana, Through the complete understanding of all āsavas, They are fully liberated, free from āsavas. This is the sixth turn. The seventh turn, however, proceeds by way of distinguishing the knowable nature of those aggregates, etc. For there, "The form aggregate is to be fully known, to be completely understood, not to be abandoned, not to be developed, not to be realized. The four aggregates are to be fully known, to be completely understood, may be abandoned, may be developed, may be realized, may not be abandoned, may not be developed, may not be realized," etc. Twelve sections are extensively distinguished. There, by the wisdom that grasps characteristics, all phenomena, such as the aggregates, are to be fully known. By any understanding, according to suitability, among the understandings of knowing, investigating, and abandoning, all phenomena are to be completely understood. Even supramundane phenomena are to be understood by knowing. But unwholesome things are to be abandoned. The path is to be developed, and the fruit and Nibbana are to be realized. There, the form aggregate is to be completely understood by way of knowing and investigating. For everything in the sphere of insight is to be completely understood by the understanding of investigation. In this way, the nature of being fully known, etc., should be understood everywhere. The eighth turn, however, proceeds by way of distinguishing their having an object, the ninth, however, by way of including and seeing in what is seen, heard, sensed, and known. The tenth proceeds by way of showing the distinction by triads and dyads, beginning with the wholesome triad and ending with the refuge dyad; those methods have already been stated below. This is a summary here; the detailed explanation has already been stated below. From the beginning onwards, it should all be taken from the Vibhanga Pali and its commentary. The commentary on the Dhammahadaya Vibhanga Matika is finished. The commentary on the Vibhanga Matika, Which is a means of severing delusion, In the commentary on the Abhidhamma Matika, is finished. Now, after the Vibhaṅga-mātikā, This is the explanation of the meaning, Attained to the Dhātukathā and others; Because of the matrices, For all five, as appropriate. Because the meaning is not obvious, And a concise determination of meaning; And because of the method of the Vibhaṅga, There is a way of explanation. Here, first, there is an explanation Of the Dhātukathā-mātikā. This, indeed, is established in five ways – Naya-mātikā, Abbhantara-mātikā, Nayamukha-mātikā, Lakkhaṇa-mātikā, Bāhira-mātikā. There, "Included, not included... ...associated with the dissociated, not included," This, established with fourteen terms,