English
Even so, a young man of good family, disgusted with the arising of aggregates, begins the development of the four paths in his own continuity, like that man applying poison to the tree from four directions. Then his continuity of aggregates, by that contact with the poison of the four paths, because the defilements, the root of the cycle, are completely exhausted, and having become all kinds of actions, such as bodily action, that have reached merely the state of activity, and having reached the state of not producing rebirth in the future, cannot produce a continuity of existence in another state of being. Only with the cessation of the final consciousness, like a fire without fuel, without clinging, it attains final Nibbāna. Thus, the difference between the ground and what is attained on the ground should be understood. 837. Moreover, there is another arising, of four kinds, by way of: manifestation, object, grasping, and being unsuppressed and unrooted out. Therein, the cycle... Arisen as a mode of conduct, though not yet fully arisen. But when objects come into the range of the eye, etc., even if the defilement-group does not arise in the initial stage, because the object is grasped, it certainly arises in the later stage. This is called "arisen through grasping the object." Like the defilement-group that arose in the Elder Mahātissa, who was on alms-round in Kalyāṇigāma, upon seeing an unsuitable form. The defilement-group not suppressed by either calm or insight, even if it has not yet entered the mind-stream, because there is no cause to prevent its arising, is called "unsuppressed-arisen." But even if suppressed by calm or insight, because it is not eradicated by the Noble Path, and has not transcended the nature of arising, it is called "uneradicated-arisen." Like the defilement-group that arose in the Elder who had attained the eight attainments, while going through the air, upon hearing the song of a woman singing with a sweet voice while picking flowers in a grove of flowering trees. It should be understood that these three kinds: "arisen through grasping the object," "unsuppressed-arisen," and "uneradicated-arisen," are included in "arisen through the attainment of a plane." 838. Thus, concerning these kinds of arisen defilements mentioned: that which is the fourfold arisen, called "arisen as a mode of conduct, having passed the present moment," that is not to be abandoned by any knowledge, because it is not an object of the path. But that which is the arisen, called "arisen through the attainment of a plane, arisen through grasping the object, unsuppressed-arisen, uneradicated-arisen," since that mundane and supramundane knowledge arises, destroying its arisen state, therefore, all of it is to be abandoned. Thus, here, the things to be abandoned by which (knowledge) and their abandonment should be known. Discourse on the Functions of Full Understanding, etc. 839. The functions of full understanding, etc., which were spoken of at the time of realization; All of them, should be known according to their nature. For at the time of the realization of the Truths, for each of these four knowledges, in a single moment, full understanding, abandonment, realization, and development— these four functions of full understanding, etc., were spoken of. They should be known according to their nature. It is said by the ancients: “Just as a lamp, without before or after, in a single moment, performs four functions: it burns the wick, dispels darkness, reveals light, and consumes the oil; even so, the knowledge of the path, without before or after, in a single moment, comprehends the four truths: it comprehends suffering by comprehension-realization, it comprehends the origin by abandonment-realization, it comprehends the path by development-realization, it comprehends cessation by direct-experience-realization. What is meant? Taking cessation as its object, it attains, sees, and penetrates all four truths.” And it is also said: “Monks, whoever sees suffering, also sees the origin of suffering, also sees the cessation of suffering, and also sees the path leading to the cessation of suffering.” All this should be understood. It is also said: “The knowledge of one endowed with the path—that is knowledge of suffering, that is knowledge of the origin of suffering, that is knowledge of the cessation of suffering, that is knowledge of the path leading to the cessation of suffering.” There, just as a lamp burns the wick, so the knowledge of the path fully understands suffering. Just as it dispels darkness, so it abandons the origin. Just as it reveals light, so it develops the path, which consists of right intention and other states, by way of co-arising and other conditions. Just as it consumes the oil, so it directly experiences cessation, which is the consumption of defilements. Thus, the comparison should be understood. Another method: Just as the sun, rising, without before or after, simultaneously with its appearance, performs four functions: it illuminates visible forms, dispels darkness, shows light, and allays cold; even so, the knowledge of the path… (as before) … comprehends cessation by direct-experience-realization. Here too, just as the sun illuminates visible forms, so the knowledge of the path fully understands suffering. Just as it dispels darkness, so it abandons the origin. strikes. Just as it shows light, so by the condition of co-arising and so on, it develops the path. Just as it calms the cold, so it realizes the cessation, the calming of defilements. Thus should the comparison be understood. 841. Another method: Just as a boat, without before or after, in one moment performs four functions: it abandons the near shore, it cuts the current, it carries the cargo, it reaches the far shore; even so, the knowledge of the path… …by the penetration of realizing cessation, it penetrates. Here too, just as the boat abandons the near shore, so the knowledge of the path fully comprehends suffering. Just as it cuts the current, so it abandons the origin. Just as it carries the cargo, so by the condition of co-arising and so on, it develops the path. Just as it reaches the far shore, so it realizes cessation, which is the far shore. Thus should the comparison be understood. 842. Thus, at the time of the penetration of the truths, the knowledge that arises in one moment by way of four functions, for that knowledge, by sixteen aspects, in that true sense, the four functions are of one penetration. As it is said: "How are the four functions of one penetration in that true sense? By sixteen aspects, the four functions are of one penetration in that true sense. The aspect of oppression for suffering, the aspect of being conditioned, the aspect of torment, the aspect of change— that is its true sense. The aspect of accumulation for the origin, the aspect of source, the aspect of conjunction, the aspect of hindrance— that is its true sense. The aspect of escape for cessation, the aspect of seclusion, the aspect of the unconditioned, the aspect of the deathless— that is its true sense. The aspect of leading out for the path, the aspect of cause, the aspect of seeing, the aspect of dominance— that is its true sense. By these sixteen aspects, in that true sense, the four truths are comprised in one. What is comprised in one is oneness. What is oneness is penetrated by one knowledge. Thus the four truths are of one penetration." (Paṭisambhidāmagga 2.11) 843. There might be a question: When there are other meanings for suffering and so on, such as disease, boil, etc., why are only four mentioned? Here we say, other Due to manifestation by seeing the non-truth. "What is knowledge in suffering? The wisdom, the understanding, that arises concerning suffering" - by this method, knowledge of the truths is spoken of, even by way of each single truth as an object. "Whoever, monks, sees suffering, he also sees the origin" - by this method, having made one truth the object, it is also spoken of by way of the accomplishment of tasks in the remaining ones. When one makes each truth an object, then by seeing the origin, even for suffering, which by nature has the characteristic of oppression, because it is accumulated, conditioned, heaped up by the origin with the characteristic of accumulation, therefore its (suffering's) conditioned state becomes manifest. But because the path removes the defilements' fever and is very cool, therefore by seeing the path, its (of suffering/defilements) feverish state becomes manifest, like the unlovely nature of a beautiful woman becoming manifest by the sight of the Apsaras to Venerable Nanda. But for cessation, which is of an unchangeable nature, it is not to be said here that by seeing it, its changeable state becomes manifest. Likewise, for the origin, which by nature has the characteristic of accumulation, by seeing suffering, its (origin's) causal state becomes manifest, like the food's being the cause of illness becoming manifest by seeing the illness arisen from unwholesome food. By seeing cessation, which is disjunction, its (of suffering/origin) conjoined state becomes manifest. And by seeing the path, which is deliverance, its (of suffering/origin) fettered state becomes manifest. Likewise, for cessation, which has the characteristic of escape, by seeing the origin, which is non-seclusion, its (of cessation) secluded state becomes manifest. By seeing the path, its (of cessation) unconditioned state becomes manifest, for in this beginningless samsara, the path has not been seen before, and even it (the path), being conditioned by causes, is conditioned, so the unconditioned nature of the uncaused phenomenon (cessation) becomes exceedingly clear. But by seeing suffering, its (of cessation) deathless state becomes manifest, for suffering is indeed poison, the deathless is Nibbana. Likewise, for the path, which has the characteristic of deliverance,