English
They also say "merits" because they produce a state worthy of honor. These very things, being necessarily to be done, are "meritorious actions." These very things, being the basis for special happiness, are "meritorious action bases." Here, each one is threefold: initial, middle, and final. Among these, in giving, the act of sacrificing to the recipient is called the middle. Before that, "By this condition, I will generate merit of giving," thus... From generating the cause, starting with the giving, intending the giving, the wholesome volition arisen through the three doors is called 'foremost'. But in the latter part, starting with the gift given by oneself, repeatedly generating a joyful mind, the wholesome volition arisen is called 'latter'. All of this, in the way stated for unwholesome deeds, having obtained strong conditions, gives rebirth. Without obtaining them, it does not give. This should be understood. Again, it is threefold by way of inferior, middling, and superior. Therein, that which is done with inferior desire, mind, effort, or investigation is inferior. That done with middling desire, etc., is middling. That done with superior is superior. That done for fame is inferior. That done for the fruit of merit is middling. That done with the understanding "This must be done," relying on the noble state, is superior. That defiled by self-exaltation or disparaging others, etc., is inferior. That undefiled, done for sharing in worldly happiness, is middling. That done for sharing in the happiness of the path and fruit is superior. That done by way of craving for existence and possessions is inferior. That done for one's own liberation is middling. That giving of perfections done for the liberation of all beings is superior. This meaning should be understood by relying on the description of virtue in the Visuddhimagga. Just as here, so too in the remaining cases, the two sets of three should be divided and spoken of as appropriate. Therein, virtue is of four kinds: monk's virtue, nun's virtue, novice's virtue, and layperson's virtue. Therein, the undertaking of the first two is accomplished by a formal act. But by transgressing the ultimate offense, or by renouncing the training, or by the formal act being broken, all undertaking is broken. All virtues of one fully ordained are broken. At that time, one who remains without abandoning the monk's declaration is called an immoral person. But for one who transgresses other training rules, except for the ultimate offense, whatever is transgressed, in that alone there is a breach of restraint. Not a breach of undertaking. For that is not again by a formal act... There is a need to undertake them. But for one who makes amends, the restraint is natural. One who transgresses intentionally, or does not make amends, is called shameless. Not immoral. This is the method even for the novice's precepts. There, however, the undertaking is accomplished by going for refuge. If the going for refuge is broken by destroying the distinguishing mark, all undertakings are broken. But in other cases, when one transgresses, it should be understood that the breach of restraint occurs only in that (precept). In the householder's precepts, however, for ordinary householders, the undertaking is accomplished by the manner of acceptance. Therefore, when accepted together, all are undertaken. And if one is broken, all are broken. All must be undertaken again. But when accepted separately, if one transgresses, only that one is broken. That one alone must be undertaken again. But upon the passing of a fixed time, all undertakings simply cease. Here, the state of immorality should be understood by the breaking of the five permanent precepts. Among permanent and impermanent, that which is always proper, and not proper impermanently, is blameworthy. That is called a permanent precept. But that which is proper even permanently, and is a great flow of merit, and is proper even impermanently, is not blameworthy. That is called an impermanent precept. There, the bhikkhu's precepts for one in the state of a bhikkhu, the novice's precepts for one in the state of a novice, the five precepts for ordinary householders, and the ten precepts for lay followers who have briefly gone forth, and for ascetics and wanderers, are called permanent precepts. For them, it is proper to always keep their respective precepts pure. For those who do not keep them, the state of a bhikkhu, etc., is blameworthy and impure. Why? Because of the failure of conduct appropriate to oneself. But for ordinary householders, the eight-limbed Uposatha precept is called an impermanent precept. For them, as stated, it is proper even permanently. It is proper even impermanently. Likewise, the ten precepts. For ordinary householders, these are indeed impermanent precepts. Having abandoned lay attire, one who has gone forth by wearing saffron robes For those who have gone forth, this is constant virtue. Just as for ordinary people, the five precepts, whether undertaken or not, must always be observed. They must not be transgressed. Similarly, for those wearing the robes of a renunciant, the ten precepts, whether undertaken or not, must always be observed. They must not be transgressed. It is accomplished with the wearing of the robes. The meditation mentioned above, is of two kinds, namely, tranquility and insight meditation. Here, it is intended even if it has not reached absorption. The intention to become familiar with blameless crafts, arts, and sciences, along with the study of Dhamma and Vinaya, is also included here. However, showing respect to the Triple Gem, to parents, to elders in the family, to teachers, to righteous monastics and brahmins, and to other virtuous and aged individuals, by rising to greet them, by bowing, by making anjali, by showing deference, by performing duties and counter-duties, and all such acts, is called reverence. And for these same people, and for others, for visitors, travelers, and wayfarers, for the sick, for the aged, in their necessary tasks, for fellow practitioners in robe-making and so forth, and for others in their various meritorious deeds, exerting oneself with body and speech, as if for one's own tasks, with a pure mind pervaded by kindness, is called service. Making any merit done by oneself common to others is called transference of merit. Rejoicing in the merit given by others, expressing one's gladness, is called rejoicing in merit. However, rejoicing in merit that has not been given is just rejoicing. It is not rejoicing in transferred merit. Due to the absence of transference itself. And transference is of two kinds: specified and unspecified. There, it should be understood that for one who rejoices in merit that is specified for oneself, it becomes immediately effective in this very life. However, these two are especially evident in merits of giving. For when it is given or rejoiced in, making it specified for devas, or for departed spirits living on others' offerings, or for celestial spirits, or for fallen asuras, it becomes immediately effective in this very life for them at that very moment. With a Dhamma talk connected with benefit and welfare, attending carefully... standing in the act, hearing and speaking are called hearing the Dhamma and teaching the Dhamma. The intention to hear and speak about blameless crafts, skills, and sciences are included here. The purification of wrong view, such as the ten-fold wrong view that there is no giving, no sacrifice, etc., or views like creation by a lord, or views like auspicious signs, etc., by means of various things, reasons, or causes, through the right view called knowledge of the ownership of kamma, is called straightening of view. Where the three kinds of meritorious deeds are mentioned, the giving of merit and rejoicing in merit are included in giving, because they are of that nature, being the opposite of envy and stinginess. Reverence and service are included in morality, because they are of the nature of conduct-morality. The remaining three are included in development, because they are of that nature. For it is said that there is no Dhamma apart from meditation subjects. And straightening of view is indeed the increase of knowledge. Or it is included in these three. It is said in the commentary that straightening of view is the definite characteristic of all. For only when there is knowledge of the ownership of kamma do the three, giving and so on, become accomplished. It is mental kamma, because the accomplishment of the path of action is in the mind itself, it is mental kamma. [158] However, in the Vibhāvanī, it is said: “Because it is the producer of intimation, it does not operate through the doors of body, etc.” That is not good. For the supernormal knowledge that produces intimation, even if it operates through the doors of body and speech, does not count as bodily or verbal kamma, because body and speech cannot be components of the path of action. And that is of the nature of development, because it does not operate in terms of giving and morality. It is merely a special kind of development kamma, and that exalted wholesome kamma is indeed development kamma. What is said in the Paṭisambhidāmagga, that the abandonment of hindrances by the first jhāna, of initial and sustained application by the second, of rapture by the third, and of pleasure and pain by the fourth, is morality; that abstinence is morality; intention is morality; restraint is morality; non-transgression is morality—that is included in It should be understood as said by the method. As for reaching absorption, it is a karma that reaches absorption because it enters the object by the power of development and proceeds with an unmoving stability. [159] In the Vibhāvanī, however, "Because it occurs in the preliminary stages, in the sensuous realm," the reason is stated. That is not good.