English
Since the depositing of the seed of result, called its own mode of arising, does not immediately accomplish the function of a seed, like mango seeds, etc., when mature... "Having attained, it accomplishes in an instant" — thus is said "multi-moment volition," and so on. There, "multi-moment volition" means wholesome and unwholesome volitions that have arisen in the past, distinct from the moment of the arising of phenomena produced by their conditions. Or the reading might be "wholesome and unwholesome volitions." "Resultant aggregates, mutually co-arisen forms" — here, the meaning is "of mutual and co-arisen forms." Just as, indeed, young sala tree saplings, having arisen earlier, later, by means of the rain showers falling year after year, attain growth, development, and fullness, and in that place, even until the end of the eon, become conditions for the arising of a great sala forest grove. In the same way, starting from the moment of rebirth-linking, in the preceding mind-moments, all the four-originating form phenomena present throughout the entire body— kamma-born body, mind-born body, temperature-born body, food-born body— having attained growth, development, and fullness by means of the later-arisen mind and mental factors, such as the first bhavanga, and so on, become conditions for the continuous arising of successive four-originating form-series. Thus is said "later-arisen mind and mental factors," and so on. There, "of the earlier-arisen" they say means "of that which arose in the immediately preceding mind." Or, "of that which arose up to the eighth mind-moment." For this much time is called the period of growth for form phenomena. After that, in the period of decline, there is no purpose with the later-arisen. Or, "of that which arose up to the sixteenth mind-moment." For to the extent that in the moment near death, the base-form becomes an earlier-arisen condition for the death-consciousness, to that extent, it should not be said that the death-consciousness is not a later-arisen condition for that base-form. Similarly for other forms. For just as supporting food supports only that which is in the growth phase. It is not that it does not support that which is in the decline phase. Even then, a corresponding support is desired. So it is with this too. The power of formless phenomena is indeed a great expanse. Therefore, they, having arisen in the base in one part of the body, it is said that it is capable of supporting this entire four-fold body. The sense-bases, such as the eye, which are the sensitive matter, when they come into contact with objects such as forms, become the basis for consciousness. And contact occurs only when they have reached the stage of persistence. Thus, for them, at all times, the condition of being a pre-nascent cause for their own consciousness is established. Consciousness, in the five-fold existence, cannot arise without a physical basis. Therefore, when it does not obtain a pre-nascent basis, or one that is in the process of growing, then at the time of rebirth, or at the time near death, it arises by relying on whatever it obtains. But when it obtains a pre-nascent and very strong basis, then it proceeds by relying on that very basis. And that is obtained only at the time of its regular occurrence, not at the time of rebirth. For at that time, the basis that arises conditioned by consciousness cannot be pre-nascent. Thus it is said that the six bases proceed. "The five objects and the five consciousness-processes" —this is stated in terms of the establishment of a rule. However, all present and existing resultant material forms are indeed pre-nascent conditions for the mind-consciousness process. And thus, in the Paṭṭhāna, it is said: "A present phenomenon is a condition for a present phenomenon by way of the pre-nascent condition. One discerns the pre-nascent eye, which is an object, as impermanent, suffering, non-self. One discerns the ear, nose, tongue, body, forms, sounds, smells, tastes, tangibles, the basis, the present aggregates, as impermanent, suffering, non-self. One enjoys, delights in the present eye," and so on. And in the Commentary, it is said that only the eighteen kinds of material form that have passed the moment of arising and reached the stage of persistence are pre-nascent conditions. And here, although in the Paṭṭhāna, it is said that "the rebirth consciousness, which has a present object, is a condition for the life-continuum, which has a present object, by way of the immediate condition," thus stating that rebirth and life-continuum also have present objects, the present existing karma-signs It seems as if the object, which is pre-arisen, is obtained by the rebirth-linking consciousnesses at the time of their occurrence, when considering the extremely subtle signs. Even so, it is rejected in the Pāli itself, saying, "At the moment of rebirth-linking, which is contrary to the pre-arisen condition, there is one khandha that is resultant and indeterminate," and so on. Here, they say the reason for its rejection is that, as in the formless realms, at the moment of rebirth-linking, there is no pre-arisen physical base, or it is not clearly manifested, and thus that object remains merely as an object. "What is made weighty" refers to a desirable object that is made weighty by way of reflection, such as by savoring it. And that should be understood according to the desire of each individual. For even excrement, corpses, and so on, are weighty objects for those who delight in them, such as worms, flies, dogs, vultures, and crows. [230] As for what is to be clarified: "What is made weighty means reflected upon, having made it weighty," and so on, as stated, is inappropriate. Because its designation also occurs by way of savoring, and so on, as in "He savors and delights in the eye, having made it weighty," and so on. As for "greed and other states," by this, greed, hatred, delusion, conceit, wrong view, and craving, as well as the ten unwholesome courses of action and the five heinous deeds, are included. Among these, those other than the heinous deeds are, by way of overcoming them as appropriate, strong supports for the arising of all wholesome states of the four planes within oneself. The heinous deeds, however, are strong supports for the arising of only wholesome states of the sense-sphere. And all of them, as appropriate, are strong supports for the arising of all unwholesome states, such as greed and killing, both within oneself and externally, and for the arising of indeterminate states, such as bodily pleasure and pain. By "faith and so on," faith, morality, learning, generosity, and wisdom, as well as all acts of giving, morality, and so on, are strong supports for the arising of wholesome states of the four planes, unwholesome states such as greed, and indeterminate states of the four planes, such as pleasure and pain. Pleasure, pain, person, food. The meaning of "utuseṇāsanaṃ" is that all four-level states, except Nibbāna, are taken as indeterminate. For these, too, are strong supports for the arising of wholesome, unwholesome, and indeterminate states, both internally and externally, as appropriate. In "kammaṃvipākānaṃ," strong kamma is intended, not weak kamma. Why are material phenomena not included here among the resultant conditions? Are not the earth-essence, water-essence, rainwater, seeds, roots, medicines, and so on, strong supports for the growth, development, and abundance of trees, plants, etc., externally, and for health, etc., internally? This meaning has already been stated in the Mūlaṭīkā. For it is said there: Material indeterminate states do not obtain natural decisive support. Because there is no "made by" an unconscious material continuum. Just as faith and so on are produced by a mental continuum as agent, and seasons, food, etc., are resorted to. It is not so with a material continuum. That on account of which material form arises, such as seasons, seeds, kamma, etc., is not "made by" that material form. For "making" and "doing" by way of producing, resorting to, and applying, is only for the conscious. And material form is unconscious. This means: There are two kinds of continua: material continuum and mental continuum. Among these, the states that were previously strongly produced or resorted to by a continuum, those very states, previously produced or resorted to by oneself, become decisive support conditions for oneself in a later time. And "producing and resorting to" as "making" is found only in a conscious mental continuum, not in an unconscious material continuum. Therefore, material phenomena do not obtain decisive support. However, by the Suttanta method, which states "when this exists, that is; when this does not exist, that is not," decisive support can be spoken of even among material phenomena. [231] In the Vibhāvanī, however, "As appropriate, internally and externally, greed, etc., ... and dwelling places," are separated, and it is said: "Greed, etc., are producers internally. Persons, etc., are resorted to externally." That is not good. Indeed, passions arisen for oneself and others, are not strong supports for passions in the continuum of others and oneself. Passions are an example here for women and men of similar desires, and for mind-corrupted deities. [232] And that which there, Having made "an application as it stands," an explanation of meaning was given, beginning with "passions indeed for oneself." That too is indeed untenable. For by that, one's own passions and faiths are for internal wholesome things and so on, but one's own faiths are for external wholesome things. Thus, the meaning was explained as incomplete. [233] And that which, Beginning with "There," the method of the arising of only internal wholesome and unwholesome things, relying on one's own passions, was stated. That too is indeed untenable. Indeed, even a descriptive statement,