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Anudīpanīpāṭha -(Accompanying Lamp Text)

English

is considered the essence of the internal phenomena of beings. When these are gone, the remaining phenomena, having reached a state of being soulless and lifeless, become mere husks, become rubbish— this is the world's belief. And seeing the rubbish-like nature in the aggregates, which are seen as having no such "self-life" whatsoever, is called the vision of the emptiness of self-life. "Being liberated" — by this, it shows the meaning that "he is liberated" is liberation. "They are liberated by this" — this also fits the meaning of liberation. "Signs" (or "marks") are those created by perverted phenomena: the sign of permanence, the sign of happiness, the sign of self, the sign of life. And signs such as being a being, a person, a woman, a man, hands, feet, head, neck, etc. Among these, because formations are momentary phenomena, though they are impermanent, they are covered by the density of continuity, appearing as "it was the same yesterday, it is the same today," and so on, in the aspect of permanence— this is called the sign of permanence. Because they are grasped by the defilements and impurities, though they are impure, they are covered by ignorance, appearing as "this is desirable, lovely, pleasing, dear," and so on, in the aspect of purity— this is called the sign of purity. Though they are suffering due to their fearful and unsafe nature, they are covered by that same (ignorance), appearing as "this is happiness, fearless, safe, pleasant," and so on, in the aspect of happiness— this is called the sign of happiness. Because they are dependent on conditions, and without conditions, they are merely dependent on their own will, though they are non-self, they appear as "one acts, speaks, thinks, goes if one wishes to go, stands if one wishes to stand," and so on, in the aspect of self-mastery— this is called the sign of self. Similarly, being The appearance of a living being, such as "it lives for seven days, it lives for a month, it lives for a year," is called the sign of life. Now, in phrases like "it acts according to its own will," will (icchā) is craving (taṇhā) or desire (chanda). Both are associated with consciousness. Action (karaṇa) is a specific mode of arising of mind-born material aggregates that are physical activities. If this is so, since these arise by way of consciousness, the statement "it acts according to its own will" is not contrary to Abhidhamma. No, it is contrary. Because "its own" (attano) and "it acts" (karoti) are stated. For there is no self (attā) that could be called "its own." Nor is there an agent (kattā) that could be called "it acts." Here, however, the five aggregates arising at that time are taken as "self" and "agent," and thus "its own" and "it acts" are stated. "It becomes a support" means it becomes a foundation. "Having dispelled" means having made disappear by knowledge. It means having brought to a decision by the knowledge of seeing that things do not exist in their true nature. Seeing non-existence is the seeing of the non-existence of sorrow, suffering, and so forth. "By breaking up the solidity, etc., of that" means by breaking and cutting through the solidity, etc., of the aggregate-continuum. Here, the breaking up of the aggregate-solidity is primarily the function of knowledge that discerns phenomena. At that time, self-view is suppressed. And life-view is said to be a more subtle self-view. It should be understood that both of these are completely eradicated only upon reaching the path-moment. "Of the desired quality" means of the wished-for quality. In "Pātimokkha," "pati" means chief. "Mukha" means root cause. It is chief and it is cause, thus patimukha. Showing this meaning, that patimukha is pātimokkha, he says "for that is..." and so on. All worldly virtues are the fourfold pure virtues. Among them, "because of being chief" means because of being the chief virtue. "That very one" means that very virtue enjoined by the Vinaya. "Of those phenomena" means of phenomena like restlessness and forgetfulness. "Agitations" means agitations. "Scattered" is the meaning. Therefore, it is said "fickle." "Following them" means following those restless faculties. "Condemned by the Buddha" means rejected and prevented by the Blessed Buddha. "By wrong applications" means by the eight actions that corrupt families and the twenty-one improper livelihoods. "By the three kinds of deceitful practices" means by these three kinds of deceitful practices: partaking of requisites, flattering neighbors, and relying on postures. It is said to be by three kinds of wonderful actions. "It is purified" means purification. Purification itself is thorough purification. "For delusion" means for being deluded in elements, mindfulness, and so on. "For greed" means for greed, for craving, like a farmer who has put food in the requisites, due to delusion itself. "For conceit" means for the conceit rooted in gain and honor. "For heedlessness" means for heedlessness, for forgetfulness of mindfulness regarding wholesome states. That specific purpose-limit, for example, regarding robe requisites, is the purpose-limit for warding off cold and so on. "Limit" is also shown by the word "just for," referring to the limit of the purpose of robes, such as warding off cold and so on. And that is established so that one does not fall into blameworthy aspects like delusion and so on, concerning robe requisites. Therefore, it is said, "for the abandoning of delusion, greed, conceit, and heedlessness." This method applies to alms-food requisites and so on. By this, this meaning is shown in the reflection passages. Here, a monk uses a robe just for warding off cold, for warding off heat, and so on. He uses it just for warding off cold. Not beyond that, for the purpose of delusion, for the purpose of greed, for the purpose of conceit, for the purpose of heedlessness, and so on. If this is so, if delusion, greed, conceit, and heedlessness arise in one who uses a robe. That should not be used. The other should be used. This is shown. "Individual nature" means the nature of each one. "What is called a task" means what should be done, what should be accomplished, a task. The immediate result. Therefore he said, "like smoke from fire." Proximate cause is called 'padaṭṭhāna,' like the producer of fire. It arises, goes, proceeds, the result by this, therefore 'padaṃ.' It stands, the result in this, therefore 'ṭhānaṃ.' Both are just synonyms for cause. Therefore, the meaning of extreme proximity is achieved, thus he said "proximate cause." "Together with perversions of perception and consciousness" means those associated with wrong view. But perversions of perception and consciousness, not linked to wrong view, cannot be suppressed, it is not to be said. "In the teaching of the Dispensation" refers to the teaching, such as the Anattalakkhaṇa Sutta, connected with the doctrine of emptiness. "The perversion of view is suppressed," having heard such a Dhamma teaching, and gained faith in the teacher and in the Dhamma taught, thinking, "Truly the Blessed One speaks, but I grasp this as 'mine,' 'this I am,' 'this is my self'," and "this grasping of mine is wrong," thus it is suppressed. From then on, even if one says "this is my self," one does not say it with a mind associated with wrong view. One says it only with a mind dissociated from wrong view, this is the meaning. But this is merely the suppression of strong grasping. Not the suppression of self-view. But that is achieved only when the knowledge of the determination of phenomena is perfected, so they say. By way of the four nutriments, name-and-form in four ways should indeed be comprehended. Why? Having comprehended the four nutriments, and observing the three characteristics in them, the task of attaining supramundane knowledge and insight is accomplished in the end, this is the meaning. In "five ways" and so on, this is the method. It is beyond the scope of beginners, because they are unable to comprehend each one separately by its characteristics, functions, etc. And even if one is able to comprehend, one is unable to see each one separately in the work of insight. For thus it will be said: "summarizing by way of groups." "Of anyone else" means of a self, a soul, etc. He performs wholesome and unwholesome deeds. He experiences, having reached another existence, its result. He wanders from existence to existence. He runs on... thrown by the force of craving. The meaning is: showing the absence of endeavors and activities in pure name or in pure form. The analysis is: called the action of persons and beings. "The view that arises as 'self'" is the agent-view. "By way of clinging to that purpose," the existence of terms such as being, person, and so on, means that the self-existent being, person, and so on, also exist by nature. Not that they do not exist, thus firmly establishing it in the heart. "And excessive running" means not stopping at mere conventional designation, but going beyond it to grasp the five aggregates as a being, and so on. Here, in "by way of action, mind, season, and food," the 'ka' is an increment due to sandhi. The meaning is: by way of action, by way of mind, by way of season, by way of food. The analysis is: the completeness of suitable conditions. "By way of otherwise occurring" means the occurrence in another manner. "By causal and material conditions" means by causal conditions and material conditions. Generative conditions are called causal conditions. Accompanying conditions are called material conditions. "From the occurrence of kamma" means from the occurrence of kamma. "From the occurrence of result" means from the occurrence of result. For one being wandering in beginningless samsara, there is a physical body and there is a mental body. There is no other nature than these. And these two bodies occur together for one wandering in the five-constituent existence.