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Anudīpanīpāṭha -(Accompanying Lamp Text)

English

because it appears in the commentaries in the section on the virtue of sense-restraint. However, "by the eye" can also be a primary instrumental word. Why? Because the eye, which is the basis for eye-consciousness called seeing, is a special condition, a pre-nascent faculty condition. The same method applies to "having heard a sound with the ear," and so on. In "bows with the body" and "bows with speech," although those two forms of bodily and verbal intimation are produced by co-nascent volitional action, that volitional action is not produced by the two intimations. Even so, those two forms are a special proximate condition for the accomplishment of that volition's bodily bowing action and verbal bowing action. Just as a son born of a mother, having grown up, becomes a source of strength and support for his mother in various actions. And having done so, those two forms are called "door-forms" in the Abhidhamma. Therefore, "by the body" and "by speech" should also be understood as primary instrumental words. If it is said that when "by the body" means "by bodily action," there arises an identity of that action with the act of bowing, it does not arise. Why? "Monks, I declare volition to be action; having willed, one performs action by body, by speech, by mind." In this discourse, just as "having willed" means having willed with prior volitions, "performs action" means performs the action of subsequent conclusive volition. Similarly, here too, prior and subsequent volitions are possible. Here, "by bodily action" refers to the prior volitional action. And "bows" refers to the subsequent conclusive volitional action. 9. "Arranging" means "performing." "Arranged" "will be" is a future tense word for the unperceived past. "Mounted on a book" means mounted by way of writing on book leaves. 10. In the Abhidhammattha-pada. "In the Abhidhamma" means in the Abhidhamma treatises. By the words "here" and "by this" the single-remainder rule of the word 'saṅgaha' is also understood. "Another pair of Pāli texts is said." Why is that pair of Pāli texts called Abhidhamma? It is said "and that..." and so on. "As it occurs" means occurs in accordance with its own conditions. "Only in ultimate realities." Even a teaching that proceeds by conventional expression, such as "These two persons, monks; these three persons, monks," and so on, does not proceed without ultimate realities. Only by way of the diversity of ultimate realities is the diversity of individuals possible. Therefore, it explains only ultimate realities. It does not explain rules or ordinances. "Among the two dhammas" is the locative case for determination. "Which from the other" is the thing to be determined. "Which" means which dhamma. "From the other" means from the other dhamma, from the Suttanta dhamma. "And having done thus" means by this reason. The connection is "said in the commentaries." The excess by way of exhaustive classification of the kinds to be taught, and the distinction by way of the teaching proceeding based on pure dhammas, should be understood. "Because" means because of the exhaustive classification, it is said to be the absence of overly extensive teaching. Why is it taught only to devas? It says, "for humans do not..." and so on. There, the connection is "for humans are not able to receive it." "Suitable for proceeding" means sufficient for proceeding. "Path of discourse" means a continuous discourse of teaching. "Bound by one mātikā" means follows one Abhidhamma mātikā, such as "wholesome dhammas, unwholesome dhammas," and so on. "Of that" refers to the Abhidhamma. The connection is "excess and distinction." "There" refers to the three Aṭṭhasālinī. Right at the beginning, in what sense is it Abhidhamma? Saying "in the sense of excess of dhammas and distinction of dhammas," expanding on that meaning, having reached the Sutta, the five aggregates... Indeed, it is divided by a part, not by an indivisible unit. But having reached Abhidhamma, it is said to be divided by an indivisible unit. Therefore, it says, "of those named dhamma," and so on. It states the two Pāli lines, "Dhamma, however." "Even so," means even after such consideration in the Aṭṭhasālinī. "Eldest of all" means the eldest among the three Piṭakas. Why should it be the eldest of all? It says, "for one who disparages the Vinaya," and so on. There, "disparages" means one who blames. It moves, it proceeds—that is a wheel. In the world, an ordinance, a wheel of command, which cannot be turned back by any ascetic or brahmin, or by a deva, or by Māra, or by Brahmā, is called an āṇācakka. Similarly, a teaching ordinance, which cannot be turned back, is called a dhammacakka. There, the ordinance that proceeds in the manner of, "Whatever bhikkhu engages in sexual intercourse, he is defeated, he is not in communion," and so on, is called an āṇācakka. The teaching ordinance, "These four noble truths, monks," and so on, is called a dhammacakka. Neither of these can anyone break, or make a defeated bhikkhu not defeated, or make the four-truth dhamma not true. Rather, the one who does so, like Devadatta, becomes destined for a woeful state. And a bhikkhu who is defeated, if he does not purify himself, is indeed destined for a woeful state. Thus it is with all the Vinaya training rules. Since neither of these can be turned back by anyone, both are called an unrolling wheel. "The Vinaya is the root of the Dispensation." When the Vinaya stands, the community of bhikkhus is known. When the community of bhikkhus is known, the three-fold good Dhamma is known, the three-fold teaching of the Teacher stands. Thus, the Vinaya is the root of the three-fold Dispensation. And how, when the Dhamma of study is known, does the three-fold Dispensation stand? It is said. There, "the Dispensation stands" means for how long does it stand? It stands for five thousand years, as the ancient commentaries said. But those of wrong view say, in the Cūḷavagga of the Vinaya, the bhikkhunī If, Ananda, in this dark time, women had not obtained ordination in my dispensation, the True Dhamma would have endured for a thousand years. Now, the ordination of women has been permitted, due to Gotami's repeated requests. Therefore, it was said, Ananda, the True Dhamma will now last for only five hundred years. Thus, the Buddha's dispensation endures for only five hundred years. After that, it will not last even for a single day. Now, it is merely a semblance of the dispensation. That is merely their wrong statement. However, "only five hundred years" is not a definitive statement. It is merely a statement pointing out the danger for women. And that danger was averted by the Teacher himself, by establishing the Eight Chief Rules. Again, "a thousand years" became the definitive statement. Here, some also say: The dispensation lasts for only a thousand years, after that, it does not last even for a single day, it disappears. Then, even boundaries become non-boundaries. Those ordained later are not truly ordained. Now, it is merely a semblance of the dispensation. This too is merely their wrong statement, because they spoke without seeing or knowing the meaning and the reason. This is the meaning here. "The True Dhamma would endure for a thousand years" means the True Dhamma would endure for a thousand years without decline. But after that, it would not endure, it would gradually decline. But how does it endure without decline, and how does it gradually decline? It is said. Five kinds of Sangha should be known. In which Sangha the good Dhamma endures. Which are the five? The Sangha of Arahants, the Sangha of Non-returners, the Sangha of Once-returners, the Sangha of Stream-enterers, the Sangha of Noble Worldlings. Therein, within a thousand years, all five Sanghas are found. Thus, for a thousand years, the True Dhamma endures without decline. After that, the Sangha of Arahants is not found. The remaining four thousand years gradually become the fields for the remaining four Sanghas. Thus, after that... It goes declining, this is the meaning here. The reason is stated. Here, concerning "the True Dhamma will endure," the True Dhamma is threefold: the Dhamma of study, the Dhamma of practice, the Dhamma of realization. That is also called the threefold Dispensation. Among these, the Dhamma of study means the Three Pitakas with their commentaries. And that now stands complete. How could the Dispensation of study be merely a semblance? And monks devoted to study, numbering many hundreds of thousands, are to be found. How then could this Dispensation not endure even for one day beyond that? And those monks, established in the practice of virtue, numbering many hundreds of thousands, are now to be found. And how could the Dispensation of practice not endure beyond that? When the Dhamma of study and the Dhamma of practice endure, it should not be said that the Dhamma of realization does not endure. Just as there is a certain wealthy merchant. He, for the benefit of his successive generations of sons and daughters, has deposited and stored great treasure hoards in many places in the earth. And he has written and stored their full account in books. While the signs, the books, and the letters endure, it should certainly not be said that those hoards are lost or disappear. In this way, this Dispensation should be seen. For there, the Three Pitakas, the Buddha's word, are like the ground where treasures are deposited; the Dhamma-gems are like the treasure-jewels. And just as a strong man born into the merchant's lineage, seeing the book, will certainly obtain those jewels by digging well. Even so here, a strong monk, having heard the Dhamma of the teaching, by practicing well, will certainly obtain those Dhamma-gems. And when they are being obtained, how could those Dhamma-gems disappear? And the establishment or non-establishment of boundaries is the domain of the wheel of authority. Not of the wheel of Dhamma. And what was said: