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A Buddhist Manual of Psychological Ethics of the Fourth Century B.C - Caroline A. F. Rhys Davids, 1900 - Complete Book

English

As to the immediacy of their consequences, whereas, from the Devadatta incident in the Cullavagga, the outrages entailed at least some of their retribution in this life, it will have been seen that, according to Buddhaghosa, the effect is experienced immediately after the cessation of the present life. The Cy. goes on : In the case of these acts, it is impossible for any other conduct to push off the karma of any one of them, so as to obtain room for the realization of its own consequences. Neither could the agent effect this if he were to build a golden sthupa as big as Mt. Sineru, or a vihara covered with gems and like a world-orb, or if he filled it with bhikkhus and their Buddha and found them in the four requisites during a whole lifetime. Asl. 358. ^ The wrong views which are also niyata are specified in the Cy. as those held by the Anti-causationists (ahetuka- 268 [1029] Which are the states the righteousness of which is fixed as to its consequences ?^ The four Paths that are the Unincluded. [1030] Which are the states that do not entail fixed consequences ? The afore-mentioned states excepted, all other states, good, bad and indeterminate, relating to the worlds of sense, form and the formless, or to the life that is Unin- cluded ; in other words, the four skandhas ; all form, moreover, and uncompounded element. [1031] Which are the states that have the Path as their object of thought ?^ Those emotional, perceptual and synthetic states, as well as those of intellect applied to sense-impressions, which arise in connexion with the Noble Path. [1032] Which are the states that are causally dependent upon the Path ?^ vada, D. i. 53 ; M. i. 407), those who denied the efficacy of action (akiriya-vada, D. i. 52; M. i. 404, 405), and the Nihilists (natthika-vada, or uccheda-vada, D. i. 55; M. i. 401-403). These are past praying for ; more literally rendered, not a hundred, nor yet a thousand Buddhas would be able to enlighten them. Ibid. ^ The reading should be sammatta-niyata. Cf. Asl. 45 ; K. ; K. V. 609. 2 * " Path " ' means the quest of Nirvana, or the progress in the destruction of the Kilesas.' (Asl. 45.) ^ *Maggahetuka, i.e., the cause of those (states) in the sense of conditioning them is the Eightfold Path.' Asl. 45. Later (p. 359) the Cy. gives the purport of this triad as follows : * In the first formula the kind of causal conjunc- tion of the skandhas, in their connexion with the Path by way of cause, in the sense of condition, is set forth. In the second, the kind of causal conjunction of the other parts of the Path with Eight Views, which are a constituent of the Path and are reckoned as cause (am oho; cf. §§ 16, 34, 1054) ; and in the third, the kind of causal conjunction of Right Views with those causes that are operative in the Path, is set forth.' Yet in the text it is the causal connexion of the 269 [Firstly] the four skandhas when associated with the stages of the Path as experienced by one who is conversant with the Path^ (the stages being excepted). [Secondly (1033)] the four skandhas when associated with the right views — these being both Path and Cause — of one who is conversant with the Path (the right views being excepted). [Thirdly] the four skandhas when associated with the states of freedom from lust, hate and dulness peculiar to one who is conversant with the Path. Now, these [last named] states are the * Path-causes ' -^ the former (the skandhas) are those states which are causally dependent upon the Path. [1034] Which are the causes that are Path-governed?^ [Firstly] those emotional, perceptual and synthetic states, as well as those of intellect applied to sense- impressions, which in arising make the Noble Path their governor. [Secondly] the four skandhas when associated with the investigation carried on by one who is conversant with the four skandhas that is predicated about in all three formulae. Does this implicate discrepant versions of the text ? ^ Ariyamaggasamangissa maggangani. 2 In the printed text, after a mo ho read ime dhamma magga-hetu. Cf. Cy. 45; K. ; also above, § 1011. ^ Maggadhipatino, i.e., the Path, having them (those states) under its control in the sense of maintaining them, is their governor. Asl. 45. Later (p. 359) we get supple- mentary remarks showing that the relation of governor (or sovereign) and governed, in this connexion, resembles that between Christ and the believer who brings * into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ ' (2 Cor. x. 5). All such thoughts or * states ' are insignificant (par it t a) as compared with the one great object of devotion — the Path, the Fruit, Nirvana. Even to contemplate the progress of others in the Path, or to have seen the Tathagata work a double miracle, is not precious to the student as is his own discernment and realization of what the Path means to liim. 270 Path, and who is cultivating a way wherein investigation is the dominant factor.^ [1035] Which are the states that ' have arisen ' ?2 Those states that have been born, have become, have been gotten, created, re-created,^ made manifest, — that have arisen, have come to pass, have happened, have super- vened, have been caused to arise, are classed together among the things that have arisen, to wit, form, feeling, perception, syntheses, intellect. [1036] Which are the states that have ' not arisen ' ? Those states that are unborn, have not become, have not been gotten, nor created, nor re-created, nor made mani- fest ; that have not arisen nor come to pass ; nor happened, nor supervened ; that have not been caused to arise, that are classed together among the things that have not arisen, to wit, forms, feelings, perceptions, syntheses, intellect. [1037] Which are the states that are bound to arise ?* ^ The construction in this sentence is obscure. Vimam- sadhipateyyam is apparently in the nominative case. The Cy., however (p. 359), substitutes, in quoting, the instrumental — which only makes the reading obscurer. Anyway, it proceeds to explain that the term shows a joint ' supremacy ' between the Path and an adhipateyyam to be only possible {cf. § 269) when the latter is either * in- vestigation ' or ' energy.' When the latter is ' desire ' or a ' thought,' then the Path yields its sway over the mind to the adhipateyyam. But when the student makes either of the former his governing influence, both it and the Path are his joint governors. 2 Uppanna, i.e., which from the moment they came into being, and for as long as they had distinguishable being, have come to pass and been sustained. Asl. 45. ^ Kead nibbatta, abhinibbatta. * Uppadino, i.e., * will certainly arise, from the fact that their efficient cause is in part completed' (Asl. 45). Later (pp. 360, 361) the potential happening of these resultant states is declared to be due to the enduring validity of their conditions (dhuvapaccayatthena), which cannot fail to produce their effects, even though 271 The results of those good and bad states related to the worlds of sense, form and the formless, or to the life that is Unincluded, the consequences of which are not yet matured,^ to wit, the four skandhas and that form due to karma having been wrought which will arise. [1038] Which are the states that are past ? Those states that are past are extinct, dissolved,^ changed, terminated, exterminated ; are past and classed among the things that are past ; in other words, the five skandhas. [1039] Which are the states that are future ? The states that are unborn, that have not become, not been gotten, nor created, nor re-created, nor made mani- fest ; that have not arisen, nor come to pass, nor happened, nor supervened ; that have not arrived, and are classed among the things that have not arrived. [1040] Which are the things that are present ? Those states that have been born, have become, have been gotten, created, re-created,^ made manifest ; that have arisen, have come to pass, have supervened, have been caused to arise; that have arisen over against'* and are classed among the things that have so arisen. [1041-1048] Which are the states that have the past . . . future . . . present as their object of thought ? 100,000 aeons intervene. The gospel (lit.. Path) of the future Buddha, Metteyya, is anuppanno, but his (or anyone's) fruition belongs to the uppadino dhamma. ^ Avipakkavipakanam. Inserted in K., but, as is stated in that edition, not inserted in the Burmese or the European text.