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A Treatise on Buddhist Philosophy or Abidhamma - C.L.A de Silva, 1837 - Complete Book

English

It ,s like two people engaged for the purpose of making a thick and hard hide of an ox or sheep supple and pliant J hey do so by pouring oil, water and other materials on the hide and^ with much pressure from their limbs they affect a pliancy of the hide. Similarly the pliancy of mind and menta properties conjointly remove the hardness of mmd and mental properties due to erroneous views and conceit. These two are the opposites of erroneous views and conceit. 14. FITNESS OF WORK OF MENTAL PROPERTIES Fitness of work of mental properties (kaya kammannata aa5 0S^C^6>a) 15. fitness of work of mmd (citta kamm- ^fmata Etlta ffflS^'.€Se^to). Their characteristic feature is to cause the disappearance of the inert and inactive condition ot the mental properties regarding the performance of moral de^ds. They are the opposites of the hindrance of sense desires Just as a piece of eold adulterated with brass and copper is untit tor dissolution till It IS heated and thereafter it can be utilized for making earrings or rings, even so the hindrance ot sense desires' when heated by these two properties are fit and capable of doing good moral deeds such as charity and so on. 16. PROFICIENCY OF MENTAL PROPERTIES AND MIND Proficiency of mental properties (kaya paguiiiiata S53cO 17. Proficiency of mind (citta paguiiiiata ©GXa Ooj^^^^^ Their characteristic feature is to remove or relieve the diseased condition of mental properties and the mind. It is like either relieving or curing a disease of a person on the verge of death. Similarly, tliese two properties remove the lack of ^onf dence and lack of mindfulness which are dangerous qualities and make him proficient in respect of good moral acts. I lO 18. RECTITUDE OF MENTAL PROPERTIES AND MIND Rectitude of mental properties (kayujjukata s>)9Cc5:^aot5>>) 19. Rectitude of mind (cittujjukata StStrgC^tS^Oa). Their characteristic feature is to cause the disappearance of crookedness of mind and its mental concomitants. How can this be illus- trated ? Just as a veddah is unable to use a crooked arrow to his contentment and satisfaction, and can only do so after rectifying its crookedness, even so, when the crookedness called the twelve immoral classes of consciousness is rectified by the veddah called the rectitude of mind and mental con- comitants, could the arrow called the morally beautiful classes of consciousness be made to reach any spot the veddah desires. These two properties are the opposites of crookedness and cunningness. It would have been seen that the last 12 mental concomit- ants were given in pairs, as they had the power to inhibit their opposite characteristics. The remaining nine have no suck properties. Just as the aggregate of material qualities called the body falls into sleep by the diffusion of material qualities originating from mind conquered by the hindrance of sloth and torpor^, even so does the physical body become composed, light. pHant, fit for work and so on by reason of the diffusion throughout the body of material qualities originating from the mmd asso- ciated with these six pairs. These nineteen mental concomitants are common to all classes of morally beautiful consciousness viz 59. 1 1 1 1 I V CHAPTER XIII THE THREE ABSTINENCES 1 . Right speech (samma vaca floS^a 60^)3) is good and proper speech, that is to say, refraining from bad and improper speech (miccha vaca 18:^3 ©303). Rig^'t speech is refraining from speaking an untruth, carrying tales, the use of harsh and abusive language, indulgence in meaningless and unprofitable conversations. 2. Right action (samma kammanto tt®®3 tS^S®®C5:a3) is good and proper bodily actions, that is to say, refraining from bad and improper actions (miccha kammantd i Scf 3 f&^®&'Sf3^o\ Right action is refraining from killing, stealing and committing adultery. ^ Right livelihood (sammajeevo Ci^^^S^^) is the correct and proper livelihood as opposed to wrong and improper means of livelihood Tmicchajeevo ^^o6®^9\ Right liveli- hood IS for the sake of livelihood abstaining from speaking an untruth, carrying tales, the use of harsh and abusive language, indulgence in meaningless and unprofitable talks, killing stealing and being unchaste. Although only seven are mentioned here, there are many others such as false pretensions, partiality, flattery and many other improper attitudes adopted to curr>r favour and so on that should be refrained from for the purpose of right livelihood. For details of wrong livelihood vide Visuddhi Magga, or Path of Purity. The three abstinences are obtained in three ways viz (i) when occasion arises (2) by taking the Precepts and (3) by complete extinction. Without taking the precepts or without complete extinction, when one refrains from speaking an untruth and so on as occasion arises, it is called abstinence when occasion arises (sampatta virati ©©©©G) 8da). When one refrains from them m the future by reason of the precepts taken, it is called abstinence by taking the precepts (samadana virati 002)3C,) ©dtS). It IS known as abstinence from complete extinction (samuccheda virati g@©:f^ ©4S). when they arise in classes of transcendental consciousness such as stream- attainment. 112 Therefore, the three abstinences are obtained in classes of transcendental consciousness always and all the throe at one and the same time, whereas among the worldly classes of consciousness they exist only in the eight classes of moral consciousness in kamaloka separately and one at a time as opportunity affords. When one abstains from speaking an untruth and so on then right speech is associated with the eight classes of mora con- sciousness, but not right action and right livelihood. At the time one abstains from improper and wrong bodily actions such as killing and so on, right action becomes associated and not right speech and right livelihood. When one abstains from wrong means of living by speaking an untruth and so on right livelihood becomes associated and not the right speech and right action. It is these three abstinences that are mostly known as "morality (sila &a). Although the mental properties called the three abstinences are morally beautiful, they do not arise in sublime classes of consciousness (Mahaggata ®eoS>) viz those ot rijpaloka and arupaloka. THE ILLIMITABLES , Pity (karuna ts>6i4fai) is a state associated with consciousness which moves one's mind when another is seen suffering. Its characteristic feature is the desire to relieve sufferings not only of mankind but of all sentient beings. It is immateria and not of any concern whether the suffering could be relieved or not. The object for pity is all sentient beings. 2. Appreciation ( mudita ^^>> ) is sympathetic )oy or a state of congratulatory or benevolent attitude associated with consciousness when pleasure and happiness are seen to be enjoyed by others. Its characteristic feature is to appreciate and feel joyful over others' success and fortune. For appre- ciation the object IS happy and fortunate beings. These two are called " the lUimitables " as they have for their object all living beings which are illimitable. There are four illimitables viz amity, pity, appreciation and equanimity. Amity and equanimity have been previously des- cribed as they are common to all classes of morally beautiful consciousness. 1 •13 REASON Panfia (Cas^K,) reason is insight, clear understanding or knowledge of all things conditioned and composite as possessing the three salient features of impermanence, sorrow and absence of a soul or substantial entity. This is a very strong and great moral thought. It is a root of moral classes of consciousness. The difference in (Saniia tosaee.) perception, (vnnana eei23q4) cognition and (pafiiia 0<S^) insight should be noted here. Perception only receives an impression of an object such as blue or green and so on, but does not realise its character- istic features, like a small child possessing knowledge in respect of a sovereign. Cognition perceives the impression and realises Its characteristics, like a villager possessing knowledge in respect of a sovereign. Insight perceives the impression realises its characteristics, and contemplates the object under the three salient features of transiency and so on or that the object is composed of nothing more than the four great essentials and so on.