Notes  

References are to page numbers in P.T.S. editions.

Translations from the Pali Text Society Translation Series:

Part One

1.

Four types of 'flood' (ogha) are distinguished: i. sense-desires (kaama); ii. becoming (bhava); iii. views (ai.t.thi); iv. ignorance (avijjaa).

2.

The two words 'appati.t.tha.m' and 'anaayuuha.m' point to the Middle Path (majjhimaa pa.tipadaa) in its broadest sense.

In the case of the first flood (i.e., sense-desires), they bring out the ethical significance of the Noble Eightfold Path in the avoidance of the two extremes of self-indulgence and self-mortification. The former extreme tends to moral stagnation while the latter leads to extreme forms of asceticism which are not conducive to a healthy development of the mind. Since both attitudes of 'stagnation' and 'struggling' are ineffective against the flood of sense-desires, the Buddha's Middle Path advocates sanity and moderation.

Extreme reactions to the second flood (i.e., becoming), took the form of Eternalism and Annihilationism, which again reflect attitudes of attachment and aversion. The Eternalist 'leaned back' while Annihilationist 'over-reached' himself in the face of the problem of existence. "... Delighting in the existence, monks, are gods and men; they are attached to existence and rejoice in it. When Dhamma is being preached (to them) their minds do not leap towards it, do not become pleased, established or released therein. Thus, monks, do some lean back. And how, monks, do some others over-reach themselves? Being afflicted by and loathing this very existence, some others delight in non-existence, thus: 'Inasmuch as this being, when the body breaks up, after death, gets annihilated, will be destroyed and be no more after death, this is peace, this is excellent this is the true state.' Thus, monks, some others over-reach themselves..." (Itiv. 43f). The former ran after his shadow, while the latter tried in vain to outstrip it, both being equally obsessed I taking it to be real. Here the Buddha's solution was to recognize the shadow for what it is by 'seeing-things-as-they-are' (yathaabhuuta~naa.nadassana) — as dependently arisen -, thus dispelling both Narcissistic love and morbid hate for it and ushering in equanimity in the light of wisdom. "... and how, monks, do those who have eyes, see? Herein, a monk sees the 'become' (bhuuta.m) as 'become.' Having seen the 'become' as 'become,' he treads the path towards the disenchantment, dispassion and cessation with regard to the 'become.' Thus it is monks, that those who have eyes see..." (ib).

The third flood (i.e., views) brought forth the dichotomy between the extreme views of absolute existence ('sabba.m atthi' — 'everything exists) and absolute non-existence ('sabba.m natthi) — 'nothing exists'). Avoiding these two extremes runs the Middle Path of Dependent arising: 'He who with right insight sees the arising of the world as it really is, does not hold with the non-existence of the world. And he who with right insight sees the passing away of the world as it really is, does not hold with the non-existence of the world.' (Kaccaayana S. S. II.17). In place of the static world-view of the metaphysicians and the nihilists we have here a dynamic vision of the rise and fall of phenomena.

The fourth flood (i.e., ignorance) resulted in the polarization of the extreme attitudes of extraversion and introversion, both of which spelt delusion (moha). This is the paradox of consciousness (vi~n~naa.na), inter-dependent as it is on name-and form (naamaruupa) — each providing a footing or support (pati.t.thaa) for the other. The deepest riddle of existence (bhava) lay between them as they doted upon each other forming the whirlpool of sa.msaara. (See below, Notes 38, 51). 'The consciousness turns back from name-and-form, it does not go beyond' (D.II.32). However much it tried to dart out of the vicious cycle with the force of sa.mkhaaras or formations, it found itself confronted by name-and-form. Epistemologically, all views — even those based on jhaanic experience — stood condemned, since they all centered around some aspect or other of name-and-form, which in its turn implicated consciousness itself. 'A seeing man will see name-and-form, and having seen, he will understand just those things. Verily, let him see much or little, yet the experts do not speak of purity thereby.' (Sn. 909). Similarly, the almost refrain-like pronouncement running through the concluding sections of the Brahmajaala Sutta (D. I. 41-44): 'even that is due to contact' (tadapi phassapaccayaa), is a disqualification of the whole range of sixty-two views, since 'contact' comes under 'name-and-form' (See below: Note 13.). The Buddha discovered a way out of this impasse in a unique realm of meditation in which the consciousness neither partakes of extraversion nor of introversion and is free from the sa.mkhaaras that keep one leashed to existence (bhava). It is the 'Deliverance-through-Knowledge' (a~n~naavimokha — Sn. 1107), having as its Fruit, the Knowledge of Nibbaanic freedom (A~n~naphala — A. IV. 428.) The consciousness, now, is 'non-manifestative' (anidassana D. I. 213), providing no footing for name-and-form, and it is neither distracted or diffuse without (... 'bahiddhaa c'assa vi~n~nanam avikkhitta.m avisata.m M. III. 223) nor established within (ajjhatta.m — asa.n.thita.m'-ib); neither 'approaching' (anupaayo — M. III. 25), nor 'receding' (anapaayo-ib.); neither 'turned-towards (nacaabhinato — A. IV. 428, S. I. 28), nor 'turned-outwards' (nacaapanato-ib.); neither 'focused' (asa.mhiira.m — M. III.187) nor 'excitable' (asa.mkuppam-ib.). Having no object (anaaramma~na.m — Ud.80), it is 'unestablished' (appati.t.tha.m-ib.) and non-continuing' (appavattam-ib.). It is not a state of pent up tension, forcibly held in check by formations ('na sasa.nkhaaraniggayha-vaaritavato' —A. IV. 428). This level of transcendental experience was so subtle and refractory to definition, that the Buddha declared: "This too were a state very difficult to see, that is to say the calming of all formations, the renunciation of all assets, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbaana." (idampi kno .thaana.m sududdasa.m yadida.m sabbasa.mkharasamatho sabbuu padhi pa.tinissaggo ta.nhak khayo viraago nirodho nibbaana.m — S. I. 136, Vin. I. 5).

The two words, 'appati.t.tha.m' and 'anaayuuha.m' can thus be interpreted with reference to the four floods in their ethical, existential, metaphysical and epistemological aspects.

3.

'It is he in whom delight and existence are extinct, that does not sink in the deep' ('nandiibhava-pa.tikkhiino-so gambhiire na siidati' — Sn. V. 175).

4.

The term 'braahmana' is often used as an epithet of the perfect saint, the arahant.

5.

Here the text has 'parinibbuta.m' in the sense of complete extinction of the three 'fires' of lust, hatred and delusion. Though in later usage there came in a tendency to associate this word frequently with the death of an arahant, suttas frequently apply it even to the living arahant experiencing the bliss of complete emancipation. A similar tendency is evident in the usage of the term 'nirupadhi' 'without possessions or assets.' (Cf. Itiv. 46: 'Having touched with his body the Deathless-element, the 'Asset-less' and realized the abandonment of all assets, the Perfectly Awakened One, the cankerless, proclaims the sorrowless, Dustless state.')

6.

Visattikaa — a synonym for craving (tanhaa) in its agglutinative aspect, which is also implicit in such expressions as 'sibbanii' (seamstress —Sn. Vv. 1040, 1042), 'lippati' ('to be smeared or soiled' — ib) and 'tatratatra-bninandini' ('finding delight now here, now there' — Vin. I. 10).

7.

'nimokkha.m pamokkha.m viveka.m': These three terms are explained in the comm.. (S.A.) in two ways. Firstly, they are said to refer to the Path, the Fruit and Nibbaana respectively. Secondly, as an alternative interpretation, all of them are treated as synonyms for Nibbaana. It is only the latter interpretation that appears to be valid according to the context.

8.

Delight (nandi) is said to be the root of existence (bhava), and hence the fading away of the former results in the cessation of the latter. It amounts to a realization, here and now, of the fact that one has crossed over all forms of existence (bhavassa paaraguu — Dhp. V. 348). This experience that the consciousness is not established anywhere — neither here (neva idha), nor beyond (na hura.m) nor in between (na ubhayamantare) — Ud. 81) — provides for the arahant, certitude often expressed in the words: 'Extinct is birth, lived is the holy life, done is the task, and there is nothing beyond this for (a designation of) the conditions of this existence.'

9.

This refers to the experience of the cessation of consciousness (vi~n~naa.nanirodha — D. I. 213) with the removal of its support name-and-form. The experience is described in the suttas as a very unusual kind of 'jhaana' or 'samaadhi,' since it does not partake of any perceptual data. (A. IV. 427, V. 7, 8, 318, 319, 321, 324f, 353ff.)

10.

The cessation and appeasement of feelings, is yet another aspect of this experience. Thereby the Arahant realizes the extinction of all suffering mental as well as physical (see Sakaiika S: SI, 27), which in effect is the bliss of Nibbaana as the deliverance from all Sa.msaaric suffering. What is most significant about this paradoxical jhaana is that, despite the extinction of all what constitutes our waking experience, the arahant is still said to be mindful and aware. It is sometimes referred to as 'the sphere' (aayatana) in which the six sense-spheres have totally ceased. (See M. III. 218; S. IV. 98).

11.

Nibbaana is called 'apunaagamana' ('from which there is no coming back again') as it is an irreversible attainment. This transcendence of the world is often compared to a 'crossing-over to the further shore.' 'The saint having crossed over and gone beyond, stands on dry ground' (ti.n.no paara.mgato thale ti.t.thati braahma.no' — S. IV. 175.) 'Once he has crossed over, the such-like one comes not back' ('paara.mgato na paceti taadii — Sn. v. 803). 'To the further shore they go not twice' ('na paara.m diguna.m yanti — Sn. V. 714). The sense of irreversibility is also conveyed by the term, 'akuppaa-cetovimutti' ('unshakable deliverance of the mind') signifying arahantship.

12.

The ten fetters that are to be abandoned in the course of one's progress towards Arahantship: They are: i. personality-view ii. uncertainty iii. adherence to rites and rituals v. greed for sense-desires v. resentment vi. attachment to Realms of Form vii. attachment to Formless Realms viii. conceit ix. agitation x. ignorance.

13.

'Name-and-Form' (naamaruupa): Feeling, perception, conation, contact, attention — these, friends, are called 'name.' The four great elements and form dependent on them — these, friends, are called 'form'" — M. I. 53 Sammaadi.t.thi S. As the object and support of consciousness, name-and-form is sometimes conceived as a net in which consciousness is enmeshed. Thoughts and intentions have, as their object, some aspect or other of this name-and-form (A. IV. 385). So long as the agglutinative tendency of craving is not eliminated, consciousness is unable to transcend name-and-form, and is perpetually caught in a vicious circle. The Buddha and the arahants succeeded in escaping the net by giving up all attachment. Their consciousness, now illumined by wisdom, penetrated it and soared untrammeled and unrestricted, out into an infinitude (D. I. 223.), by way of the three deliverances — the 'signless' (animitta), the 'undirected' (appa.nihita) and the 'void' (su~n~nata).

14.

aki~ncana: ('possessing-nothing') An epithet of the arahant, connoting the absence of lust, hatred and delusion. "Lust, friend, is a something (ki~ncano). Hatred is a something, delusion is a something. In a monk whose influxes are extinct, they are abandoned, cut-off at the root, rendered groundless, made extinct and are incapable of arising again." — M. I. 298, Maha Vedalla S.

15.

When the subtle conceit 'I am' (asmimaana) is eradicated and the attachment to name-and-form is given up, consciousness loses its support and becomes unestablished (appati.t.thita vi~n~naa.na — S. I. 122). It does not stand in any realm of existence (vi~n~naa.na.m bhave nati.t.the' — Sn. V. 1055).

16.

Here, the reference is to the Buddha.

17.

This is a riddle verse the clue to which lies in the identification of the metaphors used. According to the comm., the root is craving; the two whirlpools (ie. 'dviraava.t.tam': rendered above as 'turning-twice') are the eternalist and annihilationist views; the three stains are lust, hatred and delusion; the five arenas are the five types of sense-pleasure; the ocean is craving itself in its insatiable aspect; the twelve eddies are the internal and external spheres (of sense) and the abyss is craving in its 'bottomless' aspect. (Note that craving plays a triple role in this interpretation).

The validity of the interpretation is doubtful as there is Canonical evidence to show that some of the metaphors are suggestive of a different order of facts. To begin with, the 'abyss' (paataala) is clearly defined in the eponymous sutta at S. IV. 206 in terms of physical pains. "A synonym, monks, is this for painful feelings of the body, namely, the 'abyss.'" Similarly, 'the ocean' is defined for us at S. IV. 157 in the 'Ocean' Sutta ('samuddo') in words which are in full accord with the imagery of the verse: "The eye, monks, is the ocean for a man. It has the 'force' of visual forms. Whoever withstands that force of visual forms, he, O monks, is called 'one who has crossed the ocean of eye with its waves, eddies, seizures and demons. Having crossed over and gone beyond the saint stands on dry ground... The ear... The nose... The tongue... The body... The mind, monks, is the ocean... stands on dry ground." This quotation itself provides the clue to the twelve eddies, which, as the comm. also suggests, are the internal and external spheres of sense. The five arenas are, indeed, the five types of sense-pleasures, for, at S. I. 126 the arahant is called 'one who has crossed the five floods.' It is the floods or currents that provide the sphere of action for the eddies and the abyss. The three stains can also be interpreted, in accordance with the comm., as lust (raago), hatred (doso) and ignorance (avijjaa), on the strength of the following reference at S. IV. 158 (Cf. Itiv. 57): "He in whom lust, hatred and ignorance have faded away, is the one who has crossed this ocean so hard to cross, with its seizures, demons, and the danger of waves." The 'turning-twice' most probably refers to the painful feeling and the pleasant feeling which form the counterparts in the 'see-saw' experience of the worldling. (See below Note 24). That it is a kind of blind alley for him, is clearly stated at S. IV. 208: "He, on being touched (phu.t.tho samaano) by painful feeling, delights in sense-pleasures. And why is this? Because the uninstructed worldling, O monks, knows no way out of painful feeling other than the sense-pleasures..." Lastly, as for the significance of that one root, in the verse, the following citation from 'Phassamuulaka Sutta' (Rooted-in-Contact') at S. IV. 215, should suffice: "Monks, there are these three feelings which are born of contact, rooted in contact, originating from contact and which depend on contact. Which are the three? Pleasant feeling, unpleasant feeling and neither-pleasant-nor-unpleasant feeling."

It is the painful bodily feeling that constitutes the most immediate and palpable aspect of suffering. The arahant's claim to have transcended all suffering will not be fully valid unless he has 'crossed over' this 'quaking abyss' as well. That paradoxical samaadhi of the arahant is just the 'refuge' (or 'island') from the 'floods,' the 'eddies' and the 'abyss.' The most emphatic illustration of this fact is perhaps the Sakalika-Sutta at S. I. 27., where the Buddha, being mindful and aware, is seen bearing up with an unruffled brow, the bodily pains which are painful, sharp, acute, distressing and unwelcome, while gods draw near and express wonder and admiration at this remarkable feat of endurance. (See above, Note 10). This aspect of Nibbaanic bliss is summed up in a verse at S. IV. 204: 'Concentrated, mindful and aware, the disciple of the Buddha, understands feelings, the origin of feelings, the state wherein they are destroyed and the path leading thereto. By the destruction of feelings, the monk is devoid of hankering and is fully appeased (parinibbuta).'

The significance of the metaphor used with reference to painful bodily feelings can also be appreciated in the context of the Buddha's definition of the 'development of the body' (kaayabhaavanaa) and the 'development of the mind' (cittabhaavanaa) in the Mahaa Saccaka Sutta (M. I. 239). "In whomsoever, Aggivessana, in this manner and on either side, the pleasant feelings that are arisen do not obsess the mind due to the development of his body, and the painful feelings that are arisen do not obsess the mind due to the development of his mind, it is thus, Aggivessana, that he becomes one who is developed as to body (bhaavitakaayo) and as to mind, too (bhaavitacitto)." The arahant, in attaining to the 'Influx-free Deliverance of the Mind and the Deliverance through Wisdom' (...'anaasava.m cetovimutti.m pa~n~navimutti.m...' — D. I. 156) reaches the perfection of these two ideals. As the 'unshakable deliverance of the mind' ('akuppaa cetovimutti'), arahantship is the unfailing refuge and shelter even from the quaking abyss of bodily feelings. While the 'Influx-free Deliverance of the Mind' provides him with an inner retreat from painful bodily feelings, the 'Deliverance through Wisdom' serves as a permanent safe-guard against the seductive and deluding character of pleasant feeling. (Cf. "Experiencing taste, the revered Gotama partakes of food, but not experiencing an attachment to taste" — Brahmaayu S., M. II. 138). The arahant 'freed-in-both-ways' (ubhatobhaagavimutta) can, therefore, disengage himself from all percepts in addition to remaining undeluded in the face of experience.

sa~n~navirattassa na santi ganthaa pa~n~navimuttassa na santi mohaa...

— Sn. V. 847.

'Unto him who is detached from percepts, there are no fetters, and to him who is emancipated through wisdom there are no delusions.'

18.

'addhabhavi' v. l. 'anvabhavi': The verb being in the active voice, is probably a derivation from 'adhi + √ bhuu' (Cf. 'maa vo kodho ajjhabhavi'; 'Let no anger overwhelm you' — S. I. 240). The other possible derivation, 'addha + bhu' yielding the meaning, 'soiled or wet,' is less plausible in this context.

19.

The Sutta highlights the power of 'name.' Everything comes under its sway. The Comm. observes: 'There is no being or formation without a name, whether this be attached primordially or by convention. Even when people do not know a particular tree or stone by this or that name, it will still be called a 'no-namer' (anaamako).' This over-riding power of name has been recognized by Lao-tse too, when he calls it the 'mother of all things.' In magic, one's knowledge of the secret names of spirits is deemed a weapon effective in itself against their evil influence. In panegyric, the ability to muster a wide range of epithets is considered a rewarding skill.

Everything comes under the sway of name as a result of man's urge to familiarize himself with the world. Sorting out, naming and defining things, are practical necessities in ordinary life, since they help us avoid 'tripping-over,' just as in the case of one groping in the dark. There is a constant need to re-cognize things and the easiest way of doing it, is by putting a sign on them. While the five senses have their own separate modes of indentation, mind largely relies on the labeling-mode of attaching a name, in the course of its own groping. Since mind partakes of the 'range' (visaya) and pasture (gocara) of the other five senses as well (M. I. 295.), its own mode of indentation has a preponderating influence over the rest. Thus, perceptual data of the five external senses, in all their permutations and combinations, finally come to be assigned names and pigeon-holed as 'things.' This convenient but superficial indentation beclouds the mind and prevents the immediate understanding of sense-contact (phassa). Its mode of apperception, therefore, is largely a process of 'imagining' and 'figuring-out' of objects located in the darkness of ignorance, and in its blind groping, the phenomenon of sense-contact as such, hardly receives any serious attention.

The over-riding power of name could only be nullified by the process of 'attending-by-way-of-matrix' (yoniso manasikaara) in order to understand the very structure of sense-experience. By comprehending the phenomenon of sense-contact for what it is, the imaginary world of 'things' will cease to obsess the mind. When the light of wisdom is turned on, there will be no 'groping-in-the-dark,' and consequently, no necessity to imagine or 'figure-out' things, for one now 'knows and sees' for oneself that there is 'No-thing.' ('Jaanato passato natthi ki~ncana.m' — Ud. 80: 'Naught for him who knows and sees.').

20.

This assertion of the primacy of mind (citta) is a distinctive feature in the teachings of the Buddha. The declaration in this sutta is reinforced by the opening verse of the Dhammapada: 'Mind is the forerunner of all phenomena. Mind is their chief; they are mind-made...' In this sutta the term 'citta' is used whereas the Dhammapada verse has 'mano.' Though for all practical purposes both may be rendered by 'mind,' the former term may be said to emphasize the impulsive and emotional aspects often associated with the word 'thought,' while the latter, as the sixth sense-faculty proper (manindriya), is perhaps less vivid, as far as the nuances are concerned.

21.

'World' is defined in Buddhism directly with reference to the six senses: "That by which one is conscious of the world, by which one has conceit of the world — that is called 'world' in the Noble One's discipline. And through what is one conscious of the world? Through what has one conceit of the world? Through the eye, friends, through the ear, the nose, the tongue, the body and the mind..." (S. IV. 95).

22.

See above: Note 11.

23.

This lively dialogue clearly brings out the supreme equanimity of emancipated ones. They have given up attachment to all 'possessions' or 'assets' (akincana, nirupadhi) whereby one becomes subject to the polarization between joy and grief. 'There is nothing grasped or rejected by him' ('atta.m niratta.m na hi tassa atthi' —Sn. V. 787). 'He is neither attached nor is he averse' 'na hi so raj jati na viraj jati' — Sn. V. 813).

24.

The worldling is on a see-saw experiencing the alternation of pleasant and unpleasant feelings. (See above Note 17). He rarely finds himself balanced in the neutral position of 'neither pleasant-nor-unpleasant' feeling. As the arahant-nun, Dhammadinaa explains in the Cuula Vedalla Sutta (M. I. 303.) the pleasant and the unpleasant feelings are mutual counterparts. It is the neither-pleasant-not-unpleasant feeling that provides a way out of this polarization, since its counterpart is ignorance, which in turn has as its counterpart, knowledge. The counterpart of knowledge is release and that of release is Nibbaana.

25.

Here the P.T.S. translation runs: '... and though I waited not to eat or drink or rest...' (K. S. I. 86). The text and the comm., however, make allowance for Rohitassa's physical needs, which must have been the only interruptions to his otherwise continuous journey.

26.

The import of this significant declaration can be understood in the context of those suttas in which the Buddha defines the concept of the world. The 'world,' for the Buddha, arises in the six sense-spheres (See above Note 21). Hence its cessation too, is to be experienced there, in the cessation of the six sense-spheres (salaayatananirodha). "I will teach you, monks, how the world comes to be and passes away... What monks, is the arising of the world? Dependent on eye and forms, arises visual consciousness. The concurrence of the three is contact. Conditioned by contact is feeling. Conditioned by feeling, craving. Conditioned by craving, grasping. Conditioned by grasping, becoming. Conditioned by becoming, birth. And conditioned by birth, arise decay, death, grief lamentation, suffering, despair. This is the arising of the world.

And what, monks, is the passing away of the world? Dependent on the eye and forms arise visual consciousness. The concurrence of the three is contact. Conditioned by contact is feeling. Conditioned by feeling is craving. By the utter fading away and cessation of that craving, grasping ceases, by the ceasing of grasping, becoming ceases, by the ceasing of becoming birth ceases, by the ceasing of birth, decay-and-death, grief, lamentation, suffering, despair, cease. Such is the ceasing of this entire man of Ill.

This, monks, is the passing away of the world." (Such it is also in the case of the other senses).

The same sermon is introduced in the preceding sutta with the words: "I will teach you monks, the arising and passing away of suffering..."

27.

According to the Buddha, that end of the world where there is no birth, decay or death, in search of which Rohitassa walked for a hundred years, is not somewhere in outer space, but within this very fathom-long body. The cessation of the six sense-spheres, constitutes for the arahant, a transcendental sphere (aayatana) of experience in which he realizes, here and now, that he is free from all suffering connected with birth, decay and death, and indeed from all forms of existence (bhavanirodho). These aspects of Nibbanic bliss find expression in such epithets as 'a jaata.m' ('non-born'), 'abhuuta.m' ('non-become'), 'a jara.m' ('non decaying') and 'amata.m' ('deathless'). "...With the utter fading away of ignorance, even that body is not there, dependent on which there arises for him inwardly happiness and unhappiness; that speech is not there... that mind is not there, dependent on which there arises for him inwardly happiness and unhappiness. That field does not exist, that ground does not exist, that sphere does not exist, that reason does not exist, dependent on which arises inwardly happiness and unhappiness." (A. II. 158f). When body, speech and mind, which are at the root of all discrimination and conceit, fade away in the jhaanic experience of the arahant, he finds himself free from all suffering, mental as well as physical. (See above, Notes 17, 24). Such epithets of Nibbaana as 'khema.m' (security), 'diipa.m' (island), 'taa.na.m' (protection), 'le.na.m' (cave), 'sara.na.m' (refuge) and 'paraayana.m' (resort) suggest this transcendence of worldly imperfections.

The culmination of the not-self attitude is the eradication of the conceit, '(I) am':...the percipient of 'not-self attains to the eradication of the conceit 'I am,' which is Nibbaana here and now," (A. V. 358). The removal of the subtle conceit, 'I am' (asmimaana) is tantamount to a destruction of that delusive superimposed 'frame' from which all measurings and reckonings of the world were directed through the instrumentality of the sense-faculties, and by which the mass of relative concepts in the form of sense-data were so organized as to give a picture of 'the world' with 'self' mirrored on it. What we call the normal functioning of the five external senses, is but the outward manifestation of the notion 'I-am': "Given the notion 'I-am,' monks there set in then the five sense-faculties." * (S. III. 46). When this 'frame' is dismantled, the conveyors — the senses — losing their provenance and sanction, become ineffective, and their usual objects too fade away into insignificance: "Wherefore, monks, that sphere should be known wherein the eye ceases and the perception of forms fades away... wherein the ear ceases and the perception of sounds fades away... the nose ceases and the perception of smell fades away... the tongue ceases and the perception of tastes fades away... the body ceases and the perception of touch fades away... the mind ceases and the perception of ideas fades away. That sphere should be known; that sphere should be known." (S. IV. 98). All percepts are 'signs' (ruupanimitta sadanimitta etc.), and when signs cease to be 'significant,' they are as good as non-existent. The 'signless deliverance of the mind' (animittaa cetovimutti) as one of the doorways-to-deliverance (vimokkha-mukha), points to this re-orientation of the arahant's mental life. Thus, although he is wide awake when he is in this paradoxical samaadhi (D. II. 132; S. I. 126), although his sense-organs appear to be all intact, yet he is free form normal sense-experience. "That very eye will be there, those very visible forms will be there, yet one will not experience the corresponding sphere of sense... that same body will be there, those very tactile objects will be there, yet one will not experience the corresponding sphere of sense." (A. IV. 426f). "He is not one with the normal perception, nor is his perception abnormal. He is not non-percipient, nor has he put an end to perception." ('na sa~n~nasa~n~nii na visa~n~nasa~n~nii — no pi asa~n~ni na vibhuutasa~n~nii' — Sn. 874). "In the case of a monk who is fully emancipated in mind, friends, though many forms cognizable by the eye may come within the range of the eye, they never obsess his mind, unalloyed is his mind, steady and become imperturbable and he sees its passing away. Though many sounds cognizable by the ear may come... many smells cognizable by the nose... many tastes cognizable by the tongue... many tangibles cognizable by the body... many ideas cognizable by the mind may come within the range of the mind, they never obsess his mind, unalloyed is his mind, steady and become imperturbable and he sees its passing away..." (A. IV. 404).

This 'non-manifestative consciousness' (amidassana vi~n~naa.na) of the arahant, which is uninfluenced by extraneous forces and is steady and imperturbable, is, perhaps, the 'Inertial Frame' in search of which Relativity Physics has, in modern times, set out. As the scientist gradually awoke to the truths of relativity, he too longed for a 'state-of-rest' from the ever-deepening conflict of view-points.' But his search for this imaginary laboratory was unsuccessful for, like Rohitassa, he searched it outside, relying on the demonstrative apparatus known to science. The Buddha's exhortation to Rohitassa is, therefore, of refreshing relevance to the modern age, in that it implies that the sphere (aayatana) wherein one transcends the labyrinths of relativity is not somewhere in outer space but within this very fathom-long physical frame.

As an interesting sidelight, it may be mentioned that according to the Theory of Relativity, light is the top-velocity in the universe, it propagates even in vacuum, its velocity is constant and it propagates in all directions. Now, that non-manifestative consciousness of the arahant is described in the suttas as infinite and 'lustrous all-around' (vi~n~naa.na.m anidassana.m ananta.m sabbato pabha.m — D. I. 213; M. I. 329).* The arahant's consciousness is untrammeled by name-and-form (Dhp. V. 221), and has no object as its point of focus (anaaramma.na.m — Ud.. 80). Hence it is infinite, and he is one of infinite range ('anantagocara' — Dhp. Vv. 179, 18) as regards his mental compass. Wisom (pa~n~na), according to the Buddha, is a light which excels all other forms of light known to the world (natthi pa~n~nasamaa abhaa' — 'no luster like unto that of wisdom' — S. I. 6; A. II. 139f). It has the property of penetration ('pa~n~naapa.tivedha'; 'nibbedhikaapa~n~naa') and its function is comprehension of the consciousness, which is called an illusion ('maayaa' — S. III. 142). Hence in that illumination through wisdom, consciousness becomes infinite and 'lustrous-all-round.' The mind, thus 'luster-become and gone to the Fruit of Arahantship' ('obhaasajaata.m phalaga.m citta.m' — Thag. V. 1. 3.5) lights up, in its turn, the five external senses. The sense-objects, which are but the denizens of the dark world of ignorance, fade away before the penetrative all-encompassing luster. The illusion of consciousness — the magic of the senses — thereby becomes fully exposed to the light of wisdom. The six spheres of sense cease altogether ('salaayatananirodha') and the arahant is now conscious merely of the cessation of existence which is Nibbaana itself (bhavanirodho nibbaana.m — A. v. 9). He is conscious, in other words, of the voidness of the world ('su~n~no loko' — S. IV. 54) which the scientist might prefer to call the 'vacuum' which this light-of-wisdom now pervades.

The scientist, however, might hesitate to grant the possibility of a 'light-of-wisdom' which is not amenable to any demonstrative apparatus. He has recognized only the purely physical notions of light, and has already set a limit to this 'top-velocity' — 300,000 km per second. He considers that 'the discovery of the existence in the Universe of the top velocity is one of the greatest triumphs of human genius and of the experimental capacity of mankind.'*... On the basis of the foregoing observations, it can be said that this 'greatest triumph' was made by the Buddha more than 2,500 years ago, when he discovered by means of his 'noble experiment' (ariya pariyesana), that the mind is intrinsically luminous ('pabhassaramida.m bhikkhave citta.m': 'This mind, monks, is luminous' — A. I. 10) and that, when cleansed of all extraneous taints, it develops that penetrative, all-pervasive luster of wisdom which liberates one from the labyrinths of the world of relativity. It is a penetration into the truth of impermanence (aniccataa) by thorough reflection on the rise-and-fall of phenomena, and the deeper it proceeds, the more one becomes aware of the conflict (dukkha). For Buddhism, the conflict of view-points is a far more intricate affair than what the scientist would make it out to be. It is not simply a question of a spectator's physical presence at a point in time and space, but one that deeply involves such facets of psychological life as interest and attention. "Rooted in desire, friends, are all phenomena; originating in attention, are all phenomena;..." ("chandamuulakaa aavuso sabbe dhammaa, manasikaarasambhavaa sabbe dhammaa ..." — A. v. 106). The result is an awareness of a conflict that affects life as a whole (dukkhasa~n~na). This awareness, naturally enough, is the springboard for utter detachment through the perception of 'not-self' (anatta-sa~n~naa), the culmination of which, as stated above, is the eradication of the most subtle conceit of all — the conceit 'I-am' (asmimaana). The Buddha has pointed out that the liberation from the world of sense-experience is not possible until the influxes (aasavaa) are made extinct, and the influx of the notion of existence (bhavaasava) can only be destroyed by means of a penetrative perception of cessation (nirodha) focused on sense-experience itself. 'As far as is the range of attainments to levels of perception, so far is there a penetration into Knowledge' (yaavataa sa~n~naa-samaapatti taavataa a~n~napa.tivedho' — A. iv. 426). The 'habit-energy' we have acquired in the course of our blind groping in Sa.msaara impelled by craving, readily flows in, in our ordinary sense experience, and, with its agglutinative effect, creates before us a world of 'things' that we can 'grasp.' Hence nothing short of an inner illumination could fully penetrate this façade and liberate us from the bondage of the senses. It is noteworthy that the paradoxical samaadhi of the arahants is also called 'aanantarika' ('Immediacy') in the sense that in it the extinction of the influxes is immediate ('anantaraa aasavaana.m khayo hoyi' A. III. 202. Cf. Sn. V. 226). In his infinite and all-lustrous consciousness where view-points have been displaced by an all encompassing vision of truth, the 'signal-transmission' as to the impermanence of the senses and their objects, occurs at such an infinite velocity that it prevents the most elementary coagulation or compounding which accounts for the six spheres of sense.

Rohitassa's fantastic journey, which was perhaps the prototype of modern space-travel, was undertaken for the purpose of 'coming to know and to see and reach that end of the world where there is no birth or death.' According to the Buddha, everything could not be verified in this manner. "Monks, there are these four realizable things. What four? There are things, monks, that are realizable through the body. There are things, monks, that are realizable through memory. There are things, monks, that are realizable through the eye. There are things, monks, that are realizable through wisdom. And what, monks, are the things that are realizable through the body? The eight deliverances, monks, are realizable through the body. And what... through memory? One's former habitations, monks, are realizable through memory. And what... through the eye? The death and rebirth of beings, monks, is realizable through the eye. And what, monks, are the things realizable through wisdom? The extinction of influxes, monks, is realizable through wisdom. These, monks, are the four realizable things. (A. II. 182f). Just as much as one cannot board a time-machine and race back into the Past in order to verify the fact of one's former lives, even so it is inherently impossible for one to take a leap into the Future in order to ascertain whether one has actually destroyed all influxes that make for rebirth. The verification can only be made through the penetrative faculty of wisdom — the 'eye' of wisdom (pa~n~naacakkhu) — which gives one the certitude, here and now, that all influxes of existence as well as the sediments of speech associated with them, 'are burnt out and are no more' ('bhavaasavaa yassa vacikharaa ca — vidhuupitaa atthagataa na santi' —Sn. V. 472.). That his cycle of Sa.msaara is breached at its vortex (consciousness><name-and-form), is vouched for the arahant by the breached epicycle that he sees and experiences in his paradoxical samaadhi. "The whirlpool cut-off, whirls no more — this, even this, is the end of Ill" ('chinna.m va.t.ta.m na va.t.tati-esevanto dukkhassa' — Ud. 75). The end of the world is thus seen and realized in this very life in one's own immediate experience, avoiding all pit-falls of speculative logic — a fact which accounts for such epithets of the Dhamma as 'sandi.t.thiko' ('visible in this very life'), 'akaaliko' ('not involving time'), 'ehipassiko' (inviting every one to come and see for himself), 'opanayiko' (leading one onwards'), 'paccata.m veditabbo vi~n~nuhi' ('to be understood by the wise, each by himself'), and, above all, 'atakkaavacaro' ('not moving in the sphere of logic'). The ensemble of this realization is resented in that stereotyped sentence in the suttas which announces a new [four illegible words appear here — ATI ed.] understood: "Extinct is birth, lived is the holy life, done is the task, and there is nothing beyond this for (a designation of) the conditions of this existence" ('Khii.naa jaati, vusita.m brahmacariya.m kata.m kara.niya.m naapara.m itthattaayati abbha~n~nasi' — See below Note 51).

The fact that the arahant has transcended the relativity of space, mass, motion and time with which the scientist is still grappling, is clear enough from certain Canonical statements. It is said that in his 'non-manifestative consciousness,' the concepts of earth (pa.thavii), water (apo), fire (tejo) and air (vaayo) find no footing and that the relative concepts of long (diigha.m) and short (rassa.m) are cut off altogether. (D. I. 213, M. I. 329). Likewise, the concepts of 'here,' 'there' and 'between-the-two,' have lost their significance for him ('neva idha na hura.m na ubhayamantare — Ud. 8). He does not consider himself to be anywhere (na kuhi~nci ma~n~nati — M. III. 45), nor can any god or man trace him as to where he 'stands' (See above Note 15). He has done away with the 'abode of the mind' ('nivesana.m yo manaso abaasi' — Sn. V. 470) and is 'abodeless' (anoko — S. I. 126) in the fullest sense of the term. The distinctions between a 'subtle' (a.nu.m) and a gross (thuula.m) which may well be a reference to the relativity of mass, have also faded away (D. I. 213). So too, the concepts suggestive of the relativity of motion, such as 'coming' 'going and 'standing' (aagati gati thiti — Ud. 80). Relativity of time which the modern world regards as the 'brain-child' of Einstein, was not only discovered but transcended by the Buddha in that extra-ordinary dimension of the mind. 'Death-and-birth' (cutuupapaata) — the most formidable dichotomy of all — has no sway at all in that jhanic consciousness of the emancipated one. The elusive phenomenon of time, is hypostatised in Buddhist usage in that multiple personality of Maara — the god of Death. As his epithet, 'kinsman of the indolent' (pamattabandhu) ironically suggests, he has the vicious trait of lying low in order to take his victims unawares. He is also very aptly called 'the Ender' (antaka). Maara as the symbol of death, is indeed 'the curfew' that 'tolls the knell of parting day.' Now, the Buddha and the arahants are those who have outwitted Mara, blinded him, put him off the track and attained the Deathless. (M I. 160 Dhp. V. 274; Ud. 46; Itiv 50, 53, etc). This feat was made possible by a recognition of the principle of the relativity of time. The Buddha discovered that the concepts of birth and death are correlative — the one being given the other follows (D. I. 55). And the concept of birth itself, is born in the matrix of the notion of becoming or existence (bhava). The 'becoming,' the existence, is an attempt to 'stand-forth' — that is, to stand forth in defiance of the universal law of impermanence. It is an ever-failing struggle, but the struggle (ie, Dukkha) itself continues depending on the supply of fuel, which is upaadaana ('grasping'). 'Dependent on grasping is becoming; having become one undergoes suffering; unto the born there is death; this is the origin of suffering.' (Sn. V. 742). The Buddha realized that Maara's tragic drama of birth-decay-and-death, is staged on this supply of fuel itself: 'Whatever they grasp in the world, by that itself does Maara pursue a man' ('ya.m ya.m hi lokasmi.m upaadiyanti-teneva maaro anveti jantu.m' — Sn. v. 1103). "Whatever they egotistically conceive of, ipso facto it becomes otherwise" ('yena yena hi ma~n~nanti tato ta.m hoti a~n~nathaa' Sn. v. 757). The only escape from Mara's strategy, therefore, lay in the complete giving-up of all supplies of fuel which grasping implies (anupaadaa parinibbaana). "Save by their giving up all — no weal for beings do I behold" ('na.n.natara sabbanissagaa — sotthi.m passaami paa.nina.m' — S. I. 53). With the cessation of the process of grasping and becoming (i.e., 'upaadanaanirodha' and 'bhavaninirodha') consequent on destruction of craving or 'thirst' (ta.nhakkhaya), all 'assets'* are abandoned (nirupadhi), thus depriving Maara of the basic wherewithal for his drama. Once Mara, in his role as Tempter, declares, in the presence of the Buddha, that such assets like sons and cattle are a source of joy to a man, but the Buddha's reprisal was that, on the contrary, they are a source of grief (S. I. 107). All assets, in the long run, turn out to be liabilities. By giving them up, the arahant has transcended time, and the concepts of existence, birth, decay and death have lost their significance for him. (See A. V. 152; S. IV. 207; Sn. vv. 467, 500, 743, 902, 1048, 1056, 1057). Nibbaana is not only the Deathless (amata.m) it is also the Birthless (ajaata.m). Epithets of Nibbaana such as the 'not-become,' (abhuutam), the 'not-made' (akata.m) and 'not compounded' (asa.nkhata.m) suggest the absence of that fundamental notion of existence which gives rise to the relative distinctions of birth, decay and death. "Monks, there are these three compound-characteristics of the compounded. Which are the three? An arising is manifest, a passing away is manifest, a change in persistence is manifest... Monks, there are these three uncompounded characteristics of the uncompounded. Which are the three? No arising is manifest, no passing away is manifest, no change in persistence is manifest..." (A. I. 152).

The emancipated-one is 'in the world' but not 'of the world.' For him, the world is no longer the arena of a life-and-death struggle in which he is sorely involved but one vast illustration of the first principles of impermanence, suffering and not-self — of the separative (naanabhaavo), privative (vinaabhaavo) and transformative (a~n~nathaabhaavo) nature of all existence. He experiences the ambrosial Deathlessness in the very destruction of craving and consequent detachment characteristic of that unique samaadhi ('khaya.m viraaga.m amata.m paniita.m — yada jjhagaa sakyamunii samahito': 'That destruction (of craving), that detachment, that excellent deathless state which the Sakyan sage attained to, being concentrated.' — Sn. v. 225). His contemplative gaze is now fixed, not on the 'things' (dhammaa) with their fluid, superficial boundaries, but on that nature of things (dhammataa, dhammadhaatu) — that causal-status (dhamma.t.thitataa), that causal orderliness (dhammaniyaamataa), namely, the 'relatedness-of-this-to-that' (idappaccayataa — S. II. 25). 'This being, that becomes: from the arising of this, that arises. This not being, that becomes not: from the ceasing of this, that ceases' (M. III. 63). 'Whatever is of a nature to arise, all that has a nature to cease' (S. IV. 192). This law of Dependent Arising itself being always 'such,' invariable and not-otherwise (tathataa avitathataa, ana~n~nathataa idappaccayataa — S. II. 26), in its contemplation the arahant's mind too is firm and steady. 'Mind is steady and well-freed, and he sees its passing away' (thita.m citta.m vippamutta.m — vaya~ncassaanupassati — A. III. 379). Hence he is 'such' (taadii) in his adaptability and resilience, having understood the suchness (tathataa) of all conditioned phenomena. It is to one who takes his stand upon the concepts of existence and birth, that the fear of decay and death can occur. To the emancipated one who is fully attuned to the reality of impermanence by giving up all standpoints, there can be no fear at all. And when 'Death' does come, as surely it must, he is no more shocked at it than at the crash of an extremely brittle jar ascertained well in advance to be perforated-beyond-use — a 'jar' not-worth-its-name.

The prospect of eluding death by traveling into outer space, has kindled the imagination of the modern scientist also, though, unlike Rohitassa, he did not take it up in all seriousness. He has, however, speculated on the possibility of prolonging human life by flying to a distant star many light-years away in an Einstein rocket. '...Theoretically, traveling at a sufficiently high speed we can reach the star and return to the Earth within a minute! But on the Earth 80 years will have passes just the same. To all appearances, we thus possess a way of prolonging human life, though only from the point of view of other people, since man ages according to "his" own time. To our regret, however, this prospect is illusory if we take a closer look at it...' (op. cit. p. 50). No wonder that the prospect is illusory, particularly when it is examined in the context of the Buddha's teachings. Indeed, 'man ages according to "his" own time,' and this, as shown above, was precisely the point of divergence for the Buddha

That end of the world where one does not get born, nor die, nor pass away, nor get reborn, is therefore, within this very fathom-long physical frame with its perceptions and mind. This momentous declaration is quite popular with writers on Buddhism, and perhaps for that very reason, it has rarely enjoyed the privilege of a long annotation. Traditionally too, it does not seem to have been much favored in this respect, if Buddhaghosa's commentary to the sutta is any indication. As Mrs. Rhys Davids remarks: 'It was a great opportunity for exegesis, but Buddhaghosa makes no use of it.' (K. S. I. 86 fn. 3).

*This quotation provides the clue to that much-disputed passage in Itiv. (38f.) which defines the two 'Nibbaana-Elements' — the one with residual assets or appendages ('Saupaadisesaa Nibbaanadhaatu') and the one without them ('Anupaadidesaa Nibbaanadhaatu'). "... And what, monks, is the Nibbaana element with residual assets? Herein, monks, a monk is an arahant, whose influxes are extinct, who has lived the Holy Life, accomplished the task, laid down the burden, reached his Goal, whose fetters of existence are fully extinct, and who is freed through right knowledge. His five sense-faculties still remain, which being undestroyed, he partakes of the pleasant and the unpleasant, and experiences the pleasurable and the painful. The extinction of lust, hatred and delusion in him — this, monks, is called the Nibbaana-Element with residual assets. And what, monks, is the Nibbaana-Element without residual assets? Herein, monks, a monk is an arahant whose influxes are extinct... and is freed through right knowledge. All his feelings, monks, will, even here, cool down, not having been delighted in. This, monks, is called the Nibbaana Element without residual assets." Once he has experienced within his own sensorium that transcendence which results from the removal of the latest conceit 'I-am,' all his influxes are extinguished and he gains mastery over the 'mechanism' of the sixfold sense-sphere in its five aspects — the arising, the passing away, the satisfaction, the misery and the escape. For him, the sense-spheres become detachable, since he now knows the principle on which they function — the law of Dependent Arising in its direct and indirect order, which pivots upon Ignorance, involving the notion 'I-am.' While Saupaadidesaa Nibbaanadhaatu enables the Arahant to live 'in the world,' Anupaadidesaa Nibbaanadhaatu ensures that he is 'not of the world.' Once crossed over, the such-like One comes not back.' 'To the further shore they go not twice.' (See above Notes: 11 and 17).

*~Naa.nananda, Concept and Reality in Early Buddhist Thought Buddhist Publication Society, Kandy, 1971 — pp. 52-66.

* L. Landau, Y. Rumer; What is the Theory of Relativity, Peace Publishers, Moscow. 1965. pg. 41.

* Upadhi: The word has two distinct shades of meaning. Primarily, in accordance with its etymology (upa+dh — 'putting under or near') it means 'foundation,' 'basis,' 'ground,' 'substratum' or 'support' (Cf. upaadhaana — pillow or bolster). Secondarily, in its Canonical usage it often stands for one's possessions ('wife and children,' flocks and herds, silver and gold, etc. M. I. 162. Sn. v. 33 == S. I. 6==S. I. 107. Translators who stressed the former sense preferred 'substratum' 'support' 'basis' or 'ground,' while those who went in for the latter, used such terms as 'possession,' 'attachment' and 'clinging.' Perhaps 'asset' will do justice to both senses, since assets are 'things laid-by' which one 'relies on' as 'supports.' (Cf. 'upadhisu ta.na.m na karonti buddhaa' — S. I. 107: 'Buddhas do not seek refuge in assets'; 'Sammaadi.t.thi saasavaa pu~n~nabhaagiya upadhivepakkaa — M. III. 72: 'Right view associated with influxes, on the side of merits and ripening into assets'). Being less impersonal than 'substratum,' it captures the nuances of the secondary sense as well. Being less trenchant than 'clinging' or 'attachment,' it is better suited in references to the arahant's 'Saupaadisesa-Nibbaana-dhaatu,' since he is no longer attached to the assets, which are now, for him mere appendages (though upaadi is of different derivation than upadhi).

28.

In the suttas of this chapter, Mara as the tempter, appears in various guises trying to terrify, distract or mislead the Buddha and the monks by his actions and words. When he is recognized, he gives up his attempts in despair and 'vanishes there and then.' By representing the opposite view-point, he often provides a lively setting for an emphatic enunciation of doctrinal points.

29.

The senses, their objects and spheres of sense-contact, are all undermined by impermanence and whoever grasps them comes under the sway of Mara. 'Whatever they grasp in the world, by that itself does Mara pursue a man' (See above Note 27).

30.

The sphere to which Maara has no access is that samaadhi, peculiar to arahants, in which they experience the relinquishment of all 'assets' (sabbuu padhipa.tinissagga), which is Nibbaana. (A. I. 132f. V. 355f).

31.

The Paali word is 'bimba,' which means an image or reflection. The word has some pejorative associations (See Ra.t.thapaala S M. II. 64), in that it views individuality as a mere semblance or appearance — as a mere product of imagination. Mrs. Rhys Davids renders it by 'puppet' and 'human doll' which brings out only its objective aspect. Though Maara's question stresses this aspect (i.e., an individual's appearance), Selaa's reply seems to imply rather the subjective aspect, namely, the concept of individuality or an individual's image of himself — the 'self-image' — which is none other than 'name-and-form' (naamaruupa).

32.

The words 'image' (bimba) and misery (agha) are used here synonymously in full agreement with the doctrine of Anattaa which sums up existence by the single term 'suffering' (dukkha). The idea expressed by Selaa in the first two lines is supported by the Buddha's declaration at S. II. 19 that suffering is neither self-made (saya.m kata.m) nor created by another (para.m kata.m) but is conditionally arisen (paticcasamuppanna.m). That the word 'image' refers to 'name-and-form' may also be inferred from the dialogue between the venerables Saariputta and Mahaako.t.thita at S. II. 112f.

'What now, friend Saariputta, is name-and-form self-wrought or other-wrought or both self-wrought and other-wrought or else is it neither self-wrought nor other-wrought but arisen by chance?"

"No indeed, friend Ko.t.thita, name-and-form is neither self-wrought nor other-wrought nor both self-wrought and other-wrought and arisen by chance, but, on the other hand, conditioned by consciousness is name-and-form."

33.

The cause (hetu) is consciousness, as far as the aggregates, the elements and the six spheres of sense are concerned. With the cessation of consciousness (vi~n~naa.nassa nirodhena — D. I. 223) name-and-form and its outgrowth, the six sense-spheres, cease to exist. The breaking-up of this cause results in a consciousness which is infertile ('vi~n~naa.ne aviruulhe' — S. II. 66) and hence the arahants are referred to as 'those of extinct seed whose desires do not sprout forth.' ('te khii.nabijaa aviruulhicchandaa — Sn. v. 235).

34.

It appears that this simile is not one chosen at random. It can lend itself to a deeper appreciation in the context of the relevant suttas. 'Action is the field, consciousness the seed and craving the moisture' ('kamma.m khetta.m vi~n~aa.na.m biiiija.m ta.nhaa sineho' — A. I. 224). The Arahant is 'one who, having destroyed what has sprung up, plants no more and waters not the growing' ('yo jaatamucchijja na ropayeyya — jaayantamassa naanuppavecche' — Sn. v. 208). 'Having reckoned the fields and surveyed the seed, he sprinkles no water on it' ('sa.mkhaaya vatthum pamaaya biija.m — sinehamossa naanuppavecche ib. 209). The clue to the riddle of life-and-death in its macrocosmic form, is found in the 'consciousness seed' in a microcosmic form. * (See above: Note 27, 'cycle': 'epicycle'). While action which is ethically significant (kamma) is the field for the 'consciousness-seed' in the case of rebirth, he very concepts of body, speech and mind constitute its field in its microcosmic aspect. 'Action' is but an affirmation of the existence of these three, in the case of the worldling. For him, the test of a thing's existence is the fact that 'it works' — hence the relation between ignorance (avijjaa) and formations (sa.nkharaa) in the formula of Dependent Arising. Body, speech and mind have merely a functional unity but he ignores this fact and clings to the wrong assumption that they are full-fledged units, structurally and organically. Now the arahant in his unique jhaanic experience of the cessation of consciousness (vi~n~naa.nanirodha), ascertains that the 'field,' the 'seed' and the 'moisture' pertaining to his existence are no more (i.e., 'bhavanirodha' — cessation of existence). He is, therefore, 'in full view of the end of birth' — which, at the same time, is the end of 'death' — 'and having given up logic,' which as a rule, sits pretty on relative concepts and is largely a transaction in worldly coinage, 'he comes not within reckoning' ('sa ve muni jaatikhayantadassii — takka.m pahaaya na upeti sa.mkha.m' — Sn. v. 209).

* Here the words 'macrocosmic' and 'microcosmic' should be understood strictly according to the context.

35.

A demon.

36.

This stanza does not construe well if the simile given in the commentaries is applied to the last line. The simile centers round the doubtful reading 'dha.mka' (crow) in the last line, and runs as follows: 'Just as village lads playfully tie a string to the leg of a crow and release it and fling it, even so arising from where do evil thoughts fling the mind which is bent on good?' (S. A. I. 302ff).* The sutta does not lend support to this alleged allusion to a particular kind of sport among children. Moreover, the compound 'manovitakkaa' in the third line is split up and commented on separately as 'mano' (i.e., as the object — 'manoti kusala citta.m': 'Mind, that is, the wholesome mind' — Sn. A.) and 'vitakkaa' (i.e., as the subject — 'vitakkaati abhayasute nava kaamavitakkaadayo': '"Thoughts," such as the nine sensuous thoughts mentioned in Abhaya Sutta' ib.), in order to convey the idea that 'evil thoughts fling the mind which is bent on good.' It seems more natural to take the compound as it is, (i.e., as the subject: 'thoughts-in-the-mind.' Note that it is thus commented at S. A. I. 36: 'manovitakketi manamhi uppannavitakke') so as to mean that 'thoughts-in-the-mind disperse.' The emphasis, all along, is on the source and origin of thoughts — 'Whence arising do thoughts disperse?' The simile of the village lads playing with the crow seems to miss this point of emphasis. The one suggested in the present translation ('Like children leaving their mother's lap') would perhaps be more relevant to the theme here. The variant reading 'va.mka.m' adopted by the editors of the Sutta Nipaata (P.T.S. 1965) on the strength of five MSS. Collated by them can clear up the initial obstacles to such an interpretation. The letter 'v' can well be a 'hiatus-filler' (aagama) inserted between the two words 'kumaaraka' and 'a.mka.m,' and it might have got changed into 'dha' in course of time as a result of graphic corruption.

* The Sutta is found also in the Sutta Nipaata. Its commentary (Sn. A.) shows some modifications when compared with S.A.

37.

The similes of the banyan-tree and the Maaluvaa creeper further illustrate how thoughts which originate from within disperse and get attached to external sense-objects. There seems to be a play upon the words 'snehajaa' and 'attasambhuutaa.' Firstly, they refer to the trunk-born runners of the banyan-tree which are 'moisture-born' and are, in a sense, 'self-begotten.' Secondly, they refer to thoughts which are born of craving ('sneha' being a synonym for craving — See Note 34) and originate from within. A third order of reference may also be postulated if the simile suggested above is recognized. 'Sneha' also means 'affection,' and the two expressions can thus refer to the children who quit their mother's lap. They too are 'affection-born' and 'self-begotten' — from a mother's point of view!

The banyan tree runners and the Maaluvaa creeper depict a significant feature of thought processes. Once those thoughts connected with love, hate, dislike, delight and terror which originate from within, get attached to sense-objects, their true source tends to be forgotten and the sense-objects themselves begin to dominate the scene. Just as the banyan-tree runners, having 'grown up' (down?), conceal the original trunk, and even as the parasite Maluvaa creeper literally 'throws into shade' the trees which gave it nourishment, thoughts too, once they get 'rooted' in sense-objects, bring about an obsession, in which their original source is completely ignored. And, as it is said at S. I. p. 70:

'Greed and hate and dullness of mind Sprung from within bring harm on him Of evil heart, as does its fruit The reed — for which the bark is pith.'

Part Two

38.

'aayati.m punabbhavaabhinibbatti' : 'Name-and-form' which is the reciprocal condition for consciousness, is already implicit in this expression. Except in the case of the arahants 'who have no vortex whereby to designate' (See below: Note 51), the concepts of birth, decay, death and re-birth of all beings are necessarily dependent on this vortex between consciousness and name-and-form. The consciousness of the individual is always an 'established-consciousness' (pati.t.thitavi~n~naa.na), that is to say, established on name-and-form. His Sa.msaaric existence is a constant oscillation between two. When the body breaks up at death, consciousness gravitates towards a fresh foot-hold, resulting in a crystallization of 'name-and-form' into the form of a new individual existence. "If, Ananda, consciousness were not to descend into the mother's womb, would 'name-and-form' be left remaining* inside the mother's womb?" "No, lord..." "If, Aananda, consciousness were not to get a foothold in name-and-form, would there be manifest any arising or origination of birth, decay, death and suffering?" "No, lord" (D. II. 63). The six-fold sense-sphere, contact, feeling, etc. represent the growth of name-and-form supported as it is by consciousness. "And, Aananda, if the consciousness of a boy or a girl comes to be cut-off at childhood itself, would name-and-form attain development, growth and plenitude?" "No, lord." (ib.).

Phagguna's question: "Who feeds on the consciousness nutriment?" — is not a fit question because the very concept of an individual implies both consciousness and name-and-form bound in a reciprocal relationship. The passage of consciousness at death is merely a gravitation towards its object name-and-form implicit in the last thought moment, which thereby crystallizes into a new existence. The vortex has shifted, consciousness has changed its station and a new world of experience has unfolded itself. This is the polarization between 'this-ness' (itthabhaava) and otherwise-ness' (a~n~nathaabhaava) in Sa.msaaric existence (Cf. Sn. v. 752). The other questions of Phagguna concerning contact, feeling, grasping and craving were similarly disallowed since they all fall within the orbit of the vortical interplay between consciousness and name-and-form.

* 'samucchissatha': (P.E.D.: 'derivation and meaning uncertain'). Probably from sa.m + ud + √ sish — to remain. Without the support of consciousness, name-and-form cannot remain within the mother's womb, nor can it result in rebirth. "If, Aananda, consciousness, having descended into the mother's womb, were to slip out, would name-and-form be reborn into this state of existence?" "No, lord." (ib.).

39.

With his ability to see the arising and cessation of his six sense-spheres, the arahant tests the principle of Dependent Arising (Pa.ticca Samuppaada) in the crucible of his own experience. Thus for him, the reflection on 'Pa.ticca Samuppaada' in its direct and indirect order (See Ud., Bodhivagga, Suttas 1-3.) is not a mere verbal or intellectual affair, but a thing of immediate experience.

40.

This statement brings out the significance of Pa.ticca Samuppaada in the context of the theories of Kamma. It is in contrast with the views put forward by other recluses who theorized in terms of agency, contact (phassa), as a condition, is pivotal to the Buddha's mode of exposition by way of Dependent Arising, as may be seen from the concluding sections of the Brahmajaala Sutta (D. I. 41 — 44 See above Note 2.)

41.

By postulating the existence of the 'three doors of action' — body, speech and mind — there sets in the possibility of any bodily, verbal or mental 'intention.' In fact, it is the very intention or purpose which prompts one to posit their existence. The former tendency is rooted in ignorance (avijjaa) while the latter reflects the motive force of craving (ta.nhaa) — the one being the raison d'etre for the other. Between them, they create the conditions necessary for the birth of formations (sa.nkhaaraa). "Monks, to the uninstructed average person touched by a sensation born of 'ignorance-contact,' there arises craving. Born thereof is that formation," (S. III. 96). Sankharas too, fundamentally manifest themselves as affirmations of self. "Herein, monks the uninstructed average person... looks upon form as self. And that looking upon, O monks, is a formation." (ib.). It is only under these circumstances that pleasure-and-pain is experienced subjectively (ajjhatta.m).

42.

Patterns of behavior whether bodily, verbal or mental — productive of a person's pleasure or pain, are either evolved by oneself or fashioned by others. The difference is that between 'setting' a fashion and following it.

43.

Bodily, verbal and mental formations become manifest in deliberate as well as reflex actions. They all take for granted the existence of body, speech and mind, and thus perpetuate ignorance (See above Note 34). The difference, then, is that between 'commission' and 'connivance.'

44.

When ignorance fades away, body, speech and mind cease to be the matrices for the arising of formations. Thereby the 'field,' the 'ground,' the 'base' or the 'occasion' for the most basic value-judgment — that between pleasure and pain as subjective experiences — also disappears.

Part Three

45.

These are the twenty types of 'personality-view' (sakkaayadi.t.thi: lit. 'the body-in-being view') which comprise all possible annihilationist and eternalist views. 'Sakkaya' is the notion that 'body' exists — 'body' here referring to that vaguely conceived pattern into which a living organism bundles up the totality of his experiences. This basic assumption that one is an organic whole, becomes articulate in the twenty types of 'personality-views.' There the pattern seeks justification and recognition through the a priori category of self (attaa), which delegates to itself the exhaustive task of 'sorting-out' the elusive bundle. Though the attempt is unsuccessful, the prospect of success sustains the unending process of sorting out. The twenty types depict the ingenuity of the mind in its resolve to sustain that process.

45a.

'Upaya' as 'approaching,' marks the incipient stage in the long psychological process implied by the string of terms: 'upayupaadaanaa cetaso adhi.t.thaanaabhinivesaanusayaa,' (S. III 10), which depicts, with a shade of a metaphor, the stages in an ascending order, thus: 'approaching — grasping — mental-standpoint — entering into — lying dormant.' The metaphorical associations are quite in place, as they are suggestive of the 'abodes of the mind' (S. III 9ff; also, see above Note 27). The process covers the entire range of 'ignorance-cum-craving.' The initial 'approach' is prompted as much by intellect as by emotion, in so far as curiosity and interest give rise to attention. The stages that follow, graphically depict the consummation of ignorance — crystallized into views (di.t.thi) — and craving. Consciousness, having 'approached' its object, grasps it, acquires it, occupies it and is finally obsessed by it, which obsession is then carried over in the form of a seed-plot of latencies for the recurrence of the same process — ad infinitum.

46.

Delight (nandi) is figuratively conceived as the water that is sprinkled to make the consciousness seed grow (nandupasecana.m). The metaphor appears in full in the very next sutta (XXII.54. 'Seed'): "As the earth-element, monks, so should the four stations of consciousness be considered. As the water-element, monks, so should delight-and-lust (nandiraaga) be considered. As the five sorts of seed, monks, so should 'consciousness-with-nutriment' be considered."

The P.T.S. ed. follows the variant reading, 'nandupasevanam' (translated as 'seeking means of enjoyment' — K.S. III 45ff).

47.

Each of the first four aggregates acts as a 'support' or a 'foothold' for consciousness. They are sometimes called 'abodes for consciousness.' (S. III 9ff).

48.

This declaration disposes of the possibility of regarding consciousness as an entity that transmigrates by itself. In the Mahaata.nhaasa.nkhaya Sutta (M. I. 258) we find the Buddha rebuking the monk Saati for misrepresenting him with the statement: "This self-same consciousness fares on and transmigrates and no other* (ana~n~na.m) — thus do I understand the Dhamma as preached by the Exalted One." The Buddha in repudiating it, says: "Foolish man, have I not, in many a figure spoken of consciousness as something dependently arisen (thus): 'There is no origination of consciousness except in relation to conditions.' The role of consciousness, as a dependently arisen phenomenon in the context of rebirth, has always to be understood with reference to one or more of the other aggregates.

*For this sense of the word 'ana~n~na.m,' (Cf...Mahaapurisassa dve'va gatiyo bhavanti ana~n~na' (Sn. p. 106). 'To a Superman...there are only two careers and no other (i.e., no more).'

49.

The 'lust' (raaga) here referred to is but another shade of 'delight' (nandi), as shown above in Note 46. '...By the destruction of delight comes the destruction of lust. By the destruction of lust comes the destruction of delight. And by the destruction of delight-and-lust the mind comes to be called 'freed,' 'well-freed' (S. III 51). The lusting for consciousness is itself said to be a support for the establishment of consciousness. Consciousness is so 'parasitic' that in the absence of a more palpable support, it gets established on the very latency to attachment. "Even if, monks, one neither wills, nor mentally concocts, but still has a latency — that becomes an object for the persistence of consciousness..." (S. II. 67).

50.

Consciousness, not having been concocted (anabhisa.nkhacca), is set free. The same idea is conveyed by the phrase 'visa.mkhaaragata.m citta.m' (Dhp. V. 154) — 'the mind gone to the state of non-concoction.' The appeasement of formations (sa.mkhaaruu pasama) is meant thereby.

51.

The phrase 'naaparam itthattaaya' is here rendered as 'There is nothing beyond this for (a designation of) the conditions of this existence.' This phrase has been variously rendered (e.g., 'for life in these conditions there is no hereafter' — K.S. I 177; 'there is no more of being such or so' — M.L.S. 70, etc.)

The commentary gives more than one interpretation. For instance at S.A. I 205 (VI. I 3), it is explained with particular reference to the preceding phrase, thus: "Done is the task': the meaning is that the sixteenfold task (viz comprehension, abandonment, realization and development of the Four Truths by means of the Four Paths) has been accomplished. 'No-more-for thisness': now there is no more Path-development to be done for this state, that is, as regards this sixteenfold task or the destruction of defilements. Or else, 'for-thisness' means beyond this present process of aggregates of such a type, there is no other process of aggregates. And he knew that these five aggregates on being comprehended, just stand like a tree cut off at the root.

Perhaps the meaning of 'naaparam itthattaaya' can best be elicited from the following two Canonical passages:

I. "This consciousness turns back from name-and-form, it does not go beyond (naapara.m gacchati). In so far can one be born, or grow old, or die, or pass away, or reappear, in so far as this is, to wit: consciousness is dependent on name-and-form, name-and-form on consciousness, the six sense-spheres on name-and-form, contact on the six sense-spheres, feeling on contact, craving on feeling, grasping on craving, becoming on grasping, birth on becoming, and old age, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair are dependent on birth. Thus is the arising of this entire mass of suffering." D.II 32f. Mahaapadaana S.

II. "In so far only, Aananda, can one be born, or grow old, or die or pass away or reappear, in so far only is there any pathway for verbal expression, in so far only is there any pathway for terminology, in so far only is there any pathway for designations, in so far only is there a whirling round for a designation of 'this-ness' (ettaavataa va.t.ta.m va.t.tati itthatta.m pa~n~naapanaaya) that is to say, as far as name-and-form together with consciousness. — D. II 63f. Mahaanidaana S.

The very understanding that 'consciousness turns back from name-and-form and that it does not go beyond, is the saving-wisdom which amounts to a full comprehension of the illusion (Maayaa) that is consciousness. Between these two links of the Pa.ticca Samuppaada there is a vortex or a whirling-round for a designation of 'this-ness' (i.e., 'the conditions of this existence'). Now, a vortex or an eddy, is 'a current running back, contrary to the main stream, thus causing a circular motion,'* and this Sa.msaaric vortex too is the outcome of defying the flux of nature with its three characteristics of impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha) and not-self (anattaa). When the reflex-mechanism of the consciousness is discovered, the motive force for this whirling round will lose its sanction. The nutriment-of-consciousness (vi~n~naa.naahaara) will expose itself to be a vicious 'feed-back system,' even as in the case of a vortex. 'Name-and-form' will be seen as a mere product of proliferation (papancanaamaruupa.m Sn. v. 530) — a Narcissistic image doted upon due to delusion. With this vision 'of-things-as-they-are' (yathaabhuuta~naa.nadassana), there comes a disgust (nibbidaa) for this interplay which is nothing but a secondary manifestation of a conflict (dukkha) with the 'main stream' of Nature. This disgust gives rise to a 'turning-away' (viraaga), which leads to the Freedom (vimutti) from the conflict that characterizes Sa.msaaric existence as a whole. There can be a designation or a 'pointing-out' (pa~n~naapana) as a 'this-ness' (itthatta) only as long as the vortex of individual existence is kept going. When the vortex ceases, all pathways of designation lose their point of reference, since where there was an 'itthatta,' now 'tathataa' (thus-ness or such-ness) prevails. The Tathaagata, the Transcendent One thus truly becomes 'deep, immeasurable, unfathomable, as is the great ocean' (M. I. 488), and the five aggregates which he has abandoned, have only a semblance of connection with him now, like the stirred up surface waters which still betoken a vortex long since ceased at its depths.

'Naapara.m itthattaya' is the guarantee of this freedom from the Sa.msaaric vortex. It conveys the arahant's conviction that 'in so far only' — that as far as name-and-form together with consciousness — 'can one be born, or grow old or die or pass away or reappear,' and that there is nothing beyond this for the designation of these conditions of Sa.msaaric existence.

*Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary p. 335.

52.

'Kevalii' is 'one who lives by oneself — a-lone.' The sense of completeness, of being fully integrated and accomplished, is also implicit. The primary sense seems to emerge for instance at Sn. v. 490: 'Those who wander in the world unattached, possessionless, alone, and self-controlled' ('ye ve asattaa vicaranti loke — aki.ncanaa kevalino yatattaa'). This 'being alone,' however, has a deeper significance for the arahant, even as his being possessionless (See above, Note 14). It refers to the arahant's non-entanglement in name-and-form. (See above, Note 13). He has put an end to name-and-form ('pariyanta.m akaasi naamaruupa.m' — Sn. v. 537) and it is no longer reflected or manifest in his consciousness. At S. III 105 it is said that the notion 'I-am' occurs when one reflects upon the five aggregates, just as in the case of one looking at his own image reflected in a mirror or in a bowl of water. Thus the very conceit 'I-am' (asmimaana), being a form of measuring, is essentially dependent and relative. Paradoxically enough, it reveals a split in living experience, since all identification presupposes a duality. The arahant who is free from that conceit does not rely on standards of judgment (See eg. Sn. vv. 842, 894), and is therefore truly alone, fully integrated and accomplished. His is a completeness born of inner concord due to the fact that his consciousness does not 'dwell' anywhere. 'They say it is a concord* for a monk who, completely withdrawn from the world resorts to a secluded spot, in that he does not show himself in existence:'

Patiliinacarassa bhikkhuno bhajamaanassa vivittamaasana.m saamaggiyamaahu tassa ta.m yo attaana.m bhavane na dassaye

— Sn. v. 810.

*The word 'saamaggiyam,' though explained by the Comm. (Sn. A.) to mean 'fit and proper' ('patiruupa.m'), seems to have a significance of its own, as suggested by the context. (Note: 'They say it is a 'saamaggiya' for him...') It connotes the inner concord of the fully-integrated arahant, its primary sense being 'concord' or 'unanimity,' in a social context.

53.

'ye kevalino va.t.tam tesa.m natthi pa~n~napanaaya: (See above, Note 51). The 'whirling-round' is no more for the arahants since the counterpart of consciousness — 'name-and-form' — is no longer 'present.' This too is suggestive of the solitude meant by the term 'kevali.'

54.

The eighteen elements are: eye, visual object, eye-consciousness; ear, sound, ear-consciousness; nose, odor, nose-consciousness; tongue, taste, tongue-consciousness; body, tangibles, body-consciousness; mind, ideas, mind-consciousness.

55.

The twelve spheres of sense: eye, visual object; ear, sound; nose, odor; tongue, taste; body, tangible object; mind, idea. These are usually divided into two groups as 'inner' (ajjhattika) and 'outer' (baahira), the former comprising the six senses, and the latter, their respective objects.

56.

This refers to the 'contemplation of the rise-and-fall' (udayabbayaanupassanaa) of the Five Aggregates of Grasping (pa.ncupaadaanakkhandhaa) in accordance with the principle of Pa.ticca Samuppaada, as, for instance, set forth at S. II. 28:

'Thus is form; thus is its arising; thus is its passing away.

'Thus is feeling; thus is its arising; thus is its passing away.

'Thus is perception; thus is its arising; thus is its passing away.

'Thus is formations; thus is their arising; thus is their passing away.

'Thus is consciousness; thus is its arising; thus is its passing away.

Thus: 'this' being, 'that' becomes; from the arising of this, that arises; this not being, that becomes not; from the ceasing of this, that ceases.

That is to say, conditioned by ignorance, formations come to pass; conditioned by formations, consciousness comes to pass; conditioned by consciousness, name-and-form, conditioned by name-and-form the sixfold sense-sphere, contact; conditioned by contact, feeling, conditioned by feeling, craving; conditioned by craving, grasping; conditioned by grasping, becoming; conditioned by becoming, birth; conditioned by birth, old-age and death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief and despair come to pass. Such is the arising of this entire mass of suffering. But from the utter fading away and cessation of that very ignorance comes the cessation of formations; from the cessation of formations, the cessation of consciousness... from the cessation of birth, old-age and death, sorrow, lamentation, suffering, grief and despair cease. Such is the cessation of this entire mass of suffering.'

This 'investigation by way of Dependent Arising' is an illustration of the practical application of that law in order to understand the structure of experience. By tracing experience to its very source — ignorance — one understands the cumulative process (upacaya — M. III 287) whereby the Five Aggregates of Grasping come into existence. 'Attention-by-way-of-matrix' (yonisomanasikaara) is an integral element in the law of Dependent Arising, as the Mahaapadaana Sutta (D. II 31ff) clearly reveals. Ignorance, when discovered, is transmuted into Knowledge, and as such, the outcome of this yonisomanasikaara is the destruction of that foundation on which the structure of sense-experience rests precariously balanced.

The three ways of investigation would thus lead to a comprehension of the three basic categories, 'khandhaa' (aggregates), 'aayatanaani' (spheres) and 'dhaatuyo' (elements).

57.

The point of this discussion is the determination whether the Five Aggregates of Grasping comprehend the entire concept of grasping or whether there is a mode of grasping outside of them. Both propositions are negated because the former does not take into account the 'desire-and-lust' (chandaraaga), while the latter overlooks the fact that his 'desire-and-lust' which is called a grasping, is still something that has to do with the Five Aggregates of Grasping.

Here the question concerns not so much the simple identity or difference between the two terms as the delimitation of their meaning and applicability. The usual Paali idiom for expressing identity and difference runs something like this: 'Ta.m jiiva.m ta.m sariira.m, a~n~na.m jiva.m a~n~na.m sariira.m' S. IV 392. ('Is body the same as soul, or is body one thing and soul another'). In contrast with it, is the idiom used in the present context: 'Ta~n~neva nu kho bhante upaadaanakkhandhaa, udaahu a~n~natra pa.ncupadaanakkhandehi upaadaananti.' Hence the rendering of this sentence at M.L.S. III 66, is to be preferred to the one given at K.S. III 85.

58.

The definition explains why the 'Aggregates' are so called. It gives the justification for the nomenclature by showing how comprehensively each aggregate is conceived.

59.

On the four elemental-nodes, earth, water, fire and air (pa.thavii, aapo, tejo, vaayo) depends the concept of form. The former themselves are abstractions from the experience of solidity, cohesion, heat and motion.

60.

The correct reading should be: 'Pa.ti pucchaa viniitaa kho me tumhe bhikkhave tatra tatra tesu tesu dhammesu.' The variant reading 'paticcaviniitaa' which some texts See M. III 19.) have adopted, hardly makes sense, and at best it could only be rendered within the given context, as follows: (i) 'trained to look for causality' — P.E.D. (ii) 'You, monks, have been trained by me (to look for) conditions now here, now there, in these things and in those.' — M.L.S. III 69. (iii) 'Now bhikkus you have been trained by me in dependent conditionality in various instances' — Ven. ~Naa.namoli's Transl. Of M. (unpublished). Though the P.T.S. ed. reads 'pa.tipucchaa viniitaa,' its translation fails to bring out the significance of this key-word: 'That question, brethren, I have already answered thus and thus in those teachings that I have given you.' (K.S. III 88).

At A. I 285 we get a classification of three types of assemblies according to the modes of training adopted, one of them being 'the assembly trained by the counter-question method' (pa.tipucchaa viniitaaparisaa). Moreover, at A. II 46 where four types of questions are mentioned, it is said that some questions have to be dealt with by a counter-question (pa.tipucchaa vyaakara.niiyo). That one has to be skilled enough to use one's discretion in determining to which category a question belongs, is also clearly stated there.

eka.msavacana.m eka.m - vibhaja vacanaa para.m tatiya.m pa.tipuccheyya - catittha.m pana thaapaye yo ca nesa.m tattha tattha - jaanaati anydhammata.m catupa.nhassa kusalo - aahu bhikkhu.m tathaavidha.m

'One (type of question) is that which admits of a categorical reply, another requires an analytical statement, the third type should be questioned-in-return, while the fourth should be set aside.

That monk who knows what type is applicable here and there, according to circumstances, such a one, they say, is an expert in the tetrad of questions.'

The latter half of that sentence in the sutta with its clumsy-looking iteratives ('tatra tatra tesu tesu dhammasu...') can be better explained in the context of the above two verses. Its import is exactly the same as that of the second verse. The prefix 'anu' in 'anudhammata.m,' fulfills the same distributive function as does the phrase 'tesu tesu dhammesu.' Hence it is clear that the Buddha is here reminding the monks that he has, upon occasion, trained them by the counter-question method, and this is just the method he proposes to employ on the present occasion too, in order to dispel the wrong view of that monk. The catechism on the Three Signata with its arrestive 'what-do-you-think?' is, in fact, a kind of counter-question by which the questioner's false assumptions are gradually exposed, layer by layer. The final rhetoric question: 'That which is impermanent, painful and liable to change, is fit to be regarded thus: 'This is mine, this am I, this is my self?' — goes to the root of the matter, in its appeal to common sense. On the whole, this catechism serves the very practical purpose of disabusing the questioner's mind of his prejudices, thus shattering the very basis of his question (See above Note. 38).

Some critics who have failed to appreciate the cathartic significance of this catechism in the present context, seem to have interpreted it as some sort of a cavalier escapade from the point at issue. When the full import of the expression 'pa.tipucchaaviniitaa' is understood, there can be no provocation for such an attitude, the less so since here the Buddha himself has taken the trouble to probe into the mind of that monk and bring out a question which, otherwise, might well have remained unasked. Equally unjustified is the attempt to find in this type of catechism, an excuse for 'a self outside-the-five-aggregates.'

Part Four

61.

The unruffled manner in which the venerable Upasena announces his impending death, is typical of an arahant. There is a tone of detachment in his words as he requests the monks to take 'this body' outside before 'it be scattered here, just like a handful of chaff' — chaff signifying the value he attached to his body.

62.

This sentence which should form part of the venerable Saariputta's comment, has been misconstrued at K.S. IV 20, as an actual repetition of the request already made by the venerable Upasena.

63.

Probably due to the peculiar use of the third person as a polite form of address, K.S. treats these remarks of the venerable Saariputta, as a mere matter-of-fact observation and not as an inference on his part.

64.

The doctrinal importance of this 'dyad' may well be gauged by the Buddha's declaration with reference to it in the preceding sutta (XXV. 92.): "Whoever, monks, should say — 'Rejecting this dyad, I will proclaim another dyad' — it would be mere talk on his part, and when questioned, he would not make good his boast, and further, would come to an ill pass. Why so? Because, monks, it would be beyond his scope."

Now the following verse of the Dhp.(v. 384) has a reference to dyads:

'yadaa dvayesu dhammesu — paaraguu hoti braahmano athassa sabbe sa.myogaa — attha.m gacchanti jaanato'

'When the arahant becomes 'one who has gone beyond' (paaraguu) with regard to the things forming the dyads, then all fetters of the knowing-one pass away.'

The commentary (Dhp. A.) takes the dyads to mean 'calm-and-insight' ('dvayesuuti dvidhaa .thitesu samatha-vipassanaa dhammesu...'). However, on the strength of the Buddha's declaration cited above, it is more reasonable to interpret it in the light of the present sutta. The word 'paaraguu' (lit. 'crossed to the further shore') in the verse, may be taken as an illusion to the 'Ocean-sutta' at S. IV 157. (See above. Note 17), which compares each of the six senses to an ocean with its respective object as its 'force (of waves), and speaks of the arahant as one who has 'crossed over and gone beyond.'

A distinction has to be made between this 'dyad' (dvaya.m) and the 'dichotomy' (dvayataa) which is the theme in the Dvayataanupassana sutta of the sutta Nipaata, since the latter is set out in the form of contrasts (e.g., "'Whatever suffering arises, all that is due to ignorance' — this is one mode of contemplation: 'from the utter fading away and cessation of that very ignorance, there is no arising of suffering' — this is the second mode of contemplation" — (Sn. P. 141).

65.

This sutta is titled 'agayha' ('not-including') in contrast with the one preceding it, which is called 'sa.mgayha' ('including'). The theme of the 'sa.mgayha' sutta is the sixfold sphere of sense-contact as it is experienced in hells and heavens, whereas in this sutta the theme is that transcendental 'sphere' (aayatana) in which one realizes the cessation of the sixfold sense-sphere ('salaayatananirodha').

66.

These verses are found also in the Dvayataanupassanaa sutta (Sn. Vv. 759-65). They seem to have undergone much textual corruption. On the whole, the readings adopted by the Sn. (P.T.S. ed.) are preferable to those in the S., (P.T.S. ed.).

67.

This translation follows the reading 'sakkaayassuparodhana.m' (Sn.). With the cessation of the six sense spheres, the arahant becomes aware of the cessation of his existence (bhavanirodho) as an individual — the conceit 'I-am' having been removed.

68.

'Extinction,' which is much dreaded by the world, is the highest bliss for the arahant inasmuch as it is the destruction of the delusion of self and a blissful realization, here and now, of the truth of not-self. As Adhimutta Thera, an arahant, puts it: "He who understands it as it was taught by the Awakened One, does not grasp at any existence whatsoever, regarding all existence as a red-hot iron ball. It does not occur to me: 'I will be.' (Mere) formations will be destroyed. What is there to lament? To one who sees, as they truly are, the pure arising of phenomena and the pure process of formations, there is no dread, O headman. When, with wisdom, one sees the world to be comparable to straw and twigs, then one laments not, saying 'I have nothing,' since he does not entertain any egoism." — Thag. Vv. 714-717.

69.

Ignorance and craving are essentially restrictive in character, the former being called a hindrance (niivara.na) and the latter, a fetter (sa~n~nojana). Hence the corresponding notions of 'I' and 'mine' — paradoxically enough — are privative rather than acquisitive, because 'to possess' is 'to-be-possessed-by.' The consequent 'ignoring' is the darkness that forms the background to this 'possession.' It is the insight into the law of Dependent Arising that lights up the ignored background. The distinctions between an 'internal' (ajjhattika) and an external (baahira) sense-sphere (or 'base') with its concomitant 'here'-and-'there' dichotomy (idha, hura.m) can exist only so long as the sense-faculties function within the narrow confines staked out for them by the conceit, 'I-am.' Once the consciousness has burst all these artificial bounds and become infinite (ananta.m) and 'luminous-on-all-sides' (sabbato-pabha.m), those distinctions and dichotomies will no longer be manifest in it (vi~n~naana.m anidassana.m). The ray of view-point fades away in the glare of an all-comprehending vision. Thus to the emancipated ones — 'wide ope' it is, as light is unto those discerning.

Nibbaana, as the Unshakable Deliverance of the Mind' (akuppaa cetovimutti), is given four epithets in the Mahaa Vedalla S. (M. I 298). It is called the highest form of 'Boundless Deliverance of the Mind' (appamaa.naa cetovimutti) since the limitative tendencies of lust, hatred and delusion are abandoned in the arahant. It is also the highest form of 'Possessionless (i.e., Nothingness) Deliverance of the Mind' (aaki~nca~n~na cetovimutti), as it is devoid of those three taints each of which is a 'something' (ki~ncano). For the same reason it is, at the same time, the highest 'Voidness Deliverance of the Mind' (su~n~nataa cetovimutti). In so far as lust, hatred and delusion are 'significant' (nimittakara.no), their absence in Nibbaana makes it the supreme "Signless Deliverance of the Mind' (animittaa cetovimutti). These four aspects of that Unshakable Deliverance of the Mind — the 'Boundless,' the 'Possessionless,' the 'Void' and the 'Signless' — are also suggestive of the infinite and non-manifestative nature of the arahant's consciousness.

70.

This reference to the first discourse of the Diigha Nikaaya is rather in favor of its authenticity.

71.

The ten Unexplained Points (avyaakatavatthuuni) and the sixty-two views set forth in the Brahmajaala Sutta, are, all of them, manifestations of the 'personality-view' which in its twenty modes (see above Note 45) reflects a desperate attempt to justify and render articulate the self-bias. As such, it must not be reckoned as a separate view in itself — as the sixty third implied by the controversial reference to sixty-three views in the Sabhiya Sutta (Sn. V. 538). The commentary, however, takes it to be so, presumably relying on Venerable Isidatta's reply for support.

There is reason to believe that those 'three and sixty views' (yaani ca tii.ni yaani ca sa.t.thi) referred to in that verse include Sammaa Di.t.thi Right (View) as the sixty-third. They are collectively called 'resorts' (osara.naani) 'dependent on talks of recluses' (sama.nappavaadasitaani) with percepts as their syllables and supported by percepts (sa~n~nakkharasa~n~nanissitaani) — all of which the Buddha is said to have dispelled when he reached the 'Flood's End' (... vineyya oghanta.m agaa). In this connection, the summing-up occurring at the end of the Brahmajala Sutta is particularly significant. After setting forth the types of speculative views falling under each sub-heading, the following declaration is made: "And this, monks, the Tathaagata knows — 'These view-points thus taken up, thus taken hold of, lead to such and such bournes, to such and such states after death.' That the Tathaagata knows, and he also knows something higher than that, and even that knowledge he does not take hold of, and not taking hold of it, within himself appeasement (nibbuti) has been understood. Having known the arising, the passing away, the satisfaction, the misery and the escape in regard to feelings, and not grasping, liberated, monks, is the Tathaagata." Towards the end of the sutta, where the final summary of all the sixty-two views comes, it is clearly stated that this 'higher knowledge' is the understanding, as they truly are, the arising, the passing away, the satisfaction, the misery and the escape in regard to the six spheres of sense-contact (D. I 45). The very synoptic nature of this higher knowledge comprehending all the five aspects of the spheres of sense-contact, gives rise to detachment. It is the kind of mastery which an expert physician is endowed with, and the Buddha, as a matter of fact, claimed himself to be one (Sn. V. 560). The Four Noble Truths can be resolved, respectively, into the Malady, its Cause, Health and the Remedy, the mastery of all four being the sine qua non for emancipation. To the emancipated one all dogmatic views appear as symptoms of a malady — as 'twitchings' and 'writhings' (di.t.thiivisuukha.m, di.t.thivipphandita.m), fraught with pain, vexation, despair and fever (sadukkha.m savighaata.m saupaayaasa.m saparilaaha.m — M. I 485), and through them he diagnoses the malady. Hence he is not in conflict with them, and like a kind physician, with perfect equanimity, he understands the law of Dependent Arising implicit in that situation:

'Given the malady — symptoms arise

Given the remedy — symptoms cease.'

-And his relations with the 'patient' will be purely on therapeutic lines. Likewise the above-mentioned synoptic understanding of the spheres of sense-contact gives rise to detachment and equanimity. It signifies the Middle Path underlying the law of Dependent Arising. At S. II. 17, Right view is defined as the law of Dependent Arising which avoids the two extreme views of absolute existence and absolute non-existence. Thus, to the questions: 'Does it exist?,' 'Does it not exist?' (and, likewise, to the questions: 'Is it one? Is it many?' — S. II. 77 the reply is: 'It depends,' and this dependence takes the form of the twelve-linked formula in its direct and reverse order. The theme, in brief is:

'When ignorance arises, the world arises

When ignorance ceases, the world ceases.

Seeing the arising of the world within one's own sixfold sense-sphere, one does not entertain the dogmatic view: 'Nothing exists'; and seeing the cessation of the world therein one does not incline to the other extreme view: 'Everything exists.'

This 'Sammaa Di.t.thi' as the understanding of the principle of Dependent Arising, has an essentially disengaging quality. It is 'in the proximity of non-attachment, disengagement, non-delighting, non-entanglement and non-grasping' (Apa~n~naka Sutta M. I. 411). Its counterpart is 'disenchantment' (nibbidaa) which in its turn leads to detachment, cessation, Nibbaana. Rather in keeping with the pragmatic concept of truth, the 'knowledge-and-vision-of-things-as-they-really-are' (yathaabhuuta~naa.nadassana) is one that merely serves the practical purpose of 'leading onwards' (opanaayiko) without inviting dogmatic involvement (See S. II. 60). Hence, when Anaathapi.n.dika, a 'Stream-winner' (Sotaapanna) was questioned by the ascetics of other sects as to whether he is not himself attached to his view: 'Whatever is become, compounded, thought out and impermanent, that is suffering and whatever is suffering that is not mine, that I am not, that is not my self.' — he silenced them with the reply that he knows a higher 'stepping-out' (nissara.na) even from that Right View (A. V. 188). Because all views couched in percepts and syllables have a centripetal tendency as the word 'osara.naani' suggests, the Noble Disciple does not cling even to the Right View, but, on the other hand, developing the centrifugal force implied by 'nissara.na,' he attains Nibbaana.

72.

The importance of this sutta lies not only in the philosophical problem which the venerable Isidatta explained but also in the psychological problem which he left unexplained. On the whole, the sutta is a character-portrait of him in bare outline. Here was a situation where patronage was forthcoming both from his erstwhile friend and his chief-elder. And yet, despite all those prospects, we see him departing from Macchikaasa.n.da 'for good.' A detailed analysis of the relevant words and phrases with a view to introducing color into this character-portrait, might sometimes spoil the wholesome effect of the modest reticence of the sutta. Hence, let the thoughtful reader re-read the sutta and try to understand the psychological problem which — for us — the venerable Isidatta left unsolved, and, perhaps — to solve which he left. [?? — ATI ed.]

73.

A clear illustration of the significance of the term 'akaaliko' (lit: 'not involving time' — See above Note 27.) as an epithet of the Dhamma. Here the principle of Dependent Arising finds quite a practical application. Its validity can be tested in one's own immediate experience (see e.g., Cuula Sakukudaayi S.; M. II. 32.) since the arising and cessation of suffering hinges on the fact of 'desire.' The Five Aggregates of Grasping which 'in brief' (sankhittena) constitute suffering, are rooted in desire. The entire process of their accumulation is understood when the basic principle is applied to one's own immediate experience. It leaves no room for speculation as regards the past and the future, as the other significant epithet, 'atakkaavacaro' (not moving in the sphere of logic) implies. That this was a remarkable feature of the Buddha's teaching which marked it off from all other contemporary religious systems, is well expressed by Hemaka in the Paaraayana Vagga of the Sutta Nipaata:

"Those who explained to me before (so said the venerable Hemaka) — outside the dispensation of Gotama — all of them said: 'So it was' and 'so it will be.' But all that is 'so-and-so' talk. All that is productive of logic. I did not delight therein. But as for you, O sage, you have taught me the Dhamma that is destructive of craving, by knowing which, and mindfully faring along, one might get beyond the world's viscosity." (Sn. vv. 1084-5).

74.

K.S. (IV. 233) seems to go off at a tangent here. It has: 'Now, headman, do you shape your course by this Norm, when you have seen and known it, when you have reached it without loss of time, plunged into it both in respect of the past and the future...'

75.

The phrases 'sake bale apatthaddha,' 'sake bale asa.mvadamaanaa' have created some difficulty (see K.S. IV. 125.) They occur twice and the meaning in both contexts should be the same, though K.S. gives 'relaxed her efforts, did not increase her grip' in the first instance and, 'putting forth her effort, not relaxing her effort,' in the second. The 'relaxation' meant by the word 'apatthaddha' ('not-rigid') is psychological rather than physical. It was born of excessive self-confidence, due to which the she-falcon, not being 'stiff' in her ways, first imposed on herself a handicap, and then swooped down unwarily on the quail. 'Asa.mvadamaana' is probably suggestive of her disdainful attitude towards the quail in not caring to give merely verbal rejoinders to its challenges in both instances.

76.

The Four Foundations of Mindfulness form the ground-plan for the development of the 'Knowledge and Vision of things as they are.' Within its range, awareness is focused directly o experience as such, reducing the tendency towards diffusion and proliferation in thought-currents. This insulation stems the tide of influxes which entices one into the 'others' territory' — the five-fold sense-pleasure.

77.

It is noteworthy that the parable in this sutta has some peculiarity in that it is not on all fours with the doctrinal points discussed in relation to it. The maxims presented in connection with the practice of Mindfulness ("I'll protect myself"; "I'll protect others,") are an improvement on that recommended by the acrobat's pupil ('You look after yourself, master, and I'll look after myself"). This is the significance of the Buddha's remark: "Therein, that is the right way." This point seems to have been overlooked when the P.T.S. edition and translation attribute these words to the acrobat's pupil, breaking up and distributing the sentence between two paragraphs (The sentence should read:'So tattha ~naayoti bhagavaa avoca, yathaa medakathaalika antevaasii aacariya.m avoca'). The sentence thus wrongly broken up, is then taken to mean that the Buddha here recommends the same acrobatic principle to the monks. ('... Then said the Exalted One: "Now, monks, just as Medhakathaalika, the pupil said to his master, "I'll look after myself," so ought ye to observe the station of mindfulness...' etc.) That principle, striking as it is, is less broad-based than the twin-principle recommended by the Buddha himself: "Protecting oneself, one protects others; protecting others, one protects oneself." As clearly expounded in the Ambala.t.thika Raahulovaada sutta (M. I 415ff), the way to purify one's bodily, verbal and mental actions is by constant reflection on their repercussions on oneself as well as on others. Mindfulness, then, is that benign agent of transmutation which preserves the inner consistency and harmony of this twin-principle.

78.

'...in protecting oneself one protects others': The principle indicated here in brief can be appreciated the better with the aid of the following exhortation by the Buddha at S. II 29:

"Wherefore, monks, you stir up energy that you may reach what is still unreached, that you may attain what is still unattained, that you may realize what is still unrealized. 'Thus will this going-forth of ours not be barren, but fruitful and of consequence. And those offerings of them whose requisites of robes, almsfood, lodgings and medicaments we enjoy, shall, on our part, be of great fruit, of great consequence for them.' Verily, it is thus, monks, that you should train yourselves. For one who discerns his own good, this is enough to call up diligent effort. For one who discerns another's good, this is enough to call up diligent effort. For one who discerns the good of both, this is enough to call up diligent effort."

'The frequent practice, development and making much of mindfulness' recommended by our sutta, is one that is conducive to the good of both oneself and others. As the commentary observes, even the mere appreciation of a monk who, by his diligent practice, attains to arahantship, will be a thought productive of great merit. Besides, one's devotion to the practice and exemplary life can be a source of inspiration to others. Since greed, hatred and delusion are the mainsprings of all evil intentions resulting in harm to oneself and others, in protecting one's mind from them, one is at the same time, protecting others as well.

79.

'...in protecting others, one protects oneself:'

Forbearance, non-violence, loving-kindness and compassion, being positive altruistic attitudes, directly concern one's relations with the outside world. Yet, on the mental side too, they exercise a wholesome influence conducive to one's own spiritual growth. They are all 'object-lessons' in the practice of mindfulness.

80.

This sutta presents one of the most impressive enunciations of the standard of mindfulness advocated by the Buddha. The parable is highly significant in that it depicts, the hazards involved in the worldly environment in regard to the practice of mindfulness. The beauty-queen with all her charms probably symbolizes those allurements of sense which evoke covetousness (abhijjaa). The restless crowd of people represents the other source of distraction — grief or mental uneasiness (domanassa). The bowl brimful of oil symbolizing the 'mindfulness-relating-to-body' (kaayagataasati) is always in danger of being 'spilt' amidst these distractions. Hence, the most effective impetus for the diligent practice of mindfulness is the constant awareness of impending death.