In the twelfth:
On what follows, cf. also Paṭis-a 460f. and Vism-mhṭ II 362ff. (CSCD) by two views (dvīhi diṭṭhigatehi): in this connection, diṭṭhigatāni (views) are diṭṭhiyo 'va (views simpliciter), as in the case of gūthagataṃ (excrement), muttagataṃ (urine) and so on;
That is to say, the suffix -gata is pleonastic. Cf. As 247 for similar; also Ps I 71.
or, alternatively,
Reading vā with Be; Ee Ce Se omit. diṭṭhigatāni
Literally, "those gone to by views". are diṭṭhiṭṭhānāni
Be omits. (speculations)
More literally, "sites for views", or "viewpoints", explained in detail at Sv 107, and translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi, 1992, p. 141. in that, on account of their being devoid of any mode in which there might be apprehension, they are merely whims (gatamattāni) on the part of views (diṭṭhīnaṃ).
Blocked (pariyuṭṭhitā): overpowered or, alternatively, impeded;
for the word pariyuṭṭhāna (blockage) also has the same sense as palibodha
Ee prints palibodhattho vā pi hi, Ce Paḷibodhattho vā pihi, Be Se palibodhattho vāpi hi, but I think we have to read palibodhattho 'vā 'pi hi. (impediment), as in 'The robbers blocked his path" (
Seemingly not a canonical quotation) and so forth.
Cf. As 366 for a fuller explanation.
Devas (devā): devas
On what follows, cf. Vv-a 18. by way of arising;
for these are called "devas" (devā) since they amuse themselves (dibbanti), sport with the loftiest
Reading uḷāratamehi with Ce Be for Ee Se uḷāruttamehi. strands fo sense-pleasures and jhānas and so on, or else since they go to, attain, through their potency and majesty, that goal that accords with their wishes;
Reading yathicchitam atthaṃ with Ce Be Se for Ee yathicchitamataṃ.
they are "men" (manussā) on account of the mind's (manassa) preponderance (ussannattā), whilst this [term "deavs and men"] is stated by way of a description in terms of maximum definition,
Ukkaṭṭhaniddesavasena; it thereby includes all those of lower status, pars pro toto. Cf. Vv-a 231, Pv-a 7 for similar. as with "The Teacher of devas and men".
Some hold back (olīyanti eke): owing to eternalism, which constitutes the inclination for holding back
Olīyanābhinivesabhūtena; CPD claims, s.v. olīyati, that "The contexts in which ~ occurs do not support the ct.s' view that it means 'to adhere to, to cling to'", just as it also takes olīyanābhinivesabhūtena here as "having the character of proclivity for receding, recoiling". However, it seems abundantly clear from its use in the present context, and in that at It-a I 80 and 116 above, that it has the sense of tenaciously holding onto something. This seems also confirmed by Vism-mhṭ II 363 (CSCD), which states with respect to the present context: "In cowering from the cessation of becoming, as one taking delight in becoming owing to the conviction that the self is eternal, he ensconces himself solely within that same becoming" (olīyati nāmā ti sassato attā ti abhinivesena bhavābhirato hutvā bhavanirodhato saṅkocanaṃ āpajjanto bhave yeva nilīyati nāma). within becomings in the belief that "the self and the world are eternal", some devas and men hold back (avalīyanti, alternative grammatical form), hold onto, cower within, [such becomings]. do not escape therefrom.
Run away with themselves (atidhāvanti): owing to the grip of the method of diversity,
Cf. Vibh-a 198, to which this passage clearly alludes. they run here and there, failing to grasp the connection that pertains between fruition and root-cause on the part of things having an own nature, even those whose own nature is, in the highest sense, that of being broken up; therefore, in their belief that the self and the world are annihilated, do not exist subsequent to dying, they run away with themselves, overstep that principle that is opposed to annihilation as the practice leading to the cessation of becoming.
Ucchede vā bhavanirodhapaṭipattiyā paṭikkhepadhammataṃ atidhāvanti atikkamanti; meaning unclkear, though this would seem to be the gist of the explanation.
Whilse those possessing the eye behold (cakkhumanto ca passanti): the word ca (whilst) has the sense of "on the contrary"
-- whereas those devas and men possessing the insight-eye as a result of maturity of knowledge stemming from success in prior meditation,
Cf. note at It-a I 122 above [Pubbayoga; defined at Vibh-a 389 and Vism 442, etc. Taken, by Bhikkhu Bodhi, 1992, p. 319, as "preliminary effort", and Ñāṇamoli (PPn 487) as "prior effort", though it would seem, from Sv-pṭ I 131, that yoga here denotes meditation, in that it explains as "accomplishment of the [five] abhiññās and the [eight] attainments, along with the preliminary practice reckoned as the duties of going and returning [to and from the village for alms]" (gatapaccāgatikavattasaṅkhātāya pubbabhāgapaṭipadāya saddhiṃ abhiññāsamāpattinipphādanaṃ). It may be noted that accomplishment of the five abhiññās and the eight attainments forms one of the eight qualities necessary for an aspiration to become a Buddha to succeed, for which reason perhaps some (keci), according to Sv-pṭ, take pubbayoga to be that same aspiration. Also at It-a I 178 below.] as a result of seeing the middle practice without approaching the pair of ends that consists of eternalism and annihilationism with that same insight-eye, set at first hand [that which has become].
For these behold unequivocally that "This is merely name-and-form dependently co-arisen; therefore it is not eternal, nor will it be annihilated."
So it was in order to make mention, in terms of the individual, of such holding back and so on that "And how, monks" and so forth was said.
Herein, "becoming" [denotes] becoming in [the sphere of] sense-desires, becoming in [the sphere of] form, and becoming in [the] formless [sphere],
a further three becomings being percipient becoming, non-percipient becoming, and neither-percipient-nor-non-percipient becoming,
yet a further three becomings being one-constituent becoming, four-constituent becoming and five-constituent becoming.
Cf. Vibh 137 and Vibh-a183ff.; the last set of becomings are those constituted by one khandha (form), by four khandhas (the mental ones) and by all five khandhas.
They are those "who delight in becoming" (bhavārāmā) since it is as a result of these
Reading etehi with Ce Be Se for Ee ete hi. becomings (bhavehi) that they delight (āramanti), rejoice,
Reading abhinandanti with Ce Be Se for Ee abhimandanti.
those "who find delight in becoming" (bhavaratā) since it is in becomings (bhavesu) that they find delight (ratā), take delight (abhiratā),
those "who find becoming utter joy" (bhavasammuditā) since it is in becomings (bhavesu) that they find thorough (suṭṭhu) joy (sammuditā).
For the cessation of becoming (bhavanidrodhāya): for the perpetual cessation, the sake of the non-arising, of those becomings.
When Dhamma is being taught (Dhamma desiyamāne): when exit-providing Dhamma made known by the Tathāgata is being uttered.
Does not leap onto (na pakkhandati): does not enter, does not plunge into, [same] on account of the fact that that Dhamma is given in brief owing to the fact that eternalism is adhered to.
Does not become devout (na pasīdati): does not enter upon devotion, does not believe it.
Does not become fixed (na santiṭṭhati): does not remain on that teaching, {does not become established [therein]
Ee Se patiṭṭhati, Ce patiṭṭhāti; Be omits.}, does not become convinced.
Something would appear to be missing at that point, since nādhimuccati is clearly a lemma, but one for which no gloss has survived. Paṭis-a II 461 explains as follows: tattha ghanabhāvaṃ na pāpuṇāti, does not reach solidity with respect thereto.
Thus it is that they hold back within becomings as a result of adherence to eternalism.
Sassatābhinivesanena; Be sassato abhinivisanena, "as a result of adhering to them as eternal".
Being plagues (aṭṭīyamānā): being oppressed, being subjected to dukkha, through being shocked upon seeing in becoming old age, disease and dying and so on and flogging, bondage and amputation and so forth, by becoming that is replete with these.
Humiliated (harāyāmānā): ashamed. Horrified (jigucchamānā): considering
Reading dahantā with Be Se for Ee Ce harantā. it repulsive.
In the absence of becoming (vibhavaṃ): in annihilation.
Rejoice (abhinandanti): find enjoyment (nandanti) in cleaving [thereto] (ajjhosāya) as a result of rejoicing in craving and [wrong] view.
Reading taṇhādiṭṭhābhinandanāhi with Ce Be Se for Ee taṇhādiṭṭhinandanāhi; it is possible that ajjhosāya nandanti is intended as a quasi-etymology for abhinandanti.
"it is said, sir, that when" and so on is an indication of their mode of rejoicing.
Herein, when: yato = yadā (synonyms);
"sir" (bho) is [their mode of] addressing [one another].
This self (ayaṃ attā): he speaks with reference to the assumption on their part that there is an agent and so on.
Is annihilated (ucchijjati): is eradicated.
Is destroyed (vinassati): is not seen, reaches destruction, non-existence.
It does not exist subsequent to dying (na hoti parammaraṇā): it does not exist (bhavati, alternative grammatical form) after dying.
This is calm (etaṃ santaṃ): this same annihilation and so on of the self is calm on account of the subsidence
Reading -vūpasamanato with Ce Be Se, here and below, for Ee -vupasamanato. of all becoming and on account of the subsidence of all torment, due to which same calmness it is choice, being definitive on account of its being non-fictitious and unequivocal.
They say, in this regard, that this pair, viz. "calm" and "choice", is due to their rejoicing in craving, "definitive" being due to their rejoicing in [wrong] view.
Thus it is (evaṃ): this it is as a result of adherence to the aforementioned annihilationism.
That which has become (bhūtaṃ): the khandha-pentad;
for this is spoken of as "that which has become", on account of the fact that it has come about as a result of conditions and on account of the fact that it is found to exist in the highest sense,
for which reason he said "Do you perceive,
Samanupassatha; M (Ee) passatha. monks, this which has become?" (M I 260).
As that which has become (bhūtato): [he] beholds [that which has become] as to its unequivocal own nature, as to its individual characteristic and as to its general characteristic.
For this khandha-pentad is merely name-and-form,
the meaning herein being that he not only beholds by way of seeing name-and-form together with its conditions in the following way, viz. "These states of earth and so on are form, these states of contact and so forth are name, these are their characteristics and so on, this ignorance and so forth are their conditions", but also beholds by way of contemplation of impermanence and so on in the following way, viz. "All these states come about after not having been, depart
Paṭiventi; PED has no entry for paṭiveti. after having been; therefore they are impermanent, dukkha on account of the fact that they are impermanent, not self on account of the fact that they are dukkha"
Thus far, it is the plane of vipassanā at the conclusion of fledgling vipassanā
Taruṇavipassanā, or "tender vipassanā", explained at Spk II 53 as a term for the four knowledges consisting of (i) knowledge associated with delimitation of the formations (Vism 587ff.), (ii) knowledge associated with crossing over doubt (Vism 598ff.), (iii) knowledge associated with comprehension (Vism 606ff.), and (iv) path-knowledge, all of which are said to be the condition of powerful vipassanā. Cf. also Spk I 269 and Vism 633ff. that is indicated.
For aversion (Nibbidāya): for the sake of becoming averse to that species of dhamma belonging to the triple world
Cf. It-a I 153 above. reckoned as that which has become; in this way he indicates powerful vipassanā.
For fading away (virāgāya): for the sake of fading away (virāga), for the sake of ridding oneself of lust (virajjana); he indicates the path by means of this.
For cessation (Nirodhāya): for the sake of ceasing; he indicates that same path by means of this, too;
or, alternatively, he indicates by means of this "for cessation", that nibbāna that is without substrate-remnant together with cessation by way of tranquillization.
Cf. Paṭis II 221.
Thus it is, monks, that those possessing the ye behold (evaṃ kho bhikkhave
So Be and It; Ee Ce Se omit kho bhikkhave. cakkhumanto passanti): thus it is that those with the insight-eye behold the Dhamma that is the four truths with the eye associated with path-insight together with the stage previous thereto.
Sapubbabhāgena maggapaññācakkhunā.
As regards the verses: those who, upon seeing that which has become as that which has become (ye bhūtaṃ bhūtato disvā): those ariyasāvakas who, upon seeing that which has become, the khandha-pentad, as that which has become, as to its unequivocal own nature, with that path-insight accompanied by that vipassanā-insight;
in this way he indicates penetration by way of full understanding.
"And the transcending of that which has become" denotes penetration by way of bringing into being;
for the ariyan path is spoken of as "the transcending of that which has become", since it is by means of this
Reading etenā ti bhūtassa with Be Se for Ee Ce tena bhūtassa. that one transcends that which has become.
In that which really is (yathābhūte): in nibbāna, which has, as its own nature, the unequivocal truths.
Are liberated (vimuccanti): become convinced;
Adhimuccanti; cf. note in It translation. in this way he indicates penetration by way of realisation.
Through the complete destruction of craving for becoming (bhavataṇhāparikkhayā): through bringing to destruction, through extirpating, craving for becoming in its entirety; in this way he indicates abandoning [further] origination.
Cf. Pj I 195 and Vism 509.
The one with full understanding where that which has become is concerned (sa ve
So Ce Be (and It Ce Be Se) for Ee Se (and It Ee) sa ce/sace bhūtapariññō): in this connection, sa ve (untranslated) are mere particles.
The one with full understanding where that which has become is concerned, the one by whom the khandhas have been fully understood through the complete destruction of craving for becoming by way of the path that is the means of transcending that which has become, due to which same he is convinced
Adhimutto, or "committed" with respect to that which really is, with respect to nibbāna.
[Combined translation for this and subsequent sentence]
Where this and that becoming are concerned (bhavābhave): he brought that teaching to a conclusion by way of that nibbāna-element that is without substrate-remnant, saying that that monk (bhikkhu), that one in whom the defilements have been broken up, who is free of craving (vītataṇho) where [becomings] both minor and great are concerned or, alternatively, where seeing annihilation and so on are concerned, through the non-existence (vibhavā), through the non-arising in the future, of that which has become (bhūtassa), of that [individual] existence reckoned as the khandhas as objects of clinging, comes not to again-becoming (punabbhavaṃ nāgacchati), goes to a state that simply defies description.
[translation combined with previous sentence above]
Hence, it is to be understood that, in this chapter, in the eleventh sutta it is the cycle that is talked about, in the third, fourth, fifth and concluding [suttas] it is the cycle and the absence of the cycle that are talked about, whilst in all the rest simply the absence of the cycle.
The exposition of the twelfth sutta is concluded.