Monday, June 6, 2011

Dhamma-Sangani - THE DIVISION ENTITLED ELIMINATION - Appendix

A BUDDHIST MANUAL
Psychological Ethics,
FROM THE PALI
OF THE
DHAMMA-SANGANI

Translated by CAROLINE A. F. RHYS DAVIDS, M.A.

APPENDIX I.
The Digest, or Condensed Paraphrase of Book III.
(§§ 981-1295), entitled Division of Exposition, or the
Elucidation (a 1 1 h u d d h a r o).
Immediately following the text of the Dhammasangani
itself is a supplement of some 230 questions and answers.
The questions are verbatim those of the '
Elimination '
Division, or Book III., taken in order, but without the
cross-questioning on the details of the various lists of
ethical factors or defects, such as the varieties of cause
(hetu), or of the *
Intoxicants,' etc. The answers are for
the most part more tersely worded than those in Book III.,
and couched in language more or less different, including
several terms that came into technical use after the earliest
ages of Buddhism.
No distinctive title is assigned to this supplement in the
Manual itself. It is probable that the final announcement
*Dhamma- sangani- ppakarani samatta'
refers, not to it, but to the entire work. In the '
Atthasa-
linl,' however (p. 409 et seq.), this section is pronounced to
be commentary, not text, and is termed the Atthakatha-
k a n cl a m, or expositional division ; and in an earlier
passage it was termed the fourth Vibhatti comprising
the atthuddharo (Asl. 6). The tradition is related that
it is the work of Sariputta, and was compiled by him with
the object of making clearer the contents of the 'Nik-
khepa-kandam' (Book III., i.e., virtually the whole
Manual) to a pupil who could not otherwise understand it.
This being so, and the answers throwing no new light on


to the subjects discussed, I have not thought it worth
while to translate them. At the same time, it seemed
advisable to sort out the specific, if not the individual,
diiferences in diction, so that the reader may lose nothing
that may prove of any value for the history either of the
terms or of the concepts of Buddhism. I have also given
translations of a few answers where the very difference in
the terms used to obtain a virtually equivalent statement
may prove helpful towards understanding the language of
the Manual itself.
In respect of Pali terms used, when there is need of re-
ferring collectively to the three modes, or worlds of all
rebirth, as well as to that higher life of saintly aspiration,
which is not concerned with rebirth, these four are no
longer distinctively spoken of as the avacaram of this
or that and the Unincluded, but are simply classed together
as *
the four bhumis.'
Again, 'Nirvana '(nibbanam) invariably replaces the
term 'uncompounded element.' See Appendix II.
'Form' replaces *
all form' (see § 983 passim), and
* fruits of the life of the recluse '
the word '
fruits of the
Paths.' (See § 992 passim}) The latter variation occurs
but once in the Manual itself, viz., at § 1016.
^
Frequent allusion is now made to those *
types '
of good
and bad thoughts distinguished and analyzed by Book I.
They are spoken of, not as cittani, but as cittuppada,
or genesis of thought, a term occurring only once in the
Manual, viz., as a title. (See above, p. 164.)
The skandhas, so frequently adduced in Book III., are
never mentioned.
The term '
co-Intoxicant ' (sasavo), is no longer used
except in the analysis of the Intoxicant Group.
The very frequent use of the ablative in -t o (when the
^ By an error presumably in the MSS., the printed text
has, in § 1597, jhanabalani for samannaphalani.
Cf.K.
^ Printed above by an error as [1015].


Manual would use a substantival adjective—for instance,
kamavacara-kusalato instead of kamavacaram
k u s a 1 a m—betrays the later idiom. The Manual itself
uses this ablative, I believe, but twice, viz., in §§ 1062,
1071 : Vipakato = as, or by way of, result.
The term kiriya , so seldom used in the Manual, is
now used extremely often.
>k ^A' ^; * >;j
Taking now the three questions respecting (a) good,
(b) bad, and (c) indeterminate states, with which Book III.
(§§ 981-983, and for that matter the Manual itself) opens,
we read the following concise replies, taken in order :

/
' {a) Good in the four planes (bhummisu).
{h) The twelve geneses of bad thought.
(c) Result in the four planes ; completed indeter-
minates^ in the three planes ;2 form also and
Nirvana.'
Now, on referring to the analysis of the twelve Types of
bad states (Book I., Part I., ch. ii.), it will be seen that
these cover the whole question, inasmuch as only one
*
plane '—that of sensuous existence— is involved. Good
and indeterminate dhammas, on the other hand, involve
all four planes, and cannot be answered simply in terms of
the eight types of good thoughts (ch. i.) in the one case,
nor of thought genesis in the other.
The next triad of questions (Book III., §§ 984-986) is
answered in language which occurs at only one other
passage in the whole work (§ 1268 et seq,), and which is of
a vagueness that makes any equivalent rendering welcome.
*
States associated with easeful feeling ' :

*
The four geneses of thought accompanied by happiness,
which belong to good (karma) in the sensuous universe.
The four, which belong to bad (karma). The six, which
^ Kiriyavyakatam. See Introduction viii.
^ I.e., excluding that of sense (see Book 1., Part III.,
ch. ii.).


belong to the results of good (karma) in the sensuous
universe, as well as the five belonging to completed
thought.^ The threefold and fourfold^ Jhana relating to
the heavens of Form whether it arise as good (karma),
result (of good karma), or as a completed state. The
threefold and fourfold Jhana relating to the Higher Ideal,
whether it arise as good (karma) or as result. The easeful
feeling herewith arisen is not reckoned in.'
'
States associated with distressful feeling ';

'
The two geneses of thought which are accompanied by
melancholy. Cognition of body, which is accompanied by
distress. The distressful feeling herewith arisen is not
reckoned in.'
*
States associated with neutral feeling ':

* The four geneses of thought accompanied by dis-
interestedness, which belong to good (karma) in the
sensuous universe. The six, which belong to bad (karma).
The ten, which belong to the results of good (karma) in
the sensuous universe.^ The six, which belong to the
results of bad (karma).^ The six, which belong to com-
pleted thought.^ The fourth Jhana, relating to the heavens
of Form, whether it arise as good (karma), result (of good
karma), or as a completed state. The four Jhanas con-
nected with Formless Existence,^ whether they arise as good
(karma), result (of good karma), or as completed states.
The Fourth Jhana relating to the Higher Ideal, whether it
arise as good (karma), or as result (of good karma). The
neutral feeling herewith arisen is not reckoned in.
*
It is not proper to say that these three modes of feeling
^ K. reads kamavacara - kusalassa vipakato ca
kiriyato ca panca. But reference to §§ 469 and 568
shows that the analysis gives six and five respectively.
2 Excluding the highest Jhana, as incompatible with
'easeful feeling.'
^ Eead kamavacara-kusalassa.
^ Four in § 556, one in § 562, one in § 564.
5 Five in § 566, one in § 574.
^ For artipavacara read aruppa. V. 71 etseq.


are associated either with themselves, or with form, or with
Nirvana.'
* -^ * -x- -x- *
The answers to questions §§ 1007-1012 are (with the excep-
tion of that to 1009) more precise than those there given :

*
States which may be put away by insight ':

'
The four geneses of thought which are associated with
views and opinions, the genesis of thought which is accom-
panied by perplexity.'
*
States which may be put away by culture [1007
J
':

*
The genesis of thought which is accompanied by excite-
ment.
'
The four geneses of thought which are accompanied by
lust, but disconnected with views and opinions, also the
two geneses of thought which are accompanied by melan-
choly :—these states may be put away either by insight or
by culture.'
'
States which may be put away neither by insight nor
by culture ':

*
Good in the four planes ; result in the four planes
;
completed indeterminates in three planes ; form also, and
Nirvana.'
States the causes of which may be put away by insight,
by culture, or by neither are described in the same terms.
Moho (dulness), however, is inexplicitly named as some-
thing the cause of which can be put away by neither.
* * ^ * * *
Questions 1022-1024 are answered in quite other terms
than those there used :

(a) '
States having limited objects of thought ':

'
All result of sensuous existence ; ideation that is com-
pleted action; representative cognition that is completed
action but not free of causes,^ and is accompanied by happi-
ness.'
(b) *
States having objects of thought of wider scope ':

* The sphere of infinite intellect ; the sphere where there
^ Kiriya-hetuka manovinnanadhatu.


is neither perception nor non-perception.' {Cf. §§ 267,
268.)
(c) *
States having infinite objects of thought :'

'
The four Paths that are the Unincluded, and the four
Fruits of the life of the recluse.'
'
The four geneses of thought which are disconnected
with knowledge and belong to good (karma) in the universe
of sense, also the four geneses of thought disconnected
with knowledge which are completed acts, and all bad
(karma):—these states may be (a) or (b), but not (c), and
may not be termed both (a) and (b).
'
[Again,] the four geneses of thought which are associated
with knowledge and belong to good (karma) in the universe
of sense, the four geneses of completed thoughts which are
associated with knowledge, the Fourth Jhana relating to
the universe of form, whether it arise as good (karma), or
as completed thought, and the representative cognition
which is completed and free from the causes and is accom-
panied by disinterestedness:—these states may be (a), or
(b), or (c), but it is not proper to call them (a) and (b) and (c).
'
[Lastly] the threefold and fourfold Jhana relating to the
heavens of Form, whether it arise as good (karma), or as
result, or as completed thought, the results of Fourth
Jhana, and the two first Jhanas connected with Formless
existence, viz., the spheres of Infinite Space and of Infinite
Nothingness :
—these states it is not proper to call (a) and
(b) and (c).
Form and Nirvana are without objects of thought.'
5<- ){• -X- -X- -X- -X-
One more group deserves quoting as giving answers not
in terms of the subject inquired into. This is the two
triads corresponding to §§ 1044-1049. The Atthakatha
has the following
:
'
States which are
(a) personal (or subjective),
(b) external,
(c) personal- external.'
'
With the exception of form which is not bound up with


faculties/ all states may be subjective or external or sub-
jective-external. Form which is not bound up with facul-
ties, and Nirvana are both external.'
*
States which have
(a) a subjective object of thought,
(b) an external object of thought,
(c) a subjective-external object of thought '
:

*
(a) The sphere of infinite intellection and the
sphere where there is neither perception
nor non-perception.
'
(b) The threefold and fourfold Jhana relating to
the heavens of Form, whether it arise as
good (karma), as result (of good karma), or
as completed thought, also results of Fourth
Jhana, the sphere of infinite space, the
four Paths that are the Unincluded and
the four Fruits of the life of the recluse :

—these states have an external object of
thought.
'Excepting form, states, good, bad, and in-
determinate relating to the sensuous uni-
verse, and the Fourth Jhana relating to
the heavens of Form, whether it arise as
good (karma), or as completed thought:

all these may be either (a), (b), or (c).
* But it is not proper to say that the sphere of
nothingness is all three.
'
Form and Nirvana are without objects of
thought.'
There is here a point of additional interest.
The second and fourth Aruppajjhanas are shown to
have been conceived as exercises of pure introspection, and
to be devoid of any implications of a World-Keason, or a
macrocosmic Perception, let alone any of the '
rapt soul
'
being caught up to other spheres.
^ Read, for Manindriyam, Anindriya-baddha-
rupan ca. By an oversight this sentence and the next
are printed in the text as if belonging to the previous triad.


APPENDIX II.
On that which is predicted about Uncompounded Element
(asankhata dhatu)in the Dhamma Sangani.
Uncompounded Element is classed as the fourth and last
species of the morally Indeterminate (avyakata m)—in
other words, of that conduct or state of mind which is
not productive of good or bad karma. But it alone,
of those four, does not receive separate and systematic
discussion, as is the case with the other three—Result,
Kiriya , and Form. The following predicates are elicited
incidentally in the course of Book III., which discusses
what may be called Applied Ethics. Again, whereas the
word Nirvana (nibbanam) is always substituted for
asankhata dhatu in that Atthakatha which is appended
as a supplement to the original text, the term '
uncom-
pounded element ' is not identified, in the Dhamma Sangani,
with the '
topmost fruit ' of the Paths, the arahatta-
p h a 1 a m, which is one aspect of the state called Nirvana
(cf. S. iv. 251, 252). The subject therefore seems to
demand further inquiry. It is to facilitate this that the
following results are appended, parallel more or less to the
table on Form, pp. 168-171. Cf. note, p. 166.
Uncompounded element is
indeterminate [983]
neither result nor productive of result [989]
neither the issue of grasping^ nor favourable
to it2 [992]
neither corrupt nor baneful [995]
1 Given also in [1212]. '^
Given also in [1220].


*
void of the working of conception and of
thought discursive [998]^
to be put away neither by insight nor by
culture [1008]
something the causes of which are to be put
away neither by insight nor by culture [1012]^
that which makes neither for the piling up
nor for the undoing of re- birth [1015]
neither appertaining nor not appertaining
to studentship [1017]^
infinite [1021]
perfected [1027]
that which does not entail fixed conse-
quences [1030]*
invisible and non-impingeing [1052]
not a cause [1072]
without a cause as concomitants [1074]
not associated with a cause [1076]
without material form [1092]
supra-mundane [1094]
not an Intoxicant [1102]
not co-Intoxicant [1104]
disconnected with the Intoxicants [1106]
not a Fetter [1124]
unfavourable to the Fetters [1126]
disconnected with the Fetters [1128]
not a Tie [1141]
not that which tends to become tied [1142]
disconnected with the Ties [1144]


not a Hindrance [1163]
disconnected with and unfavourable to the
Hindrances [1173]
not a Contagion [1176]
disconnected with the Contagion and un-
infected [1184]
without concomitant object of thought [1186]
not of the intellect [1188]
not involved in the life of sense [1190]
disconnected with thought [1192]
detached from thought [1194]
not sprung from thought [1196]
not something coming into being together
with thought [1198]
not consecutive to thought [1200]
not derived [1210]
without the attribute of Grasping [1218]
disconnected with Grasping, and not favour-
ing it [1228]
without the attribute of corruption [1240]
harmless [1242]
not corrupt [1243a]
disconnected with the Corruptions, and
harmless [1253]
not joyous [1273]
unaccompanied by joy [1275]
unaccompanied by ease [1277]
unaccompanied by disinterestedness [1279]
Unincluded [1287]
that by which there is no going away [1289]
something having no Beyond [1293]
not concomitant with war [1295]

In the Cy. on the Dhatu Katha nib ban am (Nirvana)
is always substituted forasankhato khandho.
THE END.

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