Visuddhimagga - Notes IX

THE PATH
OF PURIFICATION
(VISUDDHIMAGGA)
BY
BHADANTACARIYA BUDDHAGHOSA
Translated from the Pali
by
BHIKKHU NANAMOLI
FIFTH EDITION
BUDDHIST PUBLICATION SOCIETY
Kandy Sri Lanka


CHAPTER XXI
1. 'He calls conformity knowledge "knowledge in conformity with truth" be-
cause it is suitable for penerating the truths owing to the disappearance of the
grosser darkness of delusion that conceals the truths' (Pm. 822). The term
saccdnulomikahdna—'knowledge in conformity with truth', occurs at Vbh. 315.
The term anulomahdna—'conformity knowledge', occurs in the Patthana (Ptn.l,
159), but not elsewhere in the Pitakas apparently.
2. 'Knowledge of rise and fall that has become familiar should be understood
as belonging to full-understanding as abandoning. The contemplation of only the
dissolution of formations is contemplation of dissolution; that same contempla-
tion as knowledge is knowledge of contemplation of dissolution. One who, owing
to it, sees things as they are is terrified, thus it is terror. The knowledge that
seizes the terrifying aspect of states of the three planes when they appear as
terrifying is knowledge of appearance as terror. One desires to be delivered, thus
it is one desiring deliverance: that is, either as a consciousness or as a person.
His (its) state is desire for deliverance. That itself as knowledge is knowledge of
desire for deliverance. Knowledge that occurs in the mode of reflecting again is
knowledge of contemplation of reflexion. Knowledge that occurs as looking on
(upekkhana) at formations with indifference (nirapekkhata) is knowledge of equa-
nimity (upekkha) about formations' (Pm. 822-23).
3. Cf. Pe. 128. In the commentary to the Ayatana-Vibhahga we find: 'Imper-
manence is obvious, as when a saucer (say) falls and breaks; ... pain is obvious,
as when a boil (say) appears in the body; ... the characteristic of not-self is not
obvious; ... Whether Perfect Ones arise or do not arise the characteristics of im-
permanence and pain are made known, but unless there is the arising of a Bud-
dha the characteristic of not-self is not made known' (VbhA. 49-50, abridged for
clarity).
Again, in the commentary to Majjhima Nikaya Sutta 22: 'Having been, it is
not, therefore it is impermanent; it is impermanent for four reasons, that is, in the
sense of the state of rise and fall, of change, of temporariness, and of denying
permanence. It is painful on account of the mode of oppression; it is painful for
four reasons, that is, in the sense of burning, of being hard to bear, of being the
basis for pain, and of opposing pleasure ... It is not-self on account of the mode
of insusceptibility to the exercise of power; it is not-self for four reasons, that is,


in the sense of voidness, of having no owner-master, of having no Overlord, and
of opposing self (MA.ii,l 13, abridged for clarity).
Commenting on this Vis. paragraph, Pm. says: * "When continuity is dis-
rupted" means when continuity is exposed by observing the perpetual otherness
of states as they go on occurring in succession. For it is not through the connect-
edness of states that the characteristic of impermanence becomes apparent to one
who rightly observes rise and fall, but rather the characteristic becomes more
thoroughly evident through their disconnectedness, as if they were iron darts.
4
'When the postures are exposed" means when the concealment of the pain that is
actually inherent in the postures is exposed. For when pain arises in a posture,
the next posture adopted removes the pain, as it were, concealing it. But once it
is correctly known how the pain in any posture is shifted by substituting another
posture for that one, then the concealment of the pain that is in them is exposed
because it has become evident that formations are being incessantly overwhelmed
by pain. "Resolution of the compact" is effected by resolving [what appears
compact] in this way, "The earth element is one, the water element is another"
etc., distinguishing each one; and in this way, "Contact is one, feeling is another"
etc., distinguishing each one. "When the resolution of the compact is effected"
means that what is compact as a mass and what is compact as a function or as an
object has been analysed. For when material and immaterial states have arisen
mutually steadying each other, [mentality and materiality, for example,] then,
owing to misinterpreting that as a unity, compactness of mass is assumed through
failure to subject formations to pressure. And likewise compactness of function
is assumed when, although definite differences exist in such and such states'
functions, they are taken as one. And likewise compactness of object is assumed
when, although differences exist in the ways in which states that take objects
make them their objects, those objects are taken as one. But when they are seen
after resolving them by means of knowledge into these elements, they disinte-
grate like froth subjected to compression by the hand. They are mere states
(dhamma) occurring due to conditions and void. In this way the characteristic of
not-self becomes more evident' (Pm. 824).
4. *These modes, [that is, the three characteristics,] are not included in the ag-
gregates because they are states without individual essence (asabhdva-dhammd);
and they are not separate from the aggregates because they are unapprehendable
without the aggregates. But they should be understood as appropriate conceptual
differences {pannatti-visesa) that are reason for differentiation in the explaining
of dangers in the five aggregates, and which are allowable by common usage in
respect of the five aggregates' (Pm. 825).
5. 'The keenness of knowledge comes about owing to familiarity with devel-
opment. And when it is familiar, development occurs as though it were absorbed
in the object owing to the absence of distraction' (Pm. 825).
6. * "Arising" is the alteration consisting in generation. "Presence" is the arri-
val at presence: ageing is what is meant. "Occurrence" is the occurrence of
what is clung to. "The sign" is the sign of formations; the appearance of forma-
tions like graspable entities, which is due to compactness of mass, etc., and to
individualization of function, is the sign of formations' (Pm. 826). See also n.12.


'It is momentary cessation that is in other words "cessation as destruction,
fall and breakup" ' (Pm. 826)
7. Etasmirh khane (or etasmirh thane) seems a better reading here than ekas-
rnirh khane'\ cf. parallel phrases at the end of §29, 30, 31.
8. * "He contemplates as impermanent" here not by inferential knowledge thus
"Impermanent in the sense of dissolution", like one who is comprehending for-
mations by groups (Ch. XX, §§13-14), nor by seeing fall preceded by apprehen-
sion of rise, like a beginner of insight (Ch. XX, §§93ff.); but rather it is after rise
and fall have become apparent as actual experience through the influence of
knowledge of rise and fall that he then leaves rise aside in the way stated and
contemplates formations,^ impermanent by seeing only their dissolution. But
when he sees them thus, there is no trace in him of any apprehension of them as
permanent* (Pm. 827).
9. * "Causes cessation": he causes greed to reach the cessation of suppression;
he suppresses it, is the meaning. That is why he said "by means of mundane
knowledge". And since there is suppression, how can there be arousing? There-
fore he said "not its origination" ' (Pm. 828).
10. 'Here in this world there is no self that is something other than and apart
from the aggregates' (Pm. 830). Cf. also: 'When any ascetics or brahmans what-
ever see self in its various forms, they all of them see the five aggregates, or one
ofthem'(S.iii,46).
11. 'As a skilled man drilling a gem with a tool watches and keeps in mind
only the hole he is drilling, not the gem's colour, etc., so too the meditator wisely
keeps in mind only the ceaseless dissolution of formations, not the formations'
(Pm. 830).
12. The Harvard text reads 'khayato vayato sunnato ti—as destruction, as fall,
as void'. But Pm. says: ' "The three appearances": in the threefold appearance
as impermanent and so on. For appearance as destruction and fall is appearance
as impermanent, appearance as terror is appearance as pain, and appearance as
void is appearance as not-self (Pm. 830).
13. Pm. defines the three kinds of worldliness (dmisa) as follows: Worldliness
of the round (vattdmisa) is that of the threefold round of past, future and present
becoming; worldliness of the world (lokdmisa) is the five cords of sense desire
(i.e. objects of sense desire including food, etc.) because they are accessible to
defilements; worldliness of defilement (kilesdmisa) is the defilements themselves
(see Pm. 836).
14. The reference is to the happy destinies of the sense-desire world (human
beings and deities), the fine-material Brahma-world, and the immaterial Brahma-
world.
15. For 'ten kinds of elephants' of which the Chaddanta (Six-toothed) is the
'best' see MA.ii,25. Cf. also the description of the elephant called 'Uposatha*,
one of the seven treasures of the Wheel-turning Monarch (M.ii,173). On the
expression 'with sevenfold stance' (sattappatittha) Pm. says 'Hatthapada-
valavatthikosehi bhumiphusanehi sattahi patitthito ti sattapatittho1
 (Pm. 838).


16. Rahu is the name for the eclipse of the sun or moon, personalized as a
demon who takes them in his mouth (see S.i,50-51 and M.i,87).
17. The sense seems to require a reading, 'Kdman ca na pathamam*...
18. Dvikotika ('double logical relation') and catukotika ('quadruple logical rela-
tion'): Skr. catuhkoti (cf. Th. Stcherbatsky, Buddhist Logic, pp. 60-61, note 5).
19. There are a number of variant readings to this sutta passage (which is met
with elsewhere as follows: A.i,206; ii,177; cf. iii,170). There are also variant
readings of the commentary, reproduced at MA.iv,63-65 and in the commentary
to A.ii,177. The readings adopted are those which a study of the various contexts
has indicated. The passage is a difficult one.
The sutta passage seems from its various settings to have been a phrase
current among non-Buddhists, as a sort of slogan for naked ascetics (A.i,206);
and it is used to describe the base consisting of nothingness (M.ii,263), in which
latter sense it is incorporated in the Buddha's teaching as a description that can
be made the basis for right view or wrong view according as it is treated.
The commentarial interpretation given here is summed up by Pm. as fol-
lows: ' "Ndharh kvacini": he sees the non-existence of a self of his own. 'Wa
kassaci kincanat' asmirh": he sees of his own self too that it is not the property
of another's self. 'Wa ca mama": these words should be construed as indicated.
"Atthi" applies to each clause. He sees the non-existence of another's self thus,
"There is no other's self anywhere". He sees of another that that other is not the
property of his own self thus, "My owning of that other's self does not exist". So
this mere conglomeration of formations is seen, by discerning it with the void-
ness of the quadruple logical relation, as voidness of self or property of a self in
both internal and external aggregates' (Pm. 840-41 = Majjhima-nikaya Tika to
M. Sutta 106).
20. Bhdtitthdne—'in the case of a brother': the form bhdti is not given in P.T.S.
Diet.
21. Reading ' ... thapetvd na ca kvacini (:) parassa ca attdnam kvaci na pas-
sat! ti ayam attho; iddni... ' with Sinhalese ed. of MA. and AA.
22. MA. Sinhalese (Aluvihara) ed. has kihcanabhdvena here instead of kincana-
bhdve.
23. Sinhalese eds. of MA. and AA. both read here:'... upanetabbam passati, na
parassa attdnam passati, na parassa attano kincanabhdve upanetabbam pas-
sati\ which the sense demands.
24. The cause and the fruit being secluded from each other (see Pm. 842).
25. 'A meaning such as "what in common usage in the world is called a being is
not materiality" is not intended here because it is not implied by what is said; for
the common usage of the world does not speak of mere materiality as a being. What
is intended as a being is the self that is conjectured by outsiders' (Pm. 842).
26. 'This is not in the text. If it were there would be forty-three ways' (Pm. 842).
27. 'Although it has already been described as a danger in order to show it as
such, the word is used again in order to show that it is opposed to enjoyment
(satisfaction)' (Pm. 843).


28. Pm. (p. 843) seems to suggest that this is quoted from the Niddesa, but it is
not in Nd.2 apparently.
29. Kupaka-yatthi—'mast-head' (?): the word kupaka appears in P.T.S. Diet,
only as an equivalent for kupa = a hole. Cf. D.i,222 for this simile.
30. Vattayamdna—'sifting': not in P.T.S Diet.; Pm. glosses with niccoriyamdna,
also not in P.T.S. Diet. Nibbattita—picked out': not in P.T.S. Diet. Pm. glosses
nibbattita-kappdsam with nibattita-bija-kappdsam'. Vihatamdna—'carding': not
in P.T.S. Diet.; glossed by Pm. with dhunakena (not in P.T.S. Diet.) vihannamdnam
viya (Pm. 844).
31. When insight reaches its culmination, it settles down in one of the three
contemplations [impermanence, pain, or not-self] and at this stage of the devel-
opment the 'seven contemplations' and the 'eighteen contemplations' (or 'princi-
pal insights') are all included by the three (see Pm. 844).
'The three faculties are those of faith, concentration and understanding.
"With the predominance": with the predominance of associated states; for the
faith faculty is strong in one who contemplates impermanence much, the concen-
tration faculty is strong in one who contemplates pain much, and the understand-
ing faculty is strong in one who contemplates not-self much. So these three
faculties, which have been respectively strengthened by the three contempla-
tions, bring about the entry upon the state of the gateways to liberation' (Pm.
844). Cf. Ps.ii,48-49.
32. 'Contemplation of impermanence sees formations as limited by rise in the
beginning and by fall in the end, and it sees that it is because they have a
beginning and an end that they are impermanent. "Into the signless element*9
:
into the unformed element, which is given the name "signless" because it is the
opposite of the sign of formations. "To the entering of consciousness": to the
higher consciousness's completely going into by means of the state of confor-
mity knowledge, after delimiting. "Into the desireless": into the unformed ele-
ment, which is given the name "desireless" owing to the non-existence of desire
due to greed and so on. "Into the void": into the unformed element, which is
given the name "void" because of voidness of self (Pm. 845).
33. 'One who is pursuing insight by discerning formations according to their
sign by means of the contemplation of impermanence and resolves according to
the signless aspect thus, "Where this sign of formations is entirely non-existent,
that is, the signless nibbana" joins insight leading to emergence with the path.
Then the path realizes nibbana for him as signless. The signless aspect of nib-
bana is not created by the path or by insight; on the contrary, it is the establish-
ment of the individual essence of nibbana, and the path is called signless because
it has that as its object. One who resolves upon the desireless by keeping desire
away by means of the contemplation of pain, and one who resolves upon the
void by keeping the belief in self away by means of the contemplation of not-
self, should both be construed in the same way' (Pm. 846).
34. 'Why is signless insight unable to give its own name to the path when it has
come to the point of arrival at the path? Of course, signless insight is mentioned
in the suttas thus, "Develop the signless and get rid of the inherent tendency to


conceit" (Sn. 342). Nevertheless, though it eliminates the signs of permanence,
of lastingness, and of self, it still possesses a sign itself and is occupied with
states that possess a sign. Again, the Abhidhamma is the teaching in the ultimate
sense, and in the ultimate sense the cause of a signless path is wanting. For the
signless liberation is stated in accordance with the contemplation of imperma-
nence, and in that the faith faculty predominates. But the faith faculty is not
represented by any one of the factors of the path. And so it cannot give its name
to the path since it forms no part of it. In the case of the other two, the desireless
liberation is due to the contemplation of pain, and the void liberation is due to
the contemplation of not-self. Now the concentration faculty predominates in the
desireless liberation and the understanding faculty in the void liberation. So
since these are factors of the path as well, they can give their own names to the
path; but there is no signless path because the factor is wanting. So some say.
But there are others who say that there is a signless path, and that although it
does not get its name from the way insight arrives at it, still it gets its name from
a special quality of its own and from its object. In their opinion the desireless
and void paths should also get their names from special qualities of their own
and from their objects too. That is wrong. Why? Because the path gets its names
for two reasons, that is, because of its own nature and because of what it op-
poses—the meaning is, because of its individual essence and because of what it
is contrary to. For the desireless path is free from desire due to greed, etc., and
the void path is free from greed too, so they both get their names from their
individual essence. Similarly, the desireless path is the contrary of desire and the
void path is the contrary of misinterpretation as self, so they get their names
from what they oppose. On the other hand, the signless path gets its name only
from its own nature owing to the non-existence in it of the signs of greed, etc., or
of the signs of permanence, etc., but not owing to what it opposes. For it does
not oppose the contemplation of impermanence, which has as its object the sign
of formations [as formed], but remains in agreement with it. So a signless path is
altogether inadmissible by the Abhidhamma method. This is why it is said, "This
refers to the way in which insight arrives at the path and is expressed in the
literal sense" (§72).
'However, by the Suttanta method a signless path is admissible. For accord-
ing to that, in whatever way insight leading to emergence (see §83) effects its
comprehending it still leads on to emergence of the path, and when it is at the
point of arrival it gives its own name to the path accordingly—when emerging
owing to comprehension as impermanent the path is signless, when emerging
owing to comprehension as painful it is desireless, and when emerging owing to
comprehension as not-self it is void. Taking this as a sutta commentary, there-
fore, three liberations are differentiated here. But in the Patisambhida the deliv-
erance from misinterpreting, from the sign and from desire, are taken respec-
tively as the arrival of the three kinds of comprehension at that deliverance, and
what is described is a corresponding state of void liberation, etc., respectively in
the paths that follow upon that deliverance. There is no question of treating that
literally, which is why he said "However, in the Patisambhida insight knowl-
edge
11
 and so on' (Pm. 846-48).


35. "From the object interpreted as the sign": from the pentad of aggregates as
the object of insight; for that pentad of aggregates is called the "object inter-
preted" on account of the interpreting, in other words, on account of being made
the domain of insight. And although it is included in one's own continuity, it is
nevertheless called "eternal" because it is seen as alien to it; it is that too which
in other contexts is spoken of as "externally from all signs" (Ps.i,71). "Internally
from occurrence": from the occurrence of wrong view, etc., in one's own conti-
nuity, and from the defilements and from the aggregates that occur consequent
upon them. For it is stated in this way because there is occurrence of defilement
in one's own continuity and because there is occurrence of clung-to aggregates
produced by that [defilement] when there is no path development. And emer-
gence consists both in making these the object and in producing their non-
liability to future arising1
 (Pm. 853).
36. * "Emerges from the internal" is said figuratively owing to the fact that in
this case the insight leading to emergence has an internal state as its object. In
the literal sense, however, the path emerges from both* (Pm. 853).
37. 'Said in the Discourse on Purification iyisuddhi-kathd)' (Pm. 855). See Ch.
XX, §77.
38. 'The first "some" refers to the Elder Tipitaka Cula-Naga. The second "some"
refers to the Elder Maha-Datta, dweller at Moravapi. The third "some" refers to
the Elder Tipitaka-Cula-Abhaya' (Pm. 856).
39. The four predominances are those of zeal (desire), energy, consciousness,
and inquiry. Cf. four roads to power (Dhs. §73-74; Vbh. 216 and Corny.).
40. 'If this is so, then is the path that follows on the contemplation of imperma-
nence not included in the Abhidhamma?-—That is not so; for it is included in the
method of "simple progress" (suddhika patipadd—see Dhs. §§339-340)' (Pm.
861).
41. ' "Maintaining the continuity of consciousness" by absence of interruption,
in other words, of occurrence of dissimilar consciousness. For when the life-
continuum [which is mind-consciousness element] is displaced by the functional
mind element [of five-door adverting (70)], the occurrence of the functional
consciousness makes an interruption, an interval, between the occurrence of the
resultant consciousness [i.e. the life-continuum and the consciousness that fol-
lows]. But this is not so with mind-door adverting (71) [which is mind-con-
sciousness element]' (Pm. 862). See Table V, Cognitive Series.
42. 'Aloofness'—atammayata: not in P.T.S. Diet. See also M.iii,43. The word
is made up of a + tam + MAYA + ta = 'not-made-of-that-ness'. Its meaning is
non-attachment to any form of being.
43. The word vodana ('cleansing') is used, in its loose sense of 'purifying' in
general, in Ch. I, §143. For its technical Abhidhamma sense here see Ch. XXII
note 7.


CHAPTER XXII
1. * "Of emerging and turning away from the external": it is the understanding
of the turning away that is being effected, which turning away is emergence from
the field of formations; it is termed external because the unformed element's
existence is external' (Pm. 866). The unformed element (= nibbana) is classed as
'external' under the internal (ajjhattika) triad of the Abhidhamma Matika (see
Dhs., p. 2 and p. 241).
2. Pakkhandati—'enters into' is glossed there by anupavisati (enters) in Pm.
(p. 866), which is the sense required and may be taken as based on the idiom
in the Suttas, 'Cittam pakkhandati pasldati santitthati adhimuccati—the mind
enters into [that], becomes settled, steady and resolute' (M.i,186, etc.). It de-
scribes the opposite reaction to that 'retreating, retracting and recoiling' de-
scribed in Ch. XXI, §63. It is a function of faith (Ch. XIV, §140). There is, of
course, also the meaning of charging into [a massed battle] (M.i,86), which is
obviously inappropriate here.
3. Phalakasatam—'target': not in P.T.S. Diet. Pm. says 'Phalakasatan ti
asana-sdra-mayam phalakasatam—a "phalakasata" is one made of the heart
(pith) of the asana tree'. The 'wheel contrivance' resembles a potter's wheel
according to Pm. (p. 867).
4. The seven (noble) treasures are: faith, virtue, conscience, shame, learning,
generosity, and understanding (D.iii,251).
5. See the five kinds of enmity and fear at S.ii,68f. Pm., however, says: 'The
five kinds of enmity beginning with killing living things and the twenty-five
great terrors (rnahd-bhaydni) are what constitute "A// enmity and fear" ' (Pm.
867).
6. For the use of the expression 'brings to bear'—samodhdneti in this sense
see Ps.i,181.
7. 'Here "change-of-lineage" means "like change-of-lineage"; for the knowl-
edge that ushers in the [first] path is called that in the literal sense because it
overcomes the ordinary man's lineage and develops the noble one's lineage. But
this is called "change-of-lineage" figuratively because of its similarity to the
other. It is also called "cleansing" {voddna) because it purifies from certain
defilements and because it makes absolute purification its object. Hence it is said
in the Pafthana, "Conformity is a condition, as proximity condition, for cleans-
ing" (Ptn.1,59). But "next to change-of-lineage" is said here because it is said in
the Patisambhidamagga that for the purpose of "overcoming arising", etc., "eight
states of change-of-lineage arise through concentration" and "ten states of change-
of-lineage arise through insight" (Ps.i,68-69), and it is given in the same way in
this page' (Pm. 869).
Technically the word 'cleansing' (voddna) means the 'change-of-lineage'
consciousness that precedes the consciousness of each of the three higher paths
(Ptn. quotation given above), and it also means the 'change-of-lineage' con-
sciousness that precedes each higher jhana consciousness (see Vbh. 343 and
Commentary).


8. The four foundations of mindfulness are fully commented on in the com-
mentary to M. Sutta 10 ( = commentary to D. Sutta 22). The right endeavours are
fully commented on in the commentary to the Sammappadhana Vibhanga (cf.
MA.iii, 243ff.; also AA. commenting on A. Ekanipata, ii, 1). The four roads to
power are briefly commented on at MA.ii,69 and fully in the commentary to the
Iddhipada Vibhanga. The seven enlightenment factors are commented on at
MA.i,82f. and more fully in the commentary to the Bojjhanga Vibhanga. The
Noble Eightfold Path is commented on at MA.U05 and from a different angle in
the commentary to the Magga Vibhanga. The five faculties and the five powers
are not apparently dealt with in the Nikaya and Abhidhamma Commentaries by
adding anything further to what is said here (§37).
9. The Patisambhida (Ps.i,177) derives satipatthdna from sati (mindfulness)
and patthdna (foundation, establishment). The Commentaries prefer to derive it
from sati and upatthdna (establishment, appearance, and also waiting upon: see
MA.i,238). The readings of the P.T.S. and Harvard eds. disagree here and that of
the former has been followed though the result is much the same.
10. These figures refer to the numbers of different contemplations described in
the tenth sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya (= D. Sutta 22).
11. These three abstinences are the 'prior stage* of the Eightfold Path (see
M.iii,289).
'Only the road to power consisting in zeal, and right speech, are actually
included here; but when these are mentioned, the remaining roads to power and
remaining two abstinences are implied in meaning too. The meaning of this
sentence should be understood according to the "category of characteristics"
(lakkhana-hdra—see Nettipakarana)' (Pm. 872). This Netti rule says:
'When one thing has been stated, then those things
That are in characteristic one with it
Are stated too—this is the formulation
Of the category of characteristics' (Netti 3).
12. 'Emergence from the sign consists in relinquishing the sign of formations
and making nibbana the object. Emergence from occurrence consists in entering
upon the state of non-liability to the occurrence of kamma-result in the future by
causing the cessation of the cause' (Pm. 874).
13. 'It emerges from the defilements of uncertainty, etc., that occur consequent
upon that view, which is wrong since it leads to states of loss' (Pm. 874).
14. ' "Wrong knowledge", which is wrong because it does not occur rightly [i.e.
in conformity with truth], and is wrong and mistaken owing to misinterpreta-
tions, etc., is just delusion. "Wrong deliverance" is the wrong notion of libera-
tion that assumes liberation to take place in a "World Apex" {lokathupika—see
Ch. XVI, §85), and so on' (Pm. 886).
15. The meaning of this paragraph is made clearer by reference to the AtthasalinI
(DhsA. 48) and Mula-Tika (DhsAA. 51), where the use of A as an adverb in the
sense of 'as far as' indirectly with the ablative (gotrabhuto, etc.) is explained; the
abl. properly belongs to savana (i.e. exudations from). Pm. only says: ' "Exuda-


tions" (savana) because of occurring [due to], savanato ("because of exuding'') is
because of flowing out as the filth of defilement. Savanato ("because of produc-
ing") the second time is because of giving out (pasavanaY (Pm. 876. Cf. als o
MA.i,61)
16. 'The intention is: or it follows that there is dissociation of defilements from
consciousness, like that of formations according to those who assert that forma-
tions exist dissociated from consciousness. He said, "There is no such thing as a
present defilement dissociated from consciousness" in order to show that that is
merely the opinion of those who make the assertion. For it is when immaterial
states are actually occurring by their having a single basis and being included in
the three instants that they are present; so how could that be dissociated from
consciousness? Consequently there is no dissociation from consciousness here'
(Pm. 878).
17. ' "Shackled": one whose consciousness is shackled by conceit (pride)' (Pm.
878).
18. ' "In any given plane" means aggregates as objects of clinging, reckoned as
a human or divine person' (Pm. 879).
19. 'By the words "which are the object of insight" he points out the not-fully-
understood state of the aggregates, not merely the fact that they are the object of
insight, which is proved by his taking only the three planes. For it is not-fully-
understood aggregates among the aggregates constituting the [subjective] basis
that are intended as the "soil of defilements" ' (Pm. 880).
20. 'No one would be able to abandon the root of becoming if it were in
another's continuity. "With respect to the basis \for them in oneself]" means as
the place of their arising; in that particular becoming or continuity' (Pm. 880).
21. ' "With the contact of knowledge by personal experience" means by per-
sonal experience of it as object, which is what the "contact of knowledge" is
called. The words "By personal experience" exclude taking it as an object by
inference. For what is intended here as the "contact of knowledge" is knowing
by personal experience through reviewing thus "This is like this" ' (Pm. 888).
22. The first elision here—'The eye ... ageing-and-death'—is explained in Ch.
XX, §9. The second elision—'One who sees suffering ... One who sees nibbana,
which merges in the deathless in the sense of end ...'— covers all things listed
from Ps.i, p. 8, line 18 (N.B. the new para, in the Ps. text should begin with the
words 'dukkharh abhihheyyanV up to p. 22, line 11, amatogadham nibbdnam
pariyosdnattham abhinneyyarh). In this case, however (Ps.i, p.35), sacchikatabba
('to be realised'), etc., is substituted for abhinneyya ('to be directly known').
CHAPTER XXIII
1. 'It is the Andhakas, etc., who maintain this; for they take the sutta wrongly
which says, " 'Arahantship' is said, friend Sariputta; what is Arahantship?—The
destruction of greed, the destruction of hate, the destruction of delusion: that is
what is called Arahantship" (S.iv,252), taking it literally and asserting that noth-
ing exists called Arahantship and that it is only the abandoning of defilements


that is so called by common usage. And they deny that there are any other
fruitions' (Pm. 891).
2. The quotation in the Vis/texts does not quite agree with the P.T.S. ed. of
the Ps. text where (as the sense demands) the words 'bahiddhdsahkhdranimittam*
do not follow the four fruitions and the two abidings but only the four paths.
3. 'Although they are resultant states, nevertheless the states of fruition attain-
ment occur in the noble person only when he chooses since they do not arise
without the preliminary work and do so only when they are given predominance'
(Pm. 895).
4. 'Why does change-of-lineage not have nibbana as its object here as it does
when it precedes the path? Because states belonging to fruition are not associ-
ated with an outlet [as in the case of the path]. For this is said: "What states are
an outlet? The four unincluded paths" (Dhs. §1592)' (Pm. 895).
5. 'Those of the Abhayagiri Monastery in Anuradhapura' (Pm. 895).
6. 'The "volition" is attaining after deciding the time limit in this way, "When
the moon, or the sun, has gone so far, I shall emerge", which is an act of
volition' (Pm. 897).
7. 'It is because he is called "emerged from attainment" as soon as the life-
continuum consciousness has arisen that "he brings to mind that which is the
object of the life-continuum** is said. Kamma, etc., are called the object of the
life-continuum (see Ch. XVII, §133ff.)' (Pm. 897).
8. The list in brackets represents in summarised form the things listed at Ps.i,94-
95, repeated in this context in the Patisambhida but left out in the Vis. quotation.
9. The serenity shown here is access concentration (see Pm. 899).
10. The nine are the four fine-material jhanas, the four immaterial jhanas, and
the access concentration preceding each of the eight attainments, described in the
last sentence and counted as one.
11. 'The word "profitable" used in this Patthana passage shows that it applies
only to non-returners, ptherwise "functional" would have been said' (Pm. 902).
12. 'They say so because of absence of heart-basis; but the meaning is because
of absence of basis called physical body. For if anyone were to attain cessation
in the immaterial worlds he would become indefinable (appannattika) owing to
the non-existence of any consciousness or consciousness concomitant at all, and
he would be as though attained to final nibbana without remainder of results of
past clinging; for what remainder of results of past clinging could be predicated
of him when he had entered into cessation? So it is because of the lack of the
necessary factors that there is no attaining of the attainment of cessation in the
immaterial worlds' (Pm. 902).
13. ' "Reaching the cessation that is nibbana": as though reaching nibbana
without remainder of result of past clinging. "In bliss" means without suffering'
(Pm. 902).
14. ' "It should be resolved": the thought should be aroused. For here the re-
solve consists in arousing the thought. In the non-arising of consciousness-origi-


nated materiality, etc., and in the absence of support by a postnascence condi-
tion, etc., the physical body continues the same only for seven days; after that it
suffers wastage. So he limits the duration to seven days when he attains cessa-
tion, they say1
 (Pm. 903).
15. Paribhanda — 'repair work*: this meaning is not given in P.T.S. Diet.; cf.
MA.iv,157 (patching of old robes), and MA.i,291.
16. The word atthuppatti ('the origin being a need arisen') is a technical com-
mentarial term. 'There are four kinds of origins (uppatti) or setting forth of suttas
(sutta-nikkhepa): on account of the speaker's own inclination (attajjhdsaya), on
account of another's inclination (parajjhdsaya), as the result of a question asked
(pucchdvasika\ and on account of a need arisen (atthuppattika)* (MA.i,15, see
also Ch. Ill, §88).
17. * "Vital formations" are the same as life span; though some say that they are
the life span, heat and consciousness. These are the object only of his normal
consciousness. There is no death during cessation because dying takes place by
means of the final life-continuum [consciousness]. He should attain only after
adverting thus, "Let sudden death not occur". For in the case of sudden death he
would not be able to declare final knowledge, advise the bhikkhus, and testify to
the Dispensation's power. And there would be no reaching the highest path in
the case of a non-returner' (Pm. 904).
18. The subtleties of the word nipphanna are best cleared up by quoting a
paragraph from the Sammohavinodani (VbhA. 29): 'The five aggregates are posi-
tively-produced (parinipphanna) always, not un-positively-produced (apari-
nipphanna); they are always formed, not unformed. Besides, they are produced
(nipphanna) as well. For among the dhammas that are individual essences
(sabhava'dhamma) it is only nibbana that is un-positively-produced and un-
produced (anipphanna)\ The Mula Tika comments on this: 'What is the differ-
ence between the positively-produced and the produced? A dhamma that is an
individual essence with a beginning and an end in time, produced by conditions,
and marked by the three characteristics, is positively produced. But besides this,
what is produced [but not positively produced] is a dhamma with no individual
essence (asabhava-dhamma) when it is produced by the taking of a name or by
attaining [the attainment of cessation]' (VbhAA. 23). Cf. also Ch. XIV, §72 and
§77.