Points of Controversy
OR
Subjects of Discourse
BEING A TRANSLATION OF THE KATHAVATTHU
FROM THE ABHIDHAMMA-PITAKA
BY
SHWE ZAN AUNG, B.A
AND
MRS. RHYS DAVIDS, M.A
BOOK XXII
1. Of the Completion of Life.
Controverted Point.—That life may be completed without
a certain Fetter-quantity having been cast off .
From the Commentary. — Inasmuch as the Arahant completes
existence without casting of f every Fetter with respect to the range
of omniscience, some, like the Andhakas, hold the aforesaid view,
similar to what has been noticed above (theory of the Mahasanghikas,
XXI. 3).
The dialogue resembles XXI. 3, verbatim.
2. Of Moral Consciousness.
Controverted Point.—That the Arahant is ethically con-
scious when completing existence at final death.
From the Commentary.—Some, like the Andhakas, hold this view
on the ground that the Arahant is ever lucidly conscious, even at the
hour of utterly passing away. The criticism points out that moral
(ethical or good) consciousness inevitably involves meritorious karma
[taking effect hereafter]. The doctrine quoted by the opponent is
inconclusive. It merely points to the Arahant's lucidity and aware-
ness while dying, to his ethically neutral and therefore inoperative
presence of mind and reflection at the last moments of his cognitive
process [javana] . But it was not intended to show the arising of
morally good thoughts.
[1] Th —You are implying that an Arahant is achieving
karma of merit, or karma of imperturbable character;1 that
1
Or 'for remaining static,' anenjabhisankharang. See the
same line of argument in XVII. 1. The alternatives refer to the
sensuous and to the immaterial planes of existence.
he is working karma affecting destiny, and rebirth, con-
ducive to worldly authority and influence, to wealth and
reputation,1 to beauty celestial or human. . . .
[2] You are implying that the Arahant, when he is pass-
ing away, is accumulating or pulling down, is eliminating
or grasping, is scattering or binding, is dispersing or collect-
ing.2 Is it not true of him that he stands, as Arahant,
neither heaping up nor pulling down, as one who has pulled
down? That he stands, as Arahant, neither putting of f
nor grasping at, as one who has put off? As neither
scattering nor binding, as one who has scattered ? As
neither dispersing nor collecting, as one who has dispersed ?
[3] A.—But does not an Arahant pass utterly away with
lucid presence of mind, mindful and aware ? You agree.
Then is this not ' good ' consciousness ?3
3. Of Imperturbable (Fourth Jhana) Consciousness.
Controverted Point.—That the Arahant completes ex-
istence in imperturbable absorption (anenje).
From the Commentary.—Certain of the Uttarapathakas hold that
the Arahant, no less than a Buddha, when passing utterly away, is in a
sustained Fourth Jhana4 [of the Immaterial plane].
[1] Th.—But does he not complete existence with
ordinary (or normal) consciousness ?5 You agree. How
then do you reconcile this with your proposition ?
1
Literally, great following or retinue.
2 Cf. I. 2, § 63.
3
On the technical meaning of 'kusala, a-kusala' (good, bad),
sde above, p. 339, 'From the Commentary.' 'Good' meant 'pro-
ducing happy result.' Now the Arahant had done with all that.
4
Wherein all thinking and feeling have been superseded by clear-
ness of mind and indifference. See p. 190, n. 2; Dialogues, i. 86 f -
5
Pakati-ciite—i.e. , sub-consciousness (unimpressed conscious-
ness, bhavangacitta) . All sentient beings are normally in this
mental state. When that ends, they expire with the (so-called act
of) ' decease-consciousness [cuti-citta, which takes effect, in itself
ceasing, as reborn consciousness in a new embryo]. The Arahant's
[2] You are implying that he passes away with an
ethically inoperative consciousness.1 Is it not rather with
a consciousness that is pure ' result[3 ] Whereas accord-
ing to you he passes away with a consciousness that is
unmoral and purely inoperative, I suggest that it is with a
consciousness that is unmoral and purely resultant.
[4] And did not the Exalted One emerge from Fourth
Jhana before he passed utterly away immediately after?2
4. Of Penetrating the Truth.
Controverted Point.—That an embryo is capable of pene-
trating the truth.
From the Commentary.—Some—that is, certain of the UttarsU
pathakas—hold that one who in his previous birth was a Stream-
winner, and remains so, must have [as a newly resultant consciousness]
grasped the Truth while an embryo.3
[1] Th.—You are implying that an embryo can be
instructed in, hear, and become familiar with the Doctrine,
can be catechized, can take on himself the precepts, be
normal mind when on the Arupa plane would be imperturbable. But
the question is asked with reference to the life-plane of all five
aggregates' (not of four immaterial ones only).—Comy.
1
Kiriyamaye citte . Buddhism regards consciousness, under
the specific aspect of causality, as either (1) karmic—i.e., able to
function causally as karma; (2) resultant (vipaka), or due to karma;
(3) non-causal (kiriya), called here ' inoperative.' Cf. Compendium,
p. 19 f. I.e., certain resultant kinds of consciousness, effects of karma
in a previous birth, can never be causal again so as to effect another
result in any moral order in the sense in which effects may become
causes in the physical order. Again, there are certain ethically neutral
states of consciousness consisting in mere action of mind without
entailing moral consequences. The Buddhist idea is that the normal
flux of consciousness from birth to death, in each span of life, is purely
resultant, save where it is interrupted by causal, or by 'inoperative'
thought.
2
Dialogues, ii. 175.
3
The Uttarapathakas were perhaps 'feeling out' for a theory of
heredity.
guarded as to the gates of sense, abstemious in diet, devoted
to vigils early and late. Is not the opposite true ?
[2] Are there not two conditions for the genesis of right
views—' another's voice and intelligent attention?'1
[3] And can there be penetration of the Truth by one
who is asleep, or languid, or blurred in intelligence, or
unreflective ?
1
Anguttara-Nik., i. 87.
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