Patthanuddesa Dipani - The Meaning of Patthana & Notes

Patthanuddesa Dipani - The Buddhist Philosophy of Relations

by
Ledi Sayadaw Mahathera

Translated by
Sayadaw U Nyana

Buddhist Publication Society
Kandy • Sri Lanka


The Meaning of Patthana

The meaning of the term patthana also will now be explained: padhanam thanam ti patthanam. “Patthana is the pre-eminent or principal cause,” In this definition padhana means “pre-eminent” and thana means “condition” or “cause.” Hence the whole expression means the preeminent cause, the actual cause or the ineluctable cause. This is said having reference to its ineluctable effect or result. [35]

There are two kinds of effect, the direct and the indirect. By “the direct” is meant the primary or actual effect, and by “the indirect” is meant the consequent or incidental effect. Of these two kinds, only the direct effect is here referred to as ineluctable, and for this reason: that it never fails to arise when its proper cause is established or brought into play. And the indirect effect is to be understood as eluctable since it may or may not arise even though its cause is fully established. Thus the ineluctable cause is so named with reference to the ineluctable effect. Hence the ineluctable or principal cause alone is meant to be expounded in this “Great Treatise (Mahapakarana).” For this reason the name patthana is assigned to the entire collection of the twenty-four relations, and also to the “Great Treatise.”

And now, to make the matter clearer and simpler: Say that greed springs into being within a man who desires to get money and grain. Under the influence of greed, he goes to a forest where he clears a piece of land and establishes fields, yards and gardens, and starts to work very hard. Eventually he obtains plenty of money and grain by reason of his strenuous labours. So he takes his gains, looks after his family, and performs many virtuous deeds, from which also he will reap rewards in his future existences. In this illustration, all the mental and material states co-existing with greed are called direct effects.

Apart from these, all the outcomes, results and rewards, which are to be enjoyed later on in his future existences, are called indirect effects. Of these two kinds of effects, only the former is dealt with in the Patthana. However, the latter kind finds its place in the Suttanta discourses: if this exists, then that happens; or, because of the occurrence of this, that also takes place. Such an exposition is called “expounding by way of Suttanta” In fact, the three states (greed, hate and ignorance) are called the hetu or conditions, because they are the roots whence spring the defilements of the whole animate world, of the whole inanimate world, and of the world of space. The three other opposite states (dispassionateness, amity, and intelligence) are also called hetu or conditions, since they are the roots whence springs purification. In the same manner the remainder of the relations are to be understood in their various senses. Thus must we understand that all things that happen, occur, take place, or produce changes, are solely the direct and indirect effects, results, outcomes, or products of these twenty-four relations or causes.

Thus ends the Patthanuddesa Dipani, “The Concise Exposition of the Buddhist Philosophy of Relations,” written by The Most Venerable Ledi Araññaviharavasi Mahathera of Monywa, Burma.


Notes

1 Paññatti means concept or idea. The venerable author's and the translator's view that concepts are not subject to impermanence is not supported by the canonical texts nor by the ancient commentaries. (Editor)
2 The three rounds of misery are: the round of defilements (kilesa-vatta), the round of kamma (kamma-vatta) and the round of kamma-result (vipaka-vatta), See Path of Purification (Visuddhimagga), tr. Ñanamoli, Ch. XVII, para 298.
3 The triple element of apprehension is the threefold mind-element (mano-dhatu); the consciousness which adverts to the five sense objects (pañca-dvaravajjana), and the two which receive them (sampaticchana) by way of wholesome-result or unwholesome-result.
4 Mano-viññana-dhatu: this includes all classes of consciousness dealt with in the Abhidhamma except the ten kinds of sense-consciousness and the threefold mind-element.
5 The six doors of the senses—mind, in Buddhist philosophy, being the sixth sense.
6 Unprepared (spontaneous—asankharika) and prepared (prompted—sasankharika).
7 Sense-sphere consciousness, fine-material consciousness, immaterial consciousness and supramundane consciousness.
8 Supramundane. states (lokuttara-dhamma) are here meant, i.e. the four pairs made up of the four stages of the path with the fruit and Nibbana. (Translator)
9 Sights, sounds, odours, savours, contacts, ideas.
10 Truth here means the sincerity of the promise he had given. (Translator)
11 Mind here refers to one of the apperceptions which are usually fifty-five in all, but in this connection we must exclude the two classes of deluded consciousness as well as aesthetic pleasure. The other three dominants are their own concomitants. (Translator)
12 In no mass of earth, water, fire or air do these 'elements' exist in a state of absolute purity. The other 'elements' are always present, but in a very subordinate proportion.
13 That is, those who attain Nibbana unaided.
14 Ledi Sayadaw here seems to explain the life term of a womb-born being.
15 Nirodha-samapatti has been rendered as “sustained cessation.” Here the cessation is that not only of consciousness but also of mental concomitants and mental qualities born of mind. (Translator)
16 Perhaps this essay is in the Sayadaw's Yamaka-puccha-visajjana or in London Pali Devi Visajjana Pali (which might be identical with the former). The latter consists of answers to questions by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys-Davids about knotty points, etc, in the Yamaka and was published in the article “Some Points in Buddhist Doctrine” and “A Pali Dissertation on the Yamaka” in the Journal of the Pali Text Society, 1913–14 and also in an appendix to Mrs. Rhys-Davids’ translation of the Yamaka. (BPS Ed.)
17 “Heart base” (hadaya-vatthu) is a figurative expression for the physical base of mental activities. It is not the physical heart that is meant. (Editor)
18 That is to say, Nibbana and concepts (or more properly, concept-terms) do not enter time, and therefore are not subject to time's nature—change. They do not arise; therefore, they do not cease. They are “everlasting and eternal” in the sense of being extra temporal, not in the vulgar sense of being endlessly continuous in time. (Translator)
19 Here abyakata is rendered as “unspecified or amoral.” It is explained in the commentary as kusala-akusala-bhavena akathita, añña-bhavena kathita, i.e. not to be called either moral or immoral, but to be called “apart-from both,” i.e. morally unspecified. The abyakata dhammas are all classes of resultant and inoperative consciousness and all material qualities, as well as Nibbana. (Translator). Other suggested renderings: karmically indeterminate or karmically neutral. (Editor)
20 Niyama-dipani was written by the late Ven. Ledi Sayadaw and translated into English by Ven. U Nyana and Dr. Barua.
21 Beings whose coming into existence takes place in any other mode than the ordinary one of birth from parents; what occidentals might call 'supernatural beings' though not all of them are to be understood as superior to man in any vital respect. Many are inferior to man, in power and faculty, as well as in the opportunities open to them of winning Nibbana. (Translator)
22 Here, the origins of material qualities are meant. The four are kamma, mind, temperature and nutriment.
23 Here, utu (lit., season) has been rendered as temperature. It may also be rendered by popular acceptance as physical change, caloric energy, heat and cold etc.
24 Ledi Sayadaw has not explained the cetanavattha. But it is easy enough to understand, since it is the commission of the initial volition or kamma. (Translator)
25 The four causes (or origins) are (1) kamma, (2) citta (consciousness), (3) utu (temperature), (4) ahara (nutriment).
26 Of these, the last three are confined to the supramundane (lokuttara) alone. And of these three, the first is the knowledge pertaining to the first path, the second that pertaining to the last three paths and the first three fruitions, and the third that pertaining to the last fruition only.
27 Standing out of, or going beyond, its normal mode.
28 “Certainly, O Kaccana, (the self) exists is one extreme, and (the self) does not exist is the second extreme” (SN 12:15). This is a passage where the problem of soul, self or ego is discussed as to its existence or non-existence as a real personal entity.
29 Here, the word appaccaya is not a kammadharaya compound, but is of the bahubbihi class; thus: natthi paccaya etesan-ti appaccaya. Asankhata is a kammadharaya compound; thus: sankhariyante ti sankhata; na sankhata ti asankhata.
30 See note to Preface. (Editor)
31 There are four postures: sitting, standing, walking and lying down.
32 Sobhana, also translated as beautiful or lofty mental properties. (Editor))
33 In computing the number of material qualities, the tangible is generally omitted, since the physical objects of body-sensitivity are identical with the aforementioned elements of solidity, kinetic energy and motion. When these three elements are considered, seven qualities of sense fields are counted. (Editor)
34 Ledi Sayadaw here makes the number of groups twenty-three instead of twenty-one, as in the Compendium of Philosophy (Abhidhammatthasangaha), tr. by S. Z. Aung (PTS), p. 164. He also makes the groups of material qualities produced by thought number eight instead of six, as in the Compendium; thus they are here increased by two. (Cf. Paramatthadipani, page 273.) (Translator)
35 Elsewhere I have rendered the word paccayuppanna as “related thing.