The Expositor (Atthasalini), Vols I, II, trans.

Pe Maung Tin, PTS, London, reprinted, 1976 (1920, 21)

The three Pitakas are respectively spoken of as teachings of authority (vinaya) of popular philosophy (Sutta) and of metaphysical truths (Abhidhamma)or as instructions according to misconduct, according to circumstance and according to states; or again as discourses of trivial or serious restraint, of the refutation of heretical views and of the distinction between mind and matter. ..Suttapitaka, taught generally concerning popular ethics by the Blessed One, who was skill in popular ethics, is called teachings of popular philosophy; and the Abhidhammapitaka, taught generally concerning things in their ultimate sense by the Blessed One, who was skilled in ultimate truths, is called teaching in ultimate truths. ...the second (ie Suttapitaka) is adapted to various wishes, latent tendencies, traits of character, 26, resolutions and is called instruction adapted to circumstance; and the third, ie Abhidhammapitaka, instructs according to states, those persons who imagine a self in the ultimate sense in mere collocations of things, saying 'This is I; that is mine' and is called instruction given in accordance with states. (52) The Vinayapitaka is the unique training in virtue; consciousness treated specially in the Suttantapitaka is the unique training in higher mental training; philosophy treated specially in the Abhidhammapitaka is the unique training in higher or metaphysical understanding. (In each Pitaka) the fourfold profundity 27 viz of the doctrine, of the meaning, of the exposition and of intuition should be understood Herein 'doctrine' means text; 'meaning' the sense of the text; 'exosition' the verbal preaching of the text which has been borne in mind; and 'penetration' is the understandning of the text and its meaning as they really are. (53) Or again, 'doctrine' means root-condition; for it has been said that 'knowledge of a cause or condition is the analysis of doctrine' (Vibhanga 293). 'Meaning' is the result of a condition; for it has been said that knowledge of the result of a condition is the analysis of meaning. 'Exposition' means statement (abhilapa) in the sense of verbal expression of the doctrine as it is or it means a discourse given in the way of right succession or reverse order, in abstract or in detail etc.

Penetration means comprehending (abhisamaya). It is either worldly or transcedental. It penetrates by way of object and without confusion, into their causes, into concepts according to circumstances giving rise to such notions. (54) 28 The bhikkhu, who is ill trained in the Abhidhamma, makes his mind run to excess in metaphysical abstractions and thinks of unthinkable. Consequently, he gets mental distraction. (57) 31 And the word dhamma ('states') is used in the sense of 'scriptual text', 'rootcondition', 'absence of entitiy', 'absence of living thing', etc. (primjeri iz Kanona, Majjhima i. 133, Vibhanga 293, Theragatha, ver. 304)..(92) In such passages as 'At the time of consciousness coming into existence, there occur dhammas' (Majjhima i. 61) and again, 'he abides watchful over certain dhammas' dhamma implies 'absence of an entity or living soul'. And in the Dhammasangani also it is proper to take it in this sense. 49 (93) Dhamma's may be defined as those states which bear their own intrinsic natures or which are borne by causes-in-relation, or which are borne according to their own characteristics. (94) Have the terms, 'moral' (kusala) and 'state' (dhamma) in the opening clause, one and the same meaning or different meanings? And what here? If 'moral' and 'state' had the same meaning, then it would be like saying 50 'moral moral'. And if they had different meanings, the triplets and couplets would make sextuplets and quadruplets, and there would be no connection berween terms (PRASANGA !!) To illustrate: If one were to say 'Moralities, matter, seer', there would be no (logical) connection between the terms owing to a lack of mutual dependence in thought; so here also there would be an absence of connection (between 'moral' and 'state'). And the terms without any connection between the antecedent and the consequent serve no useful purpose. The query would also contradict a later question, 'which states are moral?' For (in this view of different meanings) states can never be identical with moralities ; hence the contradiction. But the question: 'which states are moral?' is quite possible.(96) Another method: If the terms 'state' and 'moral' had the same meaning (ie denoted one and the same thing), the terms 'moral', 'immoral' and 'unmoral' (avyakata) would have one and the same meaning because the three terms had the same meaning of 'state'. ....But if the oneness in the meaning of these three words comprised under 'state' be not accepted , and if it be urged that the word

'state' after 'moral' means one thing, that after 'immoral' means another and that after 'unmoral' means a third, then it my be said that by 'state' is meant existence (bhaava); and anything different from existence is non-existence. Therefore existence as denoted by 'state' after 'immoral', being different from that denoted by the same word after 'moral', would become non-existent. So also with existence as denoted by 'state' when it comes after 'unmoral'. Moreover, existence as denoted by 'state' after 'moral' would be unreal, on the view that it differs form the other two in meaning. And the words 'moral' etc not being different from the word 'state' which have thus become non-existent, would themselves become non-existent. All this imaginary objection is not reasonable. And why? 51 Because the general usage is accomplished by, or in conformity with, convention. For 'usage' is accomplished by conventional signs, through which that 'usage' is accepted by the general consent to express or signify certain meanings. And so in 'moral states' etc the word 'state' preceded by 'moral' and the word 'moral' followed by 'state' have not been accepted by the wise as identical in meaning as in 'moral moral' nor as mutually independent in meaning as in 'moralities, matter, seer'. But here in this phrase 'moral states' etc the word 'moral' has been accepted as signifying 'faultlessness' and 'happy result' and 'immoral' as signifying 'faultiness' and 'unmoral' as signfying 'no result', and 'state' as signifying 'bearing its own intrinsic nature'. (97) The word 'state' uttered immediately after each of these words reflects its own general meaning on them, inasmuch as they are all 'states' by the general characteristic of bearing their own intrinsic natures etc. And the words 'moral' etc uttered before the word 'state' reflect their special meaning on it, inasmuch as a 'state' is either moral, immoral or unmoral. Thus these words being uttered separately indicate their mere meanings, and being uttered in conjunction with 'state', they all indicate their own general and special meanings. And this usage the wise in the world have accepted. Therefore all that has been said (about identity and difference above) is unreasonable. (98) 52

'States that involve resultant states' mean 'states which bear their own intrinsic nature of causing results'. Just as beings who by their intrinsic nature are liable to birth and old 54 age are said to be subject to birth and old age, so states by

virtue of their producing results should be understood to mean 'state possessing the intrinsic nature of causing results.' (102) 55

In the triplet of 'arisen', this word means uprisen or happened, ie having reached (a state) from the nascent up till the cessant instant. 'Not arisen' means not yet appeared. 'Bound to arise' refers to states which will inevitably arise as part of a completed cause. (118) In the triplet of 'past', this word means passed beyond (a) their own characteristics or (b) the momentary states beginning with the nascent instant. By 'future' is meant 'has not yet reached those two conditions'. By 'present' is meant 'uprosen in dependence upon this or that cause'. (119) 60

For the Buddhas there is nothing, whether conditioned in the three periods of time, or unconditined and out of time, that has not been known, seen, weighed, accomplished, perceived and revealed. (180) 74 In Abhidhamma just states are to be dealt with, but these in turn should be taught in various distinctive aspects, as 'moral' and so forth. Therefore here, in which only states are dealt with, is no popular discourse, and these states should be shown by way of distinctive aspects, and not merely as states in general. (182) 75 'Time' may be clearly shown as a notion abstracted by mere usage from this or that (event). (186) To expand: Time is only a concept derived from this or that phenomenon, such as (a) states expressed in such phrases as, 'temporal (aspect of) mind', 'temporal (aspect of) matter'; (b) the phenomenal occurrence expressed by such phrases as 'the past' and 'the future' ; (c) the phenomenal succession in an organism expressed by 'the time of seed-germination' and the 'time of sprouting'; (d) the characteristic marks of phenomena expressed by 'the time of genesis' and 'the time of decay'; (e) the functions of phenomena expressed by 'the time of feeling' and 'the time of cognizing'; (f) functions of beings expressed by 'the time of bathing' ..(g) the modes of posture expressed by 'the time of going' and 'the time of stopping'....it should be understood that this (abstract time) is a mere concept, because it is not existing by its own nature. (187) 78

When there is a cause (adequate) in its own nature, it is not fitting to look about for another cause. Thus by showing the non-existence of any one cause (the errorneous view) that pain and pleasure are created by oneself is contradicted. (190) 79 As regards characteristics, etc, the specific or generic attributes of these, or those states, are termed the 'characteristic' (laksana) (200) Essential property (rasa) means function or achievement. Recurring phenomenon (paccupatthana) means mode of manifestation or effect Immediate occasion (padatthanam) means proximate cause. By 'consciousness' (citta) is meant that which thinks of its object, is aware variously. Or, inasmuch as this word 'consciousness' is common to all states or classes of consciousness, that which is known as worldly, moral, immoral or the great inoperative, is termed 'consciousness' because it arranges itself in a series (cintoti or, its own series or contonuity) by way of apperception in a process of thought. And the 84 resultant is also termed 'consciousness' because it is accumulated (cito) by kamma and the corruptions. (201) Although any single one of these (consciousness in different planes..) is verily not variegated in itself and by itself in the sense explained thus, it is nevertheless proper to say of any one of them, that it is so called from its variegated character, because it is included in consciousness as making up a variagated whole. (203) 85

In the phrase 'is arisen' (Dhs 1) arisen (uppanna) has many meanings, as 'existing' etc. Of these, all that is endowed 88 with (instants of) genesis, decay and dissolution is termed 'arisen as existing at the present moment' (208) 89 But consciousness does not arise singly. Just as saying, 'the king has arrived'' ...it is clear that he does not come alone...but attended with his retinue...so this consciousness should be understood to have arisen with more than fifty (moral) phenomena. But it may be said that consciousness has arisen in the sense of a forerunner. For in worldly phenomena consciousness is the chief, consciousness is the principal, is the forerunner. (210)

In transcendental phenomena, however, understanding (panna) is the chief, the principal, the forerunner. (211) 90 In asking questions on transcendental matters, one says not 'What contact have you acquired, what feeling, perception or volition?' but 'Bhikkhu, what understanding (panna) have you acquired? understanding of the first Path or the second or the third or the fourth?' laying stress on understanding as 91 the chief and the proncipal. (213) 91 ...But we are here discussing secular matters. Hence, making mind the principal, he said 'consciousness (ie mind) has arisen'. (214) 92

(On Dhs 121) And here there are only states; no permanent being, no soul is known. These (fifty six states) are mere states without essence, without a guiding pronciple. And it is to show the emptiness of this that they are stated here also. At what time the first main type of moral consciousness experienced in the realm of sense arises, at that time, by virtue of being factors in consciousness, the fifty and more states which have arisen are ultimate things. There is nothing else whatever, neither a being, nor an individuality, nor a man nor a person. Likewise they are aggregates in the sense of groups. And because there is no jhana factor different from jhana, no path factor different from the path, therefore here it is said merely: 'there is jhana, there is path'. There is jhana in the sense of viewing the object closely; there is path in the sense of condition (for getting nibbana); there is no other, neither being nor an individuality.(367) 206

(on lokuttara-citta, Dhs 277) Again, this is not like that which is known as 'leading to accumulation' which heaps up and increases decease and rebirth in the round of rebirths by the moral consciousness of the three planes of existence. But this is even as, when one man having heaped up a stockade eighteen cubits high, another man taking a large hammer were to go on knocking down and demolishing what had been heaped up. So it sets about pulling down and demolishing decease and rebirth heaped up by the three-planed moral consciousness, by bringing about a deficiency in the causes thereof. (456) 290

Empty is the name of the supramundane Path, given for the three reasons: of arrival, of its own merits and of the object. How? In the Order a bhikkhu, being 299 convinced of the non-existence of an absolute soul, views complexes as souless. But because, by merely viewing them as souless, the genesis of the Path is not obtained, it behoves him to view them also as impermanent and as ill therefore he practices the contemplation of the threefold discernment of impermanence, ill and soulessness. Still his insight leading to emergence (The insight which views conditioned things with indifference. It occures together with the stage called adaptation, anuloma, and is called insight leading to transcedence. Because it views conditioned things as empty, it is called 'emptiness'.) views the complexes of the three planes, as Empty. This insight is known as Emptiness. Standing in the place of 'that which tends to arrive' it goves the name of Emptiness to its own path. Thus the Path gets the name of Emptiness because (this concept tends to) arrive. (471) And because the path is void of lust etc, therefore it gets the name of Emptiness by means of its own metirs. Nibbana also, from being void of lust etc is called Emptiness. Because it arises with Nibbana for object the Path gets the name of Emptiness from its object. (472) 300

And whoso discerns the three characteristics as impermanent, ill, soulessness, to him the five aggregates become like a corpse tied to his neck. Knowledge, having the complexes as its object, emerges from them. Noting the three characteristics (the student) has no further attachment for conditioned things. He transcends any such thing by means of knowledge, having such thing as object. (477) 304

'Whatever has the nature of coming to be, has the nature of passing away' (Vinaya) thus being convinced at the time of transcending, he is known to transcendent at one stroke the five aggregates. (481) 306

It is owing to the cessation of constructive consciousness (abhisankharavinnana) by the insight belonging to the Path os Stream-winning that whatever mind and

matter may have arisen in the continual stream of becoming, the beginning whereof is unknown prior to seven rebirths, they cease, are suppressed, terminated, calmed in that Path... But, together with the cessation of the last consciousnesss of the Arahant who has entered on the utter passing away without leaving any residue of life, understanding, mindfulness, mind and matter cease, are suppressed, terminated, calmed. (496) 316-317

It is said that this Path as attainment gets the name of the Void or Empty and is called the Signless and the Undesired because of its own merits and of the object. ...This Path is called Emptiness, which has got its name by means of just the fact of arrival, itself ocupies the place of arrival and gives the name to its own fruition namely 'Emptiness'. (585) 381

In the exposition of decay (Dhs 644) 'decay' is getting old; this indicates its intrinsic nature..(654) 427

In the exposition of impermanence (Dhs 645) 'destruction' is the becoming destroyed; 'passing away' is the process of so passing; 'break-up' is dissolving. And because after attaining (its own nature) matter undergoes loss, destruction, breaks up, therefore it is with respect to that nature that it undergoes destruction, passing away, dissolution. The term being increased by the preposition pari, 'break up' is called 'total destruction' (paribheda). In the sense of not existing after having become, it is not permanent, that is, 'impermanent'. The state of such matter being impermanent is 'impermanence'. 'Disappearance' ie matter disappears. When it has reached death, the material qualities disappear and become invisible; not matter only, but all the five aggregates disappear. Hence by the impermanence of every one of the five aggregates, just this is characteristic. (655) 429

That nibbana which has eliminated all conditioned things owing to detachemnt from all conditioned things is called elimination by escape. (711, detachment = destruction!!) 455

In the exposition of the 'arisen' triplet (Dhs, 1035), 'are born' means 'come to be'. Such terms as 'become' are synonyms, 463 all meaning 'having got an intrinsic nature' (patiladdhattabhava). For the states which are said to be 'born' are said to 'have become' from attaining an intrinsic nature, 'have been gotten' from union with a cause, 'have attained renewed existence' from having attained to the characteristics of such. 'Matter, feeling, perception, complexes, consciousness' this signifies the intrinsic nature of these arisen states (730) Indeed, the ripening of kamma which has got its opportunity is twofold: - that which has 'reached the moment' and that which has not. The first is said to 'have arisen', the second may arise immediately after the thought (which is the kamma), or not till the expiration of a hunderd thousand ages. But owing to its having an enduring causal relation, it is not non-existent, but has become (a series of) potentially arising states (uppadino). (731) 464 In the expression of the 'past' triplet (Dhs 1038) 'past' means having got beyond the three moments. 'Ceased' ie has reached cessation; 'dissolved' ie gone to destruction, departed; 'changed' ie transformed by abandoning the original nature; 'terminated' means gone to the term called cwssation. ..'dissolved after having arisen' ie departed after having come to be. 465 (733) In the exposition of the triplet of 'with the past as object of thought' (Dhs 1041) - in the passage 'with reference to past states', only limited and sublime states should be understood. For these arise concerning the past. 466 (734)

'All states are processes of equivalent nomenclature' (adhivacanapatha) means there is no state which is not such a process. One state fits in with all states and all states coincide with one state. How so? The concept as 'name' is that one state which fots in with all states in any of the four planes. There is no being, nor thing that may not be called by a name. ...Even of the tree the name of which they know not, the say 'it is the nameless tree'. And that also stands as the established name of that tree... (803) In the couplet of 'name-and-form' (Dhs 1309), 'name' (mind) has the sense of name-making, of bending (namana), of causing to bend (naamana). Four of the aggregates are 'name' in the sense of name-making. For 500 whereas, from being named by the people...and whereas parents by acclamation make a name for

their son...such names as 'feeling' come quite otherwise. Feeling and the other, like the great earth and other elements, make their own name as they arise. When they arise, their name also arises.... (In the case of feeling etc) the name is just as it arises, answering to the spontaneously arising concept. So,when it arises the name 'feeling' just arises, answering to the spontaneously arising concept. (804) The same is true for perceptions and the rest. For feeling, whether it be in the past, future or present is (after all) just feeling. And so the rest. But nibbana, though it be for all time, is always nibbana. Such is 'name' in the sense of namemaking. The four aggregates are 'name' in the sense of bending, for they bend toward the object (of thought). In the sense of causing to bend, all (of the foregoing) are 'name'. (805) 501