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[(2) THE DIVINE EAR ELEMENT]
1. [407] It is now the turn for the description of the divine ear element. Herein,
and also in the case of the remaining three kinds of direct-knowledge, the
meaning of the passage beginning, “When his concentrated mind …” (D I 79)
should be understood in the way already stated (XII.13f.); and in each case we
shall only comment on what is different. [The text is as follows: “He directs, he
inclines, his mind to the divine ear element. With the divine ear element, which
is purified and surpasses the human, he hears both kinds of sounds, the divine
and the human, those that are far as well as near”(D I 79).]
2. Herein, with the divine ear element: it is divine here because of its similarity to
the divine; for deities have as the divine ear element the sensitivity that is
produced by kamma consisting in good conduct and is unimpeded by bile,
phlegm, blood, etc., and capable of receiving an object even though far off because
it is liberated from imperfections. And this ear element consisting in knowledge,
which is produced by the power of this bhikkhu’s energy in development, is
similar to that, so it is “divine” because it is similar to the divine. Furthermore, it
is “divine” because it is obtained by means of divine abiding and because it has
divine abiding as its support. And it is an “ear element” (sota-dhātu) in the sense
of hearing (savana) and in the sense of being a soulless [element]. Also it is an
“ear element” because it is like the ear element in its performance of an ear
element’s function. With that divine ear element … he hears …
Which is purified: which is quite pure through having no imperfection. And
surpasses the human: which in the hearing of sounds surpasses, stands beyond,
the human ear element by surpassing the human environment.
3. He hears both kinds of sounds: he hears the two kinds of sounds. What two?
The divine and the human: the sounds of deities and of human beings, is what
is meant. This should be understood as partially inclusive. Those that are far as
well as near: what is meant is that he hears sounds that are far off, even in another
world-sphere, and those that are near, even the sounds of the creatures living in
his own body. This should be understood as completely inclusive.
4.
But how is this [divine ear element] aroused? The bhikkhu [408] should
attain jhāna as basis for direct-knowledge and emerge. Then, with the
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1.
“With the consciousness belonging to the particular concentration that constitutes
the preliminary work. The meaning is: by means of consciousness concentrated with
the momentary concentration that occurs in the form of the preliminary work for
knowledge of the divine ear element. The occasion of access for the divine ear element
is called preliminary-work consciousness, but that as stated refers to multiple
advertings” (Vism-mhṭ 401).
2.
“The sound sign is the sound itself since it is the cause for the arising of the
knowledge. Or the gross-subtle aspect acquired in the way stated is the sound sign”
(Vism-mhṭ 402).
3.
“This is momentary-concentration consciousness, which owing to the fact that
the preliminary work contingent upon the sound has been performed, occurs in one
who has attained the basic jhāna and emerged for the purpose of arousing the divine
ear element” (Vism-mhṭ 402).
4.
“‘Becomes merged’ is amalgamated with the divine ear element. He is called an
obtainer of divine-ear knowledge as soon as the absorption consciousness has arisen.
The meaning is that there is now no further need of development for the purpose”
(Vism-mhṭ 403).
consciousness belonging to the preliminary-work concentration,1 he should
advert first to the gross sounds in the distance normally within range of hearing:
the sound in the forest of lions, etc., or in the monastery the sound of a gong, the
sound of a drum, the sound of a conch, the sound of recitation by novices and
young bhikkhus reciting with full vigour, the sound of their ordinary talk such
as “What, venerable sir?”, “What, friend?”, etc., the sound of birds, the sound of
wind, the sound of footsteps, the fizzing sound of boiling water, the sound of
palm leaves drying in the sun, the sound of ants, and so on. Beginning in this
way with quite gross sounds, he should successively advert to more and more
subtle sounds. He should give attention to the sound sign of the sounds in the
eastern direction, in the western direction, in the northern direction, in the
southern direction, in the upper direction, in the lower direction, in the eastern
intermediate direction, in the western intermediate direction, in the northern
intermediate direction, and in the southern intermediate direction. He should
give attention to the sound sign of gross and of subtle sounds.2
5.
These sounds are evident even to his normal consciousness; but they are
especially evident to his preliminary-work-concentration consciousness. 3 As
he gives his attention to the sound sign in this way, [thinking] “Now the divine
ear element will arise,” mind-door adverting arises making one of these sounds
its object. When that has ceased, then either four or five impulsions impel, the
first three, or four, of which are of the sense sphere and are called preliminary-
work, access, conformity, and change-of-lineage, while the fourth, or the fifth, is
fine-material-sphere absorption consciousness belonging to the fourth jhāna.
6.
Herein, it is knowledge arisen together with the absorption consciousness
that is called the divine ear element. After that [absorption has been reached, the
divine ear element] becomes merged in that ear [of knowledge].4 When
consolidating it, he should extend it by delimiting a single finger-breadth thus,
“I will hear sounds within this area,” then two finger-breadths, four finger-
breadths, eight finger-breadths, a span, a ratana (= 24 finger-breadths), the interior
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of the room, the veranda, the building, the surrounding walk, the park belonging
to the community, the alms-resort village, the district, and so on up to the [limit of
the] world-sphere, or even more. This is how he should extend it by delimited
stages.
7. One who has reached direct-knowledge in this way hears also by means of
direct-knowledge without re-entering the basic jhāna any sound that has come
within the space touched by the basic jhāna’s object. And in hearing in this way,
even if there is an uproar with sounds of conches, drums, cymbals, etc., right up
to the Brahmā-world [409] he can, if he wants to, still define each one thus, “This
is the sound of conches, this is the sound of drums.”
The explanation of the divine ear element is ended.
[(3) PENETRATION OF MINDS]
8. As to the explanation of knowledge of penetration of minds, [the text is as
follows: “He directs, he inclines, his mind to the knowledge of penetration of
minds. He penetrates with his mind the minds of other beings, of other persons,
and understands them thus: he understands [the manner of] consciousness
affected by greed as affected by greed, and understands [the manner of]
consciousness unaffected by greed as unaffected by greed; he understands
consciousness affected by hate as affected by hate, and consciousness unaffected
by hate as unaffected by hate; he understands consciousness affected by delusion
as affected by delusion, and consciousness unaffected by delusion as unaffected
by delusion; he understands cramped consciousness as cramped, and distracted
consciousness as distracted; he understands exalted consciousness as exalted,
and unexalted consciousness as unexalted; he understands surpassed
consciousness as surpassed and unsurpassed consciousness as unsurpassed;
he understands concentrated consciousness as concentrated and unconcentrated
consciousness as unconcentrated; he understands the liberated [manner of]
consciousness as liberated, and the unliberated [manner of] consciousness as
unliberated” (D I 79). Here, it goes all round (pariyāti), thus it is penetration
(pariya); the meaning is that it delimits (paricchindati). The penetration of the
heart (cetaso pariyaṃ) is “penetration of minds” (cetopariya). It is penetration of
hearts and that is knowledge, thus it is knowledge of penetration of minds
(cetopariyañāṇa). [He directs his consciousness] to that, is what is meant.
Of other beings: of the rest of beings, himself excluded. Of other persons: this has
the same meaning as the last, the wording being varied to suit those susceptible
of teaching [in another way], and for the sake of elegance of exposition. With his
mind the minds: with his [manner of] consciousness the [manner of] consciousness
of other beings. Having penetrated  (paricca): having delimited all round. He
understands: he understands them to be of various sorts beginning with that
affected by greed.
9. But how is this knowledge to be aroused? That is successfully done through
the divine eye, which constitutes its preliminary work. Therefore the bhikkhu
should extend light, and he should seek out (pariyesitabba) another’s [manner
of] consciousness by keeping under observation with the divine eye the colour
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of the blood present with the matter of the physical heart as its support.5 For
when [a manner of] consciousness accompanied by joy is present, the blood is
red like a banyan-fig fruit; when [a manner of] consciousness accompanied by
grief is present, it is blackish like a rose-apple fruit; when [a manner of]
consciousness accompanied by serenity is present, it is clear like sesame oil. So
he should seek out another’s [manner of] consciousness by keeping under
observation the colour of the blood in the physical heart thus, “This matter is
originated by the joy faculty; this is originated by the grief faculty; this is
originated by the equanimity faculty,” and so consolidate his knowledge of
penetration of hearts.
10. It is when it has been consolidated in this way that he can gradually get to
understand not only all manner of sense-sphere consciousness but those of
fine-material and immaterial consciousness as well by tracing one [manner of]
consciousness from another without any more seeing the physical heart’s matter.
For this is said in the Commentary: “When he wants to know another’s [manner
of] consciousness in the immaterial modes, whose physical-heart matter can he
observe? Whose material alteration [originated] by the faculties can he look at?
No one’s. The province of a possessor of supernormal power is [simply] this,
namely, wherever the [manner of] consciousness he adverts to is, there he knows
it according to these sixteen classes.” But this explanation [by means of the
physical heart] is for one who has not [yet] done any interpreting.6
11.
As regards [the manner of]  consciousness affected by greed, etc., the eight
[manners of] consciousness accompanied by greed (see Table III, nos. (22)–(29))
[410] should be understood as [the manner of] consciousness affected by greed.
The remaining profitable and indeterminate [manners of] consciousness in the
four planes are unaffected by greed. The four, namely, the two consciousnesses
accompanied by grief (nos. (30) and (31)), and the two consciousnesses
[accompanied respectively by] uncertainty (32) and agitation (33) are not
included in this dyad, though some elders include them too. It is the two
consciousnesses accompanied by grief that are called consciousness affected by
hate. And all profitable and indeterminate consciousnesses in the four planes
are unaffected by hate. The remaining ten kinds of unprofitable consciousnesses
(nos. (22)–(29) and (32) and (33)) are not included in this dyad, though some
elders include them too. Affected by delusion …  unaffected by delusion: here only
the two, namely, that accompanied by uncertainty and that accompanied by
agitation, are affected by delusion alone [without being accompanied by the
other two unprofitable roots]. But [all] the twelve kinds of unprofitable
consciousnesses (nos. (22)–(33)) can also be understood as [the manner of]
5.
The “matter of the heart” is not the heart-basis, but rather it is the heart as the
piece of flesh described as resembling a lotus bud in shape outside and like a kosātakī
fruit inside (VIII.111). For the blood mentioned here is to be found with that as its
support. But the heart-basis occurs with this blood as its support” (Vism-mhṭ 403).
6. “Of one who has not done any interpreting (abhinivesa) reckoned as study for
direct-knowledge” (Vism-mhṭ 407). A rather special use of the word abhinivesa, perhaps
more freely renderable here as “practice.”
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consciousness affected by delusion since delusion is present in all kinds of
unprofitable consciousnesses. The rest are unaffected by delusion.
12. Cramped is that attended by stiffness and torpor. Distracted is that attended
by agitation. Exalted is that of the fine-material and immaterial spheres. Unexalted
is the rest. Surpassed is all that in the three [mundane] planes. Unsurpassed is the
supramundane.  Concentrated is that attained to access and that attained to
absorption. Unconcentrated is that not attained to either. Liberated is that attained
to any [of the five kinds of] deliverance, that is to say, deliverance by substitution
of opposites [through insight], by suppression [through concentration], by
cutting off [by means of the path], by tranquillization [by means of fruition], and
by renunciation [as Nibbāna] (see Paṭis I 26 under “abandoning”). Unliberated
is that which has not attained to any of the five kinds of liberation.
So the bhikkhu who has acquired the knowledge of penetration of hearts
understands all these [manners of consciousness, namely, the manner of]
consciousness affected by greed as affected by greed … [the unliberated manner
of] consciousness as unliberated.
[(4) RECOLLECTION OF PAST LIVES]
13. As to the explanation of knowledge of recollection of past lives, [the text is
as follows:] He directs, he inclines, his mind to the knowledge of recollection of
past lives. He recollects his manifold past lives, that is to say, one birth, two
births, three births, four births, five births, ten births, twenty births, thirty births,
forty births, fifty births, a hundred births, a thousand births, a hundred thousand
births, many eons of world contraction, many eons of world expansion: many
eons of world contraction and expansion: “There I was so named, of such a race,
with such an appearance, such was my food, such my experience of pleasure
and pain, such the end of my life span; and passing away from there, I reappeared
elsewhere; and there too I was so named, of such a race, with such an appearance,
such was my food, such my experience of pleasure and pain, such the end of my
life span; and passing away from there, I reappeared here.” Thus with its aspects
and particulars he recollects his manifold past lives” (D I 81). [Herein,] to the
knowledge of recollection of past lives [means] for knowledge concerning
recollection of past lives. Past lives is aggregates lived in the past in former
births. “Lived” [in that case means] lived out, undergone, arisen and ceased in
one’s own [subjective] continuity. Or alternatively, [past lives] is mental objects
lived [in the past in one’s former births]; and “lived” in that case means lived by
living in one’s [objective] resort, which has been cognized and delimited by
one’s own consciousness, or cognized by another’s consciousness, too. In the
case of recollection of those [past Enlightened Ones] who have broken the cycle,
and so on,7 these last are only accessible to Enlightened Ones. Recollection of past
lives: the mindfulness (memory) by means of which he recollects the past lives is
the recollection of past lives. Knowledge is the knowledge associated with that
mindfulness. [411] To the knowledge of recollection of past lives: for the purpose of
7.
For the term chinna-vaṭumaka (“one who has broken the cycle of rebirths”) as an
epithet of former Buddhas, see M III 118.
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the knowledge of the recollection of past lives in this way; for the attaining, for
the reaching, of that knowledge, is what is meant.
14.
Manifold: of many kinds: or that has occurred in many ways. Given in
detail, is the meaning.8  Past lives is the continuity lived here and there, taking
the immediately previous existence as the beginning [and working backwards].
He recollects: he recalls it, following it out by the succession of aggregates, or by
death and rebirth-linking.
15. There are six kinds of people who recollect these past lives. They are: other
sectarians, ordinary disciples, great disciples, chief disciples, Paccekabuddhas,
and Buddhas.
16.
Herein, other sectarians recollect only as far back as forty eons, but not
beyond that. Why? Because their understanding is weak for lack of delimitation
of mind and matter (see Ch. XVIII). Ordinary disciples recollect as far back as a
hundred eons and as far back as a thousand eons because their understanding
is strong. The eighty great disciples recollect as far back as a hundred thousand
eons. The two chief disciples recollect as far back as an incalculable age and a
hundred thousand eons. Paccekabuddhas recollect as far back as two incalculable
ages and a hundred thousand eons. For such is the extent to which they can
convey [their minds back respectively]. But there is no limit in the case of Buddhas.
17.
Again, other sectarians only recollect the succession of aggregates; they
are unable to recollect according [only] to death and rebirth-linking, letting go
of the succession of aggregates. They are like the blind in that they are unable to
descend upon any place they choose; they go as the blind do without letting go
of their sticks. So they recollect without letting go of the succession of aggregates.
Ordinary disciples both recollect by means of the succession of aggregates and
trace by means of death and rebirth-linking. Likewise, the eighty great disciples.
But the chief disciples have nothing to do with the succession of aggregates.
When they see the death of one person, they see the rebirth-linking, and again
when they see the death of another, they see the rebirth-linking. So they go by
tracing through death and rebirth-thinking. Likewise, Paccekabuddhas.
18. Buddhas, however, have nothing to do either with succession of aggregates
or with tracing through death and rebirth-linking; for whatever instance they
choose in many millions of eons, or more or less, is evident to them. So they go,
and so they descend with the lion’s descent9 wherever they want, even skipping
over many millions of eons as though they were an elision in a text. And just as
an arrow shot by such a master of archery expert in hair-splitting as Sarabhaṅga
(see J-a V 129) always hits the target without getting held up among trees,
creepers, etc., on its way, and so neither gets held up nor misses, so too, since
Buddhas go in this way their knowledge does not get held up in intermediate
8.
Saṃvaṇṇita—“given in detail”; Vism-mhṭ glosses by vitthāritan ti attho. Not in this
meaning in PED. See prologue verses to the four Nikāyas.
9.
A commentarial account of the behaviour of lions will be found in the
Manorathapurāṇī, commentary to AN 4:33. Vism-mhṭ says: Sīh-okkamana-vasena
sīhātipatanavasena ñāṇagatiyā gacchati (p. 408).
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births [412] or miss; without getting held up or missing, it seizes any instance
required.
19.
Among these beings with recollection of past lives, the sectarians’ vision
of past lives seems like the light of a glow-worm, that of ordinary disciples like
the light of a candle, that of the great disciples like the light of a torch, that of the
chief disciples like the light of the morning star, that of Paccekabuddhas like the
light of the moon, and that of Buddhas like the glorious autumn sun’s disk with
its thousand rays.
20. Other sectarians see past lives as blind men go [tapping] with the point of
a stick. Ordinary disciples do so as men who go on a log bridge. The great
disciples do so as men who go on a foot bridge. The chief disciples do so as men
who go on a cart bridge. Paccekabuddhas do so as men who go on a main foot-
path. And Buddhas do so as men who go on a high road for carts.
21. In this connection it is the disciples’ recollection of past lives that is intended.
Hence it was said above: “‘He recollects’: he recollects it following it out by the
succession of aggregates, or by death and rebirth-linking” (§14).
22. So a bhikkhu who is a beginner and wants to recollect in this way should
go into solitary retreat on return from his alms round after his meal. Then he
should attain the four jhānas in succession and emerge from the fourth jhāna as
basis for direct-knowledge. He should then advert to his most recent act of
sitting down [for this purpose], next, to the preparation of the seat, to the entry
into the lodging, to the putting away of the bowl and [outer] robe, to the time of
eating, to the time of returning from the village, to the time of wandering for alms
in the village, to the time of entering the village, to the time of setting out from the
monastery, to the time of paying homage at the shrine terrace and the
Enlightenment-tree terrace, to the time of washing the bowl, to the time of picking
up the bowl, to the things done from the time of picking up the bowl back to the
mouth washing, to the things done in the early morning, to the things done in
the middle watch, in the first watch. In this way he should advert to all the things
done during the whole night and day in reverse order.
23. While this much, however, is evident even to his normal consciousness, it is
especially evident to his preliminary-work consciousness. But if anything there
is not evident, he should again attain the basic jhāna, emerge and advert. By so
doing it becomes as evident as when a lamp is lit. And so, in reverse order too, he
should advert to the things done on the second day back, and on the third,
fourth and fifth day, and in the ten days, and in the fortnight, and as far back as
a year.
24. When by these means he adverts to ten years, twenty years, and so on as far
back as his own rebirth-linking in this existence, [413] he should advert to the
mentality-materiality occurring at the moment of death in the preceding existence;
for a wise bhikkhu is able at the first attempt to remove10 the rebirth-linking and
make the mentality-materiality at the death moment his object.
10. Ugghaṭetvā: see X.6; the word is obviously used here in the same sense.
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25. But the mentality-materiality in the previous existence has ceased without
remainder and another has arisen, and consequently that instance is, as it were,
shut away in darkness, and it is hard for one of little understanding to see it. Still
he should not give up the task, thinking, “I am unable to remove the rebirth-
linking and make the mentality-materiality that occurred at the death moment
my object.” On the contrary, he should again and again attain that same basic
jhāna, and each time he emerges he should advert to that instance.
26. Just as when a strong man is felling a big tree for the purpose of making
the peak of a gable, but is unable to fell the big tree with an axe blade blunted by
lopping the branches and foliage, still he does not give up the task; on the
contrary, he goes to a smithy and has his axe sharpened, after which he returns
and continues chopping the tree; and when the axe again gets blunt, he does as
before and continues chopping it; and as he goes on chopping it in this way, the
tree falls at length, because each time there is no need to chop again what has
already been chopped and what has not yet been chopped gets chopped; so too,
when he emerges from the basic jhāna, instead of adverting to what he has
already adverted to, he should advert only to the rebirth-linking, and at length
he removes the rebirth-linking and makes the mentality-materiality that occurred
at the death moment his object. And this meaning should also be illustrated by
means of the wood cutter and the hair-cutter as well.
27.
Herein, the knowledge that occurs making its object the period from the
last sitting down for this purpose back to the rebirth-linking is not called
knowledge of recollection of past lives; but it is called preliminary-work-
concentration knowledge; and some call it “knowledge of the past” (atītaṃsa-
ñāṇa), but that is inappropriate to the fine-material sphere.
However, when this bhikkhu has got back beyond the rebirth-linking, there
arises in him mind-door adverting making its object the mentality-materiality
that occurred at the death moment. And when that has ceased, then either four or
five impulsions impel making that their object too. The first of these, called
“preliminary-work,” etc., in the way already described (§5), are of the sense
sphere. The last is a fine-material absorption consciousness of the fourth jhāna.
The knowledge that arises in him then together with that consciousness is what
is called, “knowledge of recollection of past lives.” It is with the mindfulness
(memory) associated with that knowledge that he “recollects his manifold past
lives, that is to say, one birth, two births, …”[414] thus with details and particulars
he recollects his manifold past lives (D I 81).
28.
Herein,  one birth is the continuity of aggregates included in a single
becoming starting with rebirth-linking and ending with death. So too with two
births, and the rest.
But in the case of many eons of world contraction, etc., it should be understood
that the aeon of world contraction is an aeon of diminution and the aeon of
world expansion is an aeon of increase.
29.
Herein, what supersedes the contraction is included in the contraction
since it is rooted in it; and so too what supersedes the expansion is included in
the expansion. This being so, it includes what is stated thus: “Bhikkhus, there
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are four incalculables of the aeon. What four? The contraction, what supersedes
the contraction, the expansion, and what supersedes the expansion” (A II 142
abbreviated).
30.
Herein, there are three kinds of contraction: contraction due to water,
contraction due to fire, and contraction due to air (see MN 28). Also there are
three limits to the contraction; the Ábhassara (Streaming-radiance) Brahmā-
world, that of the Subhakiṇha (Refulgent-glory), and that of the Vehapphala
(Great-fruit). When the aeon contracts owing to fire, all below the Ábhassara
[Brahmā-world] is burnt up by fire. When it contracts owing to water, it is all
dissolved by water up to the Subhakiṇha [Brahmā-world]. When it contracts
owing to air, it is all demolished by wind up to the Vehapphala [Brahmā-world].
31. In breadth it is always one of the Buddha-fields that is destroyed. For the
Buddha-fields are of three kinds, that is, the field of birth, the field of authority,
and the field of scope.
Herein, the field of birth is limited by the ten thousand world-spheres that
quaked on the Perfect One’s taking rebirth-linking, and so on. The field of
authority is limited by the hundred thousand million world-spheres where the
following safeguards (paritta) are efficacious, that is, the Ratana Sutta (Sn p.39),
the Khandha Paritta (Vin II 109; A II 72), the Dhajagga Paritta (S I 218), the
Áṭānāṭiya Paritta (D III 194), and the Mora Paritta (J-a II 33). The field of scope is
boundless, immeasurable: “As far as he wishes” (A I 228), it is said. The Perfect
One knows anything anywhere that he wishes. So one of these three Buddha-
fields, that is to say, the field of authority is destroyed. But when that is being
destroyed, the field of birth also gets destroyed. And that happens simultaneously;
and when it is reconstituted, that happens simultaneously (cf. M-a IV 114).
32. Now, it should be understood how its destruction and reconstitution come
about thus. On the occasion when the aeon is destroyed by fire [415] first of all a
great cloud heralding the aeon’s destruction appears, and there is a great
downpour all over the hundred thousand million world-spheres. People are
delighted, and they bring out all their seeds and sow them. But when the sprouts
have grown enough for an ox to graze, then not a drop of rain falls any more
even when the asses bray. Rain is withheld from then on. This is what the
Blessed One referred to when he said: “Bhikkhus, an occasion comes when for
many years, for many hundreds of years, for many thousands of years, for many
hundreds of thousands of years, there is no rain” (A IV 100). Beings that live by
rain die and are reborn in the Brahmā-world, and so are the deities that live on
flowers and fruits.
33. When a long period has passed in this way, the water gives out here and
there. Then in due course the fishes and turtles die and are reborn in the Brahmā-
world, and so are the beings in hell. Some say that the denizens of hell perish
there with the appearance of the seventh sun (§41).
Now, there is no rebirth in the Brahmā-world without jhāna; and some of
them, being obsessed with the scarcity of food, are unable to attain jhāna, so how
are they reborn there? By means of jhāna obtained in the [sense-sphere] divine
world.
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34. For then the sense-sphere deities called world-marshal (loka-byūha) deities
come to know that at the end of a hundred thousand years there will be the
emergence of an aeon, and they travel up and down the haunts of men, their
heads bared, their hair dishevelled, with piteous faces, mopping their tears with
their hands, clothed in dyed cloth, and wearing their dress in great disorder.
They make this announcement: “Good sirs, good sirs, at the end of a hundred
thousand years from now there will be the emergence of an aeon. This world
will be destroyed. Even the ocean will dry up. This great earth, and the Sineru
King of Mountains, will be consumed and destroyed. The destruction of the
earth will extend as far as the Brahmā-world. Develop loving-kindness, good
sirs, develop compassion, gladness, equanimity, good sirs. Care for your mothers,
care for your fathers, honour the elders of your clans.”
35.
When human beings and earth deities hear their words, they mostly are
filled with a sense of urgency. They become kind to each other and make merit
with loving-kindness, etc., and so they are reborn in the divine world. There they
eat divine food, and they do the preliminary work on the air kasiṇa and acquire
jhāna. Others, however, are reborn in a [sense-sphere] divine world through
kamma to be experienced in a future life. For there is no being traversing the
round of rebirths who is destitute of kamma to be experienced in a future life.
They too acquire jhāna there in the same way. [416] All are eventually reborn in
the Brahmā-world by acquiring jhāna in a [sense-sphere] divine world in this
way.
36. However, at the end of a long period after the withholding of the rain, a
second sun appears. And this is described by the Blessed One in the way
beginning, “Bhikkhus, there is the occasion when …” (A IV 100), and the
Sattasuriya Sutta should be given in full. Now, when that has appeared, there is
no more telling night from day; as one sun sets, the other rises. The world is
uninterruptedly scorched by the suns. But there is no sun deity in the aeon-
destruction sun as there is in the ordinary sun.11 Now, when the ordinary sun is
present, thunder clouds and mare’s-tail vapours cross the skies. But when the
aeon-destruction sun is present, the sky is as blank as the disk of a looking-
glass and destitute of clouds and vapour. Beginning with the rivulet, the water
in all the rivers except the five great rivers12 dries up.
37. After that, at the end of a long period, a third sun appears. And when that
has appeared, the great rivers dry up too.
38. After that, at the end of a long period, a fourth sun appears. And when that
has appeared, the seven great lakes in Himalaya, the sources of the great rivers,
11. “The ‘ordinary sun’ is the sun’s divine palace that arose before the emergence of
the aeon. But like the other sense-sphere deities at the time of the emergence of the
aeon, the sun deity too produces jhāna and reappears in the Brahmā-world. But the
actual sun’s disk becomes brighter and more fiery. Others say that it disappears and
another appears in its place” (Vism-mhṭ 412).
12.
The five are the Ganges, Yamunā (Jumma), Sarabhu, Sarassatī, and Mahī
(Vism-mhṭ 412).
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dry up, that is to say: Sīhapapāta, Haṃsapātana,13 Kaṇṇamuṇḍaka, Rathakāra,
Anotatta, Chaddanta, and Kuṇāla.
39. After that, at the end of a long period, a fifth sun appears, and when that
has appeared, there eventually comes to be not enough water left in the great
ocean to wet one finger joint.
40. After that, at the end of a long period, a sixth sun appears, and when that
has appeared, the whole world-sphere becomes nothing but vapour, all its
moisture being evaporated.
And the hundred thousand million world-spheres are the same as this one.
41. After that, at the end of a long period, a seventh sun appears. And when
that has appeared, the whole world-sphere together with the hundred thousand
million other world-spheres catches fire. Even the summits of Sineru, a hundred
leagues and more high, crumble and vanish into space. The conflagration mounts
up and invades the realm of the Four Kings. When it has burnt up all the golden
palaces, the jewelled palaces and the crystal palaces there, it invades the Realm
of the Thirty-three. And so it goes right on up to the plane of the first jhāna.
When it has burnt three [lower] Brahmā-worlds, it stops there at the Ábhassara-
world. [417] As long as any formed thing (formation) the size of an atom still
exists it does not go out; but it goes out when all formed things have been
consumed. And like the flame that burns ghee and oil, it leaves no ash.
42.
The upper space is now all one with the lower space in a vast gloomy
darkness. Then at the end of a long period a great cloud arises, and at first it
rains gently, and then it rains with ever heavier deluges, like lotus stems, like
rods, like pestles, like palm trunks, more and more. And so it pours down upon
all burnt areas in the hundred thousand million world-spheres till they
disappear. Then the winds (forces) beneath and all around that water rise up
and compact it and round it, like water drops on a lotus leaf. How do they
compact the great mass of water? By making gaps; for the wind makes gaps in
it here and there.
43.
Being thus compressed by the air, compacted and reduced, it gradually
subsides. As it sinks, the [lower] Brahmā-world reappears in its place, and worlds
divine reappear in the places of the four upper divine worlds of the sensual
sphere.14 But when it has sunk to the former earth’s level, strong winds (forces)
arise and they stop it and hold it stationary, like the water in a water pot when the
outlet is plugged. As the fresh water gets used up, the essential humus makes its
appearance on it. That possesses colour, smell and taste, like the surface film on
milk rice when it dries up.
44. Then the beings that were reborn first in the Brahmā-world of Streaming-
radiance (Ábhassara) fall from there with the exhaustion of their life span, or
13. Haṃsapātana is another name for Maṇḍākinī. (Vism-mhṭ) For seven Great Lakes
see A IV 101.
14.
“At the place where the Yāma Deities are established. The places where the
Cātumahārājika and Tāvatiṃsa heavens become established do not reappear at first
because they are connected with the earth” (Vism-mhṭ 412).
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when their merit is exhausted, and they reappear here. They are self-luminous
and wander in the sky. On eating the essential humus, as is told in the Aggañña
Sutta (D III 85), they are overcome by craving, and they busy themselves in
making lumps of it to eat. Then their self-luminosity vanishes, and it is dark.
They are frightened when they see the darkness.
45. Then in order to remove their fears and give them courage, the sun’s disk
appears full fifty leagues across. They are delighted to see it, thinking, “We have
light,” and they say, “It has appeared in order to allay our fears and give us
courage (sūrabhāva), so let it be called ‘sun’ (suriya).” So they give it the name
“sun” (suriya). Now, when the sun has given light for a day, it sets. Then they are
frightened again, thinking, “We have lost the light we had,” and they think,
“How good if we had another light!” [418]
46. As if knowing their thought, the moon’s disk appears, forty-nine leagues
across. On seeing it they are still more delighted, and they say, “It has appeared,
seeming as if it knew our desire (chanda), so let it be called ‘moon’ (canda).” So
they give it the name “moon” (canda).
47. After the appearance of the moon and sun in this way, the stars appear in
their constellations. After that, night and day are made known, and in due
course, the month and half month, the season, and the year.
48.
On the day the moon and sun appear, the mountains of Sineru, of the
World-sphere and of Himalaya appear too. And they appear on the full-moon
day of the month of Phagguna (March), neither before nor after. How? Just as,
when millet is cooking and bubbles arise, then simultaneously, some parts are
domes, some hollow, and some flat, so too, there are mountains in the domed
places, seas in the hollow places, and continents (islands) in the flat places.
49.
Then, as these beings make use of the essential humus, gradually some
become handsome and some ugly. The handsome ones despise the ugly ones.
Owing to their contempt the essential humus vanishes and an outgrowth from
the soil appears. Then that vanishes in the same way and the badālatā creeper
appears. That too vanishes in the same way and the rice without red powder or
husk that ripens without tilling appears, a clean sweet-smelling rice fruit.
50. Then vessels appear. These beings put the rice into the vessels, which they
put on the tops of stones. A flame appears spontaneously and cooks it. The
cooked rice resembles jasmine flowers. It has no need of sauces and curries, since
it has whatever flavour they want to taste.
51. As soon as they eat this gross food, urine and excrement appear in them.
Then wound orifices break open in them to let these things out. The male sex
appears in the male, and the female sex in the female. Then the females brood
over the males, and the males over the females for a long time. Owing to this long
period of brooding, the fever of sense desires arises. After that they practice
sexual intercourse.
52. [419] For their [overt] practice of evil they are censured and punished by
the wise, and so they build houses for the purpose of concealing the evil. When
they live in houses, they eventually fall in with the views of the more lazy, and
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they make stores of food. As soon as they do that, the rice becomes enclosed in
red powder and husks and no longer grows again of itself in the place where it
was reaped. They meet together and bemoan the fact, “Evil has surely made its
appearance among beings; for formerly we were mind-made …” (D III 90), and
all this should be given in full in the way described in the Aggañña Sutta.
53. After that, they set up boundaries. Then some being takes a portion given
to another. After he has been twice rebuked, at the third time they come to blows
with fists, clods, sticks, and so on. When stealing, censuring, lying, resorting to
sticks, etc., have appeared in this way, they meet together, thinking, “Suppose we
elect a being who would reprove those who should be reproved, censure those
who should be censured, and banish those who should be banished, and
suppose we keep him supplied with a portion of the rice?” (D III 92).
54.
When beings had come to an agreement in this way in this aeon, firstly
this Blessed One himself, who was then the Bodhisatta (Being due to be
Enlightened), was the handsomest, the most comely, the most honourable, and
was clever and capable of exercising the effort of restraint. They approached
him, asked him, and elected him. Since he was recognized (sammata) by the
majority (mahā-jana) he was called Mahā Sammata. Since he was lord of the
fields (khetta) he was called khattiya (warrior noble). Since he promoted others’
good (rañjeti) righteously and equitably he was a king (rājā). This is how he
came to be known by these names. For the Bodhisatta himself is the first man
concerned in any wonderful innovation in the world. So after the khattiya circle
had been established by making the Bodhisatta the first in this way, the brahmans
and the other castes were founded in due succession.
55.
Herein, the period from the time of the great cloud heralding the aeon’s
destruction up till the ceasing of the flames constitutes one incalculable, and
that is called the “contraction.” That from the ceasing of the flames of the aeon
destruction up till the great cloud of rehabilitation, which rains down upon the
hundred thousand million world-spheres, constitutes the second incalculable,
and that is called, “what supersedes the contraction.” That from the time of the
great cloud of rehabilitation up till the appearance of the moon and sun
constitutes the third incalculable, and that is called the “expansion.” That from
the appearance of the moon and sun up till [420] the reappearance of the great
cloud of the aeon destruction is the fourth incalculable, and that is called, “what
supersedes the expansion.” These four incalculables make up one great aeon.
This, firstly, is how the destruction by fire and reconstitution should be
understood.
56. The occasion when the aeon is destroyed by water should be treated in the
way already described beginning, “First of all a great cloud heralding the aeon’s
destruction appears …” (§32).
57.
There is this difference, however. While in the former case a second sun
appeared, in this case a great cloud of caustic waters15 appears. At first it rains
15. Khārudaka—“caustic waters”: the name given to the waters on which the world-
spheres rest (see M-a IV 178).
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very gently, but it goes on to rain with gradually greater deluges, pouring down
upon the hundred thousand million world-spheres. As soon as they are touched
by the caustic waters, the earth, the mountains, etc., melt away, and the waters are
supported all round by winds. The waters take possession from the earth up to
the plane of the second jhāna. When they have dissolved away the three Brahmā-
worlds there, they stop at the Subhakiṇha-world. As long as any formed thing
the size of an atom exists they do not subside; but they suddenly subside and
vanish away when all formed things have been overwhelmed by them. All
beginning with: “The upper space is all one with the lower space in a vast
gloomy darkness …” (§42) is as already described, except that here the world
begins its reappearance with the Ábhassara Brahmā-world. And beings falling
from the Subhakiṇha Brahmā-world are reborn in the places beginning with the
Ábhassara Brahmā-world.
58.
Herein, the period from the time of the great cloud heralding the aeon’s
destruction up till the ceasing of the aeon-destroying waters constitutes one
incalculable. That from the ceasing of the waters up till the great cloud of
rehabilitation constitutes the second incalculable. That from the great cloud of
rehabilitation … These four incalculables make up one great aeon. This is how
the destruction by water and reconstitution should be understood.
59.
The occasion when the aeon is destroyed by air should be treated in the
way already described beginning with the “first of all a great cloud heralding
the aeon’s destruction appears …” (§32).
60. There is this difference, however. While in the first case there was a second
sun, here a wind arises in order to destroy the aeon. First of all it lifts up the
coarse flue, then the fine flue, then the fine sand, coarse sand, gravel, stones, etc.,
[421] until it lifts up stones as big as a catafalque,16 and great trees standing in
uneven places. They are swept from the earth up into the sky, and instead of
falling down again they are broken to bits there and cease to exist.
61. Then eventually wind arises from underneath the great earth and overturns
the earth, flinging it into space. The earth splits into fragments measuring a
hundred leagues, measuring two, three, four, five hundred leagues, and they are
hurled into space too, and there they are broken to bits and cease to exist. The
world-sphere mountains and Mount Sineru are wrenched up and cast into
space, where they crash against each other till they are broken to bits and
disappear. In this way it destroys the divine palaces built on the earth [of Mount
Sineru] and those built in space, it destroys the six sensual-sphere divine worlds,
and it destroys the hundred thousand million world-spheres. Then world-sphere
collides with world-sphere, Himalaya Mountain with Himalaya Mountain,
Sineru with Sineru, till they are broken to bits and disappear.
62.
The wind takes possession from the earth up to the plane of the third
jhāna. There, after destroying three Brahmā-worlds, it stops at the Vehapphala-
world. When it has destroyed all formed things in this way, it spends itself too.
16. Kūṭāgāra: see Ch. XII, n.14; here this seems the most likely of the various meanings
of the word.
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Then all happens as already described in the way beginning, “The upper space
is all one with the lower space in a vast gloomy darkness …” (§42). But here the
world begins its reappearance with the Subhakiṇha Brahmā-world. And beings
falling from the Vehapphala Brahmā-world are reborn in the places beginning
with the Subhakiṇha Brahmā-world.
63.
Herein, the period from the time of the great cloud heralding the aeon’s
destruction up till the ceasing of the aeon-destroying wind is one incalculable.
That from the ceasing of the wind up till the great cloud of rehabilitation is the
second incalculable … These four incalculables make up one great aeon. This is
how the destruction by wind and reconstitution should be understood.
64. What is the reason for the world’s destruction in this way? The [three] roots
of the unprofitable are the reason. When any one of the roots of the unprofitable
becomes conspicuous, the world is destroyed accordingly. When greed is more
conspicuous, it is destroyed by fire. When hate is more conspicuous, it is destroyed
by water—though some say that it is destroyed by fire when hate is more
conspicuous and by water when greed is more conspicuous. And when delusion
is more conspicuous, it is destroyed by wind.
65. Destroyed as it is in this way, it is destroyed for seven turns in succession by
fire and the eighth turn by water; then again seven turns by fire and the eighth
turn by water; then, when it has been seven times destroyed by water at each
eighth [422] turn, it is again destroyed for seven turns by fire. Sixty-three eons
pass in this way. And now the air takes the opportunity to usurp the water’s turn
for destruction, and in destroying the world it demolishes the Subhakiṇha
Brahmā-world where the life span is the full sixty-four eons.
66. Now, when a bhikkhu capable of recollecting eons is recollecting his former
lives, then of such eons as these he recollects many eons of world contraction, many
eons of world expansion, many eons of world contraction and expansion. How? In the
way beginning, There I was …
Herein, There I was: in that eon of contraction I was in that kind of becoming
or generation or destiny or station of consciousness or abode of beings or order
of beings.
67.
So named: [such forenames as] Tissa, say, or Phussa. Of such a race: [such
family names as] Kaccāna, say, or Kassapa. This is said of the recollection of his
own name and race (surname) in his past existence. But if he wants to recollect
his own appearance at that time, or whether his life was a rough or refined one,
or whether pleasure or pain was prevalent, or whether his life span was short or
long, he recollects that too. Hence he said with such an appearance … such the end
of my life span.
68.
Here,  with such an appearance means fair or dark. Such was my food: with
white rice and meat dishes as food or with windfall fruits as food. Such my
experience of pleasure and pain: with varied experience of bodily and mental
pleasure and pain classed as worldly and unworldly, and so on. Such the end of
my life span: with such a life span of a century or life span of eighty-four thousand
eons.
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69.
And passing away from there, I reappeared elsewhere: having passed away
from that becoming, generation, destiny, station of consciousness, abode of beings
or order of beings, I again appeared in that other becoming, generation, destiny,
station of consciousness, abode of beings or order of beings. And there too I was:
then again I was there in that becoming, generation, destiny, station of
consciousness, abode of beings or order of beings. So named, etc., are as already
stated.
70. Furthermore, the words there I was refer to the recollection of one who has
cast back retrospectively as far as he wishes, and the words and passing away
from there refer to his reviewing after turning forward again; consequently, the
words  I appeared elsewhere can be understood to be said with reference to the
place of his reappearance next before his appearance here, which is referred to
by the words I appeared here. But the words there too I was, etc., [423] are said in
order to show the recollection of his name, race, etc., there in the place of his
reappearance next before this appearance. And passing away from there, I reappeared
here: having passed away from that next place of reappearance, I was reborn here
in this khattiya clan or brahman clan.
71.
Thus: so. With its aspects and particulars: with its particulars consisting in
name and race; with its aspects consisting in appearance, and so on. For it is by
means of name and race that a being is particularized as, say Tissa Kassapa; but
his distinctive personality is made known by means of appearance, etc., as dark
or fair. So the name and race are the particulars, while the others are the aspects.
He recollects his manifold past lives: the meaning of this is clear.
The explanation of the knowledge of recollection of past lives is ended.
[(5) THE DIVINE EYE—KNOWLEDGE OF PASSING AWAY AND
REAPPEARANCE OF BEINGS]
72. As to the explanation of the knowledge of passing away and reappearance
of beings, [here is the text: “He directs, he inclines, his mind to the knowledge of
the passing away and reappearance of beings. With the divine eye, which is
purified and surpasses the human, he sees beings passing away and
reappearing, inferior and superior, fair and ugly, happy or unhappy in their
destiny; he understands beings as faring according to their deeds: ‘These worthy
beings who were ill-conducted in body, speech and mind, revilers of Noble
Ones, wrong in their views, acquirers of kamma due to wrong view, have, on the
breakup of the body, after death, appeared in a state of loss, in an unhappy
destiny, in perdition in hell; but these worthy beings, who are well conducted in
body, speech and mind, not revilers of Noble Ones, right in their views, acquirers
of kamma due to right view, have, on the breakup of the body, after death, appeared
in a happy destiny, in the heavenly world.’ Thus with the divine eye, which is
purified and surpasses the human, he sees beings passing away and
reappearing, inferior and superior, fair and ugly, happy or unhappy in their
destiny; he understands beings as faring according to their deeds” (D I 82).
Herein,]  to the knowledge of the passing away and reappearance: cutūpapātañāṇāya=
cutiyā ca upapāte ca ñāṇāya (resolution of compound); [the meaning is,] for the
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kind of knowledge by means of which beings’ passing away and reappearance
is known; for knowledge of the divine eye, is what is meant. He directs, he inclines
his mind: he both directs and inclines preliminary-work consciousness. He is
the bhikkhu who does the directing of his mind.
73. But as regards with the divine eye, etc., it is divine because of its similarity to
the divine; for deities have as divine eye the sensitivity that is produced by
kamma consisting in good conduct and is unimpeded by bile, phlegm, blood,
etc., and capable of receiving an object even though far off because it is liberated
from imperfections. And this eye, consisting in knowledge, which is produced
by the power of this bhikkhu’s energy in development, is similar to that, so it is
“divine” because it is similar to the divine. Also it is “divine” because it is
obtained by means of divine abiding, and because it has divine abiding as its
support. And it is “divine” because it greatly illuminates by discerning light.
And it is “divine” because it has a great range through seeing visible objects
that are behind walls, and so on. All that should be understood according to the
science of grammar. It is an eye in the sense of seeing. Also it is an eye since it is
like an eye in its performance of an eye’s function. It is purified since it is a cause
of purification of view, owing to seeing passing away and reappearance.
74.
One who sees only passing away and not reappearance assumes the
annihilation view; and one who sees only reappearance and not passing away
assumes the view that a new being appears. But since one who sees both outstrips
that twofold [false] view, that vision of his is therefore a cause for purification of
view. And the Buddhas’ sons see both of these. Hence it was said above: [424] “It
is ‘purified’ since it is a cause of purification of view, owing to seeing passing
away and reappearance.”
75.
It surpasses the human in the seeing of visible objects by surpassing the
human environment. Or it can be understood that it surpasses the human in
surpassing the human fleshly eye. With that divine eye,  which is purified and
superhuman, he sees beings, he watches beings as men do with the fleshly eye.
76. Passing away and reappearing: he cannot see them with the divine eye actually
at the death moment of reappearance.17 But it is those who, being on the verge of
death, will die now that are intended as “passing away” and those who have
taken rebirth-linking and have just reappeared that are intended by
17. “‘He cannot see them with the divine eye’—with the knowledge of the divine eye—
because of the extreme brevity and extreme subtlety of the material moment in
anyone. Moreover, it is present materiality that is the object of the divine eye, and that
is by prenascence condition. And there is no occurrence of exalted consciousness
without adverting and preliminary work. Nor is materiality that is only arising able to
serve as object condition, nor that which is dissolving. Therefore, it is rightly said that
he cannot see with the divine eye materiality at the moments of death and reappearance.
If the knowledge of the divine eye has only materiality as its object, then why is it said
that he ‘sees beings’? It is said in this way since it is mainly concerned with instances
of materiality in a being’s continuity, or because that materiality is a reason for
apprehending beings. Some say that this is said according to conventional usage”
(Vism-mhṭ 417).
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“reappearing.” What is pointed out is that he sees them as such passing away
and reappearing.
77.
Inferior: despised, disdained, looked down upon, scorned, on account of
birth, clan, wealth, etc., because of reaping the outcome of delusion. Superior: the
opposite of that because of reaping the outcome of non-delusion. Fair: having a
desirable, agreeable, pleasing appearance because of reaping the outcome of
non-hate.  Ugly: having undesirable, disagreeable, unpleasing appearance
because of reaping the outcome of hate; unsightly, ill-favoured, is the meaning.
Happy in their destiny: gone to a happy destiny; or rich, very wealthy, because of
reaping the outcome of non-greed. Unhappy in their destiny: gone to an unhappy
destiny; or poor with little food and drink because of reaping the outcome of
greed.
78. Faring according to their deeds: moving on in accordance with whatever deeds
(kamma) may have been accumulated. Herein, the function of the divine eye is
described by the first expressions beginning with “passing away.” But the
function of knowledge of faring according to deeds is described by this last
expression.
79. The order in which that knowledge arises is this. Here a bhikkhu extends
light downwards in the direction of hell, and he sees beings in hell undergoing
great suffering. That vision is only the divine eye’s function. He gives it attention
in this way, “After doing what deeds do these beings undergo this suffering?”
Then knowledge that has those deeds as its object arises in him in this way, “It
was after doing this.” Likewise he extends light upwards in the direction of the
[sensual-sphere] divine world, and he sees beings in the Nandana Grove, the
Missaka Grove, the Phārusaka Grove, etc., enjoying great good fortune. That
vision also is only the divine eye’s function. He gives attention to it in this way,
“After doing what deeds do these beings enjoy this good fortune?” Then
knowledge that has those deeds as its object arises in him in this way, “It was
after doing this.” This is what is called knowledge of faring according to deeds.
80. There is no special preliminary work for this. And as in this case, so too in
the case of knowledge of the future; for these have the divine eye as their basis
and their success is dependent on that of the divine eye. [425]
81. As to ill-conducted in body, etc., it is bad conduct (duṭṭhu caritaṃ), or it is
corrupted conduct (duṭṭhaṃ caritaṃ) because it is rotten with defilements, thus it
is ill-conduct (duccarita). The ill-conduct comes about by means of the body, or
the ill-conduct has arisen due to the body, thus it is ill-conduct in body; so too
with the rest. Ill-conducted is endowed with ill-conduct.
82. Revilers of Noble Ones: being desirous of harm for Noble Ones consisting of
Buddhas, Paccekabuddhas, and disciples, and also of householders who are
stream-enterers, they revile them with the worst accusations or with denial of
their special qualities (see Ud 44 and MN 12); they abuse and upbraid them, is
what is meant.
83.
Herein, it should be understood that when they say, “They have no
asceticism, they are not ascetics,” they revile them with the worst accusation;
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and when they say, “They have no jhāna or liberation or path of fruition, etc.,”
they revile them with denial of their special qualities. And whether done
knowingly or unknowingly it is in either case reviling of Noble Ones; it is weighty
kamma resembling that of immediate result, and it is an obstacle both to heaven
and to the path. But it is remediable.
84. The following story should be understood in order to make this clear. An
elder and a young bhikkhu, it seems, wandered for alms in a certain village. At
the first house they got only a spoonful of hot gruel. The elder’s stomach was
paining him with wind. He thought, “This gruel is good for me; I shall drink it
before it gets cold.” People brought a wooden stool to the doorstep, and he sat
down and drank it. The other was disgusted and remarked, “The old man has
let his hunger get the better of him and has done what he should be ashamed to
do.” The elder wandered for alms, and on returning to the monastery he asked
the young bhikkhu, “Have you any footing in this Dispensation, friend?”—
“Yes, venerable sir, I am a stream-enterer.”—“Then, friend, do not try for the
higher paths; one whose cankers are destroyed has been reviled by you.” The
young bhikkhu asked for the elder’s forgiveness and was thereby restored to his
former state.
85. So one who reviles a Noble One, even if he is one himself, should go to him;
if he himself is senior, [426] he should sit down in the squatting position and get
his forgiveness in this way, “I have said such and such to the venerable one; may
he forgive me.” If he himself is junior, he should pay homage, and sitting in the
squatting position and holding out his hand palms together, he should get his
forgiveness in this way, “I have said such and such to you, venerable sir; forgive
me.” If the other has gone away, he should get his forgiveness either by going to
him himself or by sending someone such as a co-resident.
86. If he can neither go nor send, he should go to the bhikkhus who live in that
monastery, and, sitting down in the squatting position if they are junior, or
acting in the way already described if they are senior, he should get forgiveness
by saying, “Venerable sirs, I have said such and such to the venerable one named
so and so; may that venerable one forgive me.” And this should also be done
when he fails to get forgiveness in his presence.
87. If it is a bhikkhu who wanders alone and it cannot be discovered where he
is living or where he has gone, he should go to a wise bhikkhu and say, “Venerable
sir, I have said such and such to the venerable one named so and so. When I
remember it, I am remorseful. What shall I do?” He should be told, “Think no
more about it; the elder forgives you. Set your mind at rest.” Then he should
extend his hands palms together in the direction taken by the Noble One and
say, “Forgive me.”
88. If the Noble One has attained the final Nibbāna, he should go to the place
where the bed is, on which he attained the final Nibbāna, and should go as far
as the charnel ground to ask forgiveness. When this has been done, there is no
obstruction either to heaven or to the path. He becomes as he was before.
89.
Wrong in their views: having distorted vision. Acquirers of kamma due to
wrong view: those who have kamma of the various kinds acquired through wrong
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view, and also those who incite others to bodily kamma, etc., rooted in wrong
view. And here, though reviling of Noble Ones has already been included by the
mention of verbal misconduct, and though wrong view has already been
included by the mention of mental misconduct, it may be understood,
nevertheless, that the two are mentioned again in order to emphasize their great
reprehensibility.
90. Reviling Noble Ones is greatly reprehensible because of its resemblance to
kamma with immediate result. For this is said: “Sāriputta, just as a bhikkhu
possessing virtuous conduct, concentration and understanding could here and
now attain final knowledge, so it is in this case, I say; if he does not abandon
such talk and such thoughts and renounce such views, he will find himself in
hell as surely as if he had been carried off and put there” (M I 71).18 [427] And
there is nothing more reprehensible than wrong view, according as it is said:
“Bhikkhus, I do not see any one thing so reprehensible as wrong view” (A I 33).
91.
On the breakup of the body: on the giving up of the clung-to aggregates.
After death: in the taking up of the aggregates generated next after that. Or
alternatively,  on the breakup of the body is on the interruption of the life faculty,
and  after death is beyond the death consciousness.
92. A state of loss and the rest are all only synonyms for hell. Hell is a state of loss
(apāya) because it is removed (apeta) from the reason (aya)19 known as merit,
which is the cause of [attaining] heaven and deliverance; or because of the absence
(abhāva) of any origin (āya) of pleasures. The destiny (gati, going), the refuge, of
suffering (dukkha) is the unhappy destiny (duggati); or the destiny (gati) produced
by kamma that is corrupted (duṭṭha) by much hate (dosa) is an unhappy destiny
(duggati). Those who commit wrongdoings, being separated out (vivasa) fall
(nipatanti) in here, thus it is perdition  (vinipāta); or alternatively, when they are
destroyed (vinassanto), they fall (patanti) in here, all their limbs being broken up,
thus it is perdition (vinipāta). There is no reason (aya) reckoned as satisfying here,
thus it is hell (niraya).
93. Or alternatively, the animal generation is indicated by the mention of states
of loss; for the animal generation is a state of loss because it is removed from the
happy destiny; but it is not an unhappy destiny because it allows the existence
of royal nāgas (serpents), who are greatly honoured. The realm of ghosts is
indicated by the mention of the unhappy destiny; for that is both a state of loss and
an unhappy destiny because it is removed from the happy destiny and because
it is the destiny of suffering; but it is not perdition because it is not a state of
perdition such as that of the asura demons. The race of asura demons is indicated
by the mention of perdition; for that is both a state of loss and an unhappy
destiny in the way already described, and it is called “perdition” (deprivation)
from all opportunities. Hell itself in the various aspects of Avīci, etc., is indicated
by the mention of hell.
18. In rendering yathābhataṃ here in this very idiomatic passage M-a II 32 has been
consulted.
19. For the word aya see XVI.17.
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Have … appeared: have gone to; have been reborn there, is the intention.
94. The bright side should be understood in the opposite way. But there is this
difference. Here the mention of the happy destiny includes the human destiny,
and only the divine destiny is included by the mention of heavenly. Herein, a
good (sundara) destiny (gati) is a happy destiny  (sugati). It is the very highest
(suṭṭhu aggo) in such things as the objective fields comprising visible objects, etc.,
thus it is heavenly (sagga). All that is a world (loka) in the sense of crumbling and
disintegrating (lujjana-palujjana). This is the word meaning.
Thus with the divine eye, etc., is all a summing-up phrase; the meaning here in
brief is this: so with the divine eye … he sees.
95.
Now, a clansman who is a beginner and wants to see in this way should
make sure that the jhāna, which has a kasiṇa as its object and is the basis for
direct-knowledge, is made in all ways susceptible of his guidance. Then one of
these three kasiṇas, that is to say, the fire kasiṇa, white kasiṇa, [428] or light
kasiṇa, should be brought to the neighbourhood [of the arising of divine-eye
knowledge]. He should make this access jhāna his resort and stop there to
extend [the kasiṇa]; the intention is that absorption should not be aroused here;
for if he does induce absorption, the [kasiṇa] will become the support for basic
jhāna, but not for the [direct-knowledge] preliminary work. The light kasiṇa is
the best of the three. So either that, or one of the others, should be worked up in
the way stated in the Description of the Kasiṇas, and it should be stopped at the
level of access and extended there. And the method for extending it should be
understood in the way already described there too. It is only what is visible
within the area to which the kasiṇa has been extended that can be seen.
96.
However, while he is seeing what is visible, the turn of the preliminary
work runs out. Thereupon the light disappears. When that has disappeared, he
no longer sees what is visible (cf. M III 158). Then he should again and again
attain the basic jhāna, emerge and pervade with light. In this way the light
gradually gets consolidated till at length it remains in whatever sized area has
been delimited by him in this way, “Let there be light here.” Even if he sits
watching all day he can still see visible objects.
97. And here there is the simile of the man who set out on a journey by night
with a grass torch. Someone set out on a journey by night, it seems, with a grass
torch. His torch stopped flaming. Then the even and uneven places were no
more evident to him. He stubbed the torch on the ground and it again blazed up.
In doing so it gave more light than before. As it went on dying out and flaring up
again, eventually the sun rose. When the sun had risen, he thought, “There is
no further need of the torch,” and he threw it away and went on by daylight.
98. Herein, the kasiṇa light at the time of the preliminary work is like the light
of the torch. His no more seeing what is visible when the light has disappeared
owing to the turn of the preliminary work running out while he is seeing what
is visible is like the man’s not seeing the even and uneven places owing to the
torch’s stopping flaming. His repeated attaining is like the stubbing of the
torch. His more powerful pervasion with light by repeating the preliminary
work is like the torch’s giving more light than before. The strong light’s
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remaining in as large an area as he delimits is like the sun’s rising. His seeing
even during a whole day what is visible in the strong light after throwing the
limited light away is like the man’s going on by day after throwing the torch
away.
99. Herein, when visible objects that are not within the focus of the bhikkhu’s
fleshly eye come into the focus of his eye of knowledge—that is to say, visible
objects that are inside his belly, belonging to the heart basis, belonging to what
is below the earth’s surface, behind walls, mountains and enclosures, or in
another world-sphere—[429] and are as if seen with the fleshly eye, then it
should be understood that the divine eye has arisen. And only that is capable of
seeing the visible objects here, not the preliminary-work consciousnesses.
100.
But this is an obstacle for an ordinary man. Why? Because wherever he
determines, “Let there be light,” it becomes all light, even after penetrating
through earth, sea and mountains. Then fear arises in him when he sees the
fearful forms of spirits, ogres, etc., that are there, owing to which his mind is
distracted and he loses his jhāna. So he needs to be careful in seeing what is
visible (see M III 158).
101.
Here is the order of arising of the divine eye: when mind-door adverting,
which has made its object that visible datum of the kind already described, has
arisen and ceased, then, making that same visible datum the object, all should be
understood in the way already described beginning, “Either four or five
impulsions impel …” (§5) Here also the [three or four] prior consciousnesses
are of the sense sphere and have applied and sustained thought. The last of
these consciousnesses, which accomplishes the aim, is of the fine-material sphere
belonging to the fourth jhāna. Knowledge conascent with that is called
“knowledge of the passing away and reappearance of beings” and “knowledge
of the divine eye.”
The explanation of knowledge of passing away and reappearance is ended.
[GENERAL]
102.
The Helper, knower of five aggregates,
Had these five direct-knowledges to tell;
When they are known, there are concerning them
These general matters to be known as well.
103.
Among these, the divine eye, called knowledge of passing away and
reappearance, has two accessory kinds of knowledge, that is to say, “knowledge
of the future” and “knowledge of faring according to deeds.” So these two along
with the five beginning with the kinds of supernormal power make seven kinds
of direct-knowledge given here.
104.
Now, in order to avoid confusion about the classification of their objects:
The Sage has told four object triads
By means of which one can infer
Just how these seven different kinds
Of direct-knowledges occur.
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105.
Here is the explanation. Four object triads have been told by the Greatest
of the Sages. What four? The limited-object triad, the path-object triad, the past-
object triad, and the internal-object triad.20
106.
(1) Herein, knowledge of supernormal power [430] occurs with respect to
seven kinds of object, that is to say, as having a limited or exalted, a past, future
or present, and an internal or external object. How?
When he wants to go with an invisible body after making the body dependent
on the mind, and he converts the body to accord with the mind (XII.119), and he
sets it, mounts it, on the exalted consciousness, then taking it that the [word in
the] accusative case is the proper object,21 it has a limited object because its object
is the material body. When he wants to go with a visible body after making the
mind dependent on the body and he converts the mind to accord with the body
and sets it, mounts it, on the material body, then taking it that the [word in the]
accusative case is the proper object, it has an exalted object because its object is the
exalted consciousness.
107.
But that same consciousness takes what has passed, has ceased, as its
object, therefore it has a past object. In those who resolve about the future, as in the
case of the Elder Mahā Kassapa in the Great Storing of the Relics, and others, it
has a future object. When the Elder Mahā Kassapa was making the great relic
store, it seems, he resolved thus, “During the next two hundred and eighteen
years in the future let not these perfumes dry up or these flowers wither or these
lamps go out,” and so it all happened. When the Elder Assagutta saw the
Community of Bhikkhus eating dry food in the Vattaniya Lodging he resolved
thus, “Let the water pool become cream of curd every day before the meal,” and
when the water was taken before the meal it was cream of curd; but after the meal
there was only the normal water.22
20. See  Abhidhamma Mātikā (“schedule”), Dhs 1f. This consists of 22 sets of triple
classifications  (tika)  and 100 sets of double ones (duka).  The first triad “profitable,
unprofitable, and [morally] indeterminate,” and the first dyad is “root-cause, not-
root-cause.” The Mātikā is used in the Dhammasaṅgaṇī (for which it serves as the
basic structure), in the Vibhaṅga (in some of the “Abhidhamma Sections” and in the
“Questionnaires”) and in the Paṭṭhāna. All dhammas are either classifiable according
to these triads and dyads, under one of the headings, if the triad or dyad is all-
embracing, or are called “not-so-classifiable” (na-vattabba), if the triad or dyad is not.
The four triads mentioned here are: no. 13, “dhammas with a limited object, with an
exalted object, with a measureless object”; no. 16, “dhammas with a path as object,
with a path as root-cause, with path as predominance”; no. 19, “dhammas with a past
object, with a future object, with a present object”; and no. 21, “dhammas with an
internal object, with an external object, with an internal-external object.”
21. The “word in the accusative case” is in the first instance “body,” governed by the
verb “converts” (kāyaṃ pariṇāmeti); see Vism-mhṭ.
22.
Vism-mhṭ comments: “Although with the words: ‘These perfumes,’ etc., he
apprehends present perfumes, etc., nevertheless the object of his resolving
consciousness is actually their future materiality that is to be associated with the
distinction of not drying up. This is because the resolve concerns the future … ‘Cream
of curd’: when resolving, his object is the future appearance of curd.”
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108.
At the time of going with an invisible body after making the body
dependent on the mind it has a present object.
At the time of converting the mind to accord with the body, or the body to
accord with the mind, and at the time of creating one’s own appearance as a boy,
etc., it has an internal object because it makes one’s own body and mind its object.
But at the time of showing elephants, horses, etc., externally it has an external
object.
This is how, firstly, the kinds of supernormal power should be understood to
occur with respect to the seven kinds of object.
109. (2) Knowledge of the divine ear element occurs with respect to four kinds of
object, that is to say, as having a limited, and a present, and an internal or
external object. How?
Since it makes sound its object and since sound is limited (see Vibh 74), it
therefore has a limited object.23 But since it occurs only by making existing
sound its object, it has a present object. At the time of hearing sounds in one’s own
belly it has an internal object. At the time of hearing the sounds of others it has an
external object. [431] This is how the knowledge of the divine ear element should
be understood to occur with respect to the four kinds of object.
110. (3) Knowledge of penetration of minds occurs with respect to eight kinds of
object, that is to say, as having a limited, exalted or measureless object, path as
object, and a past, future or present object, and an external object. How?
At the time of knowing others’ sense-sphere consciousness it has a limited
object. At the time of knowing their fine-material-sphere or immaterial-sphere
consciousness it has an exalted object. At the time of knowing path and fruition it
has a measureless object. And here an ordinary man does not know a stream-
enterer’s consciousness, nor does a stream-enterer know a once-returner’s, and
so up to the Arahant’s consciousness. But an Arahant knows the consciousness
of all the others. And each higher one knows the consciousnesses of all those
below him. This is the difference to be understood. At the time when it has path
consciousness as its object it has path as object. But when one knows another’s
consciousness within the past seven days, or within the future seven days, then
it has a past object and has a future object respectively.
111.
How does it have a present object? “Present” (paccuppanna) is of three
kinds, that is to say, present by moment, present by continuity, and present by
extent. Herein, what has reached arising (uppāda), presence (ṭhiti), and dissolution
(bhaṅga) is present by moment. What is included in one or two rounds of continuity
is present by continuity.
112.
Herein, when someone goes to a well-lit place after sitting in the dark, an
object is not clear at first; until it becomes clear, one or two rounds of continuity
Vattanīyasenāsana was apparently a monastery in the Vindhya Hills (Viñjaṭavī):
see Mhv XIX.6; Dhs-a 419. The Elders Assagutta and Rohaṇa instructed Kajaṅgala
who was sent to convert Menander (Lamotte, Histoire de la Bouddhisme Indien, p. 440).
23. Cf. also Vibh 62 and 91.
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should be understood [to pass] meanwhile. And when he goes into an inner
closet after going about in a well-lit place, a visible object is not immediately
evident at first; until it becomes clear, one or two rounds of continuity should be
understood [to pass] meanwhile. When he stands at a distance, although he
sees the alterations (movements) of the hands of washer-men and the alterations
(movements) of the striking of gongs, drums, etc., yet he does not hear the sound
at first (see Ch. XIV n. 22); until he hears it, one or two rounds of continuity
should be understood [to pass] meanwhile. This, firstly, is according to the
Majjhima reciters.
113.
The Saṃyutta reciters, however, say that there are two kinds of continuity,
that is to say, material continuity and immaterial continuity: that a material
continuity lasts as long as the [muddy] line of water touching the bank when
one treads in the water takes to clear,24 as long as the heat of the body in one who
has walked a certain extent takes to die down, as long as the blindness in one
who has come from the sunshine into a room does not depart, as long as when,
after someone has been giving attention to his meditation subject in a room and
then opens the shutters by day and looks out, the dazzling in his eyes does not
die down; and that an immaterial continuity consists in two or three rounds of
impulsions. Both of these are [according to them] called “present by continuity.”
[432]
114.
What is delimited by a single becoming (existence) is called present by
extent, with reference to which it is said in the Bhaddekaratta Sutta: “Friends, the
mind and mental objects are both what is present. Consciousness is bound by
desire and greed for what is present. Because consciousness is bound by desire
and greed he delights in that. When he delights in that, then he is vanquished
with respect to present states” (M III 197).
And here, “present by continuity” is used in the Commentaries while “present
by extent” is used in the Suttas.
115. Herein, some25 say that consciousness “present by moment” is the object
of knowledge of penetration of minds. What reason do they give? It is that the
consciousness of the possessor of supernormal power and that of the other arise
in a single moment. Their simile is this: just as when a handful of flowers is
thrown into the air, the stalk of one flower is probably struck by the stalk of
another, and so too, when with the thought, “I will know another’s mind,” the
mind of a multitude is adverted to as a mass, then the mind of one is probably
penetrated by the mind of the other either at the moment of arising or at the
moment of presence or at the moment of dissolution.
116.
That, however, is rejected in the Commentaries as erroneous, because even
if one went on adverting for a hundred or a thousand years, there is never co-
presence of the two consciousnesses, that is to say, of that with which he adverts
24. Vism-mhṭ adds: “Some however explain the meaning in this way: It is as long as,
when one has stepped on the dry bank with a wet foot, the water line on the foot does
not disappear.”
25. The residents of the Abhayagiri Monastery in Anurādhapura (Vism-mhṭ).
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and that [of impulsion] with which he knows, and because the flaw of plurality
of objects follows if presence [of the same object] to both adverting and impulsion
is not insisted on. What should be understood is that the object is present by
continuity and present by extent.
117.
Herein, another’s consciousness during a time measuring two or three
cognitive series with impulsions extending before and after the [strictly]
currently existing cognitive series with impulsions, is all called “present by
continuity.” But in the Saṃyutta Commentary it is said that “present by extent”
should be illustrated by a round of impulsions.
118.
That is rightly said. Here is the illustration. The possessor of supernormal-
power who wants to know another’s mind adverts. The adverting [consciousness]
makes [the other’s consciousness that is] present by moment its object and ceases
together with it. After that there are four or five impulsions, of which the last is
the supernormal-power consciousness, the rest being of the sense sphere. That
same [other’s] consciousness, which has ceased, is the object of all these too, and
so they do not have different objects because they have an object that is “present
by extent.” And while they have a single object it is only the supernormal-power
consciousness that actually knows another’s consciousness, not the others, just
as in the eye-door it is only eye-consciousness that actually sees the visible
datum, not the others.
119.
So this has a present object in what is present by continuity and what is
present by extent. [433] Or since what is present by continuity falls within what
is present by extent, it can therefore be understood that it has a present object
simply in what is present by extent.
It has an external object because it has only another’s mind as its object.
This is how knowledge of penetration of minds should be understood to
occur with respect to the eight kinds of objects.
120. (4) Knowledge of past lives occurs with respect to eight kinds of object, that
is to say, as having a limited, exalted, or measureless object, path as object, a past
object, and an internal, external, or not-so-classifiable object. How?
At the time of recollecting sense-sphere aggregates it has a limited object. At
the time of recollecting fine-material-sphere or immaterial-sphere aggregates it
has an exalted object. At the time of recollecting a path developed, or a fruition
realized, in the past either by oneself or by others, it has a measureless object. At the
time of recollecting a path developed it has a path as object. But it invariably has a
past object.
121. Herein, although knowledge of penetration of minds and knowledge of
faring according to deeds also have a past object, still, of these two, the object of
the knowledge of penetration of minds is only consciousness within the past
seven days. It knows neither other aggregates nor what is bound up with
aggregates [that is, name, surname, and so on]. It is said indirectly that it has a
path as object since it has the consciousness associated with the path as its
object. Also, the object of knowledge of faring according to deeds is simply past
volition. But there is nothing, whether past aggregates or what is bound up
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with aggregates, that is not the object of knowledge of past lives; for that is on a
par with omniscient knowledge with respect to past aggregates and states bound
up with aggregates. This is the difference to be understood here.
122.
This is the method according to the Commentaries here. But it is said in
the Paṭṭhāna: “Profitable aggregates are a condition, as object condition, for
knowledge of supernormal power, for knowledge of penetration of minds, for
knowledge of past lives, for knowledge of faring according to deeds, and for
knowledge of the future” (Paṭṭh I 154), and therefore four aggregates are also the
objects of knowledge of penetration of minds and of knowledge of faring
according to deeds. And there too profitable and unprofitable [aggregates are
the object] of knowledge of faring according to deeds.
123.
At the time of recollecting one’s own aggregates it has an internal object. At
the time of recollecting another’s aggregates it has an external object. At the time
of recollecting [the concepts consisting in] name, race (surname) in the way
beginning, “In the past there was the Blessed One Vipassin. His mother was
Bhandumatī. His father was Bhandumant” (see D II 6–7), and [the concept
consisting in] the sign of the earth, etc., it has a not-so-classifiable object. And here
the name and race (surname, lineage) must be regarded not as the actual words
but as the meaning of the words, which is established by convention and bound
up with aggregates. For the actual words [434] are “limited” since they are
included by the sound base, according as it is said: “The discrimination of
language has a limited object” (Vibh 304). Our preference here is this.
This is how the knowledge of past lives should be understood to occur with
respect to the eight kinds of object.
124. (5) Knowledge of the divine eye occurs with respect to four kinds of object,
that is to say, as having a limited, a present, and an internal or external object.
How? Since it makes materiality its object and materiality is limited (see Vibh 62)
it therefore has a limited object. Since it occurs only with respect to existing
materiality it has a present object. At the time of seeing materiality inside one’s
own belly, etc., it has an internal object. At the time of seeing another’s materiality
it  has an external object. This is how the knowledge of the divine eye should be
understood to occur with respect to the four kinds of object.
125. (6) Knowledge of the future occurs with respect to eight kinds of object, that
is to say, as having a limited or exalted or immeasurable object, a path as object,
a future object, and an internal, external, or not-so classifiable object. How? At
the time of knowing this, “This one will be reborn in the future in the sense
sphere,” it has a limited object. At the time of knowing, “He will be reborn in the
fine-material or immaterial sphere,” it has an exalted object. At the time of knowing,
“He will develop the path, he will realize fruition,” it has an immeasurable object.
At the time of knowing, “He will develop the path,” it has a path as object too. But
it invariably has a future object.
126.
Herein, although knowledge of penetration of minds has a future object
too, nevertheless its object is then only future consciousness that is within seven
days; for it knows neither any other aggregate nor what is bound up with
Chapter 13
CHAPTER XIII
Other Direct-knowledges
427
aggregates. But there is nothing in the future, as described under the knowledge
of past lives (§121), that is not an object of knowledge of the future.
127.
At the time of knowing, “I shall be reborn there,” it has an internal object. At
the time of knowing, “So-and-so will be reborn there,” it has an external object.
But at the time of knowing name and race (surname) in the way beginning, “In
the future the Blessed One Metteyya will arise. His father will be the brahman
Subrahmā. His mother will be the brahmani Brahmavatī” (see D III 76), it has a
not-so-classifiable object in the way described under knowledge of past lives
(§123).
This is how the knowledge of the future should be understood.
128. (7)  Knowledge of faring according to deeds occurs with respect to five kinds
of object, that is to say, as having a limited or exalted, a past, and an internal or
external object. How? At the time of knowing sense-sphere kamma (deeds) it has
a limited object. [435] At the time of knowing fine-material-sphere or immaterial-
sphere kamma it has an exalted object. Since it knows only what is past it has a past
object. At the time of knowing one’s own kamma it has an internal object. At the
time of knowing another’s kamma it has an external object. This is how the
knowledge of faring according to deeds should be understood to occur with
respect to the five kinds of object.
129.
And when [the knowledge] described here both as “having an internal
object” and “having an external object” knows [these objects] now internally
and now externally, it is then said that it has an internal-external object as well.
The thirteenth chapter concluding “The Description of
Direct-knowledge” in the Path of Purification composed
for the purpose of gladdening good people.
Chapter 13