Commentary on the Mahaaraahulovaadasutta

Part VII : Section A

Relevant sutta passage: "Pathaviisama.m, Raahula, bhaavana.m bhaavehi. Pathaviisamañhi te, Raahula, bhaavana.m bhaavayato uppannaa manaapaamanaapaa phassaa citta.m na pariyaadaaya .thassanti. Seyyathaapi, Raahula, pathaviyaa sucimpi nikkhipanti, asucimpi nikkhipanti, guuthagatampi nikkhipanti, muttagatampi nikkhipanti, khe.lagatampi nikkhipanti, pubbagatampi nikkhipanti, lohitagatampi nikkhipanti, na ca tena pathavii a.t.tiiyati vaa haraayati vaa jigucchati vaa; evameva kho tva.m, Raahula, pathaviisama.m bhaavana.m bhaavehi. Pathaviisamañhi te, Raahula, bhaavana.m bhaavayato uppannaa manaapaamanaapaa phassaa citta.m na pariyaadaaya .thassanti.

"Rahula, cultivate the mental development that is like the earth. Rahula, for you who are cultivating the mental development that is like the earth, pleasant and unpleasant impressions that have arisen will not persistently overwhelm the mind. Rahula, just as (people) cast on the earth what is clean and what is dirty (including) faeces, urine, spittle, pus and blood, and yet the earth is not afflicted, vexed or disgusted because of it. Likewise, Rahula, you should cultivate the mental development that is like the earth. Rahula, for you who are cultivating the mental development that is like the earth, pleasant and unpleasant impressions that have arisen will not persistently overwhelm the mind.

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1. Words:

• idaanissa: idaani assa, now, to him.
• taadii: such, of such quality.
• taadibhaava: the nature of suchness, highest qualification of the arahat (PED).
• taadibhaavalakkha.na: the characteristic of such nature.
• arajjati: he is not attached.
• adussati: he has no aversion.
• lobhasahagatacittasampayuttaa: consciousness accompanied by attachment.
• sahagata: together with.
• sampayutta: accompanied by.
• manaapa: agreeable.
• amanaapa: disagreeable.
• antomu.t.thi: clenched fist (anto: inside. mu.t.thi: fist).
• pariyaadaaya: taking hold of, overwhelming.
• gahetva: from ga.nhati: seize, take hold of.
• pasanna: clear, bright (pasiidati).
• va.n.na: colour, appearance.
• punna: again.

Commentary:
idaanissa taadibhaavalakkha.na.m aacikkhanto pathaviisamantiaadimaaha.
Now he said to him, when explaining the characteristic of such nature (of the highest qualification), "like the earth" and so on.

i.t.thaani.t.thesu hi arajjanto adussanto taadii naama hoti.
Someone who is not attached nor has aversion with regard to the desirable and the undesirable is called "of such nature".

manaapaamanaapaati ettha a.t.tha lobhasahagatacittasampayuttaa manaapaa naama,
With regard to the words agreeable and disagreeable, here the eight types of consciousness accompanied by attachment are called agreeable,

dve domanassacittasampayuttaa amanaapaa naama.
and two types of consciousness accompanied by unpleasant feeling are called disagreeable*.

citta.m na pariyaadaaya .thassantiiti ete phassaa uppajjitvaa
With reference to the expression, they do not persistently obsess the mind, this means, when these impressions have arisen,

tava citta.m antomu.t.thigata.m karonto viya pariyaadaaya gahetvaa .thaatu.m na sakkhissanti.
they cannot persistently overwhelm your mind when you have mastered them by putting them as it were inside a clenched fist.

"aha.m sobhaami,mayha.m va.n.naayatana.m pasanna''nti
With regard to thoughts such as, "I am beautiful, my appearance is splendid",

puna attabhaava.m nissaaya chandaraago nuppajjissati.
attachment that is dependent on the body does not arise again.

guuthagatantiaadiisu guuthameva guuthagata.m. eva.m sabbattha.
As to the expression, ordure and so on, it is truly excrement, filthy in all respects.

English:
Now he said, when explaining the characteristic of such nature (of the highest qualification), "like the earth" and so on. not being attached nor having aversion with regard to the desirable and the undesirable is "suchness". With regard to the words agreeable and disagreeable, here the eight types of consciousness accompanied by attachment are agreeable, and two types of consciousness accompanied by unpleasant feeling are disagreeable*. With reference to the expression, they do not persistently obsess the mind, this means, when these impressions have arisen, they cannot persistently overwhelm your mind when you have mastered them, by putting them as it were inside a clenched fist. With regard to thoughts such as, "I am beautiful, my appearance is splendid", attachment that is dependent on the body does not arise again. As to the expression, ordure and so on, it is truly excrement, filthy in all respects.

* note: There are eight (a.t.tha) akusala cittas rooted in lobha: four with pleasant feeling, four with indifferent feeling, four with wrong view (di.t.thi), four without wrong view, four not induced or spontaneous(asa`nkhaarika) and four induced (sasa`nkhaarika). There are two akusala cittas rooted in dosa: domanassacittasampayuttaa: consciousness accompanied by unpleasant feeling (that is: citta rooted in aversion or hate). One of them is not induced (asa`nkhaarika) and one is induced (sasa`nkhaarika).

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Subcommentary (by Dhammapaala)

Commentary passage relevant to the Subcommentary: idaanissa taadibhaavalakkha.na.m aacikkhanto pathaviisamantiaadimaaha. i.t.thaani.t.thesu hi arajjanto adussanto taadii naama hoti.

Now he said, when explaining the characteristic of such nature (of the highest qualification), "like the earth" and so on. not being attached nor having aversion with regard to the desirable and the undesirable is called "suchness".

Words:

• ni.t.thita: completed.
• anuyu~njati: engage in, apply.
• aacikkhati: to explain.
• aacikkhana: announcing, explanation.
• pavatti (f): procedure, occurrence.
• gahetva: from ga.nhati: seize, take hold of.
• parigga.nhati: take possession of, comprehend, examine.
• causative: pariggaheti.
• okaasa (m): open space, appearance, opportunity.
• pati.t.thito: established.

Subcommentary:
119. taadibhaavo naama ni.t.thitakiccassa hoti, aya~nca vipassana.m anuyu~njati,
Someone who has completed the task is called "of such nature", and he practises insight;

atha kimattha.m taadibhaavataa vuttaati?
and then, for what purpose was the nature of suchness spoken of?

pathaviisamataadilakkha.naacikkha.naahi vipassanaaya sukhappavattiattha.m.
The explanation of the characteristic of (development) like the earth and so on has as purpose a happy course of insight.

tenaaha "i.t.thaani.t.thesuu''tiaadi.
Therefore he says, "with regard to the desirable and the undesirable" and so on.

gahetvaati kusalappavattiyaa okaasadaanavasena pariggahetvaa.
As to the expression, after he has mastered them, this means, after he has thoroughly comprehended them, because of the opportunity that was given for a skilful course of action.

English:
Someone who has completed the task is called "of such nature", and he practises insight; and then, for what purpose was the nature of suchness spoken of? The explanation of the characteristic of (development) like the earth and so on has as purpose a happy course of insight. Therefore he says, "with regard to the desirable and the undesirable" and so on. As to the words, after he has mastered them, this means, after he has thoroughly comprehended them, because of the opportunity that was given for a skilful course of action.