CND 19 — Diễn Giải Kinh Mogharāja

“The One with Vision did not declare to me.” “He did not declare to me” means He did not declare, did not announce, did not point out, did not designate, did not set forth, did not disclose, did not distinguish, did not make evident, did not reveal. “The One with Vision” means the Blessed One is the One with Vision on account of five eyes: He has the fleshly eye, the divine eye, the eye of wisdom, the eye of a Buddha, and the all-seeing eye.

How is the Blessed One endowed with the physical eye as well? In the physical eye of the Blessed One, five colors are present: blue, yellow, red, black, and white. Where the eyelashes are rooted, that part is blue—deep blue, pleasing, and pleasant to behold, like an umā flower. Beyond that, it is yellow—bright yellow, golden in color, pleasing, and pleasant to behold, like a kaṇikāra flower. On both sides, the Blessed One’s eye corners are red—deep red, pleasing, and pleasant to behold, like an indagopaka insect. In the middle, it is black—deep black, not rough, glossy, pleasing, and pleasant to behold, like a true black bead. Beyond that, it is white—pure white, brilliant white, pleasing, and pleasant to behold, like the morning star. Therefore, the Blessed One, with his natural physical eye—which is part of his being and produced by his past good deeds—sees for a yojana all around, both day and night. For when a four-factored darkness is present—the sun has set, it is the Uposatha day of the dark fortnight, the forest thicket is dense, and a great black cloud has arisen—even in such a four-factored darkness, he sees for a yojana all around. There is no wall, door, enclosing wall, mountain, shrub, or creeper that is an obstruction to the seeing of forms. If one were to mark a single sesame seed and place it in a cartload of sesame, one could retrieve that very sesame seed. So pure is the Blessed One’s natural physical eye. Thus, the Blessed One is endowed with the physical eye as well.

How is the Blessed One possessed of the eye by means of the divine eye? The Blessed One, with the divine eye, purified and surpassing the human, sees beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, of good complexion and of bad complexion, in a good destination and in a bad destination; and he knows beings who fare on according to their kamma: “Indeed, these beings, sirs, who were endowed with misconduct of body, speech, and mind, revilers of the noble ones, holding wrong views, undertaking actions based on wrong view—with the breakup of the body, after death, they have been reborn in a state of deprivation, a bad destination, a place of ruin, in hell. But these other beings, sirs, who were endowed with good conduct of body, speech, and mind, not revilers of the noble ones, holding right views, undertaking actions based on right view—with the breakup of the body, after death, they have been reborn in a good destination, the heavenly world.” Thus, with the divine eye, purified and surpassing the human, he sees beings passing away and being reborn—inferior and superior, of good complexion and of bad complexion, in a good destination and in a bad destination; and he knows beings who fare on according to their kamma. And if he wishes, the Blessed One could see one world-system, two world-systems, three, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred, a thousand world-systems, a small thousandfold world-system, a middling twofold-thousand world-system, a threefold-thousand world-system, a great thousandfold world-system; as far as he might wish, that far he could see. So purified is the Blessed One’s divine eye. Thus is the Blessed One possessed of the eye by means of the divine eye.

How is the Blessed One one with vision through the eye of wisdom? The Blessed One is of great wisdom, broad wisdom, quick wisdom, joyful wisdom, sharp wisdom, penetrative wisdom, skilled in the discrimination of wisdom, possessed of discriminating knowledge, attained to the analytical knowledges, possessing the four kinds of intrepidity, bearing the ten powers, a bull among men, a lion among men, a nāga among men, a noble steed among men, a burden-bearer among men, of boundless knowledge, boundless power, boundless glory, rich, very rich, wealthy, a guide, a trainer, an instructor, an expounder, a clarifier, one who makes one behold, one who inspires confidence. Indeed, that Blessed One is the producer of the unarisen path, the generator of the unproduced path, the declarer of the undeclared path, the knower of the path, the expert in the path, skilled in the path. And now his disciples dwell following the path, having attained it afterwards.

Indeed, that Blessed One knows what is to be known, sees what is to be seen. He has become the eye, he has become knowledge, he has become the Dhamma, he has become Brahma. He is the speaker, the proclaimer, the guide to the meaning, the giver of the deathless, the lord of the Dhamma, the Tathāgata. There is nothing unknown, unseen, uncomprehended, unrealized, or untouched by the Blessed One’s wisdom. All phenomena, past, future, and present, in every possible way, enter the range of the Buddha’s knowledge. Whatever is to be known—whether for one’s own benefit, another’s benefit, or both; whether pertaining to this life or the next; whether obvious or profound, hidden or concealed, to be inferred or explicit, blameless or without defilement, pure or ultimate—all of it revolves within the Buddha’s knowledge.

All bodily action of the Buddha, the Blessed One, follows upon knowledge; all verbal action follows upon knowledge; all mental action follows upon knowledge. In the past, the knowledge of the Buddha, the Blessed One, was unobstructed; in the future, His knowledge is unobstructed; in the present, His knowledge is unobstructed. To the extent of the knowable, to that extent is the knowledge; to the extent of the knowledge, to that extent is the knowable. Knowledge is bounded by the knowable; the knowable is bounded by knowledge. Knowledge does not proceed beyond the knowable; there is no path for the knowable beyond knowledge. These phenomena stand as mutually bounded. Just as when the two lids of a casket are properly fitted, the lower lid does not exceed the upper lid, nor does the upper lid exceed the lower lid—they stand as mutually bounded; even so, for the Buddha, the Blessed One, the knowable and knowledge stand as mutually bounded. To the extent of the knowable, to that extent is the knowledge; to the extent of the knowledge, to that extent is the knowable. Knowledge is bounded by the knowable; the knowable is bounded by knowledge. Knowledge does not proceed beyond the knowable; there is no path for the knowable beyond knowledge. These phenomena stand as mutually bounded.

The knowledge of the Buddha, the Blessed One, extends to all phenomena. All phenomena are bound to the advertence, aspiration, attention, and arising of thought of the Buddha, the Blessed One. The knowledge of the Buddha, the Blessed One, extends to all beings. And of all beings, the Blessed One knows their inclination, their latent tendency, their conduct, and their disposition. He knows beings with little dust and those with much dust, those with keen faculties and those with dull faculties, those of good character and those of bad character, those easy to instruct and those difficult to instruct, capable and incapable beings. The world with its gods, its Māras, and its Brahmās, this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, with its gods and humans, revolves within the Buddha's knowledge.

Just as whatever fish and turtles there are, down to the timi and timiṅgala, revolve within the great ocean, so too the world with its devas, the world with its Māras, the world with its Brahmās, this generation with its ascetics and brahmins, devas and humans, revolves within the Buddha's knowledge. Just as whatever birds there are, down to the garuḷa, son of Vinatā, revolve in the region of the sky, so too even those endowed with wisdom equal to Sāriputta revolve in the region of the Buddha's knowledge; the Buddha's knowledge stands encompassing and surpassing the wisdom of devas and humans.

Even those learned nobles, learned brahmins, learned householders, and learned ascetics—who are clever, skilled in refuting the doctrines of others, hair-splitters, and seem to wander about shattering views with their intellect—having carefully formulated questions, approach the Tathāgata and ask about matters both obscure and veiled. Those questions are answered and explained by the Blessed One, with their reasons made clear. And they themselves are refuted by the Blessed One. Then indeed the Blessed One surpasses them in that respect—that is, in wisdom. Thus, the Blessed One is one with vision, by means of the eye of wisdom.

How is the Blessed One endowed with the Buddha-eye? The Blessed One, surveying the world with the Buddha-eye, saw beings with little dust in their eyes and with much dust in their eyes, with keen faculties and dull faculties, with good dispositions and bad dispositions, easy to instruct and hard to instruct, some of them dwelling, seeing fear and fault with regard to the next world. Just as in a pond of blue lotuses, or a pond of red lotuses, or a pond of white lotuses, some blue, red, or white lotuses are born in the water, grown in the water, submerged in the water and nourished beneath the surface; some blue, red, or white lotuses are born in the water, grown in the water, stand level with the water; some blue, red, or white lotuses are born in the water, grown in the water, rise out of the water and stand unsullied by the water—so too, the Blessed One, surveying the world with the Buddha-eye, saw beings with little dust in their eyes and with much dust in their eyes, with keen faculties and dull faculties, with good dispositions and bad dispositions, easy to instruct and hard to instruct, some of them dwelling, seeing fear and fault with regard to the next world. The Blessed One knows: 'This person is of a lustful temperament, this one of a hateful temperament, this one of a deluded temperament, this one of a discursive temperament, this one of a faithful temperament, this one of an intelligent temperament.' For a person of a lustful temperament, the Blessed One gives a discourse on the unattractive. For a person of a hateful temperament, the Blessed One teaches the development of loving-kindness. For a person of a deluded temperament, the Blessed One establishes them in recitation, questioning, timely listening to the Dhamma, timely discussion of the Dhamma, and residence with a teacher. For a person of a discursive temperament, the Blessed One teaches mindfulness of breathing. For a person of a faithful temperament, the Blessed One teaches an inspiring sign: the Buddha’s perfect enlightenment, the excellent nature of the Dhamma, the Sangha’s good practice, and the moral precepts. For a person of an intelligent temperament, the Blessed One teaches the sign for insight: the aspect of impermanence, the aspect of suffering, and the aspect of non-self.

As one standing on a mountain peak might see the people all around, so too, O wise Sumedha, all-seeing one, having ascended the palace of Dhamma, yourself free from sorrow, look upon the people immersed in sorrow, overcome by birth and old age.

Thus, the Blessed One is one with vision, possessing even the Buddha-eye.

How is the Blessed One one with vision, even with the all-seeing eye? The all-seeing eye is called the knowledge of omniscience. The Blessed One is furnished with, fully furnished with, endowed with, fully endowed with, possessed of, fully possessed of, replete with the knowledge of omniscience.

Nothing here is unseen by him, nor is there anything unknown or unknowable. He has directly known everything that should be known. Therefore, the Tathāgata is all-seeing.

Thus, the Blessed One is one with vision, even with the all-seeing eye. Yet, O one with vision, you did not answer me.

‘And up to the third time, O divine seer, He answered, so I have heard.’ This means: up to the third time, the Buddha, when asked a question in accordance with the Dhamma, would answer and not equivocate. Thus I have learned, thus I have understood, thus I have discerned. ‘Divine seer’: the Blessed One is both a deva and a seer—thus, ‘divine seer.’ Just as kings who have gone forth are called royal seers, and brahmins who have gone forth are called brahmin seers, so too the Blessed One is both a deva and a seer—thus, ‘divine seer.’

Or else, the Blessed One is a seer because he has gone forth. He is a seer because he seeks, searches, and strives for the great aggregate of virtue. He is a seer because he seeks, searches, and strives for the great aggregate of concentration… the great aggregate of wisdom… the great aggregate of liberation… the great aggregate of the knowledge and vision of liberation. He is a seer because he seeks, searches, and strives to pierce the great mass of darkness, to split apart the great distortion, to pull out the great dart of craving, to unravel the great tangle of views, to overthrow the great banner of conceit, to pacify the great formations, to cross over the great flood, to lay down the great burden, to cut off the great round of rebirth, to extinguish the great fever, to calm the great burning, to raise high the great banner of the Dhamma. He is a seer because he seeks the great foundations of mindfulness, the great right efforts, the great faculties, the great powers, the great factors of enlightenment, the great noble eightfold path, the great ultimate goal, the deathless Nibbāna. Or else, he is a seer because he is sought after, searched for, and pursued by beings of great power—"Where is the Buddha? Where is the Blessed One? Where is the god of gods? Where is the bull among men?"—thus up to the third time, O divine seer, he answers, so I have heard. Therefore, that brahmin said:

“Twice I asked the Able One,” said the venerable Mogharāja, “but the one with vision did not answer me. I have heard that the divine seer answers upon the third time.”

86.

This world, the other world, the Brahma-world with its devas; beings do not know what has been seen by you, O illustrious Gotama.

‘This world, the other world’ – ‘This world’ means the human world. ‘The other world’ means all worlds other than the human world. Thus, ‘this world, the other world.’

‘The Brahma-world with its devas’ means: the world (`loka`) with its devas, with Māra, and with Brahmā; the populace (`pajā`) with its recluses and brahmins, with its devas and humans. This is the meaning of ‘the Brahma-world with its devas’.

‘The world does not understand your view’ – the world does not know your view, tolerance, liking, conviction, disposition, or aim: ‘This one has such a view, such tolerance, such a liking, such a conviction, such a disposition, such an aim.’ It does not know, see, discern, attain, find, or obtain it. Thus, ‘the world does not understand your view.’

‘Of Gotama, the glorious one’ – the Blessed One has attained fame, thus he is glorious. Or alternatively, the Blessed One is honored, respected, esteemed, venerated, revered, and is a recipient of robes, almsfood, lodging, and medicinal requisites for the sick—thus he is glorious. This is the meaning of ‘of Gotama, the glorious one.’ Therefore, that brahmin said:

“This world, the other world, the Brahma-world with its devas; the world does not understand your view, O Gotama, the glorious one.”

87.

To the one with such surpassing vision, I have come with a question; how must one view the world, so that the King of Death does not see one?

‘To the one with such surpassing vision’ means: to the one with such surpassing vision, one who sees the highest, sees the best, sees the distinguished, sees the foremost, sees the ultimate, sees the supreme. This is the meaning of ‘to the one with such surpassing vision’.

‘I have come with a question’ means: I have come as one who has need of a question… and so on… ‘Carry this burden.’ Thus also is the meaning of ‘I have come with a question’.

‘How must one view the world’ means: how must one view, review, weigh, investigate, analyze, and make manifest the world? This is the meaning of ‘how must one view the world’.

‘The King of Death does not see’ means: the King of Death does not see, does not discern, does not attain, does not find, does not obtain. This is the meaning of ‘the King of Death does not see.’ Therefore, that brahmin said:

“To the one with such surpassing vision, I have come with a question; how must one view the world, so that the King of Death does not see one?”

88.

Regard the world as empty, Mogharāja, ever mindful. Having uprooted the view of self, thus you may cross beyond death. One who regards the world thus, the King of Death does not see.

Regarding 'Regard the world as empty': 'The world' means the hell world, the animal world, the realm of ghosts, the human world, the deva world, the world of the aggregates, the world of the elements, the world of the sense bases, this world, the other world, the Brahma-world with its devas. A certain monk said this to the Blessed One: “Venerable sir, it is said, ‘the world, the world.’ To what extent, venerable sir, is it called ‘the world’?” “It perishes, monk, therefore it is called ‘the world.’ And what perishes? The eye, monk, perishes. Forms perish. Eye-consciousness perishes. Eye-contact perishes. And whatever feeling arises conditioned by eye-contact—whether pleasant, painful, or neither-painful-nor-pleasant—that too perishes. The ear perishes, sounds perish… the body perishes, tangible objects perish… the mind perishes, mental objects perish, mind-consciousness perishes, mind-contact perishes; and whatever feeling arises conditioned by mind-contact—whether pleasant, painful, or neither-painful-nor-pleasant—that too perishes. Because it perishes, monk, therefore it is called ‘the world.’”

‘Regard the world as empty’—one regards the world as empty for two reasons: either by way of noting the characteristic of being uncontrollable, or by way of thoroughly contemplating conditioned formations as void. How does one regard the world as empty by way of noting the characteristic of being uncontrollable? No control is found over form, no control is found over feeling, no control is found over perception, no control is found over formations, no control is found over consciousness. For this was said by the Blessed One: “Form, monks, is not-self. And if, monks, this form were self, then this form would not lead to affliction, and it could be obtained in form: ‘Let my form be thus, let my form not be thus.’ But because, monks, form is not-self, therefore form leads to affliction, and it cannot be obtained in form: ‘Let my form be thus, let my form not be thus.’”

“Feeling is not-self. And if, monks, feeling were self, then feeling would not lead to affliction, and it could be obtained in feeling: ‘Let my feeling be thus, let my feeling not be thus.’ But because, monks, feeling is not-self, therefore feeling leads to affliction, and it cannot be obtained in feeling: ‘Let my feeling be thus, let my feeling not be thus.’”

“Perception is not-self. And if, monks, this perception were self, then this perception would not lead to affliction, and it could be obtained in perception: ‘Let my perception be thus, let my perception not be thus.’ But because, monks, perception is not-self, therefore perception leads to affliction, and it cannot be obtained in perception: ‘Let my perception be thus, let my perception not be thus.’”

“Formations are not-self. And if, monks, these formations were self, then these formations would not lead to affliction, and it could be obtained in formations: ‘Let my formations be thus, let my formations not be thus.’ But because, monks, formations are not-self, therefore formations lead to affliction, and it cannot be obtained in formations: ‘Let my formations be thus, let my formations not be thus.’”

“Consciousness is not-self. And if, monks, this consciousness were self, then this consciousness would not lead to affliction, and it could be obtained in consciousness: ‘Let my consciousness be thus, let my consciousness not be thus.’ But because, monks, consciousness is not-self, therefore consciousness leads to affliction, and it cannot be obtained in consciousness: ‘Let my consciousness be thus, let my consciousness not be thus.’”

This was said by the Blessed One: “Monks, this body is not yours, nor is it others’. Monks, this is old kamma, to be seen as formed, willed, and to be experienced. Here, monks, a learned noble disciple attends thoroughly and wisely to dependent origination itself: ‘When this exists, that is; with the arising of this, that arises. When this does not exist, that is not; with the cessation of this, that ceases. That is: with ignorance as condition, formations; with formations as condition, consciousness; with consciousness as condition, name-and-form; with name-and-form as condition, the six sense bases; with the six sense bases as condition, contact; with contact as condition, feeling; with feeling as condition, craving; with craving as condition, clinging; with clinging as condition, existence; with existence as condition, birth; with birth as condition, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair come to be. Thus is the origin of this whole mass of suffering.’”

“From the remainderless fading away and cessation of ignorance indeed, there is the cessation of volitional formations; from the cessation of volitional formations, there is the cessation of consciousness [and so on]; from the cessation of birth, aging and death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair cease. Thus, there is the cessation of this entire mass of suffering.” In this way, one regards the world as empty by way of discerning the characteristic of non-control in its ongoing process.

How does one regard the world as empty by way of contemplating formations as void? No essence is found in form, no essence is found in feeling, no essence is found in perception, no essence is found in formations, no essence is found in consciousness. Form is essenceless, without essence, devoid of essence, either with an essence of permanence, an essence of pleasure, or an essence of self, or as permanent, stable, eternal, or as a state not subject to change. Feeling is essenceless, without essence, devoid of essence… and so on… perception is essenceless, without essence, devoid of essence… formations are essenceless, without essence, devoid of essence… consciousness is essenceless, without essence, devoid of essence, either with an essence of permanence, an essence of pleasure, or an essence of self, or as permanent, stable, eternal, or as a state not subject to change. Just as a reed is essenceless, without essence, devoid of essence; just as a castor-oil plant… and so on… just as a fig tree is essenceless, without essence, devoid of essence; just as a white-barked tree is essenceless, without essence, devoid of essence; just as a coral tree is essenceless, without essence, devoid of essence; just as a lump of foam is essenceless, without essence, devoid of essence; just as a water bubble is essenceless, without essence, devoid of essence; just as a mirage is essenceless, without essence, devoid of essence; just as a banana trunk is essenceless, without essence, devoid of essence; just as an illusion is essenceless, without essence, devoid of essence—so too, form is essenceless, without essence, devoid of essence, either with an essence of permanence, an essence of pleasure, or an essence of self, or as permanent, stable, eternal, or as a state not subject to change. Feeling is essenceless, without essence, devoid of essence… and so on… perception is essenceless, without essence, devoid of essence… formations are essenceless, without essence, devoid of essence… consciousness is essenceless, without essence, devoid of essence, either with an essence of permanence, an essence of pleasure, or an essence of self, or as permanent, stable, eternal, or as a state not subject to change. Thus, by way of contemplating formations as void, one regards the world as empty. For these two reasons, one regards the world as empty.

Moreover, one contemplates the world as empty in six ways. The eye is empty of self or of what belongs to self, of permanence, of stability, of eternity, or of unchanging nature. The ear is empty... the nose is empty... the tongue is empty... the body is empty... the mind is empty of self or of what belongs to self, of permanence, of stability, of eternity, or of unchanging nature. Forms are empty... sounds are empty... smells are empty... tastes are empty... tactile objects are empty... mental phenomena are empty of self or of what belongs to self, of permanence, of stability, of eternity, or of unchanging nature. Eye-consciousness is empty... mind-consciousness is empty... eye-contact is empty... mind-contact is empty... feeling born of eye-contact is empty... feeling born of mind-contact is empty... perception of forms is empty... perception of mental phenomena is empty... intention regarding forms is empty... intention regarding mental phenomena is empty... craving for forms is empty... applied thought concerning forms is empty... sustained thought concerning forms is empty... sustained thought concerning mental phenomena is empty of self or of what belongs to self, of permanence, of stability, of eternity, or of unchanging nature. Thus, one contemplates the world as empty in six ways.

Furthermore, one contemplates the world as empty in ten ways. Form is empty, hollow, void, not-self, without essence, deadly, perishing, the root of evil, defiled, and conditioned. Feeling... perception... volitional formations... consciousness... death... arising... re-linking... existence... the round of saṃsāra is empty, hollow, void, not-self, without essence, deadly, perishing, the root of evil, defiled, and conditioned. Thus, one contemplates the world as empty in ten ways.

Furthermore, one contemplates the world as empty in twelve aspects. Form is not a being, not a life-principle, not a person, not a youth, not a woman, not a man, not a self, not what belongs to a self, not 'I', not 'mine', not anyone, not belonging to anyone. Feeling… perception… volitional formations… consciousness is not a being, not a life-principle, not a person, not a youth, not a woman, not a man, not a self, not what belongs to a self, not 'I', not 'mine', not anyone, not belonging to anyone. Thus, one contemplates the world as empty in twelve aspects.

For this was said by the Blessed One: "Monks, abandon what is not yours. Your abandoning of it will be for your welfare and happiness for a long time. And what, monks, is not yours? Form, monks, is not yours; abandon it. Your abandoning of it will be for your welfare and happiness for a long time. Feeling, monks, is not yours; abandon it. Your abandoning of it will be for your welfare and happiness for a long time. Perception, monks, is not yours; abandon it. Your abandoning of it will be for your welfare and happiness for a long time. Volitional formations, monks, are not yours; abandon them. Your abandoning of them will be for your welfare and happiness for a long time. Consciousness, monks, is not yours; abandon it. Your abandoning of it will be for your welfare and happiness for a long time. Just as, monks, if people were to carry away, burn, or do as they please with the grass, sticks, branches, and leaves in this Jeta's Grove, would you think, 'People are carrying us away, burning us, or doing as they please with us'?' 'Certainly not, venerable sir.' 'For what reason?' 'Because, venerable sir, that is neither our self nor what belongs to our self.' In the same way, monks, abandon what is not yours; your abandoning of it will be for your welfare and happiness for a long time. And what, monks, is not yours? Form, monks, is not yours; abandon it. Your abandoning of it will be for your welfare and happiness for a long time. Feeling... perception... volitional formations... consciousness, monks, is not yours; abandon it. Your abandoning of it will be for your welfare and happiness for a long time." In this way also, one regards the world as empty.

Venerable Ānanda addressed the Blessed One: “‘The world is empty, the world is empty,’ it is said, venerable sir. To what extent, venerable sir, is it said that the world is empty?” “Because, Ānanda, it is empty of self or of what belongs to self, therefore it is said that the world is empty. And what, Ānanda, is empty of self or of what belongs to self? The eye, Ānanda, is empty of self or of what belongs to self. Forms are empty… eye-consciousness is empty… eye-contact is empty… whatever feeling arises dependent on eye-contact—pleasant, painful, or neither-painful-nor-pleasant—that too is empty of self or of what belongs to self. The ear is empty… sounds are empty… The nose is empty… odors are empty… The tongue is empty… tastes are empty… The body is empty… tactile objects are empty… The mind is empty… mental phenomena are empty… mind-consciousness is empty… mind-contact is empty… whatever feeling arises dependent on mind-contact—pleasant, painful, or neither-painful-nor-pleasant—that too is empty of self or of what belongs to self. Because, Ānanda, it is empty of self or of what belongs to self, therefore it is said that the world is empty.” Thus, one contemplates the world as empty.

For one who sees, as it really is, the pure arising of phenomena and the pure continuity of formations, there is no fear, headman.

When one sees the world with wisdom as like grass and timber, one does not yearn for anything other than the cessation of rebirth.

Thus, one regards the world as empty.

This was said by the Blessed One: 'In this very way, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu investigates form as far as the range of form extends, he investigates feeling as far as the range of feeling extends, he investigates perception as far as the range of perception extends, he investigates volitional formations as far as the range of volitional formations extends, he investigates consciousness as far as the range of consciousness extends. When he investigates form as far as the range of form extends, feeling… perception… volitional formations… consciousness as far as the range of consciousness extends, then whatever there is of 'I' or 'mine' or 'I am'—that too does not occur to him.' In this way also, he regards the world as empty.

The meaning of the phrase 'Regard the world as empty' is this: Regard the world as empty, reflect upon it, see it, weigh it, investigate it, develop it, and make it clear.

‘Mogharāja, always mindful.’ The Blessed One addressed that brahmin by name, ‘Mogharāja.’ ‘Always’ means at all times… in the last stage of life. ‘Mindful’ means mindful for four reasons: mindful by developing the establishment of mindfulness on the body as body… he is called mindful—‘Mogharāja, always mindful.’

'Having uprooted the view of self.' The view of self is called the twentyfold personality-view. Here, an uninstructed ordinary person—who has not seen the Noble Ones, is not skilled in the Noble Dhamma, is not disciplined in the Noble Dhamma; who has not seen true persons, is not skilled in the Dhamma of true persons, is not disciplined in the Dhamma of true persons—regards form as self, or self as possessing form, or form in self, or self in form; he regards feeling… perception… formations… consciousness as self, or self as possessing consciousness, or consciousness in self, or self in consciousness. Whatever view is of such a kind—a view, a speculative view, a thicket of views, a wilderness of views, a spike of views, a writhing of views, a fetter of views; a grasping, a clinging, an adherence, a misapprehension, a wrong path, a wrong way, wrongness, a sectarian stronghold; a perverse grasping, a contrary grasping, a distorted grasping, a wrong grasping, grasping what is unreal as real—insofar as there are the sixty-two speculative views, this is the view of self. 'Having uprooted the view of self' means: having uprooted, thoroughly uprooted, extracted, thoroughly extracted, torn out, thoroughly torn out, abandoned, dispelled, made an end of, and brought to non-existence the view of self—thus, 'having uprooted the view of self'.

'Thus may one be a crosser-over of death.' Thus you may cross over Death, you may cross over old age, you may cross over dying; you may transcend, you may cross beyond, you may completely pass over, you may overcome—thus, 'thus may one be a crosser-over of death'.

'Thus, observing the world.' Thus observing the world, reviewing it, weighing it, discerning it, making it clear, and making it manifest—thus, 'thus observing the world'.

'The King of Death does not see': Death also is the King of Death, Māra also is the King of Death, dying also is the King of Death. 'Does not see' means: the King of Death does not see, does not behold, does not reach, does not find, does not obtain. Indeed, this was said by the Blessed One: 'Just as, O bhikkhus, a wild deer wandering in the forest goes confidently, stands confidently, sits confidently, and lies down confidently. For what reason? Because, O bhikkhus, it is out of sight of the hunter. Even so, O bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, enters and abides in the first jhāna, which has applied thought and sustained thought, with rapture and happiness born of seclusion. This bhikkhu, O bhikkhus, is called one who has made an end of Māra; having destroyed the defilements, he has gone beyond the sight of the evil one's eye.'

'Again, furthermore, O bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, with the stilling of applied thought and sustained thought, enters and abides in the second jhāna, which has internal confidence and unification of mind, is without applied thought and without sustained thought, and is born of concentration with rapture and happiness... the third jhāna... the fourth jhāna. This bhikkhu, O bhikkhus, is called one who has made an end of Māra; having destroyed the defilements, he has gone beyond the sight of the evil one's eye.'

'Again, furthermore, O bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, with the complete surmounting of perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of resistance, and by not attending to perceptions of diversity, aware that 'Space is infinite,' enters and abides in the base of infinite space. This bhikkhu, O bhikkhus, is called one who has made an end of Māra; having destroyed the defilements, he has gone beyond the sight of the evil one's eye.'

'Again, furthermore, O bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, by completely surmounting the base of infinite space, aware that 'Consciousness is infinite,' enters and abides in the base of infinite consciousness... and so on.'

Furthermore, bhikkhus, with the complete surmounting of the dimension of infinite consciousness, a bhikkhu, thinking, “There is nothing,” enters and dwells in the dimension of nothingness… and so on.

Furthermore, bhikkhus, with the complete surmounting of the dimension of nothingness, a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception… and so on.

Furthermore, bhikkhus, with the complete surmounting of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the cessation of perception and feeling. And, having seen with wisdom, his taints are utterly destroyed. This, bhikkhus, is called “a bhikkhu who has blinded Māra, slain him without trace, and gone beyond the sight of the Evil One, one who has crossed over attachment in the world.” He goes confidently, stands confidently, sits confidently, lies down confidently. Why is that? Because the bhikkhu has gone beyond the Evil One’s range.’ ‘The King of Death does not see.’ Thus spoke the Blessed One:

Look upon the world as empty, Mogharāja, always mindful; having abandoned the view of self, thus may you be one who crosses death.

Thus, observing the world, the King of Death does not see him.

At the end of the verses… ‘The Blessed One, venerable sir, is my Teacher; I am his disciple.’

The Fifteenth Explanation of Mogharāja’s Question.