NE 5 — Phân Tích Cách Truyền Đạt Bằng Sự Tìm Hiểu

11. Herein, what is the Mode of Investigation? The verse beginning ‘What is asked and what is answered’—this is the Mode of Investigation.

What does it investigate? It investigates the term, it investigates the question, it investigates the answer, it investigates the sequence, it investigates gratification, it investigates danger, it investigates escape, it investigates the fruit, it investigates the means, it investigates the instruction, it investigates the repetition, it investigates all the ninefold suttantas. How might this be? Just as the Venerable Ajita in the Pārāyana asks the Blessed One a question:

‘By what is the world shrouded?’ [thus the Venerable Ajita asked,] ‘By what does it not shine forth? What do you say is its besmearing? What is its great fear?’

These four lines are asked, and it is a single question. Why? Because it comprehends a single subject. For when he says, ‘By what is the world shrouded?’ he asks about the world as the basis. When he says, ‘By what does it not shine forth?’ he asks about the world’s not shining forth. When he says, ‘What do you say is its besmearing?’ he asks about the world’s besmearing. When he says, ‘What is its great fear?’ he asks about the great fear of that same world. The world is threefold: the world of defilements, the world of existence, and the world of the faculties.

Herein, the answer:

‘The world is shrouded by ignorance,’ [said the Blessed One to Ajita,] ‘from doubt and heedlessness it does not shine forth; I say craving is its besmearing, suffering is its great fear.’

These four lines are answered by these four lines: the first by the first, the second by the second, the third by the third, and the fourth by the fourth.

To the question, ‘By what is the world shrouded?’ the answer is, ‘The world is shrouded by ignorance.’ The world is shrouded by the hindrances, for all beings have the hindrance of ignorance. As the Blessed One said: ‘Monks, for all beings, all that breathe, all creatures, I declare one single hindrance in a figurative sense, that is, ignorance. For all beings have the hindrance of ignorance. It is, monks, with the complete cessation, giving up, and relinquishment of that same ignorance that I say there is no hindrance for beings.’ Therefore, the answer to the first line is fitting.

To the question, ‘By what does it not shine forth?’ the answer is, ‘From doubt and heedlessness, it does not shine forth.’ A person who is shrouded by the hindrances doubts. Vivicchā is a name for doubt. Doubting, one has no faith; having no faith, one does not arouse energy for the abandoning of unwholesome states and the realization of wholesome states. Such a person dwells here given to heedlessness. Being heedless, one does not bring forth bright states. For that person, since these states are not brought forth, they do not shine forth. As the Blessed One said:

‘The good shine from afar, like the Himalaya mountain; the wicked are not seen even when near, like arrows shot in the night. They shine by their virtues, and by their fame and renown.’

Therefore, the answer to the second line is fitting.

To the question, ‘What do you say is its besmearing?’ the answer is, ‘I say craving is its besmearing.’ Jappā is a name for craving. How does it besmear? As the Blessed One said:

‘One who is impassioned does not know the meaning, one who is impassioned does not see the Dhamma. It is blinding darkness then, when passion overcomes a person.’

This craving torments a person of much attachment by causing intense longing. For this reason, the world is said to be smeared. And by that, the answer to the third question is appropriate.

To the question, 'What is its great fear?' the answer is, 'Suffering is its great fear.' Suffering is twofold: bodily and mental. That which is bodily is suffering; that which is mental is displeasure. Indeed, all beings are frightened of suffering; there is no fear equal to suffering, whence could there be one greater? There are three kinds of suffering: the suffering of pain, the suffering of formations, and the suffering of change. In this regard, the world is at certain times, on some occasions, freed from the suffering of pain, and likewise from the suffering of change. For what reason? Because in the world there are those with little illness and long life. But from the suffering of formations, the world is freed by the Nibbāna-element without residue of aggregates. Therefore, having considered that the suffering of formations is the suffering for the world, it is said, 'Suffering is its great fear.' And by that, the answer to the fourth question is appropriate. Therefore, the Blessed One said, 'The world is shrouded by ignorance.'

'Streams flow everywhere,' said the Venerable Ajita, 'What is the prevention for the streams? Declare the restraint for the streams; by what are the streams blocked?'

These four phrases have been asked. They are two questions. Why? Because they were asked with a word indicating plurality. For a world thus overcome, thus defiled, what is its purification, its emergence? Thus indeed, it was asked.

'Streams flow everywhere.' For one who is unconcentrated, the streams flow—for one who has much covetousness, ill will, and heedlessness. Herein, that which is covetousness is greed, an unwholesome root. That which is ill will is hatred, an unwholesome root. That which is heedlessness is delusion, an unwholesome root. For such an unconcentrated person, craving flows in the six sense-bases: craving for forms, craving for sounds, craving for smells, craving for tastes, craving for tangibles, and craving for mind-objects, as the Blessed One has said:

'Flowing,' O bhikkhus, is indeed a designation for the six internal sense-bases. The eye flows towards agreeable forms and is repelled by disagreeable ones. The ear... the nose... the tongue... the body... the mind flows towards agreeable mind-objects and is repelled by disagreeable ones. Thus, it flows from all doors, and it flows in every way. Therefore, it is said, 'Streams flow everywhere.'

By the phrase, 'What is the prevention for the streams?' he asks about the destruction of the obsessions; this is purification. By the phrase, 'Declare the restraint for the streams; by what are the streams blocked?' he asks about the uprooting of the underlying tendencies; this is emergence.

Therein, the answer is:

'Whatever streams there are in the world,' said the Blessed One to Ajita, 'mindfulness is their prevention. I declare the restraint of the streams; by wisdom they are blocked.'

When mindfulness directed to the body has been developed and made much of, the eye is not drawn to agreeable forms, nor is it repelled by disagreeable ones. The ear... the nose... the tongue... the body... the mind is not drawn to agreeable mind-objects, nor is it repelled by disagreeable ones. For what reason? Because the sense-faculties are restrained and prevented. By what are they restrained and prevented? By the guard of mindfulness. Therefore, the Blessed One said: 'Mindfulness is their prevention.'

By wisdom, the underlying tendencies are abandoned. When the underlying tendencies are abandoned, the obsessions are abandoned. Why? Because the underlying tendency has been abandoned. It is like a tree with a trunk: when its roots are completely uprooted, the continuity of its flowers, fruits, leaves, and shoots is utterly cut off. So too, when the underlying tendencies are abandoned, the continuity of the obsessions is utterly cut off, blocked, and concealed. By what? By wisdom. Therefore, the Blessed One said: 'By wisdom they are blocked.'

'Wisdom and mindfulness,' said the Venerable Ajita, 'and name-and-form, O Mārisa; being asked this by me, please explain: where does this cease without remainder?'

'This question that you have asked, Ajita, I will answer for you: where name-and-form cease without remainder—with the cessation of consciousness, it is here that this ceases without remainder.'

This question asks about the connection. In asking about the connection, what does one ask? One asks about the Nibbāna-element without residue. The three truths—suffering, its origin, and the path—are conditioned, subject to cessation. The truth of cessation is unconditioned. Therein, the origin is abandoned in two stages: the stage of seeing and the stage of development. By seeing, three fetters are abandoned: identity-view, doubt, and grasping at precepts and practices. By development, seven fetters are abandoned: sensual desire, ill will, craving for form, craving for the formless, conceit, restlessness, and the remainder of ignorance. In the three realms, these ten fetters are the five lower fetters and the five higher fetters.

12. Herein, the three fetters—personality-view, doubt, and adherence to rites and rituals—cease, being established in the faculty of 'I shall know the unknown.' The seven fetters—sensual desire, ill will, craving for form, craving for the formless, conceit, restlessness, and the remainder of ignorance—cease, being established in the faculty of final knowledge. When one knows thus, 'My birth is destroyed,' this is the knowledge of destruction. When one understands, 'There is nothing further for this state of being,' this is the knowledge of non-arising. These two knowledges are the faculty of one who has finally known. Herein, both the faculty of 'I shall know the unknown' and the faculty of final knowledge cease for one who attains the supreme fruit, Arahantship. Therein, both the knowledge of destruction and the knowledge of non-arising are one wisdom.

Moreover, by the designation of the object, two names are obtained: for one who understands, 'My birth is destroyed,' the name 'knowledge of destruction' is obtained; for one who understands, 'There is nothing further for this state of being,' the name 'knowledge of non-arising' is obtained. That is wisdom in the sense of thorough understanding; it is mindfulness in the sense of not allowing what has been seen to be forgotten.

13. Herein, whatever are the five aggregates of clinging, this is name-and-form. Herein, whatever phenomena have contact as the fifth, this is name. Whatever five faculties are material, this is form. That pair, name-and-form, is associated with consciousness. Asking the Blessed One about its cessation, the Venerable Ajita spoke thus in the Pārāyana:

“Wisdom and mindfulness, and name-and-form, O venerable sir; this I ask of you, declare where this ceases.”

Herein, mindfulness and wisdom are four faculties. Mindfulness is two faculties: the faculty of mindfulness and the faculty of concentration. Wisdom is two faculties: the faculty of wisdom and the faculty of energy. Whatever faith and conviction there is in these four faculties, this is the faculty of faith. Herein, whatever one-pointedness of mind is dominated by zeal, this is concentration due to zeal. When the mind is concentrated, by the power of reflection or by the power of development, this is abandonment by way of suppression of the defilements. Herein, whatever in-breaths and out-breaths, initial and sustained thought, perception and feeling, and intentions with a single purpose there are, these are formations. Thus, the preceding concentration due to zeal, the abandonment by way of suppressing defilements, and these formations—this pair develops the basis of spiritual power endowed with concentration dominated by zeal and with formations of striving, which is reliant on seclusion, reliant on dispassion, reliant on cessation, and matures into relinquishment. Herein, whatever one-pointedness of mind is dominated by energy, this is concentration due to energy… and so on… Herein, whatever one-pointedness of mind is dominated by consciousness, this is concentration due to consciousness… and so on… Herein, whatever one-pointedness of mind is dominated by investigation, this is concentration due to investigation. When the mind is concentrated, by the power of reflection or by the power of development, this is abandonment by way of suppression of the defilements. Herein, whatever in-breaths and out-breaths, initial and sustained thought, perception and feeling, and intentions with a single purpose there are, these are formations. Thus, the preceding concentration due to investigation, the abandonment by way of suppressing defilements, and these formations—this pair develops the basis of spiritual power endowed with concentration dominated by investigation and with formations of striving, which is reliant on seclusion, reliant on dispassion, reliant on cessation, and matures into relinquishment.

14. All concentration has knowledge as its root, has knowledge as its forerunner, and follows in accordance with knowledge.

As before, so after; as after, so before. As by day, so by night; as by night, so by day.

Thus, with an open and unenveloped mind, one develops a mind imbued with radiance. The five wholesome faculties, being co-nascent with the mind, arise when the mind arises and cease when the mind ceases. And name-and-form, having consciousness as its cause and produced from consciousness as its condition, has its cause cut off by the path. Consciousness—being without nutriment, not delighted in, and not productive of rebirth-linking—ceases. Name-and-form also, being without cause and without condition, does not produce a new existence. Thus, with the cessation of consciousness, wisdom, mindfulness, and name-and-form cease. Therefore the Blessed One said:

“This question you have asked, Ajita, I will declare to you: where name and form cease without remainder. With the cessation of consciousness, it is here that this ceases.”

“Those who have comprehended the dhammas, [said the Venerable Ajita,] and the many trainees here; of them, O wise one, I ask of their conduct; being asked, please declare it, venerable sir.”

15. These three phrases were asked; they are three questions. Why? Because of the connection with the abandonment preceded by the insight of trainees and non-trainees, for thus he spoke. By “Those who have comprehended the dhammas,” he asks about Arahantship. By “and the many trainees here,” he asks about the trainee. By “of them, O wise one, I ask of their conduct; being asked, please declare it, venerable sir,” he asks about the abandonment that is preceded by insight.

Herein is the answer:

“One should not be greedy for sensual pleasures, [said the Blessed One to Ajita,] one should be untroubled in mind. Skilled in all dhammas, a mindful bhikkhu should wander.”

All of the Blessed One’s bodily actions have knowledge as their forerunner and follow in accordance with knowledge. All of his verbal actions have knowledge as their forerunner and follow in accordance with knowledge. All of his mental actions have knowledge as their forerunner and follow in accordance with knowledge. Regarding the past, his knowledge and vision are unhindered. Regarding the future, his knowledge and vision are unhindered. Regarding the present, his knowledge and vision are unhindered.

And what is the obstruction to knowledge and vision? Whatever ignorance and non-seeing there is regarding the impermanent, suffering, and non-self, this is the obstruction to knowledge and vision. Just as a person here might see the forms of stars, but not know them by count and designation, this is the obstruction to knowledge and vision.

But the Blessed One's knowledge and vision is unobstructed; indeed, the Buddhas, the Blessed Ones, possess knowledge and vision that is without covering. In this regard, a trainee should guard the mind in two phenomena: from craving for delightful things, and from aversion in states that are grounds for resentment. Herein, whatever wanting, infatuation, longing, fondness, or amusement there may be—the Blessed One, preventing it, spoke thus: 'One should not be greedy for sensual pleasures.'

'Let one not be troubled in mind,' thus he spoke of the destruction of obsession. For indeed, a trainee who is greedy gives rise to unarisen defilements and makes arisen defilements increase. But one whose resolve is untroubled, not being greedy, strives. He generates desire, makes an effort, arouses energy, exerts his mind, and strives for the non-arising of unarisen evil, unwholesome states. He generates desire, makes an effort, arouses energy, exerts his mind, and strives for the abandoning of arisen evil, unwholesome states. He generates desire, makes an effort, arouses energy, exerts his mind, and strives for the arising of unarisen wholesome states. He generates desire, makes an effort, arouses energy, exerts his mind, and strives for the maintenance, non-disappearance, increase, expansion, development, and fulfillment of arisen wholesome states.

16. What are the unarisen evil, unwholesome states? Sensual thought, thought of ill will, and thought of cruelty—these are the unarisen evil, unwholesome states. What are the arisen evil, unwholesome states? The underlying tendencies and the unwholesome roots—these are the arisen evil, unwholesome states. What are the unarisen wholesome states? The faculties of a stream-enterer—these are the unarisen wholesome states. What are the arisen wholesome states? The faculties of the eighth person [the one on the path to stream-entry]—these are the arisen wholesome states.

By which one prevents sensual thought, this is the faculty of mindfulness. By which one prevents thought of ill will, this is the faculty of concentration. By which one prevents thought of cruelty, this is the faculty of energy.

By which one abandons, dispels, brings to an end, leads to non-existence, and does not tolerate whatever evil, unwholesome states have arisen—this is the faculty of wisdom. Whatever believing and confidence there is in these four faculties—this is the faculty of faith.

Herein, where is the faculty of faith to be seen? In the four factors of stream-entry. Where is the faculty of energy to be seen? In the four right exertions. Where is the faculty of mindfulness to be seen? In the four foundations of mindfulness. Where is the faculty of concentration to be seen? In the four jhānas. Where is the faculty of wisdom to be seen? In the four noble truths. Thus, the trainee, being heedful in all wholesome states, is spoken of by the Blessed One as having an untroubled mind. Therefore, the Blessed One said, 'Let one not be troubled in mind.'

17. 'Skilled in all phenomena'—the world, so-called, is threefold: the world of defilements, the world of existence, and the world of the faculties. Herein, the world of existence arises through the world of defilements; that produces the faculties. When the faculties are being developed, there is full understanding of the knowable. That should be investigated in two ways: by full understanding through seeing and by full understanding through development. For when a trainee fully understands the knowable, then through perceptions and mental applications accompanied by disenchantment, the knowable becomes fully understood. For him, two states attain skillfulness: skillfulness in seeing and skillfulness in development.

That knowledge should be understood in five ways: direct knowledge, full understanding, abandoning, development, and realization. Herein, what is direct knowledge? It is the knowledge of the individual characteristics of phenomena, which is the analytical knowledge of phenomena and the analytical knowledge of meaning. This is direct knowledge.

Herein, what is full understanding? Having known thus, it is the full understanding that: 'This is wholesome, this is unwholesome; this is blameworthy, this is blameless; this is dark, this is bright; this should be cultivated, this should not be cultivated. These phenomena, when grasped thus, produce this fruit. For those grasped thus, this is the meaning.' This is full understanding.

Having fully understood thus, three things remain: to be abandoned, to be developed, and to be realized. Herein, what things are to be abandoned? Those that are unwholesome. Herein, what things are to be developed? Those that are wholesome. Herein, what things are to be realized? That which is unconditioned. One who knows thus is called: skilled in the meaning, skilled in the teaching, skilled in what is good, skilled in the fruit, skilled in benefit and its absence, skilled in the means; he is said to be endowed with great skill. Therefore, the Blessed One said, 'skilled in all phenomena'.

“A mindful monk should wander”: By that monk, for the purpose of dwelling happily in the present existence, in going forward, in returning, in looking ahead, in looking around, in bending, in stretching, in carrying the double-robe, bowl, and robes, in eating, in drinking, in chewing, in tasting, in the act of defecating and urinating, in going, in standing, in sitting, in sleeping, in waking, in speaking, and in being silent, one should dwell mindfully and with clear comprehension. These two modes of conduct were permitted by the Blessed One: one for the purified, and one for those who are being purified. Who are the purified? Arahants. Who are those being purified? Trainees. Indeed, for an Arahant, the faculties have their task accomplished. That which is to be understood is fourfold: through the breakthrough of comprehending suffering, through the breakthrough of abandoning the origin, through the breakthrough of developing the path, and through the breakthrough of realizing cessation. Whoever knows this fourfold matter to be understood is called one who goes forward mindfully and one who returns mindfully, due to the destruction of lust, the destruction of hatred, and the destruction of delusion. Therefore, the Blessed One said, “A mindful monk should wander.” Therefore, he said:

“O Ajita,” said the Blessed One, “one should not be greedy for sensual pleasures; one should be unclouded in mind. Skilled in all dhammas, a mindful bhikkhu should wander.”

Thus should a question be asked, and thus should an answer be given. And the conforming recitation of the sutta should be brought into agreement with both the meaning and the phrasing. Indeed, phrasing devoid of meaning becomes useless talk. Of a poorly composed phrase, the meaning is also difficult to grasp. Therefore, a sutta endowed with meaning and phrasing should be recited well. And the sutta should be investigated: What is this sutta? Is it a direct statement, a statement requiring connection, of explicit meaning, of meaning to be inferred, partaking of defilement, partaking of penetration, or pertaining to the non-trainee? Where in this sutta are all the truths to be seen—in the beginning, middle, and end? Thus should the sutta be investigated. Therefore, the Venerable Mahākaccāyana said: “What was asked and what was answered, and the conforming recitation of the sutta.”

The Mode of Analysis is concluded.