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20. Paṭhamasīlapañcakaṃ[First Pentad of Virtue]
Pañcavidhakoṭṭhāsassa paṭhamapañcake anupasampannasīlādivasena attho veditabbo.131. In the first pentad in the fivefold section the meaning should be understood in accordance with the virtue of those not fully admitted to the Order, and so on.
Vuttañhetaṃ paṭisambhidāyaṃ – ‘‘Katamaṃ pariyantapārisuddhisīlaṃ? Anupasampannānaṃ pariyantasikkhāpadānaṃ,For this is said in the Paṭisambhidā: “(a) What is virtue consisting in limited purification? That of the training precepts for those not fully admitted to the Order:
idaṃ pariyantapārisuddhisīlaṃ.such is virtue consisting in limited purification.
Katamaṃ apariyantapārisuddhisīlaṃ? Upasampannānaṃ apariyantasikkhāpadānaṃ,(b) What is virtue consisting in unlimited purification? That of the training precepts for those fully admitted to the Order:
idaṃ apariyantapārisuddhisīlaṃ.such is virtue consisting in unlimited purification.
Katamaṃ paripuṇṇapārisuddhisīlaṃ? Puthujjanakalyāṇakānaṃ kusaladhamme yuttānaṃ sekkhapariyante paripūrakārīnaṃ kāye ca jīvite ca anapekkhānaṃ pariccattajīvitānaṃ,(c) What is virtue consisting in fulfilled purification? That of magnanimous ordinary men devoted to profitable things, who are perfecting [the course] that ends in trainership, regardless of the physical body and life, having given up [attachment to] life:
idaṃ paripuṇṇapārisuddhisīlaṃ.such is virtue of fulfilled purification,
Katamaṃ aparāmaṭṭhapārisuddhisīlaṃ? Sattannaṃ sekkhānaṃ,(d) What is virtue consisting in purification not adhered to? That of the seven kinds of trainer:
idaṃ aparāmaṭṭhapārisuddhisīlaṃ.such is virtue consisting in purification not adhered to.
Katamaṃ paṭippassaddhipārisuddhisīlaṃ? Tathāgatasāvakānaṃ khīṇāsavānaṃ paccekabuddhānaṃ tathāgatānaṃ arahantānaṃ sammāsambuddhānaṃ,(e) What is virtue consisting in tranquillized purification? That of the Perfect One’s disciples with cankers destroyed, of the Paccekabuddhas, of the Perfect Ones, accomplished and fully enlightened:
idaṃ paṭippassaddhipārisuddhisīla’’nti (paṭi. ma. 1.37).such is virtue consisting in tranquillized purification” (Paṭis I 42–43).
Tattha anupasampannānaṃ sīlaṃ gaṇanavasena sapariyantattā pariyantapārisuddhisīlanti veditabbaṃ.132. (a) Herein, the virtue of those not fully admitted to the Order should be understood as virtue consisting in limited purification, because it is limited by the number [of training precepts, that is, five or eight or ten].
Upasampannānaṃ – ‘‘Nava koṭisahassāni, asītisatakoṭiyo; Paññāsasatasahassāni, chattiṃsā ca punāpare. ‘‘Ete saṃvaravinayā, sambuddhena pakāsitā; Peyyālamukhena niddiṭṭhā, sikkhā vinayasaṃvare’’ti. –(b) That of those fully admitted to the Order is [describable] thus: Nine thousand millions, and a hundred And eighty millions then as well, And fifty plus a hundred thousand, And thirty-six again to swell. The total restraint disciplines: These rules the Enlightened One explains Told under heads for filling out, Which the Discipline restraint contains.
Evaṃ gaṇanavasena sapariyantampi anavasesavasena samādānabhāvañca lābhayasañātiaṅgajīvitavasena adiṭṭhapariyantabhāvañca sandhāya apariyantapārisuddhisīlanti vuttaṃ,So although limited in number, it should yet be understood as virtue consisting in unlimited purification, since it is undertaken without reserve and has no obvious limit such as gain, fame, relatives, limbs or life.
ciragumbavāsikaambakhādakamahātissattherassa sīlamiva.Like the virtue of the Elder Mahā Tissa the Mango-eater who lived at Cīragumba (see §122 above).
Tathā hi so āyasmā – ‘‘Dhanaṃ caje aṅgavarassa hetu, aṅgaṃ caje jīvitaṃ rakkhamāno; Aṅgaṃ dhanaṃ jīvitañcāpi sabbaṃ, caje naro dhammamanussaranto’’ti. –133. For that venerable one never abandoned the following good man’s recollection: “Wealth for a sound limb’s sake should be renounced, And one who guards his life gives up his limbs; And wealth and limbs and life, each one of these, A man gives up who practices the Dhamma.”
Imaṃ sappurisānussatiṃ avijahanto jīvitasaṃsayepi sikkhāpadaṃ avītikkammaAnd he never transgressed a training precept
tadeva apariyantapārisuddhisīlaṃ nissāya upāsakassa piṭṭhigatova arahattaṃ pāpuṇi.even when his life was in the balance, and in this way he reached Arahantship with that same virtue of unlimited purification as his support while he was being carried on a lay devotee’s back.
Yathāha – ‘‘Na pitā napi te mātā, na ñāti napi bandhavo; Karotetādisaṃ kiccaṃ, sīlavantassa kāraṇā. Saṃvegaṃ janayitvāna, sammasitvāna yoniso; Tassa piṭṭhigato santo, arahattaṃ apāpuṇī’’ti.According to as it is said: “Nor your mother nor your father Nor your relatives and kin Have done as much as this for you Because you are possessed of virtue.” So, stirred with urgency, and wisely Comprehending with insight, While carried on his helper’s back He reached the goal of Arahantship.
Puthujjanakalyāṇakānaṃ sīlaṃ upasampadato paṭṭhāya sudhotajātimaṇi viya suparikammakatasuvaṇṇaṃ viya ca atiparisuddhattā cittuppādamattakenapi malena virahitaṃ arahattasseva padaṭṭhānaṃ hoti,134. (c) The magnanimous ordinary man’s virtue, which from the time of admission to the Order is devoid even of the stain of a [wrong] thought because of its extreme purity, like a gem of purest water, like well-refined gold, becomes the proximate cause for Arahantship itself,
tasmā paripuṇṇapārisuddhīti vuccati,which is why it is called consisting of fulfilled purification;
mahāsaṅgharakkhitabhāgineyyasaṅgharakkhitattherānaṃ viya.like that of the elders Saṅgharakkhita the Great and Saṅgharakkhita the Nephew.
Mahāsaṅgharakkhitattheraṃ kira atikkantasaṭṭhivassaṃ maraṇamañce nipannaṃ bhikkhusaṅgho lokuttarādhigamaṃ pucchi.135. The Elder Saṅgharakkhita the Great (Mahā Saṅgharakkhita), aged over sixty, was lying, it seems, on his deathbed. The Order of Bhikkhus questioned him about attainment of the supramundane state.
Thero ‘‘natthi me lokuttaradhammo’’ti āha.The elder said: “I have no supramundane state.”
Athassa upaṭṭhāko daharabhikkhu āha – ‘‘bhante, tumhe parinibbutāti samantā dvādasayojanā manussā sannipatitā,Then the young bhikkhu who was attending on him said: “Venerable sir, people have come as much as twelve leagues, thinking that you have reached Nibbāna.
tumhākaṃ puthujjanakālakiriyāya mahājanassa vippaṭisāro bhavissatī’’ti.It will be a disappointment for many if you die as an ordinary man.”
Āvuso, ahaṃ ‘‘metteyyaṃ bhagavantaṃ passissāmī’’ti na vipassanaṃ paṭṭhapesiṃ. Tena hi maṃ nisīdāpetvā okāsaṃ karohīti.—“Friend, thinking to see the Blessed One Metteyya, I did not try for insight. So help me to sit up and give me the chance.”
So theraṃ nisīdāpetvā bahi nikkhanto.He helped the elder to sit up and went out.
Thero tassa saha nikkhamanāva arahattaṃ patvā accharikāya saññaṃ adāsi.As he went out the elder reached Arahantship and he gave a sign by snapping his fingers.
Saṅgho sannipatitvā āha – ‘‘bhante, evarūpe maraṇakāle lokuttaradhammaṃ nibbattentā dukkaraṃ karitthā’’ti.The Order assembled and said to him: “Venerable sir, you have done a difficult thing in achieving the supramundane state in the hour of death.”
Nāvuso etaṃ dukkaraṃ,—“That was not difficult, friends.
apica vo dukkaraṃ ācikkhissāmi – ‘‘ahaṃ, āvuso, pabbajitakālato paṭṭhāya asatiyā aññāṇapakataṃ kammaṃ nāma na passāmī’’ti.But rather I will tell you what is difficult. Friends, I see no action done [by me] without mindfulness and unknowingly since the time I went forth.”
Bhāgineyyopissa paññāsavassakāle evameva arahattaṃ pāpuṇīti.His nephew also reached Arahantship in the same way at the age of fifty years.
‘‘Appassutopi ce hoti, sīlesu asamāhito; Ubhayena naṃ garahanti, sīlato ca sutena ca.136. “Now, if a man has little learning And he is careless of his virtue, They censure him on both accounts For lack of virtue and of learning.
‘‘Appassutopi ce hoti, sīlesu susamāhito; Sīlato naṃ pasaṃsanti, tassa sampajjate sutaṃ.“But if he is of little learning Yet he is careful of his virtue, They praise him for his virtue, so It is as though he too had learning.
‘‘Bahussutopi ce hoti, sīlesu asamāhito; Sīlato naṃ garahanti, nāssa sampajjate sutaṃ.“And if he is of ample learning Yet he is careless of his virtue, They blame him for his virtue, so It is as though he had no learning.
‘‘Bahussutopi ce hoti, sīlesu susamāhito; Ubhayena naṃ pasaṃsanti, sīlato ca sutena ca.“But if he is of ample learning And he is careful of his virtue, They give him praise on both accounts For virtue and as well for learning.
‘‘Bahussutaṃ dhammadharaṃ, sappaññaṃ buddhasāvakaṃ; Nekkhaṃ jambonadasseva, ko taṃ ninditumarahati; Devāpi naṃ pasaṃsanti, brahmunāpi pasaṃsito’’ti. (a. ni. 4.6);“The Buddha’s pupil of much learning Who keeps the Law with understanding— A jewel of Jambu River gold Who is here fit to censure him? Deities praise him [constantly], By Brahmā also is he praised” (A II 7).
Sekkhānaṃ pana sīlaṃ diṭṭhivasena aparāmaṭṭhattā,137. (d) What should be understood as virtue consisting in purification not adhered to is trainers’ virtue, because it is not adhered to by [false] view,
puthujjanānaṃ vā pana rāgavasena aparāmaṭṭhasīlaṃ aparāmaṭṭhapārisuddhīti veditabbaṃ, kuṭumbiyaputtatissattherassa sīlaṃ viya.and ordinary men’s virtue when not adhered to by greed. Like the virtue of the Elder Tissa the Landowner’s Son (Kuṭumbiyaputta-Tissa-thera).
So hi āyasmā tathārūpaṃ sīlaṃ nissāya arahatte patiṭṭhātukāmo verike āha – ‘‘Ubho pādāni bhinditvā, saññapessāmi vo ahaṃ; Aṭṭiyāmi harāyāmi, sarāgamaraṇaṃ aha’’nti.Wanting to become established in Arahantship in dependence on such virtue, this venerable one told his enemies: I broke the bones of both my legs To give the pledge you asked from me. I am revolted and ashamed At death accompanied by greed.
‘‘Evāhaṃ cintayitvāna, sammasitvāna yoniso; Sampatte aruṇuggamhi, arahattaṃ apāpuṇi’’nti. (dī. ni. aṭṭha. 2.373);“And after I had thought on this, And wisely then applied insight, When the sun rose and shone on me, I had become an Arahant” (M-a I 233).
Aññataropi mahāthero bāḷhagilāno sahatthā āhārampi paribhuñjituṃ asakkonto138. Also there was a certain senior elder who was very ill and unable to eat with his own hand.
sake muttakarīse palipanno samparivattati,He was writhing smeared with his own urine and excrement.
taṃ disvā aññataro daharo ‘‘aho dukkhā jīvitasaṅkhārā’’ti āha.Seeing him, a certain young bhikkhu said, “Oh, what a painful process life is!”
Tamenaṃ mahāthero āha – ‘‘ahaṃ, āvuso, idāni miyyamāno saggasampattiṃ labhissāmi, natthi me ettha saṃsayo,The senior elder told him: “If I were to die now, friend, I should obtain the bliss of heaven; I have no doubt of that.
imaṃ pana sīlaṃ bhinditvā laddhasampatti nāma sikkhaṃ paccakkhāya paṭiladdhagihibhāvasadisī’’ti vatvāBut the bliss obtained by breaking this virtue would be like the lay state obtained by disavowing the training,”
‘‘sīleneva saddhiṃ marissāmī’’ti tattheva nipanno tameva rogaṃ sammasanto arahattaṃ patvā bhikkhusaṅghassa imāhi gāthāhi byākāsi –and he added: “I shall die together with my virtue.” As he lay there, he comprehended that same illness [with insight], and he reached Arahantship. Having done so, he pronounced these verses to the Order of Bhikkhus:
‘‘Phuṭṭhassa me aññatarena byādhinā, Rogena bāḷhaṃ dukhitassa ruppato; Parisussati khippamidaṃ kaḷevaraṃ, Pupphaṃ yathā paṃsuni ātape kataṃ.“I am victim of a sickening disease That racks me with its burden of cruel pain; As flowers in the dust burnt by the sun, So this my corpse will soon have withered up.
‘‘Ajaññaṃ jaññasaṅkhātaṃ, asuciṃ sucisammataṃ; Nānākuṇapaparipūraṃ, jaññarūpaṃ apassato.“Unbeautiful called beautiful, Unclean while reckoned as if clean, Though full of ordure seeming fair To him that cannot see it clear.
‘‘Dhiratthu maṃ āturaṃ pūtikāyaṃ, duggandhiyaṃ asuci byādhidhammaṃ; Yatthappamattā adhimucchitā pajā, hāpenti maggaṃ sugatūpapattiyā’’ti.“So out upon this ailing rotting body, Fetid and filthy, punished with affliction, Doting on which this silly generation Has lost the way to be reborn in heaven!” (J-a II 437)
Arahantādīnaṃ pana sīlaṃ sabbadarathappaṭippassaddhiyā parisuddhattā paṭippassaddhipārisuddhīti veditabbaṃ.139. (e) It is the virtue of the Arahants, etc., that should be understood as tranquillized purification, because of tranquillization of all disturbance and because of purifiedness.
Evaṃ pariyantapārisuddhiādivasena pañcavidhaṃ.So it is of five kinds as “consisting in limited purification,” and so on.