AB-KV-Ch4

Tipitaka >> Abhidhamma Pitaka >> Kathavatthu >> ‘’’Kathavatthu Ch4’’’

Pali Versions : Pali English Version and Pali Devanagri Version =Kathavatthu Chapter4=

267.

The Layman's Fetters

157

1. As to whether a Layman may he Arahant.

Controverted Point. — That a layman may be Arahant.

From the Commentary. — This concerns the belief of those who, like the Uttarapathakas, seeing that Yasa, the clansman’s son, and others attained Arahantship while living amid the circumstances of secular life, judge that a layman might be an Arahant. Now the mea nin g' in the Theravadin’s question refers to the spiritual 1 fetters ’ by which a layman is bound. But the opponent answers ‘ yes,’ because he sees only the outward characteristics. Now a layman is such by the spiritual fetter, and not merely by the outward trappings, even as the Exalted One said :

1 Though he be finely clad, if he fare rightly,

At peace and tamed, by right law nobly living,

Be f rain from scathe and harm to every creature ; —

Noble is he, recluse is he and bhUthhu ! ’ 1

[1] Th. — You say the layman may be Arahant. But you imply therewith that the Arahant has the layman’s fetters. ‘ No,’ you say, ‘ they do not exist for him.’ Then how can a layman be Arahant ? [2] Now for the Arahant the lay-fetters are put away, cut off at the root, made as the stump of a palm tree, incapable of renewed life or of coming again to birth. Gan you say that of a layman ?

[8] You admit that there was never a layman who, [as such] without putting away his lay-fetters, made an end in this very life of all sorrow. [4] Is there not a Suttanta in which the Wanderer Vacehagotta addressed the Exalted One thus : ‘ Is there now, 0 Gotama, any layman who,

1 Dhammapada, ver. 142. ( Layman ’ is-iMerally house- r, house-

holder (gi hi).

158

Can a Layman be Arahant ?

IV. 2.

without having put away the layman’’ s fetters, makes at death an end of 111 V [And to whom the Exalted One said :] e Nay, Vacchagotta, there is none ’ ? 1

[5] Again, in affirming your proposition, you imply that an Arahant may carry on sexual relations, may suffer such matters to come into his life, may indulge in a home 2 encumbered with children, 2 may seek to enjoy sandalwood preparations of Kasi, may wear wreaths, use perfumes and ointments, may accept gold and silver, may acquire goats and sheep, poultry and pigs, elephants, cattle, horses and mares, partridges, quails, peacocks and pheasants, 3 may wear an attractively swathed head-dress, 4 * may wear white garments with long skirts, may he a house-dweller all his life — which of course you deny.

[6] XJ. — Then, if my proposition be wrong, how is it that Yasa of the clans, Uttiya the householder, Setu the Brahmin youth, attained Arahantship in all the circum- stances of life in the laity? 6

2. Of [Arahantship as conferred by\ Rebirth [ alone ].

Controverted Point. — That one may become Arahant at the moment of rebirth.

From the Commentary.— This question is raised to elicit an opinion of the Uttarapathakas. They namely had come to the conclusion that at the very outset of reborn consciousness, one might be an Arahant, they having either carelessly applied the Word, ‘ becomes born vnthout parentage in the higher heavens and there completes existence ,’ 6 or,

1 Majj hima-Nik. , i. 483.

2 Literally couch. With this and the next four clauses, cf. Milinda, ii. 57, 244 of the translation. Also above, p. 112 f.

3 Kapinjala, -jar a, we have not met with elsewhere. It may mean ‘ dove.’

4 Read citta-, as in footnote, PTS.

6 The inference is that the layman, under exceptional circum- stances, may attain Arahantship, but to keep it, must give up the world.

6 Digha-Nihdya, iii. 132 and elsewhere.

268-71.

The Infant and the Arahant

159

converting the word ‘upahacca 5 into ‘ u p p a j j a,’ and changing the meaning, ‘completed existence during the second half of the term,' 1 into ‘ completed existence on being reborn.'

[1, 2] Th. — You affirm this proposition ; yet you deny that one can become at birth either a Stream -Winner, Once-Beturner, or Never-Keturner.

[3] And you can name none — not even the greatest — who were Arahants from the time of birth — Sariputfca, or the G-reat Theras : Moggallana, Ivassapa, Kaccayana, Kotthika or Panthaka. [4] You deny it in fact of all of them.

[5, 6] Consider our consciousness at rebirth : it arises because rebirth has been desired. 1 2 Now such a mind is worldly, co- intoxicant. . . 3 corrupt. Can it realize Arahantship ? Is it of the kind that is called forthleading, 4 5 that goes toward extinction, 5 enlightenment, disaceumula- ting, 4 is free from intoxicants. . . and corruptions ? Can one by it put away lust, and hate, delusion. . . indiscretion? Is it the Ariyan Path, the applications of mindfulness and the rest of the thirty-seven factors of enlightenment ? Can it understand 111, put away its cause, realize its cessation, develop the path thereto? All this you, of course, must deny.

[6a] Or is the last act of consciousness at death the realization of the Topmost Path (of Arahantship) and the ensuing act of consciousness at rebirth the Fruit of that Path (or full realization of Arahantship) ? You deny again. Then your proposition is proved false.

1 8agy%dta-Nik., v. 201, etc. ; Anguttara-Nik., i. 283, 1, etc. ‘Completes (-ed) existence’ is parinibbayi, have become com- pletely extinct, passed utterly away — a climax only effected by an Arahant.

2 Literally, ‘ Does one by a rebirth-seeking consciousness realize,’ etc.

3 For these elisions, not ours, in the text, see above III. 3, § 7.

1 See p. 148, n. 5.

5 KhayagamI, either of lust, hate, delusion ( Sayyutta-Nik ., iv., 251, or of the conditions of rebirth).

160

An Arahant is very Human

IV. 3.

3. Of the Arahant' s Common Humanity.

Controverted Point. — That all that belongs to the Arahant is devoid of intoxicants.

From the Commentary, — It is an opinion of the TJttarapathakas that everything about or belonging to an Arahant, he being devoid of intoxicants, 1 is free from these.

[1] Th. — The things devoid of intoxicants are the Four Paths, the Four Fruits, Nibbana, and the [thirty -seven] factors of enlightenment; but these do not constitute every- thing belonging to an Arahant. [2] His five sense-organs, for instance, you do not call free from intoxicants 2 — hence your proposition falls through.

[3] His body, again, is destined to be seized and coerced, 3 cut off and broken up, and shared by crows, vultures, and kites — is anything ‘free from intoxicants’ to be so described ?

[4] Into his body poison may get, and fire and the knife — is anything ‘ free from intoxicants ’ to be so described ?

His body may get bound by captivity, 4 by ropes, by chains, may be interned in a village, town, city, or pro- vince, may be imprisoned by the fourfold bondage, the fifth being strangling 5 — is anything ‘free from intoxicants’ liable to this ?

[5] Moreover, if an Arahant give his robe to a man of the world, does that which was free from intoxicants thereby become co-intoxicant? You may admit this in general terms, but do you admit that that which is free from intoxicants may also be the opposite? If you say ‘ yes,’ then, by the analogy of the robe,'; anything else about the Arahant — his religious characters: Path,

1 The Asavas or cardinal vices were in the Abhidhamma reckoned as four : sensuality, rebirth (lust after), erroneous opinion, ignorance.

2 ‘Co-intoxicant 5 is an essential of r up a, or material quality.

3 Paggaha-niggahupago, 1 liable to be raised, lowered.’

i Addubandhanena.

5 For kanha read k ant ha. See I. 6, § 48.

273-74.

In Touch with the World

161

Fruit, etc. — having been free from intoxicants, may become co-intoxicant. [6] The analogy may also be based on the gift of food, lodging, or medicine.

[7] Or, conversely, if a man of the world give a robe or

[8] other requisite to an Arahant, does that which is co- intoxicant become thereby the opposite ? Does that which has been co-intoxicant become free from intoxicants — lust, for instance, hate, delusion. . . indiscretion [such as beset and characterize the man of the world] ?

[9] XJ. — You condemn my proposition. But is not the Arahant free from intoxicants ? If he is, then I say that everything connected with him is so.

4. Of [the Retaining of Distinctive] Endowments.

Controverted Point. — That one who realizes a fruition re- tains the attributes thereof after realizing a higher fruition.

From the Commentary. — There are two kinds of spiritual acquisi- tions, namely, acquisition at the present moment and acquisition accruing at rebirth hereafter. But some, like the Uttarapathakas, believe that there is one other, namely, the holding of past acquire- ments as a permanent acquisition 1 in some Bupa or Ariipa heaven. The latter kind is retained as long as the Jhanie achievement has not .spent its force.’ The Theravadin view is that there is no'such quality, but that all personal endowments are only held, as distinct acquisitions, .until they are cancelled by other acquisitions.

[1, 2] Th. — You say, in fact, that an. Arahant is endowed with all the Four Fruits, a Never-Beturner with three, a 'Once-Returner with two. Then you must also admit that .an Arahant is endowed with four contacts, four feelings, four perceptions, four volitions, four thoughts, four faiths, •energies, mindfulnesses, concentrations, understandings ;

1 Pattidhammo. An Arahant is the resultant of his earlier ■spiritual victories, but these are transcended and cancelled by subse- quent attainments. Nothing is permanent. Spiritual growth is analogous to physical growth. The heterodox view is that of a •.transference of something persisting. Cf. with this discourse, IV. 9.

T.S. V. 11

162

Of Attainments in Growth

IY. 4.

the Never- Returner with three of each, the Once-Returner with two of each — which you must deny. 1

[3] Again, if an Arahant is endowed with the first fruition, the second, and the third, he must be one of whom the characteristics of all three classes of the first, of the second, and of all five classes of the third stages are true. 2 Then he would be rightly described as in one and all at the same time — which is absurd. [4] The same argument holds for those who have realized the Third and the Second Fruit.

[5] Again, you admit that one who is endowed with the Fruit of Stream-Winning is rightly called ‘ Stream- Winner.’ But is the same person both Stream- Winner and Arahant ? Similarly for the two other fruitions. [6] Simi- larly, is the same person both Never-Returner and Stream- Winner, or both Once-Returner and Never-Returner ? 3

[7] Would you not admit that the Arahant had evolved past 4 the Fruit of the First Path? Yes, you say; then you cannot maintain your proposition ;

[7-18] Because, if you are to maintain consistently that the Arahant is yet endowed with that Path and that Fruit out of and past which he has evolved, you must further ascribe to him all those corruptions out of which the Stream- Winner evolves— which is absurd. Similarly for the other Paths and Fruits. And similarly for the Never-Returner and the Once-Returner.

[19-21] U. — But if it be wrong to say that an Arahant is endowed with four Fruits, not one, a Never-Returner with three, not one, a Once-Returner with two, not one, do you deny that the Arahant has acquired four Fruits and has not fallen away from them, the Never-Returner three, and so on ? You do not deny this. Hence it is right to say : They * are endowed with ’ four, three, two Fruits.

1 The ‘ Fruit 5 or fruition is one psychic act, in which the whole being is engaged. This act 1 informs ’ the next, etc., but does not itself persist.

2 See pp. 77, 78. 3 A clause omitted in the PTS edition.

4 Yitivatto, vi-ati-vatto, away-beyond-turned; ‘ in-tr a ns- volved’ for ‘ e-volved,’ our ‘in ’ having, like vi, a double import. Cf. with this argument, III. 4.

279-80.

Sense Impressions as Successive

168

[22-4] Th. — I grant they have acquired them, and have not fallen away from them. But I say that, if you affirm that they are endowed with the Fruits, you must no less affirm a fortiori that they are endowed with the respective Paths. [But by pushing the argument a step further, we have seen that you were landed in the absurdity of ascribing corruptions to saints.]

5. Of tic Arahant' s Indifference in Sense-Cognition.

Controverted Point. — That an Arahant is endowed with six indifferences.

From the Commentary. — The Arahant is said to be able to call up indifference with respect to each of the six gates of sense-knowledge. But he is not in a state of calling up indifference with respect to all six at the same moment. 1

[1] Th. — In affirming this proposition, you imply that the Arahant experiences [simultaneously] six contacts [between sense-organ (and sense-mind) and their objects] , six feelings, perceptions, volitions,. . . insights — which you deny ; that [2] he is using his five senses and mental co- ordination at [the same instant] ; that [8] he, being con- tinually, constantly, uninterruptedly in possession of, and made intent with six indifferences, six indifferences are present to him 2 — both of which you deny.

[4] Opponent. — Yet you admit that an Arahant is gifted with sixfold indifference. 3 Is this not admitting my propo- sition ?

1 In TheravSda, sensations, however swift in succession, are never simultaneous.

2 Literally, 1 recur to him 5 (paccupatthita).

3 Chalupekkho, a phrase we have not yet traced in the Pitakas. The six, however, are mentioned in Dlgha-Nik., iii. 245; Majjhima- Nik iii. 219.

164

Of ‘ Enlightened ’ and ‘ Enlightenment ’

IV. 6

6. Of becoming ‘The Enlightened ’ ( Buddha ) through Enlightenment ( bodhi ).

Controverted Point. — That through Enlightenment one becomes ‘ The Enlightened.’ 1

into the Pour Paths ; (2) insight into all things, or the omniscience of a Buddha. And some, like the Uttarapathabas at present, [do not dis- tinguish, but] hold that, as a thing is called white by white-coloured surface, black by black-coloured surface, so a person is called ‘ Buddha ’ because of this or that aspect of b 6 d h i. 2
 * From the Commentary. — B6dhi is an equivalent for (1) insight

[1] Th. — If it is in virtue of ‘ enlightenment ’ that one becomes ‘ The Enlightened,’ then it follows that, in virtue of the cessation, suspension, subsidence of enlightenment, he ceases to be The Enlightened — this you deny, but you imply it.

[2] Or is one The Enlightened only in virtue of past en- lightenment ? Of course you deny this 3 — [then my previous point holds]. If ‘you assent, do you mean that one who is The Enlightened exercises the work of enlightenment by that past enlightenment only ? If you assent, you imply that he understands 111, puts away its cause, realizes its cessa- tion, develops the Eightfold Path thereto, by that jmst enlightenment — which is absurd.

1 It is difficult for those who are not readers of Pali to follow the intentional ambiguity of the terms in the argument. To the noun bodhi corresponds the deponent verb bujjhati, to awake, to be enlightened, to be wise, to know. And buddho is the past par- ticiple, One who is buddho is graduating, or has graduated in the Fourfold Path. If he become samma sambuddho, supremely and continually (or generally) enlightened, orsabbannu-buddho, omnisciently enlightened, he is then a world-Buddha, saviour of men. To keep this double sense in view, we have not used ‘ Buddha ’ for this latter meaning.

2 Here (1) and (2) are applied indiscriminately to one and the same person ; again, there is still a sect in Burma who identify the Buddha with bodhi itself, ignoring his distinctive personality. The Thera- vadin takes account of both views.

3 ‘ Because of the absence now of that past moment [of enlighten- ment.’]— Corny.

2S2-S. The Double Meaning of ‘Bodin'* 165'

[8] Substitute for ‘past,’ ‘ future’ enlightenment, and the same argument applies.

[4] Let us assume that one is called The Enlightened through present enlightenment : if you assert that he exercises the work of enlightenment through present en- lightenment, you must also affirm [by analogy] that if he is called The Enlightened through past, or [5] through future enlightenment, it is by that that he understands 111, puts away its cause, and so on — which you deny.

[6] For if an enlightened person, so-called in virtue of past, or [7] of future enlightenment, does not exercise the work of enlightenment, through one or the other respec- tively, then [by analogy] one who is enlightened by present enlightenment does not exercise enlightenment through that present enlightenment — which is absurd.

[8] Do you then affirm that one is called The Enlightened through past, present, and future enlightenment? 1 Then are there three enlightenments-? If you deny, your affirma- tion [by the foregoing] cannot stand. If you assent,, you imply that he, being continually, constantly, uninter- ruptedly gifted with and intent through three enlighten- ments, these three are simultaneously present to him — which you of course deny. 2

[9] U. — But surely one who is called The Enlightened, is one who has acquired enlightenment ? How is. my pro- position wrong? 3

[10] Th. — You assume that one is called The Enlightened from having acquired enlightenment, or by enlightenment —is enlightenment the same as the acquiring of enlighten- ment ? 4

1 1 This is assented to as being the proper thing to say.’ — Corny.

2 Gf. IV. 5, § 3.

3 In that it would mean: a Buddha, in the absence of Bodhi, would no longer be a Buddha, a distinct personality. The person is merged in the concept of B 6 dhi. — Gf. Corny.

i The opponent denying, the argument finishes according to. the stereotyped procedure.

166

Of One gifted -with the Marks

IV. 7.

7. Of One gifted ivith the Marks.

Controverted Point. — That one who is gifted with the Marks is a Bodhisat.

From the Commentary.— This and the two following discourses are about Uttarapathaka views. This one deals with a belief derived from a careless interpretation of the Sntta : ‘ for one endowed as a superman there are two careers.’ 1

[1] Th.~Bj your proposition you must also admit [cl fortiori ] (a) that anyone who is gifted with the Marks to a limited extent, 2 with one-third, or one-half of them, is a limited, one-third, or half Bodhisat, respectively — which you deny.

[2] And (h) that a universal emperor 3 — who is also gifted with the Marks — is a Bodhisat, and that the previous study and conduct, declaring and teaching the Norm 4 in the Bodhisat’s career, are the*same as those in the uni- versal emperor’s career ; that (c) when a universal emperor is born, devas receive him first, and then humans, as they do the new-born Bodhisat ; [B] that (d) four sons of the devas receiving the new-born imperial babe place it before the mother, saying: ‘Rejoice, 0 queen! to thee is born a mighty son !’ even as they do for the new-born Bodhisat ; that (e) two rain-showers, cold and warm, come from the sky, wherewith both babe and mother may be washed, even as happens at the birth of a Bodhisat ; [4] that (/) a new-born imperial babe, standing on even feet, and facing north, walks seven paces, a white canopy being held over him, and looking round on all sides speaks the trumpet 5 notes: ‘I am the foremost, I am chief, I am the highest in the world. This is my last birth ; now is there no more coming again to be !’ [6] that (g) there is manifested at

1 See below. On the thirty- two Marks and the Bodhisat — i.e., Bodhisatta, ‘ enlightenment-being,’ or one who in the same life becomes a Buddha, i.e., a Samma-sambuddha — see Dialogues, ii. 14 f.

2 Padesa. See above, III. 1, n. 8.

3 Literally, a Wheel-Turner, disposer of the symbol of empire. Dialogues, ii. 11 f.


 * Gf. above, III. 1, § 1. 5 Literally, bull-speech.

285—86. Bodhisat and World-Emperor 167

the birth of the one as of the other a mighty light, a mighty radiance, a mighty earthquake ; that ( h ) the natural body of the one as of the other lights up a fathom’s space around it ; that (?') one and the other see a great dream 1 — all of which you deny.

[6] U. — But if you reject my proposition, tell me : is there not a Suttanta in which the Exalted One said : Superman, two careers lie open, and none other. If he live the life of the house, he becomes Lord of the Wheel, a righteous Lord of the Right, Rider of the four quarters, conqueror, guardian of the people's good, owner of the Seven Treasures ; his do those seven treasures become, to wit, the Wheel treasure, the Elephant, the Horse, the J excel, the Woman, the Steward, the Heir Apparent. More than a thousand sons are his, heroes, vigorous of frame, crushers of the hosts of the enemy. He, when he has conquered this earth to ' its ocean bounds, is established not by the scoxirge, not by the sword, but by righteousness. But if he go forth from his home to the home- less, he becomes an Arahant Buddha Supreme, rolling back the veil from the world ’ ? 2
 * BMkkhus, to one endowed with the thirty-two marks of a

Is not therefore my proposition true ?

8. Of entering on the Path of Assurance.

Controverted Point. — That the Bodhisat had entered on the Path of Assurance and conformed to the life therein during the dispensation 3 of Kassapa Buddha. 4 5

From the Commentary. — This discourse deals witli a belief, shared by the Andhakas, 6 with reference to the account in the GhatTkara Sutta of Jotipala joining the Order, 6 that [our] Bodhisat had entered the

1 On the five ‘ great dreams ’ see Anguttara-Nik, iii. 240 f.

2 Digha-Nik., iii. p. 145. Of. Dialogues, ii. 13.

3 Literally, teaching or doctrine (pavacan a).

4 This'was the Buddha next before 4 our ’ Buddha. See Dialogues , ii., p. 6. On 4 Assurance/ see Y. 4, and Appendix : 1 Assurance.’

5 See preceding extract.

6 Majjhima-Nik., ii. p. 46 f. Jotipala was a Brahmin youth who,

168 Of the Path of Assurance IV. 8.

Path of Assurance under Kassapa Buddha. Now Assurance (n i y a m a) and the 1 higher life therein ’ (brahmacariya) are equivalents for the Ariyan [Fourfold] Path. And there is no other entering upon that Path for Bodhisats save when they are fulfilling the Perfections ; 1 other- wise our Bodhisat would have been a disciple when Stream-Winner, etc. The Buddhas prophesy ‘ he will become a Buddha ’ (as Ivassapa is said to have prophesied concerning Gotama Buddha, then alive as this Jotipala) simply by the might of their insight.

[1] Th. — II bo, [our] Bodhisat must have been a disciple — i.e., one in the Ariyan Way — of Kassapa Buddha. You deny. For if you assent, you must admit that he became Buddha after his career as disciple. Moreover, a ‘ disciple ’ is one who learns through information from others, while a Buddha is self-developed. 2

[2] Further, if the Bodhisat became Kassapa’s disciple, [entering on the first Path and Fruit], it follows that there were only three .stages of fruition for him to know thoroughly when under the Bodhi Tree. But we believe that all four were then realized. 3

[3] Further, would one who had entered on the Path of Assurance [as a disciple] have undergone the austerities practised by the Bodhisat [in his own last life] ? And would such an one point to others as his teachers and practise their austerities, as did the Bodhisat in his last life ? 4

[4] Do we learn that, as the Venerable Ananda, and the householder Citta and Hatthaka the Alavakan entered into Assurance and lived its higher life as disciples under the Exalted One, so the Exalted One himself, as Bodhisat, acted under Kassapa Buddha ? You deny, of course.

[5] If they did so enter, under the Exalted One, as his disciples, you cannot affirm that the Bodhisat entered on the Path of Assurance, and lived its higher life under KaBsapa Buddha without being his disciple. Or can a

against his will, was brought by Ghatikara, the potter, to hear Kas- sapa Buddha, and became a bhikkhu. Gotama Buddha affirmed that Jotipala was a former impersonation of himself.

1 Cf. Buddhist Birth Stories, p. 18 f. 2 S ayam-bhu.

3 Op. cit, 109. 4 Majjhima-Nik., i. 80, 245.

288-90. Appeals to Authority 1 60*

disciple who has evolved past one birth become a non- disciple afterwards ? You deny, of course.

[6] A. U. — But if our proposition is wrong, is there not a Suttanta in which the Exalted One said : ‘ Under the Exalted One Kassapa, Anew da, I lived the higher life for supreme enlightenment in the future ’ ? 1

[7] Th. — But is there not a Suttanta in which the Exalted One said :

£ All have I overcome. All things I know,

’ Mid all things undefiled. Renouncing all,

In death of craving wholly free. My oivn The deeper view. Whom should I name to thee For me no teacher lives. I stand alone On earth, in heav’n rived to me there’s none.

Yea, I am Ardhant as to this world,

A Teacher I above whom there is none.

Supreme enlightenment is mine alone.

In holy Coolness I, all fires extinct.

Now go I on seeking Benares town ,

To start the Wheel, to set on foot the Norm.

Amid a world in gloom and very blind,

I strike the alarm upon Ambrosia’s Drum ’ ?

‘ According to what time declarest, brother, thou art indeed Ardhant, [“worthy” to be ] 2 conqueror world without end.’

‘ Like unto me indeed are conquerors Who every poisonous canker have cast out.

Conquered by me is every evil thing,

And therefore am 1 conqueror, Updka ’ ? 3

[8] And is there not a Suttanta in which the Exalted One said : “ 0 bhikkhus, it was concerning things unlearnt before that vision, insight, understanding, wisdom, light arose in me at the thought of the Ariyan Truth of the nature and

1 We cannot trace this, but cf. M ajj him a-Ni h., ii., p. 54 ; Buddha- vaysa, xxv. 10.

2 B r. and PTS editions read araha ’s i; Majjhima-Nik. (Trenhkner) has araha si.

3 Vmaya Texts, i. 91 ; Majjhima-Nik., i. 171; Pss. Sisters, 129.

about Endowment

IV. 9.

'fact of III, ana that thin Truth was to be understood, and, was understood by me. It teas concerning things unlearnt before that vision, insight, understanding, wisdom, light arose in me at the thought of the Ariyan Truth as to the Cause of III, and that this Truth was concerning something to be put away, and was -put away by me. It was concerning things unlearnt before that vision, insight, understanding, wisdom, light arose in me at the thought of the Ariyan Truth as to the Cessation of III, and that this Truth was concerning something to be realized, and was realized by me. It was concerning things unlearnt before that vision, insight, understanding, wisdom, light arose in me at the thought of the Ariyan Truth as to the Course leading to the cessation of III, and that this truth was to be developed, ancl teas developed by me ’ C

How then can you say that the Bodhisat entered on the Path of Assurance and lived the higher life thereof [as far back as] the age of Kassapa Buddha ?

9. More about Endowment. 2

Controverted Point. — That a person who is practising in order to realize Arahantship possesses [as a persistent distinct endowment] the preceding three fruitions.

From the Commentary. — This discourse deals with the belief, shared • by the Andhakas, 3 that a person as described holds the three Fruitions as an acquired quality (p a tt a- dh a mm a- v a s e n a). It is to be understood as like that on ‘ the four Fruits/

[1] Tli. — You. say, in fact, that such a person is endowed with, or possesses four contacts, four feelings, four percep- tions, volitions, thoughts, four faiths, energies, mindful- nesses, concentrations, understandings 4 — which cannot be.

[2] Bo you make an analogous assertion as to one who is practising for the Third or Second Paths ? An analo-

1 Sayyutta-N'Lk., v. 422.

2 This discourse is practically the same as IV. 4.

3 See Commentary on IY. 7.

4 The live spiritual-sense controls. See above, p. 148, n. 1.

292-8. The Lower is merged in the Hif§||g 171

gous paradox will apply in that case ; and yon must [3, 4] be able to describe such persons in terms of lower stages, e.g. one practising for the topmost stage in terms of one who has only got to the first— which is anomalous. 1

[5] But can a person who is a proximate candidate for Arahantship be described in terms of a Stream- Winner ? Can he he both at the same time ? Even if he be a Never- Returner, is he rightly so described when he is in process of becoming Arahant? 2 [6] Similarly for a candidate for the Third and Second Fruitions.

[7] Would you not rather maintain that a person prac- tising in order to realize Arahantship had evolved past 3 the fruition of Stream-Winning?

[8] Or do you maintain that one so evolved was still holding that first Fruit [as a distinctive quality] ? For then you must also hold that he also remains possessed of those evil qualities which as Stream-Winner he has evolved out of — which is absurd.

[9-18] A similar argument applies to a proximater candi- date for Arahantship (Fourth Fruit) and the Second Path and Fruit ; to such a candidate and the Third Path and Fruit ; to a proximate candidate for the Third Fruit and the First and Second Paths and Fruits; and to a proximate candidate for the Second Fruit, and the First Path and Fruit.

[19] U. A. — If our proposition is wrong, surely you would nevertheless say that a person who is a proximate candi- date for realizing Arahantship had both won the preceding three Fruits, and had not fallen away from them ?

Th. — Yes, that is true.

U. A. — Surely then he is still possessed of them. [20-21] And so for candidates in the Third, Second and First Paths.

[22] Th. — Assuming that he is still possessed of the three Fruits, do you also admit that, having attained to all four Paths, he is still possessed of all the Paths? Of course you do not ; [ there at least you see my point]

1 Cf. above, I. 2, I. 6, and subsequently.

2 I.e., in the Fourth Path, striving to realize its Fruit.

3 See IY. 4, 8.

U172 • Of putting of the Fetters IV. 10.

[23, 24], neither do you admit a similar possession in other candidates.

10. Of putting off the Fetters.

Controverted Point. — That the putting off of all the Fetters is Arahantship.

From the Commentary. — This is an opinion of the Andhakas — namely, that Arahantship means the [simultaneous], unlimited putting off of all the fetters. 1

[1] Th. — By your proposition you must admit that all the Fetters are put off by the Path of Arahantship (the Fourth) — which is not correct, you allow. The proximate candidate for the Fruit of that Path is not occupied in again getting rid of the theory of individuality, doubt, or the infection of mere rule and ritual, already rejected in the First Path. Nor [2] in getting rid of the grosser sensuality and enmity conquered already in the Second Path ; nor [3] of the residual sensuality put away without remainder in the Third Path. [4] Was not his work pronounced by the Exalted One to be the putting off without remainder of lust for corporeal, and for incorporeal rebirth, conceit, distraction and ignorance? 2

[5] A. — But if my proposition is wrong, do you not nevertheless admit that for an Arahant all Fetters are put off ? Surely then I may say that Arahantship is a putting off all the Fetters ?

1 These were ten vicious states or qualities, to be put away gradually by progress in the ‘ four paths,’ and not all at' once. See Compen- dium, 172 f. ; Bud. Psy. Eth., pp. 297-303. In the thesis there is no copula, much less an emphatic one. But the two substantival clauses are in apposition as equivalents.

2 Dialogues, ii. 98 f.