21 (1) Respects
“Bhikkhus, in three respects the people of Uttarakuru surpass the Tāvatiṃsa devas and the people of Jambudīpa.1884 What three? (1) They are without selfishness and possessiveness; (2) their life span is fixed; and (3) their living conditions are exceptional.1885 In these three respects the people of Uttarakuru surpass the Tāvatiṃsa devas and the people of Jambudīpa.
“In three respects the Tāvatiṃsa devas surpass the people of Uttarakuru and the people of Jambudīpa. What three? (4) In celestial life span, (5) in celestial beauty, and (5) in celestial happiness. In these three respects the Tāvatiṃsa devas surpass the people of Uttarakuru and the people of Jambudīpa.
“In three respects the people of Jambudīpa surpass the people of Uttarakuru and the Tāvatiṃsa devas. What three? (7) They are heroes; (8) they are mindful; and (9) there is the living of the spiritual life here. In these three respects the people of Jambudīpa surpass the people of Uttarakuru and the Tāvatiṃsa devas.” [397]
22 (2) Wild Colts
“Bhikkhus, I will teach you the three kinds of wild colts and the three kinds of persons who are like wild colts; the three kinds of good horses and the three kinds of persons who are like good horses; the three kinds of excellent thoroughbred horses and the three kinds of excellent thoroughbred persons.1886 Listen and attend closely. I will speak.”
“Yes, Bhante,” those bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:
“And what, bhikkhus, are the three kinds of wild colts? (1) Here, one kind of wild colt possesses speed but not beauty or the right proportions. (2) Another kind of wild colt possesses speed and beauty but not the right proportions. (3) And still another kind of wild colt possesses speed, beauty, and the right proportions. These are the three kinds of wild colts.
“And what, bhikkhus, are the three kinds of persons who are like wild colts? (1) Here, one kind of person who is like a wild colt possesses speed but not beauty or the right proportions. (2) Another kind of person who is like a wild colt possesses speed and beauty but not the right proportions. (3) And still another kind of person who is like a wild colt possesses speed, beauty, and the right proportions.
(1) “And how, bhikkhus, does a person who is like a wild colt possess speed but not beauty or the right proportions? Here, a bhikkhu understands as it really is: ‘This is suffering,’ and ‘This is the origin of suffering,’ and ‘This is the cessation of suffering,’ and ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ [398] This, I say, is his speed. But when asked a question pertaining to the Dhamma or the discipline, he falters and does not answer. This, I say, is his lack of beauty. And he does not gain robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and provisions for the sick. This, I say, is his lack of the right proportions. In this way a person who is like a wild colt possesses speed but not beauty or the right proportions.
(2) “And how does a person who is like a wild colt possess speed and beauty but not the right proportions? Here, a bhikkhu understands as it really is: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ This, I say, is his speed. And when asked a question pertaining to the Dhamma or the discipline, he answers and does not falter. This, I say, is his beauty. But he does not gain robes … and provisions for the sick. This, I say, is his lack of the right proportions. In this way a person who is like a wild colt possesses speed and beauty but not the right proportions.
(3) “And how does a person who is like a wild colt possess speed, beauty, and the right proportions? Here, a bhikkhu understands as it really is: ‘This is suffering’ … ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ This, I say, is his speed. And when asked a question pertaining to the Dhamma or the discipline, he answers and does not falter. This, I say, is his beauty. [399] And he gains robes … and provisions for the sick. This, I say, is his right proportions. In this way a person who is like a wild colt possesses speed, beauty, and the right proportions. These are the three kinds of persons who are like wild colts.
“And what, bhikkhus, are the three kinds of good horses? (4)–(6) Here, one kind of good horse … [as above for the wild colts] … possesses speed, beauty, and the right proportions. These are the three kinds of good horses.1887
“And what, bhikkhus, are the three kinds of persons who are like good horses? (4)–(6) Here, one person who is like a good horse … [as above for the persons who are like wild colts] … possesses speed, beauty, and the right proportions.
(4)–(6) “And how, bhikkhus, does a person who is like a good horse … possess speed, beauty, and the right proportions? Here, with the utter destruction of the five lower fetters, a bhikkhu is one of spontaneous birth, due to attain final nibbāna there without ever returning from that world. This, I say, is his speed. And when asked a question pertaining to the Dhamma and the discipline, he answers and does not falter. This, I say, is his beauty. And he gains robes … and provisions for the sick. This, I say, is his right proportions. In this way a person who is like a good horse possesses speed, beauty, and the right proportions. These are the three kinds of persons that are like good horses.
“And what, bhikkhus, are the three kinds of excellent thoroughbred horses? (7)–(9) Here, one kind of excellent thoroughbred horse … [as above for the wild colts] … possesses speed, beauty, and the right proportions. [400] These are the three kinds of excellent thoroughbred horses.
“And what, bhikkhus, are the three kinds of excellent thoroughbred persons? (7)–(9) Here, one kind of excellent thoroughbred person … [as above for the persons who are like wild colts] … possesses speed, beauty, and the right proportions.
(7)–(9) “And how, bhikkhus, does an excellent thoroughbred person … possess speed, beauty, and the right proportions? Here, with the destruction of the taints, a bhikkhu has realized for himself with direct knowledge, in this very life, the taintless liberation of mind, liberation by wisdom, and having entered upon it, he dwells in it. This, I say, is his speed. And when asked a question pertaining to the Dhamma and the discipline, he answers and does not falter. This, I say, is his beauty. And he gains robes, almsfood, lodgings, and medicines and provisions for the sick. This, I say, is his right proportions. In this way an excellent thoroughbred person possesses speed, beauty, and the right proportions. These, bhikkhus, are the three kinds of excellent thoroughbred persons.”
23 (3) Craving
“I will teach you, bhikkhus, nine things rooted in craving.1888 Listen and attend closely. I will speak.”
“Yes, Bhante,” those bhikkhus replied. The Blessed One said this:
“And what are the nine things rooted in craving? (1) In dependence on craving there is seeking. (2) In dependence on seeking there is gain. (3) In dependence on gain there is judgment. (4) In dependence on judgment there is desire and lust. (5) In dependence on desire and lust there is attachment. (6) In dependence on attachment there is possessiveness. (7) In dependence on possessiveness there is miserliness. (8) In dependence on miserliness there is safeguarding. (9) With safeguarding as the foundation originate the taking up of rods [401] and weapons, quarrels, contentions, and disputes, accusations, divisive speech, and false speech, and many [other] bad unwholesome things. These are the nine things rooted in craving.”1889
24 (4) Beings
“Bhikkhus, there are these nine abodes of beings. What nine?1890
(1) “There are, bhikkhus, beings that are different in body and different in perception, such as humans, some devas, and some in the lower world. This is the first abode of beings.
(2) “There are beings that are different in body but identical in perception, such as the devas of Brahmā’s company that are reborn through the first [jhāna]. This is the second abode of beings.
(3) “There are beings that are identical in body but different in perception, such as the devas of streaming radiance. This is the third abode of beings.
(4) “There are beings that are identical in body and identical in perception, such as the devas of refulgent glory. This is the fourth abode of beings.
(5) “There are beings that are non-percipient, without experience, such as the devas that are non-percipient. This is the fifth abode of beings.
(6) “There are beings that, with the complete surmounting of perceptions of forms, with the passing away of perceptions of sensory impingement, with non-attention to perceptions of diversity, [perceiving] ‘space is infinite,’ belong to the base of the infinity of space. This is the sixth abode of beings.
(7) “There are beings that, by completely surmounting the base of the infinity of space, [perceiving] ‘consciousness is infinite,’ belong to the base of the infinity of consciousness. This is the seventh abode of beings.
(8) “There are beings that, by completely surmounting the base of the infinity of consciousness, [perceiving] ‘there is nothing,’ belong to the base of nothingness. This is the eighth abode of beings.
(9) “There are beings that, by completely surmounting the base of nothingness, belong to the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. This is the ninth abode of beings.
“These are the nine abodes of beings.” [402]
25 (5) Wisdom
“Bhikkhus, when the mind of a bhikkhu is well consolidated by wisdom, he is able to assert: ‘Destroyed is birth, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to any state of being.’
“And how is the mind of a bhikkhu well consolidated by wisdom? (1) His mind is well consolidated by wisdom [when he knows]: ‘My mind is without lust.’ (2) His mind is well consolidated by wisdom [when he knows]: ‘My mind is without hatred.’ (3) His mind is well consolidated by wisdom [when he knows]: ‘My mind is without delusion.’ (4) His mind is well consolidated by wisdom [when he knows]: ‘My mind is not subject to infatuation.’ (5) His mind is well consolidated by wisdom [when he knows]: ‘My mind is not subject to animosity.’ (6) His mind is well consolidated by wisdom [when he knows]: ‘My mind is not subject to confusion.’ (7) His mind is well consolidated by wisdom [when he knows]: ‘My mind is not subject to return to sense-sphere existence.’ (8) His mind is well consolidated by wisdom [when he knows]: ‘My mind is not subject to return to form-sphere existence.’ (9) His mind is well consolidated by wisdom [when he knows]: ‘My mind is not subject to return to formless-sphere existence.’
“When, bhikkhus, the mind of a bhikkhu is well consolidated by wisdom, he is able to assert: ‘Destroyed is birth, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to any state of being.’”
26 (6) The Stone Pillar
Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Venerable Sāriputta and the Venerable Candikāputta were dwelling at Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrel sanctuary. There the Venerable Candikāputta addressed the bhikkhus: “Friends, bhikkhus!”
“Friend!” those bhikkhus replied. The Venerable Candikāputta said this: “Friends, Devadatta teaches the Dhamma to the bhikkhus thus: ‘When, friends, a bhikkhu’s mind is consolidated by mind,1891 it is fitting for him to declare: [403] “I understand: Destroyed is birth, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to any state of being.”’”
Then the Venerable Sāriputta said to the Venerable Candikāputta: “Friend Candikāputta, it is not in such a way that Devadatta teaches the Dhamma to the bhikkhus. Rather, Devadatta teaches the Dhamma to the bhikkhus thus: ‘When, friends, a bhikkhu’s mind is well consolidated by mind,1892 it is fitting for him to declare: “I understand: Destroyed is birth, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to any state of being.”’”
A second time … A third time the Venerable Candikāputta addressed the bhikkhus: “Friends, Devadatta teaches the Dhamma to the bhikkhus thus: ‘When, friends, a bhikkhu’s mind is consolidated by mind, it is fitting for him to declare: “I understand: Destroyed is birth, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to any state of being.”’”
A third time the Venerable Sāriputta said to the Venerable Candikāputta: “Friend Candikāputta, it is not in such a way that Devadatta teaches the Dhamma to the bhikkhus. Rather, Devadatta teaches the Dhamma to the bhikkhus thus: ‘When, friends, a bhikkhu’s mind is well consolidated by mind, it is fitting for him to declare: “I understand: Destroyed is birth, the spiritual life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming back to any state of being.”’
“And how, friend, is the mind of a bhikkhu well consolidated by mind? [404] (1) His mind is well consolidated by mind [when he knows]: ‘My mind is without lust.’ (2) His mind is well consolidated by mind [when he knows]: ‘My mind is without hatred.’ (3) His mind is well consolidated by mind [when he knows]: ‘My mind is without delusion.’ (4) His mind is well consolidated by mind [when he knows]: ‘My mind is not subject to lust.’ (5) His mind is well consolidated by mind [when he knows]: ‘My mind is not subject to hatred.’ (6) His mind is well consolidated by mind [when he knows]: ‘My mind is not subject to delusion.’ (7) His mind is well consolidated by mind [when he knows]: ‘My mind is not subject to return to sense-sphere existence.’ (8) His mind is well consolidated by mind [when he knows]: ‘My mind is not subject to return to form-sphere existence.’ (9) His mind is well consolidated by mind [when he knows]: ‘My mind is not subject to return to formless-sphere existence.’1893
“When, friend, a bhikkhu is thus perfectly liberated in mind, even if powerful forms cognizable by the eye come into range of the eye, they do not obsess his mind; his mind is not at all affected.1894 It remains steady, attained to imperturbability, and he observes its vanishing. Even if powerful sounds cognizable by the ear come into range of the ear … Even if powerful odors cognizable by the nose come into range of the nose … Even if powerful tastes cognizable by the tongue come into range of the tongue … Even if powerful tactile objects cognizable by the body come into range of the body … Even if powerful phenomena cognizable by the mind come into range of the mind, they do not obsess his mind; his mind is not at all affected. It remains steady, attained to imperturbability, and he observes its vanishing.
“Suppose, friend, there was a stone pillar eight meters long.1895 Four meters would be below ground and four meters above ground. If a violent rainstorm should then arrive from the east, it would not shake it or make it quake, [405] wobble, and tremble;1896 if a violent rainstorm should then arrive from the west … from the north … from the south, it would not shake it or make it quake, wobble, and tremble. For what reason? Because the stone pillar is deep in the ground and is securely planted. So too, friend, when a bhikkhu is thus perfectly liberated in mind, even if powerful forms cognizable by the eye come into range of the eye … Even if powerful phenomena cognizable by the mind come into range of the mind, they do not obsess his mind; his mind is not at all affected. It remains steady, attained to imperturbability, and he observes its vanishing.”
27 (7) Enmity (1)
Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍika approached the Blessed One, paid homage to him, and sat down to one side. The Blessed One then said to him:
“Householder, when a noble disciple has eliminated five perils and enmities and possesses the four factors of stream-entry, he might, if he so wished, declare of himself: ‘I am one finished with hell, the animal realm, and the sphere of afflicted spirits; finished with the plane of misery, the bad destination, the lower world; I am a stream-enterer, no longer subject to [rebirth in] the lower world, fixed in destiny, heading for enlightenment.’1897 [406]
“What are the five perils and enmities that have been eliminated? (1) Householder, one who destroys life, with the destruction of life as condition, creates peril and enmity pertaining to the present life and peril and enmity pertaining to future lives1898 and he also experiences mental pain and dejection. One who abstains from the destruction of life does not create such peril and enmity pertaining to the present life or such peril and enmity pertaining to future lives nor does he experience mental pain and dejection. For one who abstains from the destruction of life, that peril and enmity has thus been eliminated.
(2) “One who takes what is not given … (3) who engages in sexual misconduct … (4) who speaks falsely … (5) who indulges in liquor, wine, and intoxicants, the basis for heedlessness, with indulgence in liquor, wine, and intoxicants as condition, creates peril and enmity pertaining to the present life and peril and enmity pertaining to future lives and he also experiences mental pain and dejection. One who abstains from liquor, wine, and intoxicants, the basis for heedlessness, does not create such peril and enmity pertaining to the present life or such peril and enmity pertaining to future lives nor does he experience mental pain and dejection. For one who abstains from liquor, wine, and intoxicants, the basis for heedlessness, that peril and enmity has thus been eliminated.
“These are the five perils and enmities that have been eliminated.
“And what are the four factors of stream-entry that he possesses? (6) Here, householder, a noble disciple possesses unwavering confidence in the Buddha thus: ‘The Blessed One is an arahant, perfectly enlightened, accomplished in true knowledge and conduct, fortunate, knower of the world, unsurpassed trainer of persons to be tamed, teacher of devas and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One.’ (7) He possesses unwavering confidence in the Dhamma thus: ‘The Dhamma is well expounded by the Blessed One, directly visible, immediate, inviting one to come and see, applicable, to be personally experienced by the wise.’ (8) He possesses unwavering confidence in the Saṅgha thus: ‘The Saṅgha of the Blessed One’s disciples is practicing the good way, practicing the straight way, [407] practicing the true way, practicing the proper way; that is, the four pairs of persons, the eight types of individuals—this Saṅgha of the Blessed One’s disciples is worthy of gifts, worthy of hospitality, worthy of offerings, worthy of reverential salutation, the unsurpassed field of merit for the world.’ (9) He possesses the virtuous behavior loved by the noble ones, unbroken, flawless, unblemished, unblotched, freeing, praised by the wise, ungrasped, leading to concentration. These are the four factors of stream-entry that he possesses.
“Householder, when a noble disciple has eliminated these five perils and enmities and possesses these four factors of stream-entry, he might, if he so wished, declare of himself: ‘I am one finished with hell, the animal realm, and the sphere of afflicted spirits; finished with the plane of misery, the bad destination, the lower world; I am a stream-enterer, no longer subject to [rebirth in] the lower world, fixed in destiny, heading for enlightenment.’”
[Identical with 9:27, but addressed by the Buddha to the bhikkhus.] [408]
29 (9) Resentment (1)
“Bhikkhus, there are these nine grounds for resentment. What nine? (1) [Thinking:] ‘He acted for my harm,’ one harbors resentment. (2) [Thinking:] ‘He is acting for my harm,’ one harbors resentment. (3) [Thinking:] ‘He will act for my harm,’ one harbors resentment. (4) [Thinking:] ‘He acted for the harm of one pleasing and agreeable to me,’ one harbors resentment. (5) [Thinking:] ‘He is acting for the harm of one pleasing and agreeable to me,’ one harbors resentment. (6) [Thinking:] ‘He will act for the harm of one pleasing and agreeable to me,’ one harbors resentment. (7) [Thinking:] ‘He acted for the benefit of one displeasing and disagreeable to me,’ one harbors resentment. (8) [Thinking:] ‘He is acting for the benefit of one displeasing and disagreeable to me,’ one harbors resentment. (9) [Thinking:] ‘He will act for the benefit of one displeasing and disagreeable to me,’ one harbors resentment. These, bhikkhus, are the nine grounds for resentment.”
30 (10) Resentment (2)
“Bhikkhus, there are these nine ways of removing resentment. What nine? (1) [Thinking:] ‘He acted for my harm, but what can be done about it?’1899 one removes resentment. (2) [Thinking:] ‘He is acting for my harm, but what can be done about it?’ one removes resentment. (3) [Thinking:] ‘He will act for my harm, but what can be done about it?’ one removes resentment. (4) [Thinking:] ‘He acted for the harm of one who is pleasing and agreeable to me, but what can be done about it?’ one removes resentment. (5) [Thinking:] ‘He is acting for the harm of one who is pleasing and agreeable to me, but what can be done about it?’ one removes resentment. [409] (6) [Thinking:] ‘He will act for the harm of one who is pleasing and agreeable to me, but what can be done about it?’ one removes resentment (7) [Thinking:] ‘He acted for the benefit of one who is displeasing and disagreeable to me, but what can be done about it?’ one removes resentment. (8) [Thinking:] ‘He is acting for the benefit of one who is displeasing and disagreeable to me, but what can be done about it?’ one removes resentment. (9) [Thinking:] ‘He will act for the benefit of one who is displeasing and disagreeable to me, but what can be done about it?’ one removes resentment. These, bhikkhus, are the nine ways of removing resentment.”
31 (11) Progressive Cessation
“Bhikkhus, there are these nine progressive cessations.1900 What nine? (1) For one who has attained the first jhāna, sensual perception has ceased. (2) For one who has attained the second jhāna, thought and examination have ceased. (3) For one who has attained the third jhāna, rapture has ceased. (4) For one who has attained the fourth jhāna, in-breathing and out-breathing have ceased. (5) For one who has attained the base of the infinity of space, the perception of form has ceased.1901 (6) For one who has attained the base of the infinity of consciousness, the perception pertaining to the base of the infinity of space has ceased. (7) For one who has attained the base of nothingness, the perception pertaining to the base of the infinity of consciousness has ceased. (8) For one who has attained the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, the perception pertaining to the base of nothingness has ceased. (9) For one who has attained the cessation of perception and feeling, perception and feeling have ceased. These, bhikkhus, are the nine progressive cessations.” [410]
1884 Uttarakuru: the continent to the north of Jambudīpa, perhaps Central Asia.
1885 Ce and Ee visesabhuno. Be visesaguṇā is likely to be a normalization. Mp offers no help. Mp-ṭ has a description of the living conditions in Uttarakuru. My rendering is a guess based on the assumption this account is intended to explain visesabhuno.
1886 This sutta combines the three triads defined separately in 3:140– 42. Hence this may be considered a composite nine. We meet here the same divergence in readings in the second group of horses as we met earlier: Ce and Ee tayo assasadassā, as against Be tayo assaparassā.
1887 The text is abridged thus in all three editions.
1888 These are found, with elaborations, in the Mahānidāna Sutta, at DN 15.9–18, II 58–61.
1889 The nine terms rooted in craving, with explanations from Mp in parenthesis, are: (1) pariyesanā (the seeking of objects such as forms); (2) lābha (the obtaining of objects such as forms); (3) vinicchaya (when one has gained a profit, one makes judgments by thinking what is desirable and undesirable, beautiful and ordinary, how much one will keep and how much give to others, how much use and how much save); (4) chandarāga (weak lust and strong lust, respectively, which arise toward the object thought about with unwholesome thoughts); (5) ajjhosāna (the strong conviction in “I and mine”); (6) pariggaha (taking possession by way of craving and views); (7) macchariya (unwillingness to share with others); (8) ārakkha (guarding carefully by closing doors and storing in boxes); (9) daṇḍādāna, etc. (the taking up of rods, etc., for the purpose of warding off others).
1890 §§1–4 and 6–8 are included among the seven stations of consciousness at 7:44.
1891 The three editions differ here. I follow Ce bhikkhuno cetasā cittaṃ paricitaṃ hoti. Ee has bhikkhuno cetasā cittaṃ suparicitaṃ hoti, Be bhikkhuno cetasā citaṃ hoti. Citaṃ occurs repeatedly in Be, so it is clearly intentional. Mp (Ce): “One round of the mental process is built up, increased, by another round of the mental process” (cittācārapariyāyena cittācārapariyāyo cito vaḍḍhito hoti). Mp (Be) has cittavāra– in place of cittācāra–.
1892 All three editions have bhikkhuno cetasā cittaṃ suparicitaṃ hoti. But note that in Ee, Sāriputta’s statement on Devadatta’s way of teaching does not differ from Candikāputta’s statement just above. Both have suparicitaṃ hoti. It is puzzling that the sutta seems to be approving of Devadatta’s teaching. Normally we would expect him to be censured for proposing a distorted version of the Dhamma. Perhaps this incident occurred before Devadatta became schismatic.
1893 §§4–6 are, in Pāli, asarāgadhammaṃ, asadosadhammaṃ, asamoha-dhammaṃ. Mp does not gloss them, but the point seems to be that for the arahant lust, hatred, and delusion are no longer even capable of arising again. §§7–9 allude to the three realms of existence.
1894 As at 6:55, but with a different simile.
1895 Text says silāyūpo soḷasakukkuko, a stone pillar sixteen kukkus tall. According to DOP, a kukku is 45 cm, about half a meter. Thus the pillar would be about eight meters.
1896 The number of verbs differ among the editions. Ce, which I follow, has four: n’eva naṃ kampeyya na saṅkampeyya na sampakampeyya na sampavedheyya (but Ce abridges the middle two directions and omits the last verb in relation to the final repetition, apparently an editorial oversight). Ee has three: n’eva naṃ kampeyya na saṅkampeyya na sampavedheyya. Be uses only two verbs: n’eva naṃ saṅkampeyya na sampavedheyya, but three in the simile at 6:55.
1897 Also at 5:179.
1898 On bhayaṃ veraṃ pasavati, Mp says that one obtains the peril of mental fright (cittutrāsabhayaṃ; this favors understanding bhaya as subjective fear rather than objective peril, though I think the latter is actually intended) and enmity as a person (puggalaveraṃ). Spk II 73,17–33, commenting on SN 12:41, gives a fuller explanation: “Peril and enmity are one in meaning. Enmity is twofold, external and internal. For if one has killed someone’s father, the other thinks: ‘They say he killed my father; I will kill him.’ So the latter takes a sharp knife and pursues the former. The volition arisen in him is called the external enmity [in relation to the future victim]. But the other hears, ‘He’s coming to kill me’ and decides: ‘I’ll kill him first.’ This is called the internal enmity [in relation to himself]. They both pertain to this present life. When the warden of hell sees the murderer reborn in hell, the volition arises in him: ‘I’ll take a blazing iron hammer and strike him’: this is the external enmity pertaining to the future life. And the volition that arises in the victim, ‘He’s coming to strike me though I’m faultless; I’ll strike him first,’ is the internal enmity pertaining to the future life. The external enmity is what is called ‘enmity as a person’ in the [old] Commentary.”
1899 Taṃ kut’ettha labbhā. My translation of this idiom is not intended to be literal. The point is that one has no choice but to resign oneself to the situation. Mp: “‘What can be done in regard to that person so that there would be no such harmful conduct? By what means is it possible to obtain this?’ Having reflected: ‘A person harms another because of the disposition of his mind,’ one dispels resentment.”
1900 SN 36:11, IV 217,4–16, speaks of the “progressive cessation of activities” (anupubbasaṅkhārānaṃ nirodha) in terms very similar to the present sutta, except that it says, “for one who has attained the first jhāna, speech (vācā) has ceased.” It is uncertain whether saṅkhārā here is intended in the active sense or the passive sense, “activities” or “conditioned phenomena.”
1901 All three editions have the singular verb hoti, though Ee notes some manuscripts have plural honti. The subject rūpasaññā can be read as either singular or plural.