Exploring the Path - Pāli Course

The seventh chapter of the Tikapaṭṭhāna, the investigation chapter (Vibhaṅgavāro) of the section on inquiries or questions, the Pañhāvāro, holds a special position and is highly esteemed especially in Burma. Ledi Sayadaw dedicated a complete manual to it, the Paṭṭhānuddesa dīpanīpāṭha, translated into English by his disciple Sayadaw U Nyana, titled ‘The Buddhist Philosophy of Relations’. Sayagi U Ba Khin recites the whole chapter and likewise does his disciple S.N. Goenka, known as the ‘long chanting’ to the meditators of the Vipassanā courses in this tradition.

Compared with the six previous investigation-chapters in the order of the Tikapaṭṭhāna, the Vibhaṅgavāro seems to provide slightly more information beyond the abstract portrayal of possible arising phenomena as listed there. There the emphasis is given to explain in which way they occur:

Kusalaṃ dhammaṃ paṭicca kusalo dhammo uppajjati hetupaccayā –

kusalaṃ ekaṃ khandhaṃ paṭicca tayo khandhā, tayo khandhe paṭicca eko khandho, dve khandhe paṭicca dve khandhā.¹

Dependent on a wholesome state a wholesome phenomenon arises by means of root condition: dependent on one wholesome aggregate arise three aggregates, dependent on three aggregates arises one aggregate, dependent on two aggregates arise two aggregates.

Reading the Vibhaṅgavāro of the Pañhāvāro one will find the following exposition:

Kusalo dhammo abyākatassa dhammassa hetupaccayena paccayo – kusalā hetū cittasamuṭṭhānānaṃ rūpānaṃ hetupaccayena paccayo.

Wholesome state is related to undefined phenomenon by means of root condition – wholesome roots are related to mind-produced matter by means of root condition.

Here the accentuation lies to display how conditioned phenomena are related, caused or brought about to arise by the conditioning states. Also the portrayal seems to be less abstract and to offer more of a concrete idea by providing some illustrations. 

For example it is demonstrated how resultant from the same indeterminate state the following wholesome activity can occur (abyākato dhammo kusalassa dhammassa…):

… kāyikaṃ sukhaṃ upanissāya dānaṃ deti,

sīlaṃ samādiyati, uposathakammaṃ karoti, …

… By the decisive support of bodily happiness, (one) gives a donation, upholds sīla, observes the precepts perfectly …

Or similar:

… sekkhā phalaṃ garuṃ katvā paccavekkhanti, nibbānaṃ garuṃ katvā paccavekkhanti …

… Learners after having developed high regard for it review the (lower) fruition. After having developed high regard for it they review Nibbāna …

But the same indeterminate state likewise can cause an unwholesome activity (abyākato dhammo akusalassa dhammassa…):

… kāyikaṃ sukhaṃ upanissāya pāṇaṃ hanati, adinnaṃ ādiyati, …

… By the decisive support of bodily happiness, (one) kills a living being, takes the property of others which has not been given to one …

Or similar:

… cakkhuṃ garuṃ katvā assādeti abhinandati, taṃ garuṃ katvā rāgo uppajjati, diṭṭhi uppajjati …

… having developed high regard for it, one enjoys and delights in the eye. Having developed high regard for it then arises craving, arises wrong view ...

Also situations are mentioned where resultant from an unwholesome act one repents, regrets and changes his attitude and performs wholesome ones (akusalo dhammo kusalassa dhammassa…).

… Adinnaṃ ādiyitvā …pe… musā bhaṇitvā …pe… pisuṇaṃ bhaṇitvā …pe… tassa paṭighātatthāya dānaṃ deti, sīlaṃ samādiyati, uposathakammaṃ karoti …

 … After having stolen …, lied …, slandered …, in order to repel it, (one) gives a donation, upholds sīla, observes the precepts perfectly…

By taking up in the following lessons all the conditions, this Pāli course hopes to provide a simple survey for interested readers. Each paccaya with the text as presented in the Paccayāniddeso will be depicted in an individual table that will be preceded with the respective adaptation of the Paccayānuloma section of the Vibhaṅgavāro of the Pañhāvāro. The latter will be portrayed in three columns with a first column highlighting the particular questions as described in the Pucchavāro². As the original text of the Tikapaṭṭhāna only mentions these questions in the chapter of dependence (Paṭiccavāro), and expects the reader to adapt these through all the remaining chapters and conditions, these questions are simply copied and the reader needs to mentally adapt them.³ Thus:

Siyā kusalaṃ dhammaṃ paṭicca kusalo dhammo uppajjeyya hetupaccayā.

May dependent on a wholesome state arise a wholesome phenomenon by means of root condition?
should mentally be changed to into:

May a wholesome states cause a wholesome phenomenon to arise by means of root condition?

A final thought along with a ‘presentiment’ shall determine this Introduction.

It is hoped that theses inclusions about the Paṭṭhāna do not counteract or even negate the intention of the overall presentation of this ETP course. Its intention is to provide necessary, helpful theoretical aspects (pariyatti) to support the walking the path (paṭipatti).

So a ‘caution’ already expressed in the Introduction to 3.10.11⁴ shall be reinvigorated. Compared to the teaching as presented in the Sutta Piṭaka which is easily intelligible and thus supportive for any meditator, the teachings of the Abhidhamma can easily lead astray to mere but ‘fascinating’ study. For someone who has not realized the field of non-self (anattā) and not achieved the ability to really observe the subtle aspects as taught here, what remains can easily turn into mere logic, analytical theoretical analyses and mere ‘philosophical’ thinking without any positive results for one’s own practice and actual ‘spiritual’ progress.

The Abhidhamma in its profundity and intricacy can only be elucidated through the omniscience of a fully Enlightened Buddha. It may have been that the Venerable Sariputta — with his highly developed mastery of great wisdom (mahāpaññānaṃ), being foremost of the Buddha’s disciples in this respect⁵ — could readily catch this subtle and thorough explanation of the universal complex interrelations by his superb comprehension.  

But even for the Buddha it took full three months to expound it to the devas with their sharp intelligence! It is also said that seven months were required for the fully enlightened Venerable Nagasena to recite the complete Abhidhamma:

Atha kho āyasmā nāgaseno satta māsāni satta pakaraṇāni vitthārena osāresi,⁶ pathavī unnadi, devatā sādhukāramadaṃsu,⁷ brahmāno apphoṭesuṃ⁸ …⁹

Then the Venerable Nāgasena for seven months expounded the seven expositions. Here the earth roared, the gods applauded and the Brahmas clapped their hands.

Finally, one should consider if by trying to walk the path one really needs to undergo all these acrobatic, logic and mathematical exercises or if one would be better off spending the same amount of time in meditation? Even so, such theoretical background about the constant changing nature not only of matter, but only of mind, removes the illusion of an persisting identity and ‘self’, after all it remains the applied practice (paṭivedha) that provides real knowledge and development with desired achievements! As the Buddha recurrently said:

Etāni, bhikkhave, rukkhamūlāni, etāni suññāgārāni; jhāyatha, bhikkhave, mā pamādattha; mā pacchā vippaṭisārino¹⁰ ahuvattha.¹¹ Ayaṃ vo amhākaṃ anusāsanī’ti.¹²

There are these roots of trees, these empty places! Meditate, Bhikkhus, do not delay or else you will regret it later. This is my instruction to you!