The Second Treatise on the Perfections – 2743
4. Usage like a master (
sāmi-paribhoga
).
Usage that is like a master is usage by an Arahat (
sāmi-paribhoga
). Worldlings
(
puthujjana
) and learners (
sekkha
) are not free from craving, accordingly, they
remain subject to craving, and their use of requisites is not as masters but as
slaves of craving. On the other hand, Arahats have been liberated from
servitude to craving, and their use of requisites is as masters with full control
over craving. Therefore, they can use disgusting things, reflecting on their non-
disgusting nature, or use non-disgusting things, reflecting on their disgusting
nature, or use them reflecting that they are neither disgusting nor non-disgusting
things.
Of these four kinds of use, use like a master by an Arahat, and use like getting
an inheritance are allowable to all. Herein, as said before, use of requisites like a
master is applicable only to Arahats, but if trainees (
sekkha
) and worldlings
(
puthujjana
) use the requisites by abandoning craving through perception of
their foulness, it is like being liberated from the servitude to craving; therefore,
this kind of use may also be classed as use like a master (
sāmi-paribhoga
). In the
same way, Arahats and worldlings may also be considered as inheriting sons of
the Buddha.
Use that is like owing a debt is not allowable, more so is the usage like an act of
thieving which is certainly not allowable. Use of requisites after reflection by
one endowed with morality is opposite to use that is like owing a debt (
iṇa-
paribhoga
), and is thus called use without owing a debt (
ānaṇya-paribhoga
). At
the same time, worldlings
[1598]
endowed with morality who use the requisites
after due reflection may be reckoned as trainees (
sekkha
) or noble persons.
Therefore, use of requisites after due reflection by such worldlings endowed
with morality is also reckoned as use like getting an inheritance.
Of these four kinds of use, use that is like a master by an Arahat is the noblest; a
monastic who wishes to use the requisites like a master should fulfil the morality
which depends upon the four requisites (
paccaya-sannissita-sīla
) by using the
four requisites only after due reflection.
Morality in Groups of Fives
1. Morality is of five kinds:
1. Morality that is limited in purity (
pariyanta-pārisuddhi-sīla
).