THE GREAT CHRONICLE OF BUDDHAS
102
is about to come within his grasp.
This is the interpretation by
eke
teachers. The Commentator, Venerable MahÈ
DhammapÈla, gives no comment on this
eke
vÈda
.
Keci vÈda
According to
keci
teachers, the Four
AdhiÔÔhÈnas
are completely fulfilled only on the
occasion when Buddhahood is attained. Their interpretation is: When he becomes a Buddha
(attaining
arahatta-magga
ÒÈÓa
and Omniscience) through the past accumulation of
SaccÈdhiÔÔhÈna
in accordance with his vow, he penetrates the Four Noble Truths; hence the
SaccÈdhiÔÔhÈna
is fully accomplished then. Through the past accumulation of
CÈgÈdhiÔÔhÈna
, he eradicates all the defilements; hence
CÈgÈdhiÔÔhÈna
is fully accomplished
then. Through the past accumulation of
UpasamÈdhiÔÔhÈna
, he achieves the most sublime
Peace of NibbÈna when he becomes a Buddha, hence
UpasamÈdhiÔÔhÈna
is fully
accomplished then. Through the past accumulation of
PaÒÒÈdhiÔÔhÈna
, he achieves the
unobstructed knowledge of all there is to know (
anÈvarana
ÒÈÓa
); hence
PaÒÒÈdhiÔÔhÈna
is
fully accomplished then.
This is the interpretation by
keci
teachers, on which the Commentator, Venerable MahÈ
DhammapÈla, remarks: ‚Their statement is imperfect because
Abhisambhodhi
, which is
arahatta-magga
ÒÈÓa
or Omniscience, is purely Absolute Reality; because
UpasamÈ-
dhiÔÔhÈna
means extinction through non-arising of the suffering of
saÑsÈra
or Complete
Peace; and because this is attainable only on realization of NibbÈna (ParinibbÈna).‛
AÒÒe vÈda
AÒÒe
teachers, however, say that the Four
AdhiÔÔhÈnas
are completely fulfilled on the
occasion the discourse on the Wheel of Dhamma (
Dhamma-cakka
) is taught (when the
Buddha develops the Knowledge of Teaching,
DesanÈ
©ÈÓa
.).
This is how
aÒÒe
teachers explain their view: The mental continuum of the Buddha, who
has in the past made an accumulation of
SaccÈdhiÔÔhÈna
, becomes accomplished in it by
teaching the Noble Truths in three modes
45
of
sacca-ÒÈÓa, kicca-ÒÈÓa
and
kata-ÒÈÓa
with
regard to each of the Four Noble Truths. The mental continuum of the Buddha, who has in
the past made an accumulation of
CÈgÈdhiÔÔhÈna
, becomes accomplished in it by making
the great offering of the True Dhamma. The mental continuum of the Buddha, who has in
the past made an accumulation of
UpasamÈdhiÔÔhÈna
, becomes accomplished in it by
having attained Himself the Peace of Freedom from defilements and causing others to
attain the same like Himself. The mental continuum of the Buddha, who has in the past
made an accumulation of
PaÒÒÈdhiÔÔhÈna
, becomes accomplished in it by full
comprehension of the propensities and latent tendencies of beings.
This is the interpretation by
aÒÒe
teachers, on which the Commentator, Venerable MahÈ
DhammapÈla, remarks: ‚The statement of
aÒÒe
teachers is also imperfect because the Four
AdhiÔÔhÈnas
become completely accomplished only when the duties of a Buddha (
Buddha-
kicca
) are over; with the teaching of Dhammacakka Discourse, the Buddha has just begun
performing His duties; He has not yet finished them. Hence the statement of
aÒÒe
teachers
remains incomplete.‛
Apare vÈda
Apare
teachers maintain that the Four
AdhiÔÔhÈnas
are completely fulfilled on the
occasion when NibbÈna is fully realized (
ParinibbÈna
).
This is how the
apare
teachers explain their view: Of the four aspects of
SaccÈdhiÔÔhÈna
,
NibbÈna as
Paramattha
SaccÈdhiÔÔhÈna
is paramount; its function is not yet complete by
mere attainment of
arahatta-magga
through extinction of defilements (
kilesa-parinibbÈna
).
Its function is complete only when existence comes to an end with extinction of
45. Three modes:
sacca-ÒÈÓa
: the knowledge that it is the truth;
kicca-ÒÈÓa
: the knowledge that a
certain function, with regard to that truth, has to be peformed;
kata-ÒÈÓa
: the knowledge that the
function, with regard to that truth, has been performed.