Chapter 29
HirÊ ÊsÈ mano yottaÑ
sati me phÈlapÈcanaÑ
(a) ("O Brahmin of BhÈradvÈja clan!) My faith is the seeds, the faith which is
of four kinds:
Ègama
1
,
adhigama
2
,
okappana
3
and
pasÈda
4
. (For these
four, read the PÈthika-vagga Commentary and others works.)
(b) My restraint of the six senses is the rainfall that contributes to the
development of the plants.
(c) My Insight-Wisdom (
vipassanÈ
-
paÒÒÈ
) and the fourfold Path-Wisdom
(
magga
-
paÒÒÈ
) are the yoke and the log of the harrow.
(d) My shame (
hirÊ
) and fear (
ottappa
) of evil deeds are the twin shafts of the
harrow.
(e) My mind generating concentration (
samÈdhi
) is the ropes which are of
three kinds, one for tying, another for harnessing and a third for linking.
(f) My mindfulness (
sati
) accompanied by Insight-Wisdom and that
accompanied by Path-Wisdom are the harrow teeth and the goad.)
(N.B. The Brahmin asked exclusively about the yoke, harrow and other
implements. But the Buddha answered by adding essential facts (though they were
omitted in the question). He did so because of the analogy between the two root-
causes [of faith and seeds]. Such a way of teaching is an asset of every Enlightened
One. The Buddha, desirous of teaching by disclosing that asset, and by supplying
the other required factors of the same analogy, said that his faith formed the seeds.
(Herein what is meant by ‚
the analogy between the two root-causes
?‛ Did not the
Brahmin ask only with reference to the implements such as yoke, harrow and the
like? Then why did the Buddha talk about His faith by comparing it to the seeds
and by bringing it into His answer though not mentioned in the Brahmin's
question? If an answer contains something not asked about, is not it impertinent to
the questions? Although the Brahmin confined his questions to farm implements,
such as the yoke, harrow and the like, why did the Buddha touch upon extra things
as well in His answers such as faith equalling the seeds and so on? Did not this
render His answer irrelevant? Such queries might crop up.
(The answer is: Never did the Buddha speak without relevance. It was customary
for the Buddhas to teach by introducing new facts by way of analogy.
(Here references should be noted as follows: The Brahmin KasibhÈradvÈja asked
about farming with reference to the yoke, plough and other implements. But the
Buddha, who was thus asked, did not leave out anything at all from His answer
saying: ‚Oh, this is not questioned by the Brahmin.‛ Such regard, on the part of the
Buddha, meant His care taken for the Brahmin out of compassion. Being desirous
of speaking of farming from the very beginning so that the Brahmin might know
the whole business together with the four points of (1) root-cause (
m|la
), (2)
support (
upakÈra
), (3) accumulation (
sambhÈra
), and (4) result (
phala
) that were
excluded from his questions. Though the Brahmin failed to ask fully because his
knowledge and wisdom was not deep enough, the Buddha answered all the unasked
but essential points as well in His answer because so great was His compassion.
(Further explanation: Seeds are the basic requirement for farming. No seeds, no
farming. The quantity of seeds determines the amount of farm work. There is no
farm work done more than what is demanded by the seeds. Hence the seeds are the
1.
Œgama-saddhÈ (Ègamana-saddhÈ):
faith inspired by the determination to become a Buddha.
2.
Adhigama-saddhÈ (adhigamana-saddhÈ):
faith inspired by the attaimnent of the Path and Fruition.
3.
Okappana-saddhÈ:
faith inspired by the understanding of the attributes of the Triple Gem.
4.
PasÈda-saddhÈ:
faith inspired by the sight and sound of what is pleasing to the heart.