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Itivuttaka 62 So It Was Said 62
TikanipÄta The Book of the Threes
Dutiyavagga Chapter Two
Indriyasutta Faculties
VuttaƱhetaį¹ bhagavatÄ vuttamarahatÄti me sutaį¹: This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard. These three facultiesāalso found at DN 33:1.10.111 and SN 48.23:1.3āare indicative of a growing fascination with analyzing the details of what exactly happens in the process of enlightenment. The exact meaning is not obvious, but the verses here offer clues to interpretation, so I annotate them closely.
āTÄ«į¹imÄni, bhikkhave, indriyÄni. āMendicants, there are these three faculties. The three faculties are mentioned in late canonical texts, which treat them as starting with the path to stream-entry. I believe, based on the terms themselves and the verses, that they concern the realization of arahantship. Briefly, the Abhidhamma Vibhaį¹
ga, albeit cryptically, indicates that the first two faculties are the path to stream-entry and the practice of the trainee from stream-entry onward (Vb 5:24.1). The Nettipakaraį¹a says the first faculty leads to overcoming the first three fetters, i.e. stream-entry (Ne 5:28.1). This is consistent with Ne 37:392.1 and the Peį¹akopadesa at Pe 3:35.1, which explain this faculty as the effort to realize the four noble truths for the first time. Even more explicit is the Paį¹isambhidÄmagga at Ps 1.4:91.1 = Ps 1.1:513.1, which says the first faculty occurs at āthe moment of the path to stream-entryā. The idea of the āpath momentā, however, is alien to the Suttas, and indicates a substantial period of doctrinal development; these texts were all written long after the Buddha. The commentary builds on these explanations, for which see Bodhiās note in Connected Discourses on SN 48.23. Despite this, the verses here say nothing about stream-entry, and speak solely about arahantship.
KatamÄni tÄ«į¹i? What three?
AnaƱƱÄtaƱƱassÄmÄ«tindriyaį¹, aƱƱindriyaį¹, aƱƱÄtÄvindriyaį¹āThe faculty of understanding that enlightenment is imminent. The faculty of enlightenment. The faculty of one who is enlightened. The key term is aĆ±Ć±Ä (āenlightenmentā), which is used throughout the Suttas to indicate the realization of arahantship specifically. The later texts take it as here being a synonym for the knowledge or realization of a stream-enterer. This is linguistically possible, but not supported by usage in the Suttas. | āThe faculty of understanding that oneās enlightenment is imminentā is literally, āThe faculty aware that āI shall know the unknownā.ā
imÄni kho, bhikkhave, tÄ«į¹i indriyÄnÄ«āti. These are the three faculties.ā
Etamatthaį¹ bhagavÄ avoca. The Buddha spoke this matter.
Tatthetaį¹ iti vuccati: On this it is said: Now follow three verses, which correlate one-by-one to the three faculties, and constitute the earliest explanation of the three faculties. In brief, the verses apply the three faculties to: (1) the path to arahantship; (2) the occasion of realizing arahantship; (3) one living as an arahant. They are not, in my view, reconcilable with the traditional interpretation.
āSekhassa sikkhamÄnassa, āAs a trainee trains, This first line indicates that the first faculty is restricted to those who have entered the noble path. The tradition takes this as meaning all those who have entered the noble path, but I think it is a subset, namely the one āpracticing to realize the fruit of arahantshipā. This is a person, not a mind moment (MN 142:5.9).
ujumaggÄnusÄrino; following the straight road,
Khayasmiį¹ paį¹hamaį¹ ƱÄį¹aį¹, first they know about ending; In the Suttas, this is normally the āknowledge of the ending of defilementsā, which is characteristic of the arahant (eg. SN 12.23).
tato aĆ±Ć±Ä anantarÄ. enlightenment follows without delay. Ending of defilements āwithout delayā (anantarÄ) is taught numerous time as the advanced meditation practice aimed squarely at arahantship in this very life, typically explained as seeing the impermanence of the five aggregates (SN 22.55:10.1, SN 22.81:5.1, AN 5.170, AN 6.27, AN 6.28). Also similar is the stock phrase āenlightenment in this very lifeā (diį¹į¹heva dhamme aƱƱÄ, SN 47.36:1.9). This seems to exclude most of those on the noble path: even the non-returners can expect one more life. Only the seventh of the eight noble individuals, those who have entered the path to arahantship, are assured of enlightenment in this very life. Taken with the previous line, this indicates that those on the path to arahantship first see that the defilements are ending, then (as the next faculty) realize arahantship itself (see DN 34:1.3.25). In fact, it would seems as if the point of these three faculties is to clarify this process.
Tato aƱƱÄvimuttassa, Then the knowledge comes
ƱÄį¹aį¹ ve hoti tÄdino; to such a one, freed through enlightenment,
AkuppÄ me vimuttÄ«ti, with the end of the fetters of continued existence:
bhavasaį¹yojanakkhayÄ. āMy freedom is unshakable.ā The second faculty comes immediately after defilements have ended, when the new arahant reflects on their experience and understands that they are no longer trapped in the cycle of rebirth.
Sa ve indriyasampanno, Accomplished in the faculties,
santo santipade rato; peaceful, in love with the state of peace,
DhÄreti antimaį¹ dehaį¹, they bear their final body,
jetvÄ mÄraį¹ savÄhinināti. having vanquished MÄra with his legions.ā The final faculty is the arahant living out their last life in peace.
Ayampi attho vutto bhagavatÄ, iti me sutanti. This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.
Tatiyaį¹.