Metaphor and Literalism in Buddhism: The ... - misterdanger.net

NOTES
dosakkhayo, mohakkhayo, idaN vuccati nibbAOan’ ti etaN JambukhAdaka-suttam
AharitvA iminA suttena veditabbam pAMiyekkaN nibbAnaN nAma na atthi,
kilesakkhayo va nibbAnan ti Aha.
160 Vibh pp. 72–3, 89.
161 Vibh-a p. 51: yasmA pan’ etam Agamma rAgAdayo khCyanti.
162 Vibh-a p. 54: evam avijjA ca taOhA ca tam Agamma tamhi khCOaN, tamhi bhaggaN,
na ca kiñci kadAcC ti.
163 Vism p. 431 (tr. Ñyaoamoti 1976: 577–8).
164 For this passage Ñyaoamoti (1976: 577–8 note 16) comments: ‘“On coming to
that (taNAgamma)”: on reaching that nibbana by making it the object’ (Pm. 533).
Fgamma (ger. of Agacchati – to come) is commonly used as an adverb in the
sense of ‘owing to’ (e.g. at M.i., 119). Here, however, it is taken literally by the
commentaries and forms an essential part of the ontological proof of the positive
existence of nibbana. The SammohavinodanC (commentary on the Fyatana
VibhaWga Abhidhamma-bhAjaniya) refutes the suggestion of a disputant
(Vitaosavadin) who asserts that nibbana is ‘mere destruction (khayamatta)’. The
arguments used are merely supplementary to those here, and so are not quoted.
The conclusion of the argument is worth noting, however, because of the
emphasis on the words ‘tam agamma’. It is this: ‘It is on coming to nibbana that
greed etc., are destroyed. It is the same nibbana that is called “destruction of
greed, destruction of hate, destruction of delusion”. These are just three terms
for nibbana. When this was said, he asked: You say “On coming to (Agamma)”;
from where have you got this “on coming to”? It is got from the Suttas. Quote
the sutta. “Thus ignorance and craving, on coming to that, are destroyed in
that, are abolished in that, nor does anything anywhere . . . (evam avijjA ca taOhA
ca tam Agamma tamhi khCOaN tamhi bhaggaN na ca kiñci kadAci . . . ).” When
this was said, the other was silent.’ The quotation has not been traced.
165 Sn 206–7. See this chapter, note 65.
166 See ‘Interpretation of Anuruddha’s verse’ in Chapter 5.
167 Akb-h p. 94.
168 See this chapter, note 77.
5 NIRVANA IN NORTHERN BUDDHIST SCHOOLS
1 See ‘The Chinese abhidharma works’ in Chapter 2.
2 Akb-d pp. 324–5, Lamotte (1988: 611).
3 Akb-h p. 92.
4 Akb-h pp. 92–4.
5 Na (TD29 pp. 431–3).
6 Mmd-p p. 525, Stcherbatsky (1968: 201).
7 Mv (TD27 167b): !K= !"K= !"#$K= !"#$K=
!"#$%&K= !"#$K= !"#$K= !"#$
K= !"#$%&!"'K
8 Here ci-lun ( ) means the JñAnaprasthAna. The word ben-lun ( ) is used to
designate the MahAvibhALAUAstra (Mv TD27 168b).
9 EA (TD2 159a). See also ‘The non-returner and the two nirvana elements’ in
Chapter 2.
10 Ip p. 38. See also ‘UpAdisesa within the context of nirvana’ in Chapter 2.
11 See ‘The Theravada exegetical position on nirvana’ in Chapter 4.
12 TD17 pp. 667–8.
13 See ‘Sarvastivada interpretation in the JñAnaprasthAna’ in Chapter 3.
14 Jp (TD26 923b).
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