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Viyahapannatti 25.2

English (machine translation) 25.2

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English

25.2.866

“Venerable Sir, how many kinds of substances are proclaimed?”
“Gautama, two kinds of substances are proclaimed, namely: living substances (jīva-substances) and non-living substances (ajīva-substances).”
“Venerable Sir, how many kinds of non-living substances are proclaimed?”
“Gautama, two kinds are proclaimed, namely: material non-living substances and immaterial non-living substances.”
“Venerable Sir, how many kinds of immaterial non-living substances are proclaimed?”
“Gautama, ten kinds are proclaimed, namely: the medium of motion (dharmāstikāya), a portion of the medium of motion, points of space of the medium of motion; the medium of rest (adharmāstikāya), a portion of the medium of rest, points of space of the medium of rest; space (ākāśāstikāya), a portion of space, points of space of space; and time (addhāsamaya).”
“Venerable Sir, how many kinds of material non-living substances are proclaimed?”
“Gautama, four kinds are proclaimed, namely: aggregates (skandhas), portions of aggregates, points of space of aggregates, and ultimate atoms of matter (paramāṇu-pudgalas).”
“Venerable Sir, are they numerable, innumerable, or infinite?”
“Gautama, they are not numerable, not innumerable; they are infinite.”
“Why is it said, Venerable Sir, that they are not numerable, not innumerable, but infinite?”
“Gautama, there are infinite ultimate atoms of matter, infinite two-point aggregates, up to infinite ten-point aggregates, infinite numerable-point aggregates, infinite innumerable-point aggregates, and infinite infinite-point aggregates. For that reason, Gautama, it is said: they are not numerable, not innumerable, but infinite.”

25.2.867

“Venerable Sir, are living substances numerable, innumerable, or infinite?”
“Gautama, they are not numerable, not innumerable; they are infinite.”
“Why is it said, Venerable Sir, that living substances are not numerable, not innumerable, but infinite?”
“Gautama, inhabitants of hell are innumerable, up to air-bodied beings are innumerable, plant-bodied beings are infinite, two-sensed beings are innumerable, and so on up to celestial beings in abodes are innumerable, and liberated souls are infinite. For that reason, up to infinite.”
“Venerable Sir, do non-living substances come to be utilized by living substances, or do living substances come to be utilized by non-living substances?”
“Gautama, non-living substances come to be utilized by living substances; living substances do not come to be utilized by non-living substances.”
“Why is it said, Venerable Sir, that non-living substances come to be utilized by living substances, and not living substances utilized by non-living substances?”
“Gautama, living substances take in non-living substances, and having taken them in, produce gross, protean, conveyance, fiery, and karmic [bodies]; the sense of hearing up to the sense of touch; the activity of mind, activity of speech, and activity of body; and respiration. For that reason, Gautama, it is said that non-living substances come to be utilized by living substances, and not living substances utilized by non-living substances.”
“Venerable Sir, do non-living substances come to be utilized by inhabitants of hell, or do inhabitants of hell come to be utilized by non-living substances?”
“Gautama, non-living substances come to be utilized by inhabitants of hell; inhabitants of hell do not come to be utilized by non-living substances.”
“For what reason?”
“Gautama, inhabitants of hell take in non-living substances, and having taken them in, produce protean, fiery, and karmic [bodies]; the sense of hearing up to the sense of touch; [activity of mind, activity of speech, activity of body]; and respiration. For that reason, Gautama, it is said: non-living substances come to be utilized by inhabitants of hell; inhabitants of hell do not come to be utilized by non-living substances. In this manner up to celestial beings in abodes; with the only difference being that bodies, senses, and activities should be stated according to whatever each possesses.”

25.2.868

“Is it indeed so, Venerable Sir, that in the innumerable [units of space of the] cosmos, infinite substances are accommodated in space?”
“Yes, Gautama, in the innumerable [units of space of the] cosmos, infinite substances are accommodated in space.”
“Venerable Sir, in one space-point of the cosmos, from how many directions are pudgalas piled up?”
“Gautama, unimpeded, from six directions; depending on impediment, sometimes from three directions, sometimes from four directions, sometimes from five directions.”
“Venerable Sir, in one space-point of the cosmos, in how many directions are pudgalas separated?”
“In the very same manner. In this manner they are accumulated; in this manner they are diminished.”

25.2.869

"Venerable Sir! The substances that a jīva appropriates as a gross body (audārika-śarīra)—does it appropriate those that are stationary (sthitā), or does it appropriate those that are non-stationary (asthitā)?"
"Gautama! It appropriates those that are stationary, and it also appropriates those that are non-stationary."
"Venerable Sir! Does it appropriate them in terms of substance? In terms of space? In terms of time? In terms of state?"
"Gautama! It appropriates them in terms of substance, in terms of space, in terms of time, and in terms of state. In terms of substance, [they are] substances of infinite space-points; in terms of space, occupying innumerable space-points—thus, as in the first chapter on nourishment (āhāra) of the Prajñāpanā, up to: without obstruction from six directions, or depending on obstruction, sometimes from three directions, sometimes from four directions, sometimes from five directions."
"Venerable Sir! The substances that a jīva appropriates as a transformational body (vaikriya-śarīra)—does it appropriate those that are stationary, or those that are non-stationary?"
"Just the same; with the difference that: invariably from six directions. Likewise also with regard to the conveyance body (āhāraka-śarīra)."
"Venerable Sir! The substances that a jīva appropriates as a fiery body (taijasa-śarīra)—[the question is the same]."
"Gautama! It appropriates those that are stationary; it does not appropriate those that are non-stationary. The rest is as for the gross body. So also for the karmic body (kārmaṇa-śarīra). Thus up to: it also appropriates them in terms of state."
"Those substances that it appropriates in terms of substance—does it appropriate those of one space-point? Does it appropriate those of two space-points?"
"Thus as in the chapter on speech (bhāṣā-pada), up to: it appropriates in regular sequence (ānupūrvī), not in irregular sequence (anānupūrvī)."
"Venerable Sir! From how many directions does it appropriate them?"
"Gautama! Without obstruction, as for the gross body."
"Venerable Sir! Those substances that a jīva appropriates as the auditory sense organ?"
"As for the transformational body. Thus up to the gustatory sense organ. For the tactile sense organ, as for the gross body. For mental activity (mano-yoga), as for the karmic body; with the difference that: invariably from six directions. Likewise also for vocal activity (vag-yoga). For physical activity (kāya-yoga), as for the gross body."
"Venerable Sir! Those substances that a jīva appropriates as inhalation and exhalation?"
"Just as for the gross body, up to: sometimes from five directions."
"That is so, Venerable Sir! That is so, Venerable Sir!"

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