Dear Thomas,
Good you ask, it is important.
Op 4-aug-2010, om 4:34 heeft thomaslaw03 het volgende geschreven:

> Regarding matika you mentioned below, could you explain what is
> "matika"? Can this term also be used/presented in other Abhidhamma
> texts?

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N: Maatikaa has been translated as table of contents, or matrix. It
is more extensive than a table of contents. This maatikaa has been
arranged by way of triads and dyads. It is a survey of the contents
of the first book and can even serve as an introduction to all seven
books. Different groups of defilements have been listed, such as the
intoxicants (aasavas), fetters, ties, floods, yokes, hindrances.
After the Abhidhamma matrix there is a Suttanta matrix, explaining
sutta terms. The Atthasaalinii, the commentary to the
Dhammasa"nganii, dedicates a whole chapter to explain the notions of
the Maatika.
The Maatikaa begins with: kusala dhammaa, akusala dhammaa, avyaakata
dhammaa.
In these three terms all that is real has been contained. In
avyaakata dhammaa, indeterminate dhammas, are included all realities
that are not kusala or akusala, namely: vipaakacittas, kiriyacittas,
ruupas and nibbaana.
The whole Tipi.taka is directed towards liberation of the cycle of
birth and death through insight. This appears also in the Maatika,
where we read (!013-1015): "Dhammas going to building up; going to
pulling down; going to neither."
The Atthasaalinii elaborates: " 'accumulation' means that which is
accumulated by kamma and corruptions. It is a name for the processes
of rebirth and decease. 'Leading to accumulation' are 'those causes
which by being accomplished to go to, lead a man, in whom they arise,
to that round of rebirth'. It is a name for co-intoxicant moral or
immoral states. Nibbaana being free from 'cumulation', which is
another word for 'accumulation', is called dispersion. 'Leading to
dispersion' is 'going towards that dispersion which he has made his
object.' It is a name for the Ariyan Paths. Or, 'leading to
accumulation' are those states which go about severally arranging
(births and deaths in) a round of destiny like a bricklayer who
arranges bricks, layer by layer, in a wall.' 'Leading to dispersion'
are those states which go about destroying that very round, like a
man who continually removes the bricks as they are laid by the mason."
------
Nina.



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