Re: Fwd: nibbaana and vi~n`naana.m

Dear Bryan,

Op 15 sep 2013, om 15:53 heeft Bryan Levman het volgende geschreven:

tattha viññātabbanti viññāṇaṃ nibbānassetaṃ nāmaṃ

viññātabbaṃ is the gerundive (future passive participle) of vijānāti meaning "to be understood, to be recognized, to be known." So the commentary seems to be saying, "Here viññāṇaṃ means 'to be known.' This is a name for nibbāna." The ṭīkā reads

Viññātabbanti visiṭṭhena ñātabbaṃ, ñāṇuttamena ariyamaggañāṇena paccakkhato jānitabbanti attho, tenāha ‘‘nibbānassetaṃ nāman’ti.

"It is to be known" - it is to be known by a superior person; the meaning is that "It is to be known perseonally by the highest wisdom, by the wisdom of the noble path," thus he says "This is a name for nibbāna."

I'm not sure where Suan is getting vinnyānaṃ in the sense of "it is known"? Perhaps he has another reading? The passive of vijānātiis viññāyati ("it is known") per the PED.
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N: The ending on tabba means: it should or it can be known.

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Walshe translates as "Where consciousness is signless, boundless, all-luminous."

It seems to be saying that where consciousness, which has the nature of perception and discrimination (< Skt. vi + jñā, "the act of distinguishing or discerning, understanding, comprehending, recognizing," Monier Williams), ceases its normal function and becomes signless, etc., - that is nibbāna. This seems to be consistent with the commentary which is equating viññāṇaṃ with non-discriminative (anidassanaṃ, "with no attribute" per PED) knowing,

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N: This reading makes it clear that vi~n~naa.na is not nibbaana. Vi~n~naa.na is vi~n~naa.nakkhandha, thus, citta. It is lokuttara citta that is conditioned by the development of pa~n~naa to such degree that enlightenment can be attained and defdilements can be eradicated. Nibbaana is the unconditioned element, it is not citta, but it is an object that can be experienced by lokuttara citta.

It cannot be said that vi~n~naa.na, thus, citta, is signless, this is said of nibbaana. Citta is impermanent, dukkha and anattaa. Nibbaana is not impermanent, it does not arise and fall away, and it is not dukkha, it is the end to dukkha.

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Nina.