Re: another question based on Digha Tika

Dear Ven. Bodhi,
> I have another question arising from this portion of the Digha-Tika. The question pertains to a subtle point in Tika doctrinal exposition. The relevant sentences are at VRI I.7, PTS I.9:
>
> ‘‘Paññāpajjotavihatamohataman”ti etena sammāsambodhiṃ dasseti. Anāvaraṇañāṇapadaṭṭhānañhi maggañāṇaṃ, maggañāṇapadaṭṭhānañca anāvaraṇañāṇaṃ ‘‘sammāsambodhī’’ti vuccatīti.
>
>
> “Who dispelled the darkness of delusion with the lamp of wisdom”: by this expression he (the Commentator) indicates perfect enlightenment. For the path knowledge, which is based on the unobstructed knowledge, and the unobstructed knowledge, which is based on the path knowledge, are called “perfect enlightenment.”
>
>
> I had understood that in the case of a Buddha path knowledge—the knowledge of the path of arahantship—arises destroying all defilements along with their residual tendencies (vāsanas), and then at that point, with all defilements destroyed, the sabbaññutaññāṇaṃ (= anāvaraṇañāṇaṃ) arises. So how can the author say that the path knowledge is based on the unobstructed knowledge? I don’t believe they occur simultaneously, or that padaṭṭhāna could apply to things that occur simultaneously.
Well, we are talking about wisdom in various aspects. So I would
understand that wisdom reaches its culmination at the moment of the
arahattamagga. So that wisdom must be the same level of wisdom as that
called sabbaññutañāṇa; it's just that it can't be applied until later,
when the mind turns to different objects. I don't think there is some
kind of subsequent stage when omniscience arises. Anāvaraṇañāṇa is
knowledge which is not obstructed by any defilement or anusaya or
tendency. Logically that must be there from the path moment, but again
its application would be later.

Footing (padaṭṭhāna) is usually prior, but we are talking about the
lokuttara here. So samatha and vipassanā are unified. Similarly in the
case of a Buddha wisdom and compassion are both simultaneously
perfected. So I would understand that the sammāsambodhi of a Buddha is
the arising of path knowledge where the knowledge is not obstructed in
any way at all and of such a kind that it is capable of apprehending
whatever the Buddha turns his mind to.

So the author (I think he is quoting some older source) says that
unobstructed knowledge is the footing for path knowledge. That's because
the final path knowledge of a Buddha can only arise if there is no
defilement or subtle obstruction to knowledge. He equally says that path
knowledge is the footing for the unobstructed knowledge. That's because
it is the path knowledge that permanently removes all remaining
defilements and subtle obstructions.

In general the path moment is presented as some kind of lokuttara
unification of things which are distinct at the lokiya level e.g. the
four truths operate together. That's clearly presented already in Paṭis.
> In the next paragraph the author says:
>
> Ettha ca karuṇāggahaṇena lokiyesu mahaggatabhāvappattāsādhāraṇaguṇadīpanato bhagavato sabbalokiyaguṇasampatti dassitā hoti, paññāggahaṇena sabbaññutaññāṇapadaṭṭhānamaggañāṇadīpanato sabbalokuttaraguṇasampatti.
>
> This says that the path knowledge is based on the omniscient knowledge, which again seems contrary to my previous understanding.
Well, actually I think it says that path knowledge is the footing for
sabbaññutañāṇa.
> In the Tika to the Sāmaññaphala Sutta, at VRI I 238, PTS I 349, we read:
>
>  
> Mahābodhisattānaṃ pana catuvīsatikoṭisatasahassamukhena pabhedagamanato nānānayaṃ sabbaññutañāṇasannissayassa ariyamaggañāṇassa adhiṭṭhānabhūtaṃ pubbabhāgañāṇagabbhaṃ gaṇhāpentaṃ pariṇataṃ gacchantaṃ paramagambhīraṃ saṇhasukhumataraṃ anaññasādhāraṇaṃ vipassanāñāṇaṃ hoti, yaṃ aṭṭhakathāsu ‘‘mahāvajirañāṇa’’nti vuccati.
>
>
> That is, the insight-knowledge of great bodhisattas, which in the commentaries is called “the great diamond knowledge,” is the foundation for their knowledge of the noble path, which is in turn the support for their knowledge of omniscience (sabbaññutañāṇasannissayassa). This is the sequence that I would expect—insight, path knowledge, omniscient knowledge—so I can’t make sense of the apparent reciprocity of the two kinds of knowledge spoken of earlier in the Tika when commenting on the verses.
>
I think sannissaya is equivalent to upanissaya. That does imply priority
in time. But I would take that as referring to the actual application of
sabbaññutañāṇa.

Lance Cousins