Path of Freedom [Vimuttimagga]

Subjects of Meditation 143"Sublime": Because he has reached the good road, he is named "sublime".Because he will not return again, and because he has attained to the extinction,Nibbdna, that is without residue of the substratum of being, 1 he is named"sublime". Again, because his teaching cannot be overturned he is called"sublime". And again, because his teachings are not untrue, he is called"sublime". And again, because his teachings are without disadvantages, heis called "sublime". And again, because his teachings are neither too manynor too few, he is called "sublime"."Knower of the world": World is of two kinds, i.e., the world of beingsand the world of formations. 2 The Blessed One knows the world of beingin the course of all his actions. Through the varying desires of beings, throughthe difference of faculties, through past lives, through the knowledge of thedivine eye, through the knowledge of the passing away and arising of beings,through combination, through fulfilment, through various modes of differentiation,through various states of durability and non-durability, through variousbirths, through various states of birth, through various planes, through variousactions, through various defilements, through various results, through variouskinds of good and evil and through various kinds of binding and unbinding,the Blessed One knows the world of beings.And again it is said "the world of formations": The Blessed One knowsall action and he knows the many formations. Through concentration perception,through causes and conditions, through moral, immoral and the amoral,through various aggregations, through various worlds, through various spheres,through perfect understanding, through impermanence, sorrow and not-selfand through the born and the unborn, the Blessed One knows the world offormations. Thus is "knower of the world" to be understood."Matchless": Because he is unsurpassable, in the world, he is called"matchless". And again, because he is without an equal, because he is mostexcellent, because he is incomparable and because others cannot excel him,he is named "matchless". 3"Guide of men to be tamed": There are three kinds of persons: a manhears the Law and quickly is able to expound it; another man elucidates theprinciples of causes and conditions; and yet another makes clear the knowledgeof past existences. But the Blessed One, having mastered the eightfold way of1. Cp. It. 38: Anupddisesa nibbdnadhdtu.2. Satta-loka, sarhkhdra-loka.—Cp. Sn.-a. II, 442: Sabbathd pi viditalokattd lokavidii,so hi sabhdvato sarnudayato nirodhato nirodhupdyato ti sabbathd khandhdyatanddibhedarhsarhkhdralokarh avedi, 'eko loko sabbe sattd dhdrafthitikd, dve lokd ndmaft ca rupah ca,tayo lokd tisso vedand, cattdro lokd cattdro dhdrd, pahca lokd pane 9 updddnakkhandhd, chalokd cha ajjhattikdni dyatandni, satta lokd satta vinhdnatthitiyo, affha lokd affha lokadhammd,nava lokd nava sattdvdsd, dasa lokd dasa dyatandni, dvddasa lokd dvddasdyatandni,atthdrasa lokd atthdrasa dhdtuyo 9 ti evam pi sabbathd sarhkhdralokarh avedi;sattdnam dsayarh jdndti anusayarh jdndti caritarh jdndti adhimuttirh jdndti, apparajakkhemahdrajakkhe tikkhindriye svdkdre dvdkdre suvihndpaye duvihhdpaye bhabbe abhabbesatte jdndti ti sabbathd sattalokarh avedi.3. Cp. Sn.-a. II, 443: Attano pana gunehi visifthatarassa kassaci abhdvd anuttaro.