..续本文上一页at the first moment of bhava"nga, and so forth.

　　But because the Exalted One not only knows the source of the nutriments which is craving, but also the latter”s source which is feeling, and so forth; therefore the discourse continues "And this craving, O monks, what is its source...

　　" showing by this method the sa.msaaric cycle (va.t.ta) and (implicitly) the stopping of that cycle (viva.t.ta).

　　Here, however, the exposition is given under the aspect of the past, and accordingly the cycle of kamma and kamma result has been described in terms of past (existence).[35] How

　　 This (present) inpidual is conceived (as a product of) the four nutriments.

　　[Among the factors of the Dependent Origination given here], craving (ta.nhaa) is the generative kamma (janaka-kamma) for this (present) inpidual. "Feeling, sense-impression, sixfold sense-base, mind-and-body, and consciousness" are the factors present in the inpidual (of the past) that performs that (past) kamma; they have been mentioned here for indicating [this latter fact].

　　Thus the inpidual (of the present and the past) has been indicated here in two places (i.e., by mentioning the nutriments and by mentioning feeling, etc.); and in two places the generative kamma of that (past and present inpidual) has been indicated, (namely, by mentioning craving and by mentioning ignorance and kamma-formations). In such a way, two things have been shown here in brief, kamma and kamma result; and in doing so, the exposition has been given under the aspect of the past, and accordingly the sa.msaaric cycle has been described here in terms of past (existence).[36]

　　But one should not think that this exposition of the dependent origination is incomplete because it does not extend to its future part. [Though the future is not dealt with expressly] it is implied by indicating the method [applicable also to the future], and therefore it should be understood that this exposition is quite complete.

　　This is a simile for it: Suppose a clear-sighted man sees a crocodile lying on the water”s surface. At the foremost part of it he sees the throat, further on the back and at the end the root of the tail. But when looking at the belly, he does not see the rest of the tail nor the four legs which are submerged in the water. Yet, for that reason, he does not think that the crocodile is incomplete; but by methodical inference he takes it to be complete.

　　The application of this simile is as follows. The crocodile lying on the surface of the water is like the sa.msaaric cycle on its three levels. The clear-sighted man standing on the shore, is the meditator. The time when the man sees the crocodile on the surface of the water, corresponds to the time when the meditator understands this inpidual existence by way of the nutriments. Seeing the throat as the foremost part is like seeing craving as the generative force for this inpidual. Seeing the crocodile”s back, is like the seeing of feeling, etc., in that existence where the kamma called craving has been performed. Seeing the root of the tail is like seeing ignorance and kamma-formations being the generative factors of this inpidual”s existence. Looking at the belly below, and, though not seeing the end of the tail and the legs, yet not assuming that the crocodile is incomplete, but taking it as complete, by methodical inference — this is like accepting the exposition to be complete and not believing it to be incomplete, if in a canonical passage this or that section of the cycle of conditions is not mentioned.

　　There is here one link (of fruit and cause) between nutriment and craving; one link (of cause and fruit) between craving and feeling; and one link (of fruit and cause) between consciousness and kamma-formations. Thus the cycle (of conditions) has been shown …

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