Part 12 - The Four Kinds of Analytical Knowledge (Paṭisambhidā-ñāṇa)

It has been said above that as soon as the Buddha attained Perfect Enlightenment, He became possessed of the four kinds of Analytical Knowledge. These four Knowledges are: (i) Attha paṭisambhidā-ñāṇa, (ii) Dhamma paṭisambhidā-ñāṇa, (iii) Nirutti paṭisambhidāñāṇa, (iv) Paṭibhāna paṭisambhidā-ñāṇa. Paṭisambhidā means multifarious, diverse, various. Patisambhidā-ñāṇa means Knowledge which is discriminating and comprehensive.

(i) Attha patisambhidā-ñāṇa

Herein attha means: (a) things that are dependent on conditions, i.e., understanding results of causes, (b) Nibbāna (c) meaning of words (Pāli), (d) resultant thoughts (vipāka) (i.e. mind and mental concomitants), (e) non-causative thoughts (kiriya) (i.e. mind and mental concomitants).

The Buddha became endowed with the above five kinds of attha (meanings, results) as soon as He attained Buddhahood. Being endowed with Analytical Knowledge of attha, the Buddha knew discriminately and comprehensively about everything, and was able to expound these to others. The great non-causative consciousness (mahā kiriya ñāṇa) associated with four kinds of knowledge that arises in the Buddha when His mind attends to the above five atthas, as well as magga-phala that He knows when His mind attends to Nibbāna, are called Attha patisambhidā-ñāṇa of the Buddha.

(This attha patisambhidā-ñāṇa of ariyas, who are still training themselves to attain arahatta-phala, such as that of the Venerable Ānanda, consists of the great meritorious consciousness, mahākusala-citta, associated with four kinds of knowledge that arises in them when their mind attends to those five atthas, as well as the (three) lower maggas and phalas when their mind attends to Nibbāna.)

(ii) Dhamma paṭisambhidā-ñāṇa

Discriminating and comprehensive knowledge about phenomena.

Herein ‘dhamma’ means: (a) causes that produce results, (b) the four Ariya Paths, (c) the spoken word of the Buddha (Pāli) (d) meritorious thoughts (i.e. mind and mental concomitants) (e) demeritorious thoughts (i.e. mind and mental concomitants).

The Buddha became endowed with the above four kinds of dhamma (causes) as soon as He attained Buddhahood. Being endowed with Analytical Knowledge of dhamma, the Buddha knew discriminately and comprehensively about every dhamma and was able to expound them to others. The great non-causative consciousness associated with knowledge that arises in the Buddha when His mind attends to the above five dhammas is the dhamma paṭisambhidā-ñāṇa of the Buddha. In the case of ariyas, who are still training themselves to attain arahatta-phala, such as the Venerable Ānanda, Analytical Knowledge of dhamma means the great meritorious consciousness associated with knowledge. (The same applies with regard to the next two Analytical Knowledge).

(iii) Nirutti patisambhidā-ñāṇa

Analytical Knowledge of the natural language of the ariyas (i.e. māgadhi) concerning the five kinds of attha and the five kinds of dhamma (causes). The Buddha became endowed with the Analytical Knowledge of the natural language of ariyas (i.e. māgadhi). Being endowed with Analytical Knowledge of (words and grammar) the natural language of the ariyas, (i.e. māgadhi) the Buddha is able to teach it to others.

Indeed that is so–The five kinds of attha and the five kinds of dhamma need a wealth of words. For each of dhamma item, a wide range of vocabulary and grammatical forms and nuances of the natural language of the ariyas (i.e. māgadhi) is at the facile command of the Buddha. For example, a single dhamma factor ‘phassa’ (contact) is expressed in its various forms, such as ‘phasso’ (contact), ‘phusanā’ (being in contact), ‘samphusanā’ (full contact), ‘samphasitattha’ (contacting well), to bring out its various intrinsic meanings.

Likewise lobha (greed) is explained in more than a hundred terms. (Refer to Dhammasaṅganī, para 456)

(iv) Patibhāna patisambhidā-ñāṇa

This is the Analytical Knowledge that “attha paṭisambhidā-ñāṇa has discriminative and comprehensive knowledge about results; that dhamma paṭisambhā-ñāṇa has discriminative and comprehensive knowledge about five dhammas; that nirutte paṭisambhidā-ñāṇa has Analytical Knowledge about words and grammar.” Briefly put, it is knowledge about the three kinds of Analytical Knowledge, that knowledge which has all knowledge as object and considers them discriminately. The Buddha became endowed with this Knowledge about the kinds of knowledge as soon as He attained Buddhahood. (Nirutti paṭisambhidā-ñāṇa and paṭibhāna paṭisambhidā-ñāṇa, like the previous paṭisambhidhā-ñāṇas, are the great non-causative consciousness associated with knowledge mahā kiriya mahā kusala ñāṇa).

(Note: The fourth of the four paṭisambhidā-ñāṇas discriminately knows the functions of the three other Knowledges but is not able to discharge those functions itself. It is just like a preacher, without a good voice, who is well versed in scriptural knowledge and who is unable to preach as well as another good preacher who is gifted with a good voice but has scanty knowledge of the scriptures.)

Two bhikkhus learnt the art of preaching. One was poor in voice but intelligent; the other had a good voice but not intelligent. The latter made a great name everywhere he preached, the audience had a very good impression of him and said: “From the way this bhikkhu preaches, he must be one who has committed to memory the Three Piṭakas.” When the learned bhikkhu with a poor voice heard these remarks, he became jealous and said: “Well, you will find whether he is master of the Three Piṭakas when you hear him preach next time.” (He implies that: “You are going to hear much the same stuff.”) Yet whatever he might say about that popular preacher, he is just unable to preach as well as the one with a good voice who could captivate the audience.

Similarly, paṭibhāna samhhidā-ñāṇa discriminately knows the functions of the three other Analytical Knowledges, but it cannot discharge these functions itself This has been explained in the Commentary on the Vibhaṅga.