I am sorry that you should have had a slight attack of alarm and despondency after hearing two opinions of bhikkhus on the Notes. In order that you should know quite clearly 'what the world is coming to' I translate a Sutta from the Anguttara (see PATICCASAMUPPĀDA).[1] It is quite natural, of course, that you should have doubts from time to time about the validity of the Notes, particularly when they are attacked from an 'official' quarter: you are bound to take them largely on trust, and it is always a comfort, when one is feeling a little tired, to be on the side of established opinion. As Kierkegaard says,
The spirit of dialectical fearlessness is not so easily acquired; and the sense of isolation which remains despite the conviction of right, the sadness of the parting from admired and trustworthy [or trusted?] authorities, is the line of demarcation which marks the threshold of its acquirement. (CUP, pp. 15-6)If you are going to champion the Notes you must be prepared to feel a little lonely upon occasion.
Possibly you will notice, at times, some doubt and hesitation on my part about the wisdom of publishing the Notes. This, you must understand, is entirely concerned with the question of how the Notes will be received by other people: about the correctness of the Notes, in essentials at least (I cannot guarantee every detail), I have no doubt at all, and there is some heavy artillery in reserve if the situation requires it. I am actually in a double isolation: first, as not knowing of anyone in Ceylon who can confirm the Notes, and secondly, as being quite out of touch with people generally. It is on account of the second that I feel hesitant and must seek the advice of others and see what people do actually have to say about the Notes.
As you say, specialists in the Abhidhamma books will not like criticism of them. Such specialists are those I referred to a long time ago[2] as 'people with a vested interest in the Dhamma': having acquired a specialized knowledge of some branch of the scriptures as a whole, they depend upon this to maintain them in a position of esteem or material advantage. Dhamma Sunday-school teachers, for example, will not be pleased (they teach the cittavīthi to ten-year-olds, which is sheer cruelty to children, apart from anything else).
The elephant season is starting here; they have been trumpeting all day in the middle distance. Perhaps they will come closer tonight.
P.S. The difficulty with the Venerable Objector is that we have to live with him, whereas you don't. We are obliged to pay him respect on account of his seniority, and this is quite as it should be; but it tends to be accepted as a homage to his superior wisdom, which is a debatable inference. The consequence is, however, that if his wisdom is questioned, even by implication, it is immediately interpreted as disrespect.
Editorial notes:
[78.1] a Sutta from the Anguttara: Pañcaka Nipāta, Yodhājīva Vagga, 9: iii,105-08:
1. There are, monks, these five future fearful things, not arisen at present but which will arise in the future; you should be on watch for them, and being on watch for them you should strive to eliminate them. What are the five?
2. There will be, monks, monks in time to come who will be undeveloped in body,[a] virtue, mind,[b] and understanding. They, being undeveloped in body, virtue, mind, and understanding, will give ordination to others and will be unable to direct them in higher virtue, higher mind, higher understanding; and these, too, will be undeveloped in body, virtue, mind, and understanding. And they, being undeveloped in body, virtue, mind, and understanding, will give ordination to others and will be unable to direct them in higher virtue, higher mind, higher understanding; and these, too, will be undeveloped in body, virtue, mind, and understanding. Thus, monks, with the decay of the Teaching there will be decay of the discipline[c] and with decay of the discipline there will be decay of the Teaching.
This, monks, is the first future fearful thing, not arisen at present....
3. Again, monks, there will be monks in time to come who will be undeveloped in body, virtue, mind, and understanding. They, being undeveloped in body, virtue, mind, and understanding, will give support[d] to others and will be unable to direct them in higher virtue, higher mind, higher understanding; and these, too, will be undeveloped in body, virtue, mind, and understanding. And they, being undeveloped in body, virtue, mind, and understanding, will give support to others and will be unable to direct them in higher virtue, higher mind, higher understanding; and these, too, will be undeveloped in body, virtue, mind, and understanding. Thus, monks, with the decay of the Teaching there will be decay of the discipline, and with decay of the discipline there will be decay of the Teaching.
This, monks, is the second future fearful thing, not arisen at present....
4. Again, monks, there will be monks in time to come who will be undeveloped in body, virtue, mind, and understanding. They, being undeveloped in body, virtue, mind, and understanding, when discussing the advanced teaching[e] and engaging in cross questioning,[f] falling into a dark teaching[g] will not awaken.[h] Thus, monks, with the decay of the Teaching there will be decay of the discipline, and with decay of the discipline there will be decay of the Teaching.
This, monks, is the third future fearful thing, not arisen at present....
5. Again, monks, there will be monks in time to come who will be undeveloped in body, virtue, mind, and understanding. They, being undeveloped in body, virtue, mind, and understanding, when those discourses uttered by the Tathāgata are preached, profound, profound in meaning, beyond the world, concerned with voidness—they will not listen to them, they will not give ear to them, they will not present a comprehending mind to them, and they will not consider those teachings worth grasping and learning; but when those discourses made by poets are preached, poetic, elegantly tuned, elegantly phrased, alien,[i] uttered by disciples—to them they will present a comprehending mind, and those teachings they will consider worth grasping and learning. Thus, monks, with the decay of the Teaching there will be decay of the discipline, and with decay of the discipline there will be decay of the Teaching.
This, monks, is the fourth future fearful thing, not arisen at present....
6. Again, monks, there will be monks in time to come who will be undeveloped in body, virtue, mind, and understanding. They, being undeveloped in body, virtue, mind, and understanding, the elder monks[j] will become luxurious and lax, and, falling from former ways[1] and laying aside the task of solitude, they will not make the effort to attain what they have not attained, to reach what they have not reached, to realize what they have not realized. And those who come after will follow their example and will become luxurious and lax, and, falling from former ways and laying aside the task of solitude, they too will not make the effort to attain what they have not attained, to reach what they have not reached, to realize what they have not realized. Thus, monks, with the decay of the Teaching there will be decay of the discipline, and with decay of the discipline there will be decay of the Teaching.
This, monks, is the fifth future fearful thing, not arisen at present....
7. These, monks, are the five future fearful things, not arisen at present but which will arise in the future; you should be on watch for them, and being on watch for them you should strive to eliminate them. [Back to text]
[78.2] long time ago: L. 39. [Back to text]
Footnotes to editorial notes:
[78.1.a] Abhāvitakāya. This does not mean lacking in physical training, but not being able to remain unmoved in the face of pleasurable feelings. [Back]
[78.1.b] Abhāvitacitta. Not being able to remain unmoved in the face of painful feelings. It also means unpractised in mental concentration, samādhi. The two things go hand in hand. [Back]
[78.1.c] Dhammasandosā vinayasandoso. Sandosa = decay or rot—'the rot sets in'. [Back]
[78.1.d] 'Support' is nissaya. Para. 2 deals with the upajjhāya or 'preceptor', and para. 3 with the ācariya or 'teacher'. [Back]
[78.1.e] Abhidhamma. This does not mean the Abhidhamma Pitaka, but simply the essential Dhamma. [Back]
[78.1.f] Vedallakathā. When one monk asks questions on the Dhamma and another gives the answers. [Back]
[78.1.g] Kanha dhamma, in contrast to the 'bright teaching' that does lead to awakening. [Back]
[78.1.h] Na bujjhissanti. Will not reach bodhi or enlightenment. [Back]
[78.1.i] Bāhiraka. Outside (the Dhamma). This refers to the puthujjana. [Back]
[78.1.j] Therā bhikkhū. [Back]
[78.1.1] 'Falling from former ways' is wrong: okkamane pubbangamā means 'going first in falling', i.e. taking the initiative in low practices. [Back]
