[728] **"The directly witnessed Dhamma (sakkhidhamma), the removal of dangers (parissaya)"** — "The directly witnessed Dhamma": not by hearsay ("thus it has been"), not by report ("so they say"), not by lineage of teaching, not by scriptural collections, not by logic, not by inference, not by reasoned reflection, not by acceptance of a view after consideration — but the Dhamma known by oneself, personally known through direct knowledge, evident to oneself: hence "the directly witnessed Dhamma."
"The removal of dangers" — "Dangers": there are two kinds of dangers: manifest dangers and concealed dangers.
What are the manifest dangers? Lions, tigers, leopards, bears, hyenas, wolves, wild cattle and buffaloes, elephants, snakes, scorpions, centipedes; robbers or young ruffians, whether they have committed a crime or have not yet committed one; disease of the eye, disease of the ear, disease of the nose, disease of the tongue, disease of the body, disease of the head, disease of the outer ear, disease of the mouth, disease of the teeth; cough, asthma, catarrh, burning fever, fever, disease of the belly, fainting, dysentery, colic, cholera; leprosy, boils, eczema, consumption, epilepsy; ringworm, itch, scab, chapping, scabies; disorders of blood and of bile, diabetes, haemorrhoids, pustules, fistula; illnesses originating from bile, illnesses originating from phlegm, illnesses originating from wind, illnesses arising from a combination of humours, illnesses produced by change of season, illnesses produced by improper care, illnesses produced by assault, illnesses produced as the result of kamma; cold, heat, hunger, thirst, the need to defecate, the need to urinate; contact with gadflies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, and creeping creatures — these are called manifest dangers.
What are the concealed dangers? Bodily misconduct, verbal misconduct, mental misconduct; the hindrance (nīvaraṇa) of sensual desire, the hindrance of ill will, the hindrance of dullness and drowsiness, the hindrance of restlessness and remorse, the hindrance of doubt; lust, hatred, delusion; anger, hostility, denigration, insolence, envy, avarice, deceit, hypocrisy, obstinacy, contentiousness, conceit, arrogance, vanity, negligence; all defilements, all misconduct, all disquiet, all fevers, all torments, all unwholesome volitional formations — these are called concealed dangers.
"Dangers": in what sense are they dangers? "They overwhelm" — thus they are dangers. "They lead to decline" — thus they are dangers. "They lurk therein" — thus they are dangers.
How are they dangers in the sense that they overwhelm? Those dangers overcome, overwhelm, master, overspread, exhaust, and crush that person. Thus they are dangers in the sense that they overwhelm.
How are they dangers in the sense that they lead to decline? Those dangers lead to the decline, to the obstruction, of wholesome states. Of which wholesome states? Of right practice, of conforming practice, of unopposed practice, of practice in accordance with the goal, of practice of the Dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma; of fulfilment in the virtues, of guarding the doors of the sense faculties, of moderation in eating, of devotion to wakefulness; of mindfulness and clear comprehension; of devotion to the development of the four establishments of mindfulness (satipaṭṭhāna), of the four right strivings, of the four bases of spiritual power, of the five faculties, of the five powers, of the seven factors of awakening (bojjhaṅga), and of the noble eightfold path — they lead to the decline, to the obstruction, of these wholesome states. Thus they are dangers in the sense that they lead to decline.
How are they dangers in the sense that they lurk therein? Those evil unwholesome states arise right there, dependent upon the individual existence. Just as creatures that dwell in a hole lie in the hole, creatures that dwell in the water lie in the water, creatures that dwell in the forest lie in the forest, creatures that dwell in a tree lie in the tree, even so those evil unwholesome states arise right there, dependent upon the individual existence. Thus too they are dangers in the sense that they lurk therein.
For this was said by the Blessed One: "Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who dwells with a pupil, who dwells with a teacher, dwells in suffering, not at ease. And how, bhikkhus, does a bhikkhu who dwells with a pupil, who dwells with a teacher, dwell in suffering, not at ease? Here, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu has seen a form with the eye, there arise in him evil unwholesome states, memories and intentions connected with the fetters. They dwell within him; evil unwholesome states flow within him — therefore he is called 'one who dwells with a pupil.' They assail him, those evil unwholesome states — therefore he is called 'one who dwells with a teacher.' Further, bhikkhus, when a bhikkhu has heard a sound with the ear, smelled an odour with the nose, tasted a flavour with the tongue, touched a tangible with the body, cognized a dhamma with the mind, there arise in him evil unwholesome states, memories and intentions connected with the fetters. They dwell within him; evil unwholesome states flow within him — therefore he is called 'one who dwells with a pupil.' They assail him, those evil unwholesome states — therefore he is called 'one who dwells with a teacher.' Thus indeed, bhikkhus, a bhikkhu who dwells with a pupil, who dwells with a teacher, dwells in suffering, not at ease." Thus too they are dangers in the sense that they lurk therein.
For this was said by the Blessed One: "Bhikkhus, there are these three inner stains, inner foes, inner enemies, inner murderers, inner adversaries. What three? Greed, bhikkhus, is an inner stain, an inner foe, an inner enemy, an inner murderer, an inner adversary. Hatred, bhikkhus, is an inner stain, an inner foe, an inner enemy, an inner murderer, an inner adversary. Delusion, bhikkhus, is an inner stain, an inner foe, an inner enemy, an inner murderer, an inner adversary. These indeed, bhikkhus, are the three inner stains, inner foes, inner enemies, inner murderers, inner adversaries."
Greed is a producer of harm; greed is an agitator of the mind;
the danger born from within — that, people do not understand.
A greedy one does not know the good; a greedy one does not see the Dhamma;
blinding darkness there is then, when greed overwhelms a man.
Hatred is a producer of harm; hatred is an agitator of the mind;
the danger born from within — that, people do not understand.
An angry one does not know the good; an angry one does not see the Dhamma;
blinding darkness there is then, when anger overwhelms a man.
Delusion is a producer of harm; delusion is an agitator of the mind;
the danger born from within — that, people do not understand.
A deluded one does not know the good; a deluded one does not see the Dhamma;
blinding darkness there is then, when delusion overwhelms a man.
Thus too they are dangers in the sense that they lurk therein.
For this was said by the Blessed One: "Great king, there are three things which, arising within a man, arise for his harm, for his suffering, for his dwelling without ease. What three? Greed, great king, is a thing which, arising within a man, arises for his harm, for his suffering, for his dwelling without ease. Hatred, great king, is a thing which, arising within a man, arises for his harm, for his suffering, for his dwelling without ease. Delusion, great king, is a thing which, arising within a man, arises for his harm, for his suffering, for his dwelling without ease. These indeed, great king, are the three things which, arising within a man, arise for his harm, for his suffering, for his dwelling without ease."
Greed and hatred and delusion, arisen from within himself,
injure the man of evil mind, as its own fruit destroys the bamboo.
Thus too they are dangers in the sense that they lurk therein.
For this was said by the Blessed One:
Lust and hatred have their source here;
from here are born discontent, delight, and terror;
arisen from here, the mind's thoughts toss one up,
as young boys toss up a crow.
Thus too they are dangers in the sense that they lurk therein.
"The removal of dangers": the removal of dangers, the abandoning of dangers, the stilling of dangers, the relinquishing of dangers, the tranquilization of dangers — the Deathless, Nibbāna. Hence: "the directly witnessed Dhamma, the removal of dangers."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.