[164] How does one define sounds (sadda) externally? One defines: "Sounds are produced from ignorance (avijjā)" … one defines: "Sounds are derived from the four great elements (mahābhūta)"; one defines: "Sounds have arisen"; one defines: "Sounds have come to be"; one defines: "Sounds, not having been, came into being; having been, they will not be"; one defines sounds as having an end; one defines: "Sounds are unstable, not eternal, subject to change"; one defines: "Sounds are impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen, subject to destruction, subject to passing away, subject to fading away, subject to cessation"; one defines sounds as impermanent … Thus one defines sounds externally.
How does one define odors (gandha) externally? One defines: "Odors are produced from ignorance"; one defines: "Odors are produced from craving (taṇhā)" … Thus one defines odors externally.
How does one define tastes (rasa) externally? One defines: "Tastes are produced from ignorance"; one defines: "Tastes are produced from craving" … Thus one defines tastes externally.
How does one define tangible objects (phoṭṭhabba) externally? One defines: "Tangible objects are produced from ignorance"; one defines: "Tangible objects are produced from craving"; one defines: "Tangible objects are produced from kamma"; one defines: "Tangible objects are produced from nutriment (āhāra)"; one defines: "Tangible objects have arisen"; one defines: "Tangible objects have come to be" … Thus one defines tangible objects externally.
How does one define dhammas externally? One defines: "Dhammas are produced from ignorance"; one defines: "Dhammas are produced from craving"; one defines: "Dhammas are produced from kamma"; one defines: "Dhammas are produced from nutriment"; one defines: "Dhammas have arisen"; one defines: "Dhammas have come to be"; one defines: "Dhammas, not having been, came into being; having been, they will not be"; one defines dhammas as having an end; one defines: "Dhammas are unstable, not eternal, subject to change"; one defines: "Dhammas are impermanent, conditioned, dependently arisen, subject to destruction, subject to passing away, subject to fading away, subject to cessation"; one defines dhammas as impermanent, not as permanent; one defines them as suffering (dukkha), not as pleasure; one defines them as not-self, not as self; one becomes disenchanted, one does not delight; one becomes dispassionate, one is not impassioned; one brings to cessation (nirodha), one does not originate; one relinquishes, one does not grasp. Defining them as impermanent, one abandons the perception of permanence; defining them as suffering, one abandons the perception of pleasure; defining them as not-self, one abandons the perception of self; becoming disenchanted, one abandons delight; becoming dispassionate, one abandons lust (rāga); bringing to cessation, one abandons origination; relinquishing, one abandons grasping. Thus one defines dhammas externally.
That is knowledge (ñāṇa) in the sense of what is known, and wisdom (paññā) in the sense of the act of understanding. Hence it is said: wisdom in the defining of what is external is the knowledge of the diversity of resorts (gocaranānatte ñāṇaṃ).
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.