24. The Four Analytical Knowledges (ARV24)

Herein, monastics, what are the four analytical knowledges?

They are as follows:

The analytical knowledge of meaning,

the analytical knowledge of the way things are,

the analytical knowledge of language,

the analytical knowledge of inspired speech.

The analytical knowledge of meaning is what?

That is to say, the unchanging knowledge of the ultimate truth.

The analytical knowledge of the way things are is what?

The unchanging knowledge of things without pollutants.

The analytical knowledge of language is what?

The unchanging knowledge of utterances.

The analytical knowledge of inspired speech is what?

What is suitable and facile talk: the unchanging and clear knowledge one dwelling in concentration has (of this).

These are the four analytical knowledges.

Translated by Ānandajoti Bhikkhu, 2016

Based on the edition by Prof. N. H. Samtani in The Arthaviniścaya-sūtra & its commentary (Nibandhana) (Patna, 1971), updated to include the corrections he printed in that work on pp. 180–181, most of which were also printed in his translation of the same, Gathering the Meanings (Berkeley, 2002), on pp. 309–310.

Original translation with comments to be found at http://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/.

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Ayya Vimala.