7.9 Of the Ariyan Mind and its Results (KV7.9)

Controverted Point: That Ariyan states of mind have no positive result.

Theravādin: But you admit that the career of a recluse or religious student is productive of great rewards—to wit, the fruits of the Four Paths. How then can you deny positive result?

Or, if you deny that these four kinds of fruit are positive result—as you do—then you equally deny that there is positive result in the fruit of giving or of moral conduct, or of religious exercises, which you maintain … .

Now in maintaining these propositions, you must no less maintain that there is positive result in the fruits of the Paths … .

Again, you will of course admit that good done in relation to life on earth or in the heavens, material or immaterial, entails result. Does this not commit you to admitting that good done in relation to path-graduating also entails result though you deny this by your proposition? Conversely, if you maintain that good done in relation to path-graduating entails no result, must you not also deny result to good done in relation to life on earth or in heaven?

Andhaka: Well, but is not this a parallel case? You will of course admit that good done in relation to life on earth or in the heavens, material or immaterial, entailing result, makes for accumulation of rebirth. Does this not commit you to admitting that good done in relation to path-graduating, entailing as you say result, makes also for accumulation of rebirth though you of course deny this?

The Points of Controversy, an English translation of the Pali Abhidhamma Kathāvatthu. Translated by Shwe Zan Aung and C.A.F. Rhys Davids. First published by Pali Text Society, 1915.

This SuttaCentral edition was prepared by Manfred Wierich and Ven. Vimala and proofread by Josephine Tobin. Some changes were introduced:

Abbreviations, i.e., those of cited works and the participants in the controversies, were expanded.

Cross-references were linked.

Some typographic changes were introduced, among others, i.e.: the phonetic symbol “ŋ” was changed to the Pāli diacritical letter “ṃ”, “ô” to “o”, single quotes to double quotes, and “:—” to “:”.

Letter-spacing with fixed spaces was replaced with bold font.

The corrigenda were merged into the text. Some could not be resolved, though.

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