Comm. NT: 16.
Nirodhaniddesakathāvaṇṇanā
“‘On coming to that (taṃ āgamma)’: on reaching that Nibbāna by making it the object”
Comm Nyanamoli thera: Āgamma (ger. of āgacchati—to come) is commonly used as an adverb in the sense of “owing to” (e.g. at M I 119). Here, however, it is taken literally by the Commentaries and forms an essential part of the ontological proof of the positive existence of Nibbāna. The Sammohavinodanī (commentary on the Āyatana-Vibhaṅga Abhidhamma-bhājaniya) refutes the suggestion of a disputant (vitaṇḍavādin) who asserts that Nibbāna is “mere destruction” (khayamatta). The arguments used are merely supplementary to those in §69 here, and so are not quoted. The conclusion of the argument is worth noting, however, because of the emphasis on the words “taṃ āgamma.”
It is this: “It is on coming to Nibbāna that greed, etc., are destroyed. It is the same Nibbāna that is called ‘destruction of greed, destruction of hate, destruction of delusion.’ These are just three terms for Nibbāna—When this was said, he asked: You say ‘On coming to’ (āgamma); from where have you got this ‘on coming to’?—It is got from the Suttas—Quote the sutta—‘Thus ignorance and craving, on coming to that, are destroyed in that, are abolished in that, nor does anything anywhere … (evaṃ avijjā ca taṇhā ca taṃ āgamma tamhi khīṇaṃ tamhi bhaggaṃ na ca kiñci kadāci … ).’ When this was said, the other was silent.” The quotation has not been traced.