Comm. NT: 11. These three abstinences are the “prior state” of the Eightfold Path (see M III 289).
Bodhipakkhiyakathāvaṇṇanā
Only the road to power consisting in zeal, and right speech, are actually included here;
but when these are mentioned, the remaining roads to power and remaining two abstinences are implied in the meaning too. The meaning of this sentence should be understood according to the ‘category of characteristics’ (lakkhaṇa-hāra—see Nettipakaraṇa).
This Netti rule says:
Hārasaṅkhepo
When one thing has been stated, then those things
That are in characteristic one with it
Are stated too–this is the formulation
Of the category of characteristics