2.
The Great Chapter
1.
Commentary on the Titthāyatana Discourse
62. In the first of the second, "spheres of sectarian doctrines" means planes that have become beliefs, or planes of sectarians. Therein, the belief should be known, the founders of sects should be known, the sectarians should be known, the disciples of sectarians should be known. "Belief" means the sixty-two views. "Founders of sects" means the originators of those views. "Sectarians" means those for whom those views find delight and acceptance. "Disciples of sectarians" means the donors of requisites to them. "Plane" means in "Kamboja is the plane of horses, the southern route is the plane of cattle," here "plane" means a place of origin.
Those needing shade go for shade, those needing fruit are fruit-eaters."
Here it means a meeting place. In "There are, monks, these five planes of liberation," here it means cause. That is all obtained here too. For all holders of views, when being born, are born in just these three states; when coming together too, they come together and gather in just these three states; and these very three are the causes of their state of holding views - thus they are spheres of sectarian doctrines as planes in the sense of origin and so on that have become beliefs. In that very meaning, they are also spheres of sectarian doctrines as planes of sectarians. "When questioned" means being asked thus: "What indeed are these views by name?" "When cross-examined" means being rightly pressed thus: "For what reason have these views arisen?" "When admonished" means being rightly instructed thus: "You should relinquish these evil wrong views." Furthermore, all three of these are merely synonyms for the question of cross-examination. Therefore it was said in the commentary - "Whether 'cross-questions' or 'asks for reasons' or 'admonishes' - these are the same, of one meaning, equal, of equal share, of the same kind, just that."
"Even going to the furthest extent" means having gone to whatever succession among these - the succession of teachers, the succession of views, or the succession of individual existences. "Remain established in non-action" means they remain in mere non-action. "Our teacher was a proponent of past deeds, our teacher's teacher was a proponent of past deeds, our teacher's teacher's teacher was a proponent of past deeds. Our teacher was a proponent of creation by a lord, our teacher's teacher was a proponent of creation by a lord, our teacher's teacher's teacher was a proponent of creation by a lord. Our teacher was a proponent of causelessness and conditionlessness, our teacher's teacher was a proponent of causelessness and conditionlessness, our teacher's teacher's teacher was a proponent of causelessness and conditionlessness" - thus going, these are said to go to the succession of teachers. "Our teacher held the view of past deeds, our teacher's teacher, etc. our teacher's teacher's teacher held the view of causelessness and conditionlessness" - thus going, they are said to go to the succession of views. "Our teacher's individual existence was caused by what was done in the past, our teacher's teacher's, etc. our teacher's teacher's teacher's individual existence was without cause and without condition" - thus going, they are said to go to the succession of individual existences. But thus, even going very far, they remain established in mere non-action; not even one doer or causer of these holders of views is discerned.
"Person" means a being. Surely, even when "person" is said or when "individual" is said, it is just a being that is said; but this is called conventional talk - to whoever knows in whatever way, to him it is spoken accordingly. "Experiences" means one knows what has arisen in one's own continuity, makes it experienced, or undergoes it. "Caused by what was done in the past" means because of what was done in the past; the meaning is that one experiences solely by the condition of action done in the past. By this, having rejected both action-feeling and functional feeling, they accept only one resultant feeling. Or whatever eight diseases have been stated - illnesses arising from bile, illnesses arising from phlegm, illnesses arising from wind, illnesses arising from the combination of humours, illnesses arising from change of climate, illnesses arising from improper care, illnesses arising from assault, and illnesses arising from the result of action - having rejected seven of those, they accept only one resultant feeling. And whatever three categories of action have been stated - experienced in present life, experienced in next life, and experienced from one life to another - having warded off two of those, they accept only one action experienced from one life to another. And whatever three categories of result have been stated - result experienced in present life, experienced in next life, and experienced from one life to another - having warded off two of those, they accept only one result experienced from one life to another. And whatever four categories of volition have been stated - wholesome volition, unwholesome volition, resultant volition, and functional volition - having warded off three of those, they accept only one resultant volition.
"Caused by the creation of a lord" means because of the creation of a lord; the meaning is that one experiences because of having been created by a lord. For this is their intention - these three feelings cannot be experienced in the present by what is rooted in what was done by oneself, or by what is rooted in command, or by what was done in the past, or without cause and without condition; but one experiences these solely because of the creation of a lord. But those who hold such views, without accepting even one among the eight diseases stated above, reject them all; and without accepting even one among the three categories of action, the three categories of result, and the four categories of volition stated above, they reject them all.
"Without cause and without condition" means without cause and without condition; the meaning is that one experiences without any reason at all. For this is their intention - these three feelings cannot be experienced in the present by what is rooted in what was done by oneself, or by what is rooted in command, or by what was done in the past, or by the cause of the creation of a lord; but one experiences these solely without cause and without condition. But those who hold such views, without accepting even one among the diseases and so on stated above, reject everything.
Thus, having laid down the matrix, the Teacher, in order to now classify and show it, said beginning with "Therein, monks." Therein, "I speak thus" shows that he speaks thus for the purpose of establishing their view. For without having established their view, when being rebuked they shift from one view to another view, saying "Master Gotama, we do not hold the doctrine of what was done in the past" and so on. But when the view has been established, being unable to shift, they are well refuted; thus, for the purpose of establishing their view, he said "I speak thus." "Then, venerable ones" means then indeed, venerable ones. What is meant? if this is true, this being so, then by your doctrine. "You will be killers of living beings because of what was done in the past" means whoever in the world kills living beings, all of them will be killers of living beings because of what was done in the past. Why? For the action of killing living beings cannot be experienced as rooted in what was done by oneself, nor as rooted in command, nor by the cause of the creation of a lord, nor without cause and without condition; one experiences it solely because of what was done in the past - this is your view. And just as killers of living beings, so too those who abstain from killing living beings will abstain solely because of what was done in the past. Thus the Blessed One, having taken up their very own view, imposes the refutation upon them. By this method, the explanation regarding "takers of what is not given" and so on should also be understood.
"Returns to as having substance" means for those who take it as having substance. "Desire" means the desire to act. "This is to be done or this is not to be done" - here this is the intention: "This is to be done" means for the purpose of doing what should be done; "this is not to be done" means for the purpose of not doing what should not be done - there is no desire to act or individual effort. Or when desire and effort are absent, there is neither "this should be done" nor "this should not be done." "Thus, when what is to be done and what is not to be done is not found as true and reliable" means thus, when what should be done and what should not be done is not evident as factual and firm, is not obtained. For if one could obtain the ability to do what should be done and to abstain from what should not be done, then what is to be done and what is not to be done would be found as true and reliable. But since one does not obtain either of those two, therefore that is not found as true and reliable - thus is the meaning of "when that is not found." "Unmindful" means of those whose mindfulness is lost, whose mindfulness is abandoned. "Dwelling unguarded" means of those dwelling without safeguarding at the six doors. "There is no individually valid claim to be ascetics" means for those who have become thus, whether you or others, the claim "we are ascetics" - individually, with reason - does not exist, does not succeed. For even ascetics exist only because of what was done in the past, and non-ascetics too exist only because of what was done in the past. "Reasonable" means with reason. "There is a refutation" means there is my refutation, and they are refuted.
Having thus refuted the proponents of past action, now in order to refute the proponents of the creation of a lord, he said beginning with "Therein, monks." Its meaning should be understood in the manner stated regarding the doctrine of past action, and likewise regarding the doctrine of non-causality.
Thus, having shown the hollowness and non-liberating nature of these spheres of sectarian doctrines through their remaining established in non-action even going to the furthest extent; their resemblance to pounding husks through the state of reaching no substance; their resemblance to a glowing firefly mistaken for fire; their resemblance to a file of blind men through the absence of seeing the purpose for the first, the middle, and the last among those holding such views; and having shown the resemblance to a hare who, having taken those merely by sound, viewing them as having substance, having heard the rumbling sound of a ripe beluva fruit fallen on the earth, ran away with the perception "The earth is dissolving and coming" - now, in order to show the substantial nature and the liberating nature of the Teaching taught by himself, he said beginning with "But this, monks." Therein, "unrefuted" means not refuted by others, unable to be refuted. "Undefiled" means free from mental defilements, pure; unable to be made so even by those who would proceed thinking "We shall make it defiled." "Blameless" means freed from blame. "Not rejected" means not warded off as "What is the use of this? Take it away!" - thus not repelled, or not reproached. "By the wise" (viññūhi) means by the wise persons. For the word of the unwise who speak without knowing is immeasurable. Therefore he said "by the wise."
Now, for the purpose of showing that Teaching, having asked the question "And which, monks?" having laid down the matrix by the method beginning with "these six elements," having classified in due order and showing, he again said beginning with "these six elements." Therein, "elements" means intrinsic natures. For the meaning of intrinsic nature, which reveals the state of being without life and without a being, is called the meaning of element. "Sense bases of contact" means sense bases in the meaning of being a mine for resultant contacts. "Mental explorations" means the explorations of the mind in eighteen instances by way of applied and sustained thought.
"The solid element" means the element of support. "The liquid element" means the element of binding together. "The heat element" means the element of maturing. "The air element" means the element of expansion. "The space element" means the element of non-contact. "The consciousness element" means the element of cognition. Thus this element meditation subject has come. Now, where this has come in brief, it is proper to speak of it either in brief or in detail. Where it has come in detail, it is not proper to speak of it in brief; only in detail is it proper. But in this Titthāyatana Sutta, this meditation subject has come in brief by way of the six elements. It is proper to speak of it in both ways.
Even one who comprehends the meditation subject in brief by way of the six elements comprehends thus - The solid element, the liquid element, the heat element, the air element - these are the four primary elements; the space element is derivative materiality. And when one derivative materiality is seen, the remaining twenty-three should be observed as already seen. "The consciousness element" means consciousness, which is the aggregate of consciousness; feeling conascent with it is the aggregate of feeling; perception is the aggregate of perception; contact and volition are the aggregate of mental activities - these are called the four immaterial aggregates. But the four primary elements and the derivative materiality of the four primary elements are called the aggregate of material body. Therein, the four immaterial aggregates are mentality, the aggregate of material body is materiality - thus there are just two phenomena, mentality and materiality; beyond that there is no being or soul. Thus the meditation subject leading to the attainment of arahantship by way of the six elements in brief for one monk should be understood.
But one comprehending in detail, having comprehended the four primary elements, comprehends the twenty-three derivative materialities in accordance with the comprehension of the space element. Then, investigating their conditions, having seen again just the four primary elements, having combined them by way of portions - the solid element having twenty portions, the liquid element twelve, the heat element four, the air element six portions - and having defined forty-two primary elements, having included among them the twenty-three derivative materialities, one defines sixty-five materialities. And those together with the materiality of the sense-organ become sixty-six; thus one sees sixty-six materialities. But the consciousness element, by way of mundane consciousness, is eighty-one consciousnesses. All of those are called the aggregate of consciousness. The feelings and so on conascent with those are of just that same number - thus eighty-one feelings are the aggregate of feeling, eighty-one perceptions are the aggregate of perception, eighty-one volitions are the aggregate of mental activities - these four immaterial aggregates, when taken by way of the three planes, amount to three hundred and twenty-four phenomena. Thus these immaterial phenomena and sixty-six material phenomena - having combined them all together, there are just two phenomena, mentality and materiality; beyond that there is no being or soul. Having defined the five aggregates by way of mentality-materiality, seeking their conditions - with ignorance as condition, with craving as condition, with action as condition, with nutriment as condition - having thus seen the conditions, having overcome uncertainty in the three times thus: "In the past too this round of rebirths proceeded by these conditions; in the future too it will proceed by these conditions; at present too it proceeds by just these conditions," practising gradually, one attains arahantship. Thus the meditation subject leading to the attainment of arahantship by way of the six elements in detail too should be understood.
"The eye as a sense base of contact" means just as a mine is for gold and so on, so it is a sense base in the sense of being a source of origination for the seven contacts conascent with these seven consciousnesses - two eye-consciousnesses, two receivings, and three investigatings. The same method applies in the case of "the ear as a sense base of contact" and so on too. "The mind as a sense base of contact" - here, however, twenty-two resultant contacts should be applied. Thus indeed this meditation subject has come by way of the six sense bases of contact. That should be spoken of both in brief and in detail. In brief, to begin with - here indeed the first five sense bases are derivative materiality; when those are seen, the remaining derivative materiality is already seen. The sixth sense base is consciousness; that is the aggregate of consciousness; feeling and so on conascent with it are the remaining three immaterial aggregates. By the very method stated above, the meditation subject leading to the attainment of arahantship both in brief and in detail should be understood.
"Having seen a form with the eye" means having seen a form with eye-consciousness. "A basis for pleasure" means that which has become a cause for pleasure. "Explores" means one explores there by directing the mind. The same method applies to the remaining terms as well. And here, whether it be desirable or undesirable, whatever form having seen which pleasure arises, that is called a basis for pleasure. Whatever having seen which displeasure arises, that is called a basis for displeasure. Whatever having seen which equanimity arises, that is called a basis for equanimity - this should be understood. In the case of sound and so on too, the same method applies. Thus this meditation subject has come in brief. Now, where this has come in brief, it is proper to speak of it either in brief or in detail. Where it has come in detail, it is not proper to speak of it in brief. But in this Titthāyatana Sutta, this meditation subject has come in brief by way of the eighteen mental explorations. It is proper to speak of that both in brief and in detail.
Therein, in brief, to begin with - eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, form, sound, odour, flavour - these are nine derivative materialities; when these are seen, the remaining derivative materiality is also seen. The tangible object is the three primary elements; when these are seen, the fourth is also seen. Mind is the aggregate of consciousness; conascent with it, feeling and so on are the three immaterial aggregates - thus the meditation subject leading to arahantship should be understood both in brief and in detail by the method already stated above.
"Noble truths" means truths that produce the noble state, or truths penetrated by the noble ones. This is the summary here; but in detail, this term has been elucidated in the Visuddhimagga. "Dependent on the six elements, monks" - for what purpose was this begun? For the purpose of easy understanding. For when the Truth-finder wishes to teach the twelve-termed round of conditions, he shows the round of conception in a womb. For when the round of conception in a womb has been shown, it is easy both to teach and for others to understand, and timely too - thus it should be understood that this was begun for the purpose of easy understanding. Therein, "of the six elements" means of the very same solid element and so on stated above. "Compared to" means dependent on. By this he shows merely the condition. This is what is meant: "Conditioned by the six elements, there is conception in a womb." For whom is there conception by the condition of the six elements - is it for the mother, or for the father? Not for the mother, not for the father; but it is for the being taking conception itself that, by the condition of the six elements, there is what is called conception in a womb. And conception is of various kinds: conception in hell, conception in the animal realm, conception in the sphere of ghosts, human conception, and divine conception. But in this instance, human conception is intended. "There is a descent" means there is a descent, an arising, a manifestation. How does it come about? By the coming together of three. For this was said:
"Now, monks, from the coming together of three, there is conception in a womb. Which three? Here, mother and father come together, but the mother is not in her fertile period, and a gandhabba is not present. Then there is indeed not yet conception in a womb. Here, mother and father come together, and the mother is in her fertile period, but a gandhabba is not present - then there is indeed not yet conception in a womb. But when, monks, mother and father come together, and the mother is in her fertile period, and a gandhabba is present. Thus from the coming together of three, there is conception in a womb."
"When there is conception, there is mentality-materiality" - in the passage stated as "with consciousness as condition, mentality-materiality," thirty-three phenomena are taken, namely the sense-base decad, the body decad, the sex decad, and the three immaterial aggregates; but in the passage stated here as "when there is conception, there is mentality-materiality," it should be understood that, having included the aggregate of consciousness as well, thirty-four phenomena are taken at the moment of conception for womb-born beings. By the phrases "with mentality-materiality as condition, the six sense bases" and so on, just as the manifestation of mentality-materiality when there is conception was shown, so too the manifestation of the six sense bases when there is mentality-materiality, the manifestation of contact when there are the six sense bases, and the manifestation of feeling when there is contact were shown.
"Experiencing" - here, one who undergoes feeling is also called "experiencing," and also one who knows. "I am experiencing, venerable sir, let the Community remember me as one who experiences" - here indeed one who undergoes is called "experiencing"; "when experiencing a pleasant feeling, he understands 'I experience a pleasant feeling'" - here one who knows. Here too, one who knows is what is intended. "I declare: 'This is suffering'" means to a being who thus knows, I declare, I enlighten, I make known: "This is suffering, this much is suffering, there is no suffering beyond this." The same method applies to "this is the origin of suffering" and so on as well.
Therein, regarding suffering and so on, this is the concluding discussion - For, setting aside craving, the five aggregates of the three planes are called suffering; the former craving that gives rise to that very thing is called the origin of suffering; the cessation of non-arising of both those truths is called the cessation of suffering; the noble eightfold path is called the practice leading to the cessation of suffering. Thus the Blessed One, even when speaking of "when there is conception, there is mentality-materiality," spoke of one who is experiencing, one who knows; even when speaking of "with mentality-materiality as condition, the six sense bases"; even when speaking of "with the six sense bases as condition, contact"; even when speaking of "with contact as condition, feeling"; even when speaking of "For one who is experiencing, monks, I declare: 'This is suffering'"; even when speaking of "I declare: 'This is the origin of suffering,' 'This is the cessation of suffering,' 'This is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering'" - he spoke of one who is experiencing, one who knows.
Now, expanding those truths that had been set down in order, he said beginning with "And what, monks." All that has been explained in every way in the Visuddhimagga. It should be understood by the very method stated there. But this is the distinction - There, the noble truth of the origin of suffering has come by the passage "it is this craving which leads to rebirth"; here, by way of the mode of dependent conditions as "with ignorance as condition, activities." And there, the noble truth of the cessation of suffering has come by the passage "that which is the complete fading away and cessation of that very craving without remainder"; here, by way of the cessation of the mode of dependent conditions as "but from the complete fading away and cessation of ignorance."
Therein, "complete fading away and cessation" means by complete fading away and by complete cessation. Both of these are merely synonyms for each other. "Cessation of activities" means there is the cessation of non-arising of activities. The same method applies to the remaining terms as well. But by these terms, that depending on which ignorance and so on cease, in meaning that is Nibbāna that has been shown. For Nibbāna is spoken of by the name of cessation of those various phenomena, as "cessation of ignorance" and as "cessation of activities." "Whole" means of the entire. "Mass of suffering" means of the heap of the suffering of the round of rebirths. "Cessation" means non-continuance. Therein, since the cessation of ignorance and so on is called the state of being eliminated, and also arahantship, and also Nibbāna, therefore here it should be understood that by way of showing the state of being eliminated, arahantship is spoken of in the twelve instances, and Nibbāna in those very twelve instances. "This is called" - here "this" is said with reference to Nibbāna itself. "Eightfold" means there is no other path apart from the eight factors. But just as when one says "a five-part musical instrument," what is said is that the musical instrument is merely the five parts, so too here it should be understood that the path is merely the eightfold. "Unrefuted" means not refuted. For one who refutes does so either by reducing, or by increasing, or by substituting that. Therein, since the four noble truths cannot be shown by reducing thus "these are not four, but two or three," nor by increasing thus "five or six," nor by showing "these are not the four noble truths, but rather four other noble truths." Therefore this Teaching is called unrefuted. The remainder is clear everywhere.
2.
Commentary on the Discourse on Fear
63. In the second, "where mother and son cannot help each other" means mother and son are mother-and-son; by the ability to protect, there is no mother-and-son herein - thus "where mother and son cannot help each other." "When" means at which time. Therein, "a mother does not obtain her son" means when that danger of fire has arisen, a mother does not get to see her son, and a son does not get to see his mother - this is the meaning. "There is danger" means there is fear of mental fright. "Forest uprising" means an uprising of the forest. "Forest" - here, forest-dwelling thieves should be understood. For when they descend from the forest into the countryside and attack and plunder villages, market towns, and royal cities, then it is called a forest uprising; with reference to that, this was said. "Having mounted their vehicles" - here, the wheel of deportment is also fitting, and the wheel of a vehicle is also fitting. For when danger has arrived, those who have vehicles load their requisite articles onto them and flee. Those who do not have them, having taken them on a carrying pole or having lifted them onto their heads, flee just the same. They are called those who have mounted their vehicles. "Wander about" means they go here and there. "Kadāci" means at some time or other. "Karahaci" is a synonym for that very thing. "A mother obtains her son" means she gets to see him coming or going or hidden in a certain place. "Flood" means a river in spate. "A mother obtains her son" means she obtains to see him clinging to a raft or a float or an earthenware vessel or a piece of wood and being carried along, or she gets to see him having safely crossed over again and standing in a village or in a forest.
Having thus shown the dangers where mother and son cannot help each other by way of exposition, now showing without qualification, he said beginning with "There are these three." Therein, "fear of ageing" means fear that arises dependent on ageing. The same method applies to the others as well. And this too was said - "Dependent on ageing, there arises fear, frightfulness, trepidation, terror, mental fright. Dependent on illness, dependent on death, there arises fear, frightfulness, trepidation, terror, mental fright." The remainder is clear everywhere.
3.
Commentary on the Venāgapura Discourse
64. In the third, "among the Kosalans" means in the province so named. "Wandering on a journey" means going on a long journey. And this journey of the Blessed One is of two kinds - the hurried journey and the unhurried journey. Therein, having seen a person capable of being awakened even far away, the swift going for the purpose of awakening him is called the hurried journey. That should be seen in the going out to meet Mahākassapa and so on. But whatever going, in the order of villages and market towns, daily by way of one yojana or half a yojana, helping the world by the practice of walking for almsfood and so on, this is called the unhurried journey. With reference to this, it was said - "Wandering on a journey." But in detail, the discussion on journeying was stated in the commentary on the Ambaṭṭha Sutta in the Sumaṅgalavilāsinī, the Commentary on the Dīgha Nikāya. "Brahmin village" - both a village where brahmins come together is called a brahmin village, and also a revenue village of brahmins. Here a village where brahmins come together, a village where brahmins dwell, is intended. "Arrived there" means he approached that place; the meaning is he arrived. But the dwelling place is not specified here. Therefore, not far from that place there is a jungle thicket befitting the Buddhas, and it should be understood that the Teacher went to that jungle thicket.
"Heard" means they heard, they ascertained; they knew by following the sound of speech that had reached the door of the ear. "Kho" is an indeclinable particle used in the sense of emphasis or merely as an expletive. Therein, in the sense of emphasis, the meaning to be understood is: "they heard indeed; there was no obstacle to their hearing." As an expletive, it is merely for the smoothness of the phrasing.
Now, to make known the matter which they heard, the passage beginning with "the ascetic Gotama indeed, my dear" was stated. Therein, he should be understood as "ascetic" because of having calmed evil. "Khalu" is an indeclinable particle in the sense of oral tradition. "Bho" is merely a form of mutual address among them. "Gotama" is an illustration of the Blessed One by his clan name; therefore, in the phrase "the ascetic Gotama indeed, my dear," the meaning should be seen thus: "the ascetic, it is said, my dear, of the Gotama clan." "A Sakyan son" - this, however, is an illustration of the Blessed One's noble clan. "Gone forth from the Sakyan clan" is an illustration of his state of having gone forth through faith; not overcome by any loss, having abandoned that clan while it was not yet exhausted, he went forth through faith - this is what is meant. "That" is an accusative expression used in the sense of the itthambhūta predication; the meaning is "of that Master Gotama." "Good" means endowed with good qualities; it means "excellent." "Reputation" means fame itself, or the sound of praise. "Has arisen" means having spread over the world with its gods, it has risen up. How? Thus indeed is the Blessed One, etc. the Enlightened One, the Blessed One.' Herein this is the connection of terms - That Blessed One is thus indeed the Worthy One, thus indeed the One Enlightened by himself, etc. thus indeed the Blessed One. It means "for this and this reason."
Therein, having laid down the matrix by the method beginning with "because of being far from, because of having destroyed the enemies and the spokes, because of being worthy of requisites and so on, and because of the absence of secrecy in evil-doing - for these reasons, that Blessed One should be understood as the Worthy One" - all these terms have been explained in detail in the description of the recollection of the Buddha in the Visuddhimagga; therefore their detailed explanation should be taken from there.
"He this world" means he, the Venerable Gotama, this world; he points out what is now to be spoken. "With its gods" means together with the gods, including the gods. In the same way, together with Māra, including Māra. Together with Brahmā, including Brahmā. Together with ascetics and brahmins, including ascetics and brahmins. "Generation" because of being born; that generation. Together with gods and humans, including gods and humans. Therein, by the expression "including the gods," the inclusion of the five sensual-sphere gods should be understood; by the expression "including Māra," the inclusion of the sixth sensual-sphere god; by the expression "including Brahmā," the inclusion of the Brahmā gods beginning with the Brahmakāyika and so on; by the expression "including ascetics and brahmins," the inclusion of ascetics and brahmins who are opponents and enemies of the Dispensation, and the inclusion of ascetics and brahmins who have calmed evil and warded off evil; by the expression "generation," the inclusion of the world of beings; by the expression "including gods and humans," the inclusion of conventional gods and the remaining humans. Thus here, by three terms, the world of beings together with the world of space; by two, it should be understood that only the world of beings is included by way of generation.
Another method - By the inclusion of "including the gods," the immaterial-sphere world is included; by the inclusion of "including Māra," the six sensual-sphere heavenly worlds; by the inclusion of "including Brahmā," the material Brahmā world; by the inclusion of "including ascetics and brahmins" and so on, the human world together with conventional gods by way of the fourfold assembly, or the remaining world of all beings. But the ancients said - "With its gods" means the remaining world together with the deities. "With its Māras" means the remaining world together with Māra. "With its Brahmās" means the remaining world together with the Brahmās. Thus, having put all beings destined for the three realms of existence into three terms by three ways, then to encompass them again by two terms, it was said "the generation with its ascetics and brahmins, with its gods and humans." Thus, by all five terms, in this and that way, the three-element world alone has been encompassed.
Regarding "having realised by direct knowledge himself, proclaims" - "himself" means by oneself, having become one not needing to be guided by another. "By direct knowledge" means having directly known; the meaning is having known through superior knowledge. "Having realised" means having made evident; by this, the rejecting of inference and so on is made. "Proclaims" means awakens, informs, makes known.
"He teaches the Teaching, good in the beginning, etc. good in the end" - that Blessed One, dependent on compassion for beings, even having relinquished the unsurpassed happiness of seclusion, teaches the Teaching. And whether teaching little or much, he teaches in the manner of good in the beginning and so on only; even in the beginning, having made it good, auspicious, and blameless only, he teaches; in the middle too, and in the end too, having made it good, auspicious, and blameless only, he teaches - this is what is meant.
Therein, there is a beginning, middle, and end of the teaching, and there is of the Dispensation. As for the teaching, even in a verse of four lines, the first line is called the beginning, the next two are called the middle, and the one at the end is called the end. For a discourse with a single connection, the introduction is the beginning, "he said this" is the end, and what is between the two is the middle. For a discourse with multiple connections, the first connection is the beginning, the connection at the end is the end, and one or two or many in the middle are just the middle.
For the Dispensation, morality, concentration, and insight are called the beginning. And this too was said - "And what is the beginning of wholesome mental states? Morality that is well purified and view that is straight." But the noble path, stated thus: "There is, monks, a middle practice fully awakened to by the Truth-finder," is called the middle. And fruition and Nibbāna are called the end. In "Therefore, brahmin, this holy life has this as its far shore, this as its final goal," here fruition is stated as the final goal. In "For, friend Visākha, the holy life is lived grounded upon Nibbāna, has Nibbāna as its ultimate goal, has Nibbāna as its final goal," here Nibbāna is stated as the final goal. But here, the beginning, middle, and end of the teaching is intended. For the Blessed One, when teaching the Teaching, having shown morality in the beginning, shows the path in the middle and Nibbāna at the end. Therefore it was said - "He teaches the Teaching, good in the beginning, good in the middle, good in the end." Therefore, another preacher of the Teaching too, when speaking the Teaching -
At the end, Nibbāna - this is the established manner of a preacher."
"With meaning and with phrasing": for one whose teaching is based upon descriptions of rice gruel, meals, women, men, and so on, he does not teach with meaning. But the Blessed One, having abandoned such a teaching, teaches a teaching based upon the four foundations of mindfulness and so on. Therefore he is said to "teach with meaning." But one whose teaching is endowed with only one type of consonant and so on, or is entirely without labial consonants, or is entirely with visarga consonants, or is entirely with nasal consonants, his teaching is called "without phrasing" because of the absence of completeness of phrasing, like the language of barbarians such as Tamils, Kirātas, Greeks, and so on. But the Blessed One -
Conjoined, defined, and released - tenfold is the classification of the understanding of phrasing."
Thus, without corrupting the tenfold phrasing stated in this way, making the phrasing complete, he teaches the Teaching. Therefore he is said to "teach making it with phrasing." "Complete in its entirety": here "kevala" is a designation for "whole." "Paripuṇṇa" is a term meaning "neither deficient nor excessive." This is what is meant - he teaches what is wholly complete; not even a single teaching is incomplete. "Pure" means free from impurity. For whoever teaches thinking "In dependence on this proclamation of the Teaching, I shall obtain material gain or honour," his teaching is called impure. But the Blessed One, without regard for worldly material gains, with a tender heart through the suffusion of welfare by the development of friendliness, teaches with a mind established in the nature of uplifting. Therefore he is said to "teach what is pure." "He reveals the holy life": here "holy life" means the entire Dispensation included in the threefold training. Therefore, "he reveals the holy life" means he teaches the Teaching, good in the beginning, etc. pure, and thus teaching, he reveals the holy life that is the entire Dispensation included in the threefold training - thus the meaning here should be understood. "Holy life" means conduct that has become supreme in the sense of being the foremost, or it is said to be the conduct of those who are supreme, such as the Buddhas and so on.
"Good indeed" means beautiful indeed; it brings benefit, it brings happiness - this is what is meant. "Of such Worthy Ones" means of those Worthy Ones who are of such a nature as that Master Gotama is, of such ones whose seeing is rare even in hundreds of thousands of crores of aeons, whose delightful bodies are surrounded by the halo of a fathom, adorned with the eighty minor features, filled with the excellent thirty-two marks of a great man, whose seeing is not insignificant, whose proclamation of the Teaching is exceedingly sweet, who have gained the reputation in the world as Worthy Ones through the achievement of qualities as they really are. "Is the seeing" means having opened one's eyes, which are pleasing and gentle with confidence, even the mere seeing is good. But if we shall obtain to hear even one sentence of him teaching the Teaching with a divine voice endowed with eight factors, it will be even better - having formed such a disposition. "They approached the Blessed One" means having abandoned all duties, they came with satisfied minds. "Having extended joined palms in salutation" - these were those siding with both factions; they thought thus - "If those of wrong view accuse us, 'Why did you pay homage to the ascetic Gotama?' we shall say to them, 'Does merely making a salutation with joined palms constitute homage?' If those of right view accuse us, 'Why did you not pay homage to the Blessed One?' 'Does homage only consist of striking the ground with one's head? Is not the act of salutation with joined palms also homage?' we shall say."
"Name and clan" means those who, saying "Master Gotama, I am the son of so-and-so, named Datta, named Mitta, I have come here," announce their name. Those who, saying "Master Gotama, I am named Vāseṭṭha, named Kaccāna, I have come here," announce their clan. These, it is said, were poor, aged sons of good family who acted thus thinking "We shall become well-known in the midst of the assembly by means of our name and clan." But those who sat silent were both deceitful and blindly foolish. Therein, the deceitful ones, thinking "One who engages in one or two friendly conversations becomes intimate, and when there is intimacy it is not proper not to give one or two almsfood" - thus freeing themselves from that, sit in silence. The blindly foolish, through sheer ignorance, like lumps of clay thrown down, sit silent anywhere whatsoever.
"Of Venāgapura" means a dweller of Venāgapura. "He said this" means looking at the Truth-finder's body from the soles of his feet up to the tips of his hair, adorned with the thirty-two characteristics of a great man resplendent with the eighty minor features, having seen the Truth-finder's body surrounded by the dense compact Buddha-rays of six colours that had issued forth from his body and stood having spread over a space of eighty cubits all around, with astonishment arisen, speaking praise, he spoke this utterance beginning with "It is wonderful, Master Gotama."
Therein, "how very" is an expression denoting the delimitation of an exceeding measure. Its connection is with the word "clear." "How very clear" means exceedingly clear - this is the meaning. "Faculties" means the six faculties beginning with the eye. For having seen the clarity of the place where the five faculties are established, the clarity of those faculties was evident to him. But since that clarity exists only when the mind is clear - for there is no clarity of the faculties for those whose minds are not clear - therefore the clarity of his mind faculty also was evident. Having grasped that clarity, he said "the faculties are very clear." "Pure" means free from impurity. "Bright" means luminous. "An autumn jujube fruit" means a jujube fruit produced in the autumn season, not overly ripe. For that is both pure and bright. "A ripe palm fruit" means a well-ripened palm fruit. "Just released from its stalk" means released from its stalk at that very moment. For when its stalk-base has been removed and it has been turned face-down and placed on a board, to those looking at a space of about four finger-breadths, it appears pure and bright. With reference to that, he said thus. "A gold coin of Jambu river gold" means a piece of Jambu river gold of a deeply dyed colour. "Well-worked by a skilled goldsmith's son" means well prepared by a skilled goldsmith's son. "Skilfully refined in the furnace" means having heated it in the goldsmith's fireplace, well burnished by a very skilful goldsmith through striking, rubbing, and polishing - well rubbed - this is the meaning. "Placed on a pale-yellow blanket" means having heated it with fire, having rubbed it with a panther's tooth, having given it a coating of red chalk, placed on a red blanket. "Shines" means it shines through the arising of radiance. "Burns" means it burns through the dispelling of darkness. "Is brilliant" means having become radiant, it is brilliant - it is resplendent - this is the meaning.
"High and luxurious beds" - here, that which exceeds the proper measure is called a "high bed"; that which is extended and spread out, a not allowable article, is called a "luxurious bed." Now, showing them, he said beginning with "as follows - large couches." Therein, "large couch" means a seat that exceeds the proper measure. "Divan" means one made by placing fierce animal figures on the legs. "Woollen cover with long fleece" means a large fleecy coverlet with long fleece. Its hairs, it is said, exceed four finger-breadths. "Multicoloured spread" means a woollen covering decorated with weaving. "White spread" means a woollen white covering. "Embroidered coverlet" means a woollen covering with dense flower patterns, which is also called "āmalakapaṭṭa." "Cotton quilt" means a quilt stuffed with any one of the three kinds of cotton. "Spread decorated with animal figures" means a woollen covering decorated with figures of lions, tigers and so on. "Rug with fur on both sides" means a woollen covering with fringes on both sides. Some say "with raised flower patterns on one side." "Rug with fur on one side" means a woollen covering with fringes on one side. Some say "with raised flower patterns on both sides." "Gem-studded coverlet" means a bed-sheet made of silk embroidered with gems, studded with jewels. "Silk coverlet" means a bed-sheet made of silkworm thread, likewise studded with jewels. "Grand carpet" means a woollen covering suitable for sixteen dancing women to stand and dance on. "Elephant rugs" and so on are both coverings used for spreading on the backs of elephants and so on, and coverings made by depicting figures of elephants and so on. "Spread of antelope skins" means a spread made by sewing antelope hides to the measure of a bed. The remainder has the same meaning as stated above.
"One who obtains at will" means one who obtains exceedingly at will, one who obtains whatever one wishes. "One who obtains without difficulty" means one who obtains without suffering. "One who obtains without trouble" means one who obtains extensively, one who obtains greatly; he speaks with reference to one who thinks he obtains only the most excellent things. This brahmin, it is said, was one who valued beds highly. He, having seen the clarity of the Blessed One's faculties and so on, thinking "Certainly this one sits and lies down on such high and luxurious beds. Therefore his faculties are clear, his complexion is pure and bright" - imagining thus, he spoke this praise of lodgings.
"And even if obtained, they are not allowable" - here, some things are allowable. For pure silk is proper even to spread on a bed; woollen covers with long fleece and so on are allowable for use as floor coverings; having cut off the legs of a sofa; having broken off the fierce animal figures of a divan; having disentangled a cotton quilt - from the statement "and to make a pillow," these too are allowable by one arrangement. But with reference to what is not allowable, all of them are said to be not allowable.
"I enter the forest" means I enter the wilderness itself. "Whatever" means whichever ones just. "Folding his legs crosswise" means having bound a seat with the thighs bound all around. "Directing his body upright" means having arranged the eighteen vertebrae of the spine tip to tip, having placed the body upright. "Having established mindfulness in front of him" means having placed mindfulness facing the meditation subject, or the meaning is having made it possessed of deliverance. For this was said: "Pari" has the meaning of possession. "Mukha" has the meaning of deliverance. "Sati" has the meaning of establishing. Therefore it is said "having established mindfulness in front of him." "Having attained, I dwell" means having obtained, having made it evident, I dwell. "Being thus" means being endowed with any one of the first meditative absorption and so on. "At that time my walking path is divine" - for the walking path of one who walks up and down having attained the four fine-material meditative absorptions is called a divine walking path; even the walking path of one who walks up and down after having emerged from the attainment is just a divine walking path. The same method applies in the case of standing and so on too. Likewise in the other two abidings.
"I understand thus: 'Lust in me has been abandoned'" - showing that lust was abandoned by the path of arahantship at the seat of the great enlightenment, he said "I understand thus: 'Lust in me has been abandoned.'" The same method applies to the remaining terms as well. But what has been spoken of by this? Reviewing has been spoken of; by reviewing, fruition attainment has been spoken of. For whether one has attained fruition attainment or has emerged from the attainment, the walking path and so on are noble walking paths and so on. The remainder here is clear in meaning.
4.
Commentary on the Sarabha Discourse
65. In the fourth, "at Rājagaha" means in the city so named. "On the Vulture's Peak mountain" - its peaks resemble vultures, or vultures dwell on its peaks, thus it is the Vulture's Peak; on that Vulture's Peak mountain. By this, his dwelling place while making Rājagaha his village as food resort is shown. For on the Vulture's Peak a monastery was built with reference to the Truth-finder; its name is indeed the Vulture's Peak Monastery. There, this one dwells at that time. "A wandering ascetic named Sarabha had recently departed" means the wandering ascetic named Sarabha, having gone forth in this Dispensation, departed before long; the meaning is he had recently left the monastic community. For when the One Enlightened by himself had arisen in the world, the sectarians had their material gain and honour destroyed, and great material gain and honour arose for the Three Jewels. As he said -
"Now at that time the Blessed One was honoured, respected, revered, venerated, and esteemed, an obtainer of the requisites of robes, almsfood, lodging, and medicine for the sick. But the heterodox wandering ascetics were not honoured, not respected, not revered, not venerated, not obtainers of the requisites of robes, almsfood, lodging, and medicine for the sick."
They, thus declined in material gain and honour, about five hundred in number, having assembled in one wandering ascetics' park, consulted together - "Sirs, from the time of the ascetic Gotama's arising, we have become ones whose material gain and honour have been destroyed. Consider one disrepute regarding the ascetic Gotama and his disciples; having spread disrepute and having reproached his Dispensation, we shall produce material gain and honour for ourselves." They, looking for a fault - "In the three doors and in livelihood - in these four grounds it is not possible to see a fault in the ascetic Gotama. Setting aside these four grounds, look elsewhere" - they said. Then one among them said thus - "I do not see anything else. These, having assembled every half-month, having shut the doors and windows, do not give entry even to novices. Even attendants dear as life do not get to see. Having drawn them in again and again with enticing magic, having enticed people again and again, they devour them. If we are able to bring that, thus our material gain and honour will become excellent." Another too rose up saying the very same thing. All were of one opinion. Thereupon they said: "Whoever will be able to bring that, him we shall make the chief among us in our assembly."
Then, beginning from the end, having asked "You will be able to, you will be able to," when many said "I shall not be able to, I shall not be able to," they asked Sarabha - "Will you be able to, teacher?" He said - "It is not difficult to bring that, if you, standing by your word, will make me the chief." It is not difficult, teacher, bring it; you are already made the chief by us. He said - "That cannot be brought by one who brings it by stealing or by plundering; but having become like a disciple of the ascetic Gotama, having paid homage to his disciples, having performed all kinds of duties, having eaten the food in their bowls, it is possible to bring it. Does this much of an undertaking please you?" Having done whatever it takes, bring it and give it to us. "If so, having seen me, you should be as if not seeing" - having given this signal to the wandering ascetics, on the second day, having risen right early, having gone to the great monastery on the Vulture's Peak, he paid homage at the feet of every monk he met with the fivefold prostration. The monks said - "Other wandering ascetics are fierce and harsh, but this one must be faithful and confident." Venerable sirs, you, having known, went forth in the right place itself; but we, without consideration, having plunged in at an unsuitable ford, wander on a path not leading to liberation. He, having said thus, pays homage again and again to every monk he meets, prepares bathing water and so on, makes wooden toothbrushes allowable, washes and anoints their feet, and having obtained surplus food, eats it.
Having seen him dwelling in this manner, one great elder monk said "Wandering ascetic, you are faithful and devoted; why do you not go forth?" Who, venerable sir, will give me the going forth? For we have been opponents of the venerable ones for a long time, going about thus. The elder monk, having said "If you are desirous of going forth, I shall give you the going forth," gave him the going forth. From the time of going forth he continuously performed all kinds of duties. Then the elder monk, having been pleased with his duties, before long gave him full ordination. He, on the Observance day, having entered the Observance hall together with the monks, having seen the monks taking up the Pātimokkha with great endeavour, thought "By this manner, having expounded it again and again, they devour the world; in a few days I shall carry it off." He, having gone to the residential cell, having paid homage to his preceptor, asked "Venerable sir, what is the name of this teaching?" "It is called the Pātimokkha, friend." "This must be the highest teaching, venerable sir." "Yes, friend, this training is the support of the entire Dispensation." "Venerable sir, if this training teaching is the highest, I shall take up this very one first." "Take it up, friend" - the elder monk accepted. He, while taking it up, having seen the wandering ascetics, when asked "What is it like, teacher?" having said "Friends, do not worry, in a few days I shall bring it," before long, having learnt it, said to his preceptor - "Is it only this much, venerable sir, or is there more too?" "Only this much, friend."
He, on the following day, just as he was dressed and robed, in the very manner he had taken it up, having taken his bowl, having departed from Vulture's Peak, went to the wandering ascetics' park. The wandering ascetics, having seen him, surrounded him saying "What is it like, teacher? You were unable, methinks, to bring the enticing magic." "Do not worry, friends; the enticing magic has been brought by me. From now on our material gain and honour will be great. Be united with one another; do not make contention." "If it has been rightly taken by you, teacher, recite it to us too." He expounded the Pātimokkha from the beginning. Then all of them too - "Come, friends, wandering about in the city, we shall speak dispraise of the ascetic Gotama" - having gone near the doors while the city gates were not yet opened, they entered first of all through the opened gate. With reference to that wandering ascetic who had departed while still in his own outward form - "A wandering ascetic named Sarabha has recently departed" - thus it was said.
On that day, however, the Blessed One, surveying the world towards the break of dawn, saw this - "Today the wandering ascetic Sarabha, having wandered about in the city, will perform the legal act of informing; speaking dispraise of the Three Jewels, having sprinkled poison, he will go to the wandering ascetics' park; I too shall go to that very place; all four assemblies too will assemble at that very place. At that assembly eighty-four thousand living beings will drink the deathless drink." Then, having thought "Let there be opportunity for him; let him spread dispraise according to his preference," he addressed the Elder Ānanda - "Ānanda, inform the community of monks in the eighteen great monasteries to walk for almsfood together with me." The Elder did so. The monks, taking their bowls and robes, surrounded the Teacher himself. The Teacher, having taken the community of monks, walked for almsfood right near the gate-village. Sarabha too, having entered the city together with the wandering ascetics, having gone here and there in the midst of assemblies, at the king's gate, streets, crossroads and so on, spoke such things as "The Teaching of the ascetics who are sons of the Sakyans has been understood by me." With reference to that, "He spoke thus in the assembly at Rājagaha" and so on was said. Therein, "understood" means known, comprehended; it explains that it was learnt having made it manifest. "Having understood" means having known. "Departed" means departed while still in his own outward form. For if there had been any substance in the teaching of the ascetic Gotama, I would not have departed. But his teaching is without substance, unsubstantial; having expounded the enticing magic, the ascetics devour the world - explaining this meaning, he spoke thus.
"Then several monks" means then, while that wandering ascetic was speaking thus, five hundred forest-dwelling monks, not knowing that "the Teacher has gone to such and such a place to walk for almsfood," at the time for the alms round entered Rājagaha for almsfood. This was said with reference to those. "Heard" means they heard. "They approached the Blessed One" means they approached thinking "We shall report this matter to the One of Ten Powers."
"The bank of the Sappinī" means the bank of the river named thus, Sappinī. "The Blessed One consented by silence" means without moving any bodily factor or verbal factor, maintaining acquiescence only internally, he consented by mind alone - this is the meaning. Having thus consented, he thought again - "Should I today go alone to crush the argument of Sarabha, or surrounded by the Community of monks?" Then this occurred to him - If I go surrounded by the Community of monks, the great multitude will think thus - "The ascetic Gotama, going to the place where the controversy has arisen, having raised his faction and gone, crushes the arisen argument by the strength of his assembly, and does not allow the opponents to raise their heads." But there is no task for me of taking others along to crush an arisen controversy; I myself shall go and crush it. And it is not wonderful that I, now having become a Buddha, should crush a controversy arisen against myself; for even during the time of practising the perfections, when born with a rootless rebirth-linking, there was no one able to bear the burden that had to be borne by me. But for the purpose of establishing this meaning -
Then they yoke the black one, and he bears that burden."
This Kaṇha Jātaka should be cited. In the past, it is said, a certain caravan leader took up lodging in the house of a certain old woman. Then one of his cows gave birth immediately after the night period. She gave birth to a calf. In the old woman, from the time she saw the calf, affection as for a son arose. On the following day the caravan leader's son - said "Take your house-wages." The old woman said "I have no business with anything else; just give me this calf." "Take it, mother." She, having taken it, having given it milk to drink, giving it rice gruel, cooked rice, grass, and so on, nourished it. He, following growth, became full in form, endowed with strength and energy, accomplished in good conduct, Kāḷaka by name. Then a certain caravan leader, coming with five hundred carts, had his cart wheel stuck at a place broken by water. He, being unable to extricate it even by yoking ten, or twenty, or thirty, having approached Kāḷaka, said - "Dear son, I shall give you wages; lift up my cart and give it to me." And having said thus, having taken him - thinking "There is no other able to bear the yoke together with this one," having tied a rope to the lead cart, he yoked him alone. He, having lifted up that cart and established it on dry ground, by this very manner brought out five hundred carts. He, having brought out the very last cart, while being released, made the sound "su" and raised his head.
The caravan leader, thinking "This one, while lifting up so many carts, did not do thus; methinks he does it for the purpose of wages," having taken coins according to the number of carts, caused a bundle of five hundred to be tied around his neck. He, not allowing others to cling to his presence, went straight to the house itself. The old woman, having seen and having released it, having known the nature of the coins, having said "Why, son, did you do thus? Do not make the perception that 'she will live by what is brought by work done by me,'" having bathed the ox with hot water, having anointed him with oil, admonished him "From now on, do not do thus again." Thus the Teacher, having thought "Even when born with a rootless rebirth-linking during the time of practising the conduct of the perfections, there was indeed no one able to bear the burden that had to be borne by me," went alone. To show that, "Then the Blessed One, in the afternoon, having emerged from seclusion" and so on was said.
Therein, "from seclusion" means from solitude, having withdrawn the mind from the various objects; the meaning is from fruition attainment. "He approached" means the wandering ascetics, having performed the legal act of informing throughout the entire city, having departed from the city, having assembled at the wandering ascetics' park, said "If, friend Sarabha, the ascetic Gotama should come, what will you do?" "When the ascetic Gotama makes one, I shall make two; when he makes two, four; when he makes four, five; when he makes five, ten; when he makes ten, twenty; when he makes twenty, thirty; when he makes thirty, forty; when he makes forty, fifty; when he makes fifty, a hundred; when he makes a hundred, I shall make a thousand" - thus, having raised among one another a discussion of lion's roars, while they were seated, he approached.
Now, while approaching, since the road to the wandering ascetics' park was through the very middle of the city, having put on a well-dyed double cloth, having wrapped himself in the Fortunate One's great robe, like a king of unshaken power, he went alone through the middle of the city. Those of wrong views, having seen, followed, thinking "The wandering ascetics, performing the legal act of informing against the ascetic Gotama, spread disrepute; he goes to comply with them and convince them, methinks." Those of right views too, thinking "The One Enlightened by himself, having taken his bowl and robe, has gone forth alone; today there will be a great battle of the Teaching with Sarabha. We too shall be body-witnesses at that assembly," followed. The Teacher approached the wandering ascetics' park while the great multitude was watching.
The wandering ascetics, having seen the six-coloured compact Buddha-rays rising up from between the trunks, forks, and branches of the trees, having looked up, saying "At other times there is no such radiance; what indeed is this?" said "The ascetic Gotama is coming." Upon hearing that, Sarabha, having placed his head between his knees, sat with face cast down. Thus at that time the Blessed One, having approached that park, sat down on the prepared seat. For the Truth-finder, because of having been born in the highest family on the surface of Jambudīpa, being one worthy of the highest seat, everywhere a seat was already prepared. He sat down on the thus prepared, very precious Buddha's seat.
"Those wandering ascetics said this to the wandering ascetic Sarabha" means it is said that while the One Enlightened by himself was speaking just this much with Sarabha, the community of monks, following step by step after the Teacher, arrived at the wandering ascetics' park; all four assemblies entered the wandering ascetics' park itself. Then those wandering ascetics, all conforming to the One Enlightened by himself, said this: "Wonderful is the deed of the ascetic Gotama; having wandered throughout the entire city, having spread disrepute, having performed the legal act of informing, having come to the presence of enemies, adversaries, and foes who had come, he did not speak even a little quarrelsome talk; from the time of arrival, as if anointing with oil medicated a hundred times, as if giving the deathless drink, he speaks sweet talk."
"You would request" (yāceyyāsi) means you would implore, you would desire, you would long for. "Silent" (tuṇhībhūto) means one who has reached a state of silence. "Downcast" (maṅkubhūto) means one who has fallen into a state of powerlessness. "With drooping shoulders" (pattakkhandho) means with neck bent down. "Face cast down" (adhomukho) means with face turned downwards. "For you who acknowledge yourself as a One Enlightened by himself" means for you who acknowledge thus: "I am a One Enlightened by himself, all phenomena have been fully awakened to by me." "Have not been fully awakened to" means these phenomena by name have not been fully awakened to by you. "Therein" means regarding those phenomena shown thus as "not fully awakened to." "He will evade the question with another" means he will conceal one word with another word; the intention is that when asked one thing, he will speak of another. "He will divert the discussion outside" means bringing in another extraneous discussion from outside, he will divert the former discussion. "Displeasure" means he will manifest dissatisfaction, displeasure in the manner of discontent; that is, he will make it manifest. And here, by "displeasure" is meant displeasure; by the former two is meant wrath itself, of a mild and weak variety.
Thus the Blessed One, having roared the lion's roar with the first ground of self-confidence, roaring again with the second and so on, said beginning with "Whoever, wandering ascetics." Therein, "the Teaching taught by you for whatever purpose" means the Teaching of the four truths taught by you for the purpose of whatever path or fruition. "It does not lead" means that Teaching does not lead, does not go forth, does not accomplish that purpose - this is what is said. "Of one who practises it" means whoever does it, of that person who fulfils the practice - this is the meaning. "To the complete destruction of suffering" means by cause, by method, by reason, to the elimination of the entire suffering of the round of rebirths. Or alternatively, "the Teaching taught by you for whatever purpose" means the Teaching taught for whatever purpose of yours. That is: The meditation subject of foulness for the purpose of counteracting lust, the development of friendliness for the purpose of counteracting hate, the five phenomena for the purpose of counteracting delusion, mindfulness of breathing for the arrest of applied thought. "It does not lead one who practises it to the complete destruction of suffering" means that Teaching, for whoever practises it as taught, does not lead, does not go forth, does not accomplish that purpose for that practitioner, rightly, by cause, by method, by reason, to the elimination of the suffering of the round of rebirths - this is the meaning here. "Just as the wandering ascetic Sarabha" means just as this wandering ascetic Sarabha sat brooding, without response, so he will sit.
Thus, having roared the lion's roar with three terms, even as the Truth-finder was concluding the teaching, the assembly numbering eighty-four thousand living beings that had gathered at that place drank the deathless drink; the Teacher, having known that the assembly had drunk the deathless drink, having risen up into the sky, departed. To show that meaning, "Then the Blessed One" and so on was said. Therein, "lion's roar" means the foremost roar, the fearless roar, the unrivalled roar. "Departed through the sky" means having attained the fourth meditative absorption which is the foundation for direct knowledge, having emerged, having determined, together with the Community of monks he plunged into the sky. And having thus plunged, at that very moment he alighted at the great monastery on Vulture's Peak.
"With verbal goading" means with the goad of words. "They assailed" means they made it continuously pervaded, that is to say, they pierced from above. "In the great forest" means in a great wilderness. "I will roar the lion's roar" means having seen the manner of the lion roaring, he thought: "This one too is an animal, I too am; this one has four feet, I too have; I too will roar the lion's roar in just the same way." He, being unable to roar in the lion's presence, when that one had departed for his food resort, began to roar alone. Then only a jackal's sound came forth from him. Therefore it was said - "He howls only a jackal's howl." "A wretched howl" is a synonym for that very thing. Furthermore, it is said that he howls a broken-voiced, disagreeable sound. "Just so indeed you" - by this simile the wandering ascetics made the Truth-finder similar to a lion and Sarabha similar to a jackal. "A small hen" means a small female chicken. "I will crow a rooster's crow" means having seen a large rooster crowing, she thought: "This one too has two feet and two wings, I too have likewise, I too will crow such a crow." She, being unable to crow in his presence, when he had departed, crowing, crowed only a hen's crow. Therefore it was said - "She crows only a small hen's crow." "A bull" means an ox. "In an empty" means in a vacant one, devoid of chief bulls. "Imagines he should bellow deeply" means he imagines he should bellow a deep bellow similar to the bellow of a chief bull. The remainder is of manifest meaning everywhere.
5.
Commentary on the Kesamutti Discourse
66. In the fifth, "a market town of the Kālāmas" means the Kālāmas are warriors of that name; it is their market town. "Of Kesamutta" means dwellers in the market town of Kesamutta. "They approached" means having caused them to take medicines such as ghee, butter and so on, and eight kinds of beverages, they approached. "They explain their own doctrine only" means they speak only their own theory. "Illuminate" means they make known. "Jeer at" means they strike against. "Scoff at" means they despise. "Treat with contempt" means they make inferior. "Disparage" means they make as if suspended; having lifted up, they throw away. "Then again, venerable sir" - that village, it is said, was at the outskirts of a forest; therefore those who had passed through the forest and those wishing to pass through it took up residence there. Among those too, those who came first, having explained their own theory, departed; those who came afterwards, having said "What do they know? They are our pupils; they learnt some little craft in our presence," having explained their own theory, departed. The Kālāmas were unable to establish themselves even in a single theory. They, having explained this matter and having reported thus to the Blessed One, said beginning with "For us, venerable sir." Therein, "there is indeed uncertainty" means there is indeed uncertainty. "Sceptical doubt" is a synonym for that very thing. "Alaṃ" means proper.
"Do not go by oral tradition" means do not accept even by talk of oral tradition. "Do not go by lineage of teaching" means do not accept even by talk of lineage of teaching. "Do not go by hearsay" means do not accept thinking "thus indeed is this." "Do not go by a collection of scriptures" means do not accept thinking "it agrees with our canonical tradition." "Do not go by logical reasoning" means do not accept even by the grasp of reasoning. "Do not go by inferential reasoning" means do not accept even by the grasp of inference. "Do not go by reflection on appearances" means do not accept even by reflection on reasons thus: "this is a good reason." "Do not go by acceptance of a view after pondering it" means do not accept even thinking "it agrees with the view grasped by us after pondering and accepting it." "Do not go by the seeming competence of a speaker" means do not accept even thinking "this monk is of competent appearance; it is proper to accept his talk." "Do not go by the thought 'The ascetic is our teacher'" means do not accept even thinking "this ascetic is our teacher; it is proper to accept his talk." "Complete" means fulfilled. "Taken upon oneself" means grasped and adhered to. "Which is for him" means whatever reason there is for that person. Non-greed and so on should be understood by way of being the opposites of greed and so on. By "free from covetousness" and so on, the preliminary part of friendliness is spoken of.
Now, teaching the meditation subject beginning with friendliness, he said beginning with "with a mind accompanied by friendliness." Therein, whatever should be said regarding the treatise on the meditation subject, or the method of meditative development, or the explanation of the Pāḷi text, all that has been stated in the Visuddhimagga itself. "Thus with a mind without enmity" means with a mind without enmity due to the absence of both unwholesome enmity and personal enmity. "With a mind without ill-will" means with a mind free from suffering due to the absence of a wrathful mind. "With an undefiled mind" means with an undefiled mind due to the absence of mental defilement. "With a pure mind" means the meaning is that one has a pure mind due to the absence of the stain of mental defilement. "For him" means for that noble disciple of such nature. "Consolations" means supports, foundations. "If there is another world" means if from this world there is such a thing as another world. "Then upon the body's collapse at death" etc. "I will be reborn" means there is this reason, by which I will be reborn upon the body's collapse at death in a fortunate realm, in a heavenly world - thus the method should be understood everywhere. "Free from trouble" means free from suffering. "Happy" means in a state of happiness. "I regard myself as pure in both respects" means both in that I do not do evil, and in that even for one who does evil no evil is done - by both of these I regard myself as pure. The remainder is of manifest meaning everywhere.
6.
Commentary on the Sāḷha Discourse
67. In the sixth, "grandson of Migāra" means the grandson of the millionaire Migāra. "Grandson of Sekhuniya" means the grandson of the millionaire Sekhuniya. "They approached" means having eaten the morning meal, surrounded by slaves and labourers, they approached. It is said that for them, before the meal, in the earlier period of the day itself, a question had arisen at home, but there was no opportunity to discuss it. They, thinking "We shall hear that question," having gone to the Elder's presence, having paid homage, sat down in silence. The Elder, having known their minds thus: "They must have come to hear that question that arose in the village," beginning that very question, said beginning with "Come, you Sāḷhas." Therein, "is there greed" - he asks whether there is that which is called greed, whose intrinsic nature is being greedy. "Covetousness is what I call this meaning, Sāḷhas" means this meaning reckoned as greed, I call "covetousness," I call "craving" - thus he said, explaining the meaning of the question that had arisen. Thus the method should be applied in all instances.
"He thus understands" means that noble disciple, established having developed the four divine abidings, having emerged from the attainment, beginning insight, thus understands. "There is this" means understanding by having defined the five aggregates, reckoned as the truth of suffering, by way of mentality-materiality - this is stated as "he thus understands: 'There is this.'" "The inferior" means the truth of origin. "The superior" means the truth of the path. "A further escape from this attainment of perception" means the further escape from this attainment of perception, reckoned as insight-perception, is Nibbāna; that exists - by this he shows the truth of cessation. "When liberated, there is the knowledge: 'Liberated'" means the nineteenfold reviewing knowledge is spoken of. "Formerly there was greed" means formerly there was greed in me. "That was unwholesome" means that was indeed unwholesome, or at that time it was indeed unwholesome. "Thus this is wholesome" means thus this is wholesome; he speaks with reference to the absence of that very unwholesome as wholesome and security. "Without hunger" means free from craving. "Quenched" means quenched because of the absence of mental defilements that cause torment within. "Become cool" means become cooled. "Experiencing happiness" means one who experiences bodily and mental happiness. "With a self become divine" means with a self become supreme. The remainder is of manifest meaning everywhere.
7.
Commentary on the Kathāvatthu Discourse
68. In the seventh, "topics of discussion" means causes for discussion; the meaning is grounds that serve as the support for discussion. "The past period of time, monks" means the term "past period of time" applies to time as well as to aggregates. In the case of the future and present too, the same method applies. Therein, in the past there was a One Enlightened by himself named Kassapa; his chief attendant was a king of Kāsi named Kikī; his life span was twenty thousand years - one speaking in this manner is said to speak a talk referring to the past. In the future there will be a Buddha named Metteyya; his chief attendant will be a king named Saṅkha; his life span will be eighty thousand years - one speaking in this manner is said to speak a talk referring to the future. At present such and such a king is righteous - one speaking in this manner is said to speak a talk referring to the present.
"By association with discussion" means by the coming together in discussion. "Fit for discussion" means fit to speak. "Not fit for discussion" means not fit to speak. In "a question requiring a definitive answer" and so on, when asked "Is the eye impermanent?" it should be answered definitively "Yes, impermanent." The same method applies in the case of the ear and so on. This is a question to be answered definitively. But when asked "Is it the eye that is called impermanent?" it should be answered by analysing thus: "Not only the eye; the ear too is impermanent, the nose too is impermanent." This is a question to be answered analytically. "As the eye, so the ear. As the ear, so the eye" - when asked thus, having asked in return "In what meaning do you ask?" when it is said "I ask in the meaning of seeing," it should be answered "No indeed." When it is said "I ask in the meaning of impermanence," it should be answered "Yes." This is a question to be answered with a counter-question. But when asked such things as "The soul is the same as the body," it should be set aside as "This has been left undeclared by the Blessed One"; this question should not be answered. This is a question to be set aside.
"Does not stand firm on the possible and impossible" means does not stand firm on what is a cause and what is not a cause. Herein this is the method - An eternalist is able to refute an annihilationist by a fitting reason; the annihilationist, being thus refuted by him, saying "But do I teach annihilation?" merely explains the state of an eternalist, and is unable to stand firmly in his own doctrine. Thus, when the annihilationist is able, he becomes an eternalist; when the personalist is able, he becomes a proponent of emptiness; when the proponent of emptiness is able, he becomes a personalist - thus he does not stand firm on the possible and impossible.
"Does not stand firm on the supposition" - this is found both in the asking of a question and in the answering of a question. How? For a certain one clears his throat thinking "I shall ask a question"; when told by the other "You will ask this very thing," having known that it has been found out, he says "Not that; I shall ask something else." Even when asked a question, he clears his jaw thinking "I shall answer the question"; when told by the other "You will answer this very thing," having known that it has been found out, he says "Not that; I shall answer something else." Thus he does not stand firm on the supposition.
"Does not stand firm on the acknowledged doctrine" means does not stand firm on the acknowledged doctrine, the doctrine that is known. How? A certain one asks a question, the other says to him "An agreeable question has been asked by you, where was it learnt by you?" The other, even though having asked the question in exactly the proper procedure, through his talk produces doubt "Was it perhaps not a proper question that was asked?" Another, when asked a question, answers it, yet another says to him "Well has the question been answered by you, where was it learnt by you? One who answers a question should indeed answer thus." The other, even though having answered the question in exactly the proper procedure, through his talk produces doubt "Was it perhaps not a proper question that was answered by me?"
"Does not stand firm on the practice" means does not stand in the practice; the meaning is that, not knowing the duty, he asks in a place where one should not ask. This question, when asked at the shrine courtyard, should not be answered; likewise on the almsfood round path, at the time of walking for almsfood in the village. At the time of sitting in the sitting hall, at the time of sitting having taken rice gruel or a meal, at the time of sitting having eaten, and also at the time of going to the day-residence quarters. But when seated at the day-quarters, it should be answered to one who asks having obtained permission; it should not be answered to one who asks without having obtained permission. One who asks not knowing this duty does not stand firm on the practice. "This being so, monks, this person is not fit for discussion" means, monks, when this reason exists, this person is indeed not fit to discuss.
"Stands firm on the possible and impossible" means the eternalist is able to refute the annihilationist with a proper reason; the annihilationist, even though being refuted by him, says "Even though I am refuted by you a hundred times, I am still an annihilationist." By this method, the method should be applied also in the doctrines of eternalism, personalism, emptiness, and so on. Thus one stands firm on the possible and impossible. "Stands firm on the supposition" means while clearing his throat thinking "I shall ask a question," when told "You will ask this very thing," he says "Yes, I shall ask that very thing." Even while clearing his jaw thinking "I shall answer the question," when told "You will answer this very thing," he says "Yes, I shall answer that very thing." Thus one stands firm on the supposition.
"Stands firm on the acknowledged doctrine" means having asked this question, when told "Well has the question been asked by you; one who asks should indeed ask thus," he accepts it and does not produce doubt. Even having answered the question, when told "Well has the question been answered by you; one who answers should indeed answer thus," he accepts it and does not produce doubt. "Stands firm on the practice" means having caused him to sit down in the house, having given rice gruel, sweet-meats and so on, until the meal is ready, seated in the meantime, he asks the question. Or having taken ghee and other medicines, eight kinds of drinks, cloth, coverings, garlands, scents and so on, having gone to the monastery, having given those, having entered the day-quarters, having obtained permission, he asks the question. For thus, one who asks knowing the duty stands firm on the practice. It is proper to answer his question.
"Evades the issue with another issue" means he conceals one thing with another statement, or when asked one thing he speaks of another. "Diverts the discussion outside" means introducing an extraneous discussion, he diverts the former discussion outside. Herein is this story - It is said that monks, having assembled, said to a certain young monk "Friend, you have committed such and such an offence." He said - "Venerable sir, I went to Nāgadīpa." Friend, we are not concerned with your going to Nāgadīpa; but we ask whether you have committed an offence. Venerable sir, having gone to Nāgadīpa, they eat fish. Friend, we have no concern with your eating of fish; it is said that you have committed an offence. He said "A not thoroughly cooked fish caused me illness, venerable sir." Friend, we have no concern with your comfort or discomfort; you have committed an offence. Venerable sir, as long as I dwelt there, just that long illness arose for me. Thus it should be understood that he diverts the discussion outside by means of extraneous talk.
"Overwhelms" means having brought discourses from here and there, he covers over. Like the Elder Tissatthera of the Triple Canon. Formerly, it is said, monks, having assembled at the great shrine courtyard, having performed the monastic community's business, having given exhortation to the monks, hold discussions on questions with one another. There this elder monk, having brought discourses from here and there from the three Canons, does not allow even one question to be concluded during the daytime. "Crushes" means having brought a reason, he crushes. "Laughs derisively" means whether a question is asked or answered by another, he strikes his hands together and laughs a great laugh, by which doubt arises in the other: "Did I perhaps ask what should not be asked? Did he perhaps speak what should not be spoken?" "Seizes upon slips" means he seizes upon a mere trifle of a verbal fault; whether in a syllable, a term, or a phrase that is badly spoken, he goes about grumbling "This should be said thus." "With the proximate cause" means with decisive support, with condition.
"With ears inclined" means with ears placed. "Directly knows one thing" means he directly knows one wholesome mental state, the noble path. "Fully understands one thing" means he fully understands one phenomenon of the truth of suffering by way of full understanding as judgement. "Abandons one thing" means he abandons one phenomenon of all unwholesome mental states, dispels it, puts an end to it. "Realizes one thing" means he makes evident one phenomenon of the fruition of arahantship, or cessation itself. "Touches right liberation" means he touches the deliverance of the fruition of arahantship through the contact of knowledge, rightly, by cause, by method, by reason.
"For this purpose, monks, is discussion" means, monks, that discussion which was shown as "by association with discussion," that is for this purpose; this is the ground and support of that discussion. "This is the subject matter, that is to say, the deliverance of the mind through non-clinging" - thus the explanation should be understood in all terms. "For this purpose is consultation" means that consultation which is with a person fit for discussion among persons fit and not fit for discussion, that too is for this very purpose. "For this purpose is the proximate cause" means the proximate cause stated thus as "one who inclines the ear has the proximate cause," that too is for this very purpose. "For this purpose is the giving ear" means the giving ear of that proximate cause; that too is for this very purpose. "Without clinging" means without grasping by the four kinds of clinging. "The deliverance of the mind" means the deliverance of the fruition of arahantship. Because all this is for the purpose of the fruition of arahantship - thus having set aside the discourse, taking the pinnacle above with verses, he said beginning with "Those who in opposition."
Therein, "in opposition" means opposed by irritation reckoned as opposition. "Converse" means they engage in friendly talk. "Obstinately attached" means having become attached to. "Arrogant" means well raised up by the latent tendency to conceit. "Having resorted to ignoble qualities" means they speak talk about ignoble qualities, having struck against virtues. For talk spoken having struck against virtues is called ignoble talk, not noble talk; they speak that - this is the meaning. "Seeking each other's faults" means seeking each other's defects and offences. "Insulting speech" means badly spoken. "Stumbling" means a trifling verbal fault, a stumble. "Confusion and defeat" means each other's confusion and defeat through a trifling verbal fault. "They delight in" means they are pleased. "Would not practise" means does not practise, does not speak. "Connected with what is established in the Teaching" means whatever talk is spoken by one established in the Teaching, that is both established in the Teaching and connected with that Teaching - thus connected with what is established in the Teaching. "With an unelated mind" means with an unagitated mind. "Without insolence" means having become without insolence by way of the insolence of rivalry. "Without violence" means having become without violence by way of the violence of lust, hate, and delusion.
"Not being envious" means not being jealous. "He should not disparage what is badly spoken" means he should not disparage what is badly stated. "He should not train in censure" means he should not train in censure characterised by the superiority of reason. "And should not seize upon stumbling" means he should not seize upon a trifling verbal stumbling saying "this is your fault." "He should not overpower" means he should not overwhelm. "He should not crush" means having brought one reason, he should not crush. "He should not speak contentious speech" means he should not speak speech connected with truth and falsehood. "For the purpose of knowing" means for the purpose of understanding. "For the purpose of confidence" means for the purpose of generating confidence. "Should not discuss puffed up" means he should not become elevated through the basis of conceit. For indeed the wise do not speak having become puffed up with conceit, but rather not elevated by conceit, one should discuss, speak and converse.
8.
Commentary on the Aññatitthiya Sutta
69. In the eighth, "having the Blessed One as their root" - "the Blessed One is the root of these" thus "having the Blessed One as their root." This is what is meant - These teachings of ours, venerable sir, were formerly produced by the One Enlightened by himself Kassapa; when he had attained final Nibbāna, for one interval between Buddhas there was no other ascetic or brahmin able to produce these teachings; but these teachings were produced for us by the Blessed One. For indeed, in dependence on the Blessed One, we understand these teachings, we penetrate them - thus "the teachings have the Blessed One as their root, venerable sir." "Having the Blessed One as their guide" - the Blessed One is the leader, the trainer, the conciliator of the teachings; the one who shows by taking each individual name according to their intrinsic nature - thus the teachings are called "having the Blessed One as their guide." "Having the Blessed One as their refuge" - the phenomena of the four planes, coming into the range of omniscient knowledge, resort to the Blessed One - thus "having the Blessed One as their refuge." "They resort to" means they flow into, they come together into. Furthermore, by the power of penetration, contact approaches the Blessed One seated at the great terrace of enlightenment - "What is my name, Blessed One?" "You are called contact in the meaning of touching." Feeling, perception, activities, consciousness approaches - "What is our name, Blessed One?" "You are called consciousness in the meaning of cognition." Thus, taking each individual name according to the intrinsic nature of the phenomena of the four planes, the Blessed One resorts to the phenomena - thus "having the Blessed One as their refuge." "May it occur to the Blessed One himself" - may the meaning of this statement present itself to the Blessed One himself; the meaning is: may you yourself explain it and give it to us.
"Lust" means lust that proceeds by the influence of finding pleasure. "Of little fault" - by both faults, namely by the fault in terms of worldly censure and by the fault in terms of resultant - it is of little fault; the meaning is of little harm. How? For parents and brothers, sisters and so on arrange the auspicious ceremony of marriage for their sons and brothers. Thus, for the time being, it is of little fault in terms of worldly censure. But that which is rooted in contentment with one's own wife does not lead to conception in a realm of misery - thus it is of little fault in terms of resultant. "Slow to fade away" - but when fading away, it fades away slowly; it is not quickly released. Like a stain of oil and soot, it follows for a long time; even having gone through two or three other existences, it does not depart - thus "slow to fade away."
Herein is this story - It is said that a certain man practised misconduct with his brother's wife. For that woman too, he was more dear than her own husband. She said to him - "When this matter becomes known, there will be great reproach; kill your brother." He disparaged her saying "May you perish, outcast woman; do not speak thus again." She, having remained silent, after the lapse of a few days spoke again; his mind went to a state of wavering. Then, when spoken to for the third time, he said "How shall I find the opportunity?" Then she, explaining the means to him, said "You do just as told by me; at such and such a place near a great kakudha tree there is a bathing ford; there, having taken a sharp hatchet, stand and wait." He did so. His elder brother too, having done work in the forest, came home. She, having become as if tender-hearted towards him, while combing his hair saying "Come, husband, I shall comb your head," saying "Your head is soiled," having given him a ball of emblic myrobalan, sent him saying "Go, wash your head at such and such a place and come back." He, having gone to the very bathing ford indicated by her, having smeared his head with emblic myrobalan paste, having descended into the water, having bent down, washed his head. Then the other, having come out from within the tree, having struck him on the shoulders, having deprived him of life, went home.
The other, being unable to abandon his affection for the wife, was reborn as a rat-snake in that very house. Whether she was standing or sitting, he would go and fall upon her body. Then she had it killed, thinking "This must be that very one." He, again through affection for her, was reborn as a dog in that very house. From the time of walking on foot, he followed behind and behind her. Even when she went to the forest, he went together with her. Seeing that, people mocked "The dog-hunter has come out; to which place will he go?" She again had it killed.
He too was again reborn as a calf in that very house. In the same way, he followed behind and behind her. Then too, people, having seen him, mocked "The cowherd has come out; where will the cows graze?" She had it killed in that place too. He, even then being unable to sever his affection for her, on the fourth occasion was reborn remembering his former births in her very womb. He, having seen in succession in the four individual existences the fact of having been killed by her, thinking "I have been reborn in the womb of such an enemy!" from then on did not allow her to touch him with her hand. If she touched him, he wailed and cried. Then only the grandfather looked after him. Afterwards, when he had come of age, the grandfather said - "Dear son, why do you not allow your mother to touch you with her hand? Even if she touches you, you cry and wail in a loud voice." When asked by the grandfather, he reported all that incident, saying "She is not my mother; she is my enemy." He, having embraced him, having wept, saying "Come, dear son, what business have we dwelling in such a place?" taking him, having departed, having gone to a monastery, having gone forth, both dwelling there, they attained arahantship.
"Of great fault" means of great fault by both reasons - by way of worldly fault and by way of resultant fault. How? For one corrupted by hate offends against his mother, against his father, against brothers and sisters and so on, and against those gone forth. He, at whatever places he goes, receives great reproach: "This person offends even against his mother and father, even against brothers and sisters and so on, even against those gone forth." Thus, for now, it is of great fault by way of worldly fault. But by a heinous action with immediate bad destination done through the influence of hate, one is cooked in hell for a cosmic cycle. Thus it is of great fault by way of resultant fault. "Quick to fade away" means it fades away quickly. For one corrupted by hate, having offended against mother and father, against shrines, against the Bodhi tree, and against those gone forth, says "Forgive me." He confesses the transgression. Together with his asking for forgiveness, that action becomes merely ordinary.
Delusion too is of great fault for just two reasons. For one deluded through delusion, having offended even against one's mother and father, even against shrines, even against the Bodhi tree, even against those gone forth, receives reproach at whatever place he goes. Thus, for now, it is of great fault by way of worldly fault. But by a heinous action with immediate bad destination done through the influence of delusion, one is cooked in hell for a cosmic cycle. Thus it is of great fault by way of resultant fault too. "Slow to fade away" means it fades away slowly. For the deed done by one deluded through delusion is released slowly. For just as bear hide, even when being washed a hundred times, does not become white, just so the deed done by one deluded through delusion is not released quickly, but is released only slowly. The remainder here is clear in itself.
9.
Commentary on the Unwholesome Root Discourse
70. In the ninth, "unwholesome roots" means roots of the unwholesome, or they are unwholesome and they are roots, thus "unwholesome roots." "Whatever, monks, is greed" means whatever, monks, greed is. "That too is an unwholesome root" means that too is an unwholesome root. Or with reference to the unwholesome root, here "that too" - the meaning is fitting indeed. By this method, the application should be applied everywhere. "Generates" means strives, combines, makes a heap. "Produces suffering through what is non-existent" means through what is not factual, through what is not existing, having spoken whatever untrue fault of his, he produces suffering. "By murder or" and so on was said to show the manner by which he produces suffering. Therein, "by loss" means by loss of wealth. "By banishment" means by the act of banishment from a village or from a country. "I am powerful" means I am powerful. "I have need of power" means "I have need of power," or he says "I am established in power."
"One who speaks at the wrong time" means he does not speak at the proper time; he speaks at an improper time. "One who speaks what is untrue" means he does not speak what is factual; he speaks what is untrue. "One who speaks what is unbeneficial" means he does not speak what is beneficial; he speaks what is unbeneficial. "One who speaks what is not according to the Teaching" means he does not speak what is the Teaching; he speaks what is not according to the Teaching. "One who speaks what is not monastic discipline" means he does not speak what is monastic discipline; he speaks what is not monastic discipline.
"Because indeed" means because indeed this person. "He does not make ardour for its disentanglement" means he does not make energy for the purpose of disentangling that untrue accusation. "For this reason this is incorrect" means by this reason too, this is incorrect. The other is a synonym for that very thing.
"An unfortunate realm is to be expected" means an unfortunate realm beginning with hell is to be expected; that would inevitably come to be for him; the meaning is that he should be reborn there. "Overgrown" means grown over from above. "Enveloped" means covered all around. "Comes to calamity" means comes to decline. "Comes to disaster" means comes to destruction. For in the hot season, when the māluvā pod has burst open, the seeds fly up and fall at the base of banyan trees and the like. There, at the base of whichever tree three seeds have fallen in three directions, when that tree has been rained upon by a rain cloud, from the three seeds three sprouts arise and cling to that tree. From that time onwards, the tree deities are unable to sustain themselves in their own nature. Those sprouts too, growing, having reached the state of creepers, having climbed that tree, having entwined all the branches, sub-branches and twigs, envelop that tree from above. That tree, entwined by the māluvā creepers, covered by the dense, large māluvā leaves, when the sky rains or the wind blows, having crumbled here and there, only a stump remains. With reference to that, this was said.
"Just so" - but here this is the correlation of the simile: this being should be seen as like a certain tree among sal trees and so on; the three unwholesome roots are like the three māluvā creepers; just as the straight climbing of those creepers up the tree as long as they have not reached the branches, so is the time when greed and so on have not reached the doors; just as the time of going along the branches, so is the time of going by way of the doors; just as the time of enveloping, so is the time of being overcome by greed and so on; just as the time of the crumbling of the small branches, so is the time of committing the lesser and minor offences through the influence of mental defilements that have reached the doors; just as the time of the crumbling of the great branches, so is the time of committing a heavy offence; just as the time of the tree's falling to the ground when the roots are soaked by water that has descended along the creepers, so should be seen the time of gradually committing the four expulsions and being reborn in the four realms of misery.
The bright side should be understood by the reversal of what has been stated. "Just so" - but here this is the correlation of the simile: this being should be seen as like a certain tree among sal trees and so on; the three unwholesome roots are like the three māluvā creepers; the practitioner of spiritual exercise is like the man who has come to bring about their non-continuance; wisdom is like the spade; the basket of faith is like the spade-basket; insight wisdom is like the pick-axe for digging around; the time of cutting the root of ignorance by insight knowledge is like the cutting of the root by the pick-axe; the time of seeing by way of the aggregates is like the time of cutting into fragments; the time of the uprooting of mental defilements by path knowledge is like the time of splitting; the time of the persisting five aggregates is like the time of making into ashes; the time of not taking up conception in a new existence, having ceased through cessation without reconnection of the clung-to aggregates, should be seen as like the time of winnowing in a strong wind and bringing to non-continuance. In this discourse, the round of rebirths and the end of the round of rebirths have been spoken of.
10.
Commentary on the Observance Day Discourse
71. In the tenth, "on that Observance day" means on that day (tasmiṃ ahu) which was the Observance, on that day which was the Observance; what is said is on the fifteenth-day Observance day. "Approached" means having determined the Observance factors, she approached with scents, garlands and so on in her hands. "Well then" is an indeclinable particle used in the sense of release. "During the day" means the daytime of the day is called midday; the meaning is at this time when midday had arrived. "From where are you coming?" he asks "What are you doing going about?" "The cowherd's Observance" means the Observance observed together with cowherds. "The Jain's Observance" means the Observance observed by the Jains. "The noble one's Observance" means the Observance observed by the noble ones. "Just as, Visākhā" means just as indeed, Visākhā. "In the evening time, having handed over the cattle to the owners" means cowherds, having taken the cattle, tend them either for daily wages or for a period of five days, ten days, a fortnight, a month, six months, or a year. But here this was said with reference to one tending them for daily wages - "Having handed over" means having made them accept, having given them saying "These are your cattle." "Considers thus" means having gone to his own house, having eaten, lying down on a bed, he reviews thus. "Accompanied by covetousness" means associated with craving. "Thus, Visākhā, is the cowherd's Observance" means this is indeed the noble Observance, but because of the impurity of thought, it stands in the position of the cowherd's Observance. "Not rich in result" means not rich in result by way of resultant fruit. "Not of great benefit" means not of great benefit by way of resultant benefit. "Not of great brightness" means not of great brightness by way of resultant radiance. "Not of great pervasion" means not of great pervasion because of the smallness of the resultant pervasion.
"Ascetics by nature" means they are ascetics indeed. "Beyond a hundred yojanas" means having gone beyond a hundred yojanas, further beyond that. "Towards them lay down the rod" means lay down the rod towards those beings standing in the regions beyond a hundred yojanas; be one who has laid down the rod. "I am not anywhere a possession of anyone" means I am not anywhere in the state of being a possession of any other person. "Possession" is called an impediment; what is said is "I am not an impediment." "Nor is there anywhere in anything a possession of mine" means for me too, anywhere, whether inside or outside, in any place, even in a single requisite, there is no state of possession, there is no impediment; what is said is "I am one whose impediments are cut off." "Possessions" means beds, chairs, rice gruel, meals and so on. "Uses possessions not given" means on the following day, even lying down on a bed, even sitting on a chair, even drinking rice gruel, even eating a meal, he uses those possessions as indeed not given. "Not rich in result" means fruitless. For here the phrasing only is with a remainder, but the meaning is without remainder. For of an Observance observed in this way, there is not even a trifling resultant fruit that is desirable, lovely, or agreeable. Therefore it should be understood as simply fruitless. The same method applies to the remaining terms as well.
"Of the impure mind" - why did he say this? Because it was shown that the Observance observed with a defiled mind is not rich in result, the state of being rich in result for one who has observed it with a pure mind is thereby permitted. Therefore, to show the meditation subject for purifying the mind, by which meditation subject the mind becomes pure, he said this. Therein, "by means of effort" means by one's own personal effort, or by means. "Recollects the Truth-finder" means he recollects the virtues of the Truth-finder by eight reasons. For here, "thus indeed is the Blessed One" means that Blessed One thus indeed by morality, thus indeed by concentration - all mundane and supramundane virtues of the Buddha are included. By "the Worthy One" and so on, only individual virtues are indicated. "For one recollecting the Truth-finder, the mind becomes clear" means for one recollecting the mundane and supramundane virtues of the Truth-finder, the arising of consciousness becomes clear.
"Impurities of the mind" means the five mental hindrances. "Paste" means emblic myrobalan paste. "The appropriate effort" means the effort of smearing, rubbing, and washing with paste, of that kind and befitting that. "Purification" means the making of a state of purity. For when the head is soiled, having adorned oneself with ornaments and celebrating a festival, one does not look beautiful; but when it is pure, having adorned oneself with ornaments and celebrating a festival, one looks beautiful. Just so, the Observance observed by determining the Observance factors with a soiled mind is not rich in result; but the Observance observed by determining the Observance factors with a pure mind is rich in result - with this intention he spoke thus. "Observes the Brahmā Observance" means Brahmā is called the One Enlightened by himself; by virtue of recollecting his qualities, this Observance is called the Brahmā Observance; one observes that. "Dwells together with Brahmā" means dwells together with the One Enlightened by himself. "And referring to Brahmā" means referring to the One Enlightened by himself.
"Recollects the Teaching" means recollects the supramundane Teaching together with its texts. "Scrubbing stone" means a kuruvindaka scrubbing stone. For having combined lac together with kuruvindaka stone powder, having made it into beads, having pierced them, having strung them on a thread, having taken hold of that string of gem beads from both ends, they rub the back. With reference to that it was said - "Dependent on a scrubbing stone." "Bath powder" means bathing powder. "The appropriate effort" means the effort conforming to that, of rubbing, scrubbing, washing, and so on. "The Teaching Observance" means because it was observed with reference to the nine supramundane states of the Teaching together with its texts, this Observance is called "the Teaching Observance." Here too, standing at the term "purification," the explanation should be made by the former method.
"Recollects the Community" means recollects the virtues of the eight noble persons. "Dependent on heat" means dependent on heat that has been applied two or three times. "Usa" is also a reading; the meaning is the same. "Lye" means ashes. "Cow-dung" means cow's urine or goats' dung. "Purification" - here too the explanation should be made by the former method. "The Community Observance" means because it was observed with reference to the virtues of the eight noble persons, this Observance is called "the Community Observance."
"Moral practices" means for a householder, the morality of householders; for one gone forth, the morality of those gone forth. The meaning of "unbroken" and so on has been expanded in the Visuddhimagga itself. "A hair-brush" means a brush made of horse-tail hairs or of bow-string hemp fibres and so on. "The appropriate effort" means the effort of rubbing with a hair-brush, having moistened with oil and having known the wet state of the stain, having put in ashes. Here, standing at the term "purification," the explanation should be made thus: for in a defiled mirror, even an adorned and decorated individual, when looked at, does not look beautiful; in a pure one, he looks beautiful. Just so, the Observance observed with a defiled mind is not rich in result, but with a pure mind it is rich in result. "The Morality Observance" means the Observance observed by means of recollecting one's own morality is called the Morality Observance. "Together with morality" means together with one's own five precepts and ten precepts. "And referring to morality" means referring to the five precepts and the ten precepts.
"Recollects the deities" means having placed the deities in the position of witnesses, one recollects one's own qualities beginning with faith. "A furnace" means an oven. "Salt" means salt-earth. "Red chalk" means red chalk powder. "A tube and tongs" means both a blowing tube and turning tongs. "The appropriate effort" means the suitable effort of placing in the oven, blowing, turning, and so on. Here, standing at the term "purification," the explanation should be understood thus - For those adorned with ornamental articles made of defiled gold do not look beautiful when celebrating a festival, but with those made of pure gold they look beautiful. Just so, the Observance of one with a defiled mind is not rich in result; of one with a pure mind, it is rich in result. "The deity Observance" means the Observance observed by one recollecting one's own qualities, having placed the deities in the position of witnesses, is called the deity Observance. The remainder - whatever should be said regarding these meditation subjects beginning with recollection of the Buddha, all that has been stated in the Visuddhimagga itself.
"The killing of living beings" means the destruction of living beings. "Having abandoned" means having given up this immorality reckoned as the volition of killing living beings. "Abstain" means from the time of abandoning onwards, simply abstaining, drawn back from that immorality. "With rod laid down, with knife laid down" means the meaning is: one who has put aside the rod and put aside the knife, because of not resorting to taking up a rod or a knife for the purpose of injuring others. And here, apart from the rod, all remaining implements should be understood as "knife" because of their nature of harming beings. But when monks go about carrying a walking staff or a wooden toothbrush or scissors, that is not for the purpose of injuring others. Therefore they are reckoned as those with rod laid down and knife laid down. "Conscientious" means endowed with shame characterised by abhorrence of evil. "Compassionate" means one who has attained compassion, that is, a mind of friendliness. "Concerned for the welfare of all living beings" means compassionate towards all living beings with their welfare in mind; the meaning is that through that very state of being compassionate, one has a mind of welfare towards all living beings. "I too today" means I too today. "By this factor too" means by this quality and factor too. "I imitate the Worthy Ones" means just as one going behind follows one going in front, so I too, afterwards performing this virtue first performed by the Worthy Ones, imitate those Worthy Ones. "And the Observance will have been observed by me" means by me acting thus, the Worthy Ones will have been imitated, and the Observance will have been observed.
"Taking what is not given" means the taking of what is not given, of what belongs to another; the meaning is theft, robbery. "They take only what is given" - thus one who takes what is given. "Even in mind they expect only what is given" - thus one who expects what is given. "He steals" - thus a thief; not by stealing, but by non-stealing. By the very state of non-stealing, by being pure. "Oneself" means by one's own individual existence; what is meant is that having made one's individual existence non-stealing and pure, they dwell.
"Unchaste conduct" means conduct that is not the foremost. "One who practises the foremost, the excellent conduct" - thus a practitioner of the holy life. "Keeping far away" means one whose conduct is far from unchaste conduct. "Sexual intercourse" means unwholesome practices that have come to the designation of "sexual intercourse" because they are to be indulged in by those who have received the conventional expression "a pair" on account of their similarity through the obsession of lust. "Village practice" means the practices of those who dwell in villages.
"False speech" means untrue speech, hollow speech. "They speak the truth" - thus speakers of truth. "They connect truth with truth, join them together" - thus devoted to truth; the meaning is that they do not speak falsely now and then. For whatever man sometimes speaks falsely, sometimes truthfully. Because his truth is interrupted by false speech, truth is not joined with truth. Therefore he is not devoted to truth. But these are not like that; even for the sake of their lives, not having spoken falsely, they connect truth with truth indeed - thus they are devoted to truth. "Reliable" means firm; the meaning is of steady speech. One person is not of steady speech, like turmeric dye, like a stump buried in a heap of chaff, and like a gourd placed on a horse's back. Another is of steady speech, like an inscription on rock, like a gate post; even when someone is cutting off his head with a sword, he does not speak two different things. This one is called reliable. "Trustworthy" means those who are to be relied upon; the meaning is those who are to be believed. For a certain person is not trustworthy; when it is said "who said this? So-and-so by name," it comes to the point where one must say "do not believe his word." Another is trustworthy; when it is said "who said this? So-and-so," it comes to the point where one must say "if it was said by him, this itself is the standard; now there is nothing to be rejected; it is just so." This one is called trustworthy. "Not deceivers of the world" means by that truthfulness they do not deceive the world - this is the meaning.
"Spirits, liquor and intoxicants that cause negligence" means the cause of negligence reckoned as the volition to drink spirits, liquor and intoxicants. "Eating one meal a day" means there are two meals - the morning meal and the evening meal. Of these, the morning meal is delimited by the end of midday, and the other from midday onwards up to dawn. Therefore, even if one eats ten times within the period before midday, one is still one who eats one meal a day. With reference to that it was said - "Eating one meal a day." The meal of the night is "night"; abstaining from that is "abstaining from eating at night." When midday has passed, food eaten up until sunset is called eating at the improper time; because of abstaining from that, they are abstained from eating at the improper time.
Because of not being in conformity with the Dispensation, seeing that which has become an obstacle, a show, is "seeing shows"; dancing, singing, and music by way of dancing oneself and causing others to dance and so on, and the seeing that has become a show of dancing and so on occurring even by way of peacock-dancing and so on - thus "dancing, singing, music and seeing shows." For dancing and so on - whether to perform them oneself, or to cause others to perform them, or to watch them being performed - is not proper for either monks or nuns.
Among garlands and so on, "garland" means whatever flower. "Perfume" means whatever kind of perfume. "Cosmetic" means that which colours the skin. Therein, one who puts on adorns is called "wearing"; one who fills in deficient places is called "decorating"; one who accepts by way of perfume and by way of skin-colouring is called "embellishing." "Occasion" is called "reason"; therefore, the meaning is: abstained from that volition of immorality by which the great multitude engages in wearing garlands and so on. "High bed" is called that which exceeds the proper measure; "luxurious bed" means a bed-covering that is not allowable; the meaning is abstaining from that.
"How rich in result" means how much rich in result. The same method applies to the remaining terms as well. "Abounding in the seven treasures" means endowed with abundant treasures reckoned as precious things; the meaning is having made the entire surface of Jambudīpa like the surface of a drum and filled it with the seven treasures measuring up to the waist. "Sovereign lordship" means lordship by way of the state of being a lord, or supremacy itself as lordship; here even violent action is not sovereign lordship. "Were to exercise kingship" means were to exercise such wheel-turning sovereignty. "The Aṅgas" and so on are the names of those countries. "Is not worth a sixteenth fraction" means having divided the merit of the Observance observed for one day and night into sixteen parts, it is not worth even one part of that. The meaning is that whatever resultant fruit there is of a sixteenth fraction of the Observance of one night, that itself is more than that. "Insignificant" means small.
"Not practising the holy life" means from not the best conduct. "One should not eat at night, eating at the improper time" means one observing the Observance should not eat either night food or daytime food at the improper time. "One should sleep on a bed or on the ground on a rug" means one should sleep on an allowable bed with legs the measure of a fist-span, or on ground prepared with lime-wash and so on, or on a rug made by spreading grass, leaves, straw and so on. This is the meaning. "This indeed they call the Observance with eight factors" means the Observance observed by one not practising killing of living beings and so on, because of being endowed with eight factors, they call "eightfold." But one observing that should, thinking "Tomorrow I shall be one observing the Observance," this very day arrange the provisions of food and so on, saying "Do this and that." On the Observance day, right early, in the presence of a monk or a nun or a male lay follower or a female lay follower who knows the characteristics of the ten precepts, having made verbal expression, the Observance factors should be undertaken. But by one who does not know the Pāḷi text, it should be determined thus: "I determine the Observance laid down by the Buddha." By one who does not obtain another, it should be determined even by oneself; but verbal expression should certainly be made. By one observing the Observance, activities connected with harming others should not be managed; one should not pass the time making calculations of income and expenditure; but having obtained food at home, having eaten like a monk with a regular meal, having gone to the monastery, one should either listen to the Teaching, or attend to one of the thirty-eight meditation objects.
"Beautiful to see" means of beautiful appearance. "Illuminating" means while illuminating. "Go around" means they wander about. "As far as" means however much space. "Moving through the sky" means going through space. "Shine" means they glow, they emit radiance. "Illuminating the directions" means shining in all directions. Or alternatively, "they shine" means they illuminate from direction to direction. "Illuminating" means shining. "Lapis lazuli" - even though having said "gem," by this he shows its nature as a precious gem. For lapis lazuli of the colour of one-year-old bamboo is called a precious gem. With reference to that, he said thus. "Excellent" means charming. "Horn-gold" means gold so named because it has arisen resembling a cow's horn. "Gold" means mountain gold, gold born in a mountain. "Native gold" means gold of the Teacher's colour. "Refined gold" means gold brought out by ants. "Are not worth" means they do not attain. "The radiance of the moon" is the nominative case used in the sense of the genitive; the meaning is "of the radiance of the moon." "Should observe the Observance" means having observed, the Observance. "Yielding happiness" means having happiness as fruit, to be experienced as happiness. "They go to the heavenly state" means they approach the state reckoned as heaven; the meaning is being blameless by anyone, they are reborn in the heavenly world. The remainder here, whatever was not stated in between, that should be understood in accordance with what has been stated.
The Great Chapter is the second.