3.
The Chapter on Ānanda
1.
Commentary on the Channa Discourse
72. In the first of the third, "Channa" means a wandering ascetic named Channa. "Do you too, friend" means: friend, just as we declare the abandoning of lust and so on, do you too declare thus? - he asks. Then the elder, rejecting that - "This wandering ascetic says that we declare the abandoning of lust and so on, but this does not exist in the external doctrine" - said beginning with "We indeed, friend." Therein, "kho" is an indeclinable particle in the sense of emphasis; the meaning is "we alone declare." Then the wandering ascetic thought: "This elder, having uprooted the external doctrine and carrying it away, said 'we alone.' Having seen what danger indeed do they declare the abandoning of these?" Then, asking the elder, he said beginning with "But what do you." The elder, answering him, said beginning with "One who is lustful, indeed." Therein, "one's own welfare" means one's own welfare that is mundane and supramundane, pertaining to the present life and the future life. In the case of the welfare of others and the welfare of both too, the same method applies.
Regarding "blinding" and so on: it makes blind the one in whom lust arises, by preventing seeing as it really is - thus it is "blinding." It does not produce the eye of wisdom - thus it is "causing lack of vision." It does not produce knowledge - thus it is "causing not knowing." "Obstructing wisdom" means it suppresses these three wisdoms - the wisdom of the ownership of actions, the wisdom of meditative absorption, and the wisdom of insight - by causing their non-occurrence. Because of giving undesirable results, it operates on the side of vexation reckoned as suffering - thus it is "connected with vexation." It does not conduce to the quenching of mental defilements - thus it is "not leading to Nibbāna." "And it is enough, friend Ānanda, for diligence" means: friend Ānanda, if such a practice exists, it is enough for your diligence, it is proper and befitting - practise diligence, friend - thus having given thanks for the elder's words, he departed. In this discourse, the noble path is spoken of as mixed with the supramundane. The remainder here is clear in meaning.
2.
Commentary on the Ājīvaka Discourse
73. In the second, "if so, householder" - the Elder, it is said, thought - "This one, coming here, has not come wishing to know, but has come for the purpose of investigating. I will make him answer the question asked by this very one." Thus, wishing to make him speak on that very matter, he said beginning with "if so" and so on. Therein, "if so" (tena hi) is an indication of reason. "Because you ask thus, therefore I ask you a question in return about this very matter." "For whom" (kesaṃ no) means "for which ones indeed?" "Extolling of one's own teaching" means the lifting up and establishing of one's own view. "Disparaging of others' teachings" means the striking at, scoffing at, and putting down of others' views. "Just the proclamation of the Teaching in its proper sphere" means the proclamation of the Teaching in its proper reason alone. "The meaning has been stated" means the meaning of the question asked by me has been made clear. "And oneself has not been brought forward" means oneself has not been brought forward thus: "We are of such kind." "Nupanīto" is also a reading.
3.
Commentary on the Mahānāma the Sakyan Discourse
74. In the third, "having recovered from illness" means having been ill and then having recovered. "From sickness" means from the state of being ill. "Approached" means having eaten his morning meal, taking garlands, scents and so on, surrounded by a great retinue, he approached. "Having taken by the arm" means he did not take him by the arm and drag him away; it should be understood that having risen from the seat where he was sitting, having gone to his presence, having given a signal with his thumb on the right arm, he led him aside. Then, by the method beginning with "Mahānāma, the morality of a trainee," having spoken of the morality, concentration, and wisdom of the seven trainees, while speaking above of the morality, concentration, and wisdom of one beyond training by way of the fruition of arahantship - he explained: "From the trainee's concentration, the trainee's insight knowledge and the knowledge of fruition of one beyond training arise afterwards; and from the trainee's insight knowledge, the concentration of fruition of one beyond training arises afterwards." But as for the concentration and knowledge that are associated, their arising should be understood as neither after nor before.
4.
Commentary on the Jain Discourse
75. In the fourth, "in the Pinnacled Hall" means in the perfumed chamber made by taking two roof-peaks with a swan-and-quail covering. "Acknowledges complete knowledge and vision" means without leaving aside even a trifle, he acknowledges all knowledge and vision. "Constantly and continuously" means at all times, without interruption. "Knowledge and vision is present" indicates that omniscient knowledge is established in me. "Of past actions" means of accumulated actions. "Destruction through austerity" means the making of an end through difficult austerity. "Of new actions" means of actions to be accumulated now. "Through non-performance" means through non-accumulation. "Cutting off of the bridge" means he speaks of the striking down of the track, the striking down of the condition. "Through the destruction of action there is the destruction of suffering" means through the destruction of the round of action there is the destruction of suffering. "Through the destruction of suffering there is the destruction of feeling" means through the destruction of the round of suffering there is the destruction of feeling. For when the round of suffering is eliminated, the round of feeling is also eliminated. "Through the destruction of feeling all suffering will be worn away" means through the destruction of feeling, the entire suffering of the round of rebirths will indeed be worn away. "Visible here and now" means to be seen by oneself, evident. "Wearing away purification" means the practice that wears away mental defilements, or because of wearing away the mental defilements, the wearing away is for the purification of beings. "There is the transcendence" means there is the overcoming of the entire suffering of the round of rebirths. "What does the Blessed One say about this, venerable sir" means venerable sir, what does the Blessed One say about this practice - does he declare this very practice of wearing away mental defilements, or something else? - thus he asks.
"Who knows" means by one knowing through unobstructed knowledge. "Who sees" means by one seeing with the all-seeing eye. "For the purification" means for the purpose of attaining purification. "For the transcendence" means for the purpose of transcending. "For the passing away" means for the purpose of passing away. "For the achievement of the true method" means for the purpose of achieving the path together with insight. "For the realisation of Nibbāna" means for the purpose of realising the unconditioned Nibbāna. "Does not perform new action" means he does not accumulate new action. "Old action" means action accumulated before. "By repeatedly touching puts an end to it" means having touched again and again, he makes it gone to its end; the meaning is: having experienced the resultant contact again and again, he exhausts that action. "Visible here and now" means to be seen by oneself. "Immediate" means not producing its function at a later time. "Inviting one to come and see" means fit to be shown thus "come and see." "Leading onward" means fit to be brought close, fit to be clung to. "To be individually experienced by the intelligent" means to be known by the wise each in their own continuity; but it is difficult to know by the foolish. Thus by way of morality, two paths and two fruits are spoken of. For stream-enterers and once-returners are ones who fulfil morality. But by the accomplishment in concentration beginning with "quite secluded from sensual pleasures," three paths and three fruits are spoken of. For the non-returner noble disciple is said to be one who fulfils concentration. By "with the elimination of the mental corruptions" and so on, the fruition of arahantship is spoken of. Some, however, say that morality and concentration too, associated with the fruition of arahantship alone, are intended here. But for the purpose of showing the practice by way of each one separately, the text has been set forth separately.
5.
Commentary on the Nivesaka Discourse
76. In the fifth, "colleagues" means companions. "Relatives" means those belonging to the side of the mother-in-law and father-in-law. "Blood-relations" means those of the same blood - brothers, sisters, and so on. "Unwavering confidence" means the unshakeable confidence that has arisen having known the qualities with certainty. "Alteration" means alteration of state. In the passage beginning with "of the solid element," there might be alteration of the solid element, which has the nature of hardness in the twenty portions; of the liquid element, which has gone to a fluid state and has the nature of binding in the twelve portions; of the heat element, which has the nature of maturing in the four portions; and of the air element, which has the nature of distension in the six portions. "But there would never be" shows that for these four primary elements there might be alteration through their undergoing mutual transformation, but for a noble disciple there would never be such alteration. And here "alteration" means alteration of confidence and alteration of destination. For that does not exist for him, but alteration of state does exist. For a noble disciple, having been a human being, becomes even a god, even a brahmā. But his confidence does not disappear even in another existence, and he does not reach alteration of destination reckoned as a realm of misery. The Teacher too, showing that very thing, said beginning with "herein this is the alteration." The remainder here is clear in meaning.
6.
Commentary on the First Discourse on Existence
77. In the sixth, "ripening in the sensual element" means ripening in the sensual element. "Sensual existence" means the becoming of rebirth in the sensual element. "Action is the field" means wholesome and unwholesome action is the field in the meaning of a place for growing. "Consciousness is the seed" means the co-arisen volitional activity consciousness is the seed in the meaning of growing. "Craving is the moisture" means by way of sustaining and nourishing, craving is called water. "Hindered by ignorance" means of those obstructed by ignorance. "Fettered by craving" means of those bound by the bond of craving. "In the inferior element" means in the sensual element. "Consciousness is established" means volitional activity consciousness is established. "In the middle element" means in the material element. "In the superior element" means in the immaterial element. The remainder here is clear in meaning.
7.
Commentary on the Second Discourse on Existence
78. In the seventh, "volition" means intention for action. "Longing" too means just longing for action. The remainder is similar to the preceding.
8.
Commentary on the Discourse on Moral Rules and Austerities
79. In the eighth, "moral rules and austerities" means morality and ascetic practice. "Life" means the pursuit of the performance of austerities. "Holy life" means abiding by the holy life. "With attendance as its essence" means the essence through attendance; the meaning is: thus presented as "this is excellent, this is the goal." "Fruitful" - he asks whether it is yielding growth, with increase. "There is no categorical answer to this, venerable sir" - the meaning is: venerable sir, this should not be answered categorically. "Practising with attendance as its essence" means for one practising what is thus presented as "this is the essence, the excellent, the goal." "Fruitless" means fruitless in terms of desirable result. By this much, setting aside the going forth of those believing in karma and those who hold the doctrine of action, all the rest of the outsider doctrines are included. "Fruitful" means fruitful in terms of desirable result, yielding growth. By this much, making this Dispensation the starting point, all the going forth of those believing in karma and those who hold the doctrine of action is also included. "But one equal to him in wisdom is not easy to obtain" - thus he shows that, standing on the learner plane and answering the question, one equal to this Ānanda in wisdom is not easy to obtain. In this discourse, what is called the learner plane has been spoken of.
9.
Commentary on the Discourse on Kinds of Perfumes
80. In the ninth, "he said this" means after the meal, having returned from the alms round, having shown his duty to the One of Ten Powers, having gone to his own day residence, "In this world there is what is called the odour of roots, there is what is called the odour of heartwood, there is what is called the odour of flowers. But these three odours too go only in the direction of the wind, not against the wind. Is there indeed something whose odour goes even against the wind?" - having thought thus, since at the very time of receiving the eight boons, at the time when uncertainty arose, the boon of approaching had been received, at that very moment, having emerged from the day residence, having gone to the Teacher's presence, having paid homage, seated to one side, for the purpose of dispelling the arisen uncertainty, he spoke this utterance beginning with "There are, venerable sir, these three." Therein, "kinds of perfumes" means types of perfumes. "The odour of roots" means an odour having roots as its basis, or the root itself endowed with odour is the odour of roots. For its odour goes in the direction of the wind. But odour itself does not have an odour. In the case of the odour of heartwood and the odour of flowers too, the same method applies. "There is, Ānanda, a kind of perfume" - here, going for refuge and so on are called odours because of their similarity to odour in going to the directions by way of speaking praise of virtues; the person who is the basis of those is called a kind of perfume. "The odour goes" means it goes by way of speaking praise. "Moral" means moral by the five precepts or the ten precepts. "Of good character" means of good character, of beautiful character, by that very moral quality. The meaning of "with a mind free from the stain of stinginess" and so on has been expanded in the Visuddhimagga itself. "In the directions" means in the four directions and in the four intermediate directions. "Ascetics and brahmins" means ascetics and brahmins who have calmed evil and warded off evil.
"The odour of flowers does not go against the wind" means the odour of jasmine flowers and so on does not go against the wind. "Nor sandalwood, nor tagara, nor jasmine" means the odour of sandalwood, tagara, and jasmine too does not go against the wind - this is the meaning. Even in the heavenly world there is what is called the phuṭasumanā; on the day it blooms, its odour overpowers a hundred yojanas. Even that, they say, is unable to go against the wind even a span's length or a cubit's length. "But the odour of the good goes against the wind" means the odour of the virtues beginning with morality of the good, the wise - Buddhas, Individually Enlightened Ones, and sons of the Buddha - goes against the wind. "A good person pervades all directions" means the good person, the wise one, pervades all directions with the odour of virtues beginning with morality; the meaning is he covers all directions with odour.
10.
Commentary on the Minor Discourse
81. The tenth has a twofold summary treatment: both by way of the origin of the topic and by way of the question. If asked, in which origin of the topic and at whose question was it spoken? It was spoken in the origin of the topic of the Aruṇavatī Discourse, at the question of the Elder Ānanda. By whom was the Aruṇavatī Discourse spoken? It was spoken by two Buddhas: by the Blessed One Sikhī and by our Teacher. For thirty-one cosmic cycles from the present cosmic cycle, having been reborn in the city of Aruṇavatī in the womb of the chief queen named Pabhāvatī of King Aruṇavā, with mature knowledge, having gone forth in the great renunciation, the Blessed One Sikhī, having penetrated the knowledge of omniscience at the seat of enlightenment, having set in motion the excellent wheel of the Teaching, dwelling in dependence on Aruṇavatī, one day, right early, having attended to his toilet, surrounded by the great community of monks, having departed thinking "I shall enter Aruṇavatī for almsfood," standing near the gateway of the monastery, he addressed the chief disciple named Abhibhū - "It is still very early, monk, to enter Aruṇavatī for almsfood. Let us approach a certain Brahma world." As he said -
Then, monks, the Blessed One Sikhī, the Worthy One, the One Enlightened by himself, addressed the monk Abhibhū - 'Come, brahmin, let us approach a certain Brahma world; it will not yet be time for the meal.' 'Yes, venerable sir,' monks, the monk Abhibhū assented to the Blessed One Sikhī, the Worthy One, the One Enlightened by himself. Then, monks, the Blessed One Sikhī, the Worthy One, the One Enlightened by himself, and the monk Abhibhū approached a certain Brahma world."
There the Great Brahmā, having seen the One Enlightened by himself, delighted, having gone out to meet him, having prepared a Brahmā seat, gave it. They also prepared a befitting seat for the Elder. The Blessed One sat down on the prepared seat, and the Elder too sat down on his own prepared seat. The Great Brahmā too, having paid homage to the One of Ten Powers, sat down to one side.
Then, monks, the Blessed One Sikhī addressed the monk Abhibhū - "Let a talk on the Teaching occur to you, brahmin, for Brahmā and the assembly of Brahmā and the members of Brahmā's assembly." "Yes, venerable sir," monks, the monk Abhibhū, having promised the Blessed One Sikhī, the Worthy One, the One Enlightened by himself, gave a talk on the Teaching to Brahmā and the assembly of Brahmā and the members of Brahmā's assembly. While the Elder was giving the talk on the Teaching, the hosts of Brahmās grumbled - "At last we obtained the Teacher's coming to the Brahma world, and this monk, setting aside the Teacher, himself began a talk on the Teaching."
The Teacher, having known their state of displeasure, said this to the monk Abhibhū - "They are grumbling, brahmin, Brahmā and the assembly of Brahmā and the members of Brahmā's assembly. If so, you - brahmin, stir them even more exceedingly." The Elder, having accepted the Teacher's word, having performed manifold miraculous transformation, informing the thousandfold world system with his voice, spoke a pair of verses: "Begin, go forth." But having done what did the Elder inform the thousandfold world system? First, having entered upon the blue kasiṇa, he pervaded everywhere with darkness; then, when reflective attention arose in the beings, "What is this darkness?", he showed light. To those who were investigating, "What is this light?", he showed himself. In the thousand world-systems, gods and humans, having raised joined palms again and again, paying homage to the Elder alone, stood. The Elder, thinking "Let the great multitude hear the sound of me teaching the Teaching," spoke these verses. All heard the sound as if of one sitting in the midst of an assembled gathering and teaching the Teaching. The meaning too was clear to them.
Then the Blessed One, having returned together with the Elder to Aruṇavatī, having walked for almsfood, after the meal, having returned from his alms round, asked the Community of monks - "Did you hear, monks, the verses of the monk Abhibhū standing in the Brahma world while speaking?" They, having acknowledged "Yes, venerable sir," making known the fact of having heard, recited that very pair of verses. The Teacher, having given applause saying "Good! Good!" concluded the Teaching. Thus, for now, this discourse was spoken by the Blessed One Sikhī at the summit of thirty-one cosmic cycles from here.
But our Blessed One, having attained omniscience, having set in motion the excellent wheel of the Teaching, while dwelling at Jeta's Grove in dependence on Sāvatthī, on the full-moon day of the month of Jeṭṭhamūla, having addressed the monks, began this Aruṇavatī Discourse. The Elder Ānanda, having taken a fan, while fanning, standing right there, from the beginning up to the end, without omitting even a single phrase, learnt the entire discourse. He, on the following day, having returned from the alms round, having shown his duty to the One of Ten Powers, having gone to his own day residence, having shown his duty to his co-resident pupils and students, when they had departed, sat reflecting upon the Aruṇavatī Discourse spoken yesterday. Then the entire discourse stood before him as a clear object. He thought - "The chief disciple of the Blessed One Sikhī, having stood in the Brahma world, having dispelled darkness in the thousand world-systems, having shown the radiance of his body, proclaiming his own voice, gave a talk on the Teaching - thus was spoken yesterday by the Teacher. The domain of a disciple is of such a kind; but the One Enlightened by himself, having fulfilled the ten perfections and attained omniscience, how great a place could he inform with his voice?" He, for the purpose of dispelling the doubt that had thus arisen, at that very moment, having approached the Blessed One, asked him about that matter. To show this meaning, "Then the Venerable Ānanda" was said.
Therein, "face to face" means he said thus with this intention: this was heard by me who was present face to face, not by oral tradition, not by a succession of messengers. "How far is he able to inform with his voice" means how great a place is he able to inform with his voice, having dispelled darkness by the radiance of his body. "He was a disciple, Ānanda; Truth-finders are immeasurable" - the Blessed One said this with this intention - Ānanda, what are you saying? He was a disciple established in limited knowledge. But Truth-finders, having fulfilled the ten perfections and attained the knowledge of omniscience, are immeasurable. You, having taken dust on the tip of a fingernail and comparing it with the dust of the great earth, what indeed is this that you say? For the domain of disciples is one thing, the domain of Buddhas is another. The resort of disciples is one thing, the resort of Buddhas is another. The power of disciples is one thing, the power of Buddhas is another. Thus the Blessed One, having spoken of the state of being immeasurable with this intention, remained silent.
The Elder asked for the second time too. The Teacher, explaining "Ānanda, you are like one taking a keyhole and comparing it with infinite space, like one taking a cātaka bird and comparing it with the king of supaṇṇas measuring one hundred and fifty yojanas, like one taking water in an elephant's trunk and comparing it with the Great Ganges, like one taking water in a pit four cubits deep and comparing it with seven lakes, like one taking a human being who obtains only a measure of cooked rice and comparing him with a wheel-turning monarch, like one taking a dust-goblin and comparing it with Sakka the king of the gods, like one taking the light of a firefly and comparing it with the radiance of the sun - what indeed is this that you say?" - thus having spoken of just the state of being immeasurable for the second time too, remained silent. Then the Elder thought - "The Teacher, though asked by me, has not yet spoken; well then, having entreated him up to the third time, I shall cause him to roar the Buddha's lion's roar." He requested for the third time too. To show that, "For the third time too, indeed" and so on was said. Then the Blessed One, answering him, said beginning with "Have you heard, Ānanda." The Elder thought - "The Teacher, having said to me only this much - 'Have you heard, Ānanda, of the thousandfold minor world system?' - has become silent; now he will roar the Buddha's lion's roar." He, requesting the Teacher, said beginning with "This is the time, Blessed One."
The Blessed One too, wishing to speak to him in detail, said beginning with "Then, Ānanda." Therein, "as far as" means however much space. "The moon and sun" means the moon and the sun. "Revolve" means move about. "Shining in the directions" means they illuminate all directions. "Illuminating" means shining. By this much, one world-circle has been defined and shown. Now, multiplying that a thousandfold and showing it, he said "over a thousandfold world." "In that thousandfold world" means in that thousand world-circles. "A thousand realms of the gods ruled by the four great kings" means a thousand heavenly worlds of the gods ruled by the four great kings. But since in each world-circle there are four great kings each, therefore it is said "four thousand great kings." By this method the meaning should be understood everywhere. "Minor" means small. This is the domain of disciples. But why was this brought in? For the purpose of showing the limit of the middling world system.
"As far as" means however many. "So far thousandfold" means so far by a thousandfold portion. "The thousand-to-the-second-power middling world system" means this, having counted a thousand world-circles by a thousandfold portion, is the world system measuring ten hundred thousand world-circles, called the thousand-to-the-second-power middling world system. This is not within the domain of disciples; it is the domain of Buddhas alone. It explains that even in this much space, Truth-finders are able to dispel darkness, show the radiance of their bodies, and inform with their voice. By this much, what is called the birth-field of the Buddhas has been shown. For when Bodhisattas in their final existence pass away from the heavenly world and on the day of taking conception in the mother's womb, and on the day of emergence from the womb, and on the day of the great renunciation, and on the days of the supreme enlightenment, the turning of the wheel of the Teaching, the relinquishing of the life-formation, and the final Nibbāna, this much extent trembles.
"The thousand-to-the-third-power great world system" - the third beginning from the thousandfold is the threefold thousandfold; because the first thousandfold was multiplied a thousandfold to calculate the middling, and the middling was multiplied a thousandfold to calculate it, it is calculated by great thousands, thus it is the great thousandfold. By this much, a world measuring a hundred thousand ten million world-circles has been shown. The Blessed One, if he wishes, having dispelled darkness in this much space, having shown the radiance of his body, could inform with his voice. But the Elder Tissatthera, son of an accountant, said thus: "This is not the measure of the thousand-to-the-third-power great world system. For this is a place where the teachers' recitation-based text has declined in oral transmission; but the extent measuring ten times a hundred thousand ten million world-circles is what is called the thousand-to-the-third-power great world system." By this much, what is called the field of authority has been shown by the Blessed One. For within this interval, the authority of the Āṭānāṭiya protection, the Isigili protection, the Dhajagga protection, the Bojjhaṅga protection, the Khandha protection, the Mora protection, the Mettā protection, and the Ratana protection pervades. "As far as he might wish" means however much space he might desire; by this he shows the domain-field. For there is no measurable limit to the domain-field of the Buddhas, and to illustrate its non-existence they bring this simile: Having filled a hundred thousand ten million world-circles up to the Brahmā world with mustard seeds, if someone were to come along placing one mustard seed in each world-circle in the eastern direction, all those mustard seeds would come to utter exhaustion, but not the world-circles in the eastern direction. In the southern and other directions too, the same method applies. Therein, there is nothing that is outside the domain of the Buddhas.
When this was said, the elder thought - "The Teacher spoke thus - 'If he wishes, Ānanda, the Truth-finder could inform the thousand-to-the-third-power great world system with his voice, as far as he might wish.' But this world is uneven, the world-systems are infinite; in one place the sun has risen, in one place it stands in the middle, in one place it has set. In one place it is the first watch of the night, in one place the middle watch, in one place the last watch. Beings too are engaged in work, engaged in play, engaged in food - thus by those various reasons they are distracted and heedless. How indeed could the Teacher inform them with his voice?" He, having thought thus, asking the Truth-finder for the purpose of cutting through his doubt, said beginning with "In what way, then."
Then the Teacher, answering him, said beginning with "Here, Ānanda, the Truth-finder." Therein, "would pervade with light" means would pervade with the radiance of his body. But while pervading, what would he do? In whatever place the sun appears, there he would cause it to set by his own power. But where it does not appear, there he would cause it to rise and place it in the middle. Then where the sun appears, there people would give rise to the thought "The sun has only just appeared, yet it has now set; is this indeed a serpent disturbance, or one among spirit disturbances, demon disturbances, or deity disturbances?" But where it does not appear, there people would give rise to the thought "The sun has only just set, yet this one has now risen; what indeed is this, one among serpent disturbances, spirit disturbances, demon disturbances, or deity disturbances?" Then, when those people, having reflected upon the light and the darkness, were searching "What indeed is the condition for this?" the Teacher, having entered upon the blue kasiṇa, would spread dense darkness. Why? For the purpose of generating terror in those beings engaged in work and so on. Then, having known their state of having become terrified, having entered upon the attainment of the white kasiṇa, emitting white, dense Buddha-rays, as if at the time of the rising of a thousand moons and a thousand suns, all at once he would make everything into one light. And that, emitting radiance from a spot of the body the size of a sesame seed. For if one were to make the earth of the world-system into a lamp-stand, the water of the great ocean into oil, Sineru into a wick, and having placed it on the summit of another Sineru were to light it, it would make light in just one world-system. Beyond that it would not be able to illuminate even a span. But the Truth-finder, having emitted radiance from a spot of the body the size of a sesame fruit, would make the thousand-to-the-third-power great world system into one light, or even more than that. For thus great are the virtues of the Buddha.
"Would perceive that light" means having seen that light, "By whom the sun has been both set and raised, and dense darkness has been released, that is the person who, having now made light, stands - oh, what a marvellous person!" - raising joined palms, paying homage, they would sit down. "Would proclaim his voice" means would proclaim the sound of a discourse on the Teaching. For if one were to make one world-encircling mountain into a drum, the great earth into a drum-skin, Sineru into a drumstick, and having placed it on the summit of another Sineru were to beat it, it would make that sound heard in just one world-system; beyond that it would not be able to go even a span. But the Truth-finder, having sat down on a divan or on a chair, informs the thousand-to-the-third-power great world system with his voice, or even more than that - thus of great majesty are the Truth-finders. Thus the Blessed One by this much shows just the domain of his sphere.
And having heard this Buddha's lion's roar, strong rapture arose within the elder; he, uttering an inspired utterance by the power of rapture, said beginning with "It is a gain for me indeed." Therein, "that my Teacher is of such great supernormal power" means that my Teacher is of such great supernormal power; the meaning is that the acquisition of such a Teacher of great supernormal power for me is a gain indeed and well-gained indeed. Or alternatively, that I am able to go about carrying the bowl and robes of such a Teacher, to do the foot-rubbing and back-rubbing, to give face-washing water and bathing water, to sweep the precinct of the perfumed chamber, to ask a question when uncertainty has arisen, and to hear the sweet discourse on the Teaching - all these too are gains for me indeed and well-gained indeed - with reference to this he spoke thus. And here, the state of being of great supernormal power should be understood through the greatness of the supernormal powers reckoned as darkness, light, sound, and hearing of the Blessed One; the state of great majesty should be understood through the effortless pervading of those very same. "Udāyī" means the Elder Lāḷudāyī. He, it is said, formerly went about having bound resentment towards the attendant elder monks. Therefore, now having obtained the opportunity, at the conclusion of this Buddha's lion's roar, like one extinguishing a burning lamp-flame, like one giving a blow to the snout of a walking bull, like one overturning a bowl filled with food, destroying the elder's confidence, he spoke thus.
"When this was said, the Blessed One" means when this was said by the Elder Udāyī, the Blessed One, just as a benefactor standing to one side would say again and again "Come here, come here" to a man trembling while standing at the edge of a precipice, just so, restraining the Elder Udāyī from that speech, he said "Do not say so, Udāyī, do not say so, Udāyī." Therein, "hi" is merely a particle; the meaning is "do not speak thus." "The great kingdom" means the wheel-turning sovereignty. But did not the Teacher make unlimited the great benefit of the confidence arisen in a single disciple through the proclamation of the Teaching? Why then does he limit the benefit of the confidence arisen with reference to this Buddha's lion's roar? Because of the limited measure of individual existences for a noble disciple. For even a stream-enterer of slow wisdom obtains individual existence seven times among gods and among humans; therefore, defining his destination, he spoke thus. "In this very life" means while standing in this very individual existence. "Will attain final Nibbāna" means will attain final Nibbāna through the final Nibbāna without remainder. Thus, taking Nibbāna as the pinnacle, he concluded this Lion's Roar Discourse.
The Chapter on Ānanda is third.