1.
The Chapter on Enlightenment
1.
Commentary on the Discourse on Before the Highest Enlightenment
104. In the first of the third, "before the enlightenment" means before the enlightenment; what is meant is in the period prior to the attainment of the noble path. "While still unenlightened" means one who had not yet penetrated the four truths. "Being just a Bodhisatta" means being just a being capable of awakening, a being who was just beginning to strive to attain perfect enlightenment; or being just a being attached to, fastened upon, highest enlightenment. For from the time of the success of the resolution through the combination of eight factors at the feet of the Blessed One Dīpaṅkara, the Truth-finder, being attached to perfect enlightenment, fastened upon it, came without ever releasing his effort for the achievement of that, thinking "This must be attained by me." Therefore he is called a Bodhisatta. "Ko nu kho" means "which indeed." "The world" means the world of activities. "Gratification" means a sweet character. "Danger" means a character not to be delighted in. "To that one, to me" means to me, being thus just a Bodhisatta. "The removal of desire and lust, the abandoning of desire and lust" - having come to, referring to, dependent on Nibbāna, desire and lust is removed and abandoned; therefore Nibbāna is called "the removal of desire and lust, the abandoning of desire and lust." "This is the escape from the world" - this Nibbāna, because of being escaped from the world, is called the escape from the world. "As long as" means for however much measure of time. "Directly knew" means I knew through most excellent noble path knowledge. "And knowledge and vision arose in me" - by both these terms, reviewing knowledge is stated. The remainder here is clear in itself.
2.
Commentary on the First Discourse on Gratification
105. In the second, "pursued the quest for gratification" means I pursued for the purpose of the quest for gratification. From when? From the time of Sumedha. "With wisdom" means with path wisdom together with insight. "Well seen" means thoroughly penetrated. By this method the meaning should be understood everywhere. The third is clear everywhere.
4.
Commentary on the Discourse on Ascetics and Brahmins
107. In the fourth, "the goal of asceticism" means the fourfold noble fruition. The other is a synonym for that very thing. Or, by "the goal of asceticism" the four paths, by "the goal of the holy life" the four fruits. However, in all four of these discourses, only the world of aggregates is spoken of.
5.
Commentary on the Discourse on Weeping
108. The fifth was laid down on a particular occasion. On which occasion? On the occasion of the misconduct of the group of six. It is said that they went about singing, dancing, and laughing. The monks reported this to the One of Ten Powers. The Teacher, having had them summoned, began this discourse for the purpose of exhorting them. Therein, "weeping" means crying. "Madness" means the action of a madman. "Childishness" means a task to be done by youngsters. "Teeth-showing laughter" means the laughter with a loud sound of those who show their teeth and clap their hands. "Destruction of the bridge to singing" explains: let there be destruction of the condition for singing for you; abandon singing together with its cause. In the case of dancing too, the same method applies. "Alaṃ" means proper. "For those gladdened by the Teaching, being mindful" - here, "dhamma" is called reason; for those who are good and who are delighted by whatever reason. "A smile is sufficient just for a smile" - when there is that reason for smiling, whatever smile you make, that is for you sufficient just for a smile; having shown the tips of the teeth, it is proper only for showing the mere appearance of delight - this is what is said.
6.
Commentary on the Discourse on Dissatisfaction
109. In the sixth, "of sleep" means of slumber. "There is no satisfaction in the using" means in whatever way one uses it, in that very way one finds delight in it - thus there is no satisfaction. The same method applies to the remaining two terms as well. For if the water in the great ocean were to become liquor, and a drunkard were to be reborn as a fish, even while moving about there and even while lying down there, there would be no satisfaction. In this discourse only the round of rebirths has been spoken of.
7.
Commentary on the Discourse on the Unguarded
110. In the seventh, "is soaked" means is wet. "There is no good death" means because of the conditionality of conception in a realm of misery, it is not charming. "Passing away" is a synonym for that very thing. In the bright side, because of the conditionality of conception in heaven, it is good, charming. But that applies certainly only to the three noble disciples beginning with stream-enterers. The remainder here is clear in itself.
8.
Commentary on the Discourse on the Corrupted
111. In the eighth, "corrupted" means standing having abandoned the natural state. The remainder is the same method as stated in the preceding discourse.
9.
Commentary on the First Discourse on Origin
112. In the ninth, "sources" means causes. "For the arising of actions" means for the purpose of accumulating actions leading to the round of rebirths. "Done through greed" means done by greed. "Blameworthy" means with fault. "That action leads to the arising of actions" means that action leads to the arising, to the accumulation, of other actions too that lead to the round of rebirths. "That action does not lead to the cessation of actions" means but that action does not lead to the purpose of the cessation of actions leading to the round of rebirths. "In the bright side, for the arising of actions" means for the purpose of the arising of actions leading to the end of the round of rebirths. By this method, everything should be understood in meaning.
10.
Commentary on the Second Discourse on Origin
113. In the tenth, "of actions" means of actions leading to the round of rebirths only. "That are a basis for desire and lust" means being the cause of desire and lust. "Referring to" means having come to, with reference to, dependent on. "Desire" means desire as craving. "That which is lust of the mind" means whatever lust, defilement, state of being defiled of consciousness - "this I call a mental fetter," the meaning is "I call it a bondage." "In the bright side, of actions" means of actions leading to the end of the round of rebirths. "One turns away from that" means one turns away from that. Or when the result is known and understood by him, then he turns away from those phenomena and that result. And by this term, insight is spoken of; "having turned away from that" - by this, the path. "Having penetrated with the mind" - by this too, the path itself. "Sees having pierced through with wisdom" means he sees having pierced through with path wisdom together with insight. Thus the meaning should be understood everywhere. But in this discourse, the round of rebirths and the end of the round of rebirths have been spoken of.
The Chapter on Enlightenment is first.