1.
The Chapter on Bhaṇḍagāma
1.
Commentary on the Discourse on the Understood
1. In the first discourse of the Book of Fours, "through not understanding" means through not awakening to, through not knowing. "Through not penetrating" means through not penetrating, through not realising directly. "For a long course" means for a long time. "Has been run through" means run through by way of going from existence to existence. "Has been wandered through" means wandered through by way of going and coming again and again. "By me as well as by you" means by me and by you. Or alternatively, "has been run through and wandered through" - the meaning here should be understood thus: the running through and the wandering through was for me as well as for you. "Of a noble one" means of one who is faultless. "Morality, concentration, and wisdom" - but these three things should be known as associated with the path and its fruition only; by the name "liberation," fruition alone is described. "Craving for existence" means craving in existences. "Conduit to existence" means the rope of existence. This is indeed a name for craving. For just as oxen are led by tying around the neck, beings are led by that to this and that existence; therefore it is called "the conduit to existence."
"Unsurpassed" means supramundane. "Who makes an end of suffering" means one who makes an end of the suffering of the round of rebirths. "The one with vision" means one with vision through five eyes. "Attained final Nibbāna" means attained final Nibbāna through the final extinguishment of the mental defilements. This was his first final Nibbāna at the seat of enlightenment; but afterwards he attained final Nibbāna through the Nibbāna element without residue of clinging between the twin Sal trees - thus he concluded the teaching according to the sequence of connection.
2.
Commentary on the Discourse on the Fallen
2. In the second, "fallen" means fallen down, passed away. "Not fallen" means not fallen down, established. Therein, the mundane public is called fallen indeed; stream-enterers and so on are called fallen at the moment of arising of mental defilements; one who has eliminated the mental corruptions is called absolutely established.
"Those who have passed away fall" means those who have passed away, they are said to fall. "The fallen" means those who have fallen, they are said to have passed away. Because of having passed away they have fallen, because of having fallen they have passed away - this is the meaning. "Greedy" means infatuated with lust. "Come back again" means they are said to have come again to birth, again to ageing, again to illness, again to death. "The function done" means the function to be done by the four paths has been done. "Delighted in the delightful" means delighted in the kinds of virtuous qualities fit to be delighted in. "Through happiness, happiness is attained" means through happiness, happiness has been followed upon, attained. Through human happiness, divine happiness; through the happiness of meditative absorption, the happiness of insight; through the happiness of insight, the happiness of the path; through the happiness of the path, the happiness of fruition; through the happiness of fruition, the happiness of Nibbāna has been attained, realised - this is the meaning.
3.
Commentary on the First Discourse on the Dug Up
3. The third is as already stated in the commentary on the Book of Twos. In the verses, however, "one who is blameworthy" means one who is fit to be blamed. "Blames" means censures. "One who is praiseworthy" means one who is fit to be praised. "He gathers misfortune with his mouth" means whoever has so proceeded, by that mouth he is said to gather misfortune. "By that misfortune he finds no happiness" means by that misfortune he does not obtain happiness. "Together with all, together with oneself" means whatever defeat together with all one's own wealth and with oneself, that is only an insignificant misfortune - this is the meaning. "He who towards the Fortunate Ones" means whoever would corrupt his mind towards persons who have come to the right path, this corruption of mind alone is a greater misfortune than that. Now, showing its greater nature, he said beginning with "a hundred thousand" and so on. Therein, "a hundred thousand" means a hundred thousand by the nirabbuda calculation. "Thirty-six" means another thirty-six nirabbudas. "And five" means five abbudas by the abbuda calculation. "He who blames the noble ones" means whoever, blaming the noble ones, is reborn in hell, therein such is the measure of the life span.
4.
Commentary on the Second Discourse on the Dug Up
4. In the fourth, regarding "towards mother and father" and so on: Mittavindaka is said to have proceeded wrongly towards his mother, Ajātasattu is said to have proceeded wrongly towards his father, Devadatta is said to have proceeded wrongly towards the Truth-finder, Kokālika is said to have proceeded wrongly towards a disciple of the Truth-finder. "And much" means much indeed. "Generates" means obtains. "By that" means by that unrighteous conduct reckoned as wrong practice. "After death" means having gone from here. "Goes to a realm of misery" means is reborn in a certain one among hell and so on. The same method applies to the bright side as well.
5.
Commentary on the Discourse on With the Stream
5. In the fifth, "goes along with the stream" means one who goes along with the stream. "Goes against the stream" means one who goes against the stream by the practice opposed to the stream of mental defilements. "Of established self" means of stable intrinsic nature. "One who has crossed over" means one standing having crossed over the mental flood. "Gone beyond" means gone to the far shore. "Stands on dry ground" means stands on the dry ground of Nibbāna. "Brahmin" means the foremost, faultless one. "Here" means in this world. "Indulges in sensual pleasures" means indulges in objective sensual pleasures through defilement sensual pleasures. "Does evil action" means does evil action such as killing living beings and so on. "Does not do evil action" means does not do the five hostile actions. "This is called, monks, one of established self" means this non-returner person is called one of established self because of not returning again to that world by way of conception in rebirth.
"Afflicted by craving" means afflicted by craving, overpowered by it; or having gone into craving, plunged into it. "A trainee complete" means established in the fulfilment of the training. "Not subject to decline" means of a nature that has not fallen away. "Having attained mastery of mind" means having attained the state of mastery over consciousness. One of such a kind is one who has eliminated the mental corruptions, but here a non-returner is spoken of. "With concentrated faculties" means with the six faculties concentrated. "Higher and lower" means high and low, highest and lowest; the meaning is wholesome and unwholesome. "Having understood" means having come together with knowledge. "Scattered" means demolished or burnt. "One who has fulfilled the holy life" means one established having dwelt the holy life of the path. "One who has reached the end of the world" means one who has gone to the end of the threefold world. "One who has gone beyond" means one who has gone beyond in six ways. Here only one who has eliminated the mental corruptions is spoken of. Thus in both the discourse and the verses, only the round of rebirths and the end of the round of rebirths are spoken of.
6.
Commentary on the Discourse on One of Little Learning
6. In the sixth, "not possessed of" means not having attained. Among "discourse" and so on, the two Vibhaṅgas, the Niddesa, the Khandhakas, and the Parivāra, and in the Suttanipāta the Maṅgala Sutta, the Ratana Sutta, the Nālaka Sutta, and the Tuvaṭaka Sutta, and also any other word of the Truth-finder named "sutta" should be understood as "discourse." All discourses containing verses should be understood as "mixed prose and verse"; in particular, in the Saṃyutta the entire Sagāthāvagga too. The entire Abhidhamma Piṭaka, discourses without verses, and whatever other word of the Buddha not included in the eight factors - that should be understood as "explanation." The Dhammapada, the Theragāthā, the Therīgāthā, and the pure verses in the Suttanipāta not named as suttas should be understood as "verse." The eighty-two discourses connected with verses born of pleasure and knowledge should be understood as "inspired utterance." The one hundred and ten discourses proceeding in the manner beginning with "This was said by the Blessed One" should be understood as "thus-it-is-said." The five hundred and fifty birth stories beginning with the Apaṇṇaka Jātaka should be understood as "birth story." All discourses connected with wonderful and marvellous phenomena, proceeding in the manner beginning with "Monks, there are these four wonderful and marvellous qualities in Ānanda" should be understood as "wonderful phenomena." The Cūḷavedalla, Mahāvedalla, Sammādiṭṭhi, Sakkapañha, Saṅkhārabhājaniya, Mahāpuṇṇama Sutta and so on - all discourses asked about having gained inspiration and satisfaction again and again should be understood as "catechism." "Not having understood the meaning, not having understood the Teaching" means not having known both the commentary and the canonical text. "Practising in accordance with the Teaching" means he has not entered upon the preliminary practice together with morality, which is the teaching conforming to the ninefold supramundane Teaching. By this method, the meaning should be understood in all instances. But here in the first instance, one of little learning and immoral is spoken of; in the second, one of little learning who has eliminated the mental corruptions; in the third, one very learned and immoral; in the fourth, one very learned who has eliminated the mental corruptions.
"Unconcentrated in morality" means one who does not fulfil the moral precepts. "Regarding morality and regarding learning" means with respect to the morality aspect and with respect to the learning aspect, they censure him thus: "This one is immoral and of little learning" - this is the meaning. "His learning is fulfilled" means because that person has accomplished the function of learning by that learning, therefore his learning is said to be fulfilled. "His is not fulfilled" means because the function of learning has not been accomplished, it is not fulfilled. "A bearer of the Dhamma" means one who is the support for the teachings that have been heard. "Wise" means possessing great wisdom. "Like a gold coin of Jambu river gold" means jambunada is called natural gold; like a gold coin of that jambunada gold, like a small gold vessel measuring five gold pieces - this is the meaning.
7.
Commentary on the Discourse on the Beautiful
7. In the seventh, "learned" means endowed with lucidity of wisdom. "Disciplined" means endowed with the removal of defilements, well-disciplined. "Confident" means endowed with self-confidence, with knowledge accompanied by pleasure. "Bearers of the Teaching" means those who are the support for the teachings that have been heard. "A monk accomplished in morality" - although in the verse only one quality is spoken of for each individual, all qualities are fitting for all of them.
8.
Commentary on the Discourse on Self-Confidence
8. In the eighth, "grounds of self-confidence" - here, self-confidence is the opposite of timidity; this is the name for the knowledge accompanied by arisen pleasure in one who reviews the absence of timidity regarding the four positions. "A distinguished position" means the foremost position, the highest position. Or the former Buddhas are distinguished ones (āsabhā), and "their position" is the meaning. Furthermore, the chief of a hundred cattle is a bull (usabha), the chief of a thousand cattle is a great bull (vasabha). Or the chief of a hundred cattle pens is a bull (usabha), the chief of a thousand cattle pens is a great bull (vasabha); the foremost of all cattle, enduring all dangers, white, pleasing, bearing great burdens, unshakeable even by the sounds of a hundred thunderbolts - a leading bull (nisabha); he is what is intended here as the bull (usabha). For this too is a synonymous expression for that. "Of the bull, this" - thus "distinguished" (āsabhaṃ). "Position" means the defining, having pressed down the earth with four feet. But "this is like the distinguished" - thus "distinguished" (āsabhaṃ). For just as the bull designated as a leading bull, having pressed down the earth with four feet, stands in an unshakeable position, so too the Truth-finder, having pressed down the ground of the eight assemblies with the four feet of self-confidence, stands in an unshakeable position, unshakeable by any adversary or enemy in the world including its gods. Standing thus, he acknowledges that distinguished position, approaches it, does not reject it, attributes it to himself. Therefore it was said "acknowledges a distinguished position."
"In assemblies" means in the eight assemblies. "Roars the lion's roar" means he roars the foremost roar, the fearless roar, or he roars a roar similar to a lion's roar. This meaning should be shown by means of the Sīhanāda Sutta. Or just as a lion is called a lion because of enduring and because of striking, so too the Truth-finder is called a lion because of enduring worldly adversities and because of striking down the doctrines of others. The roar of the lion thus described is the lion's roar. Therein, just as a lion, endowed with the strength of a lion, confident everywhere, with terror gone, roars the lion's roar, so too the Truth-finder-lion, endowed with the powers of the Truth-finder, confident in the eight assemblies, with terror gone, roars the lion's roar accomplished with the beauty of various kinds of teaching by the method beginning with "thus is materiality." Therefore it was said "roars the lion's roar in assemblies."
"Sets in motion the divine wheel" - here "divine" (brahma) means the foremost, the highest, the pure. Now this word "wheel" (cakka) -
In giving, in the jewel-wheel, the Teaching-wheel, the iron wheel, and so on;
Here it is understood as the wheel of the Teaching, and that should be elucidated in two ways."
For in "There are these four wheels, monks, endowed with which for gods and humans" and so on, this is seen in the sense of success. In "wheels have arisen on the soles of the feet," here in the sense of characteristic. In "like a wheel the foot of the one who pulls," here in the sense of a part of a chariot. In "with four wheels and nine doors," here in the sense of deportment. In "giving, enjoy, and do not be negligent, turn the wheel for all living beings," here in the sense of giving. In "a divine wheel treasure became manifest," here in the sense of the jewel wheel. In "the wheel set in motion by me," here in the sense of the wheel of the Teaching. In "for the man destroyed by desire, the wheel revolves upon his head," here in the sense of the iron wheel. In "with a razor-edged wheel," here in the sense of a weapon wheel. In "thunderbolt wheel," here in the sense of a thunderbolt disc. But here it is understood in the sense of the wheel of the Teaching.
That wheel of the Teaching is twofold: the knowledge of penetration and the knowledge of the Teaching. Therein, the knowledge of penetration is that which is developed by wisdom and brings noble fruition to oneself; the knowledge of the Teaching is that which is developed by compassion and brings noble fruition to the disciples. Therein, the knowledge of penetration is twofold: arising and arisen. For that, from the renunciation up to the path of arahantship, is arising; at the moment of fruition, it is called arisen. Or from the Tusita abode up to the path of arahantship on the seat of the great enlightenment, it is arising; at the moment of fruition, it is called arisen. Or beginning from Dīpaṅkara up to the path of arahantship on the seat of enlightenment, it is arising; at the moment of fruition, it is called arisen. The knowledge of the Teaching too is twofold: proceeding and proceeded. For that, up to the path of stream-entry of Aññāsikoṇḍañña, is proceeding; at the moment of fruition, it is called proceeded. Among these, the knowledge of penetration is supramundane; the knowledge of the Teaching is mundane. But both of these are not shared with others; they are the innate knowledge of the Buddhas alone.
"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. "That indeed" means regarding those phenomena shown thus as "not fully awakened to." "With reason" means with a statement that has cause and has reason. "This sign" - here both a person and a phenomenon are intended by "sign." I do not see that person who would reprove me. I do not see that phenomenon, having shown which one would reprove me saying "this phenomenon by name has not been fully awakened to by you" - this is the meaning here. "Having attained security" means having attained security. The remaining two terms are synonyms for this very thing. All of this was said with reference to the knowledge of self-confidence itself. For when the Possessor of the Ten Powers, not seeing a person who would accuse him saying "this phenomenon by name has not been fully awakened to by you," or not seeing a phenomenon not fully awakened to as a cause for accusation, reviews thus: "Being indeed one who is a Buddha by intrinsic nature, I say I am a Buddha" - stronger pleasure arises; the knowledge associated with that is called self-confidence. With reference to that, he said beginning with "having attained security." Thus the meaning should be understood everywhere.
"Things that are obstructions" - but here, they are obstructions because they create obstacles. In meaning, they are the seven classes of offences intentionally transgressed. For what is intentionally transgressed, even down to a wrong-doing or insulting speech, creates an obstacle to path and fruition. But here sexual intercourse is intended. For one indulging in sexual intercourse, for anyone whatsoever, without doubt there is an obstacle to path and fruition.
"For whatever purpose" means for whatever purpose among the elimination of lust and so on. "The Teaching taught" means the teaching beginning with the meditation on foulness was spoken. "That indeed me" means me regarding that teaching not leading to liberation. The remainder should be understood by the method already stated.
"Grounds for disputation" means disputations only. "Many" means numerous. "Held" means tied into, conditioned. Or alternatively, "widely held" means having reached the state of being many, or "held by many" is also "widely held." "Whereby dependent" means even now dependent on whatever ground for disputation. "They do not exist" means those grounds for disputation do not exist, are broken, are destroyed. "The wheel of the Teaching" is a name for both the knowledge of the Teaching and the knowledge of penetration. Among these, the knowledge of the Teaching is mundane; the knowledge of penetration is supramundane. "The consummate one" means endowed with all qualities in their entirety. "Such a one" means of such a kind.
9.
Commentary on the Discourse on the Arising of Craving
9. In the ninth, "it arises in these" means arisings. What arises? Craving. Arisings of craving are craving arisings; the meaning is bases of craving, causes of craving. "Because of robes" means it arises because of robes, thinking "Where shall I obtain an agreeable robe?" "Because of this or that existence" - here "thus" (iti) is an indeclinable particle in the sense of illustration. The meaning is: just as because of robes and so on, so also because of this or that existence. And here "this or that existence" means more sublime things such as ghee, butter and so on are intended. They also say "more sublime and most sublime existence among the existences of success."
"With craving as companion" means this being, wandering in the round of rebirths without discernible beginning, does not wander alone, but wanders only having obtained craving as a companion. Therefore it was said "with craving as companion." "The state here and the state elsewhere" - here the state here means this individual existence, the state elsewhere means the future individual existence. Or another individual existence of such a form is called the state here, one not of such a form is called the state elsewhere. That state-here-and-state-elsewhere. "The round of rebirths" means the succession of aggregates, elements, and sense bases. "Does not pass beyond" means does not transcend. "Having known thus the danger" means having known thus the danger in the aggregates of the past, future and present. "Craving as the origin of suffering" means and having known craving thus: "This is the intrinsic nature, the cause, from which the suffering of the round of rebirths originates." By this much, this monk's state of having developed insight and attained arahantship has been shown. Now, praising that one who has eliminated the mental corruptions, he said beginning with "free from craving." Therein, "without grasping" means without seizing. "A mindful monk should wander forth" means a monk who has eliminated the mental corruptions, having reached expansion in mindfulness and full awareness, should wander mindfully and fully aware, should dwell - this is the meaning. Thus, having spoken of the round of rebirths in the discourse, the round of rebirths and the end of the round of rebirths are spoken of in the verses.
10.
Commentary on the Discourse on Bonds
10. In the tenth, they yoke beings in the round of rebirths - thus they are mental bonds. Among "the mental bond of sensuality" and so on, lust for the five strands of sensual pleasure is the mental bond of sensuality. Desire and lust in fine-material and immaterial existences is the mental bond of existence; likewise, attachment to jhāna. And lust accompanied by the eternalist view and the sixty-two wrong views are the mental bond of views. Not knowing regarding the four truths is the mental bond of ignorance. Or it yokes to sensual pleasures - thus it is the mental bond of sensuality. It yokes to existences - thus it is the mental bond of existence. It yokes to views - thus it is the mental bond of views. It yokes through ignorance - thus it is the mental bond of ignorance. This is just a designation for the mental states stated above.
Now, showing those in detail, he said beginning with "And what, monks." Therein, "origin" means arising. "Passing away" means dissolution. "Gratification" means the state of sweetness. "Danger" means the state of unsweetness, fault. "Escape" means the state of having escaped. "In sensual pleasures" means in objective sensual pleasures. "Sensual lust" means lust arisen with reference to sensual pleasures. The same method applies to the remaining terms as well. "Underlies" means arises. "This is called, monks, the mental bond of sensuality" means, monks, this is called the cause of yoking, the cause of bondage to sensual pleasures - thus the meaning should be understood everywhere.
"Of the sense bases of contact" means of the sense bases beginning with the eye, which are the causes of eye-contact and so on. "Ignorance, not knowing" means ignorance reckoned as not knowing by way of being the opposite of knowledge. In "thus the mental bond of sensuality," here the word "thus" should be connected with all four mental bonds: "thus the mental bond of sensuality, thus the mental bond of existence." "Connected" means surrounded. "Evil" means inferior. "Unwholesome" means arisen from lack of proficiency. "Subject to defilement" means defiling; the meaning is those that corrupt the clear state of a clear mind. "Leading to rebirth" means producing renewed existence. "Giving trouble" means with disturbances. "With painful results" means producing suffering at the time of result. "Leading to future birth, ageing, and death" means producing birth, ageing, and death again and again in the future. "Therefore he is called one without security from the bonds" means since a person whose mental bonds have not been abandoned is associated with these mental states, therefore, because of not having attained Nibbāna, which is security from the four mental bonds, he is called one without security from the bonds.
"Release" means the causes for release. "Release from the mental bond of sensuality" means the cause for release from the mental bond of sensuality. The same method applies to the remaining terms as well. Therein, meditative absorption on foulness is the release from the mental bond of sensuality. Having made that the foundation, the path of non-returning attained is absolutely called the release from the mental bond of sensuality. The path of arahantship is called the release from the mental bond of existence; the path of stream-entry is called the release from the mental bond of views; the path of arahantship is called the release from the mental bond of ignorance. Now, showing those in detail, he said beginning with "And what, monks." Its meaning should be understood by the method already stated.
"And by the mental bond of existence, both" means connected with the mental bond of existence, and moreover associated with both, endowed with any mental bond whatsoever - this is the meaning. "Led by" means placed in front, or surrounded by. "Having fully understood sensual pleasures" means having fully understood sensual pleasures of both kinds. "And the mental bond of existence altogether" means having fully understood the mental bond of existence entirely. "Having removed" means having abolished. "Becoming dispassionate towards" means becoming dispassionate, or having become dispassionate. For when "becoming dispassionate" is said, the path is spoken of; when "having become dispassionate" is said, the fruition. "Sage" means the sage who has eliminated the mental corruptions. Thus in this discourse too and in the verses too, only the round of rebirths and the end of the round of rebirths are spoken of.
The Bhaṇḍagāma Chapter is the first.