1.
The Chapter on Enlightenment
1.
Commentary on the Highest Enlightenment Discourse
1. In the first of the Ninth Chapter, "pertaining to enlightenment" means of those that are on the side of highest enlightenment reckoned as the four paths, "helpful" is the meaning. With reference to the nine qualities that have come in the canonical text, he asks thus. "What is the proximate cause" means what is the decisive support condition. "Effacing" means conducive to effacement. "Helpful and suitable for the opening of the mind of serenity and insight meditation" means suitable for opening the mind. Talk that proceeds concerning fewness of wishes is talk about fewness of wishes. The same method applies in the remaining ones too.
"Foulness is to be developed for the abandoning of lust" - this meaning should be made clear by the simile of the rice reaper - For a certain man, having taken a sickle, beginning from the edge, reaps rice in a rice field. Then, having broken through his fence, cattle entered. He, having put down the sickle, having taken a stick, having driven out the cattle by the very same path, having restored the fence to its original state, again having taken the sickle, reaped the rice. Here, the rice field should be seen as like the Buddha's Dispensation, the rice reaper as like the practitioner, the sickle as like wisdom, the time of reaping as like the time of working at insight, the stick as like the foulness meditation subject, the fence as like restraint, the entering of the cows having broken through the fence as like the arising of lust due to negligence suddenly without reflection, putting down the sickle, taking the stick, driving out the cattle by the very path they entered, restoring the fence to its original state, and then reaping rice again beginning from the edge as like suppressing lust by the foulness meditation subject and then the time of undertaking the work of insight again. With reference to this meaning it was said - "Foulness is to be developed for the abandoning of lust."
Therein, "of lust" means of lust for the five strands of sensual pleasure. "Friendliness" means the meditation subject of friendliness. "For the abandoning of anger" means, in the manner already stated, for the purpose of abandoning arisen irritation. "Mindfulness of breathing" means the sixteen-based mindfulness of breathing. "For the arrest of applied thought" means, in the manner already stated, for the purpose of arresting arisen applied thoughts. "For the uprooting of the conceit 'I am'" means for the purpose of uprooting the conceit that arises as "I am." "Perception of non-self becomes established" means when the characteristic of impermanence is seen, the characteristic of non-self is also seen. For when one among the three characteristics is seen, the other two are also seen. Therefore it was said - "For one perceiving impermanence, monks, perception of non-self becomes established." "Nibbāna in this very life" means one attains final Nibbāna without remainder in this very life. Thus in this discourse, the round of rebirths and the end of the round of rebirths have been spoken of.
2.
Commentary on the Support Discourse
2. In the second, "accomplished in support" means accomplished in foundation. "Faith" means confidence-faith. "Energy" means bodily and mental energy. "Yaṃsā" means "yaṃ assa" (whatever of his). "With noble wisdom" means with path wisdom together with insight. "After reflection" means having known. "Uses one thing" means he makes use of what is fit to be used. "Endures" means he endures what is proper to be endured. "Avoids" means he avoids what is proper to be avoided. "Dispels" means he removes what is proper to be removed. "Thus indeed, monk" means thus indeed, a monk, having made what should be used and so on thoroughly penetrated and clearly evident by means of learning and interrogation and by means of defining of mental states, using, enduring, avoiding, and dispelling - such a monk is called accomplished in support.
3.
Commentary on the Meghiya Discourse
3. In the third, "at Cālikā" means in the city so named. That, it is said, because of being made in dependence on a shifting road, it appears to those looking at it as if it were moving; therefore it came to the reckoning of "Cālikā." "Cāliya Mountain" - that mountain too, because of being entirely white, on the Observance day of the dark fortnight, it appears to those looking at it as if it were moving; therefore it is called "Cāliya Mountain." There they had a great monastery built. Thus the Blessed One dwells in the Cālikā Mountain Great Monastery in dependence on that city. "Jantugāma" means a village so named, yet another village as food resort of that very monastery. Some also read "Jattugāma." "Desirous of striving" means one who carries out the work of striving. "For striving" means for the purpose of practising the ascetic duty. "Wait for now" - the Teacher, having heard the Elder's words, reflecting, having known "his knowledge has not yet matured," preventing him, spoke thus. "I am alone for now" - but he said this for the purpose of generating tenderness of mind in him, thinking "Thus, even having gone, when the task is not accomplished, being without anxiety, he will come back again through the power of affection." "There is nothing further to be done" means because the four functions in regard to the four truths have been accomplished, there is nothing else further to be done. "Or adding to what has been done" means there is no adding again to what has been attained either. For a path that has been developed is not developed again, nor is there any abandoning again of mental defilements that have been abandoned. "When you speak of striving, Meghiya, what could we say" means when he is saying "I am practising the ascetic duty," what else could we say to him?
"Sat down for the day residence" means he sat down for the purpose of the day residence. And while sitting down, he sat down on that very auspicious stone slab where formerly, in succession over five hundred births, having been a king, playing at park amusements, surrounded by a threefold retinue of dancers, he had sat. Then, from the time of his sitting down, it was as if the state of an ascetic had departed from him; it was as if, having assumed the appearance of a king, surrounded by an excellent retinue of dancers, he had become one seated on a costly divan beneath a white parasol. Then, as he was relishing that success, sensual thought arose in him. At that very moment, he saw as if two thieves seized by great warriors had been brought and placed before him. Among them, thought of anger arose by way of commanding the execution of one, and thought of violence by way of commanding the imprisonment of the other. Thus he was encompassed by unwholesome thoughts, like a tree by a net of creepers, like a honey-gatherer by honey bees. With reference to that - "Then the Venerable Meghiya" and so on was said. "Beset" means pursued, surrounded. "He approached the Blessed One" means thus beset by evil thoughts, being unable to make the meditation subject suitable, having considered "The far-seeing Blessed One, having seen this indeed, prevented me," thinking "I shall report this matter to the One of Ten Powers," having risen from the seat where he was sitting, he approached the Blessed One.
4.
Commentary on the Nandaka Discourse
4. In the fourth, "in the assembly hall" means in the refectory. "To the assembly hall" means the Teacher, having heard the sound of the proclamation of the Teaching begun by the Elder Nandaka with a sweet voice, having asked "Ānanda, who is this one teaching the Teaching with a sweet voice in the assembly hall?" having heard "Today, venerable sir, is the turn of the Elder Nandaka, the preacher of the Teaching," having said "This monk teaches the Teaching making it exceedingly sweet, Ānanda; let us too go and listen," he went to the assembly hall. "He stood outside the door-porch" means having concealed the six-coloured rays within the folds of his robe, he stood in the guise of an unknown person. "Waiting for the end of the talk" means looking out for the conclusion of the talk saying "he said this," he just stood there listening to the talk on the Teaching. Then the Venerable Ānanda, when the first watch had passed, gave a signal to the Teacher - "The first watch has passed, venerable sir; please rest a little." The Teacher stood right there. Then the Venerable Ānanda, when the middle watch too had passed, said: "Venerable sir, you are by nature of warrior-caste delicacy, and further, of Buddha-delicacy, thus of supreme delicacy; the middle watch too has passed; please rest for a moment." The Teacher stood right there. While he was standing right there, the break of dawn became apparent. The break of dawn, the Elder's bringing the talk to the conclusion saying "he said this," the end of the talk, and the One of Ten Powers' releasing of the six-coloured bodily rays all occurred at one single stroke. "Knocked on the door-bolt" means he knocked on the door panel with the tip of his fingernail.
"Appearing embarrassed" means being ashamed and having moral fear. But there is no embarrassment of displeasure for him. "Even this much would not have occurred to us" means for one who has attained analytical knowledge, there is no such thing as lack of discernment. It shows that he would not have spoken even this much. "Good, good!" - he said this gladdening the Elder's proclamation of the Teaching. For the meaning here is: "Well grasped by you is the proclamation of the Teaching and well spoken." "Sons of good family" means both sons of good family by conduct and sons of good family by birth. "Noble silence" - he said this with reference to the attainment of the second meditative absorption. "Insight into phenomena through higher wisdom" means the knowledge of insight through discernment of activities. "Four-footed" means such as a horse, an ox, a donkey, and so on. "Having said this" means having spoken this Teaching endowed with four factors. "Entered the dwelling" means he entered the perfumed chamber.
"In hearing the Teaching at the right time" means in hearing the Teaching from time to time. "In discussing the Teaching" means in the discussion of questions. "The profound passage of meaning" means the meaning that is profound, hidden, and secret. "With wisdom" means with path wisdom together with insight. The wisdom of exploration and penetration is also fitting, and the wisdom of learning and inquiry is also fitting indeed. "Has attained or is attaining" means he esteems through esteem for his virtues thus: "he has attained arahantship or will attain it." "Who have not attained their goal" means those who have not attained arahantship; or also those who have not attained their goal, meaning those whose goal - arahantship - has not been attained. "Pleasant abiding in the present life" - here, pleasant abiding in the present life is fitting both as mundane and as supramundane.
5.
Commentary on the Power Discourse
5. In the fifth, the power of wisdom and so on should be seen as not wavering with regard to ignorance, idleness, blameworthiness, and faithlessness. "Reckoned as unwholesome" means known as "unwholesome." This same method applies everywhere. "Not befitting the noble ones" means unable to produce the noble state, or unsuitable for the noble ones. "Well seen" means thoroughly seen. "Well practised" means having reached occurrence at the mind-door. "To one who is desirous" means to one who is desirous of the proclamation of the Teaching. "Fear of livelihood" means fear concerning the sustenance of life. "Fear of ill-repute" means fear of reproach. "Fear of timidity in assemblies" means fear of timidity descending upon one having reached an assembly. In this discourse, the round of rebirths and the end of the round of rebirths have been spoken of.
6.
Commentary on the Association Discourse
6. In the sixth, "requisites for life" means materials for life. "Should be obtained" means should be gathered. "Are obtained with difficulty" means they arise with difficulty. "Whether by night-time or by daytime" - here, having known during the night-time, one should depart during the night-time itself; if there is an obstruction at night from fierce animals and so on, one should wait for the break of dawn. Having known during the daytime, one should depart during the day; if there is an obstruction during the day, one should wait for the setting of the sun. "Having considered thus" means having known the non-arrival at fulfilment through development of the goal of asceticism. However, the connection of the term "that person" is with "should not be followed." "Without asking permission" means here, however, one should depart without asking permission from that person - this is the meaning. "Even if being driven away" means even if being thrown out. For if such a person even imposes a punishment of a hundred bundles of firewood or a hundred pots of water or a hundred pots of sand, or has one thrown out saying "Do not dwell here," having asked forgiveness from him, one should follow him for as long as life lasts; he should not be abandoned.
7.
Commentary on the Learned Discourse
7. In the seventh, "transgressing five states" means to go beyond five causes. "A living being" means at least even an ant. "Not given" means at least even a blade of grass belonging to another. "Reckoned a theft" means with a thieving mind. "Consuming stored sensual pleasures" means he is incapable of having made into storage and having set aside, consuming objective sensual pleasures and defilement sensual pleasures. This was said with reference to not allowable types of sensual pleasure. "To reject the Buddha" means to reject thus: "this one is not the Buddha." The same method applies in the case of the Teaching and so on too. Thus, for now, this has come in the commentary. But in the canonical text, in this discourse, the ways of going to bias have been spoken of.
8-10.
Commentary on the Sajjha Discourse and Others
8-10. In the eighth, the rejection of the Buddha and so on has been spoken of. In the ninth, because it is taken together with a worldling, "worthy of offerings" was said. In the tenth, "change-of-lineage" means one endowed with the consciousness of powerful insight that has reached the peak, by way of proximity condition for the path of stream-entry. The remainder is of manifest meaning everywhere.
The Chapter on Enlightenment is first.