4.
The Chapter on Upāli
1.
Commentary on the Upāli Sutta
31. In the first discourse of the fourth, regarding "for the excellence of the Community" and so on, "excellence of the Community" means the state of excellence of the Community, the state of receiving the word by saying "Well said, venerable sir," just as in the passage where "Well said, Sire" occurs. And whoever receives the word of the Truth-finder, for him that leads to welfare and happiness for a long time. Therefore it was laid down for the purpose of the Community's receiving the word by saying "Well said, venerable sir," having shown the danger in not receiving and the benefit in receiving, not by overcoming through force - making manifest this meaning, he said - "For the excellence of the Community." "For the comfort of the Community" means for the state of comfort of the Community; the meaning is for the purpose of pleasant abiding in communal life.
"For the refutation of obstinate persons" means obstinate persons are immoral persons who, even when being brought to a state of dejection, commit it with difficulty, and who, while committing or having committed a transgression, are not ashamed; for the purpose of their refutation. For when there is no training rule, they would vex the Community, saying "What have you seen? What have you heard? What have we done? On what case have you charged what offence to refute us?" But when there is a training rule, the Community, having shown the training rule, will refute them with reason. Therefore it was said - "For the refutation of obstinate persons."
"Of the well-behaved" means for the purpose of the comfortable abiding of monks of amiable nature. For monks of amiable nature, not knowing what should and should not be done, what is blameworthy and blameless, the time and the limit, striving for the fulfilment of the threefold training, become wearied; but having known what is blameworthy and blameless, the time and the limit, striving for the fulfilment of the training, they do not become wearied. Therefore the laying down of training rules for them leads indeed to comfortable abiding. Or whatever is the refutation of obstinate persons, that itself is their comfortable abiding. For in dependence on immoral persons, the Observance and invitation ceremonies do not stand, legal acts of the Community do not proceed, concord does not exist, and monks, not being single-minded, are unable to engage in the recitation and so on. But when the immoral are refuted, all this misfortune does not occur, and thereupon the well-behaved monks dwell in comfort. Thus in "for the comfortable abiding of well-behaved monks," the meaning should be understood in two ways.
"For the restraint of mental corruptions pertaining to the present life" means mental corruptions pertaining to the present life are the particular sufferings to be experienced in this very individual existence by one standing in non-restraint, such as blows by hand, blows by stick, blows by weapon, cutting off of hands, cutting off of feet, ill-repute, disgrace, remorse, and so on; the meaning is for their restraint, for closing them up, for blocking the path of their coming. "Pertaining to the future life" means mental corruptions pertaining to the future life are the particular sufferings rooted in evil deeds done by one standing in non-restraint, to be experienced in the future state in hell and so on; for the purpose of their warding off, for the purpose of their appeasement.
"Of those without confidence" means when there is the laying down of training rules, having known the laying down of training rules, or having seen monks practising as laid down, even those wise people who are without confidence, they gain confidence, thinking "Indeed, those things in the world that are grounds for defilement, corruption, and delusion for the great multitude - from these, these ascetics dwell far removed, abstaining; they do what is difficult to do indeed" - like the brahmins of wrong view who had made a platform, having seen the book of the Canon of monastic discipline. Therefore it was said - "For the confidence of those without confidence."
"Of those with confidence" means even those sons of good family who have confidence in the Dispensation, they too, having known the laying down of training rules, or having seen monks practising as laid down, are pleased more and more, thinking "Oh, the sirs do what is difficult to do, who for as long as life lasts, eating one meal, maintain the restraint of the monastic discipline." Therefore it was said - "For the increase of those with confidence."
"For the duration of the Good Teaching" means the Good Teaching is threefold: the Good Teaching of the Scriptures, the Good Teaching of practice, and the Good Teaching of achievement. Therein, even the entire word of the Buddha is called the Good Teaching of the Scriptures. The thirteen virtues of ascetic practices, morality of proper conduct and avoidance, concentration, and insight - this is called the Good Teaching of practice. The nine supramundane states are called the Good Teaching of achievement. All of that, because when there is the laying down of training rules, monks learn thoroughly the training rule and its analysis and other word of the Buddha for the purpose of illuminating its meaning, and practising as laid down, having fulfilled the practice, they attain the supramundane states to be attained through practice; therefore, through the laying down of training rules, the Good Teaching lasts long. Therefore it was said - "For the duration of the Good Teaching."
"For the support of the monastic discipline" means when there is the laying down of training rules, the fourfold monastic discipline - the discipline of restraint, the discipline of abandoning, the discipline of settlement, and the discipline of regulation - is supported and well sustained. Therefore it was said - "For the support of the monastic discipline."
2.
Commentary on the Discourse on the Suspension of the Pātimokkha
32. In the second, "one who is expelled" means one who has committed an offence involving expulsion. "Discussion about one who is expelled is not finished" means a discussion having been begun thus "Has such and such a person committed an offence involving expulsion or not?" is not finished. This same method applies everywhere.
3.
Commentary on the Discourse on the Referendum
33. In the third, "by means of a referendum" means for the purpose of taking up, having pulled out and raised up from the monastic community, in order to settle a legal case that has arisen. "He is established in the monastic discipline" means he is established in the characteristic of the monastic discipline. "Unshakable" means he does not give up his own theory by mere words alone of another. "Competent" means endowed with both bodily power and the power of knowledge. "To convince" means to make known. "To make known" means to make fully aware. "To make examine" means to make look into. "To make see" means to cause to see. "To inspire confidence" means to cause arisen confidence. "Legal case" means the fourfold beginning with a legal case arising from contention. "Origin of a legal case" means that which is a maker of legal cases, beginning with the source of contention. "Cessation of a legal case" means the appeasement of legal cases. "The practice leading to the cessation of a legal case" means the sevenfold settlement of legal cases.
4.
Commentary on the Discourse on Full Ordination
34. In the fourth, "discontent" means the state of dissatisfaction. "To dispel" means to remove. "In higher morality" means in the highest morality. In the case of mind and wisdom too, the same method applies.
7.
Commentary on the Schism in the Community Discourse
37. In the seventh, "grounds" means reasons. "Draw away" means they pull the assembly apart, disentangle it, push it aside. "Draw apart" means they pull very much, they act in such a way that they become disconnected. "Perform separate formal acts" means they perform separate legal acts of the Community.
9-10.
Commentary on the Two Discourses on Ānanda
39-40. In the ninth, "lasting for a cosmic cycle" means the cause of remaining in hell for a duration of life. "Generates wrongdoing" means obtains evil. "Bound for the realm of misery" means destined to go to the realm of misery. "Doomed to Niraya Hell" means one who is reborn in hell. "Delighting in discord" means delighting in schism. "He falls from freedom from bondage" means he falls away, departs from security from the mental bonds, from arahantship. In the tenth, "assistance" means mutual support and assistance for one another. The remainder is of manifest meaning everywhere.
The Chapter on Upāli is the fourth.