4.
The Book of the Fours
1.
Commentary on the Verses of the Elder Nāgasamāla
267-270. "Adorned" and so on is the verse of the Venerable Elder Nāgasamāla. What is the origin? This one too, in the time of the Blessed One Padumuttara, having been reborn in a family home, having attained discretion, in the summer season, having seen the Teacher going on ground scorched by the heat of the sun, with a gladdened mind, gave an umbrella. He, by that meritorious action, wandering in the round of rebirths among gods and humans, in this arising of a Buddha, having been reborn in the Sakyan royal family, having received the name Nāgasamāla, having come of age, having gained faith at the gathering of relatives, having gone forth, was for some time an attendant of the Blessed One. He, one day, having entered the city for almsfood, having seen a certain dancing girl, adorned and prepared, dancing on the highway while musical instruments were being played, thinking "This material body turned this way and that by the diffusion of the air element through the activity of consciousness - alas, impermanent are activities!" - having established contemplation of destruction and passing away, having aroused zeal in insight, attained arahantship. Therefore it was said in the Apadāna -
The Blessed One Padumuttara walked up and down in the open air.
There, having seen the Enlightened by himself, joy arose in me.
Great winds blow, causing discomfort to the body.
Accept this umbrella, I shall attain peace."
Having understood my thought, the Conqueror then accepted.
Five hundred times I was a universal monarch.
I experience my own action, well done by myself in the past.
Even today a white parasol is held for me at all times.
I do not know of an unfortunate realm, this is the fruit of giving an umbrella.
"Mental defilements have been burnt by me, etc. the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled."
But having attained arahantship -
267.
In the middle of the highway, a woman, a dancing girl dances to music.
268.
Adorned, well-dressed, like a snare of Death laid out.
269.
Danger became manifest, disenchantment was established.
270.
The three true knowledges have been attained, the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled."
With four verses he declared final liberating knowledge by way of praising his own practice.
Therein, "adorned" means one whose body is decorated with ornaments such as hand-ornaments and so on. "Well-dressed" means beautifully dressed, clothed in beautiful garments. "Garlanded" means wearing garlands, bedecked with flower garlands. "Full of sandalwood" means one whose body is anointed with sandalwood unguent. "In the middle of the highway, a woman, a dancing girl dances to music" means in the aforesaid place, one woman, a dancing girl, an actress, dances in the middle of the city street while the five-part musical ensemble is being played; she performs the dance as it was arranged.
"For almsfood" means for alms. "Having entered" means I having entered the city. "Going I looked at her" means going along the city street, looking along the street for the purpose of avoiding dangers, I looked at that dancing girl. Like what? "Like a snare of Death laid out" means just as form and so on, which has become a snare of Death, of the King of Death, laid out, having wandered about in the world and remained, is assuredly bringing harm to beings, so too she is said to be similar to a snare of Death because she assuredly brings harm to blind worldlings who remain without reflection.
"Then" means therefore, because of being similar to a snare of Death. "Me" means for me (mayhaṃ). "Wise attention arose" means thus wise attention arose: "This is a collection of bones, bound together by sinews, smeared with flesh, covered by skin, repulsive with impurity, bad smell, and loathsomeness, subject to impermanence, rubbing, massaging, breaking up, and destruction - it will display such changes." "Danger became manifest" means thus, by way of ascertaining the intrinsic nature of the body, and while attending to the rise and fall and the momentary dissolution of consciousness and mental factors dependent on it, and when these presented themselves as fearful like demons and goblins and so on, therein the danger of many kinds, the fault, became manifest to me. And as the opposite of that, the benefit in Nibbāna. "Disenchantment was established" means the knowledge of disenchantment, the disenchanting accomplished through the power of the contemplation of danger, was established in my heart; not even for a moment was there a mind for grasping those material and immaterial phenomena; on the contrary, by way of the desire for release and so on, it became merely indifferent towards them - this is the meaning.
"Thereupon" means after the insight knowledge. "My mind was liberated" means while the supramundane meditation was occurring, by the succession of paths, my mind was liberated from all mental defilements. By this he shows the arising of fruition. For at the moment of the path, mental defilements become liberated, at the moment of fruition they are liberated. The remainder is according to the method already stated.
The commentary on the verses of the Elder Nāgasamāla is concluded.
2.
Commentary on the Verses of the Elder Bhagu
271-274. "I, by torpor" and so on is the verse of the Venerable Elder Bhagu. What is the origin? This one, it is said, in the time of the Blessed One Padumuttara, having been reborn in a family home, having attained discretion, when the Teacher had attained final Nibbāna, venerated his relics with flowers. He, by that meritorious action, having been reborn among the Nimmānaratī gods, wandering again and again among gods and humans, in this arising of a Buddha, having been reborn in the Sakyan royal family, having received the name "Bhagu," having come of age, having gone forth together with Anuruddha and Kimila, having gone forth, dwelling in the village of Bālakaloṇaka, one day, in order to dispel the overcoming of sloth and torpor, having come out from the dwelling, ascending the walking path, having fallen, having made that very thing his goad, having dispelled sloth and torpor, having developed insight, he attained arahantship. Therefore it was said in the Apadāna -
Having made flower wreaths, I placed them upon his body.
Having gone to the world of gods, being peaceful, I remember my meritorious action.
If I wander in the round of rebirths among human beings, I become a king of great fame.
Owing to that very flower offering to the All-Seeing One.
Even today a shower of flowers rains down upon me always.
I do not know of an unfortunate realm, this is the fruit of the worship of the body.
"Mental defilements have been burnt by me, etc. the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled."
But having attained arahantship, spending his time in the happiness of fruition and the happiness of Nibbāna, when the Teacher had approached to give thanks for his solitary dwelling - being asked "Are you, monk, dwelling diligently?" making known his own dwelling in diligence -
271.
Ascending the walking path, right there I fell to the ground.
272.
I walked up and down on the walking path, internally well concentrated.
273.
Danger became manifest, disenchantment was established.
274.
The three true knowledges have been attained, the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled."
He spoke these four verses.
Therein, "overcome by torpor" means overpowered by torpor, which is reckoned as bodily laziness, having the intrinsic nature of lack of energy and vexation. "From the dwelling" means from the lodging. "Went out" means I went out to walk up and down. "Right there I fell to the ground" means right there on the steps of the walking path, through being overcome by sleep, I fell down on the ground. "Having rubbed my limbs" means having wiped down one's own bodily parts that had become soiled with dust from the falling on the ground. "Having ascended the walking path again" means without falling into contraction thinking "I have now fallen," having climbed up to the walking place once again. "Internally well concentrated" means the explanation is: having become well concentrated with a fully focused mind through the suppression of the mental hindrances in the meditation subject within the resort of one's own domain, he walked up and down. The remainder is according to the method already stated. And this itself was the elder's declaration of final liberating knowledge.
The commentary on the verses of the Elder Bhagu is concluded.
3.
Commentary on the Verses of the Elder Sabhiya
275-278. "Others" and so on are the verses of the Venerable Elder Sabhiya. What is the origin? This one too, having formed aspirations under former Buddhas, accumulating meritorious deeds in this and that existence, in the time of the Blessed One Kakusandha, having been reborn in a family home, having attained discretion, one day, having seen the Teacher going for the day residence, with a gladdened mind, gave sandals. He, by that meritorious action, wandering in the round of rebirths among gods and humans, when the Blessed One Kassapa had attained final Nibbāna and a golden shrine had been established, being the seventh himself together with six sons of good family, having gone forth in the Dispensation, having taken a meditation subject, while dwelling in the forest, being unable to produce a distinction, said to the others - "We, going for almsfood, are concerned about life, and it is not possible for one concerned about life to attain the supramundane Teaching; and death as a worldling is suffering. Come, let us, having tied a ladder, having ascended a mountain, without longing for body and life, practise the ascetic duty." They did so.
Then their great elder, because of being endowed with decisive support, on that very day, having become a possessor of the six higher knowledges, brought almsfood from Uttarakuru. The others - "You, venerable sir, have done what was to be done; even mere conversation with you is an obstruction; we shall practise only the ascetic duty; you devote yourself to the pleasant abiding in the present life" - having said this, they rejected the almsfood. The elder, being unable to make them accept, departed.
Thereupon one of them, after the elapse of two or three days, having realised the fruition of non-returning together with the retinue of direct knowledges, having spoken in the same way, being rejected by them, departed. Among them, the elder who had eliminated the mental corruptions attained final Nibbāna; the non-returner arose in the Pure Abodes. The others, having died as worldlings, having experienced divine success in forward and reverse order in the six sensual heavens, in the time of our Blessed One, having passed away from the heavenly world, one took conception in a Malla royal family, one in a Gandhāra royal family, one in a foreign country, one took conception in the womb of a certain young woman of good family at Rājagaha. The other took conception in the womb of a certain female wandering ascetic. She, it is said, was the daughter of a certain warrior; her mother and father - "Let our daughter learn another doctrine" - handed her over to a certain wandering ascetic. Then one wandering ascetic committed sin together with her. She conceived an embryo by him. Having seen her pregnant, the wandering ascetics drove her out. She, going elsewhere, gave birth on the road in a rest-house. On account of that she gave him the name "Sabhiya." He, having grown up, having gone forth into the going forth of a wandering ascetic, having learnt various scriptures, having become a great debater, wandering about engaged in debate, not seeing anyone equal to himself, having had a hermitage built at the city gate, teaching crafts to warrior princes and others, while dwelling there, his mother, having been disgusted with the state of being a woman, having produced meditative absorption, having been reborn in the Brahma world, having prepared and given twenty questions, having taken them, he asked those various ascetics and brahmins. And they were not able to explain the meaning of those questions to him. But in the commentary on the Sabhiya Sutta it has come thus: "A Pure Abode Brahmā, having prepared those questions, gave them."
But when the Blessed One, having set in motion the excellent wheel of the Teaching, having come gradually to Rājagaha, dwelt at the Bamboo Grove, then Sabhiya, having gone there, having approached the Teacher, asked those questions. The Teacher answered those questions for him - all this should be understood according to the method given in the Sabhiya Sutta. But Sabhiya, when those questions had been answered by the Blessed One, having gained faith, having gone forth, having established insight, attained arahantship. Therefore it was said in the Apadāna -
As he was going for the day's abiding, I gave a stepping stone.
I do not know of an unfortunate realm, this is the fruit of treading upon.
"Mental defilements have been burnt by me, etc. the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled."
But having become a Worthy One, when Devadatta was striving for schism in the Community, giving exhortation to the monks who were supporters of Devadatta -
275.
Those who understand this, thereby their quarrels are appeased.
276.
But those who understand the Teaching, are free from affliction among the afflicted.
277.
A suspicious holy life - that is not of great fruit.
278.
He is far from the Good Teaching, as the sky from the earth."
He taught the Teaching with four verses.
Therein, "others" means setting aside the wise, the others apart from them - Those engaged in contention by way of illustrating matters making for schism beginning with "what is not the Teaching is the Teaching" and "what is the Teaching is not the Teaching" are called "others." They, making contention therein, do not know "we are perishing, we are ceasing, we are being destroyed, we are constantly, continuously going near to Death." "Those who understand this" means those who are wise therein - They understand "we are going near to Death." "Thereby their quarrels are appeased" means for thus knowing, having aroused wise attention, they proceed towards the appeasement of quarrels and disputes. Then by that practice of theirs, those quarrels are appeased. Or alternatively, "others" means those who, by not accepting the Teacher's exhortation and instruction, are outsiders to the Dispensation - they are "others." So long as they do not understand "We, having taken up a wrong grasp, here in this world are perishing, striving by the suppression of the Dispensation," so long contentions are not appeased. But when, by way of the relinquishing of that grasp, those who therein among those engaged in contention understand as it really is what is not the Teaching and the Teaching and so on, from what is not the Teaching and the Teaching and so on, then from their presence, in dependence on those wise persons, the quarrels reckoned as contentions are appeased. Thus the meaning here should be understood.
"When" means at whatever time. "Not understanding" means not knowing the means for the appeasement of contention, or not knowing as they really are what is the Teaching and what is not the Teaching. "Behave as if immortal" means as if immortal, as if having surpassed ageing and death, having become agitated, arrogant, fickle, garrulous, and of loose speech, they exist, they walk, they wander about - then the contention is simply not appeased. "But those who understand the Teaching, are free from affliction among the afflicted" means those who know as it really is the Teaching of the Teacher's Dispensation, they dwell free from affliction, free from mental defilements, free from trouble, among beings afflicted by the disease of mental defilements. By their influence, the contention is absolutely appeased - this is the intention.
"Whatever lax action" means whatever wholesome action done with slackness, having made a loose grip through performing with sluggishness. "Defiled" means the taking up of a religious vow defiled by frequenting improper resorts such as prostitutes and so on, or by wrong livelihood beginning with scheming. "Suspicious" means to be remembered with suspicions; having heard something improper in the monastery - that should not be suspected by others as "surely this was done by such and such a one"; having seen the Community assembled even on account of a certain function among the Observance ceremony functions and so on, thinking "Certainly these, having known my conduct, have assembled wishing to suspend me" - thus remembered with one's own suspicions, suspected and doubted. "That is not" means that holy life of such a kind, the practising of the ascetic's duties, is not of great fruit for that person. Precisely because it is not of great fruit for him, it is also not of great fruit for those who give him requisites. Therefore one should be of austere practice. The intention is that for one of austere practice there is simply no opportunity for contention.
"Respect is not found" means for whatever person there is no respect, no honouring, towards fellow monks in the holy life who should be respected, through the state of not receiving instruction respectfully. "He is far from the Good Teaching" means such a person is far from the Good Teaching of practice and also from the Good Teaching of penetration; for teachers do not train him, and not being trained, paying no heed, he does not proceed; not proceeding, how will he penetrate the truths? Therefore he said - "He is far from the Good Teaching." Like what? "As the sky from the earth" means just as the sky, space, is far from the earth, the solid element, by intrinsic nature. Never is there a state of being mixed. Therefore he said -
Farther than that, indeed, they say, is the principle of the good and the bad, O king."
The commentary on the verses of the Elder Sabhiya is concluded.
4.
Commentary on the Verses of the Elder Nandaka
279-282. "Shame on you" and so on are the verses of the Venerable Elder Nandaka. What is the origin? This one too, it is said, in the time of the Blessed One Padumuttara, having been a millionaire of great wealth in the city of Haṃsavatī, while hearing the Teaching in the presence of the Teacher, having seen the Teacher establishing a certain monk in the foremost position among exhorters of nuns, having aspired to that position of rank, having venerated the Blessed One with a cloth worth a hundred thousand, he made an aspiration, and he also carried on a lamp offering at the Teacher's Bodhi tree. He, thenceforth wandering in the round of rebirths among gods and humans, in the time of the Blessed One Kakusandha, having become an Indian cuckoo, chirping a sweet song, circumambulated the Teacher. Afterwards, having become a peacock, at the door of the dwelling cave of a certain Individually Enlightened One, with a gladdened mind, day after day he uttered a sweet cry three times. Thus, having performed meritorious deeds here and there, in the time of our Blessed One, having been reborn in a family home in Sāvatthī, having received the name "Nandaka," having come of age, having heard the Teaching in the presence of the Teacher, having gained faith, having gone forth, having developed insight, he attained arahantship. Therefore it was said in the Apadāna -
With a confident mind, glad at heart, I held up three torches.
I do not know of an unfortunate realm, this is the fruit of the gift of a torch.
"Mental defilements have been burnt by me, etc. the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled."
But having become a Worthy One, spending his time in the bliss of liberation, being commanded by the Teacher for the exhortation of nuns, on a certain Observance day, he brought five hundred nuns to arahantship by a single exhortation alone. Therefore the Blessed One established him in the foremost position among exhorters of nuns. Then one day, a certain former wife, having looked at the elder walking for almsfood in Sāvatthī under the influence of defilements, laughed. The elder, having seen that action of hers, speaking the Teaching by way of making clear the repulsiveness of the body -
279.
Nine streams in your body, which flow always.
280.
Even in heaven they find no pleasure, how much less then in human pleasures.
281.
Such ones find pleasure there, in the snare cast by Māra.
282.
Such ones find no pleasure there, with strings cut, unfettered." He spoke these verses.
Therein, "dhī" is an indeclinable particle in the sense of disgust; "ratthū" - the letter "ra" serves as a word-connector; the meaning is: fie on you, I loathe you, may contempt be upon you. "Pūre" and so on are terms of address illustrating her contemptible nature. "Pūre" means completely filled with exceedingly loathsome various corpse-like things and various kinds of impurities. "Duggandhe" means of foul odour by intrinsic nature, precisely because of being filled with corpse-like matter. "Mārapakkhe" means because a disagreeable object, by serving as the basis for unwise attention in blind worldlings, increases the Māra of mental defilements, and gives an opportunity entered upon to the Māra who is a son of a god. Therefore it is on Māra's side. For that reason it was said "on Māra's side." "Avassute" means filled with desire through the constant flowing of mental defilements and through the discharge of impurities here and there. Now "nine streams in your body, which flow always" shows the place of discharge of impurity stated by the method beginning with "from the eye, eye-filth."
But thus, knowing as it really is the body with nine openings, constantly flowing, filled with impurity - "do not imagine the old" means do not imagine the laughter, talk, and play that occurred during the former time of not knowing; do not think "even now he will behave thus." "Do not insult the Truth-finders" means just as the former disciples of the Buddha came through the achievement of decisive support, or just as they went forth and practised through right practice, and just as they arrived at, attained, and understood the true characteristic of material and immaterial phenomena and the noble truths regarding the true phenomena - "these too likewise" - thus, despising the Truth-finders, the noble disciples, in the meaning of "thus come" and so on, as though they were ordinary beings, and approaching them under the power of mental defilements - do not insult them. He states the reason for their not being to be insulted. "Even in heaven they find no pleasure, how much less then in human pleasures" means even in heaven, whose happiness cannot be brought to completion by description even by an omniscient Buddha, those enlightened as noble disciples find no pleasure; because the danger in activities has been well seen, they do not generate lust; how much less then in human types of sensual pleasure, which are like a heap of excrement - there is nothing at all to be said about their not finding pleasure there.
"Ye ca kho" means those who are foolish through the practice of folly, imprudent through the absence of wisdom nourished by the Teaching, ill-counselled through wrongly devised thinking by way of observing beauty in the unattractive, wrapped in delusion through the state of consciousness being altogether concealed by delusion and not knowing - such blind worldlings of that kind, there in that which is designated as a woman, in the snare cast by Māra, in the trap laid by Māra, they find pleasure - they remain lustful, greedy, bound, infatuated, and immersed.
"Virājitā" means for those who have eliminated the mental corruptions, lust whose intrinsic nature is difficult to remove like the dye of oil-collyrium, hate whose intrinsic nature is to corrupt when it has gained an opportunity like a foe, and ignorance whose intrinsic nature is not knowing - these have been altogether faded away, abandoned, and eradicated through the dispassion of the noble path; such ones, with the thread of craving for existence cut by the knife of the highest path, and for that very reason unfettered because of the absence of bondage anywhere - they find no pleasure there in that aforesaid snare of Māra. Thus the elder, having taught the Teaching to that woman, departed.
The commentary on the verses of the Elder Nandaka is completed.
5.
Commentary on the Verses of the Elder Jambuka
283-286. The verses of the Venerable Elder Jambuka beginning with "Fifty-five." What is the origin? This one too, having formed aspirations under former Buddhas, accumulating meritorious deeds in this and that existence, in the time of the Blessed One Tissa, having been reborn in a family home, having attained discretion, having faith in the Teacher's perfect enlightenment, having paid homage to the Bodhi tree, he venerated it with a fan. He, by that meritorious action, wandering in the round of rebirths among gods and humans, in the time of the Blessed One Kassapa, having been reborn in a family home, having attained discretion, having gone forth in the Dispensation, having become a resident in a monastery built by a certain lay follower, he dwells being attended upon by him. Then one day a certain elder who had eliminated the mental corruptions, wearing coarse robes, was coming from the forest facing towards the village for the purpose of having his hair removed; having seen him, that lay follower, having become confident in his deportment, having had his hair and beard shaved off by a barber, having fed him with sumptuous food, having given him beautiful robes, saying "Dwell right here, venerable sir," made him dwell there. Having seen that, the resident, overcome by jealousy and stinginess, said to the elder who had eliminated the mental corruptions - "Better for you, monk, than dwelling here thus being attended upon by this evil lay follower, would be to pull out your hair with your fingers, being naked, living on a diet of excrement and urine." And having said thus, at that very moment, having entered the toilet, as if serving up milk-rice, having kneaded and kneaded excrement with his hand, he ate as much as he liked, and drank urine. Having remained in this manner as long as life lasted, having died, having been tormented in hell, again having lived on a diet of excrement and urine, by the remainder of the result of that very action, even though reborn among humans, for five hundred births he became a Jain and was one who fed on excrement.
Again, in this arising of a Buddha, even though being reborn in a human womb, by the power of having insulted a noble one, having been reborn in a poor family, when being given breast milk or cow's milk or ghee to drink, having rejected that, he drank only urine; when being fed cooked rice, having rejected that, he ate only excrement. Thus growing up by the consumption of excrement and urine, even when he had come of age, he consumed that very same thing. People, being unable to prevent him from that, abandoned him. He, abandoned by his relatives, having gone forth into the naked going forth, does not bathe, wearing dust and dirt, having pulled out his hair and beard, having rejected the other postures, stands on one foot, does not consent to an invitation, having determined a monthly fast, food given by those desirous of merit he takes once a month with the tip of a blade of kusa grass and licks it with the tip of his tongue during the day; but at night, thinking "Wet excrement contains living beings," not eating that, he eats only dry excrement. As he was doing thus, fifty-five years had passed, and the great multitude, thinking "He is of great austerity and supremely of few wishes," slanting towards that and sloping towards that, became devoted to him.
Then the Blessed One, having seen the decisive support for arahantship blazing within his heart like a lamp inside a pot, himself having gone there, having taught the Teaching, having established him in the fruition of stream-entry, having given him full ordination by the "Come, monk" ordination, having aroused zeal in insight, established him in arahantship. This is the summary here. But the detail should be understood according to the method stated in the commentary on the verse "Month after month with the tip of kusa grass" in the Dhammapada. But having become established in arahantship, at the time of final Nibbāna, showing "What is to be attained by a disciple in dependence on the One Enlightened by himself has been attained by me, even though I practised wrongly from the very beginning" -
283.
Eating a monthly meal, I plucked out my hair and beard.
284.
And I ate dry dung, and I did not consent to recitation.
285.
Floating along in the great flood, I came for refuge to the Buddha.
286.
The three true knowledges have been attained, the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled."
He spoke these four verses.
Therein, "for fifty-five years, I bore dust and dirt" means by undertaking naked asceticism, through rejecting bathing, for fifty years plus five, I bore on my body dust, reckoned as external particles stuck to the body, and dirt, reckoned as bodily stain. "Eating a monthly meal" means eating excrement at night, for the purpose of deceiving the world, having become a so-called monthly faster, eating food given by those desirous of merit once each month by way of touching it to the tip of the tongue; "I plucked out" means by the throwing in of such ashes, I caused the hair and beard, loosened at the roots, to be plucked out with the fingers.
"I stood on one foot, I avoided sitting" means I avoided sitting, the seated posture, in every respect altogether; and while standing, having raised both hands, I stood on just one foot. "Uddesa" means invitation. Some say "udissakata" (specially prepared). "Did not consent" means I did not accept, I rejected - this is the meaning.
"Having done such, leading to many bad destinations" means having done and generated such, of such a kind, much evil action producing results and leading to bad destinations, in former births and here. "Being carried along by the great flood" means being dragged towards the ocean of misery by the great flood beginning with the flood of sensuality, especially by the flood of views; "I went to the Buddha for refuge" means through such a gap in meritorious action, having obtained human existence with difficulty, now by the power of merit I approached the Buddha as "refuge," with unwavering confidence thinking "The Blessed One is the One Enlightened by himself," I gained confidence in the Teacher. "See the going for refuge, see the excellence of the Teaching as Teaching" means see my going for refuge that has reached its plane, and see the excellence of the Teaching of the Dispensation, in that even though I had thus wrongly practised, I was brought to such achievement by the Teacher through a single exhortation alone. By "the three true knowledges" and so on, he shows that achievement; therefore he said -
Having held up a fan there, I fanned the lion's seat.
I do not know of an unfortunate realm, this is the fruit of fanning.
"Mental defilements have been burnt by me, etc. the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled."
The commentary on the verses of the Elder Jambuka is concluded.
6.
Commentary on the Verses of the Elder Senaka
287-290. "Indeed welcome" and so on is the verse of the Venerable Elder Senaka. What is the origin? This one too, having formed aspirations under former Buddhas, accumulating meritorious deeds in this and that existence, in the time of the Blessed One Sikhī, having been reborn in a family home, having attained discretion, one day, having seen the Teacher, with a gladdened mind, venerated the Blessed One with a peacock-feather fan. He, by that meritorious action, wandering in the round of rebirths among gods and humans, in this arising of a Buddha, having been reborn in a brahmin family, was reborn in the womb of the sister of the Elder Uruvelakassapa. His name was Senaka Tissa. He, having come of age, having attained accomplishment in the brahminical sciences and crafts, lived the household life. And at that time, the great multitude, year after year, in the month of Phagguṇa, on the Uttaraphagguṇa constellation, experiencing a festival, performed the ceremonial ablution at the ford at Gayā. Therefore they call that festival "Gayā-Phaggu." Then the Blessed One, on such a festival day, out of compassion for those accessible to instruction, dwelt near the ford at Gayā, and the great multitude too, with the intention of the ceremonial ablution at the ford, approached that place from here and there. At that moment, Senaka too, having gone to that place for the purpose of the ceremonial ablution at the ford, having seen the Teacher teaching the Teaching, having approached, having heard the Teaching, having gained faith, having gone forth, doing the work of insight, before long attained arahantship. Therefore it was said in the Apadāna -
With a confident mind, glad at heart, I gave the peacock-feather fan.
The three fires were extinguished, I obtain abundant happiness.
Having given a peacock-feather fan, I obtain abundant happiness.
All mental corruptions are completely eliminated, there is now no more rebirth.
I do not know of an unfortunate realm, this is the fruit of the peacock fan.
"Mental defilements have been burnt by me, etc. the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled."
But having attained arahantship, having reviewed his own practice, with pleasure arisen, by way of an inspired utterance -
287.
Because I saw the Enlightened by himself, teaching the highest Teaching.
288.
The Victor of the world with its gods, of incomparable vision.
289.
With all mental corruptions eliminated, the Teacher, safe from every quarter.
290.
That Blessed One released, Senaka, from all mental knots."
He spoke four verses.
Therein, "indeed welcome it was for me" means it was indeed well come by me. Or, my coming was indeed beautiful. "At Gayā" means near the bathing place of Gayā. "During the Gayā-Phaggu festival" means at the Uttaraphaggunī constellation of the month of Phagguṇa, which obtained the conventional expression "Gayā-Phaggu." "That" and so on is the showing of the reason for the state of being welcome. Therein, "that" means because. "I saw" means I perceived. "The Enlightened by himself" means the Enlightened by himself because of having perfectly and by himself awakened to all phenomena. "Teaching the highest Teaching" means speaking the Teaching that is the highest, the foremost, the best of all, absolutely leading to liberation, in accordance with the disposition of those amenable to instruction.
"Of great radiance" means endowed with great radiance of body and radiance of knowledge. "Teacher of groups" means the teacher of groups such as the assembly of monks and so on, through the highest mastery and through training in good conduct. One who has attained the highest through the achievement of virtues such as morality and so on, which are the highest. The Guide, because of guiding gods, humans and so on through the supreme removal of defilements, and because of being himself devoid of a leader. Because of standing having overcome the entire world, being unvanquished by anyone; and because of having conquered even the five Māras, the Victor of the world with its gods, the supreme Victor in the world with its gods; of incomparable vision, because of the immeasurable vision and the matchless vision by the world with its gods, through the material body adorned with the thirty-two excellent marks of a great man, the eighty minor features and so on, and through the body of the Teaching adorned with virtues such as the ten powers, the four grounds of self-confidence and so on.
The great elephant, because of being similar to a great elephant through the achievement of gait, power, exertion and so on, and because of great might even among elephants, among those who have eliminated the mental corruptions. The great hero, because of crushing the army of Māra and because of great valour. "Of great effulgence" means of great splendour, of great power - this is the meaning. There are not even the four mental corruptions for him - thus "without mental corruptions." All mental corruptions together with their latent tendencies are completely eliminated for him - thus "one in whom all mental corruptions are eliminated." Granted that enlightened as noble disciples and Individually Enlightened Ones are indeed ones who have eliminated the mental corruptions, but only omniscient Buddhas exhaust the mental corruptions together with their latent tendencies - for the purpose of showing this, having said "without mental corruptions," again "one in whom all mental corruptions are eliminated" was said. Therefore it was said - "All mental corruptions together with their latent tendencies are completely eliminated for him - thus one in whom all mental corruptions are eliminated." The Teacher, because of instructing those amenable to instruction as is fitting through benefits pertaining to the present life, the future life, and the highest good; safe from every quarter, because of the absence of fear from anywhere through the self-confidence of the four grounds of self-confidence; because I saw such a One Enlightened by himself, therefore indeed welcome it was for me - this is the explanation.
Now, showing the virtues attained by himself through seeing the Teacher, he spoke the fourth verse. Its meaning is - like a gourd filled with rice-gruel, like a pot filled with buttermilk, like a rag soaked with fat, defiled for a long time in the round of rebirths without discernible beginning by the bases of defilement. Like a dog bound by a leash to a post, bound and fettered to the post of identity by the chain of wrong view, by the bondage of wrong view, and releasing from that, from all mental knots beginning with covetousness, me, Senaka, by the hand of the noble path - "indeed that Blessed One, my Teacher, released me" - thus he declares his devotion towards the Blessed One.
The commentary on the verses of the Elder Senaka is concluded.
7.
Commentary on the Verses of the Elder Sambhūta
291-294. "He who hurries when he should delay" and so on is the verse of the Venerable Elder Sambhūta. What is the origin? This one too, having formed aspirations under former Buddhas, performing meritorious deeds in this and that existence, in a world devoid of a Buddha, was reborn in the realm of kinnaras on the bank of the river Candabhāgā. One day, having seen a certain Individually Enlightened One, with a gladdened mind, having paid homage, with joined palms, he made an offering with arjuna flowers. He, by that meritorious action, wandering in the round of rebirths among gods and humans, in this arising of a Buddha, having been reborn in a family home, having received the name "Sambhūta," having come of age, after the final Nibbāna of the Blessed One, having heard the Teaching in the presence of the treasurer of the Teaching, having gained faith, having gone forth, practising the ascetic duty, having developed insight, attained arahantship. Therefore it was said in the Apadāna -
I saw the stainless Buddha, the Self-Become One, the unconquered.
Having taken an arjuna flower, I venerated the Self-Become One.
Having abandoned the kinnara body, I went to Tāvatiṃsa.
Ten times as a wheel-turning monarch, I exercised great kingship.
A seed sown in a good field, in the Self-Existent One, oh, mine!
Worthy of veneration am I today, in the Sakyan son's Dispensation.
"Mental defilements have been burnt by me, etc. the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled."
But having attained arahantship, dwelling in the bliss of liberation, when the Blessed One had attained final Nibbāna a hundred years ago, when the Vesālian Vajjiputtakas were standing having taken up the ten cases, when seven hundred who had eliminated the mental corruptions, encouraged by the Venerable Elder Yasa, the son of Kākaṇḍaka, having broken that view and upholding the Good Teaching, had made the compilation of the Teaching and Discipline, with a sense of religious urgency at the elucidation of those Vajjiputtakas' false teaching and false discipline, the elder -
291.
Through unwise arrangement, the fool undergoes suffering.
292.
And he attains ill repute, and is hostile to friends.
293.
Through wise arrangement, the wise one attains happiness.
294.
He attains fame and renown, and is not hostile to friends."
Speaking these verses, he declared the final liberating knowledge.
Therein, "he who hurries when he should delay" means in any matter that ought to be done - When remorse concerning monastic discipline has arisen as "Is it allowable or is it not allowable?" as long as one does not dispel that remorse by asking a learned expert in monastic discipline, so long it is the time for delay; at the time when that task should be delayed, he hurries, trampling over it and commits a transgression. "And delays when he should hurry" means for the householder first, when the time has arrived for what should be hurried through, such as going for refuge, undertaking morality, and so on; for one gone forth, such as performing duties and counter-duties, and the pursuit of serenity and insight meditation, without quickly devoting oneself to that task - He might delay thinking "I shall do it in the coming month or fortnight," and might spend the time not doing that task at all. "Through unwise arrangement" means thus, hurrying when one should delay and delaying when one should hurry, through unskillful arrangement, through the absence of skillful arrangement, the fool, the person of dull understanding, undergoes suffering and harm both now and in the future.
"His benefits decline" means the benefits of that such person, classified as pertaining to the present life and so on, decline day by day, going to utter elimination and exhaustion, like the moon in the dark fortnight. By such statements as "Such and such a person is faithless, undevoted, lazy, lacking in energy" and so on. "Disgrace" means he obtains, he attains the state of being blameworthy by the wise. "And is hostile to friends" means by not accepting the exhortation of good friends who give advice saying "Practise thus, do not practise thus," thinking "We are not to be admonished," he is indeed called hostile.
The meaning of the remaining pair of verses should be understood by the reverse of what has been stated. Some, however, here - By taking the meaning of the terms "hurries" and "delays," they apply them to the exertion and restraint of the meditation consciousness. That is fitting in the latter verses. For the first two verses were spoken by the elder with reference to the Vajjiputtakas who, from the time of going forth, without practising the ascetic duty that should be practised, through acting badly with remorse, having set forth the ten bases, were expelled by the monastic community. But the latter verses concern those who, like himself, rightly practising, having accomplished their own purpose, stand firm.
The commentary on the verses of the Elder Sambhūta is concluded.
8.
Commentary on the Verses of the Elder Rāhula
295-298. "Accomplished in both" and so on is the verse of the Venerable Elder Rāhula. What is the origin? This one too, having formed aspirations under former Buddhas, accumulating meritorious deeds in this and that existence, in the time of the Blessed One Padumuttara, having been reborn in a family home, having attained discretion, having seen the Teacher establishing a certain monk in the foremost position among those eager to train, himself too having aspired to that position of rank, having performed lofty meritorious deeds such as cleaning and illuminating lodgings and so on, he made an aspiration. He, having passed away from there, wandering in the round of rebirths among gods and humans, in this arising of a Buddha, having been born in the womb of Queen Yasodharā in dependence on our Bodhisatta, having received the name Rāhula, he grew up with a great retinue of warriors; the procedure of his going forth has come in the Khandhaka itself. He, having gone forth, well instructed in the presence of the Teacher by many discourse passages, with mature knowledge, having aroused zeal in insight, attained arahantship. Therefore it was said in the Apadāna -
In a seven-storied mansion, I spread out a mirror.
Approached the perfumed chamber, the lord of bipeds, the lord of men.
The Teacher, standing in the community of monks, spoke these verses.
Him I will explain, listen to me as I speak.
Mansions will arise, whatever are dear to the mind.
A thousand times he will be a wheel-turning monarch, immediately after.
Ruler of the four quarters, victorious, will be a wheel-turning monarch.
Three hundred in length, combined with a square shape.
Furnished with excellent pinnacle chambers, adorned with the seven jewels.
Will be like the city Sudassana, of the deities.
It shines brilliantly always, for eight yojanas all around.
Gotama by name, by clan, the Teacher in the world will be.
He will be the son of the Blessed One Gotama.
This is impossible, that such a one would attain delight in household life.
Rāhula by name, he will become a Worthy One.
Prudent, accomplished in morality, the great sage protected me.
Having fully understood all mental corruptions, I dwell without mental corruptions.
"Mental defilements have been burnt by me, etc. the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled."
But having attained arahantship, having reviewed his own practice, declaring the final liberating knowledge -
295.
In that I am the son of the Buddha, and in that I have vision regarding phenomena.
296.
I am a Worthy One, worthy of offerings, a possessor of the threefold true knowledge, one who sees the Deathless.
297.
Bound by the kinsman of the heedless, like fish in the mouth of a trap.
298.
Having uprooted craving with its root, I have become cool, quenched."
He spoke four verses.
Therein, "accomplished in both" means accomplished, endowed with both accomplishments, namely the accomplishment of birth and the accomplishment of practice. "They knew me as Rāhula the Fortunate" means my fellows in the holy life perceive me as "Rāhula the Fortunate." For having heard the message of his birth, with reference to the words spoken by the Bodhisatta "A Rāhu is born, a bondage is born," the great King Suddhodana gave the name "Rāhula." Therein, taking just the exposition spoken by his father from the beginning, he said - "They knew me as Rāhula the Fortunate." And "Fortunate" is a word of praise.
Now, in order to show that twofold achievement, "that I am" and so on was stated. Therein, "that" means because. The word "ca" has the meaning of conjunction. "I am the son of the Buddha" means I am the legitimate son of the One Enlightened by himself. "Regarding phenomena" means regarding mundane and supramundane phenomena; the meaning is regarding the phenomena of the four truths. "One with vision" should be connected thus: and I am one with vision through the eye of path wisdom.
Again, in order to show the twofold achievement in himself by yet other methods - He spoke the verse "and in that my mental corruptions are eliminated." Therein, "worthy of offerings" means deserving of offerings. "One who has seen the Deathless" means one who has seen Nibbāna. The remainder is easily understood.
Now, in order to show in himself that twofold achievement - of true knowledge and of liberation - through the absence of which the totality of beings revolves in the round of rebirths like fish caught in a fish-trap, he spoke the pair of verses beginning with "blinded by sensual pleasures." Therein, "blinded by sensual pleasures" means blind through sensual pleasures or blind regarding sensual pleasures. Made blind through defilement-sensual pleasures classified as "desire, lust" and so on, regarding objective sensual pleasures such as forms and so on, through not seeing the danger. "Covered by a net" means covered and enveloped in every way by the net of attachment that has spread over and stands covering the entire threefold existence. "Veiled by the veil of craving" means covered by the covering reckoned as craving from that very source, obstructed, completely covered over in every respect. "Bound by the kinsman of the heedless, like fish in the mouth of a trap" means just as fish bound in the mouth of a fish-trap, in the mouth of a fish-bag for catching fish, so these beings, bound by the bondage of sensual pleasure by Māra, the kinsman of the heedless, do not escape from that; they remain as if gone within the bondage.
Having abandoned that sensual pleasure of such a kind which has become a bondage, having given it up through the preliminary practice, having cut the bondage of the Māra of mental defilements, and again having completely destroyed it without remainder by the knife of the noble path, from that very source having pulled out and uprooted craving beginning with sensual craving together with its root, namely the root reckoned as ignorance, through the absence of the disturbance and fever of all mental defilements, become cool, quenched through the Nibbāna element with residue of clinging - the meaning is: I am.
The commentary on the verses of the Elder Rāhula is concluded.
9.
Commentary on the Verses of the Elder Candana
299-302. "With gold" and so on is the verse of the Venerable Elder Candana. What is the origin? This one too, having formed aspirations under former Buddhas, accumulating merit in this and that existence, thirty-one cosmic cycles ago from now, having been reborn as a tree deity in a world devoid of a Buddha, having seen a Paccekabuddha named Sudassana dwelling in the mountain caves, with a gladdened mind, made an offering with kuṭaja flowers. He, by that meritorious action, wandering in the round of rebirths among gods and humans, in this arising of a Buddha, having been reborn in a family accomplished in wealth at Sāvatthī, having received the name Candana, having come of age, living the household life, having heard the Teaching in the presence of the Teacher, became a stream-enterer. He, having obtained one son, having abandoned the household life, having gone forth, having taken a meditation subject for insight, while dwelling in the forest, having come to Sāvatthī to pay homage to the Teacher, dwells in a cemetery. His former wife, having heard of his arrival, adorned and prepared, taking the child, goes with a great retinue to the elder's presence - "Having enticed him by feminine wiles and so on, I shall make him leave the Order." The elder, having seen her coming from afar, thinking "Now I shall be beyond her domain," having aroused zeal in the insight already undertaken, became a possessor of the six higher knowledges. Therefore it was said in the Apadāna -
The Buddha named Sudassana dwelt in the mountain caves.
There I saw the Enlightened by himself, a crosser of the mental floods, without mental corruptions.
I placed upon the Buddha, the self-born great sage.
I do not know of an unfortunate realm, this is the fruit of honouring the Buddha.
"Mental defilements have been burnt by me, etc. the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled."
But having become a possessor of the six higher knowledges, standing in the sky, having taught the Teaching to her, having established her in the refuges and in the precepts, he himself went to the very place where he had formerly dwelt. When asked by companion monks - "Your faculties are indeed very clear, friend; have the truths been penetrated by you?" -
299.
Having taken my son on her hip, my wife approached me.
300.
Adorned, well-dressed, like a snare of Death laid out.
301.
Danger became manifest, disenchantment was established.
302.
The three true knowledges have been attained, the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled."
Speaking of his own practice with these verses, he declared the final liberating knowledge.
Therein, "covered with gold" means one whose body was concealed by way of decoration with ornaments made of gold such as head ornaments and so on; the meaning is adorned with all ornaments. "Attended by a group of female slaves" means placed in front, surrounded by her own group of female slaves who were adorned and bedecked as is fitting; this is the meaning. "Having taken my son on her hip" means thinking "perhaps having seen the son too, he might find comfort attached to the household," having taken the son on her own hip.
"Coming" means the one who was coming. "The mother of my own son" means the mother of my legitimate son; the meaning is my former wife. All this the elder speaks esteeming highly his own eradication of sensual lust. "Arose wisely" means thus wise attention arose: "Even such prosperity is indeed overcome by ageing, disease, and death; alas, activities are impermanent, inconstant, without comfort." The remainder is the same as the method stated below.
The commentary on the verses of the Elder Candana is concluded.
10.
Commentary on the Verses of the Elder Dhammika
303-306. "The Teaching indeed" and so on is the verse of the Venerable Elder Dhammika. What is the origin? This one too, having formed aspirations under former Buddhas, accumulating meritorious deeds in this and that existence, in the time of the Blessed One Sikhī, having become a deer-hunter, one day in a forest haunt, while the Teacher was teaching the Teaching to an assembly of gods, he took a sign in the teaching "This is called the Teaching." He, by that meritorious action, wandering in the round of rebirths among gods and humans, in this arising of a Buddha, having been reborn in a brahmin family in the Kosala country, having received the name "Dhammika," having come of age, having gained confidence at the acceptance of the Jeta Grove, having gone forth, having become a resident in a certain village residence, dwelling there, he was full of complaining and impatient regarding the duties great and small of visiting monks. Because of that, the monks abandoned that monastery and departed. He was all alone. The lay follower who was the owner of the monastery, having heard the reason, reported that incident to the Blessed One. The Teacher, having summoned that monk, having asked him about that matter, when he said "Yes, venerable sir" - Having said "This one is not impatient only now; in the past too he was impatient," being requested by the monks, having related the Rukkhadhamma Jātaka, giving him exhortation further above -
303.
This is the benefit when the Teaching is well practised, one who practises the Teaching does not go to an unfortunate realm.
304.
What is not the Teaching leads to hell, the Teaching causes one to reach a good destination.
305.
Established in the Teaching, the disciples of the excellent Fortunate One, the wise are led forth, going to the foremost excellent refuge.
306.
He whose wandering in the round of rebirths is ended, there is no possession for him,
Like the moon on a moonlit full-moon night." She spoke four verses.
Therein, "the Teaching" means the mundane and supramundane Teaching of good conduct. "Protects" means it protects from the suffering of the realms of misery, and being a decisive support for the end of the round of rebirths, it indeed protects from the suffering of the round of rebirths as well. "One who practises the Teaching" means one who practises, who proceeds in, that Teaching. "Well practised" means well practised, accumulated carefully and with respect, having believed in the fruits of action. "Happiness" means mundane and supramundane happiness. Therein, firstly the mundane Teaching, classified as belonging to the sensual-sphere of existence and so on, brings and produces happiness each according to its own nature, either in this very life, or upon rebirth, or in some other subsequent existence. But the other, it is proper to say, practised while standing on the decisive support for the end of the round of rebirths, brings it through succession, because of the absence of that for one who is not a decisive support. "This is the benefit when the Teaching is well practised, one who practises the Teaching does not go to an unfortunate realm" means: a person who practises the Teaching, when the Teaching is well practised, does not go to an unfortunate realm on that account - thus this is the benefit when the Teaching is well practised, the yielding result. This is the meaning.
Since going to a fortunate destination is by the Teaching alone, and going to an unfortunate destination is by what is not the Teaching alone, therefore, in order to show that these - "the Teaching" and "what is not the Teaching" - have mutually unmixed results, he spoke the second verse beginning with "For the Teaching." Therein, "what is not the Teaching" means the opposite of the Teaching, misconduct. "Of similar result" means of similar resultant, of equal fruit.
"Therefore" means since this is the aforesaid distinction in result of the Teaching and what is not the Teaching, therefore. "Desire" means the desire to act. "Thus rejoicing with the Fortunate One, such a one" - the explanation is: thus, by the giving of exhortation in the way above explained, rejoicing, reaching satisfaction, with the Fortunate One who has gone to the right path, who is rightly practised, who is such a one through the attainment of the state of such-likeness towards desirable things and so on, who is named such, who is the cause - one should make desire for the teachings. Having shown the round of rebirths by this much, now showing the end of the round of rebirths, he said beginning with "established in the Teaching." Its meaning is - since the disciples of the Fortunate One, the excellent one, the excellent one among the Fortunate Ones, the One Enlightened by himself, established in his Teaching, the wise, exceedingly going to the highest refuge, by the very state of being established in the Teaching termed going for refuge, are led out, escape even from the suffering of the entire round of rebirths, therefore one should make desire for the teachings.
Thus, when the Teaching was taught by the Teacher with three verses, in accordance with the teaching, just as he was seated, having developed insight, he attained arahantship. Therefore it was said in the Apadāna -
I saw the stainless Buddha, honoured by the host of gods.
I heard the sweet teaching, of Sikhi, the kinsman of the world.
Having gladdened my mind there, I crossed over existence, hard to cross.
I do not know of an unfortunate realm, this is the fruit of the perception of sound.
"Mental defilements have been burnt by me, etc. the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled."
Thus he became established in arahantship. But having attained arahantship, making known to the Teacher the distinction attained by himself, he declared the final liberating knowledge with the last verse.
Therein, "burst open" means shaken off; the meaning is relinquished by path knowledge. "The root of the boil" means ignorance. For it festers, it flows. "'Boil', monk, this is a designation for these five aggregates of clinging" - thus, because of the connection with the root of suffering of what was stated by the Teacher, because of the oozing of the impurity of mental defilements, and because of being swollen, ripened, and burst open through arising, ageing, and dissolution, "the snare of craving has been uprooted" means the root, the cause of the fivefold aggregates of clinging designated as a boil - the net termed craving has been eradicated by the path. "He whose wandering in the round of rebirths is ended, there is no possession for him" means that I, through the state of having abandoned craving and ignorance, whose wandering in the round of rebirths is exhausted, precisely because the root of existence has been abandoned, there is not, and there is not found, any possession of lust and so on. "Like the moon on a moonlit full-moon night" means just as the moon, free from the faults of clouds, frost, and so on, at the time of fullness on the full-moon day, so I too, through the achievement of arahantship, rid of the possession of lust and so on, became one with a complete portion of the Teaching.
The commentary on the verses of the Elder Dhammika is concluded.
11.
Commentary on the Verses of the Elder Sappaka
307-310. "When the cranes" and so on are the verses of the Venerable Elder Sappaka. What is the origin? This one too, having formed aspirations under former Buddhas, accumulating merit in this and that existence, thirty-one cosmic cycles ago from now, having become a king of serpents of great might, was reborn; having taken a great lotus for the Individually Enlightened One named Sambhava who was seated in the open air in meditative attainment, holding it over the top of his head, he made an offering. He, by that meritorious action, wandering in the round of rebirths among gods and humans, in this arising of a Buddha, having been reborn in a brahmin family in Sāvatthī, having received the name "Sappaka," having attained discretion, having heard the Teaching in the presence of the Blessed One, having gained faith, having gone forth, having taken a meditation subject, dwelling in the cave-mountain monastery on the bank of a river named Ajakaraṇī, before long attained arahantship. Therefore it was said in the Apadāna -
And a Buddha named Sambhava, dwelt in the open air then.
Having held it for one day, I came again to the dwelling.
I do not know of an unfortunate realm, this is the fruit of honouring the Buddha.
"Mental defilements have been burnt by me, etc. the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled."
He, having attained arahantship, having come to Sāvatthī to pay homage to the Teacher, being attended upon by his relatives, having dwelt there for a few days, having taught the Teaching, having established his relatives in the refuges and in the precepts, wished to go to the aforementioned place itself. His relatives requested him: "Right here, venerable sir, dwell; we shall look after you." He, having indicated the appearance of departing, standing, making known his delight in seclusion under the pretext of praising the place where he dwelt -
307.
Will fly away seeking an abode, then the river Ajakaraṇī delights me.
308.
Seek a shelter, not seeing a shelter, then the river Ajakaraṇī delights me.
309.
They adorn the river bank, behind my cave.
310.
Today is not a time for separation from the mountain rivers,
The Ajakaraṇī is secure, safe, and delightful." - She spoke four verses.
Therein, "when" means at whatever time. "Cranes" means crane birds. "With pure white wings" means with pure, clean, white wings. "Frightened by fear of the dark cloud" means dismayed and frightened by fear of rain from the thundering rainy season cloud, dark, resembling a collyrium mountain, laden with the weight of water. "Will fly away" means having flown up from the feeding ground, it will go. "An abode" means a dwelling place, one's own nest. "Seeking an abode" means wishing for settling there, for hiding itself. "Then the river Ajakaraṇī delights me" means at that rainy season time, the river named Ajakaraṇī, full of fresh water, able to carry things away, eroding the banks, delights me, pleases my mind. Thus, under the pretext of praising the distinctive features of the season and the place, he made known his delight in seclusion.
"Of well-purified white" means of well purified white colour, of unmixed colour, entirely white - this is the meaning. "Seeks" means searches for. "A shelter" means a dwelling place. "Not seeing a shelter" means not seeing a dwelling place. Previously, due to the absence of a regular dwelling place, she was one not seeing a shelter; now, in the rainy season, having conceived through the thunder of the clouds, she seeks a shelter - meaning she makes a nest as a regular dwelling place - this is the meaning.
"Whom indeed there" etc. "Behind" means behind my great cave where I dwell, at the rear part, on the river bank, on both banks of the river Ajakaraṇī, here and there, on this side and that, adorning, constantly with branches bent down by the weight of fruit, with glossy leaf-shade, the rose-apple trees in that place - what being indeed do they not delight? They delight all beings indeed.
"Well freed from the group of those intoxicated by the deathless" means the deathless is called medicine; those intoxicated by it are the deathless-intoxicated ones, that is, snakes; their group is the group of the deathless-intoxicated; well freed from that, departed. "Frogs" means female frogs; "with soft voices" means with melodious voices; "resound" means they fill that place with sound through sweet calling. "Today is not a time for separation from the mountain rivers" means today, at present, there is no time for separation from other mountain rivers either; but in particular, because it is free from fierce fish, crocodiles, and so on, the river Ajakaraṇī is secure. It is safe due to the achievement of beautiful level ground, fords, and sandy banks. It is well charming, delightful; therefore my mind delights right there - this is the intention.
But having said thus, having dismissed his relatives, he went to his own dwelling place. And by this illumination of delight in empty dwellings, this itself was the elder's declaration of final liberating knowledge.
The commentary on the verses of the Elder Sappaka is concluded.
12.
Commentary on the Verses of the Elder Mudita
311-314. The verses of the Venerable Elder Mudita beginning with "I went forth." What is the origin? This one too, having formed aspirations under former Buddhas, accumulating merit in this and that existence, in the time of the Blessed One Vipassī, having been reborn in a family home, having attained discretion, one day, having seen the Teacher, with a gladdened mind, gave one bed. He, by that meritorious action, wandering in the round of rebirths among gods and humans, in this arising of a Buddha, having been reborn in a householder's family in the Kosala country, having received the name "Mudita," attained discretion. And at that time that family was obstructed by the king on account of some business. Mudita, frightened by fear of the king, having fled and entered the forest, approached the dwelling place of a certain elder who had eliminated the mental corruptions. The elder, having known his state of being frightened, consoled him saying "Do not fear." He, having asked "In how much time, venerable sir, will this fear of mine be appeased?" when it was said "After seven or eight months have passed" - "I am not able to endure for so long a time; I shall go forth, venerable sir, give me the going forth" - thus he requested the going forth for the purpose of protecting his life. The elder gave him the going forth. He, having gone forth, having gained faith in the Dispensation, even when the fear had been appeased, approving only of the ascetic duty, having taken a meditation subject, doing the work of insight - having made the acknowledgment beginning with "Without attaining arahantship I shall not go out from this dwelling room," having aroused zeal in insight, he attained arahantship. Therefore it was said in the Apadāna -
One bed was given by me, with confidence, with my own hands.
By that gift of a small bed, I have attained the elimination of mental corruptions.
I do not know of an unfortunate realm, this is the fruit of giving a bed.
"Mental defilements have been burnt by me, etc. the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled."
But having attained arahantship, experiencing the bliss of liberation, when asked by companion monks about his attainment, relating the manner of his own practice -
311.
From that I gained faith, with firm energy I strove.
312.
Let both my calves fall from the knee joints.
313.
Nor shall I lay down my side, while the dart of craving is not rooted out.
314.
The three true knowledges have been attained, the Buddha's teaching has been fulfilled."
He spoke four verses.
Therein, "for the sake of livelihood" means one desirous of livelihood, one whose purpose is livelihood. "Having gone forth here, fearless, with ease, without becoming weary, I shall live" - thus the meaning is he went forth for the sake of livelihood. "Having received full ordination" means first standing in the novice ordination, having obtained full ordination through a legal act at which a motion is put and is followed by three proclamations. "From that I gained faith" means from the time of full ordination onwards, associating with good friends, learning the two matrices, the three thanksgivings, certain discourses, the serenity meditation subject, and the method of insight, having seen the great might of the Buddha and so on - "The Blessed One is the One Enlightened by himself, well proclaimed is the Teaching, the Community is practising well" - I gained faith in the Triple Gem. "With firm energy I strove" means having thus gained faith, doing the work of insight, before long, for the penetration of the truths, having become one of firm energy, of steady energy, I strove; I properly strove for the abandoning of unwholesome mental states and for the acquisition of wholesome mental states.
But to show how he strove, "kāmaṃ" and so on was said. Therein, "kāmaṃ" means according to one's wish, or assuredly let it break. "This body" means this putrid body of mine; if it breaks by this ardour of energy, let it break, let it be cut and shattered. "The slices of flesh may fall apart" means if by this firm effort the slices of flesh fall apart from this body, let them fall apart, let them be demolished here and there. "Let both my calves fall from the knee joints" means together with both knee joints, let both my calves, my shins, having broken from the thigh binding, fall to the ground. "Ma" is also a reading; the meaning is the same. The remainder is the same as the method stated below.
The commentary on the verses of the Elder Mudita is concluded.
The commentary on the Book of Fours is concluded.