1.
The Chapter on Brahmins
1.
Commentary on the First Discourse on Two Brahmins
52. In the first of the Brahmin Chapter, "old" means feeble and decrepit with age. "Aged" means advanced in age. "Advanced in years" means old by birth. "Having traversed the span of life" means having passed beyond the three periods. "Having reached the final stage of life" means having reached the third stage of life. "They approached the Blessed One" means having seen their children and wife not heeding their word, having thought "Having gone to the presence of the ascetic Gotama, we shall seek the path leading to liberation," they approached. "We are, Master Gotama, brahmins": Master Gotama, having made known their brahmin status saying "We are brahmins, not warriors, not ministers, not householders," they said beginning with "old" and so on. "Have not made a shelter for the fearful" means have not made a protection from fear. They show that "An action serving as support, which would be a foundation, has not been done by us." "Truly" (taggha) is an indeclinable particle used in a definitive sense, or in the sense of accepting. It shows that "Certainly you are of such a nature, and I too accept this." "Is carried away" means is brought to. For this one is carried away by birth to ageing, by ageing to illness, by illness to death, by death to birth again. Therefore it was said - "is carried away."
Now, because those brahmins, due to being old, would not be able to fulfil the duty even having gone forth, therefore, establishing them in the five precepts, the Blessed One said beginning with "whoever here has self-control by body" and so on. Therein, "self-control by body" means restraint through the bodily door. The same method applies in the remaining ones too. "That for one who has departed" shows that that merit, for one who has gone to the world beyond, is a shelter in the sense of protecting, a rock cell in the sense of hiding, an island in the sense of support, a refuge in the sense of dependence, and an ultimate goal by way of the highest destination. The verses are of manifest meaning only. Thus those brahmins, established by the Truth-finder in the five precepts, having observed the five precepts for the length of their lives, were reborn in heaven.
2.
Commentary on the Second Discourse on Two Brahmins
53. In the second, "vessel" means whatever article. The remainder should be understood in the same method as stated in the first.
3.
Commentary on the Discourse on a Certain Brahmin
54. In the third, "pleasant" (sammodanīya) means productive of friendliness. "Memorable" (sāraṇīya) means fit to be remembered. "Having concluded" (vītisāretvā) means having finished. "In what respect" (kittāvatā) means to what extent. "The Teaching is visible here and now" means it is to be seen by oneself. "Immediate" (akālika) means not giving fruit at a later time. "Inviting one to come and see" (ehipassika) means he asks about the practice of the path leading up to it, since it is possible to show thus "come and see." "Leading onward" (opaneyyika) means one's own mind should be brought to it. "To be individually experienced" (paccattaṃ veditabba) means to be known by oneself alone. "By the wise" (viññūhi) means by the wise persons. "With mind consumed" (pariyādinnacitto) means having become one whose mind is seized, grasped, and adhered to. "Intends" (ceteti) means thinks. The remainder here is clear in itself. But in this discourse, the supramundane path was asked about by the brahmin, and that very same was spoken of by the Teacher too. For that is called "visible here and now" (sandiṭṭhika) because it is to be seen by oneself.
4.
Commentary on the Discourse on the Wandering Ascetic
55. In the fourth, "brahmin wandering ascetic" means a wandering ascetic of brahmin birth, not one of warrior caste birth and so on. "One's own welfare too" means one's own welfare that is a mixture of mundane and supramundane, pertaining to the present life and the future life.
5.
Commentary on the Nibbuta Discourse
56. In the fifth, "immediate" means not to be attained at a later time. "Leading onward" means to be approached through practice.
6.
Commentary on the Paloka Discourse
57. In the sixth, "teachers and teachers' teachers" means teachers and also teachers of teachers. "Methinks, was as filled as Avīci" means just as the great hell Avīci is continuously filled, full of hell-beings, so it is full of human beings in the same way. "So close that a cock could fly from one to another" means the cock's flight, reckoned as flying up from the rooftop of one village and alighting on the rooftop of another village, exists in these - thus "so close that a cock could fly from one to another." "Kukkuṭasaṃpādikā" is also a reading; the meaning is the cock's walking, reckoned as the going on foot of cocks from one village to another village, exists in these. Both of these explain only the dense habitation. "Infatuated with unrighteous lust" means lust is absolutely not according to the Teaching; but when arising with regard to one's own requisites, it is not intended as unrighteous lust; only when arising with regard to others' requisites is it unrighteous lust. "Overpowered by unrighteous greed" means there is no time when greed is righteous; it is absolutely unrighteous. But when arising with regard to an object possessed by oneself, it is called righteous greed; only when arising with regard to an object possessed by another is it intended as unrighteous. "Overcome by wrong conduct" means endowed with wrong conduct, reckoned as the indulgence in an improper object. "The rain god does not send down proper showers" means at the time suitable for raining, it does not rain. "Famine" means almsfood that is difficult to obtain. "Poor crops" means poor crops through the failure of various crops. "Mildew" means when the crop is maturing, insects fall upon it; because of being bitten by them, the rice ears that have emerged become white in colour and without substance. With reference to that, "mildew" was said. "Subsistence by food tickets" means whatever crop is sown, it grows only to the size of a food ticket; the meaning is it does not give fruit. "Demons" means the lords of demons. "Release fierce non-human spirits" means they send forth fierce demons onto the paths of humans; they, having obtained the opportunity, bring the great multitude to the destruction of life.
7.
Commentary on the Vacchagotta Discourse
58. In the seventh, "of great fruit" means of great result. "They explain what is in conformity with the Teaching" - here, the Teaching means the talk that was spoken, and what is in conformity with the Teaching means the counter-statement to what was spoken. "Reasonable" means with reason, with cause. "Counter-argument" means the falling upon the statement, the falling in line with, the occurrence - this is the meaning. "A blameworthy position" means a reason fitting to be blamed. This is what is meant - The proceeding of the doctrine stated by Master Gotama, with reason, does not any blameworthy reason come about. Or alternatively, he asks whether the proceeding of the doctrine stated by those others, with reason, does not any blameworthy reason come about.
"Creates an obstacle" means he creates an obstacle, destruction, difficulty in obtaining, and opposition. "A danger" means a highway robber. "Is injured" means he is injured by the digging up of virtues. "Harmed" means harmed precisely by the destruction of virtues.
"In a cesspool" means in a pit of impure mud. "In a sewer" means in a drain of refuse mud. "And he" means the one who has eliminated the mental corruptions, spoken of as "one who is moral." "With the aggregate of morality" means with the mass of morality. The same method applies to the remaining terms as well. And here, knowledge and vision of liberation is called reviewing knowledge; it is said to be of one beyond training because it occurs for one beyond training. The others too are themselves of one beyond training, because they have reached the end of training. But those are supramundane, while reviewing knowledge is mundane.
"Red" means of red colour. "Of uniform colour" means of the same colour as their own calves. "Pigeon-coloured" means of pigeon colour. "Tamed" (danta) means one who has ceased associating with defilements. "Bull" means a leading bull. "Beast of burden" means one who bears the yoke. "Of good and swift gait" means one who goes with a good, straight speed. "They do not consider his colour" means they do not examine the bodily colour of that bull, but they examine only the work of bearing the yoke. "In whatever birth" means born in whatever family anywhere. "In whichever of these" means in whichever births among these varieties beginning with warriors and so on.
"Complete in the holy life" means endowed with the completeness of the holy life; the meaning is connected with the state of full perfection. For one who has eliminated the mental corruptions is called one who leads the complete holy life. Therefore this was said. "With burden laid down" means one whose burden has been lowered; the meaning is one who stands having laid down the burden of aggregates, the burden of mental defilements, and the burden of the types of sensual pleasure. "With obligations fulfilled" means one who stands having done the duty by the four paths. "Gone beyond all phenomena" means all phenomena are called the five aggregates, the twelve sense bases, and the eighteen elements; because of having gone to the far shore of those all phenomena in six ways - the far shore of direct knowledge, the far shore of full understanding, the far shore of abandoning, the far shore of development, the far shore of realization, and the far shore of attainment - he has gone beyond. "By non-clinging" means without grasping. "Quenched" means free from the torment of mental defilements. "Stainless" means in one free from the impurity of lust, hate, and delusion.
"Not knowing" means not knowing the field. "Imprudent" means without wisdom. "Without learning" means devoid of hearing the judgement regarding the field. "Outside" means outside of this Dispensation. "For they do not attend upon the peaceful ones" means they do not approach the highest persons - Buddhas, Individually Enlightened Ones, and those who have eliminated the mental corruptions. "Esteemed by the discerning" means authorised and honoured by the wise. "Rooted and established" means by this he shows the faith of a stream-enterer. "Or here they are born in good families" means or here in the human world they are born in warrior, brahmin, or merchant families. For this itself is called the threefold success of family. "Gradually attain Nibbāna" means having fulfilled these qualities of morality, concentration, and wisdom, they attain Nibbāna in due course.
8.
Commentary on the Tikaṇṇa Discourse
59. In the eighth, "Tikaṇṇa" is his name. "Approached" means having thought "The ascetic Gotama, it is said, is wise; I shall go to his presence," having eaten his morning meal, surrounded by a great multitude of people, he approached. "In the presence of the Blessed One" means having sat down before the One of Ten Powers. "Praises" - why does he praise? He, it is said, had not previously come to the presence of the Truth-finder before this. Then this occurred to him - "Buddhas are difficult to approach; if I do not speak first, he may or may not speak. If he does not speak, then people will say to me when I am speaking at a meeting place: 'Why do you speak here, since having gone to the presence of the ascetic Gotama you did not obtain even a mere word?' Therefore, thinking 'In this way this reproach of mine will be averted,' he speaks. Although he praises the brahmins, he speaks with the very intention of challenging the Truth-finder's knowledge. "Thus are the brahmins who possess the threefold true knowledge" means the brahmins who possess the threefold true knowledge are thus wise, thus steadfast, thus experienced, thus very learned, thus skilled in discourse, thus esteemed - this is the meaning. "Such" - by this he shows the measure of their qualities beginning with wisdom. By this much reason they are wise, etc. By this much reason they are esteemed - for this is the meaning here.
"In what way, brahmin" - here "yathā" is a word expressing reason, and "kathaṃ pana" is a word of inquiry. This is what is meant - How then, brahmin, do brahmins declare one to possess the threefold true knowledge? In what way it is possible to know this, state that reason. Having heard that, the brahmin, thinking "The One Enlightened by himself asked me precisely in the area of my knowledge, not in the area of my ignorance," being delighted, said beginning with "Here, Master Gotama." Therein, "on both sides" means on two sides. "On his mother's side and on his father's side" means one whose mother is a brahmin woman, whose mother's mother is a brahmin woman, whose mother too is a brahmin woman. The father is a brahmin, the father's father is a brahmin, his father too is a brahmin - he is well-born on both sides, on his mother's side and on his father's side. "Of pure descent" means one whose mother's womb is pure - the meaning is the womb. But in "with digestion that is even," here the kamma-born heat element is called digestion.
"Up to the seventh generation of ancestors" - here, the father's father is the grandfather; the generation of the grandfather is the generation of ancestors. "Generation" is called the measure of a lifespan. But this is merely a manner of speaking; in meaning, however, the grandfather himself is the generation of ancestors. Beyond that, all the forefathers too are included by the term "grandfather" itself. Thus, up to the seventh person, he is of pure descent; or else, it shows that he is unassailed and irreproachable with respect to birth. "Unassailed" means not assailed as "Remove this one, what is the use of him?" - thus unassailed, not cast down. "Irreproachable" means not reproached, not having previously received reviling or blame. For what reason? With respect to birth. By such a statement as "He too is of low birth" - this is the meaning.
"A reciter" - this expression "Now they do not meditate, now they do not meditate" - thus, Vāseṭṭha, the third syllable "ajjhāyakā, ajjhāyakā" arose - thus at the time of the first cosmic cycle, a word of reproach arose for brahmins devoid of meditative absorption. But now, "he recites that" - thus he is a reciter; "he turns over the sacred texts" - with this meaning, having made it a word of praise, they use it. "He bears the sacred texts" - thus he is a bearer of the sacred texts.
"Of the three Vedas" means of the Iru Veda, the Yaju Veda, and the Sāma Veda. "One who has gone to the far shore by means of lip-striking performance" - thus he is one who has mastered them. "Together with the vocabulary and the ritual" - thus "together with their vocabularies and rituals." "Nighaṇḍu" is a treatise that reveals the synonyms of names, nighaṇḍu trees, and so on. "Keṭubha" is a treatise on the variety of ritual procedures, for the benefit of poets. "Together with phonology" - thus "together with phonology." "Phonology" means phonetics and etymology. "With the histories as a fifth" means having made the Athabbaṇa Veda the fourth, the history - reckoned as an ancient narrative or reckoned as political science, connected with such expressions as "thus it was, thus it was" - is the fifth of these; thus they are "those with the histories as a fifth." Of those Vedas with the histories as a fifth.
"One who studies verse and the remainder, grammar, and knows" - thus he is "learned in verse, a grammarian." "Worldly knowledge" is called the treatise of sophistry. "Marks of a great man" is a treatise of twelve thousand sections in extent, illuminating the marks of great men such as Buddhas and so on, wherein there were sacred verses called "Buddha-mantras" measuring sixteen thousand stanzas, by virtue of which this distinction is discerned: "Those endowed with this mark are called Buddhas, with this mark Individually Enlightened Ones, the two chief disciples, the eighty great disciples, the Buddha's mother, the Buddha's father, the chief male attendant, the chief female attendant, and the wheel-turning monarch." "Fully versed" means one who is not deficient in these subjects of worldly knowledge and the marks of a great man, one who fulfils them completely; it is said that he is not one who falls short. "One who falls short" means one who is unable to retain those subjects both in meaning and in text. Or alternatively, "anavaya" means "anu avaya," with the elision of the letter "u" by way of euphonic conjunction. "Anu avaya" means one whose craft is complete - this is the meaning.
"If so" - this the Blessed One said having seen him making a request, knowing "now is the time to speak to him on the question." Its meaning is - "Because you request me, therefore listen." "Quite secluded from sensual pleasures" and so on has been explained in detail in the Visuddhimagga. But here it should be understood that this was said for the purpose of showing the preliminary practice of the three true knowledges. Therein, the word-by-word explanation and the method of meditation development of the two true knowledges have been expanded upon in the Visuddhimagga.
"The first true knowledge" means the first because it arises first; it is true knowledge in the meaning of making known. What does it make known? Past lives. "Ignorance" means the delusion that conceals that very past life, in the meaning of making it unknown, is called ignorance. "Darkness" means that very delusion, in the meaning of concealing, is called "darkness." "Light" means that very true knowledge, in the meaning of producing illumination, is called "light." And here the meaning is "true knowledge was attained." The remainder is a word of praise. The explanation here, however, is: this true knowledge was attained by him; for him who had attained true knowledge, ignorance was destroyed - the meaning is, it perished. Why? Because true knowledge had arisen. The same method applies to the other pair of terms as well. In "as one who" (yathā taṃ), here "as" (yathā) is used in the sense of comparison, and "taṃ" is merely a particle. "Diligent" means through the continuous presence of mindfulness. "Ardent" means with the ardour of energy. "Resolute" means through disregard for body and life. The meaning is one whose mind is directed. This is what is meant - Just as for one dwelling diligent, ardent, and resolute, ignorance would be destroyed, true knowledge would arise. Darkness would be destroyed, light would arise; just so his ignorance was destroyed, true knowledge arose. Darkness was destroyed, light arose. A fruit befitting this pursuit of striving has been obtained by him.
In the discussion on the passing away and rebirth, "true knowledge" means the true knowledge of the divine eye knowledge. "Ignorance" means the ignorance that conceals the passing away and conception of beings. The remainder is according to the method already stated.
Regarding the third true knowledge, "When the mind was thus concentrated" - the consciousness of the fourth meditative absorption that serves as the foundation for insight should be understood. "Towards the knowledge of the elimination of mental corruptions" means for the purpose of the knowledge of the path of arahantship. For the path of arahantship is called "the elimination of mental corruptions" because of its destroying the mental corruptions, and this knowledge is therein, because it is included in that. "He inclines the mind" means he directs the insight consciousness. In "He understands 'this is suffering'" and so on, "this much is suffering, there is no more beyond this" - he understands as it really is and penetrates the entire truth of suffering through the penetration of its own characteristic; and the craving that produces that suffering, as "this is the origin of suffering"; and that state having reached which both of those cease, that non-continuance of them, Nibbāna, as "this is the cessation of suffering." And the noble path that leads to that, as "this is the practice leading to the cessation of suffering" - he understands as it really is and penetrates through the penetration of its own characteristic. Thus the meaning should be understood.
Having thus shown the truths in their own nature, now showing them by way of exposition through mental defilements, he said beginning with "these are the mental corruptions." "For one knowing thus, seeing thus" means for that monk knowing thus, seeing thus. He spoke of the path that has reached its culmination together with insight. "From the mental corruption of sensuality" means from the mental corruption of sensuality. "Becomes liberated" - by this he shows the moment of the path. For at the moment of the path the mind becomes liberated; at the moment of fruition it is liberated. "When liberated, there was the knowledge: 'Liberated'" - by this he shows reviewing knowledge. By "birth is eliminated" and so on, its plane. For with that knowledge, he, reviewing, understands "birth is eliminated" and so on. But which birth of his is eliminated, and how does he understand it? It is not his past birth that is eliminated, because it was already eliminated before; not the future, because of the absence of effort regarding the future; not the present, because it is still existing. But whatever birth, classified as one-aggregate, four-aggregate, or five-aggregate in one-constituent, four-constituent, or five-constituent existences, would arise because of the non-development of the path - that is eliminated because of the development of the path, by reaching the state of non-arising. He understands that by reviewing the mental defilements abandoned through path development, knowing "even action that exists in the absence of mental defilements does not lead to rebirth-linking in the future."
"Lived" means dwelt, lived through completely; done, practised, completed - this is the meaning. "The holy life" means the holy life of the path. For together with the good worldling, the seven trainees are said to be dwelling the dwelling of the holy life; one who has eliminated the mental corruptions is one who has completed the dwelling. Therefore he, reviewing his own dwelling of the holy life, understands "the holy life has been lived." "What was to be done has been done" means the sixteenfold function has been accomplished by way of full understanding, abandoning, realisation, and meditative development through the four paths in regard to the four truths - this is the meaning. For the good worldling and others perform that function; one who has eliminated the mental corruptions is one who has done what was to be done. Therefore he, reviewing what was to be done by himself, understands "what was to be done has been done." "There is no more of this state of being" means he understands: "There is no further function of path development to be done by me for the sake of such a state of being again, for the sake of the sixteenfold function, or for the sake of the elimination of mental defilements." Or alternatively, "of this state of being" means from this state of being, from this, of such a kind, beyond the present continuity of aggregates, there is no further continuity of aggregates for me; but these five aggregates, fully understood, remain like trees with their roots cut off. He understands that they will be extinguished through the cessation of the final consciousness, like a fire without fuel. Here "true knowledge" means the true knowledge of the knowledge of the path of arahantship. "Ignorance" means the ignorance that conceals the four truths. The remainder is according to the method already stated.
"Whose morality is not fluctuating" means one whose morality at times diminishes and at times grows is called one of fluctuating morality. But the morality of one who has eliminated the mental corruptions is exclusively grown. Therefore he is called one whose morality is not fluctuating. "Has become mastered" means one who has attained mastery. "Well concentrated" means well concentrated, well established upon the object. "Wise" means accomplished in energy. "Who has abandoned death" means one who stands having abandoned death. "One who has abandoned all" means one who stands having abandoned all evil mental states. "Awakened" means one awakened to the four truths. "Bearing his final body" means one bearing the very last body. "To him, Gotama, they pay homage" means the disciples of the Buddha pay homage to him who is of the Gotama clan. Or alternatively, a disciple of the Buddha Gotama is also a Gotama; the meaning is that gods and humans pay homage to that Gotama.
"Past lives" means the succession of aggregates dwelt in formerly. "Yovetī" means he who knows, understands. "Yovedī" is also a reading. The meaning is: he who has known, having made it known and manifest, stands firm. "And sees heaven and the realms of misery" means he sees the six sensual-sphere worlds, the nine Brahma worlds, and the four realms of misery. "Has attained the destruction of birth" means has attained arahantship. "Accomplished through direct knowledge" means one who, having known, is accomplished through the completion of his task. "Sage" means a sage who has eliminated the mental corruptions, endowed with moral perfection. "By these" means by the knowledge of recollecting past lives and so on indicated above. "Not another who merely talks and prattles" means whoever else, claiming to be a possessor of the threefold true knowledge, merely prattles words spoken by others, him I do not call a possessor of the threefold true knowledge; the meaning is: only one who, having known by personal direct experience, teaches the three true knowledges to others as well - him I call a possessor of the threefold true knowledge. "Fraction" means a portion. "Is not worth" means does not reach. Now the brahmin, being confident through the Blessed One's talk, showing the sign of his confidence, said beginning with "Excellent."
9.
Commentary on the Jāṇussoṇi Discourse
60. In the ninth, "for whoever has" means for whoever there would be. Regarding "sacrifice" and so on, "what should be offered" is a sacrifice; this is a name for what should be given. "Memorial offering" means food offered for the dead. "A pot of boiled rice" means food fit to be given to excellent persons. "A gift" means whatever gift apart from what has been stated. "One should give a gift to brahmins who possess the threefold true knowledge" means one should give all this gift to those who possess the threefold true knowledge; it shows that only brahmins who possess the threefold true knowledge are fit to accept it. The remainder here is the same as the method already stated above.
10.
Commentary on the Saṅgārava Sutta
61. In the tenth, "Saṅgārava" means a brahmin named thus, an agent in the city of Rājagaha who was a builder for the restoration of dilapidated structures. "Approached" means having eaten his morning meal, surrounded by a great multitude of people, he approached. "We are" - here "assu" is merely a particle; the passage of meaning is just this: "We, Master Gotama, are brahmins by name." "We perform sacrifices" means in the external doctrine, a sacrifice involving the slaughter of living beings is called thus: with all fours, with all eights, with all sixteens, with all thirty-twos, with all sixty-fours, with all hundreds, with all five hundreds - thus connected with the killing of living beings, it is called a sacrifice. With reference to that, he said thus. "Connected with many bodies" means originating from many bodies. "That is to say" means that which is this. "On account of the sacrifice" means the cause of sacrificing and the cause of causing others to sacrifice; this is the meaning. For when one person gives to many or causes others to give, or even when many give to many or cause others to give, the meritorious practice is called connected with many bodies. With reference to that, this was said. Even for one who says "I sacrifice to you and to you," and even for one who commands "You sacrifice to this one and to that one," it is connected with many bodies. With reference to that too, this was said. "From whatever family" means from whichever or from that one. "Tames only himself" means by way of taming his own faculties, he tames only one self. "Calms only himself" means by way of calming lust and so on of his own, he calms only one self. "Brings to final quenching" means he brings to final quenching through the very quenching of lust and so on. "Thus this one" means even this being so, this one.
Having heard this talk of the brahmin, the Teacher thought: "This brahmin calls the great sacrifice connected with the slaughter of animals a meritorious practice connected with many bodies, but calls the meritorious practice of the arising of merit rooted in going forth as connected with one body only. This one knows neither what is connected with one body nor what is connected with many bodies; come, I shall teach him the practice connected with one body and connected with many bodies" - thus extending the teaching further, he said beginning with "If so, brahmin." Therein, "as it pleases you" means as it would be agreeable to you. "Here a Truth-finder arises in the world" and so on has been explained in detail in the Visuddhimagga. "Come, this is the path" means come, you; I instruct, this is the path. "This is the practice" is a synonym for that very thing. "Practising which" means by whatever path one has practised. "The unsurpassed goal grounded in the holy life" means the unsurpassed ground of the holy life reckoned as the path of arahantship, Nibbāna which is the supreme support. "Thus this" means thus this one.
"Requiring less effort" means where there is no need for many stewards or requisites. "Requiring less exertion" means where there is no exertion reckoned as the oppression by way of interruption of the work of many. "Just as Master Gotama and Master Ānanda, these are honourable to me" means just as Master Gotama and Master Ānanda, such persons are venerated by me; you two persons alone are honourable and praiseworthy to me - with reference to this meaning, he says that. It is said that this thought occurred to him: "The Elder Ānanda wishes to make me alone speak on this question, but when one's own praise is spoken, there is indeed no one who would take offence." Therefore, not wishing to answer the question, creating a diversion by speaking praise, he said thus.
"Na kho tyāhaṃ" means "not indeed to you I." The elder too, it is said, thought - "This brahmin, not wishing to answer the question, turns about; I will make him answer this very question." Therefore he said thus to him.
"Reasonable" (sahadhammika) means with reason. "Evades" (saṃsādeti) means causes to sink. "Does not answer" (no vissajjeti) means does not speak. "What if I were to set free" means what if I were to set free both of these from harming. For the brahmin, by not answering the question asked by Ānanda, causes vexation; and Ānanda too, by making the brahmin who does not answer speak. Having thought "Thus I shall set free both of these from harming," he spoke thus. "Kā nvajja" means "what today." "A discussion arose" means he asks which discussion arose in between another discussion. At that time, it is said, a discussion arose in the royal inner palace concerning the three wonders; "I shall ask about that" - thus the Teacher spoke thus. Then the brahmin, thinking "Now I shall be able to speak," reporting the discussion that had arisen in the royal inner palace, said beginning with "This today, Master Gotama." Therein, "ayaṃ khvajja" means "this indeed today." "Pubbe sudaṃ" - here "sudaṃ" is merely a particle. "A super-human achievement" means beyond human achievements reckoned as the ten wholesome courses of action. "Displayed the wonder of supernormal power" means going on the alms round, they went and came through the sky itself - thus he said this with reference to the travelling through the sky that occurred formerly. "But now there are more monks" - this the brahmin said by the theory: "Formerly monks, thinking 'We shall produce the four requisites,' I think, acted thus; now, having known that the requisites have arisen, they spend their time in sleep and negligence."
"Wonders" (pāṭihāriyāni) means wonders by way of counteracting the opposition. "The wonder of supernormal power" means supernormal power by way of succeeding, wonder by way of counteracting; supernormal power itself as wonder is the wonder of supernormal power. The same method applies to the others as well. The meaning and the method of meditation development of "the various kinds of supernormal power" and so on have been expanded upon in the Visuddhimagga.
"Announces by means of a sign" means he speaks by means of a sign that has come, a sign that has gone, or a sign that has remained, saying "This will be so." Herein is this story - A certain king, it is said, having taken three pearls, asked the chaplain "What is in my hand, teacher?" He looked here and there, and at that time a house lizard, thinking "I shall catch a fly," sprang forward; at the time of catching, the fly escaped. He, because of the fly being released, said "Pearls, great king." "Let it be pearls for now, how many pearls?" He again looked at the sign. Then nearby a cock uttered a sound three times. The brahmin said "Three, great king." Thus a certain one speaks by means of a sign that has come. By this method, speaking by means of signs that have gone and signs that have remained should also be understood. "Thus is your mind" means thus your mind is accompanied by pleasure or accompanied by displeasure or associated with sensual thought and so on. The second is a synonym for that very thing. "Such is your thought" means thus your thought proceeds thinking of this and that meaning - this is the meaning. "Even if he announces much" means even if he speaks much. "It is just so" means just as it was spoken, it is just so.
"Of spirits" means of demons, goblins, and so on. "Of deities" means of those belonging to the realm of the Four Great Kings and so on. "Having heard the sound" means having heard the sound of those who speak having known another's mind. "The sound of the diffusion of applied thought" means the sound of those who are talking incoherently - those who are asleep, heedless, and so on - arisen through the diffusion of applied thought. "Having heard" means having heard that. Whatever applied thought of that person gave rise to that sound, by virtue of that he announces "Thus is your mind" and so on.
Herein are these stories - It is said that a certain man, thinking "I shall pursue a lawsuit," while going from a village to a city, from the place of departure onwards, reflecting "In the judgment hall I shall say this and this to the king and the royal ministers," was as if he had gone to the royal palace, as if standing before the king, as if speaking together with the litigant; having heard the sound emanating from him through the diffusion of applied thought, one man said "For what purpose are you going?" "On legal business." "Go, there will be victory for you." He, having gone, having pursued the lawsuit, attained victory indeed.
Another elder monk too went for almsfood in the village of Moḷiya. Then a certain girl, thinking about something else, did not see him departing. He, having stood at the village entrance, having turned back, having looked, having seen her, went away reflecting. And while just going, he made a verbal expression: "What indeed was the girl doing that she did not see me?" One man standing behind, having heard, said "You, venerable sir, walked for almsfood in the village of Moḷiya."
"Mental activities are directed" means mental activities are established. "Will think" means he understands that one will think, will proceed. And in understanding, he knows by the approach, he knows by the preliminary part, he knows by having inspected the mind within the attainment. "He knows by the approach" means at the very time of the preliminary work of the kasiṇa, he knows "By whatever manner this one has begun the kasiṇa meditation, the first meditative absorption or, etc. the fourth meditative absorption or the eight attainments he will produce" - thus he knows. "He knows by the preliminary part" means when the first insight has been begun, he knows: "By whatever manner this one has begun insight, he will produce the path of stream-entry or, etc. or will produce the path of arahantship" - thus he knows. "He knows by having inspected the mind within the attainment" means - "By whatever manner this one's mental activities are established, immediately after this particular consciousness he will think this particular applied thought; for this one who has emerged from here, the concentration will be conducive to relinquishment, or conducive to stability, or conducive to distinction, or conducive to penetration, or he will produce direct knowledges" - thus he knows. Therein, a worldling who has obtained the knowledge of others' mental states knows the mind of worldlings only, not of noble ones. Even among noble ones, the lower one does not know the mind of the higher one, but the higher one knows that of the lower one. And among these, a stream-enterer attains the fruition attainment of stream-entry, etc. A Worthy One attains the fruition attainment of arahantship. The higher one does not attain the lower one's attainment. For their lower attainments are only for those existing in that realm. "It is just so" means this is absolutely just so. For what is known by means of the knowledge of others' mental states does not become otherwise.
"Think in this way" means: think thus, setting going thoughts of renunciation and so on in this way. "Do not think in that way" means: do not think thus, setting going sensual thoughts and so on in this way. "Attend to the mind in this way" means: attend in this way to the perception of impermanence itself, or to any one among the perception of suffering and so on. "Do not thus" means: do not attend to the mind by the method beginning with "permanent." "This" means: abandon this lust for the five strands of sensual pleasure. "And having attained this" means: having attained, having reached, having accomplished this supramundane state itself, classified as the four paths and their fruitions, dwell in it.
"Appears to be like magic" means: it presents itself as if being of the same kind and origin as magic. For even a juggler, having taken water, makes it into oil, having taken oil, makes it into water - thus he shows magic of many forms. This wonder too is of just such a nature. "This wonder too, Master Gotama, appears to me to be like magic" - he said thus with reference to its resemblance to the cintāmaṇi art. For even those who know the cintāmaṇi art, having seen someone just approaching, know "this one is approaching thinking this particular thought." Likewise they know "he is standing thinking this particular thought, he is seated thinking this particular thought, he is lying down thinking this particular thought."
"More brilliant" means more beautiful. "More sublime" means more supreme. "For Master Gotama, without applied thought and without sustained thought" - here the brahmin did not accept the remaining wonder of mind-reading as being external. And all this that brahmin said while speaking praise of the Truth-finder. "Certainly indeed this of yours" means: certainly this by you. "Speech spoken having approached and accused" means: speech spoken having struck against my virtues and brought into the very presence of my virtues. "But I will explain to you" means: but I myself will tell you. The remainder is of manifest meaning only.
The Chapter on Brahmins is first.