1.
The Chapter on Fools
1.
Commentary on the Discourse on Fear
1. In the first discourse of the Book of Threes, in the passage beginning with "fears" and so on, "fear" means terror of the mind. "Misfortune" means a state of non-one-pointedness. "Danger" means a state of being afflicted, a state of clinging here and there.
Their diversity should be understood thus - Thieves based in uneven mountain terrain send word to the country-dwellers - "On such and such a day we shall attack your village." From the time of hearing that news, they experience fear and terror. This is called terror of the mind. Thinking "Lest those angry thieves might bring us harm," having taken their most valuable possessions, together with bipeds and quadrupeds, having entered the forest, they lie down on the ground here and there; being bitten by gadflies, mosquitoes and so on, entering the interiors of bushes, they tread upon stumps and thorns. The state of distraction of those thus wandering about is called the state of non-one-pointedness. Then, when the thieves do not come on the aforesaid day, thinking "It will have been a hollow message; we shall enter the village," they enter the village with their belongings. Then, having known that they had entered, having surrounded the village, having set fire at the doors, having killed the people, the thieves, having plundered all the wealth, depart. Among those, the survivors of the slaughter, having extinguished the fire, having clung here and there in the shade of porches, in the shade of walls and so on, sit down bewailing what was lost. This is called the state of being afflicted, the state of clinging.
"Reed huts" means houses covered and thatched with reeds. But the remaining materials here are made of wood. In the case of grass huts too, the same method applies. "Pinnacled buildings" means houses fitted with pinnacles. "Plastered inside and out" means plastered both inside and outside. "Sheltered from the wind" means with the entrance of wind prevented. "With bolts fastened" means door panels well fitted to the door frame, because they were made by skilful carpenters. "With shutters closed" means with shutters fastened. By this pair of terms, the permanent closure of door panels and shutters is not spoken of, but rather their state at the time is spoken of. But at whatever moment desired, they are closed and opened.
"Arise from the fool" means they arise in dependence on the fool alone. For the fool, an unwise person, aspiring to kingship or viceroyalty or else some other great position, having taken a few sons of widows and great rogues similar to himself, saying "Come, I shall make you lords," in dependence on mountain thickets and so on, attacking the outermost villages, having made known his state of banditry, gradually attacks even market towns and even provinces. People, having abandoned their houses, depart desiring a place of safety. Monks and nuns too, dwelling in dependence on them, having abandoned their own respective dwelling places, depart. At whatever place they go, both almsfood and lodging are difficult to obtain. Thus fear has indeed come upon the four assemblies. Even among those gone forth, two foolish monks, having started a contention with one another, begin accusations. Thus a great dispute arises as for the dwellers of Kosambī. Fear has indeed come upon the four assemblies - thus whatever fears arise, all of them arise from the fool - thus he concluded the teaching according to the connection.
2.
Commentary on the Lakkhaṇa Sutta
2. In the second, "characterised by action" means that action occurring through the body-door and so on is the characteristic, the cause for recognising him. "Wisdom is adorned by conduct" means whatever wisdom shines through conduct; the meaning is that both the foolish and the wise become well-known through their own respective conduct. For the path gone by the fool is like the path gone by lightning which goes burning trees, shrubs, villages, market towns and so on; only the burnt places appear, strewn with embers, soot and ashes. The path gone by the wise person is like the path gone by a cloud covering the four continents, which, having filled small pools and so on, brings the accomplishment of various crops. Just as along the path gone by that cloud, pools of water and various kinds of fruit of crops and other fruits appear in those various places, so along the path gone by the wise person, only successes appear, not failures. The remainder here is clear in meaning.
3.
Commentary on the Discourse on Thinking
3. In the third, "characteristics of a fool" means characteristics of a fool because by these he is marked and known as "this one is a fool." Those very things being the causes for recognising him are the signs of a fool. "Manifestations of a fool" means the fool's manifestations. "One who thinks badly thought thoughts" means when thinking, he thinks only what is badly thought by way of covetousness, anger, and wrong view. "One who speaks badly spoken speech" means even when speaking, he speaks only what is badly spoken, of the type of lying and so on. "One who does badly done deeds" means even when doing, he does only badly done deeds by way of killing living beings and so on. "Characteristics of a wise person" and so on should be understood in accordance with what was stated. "One who thinks well-thought thoughts" and so on here should be connected by way of good mental conduct and so on.
4.
Commentary on the Accaya Sutta
4. In the fourth, "does not see a transgression as a transgression" means he does not see his own offence as an offence. "Having seen it as a transgression, does not make amends according to the rule" means even though he knows "it was failed by me," he does not do what is the rule; he does not bring the imposing of a punishment, does not confess the transgression, and does not ask forgiveness. "Does not accept according to the rule when another is confessing a transgression" means he does not pardon another who, having known "it was failed by me," brings the imposing of a punishment and asks forgiveness. The bright side should be understood from the opposite of what was stated.
5.
Commentary on the Discourse on Unwise Attention
5. In the fifth, "he is one who asks a question unwisely" means when it was said "How many states of recollection are there, Udāyī?" having thought "past life will be a state of recollection," like the Elder Lāḷudāyī, through unwise reflection, he is one who asks what is not a question as a question. "He is one who answers a question unwisely" means even when answering a question thus unwisely thought out, "Here, venerable sir, a monk recollects manifold past lives. As follows: even one birth" - by this method, like that very same elder monk, he is one who answers unwisely, he speaks what is not a question as a question. "With coherent phrases" means herein, the term itself is the phrase because it expresses the meaning. When that is made complete in syllables and stated without omitting the tenfold understanding of phrasing, it is called coherent; the meaning is with phrases of such a kind. "Smooth" means smooth by the smoothness of the terms. "Reaching the point" means reaching the meaning and the reason. "Does not rejoice" means even when another's question has been answered thus wisely, accomplished with all reasons, he does not approve, does not delight in it, like the Elder Lāḷudāyī with the Elder Sāriputta's question. As he said -
"This is impossible, friend Sāriputta, there is no chance that he, having passed beyond the company of gods who feed on edible food, reborn in a certain mind-made body, might attain the cessation of perception and feeling and might emerge from it - there is not this possibility."
In "he is one who asks a question wisely" and so on, like the Elder Ānanda, having wisely considered the question, he is one who answers wisely. For the elder monk, when asked "How many states of recollection are there, Ānanda?" having wisely considered "this will be the question," answering wisely, said - "Here, venerable sir, a monk, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, etc. having attained the fourth meditative absorption, dwells. This, venerable sir, is a state of recollection that, when thus developed and thus cultivated, leads to pleasant abiding in the present life." "He rejoices" means he rejoices wisely like the Truth-finder. For the Truth-finder, when the question was answered by the Elder Ānanda, said "Good, good, Ānanda, if so, Ānanda, remember this sixth state of recollection as well. Here, Ānanda, a monk goes forward mindfully, steps back mindfully" - thus he said beginning with this. The sixth and so on are of manifest meaning only.
9.
Commentary on the Discourse on the Dug Up
9. In the ninth, the bright side is in the preliminary stage defined by the ten wholesome courses of action, and above it is obtained up to the path of arahantship. "And generates much merit" - here, merit mixed of mundane and supramundane is spoken of.
10.
Commentary on the Discourse on Stains
10. In the tenth, the state of being immoral is immorality; immorality itself as a stain is the stain of immorality. In what sense is it a stain? In the sense of burning, in the sense of bad smell, and in the sense of making soiled. For that burns one in the realms of misery beginning with hell - thus it is a stain in the sense of burning too. A person possessed of that is loathsome even in the presence of one's mother and father, even among the community of monks, and even at the places of Bodhi tree shrines; and in all directions the odour of disrepute wafts about him thus: "It is said that such an evil deed was done by him" - thus it is a stain in the sense of bad smell too. And a person possessed of that receives vexation at whatever place he goes, and his bodily actions and so on are impure and without radiance - thus it is a stain in the sense of making soiled too. Furthermore, it causes the success of gods and humans and the success of Nibbāna to wither - thus it should be understood as a stain in the sense of withering too. In the case of the stain of envy and the stain of stinginess too, the same method applies.
The Chapter on Fools is first.