3.
The Chapter on Persons
1.
Commentary on the Samiddha Discourse
21. One first touches the contact of meditative absorption, afterwards one realizes cessation, Nibbāna - this is a body-witness. "One who has attained what has been seen" means one attained to right view. "Believing, liberated" means liberated-by-faith. "Is agreeable" means finds delight in. "More brilliant" means exceedingly more beautiful. "More sublime" means exceedingly more sublime. "The faith faculty is exceeding" means it is said that for the Elder Samiddha, at the moment of the path of arahantship, the faith faculty was the leading one, and the remaining four conascent faculties were its retinue. Thus the elder monk, speaking of the path penetrated by himself, spoke thus. But for the Elder Mahākoṭṭhika, at the moment of the path of arahantship, the concentration faculty was the leading one, and the remaining four faculties were its retinue. Therefore he too, speaking of the concentration faculty as exceeding, spoke of the very path penetrated by himself. But for the Elder Sāriputta, at the moment of the path of arahantship, the wisdom faculty was the leading one. The remaining four faculties were its retinue. Therefore he too, speaking of the wisdom faculty as exceeding, spoke of the very path penetrated by himself.
"Not here indeed" means not indeed here. "Definitively to answer" means certainly to declare. "Practising for arahantship" indicates one who is a possessor of the path of arahantship. Thus in this discourse, by all three elder monks the very path penetrated by themselves was spoken of, but the One Enlightened by himself spoke by means of different stages.
2.
Commentary on the Sick Person Discourse
22. In the second, "suitable" means beneficial and conducive to growth. "Proper" means befitting. "Does not recover from that illness" - by this, a terminally ill person possessed of an incurable disease such as wind-disease, epilepsy, and so on is spoken of. "Recovers from that illness" - by this, a minor illness of the type distinguished as vomiting, scab, grass-flower fever, and so on is spoken of. "Only obtaining suitable foods and not without obtaining them" - by this, however, all those illnesses for which there is relief through caring are spoken of. And here, a proper attendant should be understood as one who is wise, skilled, and not lazy, endowed with the qualities of an attendant of the sick. "Attendant of the sick has been allowed" means allowed as one to be assigned by the community of monks. For when that sick person is unable to sustain himself by his own nature, one monk and one novice should be assigned by the community of monks, having announced "Look after this one." And as long as they look after him, whatever is needed by the sick person and by those two, all is indeed the burden of the community of monks.
"Other sick persons too should be attended to" means the other two sick persons too should be caused to be attended to. Why? For even the terminally ill person, when not being attended to, having produced ill-will thinking "If they were to look after me, it would be comfortable for me. But they do not look after me" - might be reborn in a realm of misery. But for one being looked after, it occurs thus: "What was to be done by the community of monks, that has been done. But my result of action is such." He, having established friendliness towards the community of monks, will be reborn in heaven. But whoever is possessed of a trifling illness and recovers whether obtaining or not obtaining, for him, even without medicine, the illness that subsides is appeased more quickly when medicine is applied. He will then be able to learn the word of the Buddha or to practise the ascetic duty. For this reason it was said "other sick persons too should be attended to."
"Does not enter" means does not enter into. "The fixed course, the right path, in wholesome mental states" means the right path reckoned as the fixed course of the path in wholesome mental states. By this, the person for whom the word is the maximum is spoken of. By the second instance, one who understands quickly is included, one similar to the Elder Nālaka in the Dispensation, and also one who, during an interval between Buddhas, having received exhortation once in the presence of Individually Enlightened Ones, penetrated the knowledge of individual enlightenment. By the third instance, the person who understands through elaboration is spoken of, but the one who needs to be guided is dependent on that very one.
"The proclamation of the Teaching has been allowed" means the discourse on the Teaching has been allowed on eight occasions of the month. "The Teaching should be taught to others too" means the Teaching should be spoken to the others too. Why? For even for the person for whom the word is the maximum, though unable to penetrate the Teaching in this individual existence, it will become a condition in the future. But whoever, whether obtaining or not obtaining the seeing of the form of the Truth-finder, and whether obtaining or not obtaining the hearing of the Teaching and discipline, fully realises the Teaching - he, even not obtaining, fully realises. But obtaining, he will fully realise quickly - for this reason the Teaching should be taught to them. But for the third, it should be taught again and again.
3.
Commentary on the Discourse on Activities
23. In the third, "afflictive" means with suffering. "Bodily activity" means the heap of volition at the body door. "Generates" means strives, makes a heap, makes a mass. The same method applies in the case of the verbal and mental doors too. "An afflictive world" means a world with suffering. "Afflictive contacts touch" means resultant contacts with suffering touch. "Feels afflictive feeling" means feels resultant feeling with suffering; the meaning is with affliction and without gratification. "Just as beings in hell" means just as beings arisen in hell feel exclusively painful feeling, so he feels; this is the meaning. But is there no neutral feeling there? There is, but due to the powerful state of unpleasant feeling, it stands in a negligible position. Thus hell itself has been brought as a comparison for hell. This therein is called a counterpart comparison.
"Just as the gods of streaming radiance" - here too the heavenly world itself has been brought as a comparison for the heavenly world. But since in the lower Brahmā worlds the result of meditative absorption with rapture occurs, and in the gods of streaming radiance there is exclusively happiness without rapture, therefore, setting those aside, only the gods of streaming radiance were spoken of. Thus this too should be understood as a counterpart comparison therein.
"Mingled pleasure and pain" means mixed pleasure and pain. "Just as human beings" means for human beings indeed at times there is happiness, at times suffering. "Some gods" means sensual-sphere gods. For them too at times there is happiness, at times suffering. For those of lower rank, having seen deities of greater influence, they must rise from their seats, they must step aside from the path, they must remove the cloth they are wearing, they must make salutation with joined palms - all that is called suffering. "Some beings in states of misfortune" means mansion-dwelling ghosts. For they at times experience success, at times action - thus they are with mingled pleasure and pain. Thus in this discourse, it should be understood that the three kinds of good conduct have been spoken of as a mixture of mundane and supramundane.
4.
Commentary on the Discourse on Being of Great Service
24. In the fourth, "There are these three persons, monks" means three teacher persons. "Of great service to a person" means very helpful to a pupil person. "The Buddha" means the omniscient Buddha. "Has gone for refuge" means has gone for support. "The Teaching" means the Teaching together with its texts and the nine supramundane states. "The Community" means the assembly of eight noble persons. And this going for refuge is said by way of one who has not previously taken refuge and who has not formed a resolution. Thus in this discourse, the giver of refuge, the one who brings to the attainment of the path of stream-entry, and the one who brings to the attainment of the path of arahantship - these three teachers have come as of great service; the giver of the going forth, the giver of the word of the Buddha, the teacher of the formal act, the one who brings to the attainment of the path of once-returning, and the one who brings to the attainment of the path of non-returning - these teachers have not come; are these then not of great service? No, they are not of great service. But this teaching is defined in a twofold manner. Therefore all these are of great service. Among those, only with regard to the going for refuge is one who has not formed a resolution applicable; but the fourfold purification of morality, the circular meditation object preliminary work, and insight knowledges are based upon the first path; and the two higher paths and fruits should be understood as based upon the path of arahantship.
"By this person" means by this pupil person. "I say there is no easy repayment" means I say that to make repayment is not easy to do. In paying respect and so on, even many hundreds of times, even many thousands of times, indeed, falling down with the fivefold prostration and paying homage, rising from one's seat and going out to meet, raising joined palms at every moment of seeing, doing the proper befitting duties, day by day giving a hundred robes, a thousand robes, a hundred portions of almsfood, a thousand portions of almsfood, building a residence made of all jewels extending to the limit of the world-circle, continuously providing medicine of many kinds such as ghee and butter - one is indeed not able to make what is called repayment for what was done by the teacher. Thus should the meaning be understood.
5.
Commentary on the Discourse on the Simile of the Diamond
25. In the fifth, "with a mind like a sore" means one whose mind is similar to an old wound. "With a mind like lightning" means one whose mind is similar to lightning by the shining of a brief period of light. "With a mind like a diamond" means one whose mind is similar to a diamond by the ability to make the root-destruction of mental defilements. "Becomes attached" means sticks. "Becomes angry" means becomes angry by way of irritation. "Is repelled" means abandons the natural state; becomes putrid. "Becomes obstinate" means reaches a state of sloth, a state of rigidity. "Irritation" means feeble wrath. "Hate" means that which is stronger than that by way of being hostile. "Displeasure" means displeasure in the manner of dissatisfaction. "A festering sore" means an old wound. "By a stick" means by the tip of a rod. "By a potsherd" means by a bowl fragment. "Discharges" means flows again and again. For an old wound, by its very own nature, flows these three things - pus, blood, and juice; but when struck, it flows those even more exceedingly.
"Just so" - here this is the correlation of the simile: For the person prone to wrath is like a festering sore; just as its flowing by its own nature, so is the conduct of one prone to wrath, swollen as it were by his own nature of being angered; just as the striking by a stick or a potsherd, so is a small word; just as the flowing even more exceedingly, so should be seen the state of swelling up even more exceedingly, thinking "This one speaks thus to one such as me."
"In the darkness of the night" means in the densest gloom that causes a state of blindness at night by preventing the arising of eye-consciousness. "By a flash of lightning" means at the moment of the occurrence of lightning. Here too this is the correlation of the simile: For one who practises meditation should be seen as like the man with eyes; the mental defilements to be destroyed by the path of stream-entry are like the darkness; the time of the arising of the knowledge of the path of stream-entry is like the flashing of lightning; the seeing of Nibbāna at the moment of the path of stream-entry is like the seeing of forms all around by the man with eyes by a flash of lightning; the mental defilements to be destroyed by the path of once-returning are like the covering over of darkness again; the arising of the knowledge of the path of once-returning is like the flashing of lightning again; the seeing of Nibbāna at the moment of the path of once-returning is like the seeing of forms all around by the man with eyes by a flash of lightning; the mental defilements to be destroyed by the path of non-returning are like the covering over of darkness again; the arising of the knowledge of the path of non-returning is like the flashing of lightning again; the seeing of Nibbāna at the moment of the path of non-returning should be understood as like the seeing of forms all around by the man with eyes by a flash of lightning.
For the state of having a mind like a diamond too, this is the correlation of the simile: For the knowledge of the path of arahantship should be seen as like a diamond; the mental defilements to be destroyed by the path of arahantship are like a knot of gem or a knot of stone; just as the non-existence of the diamond's inability to go through, having pierced through either a knot of gem or a knot of stone, so is the state of non-existence of indestructible mental defilements through the knowledge of the path of arahantship; just as the non-filling up again of a hole pierced by a diamond, so should be seen the non-arising again of mental defilements cut off by the path of arahantship.
6.
Commentary on the Discourse on What Should Be Practised
26. In the sixth, "should be associated with" means should be approached. "Should be kept company with" means should be clung to. "Should be attended upon" means should be waited upon again and again by way of sitting near. "Having honoured and respected" means having performed both honour and respect. In "is inferior in morality" and so on, the inferiority should be understood with reference to each successive level. Therein, whoever observes the five precepts, he should not be associated with by one who observes the ten precepts. Whoever observes the ten precepts, he should not be associated with by one who observes the fourfold purification morality. "Except out of sympathy, except out of compassion" means setting aside sympathy and compassion. For such a person should not be associated with for one's own benefit indeed, but by way of sympathy and compassion it is proper to approach him.
"For us who have attained similarity in morality" means for those who are good and who have attained the state of equality in morality. "There will be talk about morality for us" means thus for us who are equal in morality, there will be talk concerning morality itself. "And that will flow on for us" means and that talk of ours will proceed even for a whole day of speaking and will not be obstructed. "And that will be comfortable for us" means and that talk about morality proceeding even for a whole day will be a dwelling in comfort, a pleasant abiding for us. The same method applies also in the case of talk about concentration and wisdom.
"Aggregate of morality" means the heap of morality. "I shall support with wisdom here and there" means herein, having avoided the unsuitable and unhelpful factors for morality, and practising the suitable and helpful factors, in each and every instance one supports the aggregate of morality with wisdom. The same method applies also in the case of the aggregates of concentration and wisdom. "Declines" means one associating with a person inferior to oneself, like water poured on a lye-strainer, constantly and continuously diminishes and declines. "One associating with an equal" means one associating with someone similar to oneself. "Approaching the excellent" means bowing down to an excellent person. "Rises quickly" means grows quickly indeed. "Therefore one should associate with those superior to oneself" means because one approaching an excellent person rises quickly, therefore one should associate with those more superior and more distinguished than oneself.
7.
Commentary on the Discourse on What Should Be Shunned
27. In the seventh, "should be shunned" means he should be shunned like excrement. "Then him" means then of him. "Reputation" means the sound of talk. "Just so" - here immorality should be seen as like a pit of excrement. An immoral person is like a rat-snake standing having fallen into a pit of excrement. Just as the state of not being bitten even though the snake, being pulled out from the pit of excrement, has climbed upon the man's body, so is the state of non-performance of that action even though one is associating with an immoral person. Just as the time when the snake has gone, having smeared the body with excrement, so should be understood the time of the arising of an evil reputation for one associating with an immoral person.
"Firebrand of tinduka" means a firebrand of a tinduka tree. "Hisses even more exceedingly" means for that, while burning, even by its own nature, releasing outer bark, it hisses, making the sound "chit-chit"; but when struck, it does so excessively - this is the meaning. "Just so" means just so one prone to wrath, even by his own nature, being agitated and angered, behaves thus; but at the time of hearing even a trifling word, thinking "He speaks thus, he speaks thus to one such as me," being excessively more agitated and angered, he behaves thus. "Pit of excrement" means a pit full of excrement, or just a heap of excrement. But here the comparison of the simile should be understood by the former method. "Therefore such a person should be looked upon with indifference, should not be associated with" means because one prone to wrath, even when excessively associated with, even when excessively approached, becomes angry indeed; even when one steps back thinking "What is the use of this one?" he becomes angry indeed. Therefore, like a straw fire, he should be looked upon with indifference, should not be associated with, should not be kept company with. What is meant? For whoever, having approached a straw fire too closely, warms himself, his body burns. Whoever, having stepped back too far, warms himself, his cold is not appeased. But for one warming himself with impartiality, neither approaching nor stepping back, the cold is appeased; therefore, like a straw fire, a person prone to wrath should be looked upon with indifference through impartiality, should not be associated with, should not be kept company with, should not be attended upon.
"Good friend" means a pure friend. "Good companion" means a pure companion. Companions means those who go together, those who walk together. "Good associates" means one who is inclined towards good, pure persons; the meaning is one whose mind is slanting towards them, sloping towards them, inclining towards them.
8.
Commentary on the Discourse on the Foul Speaker
28. In the eighth, "of foul speech" means one who speaks talk that is foul-smelling like excrement. "Of flower-like speech" means one who speaks talk that is fragrant like flowers. "Of honey-like speech" means one who speaks talk that is sweet like honey. "Having gone to an assembly" means standing in an assembly hall. "Having gone to a company" means standing in a village company. "Having gone among relatives" means standing in the midst of relatives. "Having gone among a guild" means standing in the midst of guilds. "Having gone among the royal court" means standing in the midst of the royal family, at the great hall of judgment. "Being brought forward" means brought for the purpose of questioning. "Questioned as a witness" means questioned having been made a witness. "Come, good man" - this is a form of address. "For his own sake or for another's sake" means for the sake of one's own or another's hands, feet, and so on, or for the sake of wealth. "For the sake of some trifling material gain" - here, "material gain" means a bribe is intended. "A trifle" means whatever this or that small amount; the meaning is: for the sake of a bribe even as small as a partridge, a quail, a lump of ghee, or a lump of butter and so on. "He becomes a conscious speaker of falsehood" means he, already knowing, becomes a doer of lying.
"Nelā": "ela" is called fault; "there is no ela in it" thus "nelā"; the meaning is faultless. As the morality stated here in "Faultless, with white covering." "Pleasing to the ear": pleasant to the ears through the sweetness of phrasing; it does not produce pain in the ear like the piercing of a needle. Through the sweetness of meaning, without generating irritation in the whole body, it generates affection - thus "affectionate." It goes to the heart; without being repelled, it enters the mind with ease - thus "going to the heart." Through the completeness of qualities, it exists formerly - thus "urbane." Also "urbane" as delicate like a woman brought up in a city. Also "urbane" as "this belongs to the city." "This belongs to the city" means the talk of city-dwellers. For city-dwellers are indeed proper in their talk; they call one who is merely a father "father," they call one who is merely a mother "mother," they call one who is merely a brother "brother." Such talk is pleasant to many people - thus "pleasing to many people." By its very pleasant nature, it is agreeable to many people and promotes growth of mind - thus "agreeable to many people."
9.
Commentary on the Blind Discourse
29. In the ninth, "does not have an eye" means does not have the eye of wisdom. "Make prosper" means would make prosperous and increased. "Blameworthy and blameless" means with fault and faultless. "Inferior and superior" means ignoble and highest. "Having dark and bright counterparts" means the dark and bright themselves, because they mutually oppose each other, are called "having counterparts" by way of being opposites. Here, however, this is the summary - he would know wholesome mental states as "wholesome mental states," he would know unwholesome mental states as "unwholesome mental states." In the case of blameworthy and so on too, the same method applies. But regarding those having dark and bright counterparts, he would know dark mental states as "having bright counterparts," he would know bright mental states as "having dark counterparts" - by which eye of wisdom he would know, he does not have such an eye. By this method, the meaning in the remaining sections too should be understood.
"Neither does he have such wealth" means wealth of such a kind does not exist for him either. "Nor does he make merit" means and he does not make merit. By this much, the absence of both the eye for producing wealth and the eye for making merit is stated. "A losing throw in both respects" means in this world and in the world beyond - in both, a failed throw, a defeated throw is the meaning. Or alternatively, "a losing throw in both respects" means a losing throw, a defeated throw regarding both benefits pertaining to the present life and the future life is the meaning. "By rule and not by rule" means both by the rule of the ten wholesome courses of action and by the unrule of the ten unwholesome courses of action. "Fraudulent" means deceitful. "Seeks wealth" means searches for wealth. "By theft and by fraudulent action, and by lying, by both" means among theft and so on, he seeks by both is the meaning. How? He seeks by theft and by fraudulent action, he seeks by theft and by lying, he seeks by fraudulent action and by lying. "To accumulate" means to gather together. "With righteously acquired" means with what is obtained without violating the rule of the ten wholesome courses of action. "Obtained through effort" means acquired through energy. "Of undistracted mind" means of a mind free from doubt. "A fortunate state" means an excellent celestial state. "Does not grieve" means in which state he does not grieve with inner sorrow.
10.
Commentary on the Face Downward Discourse
30. In the tenth, "of overturned wisdom" means of face-downward wisdom. "Of lap-like wisdom" means of wisdom similar to a lap. "Of broad wisdom" means of widespread wisdom. In "good in the beginning" and so on, "beginning" means the preliminary introduction. "Middle" means the centre of the talk. "End" means the conclusion. Thus, those teaching him the Teaching speak making it good, auspicious, and blameless only even in the preliminary introduction, in the middle too, and in the end too. And here there are a beginning, middle, and end of the teaching, and there are of the Dispensation. Therein, as for the teaching, to begin with, in a verse of four lines, the first line is the beginning, the two lines are the middle, and the final line is the end. For a discourse with a single connection, the introduction is the beginning, the connection is the middle, and the absorption as "he said this" is the end. For one with multiple connections, the first connection is the beginning, beyond that one or many are the middle, and the last is the end. This, to begin with, is the method regarding the teaching. But for the Dispensation, morality is the beginning, concentration is the middle, and insight is the end. Or concentration is the beginning, insight is the middle, and the path is the end. Or insight is the beginning, the path is the middle, and fruition is the end. Or the path is the beginning, fruition is the middle, and Nibbāna is the end. Or when taken in pairs, morality and concentration are the beginning, insight and the path are the middle, and fruition and Nibbāna are the end.
"With meaning" means they teach making it meaningful. "With phrasing" means they teach making it complete in syllables. "Complete in its entirety" means they teach making it wholly complete and not deficient. "Pure" means they teach making it pure, disentangled, and unknotted. "They reveal the holy life" means thus teaching, they reveal the noble eightfold path, which has become the supreme conduct, included in the threefold training. "Does not attend to the beginning" means does not attend to the preliminary introduction.
"Water-pot" means a pot. "Turned upside down" means placed face downward. "Just so" - here the person of overturned wisdom should be seen as like a water-pot turned upside down; the time of obtaining the proclamation of the Teaching should be seen as like the time of pouring water; the time of being unable to learn while seated on that seat should be seen as like the time of the water running off; and the time of not discerning after having risen should be understood as like the time of the water not remaining.
"Scattered" means put in. "Through forgetfulness of mindfulness might scatter" means through unmindfulness would scatter. "Just so" - here the person of lap-like wisdom should be seen as like a lap; the Buddha's teaching of many kinds should be seen as like the various edibles; the time of learning while seated on that seat should be seen as like the time of sitting while eating the various edibles on the lap; and the time of not discerning for one who, having risen from that seat, goes away should be understood as like the time of scattering through forgetfulness of mindfulness for one rising up.
"Set upright" means placed face upwards. "Remains" means becomes established. "Just so" - here the person of broad wisdom should be seen as like a water-pot placed face upwards, the time of pouring water is like the time of receiving the teaching, the time of the water remaining is like the time of learning while seated there, and the time of not running off is to be understood as the time of discerning while having risen and gone away.
"Imprudent" means devoid of wisdom. "Undiscerning" means devoid of the wisdom of arrangement. "One who goes" means one whose habit is to go. "Is said to be better than that one" means is said to be more superior than that person. "Practising in accordance with the Teaching" means one who has entered upon the preliminary practice together with morality, which is the practice in conformity with the ninefold supramundane Teaching. "Of suffering" means of the suffering of the round of rebirths. "May be one who makes an end" means one who may make a limit, make a boundary, make a conclusion.
The Chapter on Persons is third.