4.
The Chapter on Ascetics
1.
Commentary on the Ascetic Discourse
82. In the first discourse of the fourth, "belonging to an ascetic" means one's own as an ascetic. "Duties to be done by an ascetic" means duties that must be performed by an ascetic. In "the undertaking of the training in higher morality" and so on, undertaking is called taking up; the undertaking, taking up, and fulfilment of the training in higher morality is the undertaking of the training in higher morality. The same method applies to the remaining two terms as well. And here, the following classification should be known - morality and higher morality, consciousness and higher consciousness, wisdom and higher wisdom. Therein, the five precepts are called morality; with reference to that, the ten precepts are called higher morality; with reference to that too, the fourfold purification morality is called higher morality. Furthermore, all mundane morality is called morality; supramundane morality is higher morality; that itself is called training because it is to be trained in. But sensual-sphere consciousness is called consciousness; with reference to that, fine-material-sphere is called higher consciousness; with reference to that too, immaterial-sphere is called higher consciousness. Furthermore, all mundane consciousness is merely consciousness; the supramundane is higher consciousness. The same method applies to wisdom as well. "Therefore" means because these three are duties to be done by an ascetic, therefore. "Keen" means thick. "Desire" means the desire to act, a wholesome desire. Thus in this discourse, the three trainings were spoken of as mundane and supramundane.
2.
Commentary on the Donkey Discourse
83. In the second, "closely behind" means from behind, from behind. "I too am tamed, I too am tamed" means a cow saying "I too am tamed, being tamed." "Just as that of the cattle" means just as of the cows. For cows are black, red, or of white and other colours, but a donkey has no such colour at all. And just as the colour, so too the voice and the footprint are entirely different. The remainder is of clear meaning. In this discourse too, the three trainings were spoken of in a mixed manner.
3.
Commentary on the Field Discourse
84. In the third, "beforehand" means first of all. "Ploughs well" means ploughs well with a plough. "Well levelled" means well levelled with a levelling tool. "At the proper time" means at the time suitable for sowing. The remainder is clear in itself. Here too the three trainings were spoken of in a mixed manner.
4.
Commentary on the Vajjiputta Sutta
85. In the fourth, "Vajjian prince" means a son of the Vajji royal family. "One hundred and fifty training rules" means a hundred training rules plus fifty. This was said with reference to the training rules that had been laid down at that time. That monk, it is said, was accomplished in rectitude, of upright nature, not bent, not crooked; therefore, having thought "Would I be able to observe this many training rules or not?" he reported to the Teacher. "I am able" means I am able. He, it is said, imagining "For one training in this many training rules, it is not troublesome to train in the three trainings," spoke thus. Then the Blessed One, just as one might tie a hundred bundles and place them on the head of one unable to lift up fifty bundles of grass, just so, piling two more trainings on top of one unable to train in even one training, said beginning with "Therefore, monk, you." A delicate country-man named Uttara, it is said, was dwelling at the Lohapāsāda monastery. Then the young monks said to him - "Uttara, the fire hall is leaking; having made the grass allowable, give it." Having taken him and gone to the forest, having tied the grass mowed by him into bundles, they said "Will you be able to carry fifty bundles, Uttara?" He said "I shall not be able to." But will you be able to carry eighty? "I shall not be able to, venerable sir." Will you be able to carry one hundred bundles? "Yes, venerable sir, I shall carry them." The young monks, having tied a hundred bundles, placed them on his head. He, having lifted them up, groaning, having gone, dropped them near the fire hall. Then the monks said to him "You seem tired, Uttara." "Yes, venerable sir, the young monks deceived me; being unable to lift up even this one hundred bundles, they said to me 'Lift up fifty bundles.'" "Yes, Uttara, they deceived you." Thus this accomplishment should be understood. Here too the three trainings were spoken of in a mixed manner.
5.
Commentary on the Learner Discourse
86. In the fifth, "following the straight path" - the straight path is called the noble path; the meaning is of one who is practising, recollecting that. "First is knowledge in destruction" means path knowledge arises first of all. For the path is called destruction because of the annihilation of mental defilements; knowledge associated with that is called knowledge in destruction. "Then final knowledge immediately after" means immediately after that fourth path knowledge, final knowledge arises; the meaning is that the fruition of arahantship arises. "For one liberated through final knowledge" means for one liberated by the liberation of the fruition of arahantship. "There is indeed knowledge" means there is reviewing knowledge. Thus in the discourses too and in the verses too, seven trainees are spoken of. But at the end, one who has eliminated the mental corruptions is shown.
6.
Commentary on the First Training Discourse
87. In the sixth, "desiring their own welfare" means desiring one's own benefit. "In which all this is contained" means in which trainings all this one hundred and fifty training rules is included. "One who fulfils" means one who completely fulfils. "One who practises to a moderate degree" means a doer to a measure; the meaning is that one is unable to do everything completely. "The lesser and minor" means the remaining training rules setting aside the four expulsions. Therein too, an offence entailing initial and subsequent meetings of the Community is called lesser, and a grave offence is called minor. And a grave offence is the lesser, an expiation is called minor; and an expiation is the lesser, acknowledgement, wrong-doing, and insulting speech are called minor. But these teachers who resort to the Aṅguttara Great Collection say: "Setting aside the four expulsions, all the remaining are the lesser and minor." "He commits and emerges from them" - here, however, one who has eliminated the mental corruptions, to begin with, does not commit a worldly fault; he commits only a fault against regulation. And when committing, he commits by body, by speech, and by mind. When committing by body, he commits such things as building a hut and sharing a sleeping place; when committing by speech, such things as matchmaking and teaching term by term; when committing by mind, he commits the acceptance of money. In the case of trainees too, the same method applies. "For I have not declared inability here, monks" means monks, I have not declared the inability of a noble person in committing and emerging from such an offence here. "Fundamentals of the holy life" means the four great morality training rules that are the beginning of the holy life of the path. "Befitting the holy life" means those very same that are suitable and appropriate for the holy life of the four paths. "Therein" means in those training rules. "One of stable morality" means one of constant morality. "One of established morality" means one of firmly established morality. "Stream-enterer" means one who has attained the fruition by the path designated as the stream. "No longer subject to fall into lower realms" means having the nature of not falling into the four realms of misery. "Fixed in destiny" means fixed by the fixed course of the path of stream-entry. "Heading for the highest enlightenment" means heading for the highest enlightenment of the three higher paths.
"Reduction" means the state of being reduced. For in the case of a once-returner, lust and so on are thin like a mass of clouds, like a fly's wing, not thick. "Lower" means belonging to the lower part. "Of mental fetters" means of bonds. "With utter elimination" means by utter elimination. "One of spontaneous birth" means one who arises spontaneously. "Attaining final nibbāna there" means having the nature of attaining final nibbāna above only, without descending below. "Not subject to return" means having the nature of not returning by way of mode of generation and destination.
In the passage beginning with "one who fulfils a portion attains a portion," the person called one who fulfils a portion is a stream-enterer, a once-returner, and a non-returner; he accomplishes only a portion. One who fulfils the complete is a Worthy One; he accomplishes only the complete. "Not barren" means not hollow, fruitful, and yielding results - this is the meaning. Here too the three trainings were spoken of in a mixed manner.
7.
Commentary on the Second Training Discourse
88. In the seventh, "family-to-family goer" means one who goes from family to family. "Family" here means existence is intended; therefore in "two or three families" too, the meaning should be understood as two or three existences. For this one transmigrates through two or three existences, or six at the upper limit. Therefore the alternative here should be seen thus: two or three or four or five or six. "One who has sown the seed of rebirth one last time" means one who has the seed of just one existence - thus one who has sown the seed of rebirth one last time. In "upstream-goer" and so on, there is an upstream-goer heading toward the Akaniṭṭha realm, there is an upstream-goer not heading toward the Akaniṭṭha realm, there is one who is not an upstream-goer but heading toward the Akaniṭṭha realm, and there is one who is neither an upstream-goer nor heading toward the Akaniṭṭha realm. Therein, whoever here, having attained the fruition of non-returning, is reborn in the Aviha realm and so on, having stayed there as long as life lasts, having been reborn successively higher and higher, reaches the Akaniṭṭha realm - this is called an upstream-goer heading toward the Akaniṭṭha realm. But whoever, having been reborn in the Aviha realm and so on, without attaining final nibbāna right there, and without reaching the Akaniṭṭha realm, attains final nibbāna in the uppermost Brahma world - this is called an upstream-goer not heading toward the Akaniṭṭha realm. Whoever, having passed away from here, is reborn directly in the Akaniṭṭha realm - this is called not an upstream-goer but heading toward the Akaniṭṭha realm. But whoever, having been reborn in a certain one of the four realms beginning with Aviha, attains final nibbāna right there - this is called neither an upstream-goer nor heading toward the Akaniṭṭha realm.
But one who, having arisen wherever, has attained arahantship through exertion, with effort, is called an attainer of final nibbāna through exertion. One who has attained it without exertion, without effort, is called an attainer of final nibbāna without exertion. But whoever, having been reborn in the Aviha realm, where beings have a life span of a thousand cosmic cycles, having passed beyond the fifth hundred cosmic cycles, has attained arahantship - this is called an attainer of final nibbāna after the interval. In the Atappa realm and so on too, the same method applies. "An attainer of final nibbāna in the interval" means one who attains final nibbāna without passing beyond the middle of the life span; he is of three kinds. First, having been reborn in the Aviha realm, where beings have a life span of a thousand cosmic cycles, one attains arahantship on the very day of rebirth. If he does not attain it on the day of rebirth, then he attains it at the end of the first hundred cosmic cycles; this is the first attainer of final nibbāna in the interval. Another, being unable thus, attains it at the end of two hundred cosmic cycles; this is the second. Another, being unable even thus, attains it at the end of four hundred cosmic cycles; this is the third attainer of final nibbāna in the interval. The remainder is according to the method already stated.
But standing at this point, twenty-four stream-enterers, twelve once-returners, forty-eight non-returners, and twelve Worthy Ones should be spoken of. For in this Dispensation there are two charges - the charge of faith and the charge of wisdom, and four practices beginning with the difficult practice with sluggish direct knowledge. Therein, one, having adhered through the charge of faith, having attained the fruition of stream-entry, having been reborn in just one existence, makes an end of suffering; this one is one who has sown the seed of rebirth one last time. He is fourfold by way of practice. Just as this one, so too one who has adhered through the charge of wisdom - thus there are eight who have sown the seed of rebirth one last time. Likewise the family-to-family goers and those with seven rebirths at the utmost - these are called twenty-four stream-enterers. But among the three deliverances, those who have reached the plane of once-returning through deliverance through emptiness are four once-returners by way of the four practices; likewise those who have reached it through signless deliverance are four, and those who have reached it through desireless deliverance are four - these are twelve once-returners. But in the Aviha realm, three attainers of final nibbāna in the interval, one attainer of final nibbāna after the interval, and one upstream-goer heading toward the Akaniṭṭha realm - thus five non-returners; those as attainers of final nibbāna without exertion are five, and as attainers of final nibbāna through exertion are five - thus there are ten; likewise in the Atappa realm and so on. But in the Akaniṭṭha realm there is no upstream-goer; therefore there are four attainers of final nibbāna through exertion and four attainers of final nibbāna without exertion - thus eight. These are forty-eight non-returners. But just as the once-returners, so too the Worthy Ones should be understood as twelve. Here too the three trainings were spoken of in a mixed manner.
8.
Commentary on the Third Training Discourse
89. In the eighth, "not having attained that, not having penetrated that" means not reaching, not penetrating that arahantship. By this method, the meaning in all instances should be understood. Here too the three trainings were spoken of in a mixed manner. The ninth is of clear meaning. Here too the three trainings were spoken of in a mixed manner.
10.
Commentary on the Second Threefold Training Discourse
91. In the tenth, "with the elimination of the mental corruptions": here the path of arahantship is called the training in higher wisdom. But fruition, since it arises for one who has completed the training, is not to be called training.
"As before so after" means just as at first one trains in the three trainings, afterwards one trains in the same way - this is the meaning. In the second term too, the same method applies. "As below so above" means just as one sees the lower body by way of foulness, one pervades the upper body in the same way too. In the second term too, the same method applies. "As by day so by night" means just as by day one trains in the three trainings, by night too one trains in the same way - this is the meaning. "Having overcome all directions" means having overcome all directions by way of object. "With limitless concentration" means with the concentration of the path of arahantship.
"A trainee" means one who is training, one who still has something to do. "In practice" means a practitioner. "Of purified conduct" means purified conduct, pure morality. "The One Enlightened by himself" means one enlightened in the four truths. "Wise, one who has reached the end of practice" means wise by way of being wise in the aggregates and wise in the sense bases, accomplished in energy, one who has gone to the end of practice. "Of consciousness" means of the final consciousness. "For one liberated through the elimination of craving" means for one endowed with the liberation of the fruition of arahantship, which is reckoned as liberation through the elimination of craving. "Like the extinguishing of a lamp" means like the extinguishing of a lamp. "There is deliverance of the mind" means there is liberation, release, the state of non-continuance of consciousness. For one liberated through the elimination of craving, for one who has eliminated the mental corruptions, through the cessation of the final consciousness, there is deliverance of the mind like final Nibbāna; the place where one has gone is not known; there is only the arrival at the state beyond designation - this is the meaning.
11.
Commentary on the Suspicion Discourse
92. In the eleventh, "a market town of the Kosalans named Saṅkavā" means a market town named thus in the Kosala country. "Resident" (āvāsika) means a burden-bearer who raises up new residences and looks after old ones. "Connected with the training rules" (sikkhāpadapaṭisaṃyuttāya) means connected with the terms designated as training, endowed with the three trainings - this is the meaning. "Instructs" (sandasseti) means he shows as if making it face to face. "Encourages" means he causes them to take up. "Inspires" (samuttejeti) means he incites. "Gladdens" (sampahaṃseti) means he purifies by speaking praise through the virtues attained. "Too scrupulous" (adhisallikhati) means he scrutinises excessively; the meaning is having made it excessively scrutinised, he speaks in a very smooth manner.
"Transgression" (accaya) means offence. "Overcame me" (maṃ accagamā) means it occurred having surpassed and overpowered me. "There was indeed impatience" (ahudeva akkhanti) means there was indeed non-endurance. "There was displeasure" (ahu appaccaya) means there was a state of dissatisfaction. "May he accept" (paṭiggaṇhātu) means may he pardon. "For the sake of restraint in the future" (āyatiṃ saṃvarāya) means for the purpose of restraint in the future; the meaning is for the purpose of not committing again such an offence, fault, or stumbling. "Truly" (taggha) means categorically. "You make amends according to the Teaching" (yathādhammaṃ paṭikarosi) means you act in accordance with how the Teaching is established; the meaning is "you asked forgiveness." "We accept it from you" (taṃ te mayaṃ paṭiggaṇhāma) means we forgive that offence of yours. "For this is growth, Kassapa, in the Noble One's discipline" (vuddhi h'esā, kassapa, ariyassa vinaye) means this, Kassapa, is called growth in the Dispensation of the Buddha, the Blessed One. Which? That which is the undertaking of restraint in the future, having seen the transgression as a transgression and having made amends according to the Teaching. But making the teaching based on the standpoint of a person, he said: "Whoever, having seen a transgression as a transgression, makes amends according to the Teaching, and commits to restraint in the future." "Not eager to train" (na sikkhākāma) means he does not desire, does not aspire to, does not yearn for the three trainings. "Of undertaking the training" (sikkhāsamādānassa) means of the fulfilment of the training. "Does not speak in praise" (na vaṇṇavādī) means he does not speak of the virtue. "At the right time" (kālena) means at the fitting and proper time. The remainder here is clear in meaning.
The Chapter on Ascetics is fourth.