4.
The Chapter on the Elders
1.
Commentary on the Discourse on the Enticing
81. In the first of the fourth, "in enticing" means in objects that are conditions for lust. The same method applies in the remaining ones too.
2.
Commentary on the Discourse on the One Without Lust
82. In the second, "one who depreciates another's worth" means one who smears over the virtues of others. "Spiteful" means possessed of insolence having the characteristic of rivalry.
3.
Commentary on the Discourse on the Deceitful
83. In the third, "fraudulent" means possessed of the three bases of scheming. "Deceitful" means possessed of talking dependent on material gain. "A fortune-teller" means one who performs the action of hinting. "Dishonest" means possessed of the practice of belittling. "One who seeks to gain profit from profit" means one who seeks gain by means of gain. The bright side should be understood by way of the reversal of what was stated. The fourth is clear in itself.
5.
Commentary on the Discourse on the Unenduring
85. In the fifth, "is not patient with forms" means he is one who does not endure visual objects; he is overcome by lust and so on with those objects as basis. The same method applies everywhere.
6.
Commentary on the Discourse on the One Who Has Attained Analytical Knowledge
86. In the sixth, "has attained analytical knowledge of meaning" means he has attained knowledge that has gone into the varieties regarding the five meanings. "Has attained analytical knowledge of phenomena" means he has attained knowledge that has gone into the varieties regarding the fourfold phenomena. "Has attained analytical knowledge of language" means he has attained knowledge that has gone into the varieties regarding the languages of phenomena. "Has attained analytical knowledge of discernment" means he has attained knowledge that has gone into the varieties regarding those three knowledges. He, however, only knows those three knowledges; he does not perform their function. "High and low" means great and small. "Duties to be done" means thus things that should be done.
7.
Commentary on the Discourse on the Virtuous
87. The seventh is of clear meaning. But here morality is the morality of one who has eliminated the mental corruptions only, great learning too is the great learning of one who has eliminated the mental corruptions only, speech too is the good speech of one who has eliminated the mental corruptions only, and the meditative absorptions too should be understood as having been spoken of as functional meditative absorptions only.
8.
Commentary on the Discourse on the Elder Monk
88. In the eighth, "elder" means one who has attained firmness. "Of long standing" means one who knows the many nights that have passed since the day of going forth. "Well-known" means recognised, renowned. "Famous" means dependent on fame. "Holds wrong view" means one who holds a view not in accordance with reality. "Having turned away from the Good Teaching" means having turned away from the teaching of the ten wholesome courses of action. "Establishes them in what is not the Good Teaching" means establishes them in the unwholesome courses of action.
9.
Commentary on the First Discourse on the Learner
89. In the ninth, "of a learner" means of one who is training, one who still has something to do. "For decline" means for the purpose of decline from higher virtues. "Taking pleasure in work" means the state of delighting in new construction work. "Taking pleasure in talk" means the state of delighting in conversation and talk. "Taking pleasure in sleep" means the state of delighting in sleeping. "Taking pleasure in company" means the state of delighting in the desire to be in a crowd. "He does not review the mind as it is liberated" means whatever mind is liberated, and whatever faults have been abandoned, and whatever virtues have been attained, having reviewed those, he does not make effort for the attainment of higher virtues - this is the meaning. Thus in this discourse, the cause of decline and the cause of growth regarding higher virtues for the seven learners have been spoken of. And whatever is a cause of decline for a learner, that is present from the very first for a worldling.
10.
Commentary on the Second Discourse on the Learner
90. In the tenth, "accomplished" means experienced, clever. "In what is to be done" means thus in what should be done. "Serenity of mind" means the concentration meditation subject. "Not becoming" means unsuitable for the Dispensation. "Too early" means right early. "Too late in the day" means "day" is called midday; having passed beyond that. "Exceedingly conducive to effacement" means very much conducive to the effacement of mental defilements. "Suitable for opening the mind" means suitable for serenity and insight meditation, which are reckoned as the opening of the mind. "Talk about fewness of wishes" means talk of exhortation saying "be of few wishes." "Talk about contentment" means talk of exhortation saying "be content with the four requisites." "Talk about solitude" means talk of exhortation saying "be secluded through the three kinds of seclusion." "Talk about aloofness from society" means talk of exhortation saying "be aloof from society through the fivefold bonding." "Talk about arousal of energy" means talk of exhortation saying "arouse the twofold energy." Regarding talk about morality and so on, talk referring to morality is talk about morality. Talk referring to concentration, referring to wisdom, referring to the fivefold liberation, referring to knowledge and vision of liberation reckoned as the nineteen reviewings is talk about knowledge and vision of liberation. Regarding "not one who obtains at will" and so on, the meaning is not one who obtains whatever one wishes, one who obtains with difficulty, not one who obtains abundantly. The remainder is of manifest meaning only.
The Chapter on Elders is fourth.