1.
The Chapter on Those Worthy of Gifts
1.
Commentary on the First Discourse on Those Worthy of Offerings
1. In the first of the Book of Sixes, "Here, monks, a monk" means monks, in this Dispensation, a monk. "He is neither glad nor unhappy" means he is neither glad with pleasure accompanied by lust regarding a desirable object, nor unhappy with displeasure accompanied by hate regarding an undesirable object. "He dwells equanimous, mindful and fully aware" means without falling into the state of being equanimous through ignorant equanimity by not regarding improperly regarding a neutral object, but being mindful and fully aware, he dwells neutral regarding the object. In this discourse, the constant abiding of one who has eliminated the mental corruptions has been spoken of.
2.
Commentary on the Second Discourse on Those Worthy of Offerings
2-4. In the second, "the various kinds of supernormal power" and so on have already been stated in the Visuddhimagga. "Without mental corruptions through the elimination of the mental corruptions" means without mental corruptions by means of the elimination of the mental corruptions, not through their absence as in the case of eye-consciousness and so on. In this discourse, the direct knowledges of one who has eliminated the mental corruptions have been spoken of in succession. In the third and fourth, one who has eliminated the mental corruptions is spoken of.
5-7.
Commentary on the Triad of Discourses on the Thoroughbred
5-7. In the fifth, "with factors" means with quality-factors. "Patient" means enduring. "With forms" means with visual objects. "Endowed with beauty" means endowed with bodily beauty. In the sixth, "endowed with strength" means endowed with bodily strength. In the seventh, "endowed with speed" means endowed with speed of foot.
8-9.
Commentary on the Discourse on Unsurpassed Things and So On
8-9. In the eighth, "unsurpassed things" means devoid of anything more superior, without anything higher. "Unsurpassed in seeing" means unsurpassed among the seeing of visible forms. This same method applies in all terms. Indeed, the seeing of elephant treasures and so on is not the unsurpassed in seeing, but for one established in faith, by the power of established devotion, the seeing of the One of Ten Powers, or of the Community of monks, or of any one among the kasiṇa, foulness, sign and so on, is called the unsurpassed in seeing. The hearing of talk praising the virtues of warriors and so on is not the unsurpassed in hearing, but for one established in faith, by the power of established devotion, the hearing of talk praising the virtues of the three jewels, or the hearing of the word of the Buddha in the three Canons, is called the unsurpassed in hearing. The gain of gem treasures and so on is not the unsurpassed in material gain, but the gain of the sevenfold noble treasure is called the unsurpassed in material gain. The learning of elephant craft and so on is not the unsurpassed in training, but the fulfilment of the threefold training is called the unsurpassed in training. Service to warriors and so on is not the unsurpassed in service, but service to the three jewels is called the unsurpassed in service. The recollection of the virtues of warriors and so on is not the unsurpassed in recollection, but the recollection of the virtues of the three jewels is called the unsurpassed in recollection. Thus these six unsurpassed things were spoken as mundane and supramundane. In the ninth, "recollection of the Buddha" means mindfulness having the virtues of the Buddha as its object. The same method applies to the remaining terms as well.
10.
Commentary on the Mahānāma Discourse
10. In the tenth, "Mahānāma" means a Sakyan king, the son of the younger brother of the One of Ten Powers. "He approached the Blessed One" means having eaten his morning meal, surrounded by slaves and attendants, having had perfumes, garlands and so on taken up, he went to where the Teacher was. "The noble fruit has been attained by him" - thus "one who has attained the fruit." "The teaching of the threefold training has been understood by him" - thus "one who has understood the teaching." Thus this king, asking "I ask about the supportive abiding of a stream-enterer," spoke thus.
"Not pervaded by lust" means not seized by having risen up through lust that is arising. "Upright" means gone straight indeed to the meditation subject of recollection of the Buddha. "Based on the Truth-finder" means referring to the virtues of the Truth-finder. "Inspiration regarding the meaning" means joy and gladness arisen in dependence on the commentary. "Inspiration regarding the Teaching" means joy and gladness arisen in dependence on the canonical text. "Connected with the Teaching" means arisen in dependence on both the canonical text and the commentary. "In one who is gladdened" means in one who is gladdened by the twofold gladness. "Rapture arises" means the fivefold rapture is produced. "The body becomes calm" means the mental body and the body born of impurity become calm through the cessation of disturbance. "Happiness" means bodily and mental happiness. "Becomes concentrated" means it is rightly placed upon the object. "Among a generation gone to unevenness" means among beings gone to the unevenness of lust, hate and delusion. "Having attained evenness" means having attained calmness and peace. "With affliction" means with suffering. "Has attained the stream of the Teaching" means has attained the stream of the Teaching that is reckoned as insight. "Develops recollection of the Buddha" means increases and cultivates the meditation subject of recollection of the Buddha. By this method the meaning should be understood everywhere. Thus Mahānāma asked about the supportive abiding of a stream-enterer. The Teacher also spoke to him about that very thing. Thus in this discourse only the stream-enterer has been spoken of.
The Worthy of Offerings Chapter is the first.