6.
The Chapter on the Undeclared
1.
Commentary on the Discourse on the Undeclared
54. In the first discourse of the sixth chapter, "regarding undeclared matters" means regarding matters not spoken of in a definitive manner and so on. "Truth-finder" means a being. "This is a wrong view" means this is merely a wrong view; there is no being as such grasped by that view. "Practice" means the noble path. "Does not tremble" means does not waver through the influence of views. The same method applies to the remaining terms as well. "Pertains to craving" means craving for views. In the case of "pertains to perception" and so on too, the same method applies. Here, perception of view itself is what "pertains to perception" means; conceit based upon view itself, or imagining through view itself, is what "imagining" means; obsession with view itself is what "obsessed" means; clinging to views itself is what "clinging" means; and the state of resorting to what is deformed by view itself should be understood as what is called "regret." And here, by the inclusion of view, the sixty-two wrong views are included; by the inclusion of the practice leading to the cessation of view, the path of stream-entry is included.
2.
Commentary on the Discourse on a Person's Destination
55. In the second, "destinations of a person" means a person's knowledge-destinations. "Final nibbāna without clinging" means nibbāna without conditions. "It would not be" means if the action producing individual existence in the past had not been. "And it would not be mine" means this individual existence of mine at present would not be. "It will not be" means at present the action producing future individual existence will not be for me. "It will not be mine" means in the future my individual existence will not be. "Whatever there is, what has come to be" means whatever there is, whatever has come to be - the present five aggregates. "That I abandon - thus he obtains equanimity" means "I abandon that therein through the abandoning of desire and lust" - thus he obtains insight-equanimity. "He does not find pleasure in existence" means he does not find pleasure through craving and wrong view in the five aggregates of the past. "He does not find pleasure in origination" means in the future too he likewise does not find pleasure. "The peaceful state that is beyond" means there is beyond a peaceful state called the Nibbāna-state. "Sees with right wisdom" means he rightly sees that with path wisdom together with insight. "Not in every way" means not all in every aspect, because of certain mental defilements not being eliminated, because of the darkness that conceals the truths not being completely destroyed. "Being struck" means being held with pincers and beaten with a hammer. "An attainer of final nibbāna in the interval" means beginning from immediately after rebirth, without passing beyond the middle of the life span, in between here he has attained final Nibbāna through the final extinguishment of the mental defilements. "Without reaching the ground" means without reaching, without passing beyond the surface of space, without arriving at the ground, it would be extinguished just in the air. By these three similes, three attainers of final nibbāna in the interval are shown.
"An attainer of final nibbāna after the interval" means having passed beyond the middle of the life span, without reaching the final limit, he has attained final Nibbāna. "Having reached the ground" means while blazing, having gone, having passed beyond the surface of space, having struck the surface of the earth, it would be extinguished just upon having fallen on the earth. "Without exertion, without effort, having exhausted the mental defilements, he attains final nibbāna" - this is an attainer of final nibbāna without exertion. "Through exertion, with effort, having exhausted the mental defilements, he attains final nibbāna" - this is an attainer of final nibbāna through exertion. "Shrubs" means unprotected forest. "Grove" means a protected forest given for the purpose of safety. The remainder here is clear in meaning. In this discourse only noble persons have been spoken of.
3.
Commentary on the Discourse on Tissa the Brahmā
56. In the third, "nuns" means the five hundred nuns in the retinue of Mahāpajāpati. "Liberated" means liberated by the five liberations. "Without residue of clinging" means, setting aside the residue of clinging, liberated by the five liberations without remainder as well. "One with residue of clinging is with residue of clinging" means regarding a person with residue of clinging, "this one is with residue of clinging." In the case of the other too, the same method applies. "Tissa" means the Brahmā who was the elder's co-resident pupil. "Suitable" means conforming to practice, secluded, remote and at the furthest limit. "Faculties" means the insight faculties beginning with faith. "Balancing" means establishing in attentiveness. "But not you" - why did he begin this? For the purpose of showing the seventh person. For the seventh person, the faith-follower, was not shown. Then the Blessed One, showing that by way of one with powerful insight, said thus. Therein, "of all signs" means of all signs such as the sign of permanence and so on. "Signless" means the concentration of powerful insight.
4.
Commentary on the Sīha the General Discourse
57. In the fourth, "stingy" means one possessed of the fivefold stinginess. "Miserly" means obstinately stingy; he prevents even what is being given to others. "Delighting in continuous giving" means he delights in giving gifts again and again. "Having compassion" means having compassion with the thought thus: "Who should be helped by us today? From whom should we accept a gift, or to whom should we teach the Teaching?"
5.
Commentary on the Discourse on What Need Not Be Guarded
58. In the fifth, "sign" means both the sign of the teaching and the sign of a person. For he, not seeing even a single term in the teaching proclaimed by himself as badly preached or not leading to liberation, does not see the sign of the teaching; and not seeing even a single person who, having risen up, would retort saying "The teaching is badly preached by you, not well proclaimed," he does not see the sign of a person. In the remaining two as well, the same method applies. The sixth and seventh are of manifest meaning only.
8.
Commentary on the Discourse on Nodding Off
61. In the eighth, "nodding off" means dwelling in dependence on that village, in a certain jungle thicket, practising the ascetic duty, because of being kindled by the energy of walking meditation for seven days, with a wearied body, he was sitting nodding off at the end of the walking path. "Are you nodding off" means are you sleeping. "Having rubbed" means having rubbed all over. "Perception of light" means the perception of light for dispelling torpor. "Perception of day" means the perception that it is day. "As by day so by night" means just as the perception of light was determined by day, so you should determine it at night too. "As by night so by day" means just as the perception of light was determined by you at night, so you should determine it by day too. "Of luminosity" means with radiance, for the purpose of the knowledge of the divine eye. "Perceiving what is behind and before" means one who possesses perception through the perception of bringing to mind what is in front and behind. "With faculties turned inward" means with the five faculties not scattered outward but as if entered within. "The pleasure of torpor" means the pleasure of sleep. By this much of a passage, the Blessed One spoke to the elder the meditation subject for dispelling torpor. "Pride" means the pride of conceit. "Duties and tasks to be done" - here, what must necessarily be done are "duties" (kicca); the others are "what is to be done" (karaṇīya). "Dejection" means powerlessness and displeasure. By this much of a passage, the duty of going for alms was spoken to the elder by the Teacher.
Now, in order to encourage him to make an end of talk, he said beginning with "therefore." Therein, "quarrelsome speech" means quarrelsome speech proceeding in the manner beginning with "You do not understand this Teaching and discipline." "I, Moggallāna" and so on was said for the purpose of avoiding association with evil friends. "In what respect indeed" means to what extent indeed. "Is liberated by the elimination of craving" means in what respect is one called in brief liberated by the elimination of craving, by the state of having a liberated mind, having made as object the extinction of craving, which is Nibbāna. He asks: "By whatever practice one becomes liberated by the elimination of craving, teach in brief that very preliminary practice of a monk who has eliminated the mental corruptions." "Of absolute goal" - "absolute" means having gone beyond the end termed elimination and passing away; "the goal would be absolute for him" - thus "of absolute goal"; the meaning is of exclusive goal, of constant goal. "Of absolute security from bondage" means absolutely secure from bondage; the meaning is of permanent security from bondage. "Of absolute holy life" means absolutely leading the holy life; the meaning is of permanent holy life. "The final end would be absolute for him" - by the former method itself, of absolute final end. "Foremost among gods and humans" means foremost and highest among gods and humans. He requests: "In what respect does a monk of such kind exist? Tell his practice in brief only."
"All phenomena are not fit for adherence" - here "all phenomena" means the five aggregates, the twelve sense bases, and the eighteen elements; all of them too are not fit for adherence by way of craving and wrong view - not adequate, not complete, not proper. Why? Because they do not remain in the manner in which they are grasped. For even though grasped as permanent, pleasant, and self, they turn out to be only impermanent, suffering, and non-self. Therefore they are not fit for adherence. "He directly knows" means he directly knows by way of full understanding as the known, as impermanent, suffering, and non-self. "He fully understands" means in the same way he fully understands by way of full understanding as judgement. "Whatever feeling" means he experiences whatever feeling, even the slightest, even that associated with the five sense consciousnesses. By this, the Blessed One showed the discernment of the immaterial to the elder, having turned by way of feeling.
"Observing impermanence" means observing as impermanent. "Observing dispassion" - here there are two kinds of dispassion: dispassion as elimination and absolute dispassion. Therein, the seeing of the elimination of activities as elimination is insight too, and the path-knowledge of seeing Nibbāna, which is absolute dispassion, as dispassion is also observation of dispassion. A person endowed with both of those is called an observer of dispassion. With reference to that it was said - "Observing dispassion" - the meaning is: observing as dispassion. In the case of observing cessation too, the same method applies. For cessation too is just twofold: cessation as elimination and absolute cessation. "Observing relinquishment" - here relinquishment is called release. And that is twofold: release by relinquishment and release by springing forward. Therein, "release by relinquishment" is insight. For it relinquishes mental defilements and aggregates by way of substitution of opposites. "Release by springing forward" is the path. For it springs forward towards Nibbāna by way of object. Or by both reasons it is just release: because of relinquishing aggregates and mental defilements by way of eradication, and because of springing forward towards Nibbāna. Therefore, "it relinquishes mental defilements and aggregates" is release by relinquishment. "Consciousness springs forward to cessation, to the element of Nibbāna" is release by springing forward - both of these come together in the path. A person endowed with both of those, because of being endowed with this observation of relinquishment, is called an observer of relinquishment. With reference to that, this was said. "He does not cling to anything in the world" means he does not cling to, does not grasp, does not adhere to anything, even a single thing pertaining to activities, by way of craving. "Not clinging, he is not agitated" means not grasping, he is not agitated by the agitation of craving. "He personally attains final nibbāna" means by himself he attains final nibbāna through the final extinguishment of the mental defilements. But by the passage beginning with "Birth is eliminated," his reviewing was shown. Thus the Blessed One, when asked about the preliminary-part practice of one who has eliminated the mental corruptions in brief, spoke in brief itself. But this discourse was both an exhortation and insight for the elder. He, having developed insight in this very discourse, attained arahantship.
9.
Explanation of the Discourse on Friendliness
62. In the ninth, "do not, monks, be afraid of merits" means do not be afraid of them while performing merits. "Developed a mind of friendliness" shows that he developed the mind, having made it sublime, associated with friendliness belonging to the third and fourth jhānas. "Saṃvaṭṭamāne sudāhaṃ" means "when contracting, indeed I." "Contracting" means burning, perishing. "Righteous" means endowed with the ten wholesome qualities. "King of righteousness" is a synonym for that very thing. Or, a king of righteousness because of having obtained the kingdom by righteousness. "Ruler of the four quarters" means lord of the earth bounded by four quarters, by way of the four oceans beginning with the eastern ocean. "Victorious" means victorious in battle. "Who had established the security of his realm" means the country has attained firmness, a state of stability, under that one. "More than a thousand" (parosahassaṃ) means exceeding a thousand. "Brave" means fearless. "Heroic in form": the quality of heroes is heroism; this is a name for energy. "Those whose form is heroism" means heroic in form. What is meant is that they were of the nature of energy, of the intrinsic nature of energy, as if made of energy, untiring, even fighting for a whole day they did not become weary. "Bounded by the ocean" (sāgarapariyantaṃ) means bounded by the ocean that stands having the encircling world-mountain as its boundary. "Without rod" means without even the punishment of fines or the punishment of the sword through instruction by cutting and breaking. "Without sword" means without even a weapon for harassing others such as a single-edged sword and so on. "Having conquered by righteousness" means "Come, great king" - thus, with his coming received by rival kings, having conquered the earth of the aforesaid kind by the very righteousness beginning with "a living being should not be killed."
"Seekers of happiness" means he addresses beings who are seekers of happiness. "One who reached an empty Brahma realm" means one who reached an empty Brahma-mansion. "This earth" means this great earth bounded by the ocean. "Without violence" means not by violent action. "Righteously I governed it" means I governed by righteous action. "By them this was well taught" means by those benefactors, those greatly compassionate Buddhas, this much was well taught, well spoken. "Of the earth" means the owner of the earth.
10.
Commentary on the Discourse on Wives
63. In the tenth, "like fishermen, methinks, at a fish haul" means at the place where fishermen had lowered their fish baskets, or when the net had merely been lifted from the water, there is a great sound among the fish catchers - with reference to that, this was said. "Sujātā" means the younger sister of Visākhā. "She does not heed her mother-in-law" means there is a duty to be done for the mother-in-law; she does not do that, and does not even reckon her as mother-in-law. "Does not heed her father-in-law" means she does not heed his word. Thus, both through disrespect and through not heeding, she does not heed indeed. The same method applies in the remaining ones too. Thus Anāthapiṇḍika, having taken up the conduct of his daughter-in-law, sat down in front of the Teacher. That Sujātā too, thinking "Will this millionaire speak of my virtues or my faults in the presence of the One of Ten Powers?" having gone, stood nearby listening to the sound. Then the Teacher addressed her: "Come, Sujātā."
"Not compassionate for his welfare" means not compassionate for his welfare. "Towards others" means towards other men. "Despises" means she looks down upon, she despises through the influence of conceit. "Of him who was bought with wealth" means she would be one bought with wealth. "Eager for murder" means having undertaken zeal to kill. "Whatever wealth the husband gains for the woman" means whatever wealth the woman's husband obtains. "She wishes to take away even a little of his" means she wishes to take away even from a little of his; she strives to take away even a little from the rice grains that should be put into the pot placed on the fireplace. "Lazy" means she merely remains seated where she is seated and standing where she is standing. "Harsh" means rough. "Speaking ill words" means one who speaks badly spoken words; she speaks only hard and malicious talk. "She dominates over the industrious one" - here "the industrious one" is said in the plural form referring to the husband who is accomplished in energetic industriousness; she dominates by overpowering and subduing his accomplishment of industriousness. "Rejoices" means she is rejoiced and delighted. "Of good family" means accomplished in family. "Devoted to her husband" means one who regards her husband as a deity. "Threatened with beating and punishment" means threatened with murder, having taken a stick, told "I shall kill you." "Like a slave" means having said "May the Blessed One remember me as a slave who fulfils her duty to her husband," she became established in the refuges.
11.
Commentary on the Discourse on the Prone to Wrath
64. In the eleventh, "pleasing to foes" means pleasant, dear to foes, to enemies, wished for and desired by them. "Making foes" means making the benefit of foes, of enemies. "Afflicted by wrath" means followed by wrath. "Having much benefit" means for the sake of much benefit, for the sake of much welfare. "Even what is harmful" means even what is not growth. "Benefit has been taken by me" means growth has been taken by me.
"And then, having grasped benefit" means and then, having grasped growth. "He incurs harm" means he considers "harm has been taken by me." "Having committed murder" means having done the action of killing living beings. "Intoxicated by the intoxication of wrath" means intoxicated by the intoxication of wrath, the meaning is seized, grasped, and adhered to. "Disgrace" means the state of ill repute; the meaning is that ill repute becomes disgrace. "Born from within" means arisen internally. "Does not know benefit" means does not know the benefit of growth. "Does not see the Teaching" means does not see the teachings of serenity and insight meditation. "Deep darkness" means darkness that produces a state of blindness, thick darkness. "Overcomes" means overpowers.
"Dejection" means the state of being downcast, powerlessness, ugliness of face. "When it arises" means when it is produced. "No respect for speech" means there is no state of venerability even for speech. "There is no refuge whatsoever" means there is no support whatsoever. "Causing remorse" means producing torment. "From the teachings" means from the teachings of serenity and insight meditation. "Far" means distant. "A brahmin" means a brahmin who has eliminated the mental corruptions. "By which mother nurtured" means nourished and supported by which mother. "The peaceful one who gives life" means being one who gives life. "An angry one kills many selves" means an angry person kills oneself by various different reasons. "Infatuated with various forms" means having become infatuated with various objects. "Having bound with a rope they die" means having bound with a rope, they die. "Even in mountain caves" means having fallen even in mountain caves, they die.
"Actions that destroy growth" means those that have destroyed growth. "Thus this" means thus this. "One should cut that off by self-control" means one should cut off that wrath by self-control. By which self-control? "By wisdom, energy and view" means by insight wisdom, by bodily and mental energy associated with insight, and by path right view. "So too one should train in the teachings" means just as one should utterly destroy the unwholesome, so too one should train in the teachings of serenity and insight meditation. "May there be no dejection for us" means desiring this meaning: may there be no state of dejection for us. "Free from distress" means without anguish. "Without zeal" means not having fallen into zeal anywhere. The remainder is clear everywhere.
The Undeclared Chapter is the sixth.