Homage to the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Self-awakened One

In the Collection of the Numerical Discourses

Commentary on the Book of the Eights

1.

The First Fifty

1.

The Chapter on Friendliness

1.

Commentary on the Discourse on Friendliness

1. In the first of the Book of Eights, "practised" means cultivated with regard. "Developed" means increased. "Cultivated" means done again and again. "Mastered" means made like a yoked vehicle. "Made a basis of" means made like a foundation in the meaning of a support. "Practised" means established. "Accumulated" means heaped up all around, built up. "Thoroughly undertaken" means well undertaken, well done. "Benefits" means virtues. What should be said regarding "one sleeps pleasantly" and so on, we shall explain in the Book of Elevens.

"Immeasurable" means immeasurable by way of pervading. "Mental fetters become thin, for one seeing the destruction of clinging" means for one who has gradually attained arahantship reckoned as the destruction of clinging through insight that has friendliness as its foundation, the ten mental fetters are abandoned - this is the meaning. Or alternatively, "mental fetters become thin" means aversion itself and the mental fetters associated with aversion become thin. "For one seeing the destruction of clinging" means for one seeing by way of the achievement of friendliness, which is reckoned as the elimination of those very defilements as clinging. "By that one becomes skilful" means by that practice of friendliness one becomes wholesome. "Filled with beings" means possessed of a multitude reckoned as beings; the meaning is filled with beings. "Having conquered" means having conquered without rod, without sword, by righteousness alone. "Royal seers" means righteous kings who are like sages. "Sacrificing" means giving gifts. "Went about" means they wandered.

In the passage beginning with "horse-sacrifice" and so on, in the time of ancient kings, it is said, there were four ways of supporting others - the sassamedha, the purisamedha, the sammāpāsa, and the vācāpeyya - by which kings supported the world. Therein, taking a tenth share from the produced crop is called sassamedha; the meaning is wisdom in the production of crops. The giving of food and wages every six months to great warriors is called purisamedha; the meaning is wisdom in supporting people. Taking a written bond from poor people and giving them wealth amounting to one or two thousand without any interest for three years is called sammāpāsa. For that rightly binds people, keeps them as if having bound them to the heart; therefore it is called sammāpāsa. Speaking gentle words by the method of addressing them as "Dear son, uncle" and so on is called vācāpeyya; the meaning is pleasant speech. A country thus supported by the four ways of supporting others becomes prosperous and flourishing, with abundant food and drink, secure, and free from trouble. The people, rejoicing with gladness, dancing their children on their breasts, dwell with open doors. This is called niraggaḷa because of the absence of door-bolts at the house-doors. This is the ancient tradition.

But afterwards, in the time of King Okkāka, the brahmins, having turned these four ways of supporting others and this success of the country upside down, made five so-called sacrifices beginning with the horse-sacrifice and the human-sacrifice. Among these, "horses are slaughtered here" - thus it is the horse-sacrifice. This is a designation for a sacrifice to be performed with two subsidiary sacrifices, having twenty-one sacrificial posts, dreadful with the slaughter of five hundred and ninety-seven animals on a single last day alone, with the offering of all remaining wealth apart from land and men. "Men are slaughtered here" - thus it is the human-sacrifice. This is a designation for a sacrifice to be performed with four subsidiary sacrifices, together with land, having the same offering of wealth as stated in the horse-sacrifice. "They throw the peg here" - thus it is the sammāpāsa. This is a designation for a sattra-sacrifice to be performed by one who, day by day, having thrown the peg - reckoned as the stick for inserting into the hole of the yoke - having made an altar at the place where it fell, proceeds in reverse direction from the place of submersion in the Sarassatī river, with movable sacrificial posts and so on. "They drink the vāja here" - thus it is the vājapeyya. This is a designation for a sacrifice to be performed with one subsidiary sacrifice, with seventeen animals, having a bilva-wood sacrificial post, with seventeen-fold offerings. "There is no door-bolt here" - thus it is the niraggaḷa. This is a designation for a variant of the horse-sacrifice, to be performed with nine subsidiary sacrifices, together with land and men, having the same offering of wealth as stated in the horse-sacrifice, whose alternative name is the "all-sacrifice."

"They are not worth even a sixteenth fraction" means all those great sacrifices, due to the greatness of the result of a single mind of friendliness, are not worth a sixteenth fraction, do not reach a sixteenth part - this is the meaning. "Neither conquers" means one does not cause loss to another by oneself. "Nor causes to conquer" means one does not cause loss to another through another. "Having a share of friendliness" means having become a portion of consciousness that is practising friendliness. "Towards all beings" means towards all beings. "For him there is no enmity with anyone" means for him there is no unwholesome enmity or personal enmity with anyone.

2.

Commentary on the Discourse on Wisdom

2. In the second, "fundamental to the holy life" means that which is the beginning of the holy life of the path. "Of wisdom" means of insight. "Who holds the place of a teacher" means one who is a condition for the arising of respect, worthy of reverence and esteem. "Acute" means thick. "Questions" means he asks about the meaning, the text, the connection, and what comes before and after. "Inquires" means he formulates a question, he reflects thus: "I shall ask about this and that." "Twofold" means of two kinds. "Not one who engages in various talk" means he is not one who speaks on diverse topics. "Not one who engages in animal talk" means he does not engage in various kinds of pointless talk. "Noble silence" means noble silence is the fourth meditative absorption; attention to the remaining meditation subjects is also fitting. "One who knows, knows" means he knows what is to be known. "One who sees, sees" means he sees what is to be seen. "To affection" means for the purpose of the state of being dear. "To respect" means for the purpose of the state of being venerable. "To development" means for the purpose of development, or for the esteem of virtues. "To asceticism" means for the purpose of the practice of an ascetic. "To unity" means for the purpose of the state of uninterruptedness.

3-4.

Commentary on the Pair of Discourses on the Disagreeable

3-4. In the third, "one who praises the disagreeable" means one who praises and speaks in praise of a disagreeable person. "One who blames the dear" means one who censures and reproaches a dear person. In the fourth, "desirous of not being despised" means desirous that others should not despise one, thus: "Oh, indeed, may others not despise me!" "One who does not know the proper time" means he does not know the proper time for discussion; he speaks at the wrong time. "Impure" means possessed of impure bodily action and so on.

5.

Commentary on the First Discourse on Worldly Adversities

5. In the fifth, "phenomena of the world" means worldly adversities. There is no one who is free from these; they occur even for Buddhas. Therefore he said - "Keep revolving around the world" means they pursue and do not abandon; the meaning is they do not turn back from the world. "And the world keeps revolving around the eight worldly adversities" means this world too pursues those and does not abandon them, does not turn back from those phenomena. This is the meaning.

"Material gain and loss" should be understood as: when material gain has come, loss has come as well. In "disgrace" and so on too, the same method applies. "Considers them as subject to change" means he considers thus: "these are subject to change." "Scattered" means destroyed, demolished. "And having known the state" means having known the state of Nibbāna. "He rightly understands, one gone beyond existence" means one who has gone to the beyond of existence, who has reached the accomplishment, the summit; having known the state of Nibbāna, he rightly understands that state of having gone beyond. In this discourse, the round of rebirths and the end of the round of rebirths have been spoken of.

6.

Commentary on the Second Discourse on Worldly Adversities

6. In the sixth, "what is the distinction" means what is the distinguishing cause. "What is the disparity" means what is the additional exertion. "Obsessing" means having taken hold of and having brought to completion. Here too, only the round of rebirths and the end of the round of rebirths are spoken of.

7.

Commentary on the Discourse on Devadatta's Failure

7. In the seventh, "recently departed" means having split the Community, not long after he had departed. "Referring to" means having come to, dependent on, with reference to. "One's own failure" means one's own failure, the manner of having failed. The same method applies to the remaining terms as well. "Having overcome" means having overpowered, having trampled.

8.

Commentary on the Discourse on Uttara's Failure

8. In the eighth, "in Vaṭajālikā" means in the monastery so named. It is said that because it was established in a banyan grove, it came to be termed "Vaṭajālikā." "Appeared" means having gone thinking "I will report this matter to the king of gods," he became manifest. "Fundamental to the holy life" means what has become the foundation of the entire holy life of the Dispensation that is included in the threefold training.

9.

Commentary on the Nanda Discourse

9. In the ninth, "son of good family" means a son of good family by birth. "Powerful" means endowed with strength. "Pleasing" means one who generates confidence through beauty. "One of intense lust" means one of thick lust. In the passage beginning with "how else" and so on, this is the meaning - what need is there of any other reason being spoken of, this Nanda is with guarded doors in the sense faculties, knowing moderation in food, devoted to wakefulness, endowed with mindfulness and full awareness, by which Nanda is able to live the holy life that is complete and pure. If he had not been endowed with these reasons, he would not have been able. "Thus he is fully aware there" means thus there. In this discourse only the round of rebirths has been spoken of.

10.

Commentary on the Kāraṇḍava Discourse

10. In the tenth, "evades the issue with another issue" means he conceals one reason or statement with another reason or statement. "Diverts the discussion outside" means he introduces from outside another extraneous discussion. "This person should be removed" means this one should be removed, should be expelled. "Corrupter of ascetics" means one who corrupts ascetics. "Chaff among ascetics" means just as chaff among paddy is worthless among paddy, so chaff among ascetics is worthless among ascetics. "Refuse among ascetics" means rubbish among ascetics. "They remove him outside" means they expel him outside. "Barley field" means in a barley field. "Being winnowed" means being winnowed in a strong wind while standing at a high place. "They sweep away" means for the purpose of separating the grains with substance on one side and the weak grains on the other side, they sweep away again and again; they remove them with what is called a sweeping instrument - a winnowing basket or a cloth that catches the wind. "Hollow sound" means a hollow sound.

"By living together" means this one through living together. "You should cognize" means you should know. "Of gentle speech" means of smooth speech. "Among people" means in the midst of people. "He does his deed in secret" - "deed" is called evil action; he does that having become concealed, in secret. "And one who creeps about and speaks falsely" means having crept about, a liar; speaking falsely he creeps about, trembles - this is the meaning. In this discourse, having spoken only of the round of rebirths, the round of rebirths and the end of the round of rebirths are spoken of in the verses.

The Chapter on Friendliness is the first.

2.

The Great Chapter

1.

Commentary on the Verañja Discourse

11. In the first of the second, "pays respect" and so on should be understood by connecting them in the manner stated in "the ascetic Gotama," and the meaning here is thus: "he does not pay homage, nor does he emerge from his seat, nor does he invite with a seat thus: 'Let the venerable ones sit down here.'" Here indeed the word "or" is in the sense of making clear, as in such passages as "materiality is permanent or impermanent." Having said thus, then seeing the Blessed One not performing paying respect and so on towards himself, he said - "This, Master Gotama, is indeed so." What was heard by me, that is indeed so; my hearing and seeing agree and correspond, and in meaning they become one. For indeed the Venerable Gotama, etc. or invites with a seat. Thus, having confirmed what he had heard with what he had seen, disparaging, he said - "This, Master Gotama, is not proper" means that non-performance of paying respect and so on is indeed inappropriate.

Then the Blessed One, not approaching the fault of self-praise and disparagement of others, with a heart cooled by compassion, having dispelled that ignorance, wishing to show the appropriateness, said beginning with "I do not see anyone, brahmin." Therein this is the meaning in brief - I, brahmin, even looking with the unobstructed eye of omniscient knowledge, do not see that person in this world classified as including the gods and so on, to whom I should pay respect or rise up for or invite with a seat. Or this is not wonderful, that I, having today attained omniscience, do not see a person worthy of such prostration. Moreover, when I, just born, facing north, having gone with seven strides, surveyed the entire ten-thousandfold world system, even then in this world classified as including the gods and so on, I do not see that person to whom I should make such prostration. Then even a Great Brahmā with a lifespan of sixteen thousand cosmic cycles, one who has eliminated the mental corruptions, having raised joined palms, with arisen pleasure, honoured me saying: "You are the great man in the world, you are the foremost, the eldest, and the best of the world including the gods; there is none who surpasses you." Even then I, not seeing anyone more superior than myself, uttered a bold speech - "I am the foremost in the world, I am the eldest in the world, I am the best in the world." Thus even for me just born there is no person worthy of paying respect and so on; now that I have attained omniscience, to whom should I pay respect? Therefore you, brahmin, do not wish for such supreme prostration from the Tathāgata. For if, brahmin, the Tathāgata were to pay respect or, etc. or invite with a seat, even the head of that person, like a palmyra fruit released from its stalk whose binding has become loose through ripening at the end of the night, having been severed from the neck, would suddenly fall to the ground.

Even when this was said, the brahmin, through lack of wisdom, not discerning the Tathāgata's state of being the eldest in the world, merely not enduring that statement, said - "The Venerable Gotama is without taste." This, it is said, was his intention - That which in the world is called "the flavour of concord" - the proper duties of paying respect, rising up in respect, salutation with joined palms, and doing the proper duties - that does not exist for Master Gotama. Therefore the Venerable Gotama is without taste, one of tasteless nature, one whose intrinsic nature is without taste. Then the Blessed One, for the purpose of generating softness of mind in him, avoiding a directly contrary stance, showing the meaning of his statement differently as applying to himself, said beginning with "There is indeed, brahmin, a method."

Therein, "there is indeed" means there is indeed this. "Method" means reason. This is what is meant - There is indeed, brahmin, this reason, by which reason a person saying of me "The Venerable Gotama is without taste," would speak rightly, would be reckoned as one who speaks what is not false. But which was it? Those, brahmin, tastes of forms, etc. tastes of tangible objects - these have been abandoned by the Tathāgata. What is meant? Those tastes of forms, tastes of sounds, tastes of odours, tastes of flavours, tastes of tangible objects - reckoned as the gratification of sensual happiness - that arise for worldlings, even those considered the best by reason of birth or by reason of rebirth, who savour, delight in, and are attached to visual objects and so on, which drag this world as if having bound it by the neck, and which are called "flavours of concord" because they have arisen through the concord of sense-base, object, and so on. All those have been abandoned by the Tathāgata. Even though it could be said "abandoned by me," without elevating himself by way of "mine," he teaches the Teaching; or this is the beauty of instruction of the Tathāgata.

Therein, "abandoned" means departed from the continuity of consciousness, or given up. But in this meaning, the genitive case should be seen as used in the instrumental sense. Their root, which is made of craving and ignorance, has been cut off by the knife of the noble path - thus "with root cut off." Their site has been made like a palm stump - thus "made like a palm stump." Just as when a palm tree has been pulled up with its root and only its site has been made in that place, no further arising of that palm is discerned, so when the tastes of form and so on have been pulled up with their root by the knife of the noble path, and only their site has been made in the continuity of consciousness through the state of having previously arisen before, all of them are called "made like a palm stump." Or because of their nature of non-growth, made like a palm tree with its crown cut off - thus "made like a palm stump." But since those thus made like a palm stump are brought to obliteration, they are made in such a way that there is no subsequent existence of them. Therefore he said - "brought to obliteration." "Subject to non-arising in the future" means having the intrinsic nature of not arising in the future.

"But not with reference to what you say" means but what you say with reference to, that method does not apply. But when it is stated thus, is it not that the flavour of concord spoken of by the brahmin is acknowledged as existing in himself? It is not. For whoever, being capable of producing that flavour of concord, does not do so, he, through the absence of that, deserves to be called "one without taste." But the Blessed One is simply incapable of doing this; therefore, making known his incapability in this regard, he said - "but not with reference to what you say." The method with reference to which you call me "one without taste" is indeed not to be spoken of regarding us.

Thus the brahmin, being unable to impose the tastelessness intended by himself, then said beginning with "The Venerable Gotama is without enjoyment." And in all the instances here, having understood the sequence of connection in the manner already stated, the meaning spoken with reference to should be understood thus - The brahmin, regarding that same action of paying respect and so on to those advanced in age as "the enjoyment of concord" in the world, and because of its absence, said beginning with "without enjoyment" regarding the Blessed One. And the Blessed One, seeing in himself the absence of that which is beings' enjoyment of desire and lust regarding forms and so on, acknowledged another method.

Again the brahmin, seeing the non-performance of that which worldly people perform as the family custom of paying respect and so on to those advanced in age, called the Blessed One a proponent of the inefficacy of action. But the Blessed One, since he teaches the non-doing of bodily misconduct and so on, therefore, seeing that state of being a proponent of the inefficacy of action in himself, acknowledged another method. Therein, setting aside bodily misconduct and so on, the remaining unwholesome mental states should be understood as "various evil unwholesome mental states."

Again the brahmin, not seeing that same action of paying respect and so on in the Blessed One, thinking "On account of this one, this worldly tradition is being cut off," called the Blessed One an annihilationist. But the Blessed One, since he teaches the annihilation of lust for the five strands of sensual pleasure by the path of non-returning, and the annihilation of hate associated with the twofold unwholesome consciousness by the path of non-returning, and the annihilation of delusion, the source of all that is unwholesome, by the path of arahantship, and setting aside those three, teaches the annihilation of the remaining evil unwholesome mental states as appropriate by the four paths, therefore, seeing that annihilationism in himself, acknowledged another method.

Again the brahmin, thinking "Methinks the ascetic Gotama detests this family custom of paying respect and so on to those advanced in age, and therefore does not perform it," called the Blessed One one who detests. But the Blessed One, since he detests bodily misconduct and so on - that is, bodily, verbal and mental misconduct, and even up to the attainment, the attaining, the state of being endowed with inferior unwholesome mental states - he detests and is ashamed of all that, like a man fond of adornment would be of excrement; therefore, seeing that state of detesting in himself, acknowledged another method. Therein, "by bodily misconduct" and so on - the instrumental case should be seen as used in the accusative sense.

Again the brahmin, not seeing that same action of paying respect and so on in the Blessed One, thinking "This one removes and destroys this action that is the duty of the world's elders, or alternatively, since he does not perform this proper duty, therefore this one should be trained and restrained," called the Blessed One one who removes. Herein this is the meaning of the terms - "He removes" thus "removal"; the meaning is "he destroys." Removal itself is "one who removes." Or "he deserves removal" thus "one who removes"; the meaning is "he deserves restraint." But the Blessed One, since he teaches the Teaching for the removal and appeasement of lust and so on, therefore he is one who removes. And this indeed is the meaning of the terms here - "He teaches the Teaching for removal" thus "one who removes." For the secondary derivative formation is varied. He, seeing that state of being one who removes in himself, acknowledged another method.

Again, the brahmin, since those who perform proper duties such as paying respect please and gladden those advanced in age, while those who do not perform them torment, vex, and give rise to displeasure in them, and the Blessed One does not perform those duties, therefore imagining "this one torments those advanced in age," or imagining "this is a poor man" because of being devoid of the conduct of good persons, called the Blessed One "an austere ascetic." Herein this is the meaning of the terms - "He burns" (tapati) is austere asceticism (tapo); the meaning is he irritates, he vexes. This is a designation for the non-performance of proper duties. "Austere asceticism exists in him" - thus "an austere ascetic." In the second alternative meaning, without analysing the phrasing, in the world a poor man is called "an austere ascetic." But the Blessed One, since those unwholesome mental states that are called "causing remorse" because of tormenting the world have been abandoned by him, has come to be termed "an austere ascetic." Therefore, seeing that state of being an austere ascetic in himself, he allowed another method. Herein this is the meaning of the word - "They burn" (tapanti) is "burning" (tapā); this is a designation for unwholesome mental states. "He possessed, cast off, abandoned, destroyed those burnings" - thus "an austere ascetic."

Again, the brahmin, imagining that the action of paying respect and so on leads to the achievement of a womb in the heavenly world, to the attainment of conception in the heavenly world, and having seen its absence in the Blessed One, called the Blessed One "one without a womb." Or through the influence of wrath, even showing a fault in the Blessed One's taking of conception in the mother's womb, he spoke thus. Herein this is the meaning of the word - "Departed from the womb" is "one without a womb"; the intention is: incapable of attaining rebirth in the heavenly world. Or "whose womb is inferior" is "one without a womb." Because of being excluded from the womb of the heavenly world, one who partakes of the attainment of an inferior womb in the future. Or the intention is: his dwelling in the womb in the mother's womb was inferior. But since for the Blessed One lying in a womb in the future has departed, therefore he, seeing that state of being without a womb in himself, allowed another method. And therein, the meaning of these terms "for whom, brahmin, lying in a womb in the future, the production of rebirth, has been abandoned" should be understood thus - "Brahmin, for whatever person, lying in a womb in the future and the production of rebirth have been abandoned because the cause has been destroyed by the unsurpassed path. And here, by the mention of lying in a womb, the womb-born mode of generation is included; by the mention of the production of rebirth, the other three as well."

Furthermore, the lying of the womb is conception in a womb. Rebirth itself is production - "the production of rebirth": thus the meaning here should be understood. And just as when "station of consciousness" is said, there is no station other than consciousness, so too here, no lying other than the womb should be understood. And since production exists both as pertaining to rebirth and as not pertaining to rebirth, and here that pertaining to rebirth is intended, therefore it is said - "Rebirth itself is production - the production of rebirth."

Thus, from the time of his arrival, even though the brahmin was reviling with the eight grounds for reviling beginning with "one without taste" and so on, the Blessed One - the lord of the Teaching, the king of the Teaching, the master of the Teaching, the Tathāgata - looking upon the brahmin with a cool eye of compassion, having penetrated that element of phenomena by virtue of which he is called one who has attained the beauty of instruction, because of the thorough penetration of that element of phenomena, like a full moon in a sky free from clouds and like the sun in the autumn season, dispelling the darkness of the brahmin's heart, having shown those very grounds for reviling differently by this and that method, and again making known his own spreading of compassion, the equanimity of mind like the earth characterised by the quality of suchness attained through the state of being unshakeable by the eight worldly adversities, and the state of being unshakeable, thought: "This brahmin merely observes his own state of being old by grey hair, broken teeth, wrinkled skin, and so on, but does not know himself as followed by birth, spread by ageing, overpowered by illness, struck by death, and that having died today, he is liable to go again to the very state of a child lying on its back. But he has come to my presence with great endeavour; may his coming be fruitful" - and thinking thus, showing his own unequalled state of being first-born in this world, he increased the teaching of the Teaching to the brahmin by the method beginning with "just as, brahmin."

Therein, the meaning of "just as" and so on should be understood by the method stated above. But this is the distinction - For by the method stated above, those chicks, shaking their wings, crying out suitably to that moment, come out. And of those coming out thus, whichever comes out first is called "the eldest." Therefore the Blessed One, wishing to establish his own state of being the eldest by that simile, asks the brahmin - Whichever of those chicks... etc. How should that one be called? Therein, "chicks" means the young of a hen. "How should that one be called" means how should he be called, what should he be said to be - the eldest or the youngest?

"That one, Master Gotama, should be called the eldest" means, Master Gotama, he should be called "the eldest." If one asks why? "For he is the eldest among them" means because he is the more senior among them - this is the meaning. Then the Blessed One, applying the simile, said "Just so indeed," meaning just as that chick, so too am I. "For the generation gone to ignorance" means ignorance is called not-knowing; for the generation gone into that. "Generation" is a designation for beings; it is said with reference to beings who have entered inside the sheath of ignorance. "Become like an egg" means for the generation that has come to be, been born, been produced in an egg. For just as certain beings born in an egg are called "egg-born," so too this entire generation, because of being born in the egg-sheath of ignorance, is called "egg-like." "Enveloped" means by that egg-sheath of ignorance, covered all around, bound, wrapped. "Having broken through the shell of ignorance" means having broken that egg-shell made of ignorance. "Alone in the world" means in the entire world community, I myself alone, without a companion. "Fully awakened to the unsurpassed perfect enlightenment" means the enlightenment that is devoid of anything higher, the foremost of all, correct and by oneself; or alternatively, the enlightenment that is praiseworthy and beautiful. This is the name for the knowledge of the path of arahantship, and it is also the name for omniscient knowledge. Both are applicable. Is the path of arahantship of others the unsurpassed enlightenment or not? It is not. Why? Because it does not bestow all qualities. For the path of arahantship gives to some only the fruition of arahantship, to some the three true knowledges, to some the six direct knowledges, to some the four analytical knowledges, to some the knowledge of the perfections of a disciple. Even for the Individually Enlightened Ones, it gives only the knowledge of individual enlightenment; but for the Buddhas, it gives the achievement of all qualities, just as a consecration gives a king sovereignty over the entire world. Therefore, the unsurpassed enlightenment does not exist for anyone else whatsoever. "Fully awakened" means "I directly knew, I penetrated, I have attained, I have reached" - this is what is said.

Now, the application of the simile stated by the Blessed One by the method beginning with "Just so indeed" should be understood by comparing it with the meaning thus - Just as the hen's performing of the threefold action beginning with sitting upon her own eggs, so is the Blessed One's, who was a Bodhisatta seated on the seat of enlightenment, performing of the threefold observation of impermanence, suffering, and non-self in his own continuity. Just as the non-putrefaction of the eggs through the hen's accomplishment of the threefold action, so is the non-decline of insight knowledge through the accomplishment of the threefold observation by the Blessed One who was a Bodhisatta. Just as the exhaustion of the moist cohesion of the eggs through the hen's performing of the threefold action, so is the exhaustion of the cohesion of attachment following the three kinds of existence through the accomplishment of the threefold observation by the Blessed One who was a Bodhisatta. Just as the thinning of the egg shells through the hen's performing of the threefold action, so is the thinning of the shell of ignorance through the accomplishment of the threefold observation by the Blessed One who was a Bodhisatta; just as the hardness and roughness of the chick's claws and beak through the hen's performing of the threefold action, so is the sharpness, roughness, clarity, and valour of insight knowledge through the accomplishment of the threefold observation by the Blessed One who was a Bodhisatta. Just as the time of ripening of the chick through the hen's performing of the threefold action, so is the time of ripening, the time of growth, the time of taking the embryo of insight knowledge through the accomplishment of the threefold observation by the Blessed One who was a Bodhisatta. Just as the time of the chick's safe breaking forth, having broken through the egg shell with the tips of its claws or with its beak and having spread its wings, through the hen's performing of the threefold action, so should be understood the time of the Blessed One's safe realisation of the entire qualities of a Buddha - through the accomplishment of the threefold observation, having caused the embryo of insight knowledge to be taken, having broken through the shell of ignorance by the path of arahantship attained progressively, having spread the wings of direct knowledge.

"For I, brahmin, am the eldest, the foremost in the world" means, brahmin, just as the chick that first broke through the egg shell and was born is the eldest among those chicks, so too, having broken through that shell of ignorance for the generation gone to ignorance, because of being born first with a noble birth, I have come to be reckoned as the eldest, the most senior; but because of being without equal in all qualities, the foremost.

Thus, having made known to the brahmin his own unsurpassed state of being the eldest and foremost, now in order to show from the preliminary stage onwards the practice by which he attained that, he said beginning with "My energy, brahmin, was aroused." Therein, "My energy, brahmin, was aroused" means: brahmin, this unsurpassed state of being the eldest and foremost was not attained by me through being lazy, through unmindfulness, through an excited body, or through a distracted mind; but rather, for the achievement of that, my energy was aroused. Seated at the seat of enlightenment, the energy classified as the four right strivings was aroused by me, exerted and proceeding without slackness. And precisely because of being aroused, this was unsluggish for me. Not only energy alone, but my mindfulness too was established by way of facing the object, and precisely because of being established, it was unconfused. "The body was calm and not excited" means through tranquillity of body and tranquillity of consciousness, my body too was calm. Therein, since when the mental body is calm, the material body too is indeed calm, therefore without distinguishing between the mental body and the material body, it was said "the body was calm." "Not excited" means that it was indeed not excited precisely because of being calm; what is meant is that disturbance had departed. "The mind was concentrated and fully focused" means my mind too was rightly placed, well established, as if applied, and precisely because of being concentrated, it was fully focused, unshakeable, and without trembling. To this extent, the preliminary practice of meditative absorption has been spoken of.

Now, showing the distinction attained by this practice, beginning with the first meditative absorption and ending with the threefold true knowledge, he said beginning with "So I." Therein, whatever should be said by way of analytical method, that has already been stated in the Visuddhimagga.

In "This, brahmin, was my" and so on, however, "true knowledge" means true knowledge in the meaning of making known. What does it make known? Past lives. "Ignorance" means the delusion that conceals that very past life, in the meaning of making it unknown. "Darkness" means that very delusion, in the meaning of concealing, is called darkness. "Light" means that very true knowledge, in the meaning of producing illumination, is light. And here the meaning is "true knowledge was attained"; the remainder is a word of praise. The explanation here, however, is: This true knowledge was attained by me; for me who had attained true knowledge, ignorance was destroyed - the meaning is, it perished. Why? Because true knowledge had arisen. This same method applies to the other pair of terms as well. In "just as" (yathā taṃ), here "taṃ" is merely a particle. The meaning is: "diligent" through the continuous presence of mindfulness, "ardent" through the ardour of energy, "resolute" means one whose mind is directed through disregard for body and life. This is what is meant - Just as for one dwelling diligent, ardent, and resolute, ignorance would be destroyed, true knowledge would arise, darkness would be destroyed, light would arise; just so my ignorance was destroyed, true knowledge arose, darkness was destroyed, light arose. A fruit befitting this pursuit of striving has been obtained by me.

"This, brahmin, was my first breaking forth, like a chick from the egg-shell" means: this, brahmin, was my first breaking forth, my first emergence, my first noble birth, having broken through the egg-shell of ignorance that concealed the aggregates dwelt in formerly, with the beak of the knowledge of recollecting past lives - just as a chick's breaking forth, its emergence, its rebirth in the order of fowl, having broken through the egg-shell with its beak or with the tips of its claws from that egg-shell. This, for now, is the method in the discussion of past lives.

In the treatise on passing away and rebirth, however, "true knowledge" means the true knowledge of the divine eye knowledge. "Ignorance" means the ignorance that conceals the passing away and rebirth. But just as in the treatise on past lives it was said "having broken through the shell of ignorance that conceals the aggregates formerly dwelt in, with the beak of the knowledge of recollecting past lives," so here it should be said "having broken through the shell of ignorance that conceals the passing away and rebirth, with the beak of the knowledge of the passing away and rebirth."

Now, showing to the brahmin the achievement of the knowledge of the elimination of mental corruptions, encompassed by reviewing knowledge, he said beginning with "This, brahmin, was my third true knowledge." Therein, "true knowledge" means the true knowledge of the path of arahantship. "Ignorance" means the ignorance that conceals the four truths. "This, brahmin, was my third breaking forth" - here, this means: "This indeed, brahmin, was my third breaking forth, my third emergence, my third noble birth, having broken through the shell of ignorance that conceals the four truths with the beak of the knowledge of the elimination of mental corruptions - just as a chick, having broken through the egg-shell with its beak or with the tips of its claws, emerges from that egg-shell, a breaking forth, an emergence, a rebirth in the order of fowl."

By this much, what does he show? For, brahmin, that chick, having broken through the egg-shell, emerging from there, is born only once; but I, having broken through the shell of ignorance that conceals the aggregates formerly dwelt in, was first born through the true knowledge of the knowledge of recollecting past lives. Then, having broken through the shell of ignorance that conceals the passing away and conception of beings, I was born for the second time through the true knowledge of the divine eye knowledge; and again, having broken through the shell of ignorance that conceals the four truths, I was born for the third time through the true knowledge of the knowledge of the elimination of mental corruptions. Thus I have been born three times through the three true knowledges. "And that birth of mine was noble and fully purified" - this is what he shows. And showing thus - by the knowledge of past lives, the knowledge of the past; by the divine eye, the knowledge of the present and future; by the elimination of mental corruptions, the entire mundane and supramundane virtues - thus, having made known all the virtues of omniscience by the three true knowledges, he showed to the brahmin his own state of being the eldest and foremost by noble birth.

"When this was said, the brahmin Verañja" - when thus spoken by the Blessed One, who has compassion for the world, having compassion for the brahmin, through the teaching of the Teaching that makes known the three true knowledges, even though his own state of being the eldest and foremost by noble birth should be concealed, the brahmin Verañja, whose body and mind were filled with the pervasion of rapture, having understood that state of the Blessed One's being the eldest and foremost by noble birth, having reproached himself thus: "Such a one indeed - the eldest of the whole world, endowed with all virtues, the Omniscient One - I said of him 'He does not perform the action of paying respect and so on to others.' Fie indeed, dear sir, upon not knowing!" and having come to the conclusion: "He is now the eldest in the world in the sense of being first-born by noble birth, and the foremost in the sense of being unmatched by all virtues," said this to the Blessed One - "Master Gotama is the elder, Master Gotama is the foremost." And having said thus, again appreciating that teaching of the Teaching by the Blessed One, he said beginning with "Excellent, Master Gotama." That is of the meaning already stated.

2.

Commentary on the Sīha Discourse

12. In the second, "well-known" means known, recognised, renowned. "In the council hall" means in a building made for the purpose of the public resting. It is said that that council hall was in the middle of the city, visible to those standing in four places; people who had come from the four directions would first rest there and afterwards go to their own comfortable places. Some say it is also a building made for the purpose of the royal families spreading out the affairs of the kingdom. For there, having sat down, the Licchavi kings spread out, conduct, and administer the affairs of the kingdom. "Seated together" means seated on seats prepared solely for their sitting, with very precious and excellent coverings, with raised white parasols. "Speaking in many ways in praise of the Buddha" means having administered both the affairs and the conduct for the welfare of the world in the royal court, they speak, relate, and explain the praise of the Buddha with many reasons. For those kings were wise, faithful, confident, noble disciples - stream-enterers, once-returners, and non-returners - and they all, having cut through the tangle of worldly affairs, spoke the praise of the three jewels beginning with the Buddha. Therein, the praise of the Buddha is threefold: praise of conduct, praise of the body, and praise of virtues. There these kings began the praise of conduct - "Difficult indeed was what was done by the perfectly Self-awakened One, who, over four incalculable aeons plus more than a hundred thousand cosmic cycles, fulfilled the ten perfections, the ten secondary perfections, and the ten ultimate perfections - thus thirty perfections, who brought to the summit the conduct for the welfare of relatives, the conduct for the welfare of the world, and the conduct of a Buddha, and who relinquished the five great relinquishments" - thus speaking the praise of the Buddha with five hundred and fifty birth stories, they brought it up to the Tusita abode and stopped there.

But those speaking in praise of the Teaching spoke of the virtues of the Teaching by way of portions: "The Teaching was taught by that Blessed One; by collection there are five collections, by Canon there are three Canons, by factor there are nine factors, by aggregate there are eighty-four thousand aggregates of the Teaching."

Those speaking in praise of the Community, having heard the Teacher's teaching of the Teaching, said: "Sons of good family who have gained faith, having abandoned the mass of wealth and the circle of relatives, not counting the white parasol, the viceroyalty, the positions of general, millionaire, treasurer, and so on, having gone forth, go forth in the Teacher's excellent instruction. Of those who went forth having abandoned the white parasol, of the royal ones who went forth such as King Bhaddiya, Mahākappina, Pukkusāti, and so on, in the time of the Buddha there were eighty thousand alone. But of those who went forth having abandoned many hundreds of millions in wealth, such as Yasa the son of good family, Soṇa the millionaire's son, Raṭṭhapāla the son of good family, and so on, there is no limit. Such and such sons of good family go forth in the Teacher's Dispensation" - thus they spoke of the virtues of the Community by way of a summary of the going forth.

"The general Sīha" means the one so named who is the chief of the army. For in Vesālī there were seven thousand seven hundred and seven kings. They all, having assembled together, having taken the consent of all, while selecting, saying "Search for one able to administer the country," having seen the prince Sīha, having made the conclusion "This one will be able," gave him the general's parasol of the colour of a red gem, wrapped in woollen cloth. With reference to that it was said - "The general Sīha." "A disciple of the Jains" means a giver of requisites and attendant of Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta. For in the surface of the Indian subcontinent there were three persons who were the chief attendants of the Jains - In Nāḷandā, the householder Upāli; in the city of Kapila, Vappa the Sakyan; in Vesālī, this general Sīha. "Was seated" means they prepared seats at intervals in the assembly of the remaining kings, but for Sīha the place was in the middle; thus he was seated on that prepared, very precious royal seat. "Without doubt" means without uncertainty, certainly, definitely; for these do not speak praise in this way with many hundreds of reasons for just anyone of little influence.

"He approached Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta" means it is said that Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta, having thought "If this Sīha, having heard someone speaking the praise of the ascetic Gotama, approaches the ascetic Gotama for an audience, there will be decline for me," even earlier said this to the general Sīha - "General, in this world many go about saying 'I am a Buddha, I am a Buddha.' If you wish to approach someone for an audience, you should ask me. I shall send you to the appropriate place, and I shall prevent you from the inappropriate place." He, having recalled that talk, having thought "If he sends me, I shall go. If not, I shall not go," approached Nigaṇṭha Nāṭaputta.

Then, having heard his words, the Jain, overwhelmed by intense sorrow like a great mountain, having become displeased thinking "Where now I do not wish him to go, there he has become desirous of going; I am ruined," having thought "I shall devise a means of warding him off," said beginning with "But why would you." Speaking thus, like one striking a wandering bull with a stick, like one extinguishing a burning lamp, like one overturning a bowl filled with food, he destroyed the joy that had arisen in Sīha. "Intention to go" means the undertaking that had occurred by way of harnessing elephant vehicles and so on and taking garlands of flowers and so on. "That subsided" means that was allayed.

"For the second time also" means for the second time too. And on this occasion, those speaking in praise of the Buddha, beginning from the Tusita abode up to the great Bodhi seat, having defined the One of Ten Powers below from the soles of the feet and above to the tips of the hair, spoke of the beauty of the body by way of the thirty-two marks of a great man, the eighty minor features, and the fathom-wide radiance. Those speaking in praise of the Teaching spoke of the virtues of the Teaching by way of its being well spoken, saying "There is not even a single stumble in a single term or a single phrase." Those speaking in praise of the Community spoke of the virtues of the Community by way of practice, saying "Having abandoned such fame, glory, and wealth, those gone forth in the Teacher's Dispensation are not of lazy nature; but having become fulfillers of the thirteen ascetic practice virtues, they practise in the seven observations, and employ the thirty-eight classifications of objects."

But on the third occasion, those speaking in praise of the Buddha spoke of the virtues of the Buddha by the discourse method itself beginning with "Thus indeed is the Blessed One"; they spoke of the virtues of the Teaching by the discourse method itself beginning with "Well proclaimed by the Blessed One is the Teaching" and so on; and they spoke of the virtues of the Community by the discourse method itself beginning with "The Community of the Blessed One's disciples is practising well" and so on. Then Sīha thought - "The mouths of these Licchavi princes, speaking of the virtues of the Buddha, the Teaching, and the Community from the third day onwards, do not cease; surely that Blessed One is endowed with extraordinary virtues. Without abandoning this joy that has now arisen, I shall today see the Perfectly Self-awakened One." Then the thought arose in him: "What indeed will the Jains do to me?" Therein, "what indeed will they do to me" means what indeed will the Jains do to me? "Whether consulted or not consulted" means whether asked permission or not asked permission. For indeed, when asked, they will not give me the achievement of vehicles and conveyances, nor any distinction of sovereignty; nor, when not asked, will they take them away. Asking their permission is fruitless - this is the intention.

"He departed from Vesālī" - just as in the hot season, when the sky has rained, the flowing water, having descended into the river, having gone only a little way, stands still and does not proceed, so on the first day, the time when the joy had arisen in Sīha thinking "I shall see the One of Ten Powers" was warded off by the Jain. Just as on the second day, when the sky has rained, the flowing water, having descended into the river, having gone a little way, having struck a heap of sand, does not proceed, so on the second day, the time when the joy had arisen in Sīha thinking "I shall see the One of Ten Powers" was warded off by the Jain. Just as on the third day, when the sky has rained, the flowing water, having descended into the river, dragging along old leaves, dry twigs, sticks, rubbish, and so on, having broken through the heap of sand, flows slanting towards the ocean, so Sīha on the third day, having heard the talk of praise of the three subjects, when joy and gladness had arisen, having directed his mind thinking "The Jains are fruitless, the Jains are useless; what will these do to me? I shall go to the presence of the Teacher," departed from Vesālī. And while departing, thinking "For a long time I have become desirous of going to the presence of the One of Ten Powers, but it is not proper for me to go in the guise of an unknown person," having had the proclamation made "Whoever are desirous of going to the presence of the One of Ten Powers, let all go forth," having had five hundred chariots harnessed, standing in the finest chariot, surrounded by those five hundred chariots and a great assembly, having had perfumes, flowers, bath powders, incense, and so on taken, he departed. "In the middle of the day" means during the daytime of the day, just when midday had passed.

"He approached the Blessed One" - entering the monastery, even from afar having seen the eighty minor features, the fathom-wide radiance, the thirty-two marks of a great man, and the six-coloured compact Buddha-rays, having thought "Such a person indeed, dwelling so near, for so long a time I did not see; surely I have been deceived; alas, it is a loss for me," like a poor man having seen a great treasure, with joy and gladness arisen, he approached the Blessed One. "They explain what is in conformity with the Teaching" means they speak of a subsidiary reason conforming to the reason stated by the Venerable Gotama. Here the word "dhamma" has the meaning of reason, as in such passages as "Knowledge regarding the cause is analytical knowledge of phenomena" and so on. "Reason" - here the meaning intended is that of a word thus occurring, because of its being the cause of that occurrence. For the use of a word is connected with its meaning. "Subsidiary reason" means this very thing being thus spoken of by others. "A reasonable counter-argument" - Having a reason corresponding to the reasons stated by others, not even the slightest reason blameworthy by the wise comes regarding your speech or, beyond that, a counter-argument to it. This is what is meant - Is there not in any way whatsoever a blameworthy reason in your doctrine? "Not wishing to misrepresent" means not wishing to speak with what is untrue. The meaning of "There is, Sīha, a method" and so on should be understood according to the method that has come in the Verañja section. "With the supreme comfort" means with the highest, reckoned as the four paths and four fruits. "I teach the Teaching for comfort" means I teach the Teaching for the purpose of comforting, for the purpose of reassuring. Thus the Blessed One taught the Teaching to the general Sīha by means of eight factors.

"Through investigation" means having investigated, having thought, having weighed, do what ought to be done - this is what is meant. "Is good" means is excellent. For in the case of one like you, having seen me, going for refuge to me, having seen a Jain, going for refuge to a Jain - "Why does this Sīha go for refuge to whoever he happens to see?" - reproach arises; therefore he shows that thorough investigation is good for those like you. "They would carry a banner" - it is said that they, having obtained such a disciple - "Such and such a king or a king's minister or a millionaire has gone for refuge to us, has become a disciple" - raising a banner, they wander about proclaiming in the city. Why? Thinking "Thus our greatness will become manifest," and also If regret should arise in him, "Why have I gone for refuge to these?" he too, having dispelled that by thinking "Many know of my state of having gone for refuge to these; it is difficult to turn back now," will not withdraw - and also. Therefore he said - "They would carry a banner." "Like a well" means standing like a prepared well. "Family" means your dwelling. "You might think it should be given" means formerly, having seen ten, twenty, or even sixty people who had arrived, without saying "there is nothing," he gave; now do not, merely on account of having gone for refuge to me, cut off the gift to these ones. For indeed, to those who have arrived, it should be given - thus he exhorted. "I have heard this, venerable sir" - from where was it heard? From the Jains. It is said that they make known thus in the houses of families: "We say 'it should be given to whoever has arrived,' but the ascetic Gotama says 'gifts should be given only to me, not to others; gifts should be given only to my disciples, not to the disciples of others; only what is given to me is of great fruit, not what is given to others; only what is given to my disciples is of great fruit, not what is given to the disciples of others' - thus he speaks." With reference to that, he said "I have heard this."

"Progressive discourse" means after giving morality, after morality heaven, after heaven the path - thus a discourse in succession. Therein, "a talk on giving" means this giving is the source of happiness, the root of successes, the support of wealth, the shelter, rock cell, destination, and ultimate goal for one gone to adversity; in this world and the world beyond there is no support, foundation, basis, shelter, rock cell, destination, or ultimate goal equal to giving. For this, in the meaning of support, is like a throne made of jewels; in the meaning of foundation, is like the great earth; in the meaning of basis, is like a supporting rope. For this, in the meaning of crossing over suffering, is a boat; in the meaning of giving relief, a hero in battle; in the meaning of protection from danger, a well-constructed citadel; in the meaning of being untainted by the stain of stinginess and the like, a lotus; in the meaning of consuming them, fire; in the meaning of being difficult to approach, a venomous snake; in the meaning of being unafraid, a lion; in the meaning of being powerful, an elephant; in the meaning of being considered supremely auspicious, a white bull; in the meaning of leading to a land of security, the horse-king Valāhaka. Giving is such a path gone by me, this is my very lineage; while I was fulfilling the ten perfections, the great sacrifice of Velāma, the great sacrifice of Mahāgovinda, the great sacrifice of Mahāsudassana, the great sacrifice of Vessantara - thus many great sacrifices were carried out; and as the hare, by surrendering oneself into the blazing mass of fire, the hearts of the beggars who had arrived were won. For giving in the world bestows the success of Sakka, the success of Māra, the success of Brahmā, the success of a universal monarch, the knowledge of the perfections of a disciple, the knowledge of individual enlightenment, and the knowledge of perfect enlightenment - thus a talk connected with the virtues of giving and so on.

But since one who gives a gift is able to undertake morality, therefore immediately after that he spoke a talk on morality. "A talk on morality" means this morality is a support, a foundation, a basis, a shelter, a rock cell, a destination, and an ultimate goal. This morality is my lineage; I fulfilled morality in countless individual existences - during the time of the nāga king Saṅkhapāla, during the time of the nāga king Bhūridatta, during the time of the nāga king Campeyya, during the time of King Sīlavant, during the time of the elephant king who supported his mother, during the time of the elephant king Chaddanta. For there is no support, foundation, basis, shelter, rock cell, destination, or ultimate goal equal to morality for the successes of this world and the world beyond; there is no ornament equal to the ornament of morality, there is no flower equal to the flower of morality, there is no fragrance equal to the fragrance of morality. For even the world with its gods, looking upon one adorned with the ornament of morality, anointed with the fragrance of morality, does not reach satisfaction - thus a talk connected with the virtues of morality and so on.

But in order to show that "in dependence on this morality this heaven is obtained," after morality he spoke a talk on heaven. "A talk on heaven" means this heaven is desirable, pleasant, agreeable; here there is always sport, successes are always obtained; the gods ruled by the four great kings experience divine happiness and divine success for nine million years; the gods of the Thirty-three for three ten million years and sixty hundred thousand years - thus a talk connected with the virtues of heaven and so on. For when the Buddhas are speaking of the success of heaven, their mouths are not adequate. And this too was said - "In many ways indeed, monks, I could speak a talk on heaven," and so on.

Having thus enticed with the talk on heaven, but like one who, having adorned an elephant, cuts off its trunk, for the purpose of showing that "this heaven too is impermanent, unstable; desire and lust should not be entertained herein," by the method beginning with "sensual pleasures are of little enjoyment, of much suffering, of much anguish; the danger herein is greater," he spoke of the danger, degradation, and defilement of sensual pleasures. Therein, "danger" means fault. "Degradation" means lowliness, the state of being inferior. "Defilement" means the becoming defiled of beings in the round of rebirths through them. As he said - "Beings become defiled indeed, friend."

Thus, having frightened with the danger of sensual pleasures, he made known the benefit of renunciation. "Of pliant mind" means of healthy mind. "Discovered by themselves" means exalted by oneself, lifted up and grasped by oneself alone, seen through self-born knowledge, not shared with others - this is the meaning. But what is that? The teaching of the noble truths. Therefore he said - suffering, origin, cessation, path. "Stainless, spotless" means stainless because of the absence of the dust of lust and so on; spotless because of the disappearance of the stain of lust and so on. "Eye of the Teaching" - here the path of stream-entry is intended. In order to show the manner of its arising, he said "Whatever has the nature of arising, all that has the nature of cessation." For that arises having made cessation its object, thus penetrating all that is conditioned by way of function. "The noble truth Teaching has been seen by means of this" - thus "one who has seen the Teaching." The same method applies in the remaining ones too. "Doubt has been crossed over by means of this" - thus "one who has crossed over doubt." "Bewilderment has gone for him" - thus "one who has gone beyond uncertainty." "Self-confidence has been attained" - thus "one who has attained self-confidence." Where? In the Teacher's instruction. There is no other as a condition for him; he does not proceed here by another's faith - thus "not relying on others."

"Available meat" means the intention is: having taken the price, seek allowable meat that is naturally available in the market place. "Several Jains" means about five hundred Jains. "A fat beast" means a fat, large-bodied beast reckoned as an elk, a buffalo, or a pig. "Specifically prepared" means done having designated oneself; the meaning is "killed." "Dependent on that action" means he experiences the action of killing a living being dependent on that meat. For that unwholesome action is half the donor's and half the recipient's - such is their view. Another method - "Dependent on that action" means done dependent on oneself. Alternatively, "dependent on that action" is a designation for the action connected with the sign; the meat is called "dependent on that action" because "dependent on that, there is action here." "Whispering" means at the base of the ear. "Enough" is a word of rejection; the meaning is "what is the use of this?" "And yet those" means those venerable ones, having been desirous of blaming for a long time, even while speaking blame and misrepresenting, do not tire; they do not come to the end of their false accusation - this is the meaning. Alternatively, the word "tire" here should be seen in the sense of being ashamed; the meaning is "they are not ashamed."

3.

Commentary on the Thoroughbred Horse Discourse

13. In the third, "with factors" means with quality-factors. "He is born in that direction" means he is born in the direction of the bank of the river Sindhu. Other good thoroughbred horses too are born right there. "Whether fresh or dry" means whether fresh grass or dry grass. "Does not agitate other horses" means he does not agitate other horses, does not strike, does not bite, does not make dispute. "Fraudulent behaviours" means the state of being fraudulent. "Deceitful behaviours" means the state of being deceitful. "Crooked behaviours" means the state of being crooked. "Dishonest behaviours" means the states of being dishonest. Thus by these four terms too, only the state of being untrained is spoken of. "One who draws" means the nature of drawing, one who acts in accordance with the exhortation given. "Until the exhaustion of life and death" means until the ending of life by death. "Consumes carefully" means having reviewed as if it were the Deathless, he consumes. In the terms beginning with "by manly strength," knowledge-strength and so on are spoken of. "Cessation" means drawing back, revocation.

4.

Commentary on the Inferior Horse Discourse

14. In the fourth, "told 'Go!'" means told "Go!" "Pushes the chariot back from behind" means having pressed the yoke upward with the shoulder bone, he retreats rolling the chariot back by the hind part. "Jumps backwards, strikes the pole" means having raised the two hind feet and having struck with them, he breaks the chariot pole. "Breaks the tripod" means there are three sticks at the front of the chariot; he breaks them. "Having raised its thigh onto the chariot pole" means having bent its head down, having brought the yoke down to the ground, having struck the chariot pole with its thigh. "Tramples down" means it stands trampling the pole with its two front feet. "Overturns the chariot" means it drives the chariot onto dry ground or onto a thorny place. "Not heeding" means not paying attention, not taking into account. "Bridle" means an iron chain given for the purpose of placing on the mouth. "Standing like a post" means having placed the four feet motionless like pillars, it stands in a posture similar to the position of a post. In this discourse only the round of rebirths has been spoken of.

5.

Commentary on the Discourse on Stains

15. In the fifth, "non-recitation is the stain" means the non-recitation of learnt spells is called a stain. "Inactivity is the stain of houses" means the absence of industriousness and energy is called the stain of houses. "Of beauty" means of bodily beauty. "Of one who guards" means of one who guards whatever is one's own property. "Ignorance is the supreme stain" means that, more than the remaining stain of unwholesome mental states, the thick-darkness ignorance that is not knowing regarding the eight states, reckoned as the root of the round of rebirths, is the supreme stain. For indeed there is nothing called more staining than that. In this discourse too, only the round of rebirths has been spoken of.

6.

Commentary on the Discourse on Messenger Duty

16. In the sixth, "messenger duty" means the work of a messenger. "Is worthy to go" means he is worthy to bear and carry that message reckoned as messenger duty. "A listener" means a listener to whoever gives him that message. "One who causes to hear" means having learnt that, one who causes to hear back, saying "This indeed was spoken by you." "A learner" means one who learns having made it rightly taken. "A retainer" means one who retains having made it well considered. "One who cognises" means one who knows the meaning of what is beneficial and unbeneficial. "One who causes to cognise" means one who causes others to understand. "Skilled in what is connected with meaning" means skilled in what is connected with meaning and what is not connected with meaning, thus: "this is connected with meaning, this is not connected with meaning"; clever in what is relevant and what is not relevant, when reporting the message, having observed what is connected with meaning, he reports it. "Does not tremble" means does not quiver, does not become frightened. "Without doubt" means free from doubt, with uncertainty gone. "When questioned" means questioned for the purpose of a question.

7-8.

Commentary on the Two Discourses on Bondage

17-18. In the seventh, "by weeping" means by crying. "By deportment" means by the arrangement of robing and draping the outer robe and so on. "By forest offerings" means by a present of flowers, fruits and so on, having broken and brought from the forest. The same method applies to the eighth as well.

9.

Commentary on the Pahārāda Discourse

19. In the ninth, "Pahārāda" means one so named. "The lord of titans" means the chief of the titans. For among the titans, Vepacitti, Rāhu, and Pahārāda - these three are the chiefs. "He approached the Blessed One" means from the day of the full awakening of the One of Ten Powers, having let eleven years pass thinking "I shall go today, I shall go tomorrow," in the twelfth year, during the time of the Teacher's dwelling at Verañjā, having given rise to the thought "I shall go to the presence of the Perfectly Self-awakened One," thinking "Twelve years have passed for me saying 'today, tomorrow'; come, let me go right now," at that very moment, surrounded by a company of titans, having departed from the titan abode, during the day, he approached the Blessed One and stood to one side. It is said that he had come thinking "Having asked the Tathāgata a question, I shall then listen to the Teaching," but from the time of seeing the Tathāgata, being unable to ask out of respect for the Buddha, he paid homage to the Teacher and stood to one side. Then the Teacher thought - "This Pahārāda will not be able to speak first while I am not speaking; I shall ask him one question about a matter familiar to him for the purpose of bringing up a discussion."

Then, asking him, he said beginning with "But, Pahārāda" and so on. Therein, "delight" means they find pleasure, they dwell without discontent - this is the meaning. He, having become delighted thinking "The Blessed One asks me about a matter familiar to me," said "They delight, venerable sir." "Progressively slanting" and so on - all are synonyms for the state of slanting in succession. "Not abruptly precipitous" means not a precipice from the very beginning, like a great pit with a cut-off bank. For it shows that, beginning from the shore, becoming deep by the measure of one finger-breadth, two finger-breadths, a span, a cubit, a pole, a usabha, half a league, a league, half a yojana, and so on, going on, at the base of Sineru it stands eighty-four thousand yojanas deep.

"Stable in nature" means of stable intrinsic nature. "With a corpse" means with any carcass whatsoever of elephants, horses, and so on. "Pushes it onto dry land" means by the striking of waves alone, as if having taken it by hand, it throws it onto dry land.

"The Ganges, the Yamunā" - standing here, it is fitting to tell the account of the origin of these rivers. This Indian subcontinent, for now, is ten thousand yojanas in extent; therein, a region of four thousand yojanas in extent, submerged by water, has gone by the term "great ocean"; in a region of three thousand yojanas in extent, human beings dwell; in a region of three thousand yojanas in extent, the Himalayas are established, five hundred yojanas in height, adorned with eighty-four thousand peaks, decorated with five hundred rivers flowing all around, where, fifty yojanas each in length and breadth and in depth, one hundred and fifty yojanas in circumference, the seven great lakes are established - the Anotatta lake, the Kaṇṇamuṇḍa lake, the Rathakāra lake, the Chaddanta lake, the Kuṇāla lake, the Mandākinī lake, and the Sīhapapāta lake.

Among these, Anotatta is surrounded by these five mountains - the Sudassana peak, the Citta peak, the Kāḷa peak, the Gandhamādana peak, and the Kelāsa peak. Therein, the Sudassana peak is made of gold, two hundred yojanas in height, curved inward, having the shape of a crow's beak, standing having covered over that very lake; the Citta peak is made of all jewels; the Kāḷa peak is made of eye ointment; the Gandhamādana peak is made of tableland, of mung-bean colour inside, abundant with these ten odours - the odour of roots, the odour of heartwood, the odour of softwood, the odour of bark, the odour of outer bark, the odour of sap, the odour of leaves, the odour of flowers, the odour of fruits, and the odour of all fragrances - covered with medicines of various kinds; on the Observance day of the dark fortnight, it stands blazing like a burning ember; the Kelāsa peak is made of silver. All are of the same height and shape as the Sudassana, standing having covered over that very lake. All of those rain by the power of the gods and by the power of the serpents, and rivers flow in them. All that water enters into Anotatta itself. The moon and sun, going to the south or to the north, cast light there through the gaps between the mountains; going straight, they do not cast light. Therefore the term "Anotatta" arose for it.

There are charming stone terraces, free from fish and turtles, with water pure like crystal, bathing places well prepared, where Buddhas, those who have eliminated the mental corruptions, Individually Enlightened Ones, and sages possessing supernormal power bathe, and gods, demons, and others sport in water-play.

On its four sides there are four openings - a lion-mouth, an elephant-mouth, a horse-mouth, and a bull-mouth - through which four rivers flow. On the bank of the river that goes out through the lion-mouth, lions are more numerous; through the elephant-mouth and so on, elephants, horses, and bulls. The river that goes out from the eastern direction, having circumambulated Anotatta three times, without approaching the other three rivers, going along the eastern Himalayas by a non-human path, enters the great ocean. The rivers that go out from the western direction and from the northern direction also, having likewise circumambulated it, going along the western Himalayas and along the northern Himalayas by a non-human path, enter the great ocean. But the river that goes out from the southern opening, having circumambulated it three times, going straight to the north over the surface of rock for sixty yojanas, having struck a mountain, having risen up, having become a torrent of water three leagues in circumference, having gone through space for sixty yojanas, fell upon a rock named Tiyaggaḷa; the rock was split by the force of the torrent of water. There a great pond named Tiyaggaḷā, fifty yojanas in extent, arose; having broken through the bank of the pond, having entered the rock, it went sixty yojanas. Then, having broken through the solid earth, having gone sixty yojanas through a tunnel, having struck the transverse mountain named Giñjha, it becomes five streams resembling five fingers on the palm of a hand and flows on. The place where it went having circumambulated Anotatta three times is called the Āvatta Ganges. The place where it went straight over the surface of rock for sixty yojanas is called the Kaṇha Ganges; the place where it went through space for sixty yojanas is called the Ākāsa Ganges; where it stood at the Tiyaggaḷa rock in a space of fifty yojanas is called the Tiyaggaḷa pond; the place where it went sixty yojanas having broken through the bank and having entered the rock is called the Bahala Ganges; the place where it went sixty yojanas through a tunnel is called the Umaṅga Ganges. But at the place where, having struck the transverse mountain named Viñjha, having become five streams, it flows on, it has gone by the term in five ways - the Ganges, the Yamunā, the Aciravatī, the Sarabhū, and the Mahī. Thus these five great rivers should be understood as flowing from the Himalayas.

"Streams" means whatever great rivers or rivulets that are flowing, going. "Flow into" means they cling to, they enter into. "Showers" means showers of rain. "Fullness" means the state of being full. For this is the natural order of the great ocean - It is not possible to say "At this time the rain has become slack; taking nets and so on, we shall catch fish and turtles" or "At this time the rain is great; shall we find a place to stretch our backs?" For from the time of the first cosmic period, whatever water stood reaching the girdle of Sineru, from that, not even a finger-breadth of water sinks below or rises above. "Of one flavour" means of undifferentiated flavour.

"Pearls" means pearls of many kinds, distinguished as small, large, round, long, and so on. "Gems" means gems of many kinds, distinguished as red, blue, and so on. "Lapis lazuli" means of many kinds, distinguished as bamboo-coloured, sirīsa-flower-coloured, and so on. "Conch" means of many kinds, distinguished as right-turning conch, copper-bellied conch, blowing conch, and so on. "Stones" means of many kinds, distinguished as white, black, mung-bean-coloured, and so on. "Coral" means of many kinds, distinguished as small, large, red, deeply red, and so on. "Cat's eye gem" means a variegated gem. "Serpents" means both those dwelling on the surface of the waves and those established in mansions.

"Eight, Pahārāda" - the Teacher is able to speak of eight phenomena, or sixteen, or thirty-two, or sixty-four, or a thousand; but since eight were spoken of by Pahārāda, having thought "I too shall speak making them comparable to those very ones," he spoke thus. In "gradual training" and so on, by "gradual training" the three trainings are included; by "gradual action" the thirteen ascetic practices; by "gradual practice" the seven observations, the eighteen great insights, the thirty-eight classifications of objects, and the thirty-seven qualities conducive to enlightenment. "Not a sudden penetration of final knowledge" means just as a frog goes by jumping up, so without first fulfilling morality and so on from the very beginning, there is no such thing as the penetration of arahantship; but the meaning is that arahantship can be attained only by fulfilling morality, concentration, and wisdom in succession.

"Far indeed" means far away indeed. "No deficiency or fullness of the Nibbāna element by that" - even during an incalculable cosmic cycle when no Buddhas have arisen, not even a single being is able to attain final Nibbāna, yet even then it is not possible to say "the Nibbāna element is empty." But during the time of a Buddha, at each single assembly even incalculable beings attain the Deathless, yet even then it is not possible to say - "The Nibbāna element is full."

10.

Commentary on the Observance Day Discourse

20. In the tenth, "was seated" means he was seated in the jewel mansion of the female lay follower for the purpose of performing the Observance ceremony. But having sat down and surveying the minds of the monks, having seen one immoral person, thinking "If I were to recite the Pātimokkha while this person is seated right here, his head would split into seven pieces," out of compassion for him, he just remained silent. "Passed" means gone beyond, exhausted. "When dawn had risen" means when the tip of dawn had arisen. "With a joyful face" means with a delighted face. "The assembly is not pure, Ānanda" - without saying "Such and such a person is impure," he said "The assembly is not pure, Ānanda." The remainder is clear everywhere.

The Great Chapter is the second.

3.

The Chapter on Householders

1.

Commentary on the First Ugga Discourse

21. "He sat down on the prepared seat" - in his house, it is said, five hundred seats for five hundred monks were always prepared; he sat down on a certain one of those seats. "Listen to that" means listen to them, or listen to those eight kinds of wonderful qualities. "The mind became confident" means not even the mere thought "Is he a Buddha or is he not a Buddha?" arose; the arising of consciousness was confident and undisturbed, thinking "This one is indeed the Buddha." "Or to her own family of relatives" means let her take just enough wealth for her own sustenance and go to the houses of her relatives. "To whom shall I give you?" means to which man shall I give you; inform me of your own intention. "Undivided" means for by one who gives rise to the thought "I will give this much, I will not give this much, I will give this, I will not give this," it is called divided; but for me it is not so. Rather, as if belonging to the monastic community, as if the property of a group, they are simply shared in common with the virtuous. "I attend upon attentively" means I serve with my own hands, I approach with respect.

"It is not wonderful, venerable sir, that" means venerable sir, that deities having approached me announce thus, this is not wonderful. But that I do not know of any elation of mind on that account - that itself is wonderful, he says. "Good, good, monk" - here, although he addresses the monk, this should be understood as an expression of approval for the gladdening of the lay follower's explanation.

2.

Commentary on the Second Ugga Discourse

22. In the second, "in the elephant forest" - it is said that millionaire had a pleasure grove called Nāgavana; he, having had perfumes, garlands and so on taken up there before the meal, having gone desiring to play in the pleasure grove sport, while being entertained, saw the Blessed One. Together with the very seeing, by the former method just as before, his mind became confident, and the intoxication arisen from drinking liquor was abandoned at that very moment. With reference to that, he said thus. "I presented" means having poured water into the hands, I gave. "Such and such" means so-and-so. "I give with an even mind" shows that "I do not make such diversity of mind as 'to this one little, to this one much,' but I make the gift the same for all." "They announce" means standing in the sky, they announce. "There is no mental fetter" - by this the lay follower declares his own fruition of non-returning.

3.

Commentary on the First Hatthaka Discourse

23. In the third, "Hatthaka of Āḷavī" - he was a prince who obtained the name Hatthaka because he was received by the Blessed One with his hands from the hands of the demon Āḷavaka. "Moral" means moral through the five precepts and the ten precepts. "Generous" means accomplished in generosity. "Was there, venerable sir" means venerable sir, was there at the Blessed One's place of declaration. "Of few wishes" means of few wishes through fewness of wishes regarding achievement.

4.

Commentary on the Second Hatthaka Discourse

24. In the fourth, "by about five hundred lay followers" means surrounded by five hundred lay followers who were noble disciples, stream-enterers and once-returners only, having eaten his morning meal, having taken perfumes, garlands, ointments, and bath powders, he approached the Blessed One. "Ways of supporting others" means reasons for supporting. "By these I" means by these, I. "Him I support by giving" means I support by giving ploughs, oxen, food, seeds, and so on, as well as perfumes, garlands, roots, and so on. "By endearing speech" means I support by pleasant speech that is pleasing to the ear and gentle, beginning with "mother, father, brother, sister" and so on. "By beneficent conduct" means having known "for this one there is no need for giving or endearing speech; this one is fit to be supported by beneficent conduct," I support by beneficent conduct, which is reckoned as the overcoming of arisen duties. "By impartiality" means having known "for this one there is no need for giving and so on; this one should be supported by impartiality," I support by making him equal to oneself through eating together, drinking together, sitting together, and so on. "They do not think a poor person is worth listening to in the same way" means of a poor person who is unable to give or do anything, just as they do not think a poor person is worth listening to in the same way, but they think I am worth listening to, they stand firm in the exhortation given, and they do not think my instruction should be transgressed. "This is indeed the method for you" means this is indeed the method for you. But it should be understood that in both these discourses, morality, generosity, and wisdom are spoken of by the Teacher as mixed.

5-6.

Commentary on the Mahānāma Discourse and Others

25-26. In the fifth, "is an investigator of the meaning" means one who investigates benefit and harm, what has a reason and what has no reason. In the sixth, faith, morality, and generosity are spoken of as combined.

7.

Commentary on the First Discourse on Power

27. In the seventh, "having complaint as their power" means having complaining as their power. For fools, indeed, complaining itself is their power, thus: "Such and such a person said this and that, he said it to me, not to another." "Having persuasion as their power" means the power of convincing others of what is beneficial and what is unbeneficial, thus: "This is not so, it is indeed thus." "Having reflection as their power" means having reviewing as their power. "Having patience as their power" means having endurance as their power.

8.

Commentary on the Second Discourse on Power

28. In the eighth, "powers" means powers of knowledge. "Acknowledges the elimination of the mental corruptions" means acknowledges arahantship. "As impermanent" means by way of non-existence after having been. "As it really is" means according to the intrinsic nature. "With right wisdom" means with path wisdom together with insight. "Like a pit of burning charcoal" means these sensual pleasures are compared to a pit of burning charcoal in the sense of tormenting. "Slanting towards seclusion" means slanting towards Nibbāna by way of fruition attainment. "Established in seclusion" means free from mental defilements, or having become far from them. "Delighting in renunciation" means delighted in the going forth. "Has become completely free" means having become one whose end has disappeared, not clinging even to a portion, unbound, unassociated. "From phenomena conducive to mental corruptions" means from those that are the causes of mental corruptions by way of association; the meaning is from defilement phenomena. Or alternatively, "has become completely free" means one whose exertion has disappeared - this is the meaning. From what? From all phenomena conducive to mental corruptions, that is, from all phenomena of the three planes of existence - this is the meaning. In this discourse, the noble path, both mundane and supramundane, is spoken of.

9.

Commentary on the Inopportune Moment Discourse

29. In the ninth, "one who does duties at the moment" means one who has momentary duties; the meaning is one who does duties only after obtaining the opportunity. "Teaching" means the Teaching of the four truths. "Calming" means bringing about the calming of mental defilements. "Leading to final nibbāna" means effecting the final extinguishment of mental defilements. "Leading to the highest enlightenment" means it goes to, reaches the highest enlightenment reckoned as the knowledge of the four paths. "A long-lived order of gods" means this was said with reference to the unconscious order of gods. "Among those who do not understand" means among those who are exceedingly unintelligent.

"Well proclaimed" means well spoken. "Obstructive" means creating obstacles. "Let not the moment pass by indeed" means let not this obtained moment pass by. "If here one fails to attain" means if any heedless person, even having obtained this moment here, fails to attain, does not accomplish the fixed course of the Good Teaching, the noble path. "Who has missed his profit" means one whose profit has been lost. "One will regret for a long time" means one will grieve for a long time. Just as, having heard "goods have arisen at such and such a place," one merchant would not go, others having gone would take them, and for them that would become eightfold or even tenfold. Then the other would regret thinking "my profit has passed by." In the same way, whoever here, having obtained the moment but not practising, fails to attain the fixed course of the Good Teaching, he, like a merchant who has missed his profit, will regret and grieve for a long time. "What is more, hindered by ignorance" means likewise. "They understood" means they penetrated. "Restraints" means restraints of morality. "For those who follow after Māra's realm" means for those who follow the round of rebirths reckoned as Māra's realm. "Gone beyond" means gone to Nibbāna. "Those who have attained the elimination of mental corruptions" means those who have attained arahantship. Thus in these verses, the round of rebirths and the end of the round of rebirths have been spoken of.

10.

Commentary on the Anuruddha's Great Applied Thought Discourse

30. In the tenth, "among the Cetis" means in the country that has thus obtained its designation because it was the dwelling place of kings named Ceti. "The Eastern Bamboo Grove" means in the forest situated to the east of the dwelling place of the One of Ten Powers, in the bamboo grove covered with bamboos of dark-blue lustre. "This reflection arose in his mind" means the elder, it is said, having gone forth, during the very first rainy season itself, having become an obtainer of attainment, produced the knowledge of the divine eye capable of seeing a thousand world systems. He, having gone to the presence of the Elder Sāriputta, said thus - "Here I, friend Sāriputta, with the divine eye, which is pure and surpasses the human, survey a thousand worlds. My energy is aroused and unsluggish, mindfulness is established and unconfused, the body is calm and not excited, the mind is concentrated and fully focused. And yet my mind is not liberated from the mental corruptions by non-clinging." Then the elder said to him - "That you, friend Anuruddha, think thus - 'I with the divine eye... etc. survey' - this is conceit in you. And that you, friend Anuruddha, think thus - 'My energy is aroused... etc. fully focused' - this is restlessness in you. And that you, friend Anuruddha, think thus - 'And yet my mind is not liberated from the mental corruptions by non-clinging' - this is remorse in you. It would be good if the Venerable Anuruddha, having abandoned these three mental states, not attending to these three mental states, would focus the mind on the deathless element." Thus the elder taught him the meditation subject. He, having taken the meditation subject, having asked permission of the Teacher, having gone to the Ceti country, practising the ascetic duty, spent eight months on the walking path. He, with body wearied because of being crushed by the force of striving, sat down beneath a certain bamboo thicket. Then this reflection arose in his mind; the meaning is that a thought of a great man arose.

"Of one of few wishes" - here there are four types of few wishes: few wishes regarding requisites, few wishes regarding achievement, few wishes regarding the Scriptures, and few wishes regarding ascetic practices. Therein, one of few wishes regarding requisites, when much is being given, takes little; when little is being given, takes even less; he is not one who takes everything without remainder. One of few wishes regarding achievement, like the Elder Majjhantika, does not allow others to know of his own achievement. One of few wishes regarding the Scriptures, even though being a master of the three Canons, does not wish to make known his state of being very learned, like the Elder Sāketatissa. One of few wishes regarding ascetic practices does not allow others to know of his observance of ascetic practices, like the senior elder among the two brother elders. The story has been told in the Visuddhimagga. "This Teaching" means thus, through the concealment of existing virtues and through moderation in acceptance, for a person of few wishes, this nine-fold supramundane Teaching succeeds, not for one of many wishes. Thus it should be construed everywhere.

"Of one who is content" means of one who is content with the four requisites through three kinds of contentment. "Of one who is secluded" means of one who is secluded through seclusion of the body, seclusion of the mind, and seclusion from clinging. Therein, seclusion of the body means solitude by way of the grounds for arousing energy, having dispelled the company of groups. Since the task is not accomplished by mere solitude alone, having performed the preliminary work on a circular meditation object, one produces the eight meditative attainments; this is called seclusion of the mind. Since the task is not accomplished by mere meditative attainment alone, having made the meditative absorption the foundation, having contemplated activities, one attains arahantship together with the analytical knowledges; this is called seclusion from clinging in every respect. Therefore the Blessed One said - "Seclusion of the body is for those whose bodies are in seclusion, who delight in renunciation; seclusion of the mind is for those with pure minds, who have attained the highest cleansing; seclusion from clinging is for those persons free from clinging, who have gone beyond activities."

"Of one who delights in company" means of one who is devoted to the company of groups and the association of mental defilements. "Of one with aroused energy" means of one with aroused energy by way of bodily and mental energy. "Of one with established mindfulness" means of one with established mindfulness by way of the four establishments of mindfulness. "Of one who is concentrated" means of one with a fully focused mind. "Of one who is wise" means of one wise with the wisdom that actions are one's own property.

"Good, good!" - gladdening the Elder's reflection, he spoke thus. "This eighth" means just as one giving an eighth treasure to a man who has obtained seven treasures, just as one giving an eighth to a man who has obtained seven jewel gems, seven elephant jewels, seven horse jewels - so declaring the eighth to one who had stood having reflected on the seven thoughts of a great man, he spoke thus. "Of one who delights in the absence of obsession" means of one who delights in the state of Nibbāna, which is reckoned as absence of obsession, because of being free from the obsessions of craving, conceit, and wrong view. The other is a synonym for that very thing. "Of one who delights in obsession" means of one who delights in the aforesaid obsessions. The other is a synonym for that very thing.

"When" (yato) means whenever (yadā). "Tato" means then. "Of various colours" means of those dyed with various dyes of blue, yellow, red, and white colours. "Rag-robe" means the rag-robe found in the twenty-three fields. "Will seem agreeable" means just as for that one, in the forenoon period and so on, at whatever time he wishes whatever, at that time when he puts it on, that clothes-chest having become agreeable seems pleasing; just so for you too, dwelling satisfied through the great noble lineage of contentment with robes, the rag-robe will seem agreeable, will be at hand. "For delight" means for the purpose of delight. "For freedom from agitation" means for the purpose of freedom from the agitations of craving and wrong view. "For comfortable abiding" means for the purpose of pleasant abiding. "For entry into Nibbāna" means for the purpose of descending into the Deathless, Nibbāna.

"Meal consisting of mouthfuls of almsfood" means the meal consisting of mouthfuls of almsfood obtained by one going from house to house in succession, depending on the strength of his legs, in villages, market towns, and royal cities. "Will seem agreeable" means it will be at hand like the food of various excellent flavours of that householder. "For one dwelling contented" means for one dwelling contented through the great noble lineage of contentment with almsfood. "The lodging at the root of a tree will seem agreeable" means the root of a tree will be at hand like a pinnacle chamber fragrant with the scent of perfumes and flowers in a three-storeyed mansion of that householder. "Of one who is content" means of one who is content through the great noble lineage of contentment with lodging. "Spread with grass" means spread on one or another of these: grass, or leaves, or the ground, or the surfaces of planks and stones. "Cattle-urine" means any urine whatsoever. Even that collected at that very moment is called just cattle-urine because of its foul smell. "For one dwelling contented" means for one dwelling contented through contentment with the requisite of medicines for the sick.

Thus the Blessed One, having spoken the meditation subject while including arahantship in the four instances, reflecting "In which lodging will the meditation subject be suitable for one dwelling?" and having known "For one dwelling in that very place," said beginning with "If so, Anuruddha." "For one dwelling secluded" means for one dwelling secluded with the three kinds of seclusion. "Connected with dismissal" means connected with dismissing words only; the meaning is that it is only for the purpose of their departure from his presence. "The cessation of obsession" means the state of Nibbāna. "Springs forward" means springs forward by way of making it an object. In "becomes clear" and so on too, the becoming clear, becoming settled, and becoming liberated should be understood as being by way of object only. Thus the Blessed One, having spoken the eight thoughts of a great man to the Venerable Anuruddha in the Eastern Bamboo Grove in the Ceti country, again having sat down at the great monastery in the Bhesakaḷā Grove, spoke in detail to the community of monks.

"With a mind-made body" - a body produced by the mind is also called "mind-made," and a body that has gone by the mind is also; here he said thus with reference to a body that has gone by the mind. "According to what my thought was" means according to what my thought was; showing the eighth thought of a great man beyond that, he taught beyond that. The remainder is clear everywhere.

The Chapter on Householders is the third.

4.

The Chapter on Gifts

1.

Commentary on the First Giving Discourse

31. In the first of the fourth, "gives a gift having approached" means having reached, one gives a gift. Having seen one who has come, having caused him to sit down for just a moment, having shown honour, one gives a gift; one does not weary him thinking "I shall give." "Out of fear" means out of fear of reproach, thinking "this one is a non-giver, a non-doer," or out of fear of the realms of misery. "He gave to me" means one gives thinking "formerly this person gave such and such a thing to me." "He will give to me" means one gives thinking "in the future he will give such and such a thing." "Giving is good" means one gives thinking "giving is indeed good, beautiful, praised by wise persons such as the Buddha and others." "Gives a gift for the purpose of adorning and equipping the mind" means one gives for the purpose of adorning and as a requisite for the mind of serenity and insight meditation. For giving makes the mind soft. The one by whom it is received, he becomes soft-minded thinking "it was received by me." The one by whom it is given, he too becomes soft-minded thinking "it was given by me." Thus it makes the mind of both soft. Therefore it is said "the taming of the untamed." As he said -

But among these eight kinds of giving, the giving for adorning the mind alone is the highest.

2.

Commentary on the Second Giving Discourse

32. In the second, "faith" means the faith by which one gives a gift - that is faith. "Shame" means the shame by which one gives a gift - that itself is what is intended. "And wholesome giving" means faultless giving. "Divine" means going to heaven.

3.

Commentary on the Things to Be Given Discourse

33. In the third, "grounds for giving" means reasons for giving. "One gives a gift out of desire" means one gives a gift out of affection. "Out of hate" means having become angry through hate, whatever there is, having grabbed that impulsively, one gives. "Out of delusion" means being confused through delusion, one gives. "Out of fear" means one gives out of fear of reproach or out of fear of the realms of misery, or else out of fear of this or that. "Family lineage" means family tradition.

4.

Commentary on the Field Discourse

34. "Is not of great fruit" means it is not of great fruit in terms of harvest. "Not of great gratification" means whatever fruit there is of it, its gratification is not great - of slight gratification, not sweet. "Not of great increase" means even its increase does not exist as growth; the meaning is that it does not have a great settlement of rice stalks. "Uneven with high and low ground" means uneven ground by way of high and low terrain. Therein, on the high ground water does not remain, in the low ground too much stands. "Full of stones and gravel" means possessed of flat rocks spread out, and small stones, and gravel. "Saline" means with salt sprung up. "Not deeply ploughed" means due to the hardness of the ground it is not deeply penetrated; it is not possible to plough making a plough-furrow, there is only a shallow plough-furrow. "Not accomplished with water inflow" means not accomplished with the inflow of water. "Not accomplished with water outflow" means it is not accomplished with a path for the outflow of water at the rear. "Not accomplished with channels" means it is not accomplished with small and large water channels. "Not accomplished with boundaries" means not accomplished with field boundaries. "Not of great fruit" and so on - all should be understood in terms of resultant fruit.

"Accomplished" means complete, endowed with success. "When an accomplished seed is sown" means an accomplished seed is planted. "When the sky provides rain" means when the sky rains properly. "There is accomplishment of freedom from calamity" means the absence of calamity from insects, worms, and other creatures is one accomplishment. "Increase" means growth is the second accomplishment. "Expansion" means the state of being extensive is the third accomplishment. "Fruit" means complete fruit is the fourth accomplishment. "To those accomplished in virtue" means to those of complete morality. "Accomplishment of food" means accomplished, various food. "Accomplishments" means the threefold wholesome accomplishment. "Leads to" means that accomplishment of food leads to. Why? "For that deed of his is accomplished" - because that deed done by him is accomplished, complete - this is the meaning. "Wishing for accomplishment here" means may there be accomplishment here. "Accomplished in true knowledge and conduct" means endowed with the three true knowledges and the fifteen qualities of conduct. "Having obtained" means such a person, having obtained the accomplishment of mind - the state of being complete without deficiency. "Performs accomplishment of action" means one performs complete action. "Obtains accomplishment of welfare" means one obtains welfare that is complete. "Accomplishment in view" means insight view. "Accomplishment of the path" means the path of stream-entry. "Goes with an accomplished mind" means having become one of complete mind, one goes to arahantship. "That is the accomplishment of all" means that liberation from all suffering is called the accomplishment of all.

5.

Commentary on the Giving and Rebirth Discourse

35. In the fifth, "rebirths through giving" means rebirths by reason of giving. "Fixes" means establishes. "Determines" is a synonym for that very thing. "Develops" means increases. "Liberated in what is inferior" means liberated in the inferior five types of sensual pleasure. "Not developed further" means not developed further for the purpose of the path and its fruition. "Leads to rebirth there" means having aspired to whatever state where wholesome action was done, it leads to the purpose of being reborn there. "For one without lust" means for one whose lust has been utterly cut off by the path, or for one whose lust has been suppressed by meditative attainment. For by mere giving alone it is not possible to be reborn in the Brahma world, but giving is an ornament and a retinue for the mind of concentration and insight. Then, with a mind made soft through giving, having developed the divine abidings, one is reborn in the Brahma world. Therefore it was said - "For one without lust, not for one with lust."

6.

Commentary on the Way of Making Merit Sutta

36. In the sixth, they are meritorious actions and they are the bases for those various benefits - thus they are ways of making merit. For having fixed the mind on the characteristic of giving and so on, beings make merit thinking "Such giving should be given by us, morality should be guarded, meditation should be developed." Giving itself is that consisting of giving, or among the volitions of giving, the decisive volition produced from the prior volition is that consisting of giving, just as those consisting of morality and so on are from morality and so on. In the remaining two also, the same method applies. "Done to a limited extent" means done slightly and feebly. "Does not attain" means it is not produced. "Has not been done" means the exertion in meditation itself has not been undertaken - this is the meaning. "Human misfortune" means the fivefold low family devoid of success among human beings. "Is reborn" means approaches by way of conception; the meaning is that one is reborn there. "Done to a moderate extent" means done in measure, a little, not much. "Human good fortune" means the state of being fortunate among human beings, the threefold family success. "Exceeding" means of exceeding measure or powerful. "Surpass" means having overcome, they take hold; the meaning is that they are more distinguished and foremost.

7.

Commentary on the Good Person's Giving Discourse

37. In the seventh, "what is pure" means one gives what is completely pure and endowed with colour. "What is superior" means possessed of flavour. "At the proper time" means at the fitting and appropriate time. "What is allowable" means whatever is allowable, that one gives. "One gives with discrimination" means having discriminated by way of seeking a recipient, thinking "what is given to this one will be of great fruit, what is given to this one will not be of great fruit," or by way of having the intention of giving, one gives.

8.

Commentary on the Good Person Discourse

38. In the eighth, "for the benefit" means for the sake of purpose. "For the welfare and happiness" means for the sake of welfare and for the sake of happiness. "Deceased spirits" means relatives who have gone to the world beyond. In this discourse, when a Buddha has not arisen, wheel-turning monarchs, Bodhisattas, and Individually Enlightened Ones are found; in the time of the Buddha, Buddhas themselves and disciples of the Buddha. For indeed they lead to the benefit, welfare, and happiness of those as aforesaid. "Indeed for the benefit of many, the wise one dwelling in a house" means the wise one living in a house is indeed for the benefit of many. "First" means beforehand. "Recollecting what was done before" means recollecting the virtues of the prior services of mother and father. "With reason" means he venerates with cause, by the veneration of offering requisites. "He honours the practitioners of the holy life" means he pays homage to the practitioners of the holy life, he conducts himself humbly towards them. "Well-behaved" means of amiable nature.

9.

Commentary on the Outflow Discourse

39. In the ninth, "gifts" means gifts of volition. The meaning of "primordial" and so on has been stated above.

10.

Commentary on the Result of Misconduct Discourse

40. In the tenth, "killing living beings" means the volition of killing living beings. "The very lightest" means the very lightest. "Conducive to a short life span" means by that insignificant result of action one is short-lived, or one perishes at the mere granting of conception, or just upon emerging from the mother's womb. For such is not the outcome of anything else whatsoever; this is the path gone by killing living beings itself. "Conducive to disaster of wealth" means just as not even a farthing's worth remains in the hand, thus it leads to disaster of wealth. "It is conducive to enmity with rivals" means it leads to enmity together with rivals. For he has many rivals. And whoever sees him, produces only enmity towards him; it does not cease. For such is the outcome of an offence against another's guarded and protected goods.

"It is conducive to false accusation" means it leads to accusation with what is untrue; whatever is done by anyone whatsoever falls upon him alone. "Conducive to breaking with friends" means it leads to breaking with friends. Whatever friend he makes, each one breaks away. "Conducive to disagreeable sounds" means it leads to disagreeable sounds. Whatever speech is thorny, rough, bitter, offensive, cutting to the vital spots - in whatever place he goes, he hears only that; he does not obtain the hearing of agreeable sounds. Such is the path gone by harsh speech. "Conducive to speech not to be heeded" means it leads to the state of one's words not being taken up; one comes to the point where one must be told "Why do you speak? Who indeed will accept your word?" This is the path gone by idle chatter. "It is conducive to madness" means it leads to the state of madness. For by that a human being becomes either mad or mentally deranged or an idiot. This is the outcome of drinking liquor. In this discourse only the round of rebirths has been spoken of.

The Chapter on Giving is the fourth.

5.

The Chapter on the Observance Day

4.

Commentary on the Vāseṭṭha Sutta

44. In the fourth of the fifth, "If even these great sal trees, Vāseṭṭha" - showing the two sal trees standing in front, he spoke a simile by way of supposition. This is what is meant - these great sal trees, for now, are senseless. If even they, having become conscious, were to observe the Observance endowed with eight factors, that Observance dwelling would be for their welfare and happiness for a long time. But regarding beings, there is indeed nothing to be said.

6.

Commentary on the Anuruddha Sutta

46. In the sixth, "approached the Venerable Anuruddha" - those deities, it is said, having surveyed their own success, reflecting "In dependence on what indeed was this success obtained by us?" having seen the Elder, thinking "We, having been wives of our noble master when he was formerly exercising wheel-turning sovereignty, having stood firm in the exhortation given by him, obtained this success; let us go, having brought the Elder, we shall experience this success" - during the day they approached the Venerable Anuruddha. "In three states" means in three reasons. "We obtain with reason and cause" means we obtain in a moment. "Sound" means the sound of speech, or the sound of song, or the sound of ornaments. "May they be yellow" and so on - having thought by the method "They have already become blue; will they not be able to become yellow?" he reflects. They too, thinking "Now the noble one wishes our yellow state, now the red state," became just like that.

"Snapped her fingers" means she sounded the palm of her hand. "Of the five-piece" means possessed of these five factors: ātata, vitata, ātatavitata, ghana, and susira. Therein, "ātata" means a musical instrument with one face, among drums and so on covered with leather; "vitata" means with both faces; "ātatavitata" means covered with leather on all sides; "susira" means bamboo flutes and so on; "ghana" means cymbals and so on. "Well-trained" means well-harmonised by pulling, loosening, and so on. "Well-played" means well struck for the purpose of knowing the state of being in proper measure. "Struck by skilled musicians" means played by those who are clever and skilful at playing. "Vaggu" means skilful, beautiful. "Rajanīya" means able to delight. "Kamanīya" means fit to be desired. Or the reading is "khamanīya"; even when heard for a whole day, it is indeed bearable; it does not cause weariness - this is the meaning. "Madanīya" means producing the intoxication of conceit and the intoxication of manhood. "He withdrew his faculties" means thinking "These deities are doing what is unsuitable," he cast his faculties downward; he did not open his eyes and look. "The venerable Anuruddha does not consent" means "We dance, we sing, but the venerable Anuruddha does not consent, he does not open his eyes and look; what shall we accomplish by dancing or singing?" - and they disappeared right there. "He approached the Blessed One" means having seen the power of those deities, he approached in order to ask this matter: "Possessed of how many qualities does a woman become reborn in the Agreeable-bodied heavenly world?"

9-10.

Commentary on the Pair of Discourses on This World

49-50. In the ninth, "this world is won" means this world of his is won, complete, because of having been undertaken, because of being fulfilled, by the mere doing in this world. "Accomplished in sixteen aspects" means endowed with sixteen aspects - eight stated in the discourse and eight in the verses; or some say "accomplished in sixteen aspects" thus: the eight factors, and she instigates others too in those. But here faith, morality and wisdom have been spoken of as mixed. The tenth was spoken to the community of monks. But whatever was not stated in all the discourses, that is of manifest meaning only, because the method has come above.

The Chapter on the Observance is the fifth.

The first fifty is finished.

2.

The Second Fifty

1.

The Chapter on Gotamī

1.

Commentary on the Gotamī Discourse

51. In the first of the sixth, "was dwelling among the Sakyans" means having gone on his first visit, he dwells. "Mahāpajāpati" means she obtained this name thus because of the greatness of her generation of sons and her generation of daughters. "She approached the Blessed One" means the Blessed One, having gone to Kapilavatthu, first gave Nanda the going forth, and on the seventh day, the boy Rāhula. Now in the coil-dispute, when the inhabitants of both cities had gone forth for the purpose of battle, the Teacher, having gone and having convinced those kings, related the Attadaṇḍa Sutta. The kings, having become confident, gave two hundred and fifty princes each; those five hundred princes went forth in the presence of the Teacher; then their wives sent a message and gave rise to discontent. The Teacher, having known the arisen state of their discontent, having led those five hundred young monks to Lake Kuṇāla, having sat down on the rock surface where he had formerly sat in the time of the Kuṇāla, having dispelled their discontent by the story of the Kuṇāla Jātaka, established them all in the fruition of stream-entry, and having brought them back to the Great Wood, in the fruition of arahantship. For the purpose of knowing their minds, the wives again sent a message. They sent a reply: "We are incapable of the household life." They, thinking "It is not proper now for us to go home; having gone to the presence of Mahāpajāpati and having had the going forth permitted, we shall go forth," all five hundred, having approached Mahāpajāpati, said "Lady, have the going forth permitted for us." Mahāpajāpati, having taken those women, approached the Blessed One. Some say she approached at the time of the passing away of the king beneath the white parasol.

"Enough, Gotamī! Do not find delight" - why did he refuse? Do not all Buddhas have four assemblies? Surely they do; but having wearied them, when the going forth is permitted after being requested many times, thinking "It was obtained with difficulty," they will properly look after it - wishing to permit it after making it weighty, he refused. "Departed" means she entered Kapilavatthu again. "Having dwelt as long as he liked" means surveying the decisive support of beings capable of being enlightened, having dwelt according to his disposition. "Set out on a journey" means caring for the welfare of the public, with the highest Buddha's glory, with incomparable Buddha's grace, he departed on an unhurried journey.

"Together with many Sakyan women" means right within the inner quarters, having taken on the appearance of the going forth with reference to the One of Ten Powers, having made five hundred Sakyan women take on the very appearance of the going forth, together with all those many Sakyan women. "Set out on a journey" means she aspired to go. But at the time of aspiring to go, the Sakyan and Koliyan kings provided golden palanquins, thinking those delicate royal women would not be able to go on foot. But they, thinking "Going by mounting a vehicle would be showing disrespect to the Teacher," set out on foot only for the fifty-one yojana journey. The kings too, having arranged protection at the front and the back, having filled carts with rice, ghee, oil, and so on, sent men saying "At every place reached, prepare food." "With swollen feet" means because of their delicateness, on their feet one blister arises and one bursts. Both feet, having become as if strewn with broken pieces of wood, became swollen. Therefore it was said - "with swollen feet." "Outside the door-porch" means outside from the door-porch. But why did she stand thus? Thus, it is said, this occurred to her - "I, not permitted by the Tathāgata, took on the appearance of the going forth by myself; and this fact of my having taken it has become well-known throughout the whole Indian subcontinent. If the Teacher permits the going forth, that is wholesome. But if he does not permit it, there will be great reproach" - being unable to enter the monastery, she stood there weeping.

"Why are you, Gotamī" means has some failure arisen for the royal families, by what reason have you reached such a faded state, with swollen feet... etc. standing. "By another method" means by another reason. Having spoken her virtues by the words beginning with "has been very helpful, venerable sir," requesting the going forth again, he spoke thus. The Teacher too, having refused three times, thinking "Women are indeed of limited wisdom; if the going forth is permitted by merely being asked once, they will not take my Dispensation having treated it with respect," now, wishing to make them take it with respect, said beginning with "If, Ānanda, Mahāpajāpati Gotamī accepts the eight rules of respect, let that be her full ordination." Therein, "let that be hers" means let that itself be her going forth and full ordination.

"Fully ordained that very day" means fully ordained on that day. "Paying respect, rising up in respect, saluting with joined palms, and doing the proper duties should be done" means without making an inferiority complex or arrogance, paying respect with the fivefold prostration, rising up in respect by way of rising from one's seat and going out to meet, saluting with joined palms by joining the ten fingernails together, and the proper duties reckoned as suitable actions such as preparing seats, fanning, and so on should be done. "In a residence without monks" means where there is no teacher who gives exhortation at a place of approach for the purpose of exhortation without obstacle for one dwelling there - this is called a residence without monks. The rains retreat should not be entered in such a residence. "Every half-month" means every Observance day. "Approaching for exhortation" means approaching for the purpose of exhortation. "By what is seen" means seen with the eye. "By what is heard" means heard with the ear. "By suspicion" means by what is suspected on the basis of what is seen and heard. "A serious offence" means a heavy offence entailing initial and subsequent meetings of the Community. "Penance for a fortnight" means penance for no fewer than fifteen days. "In the six rules" means in the training rules of which eating at the improper time is the sixth. "Has completed the training" means one who has fulfilled the training by keeping even a single training rule unbroken. "Should be reviled or abused" means he should not be reviled with any one of the ten grounds for reviling, nor should he be abused with any abuse whatsoever by way of causing fear.

"The path of speech is closed for nuns towards monks" means the path of speech reckoned as exhortation, instruction, and teaching of the Teaching is barred and closed for nuns towards monks; no monk should be exhorted or instructed by a nun. However, it is proper to speak by way of tradition thus: "Venerable sir, the elders of old fulfilled this robe duty." "The path of speech is not closed for monks towards nuns" means the path of speech for monks towards nuns is unrestricted, to exhort, to instruct, to teach the Teaching as one likes. This is the summary here; but in detail, this discussion of the rules of respect should be understood according to the method stated in the Samantapāsādikā, the commentary on the Vinaya.

But having learnt these eight rules of respect in the presence of the Teacher, upon merely hearing them being reported to her by the elder, Mahāpajāpati's so great displeasure subsided in a moment, and as if sprinkled on the head with a hundred pots of cool water brought from Lake Anotatta, free from fever, delighted, making manifest the joy and gladness arisen through the acceptance of the rules of respect, she uttered the inspired utterance beginning with "Just as, venerable sir."

"By burglars" means by thieving robbers who, having lit a lamp in a pot, by that light searched for goods in others' houses. "A disease called mildew" means a single insect pierces the stem that has gone into the middle of the stalk, and the stem thus pierced is unable to take in milk even though the head of rice has emerged. "A disease called red rust" means the state of being red inside the sugar-canes.

"An embankment for a great lake beforehand" - but by this he shows this meaning: Just as even when the embankment of a great lake is not built, some water remains, but when it is built first, even that which would not remain due to the embankment not being built would also remain; just so, these rules of respect were laid down beforehand for the purpose of non-transgression when the case had not yet arisen; if they had not been laid down, because of a woman's going forth, the Good Teaching would remain for five hundred years. But because they were laid down beforehand, it will remain for another five hundred years as well - thus it will remain for the very thousand years stated at first. "A thousand years" - this was said only with reference to those who have eliminated the mental corruptions having attained the distinctions of analytical knowledge; but beyond that, a further thousand years by way of dry insight practitioners who have eliminated the mental corruptions, a thousand years by way of non-returners, a thousand years by way of once-returners, a thousand years by way of stream-enterers - thus the Good Teaching of penetration will remain for five thousand years. The Teaching of the Scriptures too is the same. For indeed when the Scriptures are absent, there is no penetration; nor when the Scriptures are present does penetration not occur. But the outward form will continue for a long time even when the Scriptures have disappeared.

2.

Commentary on the Ovāda Sutta

52. In the second, "very learned" means here the state of being very learned should be understood by way of the entire teaching of the Buddha. "A serious offence" means physical contact. This is the summary here. But the judgment regarding the exhorter of nuns should be understood in the manner stated in the Samantapāsādikā.

3.

Commentary on the Saṃkhitta Discourse

53. In the third, "for lust" means for the purpose of lust. "For dispassion" means for the purpose of becoming dispassionate. "For bondage" means for the purpose of bondage in the round of rebirths. "For separation from bondage" means for the purpose of the state of separation from bondage in the round of rebirths. "For accumulation" means for the purpose of increasing the round of rebirths. "Not for diminution" means not for the purpose of the destruction of the round of rebirths. "For being difficult to support" means for the purpose of being difficult to nourish. "Not for being easy to support" means not for the purpose of being easy to nourish. In this discourse, by the first method the round of rebirths was spoken of, by the second method the end of the round of rebirths was spoken of. And by this exhortation, Gotamī attained arahantship.

4.

Commentary on the Dīghajāṇu Discourse

54. In the fourth, "Byagghapajja" - this is an address by way of his family tradition. For his forefathers were born on the tiger's path, thus the people in that family are called "Byagghapajjas." "By archery" means by the work of an archer. "Endowed with investigation into the means for that" means endowed with investigation that serves as the means in knowing "At this time, it is proper to do this particular thing." "Of mature morality" means of cultivated morality, of mature conduct. "Income" means incoming. "Not too extravagant" means not too great. "Not too meagre" means not too difficult. "Exceeding" means having taken and having exhausted. Therein, for one whose income is double his expenditure, his expenditure is not able to exhaust his income.

But for one who practises thus, expenditure is indeed not able to exhaust income.

"Like a fig-eater" means just as when a ripe fig tree is shaken by one desiring to eat figs, many fruits fall all at once, and he, having eaten those fit to be eaten, goes away leaving behind the greater number of others; just so, whoever, making expenditure greater than income, consumes wealth scattering it about, he is said to be "This son of good family consumes his wealth like a fig-eater." "Death without a master" means death like one without a leader. "Leads a balanced livelihood" means leads a livelihood rightly. "Balanced living" means living by balanced livelihood. "Causes of ruin" means grounds of destruction.

"One who is energetic in his work" means accomplished in industrious energy in the places of performing work. "Resourceful" means accomplished in arrangement. "For safety pertaining to the future life" means that which has become safety, pertaining to the future life. "By the one whose name is truth" means by the unerring name, thus: "Buddha" precisely because of the state of being a Buddha. "Generosity and merit increase" means generosity and the remaining merit increase. In this discourse, faith and so on are spoken of as combined. The fifth is clear in itself.

6.

Commentary on the Discourse on Fear

56. In the sixth, "womb" means dwelling in the womb. "Pertaining to the present life also" means visible here and now, similar to dwelling in the womb, again human wombs. "Pertaining to the future life also" means, setting aside human wombs, the remaining wombs. "Both, these are called sensual pleasures" means fear and suffering, fear and disease, fear and boil, fear and dart, fear and attachment, fear and mire, fear and womb - thus both, these are called sensual pleasures. "In the guise of the pleasant" means by sensual happiness. "Dangerous path" means the dangerous path of the round of rebirths. "Having overcome" means in this passage, having developed insight, the state of that monk's attainment of arahantship is taken. "Such a generation beset by birth and ageing, trembling in the three existences, he looks upon" means having spoken of the round of rebirths in the discourse, the end of the round of rebirths is spoken of in the verses. The seventh and eighth are of manifest meaning only.

9-10.

Commentary on the Pair of Discourses on Persons

59-60. In the ninth, "upright" means straight through the absence of crookedness of body and so on. "Concentrated in wisdom and morality" means endowed with wisdom and morality. "Who sacrifice" means of those who give gifts. "Hoping for merit" means of those looking at merit, seeking merit. "Leading to acquisition" means having clinging as its result, the state that has become clinging is immeasurable. In the tenth, "superior" means superior, highest. "Of beings" means of all beings. The remainder is clear everywhere.

The Chapter on Gotamī is the sixth.

2.

The Chapter on Earthquakes

1.

Commentary on the Discourse on Desire

61. In the first of the seventh, "of one who is secluded" means of one who is secluded through bodily seclusion. "With livelihood not dependent on others" means of one whose work is insight, whose livelihood is not dependent on anyone anywhere. "For material gain" means for the gain of the four requisites. "A griever and a lamenter" means a sorrowful one and a lamenter. "Socicca parideviccā" is also a reading. "And has fallen away from the Good Teaching" means fallen away from the Good Teaching of insight at that very moment. In this discourse, the round of rebirths and the end of the round of rebirths have been spoken of.

2.

Commentary on the Alaṃ Discourse

62. In the second, "able for himself and able for others" means able, fit, suitable for the practice of welfare for both oneself and others. "Quick to understand" means he quickly considers; when the aggregates, elements, sense bases and so on are being spoken of, he quickly knows those mental states - this is the meaning. In this discourse, serenity and insight meditation have been spoken of. But because of the disposition of the persons, by the beauty of instruction, this has been spoken of as descending downwards beginning from the top.

3.

Commentary on the Saṃkhitta Discourse

63. In the third, "just so" means without any reason at all. Or just as this one requests, just so. "Foolish men" means deluded men, hollow men. "Make requests" means they request. "Should follow about" means they think "he should be followed about by following his postures, he should not be abandoned by me." Reproving for the purpose of understanding, he spoke thus. It is said that this monk, even when exhortation is given, engages only in negligence, having heard the Teaching he dwells right there, and does not wish to practise the ascetic duty. Therefore the Blessed One, having thus reproved him, again, since he was endowed with the decisive support for arahantship, therefore exhorting him, he said beginning with "Therefore, monk, you should train thus." Therein, "My mind will be internally steady and well-established, and arisen evil unwholesome mental states will not remain obsessing the mind" - by this exhortation of his, for the time being, the root concentration, which is merely unified focus of mind by way of one's own personal self, is stated.

Then, in order to show that "without becoming satisfied with just that much, that concentration should be developed further," "When, monk, your mind is internally steady and well-established, and arisen evil unwholesome mental states do not remain obsessing the mind, then, monk, you should train thus - 'The liberation of mind through friendliness will be developed by me, etc. thoroughly undertaken'" - thus, having increased the development by means of friendliness for him, again "When, monk, this concentration has been thus developed and cultivated, then you, monk, should develop this concentration with applied and sustained thought" and so on was stated. Its meaning is - When, monk, this root concentration has been thus developed by means of friendliness, then you, without becoming satisfied with even just that much, bringing this root concentration to the meditative absorptions of the fourfold and fivefold systems in other objects as well, should develop it by the method beginning with "with applied and sustained thought."

Having said thus, however, showing that he should also practise the development of the meditative absorptions of the fourfold and fivefold systems in other objects preceded by the remaining divine abidings, he said beginning with "When, monk, this concentration has been thus developed and well developed, then, monk, you should train thus - 'The liberation of mind through compassion.'" Having thus shown the development of the meditative absorptions of the fourfold and fivefold systems preceded by friendliness, again in order to show that preceded by observation of the body and so on, having said "When, monk, this concentration has been thus developed and well developed, then, monk, you should train thus - 'observing the body in the body'" and so on, he said beginning with "When, monk, this concentration has been thus developed and well developed, then you, monk, wherever you go." Therein, "gagghasi" means you will go. "Comfortably" - by this he shows arahantship. For indeed one who has attained arahantship dwells comfortably in all postures.

4.

Commentary on the Gayāsīsa Discourse

64. "In the fourth, he said this" means in order to announce to the community of monks the thought that had arisen on his ground of striving - he spoke the statement beginning with "Formerly I, monks." "Light" means the light of the knowledge of the divine eye. "Knowledge and vision" means the vision reckoned as the knowledge that constitutes the divine eye. "Previously dwelt together" means previously lived together. In this discourse, however, these eight knowledges have come in the Pāḷi text itself - namely, the knowledge of the divine eye, the knowledge of various kinds of supernormal power, the knowledge of others' mental states, the knowledge of rebirth according to beings' actions, the knowledge of future events, the knowledge of present events, the knowledge of past events, and the knowledge of recollecting past lives. But by one who speaks having combined together with those the insight knowledges, the four path knowledges, the four fruition knowledges, the four reviewing knowledges, the four analytical knowledges, and the six kinds of knowledge not shared with others - thus this discourse is indeed spoken.

5.

Commentary on the Bases of Overcoming Discourse

65. In the fifth, "bases of overcoming" means causes of overcoming. What do they overcome? Both opposing states and objects. For they overcome opposing states by way of being their counterpart, and objects by the person's superiority of knowledge. Now, in the terms beginning with "perceiving material forms internally," one is called a percipient of material forms internally by way of preliminary work on internal material form. For one doing the blue preliminary work internally does it on the head-hair, or on the bile, or on the pupil of the eye. One doing the yellow preliminary work does it on the fat, or on the skin, or on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, or on the yellow place of the eyes. One doing the red preliminary work does it on the flesh, or on the blood, or on the tongue, or on the red place of the eyes. One doing the white preliminary work does it on the bone, or on the teeth, or on the nails, or on the white place of the eyes. But that is not deeply blue, deeply yellow, deeply red, or deeply white; it is simply impure.

"One sees forms externally" means for one whose preliminary work has arisen internally, but the sign is external, he, thus by way of the preliminary work internally and absorption externally, is said to be "perceiving material forms internally, one sees forms externally." "Limited" means not extended. "Beautiful or ugly" means whether they are beautiful or ugly, it should be understood that this basis of overcoming is stated only by way of the limited. "Having overcome them" means just as a person with an effective digestion, having obtained a ladleful of food, gathering it together thinking "Is there anything here to eat?" makes it into just one mouthful, just so a person with superior knowledge, of clear knowledge, having overcome those forms thinking "Is there anything here to attain in this limited object? This is no burden for me," attains; the meaning is that right here, together with the arising of the sign, he reaches absorption. "I know, I see" - by this, his reflective attention is stated. And that is of one who has emerged from the attainment, not within the attainment. "One has this perception" means one has this perception both by way of the perception of reflective attention and by way of the perception of meditative absorption. For the perception of overcoming exists for him even within the attainment, but the perception of reflective attention is only for one who has emerged from the attainment.

"Immeasurable" means of extended measure; the meaning is great. "Having overcome" - but here, just as a man who eats much, having obtained one serving of food, does not see it as great, thinking "Let there be more too, let there be more too, what will this do for me?" just so a person with superior knowledge, of clear knowledge, having overcome them thinking "What is there here to attain? This is not immeasurable; there is no burden for me in producing unified focus of mind," attains; the meaning is that right here, together with the arising of the sign, he reaches absorption.

"Not perceiving material forms internally" means devoid of the perception of preliminary work on internal material form, either through not obtaining it or through not desiring it.

"One sees forms externally" means for one whose preliminary work and sign have both arisen externally, he, thus by way of the preliminary work externally and absorption externally, is said to be "not perceiving material forms internally, one sees forms externally." The remainder here is by the same method as stated for the fourth basis of overcoming. Now, among these four, the limited has come by way of the applied-thought temperament, the immeasurable by way of the delusion temperament, the beautiful by way of the hate temperament, and the ugly by way of the lust temperament. For these are suitable for those. And that suitability of theirs has been stated in the Visuddhimagga in the description of temperaments.

In the fifth basis of overcoming and so on, "blue" is said by way of all-inclusive classification. "Of blue colour" is by way of colour. "Of blue appearance" is by way of appearance. It means that with undiscernible openings and unmixed colours, having become uniformly blue only, they are seen. "Of blue lustre" - this, however, is said by way of light; the meaning is having blue light, endowed with blue radiance. By this he shows their thorough purity. For these bases of overcoming are stated by way of pure colour only. But here, the making of the kasiṇa, the preliminary work, and the procedure for absorption, beginning with "One who takes up the blue kasiṇa grasps the sign in blue, whether in a flower, or in a cloth, or in a colour element" - all this has been stated in detail in the Visuddhimagga itself.

6.

Commentary on the Deliverance Discourse

66. "Deliverances" - in what meaning are they deliverances? In the meaning of being intent upon. But what is this meaning of being intent upon? The meaning of being well released from opposing states, and the meaning of being well released by way of delight in the object - like the lying down of a child with relaxed major and minor limbs on the father's lap, it is occurrence in the object through the state of being unrestrained and without apprehension - thus it has been said. But this meaning is not present in the last deliverance; it is present in the former deliverances.

"One who is material sees forms" - here, the fine-material meditative absorption produced internally by way of the blue kasiṇa and so on among head-hair and so on is materiality; one who has that is "material." Externally too, one sees forms such as the blue kasiṇa and so on with the eye of meditative absorption. By this, the four fine-material-sphere meditative absorptions of a person who has produced meditative absorption based on kasiṇas that are both internal and external are shown. "Not perceiving material forms internally" means internally not a percipient of material forms; the meaning is one who has not produced fine-material-sphere meditative absorption based on one's own head-hair and so on. By this, the fine-material-sphere meditative absorptions of one who, having done the preliminary work externally, has produced meditative absorption only externally, are shown.

"One is intent only upon the beautiful" - by this, meditative absorptions based on well-purified colour kasiṇas such as blue and so on are shown. Therein, although within absorption there is no reflective attention as "beautiful," yet whoever dwells having made a well-purified, beautiful kasiṇa as the object, since he comes to the point where it should be said "he is intent upon the beautiful," therefore the teaching was given thus. But in the Paṭisambhidāmagga -

"How is 'one is intent only upon the beautiful' a deliverance? Here a monk, with a mind accompanied by friendliness, one direction, etc. dwells. Because of having developed friendliness, beings are not disagreeable. With a mind accompanied by compassion, etc. With a mind accompanied by altruistic joy, etc. With a mind accompanied by equanimity, one direction, etc. dwells. Because of having developed equanimity, beings are not disagreeable. Thus 'one is intent only upon the beautiful' is a deliverance" - thus it was said.

Regarding what should be said concerning "with the complete transcendence of perceptions of material form" and so on, that has been stated in the Visuddhimagga itself. "This is the eighth deliverance" - this, because of the complete relinquishment and liberation of the four aggregates in every respect, is called the eighth, the highest deliverance.

7-8.

Commentary on the Ignoble Statements Discourse

67-68. In the seventh, "ignoble statements" means not noble talk, talk with fault. The volitions by which they express those statements - this is the name for those. In the eighth, the meaning should be understood by the method opposite to what was stated.

9.

Commentary on the Assembly Discourse

69. In the ninth, "the assembly of nobles" means the gathering, the meeting of the assemblies of nobles. This same method applies everywhere. "Many hundreds of assemblies of nobles" means similar to the meeting with Bimbisāra, the meeting with relatives, the meeting with the Licchavis, and so on; it is obtained even in other world-systems. "Previously conversed" means conversation and talk had been done before. "Discussion" means discussion on the Teaching too had been previously engaged in. "Whatever their appearance" means they may be fair-skinned, dark-skinned, or of tawny complexion, but the Teacher was of golden colour. But this was said with reference to bodily form. And only the bodily form of those appears to them. But the Blessed One does not become like a barbarian, nor adorned with jewelled earrings; he sits only in the appearance of a Buddha. They too see only a form similar to their own. "Whatever their voice" means they may have broken voices, or croaking voices, or voices like crows, but the Teacher had only a voice like Brahmā. But this was said with reference to a different language. For even if the Teacher speaks while seated on the royal throne, they think "Today the king speaks sweetly." But when the Blessed One has departed after speaking, upon seeing the king who has come again, the inquiry arises "Who indeed was that?" Therein, "who indeed was that" means: "In this place, the one who was just now speaking in the Māgadhan language, in the Sinhalese language, in a sweet manner - who indeed has this one disappeared? Was it a god or a human being?" - even though investigating thus, they do not know. This is the meaning. For what purpose then does he teach the Teaching to those who do not know him? For the purpose of habituation. For the Teaching heard even in this way becomes a condition in the future; thus he teaches with regard to the future. The origination of "many hundreds of assemblies of brahmins" and so on should be understood by way of the meeting with Soṇadaṇḍa and so on, and also by way of other world-systems.

10.

Commentary on the Earthquake Discourse

70. In the tenth, "sitting cloth" means here a piece of leather is intended. "Udena shrine" means the monastery built at the dwelling place of the demon Udena is what is meant. The same method applies for Gotamaka and so on too. "Developed" means cultivated. "Cultivated" means done again and again. "Made a vehicle" means made like a yoked vehicle. "Made a foundation" means made like a foundation in the meaning of a support. "Established" means determined. "Accumulated" means heaped up on all sides, well cultivated. "Well undertaken" means thoroughly undertaken.

Having thus spoken in an unspecified manner, then specifying and showing, he said beginning with "of the Tathāgata, indeed" and so on. Here, "a cosmic cycle" means a duration of life. Whatever the life-span of human beings is at any given time, he could remain fulfilling that completely. "Or the remainder of a cosmic cycle" means exceeding the stated hundred years by "a little more." But the Elder Mahāsīva said - "For Buddhas there is no thundering in an impossibility; by attaining again and again and suppressing the death-bordering feeling, he could remain for this very fortunate cosmic cycle. But why did he not remain? The clung-to body is indeed overcome by broken teeth and so on, and Buddhas, without reaching the state of broken teeth and so on, attain final Nibbāna in the fifth portion of the life-span, at a time when they are still dear and agreeable to many people. And when the great disciples who had awakened following the Buddha have attained final Nibbāna, he would have to remain like a single stump, or with a retinue of young novices; then he would incur the state of being despised, thinking 'Alas, the assembly of the Buddhas!' Therefore he did not remain." Even though this was said, what is however called "duration of life" - this alone is what is defined in the commentary.

In "as his mind was possessed by Māra" (yathā taṃ mārena pariyuṭṭhitacitto), here "taṃ" is merely a particle. Just as any other worldling whose mind was possessed by Māra, whose mind was overwhelmed, would not be able to penetrate it, even so he was not able to penetrate it - this is the meaning. For Māra pervades the mind of one for whom all twelve illusions are entirely not abandoned. And four illusions were not abandoned in the Elder; therefore Māra pervaded his mind. But what does he do when effecting the prepossession of the mind? He shows a frightful visual object or makes heard a sound as object. Thereupon beings, having seen or heard that, giving up mindfulness, become open-mouthed; having inserted his hand through their mouths, he crushes their hearts; thereupon they remain as though unconscious. But would he be able to insert his hand through the Elder's mouth? However, he showed a frightful object. Having seen that, the Elder did not penetrate the sign and indication. The Blessed One, though already knowing, for what purpose did he address him up to the third time? For the purpose of reducing sorrow by attributing fault, saying "this is your wrong-doing, this is your failure," when later he would request "Let the Blessed One remain, venerable sir."

"Māra the Evil One" - here, one who kills by urging beings towards harm, thus he is "Māra." "The Evil One" is a synonym for that very one. For he is called "the Evil One" because of being endowed with evil qualities. The Dark One, the Ender, Namuci, the Kinsman of the Heedless - these too are names of that very one. "For this speech was spoken" - for this one, having come to the seat of enlightenment itself in the eighth week after the Blessed One's attainment of highest enlightenment, having said "Blessed One, the purpose for which the perfections were fulfilled by you, that purpose has been reached by you, the knowledge of omniscience has been penetrated, what is there for you in wandering about the world?" just as today, in the very same way requested "Let the Blessed One now attain final Nibbāna, venerable sir." And the Blessed One, having said "I will not yet" and so on, rejected it. With reference to that - He said beginning with "For this speech was spoken, venerable sir."

Therein, "learned" means learned by means of the path, likewise "disciplined," likewise "confident." "Very learned" means they are very learned because much has been learnt by them by means of the three Canons. "Bearing that very Teaching" means bearers of the Teaching. Or alternatively, very learned in the Scriptures and very learned in penetration. "Bearers of the Teaching" because of bearing the teachings of the Scriptures and penetration themselves - thus the meaning here should be understood. "Practicing in accordance with the Teaching" means practicing the teaching of insight, which is in conformity with the noble Teaching. "Practicing properly" means practicing a befitting practice. "Living in conformity with the Teaching" means habitually practising in conformity with the Teaching. "Their own teacher's doctrine" means the doctrine of one's own teacher. "Will tell" and so on - all are synonyms of one another. "With reason" means with a statement that has grounds and has cause. "With the wondrous effect of liberation" means until they will teach the Teaching having made it leading to liberation.

"Holy life" means the entire holy life of the Dispensation included in the threefold training. "Successful" means prosperous by means of the enjoyment of meditative absorption. "Prosperous" means having reached growth, like a tree fully in fruit and blossom, by means of the achievement of direct knowledge. "Widespread" means extended, by means of being established in each and every region. "Known to many" means known by many, penetrated by means of the full realisation of the multitude. "Become widespread" means having attained a state of broadness in every respect. How? "Well proclaimed among gods and humans" means the meaning is that it is well proclaimed by all whatever intelligent gods and humans there are. "Be at ease" means free from attachment. For you, Evil One, from the eighth week onwards wandered about crying out "Let the Blessed One now attain final Nibbāna, venerable sir, let the Fortunate One attain final Nibbāna." He says: from today onwards, be without endeavour; do not make effort for the purpose of my final Nibbāna.

"Mindful and fully aware, relinquished the life principle" means having well established mindfulness, having discerned with knowledge, he gave up, abandoned the life principle. Therein, the Blessed One did not relinquish the life principle like a clod of earth with the hand; but rather, having attained the fruition attainment for just three months, he produced the thought "Beyond that I shall not attain." With reference to that it was said "relinquished." "Ussajī" is also a reading. "Great earthquake" means a great trembling of the earth. At that time, it is said, the ten-thousandfold world system trembled. "Terrifying" means fear-producing. "And the divine drums resounded" means the divine drums resounded, the rain god thundered with dry thunder, untimely lightning flashes went forth, momentary rain fell - thus it has been said.

"Uttered an inspired utterance" - why did he utter it? Someone might say "The Blessed One, having been followed from behind again and again, troubled by 'Let him attain final Nibbāna, venerable sir,' gave up the life principle out of fear" - may there be no occasion for that; for one who is frightened there is no such thing as an inspired utterance - thus he uttered an inspired utterance released by the force of joy.

Therein, "measurable" means weighed and defined because of being evident to all, even dogs and jackals and so on. What is that? Sensual-sphere action. Not measurable, or there is no other mundane action similar to the measurable - thus "immeasurable." What is that? Exalted action. Or alternatively, sensual-sphere and fine-material-sphere is measurable, immaterial-sphere is immeasurable. Or that of little result is measurable, that of much result is immeasurable. "Origination" means being the cause of origination, making a heap, making a mass - this is the meaning. "Activity of becoming" means that which produces renewed becoming. "Relinquished" means gave up. "Sage" means the Buddha-sage. "Delighting internally" means delighting internally by oneself. "Concentrated" means concentrated by means of access and absorption concentration. "Broke through like armour" means he broke through like armour. "Self-existence" means the mental defilement arisen in oneself. This is what is meant - He relinquished the mundane action reckoned as measurable and immeasurable, which had obtained the name "origination" in the sense of having result, and "activity of becoming" in the sense of producing becoming; and like a great warrior at the forefront of battle breaks through armour, having been delighting internally and concentrated, he broke through the self-arisen mental defilement.

Or alternatively, "measurable" means weighing, determining. "And the immeasurable origination" means Nibbāna and origination. "Activity of becoming" means action leading to existence. "The sage relinquished" means the Buddha-sage, weighing by the method beginning with "the five aggregates are impermanent, the cessation of the five aggregates is Nibbāna, which is permanent," having seen the danger in existence and the benefit in Nibbāna, relinquished that action of the activity of becoming which is the root of the aggregates, by the noble path that brings about the elimination of action, as stated thus "it leads to the elimination of action." How? Delighting internally, concentrated, he broke through self-existence like armour. For he, delighting internally by means of insight, concentrated by means of serenity - thus, beginning from the preliminary stage, by the power of serenity and insight, he broke through the entire net of mental defilements that had stood enveloping individuality like armour, and which had obtained the name "self-existence" because of originating in oneself. And through the absence of mental defilements, the action already done, being incapable of producing rebirth-linking, is called relinquished - thus through the abandoning of mental defilements he abandoned action. And for one whose mental defilements have been abandoned there is no fear; therefore, being fearless, he relinquished the life principle, and it should be understood that he uttered the inspired utterance for the purpose of making known his fearless state.

"When great winds blow" means at whatever time or in whatever time great winds blow. "Blow" means winds called lifting winds arise; those, blowing, break off the water-sustaining wind that is nine hundred thousand yojanas plus sixty thousand in thickness; thereupon the water falls down into space, and as that falls down, the earth falls down; again the wind, by its own power, binds and holds the water as if in a bellows; thereupon the water rises up, and as that rises up, the earth rises up. Thus the water, having been caused to tremble, causes the earth to tremble. And this trembling occurs even up to the present day, but due to the great size, the sinking down and rising up is not discerned.

"Of great supernormal power, of great might" means of great supernormal power because of the greatness of what succeeds, of great might because of the greatness of what is to be experienced. "Limited" means weak. "Immeasurable" means powerful. "He causes this earth to tremble" means he causes the earth to tremble having produced supernormal power, either causing agitation like Mahāmoggallāna, or investigating like the novice Saṅgharakkhita, the nephew of the Elder Mahānāga. "Quakes" means trembles all around. "Shakes" is a synonym for that very thing. Thus, among these eight earthquakes, the first is through the disturbance of the elements, the second through the power of supernormal power, the third and fourth through the power of merit, the fifth through the power of knowledge, the sixth by way of giving applause, the seventh through the intrinsic nature of compassion, and the eighth through lamentation. When the Great Being was descending into his mother's womb and when emerging from it, the earth trembled through the power of his merit; at the full enlightenment, having been struck by the power of knowledge, it trembled; at the turning of the wheel of the Teaching, established in the state of applause, giving applause, it trembled; at the relinquishing of the life principle, established in its own nature of compassion, unable to endure the agitation of mind, it trembled; at the final Nibbāna, having been overwhelmed by the force of lamentation, it trembled. But this meaning should be understood by way of the earth deity. For the great primary earth, however, this does not apply, because it is without consciousness. The remainder is of manifest meaning everywhere.

The Chapter on Earthquakes is the seventh.

3.

The Chapter of the Pairs

1-2.

Commentary on the Pair of Discourses on Faith

71-72. "Is not moral" means one who does not fulfil the moral precepts. "Pleasing on all sides" means one who generates confidence all around. "Complete in every respect" means complete in all the aspects of an ascetic, in all the portions of the duties of an ascetic. In the second, "peaceful" means peaceful through the continuity of the opposite. "Deliverances" means deliverances because of being liberated from opposing states.

3-9.

Commentary on the Pair of Discourses on Recollection of Death and So On

73-79. In the third, "bhāvetha no" means "bhāvetha nu" (do you develop). "Teaching" means instruction. "For the elimination of mental corruptions" means for the purpose of the fruition of arahantship. In the fourth, "patihitāya" means for one who is practising. "That would be an obstacle for me" means that would be an obstacle to my life, and for one making a worldling's death, it would be an obstacle to heaven and an obstacle to the path. "Cutting winds" means winds that cut through the various limbs like a knife - thus "cutting." The fifth and so on are just according to the method already stated. In the ninth, "delight in bonding" means delight in the fivefold bonding.

10.

Commentary on the Discourse on the Grounds for Laziness and Arousing Energy

80. In the tenth, "cases of laziness" means the cases, the supports, the causes of idleness of one who is lazy and idle - this is the meaning. "Has work to be done" means work such as examining robes and so on has to be done. "Does not arouse energy" means he does not arouse energy of both kinds. "Of the unattained" means for the attainment of the unattained states of meditative absorption, insight, path and fruition. "Of the unachieved" means for the purpose of achieving that very same unachieved. "Of the unrealised" means for the purpose of realising that very same unrealised. "This is the first" means this sinking thus "come, let me lie down" is the first case of laziness. By this method the meaning should be understood everywhere. In "as if stuffed with beans, methinks," however, "stuffed with beans" means wet beans. The intention is: heavy just as wet beans are heavy. "Has recovered from illness" means having been ill, he has afterwards recovered. "Cases for arousing energy" means causes for energy. The meaning of those too should be understood by this very method. The remainder is clear everywhere.

The Chapter on Pairs is the eighth.

4.

The Chapter on Mindfulness

1-2.

Commentary on the Mindfulness and Full Awareness Discourse

81-82. The first of the ninth is by the very method stated above. In the second, "with faith" means endowed with the twofold faith. "Nor one who approaches" means one does not attend. "Nor one who inquires" means one who does not inquire about benefit and harm, what has a reason and what has no reason. "Endowed with" is the nominative case used in the sense of the genitive; the meaning is "of one endowed with." "The teaching of the Teaching to the Tathāgata is absolutely inspired" means the teaching of the Teaching of the Tathāgata is absolutely inspired; the meaning is it absolutely occurs to him, presents itself.

3.

Commentary on the Rooted Discourse

83. In the third, "all phenomena" means the five aggregates. "With desire as their root" - the desire of disposition and the desire to act, that is the root of these - thus "with desire as their root." "They originate from attention" - thus "with attention as their origin." "They arise from contact, becoming a heap" - thus "with contact as their arising." "They converge upon feeling" - thus "with feeling as their meeting point." "Concentration is the chief of these" - thus "with concentration as their chief." "Mindfulness is the authority of these in the sense of being foremost" - thus "with mindfulness as authority"; the meaning is "with mindfulness as the foremost." "Wisdom is higher than these" - thus "with wisdom as higher." "Liberation itself is the core of these" - thus "with liberation as their core." And here, the four beginning with "with desire as their root" are spoken of as mundane; the remaining ones are a mixture of mundane and supramundane.

4.

Commentary on the Thief Discourse

84. In the fourth, "great thief" means a great thief able to be treacherous within a kingdom. "Comes to ruin" means goes to exhaustion. "Does not last long" means he is not able to stand maintaining for a long stretch of time. "Strikes one who does not strike" means he strikes those who are free from enmity, who do not strike, who are accomplished in virtues, and the elderly, and young boys, and those who are fit not to be struck. "Takes completely" means he takes without remainder. For this is the duty of experienced thieves - of another's two cloaks, one should be taken; when there is one, having given a weak one, the firm one should be taken. Among parcels of boiled rice, rice-grain, and so on, having given one portion, one should be taken. "Commits deeds very near" means he commits acts of theft in a place near to villages, market towns, and royal capitals. "He is not skilled in depositing" means whatever is obtained, he is not clever at depositing that with those worthy of offerings; he does not purify the path to the world beyond.

5.

Commentary on the Ascetic Discourse

85. In the fifth, "by the ascetic" means whatever collection of virtues is to be attained by the ascetic. "Who has lived the holy life" means by one restrained in abiding by the holy life. "Released, I release from bondage" means I, having become released from all bonds, release the public too from the bondage of lust and so on. "Supremely tamed" means not trained by anyone else, not urged by anyone else, having penetrated through self-born knowledge, because of being tamed through supreme restraint, he is called supremely tamed. "Attained final Nibbāna" means attained final Nibbāna through the final extinguishment of the mental defilements.

6.

Commentary on the Fame Discourse

86. In the sixth, "nor let fame come together with me" means let not fame come together with me. "One who obtains without trouble" means one who obtains abundantly. "Morality and wisdom" means morality and knowledge. "Having come together" means having assembled. "Having assembled" means having come together. "Living in company" means living in the company of a group. "Na hi nūname" means surely not these. "Tathā hi paname" means for thus indeed these. "By nudging with their fingers" means by making a finger-prodding stick and piercing. "Laughing" means laughing with loud laughter. "Playing" means making sport.

7.

Commentary on the Discourse on Overturning the Bowl

87. In the seventh, "would overturn" means one should overturn by the formal act of overturning the bowl for the purpose of not accepting the gift given by him, not by placing it face down. "For material loss" means for the purpose of not gaining the four requisites. "For harm" means for misfortune, for decline. "Would turn up" means one should turn up by the formal act of turning up the bowl.

8.

Commentary on the Discourse on Declaring Distrust

88. In the eighth, "may declare distrust" means they would make known the state of being displeased. But what should be done by one declaring distrust? One should not rise from the seat where one is sitting, one should not pay homage, one should not go out to meet him, and no gift should be given. As for "improper resort," in the fivefold improper resort.

9.

Commentary on the Discourse on Reconciliation

89. In the ninth, "and a righteous promise to laypeople" means a promise by the method of being told "You should dwell right here for these three months" and replying "So let it be" and so on. "Does not fulfil" means what is said is: does not make it true, deceives.

10.

Commentary on the Discourse on Proper Conduct

90. In the tenth, "separate position" means in the position of rulership, in the position of chief. For indeed, having made him the chief, one does not obtain the ability to carry out any legal act of the Community. "And he should not be rehabilitated on that basis" means having made that the basis, one does not obtain the ability to carry out the act of rehabilitation. The remainder is clear everywhere.

The Chapter on Mindfulness is the ninth.

5.

The Chapter on Asceticism

91. From here on, in the passage beginning with "then the female lay follower Bojjhā": the female lay follower Bojjhā, the female lay follower Sirimā, the female lay follower Padumā, the female lay follower Sutanā, the female lay follower Manujā, the female lay follower Uttarā, the female lay follower Muttā, the female lay follower Khemā, the female lay follower Rucī, the princess Cundī, the female lay follower Bimbī, the princess Sumanā, Queen Mallikā, the female lay follower Tissā, the female lay follower Tissā's mother, the female lay follower Soṇā, the female lay follower Soṇā's mother, the female lay follower Kāṇā, the female lay follower Kāṇā's mother, Uttarā Nanda's mother, Visākhā Migāra's mother, the female lay follower Khujjuttarā, the female lay follower Sāmāvatī, Suppavāsā the Koliyan daughter, the female lay follower Suppiyā, Nakulamātā the woman householder - for these so many, only the Observance action endowed with eight factors has been spoken of. It should be told having expanded it by one who wishes. The remainder is of manifest meaning everywhere.

In the Manorathapūraṇī, the commentary on the Aṅguttara Nikāya,

the exposition of the Book of Eights is completed.