31.

The Chapter on Padumakesara

1-10.

Commentary on the Life History of the Elder Padumakesariya and Others

1-2. In the thirty-first chapter, in the first life history, "among a community of sages, I in the past" - the connection is: I, in the past, in the time of fulfilling the requisites of enlightenment, among a community of sages, among a multitude of sages who were Individually Enlightened Ones, near them, on the Himalayan mountain, in the mātaṅga elephant species, was a fierce elephant. "Vāraṇa" means one who obstructs human beings and so on; or alternatively, "vāraṇa" means one who cries out with its voice, who trumpets the cry of a heron. "Through confidence in the great sages" means through confidence in the great sages who were Individually Enlightened Ones. "Among the foremost Solitary Conquerors, among such ones who had shaken off lust" means the connection is: among the Individually Enlightened Ones who were unmoved by worldly adversities, I scattered lotus pollen, lotus dust, I sprinkled upon them.

The second and third life histories are clear.

13-16. In the fourth life history, "there was a great Bodhi-tree festival" means there was a veneration of the tree that received the name "Bodhi" because of being the support for the knowledge of the four paths of the Blessed One Vipassī - this is the meaning. "The Fully Self-Enlightened One, as if standing by a tree" means to the great multitude that had assembled at the time of the Bodhi-tree veneration, the Fully Self-Enlightened One, the elder of the world, the lord of men, appeared as if standing by a tree, as if standing at a tree - this is the meaning. "The Blessed One at that time" means at that time of making the Bodhi-tree veneration, the Blessed One was honoured by the community of monks, surrounded by the community of monks. "Uttering a noble speech" means uttering, speaking, emitting a soft, smooth, sweet, and excellent voice, he made known the four truths, he taught - this is the meaning. "And teaching in brief" means teaching in accordance with the disposition of the persons accessible to instruction, he taught both in brief and in detail - this is the meaning. "The remover of the veil" means lust is a covering, hate is a covering, delusion is a covering, all mental defilements are coverings - thus the coverings so spoken of have been unveiled, unfastened, and demolished by him - thus "the remover of the veil," the Fully Self-Enlightened One. He extinguished that great multitude by means of the Teaching, he appeased the fever - this is the meaning. "Having heard his Teaching" means having heard the Teaching of that Blessed One while he was teaching.

20. In the fifth life history, "with fruit in hand, expectant" means having seen the Blessed One Vipassī, having taken sweet fruits, expectant, unhurried, gently going to the hermitage. This is the meaning.

The sixth and seventh life histories are of manifest meaning only.

40. In the eighth life history, "when the new construction work was completed" means when the new construction work of the boundary had been completed. "I gave a coating of plaster" means afterwards I gave a coating of lime plaster; the meaning is "I had it plastered with lime."

The ninth and tenth life histories are manifest indeed.

The commentary on the thirty-first chapter is complete.