DN14. Mahāpadānasutta - The Great Discourse on Traces Left Behind Kinh Ðại bổn

Homage to him, the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Fully Enlightened One.

In the Dīghanikāya

Commentary on the Mahāvagga

1. Explanation of the Mahāpadānasutta

The Story Connected with Past Existences

1.Thus have I heard…as above…at a lodge at the foot of a Kareri tree, is the Mahāpadānasutta. Here is the explanation of words not previously defined: Karerikuṭikāyanti—Kareri is the name of a Varuṇa tree; the Kareri pavilion was situated at the gate of that (tree's) hut, therefore, it is called "Karerikuṭikā," just as the (lodge) situated at the gate of the Kosamba tree is called "Kosambakuṭikā." It is said that within the Jeta Grove, the Kareri lodge, Kosamba lodge, Gandha lodge, and Salaḷā house were four great residences, each completed through the expenditure of a hundred thousand. Among them, the Salaḷā house was caused to be made by King Pasenadi, the rest were caused to be made by Anāthapiṇḍika. Thus, the Blessed One dwells at the Karerikuṭikā, resembling a celestial abode, caused to be made above the pillars by the householder Anāthapiṇḍika. After the meal—for those who eat only one meal and abstain from food after midday, it is still after the meal even at midday. Here, however, "after the meal" is meant as after the regular meal. Those who have returned from their almsround—meaning those who have returned from their almsround, having finished their meal duties and risen.

Karerimaṇḍalamāḷa—in a sitting hall made not far from that Kareri pavilion. That Kareri pavilion, it is said, is between the Gandha lodge and the hall, therefore, the Gandha lodge, the Kareri lodge, and the hall are called "Karerimaṇḍalamāḷa." Connected with past existences—engaged in (discourse) by joining together with past existences, known as the continuum of aggregates experienced in the past, divided thus: "even one birth, even two births." Dhamma-related—connected with the Dhamma.

Arose—oh, how wonderful is the knowledge of past existences of the One with Ten Powers. Who recollects past existences, who does not recollect? The heretics recollect, and the disciples and the Solitary Buddhas and the Buddhas recollect. Which heretics recollect? Those who are foremost believers in the efficacy of kamma recollect only forty aeons, not beyond that. The disciples recollect a hundred thousand aeons. The two chief disciples, an immeasurable (number of aeons) and a hundred thousand aeons. Solitary Buddhas, two immeasurable (numbers of aeons) and a hundred thousand aeons. For the Buddhas, however, there is no limit such as this; as much as they wish, so much do they recollect.

The heretics recollect in the sequence of aggregates, abandoning the sequence they are unable. Even recollecting in sequence, having reached the unconscious realm, they do not see the continuity of the aggregates, like the lame fallen into a net, and like the crippled fallen into a well. They, remaining there, grasp the view: "This much only, beyond this there is nothing." Thus, the recollection of past existences of the heretics is like the blind man going to the tip of a stick. For just as the blind go only when holding the tip of a stick, and when not, they sit down right there, in the same way, the heretics are able to recollect only in the sequence of aggregates; abandoning the sequence, they are unable.

The disciples, too, recollect only in the sequence of aggregates; having reached the unconscious realm, they do not see the continuity of the aggregates. Even so, for them, there is no time when the aggregates of beings wandering in the cycle of existence are absent. In the unconscious realm, however, five hundred aeons pass. Passing beyond that much time, remaining in the method given by the Buddhas, they recollect beyond; as, for example, the Venerable Sobhita. The two chief disciples, however, and the Solitary Buddhas recollect by observing birth and death. For the Buddhas, there is no duty of birth and death; whatever place they wish to see, that very place they see.

And the heretics, recollecting past existences, recollect only what has been seen, done, and heard by themselves. Similarly, the disciples and the Solitary Buddhas. The Buddhas, however, recollect everything, whether seen, done, and heard by themselves or by others.

The knowledge of past existences of the heretics is like the glow of a firefly; of the disciples, like the glow of a lamp; of the chief disciples, like the glow of the morning star; of the Solitary Buddhas, like the glow of the moon; of the Buddhas, like the glow of the autumnal sun-orb. For that (knowledge), there is no (limit) such as so many hundreds of births, thousands of births, hundreds of thousands of births, or so many hundreds of aeons, thousands of aeons, hundreds of thousands of aeons; whatever one recollects, there is neither stumbling nor obstruction; it is only bound by adverting, only bound by wish, mental application, and the arising of consciousness. Like an arrow swiftly shot at a weak leaf-receptacle, and like Indra's thunderbolt hurled at the peak of Sineru, it goes without being stuck. "Oh, great is the Blessed One's knowledge of past existences"—thus, a discussion arose, was born, proceeded, starting precisely with the Blessed One. To show all that in brief, it is said in the text only this much: "Thus is the past existence, thus is the past existence." There, 'thus' is 'in this way'.

2-3.He heard…as above…then the Blessed One attained—here, what should be said has been said in the explanation of the Brahmajālasutta. This alone is the difference—there, he heard with the knowledge of omniscience, here, with the divine ear. And there, the discussion of praise and blame was incomplete, here, the discussion of past existences. Therefore, the Blessed One—"these monks are praising my virtue starting with the knowledge of past existences, but they do not know the accomplishment of my knowledge of past existences; well then, having explained and shown them that accomplishment"—having come, and having sat on the excellent Buddha-seat, usually set out for the Buddhas to sit and teach the Dhamma, and at that moment offered by the monks with applause, having asked, "About what, monks," and at the conclusion of the reply starting, "Here, Blessed One," wishing to tell them the Dhamma-related discussion connected with past existences, he said, "Would you like." There, 'would you like' is 'do you wish'. Then, the monks with delighted minds, requesting, said, "Of this, Blessed One." There, 'of this' is 'of the making of this Dhamma-related discussion'.

4. Then the Blessed One, accepting their request, wishing to explain, having directed them to pay attention and proper mental application with, "Then, monks, listen," wishing to reveal the recollection that severs the cycle of existence, not common to others, he said, "From here, monks." There, in which Vipassī—in which aeon, Vipassī. For this word 'which' is seen in such (passages) as, "Which, Blessed One, I heard face-to-face from the Tāvatiṃsa gods, received face-to-face, I inform you of that, Blessed One" (D. II. 203), in the sense of the subjective case. In such (passages) as, "Which we asked you, you declared to us; another we ask you, please tell that" (Sn. 881), in the sense of the instrumental case. In such (passages) as, "This is impossible, monks, there is no opportunity, that in one world-system" (A. I. 277), in the sense of the instrumental case. Here, however, it should be understood in the sense of location. Therefore, it is said, "In which aeon." Arose—was born, making the ten-thousandfold world-system resound.

A glorious aeon—because it is adorned with the arising of five Buddhas, a beautiful aeon, an essential aeon, the Blessed One, praising this aeon, said thus. For, it is said, from the time our Blessed One made his aspiration, in this interval, there has not been even one aeon in which five Buddhas were born. Before our Blessed One's aspiration, however, Taṇhaṅkara, Medhaṅkara, Saraṇaṅkara, and Dīpaṅkara—four Buddhas—were born in one aeon. Beyond them, one immeasurable (period) was devoid of Buddhas.

At the end of the immeasurable aeon, however, the Buddha named Koṇḍañña alone arose in one aeon. From that, too, an immeasurable (period) was devoid of Buddhas. At the end of the immeasurable aeon, Maṅgala, Sumana, Revata, and Sobhita—four Buddhas—arose in one aeon. From that, too, an immeasurable (period) was devoid of Buddhas. At the end of the immeasurable aeon, however, beyond an immeasurable (period) plus a hundred thousand aeons from here, Anomadassī, Paduma, and Nārada—three Buddhas—arose in one aeon. From that, too, an immeasurable (period) was devoid of Buddhas. At the end of the immeasurable aeon, however, beyond a hundred thousand aeons from here, the Blessed One Padumuttara alone arose in one aeon. Beyond that, beyond thirty thousand aeons from here, Sumedha and Sujāta—two Buddhas—arose in one aeon. Beyond that, beyond eighteen thousand aeons from here, Piyadassī, Atthadassī, and Dhammadassī—three Buddhas—arose in one aeon. Then, in the ninety-fourth aeon from here, the Buddha named Siddhattha alone arose in one aeon. In the ninety-second aeon from here, Tissa and Phussa—two Buddhas—arose in one aeon. In the ninety-first aeon from here, the Blessed One Vipassī arose. In the thirty-first aeon from here, Sikhī and Vessabhū—two Buddhas—arose. In this glorious aeon, Kakusandha, Koṇāgamana, Kassapa, and Gotama, our Fully Enlightened One—four Buddhas—have arisen; Metteyya will arise. Thus, this aeon, because it is adorned with the arising of five Buddhas, a beautiful aeon, an essential aeon, the Blessed One, praising this aeon, said thus.

But is this evident only to Buddhas – “in this aeon, so many Buddhas have arisen or will arise” – or is it also evident to others? It is evident to others, too. To whom? To the Brahmas of the Pure Abodes. For at the time of the aeon's stabilization, in the world-system that has stood for an immeasurable period, a single expanse, the rain begins to fall for the stabilization of the world. At first, it is like snow falling in the mid-winter. Then, it becomes like sesame seeds, like fine particles, like rice grains, like green grams, kidney beans, jujubes, myrobalans, water-lily roots, bottle gourds, and watermelons, and gradually increasing, the water streams become the size of an ox, two oxen, half a league, a league, two leagues, half a yojana, a yojana, two yojanas... up to… a hundred yojanas, a thousand yojanas, a hundred thousand yojanas, filling the interior of a hundred thousand million world-spheres, up to the Brahma-world of undiminished splendor, they remain. Then that water gradually subsides. As the water subsides, in the natural places of the deva-worlds, the deva-worlds are established. The manner of their establishment has been spoken of in the Visuddhimagga, in the account of former abodes.

But when the water reaches the place where the human world is established, the water remains still due to the wind, as if the mouth of a water-skin were closed, and on the surface of the water, the earth is established like a lotus leaf. The Great Seat of Enlightenment is the last to be destroyed when the world is destroyed, and the first to be established when it is being established. There, as a preliminary sign, a lotus stalk arises. If, in that aeon, a Buddha is to be born, a flower appears. If not, it does not appear. And if one Buddha is to be born, one flower appears. If two, three, four, or five Buddhas are to be born, five flowers appear. And these are connected by buds on a single stalk. The Brahmas of the Pure Abodes, thinking, “Come, friends, let us see the preliminary sign,” come to the place of the Great Seat of Enlightenment. In the aeon when Buddhas are not to be born, there is no flower. Seeing the flowerless stalk, they become disheartened, thinking, “Alas, the world will be in darkness, beings will die and fill the lower realms, the six deva-worlds and the nine Brahma-worlds will be empty.” But in the time when flowers appear, seeing the flower, they are delighted, thinking, “We shall see the miraculous events such as the ten thousand world-spheres quaking, etc., when the Fully Enlightened Bodhisattas enter their mothers’ wombs, when they emerge, when they become fully enlightened, when they set the Wheel of Dhamma in motion, when they perform the twin miracle, when they descend from the deva-world, when they relinquish their life-formation, and when they attain final Nibbāna” and “The four lower realms will diminish, and the six deva-worlds and nine Brahma-worlds will be filled.” Expressing their joy, they go to their own Brahma-worlds. In this fortunate aeon, five lotuses appeared. By the power of those signs, four Buddhas have arisen, and a fifth will arise. The Brahmas of the Pure Abodes, seeing those lotuses, knew this matter. Therefore, it is said: “It is evident to others, too.”

Description of the Limitation of Lifespan

5-7. Thus, the Blessed One – having shown former existence by way of limitation of the aeon with the method beginning, “From there, monks” – now, in order to show the limitation of the birth, etc. of those Buddhas, said, “Vipassī, monks,” and so forth. Here, in the limitation of lifespan, 'small' and 'brief' are synonyms for 'little'. For whatever is little is both small and brief.

'A little more' means a little over a hundred years, not reaching another hundred years, but living for twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, or sixty years. One with such a long lifespan is extremely rare, and people go here and there to see such a one, saying, “So-and-so lives for such a long time”. For example, the laywoman Visākhā lives for two hundred years, as does the brahmin Pokkharasāti, the brahmin Brahmāyu, the brahmin Sela, the brahmin Bāvariya, the elder Ānanda, and the elder Mahākassapa. The elder Anuruddha, however, lives for one hundred and fifty years, and the elder Bākula for one hundred and sixty years. He is the one with the longest life. Even he does not live for two hundred years.

But all Bodhisattas, Vipassī and the others, took rebirth in their mothers’ wombs with a mind that was unprompted, accompanied by joy, and associated with knowledge, due to previous practice of loving-kindness. With rebirth taken by that mind, the lifespan is immeasurable, so all Buddhas have immeasurable lifespans. Why did they not remain for an immeasurable period? Due to the unfavorable nature of seasons and food. For lifespan decreases or increases due to seasons and food.

Here, when kings are unrighteous, then the viceroys, generals, merchants, the whole city, and the whole kingdom are also unrighteous. Then, their guardian deities, the friends of those deities, the earth-bound deities, the friends of those deities, the sky-dwelling deities, the friends of the sky-dwelling deities, the heat-cloud deities, the friends of those deities, the mist-cloud deities, the friends of those deities, the cold-cloud deities, the friends of those deities, the rain-cloud deities, the friends of those deities, the deities of the Four Great Kings, the friends of those deities, the deities of the Thirty-three, the friends of those deities, the Yāma deities, and so on. In this way, up to the highest realm, except for the noble disciples, all the assemblies of deities and Brahmas are also unrighteous. Due to their unrighteousness, the sun and moon move irregularly, the wind does not blow along the proper path; blowing along the improper path, it shakes the sky-dwelling abodes. When the abodes are shaken, the minds of the deities do not incline towards enjoyment. When the minds of the deities do not incline towards enjoyment, the seasons of cold and heat do not occur at the proper time. When they do not occur properly, the rain does not fall properly, sometimes it rains, sometimes it does not. In some places it rains, in some places it does not. Even when it rains, at the time of sowing, sprouting, stalk formation, flowering, and ripening, it rains and ceases in such a way that it is not beneficial to the crops. Therefore, the crops ripen unevenly, lacking the perfection of fragrance, color, taste, and so on. Even with rice grains placed in one vessel, in one part, the rice is undercooked, in another, it is overcooked, and in another, it is cooked evenly. When that is eaten, it is digested in the stomach in three ways. Therefore, beings have many diseases and short lifespans. In this way, lifespan decreases due to seasons and food.

But when kings are righteous, then the viceroys are also righteous. In the same way as before, all up to the Brahma-world are also righteous. Due to their righteousness, the sun and moon move evenly, the wind blows along the proper path. Blowing along the proper path, it does not shake the sky-dwelling abodes. Due to their not being shaken, the minds of the deities incline towards enjoyment. In this way, the seasons occur at the proper time, the rain falls properly. From the time of sowing onwards, benefiting the crops, it rains at the proper time and ceases at the proper time. Therefore, the crops ripen evenly, are fragrant, beautifully colored, delicious, and nutritious. Food prepared from them, even when eaten, is properly digested. Therefore, beings are healthy and have long lifespans. In this way, lifespan increases due to seasons and food.

Here, the Blessed One Vipassī was born at a time when the lifespan was eighty thousand years, Sikhī at a time when the lifespan was seventy thousand years. This is made to appear gradually decreasing, but it should not be understood as merely decreasing, but as increasing and increasing, and then decreasing. How so? In this aeon, the Blessed One Kakusandha was born at a time when the lifespan was forty thousand years. Dividing the life-span into five portions, having remained for four portions, he attained final Nibbāna while the fifth portion was still existing. That lifespan, decreasing, reached the ten-year period, and then increasing again, became immeasurable. From there, decreasing, it stood at thirty thousand years. Then, the Blessed One Koṇāgamana was born. Having attained final Nibbāna in the same way, that lifespan reached the ten-year period, and then increasing again, became immeasurable, and decreasing, stood at twenty thousand years. Then, the Blessed One Kassapa was born. Having attained final Nibbāna in the same way, that lifespan reached the ten-year period, and then increasing again, became immeasurable, and decreasing, reached the hundred-year period. Then, our Fully Enlightened Buddha was born. In this way, it should be understood as gradually decreasing and decreasing, and then increasing and increasing, and then decreasing. Here, whatever the lifespan of humans during which the Buddhas are born, that same lifespan should be understood as their lifespan, too.

The Description of the Limitation of Lifespan is concluded.

Description of the Limitation of Enlightenment.

8. In the section on the Bodhi tree: at the foot of the Pāṭali tree means under the trumpet-flower tree. The trunk of that trumpet-flower tree that day rose up to a height of fifty ratanas, with branches of fifty ratanas, it had a height of one hundred ratanas. And that day, that trumpet-flower tree was fully covered with flowers from the root upwards, like one adorned with flower-buds, emanating a divine fragrance. And not only this one was in bloom at that time, but all trumpet-flower trees in the ten-thousand-world-system were in bloom. And not only the trumpet-flower trees, but on the trunks of all the trees in the ten-thousand-world-system there bloomed trunk-lotuses, on the branches branch-lotuses, on the creepers creeper-lotuses, in the sky sky-lotuses, and even bursting through the surface of the earth, great lotuses arose. The great ocean was also covered with five-colored lotuses, with blue water lilies and red water lilies. The entire ten-thousand-world-system was like the Nandana Grove, Cittalatā Grove, Missaka Grove, and Phārusaka Grove, with rows of flags, flower-garlands hanging here and there, scattered flower-clusters strewn about, and resplendent with various colored flowers. The raised flags at the edge of the eastern world-wheel struck against the edge of the western world-wheel. The raised flags at the edge of the western, southern, and northern world-wheels struck the edge of the southern world-wheel. Thus, the world-wheels achieved the glory of each other. "Perfectly Self-Awakened": comprehending all the glory of the Buddha’s virtues, he perfectly Self-Awakened to the four truths.

In such statements as, "Monks, the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Fully Self-Awakened Sikhī was perfectly Self-Awakened at the foot of the white-flowered tree," the explanation of the words should be understood in the same way. Here, the white-flowered tree is the white coral tree. Its dimensions were the same. And that day, it was also fully covered with divinely fragrant flowers. And it was covered not only with flowers but also with fruits. On one side of it were young fruits, on another side were medium-ripe fruits, on another side were not-too-ripe fruits, and on another side were fully ripe, very sweet fruits, hanging down like divine foods that had been carefully placed there. Just as it was, so were all the flowering trees and fruit-bearing trees in the entire ten-thousand-world-system adorned with flowers and fruits.

Sāla means the sāla tree. Its dimensions were the same, and the glory of its flowers should be understood as the same. The same principle applies to the Sirīsa tree. There were no flowers on the Udumbara tree; the abundance of its fruit is as described in the case of the mango, and so with the Banyan tree, and so with the Bodhi tree. Thus, all Buddhas have the same seat, but the trees are different. Among them, whichever tree under which Buddhas attain enlightenment, which is known as the knowledge of the four paths, that is called the Bodhi tree. This is the section on the Bodhi tree.

Description of the Section on the Pair of Disciples

9. In the section on the pair of disciples: Khaṇḍatissa means Khaṇḍa and Tissa. Of these, Khaṇḍa was the younger brother of one father, and Tissa was the son of a royal priest. Khaṇḍa reached the culmination of the perfection of wisdom, and Tissa reached the culmination of the perfection of concentration. "Foremost": setting aside the Blessed One Vipassī, they were supreme due to their incomparable virtues with all others. "Auspicious pair": they were an auspicious pair precisely because they were the foremost. Abhibhū and Sambhava are Abhibhū and Sambhava. Of these, Abhibhū reached the culmination of the perfection of wisdom. Along with the Blessed One Sikhī, he went from Aruṇavatī to the Brahmā realm, and, showing various miraculous feats to the assembly of Brahmās, he taught the Dhamma, pervading the ten-thousand-world system with darkness. For those who were stirred with a sense of urgency, asking, "What is this?", he spread light. Making the resolution, "Let all see my form and hear my voice," he proclaimed the two verses starting with "Strive forth!" (Saṃyutta Nikāya 1.185). Sambhava reached the culmination of the perfection of concentration.

Soṇuttara means Soṇa and Uttara. Of these, Soṇa reached the perfection of wisdom, and Uttara the perfection of concentration. Vidhurasañjīva means Vidhura and Sañjīva. Of these, Vidhura reached the perfection of wisdom, and Sañjīva reached the perfection of concentration. He frequently entered into meditative attainments, and one day, while absorbed in the power of attainment in a place for staying at night, for staying during the day, in a hut, in a pavilion, etc., in the forest, he entered into cessation. Then the forest workers and others, thinking he was dead, cremated him. Having arisen from that attainment as appointed, he shook out his robes and entered the village for alms. From that very occasion, they recognized him as "Sañjīva". Bhiyyosuttara means Bhiyyosa and Uttara. Of these, Bhiyyosa was foremost in wisdom, and Uttara was foremost in concentration. Tissabhāradvāja means Tissa and Bhāradvāja. Of these, Tissa reached the perfection of wisdom, and Bhāradvāja reached the perfection of concentration. Sāriputtamoggallāna means Sāriputta and Moggallāna. Of these, Sāriputta was foremost in the sphere of wisdom, and Moggallāna was foremost in the sphere of concentration. This is the section on the pair of disciples.

Description of the Section on the Assemblies of Disciples

10. In the section on the assemblies of disciples: the first assembly of the Blessed One Vipassī had four factors: all were "come, monk" ordained, all had bowls and robes created by spiritual power, all had come without being summoned, and it was on the full-moon Uposatha day. Then the Teacher, sitting and holding a fan, proclaimed the Uposatha. The same principle applies to the second and third assemblies. Similarly, in all the assemblies of the remaining Buddhas. However, because the assembly of our Blessed One occurred at the very beginning of his Buddhahood, and this discourse was spoken later on, therefore, not specifying "there is now, monks, one assembly of my disciples," it is said "there was."

Here, "one thousand two hundred and fifty monks" means one thousand former matted-hair ascetics and two hundred and fifty followers of the two chief disciples, totaling one thousand two hundred and fifty monks. Here, starting from the aspiration of the two chief disciples, the story should be told, explaining their going forth. Among those who had gone forth, Mahāmoggallāna attained arahantship on the seventh day. The General of the Dhamma, on the fifteenth day, in the middle of Gijjhakūṭa Mountain, at the Sukarakhata cave, while the Vedanāpariggaha Sutta (Majjhima Nikāya 2.201) was being taught at the Dhamma sacrifice arranged by his nephew, the wanderer Dīghanakha, directing his mind towards understanding the teaching, attained the knowledge of disciple's perfection. Knowing the Elder’s attainment of arahantship, the Blessed One rose up into the sky and descended at Veḷuvana itself. The Elder, wondering, "Where has the Blessed One gone?", knowing that he had established himself at Veḷuvana, himself rose up into the sky and descended at Veḷuvana itself. Then the Blessed One proclaimed the Pātimokkha. Referring to that assembly, the Blessed One said, "one thousand two hundred and fifty monks." This is the section on the assemblies of disciples.

Description of the Section on Attendants

11. In the section on attendants, "Ānanda" is said in reference to his status as the permanent attendant. During the first period of his Buddhahood, the Blessed One had non-permanent attendants. Sometimes, Nāgasamāla took his bowl and robe and wandered, sometimes Nāgita, sometimes Upavāna, sometimes Sunakkhatta, sometimes the novice Cunda, sometimes Sāgata, sometimes Meghiya. In this regard, once, while walking along a highway with the Elder Nāgasamāla, the Blessed One came to a fork in the road. Leaving the path, the Elder said, "Blessed One, I will go by this road." Then the Blessed One said to him, "Come, monk, let us go by this road." He said, "Take your bowl and robe, Blessed One; I will go by this road," and he started to place the bowl and robe on the ground. Then the Blessed One said, "Bring them, monk," and took the bowl and robe and went. As that monk went along the other road, thieves stole his bowl and robe and injured his head. He thought, "The Blessed One is now my refuge, no one else," and, covered in blood, he went to the Blessed One. When asked, "What is this, monk?", he reported what had happened. Then the Blessed One said to him, "Do not worry, monk, knowing that this very thing would happen, we prevented you," and comforted him.

Once, the Blessed One, together with the elder Meghiya, went to Jantugāma in the eastern deer park of Vaṃsa. There, Meghiya, having wandered for alms in Jantugāma and seeing a pleasant mango grove on the bank of a river, said, "Blessed One, take your bowl and robe. I will go to that mango grove and practice the ascetic life." Although the Blessed One restrained him three times, he went and, overwhelmed by unwholesome thoughts, was tormented (see A. IX, 3; Ud. 31). Returning, he reported the matter. The Blessed One, having said, "It was for this very reason that we restrained you, understanding the cause," gradually went to Sāvatthi. There, seated in the prepared excellent Buddha-seat in the perfumed chamber enclosure, surrounded by the assembly of monks, he addressed the monks: "Monks, I am now old. When it is said, 'Some monks will go by this path,' they go by another. Some leave my bowl and robe. You should know of one monk who is my constant attendant." The monks felt a sense of urgency regarding the teaching. Then the venerable Sāriputta, rising from his seat and paying homage to the Blessed One, said, "Venerable Sir, for a hundred thousand eons and an incalculable period, I have been fulfilling the perfections, aspiring only for you. Surely, a wise attendant like me is suitable. I will attend upon you." The Blessed One replied, "Enough, Sāriputta. The direction in which you dwell is not empty for me. Your advice is like the advice of Buddhas. I have no need of you for the duties of an attendant." In the same way, beginning with Mahāmoggallāna, the eighty great disciples arose. The Blessed One rejected all of them.

But the elder Ānanda sat silently. Then the monks said to him, "Friend Ānanda, the assembly of monks is requesting a position of attendant. You too should request it." He replied, "Friends, what is an attendantship obtained by request like? Does the Teacher not see me? If it pleases him, he will say, 'Ānanda, attend upon me.'" Then the Blessed One said, "No, monks, Ānanda should not be urged by another. He will know for himself and attend upon me." Then the monks said, "Arise, friend Ānanda, arise, friend Ānanda, request the position of attendant to the One with Ten Powers." The elder arose and requested eight boons—four rejections and four requests.

The four rejections are: "If, Venerable Sir, the Blessed One will not give me an excellent robe received by him, will not give me an excellent almsfood, will not allow me to dwell in the same perfumed chamber, and will not go after accepting an invitation, then I will attend upon the Blessed One." Having said this, and being asked, "What disadvantage, Ānanda, do you see in these things?" he replied, "If, Venerable Sir, I receive these things, there will be those who say, 'Ānanda enjoys the excellent robe received by the One with Ten Powers, enjoys the almsfood, dwells in the same perfumed chamber, goes to invitations together. Obtaining these benefits, he attends upon the Tathāgata. What burden is there for one who attends thus?'" He requested these four rejections.

The four requests are: "If, Venerable Sir, the Blessed One will go to an invitation accepted by me; if I can present to the Blessed One the assembly that has come from distant countries and distant regions to see the Blessed One at the very moment of their arrival; if, whenever a doubt arises in me, I can approach the Blessed One at that very moment; if the Blessed One, having taught a teaching to others in my absence, will come and tell it to me, then I will attend upon the Blessed One." Having said this, and being asked, "What benefit, Ānanda, do you see in these things?" he replied, "Here, Venerable Sir, faithful laymen, not obtaining an opportunity with the Blessed One, say to me, 'Tomorrow, Venerable Ānanda, may you take alms with the Blessed One in our house.' If, Venerable Sir, the Blessed One does not go there, and if I do not obtain the opportunity to present the assembly at the very moment of their wish and to dispel their doubts, there will be those who say, 'What is Ānanda attending upon the One with Ten Powers for? The Blessed One does not show even this much favor to him.' And they will ask me in the absence of the Blessed One, 'Friend Ānanda, this verse, this discourse, this Jātaka, where was it taught?' If I cannot accomplish that, there will be those who say, 'Friend, you do not know even this? Why do you wander for a long time, like a shadow, inseparable from the Blessed One?' Therefore, I desire the recounting of a teaching taught even in my absence." He requested these four requests. The Blessed One granted them to him.

Thus, having accepted these eight boons, he became the constant attendant. The fruit of the perfections fulfilled for a hundred thousand eons reached fruition for the attainment of that very position. With reference to this constant attendance, he said, "Monks, at present, the monk Ānanda is my attendant, the chief attendant." This is called the section on attendants.

12. The section on fathers has a clear meaning.

He entered the dwelling, so why did he enter the dwelling? The Blessed One, having spoken thus far, thought, "The lineage of the seven Buddhas has not yet been completely taught by me, bringing it to its culmination. Today, when I enter the dwelling, these monks will extensively discuss the splendor, beginning with the knowledge of past lives. Then, I will come and, completely teaching the Buddha lineage, bring it to its culmination and show it." Giving an opportunity for the monks' discourse, he arose from his seat and entered the dwelling.

As for what the Blessed One taught, these nine sections have been covered: the section on eons, the section on birth, the section on clan, the section on lifespan, the section on enlightenment, the section on pairs of disciples, the section on assemblies of disciples, the section on attendants, and the section on fathers. The section on many matters has not been covered, but it should be brought forth and illuminated.

Explanation of the Section on Many Matters

For all Bodhisattas, when a son is born in a family lineage, he renounces and goes forth into homelessness—this is their lineage, this is their tradition. Why? From the time of the Bodhisattas' descent into the mother's womb, there are many miracles of the aforementioned kind. If their city of birth, father, mother, wife, or son were not known, people would think, "His city of birth, father, wife, and son are not known. He is probably a god, Sakka, Māra, or Brahmā, and such miracles are not astonishing for gods." Thus, people would not think it worthy of being heard or believed. Then, there would be no realization. In the absence of realization, the arising of a Buddha would be pointless, and the teaching would be non-leading. Therefore, for all Bodhisattas, when a son is born in a family lineage, he must renounce and go forth into homelessness—this is their lineage, this is their tradition. Therefore, the section on many matters should be brought forth and illuminated with reference to sons and so forth. Explanation of the Section on Many Matters Therein: Samavattakkhandha, the incomparable, and Suppabuddha, the exalted; Satthavāha, Vijitasena, and Rāhula is the seventh. These are to be known as the seven sons of the seven Bodhisattas, respectively.

When Rāhulabhadra was born, a letter was brought and placed in the hands of the Great Being. At that very moment, love for his son arose, shaking his entire body. He thought, "With the birth of just one, such love for a son arises. There will be over a thousand sons for me. With the birth of each one, this bond of affection, growing thus, will be difficult to break. A Rāhu (fetter) is born, a bond is born." On that very day, he abandoned the kingdom and departed. This is the method for all regarding the arising of sons. This is the section on sons. Sutanā, Sabbakāmā, and Sucittā, then Rocinī; Rucaggatī, Sunandā, and Bimbā is the seventh.

These were the mothers of all seven of those sons. But Bimbādevī, upon the birth of Prince Rāhula, became known as Rāhula's mother. This is the determination of consorts.

Vipassī and Kakusandha, these two Bodhisattas, having mounted a chariot yoked with thoroughbreds, departed in the Great Renunciation. Sikhī and Koṇāgamana departed seated on the excellent back of an elephant. Vessabhū departed seated in a golden palanquin. Kassapa, having sat down on the great level surface on the upper floor of the palace, attained the fourth jhāna of mindfulness of breathing, and having arisen from jhāna, using that jhāna as a foundation, he made the resolution: ‘‘May the palace rise up and land at the seat of enlightenment.’’ The palace, going through the air, landed at the seat of enlightenment. The Great Man, also, having dismounted from there and standing on the ground, thought: ‘‘May the palace be established in its proper place.’’ It was established in its proper place. The Great Man, also, having engaged in striving for seven days, seated at the Bodhi tree, attained complete enlightenment. Our Bodhisatta, however, departed having mounted the excellent horse Kanthaka. This is the determination of vehicles.

The dwelling of the Blessed Vipassī was established on a plot of land one yojana in extent, that of Sikhī on a plot three gāvutas in extent, that of Vessabhū on a plot half a yojana in extent, that of Kakusandha on a plot a gāvuta in extent, that of Koṇāgamana on a plot half a gāvuta in extent, and that of Kassapa on a plot twenty usabhas in extent. The dwelling of our Blessed One was established on a plot of land sixteen karīsas in extent according to normal measurement, eight karīsas according to royal measurement. This is the determination of dwellings.

The Blessed Vipassī had the building site, which was one ratana in length, a vidatthi in width, and eight fingers in height, strewn after having had golden bricks made and covered with the ridge-piece. Sikhī's was strewn after having had it covered with golden poles and plates. Vessabhū's was strewn after having had golden elephant-feet made and covered with their ridge-piece. Kakusandha's was strewn after having had it covered with golden bricks in the aforesaid manner. Koṇāgamana's was strewn after having had it covered with golden tortoise shells in the aforesaid manner. Kassapa's was strewn after having had it covered with only golden rafters. Our Blessed One's was strewn after having had it covered with the ridge-piece of well-marked kahāpaṇas. This is the determination of the wealth used for acquiring the dwelling site.

There, having had the site strewn thus, the Blessed Vipassī had an attendant named Punabbasumitta who made and presented a dwelling. Sikhī had one named Sirivaḍḍha. Vessabhū had one named Sotthiya. Kakusandha had one named Accuta. Koṇāgamana had one named Ugga. Kassapa had one named Sumana. Our Blessed One had one named Sudatta. And all these were wealthy, great householders, chief merchants. This is known as the determination of attendants.

There are four other fixed places. For the Bodhi-seat of all Buddhas is fixed, it is in one and the same place. The turning of the Wheel of Dhamma is fixed in the Deer Park at Isipatana. At the time of descent from the gods, the first footprint at the gate of the city of Sankassa is fixed. In Jetavana the four bed-leg places of the fragrant chamber are fixed. But the dwelling, whether small or large, the dwelling is also not fixed, but it changes with the city. When the city is to the east, then the dwelling is to the west; when the city is to the south, then the dwelling is to the north. When the city is to the west, then the dwelling is to the east; when the city is to the north, then the dwelling is to the south. Now, however, the city is to the north, the dwelling is to the south.

And for all Buddhas there are five diversities: diversity of lifespan, diversity of physical size, diversity of clan, diversity of striving, and diversity of radiance. Diversity of lifespan is when some are long-lived, some are short-lived. Thus, the lifespan of Dīpaṅkara was a hundred thousand years; the lifespan of our Blessed One was a hundred years.

Diversity of physical size is when some are tall and some are short. Thus, Dīpaṅkara was eighty cubits tall, Sumana was ninety cubits, and our Blessed One was eighteen cubits.

Diversity of clan is when some are born in a Khattiya clan, some in a Brahmin clan. Diversity of striving is when for some the striving is for a short time, as for the Blessed Kassapa. For some it is half a year, as for our Blessed One.

Diversity of radiance is when the body radiance of the Blessed Maṅgala extended to the ten-thousand-world system. For our Blessed One it was a fathom all around. There the diversity of radiance is connected to disposition, for whoever wishes for however much, to that extent his bodily radiance spreads. But Maṅgala had the constant disposition to spread throughout the ten-thousand-world system. But in those who have penetrated the qualities, there is no diversity whatsoever.

Another section expounds only our Blessed One's determination of co-nascents and determination of constellations. It is said that together with the all-enlightened Bodhisatta, these seven were co-nascents: Rāhula's mother, the elder Ānanda, Channa, Kanthaka, the treasure pot, the great Bodhi tree, and Kāḷudāyī. And the Great Man, under the constellation Uttarāsāḷha, descended into his mother's womb, went forth in the great renunciation, set in motion the Wheel of Dhamma, and performed the twin miracle. Under the constellation Visākhā, he was born, became fully enlightened, and attained final Nibbāna. Under the constellation Māgha, he had the assembly of disciples and relinquished the life-force, and under the constellation Assayuja, he descended from the gods, so much should be brought together and expounded. This is known as the multiple determination.

13. Now, in "Then, those monks" and so on, those monks—"Friends, this is the course of past abodes, that is, ascending to rebirth from decease. But this, starting from rebirth, sending knowledge backwards, going to decease, this is excessively difficult. The Blessed One spoke as if showing a footprint in the sky"—being filled with extreme wonder, saying, "It is a marvel, friends," and so forth, and showing another reason, they said, "For the Tathāgata" and so forth. Here, 'for' is a particle in the sense of wonder, the meaning is 'the Tathāgata indeed'. 'One who has cut off proliferation' here, proliferation means these three defilements: craving, conceit, and views. 'One who has cut off the round' here, 'round' refers to the round of wholesome and unwholesome kamma. 'One who has exhausted the round' is a synonym for that, meaning one who has exhausted all the rounds of kamma. 'One who has gone beyond all suffering' means he has gone beyond all suffering in the sense of the round of resultants. 'Will recollect' is, by virtue of the particle 'for', a future tense word, but the meaning here should be understood as past tense. For the Blessed One recollected those Buddhas, he will not recollect them now. 'Of such virtue' means with the virtue of the path, with the virtue of the fruit, with the virtue of the mundane and supramundane, of such virtue. 'Of such Dhamma' here, the Dhammas pertaining to concentration are intended, with the concentration of the path, with the concentration of the fruit, with mundane and supramundane concentration, meaning of such concentration. 'Of such wisdom' means of such wisdom by way of the wisdom of the path and so on. 'Dwelling thus' here, however, since the Dhammas pertaining to concentration were taken below, dwelling is taken again, why is what was taken taken again? This is not just what was taken, for this is said for the purpose of illuminating the attainment of cessation. Therefore, 'those Blessed Ones were dwelling thus in the attainment of cessation', thus the meaning should be understood here.

'Thus liberated' here, there are five kinds of liberation: liberation by suppression, liberation by substitution, liberation by cutting off, liberation by calming, and liberation by escape. Here, the eight attainments, being liberated by the factors of suppression themselves, such as the hindrances, are reckoned as liberation by suppression. The seven contemplations, such as the contemplation of impermanence, being liberated by the abandonment through the respective opposing factors themselves, such as the perception of permanence, are reckoned as liberation by substitution. The four noble paths, being liberated by the defilements cut off by themselves, are reckoned as liberation by cutting off. The four fruits of recluseship, arising from the power of the paths as the defilements are calmed, are reckoned as liberation by calming. Nibbāna, being separated, gone away, standing far from all defilements, is reckoned as liberation by escape. Thus, by way of these five liberations, the meaning should be understood in 'thus liberated'.

14. Having arisen from seclusion means having arisen from being alone.

16. "From there, monks" what is the connection? Indeed, this discourse—"The Tathāgata, monks, has fully penetrated the element of the Dhamma" and "Even the deities proclaimed this matter to the Tathāgata"— is bound by these two phrases. There, he will examine the expression about the deity's proclamation while showing the uproar of the deities' excursion at the end of the discourse. But this teaching has been begun by way of connection through the phrase about the element of the Dhamma. There, the eleven expressions, like ‘a noble warrior by birth’, should be understood in the way spoken in the chapter of introduction.

The Description of the Bodhisattva’s Nature

17. Now, as for the expressions, "Then, monks, Vipassī the Bodhisattva, etc.", "Vipassī" is his name, and it was acquired due to the skill of seeing various meanings. "Bodhisattva" means a wise being, a being who is capable of awakening. Or, a Bodhisattva is one who is attached, clinging with his mind, to the four paths known as awakening, thus, Bodhisattva. "Mindful and fully aware": here, "mindful" means just mindfulness. "Fully aware" means knowledge. Having firmly established mindfulness, having comprehended with knowledge, he descended into the mother’s womb, is the meaning. "He descended": by this, his descent is shown in the canonical text, but not the manner of the descent. But as it has been raised in the commentary, it should be understood thus:

All Bodhisattvas, indeed, having fulfilled the thirty perfections, having relinquished the five great renunciations, having reached the peak of practice for the sake of relatives, practice for the sake of the world, and practice for the sake of the Buddhas, having stayed in the third existence, like Vessantara, having given seven great gifts, having caused the earth to shake seven times, having passed away, in the second moment of consciousness, they are reborn in the realm of Tusita. Vipassī the Bodhisattva, too, having done just that, having been reborn in the city of Tusita, remained there for seventy-five crores and sixty hundred thousand years. But Bodhisattvas who are reborn in the realm of long-lived deities do not remain for the full duration of their life-span. Why? Because the perfections are difficult to fulfil there. Having made a deliberate act of death, they are reborn just in the human realm. But when fulfilling the perfections, so that just as now it is possible to attain omniscience by means of a single existence, thus, because they have been fulfilled completely, at that time Vipassī the Bodhisattva remained there for the full duration of his life-span.

But for the deities, the five preliminary signs of falling —the garlands fade, the clothes become soiled, sweat comes from the armpits, a discoloration appears on the body, the deity does not stay steady on the divine seat— arise at the time when, according to the calculation of humans, there will be a passing away in seven days from now. Here, "garlands" are the garlands put on the day of taking conception; they, indeed, after not fading for seventy-five crores and sixty hundred thousand years, fade at that time. The same applies to the clothes. But, for this amount of time, there is neither cold nor heat for the deities, but at that time, sweat is emitted from their bodies drop by drop. And for this amount of time, disfigurement in the form of mutilations, and grey hair etc., does not become evident on their bodies, the daughters of deities appear like girls of sixteen years old, the sons of deities appear like young men of twenty years old; but at the time of death, their being becomes a worn-out form. And for this amount of time, there is no such thing as being restless in the divine world, but at the time of death, they exhale, they stretch, they do not delight in their own seats.

But these preliminary signs, just as in the world, signs like the falling of meteors, earthquakes, lunar eclipses, etc., are evident only for the greatly meritorious kings, royal ministers and so on, not for everyone; in the same way, they are evident only for the deities of great power, not for everyone. And just as among humans, only astrologers and the like know the preliminary signs, not everyone; in the same way, not all deities know them, but only the wise ones know them. There, the sons of deities who are reborn due to weak meritorious action, when those signs arise, are afraid, thinking, “Who knows now, 'where will we be reborn?'” Those who are greatly meritorious, are not afraid, thinking, “Having experienced the result of the gifts we have given, the precepts we have kept, and the cultivation we have developed, we will experience the results in the higher divine realms.” Vipassī the Bodhisattva, too, having seen those preliminary signs, is not afraid, thinking, “Now, in the immediately following existence, I will become a Buddha.” Then, when those signs had appeared to him, the deities of the ten-thousand-world-system gathered together and pleaded: "Noble sir, you have fulfilled the ten perfections, not wishing for the attainment of Sakka-hood, not wishing for the attainment of Māra-hood, not wishing for the attainment of Brahma-hood, not wishing for the attainment of universal kingship, but wishing for Buddhahood, for the sake of delivering the world. Now is the time for you, noble sir, for Buddhahood, it is the occasion, noble sir, for Buddhahood."

Then the great being, without giving his consent to those deities, examined what is called the five great investigations, based on time, continent, place, family, mother, and the limit of life-span. Here, he first investigated the time, whether it was the time or not. Here, a time when the lifespan is increasing beyond a hundred thousand years is not the time. Why? Because at that time, birth, old age and death are not evident to beings, and the teachings of the Buddhas do not exist apart from the three characteristics. When the Buddhas teach them, “impermanence, suffering, and not-self”, they do not consider it worth listening to, or believing, thinking, “What is this that they are saying?”; then there is no realization; in its absence, the teaching is not leading out. Therefore, that is not the time. A time when the lifespan is less than one hundred years is also not the time. Why? Because at that time beings are overwhelmed by defilements, and advice given to those who are overwhelmed by defilements does not stay in the place of advice, it quickly disappears like a line drawn with a stick on water. Therefore, that, too, is not the time. A time of lifespan starting from a hundred thousand years downwards, starting from a hundred years upwards, is the time, and at that time, humans have a lifespan of eighty thousand years. Then the great being saw the time: "It is the time to be reborn."

Then, investigating the continent, having looked at the four continents with their surroundings, he saw the continent: "In three continents Buddhas are not born, they are born only in Jambudīpa."

Then, investigating the place, thinking "Jambudīpa is indeed great, with a circumference of ten thousand yojanas, in which place do Buddhas arise?", he saw the middle region. The middle region is defined in the Vinaya by the method beginning, "On the eastern side, the town called Kajaṅgala" (Mv. 259). It is three hundred yojanas in length, two and a half in breadth, and nine hundred yojanas in circumference. In this region, indeed, Buddhas, Pacceka-buddhas, chief disciples, eighty great disciples, universal monarchs, and other powerful noble warriors, brahmins, and householders of great families, arise. And here, there is a city named Bandhumatī, "I will be born there," thus he made a determination.

Then, investigating the family, thinking "Buddhas are born in families esteemed by the world. And now, the warrior family is esteemed by the world, I will be born there, a king named Bandhumā will be my father.", he saw the family.

Then, investigating the mother, thinking "The mother of a Buddha is not frivolous, a drunkard, she has fulfilled the perfections for a hundred thousand aeons, from the time of her birth she has unbroken five precepts, and this queen named Bandhumatī is such, she will be my mother, 'How much is her life-span?'", thinking thus, he saw: "Seven days beyond ten months."

Thus, having investigated this fivefold great investigation, giving his consent, saying to the deities: "It is the time, noble sirs, for my Buddhahood," reassuring them, he dismissed those deities, saying, "Go, all of you," and surrounded by the deities of Tusita, entered the Nandana grove in the Tusita city. For in all the divine realms, there is indeed the Nandana grove. There, the deities, reminding him of the opportunity of the meritorious actions done in the past, "Having passed away from here, you will go to a good destination", wander about. He, thus wandering about there, surrounded by the deities who were reminding him of the merit, passed away.

Thus, he knows, “I am passing away,” as he passes away, but he does not know the passing-away consciousness. Having taken rebirth, he also knows, but he does not know the rebirth consciousness itself. He knows thus: “In this place I have taken rebirth.” But some elders say: “The stage of adverting can indeed be obtained; one will know only in the second or third thought-process.” However, the Elder Tipiṭaka Mahāsīva said: “The rebirth of Great Beings is not like the rebirth of others; for them, mindfulness and full awareness are perfected. However, since it is not possible to know that consciousness by that very consciousness, therefore he does not know the passing-away consciousness. Even at the moment of passing away, he knows, ‘I am passing away.’ He does not know the rebirth consciousness. ‘In such and such a place I have taken rebirth,’ he knows; at that time the ten-thousand-world system quakes.” Thus, mindful and fully aware, entering his mother’s womb, he took rebirth with a great resultant consciousness similar to the unprompted wholesome consciousness accompanied by joy and knowledge of the first part of loving-kindness among the nineteen rebirth consciousnesses. The Elder Mahāsīva, however, said that it was accompanied by equanimity. And just as our Blessed One, even so did he take rebirth on the full moon day of āsāḷhī with the Uttarāsāḷha constellation.

At that time, it is said, for seven days before the full moon, the mother of the Bodhisatta, experiencing the festival celebration, with abstention from drinking intoxicants and complete with garlands, perfumes and the like, on the seventh day, having arisen early in the morning and bathed with perfumed water, adorned with all ornaments, having eaten excellent food, having undertaken the Uposatha vows, having entered the royal chamber and laid down on the royal bed, falling asleep, she saw this dream: “Four great kings, it is said, having lifted her up together with the bed and taken her to the Anotatta Lake, having bathed her, dressed her in divine cloth, anointed her with divine perfumes, and adorned her with divine flowers, not far from there is a silver mountain, and inside it, there is a golden mansion; in that, they laid her down with her head to the east. Then the Bodhisatta, having become a white, noble elephant, not far from there, is a golden mountain; having roamed there, descending from there, having ascended the silver mountain, having entered the golden mansion, having circumambulated his mother, having split open her right side, he became as if he had entered her womb.”

Then the awakened queen related that dream to the king. The king, when the night had dawned, summoned sixty-four eminent brahmins, and on the ground prepared for auspicious rituals with green spread and scattered rice, etc., he spread out very valuable seats. To the brahmins seated there, filling gold and silver bowls with excellent porridge prepared with ghee, honey, and sugar, he covered them with gold and silver bowls and gave them. And he satisfied them with other gifts of unused cloth, tawny cows, etc. Then, when they were satisfied with all their desires, he related that dream and asked: “What will happen?” The brahmins said: “Do not worry, Great King, a being has been conceived in the womb of your queen, and it is a male child, not a female child; a son will be yours. If he lives the household life, he will become a Universal Monarch. If he goes forth from the household life and becomes a recluse, he will become a Buddha in the world, one who has removed the veils.” This, then, is the detailed explanation concerning “he entered his mother’s womb.”

‘This is the natural law in this case,’ this means ‘this is the natural law, this is the inherent nature, this is the invariable rule’ in the case of entering the mother’s womb. And ‘invariable rule’ is fivefold, namely: the invariable rule of kamma, the invariable rule of seasons, the invariable rule of seeds, the invariable rule of consciousness, and the invariable rule of phenomena.

Of these, the giving of pleasant results for wholesomeness and the giving of unpleasant results for unwholesomeness, this is the invariable rule of kamma. To illustrate this, the stories of the verse “Not in the sky…” should be told. Moreover, a certain woman, having quarreled with her husband, wishing to die by hanging herself, put a rope around her neck. Another man, sharpening a razor, seeing that woman’s action, wishing to cut the rope, approached her reassuringly, “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid.” The rope became a venomous snake and stood there. He fled in fear. The other one died right there. Such stories as these should be shown here.

In those various regions, at that very time, the simultaneous taking of flowers and fruits by the trees, etc., the blowing and not blowing of the wind, the intensity and mildness of the heat, the raining and not raining of the rain-god, the blooming of lotuses by day and their closing at night, and so on, this is the invariable rule of seasons.

That which is the fact that from a rice seed comes only a rice fruit, from something sweet comes only a sweet taste, and from something bitter comes only a bitter taste, this is the invariable rule of seeds.

The preceding mind and mental factors are a condition by way of decisive support for the subsequent mind and mental factors, thus the arising of reception, etc. immediately after eye-consciousness, etc., this is the invariable rule of consciousness.

And that occurrence of the quaking of the ten-thousand-world system, etc., in the cases of the Bodhisattas’ entering the mother’s womb, etc., this is called the invariable rule of phenomena. Of these, here, the invariable rule of phenomena is intended. Therefore, showing that very meaning, he said, “This, bhikkhus, is the natural law,” and so on.

18. Here, in the phrase, “he enters the womb,” this is the meaning: he is entering the womb. When he has entered, it is thus, not while he is entering. ‘Immeasurable’ means immeasurable in growth, the meaning is ‘extensive’. ‘Sublime’ is a synonym of that. In such passages as ‘they eat very, very delicious foods,’ ‘delicious’ is stated as ‘sublime’. In such passages as ‘The venerable Vacchāyana praises the recluse Gotama with praise of what is sublime’, ‘excellent’ is stated as ‘sublime’. But here ‘extensive’ is intended. In the phrase ‘surpassing the divine power of the gods’, the divine power of the gods is that the radiance of the cloth they wear spreads for twelve yojanas, likewise that of the body, likewise that of the ornaments, likewise that of the celestial mansion; ‘surpassing that’ is the meaning.

‘Unfrequented by light,’ each world-system interval is between three and three world-systems, just like the space in the middle of three cartwheels or three bowls placed touching each other. That interval of the world-systems is eight thousand yojanas in extent. ‘Open’ means always open. ‘Uncovered’ means also without support below. ‘Dark’ means they have become darkness. ‘Darkness and gloom’ means endowed with gloom that makes for a state of blindness by preventing the arising of eye-consciousness. There, it is said, eye-consciousness does not arise. ‘Of such great might,’ it is said that the moon and the sun manifest themselves simultaneously in the three continents, thus they are of such great might. They show light, dispelling darkness for nine hundred thousand yojanas in each direction, thus they are of such great power. ‘Their radiance does not reach,’ means their own radiance does not reach. It is said that they move through the middle of the world-system mountain, and the world-system mountain is beyond the interval of the world-systems. Therefore, their radiance does not reach there.

‘And those beings’ means and those beings who have arisen in that great hell of the world-system intervals. And having done what kamma do they arise there? They arise having committed serious, cruel offenses against their parents and righteous ascetics and brahmins, and having done other violent acts of killing living beings, etc. day by day, like the Abhaya thieves and Nāga thieves, etc. in the island of Tambapaṇṇi. Their bodies are three gāvutas in size, they have long nails like bats. Like bats on trees, they cling to the world-system mountain with their nails. When, creeping along, they come within reach of each other’s hands, then, thinking, ‘We have found prey,’ struggling there, they fall over into the world-supporting water; even though blown by the wind, they fall into the water, split like madhuka fruits; as soon as they have fallen, they dissolve in the extremely caustic water like a lump of flour.

Other beings, too, they say, exist, just as we experience great suffering, so too, they say, other beings have come here to experience this suffering, is what they see that day. But this radiance does not last even for the drinking of a single portion of gruel, after flashing just for the snap of fingers – it disappears even as they are saying, ‘‘What is this?’’ It quakes, means it shakes all around. The other two are synonyms of the former word. Again, "and immeasurable" and so on, is said for the purpose of conclusion.

19. Four devas come from the four directions to protect, here "four" is said in reference to the four great kings. But in the ten-thousand world-systems, there are forty thousand, four by four. Here, in this world-system, the great kings, holding swords, approached to protect the Bodhisatta, entered the royal bedchamber, while the others, beginning from the entrance of the bedchamber, drove away the hordes of yakkhas like dust-goblins, obstructed ones, and so on, and took up a guard as far as the world-system’s boundary.

For what purpose is this guard? Surely, at the moment of rebirth-linking, from the time of the embryonic stage, even if tens of millions of Maras, lifting up tens of millions of Sineru mountains, were to come to cause harm to the Bodhisatta or the Bodhisatta's mother, all would disappear in between. This was also said by the Blessed One in the case of causing blood to flow: ‘‘It is impossible, monks, it is not possible, that someone should deprive the Tathāgata of life by an attack. Tathāgatas, monks, attain final Nibbāna without an attack. Go, you monks, to your respective dwellings; Tathāgatas, monks, are guarded’’ (Cv. 341). Likewise, by attack by others there is no danger to their life, but there are non-humans of deformed shape, horrible to see, terrifying forms of animals and birds, the sight or sound of whom might cause fear or terror to the Bodhisatta's mother, to prevent them, they took up guard. And also, impelled by their own respect, generated by reverence towards the Bodhisatta due to his merit, they did thus.

But do those four great kings, who have entered inside the womb and stand there, show themselves to the Bodhisatta's mother, or do they not show themselves? At the time of her bodily functions, like bathing, dressing, eating, etc, they do not show themselves, but when she has entered the royal bedchamber and reclined on the excellent bed, then they show themselves. There, although the sight of non-humans is indeed frightening for humans, the Bodhisatta's mother, because of the power of her own merit and that of her son, does not fear upon seeing them, a thought arises in her towards them like towards the ordinary palace guards.

20. Naturally virtuous, means endowed with virtue by her own nature. When a Buddha has not arisen, people, having worshipped ascetics and wanderers, and sitting down on their haunches, take up the precepts. The Bodhisatta's mother also takes up the precepts in the presence of the sage Kaladevila. But when the Bodhisatta is in her womb, it is not possible to sit at the feet of another, sitting on the same seat and taking the precepts is only a matter of reviewing them. Therefore, it is said that she herself took up the precepts.

21. In men, means towards any men, starting with the Bodhisatta's father, a thought of a man with such an intention does not arise. But even skilled artists are unable to create the form of the Bodhisatta's mother even in picture-work and so on. It cannot be said that lust does not arise in a man upon seeing it, but if a man, with a lustful mind, wishes to approach her, his feet do not carry him, they become bound as if by divine chains. Therefore, it is said, ‘‘Unsurpassable’’ and so on.

22. Of the five strands of sense pleasures, previously, by this, "associated with sense pleasures," the rejection of an object on account of an intention towards a man was made, here the attainment of an object is shown. At that time, having heard that such a son had entered the womb of the queen, kings from all around sent offerings consisting of valuable ornaments, music and so on, which were objects arousing the five sense doors. And there is no limit or measure to the gain and honor due to the ripening of the deeds done by the Bodhisatta and the Bodhisatta’s mother.

23. With an untired body, just as other women become tired by the burden of the womb, their hands and feet become swollen, etc, thus she did not have any fatigue. Through the womb, means inside the womb. She sees, means she sees, passing beyond the time of being a mere clot and so forth, having attained developed limbs and organs, and having come to a state of unimpaired faculties. For what reason does she see? Only for the sake of a pleasant dwelling. Just as a mother, lying down or sitting with her son, thinks, ‘‘I will stretch out his hand or foot which is hanging down, or lift it up and set it right,’’ thus observing her son for the sake of a pleasant dwelling, so too, the Bodhisatta's mother, considering what suffering arises for the fetus in the mother's rising, walking, turning, sitting and so on, and at times of eating hot, cold, salty, sour, pungent and bitter foods, thinking, ‘‘Is that so for my son?’’, observing for the sake of a pleasant dwelling, she sees the Bodhisatta sitting with his legs crossed. Just as others, inside the womb, do not spread out a covering, lift up the stomach, place the abdominal wall on their back, leaning on their spine, sitting on their haunches, placing their chin on their two fists, like monkeys in a tree hollow when it is raining, the Bodhisatta does not do so, but the Bodhisatta, placing his spine to the back, like a Dhamma preacher on the Dhamma seat, sitting with his legs crossed, facing east. And his past deed purifies the place, in the pure place a delicate and special nature arises. Then the skin of the womb is unable to cover him, for her looking, he appears as if outside. To clarify that matter by a simile, the Blessed One said, ‘Just as,’ and so on. But the Bodhisatta, inside the womb, does not see his mother. For eye-consciousness does not arise inside the womb.

24. Passes away, not due to the condition of having given birth, only due to the exhaustion of life-span. For the place inhabited by the Bodhisatta is like a shrine, unworthy of use by others, and it is not possible to remove the Bodhisatta's mother and place another in the position of chief queen, therefore the life-span of the Bodhisatta’s mother is only that much, therefore she passes away at that time. But at what age does she pass away? In middle age. For in the early stage of life, beings have a strong desire and lust for existence, therefore a woman who has conceived at that time is unable to protect the fetus, the fetus has many ailments. But in the middle stage of life, having passed two sections and in the third section, the place is clear, children born in a clear place are free from disease, therefore the Bodhisatta's mother, too, having experienced prosperity in the early stage of life, having given birth in the third section of middle age, passes away, this is the natural law here.

25. Nine or ten, here by the word "or" in the sense of alternative, the inclusion of seven or eight, or eleven or twelve, and so on, should be understood. Here, one born in the seventh month lives, but is not able to endure cold and heat. One born in the eighth month does not live, the rest live.

27. Devas first receive him, means pure abodes Brahmas, who are free from cankers, receive him. How do they receive him? ‘‘Having assumed the form of midwives,’’ some say. But rejecting that, this is said: ‘At that time, the Bodhisatta's mother, wearing a cloth adorned with gold, wrapped a cloth similar to a fish-eye, from a fine material, down to her feet, stood. Then there was a light release of the fetus, similar to water coming out from a water-pot. Then they, having approached in their natural Brahma form, first received him with a golden net. From their hands, the four great kings received him with a black antelope skin. Then humans received him with a cushion of fine cloth.’ Therefore it is said, ‘‘Devas first receive him, afterwards humans.’’

28. The four devas are the Four Great Kings. Having received means having received with a net of hide. Powerful means of great might, of great glory, endowed with the (thirty-two) marks. 29. He emerges pure means that unlike other beings who get stuck in the birth canal and emerge broken and fragmented, he does not emerge this way, but emerges unstuck. With water. By any impurity means that unlike other beings who, impelled by the winds of kamma, enter the birth canal upside down, head down, like falling into a terrible hellish abyss for a hundred lifetimes, being dragged out through a narrow opening like an elephant, experiencing great suffering, smeared with various impurities, the Bodhisatta is not like this. For the winds of kamma cannot make the Bodhisatta's feet go upwards and his head downwards. Like a Dhamma preacher descending from the preaching seat, and like a man descending from a ladder, he emerges, having stretched out his two hands and his two feet, positioned upright, untouched by any impurity arising from his mother's womb. Streams of water means showers of water. Among them, the cold falls into a golden basin, the hot into a silver basin. And this was said to show the pure drinking and bathing water, unmixed with any impurity on the ground, and also the water for playing with, not shared with others. But there is no limit to the other water brought in golden and silver pitchers, and the water from ponds such as Hamsavattaka. 31. Just born means born at that moment. In the Pali text, however, it is shown as if he had just emerged from his mother's womb, but it should not be understood this way. For immediately upon emerging, first the brahmas received him with a golden net, from their hands the Four Great Kings received him with a net of hide, from their hands humans received him with a cushion of fine cloth. Released from the hands of humans, he stood firmly on the earth. While the white umbrella was being held means while the divine white umbrella was being held. And here, along with the umbrella, the five royal regalia, such as the sword, etc., also came. In the Pali text, however, only the umbrella is mentioned, like a king in a royal procession. Of these, only the umbrella is evident, not the umbrella-bearer. Similarly, only the sword, the palm-leaf fan, the peacock-feather fan, the yak-tail whisk, and the turban are evident, not their bearers. It is said that all of them were taken by deities of invisible form. And this has been stated: “With many branches and a thousand spokes, The devas held the umbrella in the sky; Golden-handled fly-whisks were waved, But the bearers of the fly-whisks and umbrella were unseen.” (Sn. 693); And all the directions – this refers to the looking around in all directions as if standing on top of the seven-step walk, but it should not be understood in this way. For the Great Being, after being released from the hands of men, stood firmly on the earth and looked at the eastern direction. Many thousands of world-systems became one open space. There, the deities and humans, worshipping with perfumes, garlands, and so on, said, “Great Man, there is no one equal to you here, let alone superior.” Thus, having looked in the four directions, the four intermediate directions, below, and above – ten directions in all – and not seeing anyone equal to himself, he said, “This is the northern direction,” and went with a seven-step walk facing north – this is how the meaning should be understood here. Noble means supreme. The chief means first of all in virtues. The other two words are synonyms of this. "This is the last birth, there is no more rebirth now" with this couplet, he declared the attainment of Arahatship to be achieved in this very existence. And here, the standing firmly on the earth with even feet is a precursor of obtaining the four bases of spiritual power; facing north is a precursor of going forth surpassing and overcoming the multitude of people; the seven-step walk is a precursor of obtaining the seven factors of enlightenment; the holding of the divine white umbrella is a precursor of obtaining the noble umbrella of liberation; the obtaining of the five royal regalia is a precursor of liberation through the five liberations; looking in all directions is a precursor of obtaining unobstructed knowledge; speaking the noble speech is a precursor of setting in motion the irreversible Wheel of Dhamma; the lion's roar "This is the last birth" should be understood as a precursor of Nibbāna without residue. These events are stated in the Pali Text, but many other events are not. Bringing them, they must be exposed. For on the day the Great Being was born, the ten-thousand-world system shook. The deities in the ten-thousand-world system assembled in one world-system. First the deities received him, afterwards humans. Stringed lutes and leather-covered drums played themselves without anyone playing them. Manacles and other bonds of humans were broken into pieces. All diseases were pacified, like washing away the stains on copper with something sour. Those born blind saw forms. Those born deaf heard sounds. The lame became able to run fast. Even in those born crippled, the mute, mindfulness was established. Ships sailing in foreign lands reached safe harbors. Jewels that were in the sky and on the ground shone with their own luster. Enemies obtained minds of loving-kindness. The fire in Avīci hell was extinguished. Light appeared in the inter-world spaces. Water in the rivers did not flow. In the great ocean, the water became sweet. The wind did not blow. Birds in the sky, on mountains, and in trees, stopped chirping and settled on the ground. The moon shone exceedingly. The sun was neither hot nor cold, stainless, the season was perfect. The deities, standing at the doors of their own mansions, played with great joy, clapping their hands, shouting, waving their cloths, and so on. A great cloud spanning the four continents rained down. The multitude of people were neither afflicted by hunger nor thirst. Doorways opened by themselves. Trees, flowers, and fruits bore flowers and fruits. The ten-thousand-world system became like one garland of flags. There too, the shaking of the ten-thousand-world system is a precursor of obtaining omniscience. The assembly of the deities in one world-system is a precursor of their assembling all at once and accepting the Dhamma at the time of setting in motion the Wheel of Dhamma. The deities receiving him first is a precursor of obtaining the four form-sphere jhānas. Humans receiving him afterwards is a precursor of obtaining the four formless-sphere jhānas. Stringed lutes playing by themselves is a precursor of obtaining the progressive abidings. The playing of the leather-covered drums is a precursor of proclaiming the great drum of the Dhamma. The breaking of manacles and other bonds is a precursor of the eradication of conceit. The disappearance of disease for the multitude of people is a precursor of understanding the Four Noble Truths. Those born blind seeing forms is a precursor of obtaining the divine eye. The deaf hearing sounds is a precursor of obtaining the divine ear element. The lame being able to run is a precursor of obtaining the four bases of spiritual power. The establishment of mindfulness in the crippled is a precursor of obtaining the four establishments of mindfulness. Ships sailing in foreign lands reaching safe harbors is a precursor of attaining the four analytical knowledges. The fact that jewels shone with their own luster is a precursor of the fact that he will show the light of the Dhamma to the world. The obtaining of minds of loving-kindness by enemies is a precursor of obtaining the four divine abidings. The extinguishing of the fire in Avīci is a precursor of extinguishing the eleven fires. The light in the inter-world spaces, dispelling the darkness of ignorance, is a precursor of seeing the light of knowledge. The sweetness of the great ocean is a precursor of the single taste of the Nibbāna-flavor. The non-blowing of the wind is a precursor of the breaking of the sixty-two kinds of wrong views. The settling of birds on the ground is a precursor of the multitude of people, hearing the teaching, taking refuge in him. The moon shining exceedingly is a precursor of his being dear to many people. The sun not being hot nor cold and the pleasantness of the season is a precursor of attaining physical and mental happiness. The deities, standing at the doors of their mansions and playing, clapping their hands, and so on, is a precursor of becoming a Buddha and uttering the inspired utterance. The raining of the great cloud spanning the four continents is a precursor of the raining of the great cloud of the Dhamma. The absence of affliction by hunger is a precursor of attaining the deathless, consisting of mindfulness of the body. The absence of affliction by thirst is a precursor of being happy with the happiness of liberation. The opening of the doorways by themselves is a precursor of the opening of the door of the eightfold path. The bearing of flowers and fruits by the trees is a precursor of his being adorned with the flowers of liberation and burdened with the weight of the fruits of recluseship. The ten-thousand-world system being like one garland of flags should be understood as a precursor of his being adorned with the garland of noble flags. This is called the collection of many events.

Here they ask a question: “When the Great Man, standing firmly on the earth, walked seven steps facing north and uttered a noble utterance, did he walk on the earth, or through the sky? Did he walk visibly, or invisibly? Did he walk unclothed, or adorned? Did he walk as a youth, or as an old man? Afterwards, was he still the same, or did he become a young child again?” This question, having arisen below in the Brazen Palace, was indeed answered by the Elder Tipiṭakacūḷābhaya. The Elder, having spoken much on this matter with reference to fixed destiny, past deeds, and the creation by a supreme god, finally explained thus: “The Great Man walked on the earth, but to the multitude it seemed as if he was walking through the sky. He walked visibly, but to the multitude it seemed as if he was walking invisibly. He walked unclothed, but to the multitude it seemed as if he was adorned. He walked as a youth, but to the multitude he seemed to be about sixteen years old. Afterwards, he became a young child again, not the same as before.” And the assembly was pleased with him, [thinking], “The question has been answered by the Elder as if by the Buddha.” The account of the beings in the intermediate plane between worlds is as previously stated.

And it should be understood that all these general characteristics, described from the beginning, occur for all Bodhisattas.

Description of the Thirty-two Marks of a Great Man

33. He saw means he saw him brought after being laid down on a soft cloth. Of the Great Man means of a man great by reason of birth, clan, family, locality, and so forth. Two destinations means two conclusions, two results. Here, this word “destination” occurs in “There are, Sāriputta, these five destinations” (M. i. 153) in the sense of a destination to be reached by beings, differentiated as hell, etc.; in “Of these monks who are virtuous and of good character, I do not know their origin or destination” (M. i. 508), in the sense of disposition; in “Nibbāna is the destination of the Arahant” (Sn. 339), in the sense of refuge; and in “But I know, Brahma, your destination and your brilliance, that Baka Brahmā is of such great power” (M. i. 503), in the sense of result. Here, too, it should be understood in the sense of result. No other means there is no other destination, no other result.

Righteous means endowed with the ten wholesome qualities of character, devoid of wrong courses of action. King of the Dhamma, this is a synonym for the previous term. Or, because he has obtained kingship through Dhamma, he is a king of the Dhamma. Ruler of the four quarters means lord of the earth bounded by the four oceans, starting with the eastern ocean. Victorious means one who has conquered in battle. One whose kingdom has attained stability, being firmly established, means one whose kingdom has achieved stability. For when a cruel king oppresses the people with taxes, fines, and the like, the people, abandoning the central region, take refuge on mountains, at the seaside, and the like, and settle in the borderlands. When a king is too lenient, people oppressed by thieves and robbers, who forcibly plunder their wealth, abandon the borderlands and settle in the middle of the kingdom. Thus, under such a king, the kingdom does not achieve stability. But when this prince rules, his kingdom will be firm, as if enclosed by an iron band placed on a stone slab. Therefore, they said, “One whose kingdom has attained stability.” Endowed with the seven treasures—here, a treasure is so-called because it causes delight. Moreover: “Elaborate, of great value, incomparable, rarely seen, Enjoyed by noble beings, it is therefore called a treasure.”

From the time of the arising of the Wheel-treasure, there is no other divine abode; everyone offers worship and homage to it with scents, flowers, and the like. Therefore, it is a treasure in the sense of being elaborate. And there is no value, such as saying that the Wheel-treasure is worth so much wealth; therefore, it is a treasure in the sense of great value. And the Wheel-treasure is unlike other treasures found in the world; therefore, it is a treasure in the sense of being incomparable. And since, in the aeon in which Buddhas arise, wheel-turning monarchs also arise, and Buddhas arise only rarely, therefore, it is a treasure in the sense of being rarely seen. This arises only for a noble being, excellent in birth, form, family, sovereignty, and so forth, and not for another; therefore, it is a treasure in the sense of being enjoyed by noble beings. As with the Wheel-treasure, so it is with the others. Endowed with the seven treasures, meaning accompanied by them as retinue and as providing all enjoyments.

Now, in order to show their nature, it is said, “These for him.” Here, in the words “Wheel-treasure” and so forth, this is the concise meaning: The Wheel-treasure appears, capable of bestowing the glory and splendor of the four great continents surrounded by the two thousand islands. So too, the Elephant-treasure, which can traverse the sky and travel around the earth bounded by the ocean before breakfast; likewise, the Horse-treasure; the Gem-treasure, capable of dispelling darkness within a yojana in pitch-black darkness endowed with the four constituents and showing light; the Woman-treasure, devoid of the six kinds of defects and pleasing; the Householder-treasure, capable of seeing treasure hidden within the earth up to a yojana; the Counselor-treasure, referring to the eldest son, born in the womb of the chief queen and capable of governing the entire kingdom.

More than a thousand means over a thousand. Brave means fearless. Of heroic form means having the form of heroes. “Heroic form” is a name for valor. They are of heroic form means they are of a valorous nature, of a valorous disposition, made of valor, not lazy. It means that even fighting during the day, they do not tire. Bounded by the ocean means bounded by the ocean that is established with the world-encircling mountains as its limit. Without violence means those who collect even a hundred or a thousand from those who have committed offenses rule the kingdom with fines of wealth. Those who govern with cutting and piercing [punishments] do so with the violence of weapons. But this one, abandoning both kinds of violence, dwells without violence. Without weapons means those who injure others with weapons such as a single-edged sword rule the kingdom with weapons. But this one, without causing even a small amount of blood to be shed, even as much as a fly drinks, by Dhamma alone – with the words, “Come, your majesty” – thus welcomed by opposing kings, having conquered and dwells in the aforementioned earth, having overcome and become the lord, he resides.

Having thus described one outcome, to describe the second, it is said, “But if.” Here, he has opened, destroyed the covering, the obstruction, known as delusion, hatred, delusion, pride, wrong views, craving and he by whom that covering is opened is the one with the opened covering. “He has opened the covering” is also a reading, with the same meaning.

35. Having thus described the second outcome, to show the marks that are the signs of them, it is said, “This prince, deva.” Here, with well-planted feet means that when others place their feet on the ground, either the front of the sole, or the heel, or the side touches first, or there is a gap in the middle; and when lifting, only one part, such as the front of the sole, rises first; but not so for him. For him, the entire sole of the foot touches the ground at once, like a golden slipper, and rises from the ground at once. Therefore, he has well-planted feet.

Wheels means two wheels on the two soles of the feet. Their spokes, rim, and hub are mentioned in the text. But this detail should be understood: on those wheels, the hub is seen in the middle of the sole of the foot; a circular line enclosing the hub is seen; a surrounding band facing the hub is seen; a channel opening is seen; spokes are seen; circular lines are seen on the spokes; gem-like ornaments are seen on the rim. This much is indeed found in the text. But the abundant details are not found [in the text], and should be understood as follows: a spear, a srivatsa, a nandi, a svastika, a vardhamana, a pair of fish, an auspicious seat, a goad, a palace, an archway, a white umbrella, a sword, a palm-leaf fan, a yak-tail whisk, a fly-whisk, a crown, a gem, a bowl, a garland of sumana flowers, a blue water lily, a red water lily, a white water lily, a lotus, a white lotus, a full pot, a full bowl, an ocean, the world-encircling mountains, the Himalayas, Sineru, the moon and sun, the constellations, the four great continents, the two thousand small islands—all of this, including the retinue of the wheel-turning monarch, is the retinue of the Wheel-mark.

With long heels, meaning with full heels. For while the forepart of the foot of others is long, the shanks rest upon the top of the heel, as if the heel had been cut off and set down, it is not so with the Great Man. But of the Great Man, two portions of the four are the forepart of the foot, in the third portion the shanks rest, in the fourth portion the heel is like a round ball of red wool, as if rolled up with an awl.

With long fingers, meaning that while in others some fingers are long, some short, it is not so with the Great Man. But for the Great Man, like a monkey, the fingers of the hands and feet are long, thick at the base, gradually becoming slender towards the tips, like sticks of lacquered yellow orpiment rolled after being softened with expressed oil. Therefore it is said: "with long fingers".

With soft and tender hands and feet, tender like a layer of cotton that has been beaten a hundred times and placed in refined butter. And just as at the very moment of birth, so also in old age they will be soft and tender, he whose hands and feet are soft and tender, he is one with soft and tender hands and feet.

With net-like hands and feet, meaning that the spaces between the fingers are not connected by skin. Such a one, indeed, having a hand like a hood, being impaired by a fault of character, does not attain to the going forth. But of the Great Man, the four fingers of the hand and the five toes of the foot are of equal measure, and because of their being of equal measure, the barley-marks stand piercing one another. Then his hands and feet are like a lattice window made by a skilled carpenter. Therefore it is said: "with net-like hands and feet".

Because the ankles are set high up, his feet are high-arched, he is one with high-arched feet. For in others, the ankles are on the back of the foot, therefore their feet are bound as if with fetters, they do not turn freely, and the soles of the feet of those walking are not visible. But of the Great Man, mounting upwards, the ankles are set on high, therefore from his navel upwards, his upper body is steady like a golden image set in a ship, only the lower body moves, the feet turn with ease, and to those standing in front, behind, or on either side, the soles of the feet are visible, not as with elephants, only from behind.

With antelope-like legs, meaning one whose legs are like those of the antelope, one with legs full with prominent flesh, not flesh in lumps bound together on one side, meaning one who is endowed with well-rounded legs, covered with flesh arranged evenly all around, resembling the pods of sesamum or barley.

Not stooping, meaning without bending down, by this his not being hunchbacked or dwarfish is shown. For other people are either hunchbacked or dwarfs. Of hunchbacks, the upper body is not full, of dwarfs, the lower body. Because their bodies are not full, they are not able, without bending down, to stroke their knees. But the Great Man, because both parts of his body are full, is able.

With his private member concealed in a sheath, meaning his private member is covered, concealed by sheaths like those of bulls, elephants, and others, resembling the calyx of a golden lotus, he is one whose private member is concealed in a sheath. 'Private member' is said of the organ that should be hidden by clothing.

Of golden hue, meaning like the color of solid gold, polished with pure yellow chalk, rubbed on a polished stone, and treated with red ochre. By this, showing that his body is solid, smooth and even, it is said, for the sake of showing the color of his skin: "with a golden complexion". Or this is a synonym for the former.

Dust and dirt, meaning either dust or dirt. Does not cling, meaning it does not stick, it rolls off like a drop of water from a lotus leaf. But Buddhas wash their hands and so forth both for the sake of accepting requisites and for the sake of the fruition of merit for the donors, and they also do it as a matter of course. For it is said: "A bhikkhu entering a dwelling should wash his feet before entering."

With hair growing upwards, meaning at the end of each curl the hairs are turned upwards, standing as if gazing at the beauty of the face, his is hair that grows upwards.

With a body erect like Brahmā, meaning with a body upright like Brahmā, he will have a straight, tall, upstanding body. For the most part, beings bend at three places, at the shoulders, at the waist, and at the knees; bending at the waist, they bend backwards, at the other two places, forwards. But some with long bodies are crooked in the flanks, some walk as if counting the stars, lifting up their faces, some are deficient in flesh and blood, like stakes, some are bent forward, they go trembling. But this one, having grown straight upwards, is shown to be of a stature tall as a golden archway erected in a city of the gods. And just as this, so whatever sign of a Great Man is altogether incomplete at the very moment of birth, all that should be understood as referring to its suchness in the future.

With seven convexities, meaning he is one with seven convexities, with the flesh fully prominent in these seven places: the two backs of the hands, the two backs of the feet, the two shoulder-blades, and the neck. But in others, on the backs of the hands and feet and so on, a network of veins is visible, and at the shoulder-blades and neck, the edges of the bones. These men appear like hungry ghosts, but not so the Great Man; the Great Man, on the other hand, because of the fullness of flesh in the seven places, with the backs of his hands and so forth free from a visible network of veins, with a neck rounded like a well-placed golden drum, he appears like a stone statue, and he appears like a painting.

The front half of his body is like that of a lion, he is one whose front half of the body is like that of a lion. For of a lion, only the front part of the body is full, the rear part of the body is not full. But of the Great Man, like the front half of a lion's body, the whole body is full. Even so, it is not, like that of a lion, badly formed and uneven, due to bending and rising here and there, but in the place where it should be long, it is long, in the places where it should be short, thick, thin, broad, or rounded, it is of such a kind. This has been said by the Blessed One:

"When pleasant results of action, indeed, monks, have arisen, those limbs with which he is beautiful because they are long, those limbs become long. Those limbs with which he is beautiful because they are short, those limbs become short. Those limbs with which he is beautiful because they are thick, those limbs become thick. Those limbs with which he is beautiful because they are thin, those limbs become thin. Those limbs with which he is beautiful because they are broad, those limbs become broad. Those limbs with which he is beautiful because they are round, those limbs become round."

Thus, the existence of the Great Man, fashioned by the ten perfections, created by various and pure meritorious thoughts, even all the craftsmen in the world, or all those possessing magical power, are not able to make even a likeness.

With the space between the shoulders filled in, meaning the space between the two shoulder blades, that is filled in, with the space between the shoulders filled in, he is one whose space between the shoulders is filled in. For in others, that place is depressed, the two shoulder blades are visible separately. But of the Great Man, starting from the waist, a layer of flesh rises up to the shoulders, covering the back like an upraised golden plank.

With the proportions of a banyan tree, meaning with the proportions like those of a banyan tree. Just as a banyan tree, whether fifty hands or a hundred hands in height, with equal trunk and branches, is of the same measure in height and in breadth, so he is of the same measure in body and in arm-span. Meaning that his body is not of a disproportionate measure, as with others, the body is either tall or the arm-span is. Therefore it is said: "As great as his body," and so forth. Herein, as great as his, meaning as great as his.

With an evenly rounded neck, meaning with an evenly rounded neck. Just as some are like herons and cranes and boars, with long necks, crooked necks, and broad necks, and when they speak, a network of veins is visible, and a weak sound comes forth, it is not so with the Great Man. But the neck of the Great Man is like a well-rounded golden drum, and when he speaks, a network of veins is not visible, a sound, loud like the rumbling of a cloud, arises.

Here, those who devour, who take in, tastes are the taste-devourers. This is a designation for the taste-receptors; they are the foremost for him, thus he is foremost in taste. It is said that for a Great Man, seven thousand taste-receptors are spread out upwards and are fixed right at the neck. Even a sesame seed-sized amount of food placed on the tip of the tongue pervades the whole body. Therefore, while he was striving in the great exertion, he sustained his body even with a single grain of rice and so forth, with just a measure of bean soup. But for others, because it is not so, the nutriment does not pervade the entire body. Because of that, they have many ailments. He has the jaw of a lion. Here, for a lion, only the lower jaw is full, not the upper. But for the Great Man, like the lower jaw of a lion, both are full, like the moon on the twelfth day of the lunar fortnight. Then the physiognomists, looking just up to the jaw, having understood that on these jaws, twenty on the lower, twenty on the upper, forty teeth will stand even and close together, said, "This prince, Your Majesty, will have forty teeth," and so on. Here is the meaning of that: for others, even those with complete teeth, have thirty-two teeth. But for this one, there will be forty. And for some others, some teeth are high, some are low, thus uneven; but for this one, they will be even, like a layer of conch shell cut with an iron bar. For others, their teeth are sparse like those of a crocodile; when eating fish and meat, their interdental spaces fill up. But for this one, the teeth will be close together like a row of diamonds set on a gold plate, with clearly defined separations as if drawn with a painter's brush. And for others, decayed teeth arise. Therefore, some molars are black and discolored. But this one will have very white teeth, endowed with a brilliance surpassing even the Morning Star. "Extensive-tongued" means a broad tongue. Others may have tongues that are thick, thin, short, stiff, or uneven, but the tongue of a Great Man is soft, long, broad, and endowed with beautiful color. Indeed, in order to dispel the doubts of those who came to investigate this characteristic, because of its softness, he rolls up that tongue like a stiff needle and touches both nostrils; because of its length, he touches both ear holes; because of its breadth, he covers the entire forehead up to the hairline. Thus, revealing the soft, long, and broad nature of his tongue, he dispels their doubt. Thus, referring to a tongue endowed with these three characteristics, it is said, "extensive-tongued." "Brahma-voiced" means that others may have broken voices, split voices, or crow-like voices, but this one will be endowed with a voice like that of the Great Brahma; for the voice of the Great Brahma is clear because it is unobstructed by bile and phlegm. The action performed by the Great Man also purifies his foundation. Because of the purity of the foundation, the voice arising from the navel arises clear and endowed with eight qualities. He speaks like a Karavika bird, meaning, he has the sweet and pleasant call of an intoxicated Karavika bird. "Deep blue-eyed" does not mean entirely blue eyes, but his eyes in the areas that should be blue are endowed with an exceedingly pure blue color like the flax flower; in the areas that should be yellow, with a yellow color like the Karnikara flower; in the areas that should be red, with a red color like the Bandhujivaka flower; in the areas that should be white, with a white color like the Morning Star; in the areas that should be black, with a black color like ripe blackberries. They appear like an open jeweled window in a golden palace. In "ox-lashed," "lashes" refers to the whole eyeball. That is thick-fibered in a black calf, clear in a red calf, meaning the eyeball of a newly-born young red calf. For others, the eyeballs are incomplete; they are endowed with eyes that are either protruding like those of elephants and mice, or deep-set. But the eyes of the Great Man are like jewel balls that have been washed, polished, and set, laden with soft, smooth, blue, and fine lashes. "The Ūrṇā" is the ūrṇā hair. "Between the brows" means it is born right in the middle of the two brows, at the top of the nose, but having emerged, it is born in the middle of the forehead. "White" means pure, having the color similar to the Morning Star. "Soft" means like a layer of cotton that has been beaten a hundred times and placed in clarified butter. "Like cotton down" means similar to the down of the silk-cotton tree and the cotton of the creeper; this is a simile for its whiteness. And this ūrṇā, when grasped at the tip and pulled, measures half an arm's length; when released, it coils in a clockwise direction and stands upright. It shines with an exceedingly delightful splendor, like a silver bud placed in the middle of a golden plate, like a stream of milk flowing from a golden pot, or like the Morning Star in a sky tinged with the glow of dawn. "Head like a turban" is said with reference to two attributes: a full forehead and a full head. For the Great Man, a layer of flesh rises from the right ear-curl, covering and filling the entire forehead, and rests at the left ear-curl; it shines like the turban-cloth of a king. It is said that seeing this characteristic of the Great Man, they made turban-cloths for kings. This is one meaning. But other people have incomplete heads; some have monkey-heads, some have fruit-heads, some have bone-heads, some have elephant-heads, some have gourd-heads, some have cliff-heads. But the head of the Great Man is very full, like a water bubble, as if rounded with a sharp instrument. In the former sense, "head like a turban" means a head as if wrapped with a turban. In the second sense, "head like a turban" means a head that is perfectly round everywhere, like a turban. Description of Vipassī 37. "With all sensual pleasures"—this is said as if it was done after having the characteristics examined, but it should not be understood thus. It should be understood that, first, they entertained the physiognomists, and afterwards, the examination of the characteristics was done. The details of this are stated in the section on entering the womb. "Giving suck" means they give breast milk. For him, sixty nurses endowed with flawless, sweet milk were appointed, and similarly, sixty each, skilled in their respective duties. Sixty men were appointed to send them, and sixty ministers were appointed to observe the state of what was done and not done by each of them. Thus, there were four sixties of women, two sixties of men, a total of six sixties of attendants alone. "The white umbrella" means the divine white umbrella. But in the family tradition, it remains only in the royal chamber. "Lest cold, etc." the meaning should be understood as lest it overpower him. "It" is his. "From lap to lap" means from one's arm to another's arm. And from one's shoulder to another's shoulder. "Is carried" means is taken, is brought, is meant. 38. "Sweet-voiced" means a voice that is not harsh. "Pleasing-voiced" means a skilled and proficient voice. "Melodious-voiced" means a pleasant voice. "Amiable-voiced" means a voice that generates affection. Here is a simile regarding the melodious voices of Karavika birds: it is said that when Karavika birds, having pecked at ripe mangoes with a sweet juice with their beaks, drink the flowing juice, and make a warbling sound, striking a rhythm with their wings, quadrupeds begin to frolic as if intoxicated. Even grazing quadrupeds discard the grass in their mouths and listen to that sound. Wild animals chasing small animals stand still without lowering their raised foot. And the chased animals stand still, abandoning their fear of death. Birds soaring in the sky spread their wings and stand still, listening to that sound. Even fish in the water, flapping their ear-fins, stand still, listening to that sound. Thus melodious are Karavika birds.

Queen Asandhimittā, the queen of Dhammāsoka, asked the Sangha, “Venerable sirs, is there anyone whose voice is similar to the voice of the Buddha?” “There is the cuckoo bird.” “Where, venerable sirs, is this bird?” “In the Himalayas.” She said to the king, “Your Majesty, I would like to see a cuckoo bird.” The king released a golden cage, saying, “Let a cuckoo come, sitting in this cage.” The cage went and stood before a cuckoo. It thought, “The cage has come by the king’s command; it is not possible not to go,” and sat therein. The cage came and stood before the king. They could not make the cuckoo produce a sound. Then the king said, “How is it, sirs, that these birds do not make a sound?” “Because they do not see their relatives, Your Majesty.” Then the king had it surrounded with mirrors. Seeing its own reflection, it thought, “My relatives have come,” and, beating a rhythm with its wing, it warbled with a sweet sound, as if playing a jeweled flute. People in the entire city became intoxicated as if they were drunk. Asandhimittā thought, “If the sound of this mere animal is so sweet, what must have been the sound of the Blessed One, who had attained the glory of omniscience?” Having generated joy, and without abandoning that joy, she attained the fruit of stream-entry, together with her seven hundred female attendants. So sweet, indeed, is the sound of the cuckoo. It should be understood that the sound of Prince Vipassī was a hundred times, a thousand times sweeter than that.

39. Produced by the result of Kamma means it was not attained by meditation, the flesh eye of Vipassi, was just like divine-eye brought on by result of Kamma, by which, having made a mark, he is able to pick out and give even a single sesame seed that has been thrown into a heap of sesame seeds, thinking, “This is it.”

40. Regarding Vipassī, this is the meaning of the word: he sees clearly without the darkness caused by intermittent blinking, and he sees with open eyes, thus he is Vipassī; on a second occasion, he sees after examining repeatedly, thus he is Vipassī; that is, he sees after scrutinizing again and again.

He wisely manages the affairs, meaning he knows, sees, or conducts affairs. It is said that one day, while sitting in the judgment hall and administering affairs, the king had the greatly adorned great man brought and placed in his hands. While he was caressing him on his lap, the ministers declared the owner to be without an owner. The Bodhisatta uttered a sound of displeasure. The king said, “What is this? Investigate.” When they were investigating, seeing nothing else, they thought, “This was done because the case was poorly decided,” and again declared the owner to be the owner. Wondering, “Does the prince know and is he doing this?” they again declared the owner to be without an owner. Again, the Bodhisatta uttered the same sound. Then the king, thinking, “The great man knows,” became heedful from then on. With reference to this, it is said, “The prince wisely manages affairs after examining them repeatedly.”

42. Regarding “seasonal” and the rest: where it is pleasant to dwell during the rainy season, this is the rainy-season residence. The same method applies to the others. Here, this is the meaning of the words: the rainy-season dwelling is the rains; what is suitable for the rains is seasonal (vassika). The same method applies to the others.

There, the rainy-season palace is neither too high nor too low; its doors and windows are neither too many nor too thin; the floor coverings, bedspreads, and foods are mixed. In the winter palace, the pillars and walls are low; the doors and windows are thin and have fine openings; wall niches are removed to allow heat to enter. The floor coverings, bedspreads, and clothing suitable for the cold season are warm, such as woolen blankets. The food is oily, combined with pungent flavors, and without water. In the summer palace, the pillars and walls are high; there are many wide doors and windows; the floor coverings and the like are made of fine cloth. The foods are filled with sweet flavors. Near the windows, new water pots are placed, filled with water, and covered with blue water lilies and other flowers. In various places, water-sprinkling devices are made, from which streams of water flow out as if it were raining.

With no men, meaning devoid of men. Not only are the musical instruments there without men, but all places are without men; even the doorkeepers are women, and those who perform the bathing and other services are also women. The king, thinking, “For one experiencing such wealth and happiness, seeing a man, a man’s suspicion arises; let this not happen to my son,” placed only women in all duties.

The exposition of the first recitation section is concluded.

The Exposition of the Old Man

43. In the second recitation section, crooked like a rafter means crooked like a roof rafter. Bent means bent in three places: at the back, at the waist, and at the knees. Dependent on a staff means moving with a staff, taking refuge in a staff. Afflicted means afflicted by old age. Past youth means having passed youth and standing in the final stage of life. Seeing – although he was going surrounded by a large retinue of about half a league, and with well-arranged protection, when the chariot was in front and the retinue behind, at such an occasion, the pure abode deities with diminished-pollutants, by their power, showed that man right in front of the chariot. Having seen him, the pure abodes, thinking, “The great man is stuck in the five strands of sensual pleasure like an elephant in mud; we will arouse mindfulness in him,” showed him. Shown thus, both the Bodhisatta and the charioteer see him. For the Brahmas showed him for the sake of the Bodhisatta’s heedfulness and for the charioteer’s conversation. But what is this, means “What is meant by ‘this is an old man’? I, my good man, have never before seen such a thing,” he asked.

If that is so, means, “If I too must have such hair and such a body, then, good charioteer, enough of today’s park.” Enough of today’s parkland – “Let us go, thinking, ‘We will see the parkland today.’ Enough of that parkland,” he said, with a stirred heart, in accordance with his agitation. Having gone to the inner palace means having dismissed the women, he sat alone in the royal chamber. Because old age is evident when there is birth. Therefore that birth is regrettable, may there be disgust for that birth, that birth is to be found blameworthy, I find that birth very blameworthy, so thinking, he sat, digging at the root of birth, as if pierced in the heart by the first arrow.

45. Having summoned the charioteer – the king, from the time spoken by the soothsayers, had been living with his ears open. Hearing that “the prince, while going to the park, turned back on the way,” he summoned the charioteer. In the phrases Let it not be, and so on, the meaning is: may he rule, may he not renounce, may the words of the Brahmins not come true.

The Exposition of the Sick Man

47. He saw means he saw what was shown by the pure abodes, as mentioned before. Sick means sick with a discordant affliction that disrupts the postures. Suffering means suffering from the pain of disease. Very ill means extremely ill. Sunken means submerged. “Old age will become evident, disease will become evident” here too, because this pair is evident when there is birth, that birth is to be found blameworthy, it is safer not be born. So thinking, he sat, digging at the root of birth, as if pierced by the second arrow.

The Exposition of the Deceased Man

50. Litter means a bier. Deceased means gone away from here. One who has passed away means one who has completed his time, having completed and finished whatever time he was to live, he has died. The Brahmas showed him as well, in the same manner as before. Because this triad is evident when there is birth, that birth is to be found blameworthy, it is safer not be born. So thinking, he sat, digging at the root of birth, as if pierced by the third arrow.

The Exposition of the Renunciant

52.Bhaṇḍu means bald. In this instance, the brahmins showed him as in the previous method. In phrases such as "It is good to practice the Dhamma," the meaning of each word should be understood in this way, reflecting, "This conduct of the Dhamma, revered one, is good," and so renouncing. All these are synonymous with the ten courses of wholesome action. At the end, non-violence is the preliminary stage of compassion. Sympathy is the preliminary stage of loving-kindness. Therefore, it is a particle in the sense of sending forth. Seeing him having gone forth, his mind became inclined toward going forth. Then, wishing to speak with him, he sent forth his charioteer, saying, "Therefore".

Description of the Bodhisatta's Going Forth

54. Then, monks – after hearing much proper speech on such things as, “for one who has gone forth, the practice of the Dhamma is good”, along with the disadvantages for one who remains dwelling in a house, hampered by sons and wife, and is guarded by a great multitude of people, as well as about the advantages of seclusion for one who has gone forth and dwells happily in the forest with a mind that has become like that of a wild animal, wishing to go forth – then, monks, Prince Vipassī addressed the charioteer.

Seeing these four sights, and going forth is, for all Bodhisattas, the lineage, the tradition, the custom. Other Bodhisattas, too, like this Prince Vipassī, see (them) after a long, long time. But our Bodhisatta, seeing all four on the very same day, went forth on the great renunciation, and renounced at the bank of the Anomā river. Therefore, having arrived at Rājagaha, when asked there by King Bimbisāra, “For what purpose, wise one, have you gone forth?”, he said:

“Having seen an old man, one afflicted and sick,

And having seen a dead man, his lifespan ended;

Having seen a renunciant, one who has gone forth, wearing the yellow robe,

For this reason, I have gone forth, O King.”

Description of the Great Multitude Following in Renunciation

55. Having heard these, of these eighty-four thousand beings, it occurred. Less means inferior, insignificant. They followed in renunciation means they renounced in succession. Why is it not said here, as when the followers of Khaṇḍatissa renounced, that they “departed from the capital city, Bandhumatī”? Because they heard after departing. Indeed, these were all attendants of Prince Vipassī. They came early in the morning for attendance, and, not seeing the prince, they went for their morning meal. Having eaten their morning meal, they came back and asked, "Where is the prince?". Hearing that “he has gone to the park”, and thinking “we will see him there,” they were departing when they saw the returning charioteer, and upon hearing his words, "the prince has gone forth", they removed all their ornaments at the very place they heard it, had yellow robes brought from the inner market, shaved off their hair and beards, and went forth. Thus, having departed from the city and heard it outside the city, it is not said here that they “departed from the capital city, Bandhumatī”.

Dwelling on tour means that, having made a great pavilion wherever he went, having arranged for alms, and, being invited for the next day, receiving only the alms offered by the people, he spent four months dwelling on tour.

Crowded means surrounded by this group. When did this thought arise in the Bodhisatta? On the fourteenth day of the lunar month, thinking, "Tomorrow will be the full moon of Visākha". It seems that on that day he thought, “Just as previously these people surrounded me when I was a householder, even now it is the same. What is the use of this group?”, being disgusted with the company of the group, he thought, “I will go this very day.” Then he thought, “Today is not the right time. If I go now, all these people will know. I will go tomorrow.” And on that day, the villagers in a village, like Uruvelā village, invited him for the next day. They prepared milk-rice for all those eighty-four thousand renunciants and for the Great Man. Then, the Great Man, on the following day, in that same village, having finished his meal with those renunciants, went to his dwelling place. There, those renunciants, having performed their duties for the Great Man, entered their own respective places for the night and the day. The Bodhisatta also entered his leaf-hut and sat down.

“When midday has arrived, when the birds have settled down,

When the great forest seems to hum, that fear appears to me.” (Saṃ. Ni. 1.15);

At such a time of fear for those who do not delight in seclusion, a time of dread for all beings, thinking, “This is the time,” he departed, closed the door of the leaf-hut, and went towards the Bodhi tree. And on other occasions, while wandering in that place, he saw the Bodhi tree, but his mind never previously inclined to sit (there). But on that day, his knowledge had ripened. Therefore, seeing the adorned Bodhi tree, the thought of ascending it arose. Approaching it from the south side, he circumambulated it, and on the eastern side, having spread out a seat fourteen cubits in length, having made a firm resolution in the fourfold effort, taking the vow, "As long as I do not become a Buddha, I will not rise from here," he sat down. Referring to this state of seclusion, it is said, "He dwelt alone, secluded from the group".

And to other people, it seems that in the evening, having come to attend upon the Bodhisatta, having surrounded the leaf-hut and sat down, saying, “The time has passed too late, please consider”, having opened the leaf-hut, and not seeing him, they did not follow him, saying, “The Great Man, disillusioned with dwelling in a group, probably wishes to dwell alone. We will see him only when he has become a Buddha”, they departed on tour towards the interior of Jambudīpa.

Description of the Bodhisatta's Penetration

57. Having come to dwell means having come to dwell for one night at the Bodhi tree. Gone to seclusion means gone in secret. Secluded means solitary due to being alone. Unhappiness means suffering. Passes away and is reborn, these two, indeed, refer to successive death and rebirth. Old age and death, here, because, when going forth, he had seen only the old and the sick, only old age and death stood out to him. Therefore, he said, “of old age and death”. Thus, for him who had penetrated deeply, taking old age and death as the root, it was like descending from the peak of existence – then, monks, it occurred to Vipassī the Bodhisatta.

Wise consideration means consideration of the method, consideration of the path. Indeed, wise consideration is when one considers impermanence and so forth as impermanence and so forth. And this, because it proceeds by way of contemplating arising and passing away, asking, “When what, indeed, is present, do birth and so forth exist? When what is absent, do they not exist?”, is one of them. Therefore, from this wise consideration, by this consideration of the method, there was for the Bodhisatta the penetration of knowledge. There was for the Bodhisatta the coming together with old age and death, when that which gives rise to old age is present. And what is that? Birth. Therefore, he said, “When birth is present, there is old age and death.” And this knowledge that grasps the cause of old age and death, with that there was a coming together for the Bodhisatta, this is the meaning here. In this way, all the terms should be understood.

When name-and-form is present, there is consciousness, but here, it should also be said, “When formations are present, there is consciousness,” and “When ignorance is present, there are formations.” Both of these have not been grasped. Why? Indeed, ignorance and formations are the past existence. With them, this insight does not occur. The Great Man, indeed, has penetrated by way of the present. Surely, without seeing ignorance and formations, is it not possible to become a Buddha? Truly, it is not possible. But by this, they have been seen by way of existence, clinging, and craving. In this place, the story of dependent origination should be told in detail. But this has been told in the Visuddhimagga.

58. Turns back means returns. What consciousness turns back in this case? Both rebirth-consciousness and insight-knowledge. Here, rebirth-consciousness returns due to conditions, and insight-knowledge returns due to its object. Both do not go beyond name-and-form, do not go further than name-and-form. To this extent there is birth, and so on: in the case of consciousness being a condition for name-and-form, and name-and-form being a condition for consciousness, when both are conditions for each other, to this extent there is birth, … to this extent there is coming to be. What else could there be that is born, …or comes to be, beyond this? Is it not just this that is born… and comes to be? Thus, having shown five terms together with successive decease and rebirth, to clarify the meaning of what was said as ‘to this extent’, he said, "what is this condition of name-and-form for consciousness, the condition of consciousness for name-and-form," and then, in order to show the arising of birth, old age and death through the forward order of conditionality from consciousness as the cause of name-and-form, he began with, "Name-and-form is a condition for the six sense-bases," and so forth. Here, the arising of the entire mass of suffering comes to be means that the entire mass of suffering, characterized by birth, old age, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief, and despair, is produced. Thus, the Great Being saw the arising of the whole round of suffering.

59. Arising, arising, truly is production, production indeed. Not previously heard means not heard before, never heard before. The eye arose, and so on: in this way is expressed insight into what constitutes arising and passing away. The eye in terms of seeing, knowledge in terms of knowing, wisdom in terms of understanding, vision in terms of breaking through and penetrating, and light in terms of illuminating. As it is said: "The eye arose, in the sense of seeing. Knowledge arose, in the sense of what is known. Wisdom arose, in the sense of understanding. Vision arose, in the sense of penetration. Light arose, in the sense of illumination. The eye-factor is the meaning of seeing. The knowledge-factor is the meaning of what is known. The wisdom-factor is the meaning of understanding. The vision-factor is the meaning of penetration. The light-factor is the meaning of illumination" (Paṭi. Ma. 2.39). What is stated by all of these terms? Only the mere recognition of conditionality as ‘when this exists, that comes to be’ is stated. Or else, the initial insight that is on the path is stated.

61. Has been attained by me, truly, this means this has truly been attained by me. Path means the path of insight. For the sake of understanding means for the sake of comprehending the four truths, or for the sake of comprehending Nibbāna. Furthermore, since one understands, it is called awakening, this is a name for the noble path; that is why it is said to be for that purpose. For the noble path is rooted in the path of insight. Now, pointing out that path, he says, "What is this cessation of name-and-form," and so forth. And here, by such reciprocal terms as the cessation of consciousness, and so forth, Nibbāna itself is spoken of. Thus, the Great Being saw the non-arising, the cessation, of the entire round of suffering.

62. Cessation, cessation, truly, means non-arising, non-arising indeed. The eye, and so on, are the same as stated before. But here, by all these terms, only the mere recognition of cessation as ‘when this does not exist, that does not come to be’, is stated, or else, the strong insight leading to emergence is stated.

63. At another time means having known both condition and the cessation of condition, after that, subsequently. In the aggregates of clinging means in the aggregates which are the condition for clinging. Contemplating arising and passing away means contemplating that very arising and passing away which was first seen. He dwelled means he dwelled carrying the insight leading to emergence that has reached its peak. Why is this said? All Bodhisattas who have fulfilled the perfections, on the very day of their last existence when their son is born, leave the great going forth, become a recluse, practice exertion, mount the seat of awakening, disperse the forces of Māra, recollect past lives in the first watch, purify the divine eye in the middle watch, and in the last watch, examining conditionality, rising from the fourth jhāna of the mindfulness of in-and-out breathing, focusing on the five aggregates, seeing the fifty characteristics in terms of arising and passing away, developing insight until the knowledge of change-of-lineage, penetrate all the qualities of Buddhahood by means of the noble path. This Great Being, too, has fulfilled the perfections. He, having done everything as described above in due order, in the last watch, rising from the fourth jhāna of the mindfulness of in-and-out breathing, focusing on the five aggregates, began the contemplation of arising and passing away, as described. To show this, this was said.

There, such is form means this is form, to this extent there is form, beyond this there is no form, having firstly presented its characteristic of being oppressed, and also its classification of elements and what is derived from them, he speaks of the complete comprehension of form in terms of characteristic, function, manifestation, and proximate cause. Such is the arising of form: by this, the contemplation of the arising of the form comprehended in this way is stated. There, 'such' means ‘in this way there is arising’. Its exposition should be understood thus: “With the arising of ignorance, there is the arising of form; with the arising of craving, there is the arising of form; with the arising of kamma, there is the arising of form; with the arising of nutriment, there is the arising of form; even one who sees the characteristic of being produced sees the arising of the form aggregate.” Concerning passing away, its exposition is “With the cessation of ignorance, there is the cessation of form… one who sees the characteristic of vanishing sees the cessation of the form aggregate” (Paṭi. Ma. 1.50).

Such is feeling, and so on, also means this is feeling, to this extent there is feeling, beyond this there is no feeling. This is perception, these are volitional formations, this is consciousness, to this extent there is consciousness, beyond this there is no consciousness. Having firstly presented its characteristic of feeling, perceiving, forming volitions, and cognizing, as well as its classification of pleasant and other kinds of feelings, perceptions, and so on, contact, eye-consciousness, and so on, he speaks of the complete comprehension of feeling, perception, volitional formations, and consciousness in terms of characteristic, function, manifestation, and proximate cause. Such is the arising of feeling, and so forth, by this is spoken the contemplation of arising of feeling, perception, volitional formations and consciousness which have been apprehended in this way. There too, ‘such’ means ‘in this way there is arising’. Their exposition should be understood in the same way as stated for form: "With the arising of ignorance, there is the arising of feeling" (Paṭi. Ma. 1.50), and so forth. But here is the difference: in the three aggregates, instead of saying "with the arising of nutriment," it should be said "with the arising of contact." In the consciousness aggregate, it is "with the arising of name-and-form." The statement of passing away should also be connected in terms of those. This is the summary here; but the full exposition, complete in all aspects, of the determination of arising and passing away is stated in the Visuddhimagga. Contemplating arising and passing away in these five aggregates of clinging means that for this Bodhisatta contemplating insight, contemplating the arising and passing away with fifty characteristics in these five aggregates of clinging, consisting of form and so on, as the insight knowledge increased in due order, his mind was released without grasping, through the non-arising and cessation of defilements known as āsavas. This is called 'released' at the moment of the path, and 'has been released' at the moment of fruition. At the moment of the path, it is both released and is being released; at the moment of fruition, it has been released. And to this extent, the Great Being, liberated from all bonds, with his mental continuum fully blossomed like a lotus touched by the rays of the sun, having brought to hand the four path knowledges, the four fruition knowledges, the four analytical knowledges, the knowledge differentiating the four kinds of generation, the knowledge differentiating the five destinations, the six uncommon knowledges, and all the qualities of a Buddha, accomplished in his intentions, he sat on the seat of awakening and: "Through many rounds of rebirth I have wandered, seeking but not finding the builder of this house; painful is birth again and again. House-builder, you are seen! You shall not build this house again. All your rafters are broken, your ridge-pole is shattered. My mind has attained the unconditioned; the end of craving has been achieved." (Dha. Pa. 153, 154). "Just as the path of a fire, As it gradually subsides, After a heavy blow with a hammer, Cannot be known, So too, for those rightly liberated, Who have crossed the flood of the bond of sense pleasures, There is no path to indicate, For those who have attained unshakeable happiness." (Udā. 80). Reflecting thus, he shone like the autumn sun, and like the full moon. The explanation of the Second Recitation Section is concluded. Explanation of the Discourse on Brahmā’s Invitation.

64. In the third recitation section, "If I were to teach the Dhamma," but when did this thought arise? In the eighth week after becoming the Buddha. Having become the Buddha, he sat at the foot of the Bodhi tree for seven weeks, stood gazing at the Bodhi tree for seven weeks, walked in the jeweled ambulatory for seven weeks, sat contemplating the Dhamma in the jeweled chamber for seven weeks, sat at the foot of the Goatherd's Banyan tree for seven weeks, sat at the foot of the Mucalinda tree for seven weeks, and sat at the foot of the Rājāyatana tree for seven weeks. After arising from that, in the eighth week, having returned and just sat down at the foot of the Goatherd's Banyan tree, this very thought, common to all Buddhas, and the one immediately following it, arose.

Therein, "penetrated" means thoroughly understood. "Dhamma" is the Four Noble Truths. "Profound" is a statement that rejects superficiality. "Hard to see" means because of its profundity, it is hard to see, it should be seen with difficulty, it cannot be seen easily. Because it is hard to see, it is "hard to understand," it should be understood with difficulty, it cannot be understood easily. "Peaceful" means calmed. "Sublime" means not coarse. These two terms are said with reference only to the supramundane. "Beyond the scope of reasoning" means it cannot be approached or entered into by reasoning, it can only be entered into by wisdom. "Subtle" means fine. "To be experienced by the wise" means it should be understood by the wise who have practiced the right practice. "Delighting in attachment" means beings are attached to the five sensual pleasures, therefore they are called attachments. They cling to the one hundred and eight kinds of craving, therefore they are called attachments. Because they delight in those attachments, they are "delighting in attachment." Because they are attached to attachments, they are "attached to attachment." Because they are thoroughly pleased with attachments, they are "thoroughly pleased with attachment." Just as a king, entering a well-arranged park full of flowers, fruits, and trees, delights in this and that attainment, becomes pleased and joyful, does not feel discontent, and does not wish to leave in the evening, in the same way, beings delight in these attachments of sensual pleasures and craving, and dwell in the cycle of existence pleased and without discontent. Therefore, the Blessed One, showing both kinds of their attachment as if they were a park, said, "Delighting in attachment," and so on.

Here, "what this is" is a particle, and in reference to its place, it means "that which is this." In reference to dependent origination, it should be understood as meaning "that which is this." "Dependent origination based on this conditionality" means the conditions of these are this-conditionality, this-conditionality itself is this-conditionality, and that this-conditionality and dependent origination are dependent origination based on this conditionality. This is a designation for ignorance and the other conditions that cause formations and so on. "The calming of all formations" and so on are all Nirvana. Because by resorting to it, all the fluctuations of formations are calmed and pacified, therefore it is called "the calming of all formations." And because by resorting to it, all substrata are abandoned, all craving is destroyed, all defilements of passion are faded away, and all suffering is ceased, therefore it is called "the abandoning of all substrata, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation." But that craving is called weaving because it weaves and sews together existence with existence, or action with its result. Therefore, Nirvana is that which is free from weaving. "That would be weariness for me" means that teaching to those who do not know would be weariness for me, that would be vexation for me. It means that there would be physical weariness and physical vexation, but in the minds of Buddhas, both of these do not exist.

65. "Also" is a particle in the sense of emphasis. It shows, "Not only did this occur, but these verses also came to mind." In "To Vipassi," and so on, "To Vipassi, the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Fully Self-Enlightened One," is the meaning. "Not out of place" means not inappropriate. "Came to mind" means they became the object of his mindful wisdom, they attained the state of being able to be pondered.

"With difficulty" means with trouble, not with a path of trouble. For all four paths of the Buddhas are indeed paths of ease. But this is said with reference to the path of arrival, when, during the time of fulfilling the perfections, while still possessed of passion, hatred, and delusion, he gave his adorned head after cutting it off to the arriving beggars, extracted the blood from his throat, plucked out his well-anointed eyes, and gave his son, the lamp of the family lineage, and his charming wife, and so on, and experienced cutting, breaking, and so on in existences like that of the preacher of patience. "Let be" here, the letter "ha" is just a particle, and it means "let be". "To expound" means to teach; it means, "Let be teaching the Dhamma attained with such difficulty; what is the use of teaching it?" "By those overcome by passion and hatred" means by those touched by passion and hatred, or by those followed by passion and hatred.

"Going against the stream" means the Four Noble Truths, which go against the stream of permanence and so on, as impermanence, suffering, non-self, and foulness. "Those dyed with passion" means those dyed with sensual passion, the passion for existence, and the passion for views. "Will not see" means they will not see with this nature of impermanence, suffering, non-self, and foulness, and if they do not see, who will be able to make them grasp it thus? "Covered by a mass of darkness" means overwhelmed by a heap of ignorance. "Inclined to non-exertion" means by the state of non-effort, it means by the unwillingness to teach. But why did his mind incline thus? Did he not—"I, being freed, will free others; having crossed over, will lead others across," "Why should I, with unknown disciples, realize the Dhamma here? Having attained সর্বজ্ঞতা, I will lead the world, including the devas, across."

Having made the aspiration, fulfilled the perfections, and attained সর্বজ্ঞতা? This is true, but his mind inclined thus due to the power of reviewing. For when he attained সর্বজ্ঞতা and reviewed the depth of beings' defilements and the profundity of the Dhamma, the depth of beings' defilements and the profundity of the Dhamma became evident in every way. Then, thinking, "These beings are like a pot full of sour gruel, like a bowl filled with speculation, like a cloth soaked in fat and oil, like hands smeared with collyrium, filled with defilements, extremely defiled, dyed with passion, corrupted by hatred, deluded by delusion, what will they understand?" his mind inclined thus also due to the power of reviewing the depth of defilements.

"And this Dhamma is as profound as a mass of water supporting the earth, as hard to see as a mustard seed covered by a mountain, as hard to understand as the task of matching the tip of a hair split a hundred ways; for me, while striving to understand this Dhamma, there was no gift that was not given, no virtue that was not kept, no perfection that was not fulfilled. For me, even while shattering the power of Māra as if without effort, the earth did not shake; even while recalling past lives in the first watch, it did not shake; even while purifying the divine eye in the middle watch, it did not shake; but in the last watch, when I was penetrating dependent origination, the ten-thousandfold world system shook. Thus, even by one like me, with sharp wisdom, this Dhamma was penetrated with difficulty; how will the ordinary worldly people penetrate it?" It should be understood that his mind inclined thus also due to the power of reviewing the profundity of the Dhamma.

Moreover, his mind inclined to unwillingness to teach, even when requested by Brahmā. For the Blessed One knows, "When my mind inclines to non-exertion, Mahābrahmā will request me to teach the Dhamma, and these beings are respectful of Brahmā, and they will listen attentively, thinking, 'The Teacher was unwilling to teach the Dhamma, then Mahābrahmā requested him and made him teach; surely the Dhamma is peaceful, surely the Dhamma is sublime.'" It should be understood that his mind inclined to non-exertion also because of this reason, not because of unwillingness to teach the Dhamma.

66. Regarding the word "another," although it is said "another," it should be understood that he is the eldest Great Brahmā in this world-system. "Alas, the world is perishing!" he uttered this sound in such a way that the Brahmās of ten thousand world systems, having heard it, all assembled. "Where indeed" means in whichever world. He appeared before them together with those ten thousand Brahmās. Those of few defilements: in their eye of wisdom there is little, a small amount, of the dust of passion, hatred, and delusion; being of such a nature, they are those of few defilements. Because of not hearing. "Will be" indicates that those who, in former Buddhas, had performed meritorious deeds based on the ten grounds of meritorious action, and whose merits had come to fruition, were like lotus flowers ready to burst upon contact with the sun's rays, longing only for a Dhamma teaching, able to enter the noble state at the conclusion of a four-line verse—not just one, not just two, but many hundreds of thousands will be knowers of the Dhamma.

69. Entreaty: thus, requesting three times. With the Buddha-eye: with both the knowledge of the range of others' faculties and the knowledge of the inclination of beings. For these two knowledges are named "Buddha-eye," all-knowing knowledge is "all-around eye," and the three knowledge of paths are "Dhamma-eye." Among those of few defilements, etc., those in whose eye of wisdom there is little dust of passion and so forth, as stated, are those of few defilements. Those in whom it is great are those of great defilements. Those whose faculties of faith and so forth are sharp are those of sharp faculties. Those for whom they are weak are those of weak faculties. Those for whom the very same factors of faith and so forth have beautiful aspects are those of good qualities. Those who discern the reason stated and can easily be informed are easy to teach. Those who see danger in the other world and in offenses are called those who see danger in the other world and in offenses.

Here is the text: "A faithful person is one of few defilements, a faithless person is one of great defilements... One who has aroused energy...one who is lazy... one who is mindful... one who is unmindful... one who is concentrated... one who is unconcentrated... one who is wise... one who is unwise is one of great defilements. Likewise, a faithful person is one of sharp faculties... a wise person is one who sees danger in the other world and in offenses, an unwise person is one who does not see danger in the other world and in offenses. "World" refers to the world of aggregates, the world of elements, the world of sense bases, the world of fortunate becoming, the world of unfortunate becoming, the world of fortunate rebirth, and the world of unfortunate rebirth. One world: all beings are sustained by nutriment. Two worlds: mentality and materiality. Three worlds: three feelings. Four worlds: four nutriments. Five worlds: five aggregates of clinging. Six worlds: six internal sense bases. Seven worlds: seven stations of consciousness. Eight worlds: eight worldly conditions. Nine worlds: nine abodes of beings. Ten worlds: ten sense bases. Twelve worlds: twelve sense bases. Eighteen worlds: eighteen elements. "Offense" refers to all defilements, all misconduct, all volitional formations, all actions leading to becoming. Thus, in this world and in this offense, intense perception of fear arises, as if facing an executioner with a raised sword. By these fifty aspects, he knows, sees, understands, and penetrates these five faculties; this is the Blessed One's knowledge of the range of others’ faculties."

In a lotus pond, in reference to a lotus grove. The same method applies to the others. Nourishing within: those that nourish only other lotuses submerged within. Standing having risen above the water: standing having surpassed the water. Among those standing having risen above, those that stand awaiting the touch of the sun's rays are those that will bloom today. Those standing level with the water are those that will bloom tomorrow. Those that have risen from the water, and those that nourish within the water are those that will bloom on the third day. But those not risen from the water, there are other lotus and water lilies, which will never bloom but will become food for fish and turtles; those are not included in the text. Having brought forward, they should be illuminated. Just as those four kinds of flowers, even so are the four types of individuals: one who understands immediately, one who understands when it is explained, one who is guidable, and one who is devoted only to the word. Among them, the individual for whom realization of the Dhamma occurs at the very moment of the declaration, this individual is called one who understands immediately. The individual for whom realization of the Dhamma occurs when the meaning is explained in detail, having been spoken in brief, this individual is called one who understands when it is explained. The individual for whom realization of the Dhamma occurs gradually through study, questioning, wise attention, and serving, associating with, and attending on good friends, this individual is called one who is guidable. The individual for whom, although hearing much, speaking much, learning much, memorizing much, reciting much, realization of the Dhamma does not occur in that lifetime, this individual is called one who is devoted only to the word.

There, the Blessed One, observing the ten-thousand-world system which is like a lotus pond and so forth—"like those that will bloom today, those who understand immediately; like those that will bloom tomorrow, those who understand when it is explained; like those that will bloom on the third day, those who are guidable; like those that are food for fish and turtles, those who are devoted only to the word"—he saw. And seeing, "So many are those of few defilements, so many are those of great defilements. And among them, so many are those who understand immediately." Thus, he saw in every way. Among them, for three types of individuals, the Blessed One’s teaching of the Dhamma accomplishes its purpose in this very life; for those devoted only to the word, it is for the sake of future conditioning.

Then, the Blessed One, knowing the beneficial teaching of the Dhamma for these four types of individuals, generated the desire to teach, and then divided all beings in all three existences into two groups, the capable and the incapable. Concerning which it is said: "Those beings who are endowed with the obstruction of action, endowed with the obstruction of result, endowed with the obstruction of defilements, faithless, without desire, unwise, incapable of entering into certainty in wholesome states, into rightness, these beings are incapable. Which beings are capable? Those beings who are not endowed with the obstruction of action…these beings are capable."

There, abandoning all incapable individuals, taking up only capable individuals with knowledge, he made six groups—"So many are of lustful disposition, so many are of hateful, deluded, speculative, faithful, and intelligent dispositions." Having done thus, he thought, "I will teach the Dhamma." The Brahmā, knowing this, being joyful, addressed the Blessed One with verses. With reference to this, it is said, "Then, O monks, that Great Brahmā, etc."

70. There he addressed: he spoke to, he spoke concerning, he spoke beginning with.

Like stone standing on a mountain peak: like one standing on the peak of a rocky, solid mountain, for one standing there, there is no need to stretch or extend the neck for the sake of seeing. Comparable to that: comparable to that, like a stone mountain. This is the summary here: just as a man with sight standing on the peak of a stone mountain would see people all around, so too, O wise one, Blessed One with the all-around eye of beautiful wisdom and all-knowing knowledge, having ascended the Dhamma-made, wisdom-made palace, yourself free from sorrow, look upon the people immersed in sorrow, overcome by birth and old age; consider, examine.

This is the meaning here: it is as if a great field were made all around the foot of a mountain, and in the field’s boundary ridges, huts were made, and fires were lit at night. And there would be darkness possessing four qualities. Then, for a man with sight standing on the top of that mountain, looking down at the ground, neither the field, nor the boundary ridges, nor the huts, nor the people sleeping there would be visible; only the flames in the huts would be visible. In the same way, having ascended the palace of Dhamma and looking upon the multitude of beings, for the Blessed One, those beings who have not done good deeds, even though they are sitting near the right knee in the same dwelling, do not come into the range of the Buddha-eye; they are like arrows shot at night. But those who have done good deeds, those individuals to be trained, even though they are standing far away, come into his range, like that fire, like the Himavant mountain. And it is said, "Those who are good shine from afar, like the Himavant mountain; Those who are bad are not seen, like arrows shot at night." Rise up: he speaks, requesting the Blessed One’s wandering for the sake of teaching the Dhamma. Among those of the Hero and so on, the Blessed One is the Hero because of his energy, the Victorious in Battle because of his conquest of the Māras of the divine realm, death, and defilements, the Caravan Leader because of his ability to lead the caravan of those to be trained for the crossing of birth and so on, the Debtless because of the absence of the debt of sensual desire.

71. Opened, are the doors to the Deathless means the Noble Eightfold Path. For that is the door to the Nibbāna known as Deathless. He shows that “I have opened and set it up.” Let them release their faith means let all release, let go of their faith. The meaning of the last two phrases is this: "I, thinking it weariness of body and speech, have not spoken this excellent and superior Dhamma, which I have well mastered and made easy to teach, but now let all people bring a vessel of faith, and I will fill their aspiration." Description of the Pair of Chief Disciples

73. At the foot of the Bodhi tree means not far from the Bodhi tree, at the Banyan of the goat herder's . At the Khemamigadaya, means that deer-park at that time was a park named Khema, but because it was given for the safe dwelling of deer, it was called Migadaya (deer park). Referring to that, it is said, "in the Khemamigadaya". Just as the Blessed Vipassi did, so too did other Buddhas, when going to teach the Dhamma for the first time, go through the sky and descend there. But our Blessed One, seeing the supporting condition of Upaka, the naked ascetic - "Upaka has taken this long road. Seeing me, he will converse and depart. Then, becoming disenchanted, he will come back and realize Arahatship" - knowing this, he went the eighteen-yojana road on foot. He addressed Dayapala means, having seen him, he looked at him again and again, and having said, "Venerable sir, our lord has come," he addressed him as he approached.

75-6. A graduated discourse means he gave a step-by-step talk, about generosity, followed by virtue, after virtue, heaven, and after heaven, the path. Herein, the discourse on generosity means that this generosity is the foundation of happiness, the root of success, the support of prosperity, a refuge, shelter, destination and final end for one going the wrong way; in this world and the next, there is no support, foundation, base, refuge, shelter, destination and final end like generosity. This, in its supportive aspect, is like a throne of jewels, in its foundational aspect, it is like the great earth, in its object aspect, it is like a supporting rope. This, in its aspect of rescuing from suffering, is a ship, in its aspect of allaying fear, is a war hero, in its aspect of protecting from danger, it is a well-fortified city, in its aspect of not being tainted by the stain of stinginess, it is a lotus, in its aspect of burning those stains, it is fire, in its aspect of being difficult to approach, it is a venomous snake, in its aspect of not being frightened, it is a lion, in its aspect of strength, it is an elephant, in its aspect of being considered auspicious, it is a white bull, in its aspect of reaching the land of safety, it is the king of the thundercloud horses. Generosity gives the attainment of kingship among humans, the attainment of kingship among Maras, the attainment of kingship among Brahmas, the attainment of kingship as a universal monarch, the knowledge of a disciple's perfection, the knowledge of Paccekabuddhahood, and the knowledge of perfect enlightenment in this world, a talk connected with the virtues of generosity such as these.

But since one giving generosity is able to undertake virtue, therefore, after that, he gave a talk on virtue. The talk on virtue means that virtue is a support, foundation, base, refuge, shelter, destination and final end. For the attainments of this world and the next, there is no support, foundation, base, refuge, shelter, destination and final end like virtue, there is no adornment like virtue, there is no flower like the flower of virtue, there is no scent like the scent of virtue, even the world with its gods, beholding one adorned with the adornment of virtue, the wearing of the flower of virtue, anointed with the scent of virtue, does not reach satisfaction, a talk connected with the virtues of virtue such as these.

In order to show that through this virtue this heaven is obtained, after the talk on virtue, he gave a talk on heaven. The talk on heaven means this heaven is wished for, desired, pleasing; here there is always play, always attainments are obtained, the gods of the Four Great Kings for ninety-one hundred thousand years obtain divine happiness and divine attainments, the Thirty-three gods for thirty kotis and sixty hundred thousand years, a talk connected with the virtues of heaven such as these. For the Buddhas, when speaking of the attainment of heaven, the mouth is not enough. It is also said, "In many ways, monks, I could speak of heaven," and so on.

Having thus enticed them with the talk on heaven, then, like adorning an elephant and cutting off its trunk - "Even this heaven is impermanent, unstable, there should be no desire and lust for it" - in order to show this, "Sensual pleasures are of little satisfaction, much suffering, much despair, the danger in them is greater" by this method, he spoke of the danger, the degradation, the defilement of sensual pleasures. Herein, danger means fault. Degradation means baseness, lowliness. Defilement means the defilement of beings in samsara by them. As he said, "Beings, alas, are defiled". Thus, having rebuked them with the danger of sensual pleasures, he declared the advantage in renunciation, he declared the virtue of going forth, is the meaning. The rest is just as stated in the Ambattha Sutta commentary, and its meaning is clear.

77. Did they obtain means how did they obtain the talk? By the state of a bhikkhu who has come. The Blessed One, looking at their supporting conditions for receiving the bowl and robes made by psychic power, seeing their giving of robes and so on in many births, said, "Come, monks," and so on. They, instantly with shaven heads, wearing yellow robes, with the eight requisites of a bhikkhu attached to their bodies, like elders of a hundred years, paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down.

He instructed and so on means he instructed concerning this world, he instructed concerning the other world. Instructing concerning this world, he showed impermanence, he showed suffering, he showed not-self, he showed the aggregates, he showed the elements, he showed the sense bases, he showed dependent origination, showing the arising of the form aggregate, he showed the five characteristics, likewise of the feeling aggregate and so on, likewise showing the passing away, he showed the fifty characteristics by way of arising and passing away; instructing concerning the other world, he showed hell, the animal realm, the realm of hungry ghosts, the realm of demons, the result of the three wholesome actions, the attainments of the six deva worlds and the nine Brahma worlds.

He inspired means he made them take up the wholesome qualities such as the fourfold purified virtue, the thirteen ascetic practices, and the ten subjects of discourse.

He gladdened means he greatly gladdened, he encouraged. Having repeatedly frightened them with this world and the other world, he spoke as if he had attained it. When the Blessed Buddha repeatedly frightened and spoke of this world, which is divided into the thirty-two kinds of actions and the twenty-five great fears, he becomes terrified, like one who has his hands tied behind his back, tightly bound, beaten with a hundred blows in the crossroads and led out through the southern gate, like one whose head is placed on the executioner's block, like one impaled on a stake, like one being trampled by a mad elephant. And when he speaks of the other world, it is as if he were born in hell and so on, and as if he were experiencing the attainment of the deva world.

He delighted means he exhorted with the qualities obtained, he spoke making it of great advantage, is the meaning.

The danger of formations means before, for the attainment of the first path, he spoke of the danger of sensual pleasures, but here, for the attainment of the higher paths - "Impermanent, monks, are formations, unstable, unreliable, as much as this, monks, is enough to become disenchanted with all formations, enough to become dispassionate, enough to become liberated," by this method, he declared the danger and baseness of formations and the weariness caused by them. And just as there concerning renunciation, so here - "This, monks, called Nibbana is peaceful, excellent, a refuge, a shelter," by this method, he declared the advantage in Nibbana.

Description of the Going Forth of the Great Multitude

78.The great multitude means the multitude of attendants of those two young men.

80.We go to the Blessed One for refuge, and to the Dhamma means because the Sangha was not yet complete, they took refuge with only two words.

81.They obtained means just as previously stated, they obtained it by the state of a bhikkhu who has come. In the case of those who went forth after this, the same method applies.

Description of the Permission for Wandering

85. “A thought occurred” – when did it occur? It occurred after seven years, seven months, and seven days had passed since the Awakening. The Blessed One, it is said, stayed showing favor to his father. And the king thought: “My eldest son went forth and became a Buddha, my second son went forth and became the chief disciple, the son of the royal priest became the second chief disciple, and the rest of these monks, even when they were householders, followed only my son. Now, all of these are my responsibility, and I alone will attend to them with the four requisites, and I will not give an opportunity to others.” So, from the gatehouse of the monastery to the gate of the royal palace, he had a fence of acacia wood made on both sides, covered with mats and cloths, and above it, he had a canopy made, adorned with golden stars and various flower garlands hanging down to the height of palm trunks. On the ground below, he had it spread with colorful rugs, and inside on both sides, he placed flower vases and full pots. Along the entire road, he placed scents at intervals with flowers, and flowers at intervals with scents, and had the time announced to the Blessed One. The Blessed One, surrounded by the Sangha of monks, went from inside the inner fence to the royal palace, completed the meal, and returned to the monastery. No one else was able to even see him, let alone offer alms, make offerings, or hear the Dhamma. The citizens thought: “Today, it has been seven months and seven years since the Teacher arose in the world, and we have not even been able to see him, let alone offer alms, make offerings, or hear the Dhamma. The king, thinking ‘The Buddha is mine alone, the Dhamma is mine alone, the Sangha is mine alone,’ is selfishly attending to them himself. But the Teacher, when he arises, arises for the benefit and welfare of the world with its devas. It is not that hell is hot only for the king, and for others like a grove of blue water lilies. Therefore, let us speak to the king. If he gives us the Teacher, it is well. If he does not give him, even fighting with the king, we will take the Sangha and perform meritorious deeds such as giving. But it is not possible for ordinary citizens to do this; let us take a leading man.” They approached the general and informed him of the matter, saying: “Lord, whose side are you on, ours or the king’s?” He said: “I am on your side, but the first day should be given to me.” They agreed. He approached the king and said: “The citizens, your majesty, are angry with you.” “Why, my dear?” “They say that you alone are attending to the Teacher, and they are not able.” “If they still get the opportunity, they are not angry; if they do not, they are ready to fight with you, your majesty.” “I will fight, my dear, I will not give up the Sangha of monks.” “Your majesty, your servants say they will fight with you; with whom will you fight, having taken them?” “Are you not the general?” “Without the citizens, I am not capable, your majesty.” Then the king, knowing “The citizens are strong, and the general is also on their side,” said: “Let them give me the Sangha of monks for another seven years and seven months.” The citizens did not agree. The king reduced it to: “Six years, five, four, three, two, one year.” Even reducing it thus, they did not agree. He asked for seven days. The citizens thought: “It is not right to be too harsh with the king,” and consented. The king, having relinquished the offering that had been prepared for seven years and seven months, for just seven days, gave alms for six days without anyone else seeing, and on the seventh day, he summoned the citizens and said: “My dear sirs, will you be able to give such an offering?” And they, saying: “Indeed, it was on account of us that it arose for your majesty,” said: “We will be able.” The king, wiping away his tears with the back of his hand, paid homage to the Blessed One and said: “Venerable sir, I thought that I would attend to the eighty-six thousand monks with the four requisites for as long as I live, without giving the turn to anyone else. The citizens do not consent to me now. The citizens are angry, saying ‘We are not able to give alms.’ From tomorrow, Blessed One, please show favor to them.” Then, on the second day, the general, having prepared a great offering, placed men all around, saying: “Today, make sure that no one else gives even a single monk alms.” That day, the merchant’s wife, weeping, said to her daughter: “If, dear, your father were alive, today I would feed the Ten-Powered One first.” She said to her: “Mother, do not worry, I will do it in such a way that the Sangha of monks, headed by the Buddha, will partake of our alms first.” Then, filling a golden bowl worth a hundred thousand with milk-rice without water, having prepared it with ghee, honey, sugar, and so on, covering it with another bowl, surrounding it with clusters of jasmine flowers, making it look like a cluster of flowers, she herself, lifting it up, surrounded by a group of maidservants, went out of the city at the time the Blessed One was entering the village. On the way, the general’s attendants said: “Lady, do not go this way.” Great meritorious deeds are pleasant topics, and their words, being spoken repeatedly, cannot be rejected. She said: “Uncles, grandfathers, maternal uncles, why do you not let me go?” “We have been placed by the general, lady, not to allow anyone to give food or drink.” “Do you see food or drink in my hand?” “We see a cluster of flowers.” “Does your general not allow you to make even an offering of a cluster of flowers?” “He does, lady.” “Then, go away, go away, have the Blessed One accept the cluster of flowers,” she said to the Blessed One. The Blessed One, looking at one of the general’s attendants, had the cluster of flowers accepted. She, paying homage to the Blessed One, said: “Blessed One, in the course of my rebirths, may I never have a life of distress; like this jasmine flower, may I be dear in whatever place I am reborn, and may my name be Sumanā.” Having made this aspiration, being told by the Teacher, “Be happy,” she paid homage, circumambulated, and departed. The Blessed One went to the general’s house and sat down on the prepared seat. The general, taking gruel, approached; the Teacher covered his bowl. “The Sangha of monks is seated, venerable sir.” “We have another alms round to receive along the way.” He removed the flowers and saw the alms. The junior attendant said: “Lord, having said ‘Flowers’ to me, the woman deceived me.” The milk-rice was sufficient for all the monks, starting with the Blessed One. The general also gave his own offering. The Teacher, having completed the meal, uttered a blessing, and departed. The general asked: “Who was it who gave the alms?” “The merchant’s daughter, lord.” “She is a wise woman, with such a woman living in the house, heavenly attainment is not difficult for a man,” he brought her and placed her in the position of eldest wife. On the following day, the citizens gave alms, on the following day, the king, they began to give alms on alternate days. The king also placed watchmen and gave more generously than the alms given by the citizens, and the citizens also did the same, giving more generously than the alms given by the king. In the royal palace, the dancing women said to the young novices: “Take it, young sirs, it is not made with things wiped on the limbs and clothes of householders, or done with hands used to wash the phlegm and snot of very young children, it is made pure and excellent.” On the following day, the citizens, giving, also said: “Take it, young sirs, it is not made with rice, milk, curds, ghee, and so on, collected from the city, villages, and market towns, nor with things brought after breaking the legs, heads, and backs of others, it is made only with pure ghee, milk, and so on.” Thus, when seven years, seven months, and seven days had passed, then this thought occurred to the Blessed One. Therefore, it is said: “After seven years, seven months, and seven days had passed since the Awakening, it occurred.” 87.A certain great Brahmā: the Brahmā who requested the teaching of the Dhamma. 89.Eighty-four thousand residences: eighty-four thousand monasteries. All of them were great monasteries accommodating twelve thousand monks, similar to the great monasteries of Abhayagiri, Cetiyapabbata, and Cittapabbata.

90. "Forbearance is the highest austerity," means patient forbearance is the highest austerity. "Forbearance" is indeed a synonym for patience. The meaning is that patient forbearance, known as tolerance, is the supreme austerity. But in every respect, "Nirvana is supreme," the Buddhas declare. "Indeed, a recluse is not one who harms others," means he who, lacking patient forbearance, strikes, troubles, or injures another, is not truly called a recluse. The fourth line is simply a synonym of that very statement. For the statement, "Indeed, a recluse is not," the synonym is, "he is not an ascetic." For the statement, "one who harms others," the synonym is, "one who torments others." Alternatively, "one who harms others" means one who harms virtue. For virtue, because of its supreme benefit, is called supreme. And the ascetic who, tormenting any other being, harms others, is a destroyer of his own virtue, such a one is not truly called a recluse. Alternatively, he who, through the absence of patient forbearance, harms others, deliberately taking the life of others, even of a mosquito or a fly, he is indeed not a recluse. Why? Because he has not expelled the defilements. "He expels the defilements of himself, therefore he is called a recluse," this is truly the characteristic of a recluse. And he who indeed neither harms nor kills, but torments with a stick and so forth, tormenting another, is not an ascetic. Why? Because his disturbances have not subsided. "Because of the calming of evils, he is truly called an ascetic," this is truly the characteristic of an ascetic.

In the second verse, "of all evil" means of all that is unskillful. "The non-doing" means non-arising. "Of what is skillful" means of the four-plane skillfulness. "The undertaking" means attainment. "The purification of one's own mind" means making one's own mind radiant, and that comes about through Arahatship. Thus, having abandoned all evil through restraint of virtue, having accomplished what is skillful through calm and insight, having made the mind pure through the fruit of Arahatship, "this is the teaching of the Buddhas," means this is the advice, the instruction.

In the third verse, "non-reviling" means not reviling anyone with speech. "Non-harming" means not doing harm with the body. "The Patimokkha" means that which is the Patimokkha, the foremost, the supreme virtue, or it releases from the dangers of unhappy destinations through excellent behaviors, or it protects him, it releases him, thus it is called "Patimokkha." In that Patimokkha, there is restraint. "Moderation" means knowing the measure through acceptance and use. "And secluded lodging and sleeping" means lodging and sleeping free from disturbance. Here it should be understood that contentment with the four requisites is indicated by just two conditions. "This is the teaching of the Buddhas," means non-reviling of others, non-harming, restraint in the Patimokkha, moderation in acceptance and use, and the dwelling in a secluded dwelling for the sake of mastery of the eight attainments, "this is the teaching of the Buddhas," the advice, the instruction. These, it should be understood, are the verses for the recitation of the Patimokkha for all Buddhas.

Description of the Deities' Announcement

91. And to this extent, with this detailed explanation according to the great discourse of the Blessed Vipassi – having explained the state of the thoroughly penetrated element of the Dhamma, spoken of as "Indeed, monks, this element of the Dhamma is thoroughly penetrated by the Tathagata" – now, in order to explain the announcement of the deities, spoken of as, "the deities also announced this matter to the Tathagata," he says "on one occasion."

There, "in the Subhaga grove" means in a grove of that name. "At the foot of a great Sal tree" means at the foot of the chief of forest trees. "Having dispelled sensual desire" means having dispelled it by means of the path of non-returning, uprooting it entirely. And just as for Vipassi, so too for the remaining Buddhas, the deities who had lived the holy life in their teachings, announced it, but the text has come down according to Vipassi and also our Blessed One.

There, "not declining," "not disappearing" from their own attainments, they are the Aviha deities. Not tormenting any being, they are the Atappa deities. Of beautiful appearance, lovely and inspiring confidence, they are the Sudassa deities. Seeing well, or their vision is beautiful, they are the Sudassi deities. And superior in all their qualities and attainments of existence, there being none inferior there, they are the Akanittha deities.

Here the recitation sections should be combined. In this Sutta, three recitation sections are spoken of, according to the great discourse of the Blessed Vipassi. And just as for Vipassi, so too they are spoken of according to the great discourses of Sikhi and the others. But the text is condensed. Thus, according to the seven Buddhas, twenty-one recitation sections were spoken by our Blessed One. So too with the Aviha deities. So too with the Atappa deities. So too with the Sudassa deities. So too with the Sudassi deities. So too with the Akanittha deities, all together there are one hundred and twenty-six recitation sections. In the Tipitaka, the word of the Buddha, there is no other Sutta as large as one hundred and twenty-six recitation sections, this Sutta, it should be understood, is the king of Suttas. Beyond this, introducing two further connections, he says, "Thus indeed, monks." All that is simply evident. Thus ends the description of the Mahapadana Sutta in the Sumangalavilasini, the commentary on the Digha Nikaya.