The Connected Discourses of the Buddha

by Bhikkhu Bodhi

  304 This is a gesture of frustration. Daṇḍapāṇi the Sakyan is described in the same terms at MN I 109,1-2.

  305 Samiddhi has already appeared at 1:20.

  306 As at 4:17; see n. 291.

  307 The verse = Th 46, Samiddhi’s sole stanza. I understand buddhā in pāda b to be simply a variant spelling of vuḍḍhā (the reading at Th 46), though Spk glosses buddhā here as ñātā, to which Spk-pṭ adds: Tā ariyamaggena jānanasamatthanabhāvena avabuddhā; “They have been comprehended by the noble path through its capacity for knowledge.”

  308 The story of Godhika is told at Dhp-a I 431-33; see BL 2:90-91. Spk explains sāmayikā cetovimutti, “temporary liberation of mind,” as the mundane meditative attainments (lokiya-samāpatti), i.e., the jhānas and formless attainments, so called because at the moments of absorption the mind is liberated from the opposing states and is resolved upon its object. He fell away from this liberation of mind on account of illness. Being disposed to chronic illness due to winds, bile, and phlegm (the “three humours” of traditional Indian medicine), he could not fulfil the states conducive to concentration. Each time he entered upon an attainment, he soon fell away from it.

  309 Sattham āhareyyam. A euphemistic expression for suicide; see 22:87 (III 123,10,26), 35:87 (IV 57,6), and 54:9 (V 320,24-25). Spk: He reflected thus: “Since the destination after death of one who has fallen away from jhāna is uncertain, while one who has not fallen away is certain of rebirth in the brahmā world, let me use the knife.” On the Buddha’s own attitude towards suicide, see 35:87 (IV 60,1-5).

  310 Spk: Māra thought: “This ascetic desires to use the knife. This indicates that he is unconcerned with body and life, and such a one is capable of attaining arahantship. If I try to forbid him he will not desist, but if the Teacher forbids him he will.” Therefore, pretending to be concerned for the elder’s welfare, he approached the Blessed One.

  311 Spk: Jane sutā ti jane vissuta; lit. “heard among the people = famed among the people,” i.e., widely famed. There is a delicious irony, in the above three verses, in the way Māra—who usually addresses the Buddha discourteously as “ascetic”—here showers him with glowing epithets.

  312 Spk: The elder, thinking, “What is the use of living?” lay down and slit his jugular vein with a knife. Painful feelings arose. He suppressed them, comprehended the pains (with insight), set up mindfulness, explored his meditation subject, and attained arahantship as a “same-header” (samasīsī; see Pp 13,25-27, commented on at Pp-a 186-87). He was a jīvitasamasīsī, one who attains the destruction of defilements and the end of life simultaneously. (Another kind of samasīsī recovers from a grave illness at the same time that he attains arahantship.)

  313 Spk: Vivattakkhandhan ti parivattakkhandham; “with his shoulder turned” means with twisted shoulder. He had been lying on his back when he took the knife, but because he was accustomed to lying on his right side, he had turned his head towards the right and had so remained.

  314 Appatiṭṭhena ca bhikkhave viññāṇena Godhiko kulaputto parinibbuto. Spk: Māra was searching for his rebirth-consciousness (paṭisandhicitta), but Godhika had passed away with rebirth-consciousness unestablished; the meaning is: because it was unestablished (appatiṭṭhitakāraṇā: or, with unestablished cause).Spk-pṭ: Appatiṭṭhena is an instrumental used as an indication of modality (itthambhūtalakkhaṇa). The meaning is: with (consciousness) not subject to arising (anuppattidhammena ); for if there were an arising, consciousness would be called “established.” But when the commentator says, “because it was unestablished,” what is meant is that the cause for the nonestablishment of consciousness was precisely the cause for his parinibbāna (yadeva tassa viññāṇassa appatiṭṭhānakāraṇam tadeva parinibbānakāraṇam).

  A similar case of suicide is reported of the bhikkhu Vakkali at 22:87. When the monk is said to attain final Nibbāna with consciousness unestablished, this should not be understood to mean that after death consciousness survives in an “unestablished” condition (a thesis argued by Harvey, The Selfless Mind, pp. 208-210); for enough texts make it plain that with the passing away of the arahant consciousness too ceases and no longer exists (see, e.g., 12:51).

  315 The verse (which must have been added by the redactors) occurs at Sn 449, where, however, it follows the verses that correspond to vv. 504-5. In the verse Māra is spoken of as yakkha.

  316 Spk explains the seven years of pursuit as the Buddha’s six years (of striving) before the enlightenment and the first year after. However, the next sutta, which apparently follows in immediate temporal sequence, is the temptation by Māra’s daughters, which other sources clearly place right after the enlightenment (see n. 322). The present sutta seems to confirm this by locating the dialogue with Māra at the foot of the Goatherd’s Banyan Tree, in the vicinity of the Bodhi Tree. The commentaries generally assign the Buddha’s stay under this tree to the fifth week after the enlightenment (see Ja I 78,9-11).Seeking to gain access (otārāpekkho). Spk: He thought: “If I see anything improper (ananucchavikam) in the ascetic Gotama’s conduct through the body door, etc., I will reprove him.” But he could not find even a dust mote (of misconduct) to be washed away. On otāra (= vivara, Spk) see 35:240 (IV 178,13-16, 33), 35:243 (IV 185,11-15; 186,27-30), 47:6 (V 147,17-18, 27-28), 47:7 (V 149,7, 16).

  317 Spk: Bhavalobhajappan ti bhavalobhasaṅkhātam taṇham; “The greedy urge for existence is craving consisting in greed for existence.”

  318 I read pāda d with Be, Se, and Ee2: yam saccam tam nirūpadhim (Ee1: yam sabbantam nirūpadhim). Nibbāna, the supreme truth (paramasacca), is often described as sabbupadhipaṭinissagga , “the relinquishing of all acquisitions,” and here as nirūpadhi. See n. 21.

  319 The same simile occurs in a very different context at MN I 234,7-18.

  320 Nibbejanīyā gāthā. Spk glosses nibbejanīyā as ukkaṇṭhanīyā (dissatisfaction) but does not explain the derivation. It is likely the word is related to nibbidā, though employed in a different sense; see MW, s.v. nirvid.

  321 This passage, as far as “unable to speak,” is the stock description of the defeated contestant; also at MN I 132,28-30, 234,1-2, 258,28-30. Se and Ee1 make this paragraph the last of the preceding sutta, but I follow Be and Ee2. As the two suttas form a single narrative, the division between them is arbitrary.

  322 Their names mean craving, discontent, and lusting. Spk explains that they saw their father in a despondent mood and approached to find out the reason. The story of the Buddha’s encounter with Māra’s daughters is also recorded at Ja I 78-79 and Dhp-a III 195-98; see BL 3:33-34. There it is clearly set in the fifth week after the enlightenment. The BHS parallel at Mvu III 281-86 is also assigned to this period; see Jones, 3:269-74.

  323 Spk’s explanation shows that there is more to the simile than meets the eye: “They capture an elephant and lead him out of the forest by sending a female decoy, who entices him by displaying her feminine wiles.”

  324 On the idiom pāde te samaṇa paricārema, Geiger remarks: “In courteous speech one uses pādā, feet, for the person. The meaning is: ‘We want to be at your command like slave-women’” (GermTr, p. 193, n. 5). A sexual innuendo is unmistakable. Spk, strangely, does not offer any explanation here of anuttare upadhisaṅkhaye vimutto, but see n. 356.

  325 Spk glosses senam as kilesasenam, “the army of defilements,” and paraphrases: “Having conquered the army of the pleasant and agreeable, meditating alone, I discovered the bliss of arahantship, which is called ‘the attainment of the goal, the peace of the heart’ (atthassa pattim hadayassa santim).” Mahākaccāna provides a long commentary on this verse at AN V 47,3-48,4. On piyarūpam sātarūpam, “the pleasant and agreeable,” see 12:66 (II 109-12), DN II 308-11.

  326 Both the BHS version of these verses (at Mvu III 283-84) and the Skt (cited at Ybhūś 4:1-3; Enomoto, CSCS, pp. 25-26) have the present tense tarati in pāda b, as against the aorist atari in th
e Pāli; while the present makes better sense, I translate following the Pāli.Spk: Five floods crossed (pañcoghatiṇṇo): one who has crossed the flood of defilements in the five sense doors. The sixth: he has crossed the sixth flood of defilements, that pertaining to the mind door. Or alternatively: by the mention of five floods, the five lower fetters are meant; by the sixth, the five higher fetters.

  327 Spk: Tranquil in body (passaddhikāyo): this comes about with the tranquillizing of the in-and-out breathing by the fourth jhāna (see AN II 41,21-28). In mind well liberated (suvimuttacitto): well liberated by the liberation of the fruit of arahantship. Not generating (asaṅkharāno): not generating the three types of volitional formations (see 12:51; also n. 165). Meditating thought-free in the fourth jhāna. He does not erupt, etc.: He does not erupt (na kuppati) because of hatred, or drift (sarati) because of lust, or stiffen (na thīno) because of delusion. Or alternatively: by the first term the hindrance of ill will is intended; by the second, the hindrance of sensual desire; by the third, the remaining hindrances (see 46:2).

  328 In pāda a, I read acchejji with Se, an aorist of chindati, to cut. The finite verb seems to me preferable to the absolutive acchejja of Be and Ee1 & 2; the variant acchecchi suggested by PED may also be acceptable. This verb should be distinguished from acchejja (or acchijja, Ee1) in pāda d, an absolutive of acchindati, to rob, to snatch away. The Be and Ee1 reading of pāda a may have arisen through a confusion of the two forms. I read pāda b: addhā tarissanti bahū ca sattā. Be, Ee2, and SS read the last word as saddhā, but the gloss in Spk supports sattā: addhā aññe pi bahujanā ekamsena tarissanti. The BHT version of Mvu is too different to be of help and may be corrupt, but Jones (at 3:273, n. 4) suggests replacing raktā with sattvā, which would then support the reading I have adopted. Tarissanti is certainly preferable to the v.l. carissanti, found in Be, Se, and Ee1.

  329 The verse occurs in a different context at Vin I 43,27-28. I follow Be and Se in reading, in pāda c, the active nayamānānam, the prevalent reading of Vin. Ee1 & 2, on the basis of SS, read the passive nīyamānānam/niyyamānānam. BHS versions at Uv 21:8 and Mvu III 90 also have the active form, while the Prakrit at G-Dhp 267 is ambiguous.

  330 In the BHS version vv. 516-17 are ascribed to the Buddha. The concluding verse was apparently added by the redactors.5. Bhikkhunīsamyutta

  331 Thı̄ does not ascribe any verses to a bhikkhunı̄ named Āḷavikā, but two of the verses in this sutta are to be found among Selā’s verses: v. 519 = Thı̄ 57 and v. 521 = Thı̄ 58. Thı̄-a 60 confirms the identity of the two bhikkhunı̄s, explaining that Selā was called Āḷavikā because she was the daughter of the king of Āḷavaka. She heard the Buddha preach and became a lay follower. Later she took ordination as a nun and attained arahantship. See Pruitt, Commentary on the Verses of the Therīs, pp. 83-87.

  332 Spk explains the origin of the name: After the parinibbāna of the Buddha Kassapa a lay disciple named Yasodhara, while bringing money to build the cetiya for the relics, was ambushed there and blinded by five hundred thieves. Because Yasodhara was a noble disciple, the thieves straightaway lost their own vision as an immediate kammic result. They continued to dwell there and thus it became known as the Blind Men’s Grove. Bhikkhus and bhikkhunı̄s went there for seclusion. It was about three kilometres south of Sāvatthı̄ and was protected by royal guards.

  333 Strangely, this verse, the appropriate response to Māra’s taunt, is not found in Thı̄. Spk: The escape (nissaraṇa) is Nibbāna. With wisdom (paññā): with reviewing knowledge. Spk-pṭ: The intention is: “How much more, then, with the knowledge of the path and fruit?”

  334 In pāda b, khandhāsam should be resolved khandhā esam. Spk glosses khandhā tesam. See above n. 209 and EV II, n. to 58.

  335 Thı̄-a 64 identifies her as the daughter of King Bimbisāra’s chaplain. Two verses here = Thı̄ 60-61, also ascribed to Somā, but the third verse differs in the two sources. For the background, see Commentary on the Verses, pp. 87-90.

  336 Spk: That state (ṭhāna): arahantship. With her two-fingered wisdom (dvaṅgulapaññāya): with limited wisdom (parittapaññāya ); or else this is said of women because they cut the thread while holding the cotton ball between two fingers. Spk-pṭ and Thı̄-a 65 offer a different explanation: “From the age of seven on they are always testing whether the rice is cooked by taking grains out from the pot and pressing them between two fingers. Therefore they are said to have ‘two-fingered wisdom.’” It should be noted that it is Māra who voices this ancient bias. See too Mvu III 391,19, where we find dvaṅgulaprajñāye strīmātrāye.

  337 Spk: When knowledge flows on steadily (ñāṇamhi vattamānamhi ): while the knowledge of the attainment of fruition is occurring (phalasamāpattiñāṇe pavattamāne). As one sees correctly into Dhamma (sammā dhammam vipassato): seeing into the Dhamma of the four truths, or into the five aggregates that form the object of insight in the preliminary phase of practice.Spk-pṭ: By mentioning the occurrence of the knowledge of fruition attainment, the commentator shows that she has been dwelling in nondelusion regarding the four truths (catūsu saccesu asammohavihāro). Seeing into (vipassantassa ; or, “seeing with insight”): for one seeing distinctly by the penetration of nondelusion; for one seeing into the five aggregates themselves in the preliminary portion (of the practice) prior to the breakthrough to the truths (asammohapaṭivedhato visesena passantassa khandhapañcakam eva saccābhisamayato pubbabhāge vipassantassa).

  Spk explains in terms of the knowledge of fruition attainment because Somā, being already an arahant, would have been dwelling in the concentration of fruition. In elucidating vipassantassa, Spk-pṭ, in the first clause, connects the word with the realization of the Four Noble Truths on the occasion of the supramundane path; in the second, it takes the word as signifying vipassanā in the technical sense of the preparatory work of insight meditation that leads to the path and fruition.

  338 Spk says one entertains such thoughts on account of craving, conceit, and views. In pāda c, I read with Ee1 & 2 asmī ti, as against Be and Se aññasmim. Strangely, though it delivers the coup de grace to Māra, this verse is without a parallel in Thı̄.

  339 Spk recapitulates the popular story of her search for the mustard seeds to bring her dead son back to life, told in greater detail at Dhp-a II 270-75; see BL 2:257-60 and Commentary on the Verses, pp. 222-24. Her verses at Thı̄ 213-23 do not correspond to the verses here.

  340 Pādas ab read: Accantam mataputtāmhi/Purisā etadantikā. A pun seems to be intended between two senses of being “past the death of sons.” I translate in accordance with the paraphrase of Spk: “I have ‘gotten past the death of sons’ as one for whom the death of a son is over and done with. Now I will never again undergo the death of a son…. The ending of the death of sons is itself the ending of men. Now it is impossible for me to seek a man.” Etadantikā occurs too at Thı̄ 138b.

  341 The first couplet is common in Thı̄, found at vv. 59, 142, 195, 203, 235, etc. Spk elaborates: “The delight of craving has been destroyed for me in regard to all the aggregates, sense bases, elements, kinds of existence, modes of origin, destinations, stations, and abodes. The mass of ignorance has been broken up by knowledge.”

  342 Thı̄-a 156 says that in lay life she had been a friend of Khemā, the chief consort of King Bimbisāra. When she heard that Khemā had gone forth under the Buddha, she visited her and was so inspired by their conversation that she too decided to take ordination. Khemā became her preceptor. See Commentary on the Verses, pp. 204-6. Her verses are at Thı̄ 169-74. While the verses here are not among them, interestingly vv. 528 and 530 (with minor differences) are found among Khemā’s verses, Thı̄ 139 and 140.

  343 Spk enumerates the five instruments: ātata, vitata, ātatavitata, susira, ghana. Spk-pṭ explains ātata as an instrument with one surface covered by skin, such as a kettle drum (kumbha); vitata, an instrument with two surfaces covered w
ith skins, such as the bheri and mudiṅga drums; ātatavitata , an instrument with a head covered with skin and bound with strings, such as a lute (vīṇā); susira, wind instruments, include flutes, conches, and horns; and ghana is the class of percussion instruments (excluding drums), such as cymbals, tambourines, and gongs.

  344 Though three eds. read in pāda c bhindanena, Ee2 and SS have bhindarena, which perhaps points to an historical reading bhidurena. The Thı̄ counterpart, v. 140, has āturena, but Thı̄ 35a contains the phrase bhiduro kāyo. Both bhindana and bhidura are glossed identically in their respective commentaries as bhijjanasabhāva, “subject to breaking up.”

  345 Spk: Pāda a refers to the form realm, pāda b to the formless realm, and pāda c to the eight mundane meditative attainments. By the mention of the two higher realms, the sensory realm is also implied. Hence she says, “everywhere the darkness of ignorance has been dispelled.”

  346 She was the foremost among the bhikkhunı̄s in the exercise of supernormal powers (iddhi), to which she testifies in vv. 534-35. Her verses are at Thı̄ 224-35. Vv. 532-35 correspond to Thı̄ 230-33, but with significant differences. Thı̄ 234 is identical with v. 521 here ascribed to Āḷavikā.