The Connected Discourses of the Buddha

by Bhikkhu Bodhi

  631 Spk: For the most part, it is said, the battles between the devas and the asuras take place behind the great ocean. Often the asuras are defeated, and when they are fleeing from the devas, as they pass the hermitages of seers, they destroy their halls and walkways, etc.; for they believe that the seers are partial to Sakka and give him the counsel that leads to their defeat. Since the seers can repair the damaged facilities only with difficulty, when they heard that a battle was about to take place they realized they needed a guarantee of safety.The identity of Sambara is problematic. Spk identifies him with Vepacitti (see n. 633), but C.Rh.D points out (at KS 1:305, n. 4) that 11:23 suggests the two are distinct, Sambara having been Vepacitti’s predecessor as lord of the asuras. MW states that Śambara is a demon often mentioned in the Ṛgveda; he was slain by Indra. For further discussion, see below n. 665.

  632 Pāda c should be divided as in Be & Ee2: Kāmaṅkaro hi te dātuṃ. Spk glosses kāmaṅkaro with icchitakaro and paraphrases: “If you want to give safety, you are able to give safety; if you want to give danger, you are able to give danger.”

  633 Spk: As soon as he fell asleep, he woke up howling as though he had been struck from all sides by a hundred spears. The other asuras came to inquire about his health and were still consoling him when dawn arrived. From then on his mind became sick and trembled (cittaṃ vepati); hence his other name, “Vepacitti,” arose. Vepati is not in PED, but see MW, s.v. vip > vepate. Spk-pṭ glosses vepati with kampati pavedhati.

  634 Spk glosses samattāni with paripuṇṇāni and samādinnāni with gahitāni. Evidently Spk assumes that samatta here is equivalent to Skt samāpta. But the participle samatta can represent either Skt samāpta or samātta, and from its placement before samādinnāni in the present passage, I take samattāni in the latter sense. Both samatta and samādinna are alternative past participle formations of sam + ā + dā. PED does not mention this derivation, but only that from Skt samāpta (and from Skt samasta, not relevant here). For the derivation from samātta, see Nidd I 289,16-18; for the derivation from samāpta, see Nidd I 65,9-11.

  635 Although the form yācayoga prevails in the Pāli textual tradition, it is likely that the original compound was yājayoga, recognized as a v.l. at Vism 224,11-12 (Ppn 7:112). I translate on the basis of this reading, which means literally “devoted to sacrifice,” a brahmanical notion reinterpreted by the Buddha to mean self-sacrifice through the practice of charity (see vv. 395-96). Since charity (yāja) is directed to supplicants (yācaka), the variant yācayoga could have arisen through substitution of object for act; see GD, p. 241, n. to p. 87,2.

  636 Spk (to 11:13) briefly relates how Sakka, in his existence as the brahmin youth Magha, went about performing deeds of merit at the head of a band of thirty-three friends. Having fulfilled his seven vows, he was reborn after death in the Tāvatiṃsa heaven along with his friends. Hence the name Tāvatiṃsa, “(heaven) of the thirty-three.” See Dhp-a I 265-72; BL 1:315-19. Ja No. 31 tells the same story with the Bodhisatta—the future Buddha Gotama—in the role of Magha and reborn as Sakka.

  637 I read with Se and Ee1 & 2 pure pure dānaṃ adāsi tasmā Purindado ti vuccati. Be has pure only once. MW (s.v. pur > puraṃ) gives puraṃda and puraṃdara as names of Indra; both mean “destroyer of strongholds.” This explanation, and the following three, depend on puns almost impossible to reproduce in English.

  638 Sakkaccaṃ dānaṃ adāsi tasmā Sakko ti vuccati.

  639 The story of the rest house (āvasatha) is at Dhp-a I 269-70; BL 1:317-18.

  640 Sahassam pi atthānaṃ muhuttena cinteti tasmā Sahassakkho ti vuccati. Spk: Standing upon a single word propounded in regard to a thousand people or a thousand statements, he decides, “This one has need of this, that one has need of that.” Spk-pṭ: He has a thousand wisdom-eyes.

  641 The story of how Sakka won the hand of Sujā, Vepacitti’s daughter, is told at Dhp-a I 278-79 (see BL 1:323), and Ja I 206.

  642 Spk says that this pauper was the leper Suppabuddha, whose story is told at Ud 48-50 and, more elaborately with several variations, in Spk. According to the Spk version, in an earlier life he had been a king of Bārāṇası̄ who had spitefully reviled an aged paccekabuddha. As a kammic result he was reborn in hell and then, through the residue of the evil kamma, as a poor leper in Rājagaha. One day, on his begging rounds, he heard the Buddha preach and attained stream-entry. Shortly afterwards he was killed by a wild cow and was reborn in the Tāvatiṃsa heaven.

  643 Deve tāvatiṃse anunayamāno. Spk does not gloss anunayamāno , but the same expression is at AN I 143,30, where anunayamāno is glossed by Mp II 123,19 (Be; the Ee and Se readings are corrupt) with anubodhayamāno, “making understand.” The participle also occurs in the form anunentī at Thı̄ 514, where it is glossed by Thı̄-a 267, 8-9 with saññāpentī, “convincing.”

  644 Spk explains faith as faith arrived at via the path (maggen′ āgatasaddhā). Good conduct built on virtue (sīlaṃ kalyāṇaṃ) is the noble disciple’s “virtue dear to the noble ones” (ariyakantasīla), one of the four factors of stream-entry (55:1), which the stream-enterer does not abandon even in a future existence.

  645 Spk: Each year the people of Aṅga and Magadha used to assemble and offer a grand sacrifice of their best ghee, honey, molasses, etc., to Mahābrahmā. Out of compassion Sakka appeared before them in the guise of Mahābrahmā, led them to the Buddha, and asked him a question about the most fruitful type of sacrifice.

  646 In pāda c, opadhikaṃ puññaṃ, which I render loosely as “merit of the mundane type,” is explained by Spk as merit that ripens in the acquisitions (upadhivipākaṃ puññaṃ), that is, good kamma that leads to rebirth. See the expression puññabhāgiyā upadhivepakkā at MN III 72,6 foll.

  647 The four practising the way are those on the four paths—of stream-entry, once-returning, nonreturning, and arahantship. The four established in the fruit are those who, by developing the respective paths, have attained the four corresponding fruits. The past participle samāhito in pāda d might be understood to mean either “endowed with” or “concentrated,” the latter representing the samādhi division of the path. I have taken it in the former sense, following v. 265a, where sīlasamāhitā is glossed by Spk: sīlena samāhitā samupetā.

  648 Spk: Your burden lowered (pannabhāro): He has put down the burden of the aggregates, the defilements, and the volitional formations. The fifteenth of the bright lunar fortnight is the full-moon night.

  649 The verse is identical with his entreaty at v. 560. Neither Spk nor Spk-pṭ explains why Brahmā Sahampati corrects Sakka. The reason may be that Sakka praises only those qualities of the Buddha that he shares with other arahants, while Brahmā addresses him in his role as satthā, the Teacher and Master of the dispensation. The same exchange of verses, between Śakra and Mahābrahmā, is recorded at Mvu III 315-16, but set at the Goatherd’s Banyan Tree in the period immediately following the Buddha’s enlightenment; see Jones, 3:304-5.

  650 Yassa dāni kālaṃ maññasi. See Manné, “On a Departure Formula and its Translation.” The expression also occurs at 35:88 (IV 62,31), 35:243 (IV 183,15, 30), 44:1 (IV 379,29), 54:9 (V 321,16-17), and 55:6 (V 348,27); I have varied the rendering slightly to fit the context.

  651 Those versed in the Triple Veda are the brahmins; the Four Great Kings are the four divine rulers of the lowest sense-sphere heaven; the glorious Thirty are the presiding devas of the Tāvatiṃsa heaven. The word rendered “spirit” is yakkha, used in a broad sense without specific reference to the demonic spirits.

  652 Brahmacariyaparāyaṇe. Spk does not explain the exact sense, but I interpret it as a compressed way of saying “those living the holy life that has Nibbāna as its destination.” See 48:42 (V 218,21): brahmacariyaṃ vussati nibbānaparāyaṇaṃ .

  653 Spk explains of perfect name (anomanāmaṃ) in pāda c thus: “He is of perfect name on account of names that indicate all his excell
ent qualities, for he is not deficient in any excellent quality.” See v. 148a and n. 99.

  654 The verse has five pādas. Pādas ab read: ye rāgadosavinayā avijjāsamatikkamā, which Spk paraphrases: “by the transcendence of ignorance, the root of the round, which conceals the four truths” (catusaccapaṭicchādikāya vaṭṭamūlakaavijjāya samatikkamena ) . The same lines appeared at v. 764ab, where, as referring to an arahant, they were v. 764ab, where, as referring to an arahant, they were appropriately translated as ablative in force. However, despite Spk’s paraphrase, this would not be suitable in relation to trainees (sekha), who have not yet fully removed the lust for existence or transcended all ignorance. I have therefore translated them as truncated datives.Dismantling (apacaya) means the undoing of the process that sustains the round of existence. At 22:79 (III 89,22-24) it is said that the noble disciple in training is dismantling the five aggregates, while the arahant (III 90,11) abides having dismantled them (apacinitvā ṭhito). See too MN III 288,30.

  655 Stuck in a putrid body (pūtidehasayā). Spk: This is said because they stay within the putrid body of the mother (during the fetal stage) or because they are stuck within their own body.Those submerged inside a corpse. I read this line as in Be (in both text and the lemma of Spk) as nimuggā kuṇapamhete, with the indirect object a locative singular. Se reads kuṇapasmete, using an alternative form of the locative singular. Ee1 & 2, however, and Spk (Se) in the lemma read the line with the locative plural kuṇapesv ete. Spk explains: “These are submerged for ten months in a corpse, namely, in the mother’s womb.” Despite this comment, it seems more likely that the reference is to the individual’s own living body.

  656 Vv. 934-35 correspond in part to Thı̄ 282-83. I take vv. 935-36 to be two verses of six pādas each (as in Se and Ee2) rather than three verses of four pādas each (as in Be).

  657 I read pāda a differently from the four eds., na te saṃ koṭṭhe osenti (the reading at Thı̄ 283; Ee2 correctly separates te and saṃ but has openti). Spk explains: na te saṃ santakaṃ dhaññaṃ koṭṭhe pakkhipanti; “they do not place their own goods, property, grain in storage.” Saṃ thus has the sense of “own goods”; see EV I, n. to 743 and EV II, n. to 283. The gloss on the verb, pakkhipanti, establishes that we should read osenti rather than openti, the prevalent reading. Thı̄-a 208,21-22 glosses: na openti na paṭisāmetvā ṭhapenti tādisassa pariggahassa abhāvato; “they do not deposit, do not pack up and put away, owing to the absence of any such possession.” The corresponding verb at Mvu III 453 is osaranti, which Jones suggests might be amended to osārenti. Jones is also aware of the Pāli form osāpenti. See too nn. 223 and 542 above.In pāda c, Thı̄ 283 reads pariniṭṭhitam as does the text and lemma of Thı̄-a. Norman prefers the latter by comparison with a similar verse in a Jain text (see EV II, n. to 283), but the explanations in both Thı̄-a and Spk support paraniṭṭhitam, the reading in all eds. of SN. Spk: Seeking what has been prepared by others (paraniṭṭhitam esānā): seeking out, searching out, by the practice of the alms round, food prepared by others, cooked in others’ homes (paresaṃ niṭṭhitaṃ paraghare pakkaṃ bhikkhācāravattena esamānā gavesamānā; I take the genitive paresaṃ here in an instrumental sense, which the context implies).

  Spk explains pāda e: Who give good counsel (sumantamantino ): They utter well-spoken words, saying “We will recite the Dhamma, undertake an ascetic practice, enjoy the Deathless, do the work of an ascetic.” Maintaining silence, of even faring (tuṇhībhūtā samañcarā): Even though they might speak the Dhamma with a voice as loud as thunder through the three watches of the night, they are still said to be “maintaining silence, of even faring.” Why so? Because they avoid all useless talk.

  658 Spk: He was a dwarf the colour of a burnt stump and with a pot belly. He sat down on Sakka’s Yellowstone Throne (paṇḍukambalasilā; see Dhp-a I273,9-12; BL 1:320). It is said that he was actually a brahmā from the form realm. Having heard about Sakka’s patience, he came in order to test him; for it is impossible for any malevolent spirit (avaruddhaka-yakkha) to infiltrate a place so well guarded.

  659 Spk: Sakka had heard from the devas: “It is impossible to make that yakkha budge by harsh means, but if one assumes a humble manner and remains firm in patience, one can get him to leave.” Thus he adopted this tactic.

  660 Spk states that su, in pāda a, is a mere indeclinable (nipātamattaṃ), and thus we should resolve the compound: su upahatacitto ’mhi. Spk-pṭ: Sakka speaks of his own nature thus, ʺBecause of the presence in me of patience, love, and sympathy, I am not afflicted in mind against others.”Pāda b is read in Be and Se as nāvattena suvānayo (Ee1: nāvaṭṭena suvānayo; Ee2: n’ āvaṭṭe na suvānayo). Spk: He states: “I am not easily drawn by anger’s whirl; I am not easily brought under the control of anger.” Pādas cd allude to the seventh of Sakka’s vows (see 11:11). Spk explains that vo in pāda c is an indeclinable. Suvānayo is also at v. 507b, where lust (rāga) rather than anger is the lure.

  661 I read pādas ab with Be and Ee1 & 2 : Kuddhāhaṃ na pharusaṃ brūmi/Na ca dhammāni kittaye. Se omits the na in pāda a, apparently out of concern for the metre, but the metre can be preserved with na if we assume resolution of the fourth syllable. Neither Spk nor Spk-pṭ offers any help with the meaning. VĀT proposes, “And I do not speak on Dhamma matters,” but at Ja V 172,23 and 221,27 we find satañ ca dhammāni sukittitāni, “the well-proclaimed qualities of the good,” which suggests that here too the rare neuter plural dhammāni refers to personal virtues, not to spiritual teachings.

  662 Spk: He was afflicted with the illness that arose at the time he was cursed by the group of seers; see vv. 902-3.

  663 Sambarimāyā. MW has two relevant listings: śambaramāyā = sorcery, magic; and śāmbarī = jugglery, sorcery, illusion (as practised by the daitya Śambara).

  664 Spk paraphrases: “Even without the Sambari magic Sakka oppresses us, but if he learns it we are lost. Don’t destroy us for the sake of your own personal welfare.”

  665 As C.Rh.D points out (at KS 1:305, n. 4), in this verse Vepacitti makes a distinction between Sambara and himself. Even though Spk identifies the two, the commentator does not seem to be bothered by the discrepancy but paraphrases the verse: “Just as Sambara, lord of the asuras, a magician who practised magic, was tortured in hell for a hundred years, so one who applies his magic is tortured.” Spk-pṭ offers some further help with Sambara: “Sambara was the former head of the asuras, the originator (ādipurisa ) of the asura magic.”Spk continues: “Was Sakka able to cure him of his anger? Yes, he was able. How? At that time, it is said, the group of seers was still living. Therefore Sakka would have brought him to them and made him apologize, and he would then have become healthy. But because of his perverse nature (vañcitattā) he did not comply but simply left.”

  666 According to monastic discipline (Vin I 54), if one bhikkhu offends against another he should apologize, and the latter should accept his apology.

  667 Spk offers alternative explanations of pāda b: mā ca mittehi vo jarā. “Here, hi is a mere indeclinable, and the sense is: ‘Do not let decay be produced in your friendliness (tumhākaṃ mittadhamme jarā nāma mā nibbatti).’ Or else mittehi is an instrumental used with a locative sense, that is: ‘Do not let decay be produced among your friends (mittesu vo jarā mā nibbatti).’ The meaning is: ‘Do not let deterioration be produced in your friendships.’” It is likely that mittehi here is a vestigial Eastern form of the locative plural; see Geiger, Pāli Grammar, §80.3.

  668 Spk: Nonanger (akkodha) is lovingkindness (mettā) and the preliminary phase of lovingkindness; harmlessness (avihiṃsā) is compassion (karuṇā) and the preliminary phase of compassion.

  Part II

  The Book of Causation

  (Nidānavagga)

  Introduction

  The Nidānavagga, The Book of Causation, is named after its first saṃyutta, one of the deep royal
saṃyuttas setting forth the radical philosophical vision of early Buddhism. The Vagga contains ten saṃyuttas, of which the first takes up almost half the volume. The other nine deal with less weighty topics, though it is possible the Dhātusaṃyutta, which is also devoted to first principles of Buddhist phenomenology, was intentionally included in the Vagga as a “junior partner” to the Nidānasaṃyutta. While this hypothesis must remain unconfirmable, what is beyond doubt is that with this Vagga we enter upon a very different terrain from that traversed in the Sagāthāvagga, a terrain where precise philosophical exposition takes priority over literary grace, inspirational charm, and moral edification.

  Having used the expression “precise philosophical exposition,” however, I must at once qualify it in two respects. First, the word “philosophical” applies to the contents of these saṃyuttas only in the sense that they articulate a body of first principles which disclose the deep underlying structures of actuality, not in the sense that they set out to construct a systematic edifice of thought whose primary appeal is to the intellect. Their disclosures always take place within the framework laid out by the Four Noble Truths, which makes it clear that their primary intent is pragmatic, directed towards the cessation of suffering. They are expounded, not to delineate an intellectually satisfying system of ideas, but to make known those aspects of actuality, deep and hidden, that must be penetrated by wisdom to eradicate the ignorance at the bottom of existential suffering. The suttas are guidelines to seeing and understanding, signposts pointing to what one must see for oneself with direct insight. To regard their themes as topics for intellectual entertainment and argumentation is to miss the point.