248 Spk: Since it is contingent upon Nibbāna (nibbānaṃ āgamma) that desire and lust are removed and abandoned, Nibbāna is the escape from it.
249 Spk: In this sutta the Four Noble Truths are discussed. The gratification (assāda) in the four elements is the truth of the origin; the danger (ādīnava) is the truth of suffering; the escape (nissaraṇa) is the truth of cessation; the path that understands the escape is the truth of the path.
250 Throughout I read with Se and Ee cetovimutti as against Be vimutti. Spk: The knowledge arose, “This liberation of mine by the fruit of arahantship is unshakable.” Its unshakable-ness can be understood through the cause and through the object. It is unshakable through the cause because there can be no return of the defilements eradicated by the four paths. It is unshakable through the object because it occurs taking the unshakable state, Nibbāna, as object.
251 Vimariyādikatena cetasā. Spk: The barriers (mariyādā) are twofold: the barriers of defilements and the barriers of the round of existence. Here, because of the abandoning of both, it is said that they dwell with a mind rid of barriers.
252 Spk: It is pleasurable in that it is a condition for pleasant feeling.
253 There is a lack of symmetry between the two clauses in this statement: the first strings together four terms: uppādo ṭhiti abhinibbatti pātubhāvo, but the sequel exemplifies only three, omitting abhinibbatti. This is done consistently whenever this “template” is applied, as at 22:30 and 35:21-22.15. Anamataggasaṃyutta
254 Anamataggo ’yaṃ bhikkhave saṃsāro. Spk resolves anamatagga into anu amatagga, explaining: “Even if it should be pursued by knowledge for a hundred or a thousand years, it would be with unthought-of beginning, with unknown beginning (vassasataṃ vassasahassaṃ ñāṇena anugantvā pi amataggo aviditaggo). It wouldn’t be possible to know its beginning from here or from there; the meaning is that it is without a delimiting first or last point. Saṃsāra is the uninterruptedly occurring succession of the aggregates, etc. (khandhādīnaṃ avicchinnappavattā paṭipāṭi).”The BHS equivalent of anamatagga is anavarāgra (e.g., at Mvu I 34,7), “without lower or upper limit.” For various explanations, see CPD, s.v. an-amat’-agga.
255 Spk: The four great oceans delimited by the rays of Mount Sineru. For Sineru’s eastern slope is made of silver, its southern slope of jewels, its western slope of crystal, and its northern slope of gold. From the eastern and southern slopes rays of silver and jewels come forth, merge, traverse the surface of the ocean, and reach right up to the mountains that encircle the world-sphere; and so too with the rays coming forth from the other slopes. The four great oceans are situated between those rays.
256 Kappa. Apparently a mahākappa is intended, the length of time needed for a world system to arise, develop, and perish. Each mahākappa consists of four asaṅkheyyakappas, periods of expansion, stabilization, contraction, and dissolution: see AN II 142,15-28.
257 Kāsikena vatthena. Although this is often understood to be silk, Spk explains it to be an extremely delicate cloth made of thread spun from three fibres of cotton.
258 Reading, with Be and Se, ananussaritā va. Ee anussaritā va should be amended.
259 The simile is also at 56:33.
260 The sutta, including the verses, is also at It 17-18.
261 Spk: For these beings, the times when they are born as invertebrates is greater than the times when they are born as vertebrates; for when they become creatures such as worms, etc., they have no bones. But when they become fish and tortoises, etc., their bones are numerous. Therefore, skipping over the time when they are invertebrates and the time when they have extremely numerous bones, only the time when they have a moderate number of bones (samaṭṭhikakālo va) should be taken.
262 The same group of bhikkhus provided the occasion for the Buddha to institute the offering of the kaṭhina robe at the end of the Vassa, the annual rains residence; see Vin I 253-54. Forest dwelling, etc., are four of the ascetic practices (dhutaṅga). Spk: Yet all were still with fetters (sabbe sasaṃyojanā): Some were stream-enterers, some oncereturners, some nonreturners, but among them there were no worldlings or arahants.
263 On the variations in the human life span during the epochs of the different Buddhas, see DN II 3,28-4,5. DN III 68-76 explains how the life span of humans will decline still further as a result of moral degeneration until it reaches a low of ten years, after which it will increase until it reaches 80,000 years in the time of the future Buddha Metteyya.
264 Spk says that the text should not be interpreted to mean that the life span gradually decreased from Kakusandha’s age directly to that of Koṇāgamana’s. Rather, the life span after Kakusandha’s parinibbāna continually decreased until it reached the minimum of ten years, then it increased to an incalculable (asaṅkheyya), and then decreased again until it reached 30,000 years, at which time Koṇāgamana arose in the world. The same pattern applies to the subsequent cases, including that of Metteyya (see n. 263).
265 Also at 6:15 (I, v. 609). See too v. 21 and I, n. 20.16. Kassapasaṃyutta
266 Spk discusses a threefold typology of contentment (santosa ): (i) contentment that accords with one’s gains (yathālābhasantosa), i.e., remaining content with any gains, whether fine or coarse; (ii) contentment that accords with one’s ability (yathābalasantosa), i.e., remaining content with whatever one needs to sustain one’s health; and (iii) contentment that accords with suitability (yathāsāruppasantosa ), i.e., disposing of any luxury items received and retaining only the simplest and most basic requisites. A translation of the full passage—from the parallel commentary to the Sāmaññaphala Sutta (Sv I 206-8)—may be found in Bodhi, Discourse on the Fruits of Recluseship, pp. 134-37. Various types of wrong search (anesanā) are discussed at Vism 22-30 (Ppn 1:60-84).
267 Spk: If he does not get a robe: If he does not get a robe he does not become agitated (na paritassati) like one who, failing to get a robe, becomes frightened and agitated and associates with meritorious bhikkhus, thinking “How can I get a robe?” Seeing the danger (ādīnavadassāvī): the danger of an offence in improper search and of use while being tied to it. Understanding the escape (nissaraṇapañña): he uses it knowing the escape stated in the formula, “Only for warding off cold,” etc. (On the formulas for the four requisites, see MN I 10,4-20, with detailed analysis at Vism 30-35; Ppn 1:85-97) This passage (and the parallels in regard to the other requisites excluding medicines) is found in the Ariyavaṃsa Sutta in a description of the ideal ascetic monk (AN II 27-29).
268 Kassapena vā hi vo bhikkhave ovadissāmi yo vā pan’ assa Kassapasadiso. Spk makes it clear that yo … Kassapasadiso should be construed as instrumental in force, parallel to Kassapena: “He exhorts by the example of Kassapa when he says, ‘As the Elder Mahākassapa is content with the four requisites, so too should you be.’ He exhorts by one who is similar to Kassapa when he says, ‘If there should be anyone else here who is similar to Kassapa—that is, like the Elder Mahākassapa—in being content with the four requisites, you should be so too.’”
269 Tathattāya paṭipajjitabbaṃ. Spk: (He says:) “‘In this sutta on contentment the Perfectly Enlightened One’s responsibility (bhāra) is explaining the practice of effacement (sallekhācāra ), while our responsibility is to fulfil it by the fulfilment of the practice. Let us accept the responsibility entrusted to us’—having reflected thus, you should practise accordingly, as explained by me.”
270 Spk explains not ardent (anātāpī) as devoid of the energy that burns up (ātapati) defilements, and unafraid of wrongdoing (anottappī) as devoid of fear over the arising of defilements and the nonarising of wholesome qualities. Both words are derived from the same root, tap, to burn. Spk explains anuttara yogakkhema as arahantship, so called because it is secure from the four bonds (yoga; see 45:172). See too I, n. 463.
271 The four parts of this reflection correspond to the four aspects of right effort (see 45:8) or the four right kinds of striving (see 49:1-12).
; 272 Spk: “As the moon, gliding across the sky, does not form intimacy, affection, or attachment with anyone, nor give rise to fondness, longing, and obsession, yet remains dear and agreeable to the multitude, so you too should not form intimacy, etc., with anyone; then, by doing so, you will approach families like the moon, dear and agreeable to the multitude. Further, as the moon dispels darkness and emits light, so you will dispel the darkness of defilements and emit the light of knowledge.”Spk explains apakassa as an absolutive, equivalent to apakassitvā and glossed apanetvā, “having pulled away.” A bhikkhu draws back the body when he lives in a forest abode (rather than a village temple) and draws back the mind when he refrains from sensual thoughts and other harmful mental states.
273 Spk: This is a unique phrase (asambhinnapada) in the Word of the Buddha preserved in the Tipiṭaka. Spk-pṭ: For nowhere else has this phrase, “The Blessed One waved his hand in space,” been recorded.
274 This is a self-serving thought. The bhikkhu wants to see the bhikkhus receive offerings and the lay followers “make merit” by offering gifts to them. The bhikkhu who is elated over the gains of others has the virtue of altruistic joy (muditā); he does not become envious when others are chosen to receive gifts rather than himself.
275 Pasannākāraṃ kareyyuṃ. This idiom also occurs below at 20:9 (II 269,24, 33) and at MN III 131,30-31 and III 144,18-19. A pasannākāraṃ (lit. “a mode of the confident”) is a gift given as an expression of appreciation. The hiatus in Ee should be closed up. Spk: “May they give the requisites, a robe and so forth!”
276 Kāruññaṃ paṭicca anudayaṃ paṭicca anukampaṃ upādāya. I generally translate both karuṇā (of which kāruññaṃ is a cognate) and anukampā as “compassion.” This is usually successful as the two seldom occur together, but the present passage is a rare exception; thus I use “tender concern” as a makeshift for anukampā. Spk glosses anudaya with rakkhaṇabhāva (the protective state) and anukampā with muducittatā (tender-heartedness), and says that both terms are synonymous with kāruññaṃ. In the next paragraph, where the same statement is applied to Kassapa, Ee has omitted a line (at II 200,3), apparently by oversight: … paresaṃ dhammaṃ deseti; kāruññaṃ paṭicca.…
277 Kulūpaka. Spk: One who goes to the homes of families. As will be seen at 20:9, 10, this could be dangerous for monks who were not inwardly strong enough to resist the temptations posed by intimate association with lay people.
278 Spk: Kassapa’s robes are said to be worn-out (nibbasana) because the Blessed One, having worn them, had discarded them. (See below 16:11; II 221,15-25.)The Buddha is apparently requesting Mahākassapa to abandon three of the ascetic practices—wearing rag-robes, eating only food collected on alms round, and living in the forest. The Buddha himself wore robes offered by householders, accepted invitations to meals, and dwelt in town monasteries; see MN II 7-8. According to Spk, the Buddha did not really intend to make Kassapa give up his ascetic practices, but rather “just as a drum does not give off a sound unless it is struck, so such persons do not roar their lion’s roar unless they are ‘struck.’ Thus he spoke to him in this way intending to make him roar his lion’s roar.”
279 This is Mahākassapa’s lion’s roar; see too MN I 214,1-17, where Kassapa describes the ideal monk in the same terms. The first four items are ascetic practices; the next five, virtues nurtured by observance of these practices. At AN I 23,20 the Buddha declares Mahākassapa the foremost among his bhikkhu disciples who are proponents of the ascetic practices, as is clear too from 14:15 above.
280 Reading with Se: App’ eva nāma pacchimā janatā diṭṭhānugatiṃ āpajjeyya. Be and Ee have the plural āpajjeyyuṃ. At KS 2:136 this is rendered: “For surely these [those who will come after us] may fall into error.” The translator here evidently understands diṭṭhānugati as resolvable into diṭṭhi + anugati, with diṭṭhi meaning wrong view. Spk and Spk-pṭ are silent, but I find it more plausible to take the first part of the compound as the past participle diṭṭha, “the seen” in the sense of an example or role model. This interpretation can claim support from the use of the idiom at AN I 126,19-20, 127,22-23; III 108,5-6, 251,8, and 422,10, 19. See too MLDB, n. 57.
281 Spk: He says this in order to appoint Mahākassapa to his own position. But weren’t Sāriputta and Mahāmoggallāna around? They were, but he thought: “They will not live much longer, but Kassapa will live until the age of 120. After my parinibbāna he will hold a recital of the Dhamma and the Vinaya in the Sattapaṇṇī Cave, and he will enable my Dispensation to endure for a full 5,000 years. Let me appoint him to my own position; then the bhikkhus will think he should be heeded.” Despite this remark of Spk, it should be noted that the Buddha expressly refused to appoint a personal successor; instead he instructed the Saṅgha that the Dhamma and the Vinaya should represent him after his passing (DN II 154,4-8).
282 Dovacassakaraṇehi dhammehi samannāgatā: for a list of such qualities, see MN I 95,18-96,16.
283 The following, slightly expanded and including the simile of the moon, is also at AN V 123,10-124,19, ascribed to Sāriputta. There too the Buddha approves of the disciple’s statement and repeats it in full.
284 I read with Ee: evaṃ hi taṃ Kassapa sammā vadamāno vadeyya upaddutā brahmacārī brahmacārūpaddavena abhibhavanā brahmacārī brahmacārabhibhavanenā ti. Se differs only in reading vadanto for vadamāno. Be, however, has etarahi taṃ Kassapa sammā vadamāno vadeyya upaddutā brahmacārī brahmacārūpaddavena abhipatthanā brahmacārī brahmacāri-abhipatthanenā ti. This version, I suspect, arose by substituting the commentarial gloss for the original. It seems that in Se and Ee the sense requires, in place of the first abhibhavanā, the past participle abhibhūtā (or adhibhūta), though no edition available to me has this reading. On how gain and honour ruin those who live the holy life, see MN III 116,22-117,13.Spk (Se): They are ruined by the ruination of those who lead the holy life, namely, excessive desire and lust for the four requisites. Vanquishment is excessive longing (abhibhavanā ti adhimattapatthanā). By the vanquishing of those who lead the holy life: by the state of the four requisites that consists in the excessive longing of those who lead the holy life (brahmacārabhibhavanenā ti brahmacārīnaṃ adhimattapatthanāsaṅkhātena catupaccayabhāvena). Se has a note here to the gloss: Evaṃ sabbattha. Catupaccayābhibhavena iti bhavitabbaṃ .
285 In MLDB cetovimutti pañnāvimutti is translated “deliverance of mind and deliverance by wisdom,” as if the two terms were separate items standing in conjunction. I now think it better to omit the conjunctive particle (which is not in the Pāli) and to treat the two terms as a dual designation for what is essentially the same state. Spk explains cetovimutti as the concentration of the fruit of arahantship (arahattaphalasamādhi), paññāvimutti as the wisdom of the fruit of arahantship (arahattaphalapaññā).
286 From the absence of any reference to the Blessed One in the introduction it is likely that this sutta takes place after his parinibbāna. Spk supports this supposition (see following note), as does Ānanda’s use of the vocative bhante when addressing Mahākassapa. Before the Buddha expired the monks used to address one another as āvuso, “friend” (see DN II 154,9-15).Spk: Ānanda asked him to come to the bhikkhunīs’ quarters in order to inspire them and to explain a meditation subject, thinking they would place faith in the talk of the disciple who was the Buddha’s counterpart (buddhapaṭibhāga-sāvaka ).
287 Spk: He was not involved with building work, etc., but the four assemblies would come to the Elder Ānanda lamenting over the Buddha’s demise and he would be obliged to console them (see 9:5 and I, n. 541).
288 Her name means “Fat Tissā.” Spk glosses vedehimuni with paṇḍitamuni, “wise sage,” explaining: “A wise person endeavours with erudition consisting in knowledge—that is, he does all his tasks—therefore he is called Videhan (paṇḍito hi ñāṇasaṅkhā-tena vedena īhati … tasmā vedeho ti vuccati). He was Videhan and a sage, hence ‘the Videhan sage.’” Ap-a 128,12, however
, offers a more plausible explanation: “Ānanda was called vedehimuni because he was a sage and the son of a mother from the Vedeha country [= Videha] (Vedeharaṭṭhe jātattā Vedehiyā putto).” See I, n. 233.
289 Khamatha bhante Kassapa bālo mātugāmo. I have translated this sentence with complete fidelity to the text, aware that some readers might find the rendering provocative. One consultant told me, “You’ve just lost half your readership,” and suggested I avoid drawing criticism to the translation by rendering bālo mātugāmo as “she is a foolish woman.” To my mind, this would distort the meaning of the Pāli in subservience to current views of gender. I do not see how the sentence could be construed in any other way than I have rendered it. I leave it to the reader to decide whether Ānanda himself could actually have made such a statement or whether it was put into his mouth by the compilers of the canon.
290 Spk: This is what is meant: “Do not let the Saṅgha think, ‘Ānanda restrained the disciple who was the Buddha’s counterpart, but he did not restrain the bhikkhunī. Could there be some intimacy or affection between them?’” He utters the following passage (on his meditative attainments) to demonstrate how he is the Buddha’s counterpart.
The Connected Discourses of the Buddha Page 87