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improper conduct has been conquered. How? "This Verañjā is in famine, but the adjacent villages and towns all around are prosperous with crops bent with fruit, with food easy to obtain. Even so, the Blessed One makes us stay right here, restraining us." Not even one monk had such a thought or vexation. Thus, the famine was conquered, overcome, brought under control. How was greed conquered? "This Verañjā is in famine, but the adjacent villages and towns all around are prosperous with crops bent with fruit, with food easy to obtain. Let us go there and partake!" Not even one monk, out of greed, made a break in the night, or a break in the rains retreat, thinking: "Let us go there for the latter part of the rains." Thus, greed was conquered. How was improper conduct conquered? "This Verañjā is in famine, and these people, even though we stay for two or three months, do not think much of us. What if we were to engage in 'virtue-trading,' proclaiming to people about each other: 'Such and such a monk is an obtainer of the first jhāna... ...such and such is endowed with the six supernormal powers,' and thus, having taken care of our stomachs, afterwards establish our virtue?" Not even one monk generated such a desire. Thus, improper conduct was conquered, overcome, brought under control. But in the future, the later generation, sitting in the monastery, even having obtained it with little difficulty, will say: "What is this? Too much rice, too soggy, no salt, too salty, not sour, too sour..." "It is tasteless, what is the meaning of this?" In this way, they will despise the rice with meat, they will make it scorned and disregarded. Or, a country is not always afflicted by famine. Sometimes there is famine, sometimes there is abundance. When it is abundant, then people, pleased by this practice of you good people, will consider that various kinds of rice preparations and meat-rice, such as gruel and solid food, should be given to the bhikkhus. The honor that arises depending on you, the later generation, who are your co-brahmacārīs, will experience it while sitting among you, and will despise it, and will generate pride and disdain because of it. How? "Why is there so much cooked food? Don't you have vessels where you can put your own food and keep it?" The discourse on famine is finished. The Discourse on the Lion's Roar of Mahāmoggallāna 17. Then the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, and so on. "Venerable" is a term of endearment, a term of respect and reverence. "Mahāmoggallāna" means "great" because of his greatness in virtues, and "Moggallāna" by clan, thus Mahāmoggallāna. "He said this" means "he spoke this." Now, it shows the words "Venerable, at this time," and so on. Why did he speak? It is said that the Elder, having gone forth, attained the pinnacle of the knowledge of a disciple's perfection on the seventh day. The Teacher also placed him at the forefront for his great psychic power. Relying on his great psychic power, he thought, "This Verañjā is afflicted by famine, and the bhikkhus are suffering. What if I were to turn over the earth and feed the bhikkhus with earth-pappatakoja?" Then it occurred to him, "If I, while dwelling in the presence of the Blessed One, were to do this without asking the Blessed One, it would not be proper for me; it would be as if I had made a rivalry with the Blessed One." Therefore, wishing to ask, he came and said this to the Blessed One. "The lower layer is rich" means that in the lower layer of the earth, the earth-sphere, the earth-essence There is an earth-wafer, referring to that he speaks. There, 'sampanna' means sweet, 'sādurasa' is the meaning. Just as indeed, "there is a tree with ripe fruit and abundant fruit" (MN 2.48), here the meaning is sweet fruit; similarly here too, 'sampanna' should be understood as sweet, 'sādurasa'. "Just as small honey, unmixed" – this was said as an example to illustrate its sweetness. 'Khuddamadhu' means honey made by small bees. 'Anīḷaka' means without bees, without bee-grubs, pure. This honey, it is said, is the foremost, best, most delicious, and most potent of all honeys. Therefore, he said: "Just as small honey, unmixed, so it will be in taste." "Good, venerable sir" means "Good, I, venerable sir." Here, 'sādhu' is a word of request. Indeed, the Elder, requesting the turning over of the earth, spoke thus to the Blessed One. 'Parivatteyyaṃ' means I would turn it up, I would make the lower surface the upper one. Why? "Because if this is done, the bhikkhus will easily consume the earth-wafer-essence of the earth-disc." Then the Blessed One, though not wishing to grant permission, asked the Elder to make a lion's roar: "But Moggallāna, what will you do with those beings dependent on the earth?" Those beings dependent on the earth, in villages, towns, and so on, when the earth is being turned over, unable to remain in the air, what will you do with them, where will you place them? Then the Elder, revealing his psychic power in accordance with his being placed foremost by the Blessed One, said, "One, venerable sir," and so on. Its meaning is: "I, venerable sir, will create one hand to be like this great earth, I will make it earth-like." "Having done so, those beings dependent on the earth, I will transfer them there, as if transferring beings from one palm to another." Then the Blessed One, rejecting his request, said, "Enough, Moggallāna," and so on. There, 'alaṃ' is a word of rejection. Even beings in perversion... They might acquire even a wrong grasp, beings might reach it. How? Is this earth, or is it not? Or is this village ours, or is it others'? Thus in towns, districts, fields, parks, and so on. Or that is not a perversion, for the domain of power of one with power is inconceivable. But they might acquire such a perversion – this famine, it is not only now, it will be in the future too. Then where will monks find such a powerful fellow-practitioner? Even though they are stream-enterers, once-returners, non-returners, dry-insight practitioners, jhana-attainers, those who have attained analytical knowledge, those whose defilements are destroyed, due to the absence of psychic power, they will approach other families for alms. There, it will occur to people thus – "In the Buddha's time, monks were perfect in their trainings. Having produced these qualities, during famine, they turned the earth over and consumed the earth-skin. But now, there are no perfect practitioners of the training. If there were, they would do the same. They should not give us anything, cooked or raw, to eat." Thus, regarding those very noble individuals, they might acquire this perversion: "There are no noble individuals." And by way of perversion, reviling and blaming the noble ones, they would become destined for the lower realms. Therefore, may it not please you to turn over the earth. Then the elder, not obtaining this request, requesting something else, said, "Good, Venerable Sir," and so on. And the Blessed One, rejecting that too, said, "Enough, Moggallāna," and so on. Although it is not said there, "beings might acquire a perversion," yet it should be understood in the way stated before; and its meaning should be understood as similar to what was stated. But if the Blessed One were to permit it, what would the elder do? Having resolved on a mere outline that the great ocean should be crossed with a single stride, having drawn a path from Naḷeru-pucimanda towards Uttarakuru, he would make Uttarakuru a place complete with coming and going, and show it, so that monks like a village for alms, they might enter for alms and depart at will. Here ends the Discourse on Mahāmoggallāna’s Lion’s Roar. Description of the Discourse on the Request for Vinaya Enactments 18. Now, the Venerable Upāli, in order to show the origin of the Vinaya enactments from the very beginning, and presenting the thought that arose in the Elder Sāriputta concerning the training rules, said, “Then the Venerable Sāriputta…” and so on. Therein, “rahogatassa” means “who had gone to a solitary place.” “Paṭisallīnassa” means “who had retired, who had become solitary.” “Katamesānaṃ” means “among which” of the Buddhas of the past, such as Vipassī. “Ciraṃ assa ṭhiti, cirā vā assa ṭhitīti ciraṭṭhitikaṃ” means “its duration was long, or its duration was long, thus long-lasting.” The rest here is straightforward in meaning. But could the Elder not determine this thought of his own by himself? It is said: he could and he could not. For he could determine this much: “The Dispensation of these Buddhas was not long-lasting, but that of these was long-lasting.” But he could not determine this: “For this reason it was not long-lasting, for this reason it was long-lasting.” However, the Elder Mahāpaduma said: “Even this was not difficult for the chief disciple who had reached the pinnacle of sixteen-fold wisdom, but for one dwelling in the same place with the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One, making a determination by oneself is like discarding the scales and weighing by hand. Therefore, he approached the Blessed One himself and asked.” Then, in answering him, the Blessed One said, “O Sāriputta, of the Blessed One Vipassī…” and so on. That is straightforward in meaning. 19. Again, the Elder, asking for the reason, said, “What, Venerable Sir, is the cause?” and so on. Therein, “ko nu kho bhante” is a question about the cause; its meaning is “which, Venerable Sir?” “Hetu paccayo” – both of these are terms for cause; for a cause is called “hetu” because by it the result is produced (hinoti) or proceeds (pavattati). And it is called “paccaya” because depending on it (paṭicca) it comes (eti) or proceeds (pavattati). Thus, though one in meaning, by way of usage and verbal elegance And there, there, both of these are spoken. The rest here is clear in meaning. Now, to show that cause and condition, it is said, "And the Blessed One, Sāriputta, Vipassī," and so on.