English
"Na ussahāmi" means "I am unable." "Na visahāmi" means "I am not capable, I am not strong enough." "We would indeed speak to you, householder," this statement is spoken with the power of a recluse. "Do not pull too hard" means, "do not pull too hard on the affection you have for me out of anger"; it means, "if you do not get angry." Then the rich man, with a joyful heart, thinking, "My son, I suppose, wants to do me a favor," said, "Speak, dear Sudinna." "Tenahi" is an indeclinable particle in the sense of urging. "Tatonidānaṃ" means "that origin, that cause," and the "to" ending should be understood as a substitute for the locative case; in a compound, its omission is not found. "Bhayaṃ vā" refers to the fear of kings and so on, as stated in the manner of "How can kings not seize my wealth?"; it means mental terror. "Chambhitattaṃ" is the trembling of the body, the shaking of the body, the throbbing of the heart muscle, when one is made to suffer by kings or thieves, saying, "Give us money." "Lomahaṃso" is the bristling of the hairs, their standing on end, when fear arises. "Ārakkho" is guarding inside and out, night and day. 35. "Therefore, daughter-in-law," the rich householder, unable to entice his son to return to household life by showing him wealth, thought, "There is no bond for men like a woman," and addressed his former wife, "Therefore, daughter-in-law." "Purāṇadutiyikaṃ" means his former wife, his second in the past, his companion in enjoying household pleasures in his former lay life, his ex-wife. "Tenahi" means, "for the reason that there is no bond like a woman." "Pādesu gahetvā" means "having taken him by the feet"; the locative case is used in the sense of "by means of," or "having taken him by his feet." "What kind of celestial nymphs are they, noble sir?" Why did she say this? It is said that at that time, many Khattiya princes, Brahmana princes, and sons of rich men, abandoning great wealth, Seeing those who have gone forth, not knowing the virtue of going forth, how do they raise the question – "Why do these go forth?" Then others say – "Because of celestial nymphs, celestial dancers." That story became widespread. Taking that, this one spoke thus. The Elder, refuting that, said, "Indeed, I am not a sister." "Samudācarati" means to address, to speak. "Fainted and fell right there" means, seeing him address her with the term "sister," thinking, "This one is now useless to me, who, though I am his wife, considers me like a girl who lay in the same mother's womb as himself," having become overcome with strong sorrow, she fainted and fell right there; that is the meaning of "fell." "Do not harass us" means, do not harass us by showing wealth and sending women; this is harassment for those who have gone forth. Here, "Therefore, dear Sudinna, give a seed" – "therefore" encourages delight. If you delight in practicing the holy life, having practiced it, sit in the sky and attain final Nibbāna, but give us one son, a seed for our family lineage. "Lest the Licchavis carry away our heirless property" means, we live in the kingdom of the Licchavi clan-kings, and they, upon your father's death, would carry away this property, such great wealth of ours, heirless, devoid of a son to protect the family wealth, into their royal inner palace; may they not carry it away, may they not carry it away. "Indeed, mother, this can be done by me" – why did he say this? He, it is said, thought – "I am indeed the owner of this property, there is no other. They will constantly pursue me for the protection of the property; therefore, I will not be able to practice the ascetic's way with little concern, but having obtained a son, they will desist, then I will practice the ascetic's way as I please" – seeing this reasoning, he spoke thus. 36. "Pupphanti" is the name for the blood that appears during the season. For a woman, indeed, during the season, in the place where conception occurs, blood... The colors, the pustules, having formed, grow for seven days and then burst. Then blood flows out. Its name is "flower" (menstrual blood). As long as it is strong, much flows out. Then, even if conception occurs, it does not last; it flows out with the defilement. But when the defilement has flowed out, and conception occurs in a pure womb, it quickly becomes established. "Pupphaṃsā uppajjīti" means "pupphaṃ assā uppajji" (menstruation arose for her). The elision of the 'a' is a sandhi. "Purāṇadutiyikāya bāhāyaṃ gahetvāti" means "having taken her by the arm of his former wife." "Apaññatte sikkhāpade" means when the first Pārājika rule was not yet laid down. It is said that for twenty years during the Buddha's first enlightenment, the bhikkhus pleased the Buddha's mind; they did not commit such an offense. Referring to that, this Sutta says: "Indeed, bhikkhus, my bhikkhus pleased my mind at one time" (M.N. 1.225). Then, the Buddha, not seeing an offense, did not lay down a Pārājika or Saṅghādisesa rule. But in each specific case, he laid down only the remaining five minor offense categories. Therefore, it is said: "apaññatte sikkhāpade" (when the rule was not yet laid down). "Anādīnavadasso" means not seeing the danger that the Buddha would now point out when laying down the rule, he was of the perception of blamelessness. For if he had known, "This should not be done, or it leads to uprooting," a faithful son of good family, having gone forth, would not do it, even if it meant the loss of his life. But here, not seeing the danger, he was of the perception of blamelessness. Therefore, it is said: "anādīnavadasso" (not seeing the danger). "Purāṇadutiyikāyāti" is a locative case. "Abhiviññāpesīti" means he made known; he caused to happen. Even causing to happen is called "viññāpanā" (making known) because it is a manifestation of bodily communication. And it should be understood that he made it known three times for the purpose of establishing the conception of the embryo. "Sā tena gabbhaṃ gaṇhīti" means she conceived an embryo by that very offense, and not otherwise. What, then, is the conception of an embryo otherwise? Does it happen? It happens. How? By bodily contact, by taking a cloth, by drinking impurities, by touching the navel, by seeing a form, by sound, by smell. Indeed, some women, at the time of their season, being inflamed with lust, even when they desire the grasping of hands, the grasping of braids, the touching of limbs and sub-limbs by men, they conceive. Thus, conception occurs by bodily contact. But the former wife of Thera Udāyi, a bhikkhunī, took a part of that impurity with her mouth, and inserted another part, along with a piece of cloth, into her private parts. She conceived by that. Thus, conception occurs by taking a cloth. The mother of the ascetic Migasiṅga, a doe, at the time of her season, came to the ascetic's urination spot and drank the urine that contained semen. She conceived by that and gave birth to Migasiṅga. Thus, conception occurs by drinking impurities. But Sakka, knowing the loss of sight of the Bodhisatta Sāma's parents, and wishing to give them a son, said to Dukūlapaṇḍita: "Is the sexual act permissible for you?" [He replied:] "We have no desire for that; we have gone forth into the ascetic life." [Sakka said:] "Then, at her season, you should touch her navel with your thumb." He did so. She conceived by that and gave birth to the ascetic boy Sāma. Thus, conception occurs by touching the navel. In the same way, the stories of Maṇḍabya and Caṇḍapajjota should be understood. How does it happen by seeing a form? Here, some woman, at her season, not obtaining contact with a man, being overcome by lust, while staying inside her house, gazes intently at a man, like royal women in seclusion; she conceives by that. Thus, conception occurs by seeing a form. But among cranes, there is no male; they conceive by hearing the sound of thunder at their season. Even many hens sometimes conceive by hearing the sound of one rooster. Similarly, a cow by a bull. Thus, conception occurs by sound. And cows sometimes conceive by the smell of a bull. Thus, conception occurs through scent. Here, however, she conceived through misconduct. Regarding which it was said: "When parents are united, and the mother is in season, and the gandhabba is present, thus, through the union of these three, there is the descent of the embryo." The earth-dwelling deities announced the sound, because there is no secret in the world for one who commits evil deeds. First of all, he himself knows that evil, then the guardian deities, and then other deities who know the minds of others. Therefore, the earth-dwelling deities, who know the minds of others and reside in the entire forest grove, seeing that misconduct, announced the sound. They uttered it so that other deities would also hear. What did they say? "Alas, friends, a tumor has been produced!" The meaning of this is to be understood in the same way as stated in the Verañja section. Having heard the sound of the earth-dwelling deities, "Cātumahārājika" – here, the deities in the sky heard the sound of the earth-dwelling deities; this sequence is to be understood: "from the sky-dwelling deities to the Cātumahārājika deities." "Brahmakāyika" – all Brahmās heard, except for the non-percipient beings and those in the formless realms; and having heard, they announced the sound. "Thus, at that moment" – thus, at the moment of Sudinna's misconduct. "At that instant" – at the very instant of misconduct. "Up to the Brahma-world" – up to the Akaniṭṭha Brahma-world. "It ascended" – it rose up, it arose, there was a great single clamor. "She gave birth to a son" – she gave birth to a being of his last existence, like a golden image. "Bījaka" – they gave him the name. They did not give him any other name, because of the mother's mother's statement, "Give him even a seed," it was clear, so they named him "Bījaka," saying, "Let his name be Bījaka.