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Homage to the Blessed One, the Worthy One, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One. In the Vinaya Piṭaka Commentary on the Mahāvagga 1. The Great Section The Story of the Bodhi Of both Pātimokkhas, immediately after the recitations; The great elders, skilled in sections, recited the sections. That which is now reached, wherefore the turn for commentary; Therefore this is, of it, a commentary on non-obvious meanings. The meanings in the word-division, by which for whom they were explained; If we were to repeat them again, when would there be an end? And what is the use of commenting on meanings that are obvious? But those which are by intentions and connections, and by expression, Are not obvious, and cannot be known without commentary; Therefore, this is a method of commenting on them alone. 1. "At that time, the Buddha, the Blessed One, was dwelling in Uruvelā, on the bank of the Nerañjarā River, at the foot of the Bodhi tree, having just attained perfect enlightenment." Here, although there is no special reason in the instrumental case, as in "At that time, the Buddha, the Blessed One, was in Verañjā," etc., having come to the Vinaya, this expression is introduced by the instrumental case. Therefore, it should be understood that this is said according to the expression that has been adopted from the beginning. This method applies to other similar cases hereafter. What, then, is the purpose of this statement? It is to show the origin of the Vinaya acts, such as ordination, from the very beginning. For the ordination and higher ordination which the Blessed One allowed, saying, "I allow, monks, ordination and higher ordination by these three refuges" (Mahāva. 34), and the rules concerning preceptors and their duties, teachers and their duties, etc., which were allowed in Rājagaha and other places—these were established after attaining perfect enlightenment, spending seven times seven days at the Bodhi maṇḍa, setting the Wheel of Dhamma in motion in Bārāṇasī, and in this sequence reaching this and that place, and in this and that matter. Thus, it should be understood that the purpose of this statement is to show the origin of these Vinaya acts, such as ordination, from the very beginning. Therein, "in Uruvelā" means in the great sandbank. ṃ; meaning, on a great heap of sand. Or else, "uru" means sand; "velā" means boundary; "uruvelā" is sand brought due to transgressing the boundary – this is how the meaning should be understood here. In the past, it is said, before the Buddhas arose, ten thousand noble sons, having gone forth as ascetics, lived in that region. One day they gathered and made an agreement: "Actions of body and speech are evident to others, but mental actions are not. Therefore, if anyone entertains a thought of sensual desire, or a thought of ill-will, or a thought of harm, there is no one else to admonish him. He should admonish himself and bring sand in a leaf-cup and scatter it in this place. This shall be his punishment." From then on, whoever entertained such a thought would scatter sand there in a leaf-cup. Thus, gradually, a great heap of sand accumulated there. Later generations then encircled it and made it a cetiya-place. Referring to that, it is said: "uruvelāyaṃ means on a great boundary; meaning, on a great heap of sand." Referring to that very thing, it is said: "Or else, 'uru' means sand; 'velā' means boundary; 'uruvelā' is sand brought due to transgressing the boundary – this is how the meaning should be understood here." Bodhirukkhamūle means at the root of the Bodhi tree. Bodhi is called the knowledge of the four paths. The Bhagavā attained that Bodhi here, so the tree also received the name "Bodhi tree." At the root of that Bodhi tree, bodhirukkhamūle. Paṭhamābhisambuddho means first fully enlightened; meaning, having become fully enlightened, for the very first time. Ekapallaṅkena means without ever rising, with the very same cross-legged posture as it was assumed. Vimuttisukhapaṭisaṃvedī means experiencing the bliss of liberation, the bliss of fruit-attainment. Paṭiccasamuppāda means dependent origination. Dependent origination is so called because it gives rise to phenomena that are mutually dependent. This is the summary here. The detailed explanation, however, is in all aspects. For a detailed explanation, one desiring a clear decision, should take it from the Visuddhimagga. "Forward and backward" means both forward and backward. Therein, the causal mode beginning with ignorance, as stated in "with ignorance as condition, formations," is called "forward" because it performs its own function. But that same causal mode, as stated in "with the complete fading away and cessation of ignorance, cessation of formations," when ceasing by non-arising and cessation, does not perform that function. Because of its non-performance, it is called "backward." Or, that stated by the former method is forward with respect to arising, the other is backward with respect to it. Thus, the meaning here should be understood. However, because it is not stated from the beginning to the end, and from the end to the beginning, the forward and backward sequence does not apply in any other sense. "Manasākāsi" means he considered in mind. Therein, to show how he considered forward, "with ignorance as condition, formations" and so on, was said. Therein, that is ignorance, and that is condition, thus "ignorance-condition." Therefore, "from ignorance as condition, formations arise" in this manner, the meaning should be understood in all passages. This is the summary here. But for a detailed explanation, one desiring a complete decision in all aspects, should take it only from the Visuddhimagga. But to show how he considered backward, "with the complete fading away and cessation of ignorance, cessation of formations" and so on, was said. Therein, "avijjāya tveva" means "of ignorance, indeed." "Asesavirāganirodhā" means complete cessation by the path called fading away. "Saṅkhāranirodho" means the cessation of formations by non-arising. To show that with the cessation of formations thus ceased, consciousness ceases; and with the cessation of consciousness and so on, name-and-form and so on also cease, having said "with the cessation of formations, cessation of consciousness" and so on, it was said: "thus there is the cessation of this entire mass of suffering." Therein, "kevalassa" means "of the entire"; or "of the pure, devoid of a being," that is the meaning. "Dukkhakkhandhassa" means "of the mass of suffering." There is cessation. Thus there is no arising. Having understood this meaning: that which is said, "the arising of the suffering aggregate, beginning with formations, by way of ignorance and so on, and its cessation by way of the cessation of ignorance and so on," having understood this meaning in all its aspects. At that time, at that time of understanding that meaning. He uttered this solemn utterance: this, when that meaning was understood, revealing the power of knowing the cause and the phenomena arisen from the cause, beginning with "When indeed phenomena appear," he uttered a solemn utterance arisen from knowledge accompanied by joy. It is said he expressed a joyful speech. Its meaning is: "When indeed" means in which existence, at which time. "Appear" means arise. "Phenomena" means those that lead to the penetration of the causal sequence in direct order, the factors of enlightenment. Or else, "appear" means become manifest; they become clear and evident by way of realization. "Phenomena" means the phenomena of the Four Noble Truths. "Ardor" is called energy by way of burning up defilements; "ardent" means possessing the energy of right effort. "Meditates" means by way of the characteristic of contemplating the object and by way of the characteristic of contemplating the characteristics, for one who meditates with jhāna. "For the brahmin" means for one who has put away evil, for one whose taints are destroyed. "Then his doubts vanish" means then for him, for whom phenomena have thus appeared, doubts vanish. "All" means those doubts stated in the causal sequence by such a method as: "Who, venerable sir, experiences? The Blessed One said: 'That is not a proper question'," and also by such a method as: "What, venerable sir, is old age and death? And to whom does this old age and death belong? The Blessed One said: 'That is not a proper question'," and the sixteen doubts that arise, beginning with "Was I indeed in the past?" due to not having penetrated the causal sequence itself, all those vanish, disappear, cease. Why? "Because he understands the phenomena with their cause" means because by the cause beginning with ignorance, this conditioned, beginning with formations, merely the phenomenon of the aggregate of suffering, he understands, knows, penetrates. 2. In the second instance: He uttered this solemn utterance, this, when that v... In this sense, of the cessation of formations, thus declared: "From the complete fading away and cessation of ignorance, there is the cessation of formations." Of the destruction of conditions, called Nibbāna, illuminating the power of comprehension, he uttered the aforementioned solemn utterance – this is the meaning. Here is the summary meaning: Because he knew, understood, and penetrated Nibbāna, which is called the destruction of conditions, therefore, when the aforementioned states appear to that ardent, meditating brahmin, then all doubts that might arise in him due to not knowing Nibbāna, all those doubts vanish. 3. In the third watch – he uttered this solemn utterance – this, by which path the meaning, called the origin and cessation of the mass of suffering, is known by way of function and by way of object, illuminating the power of that Noble Path, he uttered the aforementioned solemn utterance – this is the meaning. Here also is the summary meaning: Indeed, when states appear to the ardent, meditating brahmin,