English
then that brahmin, by those arisen factors of enlightenment, or by that Noble Path to which the Four Noble Truths have appeared, by that Noble Path, stands dispelling Māra's army, dispelling, scattering, destroying Māra's army of the kind mentioned in the way beginning with "Sensual desires are your first army." How? Like the sun illuminating the sky, just as the risen sun, illuminating the sky with its own light, stands dispelling darkness, so too that brahmin, by those states or by that path, penetrating the truths, stands dispelling Māra's army. Thus, here, the first solemn utterance arose by way of reflecting on the mode of conditions, the second by way of reflecting on Nibbāna, and the third by way of reflecting on the path – this should be understood. But in the Udāna, it is said: "In the first watch of the night, dependent origination in direct order; in the second watch, in reverse order; in the third watch, in direct and reverse order." That, after seven days, with the thought arisen that night, "Tomorrow I shall rise from this seat..." It was said with reference to 'si'. Indeed, at that time, the Blessed One reflected upon each part, the first watch and the middle watch, by means of those two previous verses of solemn utterance, which illuminated the power of understanding the mode of conditions and attaining the destruction of conditions. But here, on the night of the first day of the lunar fortnight, he reflected thus. Indeed, on the night of the full moon of Vesakha, in the first watch, the Blessed One recollected his past lives. In the middle watch, he purified the divine eye. In the last watch, having reflected on dependent origination, both forwards and backwards, thinking, "Now the dawn will break," he attained omniscience. Immediately upon attaining omniscience, the dawn broke. Then, having spent that day on that very seat, when the night of the first day of the lunar fortnight arrived, he reflected thus during the three watches and uttered these solemn utterances. Thus, having reflected on the night of the first day of the lunar fortnight, he spent the aforementioned seven days there, as it is said, "He sat for seven days on one seat at the foot of the Bodhi tree." The story of the Bodhi is finished. The story of Ajapala 4. Then, after seven days, the Blessed One arose from that concentration and went from the foot of the Bodhi tree to where the Ajapala Banyan tree was. Here, it is not meant that the Blessed One, having arisen from that concentration, immediately went from the foot of the Bodhi tree to where the Ajapala Banyan tree was. Just as when it is said, "Having eaten, he sleeps," it is not meant that "he sleeps without washing his hands, without rinsing his mouth, without going near his bed, and without making any other conversation." Rather, he sleeps after eating. Not that he does not sleep. This is what is indicated here. Similarly here, it is not meant that "he departed immediately after arising from that concentration." Rather, he departed after arising. Not that he did not depart. This is what is indicated here. But what did the Blessed One do after departing? He spent three more weeks near the Bodhi tree itself. Therein is this sequential story – when the Blessed One attained Buddhahood, it is said... Having spent a week sitting in one cross-legged posture, "The Blessed One does not rise; are there perhaps other qualities that make one a Buddha?" doubt arose in some deities. Then the Blessed One, on the eighth day, rising from his attainment, knowing the deities' doubt, to dispel that doubt, rising into the air, showing the Twin Miracle, and having dispelled their doubt, stood slightly northeast of the cross-legged posture, gazing with unblinking eyes at the cross-legged posture and the Bodhi tree, the place where the power of the perfections accumulated over four incalculable eons and a hundred thousand world-cycles was attained, he spent a week, that place became known as the Animisa Cetiya. Then, between the cross-legged posture and the standing place, walking back and forth on a jeweled promenade extending east and west, he spent a week, that place became known as the Ratanacaṅkama Cetiya. Then, to the west, deities created a jeweled house. There, sitting in the cross-legged posture, contemplating the Abhidhamma Piṭaka, especially the Samantapaṭṭhāna with its infinite methods, he spent a week, that place became known as the Ratanaghara Cetiya. Thus, having spent four weeks right near the Bodhi tree, in the fifth week, from the foot of the Bodhi tree, he went to where the Ajapāla Banyan tree was. It is said that goatherds would go and sit in the shade of that banyan tree; therefore, it became known as the Ajapāla Banyan tree. For a week, experiencing the bliss of liberation, there too, contemplating the Dhamma, he sat experiencing the bliss of liberation. This tree is to the east of the Bodhi tree. And while the Blessed One was thus sitting there, a certain brahmin went and asked a question. This is what is said: "Then a certain one..." and so on. There, regarding "of the Huṃhuṅka type": he was, it is said, one who believed in omens, and out of pride and anger, he would wander about making "huṃhu" sounds, therefore, he is called "of the Huṃhuṅka type." Also "of the Huhukka type"... stand. Having understood this matter, that is, having understood the matter of the teaching of the word spoken by him, at that time he uttered this solemn utterance. Its meaning is: He who, by virtue of having banished evil qualities, is a brahmin, not by virtue of auspicious views, nor by being endowed with evil qualities such as making "hum-hum" sounds, and merely by birth claims brahminhood—that brahmin, by having banished evil qualities, by abandoning "hum-hum" sounds, is without "hum-hum" sounds; by the absence of defilements such as lust, is undefiled; by having a mind devoted to meditation, is self-controlled; or by self-restraint in morality, is self-controlled; by having reached the end through the Vedas, which are the knowledge of the four paths, or by having reached the end of the Vedas, is a knower of the Vedas; by having completed the holy life of the path, is one who has completed the holy life. He should speak the brahmin-claim by the Dhamma, this claim, "I am a brahmin," he should speak by the Dhamma, in whom there are no such excesses as the excess of lust, the excess of hatred, the excess of delusion, the excess of conceit, the excess of wrong views, in any single object in the entire world. The story of Ajapāla is finished. The story of Mucalinda 5. Unseasonal cloud means a cloud that appeared when it was not the rainy season. This one, however, appeared in the last month of summer. Seven-day downpour means that when it appeared, there was an uninterrupted rain for seven days. Cold wind and gloomy day means that seven-day downpour, due to the day being spoiled by the cold wind mixed with water droplets, swirling all around, was called a cold wind and gloomy day. Then Mucalinda, the Nāga king, means the powerful Nāga king born in the pond near that very Mucalinda tree. Having encircled with coils seven times means having thus encircled with coils and having made a large hood over his head; the space within his coils was the size of a treasury chamber in an iron palace, therefore the Blessed One was as if seated in a closed-door and windowed chamber, free from wind. Lest the Blessed One be cold, and so on, is the explanation of the reason for his standing in that manner. For he thought, "Lest the Blessed One be afflicted by cold..." Then, let not heat, let not the touch of gnats and the like afflict him, having done so, he stood. Although there was no heat at all due to the seven-day rain, yet if the clouds were to disperse from time to time, heat would arise, and let that not afflict him either, thus it was proper for him to think. Viddha means 'pierced through'; the meaning is 'removed by the dispersion of clouds'. Vigatavalāhaka means 'cloudless'. Deva means 'sky'. Sakavaṇṇa means 'one's own form'. Solitude is bliss, meaning the solitude of attachments, called Nibbāna, is bliss. For one who is content, meaning content with the satisfaction of the knowledge of the four paths. For one who has heard the Dhamma, meaning for one to whom the Dhamma has been revealed. For one who sees, meaning for one who sees that solitude, or whatever is to be seen, all of it with the eye of wisdom attained through one's own strength of effort. Non-affliction means the state of not being disturbed; by this, the preliminary stage of loving-kindness is shown. Restraint towards living beings means restraint towards creatures; the meaning is that non-harming is bliss. By this, the preliminary stage of compassion is shown. Detachment in the world is bliss, this indicates that freedom from passion is also bliss. Overcoming sensual pleasures means that which is called 'overcoming sensual pleasures'; that detachment is also bliss, is the meaning. By this, the Anāgāmi path is described. The subduing of the conceit 'I am' – by this, Arahantship is described; for Arahantship is called 'the tranquil subduing' of the conceit 'I am'. Beyond this, there is no bliss; therefore it is said, 'This indeed is the supreme bliss'. The story of Mucalinda is finished. The story of Rājāyatana 6. Mucalinda-root means the root of the Mucalinda tree, located in the eastern corner of the Mahābodhi. To Rājāyatana means he approached the Rājāyatana tree, located in the southern direction. Now at that time – at what time? Indeed, on the day the Blessed One arose from his meditation, after sitting for seven days in one posture at the root of the Rājāyatana tree, at the very time of dawn, knowing 'there should be a meal', Sakka, the king of devas, offered medicinal herbs. The Blessed One partook of it. Immediately after partaking, his body... This is what happened. Sakka gave water for the mouth.