English
"Ye ca taṃ upanayhanti" (And those who harbor it) means those who harbor that form of "He abused me, he struck me," and so on. "Sanantano" (ancient) means "old." "Pare" (others) refers to the quarrelsome ones other than the wise. They, making strife here in the midst of the Sangha, do not know "We are going, we are approaching; constantly, continuously we are going to the presence of death." "Ye ca tattha vijānanti" (And those who know there) refers to those wise ones there who know "We are death..." they know, "We are going near." Thus, they are calmed of strife. For knowing thus, they generate wise attention and practice for the appeasement of strifes and quarrels. "With bones broken"—this verse was spoken with reference to Brahmadatta and Prince Dīghāvu. For them too there was concord. Why should there not be for you, whose parents' bones were not broken, whose lives were not taken, whose cows, horses, and wealth were not plundered? "If one should obtain"—this and the following verses were spoken to illustrate the good and bad qualities of a wise companion and a foolish companion. "Overcoming all dangers"—having overcome both manifest and hidden dangers, one should live with him, joyful and mindful. "The king conquered the best of realms"—just as the great king and the king Arindama, abandoning their own conquered realms, lived alone; so should one live, this is the meaning. "Like an elephant in the Mātanga forest"—like an elephant in the Mātanga forest. Mātanga means an elephant; Nāga is a term for a great one. Just as the Mātanga elephant, the supporter of its mother, lived alone in the forest and did no evil. And just as the Pālileyyaka, so one should live alone and do no evil, it is said. The Story of the Pālileyyaka's Departure 467. "He dwells in Pālileyyaka, in a protected forest grove"—he dwells near Pālileyyaka, in a protected forest grove. "Elephant-nāga"—a great elephant. "With elephant calves"—with young elephants. "With elephant sucklings"—with young calves still drinking milk. "Broken-tipped"—he eats the broken-tipped, leftover, stump-like grasses that they, going ahead, have eaten. "Broken and broken"—that which has been broken and thrown down from a high place by that elephant-nāga. "His broken branches"—they eat his broken branches. "Turbid"—he drinks the muddy water that they, having descended first, have stirred up by drinking. "Descends"—from the ford. "By the Nāga to the Nāga"—by the elephant-nāga to the Buddha-nāga. "Whose tusks are like a chariot pole"—whose tusks are like a chariot pole. Because, like the Buddha-elephant, this elephant-chief also, alone and secluded, delights in the forest; therefore, his mind accords with the mind of the elephant, meaning, it is similar in the delight of solitude. Here, in "having dwelled as long as he pleased," it should be understood that the Blessed One dwelled there for three months. Thus, the story spread everywhere that the Blessed One, being troubled by the Kosambians, entered the forest and dwelled there for three months. Then indeed the lay followers of Kosambi (meaning) then indeed, having heard this conversation, the lay followers dwelling in Kosambi. Story of the eighteen matters 468. The eighteen divisive matters, such as "what is not Dhamma is Dhamma" and so on, we will describe in the chapter on schism of the Sangha. 475. Having reinstated that suspended monk (meaning) having taken him, gone to the boundary, made him confess his offense, and reinstated him with a formal act. Immediately the Uposatha (meaning) on that very day, the Uposatha of harmony should be performed in the manner stated in the Uposatha chapter. 476. Having gone from no root to a root (meaning) not having gone from a root to a root; meaning, without having investigated that matter. This, Upāli, is called a harmony of the Sangha that is devoid of meaning but endowed with the letter (meaning) it is devoid of meaning, but it is endowed with merely the letter "harmony of the Sangha." 477. In the affairs of the Sangha (meaning) when matters to be done by the Sangha arise. In consultations (meaning) in consultations concerning the Vinaya. When matters arise (meaning) when matters concerning the Vinaya arise. In decisions (meaning) in the decisions concerning those very matters. Of great benefit (meaning) of great help. Worthy of support (meaning) said to be supported. Not to be reproached by the first virtue (meaning) from the very beginning, he is not to be reproached by virtue. Of observed conduct (meaning) of expected conduct; of conduct examined in the manner of "acting with full awareness in looking forward and looking around" and so on. But in the commentaries, it is said "of unconcealed conduct." Having overcome (meaning) having overpowered. They speak what is fitting (meaning) speaking what is permitted, what is not deviated from. Because he speaks what is fitting, he does not speak what is devoid of reason due to envy or due to a wrong course of action, therefore, he does not diminish the meaning. Envy. But whoever speaks by way of irrelevant speech, loses the meaning, gives no reason, therefore, in the assembly, he trembles and quakes. Whoever is not like this, shows himself to be "worthy of praise." And further, the verse "just so, a question," its meaning is: Just as one speaking what is connected does not lose the meaning, just so, being asked a question in the midst of the assembly, he neither becomes dejected nor confused. Indeed, whoever does not know the meaning, he becomes dejected. Whoever cannot speak, he becomes confused. But whoever knows the meaning and can speak; he neither becomes dejected nor confused. "Timely" means arrived at the appropriate time to speak. "Worthy of explanation" means suitable for explanation in accordance with the meaning of the question. "Speaking" means uttering such a speech. "Delights" means pleases. "Assembly of the wise" means the assembly of the wise. "And in his own teacher's doctrine" means in his own teacher's view. "Able to measure" means able to investigate and weigh each reason with wisdom. "Skilled" means one who has practiced, one who has gained experience. "To be spoken" means what should be spoken. "Skilled in errors" means expert in points of error. The verse "whereby opponents go" was spoken to show in what kind of speech one is skilled. And its meaning here is: By such speech, opponents go to defeat, and the great multitude goes to understanding; it means they go to comprehension, to awakening. And speaking, he does not abandon his own tradition, his own teacher's doctrine, and in the matter where a dispute has arisen, explaining a question that is appropriate and not harmful, in such speech he is skilled. "Able in diplomatic missions" means being endowed with the eight qualities of an envoy, he is capable in the Sangha's diplomatic missions. "Grasps well" means a firm grasp. This is said to be: Just as people grasp an offering, a lump of offering, so too, with a mind born of joy and gladness, there is a firm grasp in the Sangha's affairs, in the Sangha's affairs, his... "is the undertaker of that duty"—this is the meaning. "Doing the word" means doing the saying. "Does not think by that" means by that doing of the saying, he does not mutter conceit and excessive conceit, thinking: "I do, I carry out the burden of the Saṅgha." "Incurs in whatever matters" means in whatever matters, incurring an offense, he incurs it. "And how there is emergence" means how there is emergence from that offense. "These analyses" means these analyses are the illuminators of these meanings: in which matters one incurs (an offense), and how there is emergence. "Of both" means both are his. "Well-come" means well come. "Skilled in the path of emergence from offense" means skilled in the cause of emergence from offense. "And whatever he practices" means practicing whatever causes of quarrel, etc., he goes to expulsion by way of the act of reproof, etc. "The recall of that one who has lived (the practice)" means he knows this too: whatever recall should be done of that being who has lived that practice. The rest is clear everywhere. The commentary on the Kosambaka Chapter is finished. Of the Samantapāsādikā, the Vinaya commentary, The commentary on the Mahāvagga is completed. The Mahāvagga commentary is finished.