English
in a four-line verse, the first line is the beginning, two lines are the middle, the final line is the end. For a sutta with one connection: the introduction is the beginning, the connection is the middle, "Thus he spoke" is the application, the end. For one with many connections: the first connection is the beginning, thereafter, one or many are the middle, the last is the end. This, indeed, is the method for the teaching. But for the dispensation: virtue is the beginning, concentration is the middle, insight is the end. Or concentration is the beginning, insight is the middle, the path is the end. Or insight is the beginning, the path is the middle, the fruit is the end. Or the path is the beginning, the fruit is the middle, Nibbāna is the end. Or, when doing two at a time, virtue and concentration are the beginning, The middle is the Noble Eightfold Path, The fruit is Nibbāna, the final goal. "With meaning" means they teach with purpose. "With phrasing" means they teach with perfect words. "Perfectly complete" means they teach completely, without lack. "Pure" means they teach purely, without tangle or knot. "They reveal the holy life" means, teaching thus, They reveal the supreme conduct, The Noble Eightfold Path, gathered in the three trainings. "He does not consider the beginning" means he does not consider the prior establishment. "A pot" means a jar. "Overturned" means placed upside down. "Just so" means here, A person of overturned wisdom should be seen like an overturned pot. The time for pouring water is like the time for receiving the teaching. The time for the water to spill is like the time for one seated there being unable to grasp it. The time for the water to not settle is like the time for rising and not reflecting. This is to be understood. "This is said" means such a person is called "overturned wisdom." Meaning, one of upside-down wisdom. "Scattered" means thrown about. "Through loss of mindfulness, he would scatter" means he would scatter through confused mindfulness. "Just so" means here, A person of lap-wisdom should be seen like a lap. Various kinds of delicacies are like the Buddha's word of various kinds. The time for one seated eating various delicacies in the lap is like the time for one seated there grasping the teaching. The time for scattering through loss of mindfulness when rising is like the time for rising from that seat and going away without reflecting. This is to be understood. "This is said" means such a person is called "lap-wisdom." Meaning, one of wisdom like a lap. "Upright" means placed with the mouth upward. "It settles" means it remains. "Just so" means here, A person of broad wisdom should be seen like a pot placed upright. The time for pouring water is like the time for receiving the teaching. The time for the water to settle is like the time for one seated there grasping the teaching. "No spilling" is like the time for rising and going away, reflecting. A suitable time should be known. This is said, this kind of person is called broad in wisdom. It means extensive in wisdom. 110. In those not free from lust, etc. - just as a Stream-enterer and Once-returner, so too a worldling is not free from lust in the five strands of sense pleasure, and in the three realms of existence. But they are not included because they are not suitable. Just as a skilled carpenter, entering the forest for timber materials, does not cut down every tree he comes across from the beginning, but only those that are suitable for his timber materials; so here, the Blessed One has included only the noble ones who are of suitable kind, but worldlings are not included because they are not suitable, it should be understood. Free from lust in sense pleasures means free from lust in the five strands of sense pleasure. Not free from lust in existences means not free from lust in the realms of form and formlessness. 113. In the simile of the inscription on stone, etc. - lies latent means it lies latent because it has not been abandoned. It does not quickly perish means it does not perish in between, it perishes only at the destruction of the world. Even so means even so, the anger of that person does not subside in between, on the next day or the day after, but it lasts a long time. It means it subsides only at death. This is said, this kind of person, because of the enduring nature of his anger, like an inscription on stone, is called like an inscription on stone. 114. And that anger of his - that anger of one who gets angry quickly even for a small reason. Not for long means it does not lie latent for long because it has not been abandoned. Just as a line drawn on the earth, being quickly destroyed by wind, etc., so too, the anger that arises quickly in him subsides very quickly, this is the meaning. This is said, this kind of person, because of the fleeting nature of his anger, like a line on the earth, is called like a line on the earth. 115. With harsh words means with very harsh, heart-cutting, stiff words. Unpleasant means not pleasing to the ear. Disagreeable means not pleasing to the mind. Combines means becomes one. Connects means joins together. Agrees means is continuous. Or else - combines means goes to agreement with the mind in mental activities, etc. It means that they become unified like milk and water. "Sandhiyati" means that he harmonizes with the body in bodily actions such as going to places, and so on. It means that they become mixed like sesame seeds and rice. "Sammodati" means that he harmonizes with speech in verbal actions such as teaching and questioning. It means that they become as dear as a beloved friend who has been away for a long time. Furthermore, when there are tasks to be done, he joins them from the beginning, becoming of one action with them, this is "saṃsandati." It should be understood that he "sandhiyati" as long as it continues in the middle, and "sammodati" as long as it does not turn back until the end. "Ayaṃ vuccati" means that such a person is called "udakalekhūpama" because he quickly disperses like a line drawn in water. 116. "Potthakūpamesu" - to show the simile by which they are called "potthakūpama," first, "tayo potthakā" etc. is stated. There, "nava" means new, nine spans long. "Potthaka" means a hempen or linen cloth. "Dubbaṇṇa" means discolored. "Dukkhasamphassa" means rough to the touch. "Appaggha" means of little value, worth about a kahāpaṇa. "Majjhima" means of medium use. For when it has passed its newness but has not yet reached old age, even in the middle of its use, it is discolored, rough to the touch, and of little value. It is worth about half a kahāpaṇa. But in old age, it is worth half a māsaka or a kākaṇika. "Ukkhaliparimajjana" means wiping a black mortar. "Nava" means even one who is sixty years old by birth is still "nava" if he is less than five years since ordination. "Dubbaṇṇatāya" means discolored in both bodily appearance and virtuous qualities. For a wicked person, sitting in the assembly, his bodily appearance lacks luster, and there is no need to mention virtuous qualities. "Ye kho panassa" means those who attend to this person, whether they are attendants, relatives, friends, or others. "Tesaṃ tanti" means that their attendance, of those people who attend to a bad teacher, is like that of those with wrong views, like Kokālika and others who attended to Devadatta. For a long time it leads to harm and suffering. "Middle" means from five years up to nine years, called "middle." "Elder" means from ten years onward, called "elder." "Thus they say" means thus they speak. "What then is yours?" means what is the use of your foolish talk? "Such-like" means of such a kind, of such a nature, being the cause of an expulsion act. 117. In "Like a cloth from Kasi" - "cloth from Kasi" means fine cloth woven with thread spun from three kinds of cotton. When newly woven, it is priceless. When moderately used, it is worth twenty or thirty thousand. But in old age, it is worth eight or ten thousand. "That is for their benefit" means that service, like that of the Fully Enlightened Ones, is for the long-term benefit and happiness of those who serve them. Indeed, relying on one Fully Enlightened One, there is no measure to the number of beings released until the end of time. Similarly, relying on the Elders Sariputta and Mahamoggallana, and the remaining eighty great disciples, there is no measure to the number of beings who have gone to heaven. Even for those who follow their example until the end of time, there is indeed no measure. "Goes to a receptacle" means that word of that great elder, based on meaning, just as a cloth from Kasi goes to a state of being placed and kept in a perfume box, so too it goes to a state of being placed and kept on the highest part, the head, and in the heart. The rest here should be understood according to what has been said below. 118. In "Easy to measure" etc. - "Easy to measure" means easy to measure with happiness. "Here" means in this world of beings. "Excitable" means endowed with excitement. "Arrogant" means with raised pride; it means standing with empty conceit raised up. "Fickle" means endowed with fickleness through adornment of vessels etc. "Talkative" means harsh in speech. "Scattered speech" means unrestrained in speech. "Unconcentrated" means devoid of one-pointedness of mind. "Distracted mind" means a confused mind, like a confused cow or a confused deer. "Obvious senses" means with open senses. "This is called..." This person is called "easily measurable." Just as the measure of a small amount of water is easily taken, so too is the measure of one endowed with these bad qualities easily taken. Therefore, he is called "easily measurable." 119. Difficult to measure is "difficultly measurable." Non-arrogance and the like should be understood in terms of the opposite of what was said. This one is called, this person is called "difficultly measurable.