English
"Good, good!" This is a repeated word of praise, he said, "delighting Venerable Ānanda." "In two ways" means in two causes, namely, the teaching of the Dhamma and the laying down of the training rule. "Having taken one" means having taken the cause thus stated, "I will teach the Dhamma." "In such a famine" means in such a time or place where alms are obtained with such difficulty. "Difficult to obtain alms" is an elucidation of the same meaning. "By this light way of living" is said because there is no abundance of possessions due to the avoidance of carrying bowls and so on. "This much is enough to sustain life" and because there is no further desire, it is said, "and by this austerity." "Famine is conquered" here, indeed, the absence of bhikkhus is famine, like in "without flies" and so on. Indeed, the absence of alms itself, due to the absence of mental distress caused by it, was conquered and brought under control by the bhikkhus. "Greed is conquered" means that the craving which causes the cutting off of nights and years for the sake of material gain did not arise in them, so greed, in the sense of attachment to material things, was conquered. "Self-will is conquered" "For the sake of gain, by proclaiming superhuman states to one another, we shall make a living by trading in virtues." Because of the absence of such desire-driven conduct, the aforementioned desire-driven conduct was overcome. Referring to the non-arising even of a mere thought, "or anxiety" was said. And to show that there was no mental distress due to repeated regret, "or vexation" was said. Or "breaking the night" means going out for a seven-day task and letting dawn break outside; such a "breaking of the night" was not done, as they did not go anywhere for a seven-day task. Indeed, "breaking the night" is an Aṭṭhakathā term referring to absence for a seven-day task, and therefore, in the commentary on the Vassūpanāyikakkhandhaka (Mahāva. Aṭṭha. 199), saying "This is the decision regarding breaking the night outside the Pāli here," it explains the seven-day task with "It is not proper to go without invitation to hear the Dhamma," and so on. It is also said in the Mahāaṭṭhakathā, "Not even one bhikkhu, having gone for a seven-day task, broke the night." Thus, it should be understood that "breaking the night" occurs by way of a seven-day task, and not otherwise; the definition of breaking the night has also been stated. And here, since "breaking the night" is also mentioned when there is a reason for breaking the Rains Retreat, such as a lack of requisites, it is established that where a reason for breaking the Rains Retreat is found, it is permissible to go for a seven-day task; this is stated in the Cūḷagaṇṭhipada and Majjhimagaṇṭhipada, and it is well said in the Vassūpanāyikakkhandhaka, in the section on breaking the Rains Retreat – "Now at that time, in a certain dwelling, the village of bhikkhus who had entered the Rains Retreat was plundered by thieves. They reported this matter to the Blessed One. 'I allow, bhikkhus, to go wherever the village is.'" (Mahāva. 201) – Here, "if the village is not far away, one should go there for alms, and then return to the monastery and dwell there. If it is far away, dawn should be allowed to break for a period of seven days. If it is not possible, then in that same suitable place to be resided in." This is also consistent with the commentary's statement. For when a village is destroyed, there being no almsfood, the Buddha, saying, "I allow, monks, to go wherever the village is," declared that the absence of almsfood is a reason for breaking the Rains-residence, even if the Rains-residence is broken, there is no offense. There, the commentary's statement, "If he has gone far, he should be made to rise by a seven-day period before dawn," proves this point: when there is a reason for breaking the Rains-residence, it is permissible to go for a seven-day period. As for what was said by someone: "Breaking the night refers to a seven-day task. It is said in the Great Commentary that neither breaking the night nor breaking the Rains-residence was done by even one monk by going for a seven-day task. Therefore, some say that when there is a reason for breaking the Rains-residence, it is permissible to perform a seven-day task. But the Vinaya-holders do not wish it. Therefore, the intention of the commentary should be investigated." That is merely the confusion of oneself and the creation of confusion for others. For no reason is seen for the Vinaya-holders' unwillingness, as it contradicts the commentary and lacks logic. For what logic is there in saying that when there is a reason that justifies breaking the Rains-residence, it is not permissible to go for a seven-day task without breaking the Rains-residence? "We will observe the Rains-residence there in the latter period" is an indication of the appropriate reflection of those monks, but not an explanation of a specific meaning. Thus, since there was a reason for breaking the Rains-residence due to famine, there is no offense in breaking the Rains-residence in the former period. There is no fault in going with the intention of not observing the Rains-residence in the latter period, as the day for undertaking the Rains-residence in the latter period had not yet arrived. They do not consider in anything: They do not consider in terms of possibility in any quality. Having made known: Having made known by means of qualities such as attained jhānas. "We will undertake the precepts later," as stated, when there is care for the belly, the behavior of such a desire is not because of the lack of purity and the lack of purity of livelihood, they said, "We will establish ourselves in restraint again, striving," saying, "Later we will undertake precepts." "What is this?" is said in the way of reproach. Rice cooked with sālī grains, mixed with meat, is sālī-meat-rice. "Will despise" means will think lightly of, will go beyond thinking, making it mean base and inferior. Therefore it is said, "will make it despised, unregarded." "Despised" means made low, made inferior. "Unregarded" is a synonym for that. "That country" means that country, that region. "By this practice" means by this very difficult practice fulfilled in Verañjā. "Because of you" means because of your practice of few wishes. "Those called fellow celibates" refers to the group of six, and so on. "Sitting among you" means sitting in your midst, sitting with you. "Disrespect" means excessive pride. Here, excessive pride itself is called "disrespect" due to its inferiority, not thinking lightly of it. "Ananda, the later generation will despise the sālī-meat-rice conquered by you, the good people." Thus, the Pāli is connected here and the meaning is explained. This is what is meant: "Being content with what is obtained, and because the desire for sālī-meat-rice has been cut off by you, the later generation, being unable to cut off that desire, will despise the sālī-meat-rice that has been conquered, overcome by you." The discourse on famine is finished. The discourse on Mahāmoggallāna's lion's roar 17. "Venerable sir," or "dear to the gods," or "good sir," this is a term of endearment. Therefore it is said, "Venerable sir is a term of endearment." Indeed, those of discerning birth, addressing others with affection, use "sir," or "dear to the gods," or "Venerable sir." Therefore, "friend" is used for direct address, and "Venerable sir" for indirect address; this is also a form of address. And this term of endearment is spoken out of respect and reverence. Therefore it is said, "respect and reverence." This is its designation. Mahāmoggallāna, due to his greatness in qualities, not because there was a Cūḷamoggallāna, thus it says, "And he was great due to his greatness in qualities." Pappaṭakojan means the extremely sweet layer of earth, like a layer of mud formed in a region of land overwhelmed by a flood of water, which arose from the bottom layer of the great earth, resting upon the water that supports the earth. "That would not be proper for me" means that act of doing something without asking would not be suitable for me. And by doing it without asking, just as the Blessed One does whatever he wishes without asking, "I too will do likewise," making himself equal to the Blessed One, it would be as if done out of conceit, thus it says, "It would be like taking an equal yoke with the Blessed One." For, taking oneself as an equal, a pair, with another, the grasping, "What is the difference between him and me?" is taking an equal yoke. "Sampanna" means endowed with attainment. Here, the attainment of flavor is intended, as it stands out in its specific quality for illuminating the general meaning. Therefore, it says, " 'Sampanna' means sweet, of good flavor." For "sampanna" is threefold: in the sense of complete, endowed, and sweet. Therein— "The complete rice field, the parrots eat, Kosiya; I declare to you, brahmin, I cannot stop them." (Jā. 1.14.1) — This is called "complete sampanna." For "complete" means "panna" (fallen/attained) from all sides, thus it is called "sampanna." "He is endowed, fully endowed, approached, fully approached, sampanna, possessed of this Pātimokkha restraint." (Vibh. 511) This is called "endowed sampanna." For "endowed" means "panna" (gone/attained) well, approached, thus it is called "sampanna." "Therein, a tree with sampanna fruit and upapanna fruit." (M.N. 2.48) This is called "sweet sampanna." Here, it should be understood that "sweet sampanna" is intended. "Upapannaphalo" means having much fruit. "Assa" means of the bottom layer of the earth. "Opammanidassanatthaṃ" means for the purpose of illustrating with a simile. "Anīḷakaṃ" means without pure. Here, being faultless means being free from flies, so it says, "fly-free," and so on. There are no flies here, so it is fly-free. They say that by the word "flies" here,