English
And much of the Dhamma and Vinaya has been learned by him in the presence of the Blessed One. Therefore, venerable sir, let the Elder also select the Venerable Ānanda.’” (Cūḷavagga 437). Therefore, “after that” here should be understood as “after the incident with Subhadda.” For with the words “the entire incident with Subhadda should be known in detail,” having shown the Pāli text of the Subhadda incident up to “what we do not wish, that we will not do,” now, showing the remaining Pāli text which is of a nature to generate enthusiasm, he says, “Come now, friends,” and so on. There, “before long, unrighteousness will blaze forth”—here, unrighteousness refers to unrighteousness which is the opposite of the ten wholesome courses of action. “Before long, it will blaze forth” means it will indeed blaze forth. Or, it means “even before unrighteousness is able to suppress righteousness.” For this word “before” (pure) refers to the near future. “It blazes forth” (dippati) means “it will blaze forth” (dippissati). Because of the word “before,” this present tense usage is for the future tense, just as in “before the deva rains.” Some here explain it thus: “Just as the path to be traversed by one going on a journey is called ‘before’ (pure) in the sense of ‘in front’ or ‘ahead,’ so too should it be understood here.” Undiscipline (avinaya) is the opposite of the discipline of abandoning and the discipline of restraint. “Those who speak for the discipline will be weak”—the word “iti” (thus) should also be understood here, connected with “after that, he said.” In some manuscripts, however, the word “iti” is not seen, but in the Pāli text and in the Dīgha Nikāya commentary, the word “iti” is indeed present. “Tena hi” (in that case) is a particle used in the sense of urging. For, urging him to select, they said to Mahākassapa. They said to the elders: "Let them choose bhikkhus." The meaning is: "Let them choose and take bhikkhus suitable for the recitation." By "those who held the entire nine-fold... ...and possessed," it shows the great usefulness of the recitation, because of the excellence of their attainment in the Dhamma and its realization, even for those individuals mentioned, up to the dry-insight Arahants, who possessed the qualities of the three knowledges and so on, along with the analytical knowledges, even though they had attained the Dhamma and its realization. Therein, "those who held the entire nine-fold teaching of the Master" means: "entire nine-fold" means that the entire nine-fold, such as Sutta, Geyya, etc., is in this, or belongs to this; the teaching of the Master. "Pariyatti" (the Dhamma to be learned) refers to the three Pitakas, because it is to be learned by one who desires benefit, and because it is the Dhamma to be learned by a person who seeks benefit in this very life and so on. "Those who held the entire nine-fold teaching of the Master" means those who held that pariyatti, called the entire nine-fold teaching of the Master; such ones, is the meaning. "Puthujjanā" (ordinary people) are those who generate many diverse defilements and self-view, or are generated by them, because they are not annihilated. There are two kinds of ordinary people: blind ordinary people and noble ordinary people. Among them, those who have no grasping, questioning, hearing, retaining, or reviewing of aggregates, elements, sense-bases, etc., are blind ordinary people. Those who have them are noble ordinary people. These are meant here by "puthujjanā." "Sukkhavipassakā" (dry-insight ones) are those whose insight is dry, rough, and not smooth, due to the absence of the oil of serenity development. "Tipiṭakasabbapariyattippabhedadharā" means: "Tipiṭaka" is the collection of the three Pitakas. "Tipiṭakasabbapariyattippabhedadharā" means those who held all the divisions of the Dhamma to be learned, which are manifoldly divided as the nine-fold and so on, called the Tipiṭaka; such ones, is the meaning. "Anubhāvo" is that which develops and increases those who are endowed with it, one after another. "Anubhāvo" is indeed "ānubhāvo," power. "Mahānubhāvā" are those who have great power. "Tevijjādibhede" means: "Tevijjā" are the three knowledges themselves. "Tevijjādayo" are those whose beginning is these, such as the six supernormal powers and so on. "Bhedā" are the many diverse kinds, divided among these. Those with the first distinction, those whose taints are destroyed, that is the meaning of 'such'. Or, one who has the three knowledges is 'three-knowledge-possessing'. Those whose beginning is these, like the six supernormal powers, they are 'three-knowledge-possessing and so on'. Those whose distinctions are these, those whose taints are destroyed, they are 'distinguished by three-knowledge and so on'. That is the meaning of 'such'. Referring to whom was this said? Referring to which monks was this "Then the venerable one..." and so on, said in the chapter on the Sangīti (Cūḷava. 437), that is the meaning. Why then? Why then? One who trains is a 'trainee'. Or, training is 'sikkhā', and that is his nature, so he is a 'trainee'. For he, not having completed his training, and being devoted to it, is entirely one whose nature is to train, not like one who has completed training, whose effort there has subsided, nor like one who has abandoned training, like many people, uncommitted to it. Or, born into the noble lineage in the three trainings, or existing there, he is a 'trainee'. Or, one sees by this, so it is 'ikkhā', which is right view of the path and fruit. With 'ikkhā' is 'sekkhā'. Since the task of the three higher paths is not completed, he is 'one with a task'. By 'assā' (his). There is nothing received without being face-to-face, is it not true that – "Eighty-two I received from the Buddha, Two thousand from the monks; Eighty-four thousand, These are the teachings that were current for me." (Theragā. 1027) – Since this was said, how is this consistent? Even though it is said "two thousand from the monks", it is taken as having been received in the presence of the Blessed One, so there is no contradiction. Because of great helpfulness. Here the word 'kāra' means 'help'. 'Assā' means 'may be'. Exceedingly familiar. Exceedingly trustworthy. 'Naṃ' refers to Venerable Ānanda. It is connected with "advises". Because of the confusion of the mostly new assembly of Venerable Ānanda, Venerable Mahākassapa said this: "This young man did not know the measure." Indeed, when the Teacher had attained final Nibbāna, Venerable Mahākassapa sat in the midst of the assembly of monks who had gathered at the Teacher's final Nibbāna, and selected five hundred monks for the recitation of the Dhamma and Vinaya. having gone, he said, ‘‘Friends, dwelling in Rājagaha, we should recite the Dhamma and Vinaya. Before the rainy season retreat, you should cut off your respective impediments and gather in Rājagaha.’’ Having said this, he himself went to Rājagaha. Elder Ānanda, taking the Buddha’s bowl and robe, and informing the great multitude, went to Sāvatthī, and from there, departing for Rājagaha, he wandered in Dakkhiṇagiri. At that time, about thirty of Elder Ānanda’s resident pupils, mostly young, monks of one or two years, and those not yet fully ordained, fell away. Why, then, had they gone forth, and why did they fall away? Their parents, it is said, thought, ‘‘Elder Ānanda is trusted by the Teacher, he asked for eight boons and attends to him, he can take the Teacher to any desired place. We will ordain our children with him; he will bring the Teacher, and when he comes, we will be able to perform great honors.’’ For this reason, their relatives ordained them. But when the Teacher passed away, their aspiration was cut off, and so they disrobed in a single day. Then, seeing Elder Ānanda who had wandered in Dakkhiṇagiri and arrived in Rājagaha, Elder Mahākassapa said this: ‘‘This young man does not know moderation!’’ This was said in the Kassapa Saṃyutta: ‘‘Then why, friend Ānanda, do you wander with these new monks, whose sense-doors are unguarded, who are immoderate in food, and who are not devoted to wakefulness? I think you wander destroying crops, I think you wander destroying families. Indeed, friend Ānanda, your retinue is falling apart, indeed, friend Ānanda, your new ones are falling apart. This young man does not know moderation!’’ ‘‘But, Venerable Kassapa, white hairs have appeared on my head, and yet even today we are not free from the venerable Mahākassapa’s ‘young man’ talk!’’ ‘‘Indeed, friend Ānanda, you, with these new monks...’’ You wander with those unguarded in the senses, immoderate in food, and not devoted to wakefulness. You wander, I think, destroying the harvest. You wander, I think, destroying families. Your assembly, friend Ānanda, is falling apart. Your new ones, friend, are falling apart. This young man does not know moderation. There, "You wander, I think, destroying the harvest" means you wander as if destroying the harvest. "You wander, I think, destroying families" means you wander as if destroying families, as if killing, as if striking. "Is falling apart" means is falling apart, is breaking up. "Your new ones, friend, are falling apart" means, friend, these new ones, for the most part, the one-year-olds, two-year-olds, young ones, and novices, are falling apart. "This young man does not know moderation" means this young man, alas, does not know his own measure, said rebuking the elder. "We are not free from the charge of being a young man" means we are not free from the charge of being a young man. "For indeed you" is said to show the reason for this statement. The meaning here is: Since you wander with these new monks who are without sense-restraint, therefore, wandering with young men, you deserve to be called "a young man." In "This young man does not know moderation," the word "vā" is a filler word. Indeed, the word "vā" is seen in many meanings such as comparison, conjunction,