English
‘‘Antareti’’ means ‘‘in the interval,’’ ‘‘in the middle.’’ Here, regarding ‘‘Suttanta Piṭaka,’’ just as ‘‘kamma’’ is ‘‘kammanta’’ (work), so ‘‘sutta’’ is ‘‘suttanta’’ (discourse), this should be understood. ‘‘Unchanted’’ refers to the Khandhaka of the Saṅgīti, the Kathāvatthu, the Pakaraṇa, and so on. Some, however, say that the Subha Sutta was also not chanted at the First Council, but that is not appropriate. For it was said by the Elder Acariya Dhammapāla that the Subha Sutta was taught by the Venerable Elder Ānanda to the young man Subha, while residing in Jetavana, even before the First Council. However, the Subha Sutta appears with the opening: ‘‘Thus have I heard – at one time, the Venerable Ānanda was dwelling in Sāvatthī, in Jetavana, in Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery, not long after the Blessed One's final passing’’ (D.N. 1.444). There, the phrase ‘‘Thus have I heard’’ and so on, would not be appropriate for the Venerable Elder Ānanda himself to utter at the First Council. For Elder Ānanda would not teach the Subha Sutta himself and then say ‘‘Thus have I heard’’ and so on. Rather, it should have been said: ‘‘At one time, venerable sir, I was dwelling in Sāvatthī, in Jetavana, in Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery.’’ Therefore, it appears as if the Subha Sutta, with ‘‘Thus have I heard’’ and so on, was included in the chanting by those who conducted the Second and Third Councils. Then, of Acariya Dhammapāla's... The intention might be: "Though the Subha Sutta was spoken by Venerable Ānanda himself, Venerable Mahākassapa and others, who wished to establish the canon by including it in the First Council, set it down with 'Thus have I heard,' and so on, in the same way as in other suttas." If so, it would be consistent. Or else: "Venerable Ānanda, even when teaching the Subha Sutta himself, taught it in the same manner as the Blessed One taught in the Sāmaññaphala and other suttas." Because it was taught based on what was received directly from the Blessed One, not attributing the Dhamma taught by the Blessed One to himself, he said, "Thus have I heard," and so on. This intention should be understood. "Both Pātimokkhas" means the Bhikkhu and Bhikkhunī Pātimokkhas. "Two Vibhaṅgas" means indeed two Vibhaṅgas, the Bhikkhu and Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅgas. "Twenty-two Khandhakas" means the twenty-two Khandhakas found in the Mahāvagga and Cūḷavagga. "Sixteen Parivāras" means it is called "Sixteen Parivāras" because it is marked by sixteen sections. For thus, in the Pāli of the Parivāra: The section on promulgation, beginning with "Where was the first pārājika promulgated by that Blessed One, the Knower, the Seer, the Arahant, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One?" (Pari. 1). Then the section on offenses committed, beginning with "How many offenses does one incur who engages in sexual intercourse?" (Pari. 157). The section on failures, of which the type begins with "Of the four failures, how many failures do the offenses of one who engages in sexual intercourse partake of?" (Pari. 182). The section on inclusion, of which the type begins with "Of the seven groups of offenses, by how many groups of offenses are the offenses of one who engages in sexual intercourse included?" (Pari. 183). The section on origins, beginning with "Of the six origins of offenses, from how many origins do the offenses of one who engages in sexual intercourse arise?" (Pari. 184). The section on cases, beginning with "Of the four cases, what case are the offenses of one who engages in sexual intercourse?" (Pari. 185). The section on settlements, beginning with "Of the seven settlements, k..." "with many pacifications, it is pacified," and so on, is the section on pacification (Pari. 186), and thereafter the section on accumulation; thus eight sections are stated. After that, by the method starting with "where is the pārājika precept laid down concerning the cause of engaging in sexual intercourse?" (Pari. 188), again, due to cause, one section on promulgation, and by its means, seven sections like the previous ones, such as the section on committed offenses, thus another eight sections are stated. Thus these eight, and the previous eight, making sixteen sections are shown in the Mahāvibhaṅga. After that, by the same method, sixteen sections also appear in the Bhikkhunīvibhaṅga. Because it is characterized by these sixteen sections, it is called "Sixteen Chapters." However, in some books, only "Parivāra" is seen, but in many books, in the Dīgha Nikāya commentary and the Abhidhamma commentary, "Soḷasaparivārā" is stated, so this reading cannot be rejected; its meaning is thus stated. "Collection of thirty-four suttas beginning with Brahmajāla" means that thirty-four suttas, beginning with the Brahmajāla Sutta, are collected here, or by this, it is the collection of thirty-four suttas beginning with Brahmajāla. Or, it is the collection of the stated number of suttas for this, thus "Collection of thirty-four suttas beginning with Brahmajāla." Thus it should be understood in the remaining cases as well. Explaining the meaning of the verse "due to various special methods," he says, "for indeed, various..." and so on. "For the purpose of strengthening and loosening" means, respectively, for the purpose of strengthening in the precepts that are worldly offenses, and for the purpose of loosening in the precepts that are offenses by promulgation; thus it should be understood. "For the prohibition of transgression" means that conduct which occurs by exceeding the time of restraint is transgression, an offense; its prohibition is the meaning. "By that" means by the reason of various methods, and so on. "This" refers to the verse statement "due to various special methods," and so on. "Of this" refers to the Vinaya. "But the other" refers to the Sutta. Now, explaining the meaning of the verse "for indicating meanings," and so on, he says, "for indeed, that..." and so on. "In the divisions of one's own welfare, others' welfare, and so on" means whoever that sutta... He meditates, he listens, he recites, he reflects, he teaches. The meaning of virtue, etc., comprehended by the Sutta, belongs to him. And because it is to be accomplished by another, it also belongs to another. Thus, the Sutta indicates and illuminates both of these. Similarly, it includes meanings such as those pertaining to this life and the next, and those that are worldly and supramundane, by the word "etc." And this word "attha" is a synonym for benefit, not for spoken meaning. If it were, this meaning would have been stated: "The Sutta indicates the spoken meaning for oneself and for others." And the meaning revealed by the Sutta belongs to that Sutta itself; it does not indicate a meaning for others by that. Therefore, since there is no meaning for others to be indicated, nor any to be averted, the mention of "self" should not be made. And since there is no spoken meaning free from self-benefit and other-benefit, the mention of "etc." should not be made. Therefore, since the aforementioned meaning of benefit is not possible in the Sutta, self-benefit and other-benefit are stated in terms of the person who is the basis of the Sutta. Or, without considering the Sutta, the categories of meaning such as self-benefit, etc., which are stated in the explanation of the phrase "There is no harm, there is praise and gain" (Mahāni. 63), namely, self-benefit, other-benefit, both benefits, meaning in this life, meaning in the next life, shallow meaning, profound meaning, hidden meaning, covered meaning, meaning to be led, meaning already led, blameless meaning, undefiled meaning, purified meaning, and ultimate meaning— the sense to be taken is that the Sutta indicates these meanings. Thus, although self-benefit, etc., are stated independently of the Sutta, not being specified as Sutta-meanings, not one of these categories of meaning exceeds the scope of being illuminated by the Sutta. Therefore, it is said that the Sutta indicates those meanings. And in this interpretation of meaning, the word "attha" can also be a synonym for spoken meaning. For here, the first five categories of meaning are synonyms for benefit; the next six are categories of spoken meaning; the last ones, however, are of both natures. Among these, profundity is the state of being unfathomable in its elucidation due to its difficulty of comprehension, not vi Concealed, hidden, like roots and water by dust, by the arrangement of letters, etc., it is covered. That which is to be led (neyya) is to be ascertained and known; it is led, to be understood according to what is heard. Blamelessness, freedom from defilements, and purification are stated by way of alternative meaning, or by way of wholesome results and functional states. The ultimate truth is Nibbāna, or simply the unperverted nature of phenomena. Or, being content oneself, this indicates one's own welfare; and being a doer of contentment for others, this indicates others' welfare. Thus, suttas like "one abstains from taking life oneself" (AN 4.99) should be applied. And distinguishing from Vinaya and Abhidhamma, the meaning of the word 'sutta' should be stated. Therefore, because the teaching proceeds according to the disposition of those to be trained, self-welfare, others' welfare, etc., are especially revealed, due to their prominence, not because it proceeds according to the nature of command-dharma. This very indication of meanings is called 'sutta'. And having done so, in phrases like "so much of that Blessed One's teaching is contained in the sutta" (Pac. 655) and "five hundred suttas in one's own tradition" (DhsA. Nidānakathā), the word 'sutta' should be understood as used figuratively. In the suttas, the nature of command-dharma follows the disposition of those to be trained, not like in Vinaya and Abhidhamma where the disposition of those to be trained follows the nature of command-dharma.