English
with a mind impelled by great compassion for the teaching of the Vinaya Pitaka, in the midst of a great assembly. And for the sake of the establishment of various training rules, he also experienced physical fatigue in places like Verañjā. Therefore, although the wisdom that gives rise to the Vinaya rules, like the discourses on the conditions of other planes of existence and other times, is exceptionally active due to its uniqueness, the function of compassion is even greater than that; thus, the Vinaya teaching is compassion-predominant. For the teaching's predominance of compassion is due to the greater activity of compassion. Therefore, it should be understood that here, in accordance with the introduction, compassion-predominance alone is praised. And by the taking of compassion, all the immeasurable qualities of the Buddha are to be understood as included, because the other qualities of the Buddha have it as their root. Or, because great compassion is one of the six uncommon knowledges, and due to the inclusion of the other uncommon knowledges that accompany it, all the qualities of the Buddha are indeed shown by way of method. This indeed is the way to show all the qualities of the Buddha completely, namely, the grasp of method. Otherwise, who indeed would be able to show the qualities of the Blessed One, word by word, completely? Therefore, it is said: Even a Buddha, if he were to speak the praise of a Buddha, for an eon, speaking of nothing else; the eon would expire in its long duration, but the praise of the Tathāgata would not expire. And by the Venerable Elder Sāriputta, when questioned about the limit of the Buddha's qualities, it was rejected with "No, Venerable Sir," and he said, "But, Venerable Sir, the method of the Dhamma is known to me." Therefore, it should be understood that with the phrase "who for tens of millions of aeons," through the mouth of compassion, he briefly praised the Blessed One with all the qualities of omniscience. This is the collective meaning here. This, however, is the analytical meaning: "Who" is an indefinite word. Its connection is with "Lord." With "for tens of millions of aeons," it shows the suffering endured by the Blessed One, who, by virtue of that compassion by which he is called "the Greatly Compassionate One," performed extremely difficult deeds for the welfare of the world for an immeasurable time, even for tens of millions of aeons. Indeed, by the power of compassion, the Blessed One, abandoning even the Nibbāna within his grasp, performed extremely difficult deeds, such as giving his eyes, life, sons, and wives, which are unthinkable, in order to rescue the multitude of beings immersed in the mud of transmigration. "For an immeasurable time, even for tens of millions of aeons" means a time that cannot be measured even by counting tens of millions of aeons, a time that cannot be delimited even by the calculation of tens of millions of aeons. It is said to be four immeasurable periods exceeding hundreds of thousands of aeons, undelimited because it cannot be delimited even by the calculation of tens of millions of aeons. Indeed, that time is immeasurable in terms of tens of millions of aeons, but it is delimited in terms of immeasurable periods. The word "even" in "for tens of millions of aeons" shows that it cannot be measured even by tens of millions of aeons, much less by counting years. "An immeasurable time" is a word of usage in the sense of continuous association, like in "he studies for a month, he walks for a day." "Performing extremely difficult deeds" means performing extremely difficult deeds such as the five great renunciations. If it is asked, "What did he experience while performing such extremely difficult deeds?" It means he became weary, he experienced physical weariness, he attained exhaustion, it is said that he experienced suffering. Indeed, suffering is called "weariness" because it is difficult to endure. "For the welfare of the world" means "anam “In the beginningless samsara, the world of beings, exceedingly afflicted by the suffering of wandering, I shall liberate them from that suffering, and make them partakers of the bliss of Nibbana.” Thus, it means for the welfare of the world of beings. And this is connected with “doing extremely difficult deeds.” There is no fault even in the interpretation “having undergone hardship for the welfare of the world.” For in the Mahāgaṇṭhipada it is said: “Having done extremely difficult deeds, he underwent hardship. For what purpose? For the welfare of the world.” As for what someone said, not admitting such an interpretation, “Indeed, the Blessed One does not experience the suffering of samsara for the welfare of the world. Indeed, no one’s experience of suffering brings benefit to the world,” that is merely his opinion. Even with such an interpretation, the meaning understood is that the Blessed One’s experience of suffering while doing extremely difficult deeds is for the purpose of bringing welfare to the world, not that the welfare of the world is achieved merely by experiencing suffering. Even in the first-mentioned interpretation, the welfare of the world is not achieved merely by doing difficult deeds. Indeed, by doing difficult deeds, he does not establish any being in the paths and fruits, etc. Rather, having done such extremely difficult deeds, and having realized omniscience, by teaching the liberating Dhamma, establishing beings in the paths and fruits, etc., he accomplishes the welfare of the world. Although here the world is threefold according to beings, formations, and space, since the intention is to bring welfare, the meaning should be taken in terms of the world of beings, which is the object of that welfare. For here, in “lokīya” (worldly), merit and demerit and their results are called “loka” (world). Sometimes, however, in phrases like “sanarāmaralokagaru” (teacher of the world of humans and gods), the word “loka” also has the meaning of a group, as a collection it is called “lokīyati” (is seen, is designated). As for what someone said here, “By this, it includes the world of beings and the world of birth. Therefore, the welfare of that world of beings in this world and the next world, or the welfare of those who have transcended the next world, whose aggregates of existence have been cut off, in this world of birth or world of space, which is called the happiness of present existence, combining these, ‘lokassa,’ ‘lokānaṃ,’ or ‘loke’ (of the world, of the worlds, or in the world) is to be understood as a single remaining form, meaning the welfare of the world.” "and so on," that should not be essentially believed, even though it is beneficial, being a state of pleasant abiding in this very life, because it pertains to the world of beings, and by the very inclusion of the world of beings, even those whose roots are cut off, the Arahants, are included. Everywhere, when "by someone" is said, it should be understood as "by the author of the Vajirabuddhi Commentary." When "in the Great Gaṇṭhipada" or "in the Middle Gaṇṭhipada" or "in the Small Gaṇṭhipada" is said, it should be understood as "in the Sinhala Gaṇṭhipadas." When only "in the Gaṇṭhipada" is said, it should be understood as "in the Gaṇṭhipada written in the Magadhan language." "Nātha" means refuge of the world, master of the world, leader of the world, it is said. Thus indeed, preceded by the removal of all harm, intent on providing complete welfare and happiness, with unsurpassed perfection of effort, being extremely beneficial to the world of gods and humans, and endowed with immeasurable, incomparable, powerful, and special qualities, the Exalted One, supreme among all beings, is the sole refuge and support for immeasurable beings in immeasurable world-systems. Or alternatively, "Nātha" means "he who desires," the meaning is that he wishes and desires the welfare and happiness of those who can be trained, out of loving-kindness. Or alternatively, the meaning is that he torments the defilements present in those who can be trained, or "Nātha" means "he who requests." For the Exalted One, by such statements as, "Good, monks, a bhikkhu should from time to time review his own accomplishment" (AN 8.7), even after requesting of beings their respective beneficial practices, encouraged by compassion, he directs them there. Or, endowed with supreme mental sovereignty, he rules over and overcomes all beings, therefore the Exalted One, the supreme lord, is called "Nātha." And all these meanings should be understood according to grammar. "Of the Greatly Compassionate One" means he whose heart is stirred by compassion, who for the welfare of the world, by performing extremely difficult deeds, having experienced such various kinds of suffering in saṃsāra, has come; that is the meaning of "of the Greatly Compassionate One." Therein, "Karuṇā" means "it scatters," the meaning is that it scatters and removes the suffering of others. Or among the suffering ones, "Karuṇā" means "it is scattered" or "it is spread." Or alternatively, "it buys" Compassion, when there is suffering in others, it hurts, it afflicts, or it destroys the suffering of others, that is the meaning. When there is suffering in others, it makes the hearts of good people tremble and ache, that is compassion. Or, 'kam' is happiness, that which obstructs it is 'karuṇā'. Indeed, this desire to remove the suffering of others, being indifferent to one's own happiness, obstructs and afflicts the happiness of the compassionate. One devoted to compassion is 'kāruṇika', just like 'dovārika' (doorkeeper). Just as a person whose livelihood is tied to the door, even if he is elsewhere, is called a 'dovārika' because his conduct does not deviate from the door, so too the Blessed One, even if he is abiding in states other than the abode of compassion, such as loving-kindness, is called 'kāruṇika' because his conduct does not deviate from compassion,