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so here the learning that is grasped is compared to the grasping of a snake, not to the snake itself. Or, where it should be said "like the grasping of a snake," by omitting the middle word, it is said "like a snake," as in "camel-mouthed" and so on. Here, "alagaddo" is called a venomous snake. For "gado" is a name for poison. And that poison is sufficient, complete, for it. Therefore, because it has sufficient, complete poison, by omitting the nasal sound and adding the letter 'd', it is called "alagaddo." Or, "alagaddo" means it has poison capable of taking life. "For liberation" means: liberation from the suffering of the cycle of existence is its purpose, its aim, thus "for liberation." "The learning of a treasurer" means: one appointed to a treasury is a treasurer, like a treasurer, a protector of the Dhamma-gems. Not looking for any other purpose, the learning that belongs to one who is merely a treasurer is "the learning of a treasurer." "Misapprehended" means badly grasped. Explaining the state of being misapprehended, it says: "learned for the sake of blame and so on," meaning, grasped for the sake of blame, refutation, and so on. Learning for the sake of gain, honor, and so on, is also to be understood as included here. This is stated in the commentary to the Alagaddūpama Sutta (M.N.A. 1.239): "Indeed, whoever learns the word of the Buddha thinking, 'Thus I will obtain robes and so on, or they will know me in the midst of the four assemblies,' for the sake of gain, honor, and so on, that learning of his is called 'snake-like learning.' For, from learning in this way, it is better to go forth without learning the word of the Buddha." is. Now, is not the learning compared to grasping a water-snake, called a water-snake simile? If so, then even well-grasped learning can be called a water-snake simile, since in the Pāli text, the grasping of a water-snake is mentioned as a simile. For it is said: “Just as, bhikkhus, a man desiring a water-snake, seeking a water-snake, searching for a water-snake, might see a large water-snake. He would seize it firmly with a forked stick, and having seized it firmly with a forked stick, he would grasp it well by the neck. Even if that water-snake, bhikkhus, were to coil its body around that man’s hand or arm or any other limb, yet he would not on that account come to death or deadly suffering. For what reason? Because the water-snake was well-grasped, bhikkhus. Even so, bhikkhus, some young men of good family learn the Dhamma— sutta, geyya,” and so on (MN 1.239). Therefore, how is it understood that here only ill-grasped learning is compared to a water-snake, so that ill-grasped learning, learned for the purpose of reproach and so on, is called a water-snake simile? This is true, but this should be understood as stated by the principle of remainder. For since the learning for liberation and the learning as a storehouse keeper are taken separately, by the principle of remainder, the learning compared to ill-grasping of a water-snake is understood as a water-snake simile. For learning compared to well-grasping is either for liberation or is storehouse-keeper learning. Therefore, it is well said: “ill-grasped, learned for the purpose of reproach and so on, is compared to a water-snake.” “Yaṃ sandhāya” means referring to that ill-grasping of learning. “Vuttaṃ” means said in the Alagadda Sutta. “Alagaddatthiko” means desiring a poisonous snake. “Alagaddagavesī” means one who seeks and searches for a water-snake by nature. “Alagaddapariyesanaṃ caramāno” means going about for the purpose of searching for a water-snake. “Bhoge” means on the body. “Hatthe vā bāhāyavā” means here, from the wrist to the fingertips. The hand is to be known, along with the forearm. The rest is the arm. But sometimes it is said that from the wrist up to the fingertips is the hand. Or, among the limbs and minor parts, excluding the hand and arm of the described characteristics, the rest of the body is to be known as "limbs and minor parts." "Tatonidānaṃ" means "that cause," "that reason" is said. In the previous word, the case ending is elided for the designation. For when it should be said "that biting in the hands, etc., is the cause of this," it is said "tatonidānaṃ," making the ablative case in the previous word and not eliding it. "Taṃ kissa hetūti" means "that which is said, the biting in the hands, etc., and the approach to death, etc., what is its cause? For what reason?" "Idha" means in this teaching. "Ekacce moghapurisā" means some foolish persons. "Dhammaṃ" means the Pāli teaching. "Pariyāpuṇanti" means they learn, it is said that they recite and memorize, and retain it. "Atthaṃ" means the meaning as it is spoken, and the purpose. "Na upaparikkhanti" means they do not grasp, they do not investigate. This is said: "In this place, morality is taught, here concentration, here wisdom is taught, and we shall fulfill it." Thus, they do not grasp the spoken meaning and purpose, such as "morality is the cause of concentration, concentration of insight," and so on. "Anupaparikkhatantaṃ" means for those who do not investigate. "Na nijjhānaṃ khamanti" means they do not tolerate the wisdom of contemplation, the meaning is that they are not to be accepted by contemplating, seeing with wisdom, and approving. Thereby, this meaning is illuminated: "For those who do not investigate the meaning with their wisdom, those teachings do not become present to them, it is not possible for them to know 'in this place, morality, concentration, insight, the path, the fruit, the cycle of existence, the cessation of existence are taught'." "Te upārambhānisaṃsā cevāti" means they learn being for the sake of blaming others' views. And the advantages of release from accusations: thus, by this learning, the advantages of release from accusations, becoming the purpose of release from the censure of accusations made by others against oneself, is the meaning of learning the Dhamma. This is what is said: when others accuse one's own doctrine of faults, they learn for the reason, "I will release that fault in this way and that way." Or else, this and that doctrine is an accusation (itivāda); release from an accusation is itivādappamokkha; the advantage of release from an accusation is itivādappamokkhānisaṃsa for these; and the meaning is the advantages of releasing from various accusations. For what purpose they learn the Dhamma: for the purpose of fulfilling virtue and so on, or for the purpose of the path, fruit, and Nibbāna, the young men of good family learn the Dhamma in this Dispensation. And they do not experience that purpose; these wrong-graspers do not experience, do not find that purpose of the Dhamma, which is the fulfillment of virtue and so on. Or else, for the purpose of accusation or release from accusation, those foolish men who learn the Dhamma, when others say, "This meaning is not so," because of their wrong grasping, they are unable to establish "that is indeed the meaning." Even if unable to accuse another's doctrine or to release it from their own doctrine, they do not experience that purpose. This meaning should be understood. They lead to harm and suffering for a long time: for them, those dhammas, because of wrong grasping, being the cause of accusation, conceit, hypocrisy, envy, and so on, lead to harm and suffering for a long time. Here, indeed, regarding the cause, by the designation of the result, it is said, "those dhammas lead to harm and suffering." For even though those dhammas do not lead to harm and suffering, yet, in the manner stated, for those who learn, at the time of recitation and at the time of dispute, because of the arising of many unwholesome states rooted in them, such as accusation and so on, "those dhammas lead to harm and suffering" is said by the designation of the result in the cause. "For what reason is that?" Here, the tradition is as stated... He considers the Teacher's inability to comprehend them, and the fact that those teachings lead to harm and suffering. In "the perfection of the aggregates of virtue, etc.," the word "etc." should be understood to include concentration, insight, and so forth. Indeed, one who learns the Buddha's words, and where virtue is mentioned, perfects virtue, where concentration is mentioned, establishes the core of concentration, where insight is mentioned, establishes insight, and where paths and fruits are mentioned, learns, "I will cultivate the path, I will realize the fruit," for him alone is that learning for the purpose of liberation. "Referring to which it was said" refers to that well-grasped learning which was spoken of in the Alagaddūpama Sutta. "They lead to welfare and happiness for a long time" means that for those who perfect virtue, etc., where virtue, etc., are mentioned, even for those who, having attained arahantship, teach the Dhamma in the midst of an assembly, and partake of the four requisites offered by those pleased with the Dhamma teaching, and for those who refute the doctrines of others with the Dhamma, and for those who remove faults from their own doctrine, they lead to welfare and happiness for a long time. Thus, not only the cultivation of the path and the realization of the fruit, etc., are accomplished through well-grasped learning, but also the refutation of others' doctrines and the establishment of one's own doctrine. And so it was said: "Having thoroughly refuted an arisen doctrine of others with the Dhamma," and so on. "One whose aggregates are fully understood" means one whose aggregates are fully understood by comprehending suffering. "One whose defilements are abandoned" means one whose defilements are abandoned by abandoning the origin. "One whose unshakeable (fruit) is penetrated" means one who has penetrated the unshakeable fruit of arahantship. "He does not waver" (na kuppati) for "unshakeable" (akuppa) is indeed a name for the fruit of arahantship.