English
"it means 'he went'," the meaning is "he arrived." "Having approached" indicates a past action, so he said, "showing the completion of the approach." "From there" means from the place arrived at, which is said to have been approached. "A closer place" means a place where one could ask a question or listen to the Dhamma. "As he asked about well-being and so on" means: As the Blessed One, asking about well-being and so on, saying "Is it tolerable for you, brahmin? Is it agreeable?" was of equal joy with that brahmin. By the previously spoken words, by imitating that, thus that brahmin too with the Blessed One became one whose joy proceeded equally, this is the connection. But that state of equal joy, to show by a simile, "like cool water" and so on, was said. "Sammodita" means united. "Ekībhāva" means sameness, uniformity by the act of rejoicing. "Khamanīya" means: "This four-wheeled, nine-doored body-machine due to the abundance of suffering is inherently difficult to endure, can it be endured?" he asks. "Yāpanīya" means: whose existence depends on requisites, by a maintenance called a long continuation, can it be maintained? By the absence of head-ailments and other diseases, is it free from affliction? By the absence of a difficult livelihood, is it free from distress? In doing various tasks, by the ease of rising, is it quick to act? By the possession of suitable strength, is there strength? By the possibility of comfortable dwelling, is there comfortable dwelling? By connecting the word "kacci" here and there, the meaning should be understood. "Balappattā pīti" is just joy. "Taruṇapīti" is delight. "It generates, it makes joy," thus it is "sammodanika," that same is "sammodanīya," he says, "because it generates joy." "Because it is to be rejoiced at," thus "sammodanīya," but showing this meaning, he says, "because it is fit to be rejoiced at." "Saritabbabhāvato" means because it is to be recollected. Where "saraṇīya" should be said, making it long, "sāraṇīya" was said. "Suyyamānasukhata" means utmost sweetness to the ear. "Anussariyamānasukhata" means delightful in contemplation. "Byanjanaparisuddhata" means by the nature of natural language of that talk, the skillfulness of words. "Atthaparisuddhata" means the unblemished nature of the meaning. "Anekehi pariyāyehi" means by many reasons. By rejecting "too far" and "too near," "not too far, not too near" is understood; but that, by stretching out, by the touching of the outstretched hands of both, should be seen. "Gīvaṃ pasāretvā" means stretching out the neck by turning it. "Me" is a possessive word in the agentive sense, he says, "heard by me." "Jātibrāhmaṇa" means brahmin by birth. It is said that he is not one who has cast off evil. He has attained the state of having broken teeth, gray hair, and so on. He has reached the limit of growth, he has reached the end of growth, it is said. By reason of being old by birth, by reason of being old by origin. He takes up greatness, therefore he is old; old by birth, not by wealth and so on, therefore old by birth. A long time, a long period. How long is that? He says, "two or three royal successions," meaning, the succession of two or three kings' reigns. Having said "gone far," how is the taking of age to be understood as referring to the final age? He says, "having reached the last stage of life." The last, the third part, from sixty-seven onwards is the last portion of life. In the second interpretation of the meaning, "old" this oldness is not merely by age, but by the antiquity of the lineage, he says, "old means ancient," and so on. Thereby he speaks of the exalted state of those brahmins by lineage. By "having reached age," since growth by birth is to be explained, and growth by qualities is superior to that, he says, "grown means endowed with growth in virtues like morality and good conduct." Similarly, since being old by birth is to be explained by that very reason, the word "old" is applied to greatness by wealth. One who has entered the path, one who has adopted the practice of brahmins, by not deviating from it. The final age, the last stage of life. "Rising up" means rising from one's seat, he says, "he does not rise from his seat," meaning, he does not rise from the seat he is sitting on. Here, the locative case in "old... having reached age" is not dependent on the action of rising from the seat. Therefore, the meaning should be understood by supplying "having seen" after "old... having reached age." Or, the locative case is dependent on the action of going forth to meet, therefore, "he does not rise up" means he does not stand up and go forth to meet. For going forth to meet is also called "rising up." It is said, "having seen the teacher from afar, he goes forth to meet..." rising to meet is called standing up to meet. But by "he rises from destruction" it is to be understood that only the absence of rising to meet is indicated. In "there is in the meaning of 'vibhāvana'" it means in the sense of natural manifestation, it is said that "he does not salute" means "he does not salute". That ignorance is the ignorance that arises from not knowing "this one is not worthy of my salutations and so on." Looking on means looking with the eye of wisdom, according to suttas like "Indeed, a disrespectful, unsubmissive person lives in suffering. Why should I honor or respect any recluse or brahmin?" (A.N. 4.21). Worthy of prostration means worthy of bowing down. Just born means born a moment ago, it means immediately after birth. Facing north means facing the north, facing the northern direction. Having gone seven steps and looked over the entire ten-thousand-world-system: this is said because in the Pāli text (D.N. 2.31) "This is the rule, monks, that when a Bodhisatta is just born, he stands firmly on his feet, faces north, takes seven steps, with a white parasol held over him, he surveys all directions, and utters the bull-like speech," the surveying of all directions is mentioned as if it occurs after the seven steps. But it should not be understood this way, because the surveying of directions was done even before the seven steps. For the Great Being, having been freed from the hands of humans, looked towards the eastern direction, and many thousands of world-systems became like a single courtyard. There, devas and humans, worshipping with perfumes and garlands, said, "Great Being, there is no one equal to you here, how could there be anyone superior?" Thus, having surveyed the four cardinal directions, the four intermediate directions, below and above—all ten directions— and not seeing anyone equal to himself, he understood, "This is the northern direction," and went seven steps. Looking on means the opening of the world by the power of my merit. When it is delightful, he surveys the ten-thousand world-system appearing, with his physical eye—this is the meaning. Mahāpurisa (Great Man) means a great person by way of birth, clan, family, region, etc. Agga (Foremost) means pre-eminent in all qualities. Jeṭṭha (Eldest/Chief) means by way of qualities alone, the most senior of all; it is said to be the greatest by qualities. Seṭṭha (Best) means by way of qualities alone, the most praised of all. But in meaning, the latter two should be understood as synonyms of the former. Taya (by them) means an instrumental case in the sense of 'by'. Uttaritaro (further/more) means more abundant/greater. Patimānesi (honored) means he worshipped/honored. Āsabha (bull-like/supreme) means supreme. "A person worthy of my salutation, etc." means a worthy, suitable person for the act of my salutation, etc. Due to constant expectation/relation, the compound here should be seen. Tathāgatā (from the Tathāgata) means from the Tathāgata, or from the presence of the Tathāgata, it is said. Evarūpa (such a form) means the nature of salutation, etc. Paripākasithilabandhana (whose bonds are loosened by ripening) means whose bonds are loosened by ripening. 3. "That speech" means the speech beginning "I am not that, brahmin," etc. If it were said, "I am not without essence, or those like me are without essence," the brahmin would become stiff/obstinate. Therefore it was said, "for the purpose of generating softness of mind." This word 'pariyāya' occurs in the sense of teaching, turn, and cause. Here, 'pariyāya' means that which makes one understand and comprehend the meaning to be taught, thus 'pariyāya' is teaching. That which turns again and again is 'pariyāya', a turn. That which proceeds having grasped its own result, or goes to the state of being its cause, is 'pariyāya', a cause. Thus, the occurrence of the word 'pariyāya' in the sense of teaching, turn, and cause should be understood. "He should establish himself by knowledge" means he should be established in arahantship. "But what is that?" is a masculine designation referring to 'pariyāya'. The meaning is, "What is that 'pariyāya'?" "By way of birth" means by way of Khattiya and other births. "By way of rebirth" means by way of rebirth among the devas. "Even of those considered best"—by the word 'api' (even) it shows that it refers to those not considered best in the first place. "Of those delighting" means of those rejoicing by way of joyful craving. "Of those clinging" means clinging by way of strong attachment. of the mind-continuum. The pleasant feelings accompanied by craving, which arise from the enjoyment of forms and so on, having arisen from forms and causing delight in the heart, are called "flavors of forms" (rūparasā), like the flavors of mangoes and so on. "They draw" (āviñchanti) means they attract. "In the combination of the basis and object" (vatthārammaṇādisāmaggiyam) means in the combination of causes such as the basis and the object. "Not exalting" (anukkhipanto) means not exalting himself, not praising himself, because it is not suitable for a brahmin to speak in a self-exalting manner.