English
he paid homage with the five-point prostration, raised his joined hands, and while standing near the Hiṅgulaka mountain, he attained final Nibbāna with the element of Nibbāna without any remainder of clinging. Knowing his attainment of final Nibbāna, the Buddha went there with the community of bhikkhus, performed the funeral rites, had the relics collected, established a cetiya, and departed. Even one who practices such a path, when entering the rains retreat, should enter a place that is roofed and has a door-frame. To show that the precepts are not to be transgressed, even relying on fewness of wishes, it is said, "even by one who practices the Nāḷaka practice." "Of five coverings" means of the five coverings, namely, grass, leaves, bricks, stones, and plaster. Some say, "The prohibition, 'Monks, one should not enter the rains retreat without a dwelling' (Mahāvagga 204), is a verbal distinction, and refers to entering the rains retreat, not to entering with the intention of making it a dwelling." However, since there is no distinction in the Pāḷi, and since it is strongly stated without distinction in the commentary, with phrases like "even by one who practices the Nāḷaka practice," our view is that a monk without a dwelling is not allowed to make a dwelling anywhere except in a boat or a caravan. For it is said, "Monks, I allow you to enter the rains retreat in a boat," (Mahāvagga 203) and so on. Even if there is no dwelling, because going into the Rains Retreat is separately permitted, the prohibition, "Monks, one without a dwelling should not enter the Rains Retreat," is not found there. If there is no dwelling, entering (the Rains Retreat) in boats, etc., by way of a temporary abode, is stated. "According to the Dhamma" means the practice. "Night-quarters, day-quarters, etc." by the word "etc." it includes latrines, urinals, etc. "Having undertaken the agreements and the Khandhaka practices," the Dhamma of study establishes the threefold good Dhamma. Therefore, diligently recite, and cause to recite, perform recitation. Without disturbing those dwelling in meditation houses, sit within the monastery and recite, cause to recite, perform recitation. Make the listening to Dhamma prosperous. When ordaining, purify and ordain. Purify and give higher ordination. Purify and give dependence. For even one good family son, having obtained renunciation and higher ordination, establishes the entire Dispensation. According to your strength, as many as you can, undertake those ascetic practices. This is the Rains Retreat; for the entire day and in the first and last watches of the night, you should be diligent. Effort should be aroused. Even the ancient great elders, having cut off all hindrances, fulfilled the practice of solitary living during the Rains Retreat. Knowing the measure in speech, it is proper to engage in the ten-point discourse, the ten foulness meditations, the ten recollections, the thirty-eight object meditations. It is proper to perform the duties for visitors. It is proper to give permission to those who have gone for a seven-day task. Do not speak contentious, slanderous, or harsh words. Day by day, reflecting on the precepts, not neglecting the four protections, dwell with abundant mindfulness. When venerating a shrine or a Bodhi tree, or offering perfumes and flowers, or putting a bowl into a bag, one should not speak. Within the village, with people, talk connected with requisites or inappropriate talk should not be spoken. One should be with guarded faculties, and the Khandhaka practices and the Sekhiya practices. and should fulfill, and so on, having resolved upon the agreements and the section duties. "Monks, I allow those who have completed the Rains to invite in three ways." (Mahavagga 209) Because the invitation is allowed for those who have completed the Rains, by means of this discourse, from the rising of dawn on the day of invitation, even if they have not invited, they are called "those who have completed the Rains." Although by the statement, "I undertake the Rains retreat for these three months," (Mahavagga Commentary 184) the day of invitation is included within the three months, and as long as they do not invite on that day, they are called "those dwelling in the Rains retreat," nevertheless, even if not completed in part, that day, considering the completed part, is considered completed. Thus it is said, like the usage of "done and undone" in a whole, considering the completed and uncompleted parts. Indeed, whatever is not fully done is called "done and undone." "Monks, I allow those who have completed the Rains to spread the kathina robe." (Mahavagga 306) But by means of this discourse, directly, those who have invited at the great invitation, from the first day of the month, are called "those who have completed the Rains." To show this, "those who have invited at the great invitation," and so on, is said. Indeed, from the first day of the month, in the last month of the Rains, the spreading of the kathina is allowed, because in the Parivāra it is said: "The month for spreading the kathina should be known as the last month of the Rains." (Parivara 412) And this "those who have invited at the great invitation" is merely a showing of the true nature of those who undertook the former Rains retreat. Even if they have not invited due to some obstacle, they are still called "those who have completed the Rains." Having said, "they should be asked permission," now, showing the method of asking permission, he said, "if this hut," and so on. Or does not obtain a caretaker. If it is done in a remote monastery, one does not obtain a caretaker. But those monks went on a tour through the country. This is the connection. In going on a journey, the usage of "tour" is established in the Dispensation. Although this "tour" for the purpose of gathering many people is obtained only for Buddhas, Buddhas approach... But by way of common usage, it is also said of disciples, like the term 'palm-leaf fan' for seeds made from mats, etc. 'Having gathered' means having made a heap in one place. Now, showing that very method of gathering, he said "as it is placed," and so on. 'It is not rained upon' means not subject to rain; the 'aka' suffix in the verb should be understood. The meaning is that what is placed is not rained upon, not moistened. Here, 'vaya' in 'anavaya' means loss, as in "income and expenditure," etc. There is no loss or deficiency in his own skill, so it is 'avaya' (without loss), he said "undiminished, perfect in skill." The work of a teacher is 'ācariyaka,' he said "in the teacher's work." 'Piṭṭhasaṅghāṭa' is a door-frame; 'kaṭṭhakamma' is wood-work like pillars. 'With oil-copper-clay' means with clay mixed with oil and copper. 85. 'The state of making a hut' means the state of a hut being made. By those skilled in grammar, since the future tense is desired in conjunction with the word 'kim', it is said, "Its characteristic should be sought from grammar." 'The preliminary part of mettā' means the mere spreading of well-being to all beings, which is the preliminary part of mettā-jhāna. But why is this said? Does not the word 'anuddayā' (compassion) refer to karuṇā? This is true, but this word 'anuddayā', when it implies the meaning of protection, refers to both mettā and karuṇā. Here, it is said to refer to mettā. Therefore, it is well said, "By this, he shows the preliminary part of mettā." 'The preliminary part of karuṇā' means the mere sympathy for beings, which is the preliminary part of karuṇā-jhāna. 'Cikkhalla' is mud; its kneading is the kneading with hands, etc., after pouring water. 'Of mettā and karuṇā' means of mettā and karuṇā that have attained absorption. Although the elder did not intentionally harm small and tiny creatures with the intention of killing them, nevertheless, due to the absence of karuṇā, he was censured for having acted without considering "if this is done, these creatures will perish." 'A group of people' is 'janatā', he said "the latter group of people." 'The state of being destroyed' means the state of being annihilated. Taking of life "What they were doing" – even though the elder did not commit killing, it shows how others might perceive it. "Following this view" – is the following of this view. "To be rubbed" – means to be struck, to be destroyed. "Thus he thought" – do not think it was done by the elder. From the saying, "Let not later generations fall into the destruction of living beings," it shows that a bhikkhu who knows there will be harm to small and tiny living beings in the burning of bricks, burning of leaves, making of huts, constructing vihāras, sweeping vihāras, offering fire, digging wells and ponds, etc., should not have that work done, even by saying a permissible word in such a place. "The offense mentioned here and there" – is the pācittiya and other offenses mentioned in digging the ground, destroying plants, etc. "No offense for the first doer" – no offense regarding the making of the hut. "Transgressing the training rule" – means transgressing the training rule stated as, "And, bhikkhus, a hut should not be made entirely of clay; whoever does so, there is an offense of wrong-doing." If there were no offense for one dwelling in a hut made by another, the Blessed One would not have had that hut broken down, saying, "Even for those dwelling in a hut made by another, there is an offense of wrong-doing." "Let it be mixed in any way" – let it be mixed in any way, such as clay below and building materials above. "In short, a giñjakāvasatha" – here, giñjakā are called bricks; a dwelling made only of bricks is a giñjakāvasatha. This is a designation for a brick dwelling. Indeed, they build and roof that dwelling with bricks only, just as there is no need for plaster work, but the crossbeams, door frames, and planks are made of wood. "Scattering" – means making into powder. "Why?" – means for what reason.