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it should not be said that there are no good sons who fulfill the practice, like water in a great lake. When they exist, it should not be said that there are no noble persons like stream-enterers and others, like lotuses and other flowers in a great lake. Thus, the Pariyatti alone is the measure. Here, "when the Pariyatti has disappeared" means the Tipiṭaka, the Buddha's word, the Pāli with commentaries (Aṅguttara Nikāya Aṭṭhakathā 1.1.130). As long as it stands, the Pariyatti is said to be complete. As time passes, the kings of the Kaliyuga become unrighteous. When they are unrighteous, their ministers and others also become unrighteous. Then, because of the unrighteousness of the people of the country and provinces, the sky does not rain properly. Then the crops do not ripen. When they do not ripen, the supporters cannot give requisites to the community of monks. The monks, suffering from lack of requisites, cannot gather their disciples. As time passes, the Pariyatti declines. They cannot retain it according to its meaning; they retain it only according to the Pāli text. Then, as time passes, they cannot retain even the entire Pāli text. First, the Abhidhamma Piṭaka declines. As it declines, it declines from the top downwards. Indeed, first the Mahāpakaraṇa declines. When that has declined, then Yamaka, Kathāvatthu, Puggalapaññatti, Dhātukathā, Vibhaṅga, Dhammasaṅgaṇī. Thus, when the Abhidhamma Piṭaka has declined, the Suttanta Piṭaka declines from the top downwards. Indeed, first the Aṅguttara Nikāya declines. And in that, first the Book of Elevens... and so on... then the Book of Ones. Thus, when the Aṅguttara Nikāya has declined, the Saṃyutta Nikāya declines from the top downwards. Indeed, first the Mahāvagga declines. Then the Saḷāyatana Vagga, the Khandha Vagga, the Nidāna Vagga, the Sagāthā Vagga. Thus, when the Saṃyutta Nikāya has declined, the Majjhima Nikāya declines from the top downwards. Indeed, first the Uparipaṇṇāsaka declines, then the Ma the middle fifty, then the root fifty. Thus, with the Majjhima Nikāya lost, the Dīgha Nikāya is lost from the top. First, the Pāthika Vagga is lost, then the Mahā Vagga, then the Sīlakkhandha Vagga. Thus, with the Dīgha Nikāya lost, the Suttanta Piṭaka is considered lost. They retain only the Jātaka along with the Vinaya Piṭaka. For the Vinaya Piṭaka is retained by the conscientious, but those desirous of gain, thinking “even if the suttantas are recited, there are none who heed,” retain only the Jātaka. As time passes, they cannot even retain the Jātaka. Then, first, the Vessantara Jātaka is lost to them, then, in reverse order, the Puṇṇaka Jātaka, the Mahānārada Jātaka, and finally, the Apaṇṇaka Jātaka is lost, and they retain only the Vinaya Piṭaka. As time passes, even that is lost from the top. First, the Parivāra is lost, then the Khandhaka, the Bhikkhunī Vibhaṅga, the Mahā Vibhaṅga; thus, in sequence, they retain only the Uposatha Khandhaka. Even then, the Dispensation is not yet lost. Indeed, as long as even a four-lined verse persists among humans, the Dispensation is not yet lost. When a faithful, devout king, having placed a thousand coins in a golden casket on an elephant’s back, has a drum beaten in the city, proclaiming, “Let whoever knows a four-lined verse spoken by the Buddhas take this thousand,” and finds no one to take it, and thinking, “when proclaimed once, some may hear, some may not,” has it proclaimed a second and a third time, and still finds no one to take it, and the royal officers return the thousand coins to the royal palace, then the Dispensation is considered lost. Though the Dispensation is lost, a mere semblance will persist for a long time. How? As time passes and passes, the manner of holding the robe, of holding the bowl, of extending and retracting the limbs, of looking forward and looking around, will not be pleasing; like naked ascetics, bhikkhus will hold their bowls, like gourd-bowls, with the forearm. surrounding and taking, they wander. Even by this much, the distinguishing mark is not yet disappeared. But as time passes, taking it down from the shoulder, holding it by hand or by a string, they wander. And the robe, not making it suitable for dyeing, they dye it bone-colored. As time passes, there is no dyeing. Cutting off the fringes, piercing the loops, and making it just suitable, they use it. Again, piercing the loops, they do not make it suitable. Then, not doing either, cutting the fringes, they wander like ascetics. As time passes, thinking "What is the use of this to us?", a small piece of saffron cloth, they tie it on their hand or neck, or stick it to their hair. Supporting their families, cultivating and sowing, making a living, they wander. Then, people giving offerings, dedicating to the Sangha, give to these also. Referring to this, the Blessed One said: "Indeed, Ananda, in the future, there will be those of the lineage, wearing saffron necks, immoral, of evil conduct. To those immoral ones, dedicating to the Sangha, people will give offerings. Even then, Ananda, the offering given to the Sangha, I declare to be immeasurable, incalculable." (M.N. 3.380). Then, as time passes, doing various kinds of deeds, thinking "This is proliferation, what is this to us?", cutting the piece of saffron cloth, they throw it in the forest. At that time, the distinguishing mark is said to have disappeared. Indeed, from the time of Kassapa the Ten-Powered One, the custom of the Yonakas wearing white clothes and wandering arose. Thus, even when the scriptures have disappeared, it should be understood that the mere distinguishing mark will long endure. The commentary on the Eight Chief Rules is concluded. Commentary on the Story of Permitting the Ordination of Bhikkhunis 404-405. "Yadaggena" means taking which day as the beginning. "Tadeva" means on that very day. "Anuññattiyā" means having permitted. "For one day, venerable Ananda, I ask the Blessed One for a boon." "Indeed, venerable Ananda, I accept these eight chief rules, not to be transgressed throughout life," she declared. If it is asked, "Having brought it now, why does she ask for a boon?" (The answer is) For avoiding others' blame. For thus some might say, "Because Mahāpajāpatī was accepted first, there was no salutation by monks and nuns according to seniority. If she were to ask for a boon, the Blessed One would grant it." 406. For attachment means for the state of attachment, for the increase of sensual desire and desire for existence. For entanglement means for binding in the cycle of existence. For accumulation means for the increase of the cycle of existence. For great desire means for the state of having great desire. For discontent means for the state of being discontent. For association means for dwelling in the association of the group of defilements. For laziness means for the state of being lazy. For being difficult to support means for being difficult to maintain. For dispassion means for becoming dispassionate from the entire cycle of existence. For disentanglement means for becoming disentangled from sensual desire and so on. For decrease means for the decrease of all of the cycle of existence; the meaning is for Nibbāna. For fewness of wishes means for the complete removal of desire, in the sense of fewness of wishes for requisites and so on. For contentment means for the state of twelve kinds of contentment. For seclusion means for the state of being secluded, for the accomplishment of seclusion such as physical seclusion, and seclusion by way of its components. For the arousal of energy means for the exertion of physical and mental energy. For being easy to support means for easy maintenance. Thus, the Dhamma of study, for one who practices wisely by way of learning, memorizing, questioning, and reflecting, becomes a cause for avoiding the state of attachment and so on, and leads to the state of dispassion and so on. Certainly, this is Dhamma, this is Vinaya, because it upholds one from falling into states of woe and so on, and because it disciplines defilements, and because it is the instruction and teaching of the Teacher, the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One. You should bear in mind, know, and understand that this is the Teacher's Dispensation. That is the meaning. In this Sutta, the cycle of existence is spoken of in the first part, and the cessation of the cycle in the second part. 409-410. "Having slighted" means "having offended." "Even for one who has reached a formal act" means "even for one who is worthy of a formal act." "Even for one who has incurred an offense" means "even for one who has fallen into an offense." They incur the state of being made to act in the manner stated, because such an action is forbidden, they commit a dukkata offense. they fall into that. 413-5. Dve tisso bhikkhuniyoti by two or three bhikkhunīs. Na ārocentīti they do not report to the reciter of the Pātimokkha. Na paccāharantīti they do not retract to the bhikkhunīs. Visesakanti a special breaking of the rule. 420. Tena ca bhikkhu nimantetabboti And that bhikkhu should be invited is a proper courtesy, but there is no offense if not invited. 425. Tayo nissayeti Three supports: excluding the support of lodging, the other three supports. For she does not obtain a lodging at the root of a tree. 428. Anuvādaṃ paṭṭhapentīti They establish a dispute, they exercise authority. 430. Bhikkhudūtena upasampādentīti They give ordination by means of a bhikkhu-messenger: a bhikkhu himself is the messenger, a bhikkhu-messenger; by that bhikkhu-messenger, having made him a bhikkhu-messenger, they give ordination, is the meaning. 431. Na sammatīti It is not approved, it is not effective. Navakammanti New construction: having done new construction, and having announced, "Let him dwell for so many years," the donation of Sangha land. 432. Sannisinnagabbhāti With a settled embryo. 434. Pabbajjampi na labhatīti