English
Because of the absence of the debt of sensual desire, he is to be known as 'debtless'. Indeed, whoever takes a debt from others and squanders it, even if threatened by them saying "Give back the debt!", even if spoken to harshly, reviled, or beaten, cannot strike back at all, he endures everything. For him, that debt is the cause of his endurance. Just so, whoever is attached to something by sensual desire, grasps that object with the grip of craving, even if spoken to harshly, reviled, or beaten by it, cannot strike back at all, he endures everything. For him, that sensual desire is the cause of his endurance, like women tormented by their husbands. Why? Because sensual desire is like a debt. 9. "Ajjhesana" (request) is, having served one worthy of respect, a wish directed towards a more important purpose. In essence, it is simply a request. "By the Buddha-eye" means by the knowledge of the faculties' maturity and immaturity, and by the knowledge of latent tendencies. Indeed, the name "Buddha-eye" belongs to these two knowledges. The knowledge of omniscience is called "all-seeing eye". The three lower path-knowledges are called "Dhamma-eye". In "those with little dust" and so on, those whose dust of passion, etc., in the eye of wisdom is little, they are "those with little dust". Those for whom it is great, they are "those with great dust". Those whose faculties of faith, etc., are sharp, they are "those with sharp faculties". Those whose faculties are dull, they are "those with dull faculties". Those whose very qualities of faith, etc., are beautiful, they are "those with good qualities". Those who discern the stated reason, they are easily able to be instructed, they are "easily teachable". Those who see both the other world and fault as fearful, they are called "those who see fear in the other world and in fault". "Uppalinī" (lotus pond) means where lotuses are. It can be a bush or a body of water. But here, a body of water is intended. Therefore, "uppalini" should be understood as "lotus grove". The same method applies to others from this point. "Antonimuggaposīnī" means those which within the water, immersed, they grow and thrive, these are nourished while immersed. They stand having risen above the water, they stand having surpassed the water. Among them, those that stand having risen high, receiving the touch of the sun's rays, those are to bloom today. Those that stand level with the water, those are to bloom tomorrow. Those that have not risen from the water, nourished while immersed, those are to bloom on the third day. But there are other plants, like diseased water lilies, that have not risen from the water, which will never bloom, but will be devoured by fish and turtles. These are not included in the Pāli text, but are to be brought forth and explained, as revealed in the commentaries. Just as those flowers are of four kinds, even so are the four persons: the one with immediate understanding, the one with developed understanding, the one who needs guidance, and the one whose goal is merely the words. Among them, the person for whom there is an understanding of the Dhamma at the very moment of its utterance, this person, by placing the teaching in a summary form in the manner of "the four foundations of mindfulness," and by sending forth wisdom according to the discourse, is capable of attaining arahantship, this person is called the one with immediate understanding. The person for whom there is an understanding of the Dhamma when what is spoken briefly is explained in detail, this person is called the one with developed understanding. The person for whom there is an understanding of the Dhamma gradually, by instruction, by questioning, by wise attention, by associating with, attending upon, and serving good friends, this person is called the one who needs guidance. The person who, though hearing much, though speaking much, though retaining much, though reciting much, does not attain an understanding of the Dhamma in that life, who is unable to bring forth the path or the fruit, or even jhāna or vipassanā, in that existence, this person is called the one whose goal is merely the words. Therein, the Blessed One, looking upon the ten-thousand-world system as if it were a lotus pond, saw those with immediate understanding like those to bloom today, those with developed understanding like those to bloom tomorrow, and those who need guidance like those to bloom on the third day. He saw beings with little dust and with much dust, like lotuses that are eaten by fish and turtles. And seeing them, he saw in every way, "So many have little dust, so many have much dust, and among them, so many are quick to understand." There, for three types of individuals, the Buddha's teaching of the Dhamma brings benefit in this very existence. For those who are "foot-paramount" (padaparama), there is a predisposition for a future state. Then the Blessed One, knowing that the teaching of the Dhamma would be beneficial for these four types of individuals, generated the desire to teach. Again, he divided all beings in the three realms into two categories based on their capability and incapability. Regarding which it is said: "Those beings who are endowed with a karmic hindrance, endowed with a vipāka hindrance, endowed with a defilement hindrance, who are faithless, without desire, of poor wisdom, incapable of entering the fixed course of rightness in wholesome states— these beings are incapable. Which beings are capable? Those beings who are not endowed with a karmic hindrance... (etc.)... these beings are capable." There, having set aside all incapable individuals, he grasped only the capable individuals with his knowledge, and divided them into six categories: "So many are of a lustful temperament, so many of a hateful, deluded, speculative, faithful, and intelligent temperament." Having done so, he thought, "I will teach the Dhamma." And here, it should be understood that when the Blessed One reflects on these beings as having little dust, etc., and as capable, etc., they appear to him as groups and masses, not as individuals. "Paccabhāsī" means "patiabhāsi" (replied). "Apārutā" means "vivaṭā" (opened). "Amatassa dvāra" means "the door to the Deathless," which is the Noble Path. For it is the door to Nibbāna, which is called the Deathless. He shows that "it has been opened and established by me, attained through my self-existent knowledge, by means of great compassion." Some read "Apārutaṃ tesaṃ amatassa dvāraṃ" (The door to the Deathless is opened for them). "Pamuñcantu saddhaṃ" means "let all release their faith, let them let go, let them declare, let them arouse their manner of believing in the Dhamma taught by me and in me." In the last two phrases, the meaning is: "For I have this excellent, well-established, sublime..." Having become mindful of the weariness of body and speech, I thought, "I did not speak the excellent Dhamma, I will not speak it." But now, let all people bring forth the vessel of faith; I will fulfill their aspirations. "He disappeared" means, having worshipped the Teacher with perfumes, garlands, and so forth, he disappeared, he went to his own place. Indeed, for gods and Brahmas who have come to the Teacher, disappearance before him is simply going to their own place. The description of the story of Brahma's request is finished. The description of the story of the Group of Five 10. "This thought arose" means, this happened: "To whom, indeed, should I first teach the Dhamma?" This thought connected with Dhamma-teaching arose. Āḷāra was his name. He was said to be tall and reddish-brown. For he was tall due to his lofty body, and reddish-brown due to his reddish-brown eyes; therefore his name was "Āḷāra". Kālāma was his clan. "Paṇḍita" (wise one) (M.N.A. 1.284) is endowed with wisdom. The meaning is, endowed with the state of wisdom, which is accomplished through the attainment of meditative absorptions, and characterized by extensive learning and realization. "Byatta" (clever/expert) is endowed with cleverness. The meaning is, endowed with the state of cleverness, which is due to the attainment of meditative absorptions, and characterized by the wisdom of preservation. "Medhāvī" (intelligent) is endowed with wisdom that arises on the spot. Or else, "Medhāvī" is endowed with intelligence characterized by three-rooted rebirth-consciousness wisdom, and with intelligence characterized by wisdom for various tasks. Thus the meaning here should be understood. "Apparajakkhajātika" (of a nature with little dust/defilement) is of a nature free from defilements, a pure being, due to the suppression by meditative attainment. "He will understand" means he will discern, he will penetrate. "Indeed, knowledge arose in the Blessed One" means omniscient knowledge arose in the Blessed One. Indeed, the Blessed One, not merely concluding with what was said by the deity, but also looking with his own omniscient knowledge, saw that, having passed away at the end of the seventh day from now, he (Āḷāra) was reborn in the sphere of nothingness. Referring to that, he said, "Indeed, knowledge arose in the Blessed One." "Mahājāniya" (great loss) means the path to be attained within seven days... Due to being deprived of fruit, there is a great loss, a great decline, thus "mahājāniyo" (great loss/decline). Born at an inauspicious time, there are no feet to come to this place of Dhamma teaching. Even if I were to go there, having gone, there would be no ear-clarity for him to hear the Dhamma being taught. Thus, it shows that a great loss has occurred. But could the Blessed One not make him know the Dhamma by his own Buddha-power? Yes, it is not possible. For without the voice of another, the disciples' comprehension of Dhamma does not arise. Otherwise, even for one devoid of other conditions, Dhamma comprehension should occur, but that is not the case.