English
The rest here is in the same manner as stated. The explanation of the second story of Māra is finished. The explanation of the story of the Bhaddavaggiyas 36. In the story of the thirty Bhaddavaggiyas, "having stayed as long as they pleased" means having stayed according to their inclination. For Buddhas, there is no such thing as displeasure arising from the deterioration of shade, water, etc., or uncomfortable lodging, or the lack of faith in people, when dwelling in one place; nor is there a long stay due to delight, thinking "we dwell comfortably here," because of their accomplishments. But where beings establish themselves in the refuges or the three, or undertake precepts, or go forth, or where there is a basis for others to attain the path of stream-entry, etc., there Buddhas dwell with the intention of establishing beings in those accomplishments; in their absence, they depart. Therefore it is said, "having stayed according to their inclination." "Having plunged into" means having entered. "Thirty in number" means thirty in measure. The rest here is in the same manner as stated. The explanation of the story of the Bhaddavaggiyas is finished. The explanation of the story of the Uruvelā miracles 37-38. In the story of Uruvelā Kassapa, "ascetic with matted hair" means one who wears matted hair. For he has matted hair, thus he is a jaṭila. "Leader" means a guide; he himself trains and teaches his own doctrine, thus he is a trainer. "If it is not a burden to you, Kassapa" means, Kassapa, if there is nothing difficult or uncomfortable for you. "In the fire-house" means in the hall of fire. "Both being ablaze with light" means both being ablaze, ignited. "Who indeed" means whoever. 39. "Today" means today, for one day. "In the fire-house" means in the hall of fire. "With a beautiful mind" means a mind consisting of beautiful thoughts. "Skilled in the fire element" means skilled in the attainments of the fire kasina. "They looked up" means they looked up, or the meaning is, they surrounded. "Having placed in the bowl" means having put into the bowl. "With regular food" means with constant food. 40. "When the night was far advanced": here the word "abhikkanta" means "exhausted," so the meaning is "when the night was exhausted." For these four great kings... They came just after midnight. This is indeed the rule for deities, that when they come to attend upon Buddhas or disciples of Buddhas, they come just after midnight. "Of surpassing beauty" means of beautiful skin color, it is said to be of desirable color, of pleasing color. Indeed, deities coming to the human world, abandoning their natural color and natural power, making a grosser form, and creating a divine magical power by emitting radiance from their exceedingly beautiful bodies, clothes, ornaments, etc., they come with a constructed body, like humans going to a play or assembly. Among these, those of the sense-sphere can come even without a constructed body, due to their grosser form. For they consume solid food. But those of the form-sphere cannot come with an unconstructed body, due to their more subtle form. For their existence is exceedingly subtle, and with it, no posturing is possible. Therefore, even in the Brahma-world, Brahmas mostly manifest with a created form. For their original rebirth-form is an exceedingly subtle great form, it merely exists as a basis and support for the arising of consciousness, having a shape. Here, in "kevalakappaṃ," the word "kevala" means "without remainder," and the word "kappa" means "all around." Therefore, "kevalakappaṃ vanasaṇḍaṃ" means "the entire forest grove, all around, without remainder." For even a radiance capable of pervading entirely might, for some reason, pervade only a part. But to show that this pervades completely, the word "kappa" meaning "all around" is used. Or, "kevalakappaṃ" means "slightly insufficient." For the deities illuminate with their own radiance only that part not illuminated by the Blessed One's radiance. For the Blessed One's radiance is not overcome by any radiance, but it overcomes the radiance of the sun and others and stands. "Having illuminated" means having pervaded with the light arisen from their clothes, ornaments, and bodies, making a single radiance, a single light, like the moon and like the sun. The bodily radiance of deities spreads and remains over an area of ten or twelve leagues, and even more. Similarly, the light arising from their clothes and ornaments. "In the four directions" means in the four cardinal directions. "Yatra hi nāma" means that which is called. 43. "Aṅgamagadhā" means the inhabitants of both the Aṅga and Magadha countries. "Iddhipāṭihāriyaṃ" means a miracle that is a psychic power, not a miracle of mind-reading or of instruction. For there are three kinds of miracles: the miracle of psychic power, the miracle of mind-reading, and the miracle of instruction. Among these, the miracle of psychic power is the display of psychic power such as "Here, a monk, being one, becomes many; being many, he becomes one; he appears and disappears," and so on. The miracle of mind-reading is the declaration of another's mind, knowing the mind of others, such as "Here, a monk declares the mind of other beings, other individuals; he declares their mental states, their thoughts, their reflections: 'Such is your mind, thus is your mind,'" and so on. The miracle of instruction is the teaching of the Dhamma, to be taught at all times by Buddhas to their disciples, such as "Here, a monk instructs thus: 'Think thus, do not think thus; pay attention thus, do not pay attention thus; abandon this, dwell having attained this,'" and so on. Regarding this, the meaning of the word "pāṭihāriyaṃ" is said to be "miracle" because it removes the opposing side, because it removes defilements like lust. But the defilements like lust are not opponents of the Blessed One that need to be removed. Even in the case of ordinary people, the display of psychic power occurs in a mind free from defilements, endowed with eight qualities, where the opponents have been destroyed. Therefore, it is not possible to use the term "pāṭihāriyaṃ" here based on the usage there. However, if it is said that the defilements of those to be trained are the opponents of the Greatly Compassionate Blessed One, and that it is a "miracle" because it removes them, then this is appropriate. Then, or the sectarians, who are opponents of the Buddha and his teaching, are carried away by it, hence it is a miracle. For they are carried away and removed by the power of removing wrong views, by their inability to proclaim their own views, and by the miracles of psychic power, mind-reading, and instruction. Or the word "paṭi" here denotes the meaning of "after," as in "when he had entered that, another brahmin came" and so on. Therefore, that which is to be performed later, by one whose mind is concentrated, whose defilements are gone, and whose task is accomplished, is "paṭihāriyaṃ." Or, when one's own defilements are carried away by the paths of the fourth jhāna, the subsequent carrying away is "paṭihāriyaṃ." And the psychic powers, mind-reading, and instructions are to be performed again for the welfare of beings by one whose defilements are gone and whose task is accomplished. And when one's own defilements are carried away, the defilements of other beings are also carried away, thus they are "paṭihāriyāni." "Paṭihāriyaṃ" itself is "pāṭihāriyaṃ." Or, each single one existing in the collection of psychic powers, mind-reading, and instructions is called "pāṭihāriyaṃ." Or, the fourth jhāna and the path are "paṭihāriyaṃ" because they carry away opponents. That which arises there as a sign, or that which comes from there, is "pāṭihāriyaṃ." "For tomorrow" means for the purpose of what is to be given tomorrow. 44. "A rag-robe arose" means it arose by way of acquisition for one who was seeking it. That seeking was for the purpose of seeing various miracles. Because that pond was created as soon as it was touched by hand, it is said, "having dug a pond with his hand." 46-49. "Ascetics" are hermits. They are called "ascetics" here because they wear matted hair. "During the time of snowfall in the middle eight nights" means during the time of snowfall in the eight nights in between: four at the end of the month of Māgha, and four at the beginning of the month of Phagguṇa, which are within the winter season. "Emerging from the Nerañjarā" means some, having first submerged their entire bodies in that water considered sacred, then emerge, rise up, and float. "Submerging" means sinking headfirst into the water. Emerging and submerging. They also perform 'ujjana', repeatedly performing emergence and submergence. There, some, holding the view that "purification from evil comes by just one emergence," go away after only emerging. But since emergence does not exist without submergence, due to their inseparability, they also perform submergence. And those who hold the view that "purification from evil comes by just one submergence," they too, having submerged just once, and by the same reasoning, due to their inseparability, also perform emergence and depart. Others, holding the view that "purification from evil comes by bathing, performing emergence and submergence repeatedly," they perform emergence and submergence from time to time. Referring to all of them, it is said, "they emerge, they submerge, they perform both emergence and submergence." And here, although emergence is preceded by submergence, those who perform only submergence are few, while those who perform emergence and both are many; to show their majority, emergence is mentioned first. 50-51. "Udakavāhaka" means a flood of water. "Reṇuhatāya" means covered with dust, it is said to be soiled with dust. "Indeed, Kassapa, you are not an Arahant" – by this, it refutes Kassapa's state of being beyond training at that time.