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preaching the Dhamma in the midst of the four assemblies, expanded the Dhamma teaching according to the conduct of that assembly. Except for the two chief disciples, all two hundred and fifty ascetics attained arahantship. The Teacher extended his hand, saying, "Come, monks!" The hair and beard of all disappeared, and robes and bowls made by psychic power became attached to their bodies. Even for the chief disciples, robes and bowls made by psychic power appeared, but the task of the three higher paths was not completed. Why? Because of the greatness of the knowledge of the perfection of a disciple. Then, on the seventh day from the day of his ordination, Venerable Mahāmoggallāna, practicing the ascetic life near the village of Kallavāḷa in the Magadha country, was overcome by sloth and torpor. Being roused by the Teacher, he dispelled the sloth and torpor, and while listening to the meditation subject of elements given by the Tathāgata, he completed the task of the three higher paths and reached the pinnacle of the knowledge of the perfection of a disciple. Elder Sāriputta, too, half a month after his ordination, while dwelling with the Teacher in the Sūkarakhata cave near the same Rājagaha, when the Dīghanakha Sutta on the comprehension of feelings was being taught to his nephew, the ascetic Dīghanakha, he directed his knowledge according to the Sutta, and like one eating another's increased meal, he reached the pinnacle of the knowledge of the perfection of a disciple. Therefore it is said: "Elder Mahāmoggallāna was established in arahantship in seven days, Elder Sāriputta..." The elder [attained] in half a month. Although Mahāmoggallāna Thera attained arahantship not long after, the Dhamma-commander [attained] later than that. Even so, Sāriputta Thera was the greater in wisdom. Mahāmoggallāna Thera, as if pressing with the tip of a stick the range of contemplation for disciples, contemplating only a part, strove for seven days and attained arahantship. Sāriputta Thera, excluding the range of contemplation of Buddhas and Paccekabuddhas, contemplated the range of contemplation of disciples without omission. Thus contemplating, he strove for half a month. Because the highest range of contemplation of disciples was practiced without omission, and the perfection-knowledge of a disciple had to be ripened in that way. Just as a man, thinking "I will take a bamboo stick," seeing a large tangled bamboo clump, [thinks] "If I cut the tangle, there will be delay," and inserting his hand in between, cuts the stick that comes to hand at the root and at the top, and takes it and departs. Although he goes earlier, he does not get a stick that is sound or straight. Another, seeing such a bamboo clump, [thinks] "If I take a stick that comes to hand, I will not get one that is sound or straight." So, tying up his clothes, he cuts the bamboo tangle with a large knife, and picking out sticks that are sound and straight, takes them and departs. Although he goes later, he gets sticks that are sound and straight. Such is this striving of these two elders. And the "range of contemplation" here should be understood as the ground of insight, because "contemplation moves within it," thus it is called "range of contemplation." Therein, the range of contemplation of Buddhas, they say, are the formations that exist in the ten-thousand world-systems, pertaining to the continuity of beings, and not bound by faculties. Others say, "in a hundred thousand crores of world-systems." Thus, by way of self-possession, entering the method of dependent origination, the great adamantine knowledge of Buddhas arose through thirty-six hundred thousand crores of aspects. For Paccekabuddhas, together with those within their own continuity, dwelling in the middle country... Formations gone into the stream of beings and not bound by faculties, they say, is the mode of contemplation. Some say, "pertaining to the continuum of those dwelling in Jambudīpa." Contemplation of all phenomena gone into one's own continuum and gone into others' continua, without making a distinction of continua, due to the commonality of being external – this is the mode of contemplation for disciples. But Elder Moggallāna, even in external phenomena, having extracted some here and there by way of one's own continuum distinction, contemplated. And he did so only by touching it with knowledge. Therefore it is said: "Contemplating only a part, as if pressing with the tip of a stick." There, by "knowledge," because what is to be known was not covered to the extent it should be, it is said, "as if pressing with the tip of a stick." Because there was no insight into phenomena step by step, it is said, "contemplating only a part." Even for the General of the Dhamma, the mode of contemplation was the ground of insight for the aforementioned disciples. But there, the Elder contemplated exceedingly, completely, and step by step, rightly. Therefore it is said: "He contemplated the mode of contemplation of the disciples without leaving any part." And here, among these six kinds of people: dry-insight practitioners, those who have attained worldly supernormal powers, ordinary disciples, great disciples, chief disciples, Paccekabuddhas, and Sammāsambuddhas, for dry-insight practitioners, because of not having attained skill in wisdom through jhānas and supernormal powers, like the blind moving to a desired place, there is no cultivation of desired phenomena at the time of insight; they develop insight only in the phenomena they have grasped. But ordinary disciples who have attained worldly supernormal powers, by whatever door they begin insight, they are able to expand insight through other means as well, because of their abundant knowledge. Great disciples, because of being endowed with aspiration, are able to expand insight exceedingly beyond that. Among the chief disciples, the second (Moggallāna), because of the excellence of his aspiration and concentration, expands insight even beyond that. But the first (Sāriputta), even beyond that, by his great wisdom, making it uncommon among disciples, expands insight. Paccekabuddhas, even beyond them, by their great aspiration... According to their aspiration, they develop even more extensive insight. For the Buddhas, perfected by fully accomplished perfections of wisdom, suitable for the attainment of omniscience, just as, by one skilled in piercing a hair, an arrow shot by an archer like Sarabhaṅga, without getting stuck among trees, creepers, etc., falls directly on the target, neither getting stuck nor wavering, so too, insight, without getting stuck or wavering, proceeds truly in various ways concerning the contemplable phenomena, which is called "the great diamond knowledge." Among these, the insight practice of dry-insight practitioners is like the light of a firefly. For ordinary disciples who have attained supernormal powers, it is like the light of a lamp. For great disciples, it is like the light of a torch. For chief disciples, it is like the light of a medicinal star. For Paccekabuddhas, it is like the light of the moon. And for Sammāsambuddhas, it appears like the orb of the autumn sun adorned with a thousand rays. Likewise, the insight practice of dry-insight practitioners is like the journey of the blind with the tip of a staff. For ordinary disciples who have attained worldly supernormal powers, it is like crossing a bridge with a stick. For great disciples, it is like crossing a bridge by foot. For chief disciples, it is like crossing a bridge by cart. For Paccekabuddhas, it is like traveling a great foot-path. For Sammāsambuddhas, it is like traveling a great cart-road. Likewise, the insight of Buddhas and Paccekabuddhas, having been developed by knowledge born of reflection, is self-arisen knowledge. That of others, having been developed by knowledge born of hearing, is known to be born of others' instruction. Now, to show the past connection of both elders, he said "in the past, it is said," and so on. All that is for the sake of clear meaning. 63. "Giribbaja-nagara" means Rājagaha city, which obtained the name Giribbaja because it stands surrounded on all sides by mountains, like a cattle-pen. Referring to the state of being an object of the action of envying, it is said "or in the sense of 'use'." The commentary on the story of Sāriputta's and Moggallāna's ordination is finished. Commentary on the story of the preceptor's duties 64. Fault and faultless, considering... He who observes is an Upajjhāya. Those who have no Upajjhāya are Anupajjhāyakā. Therefore it is said: "Devoid of an observing, respected teacher regarding faults and non-faults." Here, "faults and non-faults" means minor and major faults. This usage is for emphasis, like "fruits and non-fruits," and so on. In "uttiṭṭhapattanti" (a bowl for leftovers), the word "uttiṭṭha" is synonymous with "ucchiṭṭha" (leftovers). Therefore it is said: "Indeed, people consider it leftovers, thus it is called 'uttiṭṭhapattā' (a bowl for leftovers)." By "piṇḍāya caraṇakapattanti" (a bowl used for alms-round), the reason for the concept of leftovers is clarified through the description of the bowl's nature. "Therein" means in that bowl used for alms-round. 65. In "sagāravā sappatissā" (respectful and reverent), "garubhāvo" is reverence, like a stone umbrella, worthy of respect. "With reverence" means sagāravā. When something is said by a teacher, "patisso" is the respectful assent, meaning any reverence that is an assent or part of it. "With assent" means sappatissā, meaning accepting advice. Or, "patisso" is that which is assented to, to be respected. Therefore, "with assent" means sappatissā. In the Commentary, however, without analyzing the words, only the meaning is shown by saying: "establishing both respect and seniority." "Sāhu" means good. "Lahū" means not heavy, meaning there is nothing burdensome in your being my Upajjhāya.