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to lie down by spreading a covering, it is said without distinction. But in the commentary on the chapter on lodgings (Cūḷava. aṭṭha. 297), it is said: "For one who is not ill, only a head-pillow and a foot-pillow are suitable. For one who is ill, it is suitable to spread out cushions and lie down on top of them by placing a covering." Therefore, it should be understood that only an ill person is allowed to lie down on a bed by spreading a covering crosswise. The commentary on the rejection of high and large beds is finished. Commentary on the discourse concerning what is permitted for laypeople, etc. 256. To sit leaning means to sit without leaning. Commentary on the story of Soṇa Kuṭikaṇṇa 257. In "on the Papataka mountain," some also read "on the Pavatta mountain," meaning on the mountain named Pavatta. In "Soṇa the lay follower," etc. (Udā. aṭṭha. 46), he is named Soṇa. He is a lay follower by the declaration of his lay followership through the three refuges. He is known as "Kuṭikaṇṇa" instead of "Koṭikaṇṇa" because he wore an ear ornament worth a koti (ten million), implying that he was not a delicate Soṇa. This person, having heard the Dhamma from Venerable Mahākaccāna, became deeply devoted to the Dispensation and established in the refuges and precepts. He had a monastery built on the Papataka mountain, in a place endowed with shade and water, and had the Elder reside there, supporting him with the four requisites. Therefore, it is said, "He was a supporter of Venerable Mahākaccāna." He would go to attend on the Elder from time to time, and the Elder would teach him the Dhamma. Because of this, he lived full of spiritual urgency and zealous in his practice of the Dhamma. One day, while traveling to Ujjenī for trade with a caravan, he went aside in the forest on the way, when the caravan had settled down for the night, and fell asleep, fearing the crowd. The caravan got up at dawn and left; not a single person woke Soṇa. Everyone forgot and went away. He, waking up when the night had dawned, got up and, seeing no one, took the path the caravan had taken and quickly Going, he approached a banyan tree. There he saw a huge, hideous, disgusting man standing and eating his own flesh which was oozing out. Seeing him, he asked, “Who are you?” “I am a ghost, sir.” “Why do you do this?” “Because of my own past kamma.” “What was that kamma?” “Formerly, I was a fraudulent merchant living in Bhārukaccha city. I cheated others of their property and consumed it. And when ascetics came for alms, I reviled them, saying, ‘Eat your own flesh!’ Because of that kamma, I now experience this suffering.” Hearing that, Soṇa was greatly moved. Thereafter, going on, he saw two ghost-children from whose mouths black blood was gushing. He asked them in the same way, and they also told him their kamma. They, as children in Bhārukaccha city, living by the perfume trade, went to the house of their mother, who was an Arahant, when she had invited and was feeding ascetics. They reviled them, saying, “Why do you give our property to ascetics? May black blood gush from the mouths of the ascetics who eat the food given by you!” Because of that kamma, they were boiled in hell, and with the remaining result of that kamma, they were reborn in the ghost realm, and then experienced this suffering. Hearing that too, Soṇa was greatly moved. Having gone to Ujjenī, and settled that matter, he returned to Kuraraghara. He approached the Elder, exchanged greetings, and reported the matter. The Elder, explaining the dangers and benefits of engaging and disengaging, taught him the Dhamma. He bowed to the Elder, went home, ate his evening meal, and went to bed. He slept only a little, then woke up, sat on his bed, and began to reflect on the Dhamma as he had heard it. As he reflected on that Dhamma, and recalled those ghost existences, the suffering of saṃsāra appeared to him as extremely dreadful. His mind inclined towards renunciation. When the night had dawned, he attended to his body, approached the Elder, and Having declared his intention, he requested ordination. By him it was said: "Then indeed Soṇa the lay follower... ...may the venerable Mahākaccāna ordain me, venerable sir." There, this is the brief meaning of the words "yathā yathā" and so on – in whatever way, in whatever manner, the venerable Mahākaccāna teaches the Dhamma, explains it, makes it known, establishes it, reveals it, analyzes it, makes it clear, proclaims it, as I examine it in that way, it occurs to me thus: "This holy life of the three trainings, which is to be made unbroken for even a single day until the final thought, perfectly complete, which is to be made undefiled by the defilements for even a single day until the final thought, perfectly pure, which is to be practiced like a conch shell polished, like a polished conch, resembling a washed conch, this is not easy to practice perfectly complete... ...for one dwelling in a house, living amidst a household." Thus, what he had pondered himself, Soṇa the lay follower, having declared it to the elder, desiring to undertake it, said, "I wish, venerable sir," and so on. But the elder, having considered that "his knowledge has not yet matured," waiting for the maturation of his knowledge, restrained his desire for ordination by saying "it is difficult indeed," and so on. There, "ekaseyya" (single lodging) means lodging without a second. And here, by the head of lodging, it signifies physical solitude in the four postures, as said in the manner of "one stands, one walks, one sits," and so on, not merely sleeping alone. "Ekabhatta" (one meal a day) refers to the abstention from untimely food, as stated thus: "He takes one meal, abstaining from food at night, refraining from untimely food" (Dī. Ni. 1.10, 194; Ma. Ni. 1.293, A. Ni. 3.71); it speaks with reference to abstention from untimely food. "Brahmacariya" (holy life) means the holy life of abstaining from sexual intercourse, or the holy life of the Dispensation, which consists of applying oneself to the three trainings. "Iṅgha" is a particle in the sense of urging. "Tattheva" (right there) means right in the house. "Anuyuñja the teaching of the Buddhas" means apply yourself to the five-factored, eight-factored, and ten-factored morality, which includes the daily precepts and Uposatha precepts, and other observances, and apply yourself to the development of concentration and wisdom corresponding to that. This indeed, by a lay follower, in the first part, should be diligently practiced, is called the Buddha's teaching. Therefore it is said: "Timely, one-bed, one-meal, celibacy." Therein, "timely" means suitable for the time reckoned as the fourteenth, fifteenth, and eighth days, and the special fortnight. Or, for you, practicing at the aforementioned times, it is suitable, proper, and achievable. The meaning is: not all things at all times. All this is said to make him fit for right practice, due to his knowledge not being fully ripe, and the difficulty of abandoning desires, not to suppress the wish for ordination. "Pabbajjābhisaṅkhāra" means the beginning and effort to go forth. "He subsided" means he calmed down, because his faculties were not fully ripe, and his sense of urgency was not too keen. Although he subsided, he followed the method spoken by the elder, approaching the elder from time to time, serving him, and listening to the Dhamma. In the same way as said, a second time the thought of ordination arose in him. He informed the elder, and a second time the elder refused. But on the third occasion, knowing his knowledge was fully ripe, the elder thought: "Now is the time to ordain him," and ordained him. And after he was ordained, three years passed, and having sought a group, he gave him higher ordination. Referring to that, it is said: "A second time, indeed, Soṇa... ...gave him higher ordination." Therein, "few bhikkhus" means a small number of bhikkhus. At that time, it is said, bhikkhus mostly dwelt only in the Middle Country. Therefore, there were only a few there. And they dwelt separately, one in one village, two in one market town, and so on. "With difficulty" means with suffering. "With hardship" means with exertion. "From here and there" means from this and that village, market town, etc. Indeed, when the elder brought a few bhikkhus, and others were being brought, those previously brought departed for some reason. After waiting for some time, when those were being brought again, the others departed. Thus, by repeated bringing, the assembly was delayed for a long time. The elder too, at that time, dwelt alone. Therefore it is said: "Three..." For six years...etc... having caused to assemble. "Vassaṃvutthassa" means: having gone to the rains retreat and having spent it. "Ediso ca ediso ca" means: of such a form and of such a form. "Endowed with such a perfection of physical body, endowed with such a perfection of Dhamma body" – that Blessed One has only been heard by me. "And not seen by me face to face" – here, however, Venerable Soṇa desired to see the Blessed One only with the faith of an ordinary person. Later, however, having dwelt with the Teacher in one perfumed chamber, being requested at dawn, he recited the sixteen Aṭṭhakavaggiyas in the presence of the Teacher, having made it firm, having paid attention, having gathered everything with his mind, having become one who experiences the meaning and the Dhamma. Composed with the joy associated with the Dhamma as the primary means, at the end of the recitation, having established insight, contemplating the formations, he gradually attained arahantship. Indeed, for this very purpose, they say, dwelling with himself in one perfumed chamber was commanded for him by the Blessed One. Some, however, say: "And not seen by me face to face" – this was said referring only to the seeing of the physical body. Indeed, Venerable Soṇa, having gone forth,