English
That craving-rope, capable of leading from existence to existence, is well-struck, cut, and made non-functional by the sword of the noble path; thus, the craving that leads to rebirth is uprooted. The description of the Ambapālī story 288. "Ground for a vehicle" means where it is possible to ascend a vehicle and go by vehicle; this is called ground for a vehicle. "Having alighted from the vehicle" means having alighted from the vehicle at the outer gatehouse of the monastery. The description of the Licchavī story 289. "Blue" is a general term. "Blue-colored" and so on are for showing its divisions. There, their natural color was not blue, but it is said so because they were smeared with blue anointing. Blue garments And their silken cloths, fine linen, and other garments are indeed blue. "Blue ornaments" means adorned with blue gem ornaments and blue flowers. Indeed, those ornaments, though variegated with gold, appear entirely blue due to the brilliance of sapphire gems. Their chariots too are inlaid with sapphires, covered with blue cloths, equipped with blue banners, blue armor, blue ornaments, and blue horses. Even their goad-sticks are blue. In this manner, the meaning should be understood in all respects. "He turned back" means he struck. "Why, O Ambapālī?" - "O" is an address. It means, "Lady Ambapālī, for what reason?" "With its tribute" - here, "tribute" means the tax that these royal officials collect. It refers to the district from which it is consumed. "With that" means "with its tribute," meaning "with its people/district." "They snapped their fingers" means they moved their fingers. "By the young lady" means by the woman. This is a term of endearment, such as "young lady," "woman," "mother" for women. "Look!" means see. "Look back!" means turn around and look, meaning look again and again. "Bring them to mind!" means bring them near. Bring this assembly of Licchavis into your mind as similar to the Tāvatiṃsa gods, bring them near, make them adhere. Just as the Tāvatiṃsa gods are beautiful, charming, and of various colors like blue, so too are these Licchavi kings. The meaning is: see them as equal to the Tāvatiṃsa gods. But why did the Blessed One, who in hundreds of suttas prohibited the taking of signs in forms and so on by the eye and other senses, here with great zeal enjoin the taking of signs? Out of concern for the welfare of those monks, just as out of concern for the welfare of Venerable Nanda, he showed the heavenly attainments. Indeed, some monks there were lax in effort. Enticing them with this attainment, [he said,] "Such sovereign attainment is easily gained by those who practice the ascetic life with diligence." He said this to arouse enthusiasm for the ascetic life. Or alternatively, this is not an injunction to take signs. Rather, it should be seen as merely a description of attainment in a gradual discourse, [meaning] "the sovereign attainment of these kings is similar to divine attainment." And also to illustrate the characteristic of impermanence, he spoke thus. For not long after, all these, by Ajātasattu's power, will come to ruin. Then the monks, seeing their royal splendor and wealth, thinking, "Even such splendor and wealth as this will surely meet with destruction," will contemplate the characteristic of impermanence and attain arahantship together with the analytical knowledges. Thus, he spoke to illustrate the characteristic of impermanence. "May he consent!" Even knowing that Ambapālī had invited him, why did they invite him? Because of their disbelief and because of custom. For they thought, "That cunning woman might say 'she invited' even if she didn't." And it is indeed the custom for people to invite (the Buddha) when departing after hearing the Dhamma. The commentary on the story of the Licchavis is finished. Commentary on the story of General Sīha 290. "Well-known" means known, recognized, manifest. "Assembly hall" means a hall built for the general public to gather and rest. That assembly hall, it is said, was in the middle of the city, visible to those standing at the four gates. People coming from the four directions would first rest there and then go to their respective comfortable places. They also say it was a hall built for the royal families to arrange royal affairs. For there, seated, the Licchavi kings arranged, conducted, and deliberated royal affairs. "Seated together" means seated together on seats arranged for their sitting, with precious coverings and raised white parasols. "Speaking in many ways the praise of the Buddha" means, having deliberated on royal duties and actions for the welfare of the world, they speak the praise of the Buddha for many reasons. For those kings were wise, endowed with faith, stream-enterers, once-returners, non-returners, noble disciples. All of them, having broken through worldly entanglements, spoke the praise of the three jewels: the Buddha and so on. There, the praise of the Buddha is of three kinds: praise of conduct, praise of body, and praise of qualities. There, these kings They began to praise the conduct: "Indeed, a difficult thing was done by the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One, for four incalculable eons and a hundred thousand eons more, fulfilling the ten perfections, the ten minor perfections, the ten ultimate perfections— thus thirty perfections. Bringing to completion the conduct for the good of relatives, the conduct for the good of the world, the conduct for the good of enlightenment, and making the five great sacrifices." Thus, speaking the praise of the Buddha with five hundred and fifty Jātaka stories, they established him in the Tusita heaven. And speaking the praise of the Dhamma, they said: "The Dhamma was taught by the Blessed One. In terms of collections, there are five collections. In terms of baskets, there are three baskets. In terms of divisions, there are nine divisions. In terms of aggregates, there are eighty-four thousand Dhamma aggregates." Thus, they spoke the qualities of the Dhamma by way of its parts. Speaking the praise of the Saṅgha, they said: "Having heard the Teacher's Dhamma discourse, noble sons, having gained faith, abandoning their mass of wealth and their circle of relatives, disregarding positions such as white-umbrella-holder, viceroy, general, treasurer, and others, they go forth and ordain in the Teacher's excellent Dispensation. Of those who renounced the white umbrella and went forth, like King Bhaddiya, Mahākappina, Pukkusa, and other royal renunciants, there were eighty thousand in the Buddha's time. But of those who renounced many crores of wealth and went forth, like the noble son Yasa, Soṇa the treasurer's son, Raṭṭhapāla's son, and others, there is no count. Such and such noble sons go forth in the Teacher's Dispensation." Thus, they spoke the qualities of the Saṅgha by way of a summary of renunciations. "Sīha the General" means the commander of the army. Indeed, in Vesālī there were seven thousand, seven hundred, and seven kings. All of them assembled, and having taken the consensus of all, they said, "Choose one who is capable of governing the country." While choosing, they saw Prince Sīha, and having concluded, "He will be able," they gave him the general's umbrella, covered with a ruby-colored blanket. Referring to that, it is said, "Sīha the General." "Disciple of the Nigaṇṭha" means Nigaṇṭha (Jain). He was a supporter and attendant of Nataputta. Indeed, in the continent of Jambudipa, three people were chief attendants of the Niganthas: Upali the householder in Nalanda, Vappa the Sakyan in Kapilapura, and this General Siha in Vesali. "He is seated," they spread out seats among the assemblies of the other kings as well; but for Siha, "in the middle place," he was seated on that splendid royal throne that was prepared. "Without doubt," means without wavering, certainly, absolutely. For these (Niganthas) do not speak praise of just anyone, or of one of little influence, with so many reasons. "Where the Nigantha Nataputta was, there he approached." It is said that the Nigantha Nataputta, thinking, "If this Siha, having heard someone praising the ascetic Gotama, goes to see the ascetic Gotama, there will be a loss for me," spoke to General Siha beforehand, saying, "General, in this world, many say, 'I am a Buddha, I am a Buddha.' If you wish to approach anyone for a visit, you should ask me. I will send you to a suitable place, and prevent you from going to an unsuitable place." Remembering that conversation, he thought, "If he sends me, I will go. If not, I will not go," and so he approached where the Nigantha Nataputta was. Then, hearing his words, the Nigantha, overwhelmed as if by a great mountain of strong sorrow, became displeased, thinking, "Where I do not wish him to go, he has become desirous of going there; I am ruined!" And thinking, "I will make a means to obstruct him," he said, "What then are you...?" and so on. Speaking thus, like striking a walking ox on the mouth, like extinguishing a burning lamp, or like overturning a plate full of food, he destroyed the joy that had arisen in Siha. "The preparation for going" means the activity that takes place by way of harnessing elephants and carriages, and taking perfumes, garlands, and so on. "That subsided" means that it calmed down. "A second time too" means a second time. And on this occasion, speaking of the Buddha's glory, they described his bodily splendor, from the Tusita heaven up to the great Bodhi-seat, encompassing the Ten-Powered One from the soles of his feet below to the tips of his hair above, by means of the thirty-two marks of a great man, the eighty minor characteristics, and the fathom-wide aura. Speaking of the Dhamma's glory, they spoke of the Dhamma's qualities as well-proclaimed, saying, "There is nothing at all that is faulty in a single word or a single letter." Speaking of the Saṅgha's glory,