English
" He asks about the alms-round practice. Why? Because one can practice the ascetic's way without being troubled by requisites, or this is simply the practice for those who have gone forth. Then, after he had given his reply, [the Buddha said,] "Anuruddha, you are princes who have gone forth, greatly meritorious. To whom else would people think of giving, if not to you who dwell in the forest? But having eaten this, what do you do, like young deer, one another..." or do you have harmony?” Asking about the flavor of harmony, he said, “Are you, Anuruddha, harmonious?” and so on. There, “become like milk and water” means: just as milk and water mix with each other, are not separate, and become as one, he asks, “Do you dwell with minds that have become one through harmony in this way?” “With loving eyes” means: eyes that indicate affection because they look with a mind of loving-kindness are called loving eyes. He asks, “Do you dwell looking at each other with such eyes?” “Indeed” is a particle in the sense of certainty. It means, “Indeed, Venerable Sir, we do.” “But how then?” Here, “how” is just a particle, “then” is a question about the reason. It means, “But how do you dwell in this way? For what reason do you dwell? Tell me that reason.” “Loving bodily action” is bodily action arising from a mind of loving-kindness. “Openly and secretly” means face-to-face and out of sight. The same method applies to the others. There, bodily and verbal actions face-to-face are obtained in cohabitation; the others, in separation. Mental action is obtained everywhere. For example, among those dwelling together, if a couch or a chair, or a wooden article, or an earthen article is left carelessly outside by one, seeing it, without disrespecting, “Who used this?” but taking it as if it were carelessly left by oneself, and putting it back in order, or attending to a place that needs attention— that is called loving bodily action face-to-face. When one has departed, if one puts back in order the carelessly left lodging requisites in the same way, or attends to a place that needs attention— that is called loving bodily action out of sight. For one dwelling together, sweet, agreeable conversation with elders, conversation of welcome, conversation of remembrance, Dhamma talk, chanting, discussion, asking questions, answering questions— doing such things is called loving verbal action face-to-face. is called. But when the Elders have gone away, to speak of the virtues of others, such as "My dear friend, Elder Nandiya, Elder Kimila, is thus endowed with virtue, thus endowed with good conduct," without their being present, is called the verbal action of loving-kindness. But when one contemplates, "My dear friends, Elder Nandiya, Elder Kimila, may they be free from enmity, free from ill-will, happy," whether they are present or not, that is indeed the mental action of loving-kindness. "Indeed, Venerable Sir, our bodies are diverse," for this body cannot be kneaded like a back or like clay and made into one. "But I think the mind is one," this shows that our minds are one, like one's own, through their beneficial nature to each other, through their non-opposition, through their non-division, through their unity. "How then did they set aside their own minds and act according to the minds of others?" One's bowl becomes dirty, one's robe becomes soiled, one has to do some repair work. There, if the one whose bowl is dirty says, "Friends, my bowl is dirty, it needs to be fired," the others, without saying, "My robe is dirty, it needs to be washed," or "My repair work needs to be done," enter the forest, bring wood, split it, make a thick or thin clay plaster for the bowl-kiln, fire the bowl, and only after that, they either wash the robe or do the repair work. If it is first announced, "Friends, my robe is dirty, it needs to be washed," or "My leaf-hut is dilapidated, it needs to be repaired," the same method applies. Now, asking about their characteristic of heedfulness, he says, "Are you, Anuruddha, etc.?" There, "vo" is merely a particle, or a personal pronoun, meaning "are you all?" "Among us" means among the three of us. "Goes for alms" means goes for alms in the village and returns. "An extra alms-bowl" means after removing the excess alms-food, he washes and sets aside a collecting-bowl for keeping it. "Whoever is last" means those Elders did not go for alms together. Indeed, these delight in attainment of fruition, having cared for their bodies in the morning, having fulfilled their duties and practices, having entered their dwelling, having set a time limit, they attain fruition and sit down. Among them, whoever sits down first, rises first according to his set time. Having gone for alms and returned, having come to the meal place, he knows: "Two monks are behind, I have come first." Then, having uncovered his bowl, and arranged his seat and so on, if there is just enough in the bowl, he sits and eats. If there is extra, he puts it into the refuse bowl, covers the bowl, and eats. Having finished his meal, having washed his bowl, having made it waterless, having put it into its bag, having taken his bowl and robe, he enters his dwelling place. The second one, having come, also knows: "One has come first, one is behind." If there is just enough food in his bowl, he eats. If little, he takes from the refuse bowl and eats. If there is extra, he puts it into the refuse bowl, eats just enough, and like the elder before him, enters his dwelling place. The third one, having come, also knows: "Two have come first, I am the last." He also, having eaten like the second elder, having finished his meal, having washed his bowl, having made it waterless, having put it into its bag, lifts up and puts away the seats. In the drinking water pot or the washing water pot, he discards any remaining water, inverts the pots. If there is any remaining food in the refuse bowl, he discards it as stated, washes the bowl and puts it away. He sweeps the refectory. He discards the rubbish, lifts up the broom, places it where ants have been, takes his bowl and robe, and enters his dwelling place. This is the duty in the refectory, the meal place, for the elders in the outer monastery, in the forest. It is with reference to this that "whoever is last" and so on was said. But "whoever sees" and so on, refers to their duty within the monastery. is to be understood. Therein, "vaccaghaṭa" means a water pot for washing. "Ritta" means empty. "Tuccha" is a synonym for that. "Avisayha" means unable to be lifted, very heavy. "Hatthavikārena" means by a hand signal. They, it is said, taking any empty pot for drinking water, etc., go to the pond, wash it inside and out, strain the water, place it on the bank, and invite another monk with a hand signal, making no sound, neither specifically nor generally. Why do they not make a sound specifically? Because a sound might disturb that monk. Why do they not make a sound generally? If a sound were made generally, both might come out saying, "I am first, I am first." Then, for the task to be done by two, the third would have his work interrupted. But the monk, having made a restrained sound, goes near the daytime resting place of another monk, and knowing that he has been seen, makes a hand signal. By that signal, the other comes. Then the two, joining hand to hand, lift it up, placing it on their two hands. Referring to that, it is said, "Having invited the second by a hand signal, we attend to it with a hand-joining method." "Pañcāhikaṃ kho pana" (every five days) refers to the fourteenth, fifteenth, and eighth days. This is indeed the regular listening to the Dhamma. Making it unbroken, every fifth day, two elders, having bathed not too late, go to the dwelling place of Elder Anuruddha. There, all three sit down and ask each other questions from any of the three Pitakas, and answer each other. While they are doing this, dawn breaks. Referring to that, this was said. Thus, the Elder, having been asked about the characteristic of heedfulness by the Blessed One, has explained the characteristic of heedfulness in the very places of heedlessness. For other monks, the time for entering for alms, the time for departing, changing robes, putting on the outer robe, walking for alms within the village, teaching the Dhamma, rejoicing, departing from within the village and performing meal duties These are places for proliferation: washing bowls, putting away bowls, and arranging robes. Therefore, the elder said: "Leaving aside these places, where conversation flows freely, which are places for heedlessness in meditation, even there, Venerable Sir, we do not engage in anything contrary to meditation." Thus, he revealed his own characteristic of heedfulness, which had reached its peak, even in other places of heedlessness. By this, he shows that apart from these places, there is no time for heedlessness for us in the sense of neglecting the attainments of dwelling. The commentary on the story of going to Pācīnavaṃsadāya is finished. The commentary on the story of going to Pālileyyaka. 467. "By a Dhamma talk" means a Dhamma talk connected with the benefits of harmonious dwelling. "Wandering by stages" (Ud.A. 35) means wandering in sequence, from village to village, town to town. "He arrived at Pālileyyaka" means he arrived alone at the village of Pālileyyaka. The residents of Pālileyyaka village, going forth to meet him, offered alms to the Blessed One. There was a protected forest grove not far from Pālileyyaka village. They made a leaf-hut for the Blessed One there, and having requested, "May the Blessed One dwell here," they had him stay. Now, there was a lovely, straight sāla tree there, called Bhaddasāla. The Blessed One, dwelling near that village, stayed at the root of that tree, near the leaf-hut in the forest grove. Therefore it is said: "He dwells at Pālileyyaka, in the protected forest grove,