English
"Will split" means will divide into two. "Having understood this matter" means having fully understood this act of schism, which was being brought about by Devadatta, leading to his birth in the Avīci Great Hell, lasting for an eon, and incurable. "This utterance" means he made this utterance, which clarifies the meaning that for good people and bad people, respectively, the practice in wholesome and unwholesome things is easy, but not for them in unwholesome and wholesome things. Therein, "Good is easy for the good" means "good" is one who accomplishes what is beneficial for oneself and others, one who is rightly practicing. By such a good person, such as Sāriputta and other disciples, a Paccekabuddha, a Sammāsambuddha, or any other worldly good person, "good" (sādhu) which is beautiful, excellent, and brings benefit and happiness to oneself and others, is "easy" (sukaraṃ), possible to do with ease. "Good is difficult for the evil" means that same "good" (sādhu) with the described characteristics is "difficult" (dukkaraṃ) for an evil person like Devadatta and others to do; it is not possible for him to do it, that is the meaning. "Evil is easy for the evil" means "evil" (pāpaṃ), which is unbeautiful and brings harm to oneself and others, is "easy" (sukaraṃ) for an evil person, the aforementioned evil person, to do with ease. might be able to. It is difficult for the noble ones to do evil. But for the noble ones, the Buddhas and others, that evil is difficult to do, difficult to achieve. Indeed, it is like breaking a dam for them there, so it shows. Commentary on the Story of the Schism 345. Then the Venerable Sāriputta, regarding "the miracle of instruction and the miracle of teaching," and so on: knowing another's mind and speaking is the miracle of instruction; the constant teaching of the Dhamma by disciples and Buddhas is the miracle of teaching; the display of psychic power is the miracle of psychic power. Among these, the miracle of teaching along with the miracle of psychic power was customary for the Elder Mahāmoggallāna; the miracle of teaching along with the miracle of instruction was customary for the General of the Dhamma. Therefore it was said, "The Venerable Sāriputta admonished the bhikkhus with a Dhamma talk through the miracle of instruction and teaching," and so on. At that time, among the two chief disciples, the General of the Dhamma, knowing the mental states of those bhikkhus, taught the Dhamma. The Elder Mahāmoggallāna, displaying transformations, taught the Dhamma. And in the Pāli, the attainment of the Dhamma-eye is shown for the teaching of both elders. But the Dīghabhāṇakas say this: "When the two chief disciples were sent by the Blessed One, the General of the Dhamma, knowing their mental states, taught the Dhamma. Hearing the elder's Dhamma teaching, five hundred bhikkhus attained the fruit of stream-entry. Then the Elder Mahāmoggallāna, displaying transformations, taught the Dhamma to them. Hearing that, all attained the fruit of arahantship." "He made Devadatta rise up" means he struck him in the middle of the chest with his knee and made him rise up. 346. Sarasī means a lake. Suvikkhālitaṃ means thoroughly washed, meaning having made it thoroughly clean. Saṃkhāditvā means having eaten thoroughly. Mahiṃ vikubbato means of one tearing up the earth with his tusks. It should be connected as "of one eating lotus stalks in the rivers." Here, "river" is intended to mean a great lake. Jaggato means of one guarding the elephant herd. Bhiṅkovā means like a young elephant. Mamānukubbanti means imitating me. 347. Dūteyyaṃ means the work of a messenger. He is fit to go. He is fit to carry and hold the message, that is, the message called a mission. Hearer: He is a hearer of the message they give him. He makes them hear: He grasps it and makes them hear it back, saying, "This is what you said." He grasps: He grasps it well. He holds: He holds it well. He understands: He understands its meaning himself. He makes others understand: He makes others understand. Of what is coherent and incoherent: He is skilled in what is coherent and incoherent, discerning "this is coherent, this is incoherent." He is expert in what is approached and not approached. When delivering a message, he discerns what is coherent and incoherent and delivers it. He does not tremble: He does not waver, he does not falter. To the harsh speaker: One endowed with harsh speech. Asked: Asked for an admission. 348. In "By eight ignoble qualities, monks," and so on, "ignoble qualities" (Itivuttaka Commentary 89) means qualities of the ignoble, or qualities that are not good, or qualities that are not beautiful. Overcome: Overwhelmed. Mind consumed: A mind exhausted, a mind whose wholesome qualities are brought to an end by covetous conduct, conceit, pride, etc., due to gain and so on. Or, "mind consumed" means a mind seized from all sides, meaning the mental continuum is so seized by the aforementioned unwholesome portions that there is no opportunity for wholesome consciousness to arise. Destined for the lower realms, as he is fit to be reborn in them. And there, he is reborn in the great hell called Avīci, thus a hell-dweller. He remains there for a full intermediate eon, thus an eon-dweller. Incurable: Incurable because it cannot be reversed even by Buddhas, and there is no remedy for rebirth in Avīci; it means beyond remedy. By gain: With gain as the cause. Or, by conceit, etc., caused by gain. For, relying on gain, some individuals here, being evil-willed and overcome by craving, engage in covetous conduct, thinking, "We will produce gain," and commit various improper and unsuitable acts of unrighteous livelihood. Having passed away from here, they are reborn in the lower realms. Others, having obtained gain as it comes, due to that, act in terms of conceit, excessive pride, intoxication, envy, and so on. having fallen into heedlessness, departing from here, they are reborn in states of woe, and this one is such. Therefore it was said: "Devadatta, monks, overcome by gain, with mind seized, is bound for states of woe," and so on. By disrespect: by disrespect shown to oneself by others, having been scorned and despised, or by pride and so on, caused by disrespect. One whose evil desires arise with the intention of attributing non-existent qualities to oneself is "pāpiccha" (evil-wisher); the state of being such is "pāpicchatā" (evil-wishing), by that. Indeed, the desire arose in him: "I shall be a Buddha, I shall lead the community of monks." One who has evil, bad friends like Kokālika and others is "pāpamitta" (evil friend); the state of being such is "pāpamittatā" (evil friendship), by that. 349. Abhibhuyya: having overcome, having crushed. 350. By three, monks, unwholesome qualities, and so on, is as stated. Here, however, the meaning of "he brought an end in the middle with a small attainment of distinction" is this: Oramattakena: by a small amount, by the measure of jhānas and supernormal powers. Visesādhigamena: by the attainment of a higher human state. Antarā: in the middle. Vosānaṃ āpādi: being one who had not yet completed his task, thinking "I have completed my task," he departed from the ascetic life. This is what is meant: while the path and fruit, which were to be attained beyond jhānas and supernormal powers, were still unattained, he did not attain them, and departed from the ascetic life. Thus the Blessed One, by this discourse, especially reveals the danger in the state of an ordinary person: "Grave is the state of an ordinary person, in that, even having brought forth attainments culminating in jhānas and supernormal powers, not abandoning the attribution of non-existent qualities, which brings many misfortunes and is a cause of various kinds of suffering, nor bad company, nor addiction to idleness, he generates an incurable offense, a deed that leads to Avīci and lasts for an eon." In the verses, "mā" is a prohibitive particle. "Jātu": absolutely. "Kocī": a word encompassing all. "Lokasmiṃ": in the world of beings. This is what is meant: "May no person in this world of beings absolutely be an evil-wisher." "By this also know, the destiny of evil-wishers" is pāpi Know by this reason too, what the destination of beings is, what their rebirth is, what their future state is, thus he spoke, pointing to Devadatta. Known as wise, known as wise through much learning of the scriptures. Esteemed as one with a developed self, esteemed as one whose mind was developed through jhānas and supernormal powers. Indeed, he was praised even by the General of the Dhamma (Sāriputta) as: "Godhiputta is mighty, Godhiputta is powerful." He stood shining with glory, renowned as Devadatta, shining and blazing with his fame and retinue, thus Devadatta was renowned, well-known. "I heard" is also a reading. "I heard" means merely heard, because in a few days it was not so, his wisdom and so on were merely a matter of hearsay. He, having fallen into heedlessness, assailing the Tathāgata. That Devadatta, being such, not knowing his own measure, by placing himself on par with the Perfectly Self-Enlightened One, fell into heedlessness, thinking: "The Buddha is a Sākiyan prince, I am also a Sākiyan prince. The Buddha is an ascetic, I am also an ascetic. The Buddha is endowed with psychic power, I am also endowed with psychic power. The Buddha has the divine eye, the divine ear, knowledge of others' minds; the Buddha knows past, future, and present phenomena, I also know them." thinking: "Now I shall become a Buddha, I shall lead the community of monks," by plotting to kill and so on, he assailed, attacked, and harassed the Tathāgata. Some also read "Pamādamanujiṇṇo" (having followed heedlessness). Its meaning is: being heedless in the manner described, relying on heedlessness, with the thought of rivalry with the Blessed One, he was deprived and fell away from the jhānas and supernormal powers. He reached Avīci hell,