English
Or the reading is "sañchaviṃ," meaning having developed skin. Even when boils and so on have subsided, there can be discoloration of the boils, and that is permissible. "The color of a lotus and white water-lily petal" means the color of the petals of a red lotus and a white lotus. "In the same way as said for leprosy" indicates the method that in a covered place, a non-growing one is permissible, but nothing at all is permissible elsewhere. "Consumption disease" means tuberculosis. "Yakkha-madness" means a disease that is a yakkha itself, which occasionally comes, throws one to the ground, and rubs one's hands, face, and other body parts on the ground. The commentary on the story of the five afflictions is finished. Commentary on the Story of the King's Soldier 90. "I am not a soldier of the king," he asks permission. This is said with reference to the position given by the king himself. But if one is appointed by royal officials, such as ministers, or is a soldier of the ministers themselves, then it is proper for him to ask permission from those respective ministers. The commentary on the story of the king's soldier is finished. Commentary on the Story of the Thief 91. Therefore, because the Blessed One himself is the master of the Dhamma, therefore he ordained Aṅgulimāla with the "Come, monk" ordination. But when establishing a training rule for the monks, the intention is that he spoke thus. Knowing thus, they know that he is born virtuous. 92. They cease, they abstain. "Having broken" means having broken the fetters. "Having cut" means having cut the chains. "Having released" means having released the rope bonds. "Having opened" means having opened village gates, etc., in village enclosures, etc. "Not seeing" means not seeing the guards who are protecting the men. 95. In the former manner, just as it was said in "one who has been beaten with a whip and punished." The commentary on the story of the thief is finished. Commentary on the Story of the Debtor 96. "Even having fled" means having fled out of fear, knowing the arrival of the creditors. "He becomes a neck" means because, knowing him to be a debtor, they disrespectfully admitted one freed from debt into monkhood. "Half by half" means little by little. "It must be given" means whether the debtor accepts the money or not, one should be diligent in giving. And it shows that other monks should be his companions, saying, "Do not lay down the burden." For by laying down the burden, he might be made to pay the full price of the goods. The commentary on the story of the debtor is finished. Commentary on the Story of the Slave 97. By "bought after imposing the custom of slavery," it refers to one bought for the purpose of freeing him from slavery. For such a one, even if bought with money, is not a slave. "According to the custom in various places" means by the rule of making one not a slave, such as by burning the slave-document in that particular country. In consecrations, etc., all... they release their wealth. Referring to that, it is said, "by common means." They themselves write the document, it is not proper. So these free women, "Let us also be slave women by birth," for their own protection, they themselves write their names in the slave documents of kings. Their children also become royal slaves. Therefore, it is not proper to ordain them. They should not be ordained without their masters' permission. However many masters they have, even if one of them has not given permission, they should not be ordained. But it is proper to make them free and then ordain them. To the monastery to which these temple attendants are given, having informed the Sangha in that monastery, having given wealth as a communal offering, having made them free, it is proper to ordain them. "They are like those whose heads are sprinkled with buttermilk." In some countries, when making people non-slaves, they sprinkle buttermilk on their heads. By that, it is said, they become non-slaves. Similarly, this too, by the word "temple attendant," is also a gift, this is the meaning. Even when given thus, he is still a temple attendant slave of the Sangha. Therefore, it is said, "he should not be ordained." Since it is said, "named temporary," it should be understood that anything given with a time limit, or with the intention of taking it back later, is all temporary. A masterless slave is one whose master's family, being unrelated, has perished by death, and there is no heir for him. Such a person, having been made free by those of the same caste, or by villagers of the same residence, or by rulers, should be ordained. Temple slaves are also slaves. For in some countries, they are royal slaves, in some, monastery slaves. Therefore, it is not proper to ordain them. Having ordained a slave, and seeing the master, if one hides him, one should be made to incur an offense of taking what is not given, by the category of "step." But for a slave who runs away, there is no offense. The explanation of the story of slaves is finished. The explanation of the story of blacksmith's tools, etc. 98. In the story of the inquiry about blacksmith's tools, etc., "blacksmith's tools" refers to a young, unbound-haired, shaven-headed blacksmith's boy. Here, "balance-holding shaven-head" "balance-holders" means those blacksmiths who hold the balance for copper, gold, etc., with their hands. Therefore, "tu" "lādhārā" is said, among them one is a shaven-headed youth, that is the meaning. Therefore it is said "a five-braided young boy." One braid, made into five plaits by binding, is called "five-braided." He had that, so he was "five-braided." Cutting his braid, they ordained him without informing any monk. Therefore, the permission to announce the tonsure was granted. "Within the boundary" means, if there is a fixed boundary, within that; if not, within the vicinity boundary. And here, although it was said "I allow, monks, to announce to the Sangha for the tonsure," no offense was stated for not announcing. Nevertheless, in the commentary, it is said "all were asked by us, thinking... and even for one who ordains, there is no offense." Therefore, it should be understood that intentionally cutting hair without asking is an offense of wrong-doing (dukkaṭa). Even the cutting of hair obtains the designation of "monk's ordination," so it is said "this making him a monk," etc. Regarding "wearing only one braid," here they say a braid with one hair is "one braid." It should be understood that a braid with few hairs is thus called. However, it is not proper to cut even a single hair without asking. 100. "With the left hand" is said because of eating with the right hand. 103-4. Regarding the duties of one released from dependence, in the five or six groups, "Indeed, both his Pātimokkhas... and according to the details," here, all this classification is known when the Mātika commentary is known. "He knows an offense, he knows no offense" - this should not be taken as referring to offenses, etc., in places known by oneself. The explanation of the story of the smith's tools, etc., is finished. The explanation of the story of Rāhula. 105. "Lotus rain" means rain that flows from the body of those who wish to be soaked, like a lotus plant in a lotus pond. Indeed, when that rain falls, only those who wish to be soaked get soaked, not others. Saying "Take alms" and then leaving is not the case, meaning he would enjoy all the wealth in his own kingdom himself, out of respect. King Suddhodana also did not invite him, but having gone to the house, the whole night arranging a great offering and seats and decorations for the Sangha headed by the Buddha, he spent the time. No one… (ellipsis)… or took the bowl, thinking the Blessed One would go to his father's residence, so he did not take it. "Kulanagara" means the city of one's relatives. "Piṇḍacāriyavatta" means the practice of going for alms in sequence even in one's own relative villages. "Bhikkhācāro" (alms-goer) is one whose conduct is going for alms, a khattiya. "Uttiṭṭheti" means having stood up, standing at others' doorsteps, indicating the alms to be taken. "Nappamajjeyya" means one should not be negligent in that, by rejecting delicious food obtained through invitations etc., and by going for alms. "Dhamma" means abandoning improper seeking, going in sequence, one should practice that very alms-going practice well. "Sukhaṃ seti" means one dwells happily in the four postures. In the second verse, "na naṃ duccaritaṃ" means one should not practice that aforementioned Dhamma as misconduct, by going to improper places like prostitutes etc. The rest is as explained. "Imaṃ pana gāthaṃ sutvā" means having heard this second verse, which was spoken by the Blessed One, seated in the residence, in the gathering of relatives, concerning his going for alms. But in the Dhammapāla Jātaka and others, the king's conduct even in later times, leading to his final passing, is mentioned to show it as appropriate. Therefore it is said, "having realized the fruit of stream-entry," etc. "Sirigabbhaṃ gantvā" (having gone to the royal chamber) here, it should be understood that if the Blessed One had not gone and seen her then and there, she would have died of a broken heart, so he went. "Taṃ divasameva" means on that very day of seeing Rāhula's mother. But in the Dhammapada Commentary, it is said, "The Teacher went to Kapilapura and on the third day ordained Nanda." (Dhp. A. 1.12, Nanda Thera's Story). "Kesavissajjana" means the loosening of the topknot braid tied in childhood for the royal coronation, that indeed, they perform a blessing. In the Sāratthadīpanī, however, it is said, “‘Kesavissajjana’ means the hair-cutting ceremony according to family custom.” ‘Paṭṭabandha’ means the binding of a golden plate on the forehead, saying, “This is King So-and-so.” The blessing of entering a new palace is a house-blessing.