English
The measure of palas by weight should be taken by the Magadha scale. And they say that it is twice the worldly scale. "Even if it is very large" means even if it is many yojanas in size from the dense part sunk into the ground below, without rising an elephant's height from the ground. For if a peak rises an elephant's height from it, it is counted as a mountain. "Having inner essence" is said with reference to an essence that will exist in the future through maturation, even if there is no essence due to its youth at that moment. Indeed, even a forest of four or five trees that are the size of a needle-stick in circumference is proper. "Mixed with inner essence" means mixed with trees having inner essence. And by this, it shows that even a forest mixed with essential trees is proper. "Even a forest of four or five trees" is said with reference to essential trees. Making a monastery in the middle of a forest Having cut down trees within the tree-grove, and having made a boundary for the monastery with fences and so on, by making cells and leaf-huts within the spaces between the trees, so that even inside the monastery it is a forest, they make the monastery in this way. This is the meaning. If indeed they were to make a monastery by cutting down all the trees, because the monastery would not be a forest, the forest surrounding it would have to be marked off separately. But here, because it is a forest even inside, it is said that "the forest should not be marked off." If indeed they mark it off, it incurs the fault mentioned immediately before, such as "the monastery is above the boundary mark." "A part" means a part of the forest, meaning a part of the forest standing on one side of a monastery made in a treeless place. "The size of a needle-stick" means the size of a bamboo stick. Some say, "the size of a writing-stick." But in the Mātikā Commentary, in the decision on things not to be divided, it is said, "whatever bamboo, even if it is only the size of an eight-finger needle-stick... etc. ... is a heavy article." Therefore, a thin bamboo stick and a needle-stick should be understood. "In bamboo, reeds, pots, etc." means in bamboo joints, or reed joints, or in pots and other earthenware vessels. "Even at that moment" is said with reference to young saplings that grow without withering. But those that are mature, even if uprooted and replanted, wither like cut branches and live only after a long time with the sprouting of new roots, or they simply die; such should not be marked off. This is the emergence of new roots and branches. "In the middle" means within the main directions of the boundary. "Corner" means the place where two paths meet at each of the four corners of the boundary. "It is proper to mark off in the outer part" means that, having gone out beyond those four corners, one path in one direction and another in another direction, in this way, all four paths in the four directions are proper to be marked off. This is the intention. But how is it understood that the unity is lost merely by marking it off in this way? In the place mentioned later. These indeed are those four paths. For it is said, "Going in the four directions." Therefore, the reason here should be investigated. "For a nun crossing over" – this is said in the Pāli (Pacittiya 692) because the characteristic of a river is mentioned for nuns going to the other side of a river. For monks, merely wetting the inner robe is sufficient. "The same method applies to the four rivers" – by this, it shows that having mentioned it in one place, it is not proper to mention it again in another place later. And for this reason, the term "unmixed" is used, "it is proper to mention all four unmixed rivers." *Mūla* means in the beginning. "Breaking the river" – just as farmers who do not want water cannot turn back a great flood, similarly, breaking the river bank. *Ukkhepima* means to be drawn up with a long rope and a bucket. "By unmixed" means only by mountains standing in all directions, or by any of rocks, etc., uninterrupted by other marks. "By mixed" means by all eight, such as a mountain in one place, a rock in another. "Even by a hundred marks" – by this, it shows that for one direction alone, many marks may be mentioned, "What is the mark in the eastern direction? A mountain, venerable sir. Again, what is the mark in the eastern direction? A rock, venerable sir," and so on. "Triangular in shape" means three-cornered. "Square" means perfectly square, but "drum-shaped" means rectangular. It is either narrowed at one end and widened at the other. "Excluding the precincts of the boundary" means excluding the precincts that are suitable for a boundary interval, outside the defined area of those monasteries, for a boundary to be established in the future. Monasteries in which boundaries are established are "established-boundary" monasteries. *Pāṭekka* means individually. "Similar to established-boundary monasteries" – this shows that just as those in established-boundary monasteries can perform acts individually without depending on each other's consent, etc., so too can those in village boundaries. "To be come to" is said merely in terms of propriety. Therefore, it says "coming also," and so on. Of going forth, full ordination, etc. Here, in relation to the inquiry about the Bhikkhunī's ordination, the taking of ordination (is meant). "Twenty-one bhikkhus" is said with reference to those seated. And this is said for the sufficiency of those performing the recall, along with those worthy of the act. "Stones serving as boundaries should be placed" – this is said because of the difficulty of finding tree-markers etc. in desired places, and because of the mixing of two connected boundaries, and because of the absence of such for stone markers, and because of the ease of bringing and placing them anywhere. Similarly, "boundary-interval stones should be placed" is also said here. "Even four fingers in size" means that just as a four-finger-sized space around the boundary stones extends outside the defined area of the Khandha-sīmā, and the remaining space is indeed within the Khandha-sīmā, so too, when these are placed, a four-finger-sized interval becomes the boundary interval. This should be understood. "Boundary-interval stones" are boundary markers placed in the boundary interval. These, however, should be recited by going around them clockwise. How? Indeed, from the Khandha-sīmā, standing facing east in the western direction, reciting all the markers in order, saying "What is the marker in the eastern direction?"; similarly, standing facing south in the northern direction, reciting in order, saying "What is the marker in the southern direction?"; similarly, standing facing west in the eastern direction, reciting in order, saying "What is the marker in the western direction?"; similarly, standing facing north in the southern direction, reciting in order, saying "What is the marker in the northern direction?"; and again, standing facing east in the western direction, the previously recited markers should be recited again in the manner stated. Thus, the boundary-interval stones of many Khandha-sīmās should be recited individually. "Therefrom" means afterwards. "Remaining markers" means the remaining markers in the outer intervals of the Mahā-sīmā. "They do not invalidate both" means they do not invalidate the act of both. "Kuṭigeha" means on the ground. in a grass hut made. Udukkhalā means a small pit like a mortar pit. One should not make a mark, meaning that line or mortar should not be made a mark. And even though it is established that this is not permissible, as it is not included among the aforementioned marks, it is said to prevent failure even from afar, lest someone out of delusion make a mark with the perception of it being indestructible. Thus, the reason for repeatedly stating the established meaning in "without marking the wall" and so on, should be understood. For a boundary failure is the root of all failures of acts like upasampadā, therefore all its doors should be completely closed off. It should be seen that the teachers here establish the decision only after saying everything. Wall means made of bricks, wood, or clay. But for a stone wall, it is permissible to mark one stone suitable as a mark in each direction. It is not permissible to mark an entire wall built with many stones, because it should be stated in the singular, "this stone is the mark". In "only within the wall", it should be understood that the boundary is only within the wall, from the place where the marks are placed. Having placed mark-stones at the entrance, means having placed stones at the front, even outside the entrance, in a place the size of the inner chamber's extent, they should be consecrated. Thus, including the wall situated between the inner chamber and the entrance, the boundary becomes square-shaped, both inside and outside. Outside means all around the entire dwelling house. The boundary is both inside and outside, meaning it is a square boundary including the wall in the middle. By "it is only in the upper part", it shows that because the wall between the inner chamber and the entrance is one, and there is no space for twenty-one monks there, it does not extend downwards, but the upper wall itself is the boundary. Wall on the lower level means the wall situated on all four sides on the lower level. For if the wall stands only on two or three sides, it does not extend downwards. It extends downwards means inside all four walls, including the walls, twenty-one It is said to be sufficient for the bhikkhus. And descending, it descends according to the measure of the upper boundary. But at the outer and inner divisions of the four walls, making the water's edge at the lower ground level, it descends. But there is not even a hair's breadth of space outside the walls. "Pāsāda wall" means from the wall on the upper level.