English
The story of the three-year interval. 9. In the story of the three-year interval, three years is 'tivassa'. Or three years is 'tivassāni'. The interval of three years is 'tivassantara'. One who stands in a three-year interval is 'tivassantaro'. By that 'tivassantara'. The word 'antara' means 'middle'. The suffix 'ṇa' is in the sense of 'standing'. Therefore, it is said in the Vajirabuddhiṭīkā (Vajira. Ṭī. Cūḷavagga 320): "By 'tivassantarena' is meant by one standing within three years." However, in the Aṭṭhakathā (Cūḷava. Aṭṭha. 320), showing its very nature, it says "He is called 'tivassantaro'..." and so on. These All, indeed all, these three kinds are of equal seating status. The rest is easily understood. Discourse on Long Seats 10. In the discourse on long seats, "movable" means suitable to be moved, like a mat or rug. "Immovable" means unable to be moved, a seat like a stone. Therefore, it is said in the Sāratthadīpanī (Sārattha. Ṭī. Cūḷavagga 3.320): "A long seat is anything, apart from a bed or chair, on which three people can comfortably sit together." Why, then, is it said "sufficient for three"? Is not a seat sufficient for two also long? Addressing this objection, it is said: "I allow... (etc.)... this much is called the ultimate long seat." Indeed, on a non-long seat sufficient for two, it is permissible to sit only with those of equal seating status. But on a long seat, taken as sufficient for three or more, it is permissible to sit even with those of unequal seating status. If so, would it be permissible to sit even with eunuchs and the like? Bearing this objection in mind, it is said: "I allow, monks, except for eunuchs," and so on. The meaning there is easily understood. Discourse on Attending to the Sick 11. In the discourse on attending to the sick, "palipanna" means immersed, smeared, that is the meaning. "Uccāretvā" means having lifted up. Here, regarding "samānācariyaka" (fellow students of the same teacher), they say: "Even if one teacher has one pupil and one fellow-dweller, these are also fellow students of the same teacher to each other." "Unable to prepare medicine" means, when the physician says, "Take this and that medicine, prepare it with this, and give it," one is unable to do so. "Nīhātuṃ" means to remove, to discard, that is the meaning. However, in the Vimativinodanī (Vi. Vi. Ṭī. Mahāvagga 2.365-366), it is said: "'He made the ground clean' means he washed the soiled place where the sick person lay and had it plastered with fresh earth. 'Unable to prepare medicine' means unable to even follow the method stated by others." Discourse on the Description of Death 12. In the discourse on the description of death, "being desirous of death" means of this body... Due to the intention of reaching heaven by breaking the body, they are in essence desirous of death. Not knowing their state of desiring death, thinking, "Those with such an intention are called desirous of death," they do not know their own state of desiring death. For they do not know the workings of their own minds. "By way of common usage" means by way of the earlier part of common usage. Because at the moment of the decisive intention for death, there is no compassion, it is not like releasing a pig caught in a snare out of pity— this is the meaning. "According to life-span" (yathāyunā)— the same meaning is stated by "according to continuity" (yathānusandhinā) through another expression. By "according to continuity," it is said to mean "according to the limit of life-span." Or, "according to continuity" means "according to uninterrupted sequence." It is said to mean "remaining as long as the sequence of the continuum in that existence has an uninterrupted progression." In the Vimativinodanī (Vi. Vi. Ṭī. 1.180), it is said: "By way of common usage" means "by way of the earlier part of common usage. Because at the moment of the decisive intention for death, there is no compassion, it is not like releasing a pig caught in a snare out of pity— this is the meaning. 'According to life-span' (yathāyunā)— the same meaning is stated by 'according to continuity' (yathānusandhinā) through another expression." However, in the Vajirabuddhiṭīkā (Vajira. Ṭī. Pārājika 180), it is said: "Being desirous of death" means "being in essence desirous of death due to the intention of reaching heaven by breaking this body. Not knowing their state of desiring death, thinking, 'Those with such an intention are called desirous of death,' they incur a pārājika offense. For it is not said that they do not know the workings of their own minds. 'By way of common usage' means 'by way of common usage in the earlier part, but this is not present at the decisive moment; it is not like releasing a pig caught in a snare. 'According to continuity' means 'without dying in between'— this is the meaning." Discourse on Self-Killing 13. In the Discourse on Self-Killing, "by the distinct expression" means "by the inversion of the case ending." "Special attainment" means concentration and insight. Because it is exceedingly manifest, it is said, "It appears as if it has reached the hand." "It cuts off" means special attainment... Lest there be a waste of almsfood, he cuts off the food. "Attainment of distinction" means the acquisition of supramundane states. "Having declared" means having announced. "He cuts off, it is not allowable": Because only modest bhikkhus of the same group declare to others the distinction they themselves have attained when such a reason exists, and those bhikkhus do not seek requisites by an improper search, therefore, it means that it is not allowable to cut off food by generating remorse over requisites sought by them. For, because it is declared to those of the same group, it is not permissible to cut off. For they declare a suitable field. Therefore, "It is allowable to tell modest bhikkhus of the same group" this was said to show the reason for "he cuts off, it is not allowable," so it is stated in all three glosses. Alternatively, "having declared the attainment of distinction" this was said to show that the distinction has been attained. And because the cutting off of food is allowed only when one fears an obstacle to attainment, to show that it should not be done when it has been attained, it was said, "Having declared the attainment of distinction, he cuts off the food, it is not allowable." But do the Noble Ones declare to others the distinction they themselves have attained? To this question, it was said, "It is allowable to tell modest bhikkhus of the same group." This is more appropriate here, is our conviction, and this meaning is also shown in the gloss. In the Vimativinodanī too: "By the change of case" means by the transformation of the case ending. "Attainment of distinction" means concentration and insight. "Attainment of distinction" means the acquisition of supramundane states. "Having declared" means having announced, and this was said to show that the distinction has been attained. For those who have attained distinction necessarily declare the attainment to modest bhikkhus for the purpose of following their example. But for one who has attained distinction, it is not allowable to cut off food even without declaring it, because the cutting off of food is allowed only for the purpose of removing obstacles to attainment; when that attainment is present, it should not be done at all. But what then, having attained... It is said, "It is proper to announce raw food, for those who are similar," and so on. In the Vajirabuddhiṭīkā (Vajira. Ṭī. Pārājika 181-183) it is said: "He appears as if he has received it by hand, he interrupts, saying, 'Let there be no distraction for him', having declared his special attainment, ashamed of the honor arising from it, he interrupts the food, because it was declared to those who are similar. For they announce the permissible field." The Story of Sitting Without Examining 14. In the story of sitting without examining, "without examining" means "without scrutinizing". "They move up or down" means they go up or down the row of seated people to make space for those who came later. "There is no need for examination" means there is no need for those who came later to scrutinize. "If something is present underneath, the robe takes a crease," so it is said, "where no crease is apparent." And this examination should be understood as belonging to laypeople. In the Vimativinodanī too (Vi. Vi. Ṭī. 1.180) it is said only this much: "If something is present underneath, the robe takes a crease," so it is said, "where no crease is apparent." "And this examination should be understood as belonging to laypeople." And in the Vajirabuddhiṭīkā (Vajira. Ṭī. Pārājika 180) it is only this much: "without examining" means "without considering". "For if something is present in the lower part, a crease appears." The Story of Piercing Stones Playfully 15. In the story of piercing stones playfully, the word "davā" indicates a playful intention. It is said, "A stone should not be moved with playful intention," meaning the act of moving is not for such a prior playful purpose. Referring to the objection that "since the word 'silā' means stone, it should not be pierced," it is said, "and not only that," and so on. "If so, it would not be proper for anyone's purpose," so it is said, "for the purpose of stupas," and so on. "Dhovanadaṇḍaka" means a stick for washing clothes. But in the Vimativinodanī (Vi. Vi. Ṭī. 1.182-183) it is said: "or washing clothes" means "or washing robes". "Dhovanadaṇḍaka" means a robe-washing... was said to be "a staff of punishment." Story of Dāyālimpana (Smearing with Clay) 16. In the story of Dāyālimpana, "wet... (etc.)... an offense of expiation" means that even in a dry place, if one sets fire and smears with this intention, it is an offense of expiation.