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) and so on was stated. Its meaning is clear. Moreover, in "dhammo have rakkhati" (Dhamma indeed protects) and so on, the Buddha's intention is: the person who desires to be protected by the Dhamma, which is protected by himself, will protect the Dhamma. The Buddha's intention is: the person who wishes to be freed from misfortune will protect the Dhamma. In "coro yathā sandhimukhe gahito" (as a thief caught at the break-in) and so on, the Buddha's intention is: the thief who wishes to be freed from execution will not commit theft. The Buddha's intention is: the person who wishes to be freed from the suffering of the lower realms and so on will not commit evil deeds. In "sukhakāmāni" (desiring happiness) and so on, the Buddha's intention is: those persons who desire happiness will refrain from harming others. In "middhī yadā hoti mahagghaso cā" (when one is sluggish and a great eater) and so on, the Buddha's intention is: those persons who wish to be freed from the repeatedly occurring birth, old age, and death will be moderate in eating, will be content, will have pure livelihood, will be endowed with the morality of Pātimokkha restraint, will be diligent, will be insightful, will be respectful and reverent. In "appamādo amatapadam" (diligence is the path to the Deathless) and so on, the Buddha's intention is: those persons who fear death and desire Nibbāna will be diligent in deeds of giving, morality, and development. 27. The intention to be sought in the Sutta was explained by the teacher, and we and understood. Because it is to be asked, "What is the cause to be sought for the discourse?", it is said, "What is the cause there?" and so on. There, "cause" means that which extracts and gives fruit, hence "cause." What is that? A reason. "Dhaniya" means one appointed to the cause of wealth increase, hence Dhaniya. "Gopālaka" means one who protects and guards cattle as their master, hence Gopālaka. "By attachments" refers to sons, cattle, and so on. "Of a man" is said either in the sense of one having sons, or a cattle-herder, or by the position of the word, or mostly, or as it appears in the verse. It should be understood that even for a woman, there is delight by attachments. "By this object" means by this very object, such as sons and cattle, which are called attachments. "Object" means that in which delight, such as sons and cattle, resides and occurs. Taking the meaning that "cause" is that which extracts and gives delight, such as sons and cattle, Dhaniya said, "From attachments, delight for a man." But the Blessed One, taking the meaning that "object" is that in which sorrow, such as sons and cattle, resides and occurs, and "cause" is that which extracts and gives sorrow, such as sons and cattle, said, "From attachments, sorrow for a man." "Is grasped" means a grasping. What is that? Sons, cattle, and so on. That grasping is called "attachment," not defilement-attachment or body-aggregate-attachment. "In attachments" refers to bodies, which are aggregates. "Body" is called "attachment," not sons, cattle, and so on, not grasping. "In external objects" refers to objects such as jewels, earrings, sons, and wives. "Sensual pleasure" is craving that occurs as the pleasure of enjoyment in desirable things. "By craving for external objects" means by craving that occurs as the pleasure of enjoyment in desirable external objects. "By craving for internal objects" means by craving that occurs as delight in the internal object called the body of form. Again, "by craving for internal objects" means by craving that occurs as affection in the internal object called the five aggregates. The cause to be sought has been analyzed, and we have understood it. "Which connection between prior and posterior is to be sought?" Because it is to be asked, "What is the connection, preceding and succeeding, there?" and so on, it was said. There, "there" means among those connections: etymological, intentional, causal, preceding and succeeding. "How" means by which nature, of darkness and so on, the craving for sensual pleasures that the Blessed One spoke of, as "blinded by craving... like a mother," this craving for sensual pleasures was spoken of in the verse, "blinded by craving... like a mother," by that nature, of darkness and so on. This is the connection. The verse's meaning is this: "Kāma" is that which desires, craving for sensual pleasures. "Blinded by craving" means blind due to craving, not knowing the goal, not seeing the Dhamma. "Covered by a net" means covered, enveloped, by the net of craving, by not knowing, not seeing the goal and the Dhamma. "Covered by craving's veil" means covered, concealed, by the veil of craving, by not knowing, not seeing those very goal and Dhamma. Persons bound, or to be bound, by the bond of heedlessness, called heedlessness, regarding goal and Dhamma, they follow old age and death. Just as fish, caught in the net's mouth, follow death. Just as a suckling calf follows its mother. So too, they follow old age and death. This is to be understood. Because it is to be asked, "By which other discourse-element is that discourse or verse, 'blinded by craving... like a mother,' by which craving was spoken of, connected?" Having thus asked, to show that it is connected by this discourse or verse, "By which is it?" and so on, was said. There, "it" means the discourse or verse, "blinded by craving... they follow." "By preceding and succeeding" means by a preceding discourse-word, or verse-word, from that discourse, and by a succeeding discourse-word, or verse-word. It asks, "Is it connected? Does it come to connection? Does it meet?" "How" means by which act of blinding, and so on. The meaning is: the verse-word, "enamored... man," that the Blessed One spoke, by that verse-word, it is connected in that way, by the act of blinding, and so on. The verse's meaning is this: An enamored person, a delighting person, does not know the goal. The purpose for one's own benefit, the purpose for others' benefit, he does not know. An enamored person, a delighting person, does not know the Dhamma, the hindrance to the aforementioned goal... This, one does not see with the eye of wisdom. When lust overcomes a person, then for that person, blindness, darkness, gloom, and ignorance arise, it should be understood. Thus, in this way. By blindness, by causing darkness, by being covered, by causing to be covered. That very craving, as "blinded by desires... (etc.) ...mother" in the verse, the craving for sensual pleasures that was spoken of, that is the craving for sensual pleasures. "Spoken of" means, by the Blessed One, in another verse, "attached... (etc.) ...person," it was expressed, made known by expression. It is said that the similarity of the meaning spoken of connects the former teaching with the latter teaching. Because it should be asked, "In which words in the two verses was that very craving spoken of?", to show that it was spoken of by these, "and what he said" and so on was stated. There, in the first verse, the word he said was "blinded by desires... (etc.) ...covered," and in the second verse, the word he said was "attached... (etc.) ...does not see." By these terms indicating defilement, "blinded by desires... (etc.) ...sees," that very craving for sensual pleasures spoken of in the first verse was also spoken of by the Blessed One. Because it should be asked, "What is that darkness that was spoken of? What is that craving for renewed existence that was spoken of?", "that darkness" and so on was stated. There, the darkness that was spoken of as ignorance, this would be the origin of suffering. And the craving for renewed existence that was spoken of, this also would be the origin of suffering, is the connection. And the word "sensual pleasures" that the Blessed One said, by that word, these defilement-sensual pleasures are spoken of. And the word "covered by a net" that the Blessed One said, by that word, the Blessed One shows the defilement by the use and practice of those very defilement-sensual pleasures. Therefore, because when craving arises in a continuum, it does not allow that continuum to escape from samsara, and becoming enticing with forms and so on, it seizes the mind with defilements and remains, therefore, because craving seizes the mind and remains in the continuum. "By way of defilements" means by way of transgressing defilements. Surrounding. "By way of arising" means not having overcome, but by way of arising. "Those who" are like persons endowed with craving of the kind mentioned. "They" are those persons bound by the fetter of craving, and of such a kind. They follow old age and death, they are unable to overcome old age and death. This continuation of old age and death is shown by the Blessed One with the words "they follow old age and death" – this is the connection. The connection between the preceding and succeeding verses, such as the verse beginning "Blind with desires" and the verse beginning "Attached", has been explained by the teacher and understood by us. Because it must be said, "how should the connection between the preceding and succeeding verses in the verses beginning 'For whom there are no proliferations or standpoints' be understood by us?" therefore, "For whom there are no proliferations" and so on, was said. Regarding that verse: For which sage there are no proliferations, which are craving, conceit, and views; and there are no formations conditioned by craving, conceit, and views; and there are no standpoints, which are underlying tendencies and craving; and there is no obsession of craving like a fetter; and there is no delusion like a cross-bar; that sage is said to have transcended and overcome all proliferations and so on. The meaning is: That sage, free from craving, free from conceit, free from views, free from fetters, free from cross-bars, moving about in the world – him, the world with its devas,