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having shown reverence to the Blessed One, they listened. having avoided the faults of sitting that should be avoided, and having sat down. Or, it means, surrounded by a company of devas, with the mother as the chief, or, having made the mother chief, he commenced the path of Abhidhamma discourse. Now, showing the origin of the teaching, it says, "by the power of her wisdom." That wisdom, which was initially compared to compassion, is capable of knowing all knowable phenomena as they truly are, capable of knowing the manner of teaching them, and capable of discerning the dispositions and inclinations of those to be enlightened. And it means, by the power of that wisdom, as described. Thereby, it shows that only omniscient knowledge is capable of being the origin of Abhidhamma discourse, and nothing else, thus demonstrating the uniqueness of Abhidhamma discourse. "Path" means method. It is called "the path of Abhidhamma discourse" because it is the method for understanding phenomena such as aggregates and sense bases, and wholesome and unwholesome states, or indeed, the method for realizing the truths. Or, "path" is used to mean a treatise. Because it is long, it is like a path, hence it is a path. Therefore, the treatise on Abhidhamma discourse is called "the path of Abhidhamma discourse." Having said "surrounded by a company of devas," the repetition of "of devas" indicates their capacity to grasp the teaching. For the Blessed One does not teach those who are incapable. 6. Thus, having shown the Blessed One's supreme worthiness of homage due to his compassionate and wise qualities, and his commencement of the Abhidhamma discourse path, which is a practice of welfare, now, making the intended homage, it says, "having bowed at his feet." By praising the Buddha, the well-proclaimed nature of the Dhamma and the good practice of the Saṅgha are also shown, because their origin is not otherwise. Therefore, bowing to those two jewels worthy of homage, it says, "and his good Dhamma... ...and with joined palms." Here, since the Buddha is called "the Tathāgata, worthy of veneration in the world with its devas," and the Saṅgha is called "well-practiced... ...worthy of joined palms" (A.N. 6.10), therefore, "having bowed at his feet, and his good Dhamma..." was said, "and an añjali to the Saṅgha." The Dhamma, endowed with qualities like being well-proclaimed, should be honored by such recollection, as it is said, "He should dwell revering, respecting, and depending on that Dhamma." It should be honored in every way with body, speech, and mind. Therefore, it was said, "and having honored the good Dhamma." Regarding "sirīmato" (the glorious one), they say that "sirī" is a name for wisdom and merit. Alternatively, the prosperity of bodily beauty and so forth, born of merit, depends on those who have made merit, or is depended upon by those who have made merit, thus it is called "sirī." And the Blessed One possesses this in an exceptional degree, thus he is "sirīmā" (glorious), the Blessed One; "tassa sirīmato" (of that glorious one). 7. "Nipaccakārassa" means for the act of prostration. "Ānubhāvena" means by power. "Sosetvā" means having dried up, having made to disappear. The connection is, "I will reveal the meaning." "Antarāye" means obstacles to the revelation of the meaning. "Asesato" means completely, entirely. 8. Now, to show the difficulty of revealing the meaning due to the profound nature of the Abhidhamma, he presents a request with "visuddhācārasīlena" and so on. "Visuddhācāro" (pure in conduct) by purity from thullaccaya and so forth. "Visuddhasīlo" (pure in virtue) by purity from pārājika, saṅghādisesa, and so forth. Or "visuddhācārasīlo" by purity of both customary and prohibitive rules; by him. "Sakkaccaṃ" means with respect. "Abhiyācito" means earnestly requested. This shows that he cannot act negligently in revealing the meaning. 9. Now, to show what meaning he intends to reveal, he says, "yaṃ devadevo" and so on. There, "yaṃ" refers to the Abhidhamma. "Devadevo" means the god of the gods of purity, convention, and rebirth. In the world, those who are to be gone to as "refuge and ultimate goal" are called "devā" (gods). And the Blessed One is the ultimate goal of all gods. "Nayato" means concisely. "Samācikkhī" means he taught well, so that the elder understood. "Vināyako" means one who trains beings worthy of training, or one without a leader, meaning self-enlightened. 10-12. "Yañca" means and the Abhidhamma which he taught to the bhikkhus, this is the connection. "Payirudāhāsī" means He spoke. Thus, in this sequence. The word "yo" (who/which), mentioned in the sense of "use" in "Yo dhārito" (which was held), when connected with "dhārito" (held) in a nominative sense, transforms into a nominative case. Therefore, the construction should be: "I will explain the meaning of that which was held and that which was chanted." Vedeho means one who acts with wisdom (veda) and understanding (paññā); by that sage. Abhiṇhaso means frequently. "Abhidhammassa" (of the Abhidhamma) should be connected with "I will explain the meaning." Now, to show the basis for the explanation of the meaning, he says "ādito" (from the beginning) and so on. There, "ādito" means at the beginning, at the first chanting. 13. The commentary that was chanted, but whose commentary was it? Since nothing else was stated, it is understood by context that "I will explain the meaning of that" refers to "that Abhidhamma." "Saṅgītā" (chanted) means it was collected and stated as "this is the meaning of this, this is the meaning of that" in the appropriate places for explaining the meaning, and later it was also re-chanted in the second and third chantings. 14-16. "Abhisaṅkhatā" means composed. "Tato" (from that) means from the commentary. "Tantinayānugā" means following the method of the texts. "Bhāsanti" means in the Māgadha language. "Nikāyantaraladdhīhi" means with the doctrines of other schools interspersed. "Asammissaṃ" means unmixed. "Anākulaṃ" means clear and well-defined even within its own school. I will explain the meaning, illuminating the unmixed and clear determination of the Mahāvihāra dwellers. By this, the Theravāda doctrine, as stated by the Elder Tipiṭaka Cūḷanāga and others, is also included. Or, removing the Tambapaṇṇī language and introducing the Māgadha language, I will explain the meaning of the Abhidhamma, which is unmixed and clear, and which is the determination of the Mahāvihāra dwellers, illuminating it as "this is the determination of the Mahāvihāra dwellers." For by such an explanation, it is indeed thus illuminated. 17. "Tosayanto vicakkhaṇe" should be taken as "pleasing the discerning ones," and "gahetabbaṃ gahetvāna" should be construed as "having taken what should be taken" (meaning, "what was taken in the right place was well done"). they say that this means "pleasing." If this is the case, then the pleasing is done by grasping what should be grasped, and not by any other exposition of meaning. This would be the consequence. But if the arrangement is "I will expound the meaning while pleasing," then the grasping of what should be grasped and all other exposition of meaning become such that the pleasing is done by all of it. Therefore, "I will expound the meaning while pleasing" is appropriate. 18-20. Now, to convey the greatness of the exposition of meaning he intends to make, he says, "meditation subjects," and so on. In "exposition of meaning," exposition means to explain and elaborate. "Thus," as shown in "removing the language from it," and so on. Thus, he shows the cause for generating enthusiasm in the listeners. "Abhidhamma talk" means the Abhidhamma commentary. "Listen" means hear. Now, strongly encouraging that this must be heard, he says, "for this talk is rare." The commentary on the twenty verses is finished. Commentary on the Introduction The teachers, when commenting on the Aṭṭhasālinī, should explain its structure. Therefore, this is said: The meaning of words, the division, and the arrangement of the Pāli; The thoughts, like oceans, and the profundity of the discourses. Also, the grasping of the body's occurrence in the discourse; And the way of the Elder's recitation, and its cultivation. Also, the penetrations, and the Buddha's words, and so on, from the beginning; The demonstration of the Abhidhammic nature of the All-Seer. By the Vinaya, and by the Gosiṅga Sutta, spoken by the Great Seer; Its accomplishment is revealed by the introduction. Having revealed all this, the promised talk is made; This structure of the Aṭṭhasālinī should be understood. An Abhidhamma talk, when spoken, would be beautiful if the general meaning of the Abhidhamma is known through understanding the meaning of words. Therefore, the understanding of Abhidhamma is appropriate at the beginning, and for that purpose, he asks, "There, by what meaning is it Abhidhamma?" "There, there" refers to what was said, "I will expound the meaning of the Abhidhamma." In that. The meaning is: The Abhidhamma, which was promised to be explained, by what meaning is it Abhidhamma? Or, in the phrase "Abhidhammakathā" (Discourse on Abhidhamma), the Abhidhamma mentioned, by what meaning is it Abhidhamma? Here, "dhammātirekadhammavisesaṭṭhena" means: Dhamma that is extra is "dhammātireka," meaning a Pāḷi text superior to the Suttantas. Dhamma that is special is "dhammāvisesa," meaning a Dhamma that is excellent, a varied Pāḷi text. The meaning of "dhammātirekadhammavisesa" is precisely "dhammātirekadhammavisesaṭṭha." The singular form is used for both meanings, as they commonly refer to the meaning of the word "Abhidhamma." Therefore, just as the prefix "abhi" indicates excess and distinction, as in "abhikkamanti" (they advance) and "abhikkantavaṇṇā" (of excellent complexion), so too this Dhamma is called "Abhidhamma" by reason of being extra Dhamma and special Dhamma— this is the connection. Here, one might ask: