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May the king protect with Dhamma, His own people, each and every one. So long may it endure in the world, For those seeking to cross over the world; Showing noble sons the way To purity of wisdom; As long as the name "Buddha" Of that pure-hearted one, the Such-one; Of the foremost in the world, The Great Seer, continues in the world. Second Convocation Commentary on the Mahāpadāna Sutta Question – Friends, At the first convocation of the commentary recitation, The entire Vinaya commentary, And the Sīlakkhandha Vagga commentary in the Dīgha Nikāya, And the Dhammasaṅgaha commentary in the Abhidhamma Were recited by the Elders, the Sixth Convocation reciters. But now, at the second convocation, Starting from the Mahāvagga commentary in the Dīgha Nikāya, The opportunity has arisen To recite the remaining commentaries As they are arranged. Therefore, of this... As a preliminary act for the second council, for the commentary on the Mahāpadāna Sutta in the Mahāvagga, as it arose, we begin to make a question and answer. Friend, concerning the Mahāpadāna Sutta, in its introduction, how was the meaning of the word "Karerikuṭikā" explained by the commentator? Answer – Venerable sir, the meaning of the word "Karerikuṭikā" included in the introduction of the Mahāpadāna Sutta: "Karerikuṭikā" means "karerī" is the name of the varuṇa tree. A kareri pavilion stood at the door of that hut, therefore it is called Karerikuṭikā. Just as it is called Kosambakuṭikā because it stood at the door of the kosamba tree, in this way, Venerable sir, it was explained by the commentator. Regarding Karerikuṭikā, "karerī" is the name of the varuṇa tree. A kareri pavilion stood at the door of that hut, therefore it is called Karerikuṭikā. Just as it is called Kosambakuṭikā because it stood at the door of the kosamba tree. Indeed, within Jetavana, the Karerikuṭi, Kosambakuṭi, Gandhakuṭi, and Salaḷāgāra – these are four great dwellings. Each one was built with a donation of one hundred thousand. Among these, the Salaḷāgāra was built by King Pasenadi. Past Lives Question – Friend, in that same introduction, how was the meaning of the phrase "a discourse connected with past lives arose" explained by the commentator? Answer – Venerable sir, the meaning of the phrase "a discourse connected with past lives arose" in that same introduction: "connected with past lives" means it was presented by connecting it with past lives, which are reckoned as the continuous series of aggregates that have lived before, such as "one birth, two births," and so on. "Dhammī" means connected with the Dhamma. "Arose" means Oh, how wonderful is the knowledge of past lives of the Ten-Powered One! Who remembers past lives, and who does not remember them? They remember by means of views. Disciples, Paccekabuddhas, and Buddhas remember. Which views do they remember? Even those who have attained the highest (knowledge) among the proponents of kamma remember only forty aeons. ...not beyond that, and so on, venerable sir, it was stated by the commentator. "Connected with past lives" means it proceeds by connecting with past lives, which are reckoned as the continuum of aggregates that have dwelt in the past, thus bound, such as one birth, two births, and so on. Chapter on the Classification of Aeons Question: Friend, in that Mahāpadāna Sutta, in the exposition section, among the nine classification sections, in the first section, the classification of aeons, how was the meaning of the word 'bhaddakappa' stated by the commentator? Answer: Venerable sir, in that Mahāpadāna Sutta, in the exposition section, among the nine classification sections, in the first section, the classification of aeons, the meaning of the word 'bhaddakappa' is: 'Bhaddakappa' means a beautiful aeon, an excellent aeon, because it is adorned with the arising of five Buddhas. The Blessed One, praising this aeon, spoke thus: "Indeed, from the time our Blessed One made his aspiration, in one interval, in one aeon, five Buddhas have not arisen." And so on, venerable sir, it was stated by the commentator. O monks, ninety-one aeons from now, when the Blessed One Vipassī, the Arahant, the Fully Self-Enlightened One, arose in the world – "A good aeon" means a beautiful aeon, an excellent aeon, because it is adorned with the arising of five Buddhas. The Blessed One, praising this aeon, spoke thus: "Indeed, from the time our Blessed One made his aspiration, in this interval, in one aeon, five Buddhas have not arisen." Chapter on the Classification of Life-span Question: But friend, in the fourth section, the classification of life-span, how was the meaning of these words 'less or more' stated by the commentator? Answer: But venerable sir, in the fourth section, the classification of life-span, the meaning of these words 'less or more' is: 'Less or more' means less than or above a hundred years. Not reaching another hundred years, one lives twenty, or thirty, or forty, or fifty, or sixty years. Such a long-lived person, however, is extremely rare. "Indeed, so-and-so lives for such a long time," and so on... one should go there and see it,” and so on, Venerable Sir, it was explained by the commentator there. My lifespan, monks, is now short, little, light. He who lives long lives a hundred years, or a little more. “Or a little more” means a little above a hundred years, or not reaching a hundred years, one lives twenty, or thirty, or forty, or fifty, or sixty years. Chapter on the Attendant Question: How was it described by the commentator in the eighth chapter on the attendant, regarding the term “Ānanda”? Answer: In the eighth chapter on the attendant, Venerable Sir, regarding the term “Ānanda,” it was said with reference to his being a constant attendant, and so on, Venerable Sir, it was described by the commentator. Monks, at that time, a monk named Ānanda was my attendant, my chief attendant. For the Blessed One, during the first enlightenment, there were no constant attendants. Once, Nāgasamāla went about carrying the bowl and robe. Noticing this very reason, we restrained him. When some monks are told, “We go by this path,” they go by another. Arise, friend Ānanda, arise, friend Ānanda. What danger, Ānanda, do you see in this? What advantage, Ānanda, do you see in this? Of equal stature, incomparable, well-awakened and supreme; Carrier of beings, victorious general, Rāhula is the seventh. Sutanā, Sabbakāmā, Sucittā, then Rocinī; Rucaggatī, Sunandā, and Bimbā is the seventh. Through many a birth in saṃsāra, I have wandered, seeking the house-builder, painful is birth again and again. House-builder, you are seen! You shall not build a house again. All your rafters are broken, the ridge-pole is shattered. The mind, having reached the unconditioned, has attained the destruction of craving. As a fire, struck by an iron hammer, gradually subsides, and its path is not known; So for those rightly liberated, who have crossed the flood of sensual desires, their path cannot be designated. There is no unmoving happiness for those who have attained. But the Blessed One is not like a barbarian, nor adorned with jeweled earrings. But they see only their own likeness. Not, Ananda, by this much is the Tathagata respected or honored, esteemed or revered, or paid homage to. Why then did the Blessed One, elsewhere, taking even a single umā flower, reflecting on the Buddha's virtues, and describing the immeasurable result of the offering made by the Buddha's knowledge, say— Whoever, Ananda, a monk or a nun, a male lay follower or a female lay follower, dwells practicing the Dhamma in accordance with the Dhamma, practicing properly, living in conformity with the Dhamma, that one respects the Tathagata, honors, esteems, reveres, and pays homage to him with the highest— It might be, Ananda, that you would think: 'The Teacher is gone, we have no Teacher.' But, Ananda, this should not be seen in this way. The Dhamma has been taught and laid down, and the Vinaya has been taught and laid down— King Ajātasattu, son of Vedehī, of Magadha, heard: "The Blessed One, it is said, has attained final Nibbāna in Kusinārā." "The Teacher, who has attained final Nibbāna, cannot be brought back. But for the sake of the ordinary people's faith, there is no one like our king. If he hears this in this way, his heart will burst. The king, indeed, must be protected by us." "O King, we have seen a dream. To avert its ill effects, you should put on a double cloth of fine linen, so that only your nostrils are visible, and lie down in a trough of four sweet things." "O King, there is no being who can escape death. That Blessed One, the Teacher, who is our life-enhancing shrine, our field of merit, our anointing sprinkler, has attained final Nibbāna in Kusinārā." "Did not the Blessed One, the Omniscient One, sit in this place and teach the Dhamma? He removed my dart of sorrow. You removed my dart of sorrow. I have gone for refuge to you. But now, Blessed One, you do not even give me a reply." Did not the Blessed One, I I hear that at another time, at such a time, you, surrounded by a great assembly of monks, wander on the continent of Jambudīpa. "By my lamentation alone, it is not accomplished. I will have the relics of the Ten-Powered One brought," thus he resolved. "If they give, good. If they do not give, I will bring them by force," having arrayed a four-fold army, he himself set out. And just as Ajātasattu, so too the Licchavīs and others. "Either give our relics, or war!" Thus, when they stood surrounding the city of Kusinārā, this reply was spoken by the Blessed One's representatives from our village territories. "We did not send a message of the Teacher, nor did we go and bring it. But the Teacher himself came, sent a message, and had us summoned. And you, indeed, whatever gem arises in your village territories, you do not give it to us. And in the world with its devas,