Back to the library

Namakkāraṭīkā -(Homage Commentary)(English | 中文 | བོད་ཡིག)

English

by all the world of gods and humans, thus "worshipped by all the world," the Lord is obtained. That. For when a Tathāgata arises, whatever powerful gods and humans worship the Buddha, how much more so others. Thus, Brahmā Sahampati worships the Tathāgata with a jewel garland the size of Mount Sineru. And other gods and humans, like King Bimbisāra and King Pasenadi of Kosala, according to their ability, even after the Blessed One's passing, spent ninety-six crores of wealth in his name, and Emperor Asoka established eighty-four thousand monasteries throughout Jambudīpa. What then to say of the worship of others? This is what is meant. "Unequalled" means unequalled by all humans, gods, and Brahmās. It means "an incomparable person." There is no one equal or similar to him, thus "unequalled," the Lord. That unequalled one has a body adorned with eighty minor characteristics and thirty-two major marks of a great man, a wondrous form. He has a Dhamma-body rich in the jewels of virtues like the perfectly pure aggregate of morality in all aspects. He has reached the highest excellence in the greatness of merit, the greatness of strength, the greatness of psychic power, the greatness of fame, and the greatness of wisdom. Therefore, there is no one equal or similar to the Tathāgata. This is the meaning. That unequalled one. "That Lord, I bow to," is the connection. This is the brief explanation here. The Lord, who is such, who is the refuge of all beings, the Buddha. , with unblemished, faultless (limbs), with unperturbed, free from agitation (mind), with lotus-like feet, soft, smooth, and beautiful, adorned with the 108 auspicious marks of a wheel, by whom the three worlds are created, who has attained the state of being incomparable, immeasurable, who is worshipped by all the worlds, unequalled by all humans, devas, and Brahmas— that Lord I salute. The description of the fourteenth verse of veneration is completed. 15. The Buddha, a refuge for humans and non-humans alike, whose mind is firm, who dispelled darkness with the light of the lamp of wisdom; who brings welfare to those desiring benefit, to humans and devas— that compassionate, supreme, infinite-knowing one, I salute. 15. Having thus saluted the Lord with the fourteenth verse, now, desiring to salute the Buddha by praising him with seven qualities such as "a refuge for humans and non-humans alike," he recites the verse beginning "Buddhaṃ narānarasamosaraṇaṃ." This verse, composed with the groups of syllables "tabhajajaga" and two "garu" (heavy syllables), is to be understood as a Vasantatilakā verse, consisting of fourteen syllables. The supporting evidence for this is as stated below. Here, "narānarasamosaraṇaṃ" is divided into "nara-anara-samaṃ osaraṇaṃ." The meaning is: a place where humans and devas equally gather. The meaning of the word "narānara" has been explained below. "Samosaraṇo" means the Buddha, because they (humans and non-humans) equally approach and gather there. The root "sar" with prefixes "sama" and "ava" means "to go," with the suffix "yu." "Narānarānaṃ samosaraṇo" means the Buddha, a refuge for humans and devas. Just as a great banyan tree is a gathering place for flocks of birds desiring fruit, so too the Buddha is a gathering place, a refuge, for humans and devas desiring worldly and supramundane attainments. Therefore, he is praised as "narānarasamosaraṇaṃ." "Dhitattaṃ" means one with a concentrated mind. Here, the word "atta" should be understood as signifying "mind," similar to its usage in phrases like "attasammā paṇidhi" (right self-disposition). "Dhiyati" means "is placed" or "is established" here or by this, referring to the associated phenomena in a single object of concentration. held, concentration. Established in the element of holding. That which takes the object, takes it, is the self, the mind. The element of taking, in the sense of taking. He whose self, whose mind, is held and concentrated, is the holder, the Buddha. That holder. By the light of the lamp of wisdom, meaning, by the illuminating power of the lamp, which is the knowledge of the path of arahantship. That which knows thoroughly is wisdom, the knowledge of the path of arahantship. It means, it penetrates the four noble truths, the nature of phenomena, in all its aspects as they truly are. Wisdom alone illuminates the nature of phenomena in all aspects, by abandoning the veil over the knowable, thus it is the lamp of wisdom. That which shines is light, the illumination of the lamp of wisdom. The root 'ju' is in the sense of shining. The lamp of wisdom itself is light, the light of the lamp of wisdom. Or, the light of the lamp of wisdom is the light of the lamp of wisdom; this compound should be understood as a non-distinctive distinction. By that light of the lamp of wisdom. Having dispelled the darkness, meaning, the darkness of delusion, which is ignorance to be destroyed. It is dispelled in a special way by the abandonment of defilements with their latent tendencies. The root 'han' with 'vi' is in the sense of harming. That which makes darkness, is darkness, the delusion called ignorance. Delusion is called darkness because it resembles darkness in obscuring the nature of objects. Or, that which makes the eye of wisdom blind is darkness, delusion. The root 'kar' with 'andha' as a prefix, with the suffix 'ṇa'. He by whom darkness is dispelled is the dispeller of darkness, the Buddha. That dispeller of darkness. Just as in the world a lamp dispels darkness by its light, so too the Buddha's wisdom of the path of arahantship dispels the darkness of ignorance, so it is said. This is called a humble simile. For a wise person, even sitting on one cushion, the ten-thousand-world-system becomes a single illumination. This was said by the Blessed One: "Monks, there are these four illuminations. Which four? The illumination of the moon, the illumination of the sun, the illumination of fire, the illumination of wisdom. These, monks, are the four illuminations. Among these four illuminations, monks, the foremost is the illumination of wisdom." In "by the light of the lamp of wisdom, having dispelled the darkness," here, the light of the lamp of wisdom By this, the Buddha's knowledge of the path to Arahantship is primarily shown. By showing that, the knowledge of perfections, the knowledge of insight, and the knowledge of the lower paths and fruits are indicated by way of their fruit. By that indication, the abandonment of the darkness of ignorance is revealed by way of the first cause. By that revelation, the attainment of the knowledge of the fruit of Arahantship is made clear by way of the second cause. By that clarification, the attainment of all Buddha-qualities, such as omniscience, is made manifest by way of the third cause. Is it not the case that for all Arahants, darkness is dispelled by the radiance of the lamp of wisdom? Then why is the Buddha praised by a quality common to others, not unique? Because of the possibility of a unique distinction by the abandonment with latent tendencies. Indeed, for all Arahants, even though darkness is dispelled by the radiance of the lamp of wisdom, for noble disciples and Paccekabuddhas, the abandonment of defilements with latent tendencies is not found. Only for the Perfectly Self-Enlightened Ones is found the distinction of abandoning defilements with latent tendencies. Therefore, by way of the superior abandonment of the darkness of ignorance, only the Blessed One is praised as having dispelled darkness by the radiance of the lamp of wisdom. "Desirous of benefit" means intensely desiring the purpose, called worldly and supramundane, for the world of beings. "Attha" is that which comes to be in accordance with a cause, i.e., a fruit. The root 'as' (to be) in the sense of 'bhū' (to become). He desires that exceedingly, therefore "desirous of benefit" is the Buddha. The word "attha" as a prefix, with the root "mudh" preceded by "abhi", in the sense of desiring, takes the suffix "ṇa". That is "atthābhikāmaṃ". "Bringing benefit to humans and devas" means bringing benefit to humans and devas. "Nara" is one who leads or guides to benefit, i.e., a human. Or alternatively, "Nara" is one who is led by their own kamma, i.e., a human. The root "nar" in the sense of leading, takes the suffix "a". For it is said: "The world is led by kamma." "Devas" are those who sport or play with sense-pleasures, jhānas, supernormal powers, mental mastery, and so on. Or "devas" are those who dwell in them. The root "div" in the sense of playing, etc., takes the suffix "ṇa". Humans and devas are "naradevā". "Hita" is that which grows or increases, i.e., a fruit. The root "hi" in the sense of increasing, takes the suffix "ta". The benefit of humans and devas is "naradevahitaṃ", that (which brings it). He brings benefit to gods and humans, the Buddha. The word "Naradevahita" (benefit to gods and humans) is a prefix to the root "vah" (to carry) with the suffix "ṇa". It means that the Buddha, for the worldly and transcendent welfare of all gods and humans, sustains them through his teaching of the Dhamma. That is "bringing benefit to gods and humans." In "Kāruṇikamaggamananta ñāṇaṃ" (compassionate, supreme, infinite knowledge), the word division is "kāruṇikaṃ aggaṃ anantañāṇaṃ" (compassionate, supreme, infinite knowledge). Therein, "kāruṇikaṃ" means endowed with great compassion for all beings, or one who possesses great compassion. "Kirati" means compassion. The root "kir" (to remove) with the suffix "uṇa". It means to scatter or remove the suffering of others. Alternatively, "kināti" means compassion. The root "ki" (to harm) with the suffix "ruṇa". It means that when there is suffering in others, the compassionate one is disturbed or afflicted. Or, compassion is that which causes the hearts of good people to tremble when there is suffering in others. The root "kar" with the suffix "uṇa".