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the physical body, which is its support, is also pure. Therefore, the continuum of aggregates, which is the referent of that cause and the basis of the knowledge of the path of Arahatship and so on, is called "Buddha" by way of nominal designation. Thus it is said in the commentary to the Paṭisambhidāmagga: "A special being, designated as 'Buddha' in dependence on the continuum of aggregates pervaded by unhindered knowledge in all phenomena and the attainment of unsurpassed liberation, or designated as 'Buddha' in dependence on the realization of the truth, which is the basis of omniscience." Indeed, in the ultimate continuum of aggregates, for ease of expression, designations such as "being" and "person" are superimposed. Such a being, having attained designation, as long as he does not strive for the knowledge of enlightenment, does not make a vow, is counted as merely a "being." But from the time he strives for the knowledge of enlightenment, makes a vow, then the designation "Bodhisatta" arises. And when he attains the knowledge of enlightenment, then the name "Buddha" arises. is a burden. Therefore, the continuum of aggregates, designated as a concept, should be understood as the Buddha. For it is said in the Mahāniddesa: "Buddha is not a name made by a mother, nor made by a father, nor made by a brother, nor made by a sister, nor made by friends and associates, nor made by relatives and kinsmen, nor made by ascetics and brahmins, nor made by deities. This is a designation truly attained by the Buddhas, the Fortunate Ones, at the root of the Bodhi tree, with the attainment of omniscience, namely, 'Buddha'—that is the Buddha." Or, by way of the originating cause, or by way of the immediate cause, the meaning that the Buddha is the continuum of aggregates, predominantly wisdom, utterly pure, is also fitting. Nigrodhabimbo means one whose body is circular like the circular form of a banyan tree. Nigrodha means that which obstructs the lower part, a banyan tree. The root 'rudh' with 'ni' prefix is in the sense of covering, with 'ṇa' and 'ussa gāgamo'. Bimbo means that which vomits or emits, the body. The root 'vam' is in the sense of emitting, with 'bo'. 'Vam' becomes 'bim'. Nigrodhabimbo means one whose body is circular like the circular form of a banyan tree, the Buddha. It should have been said 'nigrodhaparimaṇḍalabimbo', but the word 'parimaṇḍala' is omitted, and thus it is said this way. Just as a banyan tree, being fifty or a hundred cubits tall, with branches of equal girth, is of the same measure in both height and width, so too is his body of the same measure in both height and span. The meaning is that his body is not disproportionate like that of others, where the height or span might be different. For it is said in the Brahmāyu Sutta: "Indeed, the venerable Gotama is of banyan-tree circumference. As long as his body is, so wide is his span. As wide as his span is, so long is his body." Mudukaracaraṇo means one with soft hands and feet. Here, the word 'mudus' denotes softness and fineness, and is an unanalyzable word. Or, 'mudus' means that which delights or gladdens beings, one with soft hands and feet. The root 'mud' is in the sense of delighting or rejoicing, with 'u'. 'Karo' means that by which one performs various actions, the hand. 'Caraṇo' means that by which one moves to various places, the foot. The root 'car' In the sense of going, 'yu'. Whose hands and feet are soft, he is Mudukaracaraṇa, the Buddha. It means his hands and feet are always soft, like a hundred-times-beaten cotton sheet placed in clarified butter, and like a newborn infant. "Brahmaghoseṇijaṅgha" is a word-split: "Brahmaghosa" and "Eṇijaṅgha". "Brahmaghosa" means having a voice endowed with eight qualities, like the voice of Brahmā. He grows and develops through qualities like jhāna, therefore Brahmā. The root 'brūh', suffix 'maṇi'. That which is sounded, spoken, said is ghosa, a voice. The root 'ghus' in the sense of sound, with 'ṇa'. The voice of Brahmā is brahmaghosa. One whose voice is like that is Brahmaghosa, the Buddha. Just as the voice of Mahābrahmā is pure, unhindered by bile and phlegm, so too the Tathāgata's actions purify the basis. Due to the purity of the basis, the voice arising from the navel is pure and endowed with eight qualities. Therefore, he is praised as having a voice endowed with eight qualities, like Brahmaghosa. "Eṇijaṅgha" means having well-rounded knees like the shanks of an antelope. That which goes, moves, is eṇi, an antelope. The root 'i' in the sense of going, with 'ṇi'. That by which one goes, moves, is jaṅgha, the knee. The root 'jan' in the sense of producing, with 'gho'. Substitution for 'n'. One whose shanks are like the shanks of an antelope is Eṇijaṅgha, the Buddha. Just as the shank of an antelope is well-rounded, so too the Buddha's shanks are full with fleshy protuberances. Not with flesh gathered in one lump. It means he is endowed with shanks that are well-formed, surrounded by evenly distributed flesh on all sides, like the core of rice or barley grains. Therefore, he is praised as having well-rounded knees, like the shanks of an antelope. "Kosacchādaṅgajāta" is a word-split: "Kosacchāda" and "Aṅgajāta". It means he is endowed with a hidden member, covered by a sheath of skin like a golden lotus calyx, similar to the hidden member of a bull or an elephant. That in which it rests, stands, is kosa (sheath). The root 'kus' in the sense of going, with 'ṇa'. That which is covered is chāda (covering). The root 'chad'. He is covered by a sheath. Covered by a sheath is the sheath-covered. Born in the limbs, the body parts, is the limb-born. He whose limb-born sign is covered by a sheath is the sheath-covered limb-born, the Buddha. For the Blessed One, like the limb-born of a bull or an elephant, is endowed with a sign, a hidden organ, resembling a golden lotus bud. That is the meaning. Therefore, he is praised as "endowed with a sheath-covered limb-born." Again, it is a separation of words: "puna api." The letter 'r' is inserted. "Puna" is a particle in the sense of "another." The word "api" means "together." "Sugata" is the Buddha. He is called Sugata because he goes to the beautiful Nibbana. "Suppatiṭṭhitapāda" means whose feet are well-planted, evenly and firmly on the ground, like the sole of a golden sandal. "Suppatiṭṭhita" means well-planted, "pāda" means foot. "Su" and "pati" are prefixes, "ṭhā" is the root verb for "to stand," "gatinivattiyaṃ" means "in stopping movement," "ta" is a suffix. "Pajjati" means "goes," "gacchati" means "walks," "etena" means "by this," so "pāda" means foot. "Padadhātu" is the root for "to go," "ṇa" is a suffix. "Suppatiṭṭhitapāda" means he whose feet are well-planted, the Sugata. For just as when others place their feet on the ground, the front part, or the heel, or the side touches first, or there is a gap in the middle, and when they lift their feet, only one part, like the front, rises first, it is not so for him. For him, like the sole of a golden sandal, the entire sole of the foot touches the ground and rises from the ground in one stroke. Even if the Blessed One extends his foot, saying, "I will step on a hell of many hundreds of men," that low place immediately rises up like a blacksmith's bellows filled with air, and becomes level with the earth. And a high place sinks down. When he extends his foot, saying, "I will step far away," even a mountain the size of Sineru bends down like a withered shoot and comes near his foot. Thus, when he performed the Twin Miracle and extended his feet, saying, "I will step on the Yugandhara mountain," the mountain bent down and came near his feet. He stepped on it, and with his second foot, he stepped into the Tāvatiṃsa heaven. For he should not be established by the mark of the wheel. The uneven ground can be. A stump or a thorn, or gravel, or urine and feces, or phlegm and snot, these disappear quickly. Right there they enter the earth. But by the power of the Tathāgata's virtue, by the power of wisdom, by the power of Dhamma, by the power of the ten perfections, this great earth becomes even, soft, and strewn with flowers. There the Tathāgata places his foot evenly. He lifts it evenly, touching the ground with the entire sole of his foot, therefore he is praised as "well-planted-footed." "Mūdo dātuṇṇalomo" is "mudu odāta uṇṇalomo" by word division. It means: "Having a soft, fine, white, pure hair-tuft born between the eyebrows." Here, the word "mudu" is an unanalyzable word meaning "soft and fine." Or, "mudo" means "he who makes beings soft," hence "fine." The root "mud" is in the sense of "rejoicing." "Odāto" means "that which is cut off or broken." The root "dā" with "ava" prefix is in the sense of "cutting off." Or, "odāto" means "that which is purified," like "vodāna" (purification). "Mudo" and "odāto" make "mudodāto." "Uṇṇā" means "that which goes upwards," hair. Teachers say that the word "uṇṇā" in the world is a synonym for the word "loma" (hair). It means "that which grows on the flesh." The root "uṇ" is in the sense of "motion." "Lomo" means "that which cuts or pierces flesh and skin." The root "lu" is in the sense of "cutting," with the suffix "maṇi." Or, "lomo" means "that which is to be cut." "Uṇṇā" and "lomo" make "uṇṇalomo," a kind of hair. "Mudo dāto uṇṇalomo" means "He whose hair-tuft is soft, white, and fine," the Sugata. The hair-tuft of the Blessed One is born not at the very top of the nose, but between the two eyebrows. Having grown out, it is born in the middle of the forehead. It is soft, like a layer of fine cotton placed and spread out in clarified butter. It is white, free from blemish, like the color of a pure medicinal star, and like the cotton of a silk-cotton tree. This hair-tuft exists, not in others. This is stated in the Brahmāyu Sutta: "And indeed, the hair-tuft of the venerable Gotama, born between the eyebrows, is white, soft, and like cotton."