English
produces supernormal knowledge, produces attainments. And it is said, "Faith is rare." Therefore, he makes the aspiration that he may be faithful. And this (faith) is of four kinds: faith from tradition, faith from realization, faith from conviction, and faith from serenity. Among these, faith from tradition is that which comes from the aspiration of Omniscient Bodhisattas. Faith from realization is that which is attained by noble disciples through the penetration of the truths. Faith from conviction is the unwavering conviction when the Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha are spoken of. Faith from serenity is merely the arising of serenity towards the Buddha and so forth. Here, however, all kinds of faith are intended, as it is a place of aspiration. "May I have faith" means "faithful." The suffix 'ṇa' is in the sense of 'having'. "Endowed with the requisites for giving" means endowed, possessed, and furnished with the wealth that is the cause, the requisite, for giving. Or, endowed, possessed, and furnished with three requisites: the object to be given, the recipient person, and faith. "Dātaṃ" means that which is given. This is a noun of action. The root "dā" is in the sense of giving, with the suffix 'a'. "Aṅga" means that by which something is known or understood, i.e., wealth. "Dātaṅga" is the requisite of giving. "Dātaṅgupeto" means endowed, possessed, and furnished with that. Or, "dātaṃ" means that which is given, the object of giving. "Dātaṅga" is the requisite of giving. "Dātaṅgupeto" means endowed, possessed, and furnished with that. It is said that he makes the aspiration, "May I be complete with three requisites: the object to be given, the recipient person, and faith." For it is said in the Itivuttaka Commentary: "Indeed, giving is possible only at the time when these three are present: faith, the object to be given, and the recipient." "Paramasiridharo" means the bearer of supreme glory. Or, capable of bearing supreme glory. Here, "sirī" is a designation for wisdom, merit, bodily beauty, and prosperity. "Sirī" is that which is served by those who have done merit, or that which serves individuals who have done merit. Or, it is splendor because it rules; one obtains the accomplishment of wisdom, merit, bodily beauty, and good fortune. The root 'si' (to serve) and 'iro' and 'ī' (suffixes). Supreme, excellent splendor is supreme splendor. One who holds that is a holder of supreme splendor. The meaning is, one capable of holding supreme splendor. "In the seen Dhamma" means in the present, manifest existence. And here, "diṭṭhadhamma" is said to be the manifest existence. For it is to be seen, thus "seen," existence. It is called "diṭṭhadhamma" because it is a seen, to-be-seen nature, a characteristic. In that seen Dhamma. "Dispassionate" means one whose attachment to sensual pleasures has departed. Attachment is "attached." The root 'rañj' is in the sense of attachment. One whose attachment has departed is "dispassionate." "Conscientious" means one possessing shame regarding evil, or, one endowed with shame characterized by abhorrence of evil. Or, "conscientious" means endowed with shame and dread of wrongdoing. Indeed, by the word "lajjī," dread of wrongdoing is also to be understood by way of characteristic implication. Why? Because of their similarity in nature as characteristics of wholesome states. And this is said in the Netti Pāli: "When one quality is spoken of, whatever qualities share the same characteristic, all are said to be spoken of, that is called the implication of characteristics." That which is ashamed is shame, hiri. The root 'lajj' is in the sense of shame. One who has shame is "lajjā" (shameful/conscientious). The meaning is, one endowed with shame and dread of wrongdoing, starting from misconduct of body, etc. "Good friend" means one endowed with beautiful friends. Indeed, the word "kalyāṇa" is a word meaning "beautiful," an unanalyzable base word. Or, "kalyāṇa" (good) is that which leads to or causes welfare and benefit; a good friend. The root 'aṇ' with the prefix 'kalya' is in the sense of going. One who loves is a friend, or, one who is loved is a friend. The root 'mid' is in the sense of love. One who has a good friend is a "kalyāṇamitta" (good friend). The meaning is, one should be endowed with beneficial and good friends. Here, however, a good friend is intended as one endowed with the qualities of faith, morality, learning, generosity, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom. And with reference to that, the Blessed One said in the Sigāla Sutta: "And the friend who is helpful, and the companion in joy and sorrow; And the friend who points out what is beneficial, and the friend who is compassionate; These four friends, having understood thus..." wise; Diligently He should attend, as a mother her own son," it is said. And in the Visuddhimagga, it is said: "Beloved, revered, to be cultivated, a speaker, and patient of speech. One who speaks profound discourse, and does not engage in inappropriate matters." Thus, it is said that because such a good friend is rare, one makes the aspiration, "May I be endowed with a good friend." "Delighting in skillfulness" means one who delights in skillful deeds such as giving and other meritorious actions. "Kusala" (skillful) refers to meritorious actions such as giving, because good people "salanti" (close, restrain, shut off) the wretched door to the lower realms by means of them. The word "kusala" is formed from the root "sal" (to restrain) with the prefix "ku" and the suffix "a". "Abhiratakusalo" means one who delights exceedingly in these; this is a "kitanta" compound. It is said this way, with the words inverted, to preserve the meter, instead of "kusalābhirato". Or, "abhirato" means one who delights exceedingly; "abhiratakusalo" means one whose delight is in skillful deeds. This means one is endowed with a mind that constantly delights in performing skillful and meritorious deeds. "Protector of the five precepts and so forth" means one who is capable of protecting the five precepts and so forth. Here, the word "and so forth" includes the eight-limbed Uposatha precepts for laypeople, the ten precepts for novices, and the fourfold pure precepts for bhikkhus. "Pañcasīlādi" means that of which the five precepts are the beginning; "pañcasīlādirakkho" means one who protects or is capable of protecting them. This means one is capable of protecting the five precepts as the constant precepts for householders, and for those with energy and ability, the eight-limbed precepts as Uposatha precepts, and the ten precepts for novices, making them unbroken, unblemished, unspotted, and uncorrupted; and the fourfold pure precepts for bhikkhus. For the Blessed One said: "Because of the failure of precepts, bhikkhus, beings, at the breaking up of the body, after death, are reborn in a state of deprivation, a bad destination, a downfall, hell." And: "Because of the accomplishment of precepts, bhikkhus, beings, at the breaking up of the body, after death, are reborn in a good destination, a heavenly world." And: "One accomplished in precepts attains a great mass of wealth..." Good fame arises. He approaches the four assemblies confident and unperplexed. He dies unconfused, and after the breaking up of the body, after death, he reappears in a good destination, a heavenly world, it is said. And in the commentaries: "There is no ornament like the ornament of virtue, there is no flower like virtue, there is no fragrance like the fragrance of virtue." "Indeed, relying on the accomplishment of virtue, one attains the three knowledges." "One should purify virtue at the beginning." "Beings are purified by virtue." "Virtue is the beginning of the Dispensation." "Among the seven purifications, the purification of virtue is called the body (essence)." "And because it is said that virtue is indeed a support, a foundation, an object, a refuge, a shelter, a destination, a final resort," it is said that one makes the aspiration to protect the five precepts and so on. "Appiccho" means "having few wishes," or "not desiring," meaning not desiring sense objects like forms and so on. Here, the word "appa" (few/little) signifies absence. Like in "few mosquitoes and flies" or "little heat," "icchā" is desiring, or desiring sense objects like forms, or it is craving for sensual pleasures. The root "is" is in the sense of desiring and wishing. The "a" at the end of the root. "Appiccho" means "one for whom there is no desire," meaning one who does not desire sensual pleasures like forms and so on. However, "appiccho" is of four kinds: having few wishes regarding requisites, having few wishes regarding learning, having few wishes regarding ascetic practices, and having few wishes regarding attainment. Among these, having few wishes regarding the four requisites is "paccayaappiccho." One who, when many requisites are offered, takes little; when little is offered, takes even less or takes nothing at all. He is not one who takes everything without remainder. This is called "paccayaappiccho." One who, even being a master of the Tipiṭaka, does not wish to make known his great learning, this is called "pariyattiappiccho." One who does not let others know that he has undertaken and observes ascetic practices, this is called "dhutaṅgaappiccho." One who, having become one of the stream-enterers and so on, does not wish to make known his state of stream-entry and so on, this is called "adhigamaappiccho." And may I be endowed with these qualities of few wishes. is said. "Having little anger" means being free from the fault of the characteristic of ill-will. For he who is angry is called "angry." This is a designation for ill-will. "He who has no anger" is "one with little anger." An angry person knows no good, An angry person sees no Dhamma; Then there is blinding darkness, When anger overcomes a man.