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

English

which is the meaning of the remaining word 'Buddha', is called the objective determinant. Why? Because it helps the wholesome mind-moment of bowing through the condition of object. The qualities of the Buddha, such as Sugata, are called the excitatory determinant. Why? Because they are the cause of the bowing. Taking that causal permanent state, the absence of diseases and obstacles in this very life, and the attainment of the happiness of heaven and liberation in the next life, are known as the consequence. Why? Because they are the beneficial results. Here, indeed, although there is no word indicating the consequence. Yet, because a cause is not without its effect, the effect of the cause should be understood. Or, it should be seen that the consequence is indeed shown by the power of the word 'bows'. Manifest enthusiasm, the wisdom of knowing the benefits of bowing to the Buddha, the absence of laziness, mental clarity, concentration, and so on, are called the transient states. The state of hair standing on end, and so on, is called the physical manifestation. Thus, the rhetorical method should be understood. Thus, in the very last verses. And here is a brief explanation. Sugata: gone beautifully, or gone to the beautiful state of Nibbāna, or gone rightly. Sugata: rightly spoken, uttered, spoken. Excellent: searching for the most praised qualities such as the foundations of mindfulness, or to be sought by the virtuous, or desired for the welfare and happiness of beings. Wholesome-unwholesome: wholesome and unwholesome. Abandoning: abandoned. Deathless: free from death, deathless, endowed with deathless Nibbāna. Peaceful: the calming of defilements and torments. Unequalled in the world... Unequalled by any other dhamma, the dhamma of the path, fruit, and Nibbāna. The giver, the given, or the donor, a refuge for all beings in the world, a place of resort. Knowing the world—the three worlds composed of beings and space—as refuge, Stainless, without defilements, or devoid of the defilement called 'araṇa'. Without the dust of defilements in beings, made by the knowledge of teaching. Fearless, without fear, the fearless state, the direction of Nibbāna. The leader, leading beings to the far shore of Nibbāna. The leader, the eldest and foremost of the three worlds, the Buddha—with respect, through the three doors, I bow, I pay homage. The description of the first two verses of homage is concluded. 2. Whose body parts are pleasing to the eye, Endowed with a sweet, excellent voice; A support for countless multitudes of virtues, I bow to the unequalled Ten Powers. 2. Thus, having first paid homage to the Buddha with two verses, now, in order to praise the Buddha and pay homage to him with five qualities beginning with "whose body parts are pleasing to the eye," he recites the verse beginning "whose body parts are pleasing to the eye." This (verse), however, due to having 'na', 'na', and 'ma' gaṇas, and being characterized by nine syllables, should be understood as a 'bhujagasusugāthā'. For it is said in the Vuttodaya: "bhujagasusumatā nāmo" (meaning, the meter is called bhujagasusumatā if it has na, na, ma). This is the explanation here. If in each line there are two 'na' gaṇas and one 'ma' gaṇa, that is known and understood as a 'bhujagasusugāthā'. There, "whose body parts are pleasing to the eye" means endowed with body parts that are beautiful to the eyes of all beings. Here, 'nayana' (eye) is taken as that which leads one's own existence, showing the even and uneven. It means 'eye'. Root 'nī' (to lead) + suffix 'yu'. 'Subhaga' (pleasing) means that which goes to beauty. It refers to 'kāyaṅga' (body part). Root 'gam' (to go) with 'subha' as a prefix + suffix 'kvi'. 'Kāyaṅga' is a limb or part of the body. It refers to the body part of the Blessed One. This is a genitive tatpurisa compound. "Pleasing to the eye" is 'nayanasubhaga'. The Buddha is 'nayanasubhaga kāyaṅgo' because he has such a body part. For he, due to the excellence of his physical body's appearance and his supreme virtues, is beautiful to the eyes of faith of all beings, with the thirty-two great... Endowed with a body Marked by the marks of a great man And by the eighty minor marks, This is the meaning. "Endowed with a sweet, excellent voice" Means endowed with a beloved, pleasing, supreme voice. For that Blessed One Is sweetened, is loved, is endeared, Thus "madhura" (sweet). The root "madh" means "to delight." For it is said in the Majjhima Paṇṇāsa commentary: "Madhura" means beloved, pleasing, unhindered. Or else, It is sweetened, it is savored, Thus "madhura." It delights, it moistens the joy of all beings, It increases it, thus "madhura." The root "madh" means "to moisten/delight." Therefore it is said in the Saddanīti: "Madha" means "to moisten/delight." It is to be chosen, To be wished for, To be longed for, Thus "vara" (excellent) voice. The root "vara" is in the sense of "wishing." It goes, it reaches The state of being an object for ear-consciousness, Thus "sara" (voice), sound. The root "sara" is in the sense of "going." Or it goes, it reaches The state of being heard, thus "sara." Or it is heard, it is listened to, Thus "sara." The Blessed One's voice Endowed with eight qualities is obtained. It is attained, thus "upeta" (endowed). The root "i" with "upa" and suffix "ta." Sweet and excellent, that voice, Thus "madhuravarasara." Endowed with it, accomplished, possessed, Thus it is called "madhuravarasaropeta." But because the Blessed One's heart-basis Is very pure, And unhindered by bile, phlegm, and so on, It is said that he is endowed, Accomplished, possessed of a voice, a sound, That is sweet, beloved, pleasing, Excellent, wished for, longed for By gods and humans, And endowed with eight qualities. And here, Although "endowed with voice" Is said in a general sense, The Blessed One's voice, however, Is distinct and comprehensible, Melodious and audible, Coherent and not scattered, Deep and resonant – It should be understood That it is specifically endowed With these eight qualities. For it is said in the Majjhima Paṇṇāsa, In the Brahmāyu Sutta: "Indeed, from the mouth of Gotama, A voice endowed with eight qualities emanates: Distinct and comprehensible, Melodious and audible, Coherent and not scattered, Deep and resonant. Indeed, that venerable Gotama Makes himself understood with his voice According to the assembly, And his voice does not [go] Outside the assembly..." emits.” In its commentary, “Visaṭṭha” means smooth, unobstructed. “Viññeyya” means understandable, clear. Because it is smooth, it is understandable. “Mañju” means sweet. “Savanīya” means pleasant to hear, because it is sweet, it is pleasant to hear. “Bindu” means compact. “Avisārī” means not dispersed. Because it is compact, it is not dispersed. “Gambhīra” means deeply arisen. “Ninnādī” means resounding. Because it is deep, it is resounding. “Yathāparisa” means it makes the assembly, even to the edge of the cosmos, understand as one unified group. “Bahiddhā” means it does not go even an inch outside the assembly. Why? Lest such a sweet voice be lost without cause. Thus, the Buddha’s voice is described as moving only within the bounds of the assembly. And in the Abhidhānappadīpikā, the summary verse is stated: “Smooth, sweet, understandable, pleasant to hear, not dispersed; compact, deep, resounding— thus is the eight-fold voice.” Just as Brahma’s voice is pure and sweet because it is unobstructed by bile and phlegm. And just as small animals, fleeing pursued by fierce beasts like lions and tigers, upon hearing the sound of the karavīka bird singing, abandon their fear of death due to the sweetness of the voice, and without running, without putting down their raised feet, they stand and listen— similarly, the karavīka’s sound is naturally sweet, dear, and delightful. In the same way, the action performed by the Buddha purifies the substance, and because of the purity of the substance, and because it is unobstructed by bile and phlegm, the voice arising from the Buddha’s navel is endowed with eight qualities, supremely pure, exceedingly sweet, exceedingly dear, exceedingly delightful. But this is a humble comparison, for the Buddha’s voice is a hundred times, a thousand times more sweet, more dear, more delightful than those sounds. Thus, King Dhammāsoka’s Queen Asandhimittā, upon hearing the sweet sound of the karavīka bird, thought: “This animal’s voice is sweet; what then must be the exceedingly sweet voice of the Buddha, who has attained the glory of omniscience?” he says, generating joy, and not abandoning that joy, he is established in the fruit of stream-entry with seven hundred strides; therefore, he praises the Blessed One, saying: "This is the sweet, excellent voice." "The support of immeasurable groups of virtues" means the foundation of immeasurable groups of virtues such as morality. Here, "samita" means "to be measured," so "mita" means "measured," from the root "mā" in the sense of measuring, with the suffix "ta." "Amita" means "unmeasured." "Guṇa" means qualities like morality. They are called "guṇa" because they "guṇenti" (illuminate, make known) the person endowed with them. The root "guṇa" is in the sense of illuminating, with the suffix "a." However, in the Maṇisāramañjūsāṭīkā, it is said: "They are 'guṇa' because they 'guṇanti' (make manifest) their own support." And in the Saddanītidhātumālā, it is said: "The root 'guṇa' is in the sense of inviting. 'Guṇa' means qualities like morality. For what reason are they 'guṇa'? Because the person established in them is 'goṇāpiyati' (invited) and 'āmantāpiyati' (called upon) by people who wish to see, hear, and worship him. Here, although there is no direct invitation of the qualities of morality themselves, nevertheless, because of them, people do invite and call upon him, so it is said in this way. Others, however, say the meaning is