Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(146):Punnamasa
Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids.
Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala
Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'.
Chapter II.
Two Verses[]
146. Puṇṇamāsa[1][]
Reborn in this Buddha-age at Sāvatthī in the family of a landed proprietor, he left the world(for monkhood) after the birth of his firstborn. And living near a village, he strove and worked till he acquired sixfold abhiññā(higher knowledge). Going upon that to Sāvatthī and saluting the Lord(Buddha), he lived in a charnel-field(cemetery). Now his son died, and his wife, desirous that their property, having no heirs, should not be taken over by the (king)rājas, went with a large following to greet her husband, and induce him to leave the religious life. But the Thera, to show his passionless state and to vindicate his attainment, stood in the air and said:
[171] Pañcanīvarāṇa hitvā yogakkhemassa pattiyayā,||
Dhammādāsaɱ gahetvāna ñāṇadassanamattano.|| ||
[172] Paccavekakhiɱ imaɱ kāyaɱ sabbaɱ santarabāhiraɱ,||
Ajjhattañ ca bahiddhā ca tuccho kāyo adissathā' ti.|| ||
[171] All the five Hindrances that bar the way[2]
Against the safe, sure peace[3] I put aside.
The mirror of the holy Path(Dhamma) I grasped: -[4]
The knowing and the seeing what we are -
[172] So I reflected on this grouped frame[5]
Within and hard worked without, and I saw
How, whether it was mine or not of me,
"The body empty [is and vanity].
[1] See the other version in X. The Commentary recognizes no identity.
[2] Desires of sense, malevolence, sluggishness, distraction, perplexity - to 'put aside' these was the essential preliminary to attaining the serenity and detachment for fruitful intellectual effort (Dialogues, i. 82 84).
[3] Yogakkhemaɱ. See XXXII.
[4] Sisters, verse 222.
[5] Kāyo is both body (sarīra) and, generally, a group, or organism.
2.3-6 [146] Commentary on the stanza of Puṇṇamāsatthera[]
The stanza starting with Pañcanīvaraṇe hitvā constitutes that of the venerable Thera Puṇṇamāsa. What is the origin? This one too having done devoted deeds of service toward former Buddhas, accumulating meritorious deeds in this and that existence, was reborn in a family home at the time of the Blessed One Tissa; on having attained the ate of intelligence, on day, while the Master had entering His sweet-scented sanctum after having hung His robe of rags (paṃsukūlacīvaraṃ) on a branch of a tree, he entered the forest with his bow held in his hand, happened to have caught sight of the robe of rags (paṃsukūla) of the Master, became pious-minded, threw down his bow, recollected the qualities of Buddha and paid his homage to the robe of rags (paṃsukūla). On account of that act of merit, he wandered about his rounds of repeated rebirths among divine and human beings, and was reborn in the family of an estate owner (kuṭumbi) in Sāvatthi, when this Buddha arose. It is said that on the day of his birth, all the pots and pans in that house became but bountifully brimful with beans made of gold and gems. On that account they named him but Puṇṇamāsa, even. On having come of age, he wedded a wife, and when a son sprang up, he discarded his household life, became a monk, dwelt in a village-monastery, connected himself, (ghaṭento) making exertion and became an Arahant with six sorts of super knowledge (abhiññā). Hence, has it been said in the Apadāna:–
“The Blessed One named Tisssa was
a self-dependent foremost individual;
having placed His robe of rags (paṃsu-
kūla), the conqueror entered His
monastery.
Having taken a bent (vinata) bow I
wandered about for the purpose of my
meal (bhakkha); having seized a cir-
cular sabre I entered the forest.
There I caught sight of a robe of
rags (paṃsukūlaṃ), hung on a tree-
top then. Having thrown down my
bow but there, I raised my clasped
hands on to my head.
Pious-minded and good-hearted, and
with abundant zest I paid my homage
to the robe of rags (paṃsukūla)
remembering Buddha the best.
It was ninety two aeons (kappa) ago,
that I adored the robe of rags
(paṃsukūla); I do not remember any
evil existence; this is the fruitful
result of my adoration.
My depravity had been burnt, …
Buddha’s instruction had been carried
out.”
Having, however, become an Arahant, with six sorts of higher-knowledge (abhiññā) he went to Sāvatthi, paid his homage to the Master, and dwelt in a cemetery; not long after his arrival there even, his son died, The mother of the boy, on having heard of the arrival of the Thera, saying to herself: “Let not kings carry away this childless property (sāpateyyaṃ).” was desirous of disrobing (uppabbajetukāmā) his, went to the presence of the Thera accompanied by a large retinue, had her conversation and began to seduce (palobhetuṃ) him. The Thera stood in the sky and spoke two stanzas for the purpose of making her know the state of his being devoid of lust (rāga) and teaching the truth (dhamma) to her in the light of (mukhena) announcing his own proper practice (peṭipatti):–
171. “Having avoided the five hindrances
for the attainment of nibbāna, the
secure sanctuary free from fetters
(yogakkhema), I caught hold of the
mirror of truth (dhammādāsa), my
own insight of knowledge (ñāṇadassana)..
172. “I reflected upon this body, entirely
outside together with inside. I found
out that my body was empty both inter-
nally and externally.
There, pañca nīvaraṇe hitvā means: having discarded the five hindrances, beginning with desire for sensual pleasures, and destroyed (viddhaṃsatvā) them by means of the achievement of jhāna. Yogakkhemassa pattiyā means: for the attainment of nibbāna which is secure from being oppressed by the four fetters (yoga) beginning with the fetter of sensual pleasure. Dhammādāsaṃ means the mirror which had become the truth (dhamma); indeed, according as the mirror shows by reflection (ādaṃseti) the quality in the mental body (nāmakāya) distinctively by making manifest (vibhāvanena) the purification (vodāha) of the deeds of self-depravity (saṃkilesadhamma) as well as by proving the abandoning of it to one who sees with spiritual insight (vipassantassa). Therefore, he said:–--
“Dhammādasaṃ gahetvāna,
ñāṇadassanāmattano;
paccavekkhiṃ imaṃ kāyaṃ,
sabbaṃsantarabāhiraṃ”
(Having caught hold of the spiritual
mirror, my own insight of knowledge,
I reflected on this body, entirely
both inside and outside).”
Having caught hold of the dhamma mirror, I aptly reflected and observed by my eye of knowledge, this body, the collection of actions (dhammasamūhaṃ) this self-entity of mine, entirely outside together with inside, owing to being the abode of internal and external spheres of senses (āyatana) without leaving anything as “Impermanence (aniccaṃ),” “Painful misery (dukkhaṃ)” and “Non-self, (anatta).” By me who observes in this manner, ajjhattañ ca bahiddhā ca conntes in my own continuity of entity (attanosantāne) which is ever devoid of essence (sāra) etc., which is empty and reckoned as the five aggregates (khandhāpañcaka) according as it is by my eye of knowledge. Indeed, the entire five aggregates is said to be “kāya (body),” in such a context as: “Avijjānivutassa bhikkhave bāḍassataṃhāsaṃyuttassa evamayaṃ kāyo samudāgato (O monks! This body of a foolish person, enveloped by ignorance (avijjānivuta) and well yoked to craving (taṅhāsaṃyutta) has resulted (samudāgato) in this manner),” and so on. “Adissatha” means: by means of this, “but whatever should be understood, that has been seen; there does not exist, now, anything which should be seen by me;” thus, he revealed his Arahantship (aññā) in order to show his state of having done what should be done. In this manner, the Thera taught the truth (dhamma) to his former wife, made her well established in the (three) refuges (saraṇa) and moral precepts and sent her away.
The Commentary on the stanza of the Thera Puṇṇamāsa is complete.