Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(129):Gotama
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[]
129. Gotama[]
Reborn in this Buddha-age at Rājagaha, in a brahmin(priest) family,[1] and named Gotama, he fell, when still a youth, into bad company, and gave all that he had to a prostitute. Repenting thereafter of his vicious ways, he saw a vision of the Lord(Buddha) seated - of Him who had discerned the progress of his mind and his attainment of the conditions. He with heart assured went to the Lord(Buddha), was taught, and believed. Entering the Monk’s order, he won arahantship(enlightenment), even as the razor touched his hair. And while he was pondering the bliss of jhāna and of fruition, a lay-companion asked him concerning his property. He confessed how he had lived unchastely, and declaring aññā(supreme attainment) by his present purity from passion, said:
[137] Sukhaɱ supanti munayo ye itthīsu na bajjhare,||
Sadā ve rakkhitabbāsu yāsu saccaɱ sudullabhaɱ.|| ||
[138] Vadhaɱ carimha te kāma anaṇā dāni te mayaɱ,||
Gacchāma dāni nibbānaɱ yattha gantvā na socatī' ti.|| ||
[137] At ease they sleep, the wise and pure, who never
Are bound to womankind, for these must yes
Be kept beneath watch and ward, and among them
it is ever hard to learn the truth of things.[2]
[138] War to the knife with you, O lust, we've waged.
Now are we quit and free of debt to you.
Now move about we onward to that Going-out,[3]
Where at our journey's end we weep no more.
[1] Not identical with the other Gotama Theras of CLXXXIII., CCXXXIX.
Quondam. Former.
[2] There is a nice, discriminating touch about tbe Commentary's remark: 'Now to him [the friend] who is still bound to such women, the Thera, to show his own complete extirpation of that lust, says the second verse.' The use of the first person plural is a rare feature in Buddhist hymns. It must refer to a sodality of freed minds, and not to the speaker and his quondam friend, since the latter had still his worldly ties.
[3] Nibbāna in the original. Since the Thera is an arahant(enlightened), this can only refer to his Parinibbana, the complete extinction of his life spatially figured - his anupādiscsa-nibbāna, says the Commentary, however that was conceived.
2.1-9 [129] Commentary on the stanza of Gotamatthera[]
The stanzas starting with sukhaṃ supanti constitute those of the venerable Thera Gottama. What is the origin? This one also having done devoted deed of service to former Buddhas, accumulating meritorious deeds conductive towards escape from the rounds of repeated rebirths (vaṭṭa) in this and that existence, was reborn in a family home at the time of the Blessed One Vipassī. On having attained the age of intelligence, he, one day, happened to have seen the Blessed One, became pious-minded and offered Him a fragrant fruit (āmodaphala). On account of that act of merit, he sprang up in the divine world, did meritorious deeds, now and then, wandered about his rounds of repeated rebirths is excellent existences even, was reborn in a brahmin family at Rājagaha when this Buddha arose and gained the name: Gotama. At the time when he was seven years old, he made subsumption (upanayana), wandered about for bejewelled begging of food (ratanabhikkhu), gained a thousand, placed it in a place commensurate with it, and practising his religious rite (vataṃ caranto), at the time of his indication (uddesika) of sixteen or seventeen years of age, being all-round led (parināyamāno) in sensual pleasures (kāmesu) by wicked (akalyāna) friends, paid that treasure (bhaṇḍikaṃ) of a thousand to a certain lady, who was earning her living by her beauty (rūpūpajīviniyā), reached his ruination of chaste life (brahmacariyavināsa), saw, on account of her, his beauty (rūpa) of chaste life (brahmacāri), when her detached demeanour (vurattākāra) was shown (to him), he became tired (nibbinnarūpo), of her with but a single-night-stay (ekarattivāsena), remember his own ruin of chaste conduct (brahmacariyavināsaṃ), as well as his dwindling (jāni) of wealth and became remorseful (vippaṭisārī) saying: “An unbefitting thing has been done by me.” The Master came to know the prosperity of his destiny (hetusampatti) as well as his mental conduct (cittācāra) and showed Himself to him at a spot near him. He saw the Master, became pious-minded, and approached Him. The Blessed One taught the truth (dhamma) to him. He listened to the teaching (dhamma) aptly gained pious faith, became a monk and attained Arahantship as and when his hair was shaved off by means of a razor (khura). Hence, has it been said in the Apadāna.--
“I made my offering of fragrant
fruit to the self-awakeded Buddha
of gold complexion, the worthy reci-
pient of sacrificial offerings, entering
upon a chariot-road.
It was ninety one aeons (kappa) ago,
that I made my fruit offering. I do
not remember any evil existence; this
is the fruitful result of fruit-offering.
My depravity had been burnt; :P;
Buddha’s instruction had been carried
out.”
Having, however, attained Arahantship, a certain lay associate approached him, who was spending his time with the bliss of jhāna and happiness of fruition and asked thus; “Friend! Becoming a monk, what did you do to what you had gained by means of bejewelled begging (ratanabbikkha)?” On having heard that question, the Thera did not inform his friend what he had done but made manifest the defect (dosaṃ) in woman (mātugāme) and in order to reveal his Arahantship (aññā) by his having become devoid of lust spoke two stanzas starting with “sukhaṃ supanti.”
137. There, sukhaṃ supanti munayo, ye itthīsu na bajjhare means: those sages, ascetics who are not bound by bondage of lust either in women or in whatever had become their sphere (visaya) or their characteristic mark (nimitta), whose controlling faculties of sense are well restrained (saṃyatindriyā), live happily; there does not exist any painful misery (dukkhaṃ) for them; thus, is the significance. Indeed, this word. Supanti (they sleep) is merely an indication (nidassana). Sadāve rakkhitabbāsu means: in those who should be looked after definitely at all times. Indeed, it is not possible to look after women although after having made them live above a seven-storied palatial mansion specially meant for feminine folks (nippurise), and also after throwing them into the belly-womb; therefore, they are to be looked after at all times similar to such cows as the corn field (kiṭṭha) ones and so on. They ought to be looked after at all times because of much mindedness or because of fickleness of mind (cittaññathatta) owing to such not-few gifts (anappadāna) of clothes and adornments (vatthālaṅkāra) by her husband. They should be looked after because of the state of such mind as should be protected either to the nature of the body or by way of aptly covering with garlands, perfumes and so on. Yāsu saccaṃ sudullabhaṃ means: in whom it is not possible to get true word; indeed, women enter fire also; they swallow (khādanti) poison; they bring weapons (satthaṃ) also; they die after having strangled themselves (ubbandhitvā) also; nevertheless they are not, however, able to stand on truth. Therefore, sages who stood after having avoided ladies like these are certainly happy; thus, he points out.
139. Now he spoke the second stanza in order to show his having well forsaken as well as the state of having thoroughly (accanta) completed (the abandonment) of that sensual desire (kāma) because of not having discarded which, men are bound up in ladies also like these. Vadhaṃ cariṃha te kāmā is to be construed thus:– Sensual desire! We behave ourselves (carimha) by means of the noble path (ariyamaggena) for your destruction (vadhaṃ) and perpetual annihilation (accantasamucchedaṃ); there is such a reading (pāṭho) as “Vadhaṃ carimhase” also; we did practise the holy practice of the right path (magga) for forsaking and killing; thus, is the meaning. Ananā’dāni te mayaṃ means: now, beginning from the attainment of the foremost path, we are not debtors (ananā) to you, O sensual desire! Because of having done the forsaking of running into debt (īnabhāva); we do not bear your debt. Indeed, one who is not devoid of lust (avītarāgo) is as if one is bearing the debt of lust (rāga); on the other hand, one who is free from lust, having gone beyond it, has become endowed with absolute rulership over (one’s own) mind. Being but debt-free (ananattā) gacchāna’dāhi nibbānaṃ yattha gantvā na socati means: we go and accordingly attain, now, that very nibbāna, which has no substratum of existence where, in that nibbāna one does not feel sad owing to the absence of causes of anxiety in every respect, on account of going (or reaching); thus, is the meaning.
The Commentary on the stanza of the Thera Gotama is complete.