The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha - Bhikkhu Nanamoli [581]
303 Both Horner in MLS and Ñm in Ms err in their translations of the account of the Bodhisatta’s meeting with Uddaka Rāmaputta by assuming that Uddaka is identical with Rāma. However, as his name indicates, Uddaka was the son (putta) of Rāma, who must have already passed away before the Bodhisatta arrived on the scene. It should be noted that all references to Rāma are in the past tense and the third person, and that Uddaka in the end places the Bodhisatta in the position of teacher. Though the text does not allow for definite conclusions, this suggests that he himself had not yet reached the fourth immaterial attainment.
304 MN 36, which includes the account of the Bodhisatta’s meetings with Ā˘āra Kālāma and Uddaka Rāmaputta, continues from this point with the story of the extreme ascetic practices that brought him to the verge of death and his subsequent discovery of the middle way that led to enlightenment.
305 MA identifies “this Dhamma” with the Four Noble Truths. The two truths or states (ṭhana) spoken of just below—dependent origination and Nibbāna—are the truths of the origin of suffering and the cessation of suffering, which respectively imply the truths of suffering and the path.
306 Ālaya. It is difficult to find for this word a suitable English equivalent that has not already been assigned to a more frequently occurring Pali term. Horner renders it as “sensual pleasure,” which appropriates the usual rendering of kāma and may be too narrow. In Ms and in other published works Ñm translates it as “something to rely on,” which may draw upon a connotation of the word that is not the one intended here. MA explains ālaya as comprising both objective sense pleasures and the thoughts of craving concerned with them.
307 MA raises the question why, when the Bodhisatta had long ago made an aspiration to reach Buddhahood in order to liberate others, his mind now inclined towards inaction. The reason, the commentator says, is that only now, after reaching enlightenment, did he become fully cognizant of the strength of the defilements in people’s minds and of the profundity of the Dhamma. Also, he wanted Brahmā to entreat him to teach so that beings who venerated Brahmā would recognise the precious value of the Dhamma and desire to listen to it.
308 These five monks attended on the Bodhisatta during his period of self-mortification, convinced that he would attain enlightenment and teach them the Dhamma. However, when he abandoned his austerities and resumed taking solid food, they lost faith in him, accused him of reverting to luxury, and deserted him. See MN 36.33.
309 Anantajina: perhaps this was an Ājı̄vakan epithet for the spiritually perfected individual.
310 According to MA, Upaka thereafter fell in love with a hunter’s daughter and married her. When his marriage turned out to be an unhappy one, he returned to the Buddha, entered the Sangha, and became a non-returner. He was reborn in the Avı̄ha heaven, where he attained arahantship.
311 Āvuso: a familiar term of address used among equals.
312 See n.178.
313 The change in address from “friend” to “venerable sir” (bhante) indicates that they have now accepted the Buddha’s claim and are prepared to regard him as their superior.
314 At this point the Buddha preached to them his first sermon, the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, The Setting in Motion of the Wheel of Dhamma, on the Four Noble Truths. Several days later, after they had all become stream-enterers, he taught them the Anattalakkhaṇa Sutta, The Characteristic of Non-self, upon hearing which they all attained arahantship. The complete narrative, found in the Mahāvagga (Vin i.7