The Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha - Bhikkhu Nanamoli [606]
656 MA: He “turns his mind away” from the five aggregates included within the jh̄na, which he has seen to be stamped with the three characteristics. The “deathless element” (amatā dhātu) is Nibbāna. First “he directs his mind to it” with the insight consciousness, having heard it praised and described as “the peaceful and sublime,” etc. Then, with the supramundane path, “he directs his mind to it” by making it an object and penetrating it as the peaceful and sublime, etc.
657 See n.553.
658 On the omission of the fourth immaterial attainment, see n.554.
659 MA: Among those who proceed by way of serenity, one bhikkhu emphasises unification of mind—he is said to gain deliverance of mind; another emphasises wisdom—he is said to gain deliverance by wisdom. Among those who proceed by way of insight, one emphasises wisdom—he is said to gain deliverance by wisdom; another emphasises unification of mind—he is said to gain deliverance of mind. The two chief disciples attained arahantship by emphasising both serenity and insight, but Ven. Sāriputta became one who gained deliverance by wisdom and Ven. Mahā Moggallāna became one who gained deliverance of mind. Thus the reason (for the different designations) is the difference in their faculties, i.e., between the predominance of the concentration faculty and of the wisdom faculty.
SUTTA 65
660 This refers to the Buddha’s practice of eating a single meal in the forenoon only. According to the Pātimokkha, the bhikkhus are prohibited from eating from noon until the following dawn, though the single-session practice is only recommended but not required.
661 MA: He would be worried and anxious whether he could live the holy life for his entire life.
662 His anxiety persisted because he would still have to finish his meal of the remains by noon.
663 This is the rule prohibiting eating outside the proper time limits. See Vin Pāc 37/iv.35.
664 The seven terms used in this section represent a sevenfold classification of noble individuals. They are explicated at MN 70.14–21.
665 Both Ñm and Horner take sankameyya here to mean that the bhikkhu makes himself a plank, i.e., lies down across the mud. This, however, is contradicted by Bhaddāli’s negative answer. Thus it would seem more correct to take this verb to mean that he crosses over himself (as the verb literally does mean), in disregard of the Buddha’s injunction. MA points out that the Buddha would never give such a command to his disciples, but only says this to emphasise the recalcitrant behaviour of Bhaddāli.
666 MA: He maintains himself by a measure of worldly faith and worldly love towards his preceptor and teacher. Because the other bhikkhus help him, he remains in the homeless life and may eventually become a great monk who has attained to the direct knowledges.
667 This passage refers to the fixed principle that the Buddha does not lay down a training rule until a case arises that requires the promulgation of an appropriate training rule. See Vin Pār 1/iii.9–10.
668 Tasmiṁ ṭhāne parinibbāyati. The verb used here is the verbal form of parinibbāna, and could be literally, though erroneously, translated, “He attains final Nibbāna in that action.”
669 “One beyond training” (asekha) is an arahant. MA explains these ten factors as constituents of the fruit of arahantship.
670 Right knowledge (samm̄ ñāṇa) is the knowledge pertaining to the fruit of arahantship, right deliverance (samm̄ vimutti) the arahant’s liberation from all defilements.
SUTTA 66
671 From this passage and that to follow, it appears that the Buddha restricted the allowable time for bhikkhus’ meals in two successive stages, first prohibiting only the afternoon meal and allowing a night meal. However, in the Vinaya account of the origin of Pāc 37 (Vin iv.85) no mention is made of this successive prohibition. To the contrary, the text seems to assume it to be an item of common knowledge that monks