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825 Several of the verses to follow also appear in the Dhammapada. Angulimāla’s verses are found in full at Thag 866–91.

826 Although MA says that Ahiṁsaka, “Harmless,” was Angulimāla’s given name, the commentary to the Theragāthā says his original name was Hiṁsaka, meaning “dangerous.”

827 Whereas virtuous bhikkhus short of arahants are said to eat the country’s almsfood as an inheritance from the Buddha, the arahant eats “free from debt” because he has made himself fully worthy of receiving alms. See Vsm I, 125–27.

SUTTA 87

828 The expression is often used to mean serious illness and death.

829 Viḍūḍabha was the king’s son, who eventually overthrew him. Kāsi and Kosala are lands over which the king ruled.

830 MA: He used this to wash his hands and feet and clean his mouth before saluting the Buddha.

SUTTA 88

831 MA explains that the king asked this question with reference to the case involving the female wanderer Sundarı̄, which was pending investigation at the time. Wishing to discredit the Buddha, some wandering ascetics persuaded Sundarı̄ to visit Jeta’s Grove at night and then let herself be seen returning at dawn, so people would become suspicious. After some time they had her murdered and buried near Jeta’s Grove, and when her body was discovered there, they pointed an accusing finger at the Buddha. After a week the false report was exposed when the king’s spies found out the real story behind the murder. See Ud 4:8/42–45.

I follow here BBS and SBJ, which add the qualification “wise” to the phrase “recluses and brahmins” (samaṇehi brāhmaṇehi viññūhi). Ānanda’s answer thus implies that it is their censure and not that of ordinary ascetics that should be avoided. That this reading is correct is supported by the king’s statement just below that Ānanda has done with his answer what he himself could not do with the question, namely, distinguish between the wise and the foolish.

832 Briefly, this passage offers five criteria of evil actions: unwholesomeness underscores the psychological quality of the action, its unhealthy effect upon the mind; its being blameworthy underscores its morally detrimental nature; its capacity to produce painful results calls attention to its undesirable kammic potential; and the last statement calls attention to both its evil motivation and the harmful long-range consequences such action entails for both oneself and others. The opposite explanation applies to good action, discussed in §14.

833 MA: Ven. Ānanda’s answer goes beyond the question, for he shows not only that the Buddha praises the abandoning of all unwholesome states, but that he acts in accordance with his word by having abandoned all unwholesome states as well.

834 MA explains the word bāhitikā, after which the sutta is named, as a cloak produced in a foreign country.

SUTTA 89

835 Dı̄gha Kārāya˚a was the commander-in-chief of King Pasenadi’s forces. He was the nephew of Bandhula, chief of the Mallas and a former friend of King Pasenadi, whom the king had killed together with his thirty-two sons through the treacherous contrivance of his corrupt ministers. Kārāya˚a was in secret collusion with Prince Viḍūḍabha, Pasenadi’s son, to help the latter usurp his father’s throne.

836 Three leagues (yojana) would be approximately twenty miles.

837 MA says that he thought: “Previously, after conferring in private with the recluse Gotama, the king arrested my uncle and his thirty-two sons. Perhaps this time he will arrest me.” The royal insignia entrusted to Dı̄gha Kārāya˚a also included the fan, parasol, and sandals. Dı̄gha Kārāya˚a hurried back to the capital with the royal insignia and crowned Viḍūḍabha king.

838 At MN 13.11 these quarrels are said to arise because of sensual pleasures.

839 As at MN 77.6.

840 As at MN 27.4–7.

841 At the time of their deaths both were declared by the Buddha to be once-returners. See AN 6:44/iii.348.

842 This statement indicates that this sutta can be assigned to the last year of the Buddha’s life.