Commentary on the stanza on sport and delight (khīḍḍārati)

97. what is the origin of the stanza beginning with: Khīḍḍāratī, sportful satisfaction? It is said that there was in Benares, a king, Brahmadatta, by name, who had an only son. That king was dear to his only son, who was pleasing to his mind and similar to his own life. The king functioned himself taking his son only, wherever he moved about. One day, on going to his royal garden, the king left his son behind and went there. The young prince also died of afflicted disease on that very day. The ministers, saying to themselves: “Because of his affection for his son, the king's heart might get broken also”, had him cremated without even informing the king. In the garden, the king, being drunk over intoxicating the liquor, did not, however, remember his son. So also on the next day on the occasions of his bathing and eating meals. Later, after he had taken his meal, he lay himself down, thought about his son, and said: “Bring my son to me”. The ministers informed the king about that incident with appropriate arrangement. Consequently, being oppressed with anxiety, the king sat himself down and pondered over wisely in this way: “When this exists, this happens; from the arising of this, this springs up”, thus, investigating reflectively on the dependent origination (paṭicca samuppāda), serially in direct and reverse order, the king visualised the silent buddhahood. leaving aside the significant commentary on the stanza, the remainder is but similar to what has been said in the commentary on the stanza beginning with samagga (association)

97.1. The significant commentary, however, is as follows: khīḍḍā (sport) is playing; that sport-playing is of two kinds:- physical and verbal. There, physical, namely, they play with elephants also, they play with horses, chariots, bows and arrows and swords also; thus and so on, in this way. Verbal, namely, is singing, recitation of poems, mouth-drum, drumming drum; thus and so on, in this way. Rati, is delightful satisfaction, in the five fold pleasures of sense. Vipula (abundant) is filling one's own whole body over the space until the marrow of bones is touched. The rest is but obvious. In connection with explanation of sequence also, here, should be understood in the way as already said in the stanza on staying together (samsagga); thereafter all others also.

The Commentary on the stanza beginning with khīḍḍārati, sport and delight, has ended.