Commentary on the stanza beginning with pāpa-sahāya

113. What is the origin of the stanza, starting with pāpam sahāvam. It is said that a certain king in Benares, circumambulating his city with his great royal pomp and power, saw people removing old paddy, grain and so on, from the granary outwards, and asked his ministers thus:- “O ministers! What is this?” The ministers replied thus: “O great king! Now, new crops of paddy grain, etc., will be produced; to make room for them these people are throwing away old crops of paddy grain, etc.” The king enquired thus: “O ministers! how is it? Is the duty towards women's apartment (itthāgāra), body of army (balakāya) and so on thoroughly fulfilled?” The reply was: “O great king! yes, it is thoroughly fulfilled”. The king gave orders thus: “Well then, O ministers! Have charity halls built; I shall offer charity; let not these paddy grains go rotten and wasted”. thereupon, a certain minister who had gone to heresy prohibited the king saying such a statement as began with: “O great king! there is no such thing as being given as charity” up to “Foolish people as well as wise people, having run about the rounds of rebirths will make an end of misery (dukkha)”. For the second and third time also, when he saw the granary being plundered, the king ordered likewise even. That minister also prohibited the king for the third time also, saying: “O great king! Such a thing as offering charity is the doctrine of fools” and so on. The king became disgusted saying: “Alas! I do not get to give my own belongings even; what is the use of these evil companions to me?”, abdicated his sovereignty, became a recluse, developed spiritual insight and visualised the silent buddhahood. he recited this stanza of exclamatory joyous utterance reproaching that evil associate.

113.1. This is the brief meaning of that stanza:- One is and evil person, because of the fact that he is endowed with evil heresy of ten bases; one is a person who sees disadvantage, namely, because he sees the disadvantage of others also; in bodily misconduct and so on, he is bent on badness; him, a young man of good family, pāpam sahāyam parivajjayetha should completely avoid, since he is an evil companion; anaṭṭhadassim visameniviṭṭham, since he is one who sees the disadvantage and bent on badness. Savam na seve is one should not associate with him by way of oneself. If, however, one is under the influence of another person, it is asked: ‘What is possible to be done?’ Pasutam, intent upon, is: let out (pasatam), hung here and there due to the influence of heresy; thus, is the meaning. Pamattam is: one whose mind is engrossed (vossaṭṭha), in the strands of sensual pleasures: or who is devoid of developing merit. Such a sort of companion as that, one should not serve, one should not keep companionship with, one should not attend on. At any rate, one should wander alone like the horn of a rhinoceros.

The commentary on the stanza, beginning with pāpasahāya, has ended.