Commentary on the Biography of the thera Aññāsi Koṇḍañña

3-7.1. Stanzas starting with Padumuttara sambuddham constitute the biography of the thera Aññāsikoṇḍañña. It is said that this thera, having done service towards previous Buddhas, accumulation meritorious deeds conducive towards escape from rounds of repeated rebirths (vaṭṭa), in this and that existence, was reborn in the family of a householder of much wealth in the city of Haṃsavatī at the time of the Glorious One Padumuttara, and having come of age, one day, saw the master conferring a bhikkhu in his own dispensation, the topmost rank among the first and foremost long-standing proper penetrators of truth (dhamma), as he listened to the preaching of dhamma in the presence of the Master; wishing himself also to get that rank, he caused to turn out (or happen) for seven days a great charitable offering to the Glorious One and His retinue of a hundred thousand bhikkhus and made his self-resolution. The Master also, having seen his incessant destiny prophesied the becoming prosperity. Doing good deeds as long as he lived, he had a bejewelled house built inside the shrine, when a shrine was being set up on the demise of the Master. He had offerings worth a thousand gems also made round the shrine.

3-7.2. Having thus done acts of merit, he passed away thence, and going round repeated rebirths in divine and human worlds, became an estate-owner named Mahākāla at the time of the Glorious One Vipassī, and offered to the clergy headed by Buddha, such unadulterated milk-rice, as properly prepared with rice-grains of sāli paddy obtained by splitting the interior of sāli paddy in the field extending eight acres, after throwing into that milk-rice such ingredients as honey, ghee, sugar and so on. All such places as from where rice-grains were taken after splitting the inside of sāli paddy, fill themselves up again. At the time of rice in the ear (puthuka), he gave as offering known as the first rice in the ear; at the time of cutting with sickle (or reaping), the first reaped grain, when paddy-ears become braided, the first braid of grain-ears; when clusters and so on are formed, the first cluster; the first (or best) offering nine times; that crop also became prosperous more and more.

3-7.3. Having thus done acts of merit as long as he lived, passing away thence, he was reborn in the divine world; going through the rounds of rebirths amongst divine and human beings, was reborn in an abundantly wealthy family of a brahmin, in a brahmin village, named Donavatthu, not far from the city of kapilavatthu earlier than the appearance of our Glorious One. His name came to be known as Koṇḍañña from the point of view of his clan. On having come of age, he acquired the knowledge of the three vedas and became proficient (or gone to the further shore) in the knowledge of palmistry also. By that time, our Bodhisatta, having passed away from the Tusita heavenly city, was reborn in the palatial house of the great king Suddhodana in the city of Kapilavatthu. On His naming day, when one hundred and eight brahmins were led in (or caused to be present), whichever eight brahmins were brought into the mighty surface of the royal court for examination of signs (or characteristics, that Koṇḍañña was the youngest of all. Having seen the perfection of characteristics of a great personage went to decision (or came to conclusion) thus: "This One will become Buddha sure and certain". Having so decided, Koṇḍañña moved about expecting (or pointing out) the great renunciation of the Great Being.

3-7.4. The Bodhisatta also, indeed, growing up with a large retinue, attained his grown-up age, reached all-round maturity of intelligence, renouncing the great renunciation in his twentyninth year of age, became a monk on the bank of the river Anomā, in due course went to Uruvela and put forth His strenuous effort. Then, the lad Koṇḍañña, having heard that the Great Being had become monk, together with such sons of brahmins who examined the signs, as the lad Vappa and so on, making himself the fifth. became monks, and in due course approached the presence of the Bodhisatta, attended upon Him for six years, became bored over His all-round enjoyment of ample nourishment, made their departure and went to Isipatana. Then, indeed, the Bodhisatta, having gained physical strength over His enjoyment of ample nourishment, and crushed the heads of the three Māras, while seated on the unconquered throne at the foot of the bodhi tree on the full-moon day of the month of Vesākha, became supremely self-enlightened Buddha, spent seven times seven days, at the self-same terrace of the Bodhi-tree, came to know about the all-round maturity of knowledge of the group of five monks (pañcavaggī) went to Isipatana on the full-moon day of Āsaḷhī, and preached to them the discourse on turning the wheel of truth (Dhammacakkappavattana). At the all-round end of His preaching, the thera Koṇḍañña, together with eighteen crores of brahmās, became established in the fruition of the first stage of sanctification (Sotāpatti). Then, he visualised arahantship by means of the preaching of Anatta-lakkhaṇa sutta, the discourse on characteristics of non-self, on the fifth of the waning moon (or half) of the month.

596. In this way, he, having attained arahantship, investigating thus: "Having done what deed, have I achieved the transcendental happiness?", came to know his own former deeds as seen by himself, and by way of showing his mental delight and by way of solemn utterance of the deeds done previously, uttered the stanza starting with Padumuttarasambuddham. The meaning of that stanza has but been said already (heṭṭhā). Lokajeṭṭham vināyakam (the leadercum-eldest of the world) the eldest, the main of the entire world of living creatures; thus, is the meaning; Distinctively, Vināyako (leader) He leads the leadable creatures and properly cause them to attain the deathless great nibbāna, which is the further shore of the ocean of saṃsāra, thus, He is the leader; that leader; buddhabhūmi manuppattam (accordingly attained the ground of Buddha); the ground of Buddha the place of establishment, is Buddhabhūmi; the knowledge of omniscience;properly penetrated and accordingly arrived at it; thus, Buddha bhūmimanupatto: that attainment accordingly of Buddha's ground, attained omniscience, become Buddha; thus, is the meaning; Paṭhamam addasam aham (I saw first) I saw the self-enlightened Buddha Padumuttara who had become Buddha early at sun-rise after the full-moon night of the month of Vesākha.

597. Yāvatā Bodhivā mūle (as far as the root of the bodhi tree) as many as in the neighbourhood of the Bodhi tree; samāgatā (come together) the ogres became a collection;sambuddham (the self-enlightened Buddha) that Buddha who had become Buddha, awakened; pañjalī katā (had made clasped hands) having placed on my head the clasped-hand container of the putting together the ten fingers;vandanti (pay homage) salute (or adore) thus, is the connection.

598. Sabbe devā tuṭṭhamānā (all the divinities were delighted in mind) all those divinebeings having come to the place of Buddhahood, became delighted in mind and wandered about in the sky; thus, is the connection. Andhakāratamonudo (the dispeller of darkness) this Buddha, who exceedingly dispelled the darkness of delusion by throwing it away, has accordingly arrived.

599. Tesamhāsaparetānam (to those who are given up to laughter) to those divine beings who are endowed with laughter, zest and mental delight; mahānādo (great roar) big sound (or voice) avattatha (turned down to be) occur; kilese (depravity) let us burn the deeds (dhamma) of depravity in the dispensation of self-enlightened Buddha.

600. devānam giramaññāya (having known the words of the divinities) having come to know the sound of divine beings, their saying together with their verbal words of praise; heṭṭhena cittena (with gladdened mind) with mind accompanied by delighted heart;ādibhikkham (the beginning alms-food) I gave as offering the first nourishment to Him, who had become Buddha; thus, is the connection.

602. Sattāham abhinikkhamitvā (having renounced for seven days) having made the great renunciation and performed strenuous effort for seven days; bodhimajjhagamam (I attained enlightenment - bodhi) I achieved the remote cause, (padaṭṭhāna) of omniscient knowledge, reckoned as the knowledge of the noble path of Arahantship; thus, is the meaning. Idam me paṭhamam bhattam (this is my first meal) this meal is for sustenance or nourishment of my body; brahmacariyassa (for celibacy) for the most excellent practice; me (to me) it was the first offered to me by this young divine-being; thus, is the meaning.

603. Tusitā hi idha gantvā (Having, indeed, come from Tusita heaven) Having come here to human world from the mansion of Tusita heaven; yo (who) the young divinity, me (mine) my alms-food; upanayi (led near) offered; tam (him) the young divinity; Kittayissāmi (I shall announce) I shall speak, I shall make manifest; bhāsato (speaking), please listen to the words of mind, who am speaking; thus, is the connection. From here on, I shall comment on such words only as are not clear (or easy).

607. Tidasā (thirty) the heavenly mansion of Tāvatiṃsa, thirty three; agārā (from household life) having gone out of the brahmin's house where he himself was born (or had sprung up) become a monk, will live together with the Bodhisatta who was performing absolute austerity (or difficult deed) (dukkarakārika), for six years;thus, is the connection.

608. Tato sattamake vasse (thence in the seventh year) in the seventh year beginning from that time of becoming monk; Buddho saccam kathessati (Buddha will preach the Truth), having performed acute austerity (or difficult deed) (dukkarakārika) for six years having become Buddha, He will preach the four noble truths, reckoned as the noble truth of suffering (dukkha), the origin of suffering (samudaya), the cessation of suffering (nirodha), and the noble truth of the path (magga), of the religious discourse of the thread of turning round the wheel of truth (dhammacakka pavattanasutta), in the deer park, Isipatana, at Benares; thus, is the meaning. Koṇḍañña nāma nāmena (known by the name of koṇḍañña), by way of the name of the clan;paṭhamam sacchikāhi ti (first and foremost visualised) he will visualise, make see himself, the knowledge of the noble path of the first stage of sanctification (sotāpatti) right from the beginning first of all amongst the group of five (pañcavaggī) thus, is the meaning.

609. Nikkhantenanupabbajim (with the renunciation I followed up and became monk) together with the Bodhisatta's departure I renounced and became monk after Him; thus, is the meaning. Padhānam, strenuous effort, Sukatam (well performed) having become monk, after Him, likewise, the self-exertion (padhāna) was performed having properly made it form; thus, is the meaning. Kilesejhāpanatthāys (for the purpose of burning every depravity) in order to dry up and eliminate the kilesa;anāgāriyam, houseless state, pabbajim (I went out) I entered upon the dispensation (sāsana), which is devoid of such deeds as ploughing, trading and so on, which is not of benefit (or welfare) to a householder; thus, is the meaning.

610. Abhigantvāna sabbaññu, having approached the Omniscient buddha, Migāraññam (deer-forest) having proceeded and approached the monastery of Migadāya, Buddha, turning out to be in the world of living-beings, together with divine-beings, buddha who knows all past, future and present or who knows such knowable matter as reckoned to be confection (Saṅkhāra) change (vikāra) characteristic (lakkhaṇa) immortality (nibbāna) and designation (paññatti); me (by me) with the visualisation by me, iminā (by this) by the knowledge of the noble path of the first stage of sanctification (sotāpatti) amatabherim (immortal drum) Buddha pointed out, struck, beat the big immortal drum of peerless permanent peace (nibbāna); thus, is the meaning.

611. So 'dāni, he now, santam, tranquil, padam, path, anuttaram, unsurpassed, that I achieved, attained nibbāna, devoid of its superior, which ought to be entered upon and attained, the immortal state of tranquillity, with the knowledge of arahantship now, having become first of all, to have attained the first stage of sanctification (Sotāpanna); thus, is the meaning. Sabbāsave pariññaya (having known all-round every canker) having forsaken (or discarded) all such cankers as sensual canker and so on, with all-round knowledge of abandonment; anāsava (free from canker) devoid of depravity; viharāmi (I live) I take up my abode or I made my living with the four-posture-staying (iriyāpatha vihāra) paṭisambhidā catasso (the four kinds of analytical knowledge) such stanzas as starting with Paṭisambhidā catasso and so on have but been uttered even.

611,1. Then the Master, subsequently, seated on the excellent seat prepared for Buddha, in the midst of the clergy of bhikkhus, placed him at this topmost rank, bringing the condition of his proper penetration of dhamma, first and foremost, thus: "O Monks! This monk is the chief among bhikkhus, my disciples, who know many nights (or who claim seniority) this, namely, Aññāsi Koṇḍañña." That thera, being desirous of protecting himself from (pariharitakāmo) the absolutely humble service done to himself by the two chief disciples, and from the crowded dwelling in a village-end monastery, and also being desirous of living with special delight in seclusion and also considering the making of conversation of lay people and monks who came near himself (or to his very presence) as impediment, asked leave of the Master, entered the Himalayas, and dwelt for twelve years, on the bank of Chaddanta lade being attended upon by Chaddanta elephants. One day, Sakka, king of divine beings approached the Thera who was living there in this manner, paid his homage to the thera, stood himself up and said to the thera thus: "Venerable Sir! It will be good if my lord preach the dhamma to me (or let my lord preach me the dhamma)". The thera preached, with the splendour of Buddha, the dhamma, conducive towards immortal bliss (amatogodha) variegated with variety of ways, properly connected with the void (suññata) brought about by three characteristic (lakkhaṇa) pregnant with the four noble truths to the Sakka, king of divinities.

aving listened to that preaching of dhamma by the thera, Sakka made his eulogy of the thera in order to let the latter know his own pious pleasure, thus:-

“Having heard the greatly delicious dhamma, I am pleased with this more and more;devoid of lust and wholly free from attachment, such dhamma as this has been preached.”

Having lived for twelve years, on the bank of Chaddanta lade, the thera, when his complete passing away to nibbāna drew near, went to the presence of the Master, requested Him to give consent to his all-round passing away into complete nibbāna, went back to that very Chaddanta lake and passed away to nibbāna completely.

The Commentary on The Biography of the thera Aññāsi Koṇḍañña has ended.