Commentary on Biography of the thera Lasuṇadāyaka

Stanzas starting with Himavantassāvidūre constitute the biography of the thera Lasuṇadāyaka. This venerable one also having done devoted service toward former Buddhas, accumulating meritorious deeds conducive toward escape from rounds of rebirths (vaṭṭa), in this and that existence, was reborn in a family house at the time of the Glorious One Vipassī. Having attained the age of intelligence, he noticed the disadvantage in household life, abandoned the house, renounced the world, became an ascetic (or hermit), lived in the forest near Himavanta, grew much onions, lived even there, eating forest roots and fruits. Taking an abundant quantity of onions in baskets lifted by a carrying pole (kāja), he brought them to the path of laymen, offered charity through pleasing piety, offered them to the clergy of bhikkhus headed by Buddha, for purposes of medicine and went away. Having done meritorious deeds in this manner as long as he lived, he wandered about his rounds of rebirths among divine and human-beings, due to the strength of that self-same merit, enjoyed both kinds of prosperity, and in due course, sprang up at the time, when this Buddha arose; having gained properly pious faith, he became a monk, developed clear insight (vipassanā), and before long even, attained arahatship, and became wellknown as the thera lasuna-dāyaka, by virtue of his former deed.

89. having remembered his own former deed, he became delighted, and uttered a stanza beginning with Himavantassāvire, in order to make manifest the deeds done by him formerly. There, I was a hermit then, when the Glorious One Vipassī arose, at the all-round end of Himalaya hill, at the place where human-beings wandered about; thus, is the connection. Lasuṇam upajīvāmi (I made my living on onions) grew red onions, made my field of pasture over the plantation, and made my living; thus, is the meaning. Therefore it has been stated thus:- "Lasuṇam mayhabhojanam, my food was onions".

90. Khāriyo pūrayitvāna (having filled the baskets to be lifted up with a pole), having filled up the hermit's basket with onions and taken them up with a pole; samghārāmañ (the ashram (or monastery) of the clergy) the residential place of the clergy, the monastery lived with four kinds of postures of the clergy in the three such seasons as cold season and so on; āgacchim, I came; thus, is the meaning. Haṭṭho haṭṭhena cittena, joyous and with joyful and with joyful heart, I offered onions to the clergy, with my mind associated with delight and I was satisfied; thus, is the meaning.

91. Vipassissa niratassaham (I was delighted in Vipassī's), I was delighted and perfectly pleased with the glorious One Vipassi's dispensation, that of chief and best among men; thus, is the connection. Samghassa to the clergy:P: modaham :P: I became joyous, having offered the charity of onions, I, saggambi (in heaven) enjoying the divine prosperity for the span of life of an aeon (kappa), in the celestial world properly at the top, I became joyous and satisfied; thus, is the meaning. The rest is but easily comprehensible.

The commentary on the biography of the thera Lasuṇa dāyaka has ended.