Commentary on Biography of the thera Soṇakoḷivisa

Stanzas starting with Anomadassissa munino, constitute the biography of the venerable thera Koḷivisa. This one also having done devoted service toward former Buddhas, accumulating meritorious deeds conducive toward escape from rounds of rebirths in this and that existence, was reborn in a family house, at the time of the Glorious One Anomadassī; on coming of age, he developed a household of wife and children, became endowed with wealth, had a graceful promenade made for the Glorious One to walk about to and fro, had a well-placed all-round work (Suddhāparikkamma) made it levelled even like unto the surface of a mirror, gave it a shining finish, furnished it with lighted lamps, sweet-scented incense and fragrant flowers, etc., offered it to the Glorious One, and reverentially entertained the clergy of monks headed by Buddha with excellent nourishment. having thus done meritorious deeds as long as he lived, he was reborn in the divine world when he passed away thence. There, having enjoyed divine bliss in the manner stated in the Pāḷi (of the piṭakas); all the intervening incidents should be understood according as said in the Pāḷi. (In the final (or last) existence, however, he was born in the royal lineage of Koliya and on coming of age, because of the fact that he bore ear-ornaments worth a crore, he became well-known as Koṭikaṇṇa (a PG125) or kuṭikaṇṇo (a chamber bearer). He had clear faith in the Glorious One, listened to the truth (dhamma), properly gained pious faith, became a monk, developed pure insight (vipassanā), and before long even, attained arahatship.

25. having become an arahat, he remembered his own former deeds, became pleasantminded and uttered a stanza beginning with Anomadassissa munino, in order to make manifest the deeds done by him formerly. there, Anomadassissa (of Anomadassī), he is Anomadassī, whose body of the glorious One is worthy of seeing, because of being properly adorned with thirtytwo characteristic marks of a great personage, because of the shining nimbus (or halo) of a fathom-length radiant rays, and also because of being endowed with height and girth (ārohapariṇāha), super-normal (anomam) uncommon (alāmakam) good and sightly (dassanam); of that sage Anomadassī; thus, is the meaning. Tādino (of such) of the havituated unshakable amidst desirable and undesirable; sudhāya lepanam katvā (made the smearing for well-laying; kārayim (I cause to make) I made an adorned promenade (or cloister), with such adornments as lamps, incenses, flowers, flags, festoons and so on; thus, is the meaning. The meaning of the remaining stanzas is but easily understandable by the sequential flow of Pāḷi.

35. One who bears the good repute reckoned as prosperity of surrounding retinue and prosperity of wealth; thus, this one is Yasodhara (bearer of fame). All these seventy seven worldkings were of one name by the name of Yasodhara. Thus, is the connection.

52. Aṅgīraso (the radiant), he is Aṅgīrasa (the radiant) whose rays come out from the members of his body; he does not go to the four-forms of purgatory either due to such evil conduct as desire, anger, delusion and fear, or by way of evil behaviour; thus, he is nāga; that nāga, nongoer to purgatory is mighty and honoured as well; thus, mahānāga, great nāga; the rest is but clear in meaning.

The commentary on the biography of the thera Koḷivisa has ended.