Commentary on Biography of the thera Saparivārāsana

Stanzas starting with Padumuttara Buddhassa constitute the biography of the venerable thera Saparivārāsana. This one also, having done devoted service towards former Buddhas, accumulating meritorious deeds conducive towards escape from rounds of repeated rebirths (vaṭṭa) in this and that existence, was reborn in the house of a wealthy family at the time of the Glorious One Padumuttara;on having attained growth, he became full of pious faith in the dispensation, and being of pious faith and believing in the fruition of charitable offering, offered alms-food consisting of various topmost delicious meal to the Glorious One. Having made the offering, however, he adorned the seating places for sitting down to eat meal in the eating hall with such natural flowers as jasmine (sumana), garlands (mallikā) and so on. The Glorious One also made His thanks-giving over his meal-offering. On account of that act, he wandered about his rounds of rebirths among divine and human-beings, enjoyed many a variety of prosperity, and was reborn in a wealthy family house, when this Buddha arose; growing up in due course, he became a monk because of his pious faith and pleasing piety and became an arahat not very long afterwards even.

43. Having thus attained the tranquil path, he realised his former deed when he investigated (or examined) closely by means of his knowledge thus:- "By means of what meritorious deed, indeed, has this tranquil path been duly attained by me". He became pleasure-minded and uttered a stanza starting with Padumuttara Buddhassa in order to make manifest the deed done by him formerly. The meaning of it has but been said. Piṇḍapātam adādaham (I offered alms-food), having made morsels after morsels of lumps of food obtained here and there, the food becomes duly drinkable and chewable and is piṇḍapāta (alms-food); that alms-food I offered to the Glorious One; I saw to it that Buddha ate it; thus, is the meaning.

44. Akittayipaṇḍapātam (announced the alms-food_ Buddha made manifest the virtue and benefit of the alms-food offered by me; thus, is the meaning.

48. Samvuto pātimokkhasmim (well-controlled in the disciplinary rules) well-controlled, closed and properly covered with such moral precept as self-control according to disciplinary rules leading to proper emancipation (pātimokkha); thus, is the meaning. Indriyesa ea pañcasu (in the five controlling faculties also) guarded from such sensual objects as visible forms (rūpa) and so on in the five controlling faculties and guarded was the moral precepts known as sensecontrol (indriyasamvara) thus, is the meaning. The rest is but easy of comprehension.

The commentary on the biography of the thera Saparivārāsana has ended