Commentary on Biography of the thera Sakacinteniya

Stanzas, starting from Pavanam kānanam disvā. constitute the biography of the venerable thera Sakacintaniya. This one also having done devoted service toward former Buddhas, accumulating meritorious deeds conducive towards 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; on having grown up in due course, he was not within reach of the Glorious one during His life-time because he sprang up at the all-round end of the life-span of that Glorious One, renounced the world as an ascetic at the time of parinibbāna, lived in Himavanta, reached a secluded and delightful forest, set up a sanshrine in that very hilly area, made the mind impression of the Glorious One, and also considered it to be with relic, reverentially offered to it forest flowers and was in the all-round habit of adoring it. On account of the act, he wandered about his rounds of rebirths among divine and human beings, enjoyed in both the best heavenly bliss and the prosperity of a world-king and was reborn in a family house when this Buddha arose; endowed with wealth and pious faith he came to be pleasingly pious over the Master, because a monk and an arahat with six sorts of higher knowledge.

1. On his having recollected his own former deed, he became delighted and uttered a stanza starting with pavanam kānana disvā, in order to make manifest the deed done by him formerly. There, pavanam (forest) the jungle strewn and scattered to become a forest in a manner, kānanam (down-right despicable) trackless, transportless, ever abound with lions, tigers, ogres, demons and elephants, horses, garūda birds, and dragons; (or abundant with crowds of sky-flying sounding birds, dogs and cuckoos; appasaddam;(little noise) free from sounds because of being devoid of human voice, that forest reckoned as Kānana, woodland; thus, is the meaning. Anāvilam (undisturbed) no disturbance, devoid of danger; thus, is the meaning. isīnam anuciṇṇam (followed by ascetics) pursued and hankered after by;ascetic, reckoned as Buddhas, silent buddhas, arahats and canker-free personages; thus, is the meaning. Āhutīnam paṭiggaham (acceptor of sacrificial offering) resembling the house of accepting reverential offering, which is said to be sacred sacrifice (āhuna); thus, is the meaning.

2. Thūnam katvāna veḷunā (having made a shrine with bamboo) having set up a shrine with bamboo material (pesika); thus, is the meaning. Nānāpuppham samokirim (I strew down properly different kinds of flowers) I strew down and reverentially offered many a variety of such flowers as campaka and so on; thus, is the meaning. Sammukhā viya sambuddham (as if in the very presence of the self-enlightened Buddha) as if in the presence of living Buddha; nimmitam (created) the shrine made to spring up; abhi, distinctively, (I adored) I paid may distinctive homage; thus, is the meaning. The rest is but easily comprehensible.

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