Commentary on Biography of the thera Kuṇḍadhāna

Stanzas, beginning with Sattāhampaṭisallīnam, constitute the biography of the venerable thera Kuṇḍadhāna. This one also, having done devoted deeds of service toward former Buddhas, accumulating meritorious deeds conducive towards escape from the rounds of rebirths (vaṭṭa), in this and that existence, was reborn in the house of a family in the city of hamsavatī, at the time of the Glorious One Padumuttara; in the manner aforesaid, he approached the Glorious One, listened to the truth (dhamma), saw the M:aster placing a bhikkhu at the top-most place amongst those who take the first lot (salāka), aspired for the ranking post, and wandered about doing good deeds commensurate with that aspiration of his. One day, he offered a large banana fruit-ears seasoned with mango stone-powder to the Glorious One Padumuttara who had arisen from the trance of cessation (nirodha); the Glorious One accepted it and made a meal of it. Due to that meritorious deed he exercised divine sovereignty amongst divine-beings and was reborn as earthdivinity at the time of Kassapa Buddha. To long-living Buddhas, namely, there used to be no regular half-monthly fast (uposatha). Likewise indeed, to the Glorious One Vipassī there was fast (uposatha), at an interval of every six years. Dasabala kassapa, however, recited pātimokkha, the 227 disciplinary rules of the vinaya, every; six months. At the time of the recitation of that pātimokkha two associate bhikkhus, who were quarter-dwellers, went there saying to themselves: "We shall observe fast (uposatha). This earth-divinity thought to himself: "The friendship of these two bhikkhus is exceedingly firm; how is it, indeed? Would it get broken when there is a breach-maker or would it remain intact?" He went not far from them looking out for an opportunity between them.

Then, one of the two theras handed over his bowl and robe to the other one, went to a place where water was conveniently available, for the purpose of making his bodily ablutions, became with hands and feet well-washed and came out from near a bush. The earth-divinity came out of the bush behind and behind the thera step after step close after the thera, after having taken the appearance of a lady of most excellent beauty, in the act of disentangling her hair, arranged properly and binding the same, as if heaping up soft earth on her back, arranging her garment and in the act of putting on lower garment. His associate thera who kept himself standing on one side, the moment he saw that matter, became displeased, and thought over thus: "My intimacy with this bhikkhu together for a long period of time is now ruined; were I to know such a misconduct, I would not have familiarity with him (or this one) for so long a time", immediately on the other's coming back, he said thus:- "Friend! Take back your bowl and robe; I shall not go on the one and same journey together with an evil individual like you". On hearing that remark, it became to that conscientious bhikkhu as if having been pierced at his heart being thrust into it by means of a three-tooth javelin held by the other. Thereafter, he said in reply to his friend: "Friend! What, namely, do you say? I do not remember having committed even to the extent of dukkaṭa offence within so long a period of time; you however, tell me now, that I am an evildoer; what is that seen by you?". The reaction was: "What is the use of having seen;by another? Why? You were in a certain place, together with a lady dressed and decorated in this manner and came out of it together". Although he said in answer to his friend's charge up to three times thus: "Friend! This does not exist for me; I did not see such a lady"; the other thera did not believe his friend's explanatory statement, made what he saw himself a true fact in the matter even and abiding by it, did not go on one and the same journey with him, and proceeded towards the presence of the Master by another road. The other bhikkhu also went to the self-same presence of the master by going on a different journey.

Thereafter, at the time of the clergy of bhikkhus' entering the ordination hall, that bhikkhu saw his former friend at the top of the Uposatha hall, recognised him, and said to himself: "In this fast gathering, there is, namely, and evil bhikkhu; I shall not observe fast together with him"; left the ūposatha hall and stood outside. Then, the earth-divinity, saying to himself; "Heavy harm has been done by me", went to his presence in the guise of an old devotee and asked thus: "O Venerable Sir! Why is my lord standing in this place? "I am standing outside, for this reason:- "O devotee! An evil bhikkhu had entered this ūposatha hall; I do not observe fast together with him"The earth-divinity replied: "Venerable Sir! Please do not take in this manner; this bhikkhu is of all-round pure moral precept; I am the lady who was seen by you; for the purpose of finding out about you by me saying: "Firm, indeed, is the friendship of these theras, or is it not so?, that act was done by me who was on the lookout whether your friendship would be broken or not". The thera remarked: "But you are a good man". The reply was: "Venerable Sir! I am an earthdivinity". The young divinity, while still speaking, stood with divine power, fell himself down at the foot-base of the thera, apologised the thera thus:- "Venerable Sir! Please pardon me; there is none of this fault of the thera; kindly perform the ūposatha"; and urged the thera to enter the fast assembly. That thera then performed the fast service in one and the same place. However, he did not live in one and the same place together with his old friend by way of renewing friendship. He did not speak about this thera's defect. Subsequently, the questioner thera, however, performing deeds of developing clear insight (vipassanā), attained arahatship.

Consequent upon that deed, the earth-divinity, did not get released from purgatory for one whole period of time between two Buddhas (eka Buddhantara). If, however, at one time or another, he were to come to the human world, whatever might be any fault committed by another person, that fault falls on him. He was reborn in a brahmin family at Sāvatthi at the time when our Glorious One arose. They made him known as Dhānamāṇava. having attained the age of puberty, he acquired the knowledge of the three vedas, listened to the preaching of truth (dhamma), of the Master at the time of his getting old, properly gained pious faith, and became a monk. Beginning from the day he was ordained, a well-dressed and decorated damsel, entered but together with him as and when he entered the village; when he went out of the village, she went out also; when he entered his monastery also, she entered together with him; when he stood also she stood; in this manner, she did appear ever following him. The thera did not see her. However, owing to the evil consequence of his former deed, she stood visible to others.

Offering alms-food of rice-gruel in the village, women made an all-round jeer (or laugh) saying thus:- "Venerable Sir! This ladle-full of boiled-rice is for you; another ladle-ful of is for this our female associate" There was a great deal of distress to the thera. On his getting back to the monastery also, even the novices and young bhikkhus gathered round him and made all-round jeer saying: "Dhāna has become Koṇṭa (?) Koṇḍa." (In the P.T.S.D. Koṇḍa is kuṇḍa a bent crooked Koṇṭa(?) a man of dirty habits.) Then, under that very circumstance, there sprang up for him the name, thera Kuṇḍadhāna. He rose up and got up himself and not being able to endure the accusation (keḷi), made by them, became seized by;madness and told them thus: "You all are crooked (koṇḍā), so is your preceptor (Upajjhā and so also is your teacher". Then, they informed the Master about him thus: "Venerable Sir! Kuṇḍadhāna spoke unseemly (or rough) words thus together with young novices". The Master sent for him and asked thus: "O Dhāna! is it true that you say harsh words together with young novices?" When the reply made by him was thus: "O Glorious One! Yes, it is true"; the Master asked him thus: "Why did you say so?"The thera replied thus: "Venerable Sir! I said so, being unable to endure the constant harassment". Having remarked saying: "You are not able to eliminate (jirāpeti), up to today the deed done by you formerly; o bhikkhu! Do not speak harsh words in this manner again.

Buddha uttered the following stanzas:-

"Do not speak any harsh word to anyone; those spoken to would speak the same in return to him;wrangling (or quarrelsome) words, indeed, are painful; retaliation would pervade (or touch) him. If one did not get shaken oneself, like unto copper musical instrument of a pair of cymbals closely struck, this one became virtually attained to nibbāna; there does not exist any quarrel (sārambha) to you."

They also spoke to king Kosala also, this matter, however, namely, the fact that the thera used to wander about with a lady. The king sent his messengers saying: "Look here, go an investigate into the matter"; he himself together with a small retinue, went to the presence of the thera and stood on one side having a look. At that moment the thera was seated doing his needlework. That lady also seemed to be as if standing at a spot not far away.

Having seen it, the king went to the spot where she stood saying to himself thus: "That matter does exist". When the king came to her, she was as if she has entered the residential leafhut of the thera. The king also entered the leaf-hut but together with her, looked over everywhere, and not seeing or noticing anything, formed his impression thus: "This one is not a woman, it must be one of the consequences of his bad deed", first of all, although she went by the neighbourhood of the thera, she did not pay her homage to the thera, came to know the state of not being sure (or certain) came out of the leaf-hut, paid his homage to the thera, sat himself down on one side and asked thus: "Are you not in any way fatigued with alms-food? "The thera replied thus:- "O great king! It is befitting". The king replied thus: "Venerable Sir! I understand my lord's statement; who, namely, will be pleased with you wandering together with such a depravity as this; henceforth there is no more duty of any going whatsoever for you; I shall attend upon you with four kinds of requisites; please do not be negligent in your wise making to be mindful". The king provided meal to the thera permanently. The thera gained the support of the king, with meal well-provided became one-pointed in mind, developed clear insight (vipassanā), and attained arahatship. Thence forward that woman disappeared.

At that time, living in the family of wrong viewers (or heretics), in the city of ugga, mahāsubhadda said to himself-thus:- "May the Master have sympathy with and compassion for me, took self-determined fast, became free from being mundane, stood above on the floor of palace, made declaration of truth thus: "May these flowers, instead of remaining inside, form themselves as a canopy (or ceiling) over the head of Dasabala! With this conception (or clue), may Dasabala together with five hundred bhikkhus accept my alms-meal tomorrow!" and released eight handfuls of jasmine flowers. At the time of preaching the truth dhamma, the flowers went and formed themselves into a canopy above the head of the Master. On seeing that canopy of jasmine flowers, the master but mentally accepted (or agreed to) the alms-meal of Subhadda, and on the next day at sun-rise, said to the thera Ānanda thus: "Ānanda! Today, we shall go afar for wandering to get our alms-meal; without giving to the common (puthujjana), monks, give the lot (salāka), to the nobles". The thera informed the bhikkhus thus: "Friend! Today the Master will go to a distant place for alms-food; let not the common monks go, let the nobles even take the lot (salāka)". Ānanda aroused his logical thought thus:- "The Master does not make me give a lot (salāka) to such sort of bhikkhus; He made me give but to nobles (ariya). only, went and informed the matter to the Master. The Master said thus: "You had better give the lot (salāka), to the thera who made you bring it". The thera Ānanda, considered thus:- If it is not proper to give the lot to Kuṇḍadhāna, then, the Master would have prohibited it; there would be reason here" and said to that he would give the lot to the latter and bid for his going. Kuṇḍaadhāna entered upon the fourth Jhāna, the basis for higher knowledge even before his going, stood in the sky by his magical power, stretched out his hand and seized the lot (salāka), saying: "Friend Ānanda! Bring it to me; the Master understood me; the master does not prohibit a bhikkhu like me taking first the lot (salāka)". The Master having made biography of that bhikkhu placed the thera at the topmost position, among those who take lot (salāka), first of all, in this dispensation. Because this thera, having gained royal support, became concentrated in mind due to proper gain of nourishment facility and doing the deed for clear insight (vipassanā), became a possessor of six sorts of higher knowledge due to sufficing qualification to attain arahatship (upanissaya). In spite of this being the case, those ordinary (puthujjana) bhikkhus, who did not know the qualities of this thera, provoked their doubts thus: "This one seizes the lot (salāka), first of all;why, indeed, is this? For the purpose of dispelling that doubt of theirs, the thera rose up into the sky, demonstrated his display of magical power, uttered a stanza beginning with "Pañca chinde" in order to make manifest his arahatship in the way the arahatship should be shown.

1. Having thus become an arahat commensurate with perfected load of his meritorious deeds, and attained the topmost position, he remembered his former deed and uttered a stanza, beginning with sattāham paṭisallīnam in order to make manifest the deeds done by him formerly by way of delight. There, for seven days he became secluded living all alone the life of cessation (nirodha) trance; thus, is the meaning. The rest is but easy in meaning.

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