Commentary on the Biography of the thera Ekatthambhika

Stanzas starting with Siddhatthassa Bhagavato is the biography of the venerable thera, the donor of a pillar, Ekatthambha. This One also, having done devoted deeds of service toward former Buddhas, accumulating meritorious deeds conducive towards escape from rounds of repeated rebirths, in this and that existence, was reborn in the family of a certain household endowed with prosperous wealth, to become a forest-worker at the time of the Glorious One, Siddhattha. At that time, all piously faithful and pleasantly pious devotees were of one mind 9or common desire) thus: "Let us build a service (or attendant) hall for the Glorious One"; they entered the forest to procure and collect building material, met that devotee, and made their request thus:- "Give us a pillar". Having heard that matter, he said to them thus:- "You all need not worry". sent them all back, took a pillar complete with essence, showed the;same to the Master, and gave it to them even. He became delighted on that very account, made the self-same gift as basis, did such other meritorious deeds as charitable offering and so on, and having passed away thence, was reborn in the world of divine beings;subsequently now and then, having enjoyed divine prosperity in the six sensual heavens, and after having enjoyed many a time, the prosperous bliss of chief-world-king among human-beings, and for innumerable periods of time, the prosperity of regional sovereignty, was reborn in a certain family, endowed with pious belief when this Buddha arose. having listened to the preaching of the truth (dhamma), in the presence of the Glorious One, together with his parents, he gained pious faith properly, renounced the world to become a monk, received the upasampadā ordination, took mental exercise (kammaṭṭhāna), and became an arahat, but before long, making himself wisely mindful.

13. Thus, having attained Arahatship, he came to remember his own former deeds, became delighted and uttered this stanza, starting with Siddhatthassa in order to make manifest the deeds done by him previously. There, Bhagavato 9to the Glorious One) to the selfenlightened Buddha Siddhattha endowed with glory; Mahāpūgagaṇo (great gathering of guilds) a big collection of devotees; ahu, there was; thus, is the meaning. Saraṇam gatā ca te Buddham (they went to Buddha as refuge also) those devotees, went, attended upon (or understood) as: "Buddha, the refuge";Tathāgatam Saddahanti, (believed piously in the Master), they had the qualities of Buddha placed in their own continuity of consciousness; thus, is the meaning.

14. Sabbe saṅgammna mantetvā, all came together and consulted, all of them assembled by coming together, consulted by making mutually know properly and having become of one and the same desire;māḷam (hall) a service hall for the benefit of the Master; Kubbanti, make (build); thus, is the meaning. Out of the collection of building material, not obtaining a pillar (or post), brahāvane (in the large forest), they explore the thick forest; thus, is the connection.

15. Teham araññe disvāna, I having seen them in the forest, gaṇam, group, upagamma, having approached, añjalim paggahetvāna, having raised my clasped hands, gaṇam (group) tadā (then) having seen those devotees in the forest, I went near their collected group, made a combination of my ten fingers in a clasped hand on my head, and enquired of them, the collection of devotees, at that time, thus: "For what purpose have you all come to this forest?" Thus, is the connection.

16. Te (they) the devotees who possess moral precepts, me (by me) being asked by me viyākamsu, answered (spoke distinctively) thus: "We are desirous of building a hall, but a pillar (or post) has not been obtained by us"; thus, is the connection.

17. Mamam (to me) please give pillar to me; te, they, apposukkā (become unbothered) I told them that I would give it, I shall bring the pillar to the presence of the Master; my you all be free from worry as and when I brought the pillar; thus, is the connection.

24. Yam yam yonupapajjāmi (to whomever I would be born as this or that) whichever womb, whether divine or human, I would enter to be born; thus, is the meaning; Bhummaṭṭhe vā; (or stood on earth) .); in whatever divine world or human world; thus, is the meaning. The rest is but clear and easy.

The Commentary on the Biography of the thera Ekatthambhika, has ended.