Commentary on the stanza on taṇhakkhaya (extinction of craving)

126. What is the origin of the stanza, starting with taṇhakkhaya? It is said that a certain king of Benares circumambulated the city with his great royal pomp and power. People whose hearts were bent upon the splendour of the king's body, although they were going ahead in front of him, turned back and looked at him even; although they were going behind him and although they were going on both sides of him, they did similarly. Indeed, naturally ever, people are never satiated with seeing Buddha as well as with seeing the full moon, the mighty ocean and the king. On that occasion, a certain house-holder's wife also happened to have gone up the palatial height of her mansion, opened her window, and stood looking on. The king saw her, became attracted by her and gave orders to a minister thus: “O minister! You should ascertain now whether this lady is with or without her husband.” The minister found out that she was married and informed the king thus: “Your majesty! The lady is with her husband”. Then the king thought to himself: “These twenty thousand dancing damsels, resembling celestial nymphs bemused but me singly; in spite of that, not contented, now, with this quantity, there arose in me craving for another man's lady; that craving which has arisen is going to drag me down even into purgatory (apāya),” saw thus the disadvantage of craving desire, said to himself: “I am, now, going to control the craving”, abdicated his sovereignty, became a monk, gained spiritual insight, visualised silent buddhahood, and recited this stanza of joyous utterance.

126.1. Taṇhakkhaya (extinction of craving) there, is nibbāna; or the non-occurrence of the craving desire (taṇhā), over the noticing of its disadvantage. Appamatto (diligent, not negligent) is one who is persevering and one who does good deeds duly. Anelamūgo (having a clear throat, not dumb) connotes mouth not saying la la or not dumb; in other words, not dumb but articulate; wise, clever; thus, is the statement made. One who has learning which promotes welfare and happiness;thus, is sutavā (one who has learning) endowed with knowledge of canonical texts; thus, is the statement. Satimā, (possessor of, or possessing mindfulness) is remembrance of such events as deeds done long ago and so on. saṅkhatadhammo (the nature of being well-done) is one who had well-understood the dhamma, for the investigation of the dhamma. Niyato (is fixed or assured) had attained the state of being assured by means of the noble path to nibbāna. Padhānavā (possessing strenuous effort, padhāna), endowed with exertion which is the right effort. this reading or text or context should be interpreted in serial succession. In this self-same way, being endowed with such qualities as those diligence and so on, one becomes a possessor of strenuous effort (padhāna), by means of the strenuous effort (padhāna), properly promoted by motivated practice; it is constant because of well-arrived-at motivated practice by means of that strenuous exertion; subsequently, one becomes a person who had mastered well the truth of selfcreated things (saṅkhatadhamma). Arahats are again, indeed, said to be the ones who have wellmastered the truth of self-created things (‘saṅkhatadhamma’), because of their being reckoned as such;this is as had been said by Buddha: “Here are many of those who are arahats or (saṅkhatadhammas) as well as those who are stream-winners, (sekkha)”. The rest is in the manner, aforesaid.

The Commentary on the stanza, starting with taṇhakkhaya, has ended.