Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(7):Bhalliya
Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids.
Commentary (Atthakatha) By Acariya Dhammapala
Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'.
Chapter I.
Single Verses[]
7. Bhalliya []
He, with his elder Monk Tapussa,[1] was born in the time of our Exalted One(Buddha), in the city of Pokkharavatī, as the son of a caravan-driver. As they were conducting a caravan of carts in a pleasant glade, a muddy place checked their progress. Then a tree-fairy, one of their own kin, showed himself, and said: 'Sirs, the Exalted One(Buddha) has just attained enlightenment, and for seven weeks remains fasting in the bliss of emancipation(nirvana), seated at the root of the King's [13] Stead tree.[2] Serve him with food; this will long make for your good and happiness.' They, with joyful eagerness, waited not to prepare food, but took rice-cakes and honey, and, leaving the high road, ministered to the Exalted One(Buddha).
Now when the Exalted One(Buddha) had set rolling the wheel of the Path(Dhamma) at Benares,[3] he stayed in due course at Rajagaha. There Tapussa and Bhalliya waited on him and heard him teach. The former became a lay-follower, the latter left the world(for monkhood) and mastered the six forms of abhiññā(higher knowledge).[4]
One day when Mara[5] appeared to the Monk in fearsome terrifying shape, Bhalliya, manifesting how he had passed beyond all fear, uttered a saying(gatha) to Mara's discomfiture:
[7] Yopānudī maccurājassa senaɱ||
Naḷasetuɱ va sūdubbalaɱ mahogho||
Vijitāvī apetabheravo hi||
Danto so parinibbuto ṭhitatto' ti.|| ||
Itthaɱ sudaɱ āyasmā bhalliyo thero gāthaɱ abhāsitthā' ti.|| ||
[7] whosoever has chased away the Death-king and his host,
Even as a mighty flood the causeway of frail reeds,
Victor is he, self-tamed. Fear comes never more.
His is the Goal supreme, and utter firmness.
Thus verily did the venerable Bhalliya utter his saying(gatha).[6]'
[1] In the Commentarial tradition, they were Monks in like circumstances, when Kassapa Buddha lived, and rendered like service then to Kassapa, entreating that they might repeat it in a future life.
[2] Cf. Sisters, p. 5. This story occurs in Vinaya Texts, iii. 81, and in the 'Nidāna-Kathā,' Bud. Birth Stories, p. 110, Bhalliya being there Bhalluka and Bhalluka. Ika and iya are interchangeable adjectival terminations.
[3] His first sermon, etc.
[4] Supernormal thought. Cf. p. 82, n. 1.
[5] Professor Windisch holds there may have been a collection of such Māra or Devil legends (Māra und Buddha, 134).
Obiter dictum. Passing remark.
[6] From now on this obiter dictum ceases.
1.1-7[7] Commentary on the stanza of
Bhalliya Thera[]
The stanza, starting with yo’panudi, constitutes that of the venerable Thera Bhalliya. What is the origin? It is said that this one, thirty one aeons (kappa) ago when no Buddha arose, became pious-minded towards the silent buddha named Sumana, whom he offered fruits big and small; (consequently), he wandered about his rounds of repeated rebirths in excellent existences (sugati), even, and was reborn in a brahmin family in the city of Aruṇavatī at the time of the self-awakened Buddha Sikhi. On having heard thus: “Two sons of a caravan leader, named Ujita and Ojita offered first food to the Blessed One Sikhi, who had just attained Buddhahood,” they approached the Blessed One along with their own associate, paid their homage, invited (Him) to the next-day (meal), brought about a great charity, and made their aspirations thus:– “Venerable Sir! May both of us become donors of first food to a Buddha similar to you in time to come.” They, after having done meritorious deeds in this and that existence, wandered about their rounds of repeated rebirths and were reborn as brothers, being the (two) sons of the banker Gopālaka, at the time of the Blessed One Kassapa. They, for many years, attended upon the clergy of bhikkhus with milk-meal. At the time of our Blessed One, however, they became brothers having been born as sons of a caravan leader, in the city of Pokkharavatī. Out of the two, the elder was named Taphussa; the younger was known as Bhalliya. They fully loaded to the extent of five hundred carts with merchandise, went off on a trading journey and drove past by the main road not far from Rājayatana (tree) while the Blessed One was dwelling at the foot of the Rājayatana tree in the eighth week after He had spent seven weeks with reflection on the deed (dhamma) of the bliss of emancipation (vimutti), immediately after He had become Buddha. At that juncture, in spite of the piece of ground being evenly level and free from muddy water their carts did not roll on. To them who were wondering as to what, indeed, was the cause, the divinity, who had previously been their blood relative, showed herself in between the fork of a tree and said thus: “Dear friends! This Blessed One had recently become self-awakened Buddha; He had been without (eating) food for seven times seven days; He is now seated at the foot of the Rājayatana tree properly enjoying the bliss of emancipation (vimutti): you should wait upon Him with food; this will be for your welfare and happiness for a long period of time. On having heard about it, they felt enormously elated (pīti) and delighted, and thinking that there would be delay in preparing food, they offered reice-cake (mantha) and homey food (madhupiṇ̄dika) to the Glorious One, went to take refuge by the recitation of two-fold formula (dvevācika), obtained hair-relics and went (their wey). Indeed, they became the foremost devotees (upāsaka). Then when the Glorious One was residing at Rājagaha eventually after having turned the wheel of truth (dhamma-cakka) at Benares, Taphussa and Bhalliya went towards Rājagaha, approached the Glorious One, paid Him their homage and sat themselves down on one side. The Glorious One taught dhamma to them. Out of the two, Taphussa became but a devotee after having been established in the fruition of the first stage of sanctification (sotāpatti). Bhalliya, however, became a monk and gained the six sorts of higher-knowledge, (abhiññā). On that account it has been said in the Apadāna:–
“At that time, the self-awakened silent
buddha was the maker there of this mastery
(vasī); having collected forest fruits
(vallikāra phala) I offered the same to
the self-made (sayambhū).
Thirth one aeons (kappa) ago from now,
(it was), that I offered then the fruits;
the fruition of this fruit offering had
been that I do not remember (my meeting)
any adversity (duggati).
My depravity (kilesa) had been burnt;
… Buddha’s instruction (sāsana) had
been carried out.
Then, one day, Māra showed a visible object (rūpa) provocative of fear, in order to frighten the Thera Bhalliya. He uttered a stanza starting with: “Yo’panudi” in order to make manifest the state of his having gone beyond the sphere of all dangers.
7. There the expression yo’panudi means:– whoever extracted, threw, forsook and clearly crushed. The expression: maccurājassa means thus:– maccu is known as death, the breaking up of the aggregates (khandha); That self-same death is rājā (king) since it signifies sovereignty because it makes living beings follow his own will (vasa); thus, king of death; his. The expression senaṃ means old age, disease, and so on; indeed that (old age and so on) are known as army because they are members in its wielding of power (vasavattana); indeed, on that account, this is said to be “mahāseno, one which has a large army,” because of its being mighty (mahā), with different variety and abundance (vipula); accordingly (Buddha) said thus:– “Na hi no saṇgaraṃ tena, mahāsenena maccunā (indeed there is for us no fight against death which has a large army.” In other words because of the significance of killing the qualities (guṇa) it is “Maccu (death);” thus, here, the young divine-being Māra is meant; sensual pleasures (kāmā), etc; constitute (his) army because they go towards the state of being his associates (sahāya). Like wise also, (Buddha) said thus:–
“Kāmā te paṭhamā senā
(sensual\sexual pleasures are your first army);
dutiyā arati vuccati
(displeasure [to meditation] is said to be your second);
tatiyā khuppipāsā te
(your third army comprises hunger and thirst);
catutthītaṇhā pavuccati
(your fourth is said to be craving);
pañcamī thinamiddhaṃ te
(your fifth is sloth and drowsiness);
chaṭṭhā bhīrū pavuccati
(cowardice is said to be the sixth);
sattamī vicikicchā te
(uncertainty\indecision is your seventh),
mānomakkho ca aṭṭhamī
(and your eighth comprises pride and hypocrisy).”
Nalasetuṃ va sudubbalaṃ mahogho, this expression is to be understood thus:– he who dispelled the well-weak array of self-depravity (saṃkilesa) that resemble a reed-bridge devoid of substance (sāra) since it is exceedingly fragile by means of foremost noble path (magga) which is likened to a great flood because of the state of great strength of the nine transcendental (lokuttara) dhamma; he who thus became the clear conqueror (vijitāvī), free from fright, and subdued (danta) stood himself (ṭhitatta) all-round peaceful (parinibbuto); thus, is the interpretation. On having heard that, Māra, saying to himself:– “The monk recognises me,” disappeared even there.
The Commentary on the stanza
of the Thera Bhalliya
is complete.
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