Pancappakaranatthakatha 2.2.4: 4. Catukkaniddesavaṇṇanā

In the detailed exposition of fours: ‘a bad person’ means a base person. ‘Destroys living beings’ means one who takes life. ‘Takes what is not given’ means one who steals. ‘Engages in sexual misconduct’ means one who behaves wrongly regarding sensual pleasures. ‘Speaks falsely’ means a liar. ‘Indulges in negligence caused by liquor, wine, and intoxicants’ means one who abides in negligence caused by liquor, wine, and intoxicants.

‘Encourages the destruction of life’ means he makes him take hold of it in such a way that he destroys life. In the rest, the method is the same. ‘This [person] is called’ means: since this kind of person is endowed with bad conduct done by himself, and is heir to half of that done by the one he encouraged, therefore he is called worse than a bad person. ‘A good person’ means an excellent person.

‘Better than a good person’ means: because he is endowed with good conduct done by himself, and is heir to half of what the one he encouraged does, he is more excellent than an excellent person.

‘Bad’ means endowed with evil of the ten kinds reckoned as unwholesome courses of action.

‘Good’ means endowed with the good qualities of the ten kinds reckoned as wholesome courses of action, pure and auspicious. The rest here, being of the manner stated below, has an obvious meaning.

In ‘of bad qualities’ and so on: ‘he who has a bad quality’ is of bad qualities. ‘He who has a good quality’ is of good qualities. The rest here has an obvious meaning.

In ‘blameworthy’ and so on: ‘blameworthy’ means faulty. ‘With blameworthy bodily action’ means with faulty bodily action such as the destruction of life. In the other cases too the method is the same. ‘This [person] is called’ means: this kind of person, because his actions accumulated through the three doors are faulty, is called ‘blameworthy’ like a place full of excrement, corpses, and the like.

‘Abounding in the blameworthy’ means: he whose bodily action is mostly blameworthy and only slightly blameless is said to be endowed with bodily action abounding in the blameworthy and slight in the blameless. In the other cases too the method is the same. But who is of such a kind? One who, out of conformity to the village or conformity to the market town, occasionally undertakes the Uposatha and fulfills the moral virtues. ‘This [person] is called’ means: this kind of person, because the blameworthy is abundant and the blameless is slight in his actions accumulated through the three doors, is called ‘one abounding in faults.’

Just as in one place discolored and foul-smelling flowers might be piled up, and on top of them, here and there, atimuttaka, vassika, and trumpet flowers might have fallen—in such a way is this [second] person to be understood. But just as in one place atimuttaka, vassika, and trumpet flowers might be piled up, and on top of them, here and there, discolored and foul-smelling jujube flowers and the like might have fallen—in such a way is the third person to be understood. The fourth person, however, because his actions accumulated through all three doors are faultless, should be regarded like a golden bowl filled with the four sweet things. Among them, the first is a blind, foolish ordinary person; the second is a worldly ordinary person who performs wholesome deeds from time to time; the third is a stream-enterer, and once-returners and non-returners are also included by this; the fourth is one whose taints are destroyed, for he is entirely blameless. This is from the commentary on the Aṅguttara Nikāya.

In the case of one who understands through concise exposition, etc.: 'one who understands through concise exposition' (ugghaṭitaññū)—here, 'concise' (ugghaṭita) means the opening up of knowledge; the meaning is that one understands at the mere opening up of knowledge. 'At the very moment of utterance' means at the mere utterance of the expression. 'Comprehension of the Dhamma' is the comprehension of the truth of the four truths together with knowledge. 'This [person] is called': this person who is able, when a matrix is being stated concisely in the manner of 'the four foundations of mindfulness' and so on, to send forth knowledge in accordance with the teaching and attain arahantship, is called one who understands through concise exposition.

One who understands the meaning only when it is analyzed and expanded is 'one who understands through detailed exposition' (vipañcitaññū). 'This [person] is called': this person who is able, when a matrix is stated concisely and its meaning is being analyzed in detail, to reach arahantship, is called one who understands through detailed exposition.

One who must be led by concise statement and so forth is 'one who needs guidance' (neyyo). 'Comprehension of the Dhamma occurs gradually' means the gradual attainment of arahantship.

One for whom the word of the text alone is maximum is 'one for whom the word is maximum' (padaparamo). 'Comprehension of the Dhamma does not occur in that life' means that in that individual existence he is not able to produce absorption, insight, path, or fruit.

In the case of one of appropriate ready wit, etc.: 'ready wit' (paṭibhāna) is said of knowledge, and also of speech presented by knowledge. That is intended here. One whose ready wit is connected with meaning and connected with reason is 'one of appropriate ready wit'. Because of being unable to answer quickly immediately upon being questioned, one whose ready wit is not loose is 'one whose ready wit is not fluent'. In this way the rest should be understood. Here, the first: having investigated for some time, he sees only what is appropriate, like the Elder Cūḷanāga who knew the Tipiṭaka. He, it is said, when asked a question, grasps it and speaks only reasons that are appropriate and well applied.

The second: immediately upon being questioned, he wards it off with any words whatsoever, and even having investigated, does not see what is appropriate, like the Elder Paṇḍitatissa who knew the four Nikāyas. He, it is said, when asked a question, does not even await the end of the question, but just says whatever. When the meaning of his words is investigated, however, it adheres to nothing.

The third: at the very time of the question he sees what is appropriate, and at that very moment answers with words, like the Elder Cūḷābhaya who knew the Tipiṭaka. He, it is said, when asked a question, speaks quickly indeed, and his reasons are appropriate and well applied.

The fourth: being questioned, he neither sees what is appropriate nor is able to ward it off with any words whatsoever, but is like one plunged into dense darkness, like the Elder Lāḷudāyin.

Among the preachers of the Dhamma: 'Speaks little' means he speaks only a little to the assembly that is present. 'And disconnectedly' means moreover that in speaking he does not speak what is connected with meaning and connected with reason. 'And his assembly is not skilled' means the assembly seated to listen does not know what is suitable and what is unsuitable, what is reason and what is unreason, what is polished and what is unpolished—this is the meaning. 'Of such a kind' means this foolish preacher of the Dhamma of such a nature. In an assembly of fools of such a nature, he gets the mere name of 'preacher of the Dhamma'. By this method the meaning should be understood everywhere. And here only two persons are true preachers of the Dhamma by their nature, whereas the others are only spoken of in this way because they have slipped in among the preachers of the Dhamma.

Among the cloud similes: 'Clouds' means rainclouds. 'Thunderers' means those that rumble. Therein, to thunder and not to rain is a bad thing. For as the sky thunders, human beings, thinking, 'There will be a good downpour,' bring out seeds and sow them. Then, when the sky does not rain, the seeds in the field perish right in the field, and the seeds at home perish right at home, so that famine occurs. To rain without thundering is also a bad thing. For human beings, thinking, 'At this time there will be a drought,' sow only in low-lying places. Then the sky rains and sweeps all the seeds into the great ocean, so that famine occurs again. But to thunder and rain is a fine thing. For at that time there is plenty of food. Neither to thunder nor to rain is completely bad.

'He is a speaker, not a doer' means he merely says, 'Now I will fulfill the duty of study, I will fulfill the duty of meditation,' but he neither takes up exposition nor develops a meditation subject.

'He is a doer, not a speaker' means he does not say, 'I will fulfill the duty of study or the duty of meditation.' But when the time arrives, he accomplishes that matter. The others should also be understood in this manner. Moreover, all this was spoken in terms of a donor of requisites. For one invites the Saṅgha, saying, 'On such and such a day I will give a gift,' but when the time arrives he does not do it. This person falls away from merit, and the Saṅgha of monks also falls away from gains. Another, without having invited the Saṅgha, prepares hospitality, saying, 'I will bring monks,' but does not obtain them, for all have been invited elsewhere. This person also falls away from merit, and the Saṅgha also falls away from those gains. Another first invites the Saṅgha, later prepares hospitality, and gives the gift; he is one who fulfills his duty. Another neither invites the Saṅgha nor gives a gift; he should be understood as an 'evil person.'

Among the mouse similes: 'One that makes a hole, not an inhabitant' means it digs its own lair, a hole, a hollow, but does not live there; it lives in some other place, and thus falls under the power of enemies such as cats. There is also a reading: 'khattā' [digger]. 'An inhabitant, not one that makes a hole' means it does not dig itself; it lives in a hole dug by another, and thus preserves its life. The third does both and preserves its life. The fourth does neither and falls under the power of enemies. Now among the persons compared by this simile: just as that mouse digs a hole, so the first person learns the ninefold dispensation of the Teacher. But just as it does not live there, and living in some other place falls under the power of enemies; so this person, having dispatched knowledge by way of the scriptures, does not penetrate the Dhamma of the four truths, and wandering only in places of worldly bait, falls under the power of the enemies called the Mara of death, the Mara of defilements, and the Mara of divine beings. Just as that mouse does not dig a hole, so the second person does not learn the ninefold dispensation of the Teacher. But just as, living in a hole dug by another, it preserves its life; so, hearing the talk of another and penetrating the Dhamma of the four truths, he overcomes the power of the three Maras. In this manner the application of the simile should be understood in the case of the third and the fourth as well.

Among the mango similes: 'Unripe with the appearance of ripe' means unripe inside, resembling ripe outside. 'Ripe with the appearance of unripe' means ripe inside, resembling unripe outside. The same method applies to the other two as well. Therein, just as in the mango the state of being unripened is unripeness, so in a person the state of an ordinary person is unripeness, and the state of a noble one is ripeness. And just as there resemblance to what is ripe is having the appearance of ripe; so in a person resemblance to the noble ones' stepping forward and so forth is having the appearance of ripe—in this manner the application of the simile should be understood among the persons compared.

Among the jar similes: 'A jar' means a pot. 'Empty' means hollow inside. 'Covered' means kept covered over. 'Full' means filled inside. 'Open' means kept uncovered. Herein, among the persons compared, a person devoid of the core of virtues inside who is covered by external beauty should be understood [as empty and covered]. The same method applies to the others as well.

Among the water pool similes: first, as for a water pool, even when the water is only knee-deep, because of the water being of a colour mingled with leaf juice or because of its density, its bottom is not discernible; it is called 'shallow with a deep appearance.' But when the water is three or four times a man's height, because of the clarity of the water its bottom is discernible; it is called 'deep with a shallow appearance.' But the other two should be understood from the presence of both reasons. A person too, because of the prevalence of defilements and because of the absence of depth in virtues, who is endowed with stepping forward and so forth resembling those deep in virtues, is called 'shallow with a deep appearance.' In this manner the remaining ones should also be understood.

Among the ox similes: first, as for an ox, one that knocks against and frightens its own herd of cattle, but is gentle and of mild conduct in another's herd of cattle—this is called 'fierce towards its own cattle, not fierce towards another's cattle.' A person too who knocks against, pierces, and treats his own assembly harshly, but adopts gentleness and humility towards another assembly, is called 'fierce towards his own cattle, not fierce towards another's cattle.' In this manner the remaining ones should also be understood. Herein, in the exposition section, 'is one who frightens' means simply that having struck and pierced, he causes them to experience fear.

In the similes of venomous serpents: regarding a venomous serpent, first, one whose poison comes quickly, spreads rapidly, but is not virulent and does not afflict for long—this is one with poison arrived, not virulent poison. The method is the same in the remaining cases as well. But the division of persons has a plain meaning indeed.

In the passage beginning, "Without investigating, without scrutinizing, he speaks praise of one deserving dispraise": 'without investigating' means without weighing, without examining. 'Without scrutinizing' means without diving into qualities with wisdom.

'Real, factual' means real because it exists, factual because it is not otherwise. 'In due time' means at the proper and suitable time. 'Therein he knows the time': regarding what is said as 'in due time', therein the person who knows the time, knows the right moment, for answering that question: 'At this time, even when asked, it should not be spoken by me; at this time, it should be spoken'—this is called one who speaks in due time. 'He dwells equanimous' means having stood in equanimity consisting of neutrality, he dwells. The rest has a plain meaning everywhere.

In the passage beginning, "One who lives by the fruit of energetic initiative": one who spends the day only with the energy of initiative and, having obtained merely the outcome of its fruit, manages his livelihood, but depending on that initiative does not obtain any fruit of merit—with reference to that, it is said, "for which person taking initiative..." and so forth. 'The devas above that' means the devas beginning with the retinue of Brahmā above that; for they have no need of the energy of initiative, but live only on the fruit of merit. 'And of one possessed of merit': this is said with reference to merit-possessing khattiyas, brahmans, and so forth, as well as devas beginning with the earth-dwelling devas up to those delighting in creation. For all of these experience both the fruit of exertion and the fruit of merit. But the denizens of hell can neither generate a livelihood by energetic initiative, nor does any livelihood arise for them through the fruit of merit.

In the passages beginning with 'darkness' (tamo): endowed with darkness by having 'been reborn in a low family' and so forth, he is dark. Because of again going to the darkness of hell through bodily misconduct and so forth, he is bound for darkness. In 'a family of trappers' (nesādakule): in a family of deer-hunters and the like. In 'a family of bamboo workers' (veṇakule): in a family of reed-basket makers. In 'a family of wheelwrights' (rathakārakule): in a family of leather workers. In 'a family of scavengers' (pukkusakule): in a family of flower sweepers. In 'having a miserable livelihood' (kasiravuttike): in one having a painful livelihood. 'Ill-favoured' (dubbaṇṇo): having the complexion of a charred stump, like a dust goblin. 'Ugly' (duddasiko): unpleasant to look upon, even for the mother who gave birth to him. 'Stunted' (okoṭimako): a dwarf. 'One-eyed' (kāṇo): blind in one eye or blind in both eyes. 'Crooked-handed' (kuṇī): crooked in one hand or crooked in both hands. 'Lame' (khañjo): lame in one foot or lame in both feet. 'Paralysed' (pakkhahato): with a crippled limb, a cripple on a stool. 'Of lighting' (padīpeyyassa): of the requisites of lighting, such as oil and oil-pot. 'Thus a person is dark and bound for darkness' (evaṃ puggalo tamo hoti tamaparāyaṇo): here, a certain person, without seeing external light, dies right in his mother's womb and, being reborn in states of deprivation, transmigrates through an entire aeon. He, too, is dark and bound for darkness. He would be a fraudulent person. For it is said that such a rebirth belongs to a fraudulent person.

And here, by the words 'reborn in a low family, or in a caṇḍāla family' and so on, misfortune of origin and misfortune of past-arisen conditions are shown. By 'poor' and so on, misfortune of present conditions [is shown]. By 'having a miserable livelihood' and so on, misfortune of means of livelihood [is shown]. By 'ill-favoured' and so on, misfortune of physical form [is shown]. By 'frequently ill' and so on, conjunction with the causes of suffering [is shown]. By 'not obtaining' and so on, misfortune of the causes of happiness and misfortune of material enjoyment [are shown]. By 'misconduct in body' and so on, conjunction with the causes of being bound for darkness [is shown]. By 'with the breakup of the body' and so on, the entering into darkness in the hereafter [is shown]. The bright side is to be understood in the manner opposite to that stated.

Moreover, here, being endowed with light through rebirth in a threefold family excellence and so forth, he is 'light'; the meaning is that he has become illumination. And by bodily good conduct and so forth, because of going to the state of light that is rebirth in heaven, he is 'bound for light'. In 'in an affluent khattiya family' and so on: 'affluent khattiyas' (khattiyamahāsālā) are khattiyas of great wealth, who have attained great substance. For those khattiyas who have at least one hundred million stored as treasure, and three pots of kahāpaṇas heaped in the middle of the house for daily use, are called affluent khattiyas. Those brāhmaṇas who have eighty million in wealth stored away, and one and a half pots of kahāpaṇas heaped in the middle of the house for daily use, are called affluent brāhmaṇas. Those householders who have forty million in wealth stored away, and a pot of kahāpaṇas heaped in the middle of the house for daily use, are called affluent householders. 'In their family' is the meaning. In 'rich' (aḍḍhe): in being wealthy. 'Of great wealth' (mahaddhane): through the greatness of stored wealth. 'Of great possessions' (mahābhoge): through the greatness of enjoyable goods, such as gold and silver vessels. 'Having abundant gold and silver' (pahūtajātarūparajate): through the abundance of gold and silver stored as treasure. 'Having abundant means of pleasure' (pahūtavittūpakaraṇe): through the abundance of accessories of joy, of means of contentment. 'Having abundant wealth and grain' (pahūtadhanadhaññe): through the abundance of cattle-wealth and so forth and the seven kinds of grains. 'Handsome' (abhirūpo): having beautiful form. 'Pleasant to look upon' (dassanīyo): worthy of being looked upon even all day, leaving aside other work. 'Inspiring confidence' (pāsādiko): bringing clarity of mind merely by sight. 'With utmost' (paramāya): with highest. 'Beauty of complexion' (vaṇṇapokkharatāya): with lotus-like beauty of complexion. The body is called 'pokkhara'. The meaning is: with the beauty of its complexion. 'Endowed' (samannāgato): possessed.

In the passages beginning with 'descending to descending' (oṇatoṇata): one who is devoid of worldly or otherworldly prosperity is 'descending' (oṇata). The meaning is that he is low, vile. In opposition to that is 'ascending' (uṇṇata). The meaning is that he is high, exalted. The rest here is to be understood in the very manner stated for the passages beginning with 'darkness'. Furthermore: 'descending to descending' means he is low now, and will be low in the future as well. 'Descending to ascending' means he is low now, and will be high in the future. 'Ascending to descending' means he is high now, and will be low in the future. 'Ascending to ascending' means he is high now, and will be high in the future as well.

In the similes of the tree: first, 'a tree with softwood surrounded by heartwood' means that the chief tree of the forest is itself softwood, but the trees surrounding it are heartwood. In this manner the rest are to be understood. Among persons, however, being softwood is to be understood as being devoid of the heartwood of virtue, and being heartwood [is to be understood] as through endowment with virtue and good conduct.

In the passages beginning with 'measuring by physical form' (rūpappamāṇa): one who takes physical form endowed with excellence as his measure is 'one who measures by physical form'. One who engenders confidence in that is 'one with confidence in physical form'. One who takes the report that is the sound of fame as his measure is 'one who measures by report'. But in 'height' and so forth: 'height' (āroha) is tallness. 'Girth' (pariṇāha) is the excellence of circumference, free from being emaciated or fat. 'Proportion' (saṇṭhāna) is the proper state of the limbs and appendages in parts that should be long, short, rounded, and so on. 'Fullness' (pāripūri) is non-deficiency in the aforementioned manners, or the state of having complete characteristic marks. 'By another's praise' (paravaṇṇanāya): by praise of qualities voiced by others behind one's back. 'By another's laudation' (parathomanāya): by laudation spoken by others by way of praise, composed in verses and the like. 'By another's commendation' (parapasaṃsanāya): by commendation spoken by others to one's face. 'By another's conveyance of praise' (paravaṇṇahārikāya): by the carrying of praise conducted by others by way of successive eulogy.

'Roughness of robe' (cīvaralūkha) is the roughness of a robe through its having a bad colour and so forth. 'Roughness of bowl' (pattalūkha) is the roughness of a vessel through its colour, shape, and material. 'Roughness of lodging' (senāsanalūkha) is the roughness of a lodging through the absence of decorations such as theatrical paintings and the like. 'Diverse' (vividha) means of various kinds, by way of being naked and so forth. 'Difficult practices' (dukkarakārika) means tormenting the body.

Another method: among these four persons, one who takes form as a measure and is pleased is called 'measured by form'. 'Pleased by form' is an explanatory gloss for that very term. One who takes voice [or repute] as a measure and is pleased is called 'measured by voice'. One who takes coarseness of robes and coarseness of bowls as a measure and is pleased is called 'measured by coarseness'. One who takes the Dhamma as a measure and is pleased is called 'measured by Dhamma'. The others are likewise explanatory glosses for those very terms. And if all beings are divided into three parts, two parts are measured by form, and one is not measured by form. If divided into five parts, four parts are measured by voice, and one is not measured by voice. If divided into ten parts, nine parts are measured by coarseness, and one is not measured by coarseness. But if divided into a hundred thousand parts, only one part is measured by Dhamma, and the rest are not measured by Dhamma. Thus this world of living beings is of four measures.

In this world of living beings of four measures, those who lack faith in the Buddhas are few, while those who have faith are indeed many. For one who is measured by form, there is no form superior to the form of a Buddha that could inspire faith. For one who is measured by voice, there is no voice [or renown] superior to the renowned voice of the Buddhas that could inspire faith. For one who is measured by coarseness—since the Blessed One relinquished costly Kāsī cloths, golden vessels, and magnificent mansions suited for the three seasons and endowed with all comforts, and instead resorted to rag-robes, a stone bowl, and lodgings such as the roots of trees—there is no other coarseness superior to the coarseness of the Buddha, the Blessed One, that could inspire faith. For one who is measured by Dhamma, there is no other virtue of moral discipline and the like superior to the moral discipline and other virtues of the Tathāgata, which are unshared in the world with its devas. Thus the Blessed One stands as if holding this world of living beings of four measures in his fist.

In 'practicing for one's own benefit' and so forth: 'endowed with moral discipline' means accomplished in, possessed of, moral discipline. The same method applies to 'endowed with concentration' and so forth. And here, moral discipline is spoken of as both mundane and supramundane. Likewise concentration and wisdom. Deliverance is simply the deliverance of the fruition of arahantship. Knowledge and vision is the nineteenfold reviewing knowledge. In 'not another' and so forth: he does not urge another person, nor make them adopt it, by saying: 'It is fitting for you too to be endowed with moral discipline', in such a way that they would undertake moral discipline. The same method applies everywhere. Among these four, however, the first should be understood as similar to the Elder Vakkali. The second is similar to Upananda the Sakyan. The third is similar to the Elders Sāriputta and Moggallāna. The fourth is similar to Devadatta.

In 'tormenting oneself' and so forth: he torments, brings suffering to himself, hence he is 'one who torments himself'. 'Devotion to self-mortification' means devotion to tormenting oneself. 'Unclothed' means clothless, naked. 'Free in conduct' means abandoned in conduct: devoid of the conduct of mundane gentlemen regarding defecation and the like, standing upright he defecates, urinates, eats, and consumes food. 'A hand-licker' means when the lump of food in his hand is finished, he licks his hand with his tongue; or it shows that having defecated, conceiving that there is a stick right in his hand, he wipes [himself] with his hand. For they declare a stick to be a living being; therefore, fulfilling their practice, he acts in this way. When told, 'Come, venerable sir', to receive alms, he does not come, hence he is 'not a come-venerable-sir-er'. Even when told, 'Stand, venerable sir, right there', he does not stand, hence he is 'not a stand-venerable-sir-er'. For sectarians do not do both of these things, thinking: 'His word will be obeyed.' 'Brought' means alms brought having taken it in advance. 'Made on purpose' means alms announced thus: 'This has been prepared on your account.' 'Not an invitation' means he does not accept or take even alms by an invitation such as: 'Please enter such-and-such a family, or street, or village.'

'Not from the mouth of a pot' means he does not take alms being offered having been taken out of a pot. 'Not from the mouth of a pan' means a pan is a cooking-pot or a basket; he does not take from that either. Why? Pots and pans receive blows from the ladle. 'Not across a threshold' means he does not take what is offered having made a threshold an obstruction. Why? [Thinking:] 'This [threshold] receives an obstruction on my account.' The same method applies to a stick or a pestle. 'Between two' means when two are eating, he does not take when one gets up and gives. Why? Because there would be an interruption of a mouthful. In 'not from a pregnant woman' and so forth: the child in the womb of a pregnant woman grows distressed. For a nursing woman, there is an interruption to the child's milk. For a woman gone between men, there is an interruption to her pleasure; therefore he does not accept it. 'Not where food is collected' means food prepared by collecting contributions. For in times of famine, lay disciples of the unclothed ascetics solicit husked rice and the like from here and there for the sake of the unclothed ascetics and cook a meal; a strict unclothed ascetic does not accept from that. 'Not where a dog' means where a dog is waiting, thinking, 'I will get a morsel', he does not take [food] brought there without having given to it. Why? Because there would be an interruption of its morsel.

'Where swarms [of flies] hover' means where they move in swarms. For if, seeing an unclothed ascetic, people enter the kitchen thinking, 'We will give alms to him', and as they enter, flies that were settled on the mouth of a pot and so forth fly up and move in swarms, he does not take alms brought from there. Why? [Thinking:] 'An interruption to the feeding ground of the flies has occurred on my account.' 'Fermented gruel' means a sour beverage made with all grain ingredients. And here, only the drinking of alcohol is blameworthy; but this one perceives blame even in this [gruel]. 'A one-houser' is one who turns back after receiving alms in just one house. 'A one-morseler' is one who sustains himself with just one morsel. The same method applies to a 'two-houser' and so forth. 'Even with one small dish' means with a single small dish. A datti is a small saucer in which they place and keep the first portion of alms.

“At intervals of one day” means with an interval of one day. “At intervals of half a month” means with an interval of half a month. “Eating meal by routine” means eating meal by turns. At turns of one day, at turns of two days, at turns of seven days, at turns of half a month—thus eating food brought by turns of days. “Herb-eater” means an eater of fresh herbs. “Millet-eater” means an eater of wild millet rice. In “wild rice, etc.”: first, wild rice is a variety of rice that grows by itself in the jungle. “Scrapings of leather” means the refuse discarded by leather-workers after scraping hide. “Water plant” refers to slime, moss, or resin of trees such as the kaṇikāra. “Rice dust” means rice bran. “Rice scum” means scorched rice clinging to the rice pot; having taken that from the place where it was discarded, he eats it. They also call it “rice gruel”. Oil-cake, etc., are obvious. “Fallen fruit eater” means one who eats fruits that have fallen down.