Anguttaranikaya 8.1.3.9: 10. Anuruddhamahāvitakkasuttavaṇṇanā

In the tenth [sutta], 'among the Cetis' means in the country called thus because it was the dwelling place of the kings named Ceti. 'In the Pācīnavaṃsa Park' means in the bamboo park situated to the east of the Ten-Powered One's dwelling place, in a forest covered with green-shining bamboos. 'Such a reflection occurred to his mind': the Elder, having gone forth, attained the attainments during his very first rainy season and produced the divine eye knowledge capable of seeing a thousand world systems. He went to the Elder Sāriputta and said: 'Here, friend Sāriputta, with the divine eye, purified, transcending the human, I survey a thousand worlds. My energy is aroused, unflagging; mindfulness is established, unmuddled; my body is tranquil, unperturbed; my mind is concentrated, one-pointed. Yet my mind is not liberated from the taints through non-clinging.' Then the Elder said to him: 'As to what occurs to you, friend Anuruddha: “With the divine eye… I survey,” that is your conceit. As to what occurs to you: “My energy is aroused… one-pointed,” that is your restlessness. And as to what occurs to you: “Yet my mind is not liberated from the taints through non-clinging,” that is your remorse. It would indeed be good if the Venerable Anuruddha, having abandoned these three things and not paying attention to these three things, were to direct his mind to the deathless element.' In this way the Elder explained the meditation subject to him. Having taken the meditation subject, he took leave of the Teacher, went to the Ceti country, and while practicing ascetic life spent eight months walking back and forth. His body being exhausted from being churned by the force of his exertion, he sat down at the foot of a bamboo clump. Then this reflection occurred to his mind; that is, the thought of a great man arose.

'For one of few desires': here, there are four [kinds of persons] of few desires: one of few desires regarding requisites, one of few desires regarding attainments, one of few desires regarding the scriptures, and one of few desires regarding ascetic practices. Therein, one of few desires regarding requisites takes little when much is given, takes even less when little is given, and does not take everything. One of few desires regarding attainments, like the Elder Majjhantika, does not let others know his own attainment. One of few desires regarding the scriptures, even though he is a master of the Tipiṭaka, does not wish to make known his great learning, like the Elder Sāketa-Tissa. One of few desires regarding ascetic practices does not let others know that he maintains ascetic practices, like the elder brother among the two brother elders. The story is related in the Visuddhimagga. 'This Dhamma': in this way, for a person of few desires, through concealing existing virtues and through knowing moderation in receiving, this ninefold supramundane Dhamma is accomplished, not for one of great desires. The same should be applied everywhere.

'For the contented': for one contented with the three kinds of contentment regarding the four requisites. 'For the secluded': for one secluded by seclusion of body, mind, and the acquisitions. Therein, bodily seclusion is solitariness in terms of physical basis, having dispelled the company of a group. Since the work is not accomplished merely by solitariness, one performs the preliminary work for the kasiṇa and produces the eight attainments; this is mental seclusion. Since the work is not accomplished merely by attainments, one takes jhāna as a basis, comprehends formations, and attains arahantship together with the analytical knowledges; this is seclusion from the acquisitions in all aspects. Therefore the Blessed One said: 'Bodily seclusion is for those whose bodies dwell in seclusion, delighting in renunciation; mental seclusion is for those of purified minds who have attained supreme purity; and seclusion from the acquisitions is for persons without acquisitions, who have arrived at the unconditioned' (Mahāniddesa 7, 49).

'For one delighting in company': for one delighting in the company of a group and the company of defilements. 'For the energetic': for one who has aroused energy by way of bodily and mental energy. 'For the mindful': for one who has established mindfulness by way of the four applications of mindfulness. 'For the concentrated': for one with a one-pointed mind. 'For the wise': for one endowed with wisdom through wisdom concerning the ownership of kamma.

'Excellent, excellent!': he said this, praising the Elder's thought. 'This eighth': just like giving an eighth treasure to a man who has obtained seven treasures, or giving an eighth gem-treasure, an eighth elephant-treasure, an eighth horse-treasure to a man who has obtained seven, so, declaring an eighth to one standing having reflected on the seven thoughts of a great man, he said this. 'For one who delights in non-proliferation': for one who delights in the state of Nibbāna, termed non-proliferation because it is free from the proliferations of craving, conceit, and wrong view. The other term is a synonym for the same. 'For one who delights in proliferation': for one who delights in the aforesaid proliferations. The other term is a synonym for the same.

'Whence' means when. 'Thence' means then. 'Dye-tinted': dyed with various dyes of blue, yellow, red, and white colors. 'Rag-robe': a rag-robe found in twenty-three places. 'Will appear': just as, in the morning and so forth, at whatever time he wishes whatever [cloth], as he puts it on, that chest of clothes appears pleasing to him; even so to you too, as you dwell contented through the great noble lineage of contentment with robes, the rag-robe will appear, will present itself. 'For delight': for the sake of delight. 'For non-agitation': for the sake of not being agitated by the agitations of craving and wrong view. 'For living in comfort': for the sake of dwelling happily. 'For descent into Nibbāna': for the sake of entering into deathless Nibbāna.

"Food obtained from scraps of alms": food obtained from scraps of alms that is received by one wandering house to house depending on the strength of his legs in villages, towns, and royal capitals. "Will appear [to you]": it will present itself to him like the food of various excellent flavors [belonging] to a householder. "For one who dwells content": for one who dwells content through the great noble lineage of contentment with almsfood. "The lodging at the root of a tree will appear": the root of a tree will present itself to him like a gabled chamber fragrant with the scent of perfume and flowers in a three-storied mansion of a householder. "For one who is content": for one who is content through the great noble lineage of contentment with lodgings. "A bed of grass": spread out on any of grass, leaves, on the ground, or on the surfaces of planks or stones. "Fermented urine": any urine at all; even that collected at that very moment is indeed called fermented urine because of its foul odor. "For one who dwells content": for one who dwells content through contentment with medicinal requisites for the sick.

Thus the Blessed One, introducing arahantship in the four instances, taught the meditation subject. Then, reflecting, "Dwelling in what kind of lodging will the meditation subject be suitable?", and knowing, "For one dwelling in that very one," he said, "Therefore, Anuruddha," and so on. "For one dwelling in seclusion": for one dwelling secluded with the three seclusions. "Connected with dismissal": connected with words of dismissal themselves; the meaning is: just bringing about their departure after waiting upon [him]. "In the cessation of proliferation": in the state of Nibbāna. "Leaps forward": it leaps forward by taking it as an object. In "it grows bright" and so forth, too, brightening, becoming steady, and being liberated should be understood just by way of the object. Thus, the eight thoughts of a great man spoken to the Venerable Anuruddha in the Pācīnavaṃsa Deer Park in the Ceti country, the Blessed One, having sat down again in the Great Monastery of the Bhesakaḷā Grove, spoke in detail to the Saṅgha of monks.

"With a mind-made [body]": a body produced by the mind is also called mind-made, and a body that has gone by the mind is also [so called]; here, he spoke referring to the body that has gone by the mind. "Just as my thought was": just as my applied thought was; showing the eighth thought of a great man beyond that, "he taught beyond that." The rest is clear everywhere.

The third chapter: The Householder.