Dighanikaya 12: 12. Lohiccasuttavaṇṇanā

Explanation of the Story of the Brahmin Lohicca

"Thus have I heard… among the Kosalans": this is the Lohicca Sutta. Therein, this is the explanation of the obscure words. Sālavatikā is the name of that village; it was, it is said, enclosed on all sides by a row of sāl trees like an enclosure. Therefore it is called Sālavatikā. Lohicca is the name of that brahmin.

"Evil": vile on account of being devoid of compassion for others, but not one among annihilationism and eternalism. "Had arisen": had been produced; and it had not merely arisen in the mind. For under its influence, he even spoke thus in the midst of an assembly. "For what can another do for another?": what will the other who is instructed do for that instructor? He says that one should dwell having oneself honored and revered the wholesome state obtained by oneself.

"He addressed Rosika the barber": he addressed the barber who had acquired the name Rosikā by way of the feminine gender. For having heard of the arrival of the Blessed One, he thought: "Going to the monastery to see him is a burden; having invited him to my house, however, I will see him and will give guest-alms according to my ability." Therefore he addressed the barber thus.

"Behind, closely behind": for ease of conversation, he followed closely behind. "May he detach": may he liberate, may he dispel that wrong view, he says. For this lay follower was a dear friend of the brahmin Lohicca. Therefore, out of desiring his welfare, he spoke thus. "Perhaps it may be": here, with the first word, the Blessed One roars, with the second word he roars in response. For this is the intention here: "Rosika, for this very purpose for four incalculable [eons] and a hundred thousand eons, performing various difficult deeds, were the perfections fulfilled by me; for this very purpose was omniscience penetrated; it is no burden to me to break Lohicca’s wrong view"; showing this meaning, the Blessed One roars with the first word. "Only, Rosika, let there be Lohicca’s coming to my presence, or sitting down, or conversation; even if there were doubt among a hundred thousand people like Lohicca, I am capable of dispelling it; but what burden is there to me in dispelling the view of Lohicca alone?"; showing this meaning, it should be understood that the Blessed One roars in response with the second word.

Explanation of the Questioning of the Brahmin Lohicca

“Arising of revenues” means the producing of revenue, the arising of wealth; the meaning is the wealth and grain that has arisen from it. “Those who depend on him for their livelihood” means those people, such as relatives, attendants, slaves, and workers, who live in dependence on him. “A creator of obstacles” means a creator of obstacles to gains. “Compassionate for their welfare”: here, “welfare” means prosperity. “Shows compassion” means compassionate, the meaning is that he desires; it is said whether he desires prosperity or not. “Either in hell or the animal womb”: the meaning is that if that wrong view is fulfilled, if it is fixed, he is reborn inevitably in hell; if not, he is reborn in the animal womb.

Now, since beings are not disturbed by an obstacle to the gains of others as they are by an obstacle to their own gains, wishing to agitate the brahmin even more thoroughly, he stated a second argument: “What do you think about this?” “And these who”: and those sons of good family who, having heard the Tathāgata’s teaching of the Dhamma, are unable to enter upon the noble stage. “Heavenly embryos”: an accusative form with the sense of the nominative; the meaning is “heavenly embryos”. And “heavenly embryos” is a designation for the six deva-worlds. “Ripen”: fulfilling the practice leading to the deva-world, giving gifts, guarding morality, making offerings with scents, garlands, and so forth, and developing meditation, they mature, ripen, bring to full maturity, and bring to transformation. “For the rebirth of heavenly existences”: heavenly existences are the mansions of the devas; the meaning is for the sake of the arising of these. Alternatively, “heavenly embryos” are particular merits such as giving. “Heavenly existences” are the aggregates of result in the deva-world; the meaning is that they perform those merits for the sake of the arising of those. “A creator of obstacles to them” means an obstacle to their attainment of the path, attainment of the fruit, and distinction of heavenly existences. Thus, having broken by means of this general illustrative method the conceit of the brahmin that had risen as far as the peak of existence, now, in order to show the three teachers worthy of censure, the Blessed One said: “There are these three, Lohicca,” and so on.

Explanation of the Three Worthy of Censure

Therein, "that reproof" means the reproof of one who reproves three teachers. "They do not establish their minds for knowledge" means they do not apply their minds for the purpose of knowing and understanding. "Having deviated" means having stepped away from it, not practicing his instruction continuously: this is the meaning. "He might advance toward one who retreats" means he would approach a woman who withdraws, he would desire one who does not desire him, one [person] would desire union with a woman who does not desire it—this is what is said. "Or he might embrace one who turns away" means he would go behind and embrace a woman standing with her face turned away, not even wishing to look. "This is just of such a nature" means: with regard also to this teacher, who instructs out of greed even when these [disciples] are living having deviated from his instruction, thinking, 'These are my disciples'—I speak of this greedy state of his as being of just such a nature, just like this. Thus, because this greedy state of yours is of such a nature, by which you have become like one advancing toward a woman who retreats, like one embracing a woman who turns away, he is also worthy of that reproof. "For what will another do for another?" means: by whatever dhamma you instruct others, first establish yourself therein, make yourself upright. "For what will another do for another?"—he is worthy of reproof in this way.

"It should be weeded" means it should be made pure by pulling up the weeds resembling the crops.

In the third reproof, "for what will another do for another?": starting from the time when they do not accept instruction, should another be instructed? What will another do for another instructor? Should one not rather, having become unconcerned there, live honoring and revering by oneself the dhamma penetrated by oneself?—in this way he is worthy of reproof, this is the meaning.

Exposition of the Teacher Not Worthy of Reproof

"Not worthy of reproof": for this one, having first established himself in what is proper, teaches the Dhamma to the disciples. And his disciples become obedient and practice as instructed, and through that practice they attain great distinction. Therefore, he is not worthy of reproof.

"Falling into the chasm of hell": falling into the chasm of hell because of the view adopted by me. "Having pulled [me] up, established [me] on high ground": he speaks, saying: 'Having broken that view, having pulled me up from falling into the states of deprivation with the hand of Dhamma-teaching, I have been placed upon the high ground of the path to heaven.' The rest here is quite clear.

Thus in the Sumaṅgalavilāsinī, the Commentary on the Dīghanikāya,

The Commentary on the Lohicca Sutta is concluded.