Dighanikaya 3.258_2

3.258_2

Tattha mantesūti vedesu. Tathāgato kira uppajjissatīti paṭikacceva suddhāvāsā devā vedesu lakkhaṇāni pakkhipitvā buddhamantā nāmeteti brāhmaṇaveseneva vede vācenti. Tadanusārena mahesakkhā sattā tathāgataṃ jānissantīti. Tena pubbe vedesu mahāpurisalakkhaṇāni āgacchanti. Parinibbute pana tathāgate anukkamena antaradhāyanti. Tenetarahi natthīti. Mahāpurisassāti paṇidhisamādānañāṇakaruṇādiguṇamahato purisassa. Dveyeva gatiyoti dveyeva niṭṭhā. Kāmañcāyaṃ gatisaddo ‘‘pañca kho imā, sāriputta, gatiyo’’tiādīsu (ma. ni. 1.153) bhavabhede vattati. ‘‘Gati migānaṃ pavana’’ntiādīsu (pari. 399) nivāsaṭṭhāne. ‘‘Evaṃ adhimattagatimanto’’tiādīsu paññāyaṃ. ‘‘Gatigata’’ntiādīsu visaṭabhāve. Idha pana niṭṭhāyaṃ vattatīti veditabbo.

Therein, ‘in the mantras’ (mantesu) means in the Vedas. Beforehand, knowing that a Tathāgata would arise, the deities of the Pure Abodes, having inserted the marks into the Vedas and designating them ‘Buddha-mantras,’ recited the Vedas in the guise of brahmins, thinking: ‘In accordance with this, beings of great influence will recognize the Tathāgata.’ Therefore, formerly the marks of a great man came down in the Vedas. But when the Tathāgata had attained final passing, they gradually disappeared. For that reason, they do not exist today. ‘Of a great man’ (mahāpurisassa) means of a man who is great due to qualities such as resolution, undertaking, knowledge, and compassion. ‘Only two destinies’ (dveyeva gatiyo) means only two outcomes. Indeed, this word ‘destiny’ (gati) refers to types of rebirth in such passages as ‘There are, Sāriputta, these five destinies.’ In such passages as ‘The destiny of deer is the forest,’ it refers to a dwelling place. In such passages as ‘Possessing such an extraordinary destiny,’ it refers to wisdom. In such passages as ‘gatigata,’ it refers to the state of being widespread. Here, however, it should be understood as referring to an outcome.