1919.] Buddhaghosa’s Commentaries. 109 
age he aie learned and thoughtful Bhikkhus doing all 
the 
"The Buddhiet and Jaina texts tell us that the itinerant 
_ 
ee 
= 
— 
c 
Discussions about the interpretation of the abstruse 
utterances of the great teachers were frequent and the raison 
détre of the development of Buddhist Shoes tain particularly of 
the Comumentstics, is to be traced i in these discussions. 
topics of discussion among the Bhikkhus, or how their peace 
was disturbed by grave doubts calling forth explanations either 
from Buddha himself or from his disciples. Whenever some 
interested sophists spoke vehemently ‘in many ways in dis- 
praise of the Buddha, the Doctrine and the Order,’ * whenever 
another such sophist misinterpreted Buddha’s loon ’ when- 
ever a furious discussion broke out in an ntemporary 
Brotherhood,* or whenever a Bhikkhu behaved "himself im- 
properly, the Bhikkhus generally assembled in the pavilion 
to discuss the subject, or were exhorted by Buddha or by 
his disciples to safeguard their interests. It was on one such 
occasion that Buddha was led to offer a pee exposition 
of the moral precepts in accordance with amous doctrine. 
“One should avoid all that is evil, and curtain all that is 
good,” > that is ro say, an explanation of the — in their 
negative and itive aspects. This is now incorporated in 
the first hades otis of the Digha-Nikaya, wai is io taausindy 
known as the Silakkhanda,—‘ The tract on morality,’’—lend- 
ing its name to the first volume of the Digha.6 On another 
occasion Potaliputta, the wanderer, called on Samiddhi, and 
informed him thus: “* According to Samana Gotama, as : 
actually heard him saying, Kamma either by way of deed o 
by way of word is no Kamma at all, the real Kamma era 
by way of thought or volition only. For there is an attainment 
after having reached which one feels nothing (i.e. which trans- 
cends all sensible experience and pleasure and pain 
ak not friend Potaliputta thus, speak not of him i in 
this manner. Please do not misrepresent our teacher 
of view, for that is not good. He would never have said so. 
bd 
‘* But tell me, friend Samiddhi, what a man will experience 
Vide my paper ‘‘ A short account of the Wandering Teachers at the 
— = the Buddha.” (J.A.S.B. New series, Vol XIV, 1918, No. 7.) 
Digha-Nikaéya, I, p. 2 
, Majjhima-Nikaya, III, pp. 207-8. 
Ibid., 8 gaémasutta, II, pp 
5 ** Sabba papassa akaranam, Kusalassa upasampada.” 
6 «*« The Dialogues of the Buddha.” II, pp. 3-26. 
