‘The noble warrior is the best among people
when judging by clan.
But a person consummate
in clear-knowing & conduct,
is the best of beings
human & divine.’
Notes
1. According to the Commentary, this was a hall built to receive royal guests, together with their entourages.
2. This phrase—“the person who follows the practice for one in higher training”—translates the Pali phrase, sekho pāṭipado. Although this phrase may be taken as two separate words, the Commentary treats it as a compound and translates it as “one who follows the sekha-paṭipadā.” Grammatically, as a compound, the form is strange, with the first member maintaining its case ending, instead of being reduced to a stem form connected with the following member of the compound, as in a normal compound. However, this form has been found in other parts of the Canon as well, and modern grammarians have coined a term to describe it: a syntactical compound. I have thus followed the Commentary in my translation.
“One in training” is a person who has attained at least stream entry, but not yet arahantship.
3. The chief of the Kapilavatthu Sakyans. See AN 3:73; AN 11:12; and AN 11:13.
4. The yoke is fourfold: the yoke of sensuality, the yoke of becoming, the yoke of views, & the yoke of ignorance. See AN 4:10.
5. At this point, one becomes an asekha, one no longer in training because one’s training is complete. In other words, one is an arahant.
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