Commentary Mahaaraahulovaadasutta, no. 9

Relevant passage of the sutta:
``katamaa ca, raahula, aakaasadhaatu? aakaasadhaatu siyaa ajjhattikaa,
siyaa baahiraa. katamaa ca, raahula, ajjhattikaa aakaasadhaatu? ya.m
ajjhatta.m
paccatta.m aakaasa.m aakaasagata.m upaadinna.m, seyyathida.m --
ka.n.nacchidda.m naasacchidda.m²

"And what, Rahula, is the space element?
The space element may be internal or external.
And what, Rahula, is the internal space element?
That, internally, and individually, is space, empty, and clung to,
namely: the orifice of the ear, nose, mouth.²

Commentary:

eva.m kirassa ahosi -- ``raahulassa attabhaava.m
nissaaya chandaraago uppanno,

It must have occurred to him thus: ³Since for Rahula attachment has arisen
on account of the body,

he.t.thaa cassa sa"nkhepena ruupakamma.t.thaana.m kathita.m.

I have explained to him before in brief (sa²nkhepena) the meditation
subject on materiality.

idaanissaapi dvicattaaliisaaya aakaarehi attabhaava.m viraajetvaa
visa"nkharitvaa ta.mnissita.m chandaraaga.m

Now, after I have analysed the body in fortytwo ways and I have made him get
rid of (visa"nkharitvaa) attachment that is dependent on it,

anuppattidhammata.m aapaadessaamii''ti.
I shall now make him understand what he did not grasp according to the
truth.²

atha aakaasadhaatu.m kasmaa vitthaaresiiti?
Why did he then explain the element of space?

upaadaaruupadassanattha.m.
In order to show the derived material phenomena.

he.t.thaa hi cattaari mahaabhuutaaneva kathitaani,
na upaadaaruupa.m.

Before he had spoken about the four great Elements, not about the derived
physical phenomena.

tasmaa iminaa mukhena ta.m dassetu.m aakaasadhaatu.m
vitthaaresi.

Therefore, in order to show these he explained in detail the element of
space.

apica ajjhattikena aakaasena paricchinnaruupampi paaka.ta.m hoti.

He made known also the matter that is delimitated by the internal space.

³aakaasena paricchinna.m ruupa.m yaati vibhuutata.m.

He proceeds (yaati) to clarify matter that is delimitated by space.

tasseva.m aavibhaavattha.m, ta.m pakaasesi naayako.

the Guide makes known what is unclear of this.²

ettha pana purimaasu taava catuusu dhaatuusu ya.m vattabba.m, ta.m
mahaahatthipadopame vuttameva.

But here what should be said with regard to the preceding four (great)
elements, that was said in the ³Discourse on the great Elephant¹s
Footprint².

aakaasadhaatuya.m aakaasagatanti aakaasabhaava.m gata.m.

As to the words ³with regard to the element of space, connected with (gata)
space², this means, having the characteristic of space.

upaadinnantiaadinna.m gahita.m paraama.t.tha.m, sariira.t.thakanti attho.

clung to, means, grasped and misapprehended, it means, belonging to the
bodily frame.

ka.n.nacchiddanti ma.msalohitaadiihi asamphu.t.thaka.n.navivara.m.

cavity in the ear, meaning, opening in the ear, not touched by flesh and
blood, etc.

naasacchiddaadiisupi eseva nayo.

With regard to cavity in the nose etc. this is also (according to) this
system (of teaching).

*****
Remarks: as regards,
<anuppattidhammata.m aapaadessaamii''ti.>
I shall now make him understand what he did not grasp according to the
truth.²

anupattidhammata.m can be read as: anu-patti or as an-upatti. I chose the
latter, thinking of the context, comparing subco, which had unlisted words.
dhammata.m: not sure.
This is subco: sammasanuupagattaa, asammasanuupaga.m aakaasadhaatu.m atha
kasmaa
vitthaaresiiti .

Nina.