I don't understand why it is glossed that way yet. Elsewhere,
Buddhaghosa does recognize that 'bandhu' is an epithet of Brahmaa at
Sv I 254, Ps II 418, Ppk II 397. And even for 'paadaapacce' at Sv III
862 he has 'mahaa-brahmuno paadaa . . . For the 'bandhu' gloss that
you quote, Dhammapaala has: bandhana.t.thena bandhu, kassa pana
bandhuuti aaha: maarassa bandhubhuute ti. (Sv-p.t III 47). Perhaps
Buddhaghosa is merely adding a second interpretation. We also have to
keep in mind that the gloss is likely not his interpretation, but
comes from the old Sinhalese commentary he has translated into Pali.
Jim
Rett wrote:
<< Buddhaghosa, in the Sumangalavilaasinii (vol iii, p862) misses that
'Bandhu' is an epithet of Brahman, and instead glosses: bandhuu ti
maarassa bandhubhuute maarapakkhike. either "Allies of Maara" in acc
plural (-uu), or if singular perhaps locative of sense. 'in the
sense: ally of maara'. In any case Buddhaghosa has given the wrong
meaning for the word 'Bandhu' at that point in the commentary by
missing that it is just an epithet. >>