Mahâ-Parinibbâna-Suttanta: The Book of the Great Decease

[1. Vegha-missakena, the meaning of which is not clear. The Mâlâlankâra-vatthu, as rendered by Bigandet, has 'repairs.' The Sumangala Vilâsinî says, Veghamissakenâ ti bâha-bandhanakakka-bandhanâdinâ patisankharanena veghamissakena; thus giving the same meaning, but in such a way as to throw no light on the derivation of the word. The whole episode from § II, 27 to the end of the chapter occurs also word for word in the Satipatthâna Vagga of the Samyutta Nikâya, and the Burmese Phayre MS. there reads vekhamissakena, as the Burmese MS. does here. My Dîgha Nikâya confirms Childers's reading, which no doubt correctly represents the uniform tradition of the Ceylon MSS. The Sumangala Vilâsinî goes on, maññe ti gara-sakatam viya meghamissakena maññe yâpeti arahatta-phalaveghanena katu-iriyâpatha-kappanam Tathâgatassa hoti nidasseti. Here the reading megha of the Turnour MS. must be a copyist's slip of the pen for vegha, and veghanena is no clearer than veghamissakena. On the use of the word missaka at the end of a compound see Gâtaka II, 8, 420, 433. I have translated on what seems to me the only solution at present possible, namely, that an initial a has been dropt, and that veghâ or vekhâ = avekshâ, 'attention, foresight, care.' In the same way though avalañgeti does occur (Gâtaka I, 111), the more usual form in Pâli, and the only one given by Childers, is valañgeti.] p. 38 the Tathâgata, ceasing to attend to any outward thing, or to experience any sensation, becomes plunged in that devout meditation of heart which is concerned with no material object--it is only then that the body of the Tathâgata is at ease.