Deep Commentary

This story is related to the wanderer Subhadda, when the World-Honored One was about to enter parinibbana in the Sala grove in the city of Kusinara. It is said that before, Subhadda's son had offered the Buddha nine times the first fruits of the harvest, but Subhadda himself was unwilling and refused, finally only agreeing to offer. Because of this, he did not meet the World-Honored One when he first attained enlightenment and taught the Dharma. At the end, when the Buddha was about to enter parinibbana, Subhadda thought to himself: "I have three doubts. I have asked the elders to resolve them. At that time, the ascetic Gotama was still young, so I did not go to ask him. Now the time of his Nibbana is approaching; if I do not ask him, I will regret it later." He went to where the Buddha was. Venerable Ananda tried to stop him, but the Buddha said: "Ananda, do not stop Subhadda; let him come in and ask." Subhadda entered, sat at the foot of the bed, and asked the Buddha: "Venerable Sir, is there any path in the sky? Is there anyone called a recluse outside the true path? Can conditioned things be eternal?" The Buddha taught him that these things are impossible, and on that occasion spoke these two verses.