The practice of eating one meal a day is encouraged but not required by Vinaya. At MN 21:7.4 the Buddha reminisced about the days when he merely needed to mention it and monks would follow suit. | In the related story at MN 70:1.3, the Buddha encouraged not eating at night, to which monks also objected, occasioning the laying down of a Vinaya rule (Bu Pc 37), although at least some of the monks later came to regret their objections, recognizing that the Buddha had acted for their welfare (MN 66:6.4).

Bhaddāli does not appear elsewhere in early texts.

The commentary says that he feared he would not be able to sustain his monkhood. Chinese parallels at this point indicate that he feared discomfort (EA 49.7 at T ii 800b29, T 1425 at T xxii 359b14).

Ekāsano here in Mahāsaṅgīti edition appears superfluous, as it is missing in most editions.

“Would not see the Buddha face to face” is a loose rendering of na bhagavato sammukhībhāvaṁ adāsi. The idiom can be captured more literally at DN 3:2.6.2; when King Pasenadi meets Pokkharasāti, he does not “grant him an audience face to face” (tassa … sammukhībhāvampi na dadāti) but only behind a curtain.

When someone genuinely confesses, the Buddha makes a point to acknowledge what they had done, without dismissing it and thereby discounting the inner work they had achieved to get to this point.

This set of seven noble disciples is detailed at MN 70:14.1.

Read pavayha per MN 122:27.3 for Mahāsaṅgīti’s pasayha here. | Vinaya matters are dealt with separately by the monks and nuns, hence I use “monk” rather than “mendicant” here.

This reads like a broken sentence; they got half way through, then realized the implications of what they were saying.

This question was also asked by Kassapa at SN 16.13.

This echoes the Buddha’s words to Sāriputta at Bu Pj 1:3.4.6.

While there are many suttas on a thoroughbred, the simile taught here does not appear elsewhere in the Pali canon. Perhaps this is in reference to MN 107:3.2, which, however, only has one line in common.

For the phrase tasmiṁ ṭhāne parinibbāyati (“its bad behavior is extinguished”, literally “it is extinguished regarding that state”) I follow the commentary, which specifies that tasmiṁ ṭhāne refers to the twists and dodges that cease rather than the good habits that are developed.

Rājaguṇe occurs in Mil 5.1.4, where it distinguishes royal officials from ordinary ones. I take it and rājavaṁse to refer to “the protocols and traditions of court” rather than “kingly qualities”.