At a later date, a deity in the same location asked Samiddhi if he knew the verses on “one fine night” (MN 133:1.3). Samiddhi further appears in discourses at MN 136, where he had gone forth only three years, and AN 9.14 , where he seems more mature. In SN 4.22, Māra threatens to shake his faith, prompting him to ask the Buddha about Māra’s true nature (SN 35.65). This event is recalled in his verse at Thag 1.46. The tale is expanded at Ja 167.

The commentary says the deity is female, but he is addressed as āvuso by Samiddhi and yakkha by the Buddha, both of which are masculine.

The deity is playing with two meanings of bhutvāna. The obvious sense is “having eaten”, because one can only eat after going for alms. By reversing the terms, they introduce a paradox—how can one eat without having obtained food?—and thereby force the second meaning of bhutvāna, “having enjoyed (the pleasures of life)”. They are suggesting that the mendicant should enjoy sensual pleasures while young, then go forth.

Samiddhi joins the game, answering the deity with another play on words. He implies that “time” means the “time of death”.

Similar arguments appear at SN 4.21 and MN 70:4.10.

The third discrimination, omitted here, is “I am worse” (SN 45.162).

Saṅkhā is sometimes used in a positive senses, as one who has “appraised” the world (sn7.20:3.3]()). Here, the context suggests it means “judgements” about people (DN 1:1.4.1, MN 18).| For na vimāna read na ca māna_ per Bodhi, Connected Discourses, note 38.