This saying by Pañcālacaṇḍa is quoted by Udāyī and explained by Ānanda at AN 9.42. Pañcālacaṇḍa appears alongside Āḷavaka, the tutelary deity of Āḷavī, hinting that he may be the fierce (caṇḍa) protector of the Pañcāla clan (DN 32:10.16). Several Pañcālacaṇḍas appear in the Jātakas: a licentious youth and a misogynistic chaplain (Ja 536), and a prince of Pañcāla (Ja 546). A Pañcālacaṇḍa appears as a Vedic teacher of the idea that speech is what unifies (Aitereya Āraṇyaka 3.1.6 = Śāṅkhāyana Āraṇyaka 7.19, Gopatha Brāhmaṇa 1.1.27n). None of these, however, have any obvious relation to our text.

The compound jhānamabujjhi can be resolved as either jhānaṁ abujjhi (“awakened to absorption”) or jhānena abujjhi (“awakened by means of absorption”). At AN 9.42, Ānanda explains that each stage of absorption is an “opening” relative to what came before, but still a “confinement”, and only Nibbāna is the opening without confinement. The thrust of the verse, therefore, is the Buddha’s insight into the nature of absorption, supporting the sense “awakened to absorption”.