1v.71 Ee2 precedes this verse with another (v. 70) found only in two Lanna mss from northern Thailand. As that verse is not included in any other edition or known ms of SN, and hardly relates to the subject matter of the dialogue between the Buddha and the devata, it clearly does not belong here; thus I have not translated it. My decision is further supported by the absence of any gloss on the verse in Spk and Spk-pṭ, which indicates it was not found in the texts available to the commentators. At Ee2, p. xvii, the editor argues that this verse must be "restored" to provide a question put by the deity, but he assumes that the sutta originally read the first word of v. 72d as te which was then changed to ko or ke by the textual tradition in order to supply a question. But since ke as a question makes perfectly good sense, both syntactically and semantically, there is no reason to suppose the original reading was te and thus no need to interpolate a new verse to supply the question. "Those of great wealth and property,
Even khattiyas who rule the country,
Look at each other with greedy eyes,
Insatiable in sensual pleasures.

2v.72 Among these who have become so avid,
Flowing along in the stream of existence,
Who here have abandoned craving?
Who in the world are no longer avid?" Spk: "Among those who have become so avid (ussukkajatesu): Among those who are engaged in various tasks, avid to produce unarisen forms, etc., and to enjoy those that have arisen." in pāda c of the second verse I read ke ’dha taṇhāṁ with Be and Se, as against gedhataṇhaṁ ("greed and craving") in Ee1 & 2, and kodhataṇhaṁ ("anger and craving") in SS. In pāda d, Ee2 reads te lokasmiṁas against ke lokasmiṁ in the other eds. Ussuka (Skt utsuka) means anxiously desirous, zealous, or busily engaged in some pursuit. The corresponding noun is ussukka, which is sometimes found where the adjective would have been more appropriate. Ussuka is used in both a laudatory and reprobative sense. At SN41.3 verse 2, it occurs in the commendatory sense, which I render "zealous." See too MN48 and Vin I 49,19–50,8. The negative sense—of being greedy, ambitious, or "avid" (my preferred rendering)—is found here and at Dhp 199. The expression appossukka, lit. "having little zeal," is used to describe one who refrains from busy activity. In SN we find this expression—which I generally render, loosely, "(living) at ease"—at SN9.10 (I 202,22), SN21.4 (II 277,12), SN35.240 (IV 178,1, here "keeping still"), and SN51.10 (V 262,18). The abstract noun appossukkata, at SN6.1 (I 137,1, 6), characterizes the Buddha’s original inclination, just after his enlightenment, towards a life of quietude rather than towards the "busy work" of preaching the Dhamma. See too below n. 366 and n. 551.

3v.73 "Having left their homes and gone forth,
Having left their dear sons and cattle,
Having left behind lust and hatred,
Having expunged ignorance—
The arahants with taints destroyed
Are those in the world no longer avid." sn.i.16

1"Mahaddhanā mahābhogā,
raṭṭhavantopi khattiyā;
Aññamaññābhigijjhanti,
kāmesu analaṅkatā.

2Tesu ussukkajātesu,
bhavasotānusārisu;
Kedha taṇhāṁ pajahiṁsu,
ke lokasmiṁ anussukā"ti.

3"Hitvā agāraṁ pabbajitā,
hitvā puttaṁ pasuṁ piyaṁ;
Hitvā rāgañca dosañca,
avijjāñca virājiya;
Khīṇāsavā arahanto,
te lokasmiṁ anussukā"ti.