Toh 1-6 — The Chapter on Medicines

I. The Authorization of Medicines

The Buddha, the Blessed One, was staying in the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park. On that occasion some monks F.278.a caught an autumn disease. Because they had caught an autumn disease, they turned pale, became emaciated, lost their strength, and were weakened.

The buddhas, the blessed ones, ask though they already know. The Buddha, the Blessed One, asked the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, why have these monks turned pale, become emaciated, lost their strength, and been weakened?”

The venerable Ānanda replied, “Honored One, these monks caught an autumn disease. Because they caught an autumn disease, they have turned pale, become emaciated, lost their strength, and been weakened.”

“Ānanda,” said the Blessed One, “on account of that, I authorize^[1] monks to consume medicines.”

When the Blessed One said “monks may consume medicines,” the monks consumed medicines at the appropriate time (morning)^[2] but did not consume them after the appropriate time, because they were monks who were in the habit of eating at the appropriate time. Therefore, the monks turned pale, became emaciated, lost their strength, and were weakened.

The buddhas, the blessed ones, ask though they already know. The Buddha, the Blessed One, asked the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, I said ‘monks may consume medicines.’ Why, then, have these monks turned pale, become emaciated, lost their strength, and been weakened?”

The venerable Ānanda replied, “The Blessed One said ‘monks may consume medicines,’ but they consumed medicines at the appropriate time and did not consume them after the appropriate time, because they are monks who are in the habit of eating at the appropriate time. Therefore, they turned pale, became emaciated, lost their strength, and were weakened.” F.278.b

“Ānanda, on account of that, I authorize monks to consume four kinds of medicines: medicines to be consumed at the appropriate time, medicines to be consumed at night, medicines to be consumed within seven days, and medicines to be consumed throughout life.^[3]

“Among them, the medicines to be consumed at the appropriate time are manthā,^[4] boiled rice,^[5] kulmāṣa, meat, and apūpa.

“The medicines to be consumed at night are the eight kinds of drinks: coconut drink, banana drink, kola drink, aśvattha drink, udumbara drink, parūṣaka^[6] drink, grape drink, and kharjūra^[7] drink.”

A Section Index:

“Medicines to be consumed within seven days are butter oil, oil, phāṇita, honey, and śarkarā.

“Medicines to be consumed throughout life are medicines derived from roots, medicines derived from stalks, medicines derived from leaves, medicines derived from flowers, medicines derived from fruits, the five kinds of resin, the five kinds of ashes, the five kinds of salt, and the five kinds of astringents.

“Among these medicines, the medicines derived from roots are musta, vaca, turmeric, ginger, ativiṣā, and what belong to the medicines derived from roots but are not used as ingredients in a meal. The medicines derived from stalks are sandal, cavikā, padmaka, devadāru, guḍūcī, dāruharidrā, and what belong to the medicines derived from stalks but are not used as ingredients in a meal. The medicines derived from leaves are from paṭola leaves, vāśaka leaves, nimba leaves, kośātakī leaves, saptaparṇa leaves, and what belong to the medicines derived from leaves but are not used as ingredients in a meal. The medicines derived from flowers are from five kinds of flowers: vāśaka flowers, nimba flowers, dhātakī flowers, sha ta flowers, padmakesara flowers,^[8]F.279.a and what belong to the medicines derived from flowers but are not used as ingredients in a meal. The medicines derived from fruits^[9] are harītakī, āmalaka, vibhītaka, black pepper, long pepper, and what belong to the medicines derived from fruits but are not used as ingredients in a meal.

“The five kinds of resin are hiṅgu, sarjarasa, lac, beeswax, and ‘heat medicine.’

“Among them, hiṅgu is resin from the hiṅgu tree. Sarjarasa is resin from the sāla tree. Lac is lākṣā.^[10] Beeswax is siktha.^[11] ‘Heat medicine’ is resin from other trees.

“What are the five kinds of ashes? They are barley ash, barley-straw ash, ash from the sarjikā tree, sesame ash, and ash from the vāśakā tree.

“What are the five kinds of salt? They are salt from the Indus, brown salt, salt from Suvarcala, salt from Romaka, and salt from the ocean.

“What are the five kinds of astringents? They are āmra astringent, nimba astringent, jambū astringent, śirīṣa astringent, and kośambaka astringent.

“Medicines to be consumed at the appropriate time, medicines to be consumed at night, medicines to be consumed within seven days, and medicines to be consumed throughout life should be consumed at the appropriate time if they are mixed with medicines to be consumed at the appropriate time. In that situation, these medicines should not be consumed at an inappropriate time (afternoon or night).

“Medicines to be consumed at night, medicines to be consumed within seven days, and medicines to be consumed throughout life should be consumed during the night if they are mixed with medicines to be consumed at night.^[12] In that situation, these medicines should not be consumed after that night.

“Medicines to be consumed within seven days and medicines to be consumed throughout life should be consumed within seven days if they are mixed with medicines to be consumed within seven days. In that situation, these medicines should not be consumed after seven days.

“Medicines to be consumed throughout life should be consumed after someone has taken formal possession of them as medicines to be consumed throughout life. F.279.b Formal possession of the medicines should be taken in this manner: The monk who wishes to consume that medicine should wash his hands before he eats a meal, accept the medicine, sit down before another monk, and say, ‘Venerable One, please pay attention. I, named So-and-so (the monk says his name), take formal possession of this medicine as medicine to be consumed throughout life for myself and my fellow monks.’ He should say this a second and a third time. Formal possession of medicines to be consumed at night and medicines to be consumed within seven days should also be taken in the same manner as medicines to be consumed throughout life.”

II. Fat

The following took place in Śrāvastī.

A monk had a wind illness and went to a physician. The monk said, “Sir, since I have a disease like this, prescribe medicine for me.”

“Noble one,” said the physician, “consume some fat and you will recover your health.”

The monk said, “Sir, what am I? A cannibal?”

“Monk, this is your medicine,” replied the physician. “You cannot recover your health with other medicines.”

When the monks reported this matter to the Blessed One, the Blessed One said, “If the physician says, ‘Monk, this is your medicine. You cannot recover your health with other medicines,’ you should consume some fat.”

As the monks did not know what kind of fat they should consume, they asked the physician for advice. The physician said, “Noble ones, since your teacher is omniscient, go to him and ask.”

When the monks reported this matter to the Blessed One, the Blessed One said, “Five kinds of fats should be consumed. What are the five? They are fish fat, porpoise^[13] fat, crocodile fat, bear fat, and pig fat. But these five kinds of fats should not be consumed if they have been boiled at an inappropriate time, strained at an inappropriate time, or given at an inappropriate time, or if the monk who needs some fat has taken formal possession of the fat at an inappropriate time. F.280.a

“If the fats have been boiled at the appropriate time, but strained at an inappropriate time, and given at an inappropriate time, and if the monk who needs some fat has taken formal possession of the fat at an inappropriate time, they should not be consumed.

“If the fats have been boiled at the appropriate time and strained at the appropriate time, but given at an inappropriate time, and if the monk who needs some fat has taken formal possession of the fat at an inappropriate time, the fats should not be consumed.

“If the fats have been boiled at the appropriate time, strained at the appropriate time, and given at the appropriate time, but the monk who needs some fat has taken formal possession of the fat at an inappropriate time, the fats should not be consumed.^[14]

“If the fats have been boiled at the appropriate time, strained at the appropriate time, and given at the appropriate time, and if the monk who needs some fat has taken formal possession of the fat at the appropriate time, the fats should be consumed within seven days in the same manner that you would consume oil.”

The monk then consumed the fat and his health returned. When his health returned, he threw away the remains of the fat. Later, another monk contracted the same disease, and he also went to the physician and said, “Sir, since I have a disease like this, prescribe medicine for me.”

The physician also prescribed fat for him. The second monk went to the first monk and said, “Venerable one, you consumed fat and the physician also prescribed fat for me. Are there any remains of the fat?”

“Indeed there were remains, but I threw them away,” replied the first monk.

The second monk told him, “It wasn’t good to do that.”

When the monks reported this matter to the Blessed One, the Blessed One said, “Monks should not throw away the remains of fat but should keep them. I will now establish rules of customary behavior for a monk who keeps fat. A monk who keeps fat should give the remains of the fat to another monk. If the first monk does not give the remains to another monk, the first monk should put the remains in the infirmary. Anyone who needs fat should take it. If a monk who keeps the remains of fat does not act in accordance with the established rules of customary behavior, he becomes guilty of an offense.”

III. Scabies

The Blessed One was once dwelling in Śrāvastī.

At that time, a monk had scabies. F.280.b He went to a physician and said, “Sir, since I have scabies, prescribe medicine for me.”

“Noble one,” said the physician, “use an astringent and you will recover your health.”

“Sir, what am I? One who is intoxicated with lust?”^[15]

“Monk, this is your medicine,” replied the physician. “You cannot recover your health with other medicines.”

When the monks reported this matter to the Blessed One, the Blessed One said, “If the physician says, ‘Monk, this is your medicine. You cannot recover your health with other medicines,’ you should use an astringent.”

As the monks did not know what kind of astringent they should use, they asked the physician for advice. The physician said,^[16] “Since your teacher is omniscient, he himself must know.”

When the monks reported this matter to the Blessed One, the Blessed One said, “There are five kinds of astringents: āmra astringent, . . . .”^[17]

When the monk kneaded the astringent and smeared it on his body, the rash spread. The Blessed One said, “You should make the astringent into a powder.”

When the monks ground the damp astringent into a powder, it became lumpy. The Blessed One said, “You should dry the astringent.”

When they dried the astringent in the sun, it lost its efficacy. The Blessed One said, “You should not dry the astringent in the sun.”

When they dried the astringent in the shade, it began to decompose. The Blessed One said, “You should dry the astringent in the shade where it is warm.”

The monk bathed after he smeared his body with the astringent, so the astringent did not work. The Blessed One said, “You should bathe after completely rubbing the astringent with your hands into your skin. If, after you bathe, you again smear the astringent and bathe, the astringent will work.”

When the monk smeared the astringent, the illness went away. He threw the remains of the astringent away. Later, another monk had the same disease, and he also went to the physician and said, “Sir, since I have a disease like this, prescribe medicine for me.”

The physician also prescribed an astringent for him. The second monk went to the first monk and said, “Venerable One, you used an astringent and the physician also prescribed an astringent for me. Are there any remains of the astringent?”

The first monk said,^[18] “I threw them away.”

The second monk told him, “It wasn’t good to do that.”

When the monks reported this matter to the Blessed One, F.281.a the Blessed One said, “I will now establish rules of customary behavior for a monk who keeps astringents. A monk who keeps astringents should give the remains of the astringent to another monk who needs them. If the first monk does not give the remains to another monk, he should put the remains of the astringent in the infirmary. If a monk who keeps astringents does not act in accordance with the established rules of customary behavior, he becomes guilty of an offense.”

IV. Collyrium

The following took place in Śrāvastī.

A monk had an eye disease and went to a physician. The monk said, “Sir, since I have an eye disease, prescribe medicine for me.”

“Noble one,” said the physician, “use collyrium and you will recover your health.”

“Sir, what am I? One who is intoxicated with lust?”^[19]

“Monk, this is your medicine,” replied the physician. “You cannot recover your health with other medicines.”

When the monks reported this matter to the Blessed One, the Blessed One said, “If the physician says, ‘Monk, this is your medicine. You cannot recover your health with other medicines,’ you should use collyrium.”

As the monks did not know what kind of collyrium to use, they asked the physician for advice. The physician said, “Since your teacher is omniscient, he himself must know.”^[20] When the monks reported this matter to the Blessed One, the Blessed One said, “There are five kinds of collyrium: collyrium derived from flowers, collyrium in a liquid state, collyrium in powder form, collyrium in pill form, and collyrium derived from red ocher.”^[21]

The monk recovered his health with the collyrium. Since he left the remains of the collyrium in many different places, the remains were lost. Later, another monk had an eye disease and also went to the physician, and the physician also prescribed the same collyrium for him. The second monk went to the first monk and said, “Venerable one, I also have an eye disease. F.281.b Are there any remains of the collyrium?”

The first monk looked for the remains of the collyrium, but could not find them. He said, “Venerable one, indeed there were remains of the collyrium, but they have been lost because I left them in many different places.”

When the monks reported this matter to the Blessed One, the Blessed One said, “Monks should not leave collyrium in many different places. I will now establish rules of customary behavior for a monk who keeps collyrium. A monk who keeps collyrium should store the collyrium according to its kind. He should keep collyrium derived from flowers in a vessel, collyrium in a liquid state in a bottle, and collyrium in powder form in a tubular vessel. He should put collyrium in pill form and collyrium derived from red ocher into bags, and he should bind and hang them on a peg in the wall. If a monk who keeps collyrium does not act in accordance with the established rules of customary behavior, he becomes guilty of an offense.”^[22]

V. A Man Gone Mad^[23]

The following took place in Śrāvastī.

At that time, the venerable Saikata, his mind agitated, went mad and wandered about. Then some brahmins and householders saw him and said, “Sirs, whose son is this?”

Others replied, “The householder So-and-so’s.”

The brahmins and householders said, “If the venerable Saikata had not gone forth among the masterless śramaṇas, who are the sons of the Śākyans, his kinsmen would have cured him.”

When the monks reported this matter to the Blessed One, the Blessed One said, “Monks, then cure the monk Saikata, asking a physician for advice.”

The monks went to a physician and said, “Sir, since a monk has a disease like this, prescribe medicine for him.”

“Noble ones,” said the physician, “let him eat raw meat and he will recover his health.”

“Sir, F.282.a what is he? A cannibal?”

“Noble ones, this is his medicine. He cannot recover his health with other medicines.”

When the monks reported this matter to the Blessed One, the Blessed One said, “If the physician says, ‘This is his medicine. He cannot recover his health with other medicines,’ you should give him raw meat.”

The monks gave the venerable Saikata raw meat, but he could not eat the raw meat. The Blessed One said, “You should give him the meat after covering his eyes with a cloth.”

They gave the venerable Saikata raw meat and untied the cloth soon after giving him the raw meat. Then the venerable Saikata saw his hands soiled with raw meat and vomited in revulsion. The Blessed One said, “You should not untie the cloth that soon, but should untie it when you have placed a pure and fine meal before him and he has washed his hands.”

After the health of the venerable Saikata returned, he wanted to eat nothing but raw meat. When the monks reported this matter to the Blessed One, the Blessed One said, “When you have your health back, you should act in accordance with the established discipline. If you eat raw meat, you become guilty of an offense.”

VI. Pilinda^[24]

The following took place in Rājagṛha.

The venerable Pilindavatsa had always had many illnesses and pains since he had gone forth. The monks asked him, “Elder, how do you feel?”

“Venerables, I always have many illnesses and pains. I cannot bear them,” he replied.

“Elder, what did you carry with you formerly?”

He said, “I carried a medicine bag.”

“Why do you not carry it now?”

“The Blessed One has not authorized it.”

When the monks reported this matter to the Blessed One, the Blessed One said, “Monks, on account of that, I authorize monks to carry a medicine bag.” F.282.b

When the monks put unprocessed medicines derived from roots, flowers, stalks, and fruits into the bag, the medicines spoiled. The Blessed One said, “You should gather or bundle the medicines together and hang them on a peg.”

The medicines spoiled and the Blessed One said, “From time to time you should dry them.”

When dried in the sun, the medicines lost their efficacy. The Blessed One said, “You should not dry them in the sun.”

When dried in the shade, the medicines spoiled. The Blessed One said, “You should not dry them in the shade.”

When the monks spread the medicines out and left them, the wind and rain came, but the monks did not bring the medicines inside. The Blessed One said, “You should bring the medicines inside.”

When the Blessed One said, “You should bring the medicines inside,” the monks did not know who should bring them inside. The Blessed One said, “A layman should. If there are no laymen, a novice^[25] should. If there are no novices, a monk should bring the medicines inside.”

When the monks had brought the medicines inside, they did not consume them, since the medicines had become mixed together. The Blessed One said, “You should consume the medicines after separating them. You should not have any regrets about consuming such medicines. What I have authorized for illnesses should not be done in ordinary circumstances. If you do so, you become guilty of an offense.”

VII. Revata

VIII. Sauvīraka

The following took place in Śrāvastī.

The venerable Śāriputra had a wind illness and the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana thought, “Although I have attended to the venerable Śāriputra at my own discretion many times, I have never asked a physician for advice. Now I will ask a physician for advice.” The venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana went to a physician and said, “Sir, since the venerable Śāriputra has a disease like this, prescribe medicine for him.”

“Noble one,” said the physician, “let him eat sauvīraka with salt, and he will recover his health.”

The venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana found sauvīraka, but there was no salt. When he began to look for the salt, the venerable Pilindavatsa said, “Venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana, I have a horn in which the salt is kept. I have taken formal possession of that salt as medicine to be consumed throughout life. I will give you the salt if the Blessed One authorizes it.”

The venerable Śāriputra heard this and said, “Venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana, I thought that ‘medicines to be consumed throughout life cannot be consumed when they are mixed with medicines to be consumed at the appropriate time.’ ”

When the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana reported this matter to the Blessed One, the Blessed One said, “Maudgalyāyana, such medicines cannot be taken. If the four kinds of medicines—medicines to be consumed at the appropriate time, medicines to be consumed at night, medicines to be consumed within seven days, F.284.a and medicines to be consumed throughout life—are mixed with medicines to be consumed at the appropriate time, and if formal possession of these medicines has not been taken, these medicines should be consumed at the appropriate time, because they are mixed with medicines to be consumed at the appropriate time. These medicines should not be consumed after the appropriate time.

“If the three kinds of medicines—medicines to be consumed at night, medicines to be consumed within seven days, and medicines to be consumed throughout life—are mixed with medicines to be consumed at night, and if formal possession of these medicines has not been taken, these medicines should be consumed during the night, because they are mixed with medicines to be consumed at night. These medicines should not be consumed after that night.

“If the two kinds of medicines—medicines to be consumed within seven days and medicines to be consumed throughout life—are mixed with medicines to be consumed within seven days, these medicines should be consumed within seven days, because they are mixed with medicines to be consumed within seven days. These medicines should not be consumed after seven days.

“Medicines to be consumed throughout life may be consumed throughout life. If you consume the medicines in other ways, you become guilty of an offense.”

I. Mahāsenā

The Buddha, the Blessed One, was once traveling through the country of Kāśi and arrived in Vārāṇasī. He stayed in the Deer Park at Ṛṣivadana near Vārāṇasī.

A householder named Mahāsena was living in Vārāṇasī. He was rich and had great wealth and many possessions. His wife’s name was Mahāsenā. Both he and his wife were pious and good and had virtuous dispositions. Mahāsena heard that the Buddha, the Blessed One, had arrived in Vārāṇasī, having traveled through the country of Kāśi, and that he was staying in the Deer Park at Ṛṣivadana near Vārāṇasī. When Mahāsena heard that, he thought, “Although the Blessed One has been invited to my house many times and has had meals, he has never been offered all the requisites. Now I will offer the Blessed One all the requisites for three months.” F.284.b

He went to the Blessed One, and when he arrived, he bowed down until his forehead touched the feet of the Blessed One, and then he sat down to one side.^[30] When he had sat down to one side, the Blessed One, through talk consistent with the Dharma, instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted the householder Mahāsena. After he had instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted him in a variety of ways through talk consistent with the Dharma, the Blessed One remained silent. Then the householder Mahāsena praised and rejoiced in the words of the Blessed One. He rose from his seat, draped his upper robe over one shoulder, made the gesture of supplication to the Blessed One, and said to him, “May the Blessed One together with the community of monks assent to my offer of the requisites for three months: namely, robes, almsfood, bedding and seats, and medicines for the sick.”

The Blessed One assented to the householder Mahāsena by remaining silent. The householder Mahāsena again praised and rejoiced in the words of the Blessed One. He bowed down until his forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet, then rose from his seat and departed.

The Blessed One together with the community of monks was then provided by the householder Mahāsena with the requisites, namely, robes, almsfood, bedding and seats, and medicines for the sick, for three months. The householder Mahāsena always rose at dawn, bowed down until his forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet, and visited the monks. There was a monk who was ill, seriously ill, afflicted with a painful illness. F.285.a The physician told him, “Drink meat broth.” At that time, the householder Mahāsena went to that monk. When Mahāsena arrived, he bowed down until his forehead touched the feet of the monk, and he asked, “Noble one, what did the physician prescribe for you?”

“The physician said to drink meat broth,” replied the sick monk.

Then the householder Mahāsena went to his own house and said to his wife, “Since the physician told Master So-and-so to drink meat broth, prepare it and give it to him.”

The householder Mahāsena’s wife handed money to a girl and sent her to the market. However, the king’s son was born on that day, and the following prohibition was proclaimed with the ringing of bells: “Nobody may kill beings. Whoever kills any living being will be severely punished.” Therefore, the girl could not get meat in the market even with the money.

When the girl reported this matter in detail to the householder Mahāsena, the householder Mahāsena’s wife thought, “Since we have offered the community of monks headed by the Buddha all the requisites, it would not be good if a monk dies because of a lack of medicine.” She took a sharp knife, entered the house, cut off some flesh from her thigh, handed it to the girl, and said, “Girl, make broth from this flesh and take it to the noble one So-and-so.”

The girl took the broth to him, and the monk consumed the broth and recovered his health. B23 The monk knew that the householder’s wife had served him with her own flesh in that way and thought, “It is not appropriate for me to be lying down after consuming what was given with faith. Now I will exert myself in order to attain what I have not attained, realize what I have not realized, and actualize what I have not actualized.” He then became diligent. Exerting himself, endeavoring and striving, he came to understand saṃsāra’s ever-revolving^[31] five cycles; F.285.b overthrew all conditioned states by nature subject to degradation, decline, dispersal, and destruction; abandoned all defilements; realized the state of an arhat; and became an arhat. He was free from desire for the three realms—one for whom a lump of dirt was equal to gold, for whom space was equal to the palm of his hand, who accepted being cut by an adze and being anointed with sandal paste as the same, and whose knowledge had shattered the eggshell of ignorance. He attained knowledge, supernormal knowledge, and discerning wisdom; he turned his back on worldly profit, desires, and honors; and he became an object of veneration, respect, and praise for the gods including Indra and Upendra.

There is nothing, even in the slightest, that the buddhas, the blessed ones, do not know, see, comprehend, or understand. Early the next morning, the Blessed One dressed, took his bowl and his robe, and, surrounded by a group of monks, went to the house of the householder Mahāsena, followed by the community of monks. When the Blessed One arrived, he sat on the seat prepared for him in front of the community of monks. When he had sat down, the Blessed One said to the householder Mahāsena, “Householder, the householder’s wife Mahāsenā is nowhere to be seen. Where is she?”

“Blessed One, she is in the innermost apartment because she cannot move.”

The majesty of the buddhas, the blessed ones, is inconceivable. The Blessed One exercised his magical power so that her wound healed and her own color, skin, and hair returned. Faith then having arisen in the householder Mahāsena’s wife, she appeared at the door and touched the Blessed One’s feet. F.286.a The Blessed One asked, “Why has this householder’s wife experienced the power of a bodhisattva?”

She spoke this verse in reply:

The householder Mahāsena then knew that the community of monks headed by the Buddha had sat down in comfort, and with his own hands he served and satisfied them with a pure and fine meal. When, with his own hands, he had served and satisfied them in a variety of ways with a pure and fine meal, and knowing that the Blessed One had finished his meal and washed his hands and his bowl, the householder took a low seat and sat before the Blessed One in order to hear the Dharma. Then the Blessed One, through talk consistent with the Dharma, instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted the householder Mahāsena. After having instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted the householder Mahāsena in a variety of ways through talk consistent with the Dharma, the Blessed One rose from his seat and departed.

Then the Blessed One went to the monastery and sat on the seat prepared for him in front of the community of monks. When he had sat down, the Blessed One said to the monks, “Monks, human flesh is the worst of all kinds of flesh. Therefore, monks should not eat human flesh. If a monk eats human flesh, he becomes guilty of a sthūlātyaya offense. I will now establish rules of customary behavior for an elder monk of the community. F.286.b If flesh is offered, an elder monk of the community should ask, ‘What flesh is this?’ If the elder monk of the community cannot, the second elder monk should ask. If the elder monk of the community does not act in accordance with the established rules of customary behavior, he becomes guilty of an offense.”

All of the monks, feeling doubtful, inquired of the Buddha, the Blessed One, the one who severs all doubts, “How is it, O Honored One, that the householder Mahāsena’s wife served this monk with her own flesh, and, in dependence upon Mahāsenā, this monk abandoned all the defilements and actualized the state of an arhat?”

“Listen well, monks,” the Blessed One replied, “and bear in mind how, not only in the present but also in the past, she served this monk with her own flesh, and how this monk actualized the five kinds of supernormal knowledge. I will tell you about it.

“A long time ago, monks, there was a householder named Mahāsena who lived in Vārāṇasī, and his wife’s name was Mahāsenā. At that time, a brahmin schoolteacher was teaching brahmanical mantras to five hundred sons of brahmins. Faith in the brahmin having arisen in the householder Mahāsena, he offered all the requisites to him and his attendants. The householder Mahāsena honored the brahmin and his attendants.

“The householder always used to rise at dawn and look after the sick. A young brahmin then became seriously ill, afflicted with a painful illness. The physician told him, ‘Drink meat broth.’ Then the householder Mahāsena went to the young brahmin. When he arrived, he bowed and asked, ‘Young brahmin, what did the physician prescribe for you?’

“ ‘The physician told me to drink meat broth,’ the young brahmin replied.

“Then the householder Mahāsena F.287.a went to his own house and said to his wife, ‘Since the physician told the young brahmin So-and-so to drink meat broth, prepare it and give it to him.’

“The householder Mahāsena’s wife handed money to a girl and sent her to the market. However, the king’s son was born on that day, and the following prohibition was proclaimed with the ringing of bells: ‘Nobody may kill beings. Whoever kills any being will be severely punished.’ Therefore, the girl could not get meat in the market even with the money.

“When the girl reported this matter in detail to the householder Mahāsena’s wife, the householder Mahāsena’s wife thought, ‘Since we have offered this brahmin and his attendants all the requisites, it would not be good if a young brahmin dies because of a lack of medicine.’ She took a sharp knife, entered the house, cut off some flesh from her thigh, handed it to the girl, and said, ‘Girl, make broth from this flesh and take it to the young brahmin So-and-so.’

“The girl took it to him and the young brahmin consumed it and recovered his health. The young brahmin knew that the householder’s wife had served him with her own flesh in that way and thought, ‘It is not appropriate for me to be lying down after consuming what was given with faith. Now I will endeavor to attain what I have not attained, realize what I have not realized, and actualize what I have not actualized.’ He then went to a quiet place and actualized the five kinds of supernormal knowledge.

“What do you think, monks? The one who was the householder Mahāsena’s wife at that time, on that occasion, was indeed this householder Mahāsena’s wife. The one who was the young brahmin at that time, on that occasion, was indeed this monk. She then served this monk with her own flesh and he, in dependence upon her, actualized the five kinds of supernormal knowledge. F.287.b Now, too, she served this monk with her own flesh, and this monk, in dependence upon her, abandoned all defilements and actualized the state of an arhat.

“Therefore, monks, the maturation of entirely negative actions is entirely negative; the maturation of entirely positive actions is entirely positive; the maturation of those that are mixed is mixed. Therefore, monks, henceforth you should abandon entirely negative and mixed actions, and you should seek entirely positive actions. Monks, that is how you must train.”

II. Flesh^[32]

III. Hemorrhoids

The Blessed One was once traveling through the country of Magadha and arrived at Rājagṛha. He stayed in Kalandaka­nivāpa^[35] Bamboo Grove near Rājagṛha.

When King Śreṇya Bimbisāra of Magadha heard that the Buddha, the Blessed One, was traveling through the country of Magadha, had arrived at Rājagṛha, and was staying in Kalandaka­nivāpa Bamboo Grove near Rājagṛha, he thought, “Although I have invited the Blessed One many times and the Blessed One has had meals, he has never been offered all the requisites for three months. Now I will offer the Blessed One all the requisites for three months, and I will also send Jīvaka, the chief physician.”

The king went to the Blessed One displaying royal treasures and great royal power. When the king arrived, he bowed down until his forehead touched the feet of the Blessed One, and then he sat down to one side. When he had sat down to one side, the Blessed One, through talk consistent with the Dharma, instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted King Śreṇya Bimbisāra of Magadha. F.290.a After he had instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted the king in a variety of ways through talk consistent with the Dharma, the Blessed One remained silent. Then King Śreṇya Bimbisāra of Magadha rose from his seat, draped his upper robe over one shoulder, knelt on his right knee, made the gesture of supplication to the Blessed One, and said, “May the Blessed One together with the community of monks assent to my offer of the requisites, namely, robes, almsfood, bedding and seats, and medicines for the sick, along with Jīvaka, the chief physician, for three months.”

The Blessed One assented to King Śreṇya Bimbisāra of Magadha by remaining silent. King Śreṇya Bimbisāra of Magadha, knowing that the Blessed One had assented by remaining silent, rose from his seat, bowed down until his forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet, and departed. The Blessed One together with the community of monks was provided by King Śreṇya Bimbisāra of Magadha with all the requisites, namely, robes, almsfood, bedding and seats, and medicines for the sick, along with Jīvaka, the chief physician, for three months.

When King Prasenajit of Kosala heard that the Blessed One together with the community of disciples had been provided by King Śreṇya Bimbisāra of Magadha with all the requisites, along with Jīvaka, the chief physician, for three months, he thought, “He is an anointed kṣatriya king, and I am also an anointed kṣatriya king. His chief physician is Jīvaka, and my chief physician is Ātreya.^[36]F.290.b So, I will offer the Blessed One together with the community of disciples all the requisites, along with Ātreya, the chief physician, when the Blessed One comes to Śrāvastī.”

The Blessed One stayed at Rājagṛha during the rainy season. When the three months of the rainy season had passed, he finished mending his robes, took his bowl and his robe, and traveled through the country toward Śrāvastī, surrounded by a group of monks and followed by the community of monks. In due course, the Blessed One, traveling through the country, arrived in Śrāvastī and stayed in Śrāvastī, in the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park.

When King Prasenajit of Kosala heard that the Blessed One, traveling through the country of Kosala, had arrived in Śrāvastī and was staying in Śrāvastī, in the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park, he left Śrāvastī and went to the Blessed One. When the king arrived, he bowed down until his forehead touched the feet of the Blessed One, and then he sat down to one side. When he had sat down to one side, the Blessed One, through talk consistent with the Dharma, instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted King Prasenajit of Kosala. After he had instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted him in a variety of ways through talk consistent with the Dharma, the Blessed One remained silent. Then King Prasenajit of Kosala rose from his seat, draped his upper robe over one shoulder, knelt on his right knee, made the gesture of supplication to the Blessed One, and said, F.291.a “May the Blessed One together with the community of monks assent to my offer of the requisites, namely, robes, almsfood, bedding and seats, and medicines for the sick, along with Ātreya, the chief physician, for three months.”

The Blessed One assented to King Prasenajit of Kosala by remaining silent. King Prasenajit of Kosala, knowing that the Blessed One had assented by remaining silent, rose from his seat, bowed down until his forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet, and departed. The Blessed One together with the community of monks was provided by King Prasenajit of Kosala with all the requisites, along with Ātreya, the chief physician, for three months.

King Prasenajit of Kosala always rose at dawn, bowed down until his forehead touched the feet of the Blessed One, and visited the sick monks.

At that time, a monk had hemorrhoids and turned pale, became emaciated, lost his strength, and was weakened. King Prasenajit of Kosala saw him and asked, “Noble one, why have you turned pale, become emaciated, lost your strength, and been weakened?”

“Your Majesty, I have hemorrhoids,” answered the monk.

The king then ordered Ātreya, the chief physician, “Treat this monk.”

“Certainly, Your Majesty,” Ātreya replied.

Because Ātreya was impious, he did not treat the monk. Later, the king saw the monk again and asked him, “Noble one, were you not treated by Ātreya?”

“I was not, Your Majesty,” answered the monk.

Then the king became enraged. He summoned Ātreya by messenger and warned, “If you treat this monk, all will be fine. But if you do not, I will curtail your allotment.”

Ātreya, who was naturally impious, himself became very angry and thought, F.291.b “His Majesty will curtail my allotment because of this shaven-headed śramaṇa.” Ātreya tied the monk up at the gate of the Jetavana and began surgery. The monk, growing afraid, fearful, and hurt, and experiencing acute, intolerable, and unpleasant pain, wondered to himself, “Does the Blessed One not observe me afraid, fearful, and hurt?”

There is nothing, even in the slightest, that the buddhas, the blessed ones, do not know, see, comprehend, or understand. When the Blessed One, spurred by great compassion, went there, Ātreya, the chief physician, saw the Blessed One arrive. Upon seeing him, Ātreya, fiercely angry, called out to the Blessed One, “Come here, śramaṇa, son of a slave woman—look at your disciple’s anus cut open!”

Then the Blessed One left, returned to the monastery, and sat on the seat prepared for him. When he had sat down, the Blessed One smiled.^[37]

It naturally occurs that whenever the buddhas, the blessed ones, smile, rays of blue, yellow, red, and white light emanate from their mouths. Some of the rays stream downward and some stream upward.

Those rays that stream downward go to the hells of Reviving, Black Cord, Being Crushed, Scream, Great Scream, Heat, Intense Heat, Incessant, Blisters, Burst Blisters, Aṭaṭa, Hahava, Huhuva, Water Lily, Lotus, and Great Lotus. They alight on and cool those in the hot hells and alight on and warm those in the cold hells. F.292.a Thus, each of the various pains of those beings in hell ceases. When those beings think, “Sirs, have we died here and been reborn elsewhere?” the blessed ones send an emanation to engender their faith. Seeing it, they think, “Sirs, we have not died here and been reborn elsewhere. Each of our various pains ceased on account of the power of this being we have never seen before.” Their minds filled with faith in the emanation, they exhaust the karma that led them to experience the hells and are reborn among gods and humans as vessels for seeing the truths.

Those rays that stream upward go to the gods attendant on the Four Great Kings, the Thirty-Three Gods, the gods of Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarati, and Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin, the gods attendant on Brahmā, and the gods of Brahma­purohita, Mahābrahman, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, Ābhāsvara, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, Śubhakṛtsna, Anabhraka, Puṇyaprasava, Bṛhatphala, Abṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, and Akaniṣṭha. They resonate with the words “impermanent,” “subject to suffering,” “empty,” and “selfless,” and they proclaim these two verses:

Then the rays of light, F.292.b after unfurling through the worlds of the great billionfold universe, later return to the Blessed One. The rays disappear into the space behind the Blessed One when the Blessed One intends to explain actions of the past. They disappear into the space in front of the Blessed One when the Blessed One intends to explain the future. They disappear into the soles of his feet when the Blessed One intends to explain rebirth in the hells. They disappear into his heels when the Blessed One intends to explain rebirth as an animal. They disappear into his big toe when the Blessed One intends to explain rebirth as a hungry ghost. They disappear into his knees when the Blessed One intends to explain rebirth as a human. They disappear into his left palm when the Blessed One intends to explain rebirth as a wheel-turning king of power.^[39] They disappear into his right palm when the Blessed One intends to explain rebirth as a wheel-turning king. They disappear into his navel when the Blessed One intends to explain rebirth as a god. They disappear into his mouth when the Blessed One intends to explain the awakening of a disciple. They disappear into the circle of hair between his eyebrows when the Blessed One intends to explain the awakening of a self-awakened one. They disappear into the crown of his head when the Blessed One intends to explain complete and perfect awakening.

The rays of light then circled the Blessed One three times and disappeared into the soles of his feet.^[40]The venerable Ānanda made the gesture of supplication to the Blessed One and said:

And Ānanda then spoke these verses:

“Ānanda,” said the Blessed One, “that is exactly it! Tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly awakened ones do not smile without cause or condition. Ānanda, Ātreya, the chief physician, is degenerate and will meet an untimely end. He said ‘son of a slave woman’ to the Tathāgata, who has had no fault in his conduct since he assumed Mahāsammata’s lineage. In seven days Ātreya will die, vomiting blood. With the destruction of his body, he will be reborn among the hell beings. Therefore, monks, you should not treat Ātreya or others like Ātreya with respect. You should not surgically remove hemorrhoids. Treatment for hemorrhoids should be done in two ways: mantras^[41] and medicines. If a monk surgically removes hemorrhoids or treats Ātreya or others like Ātreya with respect, the monk becomes guilty of an offense.”

The monk died from the particular harm done by Ātreya. The ministers reported to King Prasenajit, “Your Majesty, Ātreya said ‘son of a slave woman’ to the Blessed One and that monk died of the particular harm done by Ātreya.”

The king was then very much enraged and shouted to his ministers, “Sirs, I have renounced Ātreya, the chief physician. F.293.b Go!”^[42]

“Your Majesty,” said the ministers, “why would you want to kill he who is already dead? The Blessed One predicted, ‘In seven days he will die, vomiting blood. With the destruction of his body, he will be reborn among the hell beings.’ ”

“Then banish him from my country,” ordered the king.

The ministers banished Ātreya and he went to a country called Sāketā. The gods living in Sāketā greatly reviled him: “You stupid man, why should you who has said ‘son of a slave woman’ to the protector of the three realms stay here?” And so they expelled Ātreya. Then he went to Vārāṇasī. Then, having been expelled from there, he went to Vaiśālī. Then, having been expelled from there, he went to Campā. Then, having been expelled from there, he went to Rājagṛha. Then, having been expelled from there, he dwelt under a tree. Then, having been expelled from there by the gods living in the tree, Ātreya went to the shores of a river, a lake, and a pond. Even there he could not find an opportunity to stay and thought, “Although even foxes find opportunities to stay on this continent of Jambu, I have nowhere to stay even under a tree, at a lake, or at a pond.” Then, the fierce agony arose for him in which one dies vomiting blood. As soon as he died, he was reborn in the great hell of Incessant.

Then the Blessed One spoke these verses about that incident:

IV. One Who Has a Wind Illness

The Buddha, the Blessed One, was once traveling through the country of Kāśi and stayed overnight in a town where the boundary had not been fixed. There the Blessed One caught a wind illness. The venerable Ānanda thought, “Although I have attended to the Blessed One at my own discretion many times, I have never asked a physician for advice. Now I will ask a physician for advice.” He went to a physician and said, “Sir, since the Blessed One has a disease like this, prescribe medicine for him.”

“Noble one,” said the physician, “have him eat the three spices^[46] boiled with a good amount of ghee,^[47] and he will recover his health.”

Then the venerable Ānanda himself prepared and cooked the food and offered it to the Blessed One.

The buddhas, the blessed ones, ask though they already know. The Buddha, the Blessed One, asked the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, what is this?”

Ānanda said, “Honored One, I thought, ‘Although I have attended to the Blessed One at my own discretion many times, I have never asked a physician for advice. Now I will ask a physician for advice.’ When I consulted a physician, he said, ‘Noble one, have him eat the three spices boiled with a good amount of ghee, and he will recover his health.’ So I myself prepared and cooked it.”

“Ānanda, where did you make it?”

“Within the boundary.”^[48]

“Where did you put it?”^[49]

“Within the boundary.”

“Who cooked it?”

“I did, F.294.b within the boundary.”

“Ānanda, what was cooked within the boundary and was left within the boundary should not be eaten. What was cooked within the boundary and was left outside the boundary should not be eaten. What was cooked outside the boundary and was left within the boundary should not be eaten. What was cooked outside the boundary and was left outside the boundary may be eaten. Ānanda, what was cooked by a monk, whether within the boundary or outside the boundary, should not be eaten in any situation.”

The Blessed One concluded, “What was cooked by a monk should not be eaten in any situation.”

A householder living in Śrāvastī went to the Blessed One. When the householder arrived, he bowed down until his forehead touched the feet of the Blessed One, and then he sat down to one side. When he had sat down to one side, the Blessed One, through talk consistent with the Dharma, instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted the householder. After he had … delighted him in a variety of ways … the Blessed One remained silent. Then the householder rose from his seat, draped his upper robe over one shoulder, made the gesture of supplication to the Blessed One, and said to him, “May the Blessed One together with the community of monks assent to my offer of a meal at my house tomorrow.” … Then the householder let the Blessed One know the time by messenger: “Honored One, the time has arrived. May the Blessed One know that the meal is ready.”

Early in the morning the community of monks dressed, took their bowls and their robes, and F.295.a went to the house of the householder. The Blessed One refrained from going for almsfood.

The buddhas, the blessed ones, refrain from going for almsfood for five reasons. What are the five? Wishing to look after the sick, wishing to look after the living quarters, wishing to go into seclusion, wishing to teach the Dharma to the gods, and wishing to establish a rule of training in the Vinaya for the disciples. In this case, the Blessed One refrained from going for almsfood because he wished to establish a rule of training in the Vinaya for the disciples.

The venerable Ānanda was in charge of receiving almsfood for the Blessed One. He was there given boiled rice, which was not fully cooked, and he thought, “It has not been long since the Blessed One recovered, and this rice is not fully cooked. So, if he has this rice, his illness may return. Although the Blessed One has not authorized cooking such food, it is probable that this situation will lead him to authorize cooking it.” Ānanda took a pitcher, poured water into the boiled rice, and cooked it until it was done. Then he offered the boiled rice to the Blessed One.

The buddhas, the blessed ones, ask though they already know. The Buddha, the Blessed One, asked the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, does the entire community have the same boiled rice as this?”

“No, they do not, Honored One. Theirs is not fully cooked.”

“Then where did it come from?”

When Ānanda related to the Blessed One in detail what had happened, the Blessed One said, “Good, good, Ānanda! F.295.b You know even what I have not authorized. On account of that, I authorize monks to receive boiled rice that is not fully cooked and to cook and eat it.”

After the Blessed One said “monks may receive boiled rice that is not fully cooked and cook and eat it,” the group of six monks received raw rice^[50] and began to cook and eat it.

When the monks reported this matter to the Blessed One, the Blessed One said, “You may receive, cook, and eat boiled rice, one third of which is cooked. You may receive and eat vegetables, flowers, fruits, fish, and meat after their color changes. You may receive, boil, and drink liquids such as milk when they have been boiled two or three times. You should not have any regrets about consuming such things. If you consume them in other ways, you become guilty of an offense.”

V. Pūrṇa^[51]

The Buddha, the Blessed One, was once staying in the Jetavana, in the Park of Anāthapiṇḍada.

At that time a householder named Bhava was living in a city called Sūrpāraka. He was rich and had great wealth and many possessions, with holdings both vast and extensive. He possessed wealth equal to that of Vaiśravaṇa, rivaling that of Vaiśravaṇa. Bhava took a wife from a family of equal rank, and Bhava and his wife played, made love, and enjoyed themselves, and thus the wife conceived a child. After eight or nine months, a boy who was well proportioned, attractive, and pleasant to behold was born. At the birth, the householder held a great celebration for twenty-one days and, to give the baby a name, he asked, “What name shall we give this boy?”

His kinsmen F.296.a suggested, “Since this boy is the son of the householder Bhava, let us name him Bhavila.” Thus the boy was named Bhavila.

Then the couple again played, made love, and enjoyed themselves, and another boy was born and named Bhavatrāta.

And then again a boy was born to the householder and was named Bhavanandin.

Later, the householder Bhava caught an illness and spoke very harsh words, and thus his wife and sons abandoned him. He had a servant girl, and she thought, “Although my master won possessions through hundreds of thousands of means, he now has an illness and was abandoned even by his wife and sons. If I^[52] give up on my master, that would not be appropriate for me.”

She went to a physician and asked, “Master, do you know the householder Bhava?”

“Yes, I do. What happened to him?”

“He has such-and-such kind of illness, and he was abandoned by his wife and sons. Prescribe medicine for him.”

“You said he was abandoned by his wife and sons. Then who attends to him?” asked the physician.

“I attend to him. Please prescribe inexpensive medicine.”

The physician prescribed it, saying, “This is his medicine.”

Then the servant girl, taking some food for Bhava from her own provisions and also taking some from the house, attended to him, and he recovered his health. Bhava thought, “I was abandoned by my wife and sons and I owe my life to this girl. I should do something for her in return.” Bhava said to her, “Girl, I was abandoned by my wife and sons and I owe my life to you. So I will give you whatever you most want. Tell me what you want.”

“Master, F.296.b if you are satisfied with me, I would like to have sex with you.”

Bhava said, “What is the use of our having sex? I will give you five hundred kārṣāpaṇas and liberate you from servitude.”

“Master, I am nothing but a slave whether I am far from here or in the next life,” she replied. “If I have sex with you, Master, I am not a slave.”^[53]

Bhava, knowing she would insist, said, “Girl, tell me when the time is right and you are fertile.”^[54]

Later, when the time was right and she was fertile, she told him. Then the two, the householder Bhava and the servant girl, enjoyed themselves together, and she conceived a child. From the very day the child was conceived, all the wealth and all the business of the householder Bhava became abundant and fulfilled. After eight or nine months, a boy was born. He was well proportioned, attractive, and pleasant to behold, with a golden complexion, his head like a parasol, long arms, a broad forehead, eyebrows that meet, a prominent nose, and every major limb and minor appendage of his body complete. From the time he was born, all the wealth and all the business of the householder Bhava again became abundant and fulfilled. At the birth, the householder held a great celebration for twenty-one days and, to give the baby a name, … “Let us name him Pūrṇa (Fulfilled).” Thus the boy was named Pūrṇa.

The boy Pūrṇa was entrusted to eight nursemaids: two nursemaids to change his diapers … (The passage should be recited in detail, up to:)^[55] He grew quickly like a lotus shooting up in a pond. When Pūrṇa grew up, he was taught letters, calculation, numbers, counting by hand, F.297.a and how to deal with loans and two different types of deposits,^[56] and he became fully learned in eight kinds of analysis: the analysis of land, the analysis of cloth, the analysis of jewels, the analysis of wood, the analysis of elephants, the analysis of horses, the analysis of boys, and the analysis of girls. He also mastered other kinds of analysis and reading, and became one whose actions are clear.

Later, the householder Bhava made his sons get married one by one, beginning with Bhavila.^[57] The sons were so attached to their own wives that they abandoned the family business and settled down, smitten with physical beauty alone. Therefore, the householder Bhava was plunged into grief, resting his cheek on his hand. His sons noticed him and asked, “Father, why are you plunged into grief, resting your cheek on your hand?”

“Sons,” he replied, “I did not get married until I had a hundred thousand pieces of gold. You have abandoned the family business and settled down, smitten with physical beauty alone. After my death, my family will be full of misery. How could I not be plunged into grief?”

Bhavila, taking off his jeweled earrings and putting on wooden earrings (dārukarṇikā), promised, “I will not put on jeweled earrings until I acquire a hundred thousand pieces of gold.”

The next one, putting on lac^[58] earrings (stavakarṇikā), made the same promise.

Then the third one, putting on lead earrings (trapukarṇikā), made the same promise too.

Although they had been known by the names Bhavila, Bhavatrāta, and Bhavanandin, those names disappeared, and they came to be known by the names Dārukarṇin, Stavakarṇin, and Trapukarṇin.

When the three sons took to the great ocean carrying merchandise, Pūrṇa said, “Father, I will take to the great ocean, too.”

His father replied, “Son, F.297.b because you are a child, you should stay here and do what needs to be done in the store.”

And so Pūrṇa stayed. His elder brothers returned, having been successful on their voyage. After they were fully rested, they said, “Father, please calculate the value of our merchandise.” Their father calculated the value and found that each of the three sons had acquired a hundred thousand pieces of gold.

Pūrṇa had also lawfully earned more than a hundred thousand pieces of gold. He threw himself at his father’s feet and said, “Father, please calculate the money I earned at the store, too.”

“Son, you have remained here,” replied his father. “What is there to calculate for you?”

“Father, at any rate, please calculate it and you will understand,” said Pūrṇa.

His father calculated it and found that there were, except for the capital, more than a hundred thousand pieces of gold obtained properly. The householder Bhava, being pleased and delighted, thought, “This creature appears to be one who has the great power of merit. Just remaining here, he has acquired a hundred thousand pieces of gold.”

Later, the householder Bhava caught an illness. He thought, “After my death, my sons will go their separate ways. So I must devise a plan to keep them together.” He said to them, “Sons, prepare firewood.” When the sons had prepared firewood, he said, “Kindle a fire.” When the sons had kindled a fire, he said, “Pull out, one by one, the pieces of wood.” When the sons had pulled out, one by one, the pieces of wood, the fire was extinguished. He asked, “Sons, did you see that?”

“We did, father,” said his sons.

Bhava then recited a verse:

“Sons, after my death, F.298.a you should not listen to the words of women.

The sons, except for Bhavila, went elsewhere. Bhavila stayed and his father said to him, “Son, whatever happens, you should not abandon Pūrṇa. He has the great power of merit.” Then Bhava passed away, saying:

The sons decorated his bier with blue, yellow, red, and white cloth, performed a great ceremony, carried the body to the charnel ground, and cremated it. Then, having assuaged their grief, they said to one another, “When our father was alive, we depended on him for our livelihoods. But now he is dead. If we now^[61] abandon the family business and settle down, the family will dissolve and we will be reproached by our kinsmen. So let us go abroad carrying merchandise.”

Pūrṇa said, “Then I will go, too.”

“You should stay here and do what needs to be done in the store,” said the brothers. “Only we three will go.” The three brothers then went abroad carrying merchandise. Pūrṇa, entrusted with all the other responsibilities, stayed behind. B24

It is commonplace that in a wealthy family each member of the family is given money for everyday expenses. The wives of the three elder brothers sent their female slaves to Pūrṇa to receive the money for everyday expenses. But since Pūrṇa was surrounded by merchants, F.298.b businessmen, caravan leaders, and servants, the female slaves did not find an opportunity to receive the money for everyday expenses. After the guests had stood up and left, the female slaves were then given the money for that day. When the female slaves returned late, they were scolded: “Hey, girl, why are you so late?”

“Pūrṇa was surrounded by merchants, businessmen, caravan leaders, and servants, and his brightness was blazing like the light of the sun,” they replied. “When everyone else had stood up and left, we were given the money.”

“Such a thing occurs when sons of slave women come into power in someone’s house,” remarked the wives.

The wife of Bhavila asked her female slave, “Why are you so late?”

When the female slave had explained the matter in detail, the wife of Bhavila said, “Thank you. You should go when you know the time is right.”

Because the female slave knew when the time was right and went then, she quickly received the money. The other female slaves took a long time. They asked the first one, “How did you come back so quickly?”

She explained everything, and the other female slaves began to go to Pūrṇa with her. Pūrṇa was again surrounded by merchants, businessmen, caravan leaders, and servants, and when they left, he gave the female slave of Bhavila’s wife the day’s money. The other two female slaves also quickly obtained the money. Their mistresses asked, “How is it that you came back so quickly this time?”

They said, “May the eldest mistress be free from illness. When her female slave goes, Pūrṇa gives the money to her. So we go with her.”

Unable to bear it, the two wives again remarked, F.299.a “Such a thing occurs when sons of slave women come into power in someone’s house.”

Later, Bhavila, Bhavatrāta, and Bhavanandin returned from the great ocean, joyfully, having succeeded on their voyage. Bhavila asked his wife, “Good lady, did Pūrṇa protect you well?”

“He was as good to me as a brother or a son,” she replied.

When the other two husbands asked their wives the same, the wives remarked yet again, “These are things that occur when sons of slave women come into power in someone’s house.”

The two brothers thought, “Women usually split friends apart.”

Later, immediately after the store of cloth from Kāśi was opened, Bhavila’s son came, and Pūrṇa dressed him with a piece of cloth from Kāśi. The wives of the two younger brothers saw the cloth and asked, “Child, who gave you this?”

“Uncle gave it to me,” answered the child.

Having seen such cloth, the other wives also sent their own sons. But, unfortunately for them, the store of cloth from Kāśi was closed and only the store of rough cloth was open, and so Pūrṇa dressed them in rough cloth. Seeing this, the wives of the two younger brothers complained to their husbands, “Did you see that? He gives cloth from Kāśi to one while he gives rough cloth to the others.”

The husbands answered, “That is definitely because when the boys arrived the store of cloth from Kāśi was closed, but the store of rough cloth was open.”

“Give it more thought,” said their wives.

Later, when the store of śarkarā was opened, Bhavila’s son came and got a bowl full of śarkarā. F.299.b When Bhavila’s son returned home carrying the śarkarā, the wives of the younger brothers saw him and asked, “Child, who gave you this?”

“Uncle gave it to me,” answered the child.

The two wives also sent their own sons. But unfortunately for them, the store of śarkarā was closed and only the store of guḍa was open. Since they came when only the store of guḍa was open, they got guḍa. “Did you see that?” the wives complained again. “Pūrṇa gives śarkarā to the one while he gives guḍa to the others.”

Having seen all that, the wives tried to alienate their husbands from one another in order to split up the household. The two younger brothers discussed the matter together: “Since our household has been ruined for good, we should divide it.”

One suggested, “Let’s call our eldest brother.”

The other replied, “For the time being, let’s consider how to divide the household ourselves.”

The two then considered it independently and thought, “One will take what there is in the house and what there is in the farm, another will take what there is in the store and what there is abroad, and the third will take Pūrṇa. If our eldest brother takes what there is in the house and what there is in the farm, we will be able to live on what there is in the store and what there is abroad. And if our eldest brother takes what there is in the store and what there is abroad, we will be able to live on what there is in the house and what there is in the farm, and we will also be able to torment Pūrṇa.”

Thus the two brothers discussed the matter. They went to Bhavila and said, “Since our family relations have dissolved, we are going to divide the household.”

“I think we should do this after we have carefully analyzed the situation,” Bhavila replied, “because it is usually women who break up households.”

“We have already analyzed the situation,” said the other two, F.300.a “so we are going to divide the household.”

“Then call five arbitrators,” said Bhavila.

“Why do we need five arbitrators when we have already figured out the division of the household?” asked the two brothers. “One will take what there is in the house and what there is in the farm, another will take what there is in the store and what there is abroad, and the third will take Pūrṇa.”

“Why do you not give Pūrṇa his share?” asked Bhavila.

“Who gives a share to the son of a slave woman?” the other two answered. “Not only that, he himself is one of the things we have apportioned. If you want Pūrṇa, take him.”

Bhavila thought, “Father ordered me: ‘You should not abandon Pūrṇa even if you part with your entire estate.’ So I should take Pūrṇa.” He then said, “If that is how it is, then I will provide for Pūrṇa.”

The brother who took possession of what there was in the house and what there was in the farm went quickly to the house and called out, “Sister, get out of here!”

When Bhavila’s wife stepped out, he shouted, “Don’t come back again!”

“Why?”

“Because we have divided what belongs to the household.”

The brother who took possession of what there was in the store and what there was abroad went quickly to the store and called out, “Pūrṇa, come down!”

When Pūrṇa came down, the brother said, “You cannot go up to the store anymore.”

“Why?”

“We divided the household. What there is abroad and what there is in the store are mine.”

“Give me my share,” said Pūrṇa.

The brother retorted, “Why should we give a share to you, the son of a slave woman? Not only that, you yourself are one of the things we have apportioned. You have been taken by our eldest brother.”

When Bhavila’s wife went with Pūrṇa to the house of a kinsman, her children F.300.b began to cry from hunger. She implored him, “Pūrṇa, give my children something to eat.”

“Give me a kārṣāpaṇa,” said Pūrṇa.

“You earned a hundred thousand pieces of gold,” she replied. “Do you not have something for the children to eat?”

“How could I have known that your family would come to be needy like this?” said Pūrṇa in return. “If I had known that, I would have prepared hundreds of thousands of gold pieces.”

It is commonplace for women to carry a few brass coins wrapped in the hems of their garments. Bhavila’s wife gave Pūrṇa a brass coin and said, “Bring something to eat.”

Taking the coin with him, Pūrṇa went to the market, where he saw a man carrying a bundle of wood that had been cast ashore by the ocean waves. The man was shivering with cold, and Pūrṇa asked him, “Say, why are you shivering like this?”

“I don’t know,” answered the man, “but I grow cold like this whenever I carry this bundle of wood even briefly.”

Pūrṇa, who was learned in the analysis of wood, began to analyze the wood and found in it a piece of gośīrṣacandana. He asked the man, “Say, how much would you sell this for?”

“For five hundred kārṣāpaṇas.”

Pūrṇa took the bundle of wood, extracted the piece of gośīrṣacandana, went to the market, sawed it into four pieces, sold just the sawdust for a thousand kārṣāpaṇas, and gave the man five hundred kārṣāpaṇas, saying, “Since Bhavila’s wife is staying at such-and-such a house, take this bundle of wood there and say that Pūrṇa sent it.”

When the man had brought the wood and told her what happened, Bhavila’s wife, beating her breast, cried out, “So did Pūrṇa also lose his mind after he lost his estate? I sent him to find something to be cooked. F.301.a Instead, he sent something to kindle a fire with, but nothing to be cooked!”

Later, the king of Sūrpāraka came down with a serious fever and was semiconscious. The physician prescribed gośīrṣacandana for him, and so the ministers began to look for gośīrṣacandana. They heard talk in the market and went to Pūrṇa. The ministers asked him, “Do you have gośīrṣacandana?”

“I do.”

“How much would you sell it for?”

“For a thousand kārṣāpaṇas.”

The ministers bought the gośīrṣacandana for a thousand kārṣāpaṇas, and when they anointed the king with it, he recovered his health. The king thought, “What sort of house has gośīrṣacandana in it?” The king asked his ministers, “Where did this come from?”

“From Pūrṇa, Your Majesty,” answered the ministers.

“Call Pūrṇa here.”

A messenger went to Pūrṇa and told him, “Pūrṇa, His Majesty will speak with you.”

Pūrṇa wondered, “Why would the king speak with me?” He then thought further, “Since he recovered his health on account of gośīrṣacandana, he would speak with me about gośīrṣacandana. So I should take all the gośīrṣacandana with me.”

Pūrṇa wrapped three pieces of gośīrṣacandana with cloth, held another piece in his hand, and went to the king. The king asked, “Pūrṇa, do you have any gośīrṣacandana?”

“Your Majesty, here it is,” Pūrṇa answered.

“What is the price of this?”

“A hundred thousand pieces of gold.”

“Do you have any more?”

“I do, Your Majesty,” Pūrṇa said, showing him, one by one, the three other pieces of gośīrṣacandana. The king ordered his ministers, “Pay Pūrṇa four hundred thousand pieces of gold.”

“Your Majesty,” said Pūrṇa, “give me three hundred thousand. I will present one to Your Majesty as a gift.”

The king gave three hundred thousand pieces of gold to Pūrṇa and said, “Pūrṇa, I am pleased with you. F.301.b So, tell me whatever you most want and I will give it to you.”

“Your Majesty, if you are pleased with me, I would ask to stay in your country without being harmed by anyone.”

The king ordered his ministers, “Sirs, from now on, you should not give orders to Pūrṇa even if you give orders to princes.”

Later, five hundred merchants came to the city of Sūrpāraka, having succeeded on their voyage on the great ocean. The guild of merchants in Sūrpāraka made a private agreement: “None of us should go alone to the foreign merchants. If someone goes alone, a fine of sixty kārṣāpaṇas shall be imposed. We should gather our merchandise together.”

One of them said, “We should call Pūrṇa, too.”

“What is the use of calling that poor man?” asked another.

At that time Pūrṇa went out and heard that five hundred merchants had come to the city of Sūrpāraka, having succeeded on their voyage on the great ocean. Pūrṇa, without entering the city, went to the foreign merchants and asked, “Sirs, what are these goods?”

“They are this and that,” they answered.

“What is their price?”

“Caravan leader, wherever you go you only ask questions.^[62]”

“Even so, tell me the price,” Pūrṇa insisted.

The merchants priced the goods at one million, eight hundred thousand pieces of gold. Pūrṇa said, “Sirs, here are three hundred thousand pieces of gold for a deposit. This merchandise is mine. I will pay the balance when I get home.”

“Please do so,” they said, and Pūrṇa paid three hundred thousand pieces of gold as a deposit, placed his own seal on the merchandise, and departed.

Later, the guild of merchants sent servants, telling them, “Go see what goods there are.”

They went and asked, “What are these goods?”

“They are this and that.”

“Our F.302.a treasury and warehouse are full of such things.”

“Whether full or not, these goods have already been sold,” said the foreign merchants.

“To whom did you sell them?”

“To Pūrṇa.”

“You must have made a great profit if you sold it to Pūrṇa.”

The merchants said, “You would not pay even for full price what he paid as a deposit.”

“How much did he pay as a deposit?”

“Three hundred thousand pieces of gold.”

“He must have stolen the gold from his brothers.”

The servants went back and reported to the guild of merchants, “Those goods have already been sold.”

“To whom?”

“To Pūrṇa.”

“They must have made a great profit if they sold it to Pūrṇa.”

“You would not pay even for full price what he paid as a deposit.”

“How much did he pay as a deposit?”

“Three hundred thousand pieces of gold.”

“He must have stolen the gold from his brothers.”

They called Pūrṇa and said, “Pūrṇa, why did you take the merchandise when the guild of merchants had an agreement: ‘None should take the merchandise alone, but^[63] only the guild of merchants should take it’?”

“Sirs,” he replied, “when you made the agreement, did you tell me or my brothers? You made the agreement without me. You alone should keep it.”

The guild of merchants then became angry. They seized Pūrṇa and placed him in the sun so that he would pay sixty kārṣāpanas. The king’s men witnessed this and told the king.

“Sirs, summon them,” ordered the king.

When the king’s men had summoned the merchants, the king asked them, “Sirs, why did you seize Pūrṇa and place him in the sun?”

“Your Majesty, we did so because the guild of merchants had an agreement that none should trade by themselves, but he engaged in trade by himself.”

“Your Majesty,” said Pūrṇa, “please ask them whether they told me or my brothers when they made the agreement.” F.302.b

“Sirs, Pūrṇa’s claim is fair,” said the king.

The merchants were ashamed, and they freed Pūrṇa.

Later, when the king needed an item, he summoned the guild of merchants and ordered them, “Sirs, since I need such-and-such an item, present it to me.”

“Your Majesty, Pūrṇa has it,” they replied.

“Since I cannot order him,” said the king, “buy it from him and present it to me.”

The merchants sent a messenger to Pūrṇa, who told him, “The guild of merchants calls you.”

“I will not go,” answered Pūrṇa.

Then all the members of the guild of merchants assembled, went to Pūrṇa’s house, stood at the door, and sent him a message: “Pūrṇa, the guild of merchants is at your door. Come out!”

When Pūrṇa came out arrogantly, with pride and haughtiness, the guild of merchants said, “Caravan leader, please sell your merchandise at the price you paid for it.”

“If I sell my merchandise at the price I paid for it, I would surely be such a great merchant, wouldn’t I?” said Pūrṇa.

The merchants replied, “Sell it at twice the price and the guild of merchants will be honored.”

“The guild of merchants should be honored,” thought Pūrṇa. He then sold it at twice the price of one million, five hundred thousand.

After Pūrṇa hid the remaining money in his house, he thought, “How can I fill a vessel with dew drops? I will take to the great ocean.” In order to take to the great ocean, he issued a proclamation in the city of Sūrpāraka with the ringing of bells: “Sirs, merchants living in the city of Sūrpāraka, listen! The caravan leader Pūrṇa will take to the great ocean. Whoever among you who wants to take to the great ocean with the caravan leader Pūrṇa, free from taxes, duties, and boatman’s fees, should prepare your merchandise to carry across the great ocean.” F.303.a

Five hundred merchants prepared their merchandise to carry across the great ocean. Then the caravan leader Pūrṇa, after performing rituals that bring good fortune, blessings, and well-being, took to the great ocean with his retinue and the five hundred merchants, and then returned to the city of Sūrpāraka, having succeeded on his voyage.

Six times Pūrṇa took to the great ocean and returned, having succeeded on each voyage.

Everywhere it was said, “Six times Pūrṇa took to the great ocean and returned, having succeeded on each voyage.” Then, the merchants of Śrāvastī came to the city of Sūrpāraka bearing their merchandise. After they were fully rested, they went to the caravan leader Pūrṇa. When they arrived, they said, “Caravan leader, let us leave for the great ocean.”

“Sirs,” Pūrṇa replied, “have any of you ever seen or heard of anyone who, six times, returned from the great ocean after succeeding on each voyage, and was going a seventh time?”

“Pūrṇa, we came a long way to see you. If you do not go, we will not go either because you are the authority,” the merchants said.

Pūrṇa thought, “Although there is no wealth at all that I need, I will go for the sake of these people.” Then Pūrṇa left for the great ocean together with the merchants.

At dawn the merchants recited the Udāna, Pārāyaṇa, Satyadṛś, Sthaviragāthā, Sthavirīgāthā, Śailagāthā, Munigāthā, and Arthavargīya Sūtras.^[64] Pūrṇa heard them and said, “Sirs, you are singing good songs.”

“Caravan leader,” they replied, “these are not songs.”

“Then what are they?”

“They are the words of the Buddha.”^[65]

When Pūrṇa heard the sound buddha, a word he had never heard before, the hairs in every pore of his body stood on end. Pūrṇa asked reverently, F.303.b “Sirs, who is the Buddha?”

The merchants explained, “There is a son of the Śākyans, a śramaṇa^[66] of the Gautama family, who went forth from his home into homelessness with true faith, having shaved off his hair and beard and donned saffron robes. He awoke to supreme, complete awakening. Caravan leader, he is the Buddha.”

“Sirs, where is that blessed one now?”

“Caravan leader, he is staying in Śrāvastī, in the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park.”

Keeping this in mind, Pūrṇa took to the great ocean together with them and came back, having succeeded on his voyage.

His brother Bhavila thought, “He is tired from continually traveling the great ocean. He should get married.” He then asked Pūrṇa, “Tell me, which daughter of which^[67] merchant, businessman, or caravan leader shall I request for you?”

“I do not want an object of desire,” Pūrṇa replied. “If you allow it, I will go forth.”

“You did not go forth when we were not engaged in the family business. Why do you go forth now?” asked Bhavila.

“It was not appropriate then,” replied Pūrṇa. “It is appropriate now.”

Bhavila, knowing he would insist, allowed Pūrṇa to go forth.

“Brother,” said Pūrṇa, “there is much danger and little to gain on the great ocean. Many people take to it but only a few of them return. So you should never take to the great ocean. You have abundant wealth gained properly, while your brothers have what was gained improperly. So you should not live with them if they ask you to live together.”

Pūrṇa went to Śrāvastī with a servant. He stayed in the park of Śrāvastī and sent his servant as a messenger to the householder Anāthapiṇḍada, saying, “Householder, the caravan leader Pūrṇa is staying in the park of Śrāvastī, hoping to meet you.” F.304.a

Anāthapiṇḍada thought, “He must have come in a carriage, having grown tired of traveling by boat.” Then Anāthapiṇḍada asked, “Say, how much merchandise has he brought with him?”

“What merchandise? He came only with me, a servant.”

“It would not be appropriate for me to invite that important person to my house without honoring him,” thought Anāthapiṇḍada. So, he invited Pūrṇa to his house with great honor: he offered him a massage, let him bathe, and gave him food. When they sat down, talking pleasantly, Anāthapiṇḍada asked, “Caravan leader, what is the purpose of your coming here?”

“Householder, I wish to go forth and be ordained a monk in the well-taught Dharma and Vinaya.”

Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍada stretched his upper body, raised his right hand, and spoke an inspired utterance: “O Buddha, O Dharma, O Saṅgha! O well-taught Dharma! A great person like this, abandoning a great many relatives and friends and full treasuries and warehouses, now wishes to go forth and be ordained a monk in the well-taught Dharma and Vinaya.”

Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍada took the caravan leader Pūrṇa to the Blessed One. At that time the Blessed One was teaching the Dharma, seated before an audience of many hundreds of monks. When the Blessed One saw the householder Anāthapiṇḍada coming with a gift, he said to the monks, “Monks, the householder Anāthapiṇḍada is coming with a gift. For the Tathāgata, there is no gift equal to this, a person to be tamed.” F.304.b

The householder Anāthapiṇḍada bowed low until his forehead touched the feet of the Blessed One, and then he sat down to one side together with the caravan leader Pūrṇa. When Anāthapiṇḍada had sat down, he said to the Blessed One, “Honored One, the caravan leader Pūrṇa wishes to go forth and be ordained a monk in the well-taught Dharma and Vinaya. May the Blessed One let him go forth and ordain him.”

The Blessed One assented to the householder Anāthapiṇḍada by remaining silent. Then the Blessed One said to the caravan leader Pūrṇa, “Come, monk, lead the pure life.” As soon as the Blessed One said this, Pūrṇa’s hair fell out and he was clad in his outer robe, with but a week’s worth of hair and beard, his bowl and pitcher in his hand, and standing like a monk who had been ordained a hundred years earlier.

At another time, the venerable Pūrṇa went to the Blessed One. When Pūrṇa arrived, he bowed low until his forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet, and then he sat down to one side.^[69] When he had sat down to one side, the venerable Pūrṇa implored the Blessed One, “Blessed One, please preach to me a condensed Dharma so that after I have listened to the condensed Dharma from the Blessed One, I will come to dwell alone, in solitude, carefully and diligently, directing myself toward myself. If I dwell alone, in solitude, carefully and diligently, directing myself toward myself, I will, in this life, by my own supernormal knowledge, actualize and accomplish the supreme end of the pure life for which the sons of noble families go forth from their homes into homelessness with true faith, having shaved off their hair and beards F.305.a and donned saffron robes, and I will understand, ‘My births have been exhausted. The pure life has been lived. What is to be done has been done. I will not know another existence after this one.’ ”

When the venerable Pūrṇa had finished speaking, the Blessed One said to him, “Good, good, Pūrṇa! Pūrṇa, it was good that you said this: ‘Please preach to me a condensed Dharma . . . . I will not know another existence after this one.’ Therefore, listen well and keep this in mind and I will preach to you.

“Pūrṇa, there are visual objects to be cognized by the eye that are attractive, desirable, delightful, pleasing to behold, and connected with desire, and that give rise to clinging. If a monk sees these visual objects and rejoices in, welcomes, clings to, and remains attached to them,^[70] joy will arise in he who rejoices in, welcomes, clings to, and remains attached to them. If there is joy, the joy will turn into delight and pleasure. If there is delight and pleasure, it will turn into clinging. If there is clinging, it will turn into a fetter. A monk who has come to have delight, clinging, and fetters, Pūrṇa, is said to be far from nirvāṇa.

“Pūrṇa, there are auditory objects to be cognized by the ear, olfactory objects to be cognized by the nose, gustatory objects to be cognized by the tongue, tangible objects to be cognized by the body, and F.305.b mental objects to be cognized by the mind that are attractive, desirable, delightful, pleasing to behold, and connected with desire, and that give rise to clinging. If a monk knows these objects … he is said to be far from nirvāṇa.

“Pūrṇa, there are visual objects to be cognized by the eye that are attractive, desirable, delightful, pleasing to behold, and connected with desire, and that give rise to clinging. If a monk sees these visual objects and does not rejoice in, welcome, cling to, or remain attached to them, joy will not arise in he who does not rejoice in, welcome, cling to, or remain attached to them. If there is no joy, there will be no delight or pleasure. If there is no delight or pleasure, there will be no clinging. If there is no clinging, there will be no fetter. If there are no fetters, a monk who has neither delight, nor clinging, nor fetters, Pūrṇa, is said to be near nirvāṇa.

“Pūrṇa, there are auditory objects to be cognized by the ear, olfactory objects to be cognized by the nose, gustatory objects to be cognized by the tongue, tangible objects to be cognized by the body, and mental objects to be cognized by the mind that are attractive, desirable, delightful, pleasing to behold, and connected with desire, and that give rise to clinging. If a monk knows these objects … he is said to be near nirvāṇa.

“Pūrṇa, since I have entrusted you with this condensed instruction, then where do you want to dwell? Where do you want to live?”

“Honored One, since the Blessed One has entrusted me with this condensed instruction, I would like to go to Śroṇāparāntaka.”

“Pūrṇa, F.306.a the people of Śroṇāparāntaka are fierce, impetuous, rough, abusive, short tempered, and disparaging. Pūrṇa, if the people of Śroṇāparāntaka directly abuse, ridicule, and disparage you with bad, coarse, and intolerable words, what will you think?”

“Honored One, if the people of Śroṇāparāntaka directly abuse, ridicule, and disparage me with bad, coarse, and intolerable words, I will think, ‘Ah, the people of Śroṇāparāntaka are proper. Ah, the people of Śroṇāparāntaka are intelligent. Although they abuse, ridicule, and disparage me with bad, coarse, and intolerable words, they do not strike me with their hands or with clods of dirt.’ ”

“Pūrṇa, the people of Śroṇāparāntaka are fierce … and disparaging. Pūrṇa, if the people of Śroṇāparāntaka strike you with their hands or with clods of dirt, what will you think?”

“Honored One, if the people of Śroṇāparāntaka strike me with their hands or with clods of dirt, I will think, ‘Ah, the people of Śroṇāparāntaka are proper. Ah, the people of Śroṇāparāntaka are intelligent. Although they strike me with their hands or with clods of dirt, they do not strike me with sticks or swords.’ ”^[71]

“Pūrṇa, the people of Śroṇāparāntaka are fierce … and disparaging. Pūrṇa, if the people of Śroṇāparāntaka strike you with sticks or with swords, what will you think?”

“Honored One, if the people of Śroṇāparāntaka strike me with sticks or with swords, I will think, ‘Ah, the people of Śroṇāparāntaka are proper. Ah, the people of Śroṇāparāntaka are intelligent. Although they strike me with sticks or with swords, they do not take my life.’ ”

“Pūrṇa, the people of Śroṇāparāntaka are fierce … and disparaging. Pūrṇa, if the people of Śroṇāparāntaka F.306.b attempt to take your life, what will you think?”

“Honored One, if the people of Śroṇāparāntaka attempt to take my life, I will think, ‘Among the Blessed One’s^[72] disciples there are those who, because of this purulent body, are grieved and ashamed and self-loathing, and who cut themselves with swords, ingest poison, hang themselves, or throw themselves from a cliff to their deaths.^[73] Therefore, ah, the people of Śroṇāparāntaka are proper. Ah, the people of Śroṇāparāntaka are intelligent. They liberate me from this purulent body with little trouble.’ ”

“Good, good, Pūrṇa! Pūrṇa, it is good that you who possess such patience and gentleness are able to dwell in Śroṇāparāntaka. Pūrṇa, go and liberate those who have not been liberated. Release those who have not been released. Relieve those who have not been relieved. Emancipate those who have not been emancipated.”

The venerable Pūrṇa praised and rejoiced in the words of the Blessed One. The venerable Pūrṇa then bowed low until his forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet, and he departed from the Blessed One’s presence.

After that night had passed, early in the morning the venerable Pūrṇa dressed, took his bowl and his robe, and entered Śrāvastī for alms. He took a meal of almsfood in Śrāvastī and returned after the meal. He put in order the bedding and the seat he had used, took his bowl and his robe, and set out for Śroṇāparāntaka. F.307.a Traveling through the country, he arrived in due course at Śroṇāparāntaka.

Then, early in the morning the venerable Pūrṇa dressed, took his bowl and his robe, and entered Śroṇāparāntaka for alms.

A hunter, carrying his bow and arrows and going to hunt deer, saw Pūrṇa and thought, “It is inauspicious that I saw this shaven-headed śramaṇa.”

When the hunter, his bow drawn, charged at the venerable Pūrṇa, the venerable Pūrṇa caught sight of him. Upon seeing him, Pūrṇa removed his upper robe and said, “Shoot this, sir, since I entered this place for the sake of this that is hard to fill up,” and then he spoke this verse:

The hunter thought, “This mendicant has such patience and gentleness. Why should I shoot him with an arrow?” When he thought thus, the hunter’s mind was filled with faith in the venerable Pūrṇa. Then the venerable Pūrṇa preached the Dharma to him and established him in the refuges and the rules of training. The venerable Pūrṇa also made five hundred other huntsmen lay brothers and five hundred women lay sisters. Five hundred monastery buildings were offered to him, and hundreds of couches, stools, cushions, pillows, and square blankets were also offered. After three months had passed, the venerable Pūrṇa actualized with his body the threefold knowledge and became an arhat. He was free from desire for the three realms; … ^[74] and he F.307.b became an object of veneration, respect, and praise for the gods including Indra and Upendra.^[75]

Later, the two brothers of Dārukarṇin, having consumed and exhausted their possessions, came to Dārukarṇin and said, “Since that creature who was our misfortune has left our home, come, let us live together.”

“Who is that creature that you say was our misfortune?” asked Dārukarṇin.

“Pūrṇa, of course.”

“He is not a creature who brings misfortune; rather, he brought good fortune to my home.”

Dārukarṇin’s two brothers said, “Whether good fortune or misfortune, come, let us live together.”

“Your wealth was not gained properly while mine was gained properly,” replied Dārukarṇin. “Because of this difference, we cannot live together.”

“The son of a slave woman took to the great ocean many times and helped you gain your possessions, which you spend and boast about. How were you able to take to the great ocean?” asked Dārukarṇin’s two brothers.

Dārukarṇin, his pride hurt by his two brothers, thought, “I will take to the great ocean, too.” Having thought this … Dārukarṇin took to the great ocean. His ship was driven by a tail wind to a forest of gośīrṣacandana.

The guide said, “Sirs, this is the forest of gośīrṣacandana. So, choose and take wood from here.”

At that time, there was a yakṣa named Maheśvara, who was master of the forest of gośīrṣacandana, and he was away at a meeting of yakṣas. The merchants began to cut down the gośīrṣacandana trees with five hundred axes. When a yakṣa named Apriya saw the gośīrṣacandana trees being cut down with the five hundred axes, he went to the yakṣa Maheśvara and said to him, “Sir, please be informed F.308.a that the forest of gośīrṣacandana is being destroyed by five hundred axes. Thus, please do your duty, or what you ought to do.”

Then the yakṣa Maheśvara canceled the meeting of yakṣas, and, unable to bear it, caused a violent storm and set out for the forest of gośīrṣacandana.

The guide said, “Sirs, merchants of the continent of Jambu, listen. Since this is the very thing that is known as the fear of a great storm, think of a countermeasure.”

Then the merchants were frightened, terrified, dejected, and, with the hairs in every pore of their bodies standing on end, started to beg the gods for help, saying:

Dārukarṇin stood undisturbed. The merchants asked him, “Caravan leader, why do you stand undisturbed while we are in intolerable pain and fear?”

“Sirs,” replied Dārukarṇin, “my younger brother told me, ‘Brother, there is much danger and little to gain on the great ocean. Many people driven by desire take to it but only a few of them return. So, you should never take to the great ocean.’ I disobeyed my younger brother’s words and took to the great ocean. So what can I do now?”

“Who is your younger brother?”

“He is Pūrṇa.”

“Sirs,” said the merchants, “the noble one Pūrṇa has the great power of merit. Let us seek refuge in him.”

Then they all, with one voice, exclaimed, “Homage to the noble one Pūrṇa! F.308.b Homage, homage to the noble one Pūrṇa!”

Gods who were delighted with the venerable Pūrṇa then went to him. When they arrived, they said to the venerable Pūrṇa, “Noble one, your elder brother^[78] feels intolerable pain and fear. Please consider rescuing him.”

The venerable Pūrṇa considered this, and entered a meditative state by which, directing his mind, he disappeared from Śroṇāparāntaka and appeared seated with his legs crossed on the edge of the ship in the great ocean.^[79] The storm was then turned back as if it had struck Mount Sumeru and was thwarted. The yakṣa Maheśvara thought, “Though, in the past, ships that were hit by a storm were tossed like a piece of cotton and broken apart, now the storm has been turned back as if it had struck Mount Sumeru and was thwarted. What was the cause of that?”

The yakṣa Maheśvara looked around and then discovered the venerable Pūrṇa seated with his legs crossed on the edge of the ship. When the yakṣa Maheśvara had discovered the venerable Pūrṇa, he asked, “Noble one Pūrṇa, why do you harass me?”

“O you whose nature is to grow old, why do I harass you?” asked the venerable Pūrṇa in return. “You are harassing me.^[80] Had I not attained a number of good qualities like these, you would have killed my brother, and only his name would have remained.”

“Noble one,” replied Maheśvara, “I am protecting this gośīrṣacandana for the wheel-turning king.”

“Sir, what do you think?” asked the venerable Pūrṇa. “Which is greater, a tathāgata, an arhat, a perfectly awakened one, or a wheel-turning king?”

“Noble one, has the Blessed One appeared in the world?”

“He has.”

“If so, then fill your ship that is not yet full.”

Their lives having been saved, the minds of the merchants were then filled with faith in Pūrṇa. F.309.a They filled the ship with gośīrṣacandana, set out again, and arrived in due course at the city of Sūrpāraka.

Pūrṇa then said to his brother, “Since your treasures belong to the one by whose name you, having succeeded on your voyage, were able to return, you should distribute them to these merchants. With this gośīrṣacandana, I will build a palace garlanded with sandalwood^[81] for the Blessed One.”

Dārukarṇin distributed his treasures to the merchants. The venerable Pūrṇa then began to build a palace with a hall of gośīrṣacandana. He called the craftsmen together and asked them, “Sirs, would you like to take five hundred kārṣāpaṇas every day or take one viḍālapada of gośīrṣacandana dust?”

“Noble one,” they replied, “we would like to take one viḍālapada of gośīrṣacandana dust.”

The palace garlanded with sandalwood was then quickly built and made clean. The wood chips and remaining dust of gośīrṣacandana were crushed into powder and smeared on the palace walls.

Pūrṇa reconciled with his eldest brother and his other two brothers and said, “Invite the community of monks headed by the Buddha and offer a meal.”

“Noble one Pūrṇa, where is the Blessed One?”

“In Śrāvastī.”

“How far is that?”

“To Śrāvastī, it is more than one hundred yojanas.”

“We will ask His Majesty for permission.”

“You should do so.”

The brothers went to the king and said, “Your Majesty, we would like to invite the community of monks headed by the Buddha and offer a meal. Please help us.”

“Excellent, I will do so.”

The venerable Pūrṇa then went up to the roof, looked in the direction of the Jetavana, dropped to his knees, scattered flowers, burned incense, made a layman hold a golden pitcher, F.309.b and began to pray:^[82]

Then the flowers, by the awakened power of the buddhas and the divine power of the gods, formed the shape of a flower pavilion, and that flower pavilion came to abide at the elders’ dwelling in the Jetavana. The smoke of the incense was woven together like a cloud. The water assumed the shape of a lapis lazuli vessel. Since the venerable Ānanda was familiar with omens, he made the gesture of supplication and asked the Blessed One, “Honored One, where is this invitation from?”

“From Sūrpāraka, Ānanda.”

“Honored One, how far is Sūrpāraka from here?”

“More than a hundred yojanas, Ānanda. Go and give this order to the monks: ‘Those who, among you, will go to the city of Sūrpāraka and have a meal there tomorrow should take a counting stick.’ ”

“Certainly, O Honored One,” replied the venerable Ānanda, and he took the counting sticks and sat down before the Blessed One. The Blessed One and the monks who were the most venerable of the elders took counting sticks.

At that time, the venerable elder Pūrṇa,^[83] who was an elder from Kuṇḍopadāna and had been liberated through wisdom, was sitting in the assembly. When the venerable elder Pūrṇa also tried to take a counting stick, the venerable Ānanda spoke this verse to him:

Although the venerable elder Pūrṇa had been liberated through wisdom, he had not attained magical power. Therefore he asked himself, “Why am I disheartened by lack of magical power even like that of the non-Buddhist ascetics when I have searched for the whole collection of defilements within myself, discarded all the defilements, abandoned them, and driven them away?”

The venerable elder Pūrṇa exerted his vigor and gave rise to magical power. He stretched his arm, which was like the trunk of an elephant, and took a counting stick before the venerable Ānanda passed a counting stick to a third elder, and the venerable elder Pūrṇa spoke this verse:

On that occasion the Blessed One said to the monks, “Monks, this is the best of my monks, the best of my disciples for taking a counting stick for offerings. The elder Pūrṇa, who is an elder from Kuṇḍopadāna, is the best of those who take a counting stick.”

Then the Blessed One instructed the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, go and say to the monks, ‘Though I have said, “Monks, you should live not displaying your virtue and not hiding your evil,” those among you who have attained magical power should go by means of that power to the city of Sūrpāraka and have a meal, because there are non-Buddhist ascetics in the city.’ ”

“Certainly, O Honored One,” replied the venerable Ānanda to the Blessed One, and he said to the monks, “Venerables, the Blessed One said, ‘Though I have said, “Monks, you should live not displaying your virtue and not hiding your evil,” … because there are non-Buddhist ascetics in the city.’ ” F.310.b

The king had beautified the city of Sūrpāraka by removing stones, pebbles, and gravel, sprinkling sandalwood water, setting out sweet-smelling censers, hanging many silk tassels, and scattering flowers around the city.

There were eighteen gates around the city of Sūrpāraka, and the king had seventeen sons. At each surrounding gate a prince stood with the highest majesty. At the largest gate stood the king, the ruler of Sūrpāraka, with the great majesty of kings, together with the venerable Pūrṇa, Dārukarṇin, Stavakarṇin, and Trapukarṇin.

The king then saw those handing out leaves, those handing out grass, and those handing out receptacles coming by means of their magical power and asked, “Reverend Pūrṇa, is the Blessed One coming?”

Pūrṇa replied, “This is not the Blessed One but rather those handing out leaves, those handing out grass, and those handing out receptacles.”

At that time the monks who were the most venerable of the elders came by practicing dhyāna, and the king again asked, “Reverend Pūrṇa, is the Blessed One coming?”

“No,” Pūrṇa replied. “They are the monks who are the most venerable of the elders who have come by practicing dhyāna.”

A lay brother then spoke this verse:

Then the Blessed One F.311.a washed his feet outside the monastery, entered inside, sat on the prepared seat, stretched his back, and focused his mind on a point in front of himself. When the Blessed One put his foot down with a specific intention in the perfume chamber, the great earth quaked in six ways. This great earth quaked, quaked furiously, and quaked absolutely furiously. It roared, roared furiously, and roared absolutely furiously. When the eastern side rose, the western side sank. When the western side rose, the eastern side sank. When the southern side rose, the northern side sank. When the northern side rose, the southern side sank. When the periphery rose, the middle sank. When the middle rose, the periphery sank. The king asked Pūrṇa, “Noble one Pūrṇa, what is this?”

Pūrṇa answered, “Because the Blessed One put his foot down with a specific intention in the perfume chamber, the great earth quaked in six ways.”

The Blessed One then emanated a ray of light colored like the radiance of gold, by which the continent of Jambu blazed like molten gold. Again the king stared in surprise^[86] and asked, “Noble one Pūrṇa, what is this?”

Pūrṇa answered, “Great King, the Blessed One emanated a ray of light colored like the radiance of gold.” V2F.1.bB25

The Blessed One then went to Sūrpāraka together with five hundred arhats, himself tamed and his assembly tamed, himself pacified and his assembly pacified.

A god who lived in the Jetavana followed the Blessed One, holding a branch of vakula with which he provided shade for him. The Blessed One knew the god’s thinking, proclivity, disposition, and nature, preached the Dharma that was appropriate for him, and caused him to penetrate the four truths of the noble ones. When the god had heard the Dharma, he leveled the twenty high peaks of the mountain chain of the false view of individuality with the vajra of knowledge and actualized the fruit of stream-entry.

There then lived in another place about five hundred widows, and they saw the Blessed One, who was fully ornamented with the thirty-two marks of a great man, illuminated by the eighty minor marks, F.2.a ornamented with a fathom-wide halo, and beautiful like a moving mountain of jewels whose light surpasses a thousand suns. As soon as the five hundred widows saw him, great faith in the Blessed One arose in them.

It is commonplace that when beings who possess the cause of having accumulated roots of merit look at the Buddha for the first time, they experience far greater pleasure than that of those who have practiced tranquility of mind for a dozen years, those who gain a son after having been childless, those who look upon treasure after having been poor, or those who are anointed as king after having longed for kingship.

After that, the Blessed One knew that it was the right time to train the widows, and sat on the seat prepared for him in front of the community of monks. The women bowed low until their foreheads touched the feet of the Blessed One, and then they sat down to one side. The Blessed One knew their thinking, proclivities, dispositions, and nature … and they actualized the fruit of stream-entry. After seeing the four truths of the noble ones, they spoke an inspired utterance three times: “Honored One, what the Blessed One has done for us is what has never been done for us by our mothers, our fathers, a king, gods, our husbands, our kinsmen and relatives, ancestral spirits, śramaṇas, or brahmins. F.2.b You have dried up the ocean of blood and tears, liberated us from the mountain of bones, shut the gate to inferior states of existence,^[87] opened the gates to liberation and heaven, and placed us among gods and humans. O Honored One, we have been exalted, truly exalted! Since we seek refuge in the Blessed One, the Dharma, and the community of monks, may the Blessed One accept us as lay sisters.”

They rose from their seats, made the gesture of supplication to the Blessed One, and implored the Blessed One, “O Blessed One, please give us something to worship.”

The Blessed One^[88] then cut off his hair and nails by means of his magical power and gave his hair and nails to the widows. They built a stūpa for the hair and nails of the Blessed One. After that, the god who lived in the Jetavana planted a vakula tree along the stūpa’s circumambulatory path, and then the god who lived in the Jetavana said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, I will stay here, worshiping this stūpa.”

The god who lived in the Jetavana stayed there. Some people named the place the widows’ stūpa, and other people named it the circumambulatory path of the vakula. Monks who worship the stūpa worship the place even now.

The Blessed One then departed.^[89] At that time, there lived five hundred ṛṣis in a hermitage. Since the hermitage was abundant in flowers, fruits, and water, the ṛṣis were intoxicated with those things and were without worries. The Blessed One then knew that it was the right time to train the five hundred ṛṣis and went to the hermitage. When the Blessed One arrived, with his magical power he destroyed the flowers and fruits of the hermitage, dried up the water, dug up the meadow, and smashed the residence to pieces. The ṛṣis were then plunged into grief, resting their cheeks on their hands. F.3.a

The Blessed One asked, “Why are you plunged into grief?”

“Blessed One,” they replied, “after you, a human field of merit, came here, we were placed in a grievous situation.”

The Blessed One then asked, “Ṛṣis, why was the hermitage, which was abundant in flowers, fruits, and water, ruined? Shall I make the hermitage as it was before?”

“Blessed One, please do so.”

The Blessed One then ceased his magical power, and the hermitage became as it had been before. Thus, the five hundred ṛṣis were very much astonished, and their minds were filled with faith in the Blessed One. The Blessed One knew their thinking, proclivities, dispositions, and natures, and preached the Dharma that was appropriate for them. When the five hundred ṛṣis had heard the Dharma, they actualized the fruit of a never-returner and achieved magical power. They then made the gesture of supplication to the Blessed One and said, “Honored One, we wish to go forth and be ordained monks in the well-taught Dharma and Vinaya. We will lead the pure life in the presence of the Blessed One.”

Then the Blessed One, using the “Come, monk” formula of ordination, said, “Come, monks, lead the pure life.” As soon as the Blessed One said this, their hair fell out and they were clad in their outer robes, with but a week’s worth of hair and beards, their bowls and pitchers in their hands, standing like monks who had been ordained a hundred years earlier.

Exerting themselves, endeavoring and striving, they came to understand saṃsāra’s ever-revolving five cycles, overthrew all conditioned states … and the five hundred ṛṣis became objects of veneration, respect, and praise for the gods including Indra and Upendra. The ṛṣi who was their leader said, “Blessed One, I deceived many people in this guise. I will go forth after making the people’s faith arise.”

Then the Blessed One, surrounded, in the shape of a half-moon, by the five hundred ṛṣis and monks who had been monks from the beginning, soared with them into the air from there using his magical power, and arrived in due course at Mount Musalaka.

At that time there lived a ṛṣi on Mount Musalaka named Vakkalin.^[91] He saw the Blessed One, who was fully ornamented with the thirty-two marks of a great man . . . . As soon as Vakkalin saw the Blessed One, his mind was filled with faith in the Blessed One. When Vakkalin’s faith had arisen, he thought, “Now I will descend from the mountain and go to meet the Blessed One. The Blessed One may pass through here out of consideration for people to be trained. Therefore, I will now throw myself off the mountain.”

Thinking thus, Vakkalin threw himself from the top of the mountain. Since the buddhas, the blessed ones, have a watchful nature, the Blessed One caught him with his magical power. The Blessed One knew his thinking, proclivity, disposition, and nature and preached the Dharma that was appropriate for him. When Vakkalin had heard the Dharma, he actualized the fruit of a never-returner and achieved magical power. Then Vakkalin said to the Blessed One, “Honored One, I wish to go forth and be ordained a monk in the well-taught Dharma and Vinaya . . . .” F.4.a

Then the Blessed One, saying “Come, monk,” . . . .

Then the Blessed One said to the monks, “Monks, it is he, the monk Vakkalin, who is the best of the monks who were emancipated by faith.”

After that, the Blessed One, surrounded by a thousand monks, performing miracles, went to the city of Sūrpāraka. The Blessed One thought, “If I enter from one gate, those who are at the other gates will be disappointed. Thus, I will enter by using my magical power.”

So the Blessed One entered the city of Sūrpāraka from the sky using his magical power. Then the king, the ruler of Sūrpāraka, and the venerable Pūrṇa, Dārukarṇin, Stavakarṇin, and Trapukarṇin, as well as the seventeen princes, went to the Blessed One along with the attendants of each one and hundreds of thousands of other beings.

After that, the Blessed One, accompanied by hundreds of thousands of beings, went to the palace garlanded with sandalwood and sat on the seat prepared for him in front of the community of monks. Since the large crowd could not see the Blessed One, the crowd started to destroy the palace garlanded with sandalwood. The Blessed One thought, “If the palace garlanded with sandalwood is destroyed, such destruction will decrease the donors’ merit. Now I will transform this palace into a palace made of crystal.” The Blessed One transformed the palace into a palace made of crystal so that the large crowd could see the Buddha’s body without obstructions blocking the view.

The Blessed One knew the audience’s thinking, proclivities, F.4.b dispositions, and natures, and so preached the Dharma that was appropriate for them. When the audience had heard the Dharma, hundreds of thousands of beings attained great excellence. Some generated the roots of merit of liberation, some generated the roots of merit of penetration, some actualized the fruit of stream-entry, some the fruit of a never-returner, and some went forth, abandoned all the defilements, and actualized the state of an arhat. Some generated the intention for the awakening of disciples, some the intention for the awakening of a self-awakened one, and some the intention for complete and supreme awakening.

Most of the audience became absorbed in the Buddha, devoted to the Dharma, and inclined to the Saṅgha.

Dārukarṇin, Stavakarṇin, and Trapukarṇin then prepared a pure and fine meal, arranged seats, set up a jeweled pitcher, and let the Blessed One know the time by messenger: “Honored One, the time has arrived. May the Blessed One know that the meal is ready.”^[92]

At that time there lived in the great ocean two nāga kings named Kṛṣṇa and Gautama. They both thought, “Since the Blessed One is preaching the Dharma in the city of Sūrpāraka, let’s go to listen to the Dharma.” Then they both, along with five hundred nāga attendants, departed for the city of Sūrpāraka, creating five hundred rivers flowing toward the city. Since the buddhas, the blessed ones, have a watchful nature, the Blessed One thought, “If these two nāga kings, Kṛṣṇa and Gautama, come to the city of Sūrpāraka, they will ruin the country.” The Blessed One then said to the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana, F.5.a “Maudgalyāyana, accept the alms requiring haste by the Tathāgata. Why, Maudgalyāyana? Because there are five kinds of alms requiring haste.^[93] What are the five? The almsfood of temporary visitors, of those who are setting forth on a journey, of sick people, of those attending the sick, and of monks responsible for monastic property.”^[94]

In this situation, the Blessed One intended that the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana would be the monk who was responsible for monastic property.

The Blessed One soared up into the air from there, using his magical power. The two, the Blessed One and the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana, went to the nāga kings Kṛṣṇa and Gautama. When the Blessed One and the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana had arrived, the Blessed One said, “Lords of nāgas, you should be attentive to the city of Sūrpāraka, and you should not destroy the country.”

“Honored One,” said the nāga kings, “we have come here with faith, because of which we never harm any beings, even ants, to say nothing of the people living in the city of Sūrpāraka.”

After that, the Blessed One preached the Dharma to the nāga kings Kṛṣṇa and Gautama, the hearing of which caused them to seek refuge in the Buddha, Dharma, and Saṅgha, and to accept the rules of training.

When the Blessed One had begun his meal, each nāga thought, “Ah, may the Blessed One drink my water!”

The Blessed One thought, “If I drink water from only one individual, it will disappoint the others. Therefore, I must devise a plan to drink the water of everyone.”

Then the Blessed One instructed the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana, “Maudgalyāyana, go and bring water from the very point where the five hundred rivers meet.”

“Certainly, O Honored One,” replied the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana, and he filled a bowl with water at the very point where the five hundred rivers met and returned to the Blessed One, bringing the water with him. When he arrived, the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana offered the bowl of water to the Blessed One, F.5.b and the Blessed One accepted the water and drank it.

The venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana thought,^[95] “The Blessed One once said,^[96] ‘Monks, fathers and mothers do what is quite difficult to do because they nourish their children, raise them, bring them up, feed them, and teach them everything on the continent of Jambu. Even if a son should try to carry his parents, his mother on one shoulder and his father on the other, for a hundred years; if he should give them the earth’s jewels, pearls, lapis lazuli, glass, coral, silver, gold, agate, amber, ruby, and shells; or if he should put his parents in a position of power, the son cannot truly help or sufficiently repay his father and mother with such efforts. If a person motivates his parents to have complete faith, and leads them to, leads them to enter into, and leads them to stand safely in their faith when they do not have faith; if he motivates them to have completely good conduct when they have disordered conduct; if he motivates them to be completely generous when they are ungenerous; if he motivates them to have complete intelligence, and leads them to, leads them to enter into, and leads them to stand safely in their intelligence when they have disordered intelligence, he comes to truly help and repay his father and mother with just such efforts.’ Since I have not yet repaid my mother, now I will consider where my mother has been reborn.”

When the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana considered this, he found that she had been reborn in the Marīcika world. Then he observed by whom she should be trained and found that it was the Blessed One. He thought, “Since I have come here from a distance, I will by all means tell this to the Blessed One.” The venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana said to the Blessed One, “Honored One, the Blessed One once said, ‘Monks, fathers and mothers do what is quite difficult to do.’ F.6.a My mother has been reborn in the Marīcika world and she is one who should be trained by the Blessed One. May the Blessed One have compassion and train her.”

“Maudgalyāyana, by whose magical power shall we go there?” asked the Blessed One.

“By mine, Blessed One.”

Then the Blessed One and the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana departed, stepping on the summit of Mount Sumeru, and arrived in the Marīcika world after seven days.

When she, Bhadrakanyā,^[97] saw the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana from a distance, she was delighted, and she went to him and said, “Ah, I see my son after so long! Ah, I see my son after so long!”

Then a large crowd asked, “Sirs, how is this girl the mother of this mendicant who is so old?”

“Sirs,” replied the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana, “this woman bore this body of mine. Thus, she is my mother.”

The Blessed One knew Bhadrakanyā’s thinking, proclivity, disposition, and nature, and preached the Dharma that was appropriate for her and that caused her to penetrate the four truths of the noble ones. When Bhadrakanyā had heard the Dharma, she leveled the twenty high peaks of the mountain chain of the false view of individuality with the vajra of knowledge and actualized the fruit of stream-entry. After she had seen the truths, she spoke an inspired utterance three times: “…you placed me among gods and humans.” Again, she said:^[98]

“I am exalted, truly exalted. Since I seek refuge in the Blessed One, the Dharma, and the community, may you accept me as a lay sister. From today onward, I embrace my faith as one who seeks refuge throughout my life. Blessed One and Mahā­maudgalyāyana, please assent to my offer of a meal today.”

The Blessed One assented to Bhadrakanyā’s request by remaining silent, and Bhadrakanyā understood the Blessed One’s assent. Then Bhadrakanyā knew that the Blessed One and the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana had sat down in comfort, and with her own hands she served and satisfied them with a pure and fine meal. When she had, with her own hands, served and satisfied them in a variety of ways with a pure and fine meal, knowing that the Blessed One had finished his meal and washed his hands and his bowl, she took a low seat and sat before the Blessed One in order to hear the Dharma. The Blessed One then preached the Dharma to Bhadrakanyā. When the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana had taken the Blessed One’s bowl and washed it, the Blessed One said, “Maudgalyāyana, shall we go?”

“Blessed One, let us go.”

“By whose magical power?”

“The Blessed One’s, please.”

“Then think about the Jetavana.”

“Blessed One, have we already arrived there?”

“We have arrived, Maudgalyāyana.”

The venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana was astonished and asked, “Blessed One, what is the name of this magical power?”

“Maudgalyāyana, F.7.a it is called manojavā (“swift as thought”).”

“Honored One, I had not known that the Buddha’s magical power was so profound. If I had known, I would never have turned my mind from the goal of complete and supreme awakening, even if my body had broken into pieces like grains of sesame. Now I am like firewood that has burned out, and I have no more opportunity.”

All the monks, feeling doubtful, inquired of the Buddha, the Blessed One, the one who severs all doubts, “Honored One, what karma did the venerable Pūrṇa create that matured to cause his birth in a family that was rich and had great wealth and many possessions? What karma did he create, because of which he was born from a female slave’s womb, went forth, abandoned all the defilements, and actualized the state of an arhat?”

“Monks,” the Blessed One replied, “the actions were performed and accumulated by the monk Pūrṇa himself, accruing a heap of karma. The conditions have ripened, and they approach him like a flood, inevitably. Who else but Pūrṇa would experience the actions that he himself performed and accumulated? Monks, actions performed and accumulated do not mature in the earth element, the water element, the fire element, or the wind element, which are outside the body. Virtuous and nonvirtuous actions performed and accumulated like this mature in the aggregates, elements, and sense spheres.

“Monks, once, in this fortunate eon, when people’s lives were twenty thousand years long, there appeared in the world a teacher named Kāśyapa, who was a tathāgata, an arhat, a perfectly awakened one, perfect in knowledge and conduct, a sugata, world knowing, a supreme tamer of people to be tamed, a teacher of gods and humans, F.7.b a buddha, and a blessed one. He stayed near the city of Vārāṇasī.

“In the teachings of that buddha this Pūrṇa went forth, became well acquainted with the three divisions of the canon, and came to serve as the monk entrusted with the monastery’s business according to the rules. After a little while, an arhat became responsible for monastic property. When he started to clean the monastery, a wind arose and blew the dust hither and thither. The arhat thought, ‘I shall wait for a while until the wind has died down.’

“Then the monk entrusted with the monastery’s business saw that the monastery was unclean; fiercely angry, he spoke harshly: ‘Which son of a slave woman is responsible for monastic property?’

“The arhat thought, ‘Since this person is angry, I shall wait for a while and make him understand later.’ After the monk’s anger subsided, the arhat went to him and asked, ‘Do you know who I am?’

“ ‘I do,’ said the monk. ‘You and I went forth in the teachings of the Perfectly Awakened One Kāśyapa.’

“ ‘That is true,” said the arhat, ‘but I have finished what should be done by a mendicant. While I have been released from all bondage, you performed the action of speaking harshly because you remain bound by all bonds. Confess your sin as a sin and hence the action will diminish, waste away, and disappear.’

“The monk confessed his sin as a sin. Hence, although he had been doomed to be born in hell and become the son of a female slave, he was not born in hell but was born in a female slave’s womb for five hundred lives. And now, in his last life, he was also born in a female slave’s womb.

“And because he had served the community, he was born into a family that was rich and had great wealth and many possessions. And because he was well acquainted with the aggregates, elements, F.8.a sense spheres, and dependent origination through recitation and repetition, he went forth in my teaching, abandoned all the defilements, and actualized the state of an arhat.

“ Therefore, monks, the maturation of entirely negative actions is entirely negative; the maturation of entirely positive actions is entirely positive; the maturation of those that are mixed is mixed. Therefore, monks, henceforth you should abandon entirely negative and mixed actions, and you should seek entirely positive actions. Monks, that is how you must train.”

Thus spoke the Blessed One, and the monks rejoiced in and praised what the Blessed One had said.

VI. Agnidatta

I. Rājagṛha

II. Nālandā^[122]

Thereupon the Blessed One, traveling through the country of Magadha, arrived in Nālandā, and stayed in a mango forest named Prāvārika near Nālandā.

At that time, there lived a wandering mendicant named Reed Merchant, who was old, aged, elderly—a hundred and twenty years old. He was treated with honor, looked up to, esteemed, venerated, and paid homage to as a worthy man. Now, a god who had once been a friend, companion, relative, and relation of the wandering mendicant Reed Merchant thought, “If I say to the wandering mendicant Reed Merchant, F.20.b ‘O ṛṣi, lead now the pure life in the presence of the Blessed One,’ he will never listen to me. Now I will go to him and make him ponder some questions.”

The god then went to the wandering mendicant Reed Merchant. When he arrived, he said to the wandering mendicant Reed Merchant, “O ṛṣi, now accept and ponder these questions from me: How should you recognize a person who pretends to be a friend while he is not in fact a friend? How should you know a friend who loves you as much as himself? For the sake of what should you enter into renunciation? How should you attain freedom from illness? O ṛṣi, hold these questions in your mind, and if someone answers them and thereby pleases you, you should lead the pure life in the presence of that person.” He then disappeared from there.

Then the wandering mendicant Reed Merchant, having accepted and pondered the questions from the god, went to Pūraṇa Kāśyapa. When he arrived, he considered the questions in his mind in front of Pūraṇa Kāśyapa: “How should I recognize a person who pretends to be a friend while he is not in fact a friend? . . . . How should I attain freedom from illness?” Pūraṇa Kāśyapa did not know or understand the questions being considered in the mendicant’s mind, let alone answer them. Then the wandering mendicant Reed Merchant thought, “Pūraṇa Kāśyapa did not know or understand the questions considered in my mind, let alone answer them.”

He went to Maskarī Gośālīputra, Saṃjayī Vairaṭṭīputra, Ajita Keśakambala, and Nirgrantha Jñātiputra. When he arrived, he considered the questions in his mind in front of Nirgrantha Jñātiputra: F.21.a “How should I recognize a person who pretends to be a friend while he is not in fact a friend?” . . . . He thought, “Nirgrantha Jñātiputra did not know or understand the questions considered in my mind, let alone answer them, either.”

Then the wandering mendicant Reed Merchant thought, “What is the use of my going forth under one who cannot answer the questions being considered in my mind? Since my kinsmen have many possessions, I shall now stay at home, enjoy the objects of desire, give donations, and make merit.” Yet this idea also occurred to him: “Now I shall go to the śramaṇa Gautama.”

When he had departed, he again thought, “For the time being, Pūraṇa Kāśyapa … and Nirgrantha Jñātiputra, who are aged śramaṇas and brahmins, did not know or understand the questions being considered in my mind. Needless to say, the śramaṇa Gautama, who is younger and has only recently gone forth, will not either.”

When he had started to turn back, he again thought, “I have heard from my teachers of conduct, who were old, aged, and elderly, former wandering mendicants, that one should not despise a young monk, one should not slight a young monk, since even a young monk can become one who has great force and great power.”^[123]

He then went to the Blessed One. When he arrived, he considered the questions in his mind in front of the Blessed One: “How should I recognize a person who pretends to be a friend while he is not in fact a friend? . . . . How should I attain freedom from illness?”

The Blessed One, knowing the wandering mendicant Reed Merchant’s mind with his own mind, F.21.b then at that time spoke these verses:^[124]

“You should know that such a person is a person who pretends to be a friend while he is not in fact a friend. How should you know a friend who loves you as much as himself?

“You should know such a person is a friend who loves you as much as himself. For the sake of what should you enter into renunciation?

“You should meditate, seeking it. How should you attain freedom from illness?

“You will attain freedom from illness in such a way.”

Then the wandering mendicant Reed Merchant thought, “My mind was known by the śramaṇa Gautama’s mind.” He said to the Blessed One, “Gautama, I wish to go forth and be ordained a monk in the well-taught Dharma and Vinaya. Blessed One, I will lead the pure life in the presence of the śramaṇa Gautama.”

The wandering mendicant Reed Merchant went forth and was ordained a monk in the well-taught Dharma and Vinaya. After having thus gone forth, the venerable … became an arhat whose mind had been completely liberated.^[125]F.22.a

Thereupon the Blessed One said to the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, let us go to Pāṭali Village.”

“Certainly, O Honored One,” replied the venerable Ānanda to the Blessed One.

III. Veṇuyaṣṭikā^[126]

Thereupon the Blessed One, together with the community of monks, stayed overnight at Veṇuyaṣṭikā, which was a residence of the king. Then the Blessed One said to the monks, “Monks, you and I have transmigrated through this difficult course because we did not know, see, comprehend, or realize the four truths of the noble ones. What are the four? You and I have transmigrated … because we did not know, see … the truth of the noble ones that is suffering. You and I have transmigrated … because we did not know, see … the truths of the noble ones that are the origination of suffering, the cessation of suffering,^[127] and the path to the cessation of suffering. Since I have cut off desire for existence through reflecting on and comprehending the truth of the noble ones that is suffering, my births have been exhausted and now I will have no further existence. Since I have cut off desire for existence through reflecting on and comprehending the truths of the noble ones that are the origination of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path to the cessation of suffering, my births have been exhausted and now I have no further existence.”

Thus said the Blessed One. Thus said the Sugata. Thus said the Teacher.

Thus spoke the Blessed One, and the monks rejoiced in and praised what the Blessed One had said.

IV. Pāṭali Village

V. The Ganges^[136]

Ajātaśatru, the king of Magadha, son of Vaidehī, had a bridge of boats placed on the river, and the people of the Licchavi clan in Vaiśālī also made a bridge of boats for the Blessed One. The nāgas thought, “Since the bodies of nāgas are inferior, let us now have the Blessed One cross the Ganges over a bridge of our expanded hoods.” They then made a bridge with their expanded hoods.

The Blessed One said to the monks, “Monks, those of you who wish to cross the Ganges over the bridge of boats of Ajātaśatru, the king of Magadha, son of Vaidehī, should go over that. Those of you who wish to go over the bridge of boats of the people of the Licchavi clan in Vaiśālī should go over that. I, F.29.a with the monk Ānanda, will cross the Ganges over the bridge of the expanded hoods of the nāgas.”

At that time some monks went over the bridge of boats of Ajātaśatru, the king of Magadha, son of Vaidehī. Some went over the bridge of boats of the people of the Licchavi clan in Vaiśālī. And the Blessed One, with the venerable Ānanda, went over the bridge of the expanded hoods of the nāgas.

Then a lay brother spoke these verses:^[137]

VI. Mahāpraṇāda^[140]

VII. Vaiśālī

I. Veṇu

Thereupon the Blessed One said to the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, let us go to Veṇu Village.”

“Certainly, O Honored One,” replied the venerable Ānanda to the Blessed One.

Thereupon the Blessed One, traveling through the country of Vṛji, arrived in Veṇu Village, and he stayed in a śiṃśapā forest to the north of Veṇu Village. At that time a famine broke out, a calamity in which it became difficult for a beggar to find food. The Blessed One said to the monks, “Monks, now here a famine has broken out, a calamity in which it has become difficult for a beggar to find food.^[177] Therefore, monks, those of you who have any acquaintances, who have any allies, who have any friends in the villages of Vṛji near Vaiśālī, should enter the rainy-season retreat there.

F.49.b I will enter the rainy-season retreat, too, in this Veṇu Village with my attendant monk, Ānanda. None of you should want for almsfood.”

“Certainly, O Honored One,” replied the monks to the Blessed One. And so those who had any acquaintances, who had any allies, who had any friends in the villages of Vṛji near Vaiśālī entered the rainy-season retreat there. The Blessed One entered the rainy-season retreat, too, in that Veṇu Village with his attendant monk, Ānanda.

During the rainy-season retreat, the Blessed One caught a grave, unbearable, severe, and potentially fatal illness. The Blessed One thought, “I have caught a grave, unbearable, severe, and potentially fatal illness. However, the community of monks is now dispersed. Since it is not appropriate for me to be completely emancipated^[178] while the community of monks is dispersed, I will now remove the pain with vigor, will not concentrate the mind on any outward appearances, and will abide, having accomplished with my body meditation that is free from outward appearances.”

Then the Blessed One did remove the pain with vigor, did not concentrate the mind on any outward appearances, and abided, having accomplished with his body meditation that is free from outward appearances. Thereupon the Blessed One recovered his ability to act and survive.

The venerable Ānanda then arose from his seclusion in the evening and went to the Blessed One. When he arrived, he bowed low until his forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet, and then he sat down to one side. When he had sat down to one side, the venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One, F.50.a “O Honored One, ever since I knew that the Blessed One had caught a grave, unbearable, severe, and potentially fatal illness, my body has lost its bearings, just as if I had taken poison, and I have forgotten the Dharma I had heard. I hope that the Blessed One does not become completely emancipated until he leaves a will for the community of monks.”

“Ānanda, if someone thinks, ‘The community of monks is mine. I will teach the community of monks. The community of monks is led by me,’ he would certainly leave a will for the community of monks. However, Ānanda, I never think, ‘The community of monks is mine. I will teach the community of monks. The community of monks is led by me.’ So why would I leave a will for the community of monks? Again, Ānanda, how could the community of monks rely on me? Ānanda, I have taught the Dharma to be practiced always, namely, the four applications of mindfulness, the four right relinquishments, the four bases of magical power, the five faculties and the five powers, the seven limbs of awakening, and the eightfold path of the noble ones.^[179]B29

“Ānanda, the Tathāgata does not have the closed fist of a teacher who keeps secrets that the Tathāgata would want to conceal because it would be undesirable if others knew them. Ānanda, when the Tathāgata caught a grave, unbearable, severe, and potentially fatal disease, I thought, ‘I have caught a grave, unbearable, severe, and potentially fatal disease. However, the community of monks is now dispersed. F.50.b Since it would not be appropriate for me to be completely emancipated while the community of monks is dispersed, I will now remove the pain with vigor, will not concentrate the mind on any outward appearances, and will abide, having accomplished with my body meditation that is free from outward appearances.’

“I did remove the pain with vigor, did not concentrate the mind on any outward appearances, and abided, having accomplished with my body meditation that is free from outward appearances. Then the Tathāgata recovered his ability to act and survive.

“Now, Ānanda, because the Tathāgata has come to be eighty years old, my body has grown old and decrepit, and it persists by depending on its two things. Like an old chariot held together by depending on its two things, because the Tathāgata has come to be eighty years old, my body has grown old and decrepit, and it persists by depending on its two things.^[180]

“Therefore, Ānanda, you should not feel sorrow, be disturbed, or lament. That which has been born, has arisen, has been formed, has been produced, and has been accumulated is naturally dependently originated and subject to dispersal. In this regard, how could you find anything imperishable? There is no such thing.

“Ānanda, I have previously taught you that one has to part from, be divided from, be separated from, and lose everything desirable, valuable, agreeable, and pleasant.

“Therefore,^[181] Ānanda, whether now or after I am gone, you should rely on the island that is yourself, the refuge that is yourself, the island that is the Dharma, the refuge that is the Dharma, and not on other islands or other refuges. Why? Ānanda, whether now or after I am gone, those who rely on the island that is themselves, the refuge that is themselves, the island that is the Dharma, F.51.a the refuge that is the Dharma, and not on other islands or other refuges are the best of my disciples who seek to train.

“And so, Ānanda, how should a monk rely on the island that is himself, the refuge that is himself, the island that is the Dharma, the refuge that is the Dharma, and not on other islands or other refuges? Ānanda, here a monk, observing the inner body, abides with vigor, vigilance, and mindfulness and has abandoned malice and despair toward the world. Because, observing the inner body, the outer body, and the inner and outer body; inner perceptions, outer perceptions, and inner and outer perceptions; the inner mind, the outer mind, and the inner and outer mind; and inner phenomena, outer phenomena, and inner and outer phenomena, he abides with vigor, vigilance, and mindfulness and has abandoned malice and despair toward the world. If so, Ānanda, that monk is said to be relying on the island that is himself, the refuge that is himself, the island that is the Dharma, the refuge that is the Dharma, and not on other islands or other refuges.”^[182]

II. Middle Village

Thereupon the Blessed One said to the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, let us go to Middle Village.”

“Certainly, O Honored One,” replied the venerable Ānanda to the Blessed One.

Then, in a certain place, the Blessed One smiled.^[183] It naturally occurs that whenever the buddhas, the blessed ones, smile, rays of blue, yellow, red, and white light emanate from their mouths. Some of the rays stream downward and some stream upward.

Those rays that stream downward go to the hells of Reviving, F.51.b Black Cord, Being Crushed, Scream, Great Scream, Heat, Intense Heat, Incessant, Blisters, Burst Blisters, Aṭaṭa, Hahava, Huhuva, Water Lily, Lotus, and Great Lotus. They alight on and cool those in the hot hells and alight on and warm those in the cold hells. Thus, each of the various pains of those beings in hell ceases. When those beings think, “Sirs, have we died here and been reborn elsewhere?” the blessed ones send an emanation to engender their faith. Seeing it, they think, “Sirs, we have not died here and been reborn elsewhere. Each of our various pains ceased on account of the power of this being we have never seen before.” Their minds filled with faith in the emanation, they exhaust the karma that led them to experience the hells and are reborn among gods and humans as vessels for seeing the truths.

Those rays that stream upward go to the gods attendant on the Four Great Kings, the Thirty-Three Gods, the gods of Yāma, Tuṣita, Nirmāṇarati, and Para­nirmita­vaśa­vartin, the gods attendant on Brahmā, and the gods of Brahma­purohita, Mahābrahman, Parīttābha, Apramāṇābha, Ābhāsvara, Parīttaśubha, Apramāṇaśubha, Śubhakṛtsna, Anabhraka, Puṇyaprasava, Bṛhatphala, Abṛha, Atapa, Sudṛśa, Sudarśana, and Akaniṣṭha. They resonate with the words “impermanent,” “subject to suffering,” F.52.a “empty,” and “selfless,” and proclaim these two verses:

Then the rays of light, after unfurling through the worlds of the great billionfold universe, later return to the Blessed One. The rays disappear into the space behind the Blessed One when the Blessed One intends to explain actions of the past. They disappear into the space in front of the Blessed One when the Blessed One intends to explain the future. They disappear into the soles of his feet when the Blessed One intends to explain rebirth in the hells. They disappear into the heels when the Blessed One intends to explain rebirth as an animal. They disappear into his big toe when the Blessed One intends to explain rebirth as a hungry ghost. They disappear into his knees when the Blessed One intends to explain rebirth as a human. They disappear into his left palm when the Blessed One intends to explain rebirth as a wheel-turning king of power.^[184] They disappear into his right palm when the Blessed One intends to explain rebirth as a wheel-turning king. They disappear into his navel when the Blessed One intends to explain rebirth as a god. They disappear into his mouth when the Blessed One intends to explain the awakening of a disciple. They disappear into the circle of hair between his eyebrows when the Blessed One intends to explain the awakening of a self-awakened one. They disappear into the top of his head when the Blessed One intends to explain complete and perfect awakening.

At that time those rays, after circumambulating the Blessed One three times, disappeared into the top of the Blessed One’s head. The venerable Ānanda then made the gesture of supplication to the Blessed One and said: F.52.b

Ānanda also spoke these verses:

“Ānanda, that is exactly it!” said the Blessed One. Ānanda, tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly awakened ones do not smile without cause, without condition. Ānanda, did you see this place?”

“Yes, I did, Honored One.”

“Ānanda, three perfectly awakened ones have dwelt in this place.”

The venerable Ānanda then quickly folded his upper robe in four, laid it down, and said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, please sit on this prepared seat, and then this place will have been enjoyed by four perfectly awakened ones.”

The Blessed One sat on the prepared seat. After sitting for a moment, he said to the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, let us go to the city of Mithilā.”

“Certainly, O Honored One,” replied the venerable Ānanda to the Blessed One.

III. Mithilā^[185]

Thereupon the Blessed One, traveling through the country of Videha, arrived at Mithilā. F.53.a He stayed in the mango grove of Mahādeva in Mithilā.^[186]

Then, in a certain place the Blessed One smiled. The venerable Ānanda saw the Blessed One smile, and having seen that, he said to the Blessed One, “O Honored One, tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly awakened ones do not smile without cause, without condition. What, then, is the cause and condition for the Honored One’s, the Blessed One’s smile?”

“Ānanda, that is exactly it! Ānanda, tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly awakened ones do not smile without cause, without condition. Ānanda, once people’s lifespans were eighty thousand years long. This continent of Jambu of people whose lifespans were eighty thousand years long was rich, prosperous, peaceful, abundant in food, and full of many people. Its villages, towns, provinces, and royal palaces were so close that a rooster could fly from one to the next.^[187] The people whose lifespans were eighty thousand years long experienced these kinds of physical harm: cold, heat, hunger, thirst, desire, loss of appetite, and old age. The daughters of the people whose lifespans were eighty thousand years long were given to their grooms at the age of five hundred just as today’s daughters are given at the age of fifteen or sixteen.

“Ānanda, when people’s lifespans were eighty thousand years long, there appeared a king named Mahādeva, a wheel-turning king who had conquered the border regions in the four directions, a righteous Dharma king who had obtained the seven treasures. His seven treasures were as follows: the precious chakra, elephant, horse, jewel, woman, householder, and minister.^[188]F.53.b He also had a thousand sons who were brave, bold, and endowed with excellent physiques, and who would defeat the enemy’s army. He conquered the land entirely, as far as the seashore, without risking harm, without violence, without punishment or weapons, but in accord with the Dharma and impartially.

“Then, when the barber who used to cut King Mahādeva’s hair and beard was arranging the king’s hair and beard, the king gave him an order: ‘When you find a white hair growing on my head, tell me, for it is a divine messenger.’^[189]

“ ‘Certainly, Your Majesty,’ replied the barber to King Mahādeva.

“Then one day the barber, arranging King Mahādeva’s hair and beard, did find white hairs growing on King Mahādeva’s head and he realized that a divine messenger had appeared. Having found them, he said to King Mahādeva, ‘Your Majesty, please be informed that white hairs are growing on your head and thus a divine messenger has appeared.’

“The king gave him another order: ‘Gently pull those white hairs out without cutting them, and place them in my palm.’

“ ‘Certainly, Your Majesty,’ replied the barber to King Mahādeva, and he gently pulled the white hairs out with a pair of golden tweezers, without cutting them, and placed them in King Mahādeva’s palm.

“Then King Mahādeva, holding the white hairs in both his hands, spoke a verse:

“ ‘Since I have already enjoyed human desires, it is time for me to seek divine desires. Now I will put my eldest son upon the throne and lead the pure life of a royal ṛṣi.’

“Thereupon King Mahādeva summoned his son by messenger and said, ‘Understand, my son, F.54.a that white hairs are growing on my head and thus a divine messenger has appeared. Since I have enjoyed human desires, it is time for me to seek divine desires. I will now put you upon the throne and lead the pure life of a royal ṛṣi. My son, I will entrust you with the land as far as the seashore, so you should protect it lawfully, not unlawfully. If someone’s conduct is unlawful or a mixture of lawful and unlawful, do not let him live in your country.

“ ‘My son, when you too find a white hair growing on your head and a divine messenger has thus appeared, you should put your eldest son upon the throne and lead the pure life of a royal ṛṣi, too. Thus, my son, you should complete this virtuous and sure path introduced by me and you should not break the tradition. Do not be an inferi or man.

“ ‘My son, he who does not allow such a virtuous and sure path of good men born to a noble lineage to increase, once introduced, will be the one who breaks their tradition and be an inferior man among them. Therefore, I now said, “Complete such a virtuous and sure path of good men born to a noble lineage introduced by me. You should not break the tradition. Do not be an inferior man.” ’

“Thereupon King Mahādeva put his eldest son upon the throne and led the pure life of a royal ṛṣi in the mango grove of Mahādeva in Mithilā.^[190]

“Ānanda, the eldest son whom King Mahādeva put upon the throne was also named Mahādeva, a wheel-turning king who had conquered the border regions in the four directions . . . . Then, when the barber who used to cut King Mahādeva’s hair and beard was arranging . . . . ‘Do not be an inferior man.’ F.54.b Thereupon King Mahādeva put his eldest son upon the throne and led the pure life of a royal ṛṣi in the mango grove of Mahādeva in Mithilā.

“Ānanda, his son, grandson, great-grandson, great-great-grandson, and so on, followed likewise, and eighty-four thousand Mahādevas led the pure life of a royal ṛṣi in this very mango grove of Mahādeva in Mithilā.^[191]

“The last of the line was a king named Nimi, a righteous Dharma king, a great king who abided in the Dharma. With his consort, sons, ministers, army, citizens, and provincial dwellers, he practiced the Dharma, gave donations, made merit, abided in abstinence, and practiced moral conduct correctly.

“At that time, Śakra, Lord of the Gods, praised the king in the presence of the Thirty-Three Gods, who were sitting together in the divine meeting hall Sudharmā: ‘O my friends, the people of Videha have attained a great boon, for Nimi, the king of the people of Videha, is a righteous Dharma king, a great king who abides in the Dharma. He, with his consort … practices moral conduct correctly. O my friends, do you want to see King Nimi?’

“ ‘O Kauśika, we sincerely wish to do so.’

“ ‘Then, my friends, you wait here. I will see King Nimi briefly.’

“Thereupon Śakra, Lord of the Gods, disappeared from the Thirty-Three Gods’ divine meeting hall Sudharmā, as quickly as a strong man stretches his bent arm or bends his stretched arm, and sat in King Nimi’s palace in Mithilā. He said, ‘O Nimi, you F.55.a have attained a great boon, for the Thirty-Three Gods, sitting together in the divine meeting hall Sudharmā, have praised you: “O my friends, the people of Videha . . . . He … practices moral conduct correctly.” O Nimi, do you want to go see the Thirty-Three Gods?’

“ ‘O Kauśika, I do wish to go see the Thirty-Three Gods.’

“ ‘Then, Nimi, wait here. I will shortly send you a chariot drawn by a thousand fine horses. You should ride in it and come without fear.’

“ ‘I shall do so,’ replied King Nimi to Śakra, Lord of the Gods.

“Thereupon Śakra, Lord of the Gods, went to the Thirty-Three Gods and ordered Mātali, the charioteer, ‘Mātali, go and very quickly prepare a chariot with a thousand fine horses. Go to King Nimi and say, “O Nimi, this is the chariot drawn by a thousand fine horses sent to you by Śakra, Lord of the Gods. Ride in it and come without fear.” ’^[192]

“ ‘O Kauśika, what you said is excellent,’ replied the charioteer Mātali to Śakra, Lord of the Gods. He very quickly prepared a chariot with a thousand fine horses and went to King Nimi. Upon his arrival, he said, ‘O Nimi, this is the chariot drawn by a thousand fine horses sent to you by Śakra, Lord of the Gods. Ride in it and come without fear.’

“Ānanda, King Nimi did ride the chariot drawn by a thousand fine horses without fear. Then the charioteer Mātali asked King Nimi, ‘O Nimi, along which side shall I drive your chariot, the side where beings of evil actions experience the maturation of evil and nonvirtuous actions, or the side where beings of virtuous actions experience F.55.b the maturation of virtuous actions?’

“ ‘In this case, Mātali, drive the chariot in a way that will enable me to see both, the side where beings of evil actions experience the maturation of evil and nonvirtuous actions and the side where beings of virtuous actions experience the maturation of virtuous actions.’

“Thereupon the charioteer Mātali drove King Nimi’s chariot in a way that enabled King Nimi to see both, the side where beings of evil actions experience the maturation of evil and nonvirtuous actions and the side where beings of virtuous actions experience the maturation of virtuous actions.

“Ānanda, King Nimi went to the Thirty-Three Gods and sat in the Thirty-Three Gods’ divine meeting hall Sudharmā. Śakra, Lord of the Gods, offered half of his seat to King Nimi. King Nimi and Śakra, Lord of the Gods, sat on the two halves of the same seat.

“Ānanda, when King Nimi and Śakra, Lord of the Gods, sat on the two halves of the same seat, there was no difference, no distinction, and no contrast between them, except that Śakra, Lord of the Gods, did not blink his eyes.^[193]

“Thereupon Śakra, Lord of the Gods, said to King Nimi, ‘O Nimi, you should stay here. Nimi, amuse yourself. Play, amuse yourself, and enjoy yourself, enjoying the objects of the five kinds of desires.’

“At that time, King Nimi spoke these verses:

“Ānanda, if you think that the one who was at that time, on that occasion, King Mahādeva, who entered that virtuous and sure path, and after whose entrance onto that virtuous and sure path eighty-four thousand Mahādevas led the pure life of a royal ṛṣi in this very mango grove of Mahādeva in Mithilā, was someone else, you should think otherwise. Why?

“Ānanda, I myself was at that time, on that occasion, King Mahādeva, who introduced that virtuous and sure path, after whose introduction of that virtuous and sure path eighty-four thousand Mahādevas led the pure life of a royal ṛṣi in this very mango grove of Mahādeva in Mithilā.^[194] Why?

“Ānanda, at that time I had desire, anger, and delusion. I had not been liberated from birth, old age, illness, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, despair, and distress. I had not been liberated from suffering,” said the Blessed One.

“Ānanda, now I, after appearing in this world as a teacher, a tathāgata, an arhat, a perfectly awakened one, perfect in knowledge and conduct, a sugata, a world-knowing, supreme tamer of people to be tamed, a teacher of gods and humans, a buddha, and a blessed one, have become free from desire, anger, and delusion. Thus I have been liberated from birth, old age, illness, death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, despair, and distress,” said the Blessed One.

“Ānanda, now I, depending on that virtuous and sure path introduced by me, will liberate beings, who are by nature subject to birth, from being by nature subject to birth. I will liberate beings, who are by nature subject to old age, illness, death, F.56.b sorrow, lamentation, pain, despair, and distress, from being by nature subject to … distress. What is that virtuous and sure path onto which I entered, on which I depended, and by which I will liberate beings, who are by nature subject to birth … distress, from being by nature subject to … distress? It is the eightfold path of the noble ones, namely, right view, right thought, right speech, right behavior, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right meditation. This is that virtuous and sure path onto which I entered, on which I depended, and by which I will liberate beings, who are by nature subject to birth … distress, from being by nature subject to … distress.^[195]

“Ānanda, you should also thus complete this virtuous and sure path introduced by me and you should not break the tradition. Do not be an inferior man.

“Ānanda, he who does not allow such a virtuous and sure path of good disciples born to a noble lineage to increase, once introduced, will be the one who breaks their tradition and an inferior man among them. Therefore, I said, ‘Complete such a virtuous and sure path of good disciples born to a noble lineage that has been introduced by me. Do not break the tradition. Do not be an inferior man.’ ”

IV. Videha^[196]

Thereupon the Blessed One said to the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, let us go to Videha.”^[197]

“Certainly, O Honored One,” replied the venerable Ānanda to the Blessed One.

Thereupon the Blessed One, having arrived in Videha, smiled F.57.a in a certain place in Videha … the seat of four buddhas^[198] . . . . After sitting for a moment, he said to the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, let us go to Sālā.”

“Certainly, O Honored One,” replied the venerable Ānanda to the Blessed One.

V. Sālā^[199]

The Blessed One, traveling through the country of Vṛji, arrived in Sālā and stayed near a village of brahmins there. Then, early in the morning, the Blessed One dressed, took his bowl and his robe, and entered Sālā for alms.

Māra the Evil One then had a thought: “This śramaṇa Gautama stayed near a village of brahmins in Sālā. Early in the morning he dressed, took his bowl and his robe, and entered Sālā for alms. Now I will exercise my magical power over the brahmins and householders in Sālā so that after the śramaṇa Gautama has entered Sālā for alms, carrying his washed bowl with him, he will return with his bowl as it is, without getting even a scrap of food.”

Thereupon Māra the Evil One exercised his magical power over the brahmins and householders in Sālā so that after the Blessed One entered Sālā for alms, carrying his washed bowl with him, he would return with his bowl as it was, without getting even a scrap of food. Māra the Evil One then transformed himself into a young brahmin, followed the Blessed One, and said, “O śramaṇa, O śramaṇa, did you not even get a scrap of food?”

“Ah,” thought the Blessed One, “this one who is coming is Māra the Evil One. He is causing a disturbance.”

Knowing this, he spoke a verse:

Māra the Evil One said, “Śramaṇa, then go to Sālā for alms again, and I will try to ensure that you get alms.”

Then, at that time, the Blessed One spoke these verses:^[200]

Thereupon Māra the Evil One thought, “Śramaṇa Gautama knows my mind.” Knowing this, he disappeared from that very place in pain, despair, and regret.

VI. The Well^[201]

Then the Blessed One said to the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, let us go to Where There Is a Well.”

“Certainly, O Honored One,” replied the venerable Ānanda to the Blessed One.

Soon after the Blessed One arrived at the place called Where There Is a Well.

In Where There Is a Well, a woman went to the well, carrying with her a rope and pitcher. A man followed her, entirely possessed by passion for her. Since she was also extremely passionate about him, the two of them went to the well together, embracing each other. Her little son also went to the well, following her. Then, preoccupied by the man, she thought, “I will throw the pitcher into the well,” and, tying the rope around her little son’s neck, threw him into the well. The child died.

She then heard a verse that had not been heard before:^[202]

The Blessed One was also walking along the same path, and he said to the venerable Ānanda, F.58.a “Ānanda, bear this verse in mind. This verse was spoken by a perfectly awakened one of the past. Since it has come into the hands of an ordinary person, it is not bright, clear, or vivid.”

The Blessed One added, “I see nothing that changes as quickly as this mind.”

The woman, out of sorrow for her son, threw herself at the feet of the Blessed One. The Blessed One knew her thinking, proclivity, disposition, and nature, and preached the Dharma that was appropriate for her. When she had heard the Dharma, the woman leveled the twenty high peaks of the mountain chain of the false view of individuality with the vajra of knowledge and actualized the fruit of stream-entry. After having seen the truths, she spoke an inspired utterance three times: “O Honored One, what the Blessed One has done for me is what has never been done for me by my mother, my father, a king, gods, ancestral spirits, śramaṇas, brahmins, my husband, or my kinsmen or relatives. Relying on a good spiritual friend, the Blessed One, I have shut the gate to inferior states of existence and opened the gate to heaven and liberation; pulled myself out from the states of hell, animals, and hungry ghosts and placed myself among the gods and humans; left the course of rebirth far behind; dried up the ocean of blood and tears; and been liberated the mountain of bones. With the vajra of knowledge I have leveled the twenty high peaks of the mountain chain of the false view of individuality that had been accumulated since beginningless time, and actualized the fruit of stream-entry. O Honored One, I have been exalted, truly exalted. Since I seek refuge in the Blessed One, F.58.b the Dharma, and the community of monks, please accept me as a lay sister. From today onward, I embrace my faith as one who seeks refuge throughout my life.”

VII. Bhārgava^[204]

In a certain place, the Blessed One said to the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, when I was a bodhisattva, in this place I was given an invitation by the ṛṣi Bhārgava with a seat, roots, and fruits.”

VIII. Kāṣāya^[205]

Again, in a certain place the Blessed One said, “Ānanda, when I was a bodhisattva, I was in despair over old age, and so forth, and in this very place I gave my garment made in Kāśi to Śakra, Lord of the Gods, who was dressed as a hunter, and received saffron (kāṣāya) robes in return. Devout brahmins and householders built a shrine called Acceptance of the Saffron Robes. Today, there are monks who still worship at the shrine there. Śakra, Lord of the Gods, having taken the garment made in Kāśi to the Thirty-Three Gods and placed it among them, held a festival for the garment made in Kāśi. Today the Thirty-Three Gods still worship it.”

IX. Crown of the Head^[206]

Again, in a certain place the Blessed One said, “Ānanda, when I was a bodhisattva, in this place I cut my hair with a sword as if it were a blue utpala petal, and threw the hair up in the air. Devout brahmins and householders built a shrine called Acceptance of the Hair. Today, there are monks who still worship at the shrine there. Śakra, Lord of the Gods, having taken the hair to the Thirty-Three Gods and placed it among them, held a festival for the hair knot. Today the Thirty-Three Gods still worship it.”

X. Kanthaka^[207]

Again, in a certain place the Blessed One said, “Ānanda, Kanthaka, the king of horses, led by Chandaka, turned back from this place. Devout brahmins and F.59.a householders built a shrine called Kanthaka’s Return.^[208] Today, there are monks who still worship at the shrine there.”

XI. Gośālaka^[209]

The Blessed One arrived in the country of Gośālaka, and then said to the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, Chandaka, the son of a noble family, was born and grew up here in Gośālaka.”

XII. Pāpā^[210]

The Blessed One then arrived in Pāpā. When the people of the Malla clan in Pāpā heard that the Blessed One had arrived in Pāpā, the elder members said, “The young men should clean up the road. We will clean up the city.”

Then, when the young men began to clean up the road, they saw a huge rock. They attempted to remove it, but they were unable to. The Blessed One also came to that place and asked them, “Vāsiṣṭhas, what are you doing?”

“We are cleaning up the road for the Blessed One, but we cannot remove this huge rock.”

“In that case, shall I remove it?” asked he Blessed One.

“O Blessed One, please remove it.”

Then the Blessed One lifted the huge rock into the air using his right big toe.^[211] When he threw it up and out of sight, the people of the Malla clan were frightened at the sound it caused. The Blessed One said, “Vāsiṣṭhas, do not be frightened.”

Then the Blessed One smashed the rock into pieces with his power of meditation,^[212] and dust fell all around. The people of the Malla clan asked, “O Blessed One, where does this dust fall from?”

“The Tathāgata smashed the rock into pieces,” replied the Blessed One.

“It isn’t good that the Blessed One did that.” F.59.b

“Shall I put the pieces back together?”

“O Blessed One, please put the pieces back together.”

Then, the Blessed One put the pieces back together with the power of dedication and set the rock in the same place as before. The Blessed One sat upon it, too. The five hundred people of the Malla clan also gathered there and asked, “O Blessed One, with what power did the Blessed One throw the huge rock up into the air?”

“O Vāsiṣṭhas,” answered the Blessed One, “with the power generated from my father and mother.”

They asked, “With what power did you smash the rock into pieces?”

“With the power of meditation,”^[213] answered the Blessed One.

“With what power did you put it back together?”

“With the power of dedication.”

“How great is the Blessed One’s power generated from his father and mother?”

“O Vāsiṣṭhas, the power of ten men equals the power of an average ox. The power of ten average oxen equals the power of a blue wild ox. The power of ten blue wild oxen equals the power of an elephant calf. The power of ten elephant calves equals the power of a cow elephant. The power of ten cow elephants equals the power of an average bull elephant. The power of ten average bull elephants equals the power of a tuskless elephant. The power of ten tuskless elephants equals the power of a blue elephant. The power of ten blue elephants equals the power of a yellow elephant. The power of ten yellow elephants equals the power of a red elephant. The power of ten red elephants equals the power of a white elephant. The power of ten white elephants equals the power of an elephant from Mount Vindhya. The power of ten elephants from Mount Vindhya equals the power of a rutting elephant. The power of ten rutting elephants equals the power of a nagna (champion). The power of ten nagnas equals the power of a great nagna. The power of ten great nagnas equals the power of F.60.a a praskandin (aggressive man). The power of ten praskandins equals the power of a cāṇūra (wrestler). The power of ten cāṇūras equals one half of the power of Nārāyaṇa. Two times half the power of Nārāyaṇa is the power of Nārāyaṇa. This much power is in each joint of a tathāgata. Vāsiṣṭhas, thus tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly awakened ones have a great mass of the power of Nārāyaṇa.”

A Section Index:

“If this power of Nārāyaṇa is the power of a tathāgata generated from his father and mother, O Honored One, is there any other power besides the power generated from his father and mother and the powers of meditation and dedication?”

“O Vāsiṣṭhas, there is. It is called the power of merit. Vāsiṣṭhas, because the Tathāgata has the power of merit, having defeated Māra and his host of three hundred sixty million bhūtas, he attained supreme knowledge under the Bodhi tree.”

“O Honored One, is there any other power besides the power generated from his father and mother and the powers of meditation, dedication, and merit?”

“O Vāsiṣṭhas, there is. It is called the power of knowledge. Since the Tathāgata has the power of knowledge, he abandoned the mass of defilements that had been accumulated since beginningless time and drove it away.”

“O Honored One, is there any other power besides the power generated from his father and mother and the powers of meditation, dedication, merit, F.60.b and knowledge?”

“O Vāsiṣṭhas, there is. It is called magical power. Vāsiṣṭhas, because the Tathāgata has magical power, he destroyed the self-confidence of the six teachers, such as Pūraṇa Kāśyapa, who prided themselves on being perfectly awakened ones when they were actually not.”

“O Honored One, is there any other power besides the power generated from his father and mother and the powers of meditation, dedication, merit, knowledge, and magical power?”

“O Vāsiṣṭhas, there is. It is called the power of impermanence. Vāsiṣṭhas, because the Tathāgata has the power of impermanence, all of his powers—the power generated from his father and mother and the powers of meditation, dedication, merit, knowledge, and magical power—fade between a pair of sāla trees.”^[215]

He also spoke these verses:

“O Vāsiṣṭhas, see how people today are inferior to the people of long ago in terms of lifespan, figure, power, and wealth. This rock was F.61.a an exercise stone of people in the first eon. Even the impression of a hand is visible on it.”

They were quite astonished by this and lost their conceit about their own power. The Blessed One knew their thinking, proclivities, dispositions, and natures, and preached the Dharma that was appropriate for them. When they had heard the Dharma, they leveled the twenty high peaks of the mountain chain of the false view of individuality with the vajra of knowledge and actualized the fruit of stream-entry. After having seen the truths, they spoke an inspired utterance three times: “O Honored One, what you have done for us is what has never been done for us by our mothers, our fathers, a king, gods, ancestral spirits, śramaṇas or brahmins, our wives, or our kinsmen or relatives. Relying on a good spiritual friend, the Blessed One, we have pulled ourselves out from the states of hell, animals, and hungry ghosts; placed ourselves among the gods and humans; and left the course of rebirth far behind. With the vajra of knowledge we have leveled the twenty high peaks of the mountain chain of the false view of individuality that had been accumulated since beginningless time, and actualized the fruit of stream-entry. O Honored One, we have been exalted, truly exalted. Since we seek refuge in the Blessed One, the Dharma, and the community of monks, please accept us as lay brothers. From today onward, we embrace our faith as ones who seek refuge throughout our life.”

XIII. Kuśinagarī

Then the Blessed One said to the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, let us go to Kuśinagarī.”

“Certainly, O Honored One,” F.61.b replied the venerable Ānanda to the Blessed One.

Thereupon the Blessed One, without going to Pāpā, traveled to Kuśinagarī, and in due course he arrived there. The Blessed One then said to the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, here in this Kuśinagarī the Tathāgata will soon be completely emancipated.”

I. The Axe^[220]

The Blessed One stayed in Kalmāṣadamya, a village of the people of Kuru. At that time the Blessed One said to the monks, “Monks, having known and seen that defilements had been exhausted, I said . . . .” (Here the Sūtra of the Parable of the Axe in the section on the aggregates in the Saṃyuktāgama is to be recited in detail).^[221]

II. Devadṛśa^[222]

The Blessed One then arrived at Devadṛśa and there said to the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, in this Devadṛśa, in this very place, Suprabuddha Śākya^[223] was born and grew up.”

III. Lumbinī^[224]

The Blessed One went to Lumbinī and there said to the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, in this forest of Lumbinī, as soon as I was born, I took seven steps without support from anyone, looked in the four directions, and said, ‘This is my last birth.’

IV. Kapila^[225]

The Blessed One arrived in Kapilavastu and there said to the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, in this Kapilavastu, in this very place, King Śuddhodana was born and grew up.

V. Where There Is Cotton

The Blessed One then arrived at a place called Where There Is Cotton. Thereupon the Blessed One said to the monks,^[226] “Monks, I will teach you about attendants who oppose the Dharma and those who follow it. F.62.a Listen well and keep this in mind; I shall teach it.

“What is an attendant who is opposed to the Dharma? The attendant who proceeds because of desire, anger, delusion, and fear is called an attendant who is opposed to the Dharma.

“What is an attendant who follows the Dharma? The attendant who does not proceed because of desire, anger, delusion, or fear is called an attendant who follows the Dharma.

“Monks, I said to you, ‘I will teach you about attendants who oppose the Dharma and those who follow it.’ This is it.”

VI. Kanakamuni

When he arrived at Koṇaka Village, the Blessed One said to the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, in this Koṇaka Village, the Perfectly Awakened One Kanakamuni was born. He was also completely emancipated in this very place.

VII. Kārṣaka

When he arrived at Kārṣaka Village, the Blessed One said to the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, when I was a bodhisattva, having seen the work of my father Śuddhodana in this Kārṣaka Village, I entered the first dhyāna, which is similar to the state without defilement, in the shade of a Jambū tree.

VIII. A Robe

Again, in a certain place, the Blessed One said to the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, a robe of the Perfectly Awakened One Kanakamuni was spread in this place.”

IX. Bath

When he arrived at a village called Bath, the Blessed One said to the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, the Perfectly Awakened One Kanakamuni bathed in this Bath Village. Therefore the name of this place became ‘Village of Bath.’ ”

X. Sikatin

The Blessed One arrived in Sikatin. In Sikatin … (The Sūtra of the Parable of Pole Climbing in the section of the path is abbreviated here).^[227]

I. Icchānaṅgalā^[229]

In Icchānaṅgalā, the Blessed One stayed in the Icchānaṅgalā Forest. At one point the Blessed One said to the monks, “Monks, I will go into seclusion here for three months.^[230] No monks should come to me except when someone brings me almsfood or when it is the day of poṣadha, which is held every fifteen days.”

And so the Blessed One did go into seclusion there for three months. No monks came to him except when a monk brought him almsfood or when it was the day of poṣadha, which is held every fifteen days. Thereupon the Blessed One, having spent the three months, sat on the seat prepared for him in front of the community of monks. When he had sat down, the Blessed One said to the monks, “Monks, if non-Buddhist ascetics or wandering mendicants approach you and ask, ‘In what state did the śramaṇa Gautama go into seclusion here for three months?’ you should answer those who ask, ‘He dwelt in breathing in and breathing out.’

“Why? Monks, I was in seclusion here for three months in the state of being mindful of breathing in and breathing out. Whenever I breathed in, I knew that I was breathing in exactly as I was. Whenever I breathed out, I knew that I was breathing out exactly as I was. While perfectly aware of long and short breaths and the whole body, whenever I breathed in, I knew, while perfectly aware of the whole body, that I was breathing in exactly as I was. While perfectly aware of the whole body,F.63.a whenever I breathed out, I knew, while perfectly aware of the whole body, that I was breathing out exactly as I was. Having made supple the bodily formations, whenever I breathed in and, having made supple the bodily formations, I breathed out, I knew that I breathed in and breathed out exactly as I did . . . .^[231] I knew, observing cessation, that I breathed out exactly as I did.

“Monks, about this I thought, ‘Since this is a coarse and fabricated state, now I will go beyond that state and abandon it, and abide in subtler and subtler states again and again.’ Having gone beyond that state and abandoned it, I abided in these subtler and subtler states again and again.

“Thereupon three gods came to me. When they arrived, one of the gods said, ‘The śramaṇa Gautama is dead.’

“The second god said, ‘He is not dead but dying.’

“The third god said, ‘He is neither dead nor dying; the state of arhats is tranquil like this.’

“Monks, suppose one correctly speaks of the state of a noble one, the state of a god, the state of Brahmā, and the state of a practitioner having completed the training, which are the same as the state of the Tathāgata. Practitioners undergoing training enter into that state in order to obtain what they have not obtained, realize what they have not realized, and actualize what they have not actualized. Practitioners having completed the training enter into that state in order to abide in happiness in this present life.

“When one thus speaks correctly, F.63.b one speaks of abiding in mindfulness of breathing in and breathing out. Why? Monks, abiding in mindfulness of breathing in and breathing out is the state of a noble one . . . . Practitioners having completed the training enter into that state in order to abide in happiness in this present life.”^[232]

II. Utkaṭā^[233]

The Blessed One, traveling through the country of Kosala, arrived in Icchānaṅgalā and stayed in the Icchānaṅgalā Forest near Icchānaṅgalā.^[234]

At that time a brahmin named Pauṣkarasāri was given tribute along with gifts for brahmins in the form of roots, trees, and water by King Prasenajit of Kosala, and he was enjoying the wealth of the whole of Utkaṭā. There was a disciple of the brahmin Pauṣkarasāri named Ambāṣṭha, who was learned and spoke clearly and fluently. He was teaching brahmanical mantras to five hundred young brahmins, who were also disciples of the brahmin Pauṣkarasāri.

The brahmin Pauṣkarasāri heard thus: “The śramaṇa Gautama, a son of the Śākyans, one who went forth from his home into homelessness with true faith, having shaved off his hair and beard and donned saffron robes, was awakened to complete and supreme awakening. The great virtue, fame, renown, and praise of that honorable Gautama are known in all directions. Thus, the Blessed One Gautama is a tathāgata, an arhat, a perfectly awakened one, perfect in knowledge and conduct, a sugata, world knowing, a supreme tamer of people to be tamed, a teacher of gods and humans, a buddha, and a blessed one. Having in this life, by his own supernormal knowledge, actualized F.64.a and accomplished awakening, he announced to the world with its gods, Māra, Brahmā, people such as śramaṇas and brahmins, and beings such as gods and humans: ‘My defilements have been exhausted. The pure life has been lived. What is to be done has been done. I will not know another existence after this one.’ It appears even in the mantras:^[235] ‘There are no other ways for a great man possessing those thirty-two marks of a great man besides these two ways: If he lives at home, he becomes a wheel-turning king who conquers the border regions in the four directions, is a righteous Dharma king, and attains the seven treasures. His seven treasures are as follows: the precious chakra, elephant, horse, jewel, woman, householder, and minister.

He has a thousand sons who are brave, bold, and endowed with excellent physiques, and who will defeat the enemy’s army. He conquers the land entirely, as far as the seashore, without risking harm, without violence, without punishment or weapons, but in accordance with the Dharma and impartially. If, however, he goes forth from his home into homelessness with true faith, having shaved off his hair and beard and donned saffron robes, he will achieve renown in the world as a tathāgata, an arhat, a perfectly awakened one.’ He, the śramaṇa Gautama, having traveled through the country of Kosala, has arrived in Icchānaṅgalā and is staying in the Icchānaṅgalā Forest near Icchānaṅgalā.”

When he heard that, the brahmin Pauṣkarasāri said to the young brahmin Ambāṣṭha, “Ambāṣṭha, did you know? I have heard thus: ‘The śramaṇa Gautama, a son of the Śākyans, one who went forth from his home into homelessness with true faith, having shaved off his hair and beard and donned saffron robes … announced: “. . . . The pure life has been lived.” I discovered it in the mantras: F.64.b “There are no other ways for a great man possessing those thirty-two marks of a great man besides these two ways: If he lives at home, he becomes a wheel-turning king who conquers the border regions in the four directions, is a righteous Dharma king … he will achieve renown in the world . . . .” This very man, having traveled through the country of Kosala, has arrived in Icchānaṅgalā and is staying in the Icchānaṅgalā Forest near Icchānaṅgalā.’ Now, young brahmin, go to the honorable Gautama and confirm for yourself whether the great virtue, fame, renown, and praise of that honorable Gautama, which are known in all directions, are true or not, and whether his famous marks are real or not.”

The young brahmin Ambāṣṭha accepted the brahmin Pauṣkarasāri’s order. With many elder brahmins from Utkaṭā, he left Utkaṭā and went to the Blessed One. When he arrived, he sat down to one side. Then the many elder brahmins from Utkaṭā, face to face with the Blessed One, made plenty of pleasant and joyful conversation, and then sat down to one side. When they had sat down to one side, the Blessed One, through talk consistent with the Dharma, instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted the many elder brahmins from Utkaṭā. While the Blessed One was giving a talk consistent with the Dharma to the many elder brahmins from Utkaṭā, the young brahmin Ambāṣṭha walked around in his shoes. Haughty F.65.a and arrogant, he suddenly started to speak—he did not wait until the Blessed One had finished speaking, and was thinking of talking back.^[236]

The Blessed One then asked the young brahmin Ambāṣṭha, “Young brahmin, do you speak suddenly and in such a way with brahmins who are familiar with the three Vedas?”

“How do you mean, śramaṇa Gautama?”

“While the Tathāgata was giving a talk consistent with the Dharma to the many elder brahmins from Utkaṭā, you were walking around in your shoes. Haughty and arrogant, you suddenly started to speak, did not wait until I had finished speaking, and were thinking of talking back.”

“Śramaṇa Gautama, walking brahmins rightly speak with walking brahmins, standing ones with standing ones, sitting ones with sitting ones, reclining ones with reclining ones. As for shaven-headed śramaṇas, friends of darkness, and the unmarried, it is appropriate that I speak suddenly in this way, as I do now with the honorable Gautama.”

“Young brahmin, if you have come here seeking something, you, behaving in such a way, are no one but a person who has not properly served. The young brahmin Ambāṣṭha seems not to have properly served teachers.”

The Blessed One having rebuked the young brahmin Ambāṣṭha with the words “has not properly served,” Ambāṣṭha was then enraged, angry, furious,^[237] and displeased. He wanted to talk back to the Blessed One, insult him, and quarrel with him.^[238] Thinking, “This will be enough to talk back to the śramaṇa Gautama, insult him, quarrel with him, and teach him a lesson,” he said to the Blessed One, “Hey, Gautama, these Śākyans are menials indeed.^[239] Since they come from a family of menials, they do not respect, esteem, and venerate brahmins.”

“Young brahmin, what harm did the Śākyans do to you?”

“Gautama, once before, F.65.b I went on foot to the city of Kapilavastu on my own business and that of my teacher. There the Śākyan men and women, who were on the terrace, pointed at me. Saying, ‘Oh! It is the young brahmin Ambāṣṭha, disciple of the brahmin Pauṣkarasāri. It is the young brahmin Ambāṣṭha, disciple of the brahmin Pauṣkarasāri,’ they pointed at me without respecting, esteeming, or venerating me.”

“Young brahmin, even swallows, which are little birds, twitter however they like when they are^[240] in their own nests, let alone the Śākyans. Young brahmin, that Kapilavastu is the city of the Śākyans.”

“Gautama, the castes are these four: brahmin, kṣatriya, vaiśya, and śūdra. Gautama, these four castes respect, esteem, and venerate brahmins. But these Śākyans are menials indeed. Since they come from a family of menials, they do not respect, esteem, and venerate brahmins.”

Then the Blessed One thought, “Ah, this young brahmin Ambāṣṭha excessively criticizes the Śākyans with the word menials, saying, ‘Oh! The Śākyans are menials. Oh! The Śākyans are menials.’ Now I will examine the origin of his family.”

The Blessed One then did examine the origin of the family of the young brahmin Ambāṣṭha. He knew that the young brahmin Ambāṣṭha was a descendant of a female slave of the Śākyans and that the Śākyans were sons of his masters. The Blessed One then asked the young brahmin Ambāṣṭha, “Ambāṣṭha, what is your family?”

“Gautama, it is Kāṇvāyana.”

“Young brahmin, here I examined the origin of your family and F.66.a found that you were the son of a female slave of the Śākyans.”

Then the elder brahmins from Utkaṭā said to the Blessed One, “Hey, Gautama, you should not criticize the young brahmin Ambāṣṭha with the words ‘son of a slave woman.’ Why? The young brahmin Ambāṣṭha is learned and speaks clearly and fluently. The young brahmin Ambāṣṭha can answer the honorable Gautama about this matter, according to the doctrine.”

“Brahmins, if you think that the young brahmin Ambāṣṭha can answer me according to the doctrine, you should be silent and let the young brahmin Ambāṣṭha answer me about this matter, according to the doctrine. If you do not think that the young brahmin Ambāṣṭha can answer me about this matter according to the doctrine, the young brahmin Ambāṣṭha should be silent, and you should answer me about this matter, according to the doctrine.”

“O Gautama, the young brahmin Ambāṣṭha himself is learned and speaks clearly and fluently. The young brahmin Ambāṣṭha can answer the honorable Gautama about this matter, according to the doctrine, and others cannot.”

The Blessed One then recounted to the young brahmin Ambāṣṭha,^[241] “Young brahmin, once there was a king named Ikṣuvāku. King Ikṣuvāku had four sons: Ulkāmukha, Karakarṇī, Hastiniyaṃsa, and Nūpuraka. That King Ikṣuvāku banished them for a certain sin. Each taking a sister along with him, they went to other countries, other lands. In due course they arrived beside the Himalaya, on the banks of the Bhāgīrathī River.^[242] Each of them built his hut near the ṛṣi Kapila’s hermitage and married his half sister by a different mother. They had sons and daughters. Later, King Ikṣuvāku remembered these four sons and asked his ministers, ‘Where are my four sons now?’

“The ministers answered, ‘Your Majesty’s four sons were banished by Your Majesty for a certain sin. They are now in another country, beside the Himalaya, on the banks of the Bhāgīrathī River, and have sons and daughters.’^[243]

“King Ikṣuvāku then asked the ministers, ‘Hey, leaders, F.66.b are my sons able to do that?’

“ ‘Yes, they are, Your Majesty.’

“Then King Ikṣuvāku stretched his upper body, raised his right hand, and spoke an inspired utterance: ‘Ah, my sons are able.’

“They were renowned as beings with great power. Since the king uttered the words ‘my sons are able (śākya),’ they were named Śākya. Young brahmin, have you heard that the Śākyans were born from them, their origin is them, and their ancestors are them?”

“Gautama, I have heard that the Śākyans were born from them, their origin is them, and their ancestors are them.”

“Young brahmin, there was a female slave of King Ikṣuvāku named Diśikā, who was beautiful, pleasant to behold, and attractive. She lived with a ṛṣi from a mātaṅga family. Since the two lived together, a son was born. As soon as he was born, the son spoke these words: ‘Mother, please wipe me, wash me, and free me from dirty things immediately.’

“At that time people called fiends kāṇvāyanas. When, as soon as he was born, the son spoke the words ‘Mother, please wipe me, wash me, and free me from dirty things immediately,’ his mother exclaimed, ‘Ah, a kāṇvāyana is born!’ Thus, he was named Kāṇvāyana. Young brahmin, have you heard that the Kāṇvāyanas were born from him, their origin is him, and their ancestor is him?”

Being thus asked, the young brahmin Ambāṣṭha remained silent. The Blessed One asked the young brahmin Ambāṣṭha a second and a third time, “Young brahmin, have you heard that the Kāṇvāyanas were born from him, their origin is him, and their ancestor is him?”

The young brahmin Ambāṣṭha remained silent a second and a third time.

Then the yakṣa Vajrapāṇi raised F.67.a a vajra, which was blazing, fully blazing, thoroughly blazing, and blazing like a single tongue of flame, above the young brahmin Ambāṣṭha’s head, thinking, “If the young brahmin Ambāṣṭha, having heard the Blessed One ask him three times, does not answer, I will smash his head into seven pieces with this vajra, which is blazing, fully blazing, thoroughly blazing, blazing like a single tongue of flame.”^[244]

The Blessed One saw the yakṣa Vajrapāṇi, and the brahmin Ambāṣṭha, by the Buddha’s power, also saw him. Then the brahmin Ambāṣṭha was frightened, terrified, dejected, and, with the hair in all the pores of his body standing on end, admitted to the Blessed One, “Gautama, I have heard that the Kāṇvāyanas were born from him, their origin is him, and their ancestor is him.”

Then the elder brahmins from Utkaṭā thought,^[245] “The Honored One Gautama said that the young brahmin Ambāṣṭha was the son of a female slave of the Śākyans and the Śākyans were sons of Ambāṣṭha’s masters. If this is true, we will no longer doubt what the honorable Gautama says.”

The Blessed One then said to the elder brahmins from Utkaṭā, “You should not excessively criticize the young brahmin Ambāṣṭha with the words ‘son of a slave woman.’ Why? He was at that time a ṛṣi of great magical power and dignity. He punished King Ikṣuvāku for a certain sin. When he was punished with the punishment for a brahmin, King Ikṣuvāku was frightened, terrified, dejected, and, with the hair in all the pores of his body standing on end, held with his left hand his eldest daughter adorned with every ornament and with his right hand a golden pitcher. Although he offered her as wife to the ṛṣi, the ṛṣi did not accept her.”

Then, because the Blessed One F.67.b had said to the young brahmin Ambāṣṭha that he was the son of a female slave, the young brahmin was upset, his shoulders drooping and his head hanging, ashamed, and in despair, and he remained silent.^[246]

Thereupon the Blessed One thought, “Since I said that he was the son of a female slave, this young brahmin Ambāṣṭha is upset, his shoulders drooping and his head hanging, ashamed, and in despair, and he is silent. Now I will make conversation with him.” He then said to the young brahmin Ambāṣṭha, “Young brahmin, if, for instance, the son of a kṣatriya and the daughter of a brahmin live together, and, having lived together, a son is born, is the son given a seat, water, mantra, or teaching by brahmins?”

“Gautama, he is.”

“Do kṣatriyas anoint him as a kṣatriya?”

“Gautama, they do. Why? Because he is a son of their brother, kṣatriyas anoint their nephew.”^[247]

“Young brahmin, if, for instance, the son of a brahmin and the daughter of a kṣatriya live together, and, having lived together, a son is born, is the son given a seat, water, mantra, or teaching by brahmins?”

“Gautama, he is.”

“Do kṣatriyas anoint him as a kṣatriya?”

“Gautama, they do. Why? Because he is their nephew, kṣatriyas anoint their nephew.”^[248][249]

“Young brahmin, if, for instance, the son of a kṣatriya is banished by kṣatriyas for a certain sin, is he given a seat, water, mantra, or teaching by brahmins?”

“Gautama, he is.”

“Do kṣatriyas anoint him as a kṣatriya?”

“Gautama, they do. Why? Because he is their kinsman, kṣatriyas anoint their kinsman.” F.68.a

“Young brahmin, if, for instance, the son of a brahmin is banished by brahmins for a certain sin, is he given a seat, water, mantra, or teaching by brahmins?”

“Gautama, he is not.”

“Do kṣatriyas anoint him as a kṣatriya?”

“Gautama, they do not. Why? Because he is a brahmin caṇḍāla, kṣatriyas do not anoint a brahmin caṇḍāla.”

“Young brahmin, therefore, the family of kṣatriyas is the best in birth, family, and race, not the family of brahmins. Young brahmin, Brahmā, the ruler of the Sahā World, spoke a verse:^[250]

“Young brahmin, the verse spoken by Brahmā, the ruler of the Sahā World, which says:

“is not a faulty saying but a good saying; it’s not a faulty statement but a good statement. Why? I also say:

“What do you think, young brahmin? When there is a wedding, when a bride is given and received in some place, are brahmins given a seat, water, mantra, or teaching there?”

“Gautama, when there is a wedding, when a bride is given and received in some place, brahmins are given a seat, water, mantra, or teaching there.”

“Young brahmin, when there is a wedding, when a bride is given and received in some place, F.68.b there is the arrogance of family, the arrogance of birth, and the arrogance of a brahmin’s son.

“Young brahmin, as long as beings are tied down by the arrogance of family, the arrogance of birth, and the arrogance of a brahmin’s son, they do not actualize this supreme state of one perfect in knowledge and conduct, and they have no opportunity to do so. Young brahmin, if they abandon the arrogance of family, the arrogance of birth, and the arrogance of a brahmin’s son, those who have not actualized this supreme state of one perfect in knowledge and conduct will actualize it.”

“I, as one who has not existed in the past, will not exist in the future, and does not exist in the present, believe in the honorable Gautama.^[251] May the honorable Gautama teach the Dharma so that I will desire to attain knowledge and conduct.”

“Then, young brahmin, listen to it well and keep it in mind; I shall teach it.

“Young brahmin, here in the world there has appeared a teacher who is a tathāgata, an arhat, a perfectly awakened one,^[252] perfect in knowledge and conduct, a sugata, world knowing, a supreme tamer of people to be tamed, a teacher of gods and humans, a buddha, and a blessed one. He teaches Dharma that is good in the beginning, good in the middle, good at the end, excellent in meaning, excellent in wording, distinct, complete, pure, and immaculate, teaching the pure life. Householders or sons of householders listen to the Dharma. Having listened to the Dharma, each of them gains faith. Each of them, with his faith gained, trains himself, thinking, ‘Life at home is confining^[253] and full of dust.

Going forth is like a wide open space. It is difficult for laymen who live at home to lead a pure life that is totally pure, complete, completely pure, and immaculate throughout their lives.F.69.a Now I will go forth from my home into homelessness with true faith, having shaved off my hair and beard and donned saffron robes.’

“Having thus gone forth, he abides by moral conduct. He is controlled by the restraint of the prātimokṣa, perfect in his deeds and personal associations, and afraid of even a minuscule fault. Having accepted the rules of training, he trains himself.

“Having abandoned killing, he abstains from killing. He abandons punishments and weapons. He is conscientious and merciful. He abstains from killing any living creatures, even those as small as ants.^[254]

“Having abandoned theft, he abstains from theft. He takes and is pleased with the things given to him, and he is pleased with giving abundantly. He is neither a thief nor covetous, but pure. Keeping watch over himself, he abstains from theft.

“Having abandoned sexual intercourse, he abstains from sexual intercourse. He leads the pure life and is immaculate because he has abandoned evil conduct. He is pure, without foul odor, free from copulation; he is free from vulgarity, and he abstains from sexual intercourse.

“Having abandoned lying, he abstains from lying. He speaks and is pleased with the truth. He is trustworthy, reliable, and steadfast; he does not deceive people in the world and abstains from lying.

“Having abandoned slander, he abstains from slander. He does not repeat what he has heard from this side to that side and vice versa for the purpose of splitting others apart, but he reconciles those who are at odds and encourages those who are in harmony. F.69.b He is pleased with harmony and delighted with harmony. He speaks words that make people harmonious and abstains from slander.

“Having abandoned harsh language, he abstains from harsh language. He has abandoned words that are vicious, rough, and aggressive toward others, that threaten others, and that are undesirable for many people, displeasing for many people, disagreeable and unpleasant for many people, inharmonious, and useless to harmony. He speaks words that are harmless, pleasant to the ear, heartwarming, pleasing, refined, sweet sounding, clear, convincing, trustworthy, independent, not obstinate, and not servile, but desirable, pleasing, agreeable, and pleasant for many people, harmonious, and conducive to harmony. Having abandoned harsh language, he abstains from harsh language.

“Having abandoned senseless talk, he abstains from senseless talk. He speaks at appropriate times, speaks correctly, tells the truth, relates what is meaningful and right, relates what he has realized, and relates what is comprehensible. He speaks at appropriate times what is not confused, but has a foundation and proof, and is right and meaningful. Having abandoned senseless talk, he abstains from senseless talk.

“Having abandoned trade, he abstains from trade.

“Having abandoned the falsification of measures, weights, and size, he abstains from the falsification of measures, weights, and size. F.70.a

“Having abandoned bribery, deceit, and extortion, he abstains from bribery, deceit, and extortion.

“Having abandoned thoughts of slaying, binding, cutting, piercing, and striking, he abstains from making others suffer from slaying, binding, cutting, piercing, and striking.

“Having abandoned lying down when it is light or lying down in a lodging where there is a woman,^[255] he abstains from lying down when it is light or lying down in a lodging where there is a woman.

“Having abandoned accepting things from fields, houses, and markets, he abstains from accepting things from fields, houses, and markets.

“Having abandoned accepting elephants, horses, cows, sheep, chickens, and pigs, he abstains from accepting elephants, horses, cows, sheep, chickens, and pigs.

“Having abandoned accepting male slaves, female slaves, and laborers, he abstains from accepting male slaves, female slaves, and laborers.

“Having abandoned accepting women, men, boys, and girls, he abstains from accepting women, men, boys, and girls.^[256]

“Having abandoned accepting gold and silver, he abstains from accepting gold and silver.

“Having abandoned accepting raw grains,^[257] he abstains from accepting raw grains.

“He eats only one meal a day. He has abandoned having meals at inappropriate times. He goes for alms at the appropriate time. He makes efforts to go for alms at the appropriate time.

“He is content and satisfied with the proper clothes on his body and is content and satisfied with eating alms that are just sufficient. Being content and satisfied with clothes and food in such a way, F.70.b he carries his bowl and his robes wherever he goes. Just as a feathered bird, wherever it goes, soars with its feathers and wings, he carries his bowl and his robes wherever he goes, content and satisfied with clothes and food in such a way.

“Ambāṣṭha, some śramaṇas and brahmins, having enjoyed what was given with faith, live devoted to efforts aimed at injuring various seeds and plants,^[258] namely, those that grow from roots,^[259] stems, the tops of joints,^[260] grafts,^[261] and the seeds themselves.

He abstains from the way that some śramaṇas and brahmins live devoted to efforts aimed at injuring various seeds and plants.

“Ambāṣṭha, some śramaṇas and brahmins, having enjoyed what was given with faith, live devoted to efforts aimed at hoarding various things, namely, hoarding food, drink, incense, garlands,^[262] leaves, flowers, and fruits. He abstains from the way that some śramaṇas and brahmins live devoted to efforts aimed at hoarding various things. B31

“Ambāṣṭha, some śramaṇas and brahmins, having enjoyed what was given with faith, live devoted to efforts aimed at using various high seats or large seats, namely, chairs; couches; couches upholstered with woolen and cotton cloth; couches covered with cotton velvet, large pieces of cloth, variegated cloth, F.71.a and woolen coverlets; carpets on elephants’ backs; carpets on horseback; seats with wool on one side; seats with wool on both sides; seats with wool on the upper side; seats with wool on the back side; seats made from wool; seats with an upper covering of cloth from Kaliṅga; cloth with a covering; and seats with red pillows at both ends. He abstains from the way that some śramaṇas and brahmins live devoted to efforts aimed at using various high seats or large seats.

“Ambāṣṭha, some śramaṇas and brahmins, having enjoyed what was given with faith, live devoted to efforts aimed at various ways of adorning themselves, namely, rubbing; washing; scrubbing grime away; wearing flower garlands, incense, and ointment; decorating the skin;^[263] changing the color of the fingernails; powdering the face; cleansing the face; looking into mirrors; decorating the forearms; wearing a headdress; holding hollow parasol handles, swords, and cowries with jeweled sticks; wearing multicolored shoes and new clothes; and having new fringed clothes to keep. He abstains from the way that some śramaṇas and brahmins live devoted to efforts aimed at various ways of adorning themselves.

“Ambāṣṭha, some śramaṇas and brahmins, having enjoyed what was given with faith, live devoted to efforts aimed at various spectacles: they want to watch elephant battles; chariot battles; infantry battles; fighting with sticks, fists, and elbows; bull fighting, buffalo fighting, goat fighting, sheep fighting, cock fighting, quail fighting, lark fighting, and cock-quail-lark fighting;^[264]F.71.b woman fighting, man fighting, boy fighting, and girl fighting; pole climbing;^[265] dancing; sham fights;^[266] displays of banners; an army; the deployment of an army; troops; and a great assembly. He abstains from the way that some śramaṇas and brahmins live devoted to efforts aimed at various spectacles.

“Ambāṣṭha, some śramaṇas and brahmins, having enjoyed what was given with faith, live devoted to efforts aimed at listening to various sounds: they want to listen to the cry of elephants and horses; the sound of chariots and infantry; the sound of paṭaha drums, large drums, and various kinds of music; the voices of singing dancers; the sound of music; the sound of sticks, snapping fingers, the palms of the hands, and pots; the sounds of fairy tales and poetry; various syllables and various words and characters; sermons of the Lokāyatas; and stories of the famous. He abstains from the way that some śramaṇas and brahmins live devoted to efforts aimed at listening to various sounds.

“Ambāṣṭha, some śramaṇas and brahmins, having enjoyed what was given with faith, live devoted to efforts aimed at dice, cheating, and gambling: namely, chess with an eight-rowed or ten-rowed chessboard, ākarṣaṇa,^[267] sending from all directions,^[268] playing with a pot, kale, and kacale,^[269] playing with cymbals, deceit in dice,^[270] sticks, and bracelets, or holding a banquet according to a wager. He abstains from the way that some śramaṇas and brahmins live devoted to efforts aimed at dice, cheating, and gambling.

“Ambāṣṭha, some śramaṇas and brahmins, having enjoyed what was given with faith, F.72.a live devoted to efforts aimed at various talk: namely, talk about kings, armies, food, drink, clothes, markets, and courtesans, talk about evil ways,^[271] talk about the great ocean, and talk about countries and chief ministers. He abstains from the way that some śramaṇas and brahmins live devoted to efforts aimed at various talk.

“Ambāṣṭha, some śramaṇas and brahmins, having enjoyed what was given with faith, live devoted to efforts aimed at various disputes: ‘Certainly you know this Dharma and Vinaya as well as I, but you neither have nor are close to having good reasoning’; ‘You said afterward what is to be said beforehand’; ‘You said beforehand what is to be said afterward’; ‘You spoke so hastily that what you said was not clear’; ‘Since the dispute has come to an end, give up the words that you spoke for the sake of the dispute’; ‘Do you know that you have already been defeated?’; ‘If you think you can reply suitably, then ask and speak.’ He abstains from the way that some śramaṇas and brahmins live devoted to efforts aimed at various disputes.

“Ambāṣṭha, some śramaṇas and brahmins, having enjoyed what was given with faith, engage in wrong ways of making a living, which are acting as a messenger and sending someone else as a messenger: they bring messengers from kings, high-ranking ministers, brahmins, householders, citizens, provincial residents, guild heads, or caravan leaders from here to there, and from there to here. He abstains from the way that some śramaṇas and brahmins engage in wrong ways of making a living, which are acting as a messenger and sending someone else as a messenger.

“Ambāṣṭha, some śramaṇas and brahmins, having enjoyed what was given with faith, engage in hypocrisy, flattery, indirect begging, F.72.b extortion, and the producing of further profit from the profit they have gained.^[272] He abstains from the way that some śramaṇas and brahmins engage in hypocrisy, flattery, indirect begging, extortion, and the producing of further profit from the profit they have gained.

“Ambāṣṭha, some śramaṇas and brahmins, having enjoyed what was given with faith, engage in wrong ways of making a living, which are perverse sciences: namely, interpreting extraordinary celestial phenomena, scar signs, dream signs, burn marks, water stains, holes gnawed by mice, and objects thrown down;^[273] listening to voices, listening to the voices of all kinds of beings; and the science of limbs, the science of selecting sites for houses, the science of parrots, the science of birds, and the science of thumbs. Some are devoted to the science of the stars.^[274] He abstains from such wrong ways of making a living of some śramaṇas and brahmins, which are perverse sciences.

“Ambāṣṭha, some śramaṇas and brahmins, having enjoyed what was given with faith, engage in wrong ways of making a living, which are perverse sciences: they employ the science of indicating favorable or unfavorable moments for an undertaking and knowing the rise of constellations,^[275] the examination of corpses, rites for pacification, rites for prosperity, rites for terrifying deities, rites using water for purification, writing letters, arithmetic, accounting, calculation with the hands,^[276] and the science of mirrors. He abstains from such wrong ways of making a living of some śramaṇas and brahmins, which are perverse sciences.

“Ambāṣṭha, some śramaṇas and brahmins, having enjoyed what was given with faith, engage in wrong ways of making a living, which are perverse sciences: they employ therapeutic science; medicines derived from roots; prescribing collyrium, oil, juice, and medicines; therapies for women, boys, and girls; and medicinal therapies. He abstains from such wrong ways of making living of some śramaṇas and brahmins, which are perverse sciences.

“Ambāṣṭha, some śramaṇas and brahmins, F.73.a having enjoyed what was given with faith, engage in wrong ways of making a living, which are perverse sciences: namely, the science of the characteristics of jewels, sticks, swords, arrows, weapons, elephants, horses, bulls, buffalo, goats, sheep, roosters, larks, quails, women, men, boys, and girls; omens of a short life, a long life, little good fortune, great good fortune, little merit, great merit, little power, and great power; and the characteristics of masters and slaves. He abstains from such wrong ways of making a living of some śramaṇas and brahmins, which are perverse sciences.

“Ambāṣṭha, some śramaṇas and brahmins, having enjoyed what was given with faith, engage in wrong ways of making a living, which are perverse sciences: they employ therapies that involve using medicine to induce immediate spitting up, shaking and spitting up, or vomiting; using a purgative; emetic treatment; nasal irrigation; inhaling smoke; thermotherapy; therapies for phlegm, the stomach, and moles and carbuncles; treatments for flocks of animals and birds; treatment for quaking cheeks and the tongue cut by the teeth; and the science of zombies and half zombies.^[277] He abstains from such wrong ways of making a living of some śramaṇas and brahmins, which are perverse sciences.

“Ambāṣṭha, some śramaṇas and brahmins, having enjoyed what was given with faith, engage in wrong ways of making a living, which are perverse sciences: namely, influencing others; arranging marriages; F.73.b acting as a matchmaker; aiding separation or conquest; causing pleasure; causing pain; causing someone to fall in love with one’s son; burning oblations of sesame, rice, thorns, and other goods; burning oblations of oils;^[278] and worshiping the sun, stars, gods, and great places of worship. He abstains from such wrong ways of making a living of some śramaṇas and brahmins, which are perverse sciences.

“Ambāṣṭha, some śramaṇas and brahmins, having enjoyed what was given with faith, engage in wrong ways of making a living, which are perverse sciences: they predict that there will be danger, peace, a very poor harvest, an abundant harvest, lack of rain, abundant rain, emergence of a plague, or disappearance of a plague. He abstains from such wrong ways of making a living of some śramaṇas and brahmins, which are perverse sciences.

“Ambāṣṭha, some śramaṇas and brahmins, having enjoyed what was given with faith, engage in wrong ways of making a living, which are perverse sciences: they predict that their allied king will win and the opposing king will be defeated and vice versa, or that the allied king will proceed to the battlefield and the opposing king will retreat and vice versa. He abstains from such wrong ways of making a living of some śramaṇas and brahmins, which are perverse sciences.

“Ambāṣṭha, some śramaṇas and brahmins, having enjoyed what was given with faith, engage in wrong ways of making a living, which are perverse sciences: F.74.a they predict that the sun and the moon will move in orbit; that the sun and the moon will deviate from orbit; that there will be eclipses of the sun and the moon in orbit; that a shooting star will fall; that a part of the sky will turn red; that sounds will come from the sky; or that both the sun and the moon, which are of such great magical power and dignity, will rise, sink, and be covered or uncovered, which means, for instance, that an orbit and a wrong orbit will become visible. He abstains from such wrong ways of living of some śramaṇas and brahmins, which are perverse sciences.

“Ambāṣṭha, some śramaṇas and brahmins, having enjoyed what was given with faith, engage in wrong ways of making a living, which are perverse sciences: they predict that if the sun and the moon move in orbit, the result will be such-and-such; that if the sun and the moon deviate from orbit, the result will be such-and-such; that if there are eclipses of the sun and the moon in orbit, a shooting star falls, a part of the sky turns red, or sounds come from the sky, the result will be such-and-such; or that if both the sun and the moon, which are of such great magical power and dignity, rise, sink, and are covered or uncovered, which means, for instance, that an orbit and a wrong orbit become visible, the result will be such-and-such. He abstains from such wrong ways of making a living of some śramaṇas and brahmins, which are perverse sciences.

“Because he has that noble aggregate of moral conduct,^[279] he experiences inner, faultless happiness. With the doors of his faculties restrained, his mindfulness well guarded, exerting himself mindfully, he behaves with equanimity with a mind guarded by mindfulness. When he sees forms with his eyes, he does not grasp them with their characteristics and secondary marks. Why? When he abides with his eye faculty unrestrained, F.74.b because his longing and despair toward the world arise, evil and unwholesome elements follow his mind. In order to restrain them, he practices, protects himself, and restrains his eye faculty with his eye faculty. Likewise, when he cognizes sounds with his ears, smells with his nose, tastes with his tongue, tangible objects with his body, and mental objects with his mind, he does not grasp them with their characteristics and secondary marks. Why? When he abides with his mental faculty unrestrained, because his longing and despair toward the world arise, evil and unwholesome elements follow his mind. In order to restrain them, he practices, protects himself, and restrains his mental faculty with his mental faculty.

“Because he has that noble aggregate of moral conduct, and the doors of his faculties are restrained, he experiences inner, faultless happiness and abides with vigilance in going back and forth. He also abides with vigilance while watching, observing, bending and stretching his body, holding his outer robe, robe, and bowl, walking, standing, sitting, lying down, not sleeping, talking, not talking, sleeping, being tired, and resting.

“Because he has that noble aggregate of moral conduct, the doors of his faculties are restrained, and he is mindful and supremely vigilant, he experiences inner, faultless happiness and abides in solitary dwelling places: wilderness, under trees, and in empty houses. He sits in any of these places. Sitting with his legs crossed, he straightens his back and focuses his mind on a point in front of him. He has abandoned longing for the world. With a mind free from longing, he stays in this manner many times, and his mind is completely cleansed of longing. F.75.a He has abandoned malice and despair, depression, tiredness, restlessness, regret, and doubt toward the world. He has overcome hesitancy and doubt and achieved certainty about virtuous things. His mind is completely cleansed of doubt.

“Ambāṣṭha, as an example, a man, having gotten into debt, exerts himself for his business. When he succeeds in the business, he pays off the debt out of the profits and still has enough wealth to feed his wife. He thinks, ‘Having gotten into debt, I exerted myself for my business. When I succeeded in the business, I paid off the debt out of the profits and still have enough wealth to feed my wife.’ He becomes happy and satisfied for that reason.

“Ambāṣṭha, as another example, there is a man who is sick, seriously ill, afflicted with a painful illness. He is not able to digest the food he has eaten. The drink he has drunk hurts his stomach. But later he becomes free from illness, stronger, and comfortable; he is able to digest the food he has eaten, and the drink he has drunk does not hurt his stomach. He thinks, ‘I was once sick, seriously ill, afflicted with a painful illness; then I was not able to digest the food I had eaten, and the drink I had drunk hurt my stomach. But now I am free from illness, stronger, and comfortable; I am able to digest the food I eat, and the drink I drink does not hurt my stomach.’ He becomes happy and satisfied for that reason.

“Ambāṣṭha, as another example, a man becomes a slave, servant, retainer, or bondman and becomes dependent. But later he is released from being a slave, servant, retainer, or bondman. He thinks, F.75.b ‘I was once a slave, servant, retainer, or bondman and was dependent. But now I am not a slave, servant, retainer, or bondman, and I am independent.’ He becomes happy and satisfied for that reason.

“Ambāṣṭha, as another example, a man is confined in prison and has his hands tied tightly behind his back. But later he is liberated from being confined in prison and having his hands tied tightly behind his back—safely, successfully, and without paying money. He thinks, ‘I was once confined in prison and had my hands tied tightly behind my back. But now I have been liberated from that situation safely, successfully, and without paying money.’ He becomes happy and satisfied for that reason.

“Ambāṣṭha, as another example, a man who had been in fear becomes safe, and he who had had a very poor harvest gains abundant food. He thinks, ‘Thus I, who was once in fear, became safe, and I, who had a very poor harvest, gained abundant food.’ He becomes happy and satisfied for that reason.

“In this manner, having abandoned the five obstacles,^[280] which are like that debt, illness, servitude, prison, and fear, he observes correctly.

“Having abandoned the five obstacles, which cause lesser defilements of the mind, reduce intelligence, are associated with harm, and are not associated with nirvāṇa, he is free from desires, free from evil and unwholesome elements, and he dwells having achieved the first dhyāna, which is endowed with thought, investigation, pleasure, and happiness produced from solitude.^[281]

“As an analogy, if a bath attendant^[282] or a skillful pupil of a bath attendant moistens fine soap powder with water in a bronze bowl, a wooden tub, or a shell, the lump of soap becomes wet, grows thick with moisture, F.76.a and does not drop or fall because its inside and outside are fully moisturized. So too, the body of the monk is completely immersed, perfectly immersed, perfectly satisfied, and perfectly filled with pleasure and happiness produced from solitude, and in his body there is no part that is not filled or has not been filled with pleasure and happiness produced from solitude.

“Then he becomes free from thought and investigation, with complete inner purity. Because his mental continuum is concentrated on one point, he dwells having achieved the second dhyāna, which is without thought or investigation and endowed with pleasure and happiness produced from meditation. Thus, his body is completely immersed, perfectly immersed, perfectly satisfied, and perfectly filled with pleasure and happiness produced from meditation, and in his body there is no part that is not filled or has not been filled with pleasure and happiness produced from meditation.

“It is just as, for instance, on the summit of a mountain there may be a spring-fed lake. Water does not flow into the lake from the east, or from the south, the west, or the north, and the gods do not bring rain there. However, from that lake itself a fountain or a large spring issues forth and the entire lake is filled, completely filled, fully filled, and completely penetrated with cool water. There is no part of that entire lake that is not filled or has not been filled with cool water. So too, his body is completely immersed, perfectly immersed, perfectly satisfied, and perfectly filled with pleasure and happiness produced from meditation, and in his body there is no part that is not filled or has not been filled with F.76.b pleasure and happiness produced from meditation.

“Then he becomes free from the desire for pleasure. Thus, abiding in equanimity, he possesses mindfulness and vigilance. He experiences happiness with his body, and, as explained by the noble ones, he possesses mindfulness, abides in happiness, and is equanimous. He dwells having achieved the third dhyāna, in which pleasure is absent. Thus, his body is completely immersed, perfectly immersed, perfectly satisfied, and perfectly filled with happiness free from pleasure, and in his body there is no part that is not filled or has not been filled with happiness free from pleasure.

“And just as, for instance, utpala, padma, kumuda, and puṇḍarīka flowers sprout and grow in water, they are bound between their roots and tips, and there is no part that is not soaked or has not been soaked with cool water, so, too, his body is completely immersed, perfectly immersed, perfectly satisfied, and perfectly filled with happiness free from pleasure, and in his body there is no part that is not filled or has not been filled with happiness free from pleasure.

“Then he abandons happiness, too. Since he has already abandoned pain, and his longing and despair have also disappeared, he dwells having achieved the fourth dhyāna, which is neither happy nor painful, but completely clear, with equanimity and mindfulness. Thus, delighted, he dwells with his body filled with a clear and pure mind, complete.

“As an analogy, if a householder or a son of a householder covers his head, hands, and feet with eight or nine cubits of cloth, there is, on his F.77.a whole body from head to toe, no part that is not covered or has not been covered with pure, clean cloth. So, too, he dwells delighted, with his body filled with a clear and pure mind, complete. In his body there is no part that is not filled or has not been filled with a clear and pure mind, complete.

“Ambāṣṭha, when a noble disciple has abandoned happiness and, since he has already abandoned pain, and his longing and despair have disappeared, he dwells having achieved the fourth dhyāna, which is neither happy nor painful, but completely clear with equanimity and mindfulness, his mind is neither weak nor faint. Because he dwells with neither weakness nor faintness, he is able to dwell steadfastly.

“It is just as, for instance, when a seed oil lamp is lit on the top of a house or on a terrace on the top of a house, being not agitated or shaken by the wind, or by a bird, or by a person, or by a nonhuman, its flame grows neither weak nor faint. Since it is neither weak nor faint, it blazes steadfastly. So too, Ambāṣṭha, when a noble disciple has abandoned happiness, and, since he has already abandoned pain, and his longing and despair have also disappeared, he dwells having achieved the fourth dhyāna, which is neither happy nor painful, but completely clear with equanimity and mindfulness, his mind is neither weak nor faint. Because he dwells without either weakness or faintness, he is able to dwell without agitation, and he thinks thus: ‘This form of my body is coarse, generated from the cause of the four great elements. My consciousness adheres to this, dwells in this, and pervades this. Now I will move my consciousness from this body F.77.b and create another body with a form generated from consciousness, and with faculties that are neither wanting nor inferior.’ He then does move his consciousness from the body and creates another body with a form generated from consciousness, and with faculties that are neither wanting nor inferior.

“Ambāṣṭha, it is just as, for instance, a jewel, an excellent lapis lazuli that is of fair origin and is clear, pure, and stainless, is threaded with a string of five colors, namely, blue, yellow, red, white, and madder. If a man of keen eyes sees this, he knows thus: ‘This is a string, this is a jewel, and this is a jewel threaded with a string.’ So, too, he moves his consciousness from the body and creates another body with a form generated from consciousness, and with faculties that are neither wanting nor inferior.

“Ambāṣṭha, it is just as, for instance, a man extracts a reed^[283] from munja grass. If a man of keen eyes sees this, he knows thus: ‘This is munja grass, this is a reed, and the reed has been extracted from the munja grass.’ So, too, he moves his consciousness from the body and creates another body with a form generated from consciousness, and with faculties that are neither wanting nor inferior.

“Ambāṣṭha, it is just as, for instance, a man pulls a snake out of a basket. If a man of keen eyes sees this, he knows thus: ‘This is a basket, this is a snake, and the snake has been pulled out of the basket.’ So, too, he moves his consciousness from the body and creates another body with a form generated from consciousness, and with faculties that are neither wanting nor inferior.

“Ambāṣṭha, it is just as, for instance, a man takes a sword from its sheath. If a man of keen eyes sees this, he knows thus: ‘This is a sheath, this is a sword, and the sword has been taken from its sheath.’ So, too, he moves his consciousness from the body and creates another body with a form generated from consciousness, and with faculties that are neither wanting nor inferior.

“Thus,^[284]F.78.a with his mind adjusted, clean, pure, free from the primary defilements, free from lesser defilements, straightened, active, and unmoved, he inclines his mind toward the supernormal knowledge with which he actualizes the domains of magical powers. He enjoys many kinds of domains of magical powers: namely, he becomes many after being one; he becomes one after being many; he experiences the perfect knowledge of being visible and invisible; and he can even pass through a wall, a mountain, or a fence. With his body he moves without obstacles as if in the sky;^[285] he moves on the surface of the ground and dives into it as if into water; he moves in water against the current as if on the ground; he moves through the sky with his legs crossed as if he were a flying bird. He seizes and touches the sun and the moon, which themselves have great magical power and great might. With his body he controls the world including the world of Brahmā.

“It is just as, for instance, a goldsmith or a skillful pupil of a goldsmith, knowing that the gold is well prepared, quickly hammers out various things that he wants to make, namely, bowls, necklaces, bracelets, anklets, signet rings, and golden garlands. So too, he, with his mind adjusted, clean, pure, free from the primary defilements, free from lesser defilements, straightened, active, and unmoved, inclines his mind toward the supernormal knowledge with which he actualizes the domains of magical powers: namely, F.78.b he becomes many after being one; . . . . With his body he controls the world including the world of Brahmā.

“Just as for instance, a potter or a skillful pupil of a potter, knowing that a lump of clay is well prepared, quickly makes various kinds of containers that he wants to make, so too, he, with his mind adjusted, clean, pure, free from the primary defilements, free from lesser defilements, straightened, active, and unmoved, inclines his mind toward the supernormal knowledge with which he actualizes the domains of magical powers: namely, he becomes many after being one; . . . . With his body he controls the world including the world of Brahmā.

“Just as for instance, an ivory carver or a skillful pupil of an ivory carver, knowing that the ivory is well prepared, quickly makes various kinds of objects that he wants to make, so too, he, with his mind adjusted, clear, pure, free from the primary defilements, free from lesser defilements, straightened, active, and unmoved, inclines his mind toward the supernormal knowledge with which he actualizes the domains of magical powers: namely, he becomes many after being one; . . . . With his body he controls the world including the world of Brahmā.

“And thus he, with his mind adjusted, clear, pure, free from the primary defilements, free from lesser defilements, straightened, active, and unmoved, also inclines his mind toward the supernormal knowledge with which he actualizes the knowledge of divine hearing. With his pure divine hearing, which is superior to that of humans, he hears the voices of humans and nonhumans, whether distant or close.

“As an analogy, if a conch blower climbs a high mountain and blows a conch at midnight, the sound will fill every direction in the land without any obstacles. So too, he, with his mind adjusted, clear, pure, free from the primary defilements, free from lesser defilements, straightened, active, and unmoved, F.79.a inclines his mind toward the supernormal knowledge with which he actualizes the knowledge of divine hearing. With his pure divine hearing, which is superior to that of humans, he hears the voices of humans and nonhumans, whether distant or close.

“And thus he, with his mind adjusted, clear, pure, free from the primary defilements, free from lesser defilements, straightened, active, and unmoved, also inclines his mind toward the supernormal knowledge with which he actualizes the knowledge of various states of mind. He knows with his mind the minds, which consist of thought and investigation, of other beings and other people exactly as they are: he correctly recognizes a mind possessed of desire exactly as it is; he correctly recognizes a mind free from desire exactly as it is; and he correctly recognizes minds possessed of anger, free from anger, possessed of delusion, free from delusion, concentrated, distracted, discouraged, uplifted, small, large, restless, not restless, pacified, unpacified, settled, unsettled, developed, undeveloped, liberated, and unliberated exactly as they are.

“Just as, for instance, a man of keen eyes completely cleanses the disk of a mirror and observes the characteristics of his face, he, F.79.b with his mind adjusted, clear, pure, free from the primary defilements, free from lesser defilements, straightened, active, and unmoved, inclines his mind toward the supernormal knowledge with which he actualizes the knowledge of various states of mind . . . . He correctly recognizes a well-liberated mind exactly as it is.

“Thus, ‘conduct’ is explained.^[286]

“What is ‘knowledge’? With his mind adjusted, clear, pure, free from the primary defilements, free from lesser defilements, straightened, active, and unmoved, he inclines his mind toward the supernormal knowledge with which he actualizes the knowledge of the recollection of past lives. He recollects many past lives, namely, one life; two lives; three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, a hundred, a thousand, and a hundred thousand lives; hundreds, thousands, and hundreds of thousands of lives; an eon of destruction; an eon of creation; an eon of destruction and creation; many eons of destruction; many eons of creation; and many eons of destruction and creation. ‘When I was born among these beings, my name was such-and-such, my birth was such-and-such, my family was such-and-such, I ate such-and-such foods, and I experienced such-and-such happiness and pain. My life was this long, my age was this great, and I attained such longevity. Then I died and was born as such-and-such. I died there F.80.a and was reborn as such-and-such. I again died there and was born here.’ Thus he recollects various past lives along with their characteristics, regions, and origins from which he was born.

“It is just as, for instance, a man goes from one village to another village, and then he goes to another village and thinks thus: ‘I went from the village such-and-such to the village such-and-such. Then I went to the village such-and-such. From that village, I came to this village.’ So too, he, with his mind adjusted, clear, pure, free from the primary defilements, free from lesser defilements, straightened, active, and unmoved, inclines his mind toward the supernormal knowledge with which he actualizes the knowledge of the recollection of past lives. He recollects many past lives: namely, one life . . . . He recollects various past lives along with their characteristics and regions. B32

“He, with his mind adjusted, clear, pure, free from the primary defilements, free from lesser defilements, straightened, active, and unmoved, inclines his mind toward the supernormal knowledge with which he actualizes the knowledge of death and rebirth. With his pure divine sight, which is superior to that of humans, he sees the death and rebirth of beings, noble and ignoble races, inferior and superior people, and pleasurable and inferior modes of existence. He knows that beings go to their next births according to their actions exactly as they performed them. ‘These beings performed evil acts of the body F.80.b and evil acts of speech and mind, they falsely accused noble ones, and they accepted false doctrines and behaviors connected with the teachings of false doctrines. From these causes and conditions, they will be born in hells, which are inferior modes of existence, inferior states of existence, and a great fall, after the destruction of the body. These beings performed virtuous acts of the body and virtuous acts of speech and mind, and they did not falsely accuse noble ones, but they accepted right doctrines and behaviors connected with the teachings of right doctrines. From these causes and conditions, they will be born among the gods in the heavens, which are pleasurable modes of existence, after the destruction of the body.’

“Just as, for instance, a man of keen eyes, sitting in the middle of a crossroad of main streets, observes many people come, sit, recline, and go to other places, so too, he, with his pure divine sight, which is superior to that of humans…: ‘…they will be born among the gods.’

“With his mind adjusted, clear, pure, free from the primary defilements, free from lesser defilements, straightened, active, and unmoved, he also inclines his mind toward the supernormal knowledge with which he actualizes the knowledge of the exhaustion of impurities. He correctly knows thus: ‘This is suffering, which is a truth of the noble ones,’ exactly as it is. He correctly knows thus: ‘This is the origination of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path to the cessation of suffering, which are the truths of the noble ones,’ exactly as they are. When he has thus known and seen, his mind is liberated from the impurities of desire, and his mind is liberated from the impurities of existence and ignorance. Having been liberated, he sees thus with the very knowledge of liberation: ‘My births have been exhausted. The pure life has been lived. What is to be done has been done. I will not know another existence.’ F.81.a

“It is just as, for instance, near a village or town there may be a deep lake in which the water is clear, pure, completely pure. There a man of keen eyes, sitting on the bank, may observe pebbles, gravel, fish, turtles, pearl oysters, or bivalve shells. So too, he, with his mind adjusted, clean, pure, free from the primary defilements, free from lesser defilements, straightened, active, and unmoved, … ‘…I will not know another existence.’^[287]

“Thus, ‘knowledge’ is explained. This and the aforementioned conduct are combined and called knowledge and conduct.^[288]

“Young brahmin, you should know the four wrong means for actualizing the unactualized supreme perfection of knowledge and conduct. What are the four?

“Here some śramaṇas or brahmins, not actualizing this supreme perfection of knowledge and conduct, go from a village to the wilderness and live there, having built huts of branches and leaves. Saying, ‘Let us make our living from roots and fruits here,’ they do make their living from roots and fruits there. Young brahmin, this is the first wrong means for actualizing the unactualized supreme perfection of knowledge and conduct. What do you think, young brahmin? Do you find yourself with your teacher in the first wrong means that I have explained for actualizing the supreme perfection of knowledge and conduct not yet actualized?”

“No, Gautama, I do not.”

“Young brahmin, again, some śramaṇas or brahmins, not actualizing this supreme perfection of knowledge and conduct, abandon the food of roots and fruits, go to a solitary place, and live there, having built huts of branches and leaves. Saying, ‘Let us F.81.b make our living from the food of leaves here,’ they do make their living from the food of leaves there. Young brahmin, this is the second wrong means for actualizing the unactualized supreme perfection of knowledge and conduct.

“Young brahmin, again, some śramaṇas or brahmins, not actualizing this supreme perfection of knowledge and conduct, abandon the food of roots and fruits and the food of leaves, go to a solitary place, and live there, having built huts of branches and leaves. Saying, ‘Let us write mantras and compose Vedas here,’ they do write mantras and compose Vedas there. Young brahmin, this is the third wrong means for actualizing the unactualized supreme perfection of knowledge and conduct.

“Young brahmin, again, some śramaṇas or brahmins, not actualizing this supreme perfection of knowledge and conduct, not actualizing^[289] the food of roots and fruits, the food of leaves, or writing mantras and composing Vedas, go from the wilderness to the edge of a village and live there, having built houses with four doorways. They think, ‘Let us give donations and make merit here. Let us offer as much almsfood as possible to śramaṇas or brahmins who come.’ Young brahmin, this is the fourth wrong means for actualizing the unactualized supreme perfection of knowledge and conduct.

“What do you think, young brahmin? Do you find yourself with your teacher in the four wrong means that I have explained for actualizing the supreme perfection of knowledge and conduct not yet actualized?”

“No, Gautama, I do not.”

“Young brahmin, while you had thus not completed even these four wrong means, why did you say such words indicating the Śākyans were menials: ‘Oh! The Śākyans F.82.a are menials. Oh! The Śākyans are menials.’ What do you think, young brahmin? The old mantras of brahmin ṛṣis, who were the ancestors of brahmins and made mantras and created the Vedas, have been praised, sung, and chanted. Still today brahmins sing and explain them. Those brahmin ṛṣis are Aṣṭaka, Vāmaka, Vāmadeva, Viśvāmitra, Jamadagni, Aṅgiras, Bharadvāja, Vasiṣṭha, Kāśyapa, and Bhṛgu. Did they build cities surrounded with moats and thorns, like you and your teacher do today?”

“No, Gautama, they did not.”

“Did they enjoy various spectacles^[290] such as sham fights,^[291] a display of banners, an army, and the deployment of an army, like you and your teacher do today?”

“No, Gautama, they did not.”

“Did they go back and forth in the country, riding entirely white chariots pulled by mares, carrying a golden water jar with a handle, and surrounded and followed by young brahmins, like you and your teacher do today?”

“No, Gautama, they did not.”

“Did they have their bodies rubbed, washed, and scrubbed by female servants in headdresses, whose upper arms were covered with fine baby hairs like those of young gourds and whose breasts were round like balls, like you and your teacher do today?”

“No, Gautama, they did not.”

“Did they sleep with their legs stretched out, along with women well decorated in golden bracelets and golden necklaces, until the sun rose, F.82.b like you and your teacher do today?”

“No, Gautama, they did not.”

“Look, young brahmin, your teacher has faults, too. Young brahmin, when the brahmin Pauṣkarasāri went to see King Prasenajit of Kosala, he was not able to see the king without a wall and curtain as screens between them. Why was such a learned man not able to see face to face the person who provided him with food?

“Look, young brahmin, you yourself have faults, too. Young brahmin, once King Prasenajit of Kosala, sitting on his own throne, said to someone, ‘My man, do such-and-such business. When you have done that, investigate such-and-such things.’ Having given these instructions, the king rose from his seat and departed. Then the man sat on the king’s seat during his absence and said to someone else, ‘My man, do such-and-such business. When you have done that, investigate such-and-such things.’ What do you think, young brahmin? Is he a king or suitable as a king, the man who sat on the king’s seat during his absence and said what the king had said?”

“No, Gautama, he is not.”

“Young brahmin, you repeat and recite the words of ṛṣis. Then, are you a ṛṣi or suitable as a ṛṣi?”

“No, Gautama, I am not.”^[292]

“Young brahmin, yet inscribe well in your mind the aim with which you came here, and it will be your everlasting prosperity, benefit, and happiness.”

The young brahmin Ambāṣṭha then examined the thirty-two marks of a great man on the Blessed One’s body. Though he saw thirty of them, he had doubt and uncertainty about two: the private part hidden in a sheath and the exceedingly long and narrow tongue. He then spoke these verses:^[293]

Then the Blessed One thought thus: “When this young brahmin Ambāṣṭha examined the thirty-two marks of a great man on my body, he saw thirty of them, but he has doubt and uncertainty about two: the private part hidden in a sheath and the exceedingly long and narrow tongue. Now I will manifest a sign so that the young brahmin Ambāṣṭha will see my private part hidden in a sheath and my exceedingly long and narrow tongue.”

The Blessed One then manifested that sign. The young brahmin Ambāṣṭha saw the Blessed One’s private part hidden in a sheath and saw his exceedingly long and narrow tongue darting out of his mouth and covering his whole face up to his hairline. When he had seen these, he thought thus: “The śramaṇa Gautama possesses the thirty-two marks of a great man. There are no other alternatives for a great man who possesses these marks besides these two alternatives: if he lives at home as a layman . . . .^[294] He will achieve renown in the world.”

Thereupon the young brahmin Ambāṣṭha rejoiced in and praised the words of the Blessed One and departed from the Blessed One’s presence.

At that time, the brahmin Pauṣkarasāri was sitting together with many elder brahmins from Utkaṭā on the upper floor of his best house. As he was sitting and waiting for the young brahmin Ambāṣṭha, F.83.b the young brahmin Ambāṣṭha saw him from a distance. Upon seeing him, Ambāṣṭha went to the brahmin Pauṣkarasāri. When he arrived, he bowed low until his forehead touched the feet of the brahmin Pauṣkarasāri, and then he also bowed to the other brahmins from Utkaṭā and sat down to one side. When the young brahmin Ambāṣṭha had sat down, the brahmin Pauṣkarasāri asked him, “Young brahmin, are the great virtue, fame, renown, and praise of that honorable Gautama, which are known in all directions, true? Are his famous marks real?”

“True, sir. The great virtue, fame, renown, and praise of that honorable Gautama, which are known on all sides, are true. His famous marks are real.”

“Young brahmin, did you have a conversation with the honorable Gautama?”

“Yes, sir, I did.”

“Young brahmin, then tell me everything in detail.”

Then the young brahmin Ambāṣṭha told the brahmin Pauṣkarasāri everything about the conversation he had had with the Blessed One. When he had told him about it, the brahmin Pauṣkarasāri became enraged, angry, furious, and displeased. He kicked the young brahmin Ambāṣṭha in the head with a shod foot and said, “Fie on you, messenger! Fie on you, emissary! I will fall into the inferior states of existence because of such a messenger and emissary as you. Young brahmin, the honorable Gautama will treat me as he treats you, who considered the honorable Gautama to be contemptible and talked back. F.84.a Sirs, I cannot go to see the honorable Gautama and perform respectful service for him today. However, tomorrow I will go to see the honorable Gautama and perform respectful service for him.”

Thereupon the brahmin Pauṣkarasāri prepared a pure and fine meal during the night. He rose at dawn and went to the Blessed One, bringing a carriage full of those pure and fine foods. When he arrived, face to face with the Blessed One, he made plenty of pleasant and joyful conversation, and then sat down to one side. When he had sat down to one side, he said to the Blessed One, “O Honorable Gautama, I have brought a carriage full of pure and fine foods; please have compassion for me and accept these foods.”

At that time the venerable Ānanda was sitting behind the Blessed One, fanning him with a fan. The Blessed One said to the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, go and gather all the monks living near Icchānaṅgalā in the assembly room.”

“Certainly, O Honored One,” replied the venerable Ānanda. When he had gathered all the monks living near Icchānaṅgalā in the assembly room, he went to the Blessed One. Upon his arrival, he bowed low until his forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet, and then he sat down to one side. When he had sat down to one side, the venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One, “O Honored One, all the monks living near Icchānaṅgalā F.84.b are sitting together in the assembly room. May the Blessed One know it is the right time.”

Thereupon the Blessed One went to the assembly room. When he arrived, he sat on the seat prepared for him in front of the community of monks. The brahmin Pauṣkarasāri then knew that the community of monks headed by the Buddha had sat down in comfort, and with his own hands he served and satisfied them with a pure and fine meal.^[295] When, with his own hands, he had served and satisfied them in a variety of ways with a pure and fine meal, knowing that the Blessed One had finished his meal and washed his hands and his bowl, the brahmin took a low seat and sat before the Blessed One in order to hear the Dharma. The Blessed One then applauded the offering made by the brahmin Pauṣkarasāri with this celebration:^[296]

At that time, when the rewards of the offerings were being assigned to the brahmin Pauṣkarasāri, a monk who had gone forth in his old age^[300] ate a piece of sesame cake.^[301] When the brahmin Pauṣkarasāri saw the monk who had gone forth in his old age eat that sesame cake when the rewards of the offerings were being assigned, he asked the Blessed One, “Do all the disciples please the honorable Gautama’s mind?”

“O brahmin, here it differs: some do and others do not.”

“O Gautama, thus some eat the Dharma and another F.85.a eats sesame cake.^[302] O Gautama, did my disciple Ambāṣṭha come to you?”

“Yes he did, O brahmin.”

“Did the honorable Gautama have a conversation with him?”

“Yes I did, O brahmin.”

“O Gautama, then tell me in detail all about the talk you had with him.”

Thereupon the Blessed One told the brahmin Pauṣkarasāri all about the talk he had had with the young brahmin Ambāṣṭha. Then brahmin Pauṣkarasāri then said to the Blessed One, “O Gautama, the young brahmin Ambāṣṭha is a mere child and does not know his own place. O Gautama, please forgive the young brahmin Ambāṣṭha.”

“I will do so, O brahmin.”

“O honorable Gautama, if you see me riding a chariot, holding the reins, and cracking a whip, or walking with a loud voice, please understand that I, the brahmin Pauṣkarasāri, am bowing to you and asking if you are free from trouble, free from illness, in good physical condition, healthy, without any trouble, and living in vigor and comfort. O honorable Gautama, if you see me walking in the middle of the street, taking off my shoes, stepping aside on a path, or stretching out my hands, please think that I am bowing to you … and comfort. O honorable Gautama, if you see me in the middle of attendants, clothed, on a seat, and with my turban on, please think that I am bowing to you … and comfort. Why, O honorable Gautama? Brahmins F.85.b obtain their possessions by fame. They expect to get their possessions by that very fame.”

The Blessed One then thought, “Ah, this brahmin Pauṣkarasāri is very haughty. Now I will preach the Dharma in order to remove his haughtiness.”

Then the Blessed One, through talk consistent with the Dharma, instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted the brahmin Pauṣkarasāri. He extensively gave discourses on the Dharma of the buddhas, the blessed ones, that are to be given in advance of the main sermon: namely, a discourse on donations, a discourse on conduct, a discourse on the heavens, and a discourse on the gains and faults of desires, defilements, purification, emancipation, the merits of complete seclusion, and the things belonging to purification.

When the Blessed One had seen that the brahmin had become pleased, virtuous in mind, delighted in mind, free from mental obstacles, suitable to be a vessel, powerful, and able to know perfectly the excellent Dharma, he preached in detail the teachings of the Dharma of the buddhas, the blessed ones: namely, suffering, the origination of suffering, the cessation of suffering, and the path to the cessation of suffering, which are the four truths of the noble ones. Just as when a spotless, clean white cloth suitable for dyeing is placed in dye, it absorbs the dye well, the brahmin Pauṣkarasāri, seated on his seat, understood clearly the four truths of the noble ones.^[303]

Then the brahmin Pauṣkarasāri F.86.a saw the Dharma, attained the Dharma, knew the Dharma, plumbed the depths of the Dharma, overcame his doubts, became independent from others and not to be led by others, and achieved confidence in himself about the Dharma preached by the Teacher. He rose from his seat, draped his upper robe over one shoulder, made the gesture of supplication to the Blessed One, and said to him, “O Honored One, I have been exalted, truly exalted. Since I seek refuge in the Blessed One, the Dharma, and the community of monks, please accept me as a lay brother. From today onward, I embrace my faith as one who seeks refuge throughout my life.”

The brahmin Pauṣkarasāri then rejoiced in and praised the words of the Blessed One. He bowed low until his forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet, rose from his seat, and departed.^[304]

Thereupon the Blessed One said to the monks, “Monks, since the brahmin Pauṣkarasāri criticized that event, a monk should not eat when the rewards of offerings are being assigned. If he eats, he becomes guilty of an offense.”

III. Saptaparṇa

The Blessed One arrived at Saptaparṇa.^[305] In Saptaparṇa … the seat of four buddhas . . . .^[306]

IV. Sunrise^[307]

The Blessed One, traveling through the country of Kosala, arrived in Sunrise.^[308] He stayed in Kaṇṭakasthala Forest^[309] near Sunrise.

When King Prasenajit of Kosala heard that the śramaṇa Gautama, having traveled in the country of Kosala, had arrived at Sunrise and was staying in Kaṇṭakasthala Forest near Sunrise, he ordered a man, “My man, go to the śramaṇa Gautama. F.86.b Bow low on my behalf until your forehead touches the feet of the śramaṇa Gautama and ask if he is free from trouble, free from illness, in good physical condition, healthy, without any trouble, and living in vigor and comfort. Then say, ‘O honorable Gautama, King Prasenajit of Kosala would like to come to see the Blessed One tomorrow. May the honorable Gautama know this.’ ”

“Certainly, Your Majesty,” replied the man to King Prasenajit of Kosala, and he went to the Blessed One. When he had arrived, he bowed low until his forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet, and then he sat down to one side and said to him, “King Prasenajit of Kosala bows low until his forehead touches the Blessed One’s feet and asks if the Blessed One is free from trouble, free from illness, in good physical condition, healthy, without any trouble, and living in vigor and comfort.”

“My good man, I hope you and King Prasenajit of Kosala are living in comfort, too.”

“O honorable Gautama, King Prasenajit of Kosala would like to come to see the Blessed One tomorrow. May the honorable Gautama know this.”

“My good man, let King Prasenajit of Kosala know that today is the right time.”

Then the man rejoiced in and praised the words of the Blessed One and departed from the Blessed One’s presence. Thereupon the Blessed One, as soon as the man had departed, said to the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, go and prepare many seats in the large monastery. I will sit there and have a meeting with King Prasenajit of Kosala today.”

“Certainly, O Honored One,” F.87.a replied the venerable Ānanda to the Blessed One. He did prepare many seats in the large monastery and then returned to the Blessed One. When he had arrived, he bowed low until his forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet, and then he sat down to one side. When he had sat down to one side, the venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One, “O Honored One, I have prepared many seats in the large monastery. May the Blessed One know it is the right time.”

The Blessed One then went to the large monastery. When he had arrived, he sat on the prepared seat.

Then, as soon as the man had reported on his mission to King Prasenajit of Kosala and departed, the king said to another man, “My man, now quickly prepare a beautiful vehicle. I will ride in it and go to see the śramaṇa Gautama today.”

“Certainly, Your Majesty,” replied the man to King Prasenajit of Kosala. After he had prepared the beautiful vehicle, he returned to the king. When he had arrived, he said to King Prasenajit of Kosala, “Your Majesty, the vehicle is ready. May Your Majesty know it is the right time.”

At that time, two sisters named Beautiful and Sunny^[310] came to the dining hall of King Prasenajit of Kosala. When these two sisters, Beautiful and Sunny, heard that the king was going to go to see the Blessed One that day, they said to King Prasenajit of Kosala, “Your Majesty, if you are going to go to see the Blessed One today, please bow low on our behalf until your forehead touches the Blessed One’s feet, and ask if he is free from trouble, free from illness, F.87.b in good physical condition, healthy, without any trouble, and living in vigor and comfort.”

“I will do so,” replied King Prasenajit of Kosala. Then the king, riding the beautiful vehicle, left Sunrise and went to see and serve the Blessed One. Having gone as far as he could go by vehicle, he alighted from the vehicle and entered the park on foot. Then King Prasenajit of Kosala went to the Blessed One. When he had arrived, he bowed low until his forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet, and then he sat down to one side and said to him, ‘The two sisters, Beautiful and Sunny, ask if the Blessed One is free from trouble, free from illness, in good physical condition, healthy, without any trouble, and living in vigor and comfort.’

“Did the two sisters Beautiful and Sunny not find any other messenger? Why is it not someone other than you, Great King?”

“O Gautama, when the two sisters Beautiful and Sunny came to my dining hall, they heard that the king was going to go to see the Blessed One today. Having heard this, they said to me, ‘Your Majesty, if you are going to go to see the Blessed One today, please bow low on our behalf until your forehead touches the Blessed One’s feet … comfort.’ ”

“O Great King, I hope you and the two sisters, Beautiful and Sunny, are living in comfort, too.”

“Now, if you would deign to answer my questions, F.88.a I would ask you, honorable Gautama, about a few points.”

“O Great King, ask what you want to know.”^[311]

“O Gautama, I have heard that you have said, ‘It is impossible, out of the question, that other śramaṇas or brahmins know or see everything.’ O Gautama, do you think you have said this?”

“O Great King, I do not remember saying that.”

At that time, a general named Virūḍhaka^[312] was sitting in the assembly. King Prasenajit of Kosala said to General Virūḍhaka, “O General, do you remember who told such a story one day in the past, when the king, ministers, and the king’s attendants were sitting together in the royal palace?”

“Yes, Your Majesty, I do. It was the young brahmin Saṃjaya, the son of Lucky.”^[313]

King Prasenajit of Kosala then said to a man, “My man, go now to the young brahmin Saṃjaya, the son of Lucky. When you have arrived, say to the young brahmin, ‘King Prasenajit of Kosala summons you.’ ”

“Certainly, Your Majesty,” replied the man to King Prasenajit of Kosala, and he went to the young brahmin Saṃjaya, the son of Lucky. When he had arrived, he said to the young brahmin, “King Prasenajit of Kosala summons you.”

Then King Prasenajit of Kosala, as soon as the man had departed, asked the Blessed One, “O Gautama, did someone here misunderstand what you meant or said?”

“Yes, O Great King. What I meant was something else. F.88.b He related it to others incorrectly.”

“Honorable Gautama, what do you think you said?”

“O Great King, I remember saying, ‘It is impossible, out of the question, that other śramaṇas or brahmins know or see everything.’ ’’^[314]

“O honorable Gautama, it is reasonable that you said this. It is reasonable that the honorable Gautama said this. Now, if you would deign to answer my questions, I would ask you, honorable Gautama, about a few points.”

“O Great King, ask what you want to know.”

“O Gautama, the castes are these four: brahmin, kṣatriya, vaiśya, and śūdra. Is there any difference, distinction, or contrast between them?”

“Yes, O Great King, there is. Among them, those who are from brahmin and kṣatriya families are regarded by humans as high ranking; those who are from vaiśya and śūdra families are regarded by humans as low ranking.”

“I am not asking you, honorable Gautama, about the matter of this life but about the matter of the afterlife. O Gautama, the castes are these four: brahmin, kṣatriya, vaiśya, and śūdra. Is there any difference, distinction, or contrast between them?”

“O Great King, the castes are these four: kṣatriya, brahmin, vaiśya, and śūdra.^[315] If they accept instruction, teaching, and preaching on the Dharma by the Tathāgata or disciples of the Tathāgata, F.89.a is there any difference, distinction, or contrast between them in the future, in their next lives?”

“O Gautama, the castes are these four: kṣatriya, brahmin, vaiśya, and śūdra. If they accept instruction, teaching, and preaching on the Dharma by the Tathāgata or disciples of the Tathāgata, is there any difference, distinction, or contrast between them concerning what they have abandoned?”

“O Great King, the castes are these four: kṣatriya, brahmin, vaiśya, and śūdra. If they accept instruction, teaching, and preaching on the Dharma by the Tathāgata or disciples of the Tathāgata, is there any difference … concerning what they have abandoned? To clarify this, O Great King, I would ask you a question in return; you should answer as best you can.

“O Great King, suppose, for instance, there are four beings to be trained: an elephant, a horse, an ox, and a man. O Great King, what do you think? If two of these are not trained, not well trained, and two are trained, well trained, do the two beings who are not trained, not well trained, attain the state of those who are trained, while they are not trained? Do they receive the training of those who are well trained, while they are not well trained?”^[316]

“No, O Gautama, they do not.”

“Again, do the two beings who are trained, well trained, attain the state of those who are trained, while they are trained? Do they receive the training of those who are well trained, while they are well trained?”

“Yes, Gautama, they do precisely so.”

“O Great King, thus there is no reason that the state that a devout person should attain would be attained by an undevout person; F.89.b there is no reason that the state that an immovable, faultless, vigorous, and intelligent person should attain would be attained by a person of distorted intelligence. It is reasonable that the state that a devout person should attain would be attained by a devout person; it is reasonable that the state that an immovable, faultless, vigorous, and intelligent person should attain would be attained by an intelligent person.”

“O Gautama, the castes are these four: kṣatriya, brahmin, vaiśya, and śūdra. If they accept instruction, teaching, and preaching on the Dharma by the Tathāgata or disciples of the Tathāgata, possess their own five qualities, and have abandoned the same thing equally, is there any difference, distinction, or contrast between the liberation of one of them and that of the others?”

“To clarify this, O Great King, I would ask you a question in return; you should answer as best you can.

“O Great King, suppose, for instance, a son of a brahmin comes from the east.^[317] Someone requests him, ‘O son of a brahmin, now make a board for fire-starting from dry sāla wood, put a spindle on it, drill it, and make fire.’ He does make a board for fire-starting from dry sāla wood, puts a spindle on it, drills it, and makes fire.

“A son of a kṣatriya comes from the south. Someone requests him, ‘O son of a kṣatriya, now make a board for fire-starting from dry sugarcane, put a spindle on it, drill it, and make fire.’^[318] He does make a board for fire-starting from dry sugarcane, puts a spindle on it, drills it, and makes fire. F.90.a

“A son of a vaiśya comes from the west. Someone requests him, ‘O son of a vaiśya, now make a board for fire-starting from dry cypress, put a spindle on it, drill it, and make fire.’ He does make a board for fire-starting from dry cypress, puts a spindle on it, drills it, and makes fire.

“A son of a śūdra comes from the north. Someone requests him, ‘O son of a śūdra, now make a board for fire-starting from dry sandalwood, put a spindle on it, drill it, and make fire.’ He does make a board for fire-starting from dry sandalwood, puts a spindle on it, drills it, and makes fire.

“O Great King, what do you think? If someone gathers these fires into one and puts them in a heap of reed or straw, is there any difference, distinction, or contrast between these fires made by people from the different castes with different kinds of wood, such as the following: ‘This fire is luminous, colorful, and bright. B33 That fire is not. This fire works as fire. That fire does not.’ Or are all these fires luminous, colorful, and bright? Do all these fires work as fire?”

“O Gautama, all those fires are luminous, colorful, and bright. All those fires work as fire.”

“O Great King, thus there is no difference, distinction, or contrast between these fires attained by those who are careful, made by masters, which are the liberation of one of them and the liberation of the others.”

“What the honorable Gautama has said is reasonable. F.90.b Now, if you would deign to answer my questions, I would ask you, honorable Gautama, about a few other points.”

“Great King, ask what you want to know.”

“O Gautama, do gods exist?”

“O Great King, how do you know what gods are like? They are either gods who have enmity, rivals, and malice, and come and will come into existence in this human world,^[319] or gods who do not have enmity, rivals, or malice, and do not come and will not come into existence in this human world. All gods fall into these two categories.”

“In the place where gods who have enmity, rivals, and malice, and come and will come into existence in this human world, die after their lives, acts, and merits are exhausted, can a god or son of a god make another god or son of a god die there or banish him from there?”

“Great King, in the place where gods who have enmity, rivals, and malice, and come and will come into existence in this human world die after their lives, acts, and merits are exhausted, a god or son of a god cannot make another god or son of a god die there or banish him from there.”

“O Gautama, in that place, can gods who have enmity, rivals, and malice, and come and will come into existence in this human world, make gods who do not have enmity, rivals, or malice, and do not come and will not come into existence in this human world, die there or banish them from there?”

Then General Virūḍhaka said to King Prasenajit of Kosala, “It is likely that the śramaṇa Gautama will say that gods have extremely long lives and live for an extremely long time.”

At that time the venerable Ānanda was sitting behind the Blessed One, fanning him with a fan. F.91.a Then the venerable Ānanda thought, “This General Virūḍhaka^[320] is a son of King Prasenajit of Kosala, and I too am a spiritual heir of the Blessed One. Therefore, it would be appropriate if I, an heir, and he, a son, had a conversation.” So he said to General Virūḍhaka, “O General, what do you think? If King Prasenajit of Kosala is in his own country, and there his words have authority as law, can he make some person of weak power die there or banish him from there?”

“Yes, he can, O śramaṇa.”

“O General, what do you think? If King Prasenajit of Kosala is not in his own country, and there his words do not have authority as law, can he make some person of weak power die there or banish him from there?”

“O śramaṇa, if King Prasenajit of Kosala is not in his own country, and there his words do not have authority as law, he can neither make any person of weak power die there nor banish him from there.”

“O General, have you heard that the Thirty-Three Gods exist?”

“O śramaṇa, I have heard so from this king, the ruler of Kosala.”

“O General, what do you think? Can King Prasenajit of Kosala make the Thirty-Three Gods die there or banish them from there?”

“O śramaṇa, King Prasenajit of Kosala has not even seen or heard the Thirty-Three Gods. Thus, needless to say, he cannot make them die there or banish them from there.”

“O General, in the same way gods possessing malice have not even seen or heard of gods free from malice. Thus, needless to say, they cannot make them die there or banish them from there. It is impossible.”

Then King Prasenajit of Kosala F.91.b asked the Blessed One, “O Gautama, what is the name of this śramaṇa?”

“It is Ānanda, Great King.”

“What the honorable Ānanda said is reasonable. What the honorable Ānanda said is quite reasonable.”

Then King Prasenajit of Kosala said to the Blessed One, “Now, if you would deign to answer my questions, I would ask you, honorable Gautama, about a few points.”

“Great King, ask what you want to know.”

“O Gautama, does Brahmā exist?”

“O Great King, how do you know what Brahmā is like? Which do you mean, the Brahmā who has enmity, rivals, and malice, and comes or will come into existence in this human world, or the Brahmā who does not have enmity, rivals, or malice, and does not come and will not come into existence in this human world?”

“O Gautama, of these, I know that the one who does not have enmity, rivals, or malice, and does not come and will not come into existence in this human world, is Brahmā.”

King Prasenajit of Kosala had such a conversation with the Blessed One. Then that man who had been dispatched before came back to the king with the young brahmin Saṃjaya, the son of Lucky. When he had arrived, he said to King Prasenajit of Kosala, “He is here, Your Majesty.”

Then the young brahmin Saṃjaya, the son of Lucky, wished King Prasenajit of Kosala victory and long life and sat down to one side. When the young brahmin Saṃjaya had sat down to one side, King Prasenajit of Kosala asked him, “Young brahmin, do you remember who told the story that the śramaṇa Gautama said, ‘It is impossible, out of the question, that other śramaṇas or brahmins know or F.92.a see everything’ one day in the past, when the king, ministers, and the king’s attendants were sitting together in the royal palace?”

“I remember, Your Majesty, that General Virūḍhaka said this.”

General Virūḍhaka countered, “It was the young brahmin Saṃjaya, the son of Lucky, who said this.”

They thus laid the blame on each other. Then a servant of King Prasenajit of Kosala said to the king, “Your Majesty, it is time to depart. Your Majesty, it is time.”

King Prasenajit of Kosala then said to the Blessed One, “O honorable Gautama, I asked you a question about the state of knowing everything, and the honorable Gautama answered my question about the state of knowing everything. Here I asked the honorable Gautama questions about the pure caste, the superior gods, and the superior Brahmā, and the honorable Gautama answered up to my question about the superior Brahmā. Since the honorable Gautama has answered every question of mine that I asked, what else do I have to ask the honorable Gautama? O honorable Gautama, I will now depart, for I have much business and many things to do.”

“O Great King, you should know it is the right time.”

Then King Prasenajit of Kosala rejoiced in and praised the words of the Blessed One. He bowed low until his forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet, and then departed from the Blessed One’s presence.^[321]

V. Śrāvastī^[322]

Thereupon the Blessed One, traveling through the country of Kosala, arrived at Śrāvastī and stayed in Śrāvastī, in the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park.

When the householder Anāthapiṇḍada heard that the Blessed One, traveling through the country of Kosala, had arrived at Śrāvastī F.92.b and was staying in his own park near Śrāvastī, he went to see the Blessed One. Upon the householder’s arrival, he bowed low until his forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet, and then he sat down to one side. When he had sat down to one side, the Blessed One, through talk consistent with the Dharma, instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted the householder Anāthapiṇḍada. After he had instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted the householder Anāthapiṇḍada in a variety of ways through talk consistent with the Dharma, the Blessed One remained silent. Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍada rose from his seat, draped his upper robe over one shoulder, made the gesture of supplication to the Blessed One, and said, “May the Blessed One together with the community of monks assent to my offer of a meal at my house tomorrow.” … He took a low seat and sat before the Blessed One to hear the Dharma. Then the Blessed One, through talk consistent with the Dharma, instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted the householder Anāthapiṇḍada. After he had instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted the householder Anāthapiṇḍada in a variety of ways through talk consistent with the Dharma, the Blessed One rose from his seat and departed.

Other brahmins and householders also offered meals to the Blessed One and the community of disciples from time to time. When the monks gave some food to beggars before they ate, F.93.a the brahmins and householders criticized this. The monks reported this matter to the Blessed One, who said to them, “You should give the leftovers in the bowls after you have eaten for yourselves.”

There were two beggars there, a brahmin boy and a kṣatriya boy. The brahmin boy, not knowing the appropriate time, went about begging first. But the monks did not give him any food at all. When the kṣatriya boy went about begging later, he obtained much. He asked the brahmin boy, “Did you not obtain anything?”

The brahmin boy was enraged and shouted, “If I had power, I would cut off the head of every śramaṇa who is a son of the Śākyans and hurl it to the ground!”

The kṣatriya boy said, “If I had wealth, I would offer a meal of a hundred kinds of flavors to the community of monks headed by the Buddha every day.”

The two boys, talking in these ways, left Śrāvastī and lay under a tree. A straying chariot rolled by that place and ran over the brahmin boy’s head. Then the Blessed One spoke a verse about this event:^[323]

The venerable Ānanda asked the Blessed One, “O Honored One, what did you mean, saying that?”

“Ānanda, did you see that the brahmin boy out of malice spoke harsh words toward the community of monks headed by the Buddha?”

“Yes, I did, O Honored One.”

“Out of malice, having spoken harsh words toward the community of monks headed by the Buddha, he left Śrāvastī and lay under a tree. F.93.b A straying chariot ran over his head. Therefore, I thought and said thus: ‘Mind goes before all other things. Mind is foremost . . . . He will suffer pain, as if his head has been cut off by a stray chariot wheel.’ ”

At that time the head of a guild in Śrāvastī^[324] died sonless. Brahmins and householders in Śrāvastī met together and wondered, “Who should we appoint as head of the guild?”

One among them suggested, “It should be someone who possesses great merits.”

“How could we know that?”

“We must investigate.”

They did investigate, and saw that while the kṣatriya boy was lying under the tree and the shadows of other trees were going to move, were moving, and had moved from previous locations, the shadow of that tree did not move from the boy’s body. They promoted him to head of the guild. He thought, “All my fortune and glory is due to the Buddha, the Blessed One. Now I will invite the Blessed One together with the community of disciples to a meal.”

He went to see the Blessed One, and upon his arrival, he bowed low until his forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet, and then he sat down to one side. When he had sat down to one side, the Blessed One, through talk consistent with the Dharma, instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted the head of the guild. After he had instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted the young head of the guild in a variety of ways through talk consistent with the Dharma, the Blessed One remained silent.

Then the head of the guild rose from his seat, draped his upper robe over one shoulder, F.94.a made the gesture of supplication to the Blessed One, and said to him, “May the Blessed One together with the community of monks assent to my offer of a meal at my house tomorrow.” … He took a low seat and sat before the Blessed One to hear the Dharma. The Blessed One knew his thinking, proclivity, disposition, and nature, and preached the Dharma that was appropriate for him and that caused him to penetrate the four truths of the noble ones. … With the vajra of knowledge he leveled the twenty high peaks of the mountain chain of the false view of individuality that had been accumulated since beginningless time, and actualized the fruit of stream-entry. “O Honored One, I have been exalted, truly exalted. Since I seek refuge in the Blessed One, the Dharma, and the community, may you accept me as a lay brother. From today onward, I embrace my faith as one who seeks refuge throughout my life.”

Then the Blessed One, having instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted the young head of the guild through talk consistent with the Dharma, rose from his seat and departed.

The Blessed One went to the monastery and sat on the seat prepared for him in front of the community of monks. He then spoke a verse:^[325]

The venerable Ānanda then asked the Blessed One, “O Honored One, what is the meaning of these words of yours?”

“Ānanda, did you see how the kṣatriya boy regarded the community of monks headed by the Buddha with a pure mind?”

“Yes, O Honored One, I did.”

“When he left Vaiśālī and lay under a tree, harboring such pure regard for the community of monks headed by the Buddha, he was promoted to head of the guild by the brahmins and householders of Vaiśālī and gained many possessions in this very life. Therefore, I thought and said, ‘Mind goes before all other things. Mind is foremost. . . . He will experience happiness, as the shadow does not move from him.’ ”

VI. Valaya

The Blessed One, having arrived in Valaya,^[326] in Valaya … (the phrase about the seat of four buddhas should be recited in detail) . . . .^[327]

VII. Where There Is Ground

The Blessed One, having arrived in Where There Is Ground,^[328] in Where There Is Ground … (the phrase about the seat of four buddhas should be recited) . . . .

VIII. Lion Village

The Blessed One, having arrived in Lion Village,^[329] in Lion Village … (the phrase about the seat of four buddhas should be recited in detail) . . . .

IX. New Village

The Blessed One, having arrived in New Village,^[330] in New Village … (the phrase about the seat of four buddhas should be recited) . . . .

X. City^[331]

The Blessed One, having arrived in Where There Is a City,^[332] in Where There Is a City … (the phrase about the seat of four buddhas should be recited) . . . .

XI. Pīṭha^[333]

The Blessed One arrived in Rājagṛha.^[334] At that time, a wandering mendicant named Pīṭha^[335] was staying on the bank of Sumāgadhā^[336] Pond. He caught fish with a hook and ate them at night.^[337] After dawn, he sat on a small seat placed on another small seat and spoke a verse:

The Blessed One, knowing it was the time to convert the mendicant, went to him F.95.a and said:

Then the wandering mendicant Pīṭha thought, “My mind was known by the śramaṇa Gautama’s mind,” and he was filled with faith.

The Blessed One knew his thinking, proclivity, disposition, and nature, and preached the Dharma that was appropriate for him and that caused him to penetrate the four truths of the noble ones. When the wandering mendicant Pīṭha had heard the Dharma . . . . With the vajra of knowledge he leveled the twenty high peaks of the mountain chain of the false view of individuality that had been accumulated since beginningless time, and actualized the fruit of stream-entry.^[339]

The monks had seen him sitting on a small seat placed on another small seat. Then a monk heard the Dharma, sitting on a small seat placed on another small seat, but he did not see the truths even though he was already a vessel of the truths. The Blessed One thought, “Why did this monk not see the truths?” He understood that the reason was haughtiness. Then the Blessed One thought, “The fault that occurred in this case was that the monk sat on a small seat placed on another small seat.”

He said, “Therefore, a monk should not sit on a small seat placed on another small seat. If he does so, he becomes guilty of an offense.”

XII. Nyagrodhikā^[340]

Thereupon the Blessed One, having arrived in Nyagrodhikā from Rājagṛha, dressed early in the morning, took his robe and F.95.b his bowl, and entered Nyagrodhikā for alms.

There was a daughter of a brahmin from Kapilavastu married to a man in Nyagrodhikā. The daughter of the brahmin saw the Blessed One, who was fully ornamented with the thirty-two marks of a great man, illuminated by the eighty minor marks, ornamented with a fathom-wide halo, and beautiful like a moving mountain of jewels with light surpassing a thousand suns. As soon as she saw him, she thought, “Though this Blessed One was a son of the lineage of Śākyans, he abandoned the throne of a wheel-turning king and also abandoned many consorts and storehouses full of treasures and went forth. He is now going for alms. If he will accept almsfood from me, I will offer him almsfood.”

The Blessed One, knowing her mind, held out his bowl and said, “Sister, if you will give me almsfood, put it into this bowl.”

Then great faith arose in her. When she thought, “My mind was known by the Blessed One’s mind,” and offered almsfood to the Blessed One with strong faith, the Blessed One smiled.

It naturally occurs that whenever the buddhas, the blessed ones, smile . . . .^[341] Those rays disappeared between his eyebrows. Then the venerable Ānanda made the gesture of supplication to the Blessed One and said, “The Buddhas … do not without cause . . . .”

The Blessed One said, “…do not smile . . . . Ānanda, did you see that the daughter of a brahmin, faith having arisen in her, offered me almsfood?”

“Yes, I did, O Honored One.”

“Ānanda, by this root of merit, this daughter of a brahmin will transmigrate for thirteen eons, F.96.a never being reborn in inferior modes of existence, but being reborn among gods and humans, and she will become a self-awakened one named Supraṇihita in her last life, last birth, last body, last taking up of an identity.”

Then there was a loud shout: “The daughter of the brahmin So-and-so offered almsfood to the Blessed One out of faith. The Blessed One predicted her awakening as a self-awakened one!”

The husband of that woman was in the wilderness, collecting flowers and firewood. He heard that his wife had offered almsfood to the śramaṇa Gautama and he had predicted her awakening as a self-awakened one. Unable to bear hearing this, he went to the Blessed One. When he had arrived, he asked the Blessed One, “O honorable Gautama, did you go to my house?”

“Yes, I did, O brahmin.”

“O honorable Gautama, is it true that my wife offered you almsfood and you predicted her awakening as a self-awakened one?”

“It is true, O brahmin.”

“O Gautama, you have abandoned the throne of a wheel-turning king and gone forth. Now why did you knowingly speak false words for the sake of just almsfood? Who believes your words that such a small cause leads to such a result?”

“O brahmin, let me ask you something in return; you should answer as best you can. O brahmin, what do you think? Have you ever seen any wonder or marvel?”

“O Gautama, apart from other wonders and marvels, listen to me first about the wonder and marvel I have seen in this very Nyagrodhikā. O Gautama, there is a large banyan tree (nyagrodha) in the eastern part of this Nyagrodhikā. This village is called Nyagrodhikā after the name of that tree. Under the tree, five hundred chariots can be accommodated without touching each other or being stacked on top of each other.” F.96.b

“O brahmin, how big was the seed of the banyan tree? As big as a field?”

“No, it was not, O Gautama.”

“As big as a mat, a sesame-oil mill, the wheel of a chariot, a cowhide,^[342] the fruit of a bilva tree, or the fruit of a kapittha tree?”

“No, it was not, O Gautama. O Gautama, it was at first about one-fourth of a mustard seed.”

“O brahmin, who would believe your words that such a small seed has led to such a result, that gigantic tree?”

“O honorable Gautama, believe it or not, I saw it myself. O Gautama, if a fresh, good seed is correctly planted in an undamaged field, the soil of which is soft and sweet,^[343] and the gods bring rain at the appropriate times, then this gigantic banyan tree will grow.”

The Blessed One then spoke some verses about this subject:

Then the Blessed One darted his tongue out of his mouth, and it covered his whole face up to his hairline. He said to the brahmin, “O brahmin, what do you think? Does one whose tongue, darting out of his mouth, covers his whole face knowingly speak false words even for the sake of the throne of a wheel-turning king?”

“No, he does not, O Gautama.”

The Blessed One then spoke another verse:

Then the brahmin had faith. The Blessed One knew his thinking, proclivity, disposition, and nature . . . . With the vajra of knowledge he leveled the twenty high peaks of the mountain chain of the false view of individuality that had been accumulated since beginningless time, and actualized the fruit of stream-entry. “O Honored One, I have been exalted, truly exalted. Since I seek refuge in the Blessed One, the Dharma, and the community of monks, please accept me as a lay brother. From today onward, I embrace my faith as one who seeks refuge throughout my life.”

Thereupon the brahmin rejoiced in and praised the words of the Blessed One, bowed low until his forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet, and departed from the Blessed One’s presence.

I. Kimpilā^[345]

The Blessed One arrived in Kimpilā and stayed in Kimpilā Forest.^[346]

Thereupon the Blessed One said to the venerable Kimpila, “O Kimpila, I will teach you to meditate on the four applications of mindfulness. Listen to it well and keep it in mind; I shall teach it.”

When the Blessed One had said this, the venerable Kimpila remained silent. He remained so when the Blessed One said it a second time and a third time. Then the venerable Ānanda said to the venerable Kimpila, “Venerable F.97.b Kimpila, the Teacher is speaking to you.”

“I know, O Venerable Ānanda. I know well, O Venerable Ānanda.”

Then the venerable Ānanda said to the Blessed One, “O Blessed One, it is the right time. O Sugata, it is the right time. If the Blessed One teaches the monks to meditate on the four applications of mindfulness, the monks will listen to it and grasp it.”

“Ānanda, then listen to it well and keep it in mind; I shall teach it.

“Here a monk, in a village or town…^[347] when he has mindfully breathed in, he knows that he has breathed in . . . .^[348] He knows that he has breathed out, observing cessation.

“When a noble disciple, having mindfully breathed in, knows that he has mindfully breathed in … he knows that he has, with his bodily formations made supple, breathed out, observing the body in the body, the noble disciple dwells, observing the body in the body. When he thus dwells, the noble disciple knows that his mind is concentrated inwardly.

“Ānanda, suppose, for instance, a stūpa is built out of dirt at the crossroads of main streets and then someone roaming by vehicle, palanquin, or chariot comes there from the east. What do you think, Ānanda? Will the dirt stūpa disintegrate?”

“Yes, it will, O Honored One.”^[349]

“In the same way, when a noble disciple learns that he has mindfully breathed in … he knows that his mind is concentrated inwardly.

“When a noble disciple, experiencing pleasure … knows that he has, with his mental formations F.98.a made supple, breathed out, observing perception in perception, the noble disciple dwells, observing perception in perception. When he thus dwells, the noble disciple knows that his mind is concentrated inwardly.

“Ānanda, suppose, for instance, a stūpa is built out of dirt at the crossroads of main streets and then someone roaming by vehicle, palanquin, or chariot comes there from the south … observing perception in perception. When he thus dwells, the noble disciple knows that his mind is concentrated inwardly.

“When a noble disciple has experienced his mind and breathed in, with his mind pleased, concentrated, and liberated, he knows that he has breathed in with his mind liberated; and, having breathed out with his mind liberated, he knows that he has breathed out with his mind liberated, and he dwells, observing his mind in his mind. When he thus dwells, the noble disciple knows that his mind is concentrated inwardly.”

(The parable of the stūpa and a vehicle, and so forth, from the west should be narrated here.)

“Because both his longing and despair have disappeared in his body, perception, and mind, he dwells in equanimity, observing mental objects in mental objects. When he thus dwells, the noble disciple knows that his mind is concentrated inwardly.

“Suppose, for instance, a stūpa is built out of dirt at the crossroads of main streets and then someone roaming by vehicle, palanquin, or chariot comes there from the north. Ānanda, what do you think? Will the dirt stūpa disintegrate?”

“Yes, it will, O Honored One.”

“In the same way … observing mental objects in mental objects. When he thus dwells, the noble disciple knows that his mind is concentrated inwardly. F.98.b

“Ānanda, if he is thus, he is said to have meditated on the four applications of mindfulness.”

II. Ahicchattra

Then the Blessed One arrived at a hamlet, wherein was the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana’s uncle, who had gone forth among ṛṣis. Since the Blessed One thought that the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana ought to convert this ṛṣi, he instructed the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana, “Maudgalyāyana, think about your uncle.”

“Certainly, O Honored One,” replied the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana to the Blessed One. He knew the time to convert his uncle had come and tried to enter the hermitage of the ṛṣis.

Then the ṛṣi said, “O śramaṇa, stop. You should not enter this hermitage of brahmins.”

“I am a brahmin, too,” replied the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana.

The ṛṣi then spoke a verse:

The venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana spoke some verses in reply:

“Even if that is so,” said the ṛṣi, “a shaven-headed śramaṇa is not permitted here.”

Then the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana caused a storm. He went near a lake, approached a tree, and sat under it. There lived an attendant of the nāga kings Nanda and Upananda. The nāga thought, “This is the noble one Mahā­maudgalyāyana, whom the nāga kings Nanda and Upananda respect. Now I will make an effort to venerate him.” The nāga left his residence F.99.a and sat, encircling the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana’s body seven times and raising his hood over the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana’s head.

It is commonplace among ṛṣis that if one is not concerned about another’s pain, one ceases being a ṛṣi. Therefore, the ṛṣi thought, “If that mendicant dies in the storm and I cease being a ṛṣi, that would not be appropriate.” He then left the hermitage and tried to find him. He saw the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana and said, “O mendicant, enter our hermitage.”

“O great ṛṣi, did you cease being a ṛṣi?” asked the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana.

The ṛṣi recognized his voice and asked in return, “Are you the noble one Mahā­maudgalyāyana?”

“O ṛṣi, people know me thus.”

“O noble one, for what purpose did you come here?”

“I came for the very purpose of your conversion. Now let us go to the Blessed One.”

The venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana then took his uncle to the Blessed One. When he had arrived, he bowed low until his forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet, and then he sat down to one side. The venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana said to the Blessed One, “This is my uncle, who has gone forth among ṛṣis. The Blessed One should preach the Dharma for him.”

The Blessed One knew the ṛṣi’s thinking, proclivity, disposition, and nature and preached the Dharma that was appropriate for him. Having heard the Dharma, the ṛṣi actualized the fruit of a never-returner. He rose from his seat, draped his upper robe over one shoulder, made the gesture of supplication to the Blessed One, and said to him, “O Honored One, I wish to go forth and be ordained a monk in the well-taught Dharma and Vinaya. F.99.b I will lead the pure life in the presence of the Blessed One.”

The Blessed One ordained him by saying “Come, monk,” . . . .

When the venerable Mahā­maudgalyāyana had left, the nāga felt lonely and unhappy. He caused various epidemics in the hamlet and, dressed as a ṛṣi, went to the hermitage and dwelled there. Then the people of the hamlet came to the hermitage and said, “O great ṛṣi, such epidemics have befallen us. What should we do?”

“Come and stay in this place,” replied the ṛṣi, “and the epidemics will be quelled.”

The people of the hamlet then went to that place and dwelled there. Because the serpent (ahi) had served as an umbrella (chattra) there, the place became famous as Ahicchattra, and devout people built a monastery and provided it with all the requisites.

III. Mathurā^[351]

The Buddha, the Blessed One, arrived in Mathurā^[352] and stayed in the mango forest of practitioners undergoing training on the bank of the river Prabhadrikā.^[353]

Then the Blessed One said to the monks, “Monks, you should rely on the island that is yourself, the refuge that is yourself, the island that is the Dharma, the refuge that is the Dharma, and not on other islands or other refuges. Monks, you should correctly learn that you should rely on the island that is yourself, the refuge that is yourself, the island that is the Dharma, the refuge that is the Dharma, and not on other islands or other refuges.^[354]

“What are sorrow, lamentation, F.100.a pain, despair, and distress like? Being attached to something, people observe it as self, and hence, on account of it, sorrow, lamentation, pain, despair, and distress that have not yet arisen will arise for these people, and such things that have already arisen will increase and grow. Why is this?”

“O Honored One, since the Blessed One is the root of the Dharma, the Blessed One is the Leader, and the Blessed One is the Teacher, may the Blessed One teach the meaning of this to the monks. The monks will listen to it from the Blessed One and grasp it.”

“O monks, then listen to it well and keep it in mind; I shall teach it.

“O monks, when there are visual objects and people are attached to visual objects and observe visual objects as self, sorrow, lamentation, pain, despair, and distress that have not yet arisen will arise for these people, and such things that have already arisen will increase and grow.

“O monks, when there are feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, and people are attached to consciousness and observe consciousness as self, sorrow, lamentation, pain, despair, and distress that have not yet arisen will arise for these people, and such things that have already arisen will increase and grow.^[355]

“O monks, look . . . . When … he knows that he has breathed in, observing perception in perception, the noble disciple dwells, observing perception in perception. When he thus dwells, the noble disciple knows that his mind is concentrated inwardly. F.100.b

“Suppose, for instance, Ānanda,^[356] a stūpa is built out of dirt at the crossroads of main streets and then someone roaming by vehicle, palanquin, or chariot comes there from the south … observing perception in perception. When he thus dwells, the noble disciple knows that his mind is concentrated inwardly.

“When a noble disciple knows that he has experienced his mind and breathed in, with his mind pleased, concentrated, and liberated, and, having breathed out with his mind liberated, knows that he has breathed out with his mind liberated and observes his mind in his mind, the noble disciple dwells, observing his mind in his mind. When he thus dwells, the noble disciple knows that his mind is concentrated inwardly.”

(The parable of the stūpa and a vehicle, and so forth, from the west should be narrated here.)

“Because both his longing and despair have disappeared in the body, perception, and mind, he dwells in equanimity, observing mental objects in mental objects. When he thus dwells, the noble disciple knows that his mind is concentrated inwardly.

“Ānanda, what do you think? Suppose, for instance, a stūpa is built out of dirt at the crossroads of main streets and then someone roaming by vehicle, palanquin, or chariot comes there from the north, will the dirt stūpa disintegrate?

“Yes, it will, O Honored One.”

“In the same way … observing mental objects in mental objects. When he thus dwells, the noble disciple knows that the inner concentration of mind exists.

“Ānanda, if he is thus, he is said to have meditated on the four applications of mindfulness.”

IV. Rāṣṭrapāla^[357]

The Blessed One, traveling through the country of Kuru,^[358] arrived in Sthūlakoṣṭhaka, F.101.a and stayed in Sthūlakoṣṭhaka Forest near Sthūlakoṣṭhaka.

When the brahmins and householders in Sthūlakoṣṭhaka heard that the Blessed One, traveling through the country of Kuru, had arrived in Sthūlakoṣṭhaka and was staying in Sthūlakoṣṭhaka Forest near Sthūlakoṣṭhaka, they met together, flocked together, left Sthūlakoṣṭhaka, and went to the Blessed One. Upon their arrival, they bowed low until their foreheads touched the Blessed One’s feet, and then they sat down to one side. When they had sat down to one side, the Blessed One, through talk consistent with the Dharma, instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted the brahmins and householders in Sthūlakoṣṭhaka. B34

At that time, a householder’s son named Rāṣṭrapāla was sitting in the assembly. Rāṣṭrapāla, the son of a householder, thought, “If I correctly understand the meaning of what the Blessed One has said, it is difficult for laymen, who live at home, to lead the pure life, which is totally pure, unmixed, complete, completely pure, and clean, throughout their lives. Now I will go forth from my home into homelessness with true faith, having shaved off my hair and beard and donned saffron robes.”

After the Blessed One had instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted the brahmins and householders in Sthūlakoṣṭhaka in a variety of ways through talk consistent with the Dharma, he remained silent. F.101.b The brahmins and householders in Sthūlakoṣṭhaka then rejoiced in and praised the words of the Blessed One. They bowed low until their foreheads touched the Blessed One’s feet, and then departed from the Blessed One’s presence.

As soon as the brahmins and householders in Sthūlakoṣṭhaka had departed, Rāṣṭrapāla, the son of a householder, rose from his seat, draped his upper robe over one shoulder, made the gesture of supplication to the Blessed One, and said to him, “O Honored One, I wish to go forth and be ordained a monk in the well-taught Dharma and Vinaya. I will lead the pure life in the presence of the Blessed One.”

“O son of a householder, have your parents permitted it?”

“No, they have not, O Honored One.”

“O son of a householder, the Tathāgata and the disciples of the Tathāgata neither let anyone go forth nor ordain him while he does not have his parents’ permission.”

“In that case, O Honored One, I will try to gain permission from my parents.”

Then Rāṣṭrapāla, the son of a householder, praised and was delighted at the words of the Blessed One and went home. When he had arrived, he said to his parents, “Father, Mother, please be informed that I will go forth from my home into homelessness with true faith.”

“Our son Rāṣṭrapāla, understand this: You are our only, dear, sweet, darling son, who has never disobeyed us. If you die, we will have to part from you unwillingly. But where would we let you go while you are still alive?”

“Father, Mother, if you permit this right now, that’s fine. But if you do not permit this, I will neither have a meal nor pay obeisance to you from today onward.”

Then Rāṣṭrapāla, the son of a householder, F.102.a fasted for a day. After that, he fasted for two days, for three days—all the way to seven days. Then the parents of Rāṣṭrapāla said to him, “Our son Rāṣṭrapāla, understand this: You are delicate,^[359] you desire comfort, and you have not known pain. It is difficult to lead the pure life, it is difficult to practice in complete seclusion, it is difficult to rejoice in solitude, and it is unbearable to live in a dwelling in the wilderness, in a forest, or on the outskirts of a town. Stay here, our son Rāṣṭrapāla, and enjoy the objects of desire, give donations, and make merit.”

Even when told this, Rāṣṭrapāla, the son of a householder, remained silent. The parents of Rāṣṭrapāla then asked their relatives for help: “O relatives, make our son Rāṣṭrapāla come to his senses at once.”

Then the relatives of Rāṣṭrapāla, the son of a householder, went to Rāṣṭrapāla. When they had arrived, they said to him, “Son Rāṣṭrapāla, understand this: You are delicate; you desire comfort…, and make merit.”

Even when told this, Rāṣṭrapāla, the son of a householder, remained silent. Then the parents of Rāṣṭrapāla asked Rāṣṭrapāla’s friends for help: “O sons, make our son Rāṣṭrapāla come to his senses at once.”

Then the friends of Rāṣṭrapāla, the son of a householder, said to Rāṣṭrapāla, “Good son Rāṣṭrapāla, understand this: You are delicate; you desire comfort…, and make merit.”

Even when told this, Rāṣṭrapāla, the son of a householder, remained silent. Then F.102.b the friends said to the parents of Rāṣṭrapāla, “Father and mother, what use is there in letting this son Rāṣṭrapāla die? Permit him to go forth. Then, if he rejoices in the pure life, you will be able to see him alive; if he does not rejoice in it, to whom will the son go but to his parents?”

“Sons, if he lets us see him after he has gone forth, we will permit this.”

Then the friends said to Rāṣṭrapāla, the son of a householder, “Good son Rāṣṭrapāla, be informed that your parents permit this. They say, ‘If our son lets us see him after he has gone forth.’ ”

“Sirs, I will let them see me.”

Thereafter Rāṣṭrapāla, the son of a householder, having gradually recovered his bodily strength and power, went to the Blessed One. When he had arrived, he bowed low until his forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet, and then he sat down to one side. When he had sat down to one side, Rāṣṭrapāla, the son of a householder, said to the Blessed One, “O Honored One, I was given permission by my parents. Therefore, O Honored One, I wish to go forth and be ordained a monk in the well-taught Dharma and Vinaya. I will lead the pure life in the presence of the Blessed One.”

Rāṣṭrapāla, the son of a householder, went forth and was ordained a monk in the well-taught Dharma and Vinaya. Then the Blessed One, having let Rāṣṭrapāla, the son of a householder, go forth and ordained him, and having stayed in Sthūlakoṣṭhaka as long as he wished, traveled to Śrāvastī. In due course he arrived at Śrāvastī and stayed in Śrāvastī, in the Jetavana, Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park. F.103.a

Ten years after his ordination, the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla attained the state of an arhat. Having savored the joy and happiness of liberation, he thought, “Once when I was a layman, I promised my parents to see them after I had gone forth. Now I will carry out my promise.”

The venerable Rāṣṭrapāla then went to the Blessed One. Upon his arrival, he bowed low until his forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet, and then he sat down to one side. When he had sat down to one side, the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla said to the Blessed One, “O Honored One, once when I was a layman, I promised my parents I would see them. Now I will go to carry out my promise.”

Then the Blessed One made his mind penetrate the mind of the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla. When it had penetrated it, he concentrated his mind on the mind of the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla, and then he thought, “It is impossible that Rāṣṭrapāla, the son of a noble family, will dwell at home again or enjoy the objects of desire by hoarding,” and so he said to the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla, “Rāṣṭrapāla, go and liberate beings who have not been liberated. Release those who have not been released. Relieve those who have not been relieved. Emancipate those who have not been emancipated.”

The venerable Rāṣṭrapāla then praised and delighted in the words of the Blessed One. The venerable Rāṣṭrapāla bowed low until his forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet, and he then departed from the Blessed One’s presence.

After that night had passed, the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla dressed early in the morning, took his bowl and his robe, and entered Śrāvastī for alms. F.103.b He took a meal of alms in Śrāvastī and returned after the meal. He put in order the bedding and the seat he had used and set out for Sthūlakoṣṭhaka. As he traveled, in due course he arrived at Sthūlakoṣṭhaka and stayed in Sthūlakoṣṭhaka Forest near Sthūlakoṣṭhaka.

Thereupon the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla, after that next night had passed, dressed early in the morning, took his bowl and his robe, and entered Sthūlakoṣṭhaka for alms. Going for alms in Sthūlakoṣṭhaka, in due course he went to his own home. At that time, a barber was arranging the hair and beard of the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla’s father in the courtyard, and his father saw the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla standing before the gate. When he saw him, the father scolded him: “You shaven-headed śramaṇa, you have destroyed my family line. You made Rāṣṭrapāla, my only, dear, sweet, darling son, who had never disobeyed me, go forth and then ordained him. You shaven-headed śramaṇa, who is going to give you almsfood?”

Then the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla, having gotten no offering but abuse, left his own home before he was chased away. At that time an old woman, who had once been a slave of the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla, came out the door, carrying spoiled, day-old kulmāṣa in order to throw it away. When the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla saw the old woman, his former slave, he said to her, “Sister, if you are throwing away that spoiled, day-old kulmāṣa, I will eat it. Please put it in this bowl.”

“O noble one, please have it.”

Putting the spoiled, day-old kulmāṣa in the bowl, the old woman, his former slave, F.104.a then recognized the characteristics of the hands, feet, face, nose, and way of speaking of the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla. She asked, “Sir, are you Rāṣṭrapāla?”^[360]

“Yes, sister. People know me thus.”

Then the old woman, his former slave, hurried to the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla’s father. When she arrived, she said to him, “Sir, please be informed that your son Rāṣṭrapāla arrived in Sthūlakoṣṭhaka long before, but he would not enter his own home.”

Then the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla’s father, holding his hair with his left hand and wearing nothing but his loincloth, rushed to the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla. At that time the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla was sitting by the wall and eating the spoiled, day-old kulmāṣa. Then the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla’s father asked him, “Rāṣṭrapāla, why do you not enter your own home despite having arrived in Sthūlakoṣṭhaka long before? Why are you eating that spoiled, day-old kulmāṣa?”

“O householder, when I came to your house, I got no offering but abuse, and had to leave before I was chased away.”

“I did not know it was my son Rāṣṭrapāla. If I had known, I would not have said such a thing. My son Rāṣṭrapāla, forgive me.”

“I forgive you, O householder.”

Then the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla’s father firmly embraced him and had him sit on a seat prepared in his own home. The father then said to Rāṣṭrapāla’s mother, “Our son Rāṣṭrapāla has come back F.104.b home after a long time. Oh, cook and prepare a meal immediately. Our son Rāṣṭrapāla will eat it.”

The venerable Rāṣṭrapāla’s mother then cooked and prepared a meal herself. Then a man piled pieces of gold in such a large heap that someone standing behind it could not see another standing before it, and someone standing before it could not see another standing behind it. The venerable Rāṣṭrapāla’s mother said to him, “My son Rāṣṭrapāla, your mother has this amount of what is called dowry, dower, or marriage portion. Your father has also accumulated gold—and hundreds, thousands, hundreds of thousands of fine grains of gold—not to mention other things. My son Rāṣṭrapāla, now stay here and enjoy the objects of desire, give donations, and make merit.”

“O householder’s wife, if you will listen to my words with faith, I will instruct and teach you.”

“My son Rāṣṭrapāla, instruct me. My son Rāṣṭrapāla, teach me. I will listen to your words with faith.”

“O householder’s wife, now make new bags with linen, put the gold and fine grains of gold into them, load them on to a carriage, and throw them in a deep, rapid stream in the Ganges. Your sorrow, lamentation, pain, despair, and distress have arisen from those roots.”

Then the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla’s mother thought, “I am not able to turn back my son Rāṣṭrapāla in this way.” F.105.a The venerable Rāṣṭrapāla's mother then urged her daughter-in-law to help: “O my daughter, anoint your body with incense, bathe, wear various scents, dress yourself, adorn yourself with adornments, burn various kinds of incense, and scatter incense powder immediately, just as you once pleased and comforted my son Rāṣṭrapāla in that way when he was a layman. Then throw yourself at my son Rāṣṭrapāla’s feet and say, ‘What are the celestial nymphs like, for the sake of whom you have led the pure life in the presence of the Blessed One?’ ”

Then the former wife of the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla did anoint her body with incense, bathed, wore various scents, dressed herself, adorned herself with adornments, burned various kinds of incense, and scattered incense powder just as she had once pleased and comforted the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla in that way when he was a layman. She then threw herself at the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla’s feet and said, “What are the celestial nymphs like, for the sake of whom you have led the pure life in the presence of the Blessed One?”

“O sister, it is not for the sake of celestial nymphs that I have led the pure life in the presence of the Blessed One.”

Then, because the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla F.105.b addressed his former wife as sister, she fainted and fell to the ground.^[361] The venerable Rāṣṭrapāla then said to his parents, “Father, Mother, why do you not give me food if you were going to give it? Why leave it and torment me?”

“Our son Rāṣṭrapāla, have it.”

Then the parents with their own hands served and satisfied the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla with a pure and fine meal. When, with their own hands, they had served and satisfied him in a variety of ways with a pure and fine meal, knowing the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla had finished his meal and washed his hands and his bowl, they took low seats, and sat before the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla in order to hear the Dharma. The venerable Rāṣṭrapāla then spoke some verses:^[362]

Then the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla, through talk consistent with the Dharma, instructed, inspired, encouraged, and delighted his parents. Thereupon he flew away across the sky, and the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla F.106.a went to Sthūlakoṣṭhaka Forest.^[365] When he had arrived, he sat under a vibhītaka tree, in order to pass the day there.

At that time, King Kauravya had often been talking about the fame of the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla and said, “I will meet the honorable Rāṣṭrapāla personally sometime. I will ask him a question sometime, if he would deign to answer.” Then King Kauravya ordered a forest custodian, “My man, go and very quickly clean Sthūlakoṣṭhaka Forest. I will take a stroll there tomorrow.”

“Certainly, Your Majesty,” replied the man to King Kauravya, and he cleaned all of Sthūlakoṣṭhaka Forest. When the man saw the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla sitting under the vibhītaka tree, passing the day, he thought, “Here is the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla, whose fame King Kauravya has repeatedly talked about and about whom he has said, ‘I will meet the honorable Rāṣṭrapāla personally sometime. I will ask him a question sometime, if he would deign to answer.’ He has arrived at such-and-such a place near Sthūlakoṣṭhaka. I will now inform King Kauravya.”

Then the man went to King Kauravya. When he had arrived, he said to the king, “The venerable Rāṣṭrapāla is here, the one whose fame Your Majesty has repeatedly talked about and about whom you have said, ‘I will meet the honorable Rāṣṭrapāla personally sometime. I will ask him a question sometime, if he would deign to answer.’ He has arrived at such-and-such a place near Sthūlakoṣṭhaka. May Your Majesty know it is the right time.”

King Kauravya then ordered another man, “My man, F.106.b now quickly prepare a beautiful vehicle. I will ride in it and go to see the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla today.”

“Certainly, Your Majesty,” replied the man to King Kauravya. Then, having quickly prepared the beautiful vehicle, he returned to King Kauravya. When he had arrived, he said to King Kauravya, “Your Majesty, the vehicle is ready. May Your Majesty know it is the right time.”

King Kauravya then rode in the beautiful vehicle, left Sthūlakoṣṭhaka, and went to see and serve the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla. Having gone as far as he could go by vehicle, he alighted from the vehicle and entered the park on foot. When the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla saw King Kauravya coming from a distance, he said, “Welcome, Great King. Now, Great King, since this is your country, please invite me to a seat if you so like.”

“O Rāṣṭrapāla, my country it is, but I ask you, Rāṣṭrapāla, to invite me to a seat.”

“Then, Great King, here is a seat for you. Please sit down, if you so like.”

Face to face with the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla, King Kauravya then made plenty of pleasant and joyful conversation, and sat down to one side. When he had sat down to one side, King Kauravya said to the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla, “O honorable Rāṣṭrapāla, if one belongs to a lowly family, has run through his entire possessions, or has become old, he might go forth from his home into homelessness with true faith, having shaved off his hair and beard and donned saffron robes. Since we belong to the Kauravya family and our possessions are abundant, I have thus allotted F.107.a a portion of our possessions to the honorable Rāṣṭrapāla. O honorable Rāṣṭrapāla, stay here now, enjoy the objects of desire, give donations, and make merit.”

“The Great King has invited me in an inappropriate way, not in an appropriate way. One like you must not invite a learned man like me in such a way.”

“How should I invite you, honorable Rāṣṭrapāla, if in an appropriate way?”

“Great King, if you were now to say, ‘O Rāṣṭrapāla, my country is rich and free from harm, calamity, and danger, and there it is easy to obtain almsfood; O honorable Rāṣṭrapāla, stay in this Sthūlakoṣṭhaka, and I will protect, shelter, and guard you in accordance with the Dharma,’ O Great King, that I would wish. Such is said only by one with a faithful mind.”

“If you would deign to answer my questions, I would ask some questions of the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla.”

“O Great King, ask. I will explain after listening.”

“O Rāṣṭrapāla, there are four kinds of decay; because they have decayed through these, sons of noble families will go forth from their homes into homelessness with true faith, having shaved off their hair and beards and donned saffron robes. What are the four? Decay through old age, decay through illness, decay in terms of relatives, and decay in terms of possessions.

“O Rāṣṭrapāla, what is decay through old age? Here a son of a noble family, having become old and decrepit, thinks, ‘Now, since I am old and decrepit, I cannot easily enjoy even the objects of desire that I possess right now, F.107.b let alone what I do not possess. Now I will go forth from my home into homelessness with true faith, having shaved off my hair and beard and donned saffron robes.’ Because he has decayed through old age, he will go forth from his home into homelessness with true faith, having shaved off his hair and beard and donned saffron robes. This is said to be decay through old age.

“Though you, honorable Rāṣṭrapāla, had not decayed through old age, you went forth from your home into homelessness with true faith, having shaved off your hair and beard and donned saffron robes. Why? You, honorable Rāṣṭrapāla, are young, junior, youthful, with black hair, in the prime of youth. While you should be involved in play, pleasure, fun, adornment, and decoration, you instead went forth from your home into homelessness with true faith, having shaved off your hair and beard and donned saffron robes, though your relatives were choked with tears, crying, and not happy. What did you, honorable Rāṣṭrapāla, know, see, hear, and understand so that you went forth in that way? I am not pleased with this; I cannot bear this.

“O honorable Rāṣṭrapāla, what is decay through illness? Here a son of a noble family has become seriously ill, afflicted with a painful illness, and thinks, ‘Since I am seriously ill, afflicted with a painful illness, I cannot easily enjoy even the objects of desire that I possess right now, let alone what I do not possess. Now I will go forth…, having shaved off my hair and beard and donned saffron robes.’ Because he has decayed through illness, he will go forth…, having shaved off his hair and beard and donned saffron robes. This is F.108.a said to be decay through illness.

“Though you, honorable Rāṣṭrapāla, had not decayed through illness, you went forth … with true faith, having shaved off your hair and beard and donned saffron robes. Why? You, honorable Rāṣṭrapāla, are free from harm, free from illness, and your temperature is in a good state, neither too cold nor too hot but healthy and free from harm. You will safely digest foods, drink—whatever you eat, and whatever you taste. What did you, honorable Rāṣṭrapāla, know, see … so that you went forth…? I am not pleased with this; I cannot bear this.

“O Rāṣṭrapāla, what is decay in terms of relatives? Here a son of a noble family, after his relatives have died and gone, thinks, ‘Since my relatives have died and gone, now I will go forth…, having shaved off my hair and beard . . . .’ Because he has decayed in terms of relatives, he will go forth…, having shaved off his hair and beard . . . . This is said to be decay through relatives.

“Though you, honorable Rāṣṭrapāla, had not decayed in terms of relatives, you went forth … with true faith, having shaved off your hair and beard and donned saffron robes. Why? Rāṣṭrapāla, your relatives originate from the Kauravya family, and they are prospering in this Sthūlakoṣṭhaka. What did you, honorable Rāṣṭrapāla, know, see … so that you went forth…? I am not pleased with this; I cannot bear this.

“O Rāṣṭrapāla, what is decay in terms of possessions? F.108.b Here a son of a noble family, after his possessions have become few and exhausted and have run out, thinks, ‘Since my possessions are few and exhausted and have run out, now I will go forth…, having shaved off my hair and beard . . . .’ Because he has decayed in terms of possessions, he will go forth…, having shaved off his hair and beard . . . . This is said to be decay in terms of possessions.

“Though you, honorable Rāṣṭrapāla, had not decayed in terms of possessions, you went forth . . . . Since you, honorable Rāṣṭrapāla, belong to the best and most excellent family in this Sthūlakoṣṭhaka, you have many possessions. What did you, honorable Rāṣṭrapāla, know, see, hear, and understand so that you went forth from your home into homelessness with true faith, having shaved off your hair and beard and donned saffron robes? I am not pleased with this; I cannot bear this.”

“O Great King, that Blessed One, Tathāgata, Arhat, Perfectly Awakened One, the one who knows and sees, said that these four are paths for aversion to the world. By these aversions to the world, sons of noble families will go forth from their homes into homelessness with true faith, having shaved off their hair and beards and donned saffron robes. Great King, all beings of this world are led by old age; beings of this world have no refuge because they have no one to follow them; beings of this world have no possessions because they must leave everyone; and beings of this world are never satisfied because they do not know contentment and are slaves to desire. Thus I knew, saw, heard, and understood, and then I went forth in that way.” F.109.a

“I do not fully understand the meaning of what you have briefly said but have not elucidated sufficiently. May the honorable Rāṣṭrapāla explain in detail the meaning of what he has briefly said but has not elucidated sufficiently so that I may fully understand it. The honorable Rāṣṭrapāla said that all beings of this world are led by old age. Thinking of what, honorable Rāṣṭrapāla, did you say this?”

“Great King, I will ask you something in return. Please answer as best you can. O Great King, what do you think? Do you see the age, figure, power, strength, height, and waist measurement of your present body as being equal to those of your body at the age of twenty or twenty-five years, when you were young, junior, youthful, with black hair, in the prime of youth?”

“O Rāṣṭrapāla, I do not see the age, figure, power, strength, height, and waist measurement of my present body as being equal to those of my body at the age of twenty or twenty-five years, when I was young, junior, youthful, with black hair, in the prime of youth. Now I am eighty years old and have become decrepit. Sometimes I need help from others even with sitting and standing.”

“O Great King, having thought on this, the Blessed One, Tathāgata, Arhat, Perfectly Awakened One, the one who knows and sees, said that all beings of this world are led by old age. Having known, seen, heard, and understood this, I went forth from my home into homelessness with true faith, having shaved off my hair and beard and donned saffron robes. I am pleased with this and I bear it.” F.109.b

“I too am pleased with and bear what you, honorable Rāṣṭrapāla, are pleased with and bear.

“The honorable Rāṣṭrapāla also said that beings of this world have no refuge because they have no one to follow them. I have sons, wives, slaves, workmen, jesters, barbers,^[366] bath attendants, horse trainers, elephant drivers, horsemen, charioteers, swordsmen, archers, servants, attendants, dancers, and brave, bold princes like praskandins and great nagnas, who conquer my enemies, adversaries, and foes. However, the honorable Rāṣṭrapāla said that beings of this world have no refuge because they have no one to follow them. Thinking of what, honorable Rāṣṭrapāla, did you say this?”

“Great King, I will ask you something in return. Please answer as best you can. O Great King, do you have any trouble in your body now?”

“Yes, O Rāṣṭrapāla, I do. An illness of the wind afflicts my back now.”

“O Great King, when an illness of the wind afflicts your back, if you say, ‘O my sons, wives, slaves, workmen, jesters, barbers, bath attendants, horse trainers, elephant drivers, horsemen, charioteers, swordsmen, archers, servants, attendants, dancers, and brave, bold princes like praskandins and great nagnas, now end the violent, acute, hot, intolerable, and unpleasant pain that has befallen me,’ can they do so?”

“No, O Rāṣṭrapāla, they cannot. When an illness of wind afflicts my back, if I say, ‘O my sons, wives, slaves, workmen, jesters, barbers, bath attendants, horse trainers, elephant drivers, horsemen, charioteers, swordsmen, archers, servants, attendants, dancers, and brave, bold princes like praskandins and great nagnas, now end the violent, acute, hot, intolerable, and unpleasant pain that has befallen me,’ F.110.a they cannot do so. At that time, I will experience the violent, acute, hot, intolerable, and unpleasant pain by myself.”

“O Great King, having thought on this, the Tathāgata, Arhat, Perfectly Awakened One, the one who knows and sees, said that beings of this world have no refuge because they have no one to follow them. Having known, seen, heard, and understood this, I went forth in that way. I am pleased with this and I bear it.”

“I too am pleased with and bear what you, honorable Rāṣṭrapāla, are pleased with and bear.

“The honorable Rāṣṭrapāla also said that beings of this world have no possessions because they must leave everyone. O Rāṣṭrapāla, I have sons, wives, slaves, workmen … and princes, who follow me when I go, stay when I stay, and guard me when I am sleeping. However, the honorable Rāṣṭrapāla said that beings of this world have no possessions because they must leave everyone. Thinking of what, honorable Rāṣṭrapāla, did you say this?”

“Great King, I will ask you something in return. Please answer as best you can.

“O Great King, what do you think? When death, which is displeasing for many people, wanted by few people, F.110.b pleasing for few people, unpleasant for many people, and common to all beings in the world, has come to you, if you say, ‘O my sons, wives, slaves, workmen … princes, now follow me going from this world to another world,’ can they do so?”

“No, O Rāṣṭrapāla, they cannot. When death, which is displeasing for many people, wanted by few people, pleasing for few people, unpleasant for many people, and common to all beings in the world, has come to me, if I say, ‘O my sons, wives, slaves, workmen … princes, now follow me going from this world to another world,’ they cannot do so. I will go from this world to another world by myself.”

“O Great King, having thought on this, the Blessed One, Tathāgata, Arhat, Perfectly Awakened One, the one who knows and sees, said that beings of this world have no possessions because they must leave everyone. Having known, seen, heard, and understood this, I went forth in that way. I am pleased with this and I bear it.”

“I too am pleased with and bear what you, honorable Rāṣṭrapāla, are pleased with and bear.

“The honorable Rāṣṭrapāla also said that beings of this world are never satisfied because they do not know contentment and are slaves to desire. O Rāṣṭrapāla, I am fully enjoying this whole country of Kuru, and I am fully enjoying many consorts, storehouses, and treasuries. However, the honorable Rāṣṭrapāla said that F.111.a beings of this world are never satisfied because they do not know contentment and are slaves to desire. Thinking of what, honorable Rāṣṭrapāla, did you say this?”

“Great King, I will ask you something in return. Please answer as best you can.

“O Great King, what do you think? You are enjoying this whole country of Kuru fully, and you are enjoying many consorts, storehouses, and treasuries fully. If a trustworthy, honest, steadfast man who does not deceive others comes from the east and says, ‘Your Majesty, I came here from the east; there I saw countries that were rich, prosperous, peaceful, abundant in food, and full of many people. Your Majesty, it is appropriate for you to conquer, win, and subjugate these countries, leading such armies, such treasures, and such vehicles,’ would you conquer, win, and subjugate those countries, leading your armies? O Great King, what do you think? Would you desire those countries?”

“O Rāṣṭrapāla, if I knew that it was appropriate for me to conquer, win, and subjugate those countries, leading such armies, such treasures, and such vehicles, I would conquer and subjugate them, leading my armies. I would desire those countries.” B35

“O Great King, having thought on this, the Blessed One, Tathāgata, Arhat, Perfectly Awakened One, the one who knows and sees, said that beings of this world are never satisfied because they do not know contentment and are slaves to desire. Having known, seen, heard, and understood this, I went forth in that way. F.111.b I am pleased with this and I bear it.”

“I too am pleased with and bear what you, honorable Rāṣṭrapāla, are pleased with and bear.”

When the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla had had the aforementioned conversation, he, the arhat, the elder, also said:^[367]

King Kauravya rejoiced in and praised the words of the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla. He bowed low until his forehead touched the feet of the venerable Rāṣṭrapāla, rose from his seat, and departed.

V. Hastināpura^[369]

The Blessed One then arrived in Hastināpura. When from a distance a brahmin saw the Blessed One, who was fully ornamented with the thirty-two marks of a great man, illuminated by the eighty minor marks, ornamented with a fathom-wide halo, and beautiful like a moving mountain of jewels with light surpassing a thousand suns, the brahmin went to the Blessed One and praised him in verse:

Then the Blessed One smiled. It naturally occurs that whenever the buddhas, the blessed ones, smile, . . . . The rays disappeared into the circle of hair between his eyebrows. F.112.b Then the venerable Ānanda made the gesture of supplication to the Blessed One and said:

The Blessed One said, “Good, good, Ānanda! Ānanda, tathāgatas, arhats, perfectly awakened ones do not smile without cause, without condition. Ānanda, did you see the brahmin speak the verse and praise the Tathāgata?”

“Yes, I did, O Blessed One.”

“By this root of merit he will never fall into the inferior modes of existence, but will be reborn among gods and humans for twenty eons, and he will become a self-awakened one named Stavārha in his last life, last birth, last body, last taking up of an identity.”

The monks, feeling doubtful, inquired of the Buddha, the Blessed One, the one who severs all doubts, “How is it, O Honored One, that when this brahmin spoke a single verse and praised the Blessed One, the Blessed One predicted his awakening as a self-awakened one?”

“Listen, monks,” replied the Blessed One, “and inscribe it in your minds how, not only in the present but also in the past, he spoke a single verse and praised me, and how I gave him five excellent villages. I will tell you about it.

“A time long ago,^[371] monks, there was a king named Brahmadatta in the city of Vārāṇasī. He ruled over the country, which was rich, prosperous, peaceful, abundant in food, and full of many people. He was extremely fond of poets.

“There was a certain brahmin poet in Vārāṇasī whose wife once said to him, ‘O brahmin, since the cold season has come, go to the king and make some agreeable speech so that you can obtain a little defense against the cold.’ F.113.a

“So, he departed. At that time, the king was setting off on an elephant. The brahmin asked himself, ‘Should I praise the king or the excellent elephant?’ He thought, ‘Since this excellent elephant is desirable and pleasing for everyone in the world and especially so for the king, I will praise the excellent elephant for now.’ He then spoke a verse:

“The king was pleased and spoke a verse in return:

“Monks, I myself was at that time, on that occasion, the excellent elephant; this brahmin was at that time, on that occasion, the brahmin. I then gave him five excellent villages because he had spoken a single verse and praised me.^[372] Now, too, I have predicted his awakening as a self-awakened one because he spoke a single verse and praised me.​​

VI. The Great City

Having arrived at a great city, … (the phrase about the seat of four buddhas should be recited in detail) . . . .^[373]

VII. Śrughnā^[374]

The Blessed One arrived in the country of Śrughnā, where there was a brahmin named Indra who was conceited about his good looks, youth, and learning, and boasted that there was no one equal to him.

In a certain place the Blessed One preached the Dharma, sitting on the seat prepared for him in front of the community of monks. The brahmin Indra, having heard that the śramaṇa Gautama had arrived in the country of Śrughnā, thought, “I have heard that the śramaṇa Gautama is well proportioned, attractive, and pleasant to behold. F.113.b I will go to see whether he is more handsome than me or not.”

He departed and when he saw the Blessed One, who was fully ornamented with the thirty-two marks of a great man, illuminated by the eighty minor marks, ornamented with a fathom-wide halo, and beautiful like a moving mountain of jewels with light surpassing a thousand suns, the brahmin thought, “Although the śramaṇa Gautama is more handsome than me, he is not taller than me.” He tried to see the crown of the Blessed One’s head. Unable to see it, he climbed up to a very high place, but it was in vain.

Then the Blessed One said to the brahmin Indra, “Brahmin, you are making vain efforts. Even if you were to climb up to the summit of Mount Sumeru and try to see the crown of the Tathāgata’s head, these further efforts would be in vain, and you would still be unable to see it. Have you never heard that beings, including gods and asuras, do not see the crown of the head of the buddhas, the blessed ones?^[375] However, if you want to see the height of the Tathāgata’s body, there is a pillar made of gośīrṣacandana underneath the fire pit for oblations to the god of fire in your house; take it out and measure it. The height of the Tathāgata’s body that is generated from a father and a mother is the same as that.”

The brahmin Indra thought, “This is a wonder. I have never heard of that. I will go and see.”

He hurried home and dug under the fire pit for oblations to the god of fire. Everything was just as the Blessed One had explained. Filled with faith, he thought, “Since the śramaṇa Gautama is undoubtedly omniscient, I will go and serve him.” With faith, he went to the Blessed One. When he arrived, face to face with the Blessed One, he made plenty of pleasant and joyful conversation, F.114.a and then sat down to one side. The Blessed One knew the brahmin’s thinking, proclivity, disposition, and nature . . . . With the vajra of knowledge the brahmin leveled the twenty high peaks of the mountain chain of the false view of individuality that had been accumulated since beginningless time, and actualized the fruit of stream-entry. After having seen the truths, he said, “O Blessed One, I have been exalted, truly exalted. Since I seek refuge in the Blessed One, the Dharma, and the community of monks, please accept me as a lay brother. From today onward, I embrace my faith as one who seeks refuge throughout my life.”

Thereupon the brahmin Indra rose from his seat, draped his upper robe over one shoulder, made the gesture of supplication to the Blessed One, and said to the Blessed One, “If the Blessed One allows it, I will prepare a festival of the pillar made of gośīrṣacandana.”

“Brahmin, I allow it,” said the Blessed One. “Go and prepare the festival.”

Thereupon he set up the pillar in a certain solitary place with great reverence and prepared the great festival. Other brahmins and householders tied kuśa grass, thinking, “May this festival become a basis for happiness (kuśala).” Since the brahmin Indra had prepared the festival, it was named “Indra’s Festival.”^[376]

VIII. Brahmin Village^[377]

IX. The City of Kāla

The Blessed One arrived at the city of Kāla. In the city of Kāla, … (the phrase about the seat of four buddhas should be recited in detail) . . . .^[384]

X. Rohitaka

XI. Śādvalā

XII. Nandivardhana

I. Ādirājya

Traveling through the country of Śūrasena, the Blessed One then went to Ādirājya. There the Blessed One said to the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, in this place King Mahāsammata, who was the first king, was anointed. Therefore, this place was named Ādirājya (first kingship).”^[443]

II. Bhadrāśva

The Blessed One went to Bhadrāśva. There the Blessed One said to the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, in this place appeared King Mahāsammata’s good, precious horse.^[444] Therefore this place was named Bhadrāśva (good horse).”

III. Mathurā

IV. Otalā Park

V. Vairambhya

VI. Ayodhyā

VII. The Ganges

VIII. Hungry Ghosts

IX. Velāma^[543]

After the Blessed One had crossed the Ganges, he looked back at the river, turning to the right just as an elephant does. The monks asked the Blessed One, “O Honored One, on account of what did the Blessed One look back at the Ganges, turning to the right?”

“Monks,” the Blessed One replied, “do you want to hear the origin of the Ganges?”

“O Honored One, now it is the right time. O Sugata, now it is the right time. If the Blessed One explains the origin of the Ganges, the monks will listen to it.” B39

“Monks, once there appeared a righteous Dharma king named Piṇḍavaṃśa. In accordance with the Dharma, he ruled over the country, which was rich, prosperous, peaceful, abundant in food, and full of many people, where trees were always full of blossoms and fruits, and the gods brought rain at the appropriate times so that the fields produced rich crops. There was no fighting, combat, dispute, strife, robbers, famine, or illness there, and the people were always absorbed in the Dharma.

“When spring came, the king, surrounded by his consorts, went to a park in a forest where the trees were budding and birds such as haṃsas, cranes, peacocks, parrots, F.154.b hill mynas, cuckoos, and jīvaṃjīvakas were singing.

“At that time, he saw a man hobbling about on a cane, taking slow steps. His body was full of wrinkles, his head was gray, his limbs were weak, his faculties were frail, his flesh was wizened, and his energy was feeble. The king asked his ministers, ‘Sirs, what is this man hobbling about on a cane, whose body is full of wrinkles, whose head is gray…?’

“ ‘Your Majesty,” they answered, “he is said to be an old, aged man because of the loss of his conditioning factors.’

“ ‘Sirs, will such a thing happen to me, too?’ asked the king.

“ ‘Your Majesty, this is common to everyone,’ the ministers answered.

“The king departed, feeling melancholy. Then he saw a pale man with his body in bandages, limping about on a cane with much sighing. His body was covered with cuts and sores, his belly was concave like a valley,^[544] and his major limbs and minor appendages were covered with wounds that oozed pus.^[545] Having seen him, the king again asked his ministers, ‘Sirs, what is this pale man limping about on a cane…?’

“ ‘Your Majesty,’ they answered, “he is called one afflicted with illness.’

“ ‘Sirs, will such a thing happen to me, too?’ asked the king.

“ ‘Your Majesty,’ the ministers answered, ‘this is common to everyone. As a result of faults that they committed in the past, this happens to people who have performed sinful acts.’

“The king departed, thinking, ‘One should not perform evil acts by any means.’ Then he saw a bier decorated with blue, yellow, red, and white cloth, surrounded by parasols, banners, flags, F.155.a conch shells, paṭaha drums, men, women, boys, and girls. It was shouldered by four men, preceded by a person carrying a fire, followed by a man carrying firewood, and people crying everywhere, ‘Alas! Father!’ ‘Alas! Son!’ ‘Alas! Brother!’ ‘Alas! Husband!’^[546] When he saw this, he again asked his ministers, ‘Sirs, what is this bier decorated with blue, yellow, red, and white cloth … and people crying?’

“ ‘Your Majesty,’ the ministers answered, ‘this is called a dead man.’

“ ‘Sirs, will such a thing happen to me, too?’ asked the king.

“ ‘Your Majesty, this is common to everyone,’ they answered.

“Having seen the old man, the sick man, and the dead man, the king felt melancholy. He went home and stayed in the lamentation room,^[547] thinking, ‘I will no longer be able to take pleasure in my present enjoyments.’

“In his land, there was a brahmin named Velāma,^[548] who was rich and had great wealth and many possessions. He heard that the king felt melancholy and was staying in the lamentation room, having seen an old man, a sick man, and a dead man. Upon hearing this, he went to King Piṇḍavaṃśa, riding an entirely white chariot pulled by mares, carrying a golden water jar with a handle, and surrounded by hundreds of thousands of brahmins. When he arrived, the ministers said to the king, ‘Your Majesty, Brahmin Velāma is standing at the door.’

“The king then left the room and sat in the treasury.^[549] After wishing the king victory and long life, and having sat down, Brahmin Velāma asked, ‘Your Majesty, why are you staying in the lamentation room?’

“The king told the brahmin Velāma in detail all about what had happened. The brahmin said, ‘Your Majesty, since beings in this world experience the fruit of their karma, F.155.b you do not need to lament about this. There are beings that create good karma, that create evil karma, and that create both. Wheel-turning kings always create good karma and, after their death, are reborn among the gods. Your Majesty is a wheel-turning king, too; you will experience divine happiness after experiencing the best human happiness. Nonetheless, Your Majesty, you should exert yourself in making offerings, which is the staircase to heaven.’

“The king ordered his ministers, ‘Sirs, proclaim this throughout the country with the ringing of bells: “The king will make a limitless offering; you should come and enjoy it.” ’

“The king then had an offering hall built and gave food to those who sought food, and drink to those who sought drink.

“There a pit was dug to pour the water used for boiling rice (ācāma). Since the hot water became cold when it was poured there, the pit was named Anavatapta, ‘unheated.’ After twelve years, the water used for boiling rice and the water used for washing rice flowed out as a river through a valley, and the river was named Ācāma River.”^[550]

I. Kumāravardhana

Thereupon the Blessed One arrived in the country of Kumāravardhana, where he said to the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, in this place a king named Upoṣadha was born and grew up.^[553] Therefore, this city was named Kumāravardhana.”^[554]

II. Krauñcāna

The Blessed One went to Krauñcāna^[555] and said to the venerable Ānanda, F.156.a “Ānanda, since the excellent elephant of King Upoṣadha uttered the cry ‘krauñca, krauñca’ in this Krauñcāna, the place was named Krauñcāna.”

III. Aṅgadikā

Having gone to Aṅgadikā, in a certain place in Aṅgadikā the Blessed One smiled … (the phrase about the seat of four buddhas should be recited in detail).^[556]

IV. Maṇivatī

Having gone to Maṇivatī, the Blessed One said to the venerable Ānanda there, “Ānanda, since the Bodhisattva made an offering^[557] of many jewels (maṇi) in this Maṇivatī, this place was named Maṇivatī (Where There Are Jewels).”

V. Sālabalā^[558]

Having gone to Sālabalā, in a certain place in Sālabalā the Blessed One smiled … (the phrase about the seat of four buddhas should be recited in detail).

VI. Sālibalā

Having gone to Sālibalā, in a certain place in Sālibalā the Blessed One smiled … (the phrase about the seat of four buddhas should be recited in detail).

VII. Suvarṇaprastha

Having gone to Suvarṇaprastha, the Blessed One said, “Ānanda, in this Suvarṇaprastha the Bodhisattva made an offering of much gold (suvarṇa). Today brahmins still distribute gold, weighing it in units of prastha. Therefore, this place was named Suvarṇaprastha.”

VIII. Sāketā^[559]

Having gone to Sāketā,^[560] the Blessed One said to the venerable Ānanda there, “ Ānanda, in this Sāketā a king named Upoṣadha ruled over the country, which was rich, prosperous, peaceful, abundant in food, and full of many people. One day a soft, fleshy tumor developed on the crown of his head; it was exceptionally soft, just like tūla cotton or karpāsa cotton, and caused no pain. When it had fully enlarged, it burst open and a boy emerged from it. He was well proportioned, attractive, pleasant to behold, and gold in complexion … and every major limb and minor appendage of his body was complete.^[561] Since he was born (jāta) from the crown of the head (mūrdhni), he was named Mūrdhnāta.^[562]

“Soon after the prince was born, King Upoṣadha brought him to the harem, where there were sixty thousand consorts. F.156.b As soon as they saw the prince, milk squirted out from each consort’s breasts, and they said, ‘May he suckle at my breast (*mān dhayatu)!’^[563] Therefore, he was named Māndhātṛ. Some people knew him there as Mūrdhnāta,^[564] and others as Māndhātṛ.

“Once, when Prince Māndhātṛ was away in the countryside, King Upoṣadha became sick. Although he was provided with medicines derived from roots, stalks, leaves, flowers, and fruits, the illness just kept on getting worse. He ordered his ministers, ‘Sirs, quickly anoint the prince as king.’

“ ‘Certainly, Your Majesty.’

“The ministers sent a messenger, saying, ‘King Upoṣadha has become sick and says, “Call the prince and let him accept the royal anointing.” Hence the prince should come quickly.’ When the messenger had departed, King Upoṣadha died. Then the ministers sent another messenger to the prince, saying, ‘O Prince, your father has passed away. Please come and accept the kingdom.’

“Prince Māndhātṛ stayed there, thinking, ‘Since my father has passed away, why do I need to go there?’

The ministers again met together and sent the prime minister as a messenger. He went to the prince and requested, ‘O Prince, please come and accept the kingdom.’

“ ‘If I obtain the kingdom according to the Dharma,’ replied the prince, ‘the royal anointing will take place here.’

“The ministers sent a message: ‘Your Majesty, the royal anointing requires many things. We perform the royal anointing in the palace on a jeweled floor with a throne, parasol, crown, and bracelet. Therefore, the prince must come to this very place.’

“ ‘If I obtain the kingdom according to the Dharma,’ replied the prince, F.157.a ‘everything necessary will appear here.’

“A yakṣa named Divaukasa, attendant on Prince Māndhātṛ, brought there a jeweled floor and throne. People living in the palace then spontaneously came together, bringing a parasol, crown, and bracelet. Since the people living in the palace spontaneously (svayaṃ) came (āgata), the place was named Sāketā.”

IX. Rice Soup^[565]

Thereupon the Blessed One said to the venerable Ānanda, “Ānanda, let us go to Śrāvastī.”

“Certainly, O Honored One,” replied the venerable Ānanda to the Blessed One.

Then the Blessed One traveled to Śrāvastī. In a certain place, a brahmin was plowing a field. He had not had a meal, and a girl brought rice soup for him. The Blessed One also came to that place.

As soon as the brahmin saw the Buddha, the Blessed One, whose body was fully ornamented with the thirty-two marks of a great man, illuminated by the eighty minor marks, ornamented with a fathom-wide halo, and beautiful like a moving mountain of jewels with light surpassing a thousand suns, faith in the Blessed One arose in him.

Whenever a being who has accumulated roots of merit looks at the Buddha for the first time, he experiences far greater pleasure than that of those who have practiced tranquility of mind for a dozen years, those who gain a son after having been childless, those who look upon treasure after having been poor, or those who are anointed as king after having longed for kingship.

The brahmin quickly went to the Blessed One, bringing the rice soup. When he arrived, he said to the Blessed One, “O Gautama, this is rice soup. If the Honorable Gautama has compassion for me, F.157.b please accept this rice soup.”

Then the Blessed One indicated to the brahmin an old well and said, “Brahmin, if you are giving it completely, pour it into this old well.”

The brahmin poured it into the old well. When he had done this, by the awakened power of the buddhas and the divine power of the gods, the old well became piping hot, full of rice soup. The Blessed One then called the brahmin and said, “Brahmin, distribute the rice soup.”

When he began to distribute it, the Blessed One exercised his magical power so that even when the entire community had eaten it, the old well remained piping hot, full of rice soup. After that, his faith in the Blessed One increased all the more, the brahmin paid homage at the Blessed One’s feet and sat down in front of him in order to hear the Dharma. The Blessed One knew his thinking, proclivity, disposition, and nature and preached the Dharma that was appropriate for him and that caused him to penetrate the four truths of the noble ones. … With the vajra of knowledge he leveled the twenty high peaks of the mountain chain of the false view of individuality that had been accumulated since beginningless time, and actualized the fruit of stream-entry. “O Honored One, I have been exalted, truly exalted. Since I seek refuge in the Blessed One, the Dharma, and the community of monks, may you accept me as a lay brother. From today onward, I embrace my faith as one who seeks refuge throughout my life.”

Thereupon, like a merchant who had obtained merchandise, like a farmer who had gotten a bumper crop, like a warrior who had won a battle, like a patient who had been cured of every disease, having rejoiced in and praised the words of the Blessed One, F.158.a the brahmin bowed low until his forehead touched the Blessed One’s feet, and he departed from the Blessed One’s presence. When he arrived at the field, he saw golden barley growing there. Upon seeing it, his eyes opened wide with astonishment and he spoke a verse:

Thereupon the brahmin hurried to the king. When he arrived, he wished the king victory and long life and said, “Your Majesty, the barley I sowed has become gold. Please appoint an overseer^[567] there.”

The king appointed an overseer and sent him. The brahmin piled the gold up and divided it, but the king’s portion changed into ordinary barley. The overseer reported this to the king, and then the king ordered, “Have it divided again.” When he divided the barley again, still the king’s portion changed into ordinary barley. He divided it seven times in all, only to have the same result each time. Prompted by curiosity, the king himself went there and watched, and the result was the same. He said to the brahmin, “Brahmin, since this has been produced by your merit, the king’s portion is no longer required. Give me what you have measured.”

Then the brahmin was much delighted, and what he gave became gold.

X. Śrāvastī