ဓမ္မပဒ-အဋ္ဌကထာ (ဒု)

[XXII. 8] XXII. 8. DEGREES OF NAKEDNESS They that feel shame when they ought not to feel shame. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to Naked Ascetics of the Jain Order, Niganthas. [489] For one day the monks, seeing Naked Ascetics of the Jain Order, began the following discussion: "Brethren, these Niganthas are to be preferred to the Acelakas, who go entirely naked, for these ascetics at least wear a covering in front. These ascetics evidently possess some sense of modesty." Overhearing the discussion, the Niganthas said, "It is not for this reason at all that we wear a covering. [490] On the contrary, even dust and dirt are actual individuals, endowed with the principle of life; and so, — for fear they may fall into our alms-dishes, — for this reason we wear a covering." Arguments and counter-arguments followed between both parties of monks, and there was a long discussion. Afterwards the monks approached the Teacher, and having sat down, told him of the incident. Said the Teacher, "Monks, they that feel shame when they ought not to feel shame, and they that do not feel shame when they ought to feel shame, go to an evil future state." So saying, he preached the Law by pronouncing the following Stanzas, » Text: N iii. 489-491. -N.3.4936] Degrees of nakedness 197 316. They that feel shame when they ought not to feel shame. And they that do not feel shame when they ought to feel shame. Such men, since they have embraced false views, go to an evil future state. 317. They that see something to fear where no fear is. And they that see nothing to fear where there is something to fear, Such men, since they have embraced false views, go to an evil future state.

[XXII. 9] XXII. 9. CHILDREN VISIT THE BUDDHA They that see sin where no sin is. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to some disciples of the heretics. [492] For once upon a time some disciples of the heretics saw their own children and their children's playmates playing with the children of orthodox believers. When their children returned home, they said to them, "Henceforth you are forbidden to salute the monks who are disciples of the Sakiya Prince and to enter their monastery." And they made them take oath to this effect. Now one day, as these children were playing outside of the Jetavana monastery near the battlemented gate, they became thirsty. So they sent the son of a certain lay disciple to the monastery, saying to him, "You go there, get a drink of water, and bring us some." The boy went into the monastery, saluted the Teacher, and told him the whole story. Now the Teacher said to him, "After you have taken your drink, go back and send the other boys here to get theirs." So the boys all came and had their drink. Then the Teacher summoned them all about him, and choosing a subject suited to their understanding, preached the Law to them, imparting to them faith that cannot be moved, and establishing them in the Refuges and in the Precepts. When the boys went back to their own homes, they told their mothers and fathers all about it. [493] Thereupon their mothers and fathers were overcome with grief, and wept and lamented, saying, "Our sons have adopted a false faith." Now some intelligent men of the neighborhood drew near, and to quiet their grief, preached the Law to them. After they had listened to the Law, they said, "We will commit these boys to the care of the monk Gotama alone." And forthwith, attended by a large throng of kinsfolk, they conducted them to the monastery. » Text: N iii. 492-494. The Teacher, surveying the disposition of their minds, preached the Law to them by pronouncing the following Stanzas, 318. They that see sin where no sin is, and they that see no sin where sin exists. Such men, since they have embraced false views, go to an evil future state.

[XXIII. 1] XXIII. 1. THE SECTARIES INSULT THE BUDDHA » Even as an elephant. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to himself. [1] The story is related in detail in the Commentary on the first Stanzas of the Appamada Vagga. For it is there said: Unable to injure the women, Magandiya thought to herself, "I will do to the monk Gotama what ought to be done." So she bribed the citizens and said to them, "When the monk Gotama comes into town and walks about, do you join with slaves in reviling and abusing him, and drive him out." So heretics who had no faith in the Three Jewels followed the Teacher about when he entered the city and shouted at him, " You are a robber, you are a simpleton, you are a fool, you are a camel, you are an ox, you are an ass, you are a denizen of hell, you are a brute beast, [2] you have no hope of salvation, a state of punishment is all that you can look forward to." Thus they reviled and abused the Teacher with the Ten Terms of Abuse. Hearing their words of abuse. Venerable Ananda said this to the Teacher, "Reverend Sir, these citizens are reviling and abusing us; let us go elsewhere." "Where shall we go, Ananda.''" "Let us go to some other city, Reverend Sir." "But suppose men revile and abuse us there, where then shall we go, Ananda.'' " "Then we shall go to some other city. Reverend Sir." "But suppose men revile and abuse us there, where then shall we go, Ananda.?" "Then we shall go to some other city. Reverend Sir," "Ananda, we should do no such thing. Wherever a tumult arises, even there should we remain until that tumult dies away, and only under those circumstances should we go elsewhere. But who are reviling and abusing you, Ananda .'' " " Reverend Sir, beginning with the slaves and servants, all are reviling us." "Ananda, I am like an elephant that has entered the fray. And even as it is incumbent upon an elephant that has entered the fray that he should withstand the arrows which come from the four quarters, » Cf. Story ii. 1. 6 (text: i. ilV'-nS), HOS. 28. 283. Text: N iv. 1-5. precisely so it is my duty to endure with patience the words spoken by many wicked men." [3] So saying, he preached the Law with reference to himself by pronouncing the following Stanzas, 320. Even as an elephant engaged in the fray withstands arrows shot from the bow. So also must I bear abuse, for the multitude is wicked. 321. It is a tamed elephant they lead to battle; it is a tamed elephant the king mounts; It is the tamed that is best among men, he that endures abuse patiently. 322. Of surpassing excellence are mules which are tamed, and well-bred Sindh horses. And great elephants of the jungle; but better yet is the man who has tamed himself. [5] At the conclusion of the lesson all of that great multitude which had stood in the streets and at the cross-roads, and for a bribe reviled the Teacher, obtained the Fruit of Conversion and the Fruits of the Second and Third Paths. XXIII. 2. THE MONK WHO HAD BEEN AN ELEPHANT-TRAINER F(yr it is not on riding-animals such as these. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to a certain monk who had once been an elephanttrainer. The story goes that once upon a day this monk stood by the bank of the river Aciravati watching an elephant-tamer try to break in an elephant. Observing that the elephant-tamer was not succeeding very well in teaching his elephant the tricks he wished to teach him, the monk said to some other monks who stood near, "Brethren, if this elephant-trainer were to prick this elephant in such and such a place, he would very quickly teach him the trick he wishes to teach him." The elephant- trainer heard what he said, followed his suggestion, and soon compelled the elephant to submit to his will. The monks reported the matter to the Teacher. The Teacher caused that monk to be summoned before him and asked him, "Is it true that you said this.?" "Yes, Reverend Sir, it is true." Thereupon the Teacher rebuked him and said, "Vain man, what have you to do either with a riding-elephant or with any other tamed animal? For it is not on such riding-animals as these that a man can go to that » Text: N iv. 5-6. -N.4.719] The monk who had been an elephant-trainer 201 place to which he has not yet gone. [6] It is only on his own welltamed self that he can go to that place to which he has not yet gone. Therefore tame yourself only; what have you to do with the taming of animals such as these?" So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, 323. For it is not on riding-animals such as these that one may go to that region to which one has not yet gone; Tamed must one go upon the tamed; namely, upon one's own well-tamed self.

[XXIII. 3] XXIII. 3. THE OLD BRAHMAN AND HIS SONS » The elephant Dhanapala. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Savatthi with reference to the sons of a certain Brahman who had reached the decrepitude of old age. [7] The story goes that there lived in Savatthi a certain Brahman who had four sons and whose wealth amounted to eight hundred thousand pieces of money. When his sons reached marriageable age, he arranged marriages for them and gave them four hundred thousand pieces of money. After the sons had married, the Brahman's wife died, whereupon the sons took counsel together, saying, "If this Brahman marries again, the family fortune will be divided among her children and there will be nothing left of it. Come then! let us succor our father and win his favor." Accordingly they waited upon him faithfully, providing him with the choicest food and the finest clothes, rubbing his hands and feet and performing all of the other duties. One day they went to wait upon him and found that he had fallen asleep, although it was broad daylight. As soon as he awoke, they rubbed his hands and his feet, and while thus engaged, spoke to him of the disadvantage of living in separate houses.. Said they, "We will wait upon you after this manner so long as you live; give us the rest of your wealth also." In compliance with their request the Brahman gave each of them a hundred thousand more. Naught but under and upper garments did he keep for himself; all the rest of his wealth and possessions he divided into four portions and handed over to his sons. For a few days his oldest son ministered to his needs. One day, however, as he was returning to the house of his oldest son after his bath, [8] his daughter-in-law, who stood at the gate, saw him and said to him, "Did you give your oldest son a hundred or a thousand pieces of money more than you gave your other sons? You certainly gave each of your sons two hundred thousand pieces of money. Do you not know the way to the house of any of your other sons?" The Brahman answered angrily, "Perish, vile woman!" and went to the house of his second son. But in a few days he was driven from the house of his second son as he had been from the house of the first, and in like manner from the houses of his two youngest sons. Finally he found himself without a single house he could enter. Thereupon he retired from the world and became a monk of the Pandaranga Order, begging his food from door to door. In the course of time he became worn out by old age, and his body withered away as the result of the poor food he ate and the wretched quarters in which he was obliged to sleep. One day, after he had returned from his begging rounds, he lay down on his back and fell asleep. When he awoke from sleep and sat up and surveyed himself and reflected that there was no one of his sons to whom he might go for refuge, he thought to himself, "They say that the monk Gotama has a countenance that does not frown, a face that is frank and open, that his manner of conversing is pleasant, and that he greets strangers in a kind and friendly way. Possibly if I go to the monk Gotama, I shall receive a friendly greeting." So adjusting his under and upper garments, taking his alms-bowl, and grasping his staff, he went to the Exalted One, even as it is said: Now a certain Brahman, a man who had formerly possessed wealth and social position, rough, clad in rough garments, drew near to where the Exalted One was, and having drawn near, sat down respectfully on one side. And as he sat respectfully on one side, the Exalted One greeted him in a pleasant manner and said this to him, "How comes it, [9] Brahman, that you are rough and clad in rough garments?" "Sir Gotama, I have four sons living in the world, but instigated by their wives, they have driven me out of their houses." "Well then. Brahman, learn these Stanzas thoroughly, and when the people are gathered together in the hall and your sons are gathered together with them, recite them before the assembled company: -N.4.iiii] The old Brahman and his sons 203 Ogres in the form of sons, they forsake me in my old age. When a horse is grown old and useless, he is deprived of food; So likewise a father of simpletons, as a monk, begs his food from door to door. Better the staflF for me than disobedient sons; The staff keeps off the savage buU and likewise the savage dog. In darkness he was before; in the deep the shallow prospers; By the power of the staff he recovers his footing when he stumbles. [10] The Brahman, taught by the Teacher, learned these Stanzas by heart. On the day appointed for the Brahmans to assemble, the sons of the Brahman pushed their way into the hall, dressed in their costliest garments, adorned with all their jewels, and sat down on a costly seat in the midst of the Brahmans. Thereupon the Brahman said to himself, "Now is my opportunity." So he entered the hall, made his way into the midst of the assemblage, lifted up his hand, and said, "I desire to recite certain Stanzas to you; pray listen to me." "Recite them. Brahman; we are listening." So the Brahman stood there and recited the Stanzas which he had learned from the Teacher. Now at that time this was the law of mankind : If any devour the substance of mother and father, and support not mother and father, he shall be put to death. Therefore the sons of that Brahman fell at their father's feet and begged him to spare their lives, saying, "Dear father, spare our lives! " Out of the softness of a father's heart the Brahman said, "Sirs, do not kill my sons; they will support me." The men said to his sons, "Sirs, if from this day you do not take proper care of your father, we will kill you." The sons, thoroughly frightened, seated their father in a chair, raised the chair with their own hands, [11] and carried their father home. They anointed the body of their father with oil, flying this way and that in their haste, bathed him, employing perfumes and aromatic powders, and having so done, summoned their wives and said to them, "From this day forth you are to take proper care of our father; if you neglect this duty, we shall punish you." And they set the choicest viands before him. As the result of the wholesome food which the Brahman had to eat and the comfortable quarters in which he slept, strength came back to him after a few days and his senses were refreshed. As he surveyed his person, he thought to himself, "I have gained this success through the monk Gotama." So desiring to make him a present, he took a pair of cloths and went to the Exalted One, and after exchanging friendly greetings, took his seat respectfully on one side. Then he laid the pair of cloths at the feet of the Exalted One, and said to him, "Sir Gotama, we Brahmans desire that a teacher shall receive the tribute which is his due; may my lord Gotama, my teacher, accept the tribute which is due to him as a teacher." Out of compassion for the Brahman, the Teacher accepted the present which he had brought, and preached the Law to him. At the conclusion of the sermon the Brahman was established in the Refuges. Thereupon the Brahman said to the Teacher, "Sir Gotama, my sons provide me regulariy with four meals; two of these I give to you." The Teacher replied, "That is well, Brahman; but we shall go only to such houses as we please." So saying, he dismissed him. The Brahman went home and said to his sons, "Dear sons, the monk [12] Gotama is my friend, and I have given him two of the meals with which you regulariy provide me. When he arrives, be not heedless of your duty." "Very well," replied his sons, promising to do as he said. On the following day the Teacher set out on his almspilgrimage and stopped at the door of the house of the Brahman's oldest son. When the Brahman's oldest son saw the Teacher, he took his bowl, invited him into the house, seated him on a costly couch, and gave him the choicest of food. On the succeeding days the Teacher went to the houses of the other sons in order, and all of them provided hospitable entertainment for him in their houses. One day when a holiday was at hand, the eldest son said to his father, "Dear father, in whose honor shall we make merry?" The Brahman replied, "The monk Gotama is my friend, and I know no others." "Well then, invite him for the morrow with his five hundred monks." The Brahman did so. So on the following day the Teacher came to the house with his attendant monks. The house was smeared with fresh cow-dung and decked in festive array. The Brahman provided seats within the house for the Congregation of Monks presided over by the Buddha, and served them with rich porridge sweetened with honey and with the choicest of food, both hard and soft. In the course of the meal the Brahman's four sons seated themselves before the Teacher and said to him, "Sir Gotama, we care tenderly for our father; we never neglect him. Just look at him!" The Teacher replied, "You have done well. Wise men of old likewise cared tenderly for their mother and father." [13] So saying, he related in detail the Matuposaka Nagaraja Jataka, found in the Eleventh Book, in which the story is told of how the sallaki-tree and » Jataka55:\y. 90-95. -N.4.158] The old Brahman and his sons 205 the kutaja-plant grew up and blossomed in the absence of the elephant. Having so done, he pronounced the following Stanza, 324. The elephant Dhanapala, with pungent juice flowing from his temples, hard to restrain. Eats not a morsel so long as he is held captive; the elephant remembers the elephant-grove. Native gloss. — Dhanapala: At this time the king of Kasi sent an elephant-trainer to a charming elephant-grove and caused an elephant to be taken captive; this is the name of the elephant. — With pungent juice flowing from his temples: acrid juice; for in the rutting season the root of the elephant's ear bursts. [14] As a rule, when trainers try to subdue elephants at this time with hook or spear or lance, they become fierce. But this elephant was excessively fierce; therefore it is said: With pungent juice flowing from his temples, hard to restrain. — Eats not a morsel so long as he is held captive: When by command of the king this elephant was led bound to the elephantstable and made to stand in a place screened with a curtain of many colors, decked with festoons and garlands, overhung with a variegated canopy, although the king himself offered him food of various choice flavors and fit for a king, he refused to eat. It is with reference to his entrance into the elephant-stable that the words are employed: Eats not a morsel so long as he is held captive. — Remembers the elephantgrove: No matter how delightful the place in which he lodged, nevertheless he remembered the elephant-grove. Now his mother, who remained in the forest, suffered greatly by reason of separation from her son. Her son thought to himself, "I am not fulfilling the obligation of a son to succor his mother. What care I for this food.'" Thus he remembered only the solemn obligation resting upon a son to succor his mother. [15] Now inasmuch as it was possible for him to fulfill this obligation only by being in the elephant-grove, therefore it is said: The elephant remembers the elephant-grove. As the Teacher related this Jataka, detailing his own deed in a previous state of existence, his hearers shed floods of tears, and by reason of the softness of their hearts allowed their ears to droop. Thus did the Exalted One, knowing full well what would be of advantage to them, proclaim the Truths and preach the Law. At the conclusion of the lesson the Brahman, together with his sons and daughtersin-law, was established in the Fruit of Conversion.

[XXIII. 4] XXIII. 4. ON MODERATION IN EATING » So surely as a man yields to indolence. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to King Pasenadi Kosala. For at a certain period of his life the king used to eat boiled rice cooked by the bucketful, and sauce and curry in proportion. One day after he had finished his breakfast, unable to shake off the drowsy feeling occasioned by over-eating, he went to see the Teacher and paced back and forth before him with a very weary look. [16] Overcome by drowsiness, unable to lie down and stretch himself out, he sat down on one side. Thereupon the Teacher asked him, *'Did you come, great king, before you were well rested .f*" "Oh no, Reverend Sir," replied the king, "but I always suffer greatly after eating a meal." Then said the Teacher to him, "Great king, over-eating always brings suffering in its train." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, 325. If a man gives way to indolence, eats overmuch, Spends his time in sleep, and lies and rolls about Like a great hog fed on grain. Such a simpleton will enter the womb again and again. [17] At the conclusion of the lesson the Teacher, desiring to help the king, pronounced the following Stanza, If a man be ever mindful, if he observe moderation in taking food. His suflFerings will be but slight; he will grow old slowly, preserving his life. The Teacher taught this Stanza to Prince Uttara and said to him, "Whenever the king sits down to eat, you must recite this Stanza to him, and by this means you must cause him to diminish his food." In these words the Teacher told him just what means to employ. The prince did as he was directed. After a time the king was content with a pint-pot of rice at most, and became lean and cheerful. He established intimate relations with the Teacher and for seven days gave the Gifts Beyond Compare. When the Teacher pronounced the words of thanksgiving for the gifts presented to him by the king, the assembled multitude obtained great spiritual advantage. -N.4.198] The novice and the ogress 207

[XXIII. 5] XXIII. 5. THE NOVICE AND THE OGRESS This heart of mine once wandered. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to the novice Sanu. [18] Sanu, we are told, was the only son of a certain female lay disciple, who had him admitted to the Order when he was a mere boy. From the day of his admission to the Order, he was virtuous and faithful to duty. He performed faithfully all of the duties to a teacher, to a preceptor, and to visiting monks. On the eighth day of the month he would rise early in the morning, and after placing water in the inclosure reserved for water, would sweep the hall in which the Teacher preached, lay out the seats, and lighting a lamp, utter in a pleasing tone of voice the proclamation summoning the people to come and listen to the Law. The monks, observing his faithfulness and diligence, desired often to hear him intone the Sacred Word, and would frequently request him so to do. And the novice would never reply, "My heart aches," or "My body is weary," or show any reluctance about complying with their request. But he would ascend the Seat of the Law and intone the Sacred Word as though he were bringing the Sacred River down from Heaven; and then he would descend and say, "All the merit I have acquired by thus intoning the Sacred Word, I make over to my mother and father." Now his human mother and father [19] did not know that their son was making over to them the merit he acquired by intoning the Sacred Word. But his mother in the state of existence immediately preceding, had been reborn as an ogress. And she used to come with the deities and listen to the Law. And she would say, "Dear son, I thank you for the merit which as a novice you have made over to me." There is a saying, "A monk who keeps the precepts perfectly is dear both to the Worlds of the Gods and to the world of men." Therefore it was that the deities, full of respect and reverence for the novice, esteemed him even as Great Brahma or as a flame of fire; and by reason of their reverence for the novice, revered and praised also the ogress his mother. When the ogres assembled to hear the Law, it was always to Mother of Sanu the ogress that they gave the first seat and the first water and the first pellet of food. Even powerful ogres, when they saw her, would step down from the road or rise from their seats. Now when the novice Sanu reached manhood and his physical powers became fully developed, he began to be oppressed with discontent. Unable to drive away discontent, one day, without saying a word to anyone, with hair and nails grown long and under and upper garments soiled and dirty, he took bowl and robe and went quite alone to the house of his mother. When the female lay disciple saw her son, she saluted him and said, " Dear son, [20] hitherto it has been your practice to come here with your teacher and your preceptor, or with other young monks and novices; why is it that you come here to-day quite alone .f" The novice informed his mother that he was suffering from discontent. Upon this the faithful female lay disciple discoursed to her son on the manifold disadvantages of the household life. But in spite of her admonition she was unable to convince him. I Finally the thought occurred to her, "Perhaps, even without my urging him, he will come to his senses of his own accord." So she said to him, "Remain here, dear son, until I procure you rice-gruel and boiled rice. When you have drunk the gruel and finished your meal, I will take down some pleasing garments and give them to you.' And preparing a seat, she gave it to her son. The novice sat down, and in a moment the lay disciple brought rice-gruel and hard food and gave them to him. Then saying to herself, "I will boil some rice for him," she seated herself not far off and began to wash the rice. Now at this time that ogress considered within herself, "Where is the novice? Is he receiving food in alms or not?" Perceiving that the novice was filled with a desire to return to the life of a layman, and that for this reason he had gone and seated himself in his mother's house, she thought to herself, "If I gain possession of the novice, I shall be treated with respect by the powerful deities; I will therefore go to the novice and prevent him from returning to the life of a layman." Accordingly the ogress went and took possession of the body of the novice, twisted his neck, and felled him to the ground. With rolling eyes and foaming mouth, he lay quivering on the earth. [21] When the female lay disciple saw the plight of her son, she ran -N. 4.2214] The novice and the ogress 209 quickly to him, took her son in her arms, and laid him on her breast. All the inhabitants of the village flocked thither, bringing offerings. But the female lay disciple wept and lamented and pronounced the following Stanzas, They that observe the Half-month of Miracle with its Eight Precepts, keeping Fastday On the Fourteenth Day, on the Fifteenth Day, and on the Eighth Day, They that lead the Holy Life, With such, ogres do not sport; thus have I heard from the Arahats. But to-day I see ogres sporting with Sanu. When the ogress heard the female lay disciple utter these words, she replied with the following Stanzas, They that observe the Half-month of Miracle with its Eight Precepts, keeping Fastday On the Fourteenth Day, on the Fifteenth Day, and on the Eighth Day, They that lead the Holy Life, With such, ogres do not sport; rightly have you heard this from the Arahats. Then the ogress, addressing Sanu, pronounced the following Stanzas, Sanu, alienate not the Buddha; these are the words of ogres. Do no evil deeds either openly or in secret. For if you do evil deeds either now or hereafter. You will not win Release from Suffering, even though you fly up into the air and seek to escape. [22] "Thus if you do evil deeds, you will not win Release, even though, like a bird, you fly up into the air and seek to escape." So saying, the ogress released the novice. The novice opened his eyes and saw his mother with disheveled hair, panting and gasping and weeping, and all the inhabitants of the village gathered together. Not knowing that he had been seized by an ogress, he said, "But a moment ago I was sitting in a chair, and my mother sat near me washing rice; but now I am lying on the ground. What does this mean?" And even as he sat there, he said to his mother. Dear mother, people weep for him who is dead, or for him who, although alive, is no more seen. But, dear mother, seeing me alive, why, dear mother, do you weep for me? Then his mother pointed out to him the evil consequences of setting out to return to the world after once retiring from the world and renouncing the pleasures of the world and the pleasures of sense. Said she. My son, people weep for him who is dead, or for him who, although alive, is no more seen. And for him who, after renouncing the pleasures of sense, returns to the world again. For him also they weep, my son. For he that was alive is dead again. [23] His mother, having thus spoken, compared the household life to a bed of glowing coals, even to hell, and pointing out once more the disadvantages of the household life, said. There are glowing coals on both sides, dear son; do you wish to fall into glowing coals? There are hells on both sides, dear son; do you wish to fall into hell? Then said his mother to him, "Son, good luck to you! But this my son, whom I snatched from the burning like household goods, and who retired from the world in the Religion of the Buddha, desires again to burn in the household life. Hurry hither and protect us!" Then she thought, "Is there no way by which I can arouse his disgust.' Is there no way by which I can arouse his repugnance.'*" And to make the matter clear, she pronounced the following Stanza, Hurry hither! Luck to you! How can we arouse your disgust? Goods snatched from the burning, you desire to burn again. As his mother spoke, Sanu came to his senses and said, "I have no use for the household life." His mother replied, "Good, my son!" And pleased at heart, she gave him choice food to eat. Then she asked him, "How old are you, my son.'*" Knowing that he was old enough to be admitted to full membership in the Order, she provided him with a set of three robes. With bowl and robes complete he was admitted to full membership in the Order. The Teacher, since the youth had but recently been admitted to full membership in the Order, urged him to make strenuous exertion to control his thoughts, [24] and said to him, "If a man allows his thoughts to wander hither and thither for a long time, dwelling on all manner of objects, and makes no effort to control them, it is impossible for him to attain Salvation. Therefore a man should put forth every effort to control his thoughts, even as an elephantdriver controls an elephant in rut with his hook." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, -N. 4. 2618] The novice and the ogress 211 At the conclusion of the lesson many deities who came with Sanu to hear the Law, obtained Comprehension of the Law. Venerable Sanu mastered the Tipitaka, the Word of the Buddha. He became a mighty preacher of the Law, lived a hundred and twenty years, stirred up the whole Land of the Rose-apple, and finally passed into Nibbana.

[XXIII. 6] XXIII. 6. AN ELEPHANT STICKS FAST IN THE MUD Be joyful in heedfulness. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to an elephant named Paveyyaka (Baddheraka), which belonged to the king of Kosala. The story goes that this elephant possessed great strength in his younger days, but in the course of time, worn out by old age and buffeted by the wind, he waded one day into a great lake, stuck fast in the mire, and was unable to get out. The populace saw him and began to talk about him, saying, "To think that an elephant once so powerful should become so weak!" The king heard the news and immediately gave orders to his elephant-trainer as follows, "Trainer, go extricate this elephant from the mire." So the elephant-trainer went to the lake, showed himself to the elephant with his head arrayed as for battle, and caused the battle-drum to be beaten. The pride of the elephant was immediately aroused. He rose quickly, walked up out of the lake, and stood on dry land. The monks saw the occurrence and told the Teacher. Said the Teacher, "Monks, this elephant has just extricated himself from what was but a quagmire of ordinary mud. [26] But you have flung yourselves headlong into the quagmire of the evil passions. Therefore strive with all your might to extricate yourselves therefrom." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, 327. Be joyful in heedfulness, guard well your thoughts. Extricate yourselves from the quagmire, even as an elephant that is stuck fast in the mud. XXIII. 7. AN ELEPHANT WAITS UPON THE BUDDHA ' Should one find. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Protected Forest near Parileyyaka, » Text: N iv. 25-26. cf. Story I 5b (text: i 6O12-6316). Text: N iv. 26-31. with reference to a company of monks. [27] The story occurs in the Yamaka Vagga in the Commentary on the Stanzas beginning with the words. The others do not understand. For it is there said : It became known all over the Land of the Rose-apple that the Teacher was residing in Protected Forest, attended by a noble elephant. From the city of Savatthi, Anathapindika, Visakha, the eminent female lay disciple, and other such great personages sent the following message to the Elder Ananda, "Reverend Sir, obtain for us the privilege of seeing the Teacher." Likewise five hundred monks residing abroad approached the Elder Ananda at the conclusion of the rainy season and made the following request, "It is a long time, Ananda, since we have heard a discourse on the Law from the lips of the Exalted One. We should like, brother Ananda, if you please, to have the privilege of hearing a discourse on the Law from the lips of the Exalted One." So the Elder took those monks with him and went to Protected Forest. When he reached the forest, he thought to himself, "The Tathagata has resided in solitude for a period of three months. It is therefore not fitting that I should approach him all at once with so many monks as I have with me." Accordingly he approached the Teacher quite alone. When the elephant Parileyyaka saw the Elder, he took his staff and rushed forward. The Teacher looked around and said to the elephant, "Come back, Parileyyaka; do not drive him away. He is a servitor of the Buddha." The elephant immediately threw away his staff, and requested the privilege of taking the Elder's bowl and robe. The Elder refused. The elephant thought to himself, "If he is versed in the rules of etiquette, he will refrain from placing his own monastic requisites on the stone slab where the Teacher is accustomed to sit." The Elder placed his bowl and robe on the ground. (For those who are versed in the rules of etiquette never place their own monastic requisites on the seat or bed of their spiritual superiors.) The Elder, after saluting the Teacher, [28] seated himself on one side. The Teacher asked him, "Did you come alone?" The Elder informed him that he had come with five hundred monks. "But where are they?" asked the Teacher. "I did not know how you would feel about it, and therefore I left them outside and came in alone." "Tell them to come in." The Elder did so. The Teacher exchanged friendly greetings with the monks. Then the monks said to the Teacher, -N.4.326] An elephant waits upon the Buddha 213 "Reverend Sir, the Exalted One is a delicate Buddha, a delicate prince. You must have endured much hardship, standing and sitting here alone as you have during these three months. For of course you had no one to perform the major and minor duties for you, no one to offer you water for rinsing the mouth or to perform any of the other duties for you." The Teacher replied, "Monks, the elephant Parileyyaka performed all of these offices for me. For one who obtains such a companion as he, may well live alone; did one fail to find such, even so the life of solitude were better." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanzas in the Naga Vagga, 328. Should one find a prudent companion to walk with, an upright man and steadfast. Let one walk with him, joyful, mindful, overcoming all dangers. 329. Should one not find a prudent companion to walk with, an upright man and steadfast. Then, like a king renouncing the kingdom he has conquered, let one walk alone. Like an elephant roaming at will in an elephant-forest. [29] 330. The life of solitude is better; one cannot be friends with a simpleton; Let a man live in solitude, and do no evil deeds. Free from desire, like an elephant roaming at will in an elephant-forest.

[XXIII. 8] XXIII. 8. MARA TEMPTS THE BUDDHA When need arises. This doctrinal instruction was given by the Teacher while he was dwelling in a forest-hut in the Himalaya country with reference to Mara. Tradition has it that at this time kings who exercised rule oppressed the subjects over whom they ruled. As the Exalted One saw men punished and persecuted under the rule of these wicked kings, he was moved to compassion. [32] And he considered thus within himself, "Is it not possible to exercise sovereignty without killing or causing to kill, without conquering or causing to conquer, without sorrow or causing sorrow, with justice and righteousness.'*" Now Mara the Evil One perceived within himself the thought that was passing through the mind of the Exalted One, and thought thus, "The monk Gotama is considering within himself, *Is it not possible to exercise sovereign ty.'*' It must be that he now desires to exercise sovereignty. And this thing which is called sovereignty is an occasion of heedlessness. If he does exercise sovereignty, I may be able to catch him off his guard. I will therefore go and arouse his ambition." Accordingly Mara the Evil One approached the Teacher and said, "Reverend Sir, let the Exalted One exercise sovereignty; let the Happy One exercise sovereignty, without killing or causing to kill, without conquering or causing to conquer, without sorrow or causing sorrow, with justice and righteousness." Said the Teacher to Mara, "Evil One, what do you see in me that makes you speak thus to me.'*" Said Mara to the Teacher, "Reverend Sir, the Exalted One has developed to the full the Four Bases of Magic Power. For should the Exalted One resolve, *Let the Himalaya, king of mountains, be turned to gold,' gold would that mountain be. I too will do with this wealth all those things which can be done with wealth. Thus you shall rule justly and righteously." Then said the Teacher, The whole of a mountain of gold, even of fine gold. Were not enough for one. Knowing this, a man should walk justly. [33] How can a man who has seen whence arises suffering devote himself to the pleasures of sense? Let the man who has come to know that substratum of being which is called "attachment" in the world, train himself to subdue this alone. With these Stanzas did the Teacher arouse and alarm Mara the Evil One. Then he said to him, "I will admonish you yet again. Evil One. I have nothing in common with you. Thus do I admonish you." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanzas, 331. When need arises, pleasant are companions; Pleasant is enjoyment, when one shares it with another; Works of merit give pleasure at the hour of death; Pleasant is it to leave behind all suffering. 332. Pleasant is motherhood in this world, and pleasant is fatherhood; Pleasant is the estate of a monk in this world, and pleasant is the estate of a Brahman. 333. Pleasant is a life of righteousness unto old age, pleasant is faith firmly established. Pleasant is the attainment of wisdom, pleasant is the avoiding of evil.

[XXIV. 1] XXIV. 1. REDFISH If a man walk in heedlessness. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to Redfish, Kapilamaccha. [37] 1 a. Story of the Past : The insolent monk. The bandits The story goes that in times long past, when Exalted Kassapa passed into Nibbana, two brothers of respectable family retired from the world and became monks under their disciples. The name of the older brother was Sodhana, and that of the younger was Red, Kapila. Likewise their mother Sadhini and their younger sister Tapana retired from the world and became nuns. After the two brothers had become monks, they performed regularly and faithfully the major and minor duties to their teachers and their preceptors. One day they asked the following question, "Reverend Sir, how many Burdens are there in this Religion .f" and received the following answer, "There are two Burdens: the Burden of Study and the Burden of Meditation." Thereupon the older brother said, "I will fulfill the Burden of Meditation," and for five years kept residence with his teacher and his preceptor. Obtaining a Subject of Meditation leading to Arahatship, he entered the forest, and after striving and struggling with might and main, attained Arahatship. Said the younger brother, "I am young yet; when I am old, I will fulfill the Burden of Meditation." [38] Accordingly he assumed the Burden of Study and learned by heart the Three Pitakas. By his knowledge of the Texts, he gained a great following, and through his following, rich offerings. Drunk with the intoxication of great learning, and overcome with craving for gain, he was led by overweening pride of knowledge to pronounce a thing said by others, even when it was right, to be wrong; even when wrong, to be right: even when it was innocent, to be sinful; even when sinful, to be innocent. The kindly monks used to say to him, "Brother Kapila, do not speak thus;" and would admonish him, quoting to him the Doctrine and the Discipline. But Kapila would reply, "What do you know, emptyfists?" and would go about snubbing and disparaging others. The monks reported the matter to his brother, Elder Sodhana. Sodhana went to him and said, "Brother Kapila, for men such as you, right conduct is the life of religion; therefore you should not abandon right conduct, reject that which is right and proper and speak as you do." Thus did Sodhana admonish his brother Kapila. But the latter paid no attention to what he said. However, Sodhana admonished him two or three times, but seeing that he paid no attention to his words, left him, saying, "Well, brother, you will become notorious for your doings." [39] And from that time on, the rest of the kindly monks would have nothing to do with him. Thus did the monk Kapila adopt an evil mode of conduct and go about with companions confirmed like himself in an evil mode of conduct. One day he said to himself, "I will recite the Patimokkha in the Hall of Discipline." So taking a fan and seating himself in the Seat of the Law, he recited the Patimokkha, asking the usual question, "Brethren, are there, among the monks who are here gathered together, any who have anything to confess?" The monks thought, "What is the use of giving this fellow an answer?" Observing that the monks all remained silent, he said, "Brethren, there is no Doctrine or Discipline; what difference does it make whether you hear the Patimokkha or not?" So saying, he arose from the seat. Thus did he retard the teaching of the Word of Exalted Kassapa. Elder Sodhana attained Nibbana in that very state of existence. As for Kapila, at the end of his allotted term of life, he was reborn in the Great Hell of Avici. Kapila's mother and sister followed his example, reviled and abused the kindly monks, and were reborn in that same Hell. Now at that time there were five hundred men who made a living by plundering villages. One day the men of the countryside pursued them, whereupon they fled and entered the forest. Seeing no refuge there, and meeting a certain forest hermit, they saluted him and said to him, "Reverend Sir, be our refuge." The Elder replied, "For you there is no refuge like the Precepts of Morality. [40] Do you take upon yourselves, all of you, the Five Precepts." "Very well," agreed the bandits, and took upon themselves the Five Precepts. Then the Elder admonished them, saying, "Now that you have taken upon yourselves the Precepts, not even for the sake of saving your lives. -N.4.4112] Redfish 217 may you transgress the moral law, or entertain evil thoughts." "Very well," said the former bandits, giving their promise. When the men of the countryside reached that place, they searched everywhere, and discovering the bandits, deprived all those bandits of life. So the bandits died and were reborn in the World of the Gods; the leader of the bandits became the leading deity of the group. After passing through the round of existences forward and backward in the World of the Gods for the period of an interval between two Buddhas, they were reborn in the dispensation of the present Buddha in a village of fishermen consisting of five hundred households near the gate of the city of Savatthi. The leader of the band of deities received a new conception in the house of the leader of the fishermen, and the other deities in the houses of the other fishermen. Thus on one and the same day all received a new conception and came forth from the wombs of their mothers. The leader of the fishermen thought to himself, "Were not some other boys born in this village to-day .J" Causing a search to be made, he learned that the companions had been reborn in the same place. "These will be the companions of my son," thought he, and sent food to them all for their sustenance. They all became playfellows and friends, and in the course of time grew to manhood. The oldest of the fishermen's sons won fame and glory and became the leading man of the group. [41] Kapila was tormented in Hell during the period of an interval between two Buddhas, and through the fruit of his evil deeds which still remained, was reborn at this time in the river Aciravati as a fish. His skin was of a golden hue, but he had a stinking breath. 1 b. Story of the Present : The fishermen, and the fish with a stinking breath Now one day those companions said to themselves, "Let us snare some fish." So taking a net, they threw it into the river. It so happened that this fish fell into their net. When the residents of the village of fishermen saw the fish, they made merry and said, "The first time our sons snared fish, they caught a goldfish; now the king will give us abundant wealth." The companions tossed the fish into a boat and went to the king. When the king saw the fish, he asked, "What is that.''" "A fish, your majesty," replied the companions. When the king saw it was a goldfish, he thought to himself, "The Teacher will know the reason why this fish has a golden hue." So ordering the fish to be carried for him, he went to the Teacher. As soon as the fish opened his mouth, the whole Jetavana stank. The king asked the Teacher, "Reverend Sir, how did this fish come to have a golden hue.' And why is it that he has a stinking breath.'*" "Great king, in the dispensation of Exalted Kassapa this fish was a monk named Kapila, and Kapila was very learned and had a large following. But he was overcome with desire of gain, and would abuse and revile those who would not take him at his word. Thus did he retard the Religion of Exalted Kassapa, [42] was therefore reborn in the Avici Hell, and because the fruit of his evil deed has not yet been exhausted, has just been reborn as a fish. Now since for a long time he preached the Word of the Buddha and recited the praises of the Buddha, for this cause he has received a golden hue. But because he reviled and abused the monks, for this cause he has come to have a stinking breath. I will let him speak for himself, great king." "Reverend Sir, by all means let him speak for himself," So the Teacher asked the fish, "Are you Kapila.? " " Yes, Reverend Sir, I am Kapila." "Where have you come from. f*" "From the Great Hell of Avici, Reverend Sir." "What became of your older brother Sodhana.f*" "He passed into Nibbana, Reverend Sir." "But what became of your mother Sadhini.'*" "She was reborn in Hell, Reverend Sir." "And what became of your younger sister Tapana.?" "She was reborn in Hell, Reverend Sir." " Where shall you go now.- " "Into the Great Hell of Avici, Reverend Sir." So saying, the fish, overcome with remorse, struck his head against the boat, died then and there, and was reborn in Hell. The multitude that stood by were greatly excited, insomuch that the hair of their bodies stood on end. At that moment the Exalted One, perceiving the disposition of mind of the company there assembled, preached the Law in a way suiting the occasion : A life of righteousness, a life of holiness. This they call the gem of highest worth. Beginning with these words, the Teacher recited in full the Kapila Sutta, found in the Sutta Nipata. Having so done, he pronounced the following Stanzas, [43] 334. If a man walk in heedlessness, Craving grows within him, like the creeper; He floats from life to life, like a monkey seeking fruit in a forest. -N.4.476] Redfish 219 335. Whosoever is overcome by this fierce Craving of attachment for the world, The sorrows of such a man increase, Uke the luxuriant birana grass. 336. But whosoever overcomes this fierce Craving, difficult to overcome in this world. Sorrows roll oflF from him, like a drop of water from a lotus leaf. 337. Therefore, with your kind permission, I say this to you, to all as many as are here gathered together: Dig up the root of Craving, even as he who seeks the fragrant usira root digs up the birana grass. Lest Mara crush you again and again, as a stream crushes reeds.

[XXIV. 2] XXIV. 2. THE YOUNG SOW » Even as a tree. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Veluvana with reference to a certain young sow which wallowed in dung. [46] The story goes that one day, as the Teacher was entering Rajagaha for alms, seeing a young sow, he smiled. Elder Ananda, seeing the circle of light which proceeded from his teeth and came forth from his open mouth, asked the Teacher his reason for smiling, saying, "Reverend Sir, what is the cause of your smile .f" The Teacher said to him, "Ananda, just look at that young sow!" "I see her, Reverend Sir." "In the dispensation of Exalted Kakusandha she was a hen that lived in the neighborhood of a certain Hall of Assembly. She used to listen to a certain monk who lived the life of contemplation, as he repeated a Formula of Meditation leading to Insight. Merely from hearing the sound of those sacred words, when she passed out of that state of existence, she was reborn in the royal household as a princess named Ubbarl. "One day she went to the privy and saw a heap of maggots. [47] Then and there, by gazing upon the maggots, she formed the conception of maggots and entered into the First Trance. After remaining in that state of existence during the term of life allotted to her, she passed out of that state of existence and was reborn in the World of Brahma. Passing from that state of existence, buffeted by rebirth, she has now been reborn as a young sow. It was because I knew these circumstances that I smiled." As the monks led by Elder Ananda listened to the Teacher, they were deeply moved. The Teacher, having stirred their emotions, proclaimed the folly of Craving, and even as he stood there in the middle of the street, pronounced the following Stanzas, 338. As a tree, though it be cut down, grows up again if its root be sound and firm. So also, if the inclination to Craving be not destroyed, this suflPering springs up again and again in this world. 339. He that is in the tow of the six and thirty powerful currents running unto pleasure. Such a man, misguided, the waves of desires inclining unto lust sweep away. 340. The currents run in all directions; the creeper buds and shoots; When you see the creeper grown, be wise and cut the root. 341. Flowing and unctuous are a creature's joys; Men devote themselves to pleasure and seek after happiness; Therefore do they undergo birth and decay. 342. Pursued by Craving, men dart hither and thither like a hunted hare; Held fast by fetters and bonds, they undergo suffering rep>eatedly and long. [48] 343. Pursued by Craving, men dart hither and thither like a hunted hare. Therefore a monk should banish Craving, desiring for himself freedom from lust. [50] J The young sow, after passing out of that state of existence, was reborn in Suvannabhumi in the royal household. Passing from that state of existence, she was reborn at Benares; passing from that state of existence, she was reborn at Supparaka Port in the household of a dealer in horses, then at Kavira Port in the household of a mariner. Passing from that state of existence, she was reborn in Anuradhapura in the household of a nobleman of high rank. Passing from that state of existence, she was reborn in the South Country in the village of Bhokkanta as the daughter of a householder named Sumana, being named Sumana after her father. When this village was deserted by its inhabitants, her father went to the kingdom of Dighavapi, and took up his residence in the village of Mahamuni. Hither came on some errand or other Lakuntaka Atimbara, minister of King Dutthagamani, and meeting her, married her with great pomp, and took her with him to live in the village of Mahapunna. One day Elder Anula, whose residence was the Maha Vihara of Kotipabbata, stopped at the door of her house as he was going his round for alms, and seeing her, spoke thus to the monks, *' Brethren, what a wonderful thing that a young sow should become the wife of Lakuntaka Atimbara, prime minister of the king!" [51] When she heard his words, she uncovered her past states of existence, and she received the power of remembering previous births. -N.4.5221 The young sow 221 Instantly she was deeply moved, and obtaining permission of her husband, retired from the world with great pomp and became a nun of the Order of Pancabalaka Nuns. After listening to the recitation of the Mahasatipatthana Suttanta in Tissa Maha Vihara, she was established in the Fruit of Conversion. Subsequently, after the crushing of the Damilas, she returned to the village of Bhokkanta, where her mother and father lived, and took up her residence there. After listening to the Asivisopama Sutta in Kallaka Maha Vihara, she attained Arahatship. On the day when she passed into Nibbana, questioned by the monks and nuns, she related this whole story to the community of nuns from the beginning to the end; likewise in the midst of the assembled community of monks, associating herself with the Elder Maha Tissa, a reciter of the Dhammapada and a resident of Mandalarama, she related the story as follows: "In former times I fell from human estate and was reborn as a hen. In this state of existence my head was cut off by a hawk. I was reborn at Rajagaha, retired from the world, and became a wandering nun, and was reborn in the stage of the First Trance. Passing from that state of existence, I was reborn in the household of a treasurer. In but a short time I passed from that state of existence and was reborn as a young sow. Passing from that state of existence, I was reborn inSuvannabhumi; passing from that state of existence, I was reborn at Benares ; passing from that state of existence, I was reborn at Supparaka Port; passing from that state of existence, I was reborn at Kavira Port; passing from that state of existence, I was reborn at Anuradhapura; passing from that state of existence, I was reborn in Bhokkanta village. Having thus passed through thirteen states of existence, for better or for worse, in my present state of existence I became dissatisfied, retired from the world, became a nun, and attained Arahatship. Everyone of you, work out your salvation with heedfulness." With these words did she stir the four classes of disciples with emotion; and having so done, passed into Nibbana. [52]

[XXIV. 3] XXIV. 3. THE RENEGADE MONK He who, free from desire. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Veluvana with reference to a certain monk who returned to the world. %%% Book 2k, Story 3. Dhammapada SH [N. 4.52s- The story goes that this monk, a fellow-resident of Elder Kassapa the Great, after entering into the Four Trances, saw various objects pleasing to the eye in the house of his own uncle, who was a goldsmith, formed an attachment for them, and returned to the world. But he was so lazy that he refused to do any work, and therefore they put him out of the house. Thereupon he began to associate with evil companions, and made a living by going about committing acts of brigandage. One day they caught him, bound his arms tightly behind his back, and led him to the place of execution, beating him with lashes at every four-corners. The Elder, entering the city to make his round for alms, saw the renegade monk being led out by the South Gate, caused his bonds to be loosened, and said to him, "Consider once more the Subject of Meditation you formerly employed." The renegade monk complied with his admonition, applied himself to meditation, and developed the Fourth Trance once more. His captors led him to the place of execution, said to him, "We are going to kill you," and began to heat the spikes. The bandit showed neither fear nor perturbation. The executioners took their places on all sides round about, and raised weapons, swords, spears, and lances. But when they observed that the brigand exhibited no signs of fear, they exclaimed, "Sirs, just look at this man! Though he stands in the midst of many hundred men holding weapons in their hands, he neither trembles nor quakes. What a wonderful thing it is!" And filled with wonder and amazement, they shouted at the top of their lungs, and then went and reported the matter to the king. When the king learned of the circumstances, he said, "Release the man." Then [53] they went to the Teacher and reported the matter to him. The Teacher sent forth a radiant image of himself, and preaching the Law, pronounced the following Stanza, 344. He who, free from desire, inclines to desire; He who, released from desire, runs back to desire; That man, — come, behold him; released, he nms back to bondage. Now on hearing this doctrinal instruction, the renegade monk, even as he lay on the tips of the spikes, surrounded by the king's men, began to meditate on birth and death, applied the Three Characteristics, and, mastering the Elements of Being, attained the Fruit of Conversion. And experiencing the bliss of Attainment, he rose into the air, proceeded through the air to the Teacher, saluted the Teacher, -N. 4. 5423] The renegade monk 223 and in the midst of the assembled company, which included the king, attained Arahatship.

[XXIV. 4] XXIV. 4. THE PRISON-HOUSE That bond is not strong. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to the prison-house. The story goes that once upon a time criminals, house-breakers, highwaymen, [54] and murderers, were brought before the king of Kosala. The king ordered them to be bound with fetters, ropes, and chains. Now thirty country monks, desiring to see the Teacher, came and saw the Teacher, saluted him and took their leave. On the following day, as they went about Savatthi for alms, they came to the prison-house and saw those criminals. Returning from their rounds for alms, they approached the Teacher at eventide and said to him, "Reverend Sir, to-day, as we were making our rounds for alms, we saw many criminals in the prison-house. They were bound with fetters, ropes, and chains, and were experiencing much suffering. They cannot break these fetters and escape. Is there any bond stronger than these bonds.''" In reply to their question, the Teacher said, "Monks, what do these bonds amount to. Consider the bond of the evil passions, the bond which is called craving, the bond of attachment for wealth, crops, sons, and wives. This is a bond a hundredfold, nay, a thousandfold stronger than these bonds which you have seen. But strong as it is, and hard to break, wise men of old broke it, and going to the Himalaya country, retired from the world." So saying, he related the following 4 a. Story of the Past : Husband and wife In times long past, when Brahmadatta was ruling at Benares, the Future Buddha was reborn in the family of a certain poor householder. When he reached manhood, his father died; so he worked for hire and supported his mother. His mother, in spite of his protests, brought him a certain daughter of respectable family to wife. After a time his mother died. In the course of time his wife conceived a child in her womb. 224 Book SJf-, Story Jf.. Dhammapada 37 [N. 4.542*- Not knowing that she had conceived a child, the husband said to the wife, "Dear wife, make your living by working for hire; I intend to become a monk." [55] Thereupon the wife said to the husband, "I have conceived a child in my womb. Wait until I give birth to the child and you see him, and then become a monk." "Very well," said the husband, promising to do so. When the wife had given birth to her child, the husband took leave of her, saying, "Dear wife, you have given birth to your child in safety; now I shall become a monk." But the wife replied, "Just wait until your son has been weaned from the breast." While the husband waited, the wife conceived a second child. The husband thought to himself, "If I do as she wishes me to, I shall never get away; I will run away and become a monk without so much as saying a word to her about it." So without saying so much as a word to his wife about his plans, he rose up in the night and fled away. The city guards caught him. But he persuaded them to release him, saying to them, "Masters, I have a mother to support; release me." After tarrying in a certain place he went to the Himalaya country and adopted the life of an anchorite. Having developed the Supernatural Faculties and the Higher Attainments, he dwelt there, diverting himself with the diversion of the Trances. And as he dwelt there, he thought to himself, "I have broken this bond which is so hard to break, the bond of the evil passions, the bond of attachment for son and wife." So saying, he breathed forth a Solemn Utterance. End of Story of the Past. Having related this Story of the Past, the Teacher, making plain the Solemn Utterance breathed forth by the anchorite, pronounced the following Stanzas, -N.4.584] Beauty is hut shin-deep 225

[XXIV. 5] XXIV. 5. BEAUTY IS BUT SKIN-DEEP » They that are dyed with lust. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Veluvana with reference to Khema, chief consort of King Bimbisara. [57] Khema, we are told, as the result of an Earnest Wish which she made at the feet of the Buddha Padumuttara, was exceedingly beautiful and fair to look upon. But she had heard it said that the Teacher found fault with beauty of form, and therefore refrained from entering his presence. The king, knowing that she was drunk with the intoxication of her own beauty, caused songs to be composed in praise of Veluvana, and had these songs turned over to actors. As Khema listened to the songs sung by these singers, Veluvana seemed to her like a place she had never seen before or heard of before. "What grove are you singing about. 5" she asked the singers. "Your majesty, we are singing about your own Grove Veluvana," they replied. Forthwith she desired to go to the Grove. The Teacher, knowing that she was coming, created, even as he sat in the midst of the Congregation, preaching the Law, the phantom of a woman of surpassing beauty, standing at his side and fanning him with a palmyra fan. When Queen Khema entered and saw that woman, she thought to herself, "I have always been told that the Supremely Enlightened One finds fault with beauty of form. But here in his presence stands a woman fanning him. I [58] do not come even within a sixteenth part of her beauty. Indeed, I have never seen so beautiful a woman before. They misrepresent the Teacher, I doubt not." And hearing not even the sound of the Teacher's voice as he preached the Law, she stood there, her gaze riveted on that woman. The Teacher, noticing how much she thought of this phantom, transformed the phantom from a woman of youth and beauty into a decrepit old woman, in the manner related above, showing her finally as a mere bag of bones. Khema, seeing her, reflected, "In but a moment a form even so beautiful as this has attained decay and death. Verily there is no reality in this material form!" The Teacher perceived the course of her thoughts and said to her, "Khema, you falsely think, 'There is reality in beauty of form.' Behold now the unreality thereof!" So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, Khema, behold this aggregation of elements, diseased, impure, decaying, Trickling and oozing, desired of simpletons. At the conclusion of the Stanza Khema was established in the Fruit of Conversion. Then said the Teacher to her, "Khema, living beings here in the world, dyed with lust, corrupted with hatred, deluded with delusion, cannot cross the stream of their own craving, but stick fast therein." And preaching the Law, he pronounced the following Stanza, 347. They that are dyed with lust follow the stream of the passions As a spider runs down the web he has spun for himself. Wise men, by cutting this bond and going forth from the world. Win freedom from desire and leave behind all suffering. [59] At the conclusion of the lesson Khema was established in Arahatship; the multitude also profited by the lesson. Said the Teacher to the king, "Great king, Khema ought either to retire from the world or to pass into Nibbana." The king replied, "Reverend Sir, admit her to the Order; as for Nibbana, never!" She retired from the world and became one of the Teacher's foremost female lay disciples.

[XXIV. 6] XXIV. 6. THE YOUTH WHO MARRIED A FEMALE ACROBAT 1 Give up the things of the past. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Veluvana with reference to Uggasena. The story goes that once a year, or once every six months, five hundred tumblers used to visit Rajagaha and give performances for seven days before the king. By these performances they earned much gold and money; in fact there was no end to the gifts tossed at them from time to time. The people stood on beds piled on top of beds, and watched the tumblers perform their feats. One day a certain female tumbler climbed a pole, turned somer- 1 Text: N iv. 59-65. -N. 4.614] The youth who married a female acrobat 1 saults thereon, and balancing herself on the tip of the pole, danced and sang as she trod the air. [60] Now on this occasion a certain treasurer's son, accompanied by a companion, stood on top of a pile of beds watching her. The grace and skill with which she managed her hands and feet attracted his attention, and he straightway fell in love with her. He went home and said, "If I can have her, I shall live; but if I cannot have her, I will die right here." So saying, he flung himself down on his bed and refused to take food. His mother and father asked him, "Son, what ails you.*" The son replied, "If I can have that tumbler's daughter, I can live; if I cannot have her, I will die right here." Said his mother and father, "Do not act in this way. We will bring you another maiden, our equal in birth and wealth." But he made the same reply as before and remained lying in bed. His father argued with him at length, but was unable to make him see things in a better light. Finally he sent for his son's friend, gave him a thousand pieces of money, and sent him off, saying to him, "Tell the tumbler to take this money and give his daughter to my son." "I will not give my daughter for money," replied the tumbler, *'but if it be true that he cannot live without my daughter, then let him travel about with us; if he will do this, I will give him my daughter." The mother and father communicated this information to their son. The son immediately said, "Of course I will travel about with them." His mother and father begged him not to do so, but he paid no attention to anything they said, and went and joined the tumbler. The tumbler gave him his daughtel in marriage, and traveled about with him through villages, market-towns, and royal cities, giving exhibitions everywhere. In no long time the female tumbler, after living with her husband, gave birth to a son. As she played with the boy, she would address him as "son of a cart-driver," or "son of a f etcher of wood and drawer of water," or "son of a knownothing." It appears that the husband used to attend to everything relating to their carts. Wherever they halted, he would fetch grass for the oxen. Wherever they gave an exhibition, he would procure whatever apparatus was required, set it up, and remove it. [61] It was with reference to duties such as these performed by her husband that this woman employed such terms as these in playing with her son. The husband came to the conclusion that the songs she sang were about himself, and asked her, "Do you refer to me?" "Yes, I refer to you." "In that case I will run away and leave you." " What difference does it make to me whether you go away or not? ' replied the wife. And over and over again she sang the same song. It appears that by reason of the beauty she possessed and the large amount of money she earned, she was utterly indifferent to him. "Why is it that she is so proud.'*" thought the husband to himself. Straightway he perceived within himself, "It is because of her skill as a tumbler." So he thought to himself, "Very well! I will learn tumbling-feats myself.' Accordingly he went to his father-in-law and learned all the feats that he knew. And he exhibited his art in villages, market-towns, and royal cities, one after another, until finally he came to Rajagaha. And he caused proclamation to be made throughout the city, "Seven days hence Uggasena the treasurer's son will exhibit his art to the residents of the city." The residents of the city caused platform above platform to be erected, and assembled on the seventh day. Uggasena climbed a pole sixty cubits in height and balanced himself on the top of it. On that day, as the Teacher surveyed the world at dawn, he perceived that Uggasena had entered the Net of his Knowledge. And he considered within himself, "What will become of him?" Straightway he became aware of the following, "The treasurer's son will balance himself on the tip of the pole for the purpose of displaying his skill, and a great multitude will assemble for the purpose of witnessing his exhibition. At this point I will pronounce a Stanza consisting of four verses. Hearing this Stanza, eighty-four thousand living beings will obtain Comprehension of the Law, and Uggasena himself will be established in Arahatship." So on the following day, taking note of the time, the Teacher set out, attended by the Congregation of Monks, and entered the city of Rajagaha for alms. A moment before the Teacher entered the city, Uggasena motioned to the multitude as a sign for applause, [62] and balancing himself on the tip of the pole, turned seven somersaults in the air, lighted on his feet, and balanced himself once more on the tip of the pole. At that moment the Teacher entered the city, and so contrived that the multitude looked not at Uggasena, but at himself. When Uggasena looked at the audience and perceived that they were not looking at him at all, he was overwhelmed with disappointment. Thought he, "Here is a feat which it has taken me a year to perfect, but when the Teacher enters the city, the audience, instead of looking at me, looks at the Teacher. My exhibition has failed completely." The Teacher, perceiving the thought that was passing through his mind, addressed -N. 4. 6322] The youth who married a female acrobat 229 Elder Moggallana as follows, "Moggallana, go inform the treasurer's son that the Teacher desires him to exhibit his skill." The Elder went and stood at the base of the pole, and addressing the treasurer's son, pronounced the following Stanza, Pray look, Uggasena, tumbler of mighty strength. Perform for the crowd ; make the people laugh. When Uggasena heard the words of the Elder, he was delighted at heart. "Doubtless the Teacher desires to witness my skill," he thought. And even as he balanced himself on the tip of the pole, he pronounced the following Stanza, Pray look, Moggallana, mighty in wisdom, mighty in magical power. I perform for the crowd; I make the people laugh. So saying, he sprang into the air from the top of the pole, turned fourteen somersaults in the air, and lighting on his feet, balanced himself once more on the top of the pole. The Teacher said to him, "Uggasena, a man that is wise should put away attachment for the Elements of Being in the past, the present, and the future; even so should he win release from birth, old age, disease, and death." So saying, he pronounced the following stanza, 348. Give up the things of the future, give up the things of the past, Give up the things of the present; cross to the Farther Shore; If your heart is freed from every attachment, You will no more undergo birth and old age. [63] At the conclusion of the lesson eighty-four thousand living beings obtained Comprehension of the Law. The treasurer's son, even as he stood poised on the tip of the pole, attained Arahatship together with the Higher Powers. The treasurer's son straightway descended from the pole, advanced to the Teacher, saluted him with the Five Rests, and requested the Teacher to admit him to the Order. The Teacher stretched out his right hand and said to him, "Come, monk!" At that moment he was supernaturally provided with the Eight Requisites, and took on the form of an Elder of sixty. The monks asked him, "Brother Uggasena, had you no fear as you descended from that pole sixty cubits in height?" Uggasena replied, "Brethren, I have no fear." The monks said to the Teacher, "Reverend Sir, Uggasena says, *I have no fear; he says that which is not true, utters falsehood." Said the Teacher, "Monks, those monks who, like my son Uggasena, have severed the Attachments, have no fear or perturbation." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, [64] 397. He that has severed every attachment, he that trembles not. He that is past the bonds and is unshackled, such a man I call a Brahman. Again one day the monks began the following discussion in the Hall of Truth: "Brethren, how did it happen that a monk, endowed as was this monk with the faculties requisite for the attainment of Arahatship, traveled about with tumblers for the sake of a tumbler's daughter? And how did it happen that he was endowed with the faculties requisite for the attainment of Arahatship.'*" The Teacher drew near and asked them, "Monks, what is the subject you are discussing as you sit here all gathered together.'*" When they told him, he said, "Monks, both of these things happened through one and the same circumstance." And to make the matter clear, he related the following 6 a. Story of the Past : A joke in earnest The story goes that in times long past, while the golden shrine for the relics of the Buddha Kassapa was building, the children of certain respectable families living in Benares loaded carts with an abundant supply of food and set out for the shrine to do the work of laborers. As they proceeded, they saw by the way a certain Elder entering the city for alms. Now a certain young woman looked at the Elder and said to her husband, "Husband, our noble Elder is entering the city for alms, and there is an abundant supply of food both hard and soft in our cart. Fetch his bowl, and let us give him food." Her husband fetched the Elder's bowl, and when they had filled it with food both hard and soft, they placed it in the hands of the Elder, and both husband and wife made the following Earnest Wish, "Reverend Sir, may be we partakers of the Truth you have seen." Now this Elder was an Arahat, and therefore looked into the future to see whether their Earnest Wish would be fulfilled. And perceiving that it would be fulfilled, he smiled. The woman noticed the smile and said to her husband, "Husband, our noble Elder smiled; he must be some actor." [65] Her husband replied, "He must be indeed, my dear wife,' and passed on. This was their deed in a former birth. End of Story of the Past. Remaining in this state of existence during the term of life allotted -N.4.668] The youth who married a female acrobat 231 to them, they were reborn in the World of the Gods, and passing from that state of existence in the dispensation of the present Buddha, that woman was reborn in the household of a tumbler, the man in the household of a treasurer. Because he returned the reply, "He must be indeed, my dear wife," he traveled about with actors; and because he gave a portion of food to an Elder who was an Arahat, he attained Arahatship. The tumbler's daughter said to herself, "Whatsoever future estate my husband shall attain, that will I also attain." So saying, she retired from the world and became established in Arahatship.

[XXIV. 7] XXIV. 7. YOUNG ARCHER THE WISE If a man he agitated by doubt. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to a certain young monk, Young Archer the Wise, Culla Dhanuggaha Pandita. The story goes that once upon a time a young monk took the ticket that fell to him, obtained Ticket-porridge, went to the Assembly Hall, but finding no water there, went to a certain house for the purpose of obtaining water. There a young woman saw him, and no sooner saw him than fell in love with him. "Reverend Sir," said she, "should you again require water, pray come right here; go nowhere else." After that, whenever he failed to obtain drinking water, he went to her house and never went anywhere else. And she would take his bowl and give him water for drinking. As time went on, she gave him rice-gruel also. Again one day she provided a seat for him right there and gave him boiled rice. And seating herself near him, she started up a conversation, saying, [66] "Reverend Sir, it is very lonely indeed in this house; we never see so much as a traveler." After listening to her talk for a few days, the young monk became discontented. One day some visiting monks saw him and asked him, "Brother, how comes it that you are so very yellow.'*" "Brethren, I am discontented." So they took him to his teacher and his preceptor. His teacher and his preceptor took him to the Teacher and reported the matter to him. The Teacher asked, "Monk, is the statement true that you are discontented?" "It is true," repHed the young monk. Then said the Teacher, "Monk, how comes it that after retiring from the world in the ReHgion of a Buddha so vigorous as I, instead of causing it to be said of you that you have attained the Fruit of Conversion or the Fruit of the Second Path, you allow it to be said of you that you are discontented.' You are guilty of a grievous sin." Continuing, the Teacher asked the young monk, "Why are you discontented?" "Reverend Sir, a certain woman said this and that to me." "Monk, it is not at all strange that she should do such a thing as this. For in a previous state of existence, she forsook Dhanuggaha, the wisest man in all India, and conceiving a passion for a certain bandit on the spur of the moment, slew her husband." The monks asked the Teacher to make the matter clear, and in compliance with their request, he related the following 7 a. Story of the Past: Young Archer the Wise In times past there lived a certain wise man named Young Archer the Wise, Culla Dhanuggaha. He acquired the arts and crafts at Takkasila under a world-renowned teacher. His teacher was so pleased with the progress he made that he gave him his daughter in marriage. Young Archer the Wise took his wife and set out for Benares. At the entrance to the forest he slew fifty bandits with fifty arrows. When his arrows were all gone, he seized the leader of the bandits and hurled him to the ground. "Wife, bring me my sword!" cried he. But the moment his wife saw that bandit, she conceived a passion for him, and placed the hilt of the sword in the hand of the bandit. The bandit straightway slew Young Archer the Wise. Then he took the woman with him and went his way. As he proceeded on his way, he thought to himself, "Should this woman see another man, she will kill me too just as she did her husband. [67] What use have I for such a woman?" Seeing a certain river, he left the woman on the near bank, took her ornaments, and said, "Remain where you are until I carry your ornaments across." Then and there he left her. When the woman discovered that the bandit had left her, she said, -N.4.686] Young Archer the Wise 233 The bandit replied, "Woman, you have bartered a husband whom you have long known for me, a husband whom you know not; You have bartered a husband tried and true for a husband whom you have not tried. Woman, you may barter me for another man. Therefore I will go far from hence. [In order to put the woman to shame, Sakka goes to the river accompanied by his charioteer and his musician. Sakka takes the form of a jackal, the charioteer that of a fish, and the musician that of a bird. The jackal takes a piece of meat in his mouth and stands in front of the woman. The fish leaps out of the water, and the jackal springs forward to catch the fish, dropping the piece of meat. The bird seizes the piece of meat and flies up into the air. The fish disappears in the water. Thus the jackal loses both fish and flesh. The woman laughs loudly. The jackal says:] Wlio is this that laughs loud in the cassia thicket? Here is no dancing or singing, or well-timed clapping of hands. It is a time to weep, Shapely-Buttocks. Why pray do you laugh, fair one? [The woman replies:] Foolish, stupid jackal, little wisdom do you possess, jackal. You have lost both fish and flesh; you mourn like a pauper. [The jackal says:] Easy to see are the faults of others, but hard to see are one's own. You have lost both husband and lover. You too mourn, I doubt not. [The woman says:] So it is as you say, jackal, king of beasts. Therefore I will go hence and submit to the will of a husband. [The jackal says:] He that will steal a vessel of clay, will also steal a vessel of copper. You have done evil once, and will also do so again. When the Teacher had related at length this Culla Dhanuggaha Jataka, found in the Fifth Nipata, he said, "At that time you were Young Archer the Wise, the woman was this [68] maiden here, and the King of the Gods who came in the form of a jackal and put her to shame, was I myself. Even thus did this woman fall in love with a certain bandit at first sight and deprive of life the wisest man in all India. Monk, uproot and destroy the desire which has sprung up within you for this woman." Having thus admonished the monk, he expounded the Law further, pronouncing the following Stanzas, 349. K a man be agitated by doubt, if strong passion sway him, if he seek only that which is pleasing. Craving will increase the more; he only strengthens the bond which holds him. 350. But whosoever takes delight in suppressing doubt, and ever mindful, meditates on that which is not pleasing. Such a man will destroy, such a man will cleave the bond of Mara.

[XXIV. 8] XXIV. 8. MARA SEEKS IN VAIN TO FRIGHTEN RAHULA He that has reached perfection. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to Mara. [69] For one day several Elders entered the Jetavana monastery at an unseasonable hour, and going to the quarters of Elder Rahula, woke him up. Rahula, seeing no other place to sleep, went and lay down in front of the Tathagata's Perfumed Chamber. This Venerable Elder, although he was but eight years old, had already attained Arahatship. As Mara VasavattI, keeping his natural form, beheld this Venerable Elder lying in front of the Perfumed Chamber, he thought to himself, "The son of the monk Gotama lies without the Perfumed Chamber, as though his finger hurt him; the monk himself reclines within the Perfumed Chamber, and if the finger of his son be pinched, he himself [70] will feel a pinching." So Mara took the form of a gigantic elephant-king, and drawing near the Elder, encircled the head of the Elder with his trunk, and with a loud voice trumpeted the Heron's Call. The Teacher, even as he reclined in the Perfumed Chamber, perceived that it was Mara, and said, "Mara, with a hundred thousand like yourself, it would be impossible for you to frighten my son. My son is unafraid, devoid of Craving, of mighty vigor, of great wisdom." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanzas, 351. He that has reached perfection, he that is unafraid, free from Craving, devoid of lust. He that has cut out the arrows of being, such a man has reached his last state of existence. -N. 4. 7227] The skeptical ascetic 235 At the conclusion of the lesson many obtained the Fruit of Conversion and the Fruits of the Second and Third Paths. Mara the Evil One said to himself, "The monk Gotama knows me," and then and there disappeared.

[XXIV. 9] XXIV. 9. THE SKEPTICAL ASCETIC » 7 have overcome all things. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher with reference to the Ajivaka ascetic Upaka, whom he met by the way. [72] For on a certain occasion the Teacher, having attained Omniscience, having spent seven weeks at the Throne of Wisdom, took his own bowl and robe, and set out on the road leading to Benares eighteen leagues distant, that he might there set in motion the Wheel of the Law. As he walked along the road, he saw a certain lay disciple of the Ajivaka Order. When the Ajivaka ascetic saw the Teacher, he asked him, "Brother, your senses are tranquil, your complexion is bright and clear. In whose name have you retired from the world.'' Who is your teacher.'' Whose doctrine do you profess.''" The Teacher replied, "I have no preceptor or teacher." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, 353. I have overcome all things, and know all things. In all the conditions of life I am free from taint. I have renounced all, and by the destruction of Craving have attained Emancipation. Since by myself I have attained Supernatural Knowledge, to whom can I point as my teacher? At the conclusion of the lesson Upaka the Ajivaka expressed neither approval nor disapproval of the words which the Tathagata had spoken, but shaking his head and wagging his tongue, set out on a by-path, and went to the abode of a certain hunter.

[XXIV. 10] XXIV. 10. THE SUMMUM BONUM The gift of the Law surpasses all gifts. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to Sakka king of gods. [73] For once upon a time the deities assembled in the World of the Thirty-three and raised four questions, as follows: "Which gift is the best of gifts? Which flavor is the best of flavors.' Which delight is the best of delights? Why is the destruction of Craving called the thing of all other things supreme?" Not a single deity was able to answer the questions; but one god asked another, and he another, and so on, until each of the deities had asked each of the other deities. For twelve years they went the length and breadth of the ten thousand worlds, but in all this time they were unable to obtain an answer to their questions. Finally all the deities of the ten thousand worlds met together and went to the Four Great Kings. Said the Four Great Kings, "Friends, why this great gathering together of deities? " Said the deities, "Four questions we have raised, and we are unable to answer them; so we have come to you." " Friends, what are the questions? " " ' Which is the best of gifts, of flavors, and of delights? Why is the destruction of Craving the thing of all other things supreme?' These are the questions which we are unable to decide, and on account of which we have come to you." Said the Four Great Kings, "Friends, we do not know the answer to these questions. However, our King has but to ponder questions pondered by a thousand beings, and knows the answer instantly. He is superior to us in wisdom and merit. Come, let us go to him." And taking with them all that great throng of deities, the Four Great Kings went to Sakka king of gods. Said Sakka king of gods, "Friends, why this great concourse of deities?" They told Sakka the reason for their visit. "Friends," said Sakka, "there is no one who can answer such questions as these except the Buddhas. These matters come within the province of the Buddhas. Where does the Teacher reside now?" "At the Jetavana." "Come, let us go to him." -N.4.754] The Summum Bonum 237 So accompanied by all that great throng of deities, Sakka went by night, illuminating the whole Jetavana, [74] approached the Teacher, saluted him, and stood on one side. Said the Teacher, "Great king, why have you come with a great company of deities?" "Reverend Sir," said Sakka, "these questions have been raised by this company of deities, and there is none other that can understand them but only you; make their meaning plain to us." Said the Teacher, "Well said, great king! For it was in order to resolve the doubts of such as you, that I fulfilled the Perfections, gave away the Five Great Gifts, and attained Omniscience. As for the questions which you have asked, the gift of the Law is the best of all gifts, the flavor of the Law is the best of all flavors, delight in the Law is the best of all delights ; as for the destruction of Craving, inasmuch as it is that which enables men to attain Arahatship, it is the thing of all other things supreme." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, 354. The gift of the Law surpasses all gifts, the flavor of the Law surpasses all flavors. Delight in the Law surpasses all delights, the destruction of Craving overcomes all suffering. Native gloss. — The gift of the Law surpasses all gifts: For even though one should present robes of the hue of the calyx of the banana, to Buddhas and Private Buddhas and Arahats assembled in unbroken ranks extending from the Circuit of the Worlds to the World of Brahma, the mere utterance of a Stanza of Thanksgiving consisting of four verses in the midst of this assembly were better. For the abovementioned gift is not worth the sixteenth part of such a Stanza. Such is the importance of the preaching of the Law, the recitation of the Law, the hearing of the Law. The man who enables the world to hear the Law, receives a reward far greater even than the reward of almsgiving, though he should fill with the choicest of food the bowls of the above-mentioned host; greater even than the reward of the gift of medicaments, though he should fill the bowls with ghee, oil, and the like; [75] greater even than the reward of gift of lodgings, though he should erect untold hundreds of thousands of viharas like Maha Vihara, and pasadas like Loha Pasada; greater even than the reward Anathapindika and the rest received for the treasure which they spent in building monasteries. Of infinitely greater value is the gift of the Law accomplished by the recitation of even a single Stanza of Thanksgiving consisting of four verses. Now why is this? For those who do such works of merit as have been mentioned, do them only because they have heard the Law; had they not heard the Law, they would never have done them. For if living beings here in the world were not to hear the Law, they would not give so much as a ladleful of gruel or even a spoonful of boiled rice: for this reason the gift of the Law is superior to these other gifts. Indeed, leaving out of consideration Buddhas and Private Buddhas, men like Sariputta and his associates, who possess intellectual power such that they can count all the drops of rain that fall during all the rains that fall in the course of a cycle of time, were unable to attain by themselves unaided the Fruit of Conversion and the other Fruits. But the moment they heard the Law preached by Elder Assaji and others, they realized the Fruit of Conversion; and through the Teacher's preaching of the Law, realized the Perfections of Discipleship. For this reason, great king, the gift of the Law is the best of gifts. Therefore is it said : The gift of the Law surpasses all gifts. Now all of the flavors, from the flavor of sugar and the like, to flavors of such rare excellence as the flavor of the ambrosial food of the gods, involve those who enjoy them in the round of existences, and are therefore a cause whereby men experience suffering. But this flavor of the Law, comprehending the Thirty-seven Qualities of Intellect which lead to Enlightenment, and the Nine Transcendent Conditions, this is the best of flavors. Therefore it is said: The flavor of the Law surpasses all flavors. Moreover, as for the various delights, such as delight in sons, delight in daughters, delight in wealth, delight in women, delight in dancing and singing and musical instruments and the like, such delights involve those who take pleasure in them in the round of existences, and are therefore causes whereby men experience suffering. But this delight in the Law, such as springs up within whoever either recites or listens to the Law, [76] producing a state of joy and exaltation, causing tears to flow, causing the hair to stand on end, such a delight as this puts an end to the round of existences, and leads ultimately to Arahatship; such a delight as this is the best of delights. Therefore it is said : Delight in the Law surpasses all delights. Finally, as for the destruction of Craving, when Craving has been destroyed, Arahatship is attained; since the destruction of Craving overcomes the sufferings, one and all, of the round of existences, it is the best of all things. Therefore it is said: The destruction of Craving overcomes all suffering. -N. 4. 7714] The Summum Bonum 239 When Sakka had heard the Teacher's exposition of the Law, he saluted the Teacher and said, "Reverend Sir, if the gift of the Law is so precious, why do you not cause the merit thereof to be bestowed upon us? Henceforth, when you preach the Law to the Congregation of Monks, cause the merit thereof to be bestowed upon us. Reverend Sir." When the Teacher heard Sakka's request, he gathered together the Congregation of Monks and said to them, "Monks, from this day forth, whenever a festival sermon is preached, or an ordinary sermon, or an informal discourse, or even when words of thanksgiving are recited, you are to bestow the merit thereof upon all beings."

[XXIV. 11] XXIV. n. TREASURER CHILDLESS Riches destroy the foolish. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to a treasurer named Childless, Aputtaka. [77] The story goes that when King Pasenadi Kosala heard of his death, he inquired, "To whom falls the property of a man that dies leaving no children.?" "The king," was the reply. So during the next seven days the king caused the dead man's property to be removed to the royal palace. When the property had all been removed, the king went to wait upon the Teacher. Said the Teacher to the king, "Ho, great king, whence, pray, do you come at this noon-day hour.?" The king replied, "Reverend Sir, here in Savatthi a householder who was a treasurer died the other day; and as he had no son, I have been superintending the removal of his property to the royal precincts, and am just returning." [All is to be understood as it occurs in the Sutta.] Said the king, "The story goes that whenever food flavored with all manner of choice flavors was brought to him in a golden dish, he would say, *So men eat such food as this, do they.'' Why do you make sport of me in my own house? ' If the servants ventured to serve the food, he would attack them with clods of earth and sticks and stones and drive them away. Then he would say, 'This is the proper kind of food for men to eat,' and eat porridge made of rice-dust, followed by sour gruel. Whenever attractive clothes and carriages and parasols were oflPered him, he would attack his servants with clods of earth and sticks and stones and drive them away. He would wear clothes made of hempen cloth and drive about in an old, brokendown chariot, with a parasol made of leaves held over his head." Then the Teacher related his deed in a previous state of existence: 11 a. Story of the Past: The niggardly treasurer Great king, in times long past, this treasurer, this householder, provided a Private Buddha named Tagarasikhi with alms. "Give alms to the monk," said he, and rising from his seat, went his way. The story goes that as this unbelieving simpleton spoke these words and went his way, his faithful believing wife thought to herself, *' Verily it is a long time since I have heard the word 'Give' fall from the lips of my husband. To-day I will fulfill the wish of my heart and give alms." So taking the bowl of the Private Buddha, and filling it with the choicest food, she presented it to him. As the treasurer returned, he met the Private Buddha. "Monk, did you get anything .5" said he. Taking the bowl, he looked at it and saw the choice food. Straightway he was filled with regret, [78] for, thought he to himself, "It would be better if my slaves and servants had this food to eat. For if they had this food to eat, they would work hard for me. But this monk will take this food and eat it and then lie down and go to sleep. My food has been given away for naught." Moreover this treasurer deprived of life the only son of his brother, for the sake of the property which his nephew inherited. The story goes that as the nephew walked about, holding the finger of his uncle the treasurer, he would say such things as these, "This carriage is the property of my father, and this ox is his ox." The treasurer thought to himself, "Thus and so he talks, just at the present time. But when he grows to manhood, is anyone likely to see his possessions in this house?" So one day he took his nephew to the forest, seized him by the neck under a certain bush, killed him as one would split open the bulb of a radish, and wringing his neck, cast the dead body into the thicket. This was the evil deed he committed in a previous state of existence. End of Story of the Past. Therefore it is said: Inasmuch, great king, as this treasurer, this householder, caused the Private Buddha Tagarasikhi to be provided with food, through the ripening of this good deed he attained in seven -N. 4. 7922] Treasurer Childless 241 successive existences a happy future estate, and was reborn in the heavenly world ; and because the fruit of this same good deed was not yet exhausted, in seven existences he exercised the prerogatives of a treasurer of this same city of Savatthi. On the other hand, great king, inasmuch as this treasurer, this householder, afterwards regretted the good deed which he had done and said, '-It would have been better could my slaves and servants have had this food to eat," through the ripening of this evil deed, his heart was not inclined to the enjoyment of fine food, [79] his heart was not inclined to the enjoyment of fine clothes, his heart was not inclined to the enjoyment of fine carriages, his heart was not inclined to the enjoyment of the Five Lofty Pleasures of sense. Moreover, great king, inasmuch as this treasurer, this householder, deprived of life the only son of his brother for the sake of his inheritance, through the ripening of this evil deed, he suffered torment in Hell for many hundreds of years, for many thousands of years, for many hundreds of thousands of years; and because a part of the fruit of this same evil deed still remained, in seven successive existences he died without a son, and the king's men carried to the king's storehouse the wealth he left behind him. And this was the seventh. Moreover, great king, inasmuch as the old merit of this treasurer, this householder, has been exhausted, and he has accumulated no new merit, to-day, great king, this treasurer, this householder, suffers torment in the Maha Roruva Hell. When the king heard these words of the Teacher, he said, "Reverend Sir, how grievous was the fault of this treasurer in that, while all of these good things yet remained to him, he neither used them himself, nor wrought works of merit by presenting them in alms to a Buddha like you, residing in a monastery near at hand ! " The Teacher replied, "Yes, yes, great king. Even so, when foolish men get riches, they seek not Nibbana, but the cravings which arise within them because of their riches plague them for a long time." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza,

[XXIV. 12] XXIV. 12. THE GREATER AND THE LESSER GIFT » Weeds ruin a field. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Yellowstone Rock, Pandukambala Sila, with reference to Ankura. The story is related in detail in the Commentary on the Stanza, "They that devote themselves to meditation and are steadfast;" for it is said there with reference to Indaka: It is said that on a certain occasion, when the Elder Anuruddha entered the village for alms, Indaka gave him a spoonful of his own food. This was the good deed which he performed in a previous state of existence. Although Ankura had for ten thousand years set up a row of fire-places twelve leagues long and had given abundant alms, Indaka received a greater reward; therefore spoke Indaka thus. When he had thus spoken, the Teacher said, "Ankura, one should use discrimination in giving alms. Under such circumstances almsgiving, like seed sown on good soil, yields abundant fruit. But you have not so done; [81] therefore your gifts have yielded no great fruit." And to make this matter clear, he said, Alms should always be given with discrimination. Alms so given yield abundant fruit. The giving of alms with discrimination is extolled by the Happy One. Alms given to Uving beings here in the world who are worthy of offerings. Yield abimdant fruit, like seeds sown on good ground. Having thus spoken, he expounded the Law further by pronouncing the following Stanzas, 356. Weeds ruin a field, lust ruins mankind. Therefore alms given to those that are free from lust yield abundant fruit. 357. Weeds ruin a field, hatred ruins mankind. Therefore alms given to those that are free from hatred yield abundant fruit. 358. Weeds ruin a field, delusion ruins mankind. Therefore alms given to those that are free from delusion yield abimdant fruit. 359. Weeds ruin a field, inordinate desire ruins mankind. Therefore alms given to those that are free from inordinate desire yield abundant fruit. » Cf. Story xiv. 2 (text: iii. 219-222). Text: N iv. 80-82.

[XXV. 1] XXV. 1. GUARD THE DOORS OF THE SENSES » Restraint of the eye is good. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to five monks. [83] It appears that each of these five monks guarded one of the five doors of the senses. One day they met and began to argue with each other, saying, "It is I who guard the door which is difficult to guard! It is I who guard the door which is difficult to guard!" Finally they said, "We can learn the Truth of this matter by questioning the Teacher." So they approached the Teacher and asked him the following question, "Reverend Sir, each one of us is guarding one of the five doors of the senses, and each one of us imagines that the particular door which he is guarding is the door of all other doors which is the most difficult to guard. Now we should like to have you tell us which one of us is guarding the door that is the most difficult to guard." The Teacher carefully avoided placing anyone of the monks in a position inferior to that of his fellows and said in reply, "Monks, all of these doors are difficult to guard. But this is not the first time you have failed to control yourselves in these five particulars. In a previous state of existence also you failed to exercise restraint over your senses, and because you failed to exercise restraint over your senses, and because you refused to comply with the admonition of wise men, met destruction." "When was that. Reverend Sir .5" asked the five monks. 1 a. Story of the Past : Takkasila Jataka Complying with their request, the Teacher related in detail the Takkasila Jataka, [84] telling them how, in the distant past, after the household of a king had been destroyed by ogresses, the Great Being, having received the ceremonial sprinkling of a king, seated on the royal throne under the white parasol, surveying his own majesty and glory, thinking to himself, "Men should exert the power of their will," breathed forth the following Solemn Utterance: Because with firm courage I abode steadfast in the admonition of good men, because I showed nor fear nor dread, Therefore came I not into the power of the ogresses. Through great peril came I to safety. Having recited this Stanza, the Teacher summarized the Jataka as follows: "At that time you were the five men who, when the Great Being went forth to take the kingdom of Takkasila, stood round about him with weapons in your hands, guarding the road. But when, as you journeyed by the way, the ogresses tempted you with objects pleasing to the senses of sight and sound and smell and taste and touch, then you threw off all restraint, then you disregarded the admonitions of the Wise Man, then you yielded to the seductions of the ogresses; and they devoured you, and you were utterly destroyed. The Wise Man who restrained himself and yielded not to their temptations, who paid no attention to the ogress of celestial beauty that followed close upon his heels, and who reached Takkasila in safety and became king, was I myself." Having thus summed up the Jataka, the Teacher said, "A monk should guard all the doors of the senses, for only by guarding the doors of the senses can he obtain release from all suffering." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanzas, [85] 360. Restraint of the eye is good, restraint of the ear is good, Restraint of the nose is good, restraint of the tongue is good. 361. Restraint of the body is good, restraint of speech is good. Restraint of the mind is good, restraint in all things is good. The monk who practices restraint in all things, obtains release from all suffering.

[XXV. 2] XXV. 2. THE GOOSE-KILLING MONK » He that controls his hand. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to a certain goose-killing monk. [87] -N.4.887] The goose-killing monk 245 The story goes that two residents of Savatthi retired from the world, were admitted to full membership in the Order, and becoming fast friends, usually went about together. One day they went to the river Aciravati, and after bathing, stood on the bank basking themselves in the rays of the sun, engaged in pleasant conversation. At that moment two geese came flying through the air. Thereupon one of the young monks, picking up a pebble, said, "I am going to hit one of these young geese in the eye." "You can't do it," said the other. "You just wait," said the first; "I will hit the eye on this side of him, and then I will hit the eye on the other side of him." "You can't do that, either," said the second. "Well then, see for yourself," said the first, and taking a second pebble, threw it after the goose. The goose, hearing the stone whiz through the air, turned his head and looked back. Then the second monk picked up a round stone and threw it in such a way that it hit the eye on the far side and came out of the eye on the near side. The goose gave a cry of pain, and tumbling through the air, fell at the feet of the two monks. Some monks who stood near saw the occurrence and said to the monk who had killed the goose, "Brother, after retiring from the world in the ReHgion of the Buddha, you have done a most unbecoming thing in taking the life of a living creature." And taking the two monks with them, they arraigned them before the Tathagata. The Teacher asked the monk who had killed the goose, "Monk, is the charge true that you have taken the life of a living creature.'*" "Yes, Reverend Sir," replied the monk, "it is true." Said the Teacher, "Monk, how comes it that after retiring from the world in such a Religion as mine, leading to Salvation as it does, you have done such a thing as this.'' Wise men of old, before the Buddha appeared in the world, though they lived amid the cares of the household life, entertained scruples about matters of the most trifling character. [88] But you, although you retired from the world in the Religion of the Buddha, have felt no scruples at all." And in response to a request of the monks the Teacher related the following 2 a. Story of the Past : Kurudhamma Jataka In times long past, when Dhananjaya ruled over the kingdom of Kuru in the city of Indapattana, the Future Buddha received a new conception in the womb of his chief consort. When he reached years of discretion, he acquired the arts and crafts at Takkasila, and on his return home was appointed to the office of viceroy by his father. On the death of his father he succeeded to the throne. He kept inviolate the Ten Virtues of a King, and likewise practiced the Cardinal Virtues. (The Cardinal Virtues are the Five Precepts, and these the Future Buddha kept whole and undefiled.) And even as the Future Buddha practiced the Cardinal Virtues, so also did his mother, his principal queen, his younger brother the viceroy, the Brahman who was his house-priest, the courtier who was his driver, his charioteer, his treasurer, the minister who was the steward of his granaries, his gate-keeper, and the slave-girl who was his concubine: eleven persons in all. At the same time Kalinga ruled over the kingdom of Kalinga in the city of Dantapura, and in his kingdom no rain had fallen for a long time. Now the Great Being had a state-elephant named Anjanasannibha, an animal of great merit, and the inhabitants of the kingdom of Kalinga, thinking that if this elephant were brought to their kingdom, rain would fall, went to their king and so informed him. Thereupon the king sent Brahmans to fetch this elephant. So the Brahmans went and asked the Great Being for the elephant. (The Teacher, in order to make clear the reason for their request, [89] related the Kurudhamma Jataka, found in the Third Nipata:) O king, knowing your faith and virtue. We spent our money in Kalinga for Anjana. But even after the elephant had been brought to the kingdom of Kalinga, no rain fell. The king of Kalinga thought to himself, "The king of Kuru practices the Cardinal Virtues, and it is for this reason that rain falls in his kingdom." So Kalinga said to his Brahmans and courtiers, "Inscribe on a golden plate the Cardinal Virtues which the king of Kuru practices, and bring the plate to me." So saying, he sent them back to the king of Kuru. So Kalinga's courtiers and Brahmans went back and made their request. But from the king down, all the members of the royal household entertained scruples as to whether they had kept the Precepts inviolate, and therefore refused them, saying, "We have not kept the Precepts inviolate." But the Brahmans and courtiers said, "By nothing which you have done, have you violated the Precepts," and asked them again and again. Finally they told them what the Precepts were. When the Brahmans and courtiers returned with the golden plate, and Kalinga saw the Cardinal Precepts inscribed thereon, he took upon himself -N. 4.915] The goose-killing monk 247 these same Precepts and kept them faithfully. Immediately rain fell in his kingdom, and thereafter the kingdom was prosperous and plentifully supplied with food. End of Story of the Past. When the Teacher had related this Story of the Past, he identified the persons of the story as follows : At that time the courtezan was Uppalavanna, the gate-keeper was Punna, the driver was Kaccana, the steward of the granaries was Kolita, the treasurer was Sariputta, the charioteer was Anuruddha, the Brahman was Elder Kassapa, the viceroy was the wise Nanda, the principal queen was the Mother of Rahula, the queen-mother was Maya Devi, and the king of Kuru was the Future Buddha. Thus understand the Jataka. [90] Then said the Teacher, "Monk, thus did wise men of old, although their faults were the merest trifles, scruple concerning their observance of the precepts. But as for you, although you have retired from the world in the Religion of a Buddha like me, you have committed the grievous sin of taking the life of a living creature. A monk ought ever to control his hand and his feet and his tongue." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, 362. He that controls his hands, he that controls his feet. He that controls his tongue, he that controls his head. He that delights in meditation, he that is well composed, He that is solitary and contented, such a man is truly called a monk.

[XXV. 3] XXV. 3. THE MONK WHO FAILED TO HOLD HIS TONGUE 1 If a monk control his tongue. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to Kokalika. The story occurs in the Sutta beginning with the words, "Now the monk Kokalika drew near to where the Exalted One was;" and its meaning is to be understood as explained in the Commentary thereon. [91] Now after Kokalika had been reborn in the Lotus Hell, the monks in the Hall of Truth began a discussion of the occurrence, saying, "Alas, the monk Kokalika went to perdition because he failed to hold his tongue! For even as he reviled the two Chief Disciples, the earth opened and swallowed him up." At that moment the Teacher approached and asked, "Monks, what subject are you discussing now as you sit here all gathered together?" When they told him, he said, "Monks, this is not the first time Kokalika has gone to perdition because of failure to hold his tongue; the same thing happened to him in a former state of existence also." The monks immediately desired to hear all about the matter. In compliance with their requests, to make the matter clear, the Teacher related the following 3 a. Story of the Past : The talkative tortoise Once upon a time a tortoise dwelt in a certain lake in the Himalaya country. One day two young geese, wandering about in search of food, struck up an acquaintance with him, and in a short time all became firm friends. One day the geese said to the tortoise, "Friend tortoise, we live in the Himalaya country on Mount Cittakuta in a golden cave, and it is a most delightful place to live in. Wouldn't you like to go there with us.''" "Masters," replied the tortoise, "how am I to get there.''" Said the geese, "If you can keep your mouth shut, we will carry you." The tortoise replied, "I will keep my mouth shut, friends. Take me with you, and let's be off." "Very well," said the geese. [92] So the geese made the tortoise grip with his teeth the middle of a stick, and then, taking the two ends of the stick in their bills, flew up into the air. Some village boys, seeing a tortoise carried along in this fashion by geese, immediately cried out, "See those two geese carrying a tortoise on a stick!" Thought the tortoise, "You beggarly vagabonds, what business is it of yours if my friends are carrying me with them?" And he opened his mouth, intending to say what was in his mind. Now the geese were flying very swiftly, and by this time they had reached a point directly over the royal palace in Benares city. So when the tortoise let go of the stick, he fell to the ground right in the middle of the palace court, and the moment he struck the ground, split into two pieces. -N.4.94ii] The monk who failed to hold his tongue 249 Seeing this, mightiest of men, utter words wisely and in season. Behold this tortoise, who by much speaking met destruction. Having related this Bahubhani Jataka, found in the Second Book, the Teacher said, "Monks, a monk should control his tongue, should live tranquilly, should not allow himself to become puffed up, and should free his heart from the evil passions." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, [93] 363. If a monk control his tongue, if he speak words of wisdom, if he be not puffed up, If he illuminate temporal and spiritual matters, the utterances of his lips will be pleasant to hear.

[XXV. 4] XXV. 4. BY RIGHTEOUSNESS MEN HONOR THE BUDDHA 1 He whose garden of delight is the Law. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to Elder Dhammarama. From the day when the Teacher announced, "Four months hence I shall pass into Nibbana," monks by the thousand spent their time in attendance upon the Teacher. Those who had not yet attained the Fruit of Conversion were unable to restrain their tears; those who had attained Arahatship experienced profound religious emotion; all went about in little groups, saying, "What are we to do.'" [94] But a single monk named He-Whose-Garden-of-Delight-is-the-Law, Dhammarama, went nowhere near his brother monks. And when they asked him, "What is the niatter with you, brother.?" he gave them no answer. For Dhammarama thought to himself, "The Teacher has announced that four months hence he is to pass into Nibbana, and I have not yet freed myself from the bondage of desire. Therefore so long as the Teacher remains alive, I will struggle and attain Arahatship." Accordingly Dhammarama went about by himself, considering and pondering and calling to mind the Law preached by the Teacher. The monks reported to the Tathagata, "Reverend Sir, Dhammarama is devoid of affection for you. Since he heard us say, 'Four months hence the Teacher will pass into Nibbana; what shall we do.?' he has had nothing to do with us." The Teacher caused Dhammarama to be summoned before him and asked him, "Is the report true that you have done thus and so?" "Yes, Reverend Sir, it is true." "Why have you so done?" "This is the thought in my mind, 'You have announced that four months hence you are to pass into Nibbana, and I have not yet freed myseK from the bondage of desire; therefore while you yet remain alive, I will attain Arahatship.' I am considering and pondering and calling to mind the Law which you have preached." "Good! Good!" exclaimed the Teacher, applauding him. Then said the Teacher to the monks, "Monks, every other monk should show his affection for me just as Dhammarama has done. For they that honor me with garlands, perfumes, and the like, honor me not; but they that practice the Higher and the Lower Law, they alone truly honor me." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, 364. He whose garden of delight is the Law, he that dehghts in the Law, he that ponders the Law, He that meditates upon the Law, that monk will never fall away from the Good Law. [95] At the conclusion of the lesson that monk was established in Arahatship; the assembled company also profited by the lesson.

[XXV. 5] XXV. 5. THE TRAITOR MONK Let him not disdain what he has himself received. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Veluvana with reference to a traitor monk. This monk, it appears, had as an intimate friend a certain monk who belonged to the faction of Devadatta. One day as he was returning from his breakfast, after accompanying his brother monks on their round for alms, the schismatic monk met him and asked him, "Where have you been?" "To such and such a place on my rounds." "Did you get any food?" "Yes, I got some." "Here we receive rich gifts and offerings; stay with us here for a while." The monk did as his friend suggested, tarried with Devadatta's monks for several days, and then returned to his own community. [96] The monks reported his offense to the Tathagata, saying, "Reverend Sir, this monk has been enjoying the gifts and offerings bestowed upon Devadatta; he is a partisan of Devadatta." The Teacher » Cf. Jataka 26: i. 185-188. Text: N iv. 95-97. -N.4.977] The traitor monk 251 caused the monk to be summoned before him and asked him, "Is the report true that you have done thus and so?" " Yes, Reverend Sir, I tarried with Devadatta's monks for a few days on account of a young monk who is a personal friend of mine, but I do not favor Devadatta's views." Said the Exalted One, "Granted that you do not hold erroneous views; yet you rove about as though you held the views of everyone you meet. But this is not the first time you have done such a thing; you did the same thing also in a previous state of existence." Said the monks, "Reverend Sir, we have seen with our own eyes what he did just now; but whose views did he hold in a previous state of existence.' Pray tell us all about it." So in response to their request, the Teacher related the following 5 a. Story of the Past: Elephant Damsel-face, Mahilamukha Jataka [After listening to the conversation of thieves and murderers, a well-behaved elephant becomes unruly and kills his keepers. But after listening to the conversation of sages and Brahmans, he becomes well-behaved again. The elephant Damsel-face was the traitor monk.] After listening to the words of thieves of old, Damsel-face ranged hither and thither, killing and destroying. But after listening to the words of men of self-control. This best of elephants recovered all of his good qualities. When the Teacher had related this Mahilamukha Jataka, he said, "Monks, anyone who is a monk should be contented with just what he has received, and should not covet that which others have received. For if he covet that which others have received, he will attain neither Trance nor Spiritual Insight nor Paths nor Fruits, — not one of these. But if he be content with that alone which he has himself received, [97] all these things will be added unto him." So saying, he expounded the Law, pronouncing the following Stanzas, 365. Let him not disdain what he has himself received, let him not envy others. For if a monk envy others, he will never attain Concentration. 366. Though a monk receive but little, if he disdain not what he has himself received. The gods will praise him as of blameless livelihood, unwearied.

[XXV. 6] XXV. 6. THE BRAHMAN WHO GAVE THE GIFTS OF FIRST-FRUITS He who has no attachment whatever. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to a Brahman who gave the five gifts of first-fruits. [98] When the grain was ripe, we are told, he gave the first-fruits of the field; when it was threshed, he gave the first-fruits of the threshingfloor; when it was put into the tubs, he gave the first-fruits of the tubs; when it was put into the boiler, he gave the first-fruits of the pot; when it was heaped upon the dish, he gave the first-fruits of the dish. Thus did he give the five gifts of first-fruits, tasting not a morsel himself until he had given to whoever was present. For this reason he came to be called Giver of the Five First-fruits. The Teacher, perceiving that the Brahman and his wife possessed the faculties requisite for the attainment of the Three Fruits, went and stood at the door of the Brahman's house at meal-time. The Brahman sat eating in front of the door, facing the interior of the house, and therefore did not see the Teacher as he stood at the door. But the Brahman's wife, as she served her husband with food, saw the Teacher and thought to herself, "This Brahman, after giving the Five Gifts of First-fruits, is eating his meal, and now comes the monk Gotama and stands at his door. If the Brahman sees him, he will take his own food and give it to him, and I shall not be able to cook any more for him." So turning her back on the Teacher, she stood behind her husband, stooping over so as to conceal the Teacher from the view of her husband, as if thinking to cover the full moon with her hand. Thus did she stand, watching the Teacher with half an eye and saying to herseK, "Has he gone or not?" The Teacher remained standing where he was. The Brahman's wife refrained from saying, "Pass on," for fear that her husband would hear. After a while, however, she stepped back and said in a very low tone of voice, "Pass on." "I will not go," thought the Teacher and shook his head. [99] When the Buddha, the Teacher of the World, thinking, "I will not go," shook his head, the Brahman's wife was not able to contain herself, and broke out into a loud laugh. At that moment the Teacher sent forth a radiant image of himself -N. 4. 10014] The Brahman who gave gifts of first-fruits 253 in the direction of the house. The Brahman, seated as he was with his back to the Teacher, at the same moment heard the sound of his wife's laughter, saw the reflection of the six-colored rays of light, and beheld the Teacher. For the Buddhas, whether it be in the village or in the forest, never depart without manifesting themselves to those who possess the predispositions to Conversion. When the Brahman saw the Teacher, he said to his wife, "Wife, I am ruined! When the King's Son came and stood at the door of my house, you should have informed me. By failing to do so you have committed a grievous fault." And taking the dish of food, of which he had eaten half, he went to the Teacher and said, "Sir Gotama, after giving the Five Gifts of First-fruits, I am eating my meal. The food which was prepared for me, I divided into two portions, and one of these portions I have eaten; will you accept this food at my hands.''" The Teacher, instead of saying, "I have no use for the food which you have left," said, "Brahman, both the first portion is proper for me; also, when the giver divides his meal into two portions, the second portion; the last portion also is proper for me: for, Brahman, we are like the ghosts that subsist on food given to others." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, Whether it be from the top, the middle, or the remainder. When a man who subsists on food given by others, receives a pellet of food Not worth praising, and does not speak of it as inferior. That man wise men know to be a sage. [100] The Brahman, hearing these words, rejoiced Inwardly and said, "How wonderful it is that a king's son, the Lord of the World, instead of saying, 'I have no use for the remnants of your food,' should speak as he does ! " And remaining standing at the door, he asked the Teacher the following question, "Sir Gotama, you call your own disciples 'monks.' What is it that makes a monk.''" The Teacher considered within himself, "How can I preach the Law to do this man the most good.''" Then he reflected, "In the dispensation of the Buddha Kassapa these two persons heard the discourse of those who dwelt on Name and Form; I ought not to let this opportunity go to preach to them on Name and Form." Accordingly he said, "Brahman, a monk is one who is not attracted or fettered or bound by Name and Form." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza,

[XXV. 7] XXV. 7. THE CONVERSION OF A PACK OF THIEVES ' That monk who abides in loving-kindness. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to a numerous company of monks. [101] For once upon a time, while Venerable Kaccana the Great was in residence in the Avanti country on a mountain near the city of Kuraraghara, a lay disciple named Sona Kutikanna, convinced of the truth of the Law by the preaching of the Elder, expressed a desire to retire from the world and become a monk under the Elder. Said the Elder, "Sona, it is a difficult matter to eat alone and lodge alone and live a life of chastity," and twice turned him away. But Sona was determined to become a monk, and on asking the Elder the third time, succeeded in obtaining admission to the Order. On account of the scarcity of monks in the South, he spent three years in that country, and then made his full profession as a member of the Order. Desiring to see the Teacher face to face, he asked leave of his preceptor, and taking a message from him, set out for Jetavana. On reaching Jetavana, he saluted the Teacher, who greeted him in a friendly manner and permitted him to lodge in the Perfumed Chamber alone with himseK. Sona spent the greater part of the night in the open air, and then, entering the Perfumed Chamber, spent the rest of the night on the couch assigned to him for his own use. When the dawn came, he intoned by command of the Teacher all of the Sixteen Octads. [102] When he had completed his recitation of the text, the Teacher thanked him and applauded him, saying, "Well done, well done, monk!" Hearing the applause bestowed upon him by the Teacher, the deities, beginning with deities of earth, Nagas and the Supannas, and extending to the World of Brahma, gave one shout of applause. At that moment also the deity resident in the house of the eminent female lay disciple who was the mother of the Elder Sona in Kuraraghara city, at a distance of a hundred and twenty leagues from the Jetavana, gave a loud shout of applause. The female lay disciple said to the deity, "Who is this that gives applause.'' " The deity replied, "It is I, sister." "Who are you?" "I am the deity resident in your -N.4. 10318 ] The conversion of a pack of thieves 9>55 house." "You have never before bestowed applause upon me; why do you do so to-day?" "I am not bestowing applause upon you." "Then upon whom are you bestowing applause.'" "Upon your son Elder Kutikanna Sona." "What has my son done.?" "To-day, your son, residing alone with the Teacher in the Perfumed Chamber, recited the Law to the Teacher. The Teacher, pleased with your son's recitation of the Law, bestowed applause upon him; therefore I also bestowed applause upon him. For when the deities heard the applause bestowed upon your son by the Supreme Buddha, all of them, from deities of earth to the World of Brahma, gave one shout of applause." "Master, do you really mean that my son recited the Law to the Teacher.' Did not the Teacher recite the Law to my son.''" "It was your son who recited the Law to the Teacher." As the deity thus spoke, the five kinds of joy sprang up within the disciple, suffusing her whole body. Then the following thought occurred to her, "If my son has been able, residing alone with the Teacher in the Perfumed Chamber, to recite the Law to him, [103] he will be able to recite the Law to me also. When my son returns, I will arrange for a hearing of the Law and will listen to his preaching of the Law." When the Teacher bestowed applause upon Elder Sona, the Elder thought to himself, "Now is the time for me to announce the message which my preceptor gave me." Accordingly Elder Sona asked the Teacher for five boons, asking first for full admission to the Order of the community of five monks in the borderlands, of whom one was a monk versed in the Vinaya. For a few days longer he resided with the Teacher, and then, thinking to himself, "I will now go see my preceptor," took leave of the Teacher, departed from the Jetavana, and in due course arrived at the abode of his preceptor. On the following day Elder Kaccana took Elder Sona with him and set out on his round for alms, going to the door of the house of the female lay disciple who was the mother of Sona. When the mother of Sona saw her son, her heart was filled with joy. She showed him every attention and asked him, "Dear son, is the report true that you resided alone with the Teacher in the Perfumed Chamber, and that you recited the Law to the Teacher .''" "Lay disciple, who told you that.''" "Dear son, the deity who resides in this house gave a loud shout of applause, and when I asked, 'Who is this that gives applause?' the deity replied, 'It is I,' and told me thus and so. "After I had listened to what he had to say, the following thought occurred to me, *If my son has recited the Law to the Teacher, he will be able to recite the Law to me also.' Dear son, since you have recited the Law to the Teacher, you will be able to recite it to me also. Therefore on such and such a day I will arrange for a hearing of the Law, and will listen to your preaching of the Law." He consented. The female lay disciple gave alms to the company of monks and rendered honor to them. Then she said to herself, "I will hear my son preach the Law." And leaving but a single female slave behind to guard the house, [104] she took all of her attendants with her and went to hear the Law. Within the city, in a pavilion erected for the hearing of the Law, her son ascended the gloriously adorned Seat of the Law and began to preach the Law. Now at this time nine hundred thieves were prowling about, trying to find some way of getting into the house of this female lay disciple. Now as a precaution against thieves, her house was surrounded with seven walls, provided with seven battlemented gates, and at frequent intervals about the circuit of the walls were savage dogs in leash. Moreover within, where the water dripped from the house-roof, a trench had been dug and filled with lead. In the daytime this mass of lead melted in the rays of the sun and became viscous, and in the night-time the surface became stiff and hard. Close to the trench, great iron pickets had been sunk in the ground in unbroken succession. Such were the precautionary measures against thieves taken by this female lay disciple. By reason of the defenses without the house and the presence of the lay disciple within, those thieves had been unable to find any way of getting in. But on that particular day, observing that she had left the house, they dug a tunnel under the leaden trench and the iron pickets, and thus succeeded in getting into the house. Having effected an entrance into the house, they sent the ringleader to watch the mistress of the house, saying to him, "If she hears that we have entered the house, and turns and sets out in the direction of the house, strike her with your sword and kill her." The ringleader went and stood beside her. The thieves, once within the house, lighted a light and opened the door of the room where the copper coins were kept. The female slave saw the thieves,, went to the female lay disciple her mistress, and told her, "My lady, many thieves have entered your house and have opened the door of the room where the copper coins are kept." The female lay disciple replied, "Let the thieves take all the copper coins they see. I am -N. 4. 1063] The conversion of a pack of thieves 257 listening to my son as he preaches the Law. Do not spoil the Law for me. Go home." So saying, she sent her back. When the thieves had emptied the room where the copper coins were kept, [105] they opened the door of the room where the silver coins were kept. The female slave went once more to her mistress and told her what had happened. The female lay disciple replied, "Let the thieves take whatever they will; do not spoil the Law for me," and sent her back again. When the thieves had emptied the room where the silver coins were kept, they opened the door of the room where the gold coins were kept. The female slave went once more to her mistress and told her what had happened. Then the female lay disciple addressed her and said, "Woman! you have come to me twice, and I have said to you, 'Let the thieves take whatever they wish to; I am listening to my son as he preaches the Law; do not bother me.' But in spite of all I have said, you have paid no attention to my words; on the contrary, you come back here again and again just the same. If you come back here once more, I shall deal with you according to your deserts. Go back home again." So saying, she sent her back. When the leader of the thieves heard these words of the female lay disciple, he said to himself, "If we steal the property of such a woman as this, Indra's thunderbolt will fall and break our heads," So he went to the thieves and said, "Hurry and put back the wealth of the female lay disciple where it was before." So the thieves filled again the room where the copper coins were kept with the copper coins, and the gold and silver rooms with the gold and silver coins. It is invariably true, we are told, that righteousness keeps whoever walks in righteousness. Therefore said the Exalted One, Righteousness truly protects him who walks in righteousness; Righteous living brings happiness. Herein is the advantage of living righteously; He who walks in righteousness will never go to a state of suflFering. The thieves went to the pavilion and listened to the Law. As the night grew bright, the Elder finished his recitation of the Law and descended from the Seat of the Law. At that moment the leader of the thieves prostrated himself at the feet of the female lay disciple and said to her, "Pardon me, my lady." "Friend, what do you mean." [106] "I took a dislike to you and stood beside you, intending to kill you." "Very well, friend, I pardon you." The rest of the thieves did the same. "Friends, I pardon you," said the female lay disciple. Then said the thieves to the female lay disciple, "My lady, if you pardon us, obtain for us the privilege of entering the Order under your son." The female lay disciple saluted her son and said, "Dear son, these thieves are so pleased with my good qualities and with your recitation of the Law, that they desire to be admitted to the Order; admit them to the Order." "Very well," replied the Elder. So he caused the skirts of the undergarments they wore to be cut off, had their garments dyed with red clay, admitted them to the Order, and established them in the Precepts. When they had made their full profession as members of the Order, he gave to each one of them a separate Subject of Meditation. Then those nine hundred monJks took the nine hundred Subjects of Meditation which they had severally received, climbed a certain mountain, and sitting each under the shadow of a separate tree, applied themselves to meditation. The Teacher, even as he sat in the Great Monastery at Jetavana, a hundred and twenty leagues away, scrutinized those monks, chose a form of instruction suited to their dispositions, sent forth a radiant image of himself, and as though sitting face to face with them and talking to them, pronounced the following Stanzas, 368. That monk who abides in loving-kindness, and who has faith in the Religion of the Buddha, Will reach the Place of Peace, Cessation of Existence, Happiness. 369. Monk, bale out this boat, for if it be baled out, light will it go for you. Destroy both lust and hatred; then to Nibbana will you go. 370. Cut off Five, renounce Five, develop Five more. The monk who has escaped from the Five Fetters is called " one who has crossed the flood." [107] 371. Meditate, O monk, and be not heedless; permit not the pleasures of sense to sway your heart. Lest as a punishment for your heedlessness, you swallow the iron ball, lest you cry as you burn, "This is pain." 372. Meditation is impossible for him who lacks wisdom; wisdom is impossible for him who meditates not; He that both meditates and possesses wisdom is near Nibbana. 373. The monk who with tranquil heart enters an empty house, Experiences an unearthly delight through his right discernment of the Law. -N.4. 11310 ] The conversion of a pack of thieves 259 375. This is the proper way for a wise monk to begin in this world : Guarding of the senses, contentment, restraint under the Precepts; Cultivate virtuous friends, whose Uves are pure, who faint not by the way. 376. One should be cordial in manner, one should be upright in conduct; So will one experience profound joy and make an end of suflFering.

[XXV. 8] XXV. 8. "THE GRASS WITHERETH, THE FLOWER FADETH"! Even as the jasmine. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to five hundred monks. [112] The story goes that these monks obtained a Subject of Meditation from the Teacher, retired to the forest, and applied themselves to meditation. While thus engaged, they saw jasmine flowers which had blossomed that very morning, dropping in the evening from the stem. Thereupon they thought to themselves, "We will obtain release from lust, hatred, and delusion, before you obtain release from your stems," and applied themselves to meditation with renewed vigor. The Teacher beheld those monks and said, "Monks, even as a flower is released from its stem, even so should a monk strive to obtain release from the pain of birth and rebirth." And even as he sat within the Perfumed Chamber, he sent forth a light and pronounced the following Stanza, 377. Even as the jasmine sheds its withered flowers, Even so, monks, should one shed lust and hatred. [113] At the conclusion of the lesson, all those monks were established in Arahatship.

[XXV. 9] XXV. 9. THE MONK WHOSE MOTHER WAS A LIONESS The monk who is tranquil in action. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to Elder Santakaya. It is said of this monk that he was never guilty of any improper movement of hand or foot. He never yawned or stretched out his arms and legs, but always carried himself with composure and dignity. The story goes that this Elder issued from the womb of a lioness. It is said of lionesses that if on any day they find prey, they enter one or another of the caves of silver, gold, jewels, and coral, and lie for the space of seven days on beds composed of the powder of red arsenic and yellow orpiment. On the seventh day they arise and survey the beds where they have lain, and if they notice that by reason of the movement of their tails or ears or forefeet or hindfeet, the powder of red arsenic and yellow orpiment has been scattered about, they say to themselves, "This does not become your birth or lineage,' and lie down again and fast for seven days more. Then, provided the powder has not been scattered about, they say to themselves, [114] "This becomes your birth and lineage," come forth from their lairs, yawn and stretch themselves, take a view of the cardinal points, roar the lion's roar three times, and go forth in search of prey. From the womb of such a lioness as this did this monk issue forth. The composure and dignity of this monk attracted the attention of the other monks, and they said to the Teacher, "Reverend Sir, we have never seen such a monk as Elder Santakaya : for when he assumes a sitting posture, he never moves his hands; he never moves his feet; he never yawns, or stretches out his arms and legs." When the Teacher heard this, he said, "Monks, he that is a monk should be, like Elder Santakaya, composed in action, speech, and thought. ' So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, 378. The monk who is tranquil in action, tranquil in speech, tranquil in thought, collected. Who has rejected the allurements of the world, he is truly called "composed."

[XXV. 10] XXV. 10. THE MONK AND THE RAGGED GARMENT » Admonish thyself by thyself. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to Elder Nangalakula. [115] The story goes that there was a certain poor man who made his living by working for other people. One day a monk saw him going along, clad only in a ragged loin-cloth, with his plow on his shoulder. » Cf. Story X. 10. Text: N iv. 115-117. -N. 4. 11616] The monk and the ragged garment 261 Said the monk to the plowman, "If this is the way you make your living, why shouldn't you become a monk?" "Reverend Sir, who would make a monk of a man that gets his living as I do?" "If you will consent to become a monk, I will make a monk of you." "Very well. Reverend Sir; if you will make a monk of me, I will become a monk." So that Elder took him to Jetavana, bathed him with his own hands, and causing him to stand within the inclosure, made a monk of him. Having so done, the Elder caused him to take his loin-cloth and his plow and hang them up on the branch of a tree that grew by the boundary of the inclosure. On making his full profession as a member of the Order, he received the name Nangalakula Thera, Elder Plowman. After living for some time on the rich gifts and offerings which are bestowed upon the Buddhas, Elder Plowman became discontented. Unable to banish discontent, he said to himself, "I will no longer go about clad in yellow robes given by the faithful." So he went to the foot of the tree and all by himself admonished himself as follows, "You shameless, immodest fellow! So you have actually decided that you wish to put on these rags, return to the world, and work for hire!" After he had admonished himself in this fashion for a while, his resolution weakened, and he returned to the monastery again. [116] After a few days, however, he became discontented once more. So he admonished himself in the same manner as before, and changed his mind again. And in this manner, whenever he became discontented, he would go to the foot of the tree and admonish himself. The monks observed that he went repeatedly to the foot of the tree. So they asked him, "Brother Nangalakula, why do you go there?" "Reverend Sirs, I go there to visit my teacher." After a few days he attained Arahatship. Then the monks made sport of him and said, "Brother Nangalakula, it appears that you no longer make use of the path by which you used to travel back and forth. Doubtless you go no more to visit your teacher." "Precisely so, Reverend Sirs; when I was of the world, I used to go back and forth; but now that I have severed connection with the world, I no longer do so." When the monks heard this, they reported the matter to the Teacher, saying, "This monk tells what is not true, utters falsehood." Said the Teacher, "IMonks, what he says is quite true. My son has admonished himself by himself, and has thus reached the consummation of the religious life." So saying, he preached the Law by pronouncing the following Stanzas, 379. Admonish thyself by thyself; examine thyself by thyself; Guard thyself ; be mindful: do this, O monk! and thou shalt live in happiness. 380. For self is the lord of self, self is the refuge of self: Therefore curb thyself, as a merchant curbs a goodly steed.

[XXV. 11] XXV. 11. "WHOSOEVER BEHOLDS THE LAW, HE BEHOLDS ME"i Full of joy. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Veluvana with reference to Elder Vakkali. [118] This Venerable Elder, we are told, was reborn at Savatthi in the household of a Brahman. One day after he had reached manhood he saw the Tathagata enter the city for alms. Having surveyed the Teacher's beauty of person, not satisfied with the sight of the beauty of his person, he said to himself, "I will obtain the privilege of looking thus at all times upon the Tathagata." He therefore retired from the world and became a monk under the Teacher. He always stood where he could see the Possessor of the Ten Forces, and abandoning the recitation of the Sacred Word and the Practice of Meditation, he spent his whole time gazing upon the Teacher. The Teacher waited for his knowledge to ripen and said not a word. One day the Teacher perceived within himself, "Now his knowledge has ripened;" so he said to him, "Vakkali, what shall it profit you to look upon this mass of corruption which is called my body. Whosoever, Vakkali, beholds the Law, he beholds me." Thus did the Teacher admonish Elder Vakkali. But in spite of the Teacher's admonition, Vakkali could not let the Teacher get out of his sight or leave the Teacher's presence. Finally the Teacher thought to himself, "Unless this monk receives a shock, he will never come to understand." Now the season of the rains was at hand, and the Teacher desired to enter upon residence. So on the day appointed to enter upon residence, the Teacher went to Rajagaha, turning Vakkali away with the words, " Go back, Vakkali." So for the space of three months Vakkali was unable to be -N. 4. 11921] ''Whosoever beholds the Law, he beholds me 263 with the Teacher and kept saying to himself, "The Teacher speaks to me no more." Finally he said to himself, "What is the use of my living any longer? I will throw myself headlong from the top of a mountain." And with this thought in mind, he climbed to the top of Mount Vulture Peak. The Teacher, perceiving that he was depressed and weary of the world, thought to himself, "If this monk receives no comfort nor consolation from me, he will destroy his predispositions to the attainment of the Paths and the Fruits." Accordingly he sent forth a radiant image of himself and displayed himself before the gaze of the monk. The moment the monk saw the Teacher, the weight of sorrow which oppressed him vanished. Then the Teacher, as though filling the dry bed of a lake with a torrent of water, caused intense joy and satisfaction to spring up within the monk, and pronounced the following Stanza, [119] 381. Full of joy and satisfaction, the monk who has perfect faith in the Religion of the Buddha Will reach the Place of Peace, Cessation of Existence, Happiness. Having pronounced this Stanza, the Teacher stretched forth his hand to Elder Vakkali and said. Come, Vakkali! fear not, as you look upon the Tathagata. I will lift you up, even as one extricates an elephant that has simk in the mire. Come, Vakkali! fear not, as you look upon the Tathagata. I will release you, even as one releases the sun from the maw of Rahu. Come, Vakkali! fear not, as you look upon the Tathagata. I will release you, even as one releases the moon from the maw of Rahu. Elder Vakkali thought, "I have seen the Possessor of the Ten Forces, and he speaks to me, saying, 'Come!'" Straightway he experienced profound joy. "How pray shall I go.''" thought he. And standing there on the mountain-top, though he saw no path, he sprang into the air face to face with the Possessor of the Ten Forces, on hearing the first words of the Stanza. And as he soared through the air, pondering the Stanzas pronounced by the Teacher, he completely suppressed the emotion of joy and attained Arahatship together with the Supernatural Powers. And praising the Tathagata, he descended to the ground and stood in the presence of the Teacher. On a subsequent occasion the Teacher assigned him the foremost place among those who possess the propensity for faith.

[XXV. 12] XXV. 12. THE NOVICE AND THE DRAGON That monk who while still young. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Pubbarama with reference to the novice Sumana. The story from beginning to end is as follows: [120] 12 a. Story of the Past: The poor man Annabhara and the rich man Stmiana In the dispensation of the Buddha Padumuttara a certain youth saw the Teacher in the midst of the Fourfold Assembly assign to a certain monk the place of Foremost of those who possess Supernatural Vision. Desiring the same Attainment for himself, he invited the Teacher to be his guest, gave alms for seven days to the Congregation of Monks presided over by the Buddha, and made the following Earnest Wish: "Reverend Sir, may I also in time to come, under the dispensation of some Buddha, become Foremost of those who possess Supernatural Vision." The Teacher surveyed a hundred thousand cycles of time, and seeing that his Earnest Wish would be fulfilled, made the following prophecy: "A hundred thousand cycles of time from now, under the dispensation of the Buddha Gotama, this youth will be Foremost of those who possess Supernatural Vision, and his name will be Anuruddha." After the youth had heard this prophecy, it seemed to him every day as if he were about to reach this Attainment on the next. When the Teacher passed into Nibbana, he asked the monks to tell him the procedure preliminary to the attainment of Supernatural Vision. Causing many thousand torches to be set up in a circle about the golden shrine of the Teacher, seven leagues in extent, he honored him with the Offering of Light. Passing from that state of existence, he was reborn in the World of the Gods, and after passing from one state of existence to another during a hundred thousand cycles of time, he was reborn in this age of the world at Benares in the household of a poor man. He made his living as a grass-carrier for Treasurer Sumana, and his name was Food-bearer, Annabhara. Treasurer Sumana constantly gave large gifts in this city. -N. 4.12210] The novice and the dragon 265 Now one day a Private Buddha named Uparittha arose from a Trance of Cessation in Gandhamadana, [121] and considered witliin himself, "To whom shall I show favor to-day?" Straightway the thought came to him, "To-day I ought to show my favor to Annabhara." And perceiving within himself, "At this moment Annabhara is on the point of returning home from the forest with his grass," he took bowl and robe, and proceeding by supernatural power, appeared before Annabhara. Annabhara, seeing that the bowl in his hand was empty, asked him, "Reverend Sir, have you received no food.'" The Private Buddha replied, "It is my expectation to receive food, man of great merit." "Well then, Reverend Sir, wait a moment," said Annabhara. Throwing down his pingo, he went home quickly and asked his wife, "My dear wife, is there a portion of food set aside for me, or is there not.'" "There is, master," replied his wife. So Annabhara returned quickly to the Private Buddha and took his bowl. Thought he to himself, "Hitherto, when I have desired to give alms, I have had no alms to give; and when I have had alms to give, I have not succeeded in finding anyone to give them to. To-day, however, I have not only seen a recipient for my alms, but I have alms to give. Fortunate indeed am I!" So he went home, poured the boiled rice into the bowl, took it back, placed it in the hands of the Private Buddha, and made the following Earnest Wish: "Reverend Sir, may I obtain release from such a wretched life as I now lead; may I never so much as hear the word isrit. The Private Buddha returned thanks, saying, "So be it, man of great merit," and went his way. The deity residing in Treasurer Sumana's parasol exclaimed, "Oh, the gift, supreme gift, well bestowed on Uparittha!" [122] and thrice applauded him. Said the treasurer to him, "Have you not seen me giving gifts all along?" The deity replied, "I am not giving applause with reference to this gift of yours; it was because of the pleasure and satisfaction it afforded me to see Annabhara give alms to Uparittha that I bestowed this applause." "Wonderful indeed!" exclaimed the treasurer. "All this time I have given alms, and yet have not succeeded in winning applause from this deity. But Annabhara, who gains his living by working for me, has won applause from him by giving a single portion of alms. I will give him a suitable price for his gift and make this portion of alms my own." Accordingly the treasurer caused Annabhara to be summoned and asked him, "Did you give alms to anybody to-day?" "Yes, master, I gave my portion of boiled rice to the Private Buddha Uparittha to-day." "Here, take this penny and give me this portion of alms." "I will not give it, master." The treasurer gradually increased his offer to a thousand pieces of money, but Annabhara refused to give his portion of alms. Then said the treasurer, "Very well, sir, if you will not give me the portion of alms, take a thousand pieces of money and make over to me the merit of your gift." Annabhara replied, "I will consult with his reverence, and then make up my mind what to do." So he went quickly to the Private Buddha and asked him, "Reverend Sir, the Treasurer Sumana has offered me a thousand pieces of money, asking me to make over to him the merit I acquired by giving you a portion of alms. What shall I do? " The Private Buddha answered by a simile: "Wise man, it is as if in a village consisting of a hundred families, a man were to light a lamp in a single house and the rest of the villagers were to moisten their wicks with their own oil, light their lamps, and take them away with them. [123] Is that light the light of the first lamp or not?" "Reverend Sir, in that case the light of the first lamp has multiplied itself." " Wise man, precisely so is it with the alms you gave. Whether it be a ladleful of broth, or a spoonful of boiled rice, when a man makes over to others the merit of a portion of alms which he has given, the merit thereof increases according to the number of persons to whom he gives. To be sure, you have given but a single portion of alms. But in making over the merit thereof to the treasurer, that one portion of alms has become two, of which one belongs to you and the other to him." "Very well. Reverend Sir," said Annabhara. And taking leave of the Private Buddha, he went to the treasurer and said, "Master, receive the merit of the portion of alms which I gave." "Well then, take these pieces of money." "I will not sell the portion of alms I gave. I give you the merit thereof as an Act of Faith." "Then give it to me as an Act of Faith. For my part, I honor your noble qualities. Friend, take this money. But from this very day, work no more for me with your own hands. Build a house for yourself in the principal street of the city and take up your residence therein. Whatever you may require for your purposes, take all from my store." Such was the immediate fruit of a portion of alms given to one who had arisen from a Trance of Cessation. Therefore the king also, hearing of the incident, caused Annabhara to be summoned before -N. 4. 1256] The novice and the dragon 267 him, obtained from him a share of the merit, gave him great wealth, and gave him the post of treasurer. Thus did Annabhara become a friend of Treasurer Sumana. After performing works of merit to the end of his life, he passed from that state of, existence and was reborn in the World of the Gods. After passing from one state of existence to another in the Worlds of the Gods and the world of men, [124] he obtained a new conception in the dispensation of the present Buddha in the city of Kapilavatthu in the household of Amitodana the Sakyan. At the end of ten lunar months his mother gave him birth. He was named Anuruddha. He was the youngest brother of Mahanama, son of the Teacher's uncle. He was very delicately nurtured and was the possessor of a vast store of merit. 12 b. Story of the Present: Anuruddha retires from the world The story goes that one day six Khattiyas engaged in a game of marbles, staking cakes on the result. Anuruddha lost and sent to his mother for cakes. His mother filled a large golden dish with cakes and sent them to him. The six KJiattiyas ate the cakes and resumed their play. Anuruddha lost again and sent to his mother for some more cakes. Three times in all, his mother sent him cakes. The fourth time she sent back word, "There isn't cake to send." When Anuruddha received her message, having never before heard the word isnH, he imagined to himself, "These must be isnt cakes." So he sent the man back, saying to him, "Go fetch some isn't cakes." When his mother received the message, "My lady, send me some isuH cakes," she thought to herself, "My son has never heard the word isnt. How can I teach him what isn't means .5" So she washed a golden bowl, covered it with another golden bowl, and sent it to her son, saying to the bearer, "Here, friend, give this to my son." At that moment the guardian deities of the city thought, "In our master's previous existence as Annabhara he gave food that was his own portion to the Private Buddha Uparittha, [125] making the Earnest Wish, 'May I never hear the word isnt. If we, knowing all this as we do, should look on complacently, it may even happen that our heads will split into seven pieces." So they filled the dish with celestial cakes. The man carried the dish back, set it down before the six Khattiyas, and uncovered it. TBe fragrance of the cakes permeated the entire city. Moreover, the moment a morsel of this cake was placed in the mouth, it thrilled the seven thousand nerves of taste. Anuruddha thought, "Doubtless my mother never loved me before, for never at any other time has she fried isn't cakes for me." So he went to his mother and said to her, "Dear mother, do you not love me.'*" "Dear son, what are you saying.'' You are dearer to me than my very eyes, dearer to me than my heart's flesh." "Dear mother, if you really love me, why have you never before given me such cakes as these isuH cakes.'*" Anuruddha's mother asked the man, "Friend, was there anything in the dish.'*" "Yes, my lady, the dish was filled with cakes the like of which I never saw before." Anuruddha's mother thought, "My son has wrought works of merit, and deities must therefore have sent him celestial cakes." Anuruddha said to his mother, "Dear mother, I never ate such cakes as these before. From this time forth fry isn't cake alone for me." So from that time forth, whenever Anuruddha said, "I should like some cakes to eat," his mother would wash a golden bowl, [126] cover it with another bowl, and send it to him, and the deities would fill the dish with celestial cakes. Thus during all the time Anuruddha lived amid the cares of the household life, he never knew the meaning of the word isn't and lived altogether on celestial cakes. Now when one after another the sons of families belonging to the Sakya clan had retired from the world to form the Teacher's retinue, Mahanama the Sakyan said to his younger brother Anuruddha, "Dear brother, no member of our family has yet retired from the world and become a monk. Either you or I ought to retire from the world and become a monk." Anuruddha replied, "I have been delicately nurtured; I shall never be able to retire from the world and live the life of a monk." "Well then, you take up farming, and I will become a monk." "What is this /armiw." For Anuruddha did not even know where food comes from; how therefore could he be expected to know the meaning oi farming? Therefore did he speak thus. For one day the three princes Anuruddha, Bhaddiya, and Kimbila engaged in a discussion of the question, "Where does food come from?' Kimbila said, "It comes from the granary." (It seems that one day Kimbila saw rice being put into a granary. So he imagined, "Food comes from the granary," and said so.) Bhaddiya said to Kimbila, "You know nothing about it; food comes from the boiler." (It seems that one day Bhaddiya saw food being taken out of the boiler. So he imagined, "Food comes from the boiler," and said so.) Anuruddha -N.4.1286] The novice and the dragon 269 said to both of them, "You know nothing about it; [127] food comes from a huge golden bowl with a jeweled knob." (It seems that Anuruddha had never seen men pounding rice or boihng it, but had seen it only after it had been taken out of the boiler and set before him in a golden bowl. So Anuruddha imagined, "It comes from the bowl and nowhere else," and said so.) How could this youth of great merit who was so unsophisticated as not to know even where food comes from, be expected to know the meaning oi farming? Said Mahanama, "Come, Anuruddha, I will tell you what a man who lives the life of a householder must do. First you must cause the jSeld to be plowed." And beginning at the beginning, Mahanama instructed his brother in the various duties. Now after Anuruddha had heard his brother enumerate the endless round of duties connected with the life of a householder, he said, "I have no use for the householder's life." So he asked leave of his mother to retire from the world and become a monk. And joining the five Sakyan princes, he went forth from the city with them, went to Anupiya Mango-grove, approached the Teacher, and retired from the world. Having retired from the world, he walked in the way of righteousness, and in due time realized Threefold Knowledge. Reclining on his solitary couch, able now by Supernatural Vision to survey the thousand worlds as easily as emblic myrobalans placed on the palm of the hand, he breathed forth the following Solemn Utterance : I know my former abodes, I have acquired Sui)ematural Vision, I have gained Threefold Knowledge, I have attained magical power, I have mastered the teaching of the Buddha. "What did I do to win this Attainment?" thought Anuruddha. Straightway he perceived, "In the dispensation of the Buddha Padumuttara I made an Earnest Wish; and at a later time, as I passed through the round of birth and rebirth, I was reborn at Benares at such and such a time, and gained my living by working for hire for Treasurer Sumana. Annabhara was my name." And he said, [128] In a previous state of existence I was Annabhara, a poor man, a grass-carrier. I gave a portion of alms to the famous Uparittha. Then the following thought occurred to him, "Where has my friend Treasurer Sumana been reborn, he that offered me money for the portion of alms I gave to Uparittha, and received the merit thereof.' " Straightway he saw him and said, "In Vinjha Forest, at the foot of a mountain, there is a market-town named Munda; and there lives a lay disciple named Maha Munda, and he has two sons, Maha Sumana and Culla Sumana. Treasurer Sumana has been reborn as CuUa Sumana." Having seen him, he thought to himself, "Is there any use in my going there or not." Considering the matter, he saw the following, "So soon as I go there, although he is but seven years old, he will come forth from the world and become a monk, and will attain Arahatship at the razor's edge." Having seen all this, since the season of the rains was at hand, he proceeded through the air and alighted at the gate of the village. 12 c. Story of the Present: The novice Sumana and the dragon Now the lay disciple Maha Munda had been an intimate friend of the Elder in a previous state of existence also. So when it was time to go the rounds for alms, seeing the Elder putting on his robe, he said to his son Maha Sumana, "Dear son, my noble master the Elder Anuruddha has arrived. So long as no one else takes his bowl, you go take his bowl, and I will provide a seat for him." Maha Sumana did so. The lay disciple showed the Elder every attention in his house, and obtained his promise to reside there during the three months of the rains, the Elder graciously consenting. The lay disciple cared for the Elder during the three months of the rains as faithfully as though he were caring for him for but a single day. [129] At the festival of Maha Pavarana he brought treacle, oil, rice, and the like, placed them at the Elder's feet, and said to him, "Accept these, Reverend Sir." "Enough, lay disciple, I have no use for these." "Reverend Sir, this is the usual offering bestowed upon those who have kept residence; pray accept it." "Enough, lay disciple.' "Why will you not accept it, Reverend Sir?" "I have no novice to attend me." "Well then. Reverend Sir, my son Maha Sumana will be your novice." "Lay disciple, I have no use for Maha Sumana.' "Well then. Reverend Sir, admit Culla Sumana to the Order." "Very well," replied the Elder, consenting, and admitted Culla Sumana to the Order. Culla Sumana attained Arahatship at the razor's edge. The Elder tarried there with him for a fortnight and then, saying to himself, "I will go see the Teacher," took leave of his kinsfolk, proceeded through the air to the Himalaya country, and descended to the ground at Arafifiakutika. Now the Elder was ordinarily energetic and active, and as he walked -N. 4. 1313] The novice and the dragon 271 back and forth during the former and the latter part of the night, he began to suffer with indigestion. The novice noticed that he looked haggard and pale and asked him, "Reverend Sir, what ails you?" "I am troubled with indigestion." "Have you ever before been troubled with it, Reverend Sir?" "Yes, brother." "What will cure you, Reverend Sir?" "Brother, drinking-water brought from Lake Anotatta will cure me." "Well then. Reverend Sir, I will fetch you some." "Can you do so, novice?" "Yes, Reverend Sir." "Well then, Pannaka, king of the dragons, who lives at Lake Anotatta, knows me; tell him your errand, and fetch me a jar of drinking-water for medicinal purposes." "Very well," replied the novice, and saluting his preceptor, he rose into the air and proceeded to Lake Anotatta, five hundred leagues away. [130] Now on that day the king of the dragons had laid his plans to disport himself in the water in company with some dancing dragons. When therefore he saw the novice approaching, he became very angry. Said he to himself, "Here this shaveling novice walks about, scattering the dust of his own feet on the top of my head! He must have come to fetch drinking-water from Lake Anotatta. Well, I will not let him have any drinking-water!" And forthwith he lay down, covering with his hood the whole of Lake Anotatta, fifty leagues in extent, just as one would cover a kettle with a great dish. The novice observed the manner of the king of the dragons, and perceiving within himself, "He is angry," pronounced the following Stanza, Hear me, king of dragons, possessed of terrible heat and mighty strength; Give me a jar of water; I have come for medicine. Hearing this, the king of the dragons pronounced the following Stanza, In the Eastern quarter a mighty river known as the Ganges Empties into the Great Ocean. Fetch water thence. When the novice heard this, he thought to himself, "This dragon will not give me water of his own free will. I will therefore employ violence, display great supernatural power, overpower him, and take the water." [131] So the novice said to the king of the dragons, "Mighty king, my preceptor directed me to fetch drinking-water from Lake Anotatta and nowhere else. Therefore I will fetch only this water. Depart from me; do not seek to hinder me." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, Hence only will I fetch drinking-water; this alone do I seek. If you jKJSsess i)ower and strength, king of dragons, restrain yourself. Said the king of the dragons to the novice. Novice, if you possess strength and manhood (I applaud your words), — take my drinking-water with you. Then said the novice to the king of the dragons, "Thus, mighty king, will I take the water." Said the king of the dragons, "Take it if you can.' "Very well," said the novice, "make up your mind for certain." Three times did the novice exact a promise from the king of the dragons. Then he thought to himself, "I had best manifest the power of the Religion of the Buddha in taking this water." So he went to the deities who dwell in the sky. They approached, saluted him, and said, "What do you wish. Reverend Sir.?" "There is going to be a battle between me and Pannaka king of the dragons, who broods over the surface of Lake Anotatta; go there and see who wins and who loses." * In like manner the novice went to the Four Warders of the World, and to Sakka, Suyama, Santusita, Paranimmita-Vasavatti, and told them what was about to happen. Then he went farther to each one of the Brahma Worlds, nine in number. The Brahma of each of these worlds [132] approached, saluted him, and asked, "What do you wish. Reverend Sir?" The novice told each of them what was about to happen. Thus the novice passed through each of the worlds in but an instant of time, visiting all of the deities except the Unconscious Deities and the Formless Brahmas, and told the deities what was about to happen. Hearing his words, all of the deities assembled on the surface of Lake Anotatta, filling the sky completely, as when powdered lead is put into a pint-measure. When the host of deities had assembled, the novice, poised in the air, spoke thus to the king of the dragons. Hear me, king of dragons, possessed of terrible heat and mighty strength; Give me a jar of water; I have come for medicine. The king of the dragons replied, Novice, if you possess strength and manhood (I applaud your words), — take my drinking-water with you. Having thrice exacted a promise from the king of the dragons, the novice, poised in the air, assumed the form of Brahma, twelve leagues in height, and descending from the sky, trod upon the hood of the -N. 4. 1347] The novice and the dragon 273 king of the dragons, forced his head downwards, and squeezed him with all his might. Just as when a strong man treads on a wet skin, so also, the instant the novice trod on the hood of the dragon, folds formed in the dragon's hood the size of spoons, and slipped away. And from every place from which the folds of the dragon's hood had slipped, spurted jets of water as tall as the trunks of palmyra-trees. The novice, poised in the air, [133] filled his jar with drinking-water. The host of deities gave their applause. The king of the dragons was overwhelmed with shame, and filled with anger towards the novice, and his eyes took on the color of the gunja berry. Said the king of the dragons to himself, "This fellow has gathered together a host of deities, trod on my hood, and put me to shame. I will seize him, thrust his hand into my mouth, and crush the flesh of his heart. Or I will pick him up by his heels and throw him over the Ganges.' And setting out with all speed, he pursued him, but was unable to overtake him. The novice went back to his preceptor, placed the jar of water in his hands, and said to him, "Drink thereof. Reverend Sir." The king of the dragons came up behind him and said to the preceptor, "Reverend Sir, your novice Anuruddha took water I did not give him and brought it to you; do not drink it." "Novice, is this true?" "Drink, Reverend Sir; the water I have brought to you was given to me by the king of the dragons himself." The Elder knew in his heart, "It is impossible that a novice who has attained Arahatship should utter a falsehood," and therefore drank of the water. The moment he did so he felt better. Again the dragon said to the Elder, "Reverend Sir, your novice assembled the host of the deities, one and all, and put me to an open shame. I intend either to split his heart for him or to pick him up by the heels and fling him over the Ganges." "Mighty king, the novice possesses great supernatural power; you will never be able to fight with the novice; beg his pardon and go." [134] Now the king of the dragons knew without anybody's telling him, that the novice possessed great supernatural power, and pursued him merely out of a sense of shame. Therefore he obeyed the Elder's command, asked the novice to pardon him, made friends with him and said to the novice, "Henceforth, when you need water from Lake Anotatta, do not put yourself to the trouble of coming for it. Simply send a message, and I will myself bring the water and give it to you." Having so said, he departed. The Elder took the novice with him and set out on his round. The Teacher, knowing that the Elder was on his way, sat in the mansion of the Mother of Migara, waiting for the Elder to come. When the monks saw the Elder approaching, they came forth to meet him and took his bowl and robe. Some of them patted the novice on the head and tweaked his ears, saying, "Little novice, are you not discontented?" When the Teacher saw what they were doing, he thought to himself, "These monks are doing a very wrong thing in taking liberties with this novice. They are taking hold of this novice as one would take a poisonous snake by the neck. They do not know how great is the supernatural power which he possesses. I ought this very day to make known the virtues of the novice Sumana." The Elder approached, saluted the Teacher, and sat down. The Teacher exchanged friendly greetings with the Elder, and addressed the Elder Ananda as follows, "Ananda, I desire to bathe my feet in water from Lake Anotatta. Give water-pots to the novices and bid them fetch water." [135]' _ The Elder Ananda assembled five hundred novices within the monastery, of whom the novice Sumana was the youngest of all. Said the Elder to the oldest novice of all, "Novice, the Teacher desires to bathe his feet in water from Lake Anotatta. Take a water-pot, go to Lake Anotatta, and fetch water from thence." "I cannot do it, Reverend Sir," replied the oldest novice, declining to go. The Elder then asked each of the remaining novices in turn, and they likewise refused. But were there no novices who had attained Arahatship? Of course there were, but they refused to go because they knew, "This basket of flowers was not made for us; it was made solely for the novice Sumana." Those who had not yet attained the Fruit of Conversion refused because they knew that they were unequal to the task. Finally the novice Sumana's turn came. Said the Elder Ananda, "Novice, the Teacher desires to bathe his feet in water from Lake Anotatta, and requests that you take a water-pot and fetch him water." "If the Teacher desires me to fetch him water, I will fetch it," replied the novice. And saluting the Teacher, he said, "Reverend Sir, I am informed that you desire me to fetch water from Lake Anotatta." "Yes, Sumana." Thereupon the novice selected from among the monastery vessels of solid beaten gold which had been made by command of Visakha, a great hogshead with a capacity of sixty water-pots of water. Said he to himself, "There is no need of my -N.4.1375] The novice and the dragon 275 raising this and placing it on my shoulder." So taking it in his hand and letting it hang down, he soared into the air and struck out in the direction of the Himalaya country. While the novice was yet a long way off, the king of the dragons saw him approaching, and advancing to meet him, [136] took the hogshead, placed it on his shoulder, and said to the novice, "Reverend Sir, so long as you have a slave like me in the land of the living, why did you come in person.'' If you needed water, why did you not just send a message.*" And filling the hogshead with water, he lifted it up himself and said to the novice, "You go ahead. Reverend Sir; I myself will carry the water." "Remain where you are, great king," replied the novice; "I have received a command from the Supreme Buddha." So saying, he caused the king of the dragons to turn back; and grasping the hogshead with his hand by the rim, he soared away into the air. The Teacher saw him approaching and addressed the monks as follows, "Monks, behold the grace of the novice! He soars through the air with grace equal to that of a royal swan." The novice set down the hogshead of water and saluted the Teacher. Said the Teacher to the novice, "How old are you, Sumana?" "I am seven years old, Reverend Sir." "Well then, Sumana, from this day forth be a monk." So saying, the Teacher bestowed on him the inheritance of admission to full membership in the Order. It is said that but two novices ever received admission to full membership in the Order at the age of seven years : this novice Sumana and the novice Sopaka. When this novice Sumana had thus received admission to full membership in the Order, the monks began the following discussion in the Hall of Truth, "How wonderful it is, brethren! How great is the supernatural power of this novice! We have never seen supernatural power so marvelous before!" At that moment the Teacher drew near and asked the monks, "Monks, what is the subject that engages your attention now as you sit here all gathered together?" When they told him, he said, "Monks, such is the Attainment that even a young monk wins in my Religion, if he walk in righteousness." [137] So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza,

[XXVI. 1] XXVI. 1. BRAHMAN GREAT-JOY i Cleave the stream. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to Brahman Great-Joy, Pasadabahula. [138] The story goes that this Brahman once heard the Exalted One preach the Law, and was so delighted at heart that he thereafter gave food regularly to sixteen monks at his house. When the monks came, he would take their bowls and say, "May the Reverend Arahats draw near! May the Reverend Arahats sit down!" No matter whom he addressed, he greeted all of the monks with the title "Arahats." Now those of the monks who had not yet attained the Fruit of Conversion thought to themselves, "This layman thinks that there are Arahats among us;" and those who had attained Arahatship thought to themselves, "This layman does not know that we have attained Arahatship." The result was that all of the monks became dissatisfied and stopped going to his house. This made the layman very sad and sorrowful. "Why pray do the noble monks no longer come to my house.'" thought he. So he went to the monastery, saluted the Teacher, and told him what had happened. Then the Teacher addressed the monks and asked them, "Monks, what does this mean?" The monks told him what had happened. Said the Teacher, "But, monks, do you not like to have him greet you as * Arahats'.''" "No, Reverend Sir, we do not like it." "Nevertheless, monks, this is only an expression of the joy which men feel; [139] and no fault can be found with an expression of joy. Now the love of the Brahman for the Arahats is boundless. Therefore it is proper that you too should sever the stream of Craving and be satisfied with nothing less than the attainment of Arahatship." So saying, he preached the Law by pronouncing the following Stanza, -N.4. 14118] What are the ''Two States"? 277

[XXVI. 2] XXVI. 2. WHAT ARE THE "TWO STATES "?i When a Brahman has crossed to the farther shore of Two States. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to several monks. [140] For one day thirty monks who resided in foreign parts came and saluted the Teacher and sat down. Elder Sariputta, knowing that they possessed the faculties requisite for the attainment of Arahatship, went to the Teacher and, without sitting down, asked him the following question, "Reverend Sir, 'two states' are frequently spoken of; now what are the 'two states'.'*" The Teacher replied, "By the 'two states,' Sariputta, are meant Tranquillity and Insight." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, 384. When a Brahman has crossed to the farther shore of Two States, Then all the fetters fall away from him, for then he knows.

[XXVI. 3] XXVI. 3. WHAT IS THE "FAR SHORE".? That man for whom exists neither the far shore. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to Mara. [141] The story goes that Mara one day assumed a disguise, approached the Teacher, and asked him, "Reverend Sir, the 'far shore' is frequently spoken of. Pray what is this thing that is called the 'far shore'?" The Teacher knew at once, "This is Mara." So he said to him, "Evil One, what have you to do with the 'far shore'.' That may be gained only by those who have freed themselves from the lusts." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, 385. That man for whom exists neither the far shore nor the near shore, nor both the far and the near shore, That man who is fearless and free, that man I call a Brahman.

[XXVI. 4] XXVI. 4. WHAT IS A BRAHMAN? He that meditates. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to a certain Brahman. The story goes that one day this Brahman thought to himself, "The Teacher calls his own disciples 'Brahmans:' [142] now I am by birth and lineage a Brahman; therefore he ought to apply this title to me also." So he approached the Teacher and asked him about the matter. The Teacher replied, "I do not call a man a Brahman merely because of his birth and lineage; I call by this title only that man who has reached the supreme goal, Arahatship." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, 386. He that meditates, he that is incorrupt, He that has done his duty, he that is free from the evil passions. He that has reached the supreme goal, that man I call a Brahman.

[XXVI. 5] XXVI. 5. THE BUDDHAS SHINE BOTH DAY AND NIGHT 1 By day shines the sun. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at the palace of the Mother of Migara with reference to Elder Ananda. The story goes that, on the Great Terminal Festival, Pasenadi Kosala went to the monastery, adorned with all the adornments, bearing perfumes, garlands, and the like in his hands. [143] At that moment Elder Kaludayi was sitting in the outer circle of the congregation, having entered into a state of trance. His body was pleasing to look upon, for it was of a golden hue. Now just at that moment the moon rose and the sun set. Elder Ananda looked at the radiance of the sun as the sun set, and of the moon as the moon rose; then he looked at the radiance of the body of the king and at the radiance of the body of the Elder and at the radiance of the body of the Tathagata. The Teacher far outshone the radiance of all the others. The Elder saluted the Teacher and said, "Reverend Sir, as to-day I gazed upon the radiance of all these bodies, the radiance of your body alone satisfied me; for your body far outshone the radiance of all these other bodies." Said the Teacher to the Elder, "Ananda, the sun shines by day, the moon by night, the king when he is adorned, the Arahat when he has left human associations behind and is absorbed in trance. But the Buddhas shine both by night and by day, and shine with fivefold brightness." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, » Text: N iv. 142-144. -N.4.1468] The Buddhas shine both day and night 279 387. By day shines the sun, by night gleams the moon. The Warrior shines in his armor, the Brahman shines in trance, But all the day and all the night the Buddha shines in splendor.

[XXVI. 6] XXVI. 6. WHAT IS A MONK.? Because a man has put away evil. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to a certain monk. The story is told of a certain Brahman that he retired from the world under a teacher other than the Buddha, and having so done, thought to himself, "The monk Gotama calls his own disciples * monks; [145] I too am a monk, and he ought to apply that title to me too." So he approached the Teacher and asked him about the matter. Said the Teacher, "It is not alone for the reason which you have given me that I call a man a monk. But it is because the evil passions and the impurities have gone forth from him that a man is called one who has gone forth, a monk." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, 388. Because a man has put away evil, therefore is he called a Brahman; Because he walks in righteousness, therefore is he called a monk; Because he has banished his own impurities, therefore is he called a monk.

[XXVI. 7] XXVI. 7. THE PATIENT SUBDUES THE VIOLENT " No one should strike at a Brahman. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to Elder Sariputta. The story goes that once upon a time several men gathered together at a certain place and rehearsed the noble qualities of the Elder, saying, [146] "Oh, our noble master is endowed with patience to such a degree that even when men abuse him and strike him, he never gets the least bit angry!" Thereupon a certain Brahman who held false views asked, "Who is this that never gets angry?" "Our Elder." "It must be that nobody ever provoked him to anger." "That is not the case, Brahman." "Well then, I will provoke him to anger." "Provoke him to anger if you can!" "Trust me!" said the Brahman; *'I know just what to do to him." Just then the Elder entered the city for alms. When the Brahman saw him, he stepped up behind him and struck him a tremendous blow with his fist in the back. "What was that?" said the Elder, and without so much as turning around to look, continued on his way. The fire of remorse sprang up within every part of the Brahman's body. "Oh, how noble are the qualities with which the Elder is endowed!" exclaimed the Brahman. And prostrating himself at the Elder's feet, he said, "Pardon me, Reverend Sir." "What do you mean?" asked the Elder. "I wanted to try your patience and struck you." "Very well, I pardon you." "If, Reverend Sir, you are willing to pardon me, hereafter sit and receive your food only in my house." So saying, the Brahman took the Elder's bowl, the Elder yielding it willingly, and conducting him to his hotise, served him with food. The bystanders were filled with anger. "This fellow," said they, "struck with his staff our noble Elder, who is free from all offense; he must not be allowed to get away; we will kill him right here and now." And taking clods of earth and sticks and stones into their hands, they stood waiting at the door of the Brahman's house. As the Elder rose from his seat to go, he placed his bowl in the hand of the Brahman. When the bystanders saw the Brahman going out with the Elder, they said, "Reverend Sir, brder this Brahman who has taken your bowl to turn back." "What do you mean, lay disciples? " [147] "That Brahman struck you and we are going to do for him after his deserts." "What do you mean? Did he strike you or me?" "You, Reverend Sir." "If he struck me, he begged my pardon; go your way." So saying, he dismissed the bystanders, and permitting the Brahman to turn back, the Elder went back again to the monastery. The monks were highly offended. "What sort of thing is this!" they exclaimed; "a Brahman struck the Elder Sariputta a blow, and the Elder straightway went back to the house of the very Brahman who struck him and accepted food at his hands! From the moment he struck the Elder, for whom will he any longer have any respect? He will go about pounding everybody right and left." At that moment the Teacher drew near. "Monks," said he, "what is the subject that engages your attention now as you sit here all gathered together? ' *' This was the subject we were discussing." Said the Teacher, " Monks, no Brahman ever strikes another Brahman; it must have been a householder-Brahman who struck a monk-Brahman; for when a man attains the Fruit of the Third Path, all anger is utterly destroyed in him." So saying, he expounded the Law, pronouncing the following Stanzas, -N. 4. 1503] The 'patient subdues the violent 281 389. No one should strike at a Brahman, nor should a Brahman let fly at his assailant. Woe be to him that strikes a Brahman! Woe be to that Brahman who lets fly at his assailant! 390. It is no small advantage to a Brahman if he restrain his mind from things that are dear to him; As fast as the intent to injure declines, so fast indeed does suffering subside. XXVI. 8. MAHA PAJAPATl GOTAMI RECEIVES THE PRECEPTS 1 He that offends not by act. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to Maha PajapatI Gotaml. [149] For previous to the occasion of the public promulgation of the Eight Cardinal Precepts, the Exalted One proclaimed them privately, and Maha Pajapati Gotami accepted them by bowing her head, just as a person accustomed to the wearing of ornaments accepts a garland of fragrant flowers by bowing his head. So likewise did all the members of her retinue. No preceptor or teacher did she have other than the Exalted One himself. Thus did she receive admission to full membership in the Order. On a subsequent occasion the members of her retinue commented on the manner in which this nun was admitted to full membership in the Order, saying, " Maha Pajapati Gotaml has no teacher or preceptor; by herself alone and with her own hand she received the yellow robes." On hearing this, the other nuns were dissatisfied and thenceforth refused to keep Fast-day or to celebrate the Terminal Festival with her. And going to the Tathagata, they reported the matter to him. The Teacher listened to what they had to say and then replied, "I myself conferred the Eight Cardinal Precepts on Maha Pajapati Gotami. I alone am her teacher; I alone am her preceptor. They that have renounced the sins of act and speech and thought, they that have rid themselves of the evil passions, such persons should never entertain feelings of dissatisfaction." And preaching the Law, he pronounced the following Stanza, [150] 391. He that offends not by act or speech or thought, He that controls himself in these three respects, that man I call a Brahman.

[XXVI. 9] XXVI. 9. REVERENCE TO WHOM REVERENCE IS DUE That man from whom one learns. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to Elder Sariputta. This Venerable Elder, we are told, first heard the Law from the lips of Elder Assaji; and from the day when he attained the Fruit of Conversion, in whatever quarter he heard that Elder Assaji was residing, in that direction he would extend his clasped hands in an attitude of reverent supplication, in that direction he would turn his head when he lay down to sleep. The monks said to each other, "Elder Sariputta holds false views; on this very day he is going about doing reverence to the cardinal points," and reported the matter to the Tathagata. The Teacher caused the Elder to be summoned before him and asked him, "Sariputta, is the report true that you are going about doing reverence to the cardinal points?" [151] "Reverend Sir, you know me, and you know of yourself whether or not I am going about doing reverence to the cardinal points." Then said the Teacher, "Monks, Sariputta is not doing reverence to the cardinal points. The fact is that he first heard the Law from the lips of Elder Assaji, and that from the day when he attained the Fruit of Conversion, he has reverenced his own teacher. For a monk should reverence the teacher through whom he has learned the Law with the same degree of reverence with which a Brahman reverences the sacred fire." So saying, he preached the Law, pronouncing the following Stanza, 392. That man from whom one learns the Law preached by the Supremely EnUghtened, That man should one reverence profoundly, even as a Brahman reverences the sacrificial fire.

[XXVI. 10] XXVI. 10. WHAT IS A BRAHMAN.? It is not matted locks. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to a certain Brahman who wore matted locks. [152] The story goes that this Brahman said one day to himself, "I am well born on my mother's side and on my father's side, for I was » Text: N iv. 150-151. » Cf. Story xxvi. 13. Text: N iv. 151-152. -N.4. 15314] The trickster Brahman 283 reborn in the family of a Brahman. Now the monk Gotama calls his own disciples 'Brahmans.' He ought to apply the same title to me too." So the Brahman went to the Teacher and asked him about the matter. Said the Teacher to the Brahman, "Brahman, I do not call a man a Brahman merely because he wears matted locks, merely because of his birth and lineage. But he that has penetrated the truth, him alone do I call a 'Brahman.'" So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, 393. It is not matted locks or lineage or birth that makes a Brahman; But he in whom Truth exists, and the Law, he is blessed, he is a Brahman.

[XXVI. 11] XXVI. 11. THE TRICKSTER BRAHMAN What is the use of your matted locks? This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Pagoda Hall with reference to a certain trickster Brahman who imitated a bat. [153] This Brahman, so the story goes, used to climb a certain kakudhatree that grew close to the gate of the city of Vesali, grasp a branch with his two feet, and swing himself from the branch, head downwards. And hanging thus, he would cry out, "Give me a hundred kapilas! Give me pennies ! Give me a slave- woman ! If you don't give me what I ask for, I will let myself drop from this tree and kill myself and make this city as though it had never been a city!" As the Tathagata, accompanied by the Congregation of Monks, entered the city, the monks saw this Brahman hanging from the tree, and when they departed from the city, still they saw him hanging there, just as he hung when they entered the city. The residents of the city thought to themselves, "This fellow has been hanging thus from this tree ever since early morning; should he fall, he is likely to make this city as though it had never been a city." And because of fear that their city might be destroyed, they complied with all of his demands and gave him all that he asked for. "We have given you all that you asked for," said they. Thereupon he descended from the tree and departed with the spoils. The monks saw the trickster Brahman wandering about in the neighborhood of the monastery, bellowing like a cow, and immediately recognized him. "Brahman," they asked, "did you get what you asked for?" "Yes," replied the Brahman, "I got what I asked for." The monks reported the incident to the Tathagata within the monastery. Said the Teacher, "Monks, this is not the first time this Brahman has been a trickster and a thief; he was a trickster and a thief in a previous state of existence also. [154] But while in his present state of existence he deceives the simple-minded, in his previous state of existence he failed to confound the wise." Complying with a request of the monks, the Teacher related the following 11 a. Story of the Past: The false ascetic and the king of the lizards Once upon a time a certain ascetic lodged near a certain village of farmers, and this ascetic was a hypocrite. Now there was a certain family that used to look after his needs : by day, of the food on hand, whether hard or soft, they always gave a portion to the ascetic just as they did to their own children; and in the evening they would set aside a portion of the food prepared for their supper, and give it to him on the following day. One day towards evening, they obtained some lizard-meat, and after cooking it carefully, set aside a portion for the ascetic and gave it to him on the following day. The ascetic smelled the meat, and no sooner had he done so than he was bound fast by the bonds of the craving of taste. "What kind of meat is that. f" he asked. "Lizardmeat," was the reply. Having made his round for alms, he took all of the ghee and curds and peppery stuff with him to his hut of leaves and grass and laid them aside. Now not far from the leaf-hut, in a certain ant-hill, dwelt the king of the lizards, and it was the custom of the king of the lizards from time to time to call upon the ascetic and pay his respects to him. But on that particular day this ascetic said to himself, "I will kill that lizard," and concealing a stick in a fold of his garments, he lay down quite near that ant-hill and pretended to be asleep. When the king of the lizards came out of his ant-hill and approached the ascetic, observing the peculiar attitude in which the ascetic lay, he said to himself, "I don't like the way my teacher acts to-day," and turning around, wriggled off in the opposite direction. The ascetic, noticing that the lizard had turned around, [155] threw the stick at hini, intending to kill him, but the stick went wide of the mark. The king of the lizards crawled into the ant-hill, and poking his head out and looking around, said to the ascetic. -N.4. 15620] The trickster Brahman 285 When I approached you, I beHeved you to be a true ascetic, but you are utterly lacking in self-control. For in seeking to hit me with your stick you have conducted yourself in a manner unworthy of a true ascetic. 394. What is the use of your matted locks, vain man.? What is the use of your antelope skin? There is a jungle within you; it is only the exterior that you polish and cleanse. Then said the ascetic to the lizard, seeking to tempt him with his possessions, Come, lizard, come back again, feed upon this porridge of hill-paddy. I have oil and salt and pepper in abundance. When the king of the lizards heard these words of the ascetic, he said, "The more you talk, the more I wish to run away." So saying he recited the following Stanza, All the more reason why I should enter an ant-hill as high as a hundred men; You si>eak of oil and salt and pepper, but such food is not good for me. Having thus spoken, he continued, "All this time I vainly imagined you to be an ascetic, but when just now you threw your stick at me, desiring to kill me, at that moment you ceased to be an ascetic. [156] What is the use of matted locks to a man like you, who utterly lack wisdom .f What is the use of your antelope skin, all furnished with claws.'' For there is a jungle within you; it is only the exterior that you polish and cleanse." End of Story of the Past. When the Teacher had related this Story of the Past, he summed up the Jataka, identifying the personages as follows: "At that time this trickster was the ascetic, but the king of the hzards was I myself." And making plain the circumstance of the rebuking of the trickster Brahman by the wise lizard, the Teacher recited the following Stanza, 394. What is the use of your matted locks, vain man? What is the use of your antelope skin? There is a jungle within you; it is only the exterior that you polish and cleanse.

[XXVI. 12] XXVI. 12. KISA GOTAMI, WEARER OF REFUSE-RAGS That man who wears refuse-rags. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Mount Vulture Peak with reference to Kisa Gotami. [157] » Text: N iv. 156-157. For at that time, at the end of the first watch, Sakka, attended by a host of deities, drew near the Teacher, saluted the Teacher, sat down respectfully on one side, and listened to the Teacher as he preached the Law in his usual pleasing manner. At that moment Kisa Gotami said to herself, "I will. go see the Teacher," and proceeded thither through the air. But when she saw Sakka, she turned back. Sakka saw her salute the Teacher and turn back, and straightway asked the Teacher, "Reverend Sir, who is this that draws nigh to you, and then, seeing you, turns back.'*" The Teacher replied, "Great king, this is my daughter Kisa Gotami, foremost of the nuns who wear refuse-rags." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, 395. That man who wears refuse-rags, that man who is lean, that man whose veins stand out all over his body. That man who meditates alone in the forest, that man I call a Brahman.

[XXVI. 13] XXVI. 13. WHAT IS A BRAHMAN.? I call not a man a Brahman. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to a certain Brahman. [158] The story goes that this Brahman one day said to himself, "The monk Gotama calls his own disciples 'Brahmans.' Now I was reborn in the womb of a Brahman mother; therefore he ought to apply this title to me too." So he approached the Teacher and asked him about the matter. Said the Teacher to the Brahman, "I do not call a man a Brahman merely because he received a new existence in the womb of a Brahman mother. But he that is without worldly possessions, he that grasps not after the things of this world, him alone I call a Brahman." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, 396. I call not a man a Brahman for that he has issued from the womb of a Brahman mother or sprung from a Brahman mother. Such a man addresses me as "Sir," such a man has worldly possessions. But he that is without worldly possessions, he that seeks not the things of this world, him alone I call a Brahman.

[XXVI. 14] XXVI. 14. UGGASENA THE ACROBAT « He thai has severed all the attachments. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Veluvana with » Cf. xxvi. 10. Text: N iv. 158. « Cf. xxiv. 6. Text: N iv. 159. -N.4.16018I Uggasena the acrobat 287 reference to Uggasena. [159] This story has been related in detail in the Commentary on the Stanza beginning with the words, "Give up the things of the past, give up the things of the future." For at that time, when the monks said to the Teacher, "Reverertd Sir, Uggasena says, 'I have no fear;' without a doubt he says that which is not true, utters falsehood," the Teacher replied, "Monks, those who, like my son, have severed the attachments, have no fear." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, 397. He that has severed all the attachments, he that trembles not, He that has escaped from every bond and is imshackled, such a man I call a Brahman.

[XXVI. 15] XXVI. 15. A TUG OF WAR He that has cut the strap. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to two Brahmans, [160] The story goes that one of these two Brahmans had an ox named Little Red, Culla Rohita, and the other had an ox named Big Red, Maha Rohita. One day they fell to arguing about the comparative strength of their respective oxen, saying, "My ox is the strong one! my ox is the strong one! " When they were tired of arguing, they said, "What is the use of our arguing about it. We can find out by driving the two oxen." Accordingly they went to the bank of the river Aciravati, loaded their cart with sand, and yoked up their oxen. At that moment some monks came to the bank of the river for the purpose of bathing. The Brahmans whipped up their oxen, but the cart stirred not an inch. Suddenly the straps and the thongs broke. The Brahmans saw the whole proceeding, and when they returned to the monastery, told the Teacher all about it. Said the Teacher, "Monks, those are the external straps and thongs, which whoso will may cut. But a monk must cut the internal strap of anger and the thong of Craving." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, 398. He that has cut the strap, the thong, the rope, and all their appendages. He that has raised the cross-bar, he that is awakened, him I call a Brahman.

[XXVI. 16] XXVI. 16. THE PATIENT SUBDUES THE INSOLENT ' He that endures abuse. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Veluvana with reference to Akkosa Bharadvaja. [161] For Akkosa Bharadvaja had a brother named Bharadvaja, and a wife named Dhananjayani who had attained the Fruit of Conversion. Whenever she sneezed or coughed or stumbled, she would breathe orth the Solemn Utterance, "Praise be to Him That is Highly Exalted, All- Worthy, Supremely Enlightened!" One day, [162] while distribution of food to Brahmans was in progress, she stumbled, and immediately breathed forth that Solemn Utterance as usual with a loud voice. The Brahman was greatly angered and said to himseK, "No matter where it may be, whenever this vile woman stumbles, she utters the praise of this shaveling monkling in this fashion." And he said to her, "Now, vile woman, I will go and worst that Teacher of yours in an argument." His wife replied, "By all means go. Brahman; I have never seen the man who could worst the Exalted One in an argument. Nevertheless, go ask the Exalted One a question." The Brahman went to the Teacher, and without even saluting him, stood on one side and asked him a question, pronouncing the following Stanza, What must one destroy to live at ease? What must one destroy no more to sorrow? Of what single condition do you recommend the destruction, Gotama? In answer, the Teacher pronounced the following Stanza, Let a man destroy anger, and he will live at ease; let him destroy anger, and he will no more sorrow. Poisonous is the root of anger, and sweet is the top. Brahman. Therefore the Noble applaud the destruction of anger, for when this is destroyed, there is no more sorrow. [163] The Brahman believed in the Teacher, retired from the world, and attained Arahatship. Now his younger brother, who was called Akkosa Bharadvaja, heard the report, "Your brother has retired from the world," and greatly angered thereat, went and abused the Teacher with wicked, -N. 4. 1653] The patient subdues the insolent 289 ugly words. But the Teacher subdued him too by employing the illustration of the hard food given to strangers, and he too believed in the Teacher, retired from the world, and attained Arahatship. Likewise Akkosa Bharadvaja's two younger brothers, Sundari Bharadvaja and Bilangika Bharadvaja, abused the Teacher, but the Teacher subdued them, and they too retired from the world and attained Arahatship. One day in the Hall of Truth the monks began the following discussion: "How wonderful are the virtues of the Buddhas! Although these four brothers abused the Teacher, the Teacher, without so much as saying a word, became their refuge." At that moment the Teacher drew near. "Monks," said he, "what is the subject that engages your attention now as you sit here all gathered together.'*" "Such and such," replied the monks. Then said the Teacher, "Monks, because I possess the power of patience, because I am without sin among the sinful, therefore am I of a truth the refuge of the multitude." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, 399. He that endures abuse and stripes and bonds without offense, He whose power is patience and whose army is power, him I call a Brahman.

[XXVI. 17] XXVI. 17. SARIPUTTA IS REVILED BY HIS MOTHER He that is free from anger. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Veluvana with reference to Elder Sariputta. [164] At that time, so the story goes, the Elder, accompanied by five hundred monks, while making his round for alms in the village of Nalaka, came to the door of his mother's house. His mother provided him with a seat, and as she served him with food, abused him roundly, saying, "Ho, eater of leavings! Failing to get leavings of sour ricegruel, you therefore go from house to house among strangers, licking off the back of a ladle such sour rice-gruel as clings to it! And for this you renounced eighty crores of wealth and became a monk! You have ruined me! Eat now!" [165] Likewise when she gave food to the monks, she said, "So you are the men who have made my son your own page-boy! Eat now!" The Elder took the food and returned to the monastery. Venerable Rahula invited the Teacher to eat. Said the Teacher, "Rahula, where did you go?" "To the village where my grandmother lives, Reverend Sir." "And what did your grandmother say to your preceptor .f" "Reverend Sir, my grandmother abused my preceptor roundly." "What did she say?" "This and that. Reverend Sir." "And what reply did your preceptor make?" "He made no reply, Reverend Sir." When the monks heard this, they began to talk about it in the Hall of Truth. Said they, "Brethren, how wonderful are the qualities of the Elder Sariputta! Even when his mother abused him in this fashion, he never got a bit angry." The Teacher drew near and asked the monks, "Monks, what is the subject that engages your attention now as you sit here all gathered together? " "Such and such." Then said the Teacher, "Monks, they that have rid themselves of the evil passions are free from anger." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, 400. He that is free from anger, he that performs his duties faithfully. He that keeps the Precepts, he that is free from lust. He that has subdued himself, he that wears his last body, him I call a Brahman.

[XXVI. 18] XXVI. 18. ARE NOT THE ARAHATS CREATURES OF FLESH AND BLOOD? Even as water does not cling to a lotus-leaf. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to the nun Uppalavanna. [166] The story has been related at length in the Commentary on the Stanza beginning with the words, "As sweet as honey thinks a fool an evil deed." For it is there said: Some time later, the throng in the Hall of Truth began the following discussion: "To be sure those that have rid themselves of the Depravities gratify their passions. Why should they not? For they are not kolapa-trees or ant-hills, but are living creatures with bodies of moist flesh. Therefore they also like the pleasures of love." At that moment the Teacher drew near. "Monks," he inquired, "what is the subject that engages your attention now as you sit here all gathered together ? " " Such and such," was the reply. Said the Teacher, "No, -N. 4. 1687] Are not the Arahats flesh and blood? 291 monks, they that have rid themselves of the Depravities neither like the pleasures of love nor gratify their passions. For even as a drop of water which has fallen upon a lotus-leaf does not cling thereto or remain thereon, but rolls over and falls off, even as a grain of mustardseed does not cling to the point of an awl or remain thereon, but rolls over and falls off, [167] precisely so twofold love clings not to the heart of one that has rid himself of the Depravities or remain there." And joining the connection, he preached the Law, pronouncing the following Stanza, 401. Even as water does not cling to a lotus-leaf, nor a grain of mustard-seed to the point of an awl, Whoso in hke manner clings not to the pleasures of sense, him I call a Brahman.

[XXVI. 19] XXVI. 19. A SLAVE LAYS DOWN HIS BURDEN » He that realizes even here in this world the destruction of his own suffering. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to a certain Brahman. The story goes that at a time previous to the promulgation of the precept forbidding the admission of runaway slaves to the Order, a certain slave of this Brahman ran away, was admitted to the Order, and attained Arahatship. The Brahman searched everywhere, but failed to find his slave. One day, as the former slave was entering the city with the Teacher, the Brahman saw him in the gateway, and took firm hold of his robe. The Teacher turned around and asked, "What do you mean by this. Brahman.'*" "This is my slave, Sir [168] Gotama." "His burden has fallen from him, Brahman." When the Teacher said, "His burden has fallen from him," the Brahman understood at once that his meaning was, "He is an Arahat." Therefore he addressed the Teacher again, saying, "Is that so. Sir Gotama.?" "Yes, Brahman," replied the Teacher, "his burden has fallen from him." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, -402. He that reaUzes right here in this world how his suffering may be ended. He whose burden has fallen from him, he who has freed himself from the shackles, him I call a Brahman.

[XXVI. 20] XXVI. 20. KHEMA THE WISE » He that possesses profound wisdom. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence on Mount Vulture Peak with reference to the nun Khema. For one day, immediately after the first watch, Sakka king of gods came with his retinue of deities, sat down, and listened to the Teacher as he discoursed in his usual pleasant manner on the Law. At that moment the nun Khema said to herself, "I will go see the Teacher," and drew near to the presence of the Teacher. [169] But when she saw Sakka, she saluted the Teacher, poised in the air as she was, turned around, and departed. Sakka saw her and asked the Teacher, "Who was that, Reverend Sir, that drew near to your presence, and then, poised in the air as she was, saluted you and turned around and departed?" The Teacher replied, "That, great king, was my daughter Khema, possessed of great wisdom, knowing well what is the Path and what is not the Path." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, 403. He that possesses profound wisdom, he that possesses intelligence. He that knows what is the Path and what is not the Path, He that has reached the supreme goal, him I call a Brahman.

[XXVI. 21] XXVI. 21. THE MONK AND THE GODDESS « He that holds himself aloof. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to Elder Tissa who dwelt in a mountain cave, PabbharavasI Tissa Thera. The story goes that this Elder received a Subject of Meditation from the Teacher, [170] retired to the forest, and as he was looking about for a suitable lodging, came upon a certain rock cave. The moment he reached the cave, his thoughts became tranquil. Thought he to himself, "If I take up my residence here, I shall be able to bring to a successful termination the duties which I have taken upon myself as a monk." Now the deity who resided in that rock cave thought to herself, "Hither has come a virtuous monk, and it will be difficult to » Text: N iv. 168-169. « Cf. xxiii. 5. Text: N iv. 169-174. -N.4.1719] The monk and the goddess 293 remain in one and the same place with him. But he will probably remain here for one night only and will then depart." Accordingly she took her children with her and departed from the cave. On the following day, early in the morning, the Elder entered the village which was his place of resort, and went about on his round for alms. A certain female lay disciple saw him, and taking a liking to him, provided a seat for him in her house, gave him food, and asked him to permit her to supply him with the Requisites for residence during the three months of the rainy season. The Elder thought to himself, "Through this woman I can effect Escape from Existence," and graciously consented. Then he returned to that same rock cave. When the deity saw him approaching, she thought to herself, "Without a doubt some one must have invited him, and he will depart to-morrow or the day after." Thus a half -month passed, and she thought to herself, "It is undoubtedly the intention of this Elder to remain right here during the entire season of the rains. But it will be a difficult matter for me to dwell here with my children in the same place with a virtuous monk, and it is out of the question for me to say to him, 'Depart hence.' Is there perhaps some flaw in his virtue?" Therefore the deity surveyed by the power of Supernatural Vision the whole course of the monk's life, from the day he stood within the inclosure and was admitted to full membership in the Order. But detecting no flaw in his virtue, she said to herself, "His virtue is pure and spotless; however, I shall contrive to say something and so cast reproach upon him." Accordingly the deity went to the house of the female lay disciple who supported the Elder, took possession of the body of her youngest son, and wrung his neck. Forthwith his eyes bulged out and he frothed at the mouth. When the female lay disciple saw what had happened, she screamed and said, "What does this mean.f" Then the deity, [171] whose form was invisible, spoke thus to her, "I have seized your son, but do not demand him as an offering. But you must ask the Elder who resorts to your house for some licorice, and mixing this with oil, you must boil it and apply it to the nose of your son; under this condition I will release him." Said the female lay disciple, "Let my son perish or die; I shall never be able to ask my noble master for licorice." Said the deity, "If you cannot bring yourself to ask for licorice, tell the Elder to put some asafoetida powder up the child's nose." "I cannot do this, either." "Well then, sprinkle on the head of your son some of the water with which you have bathed the feet of the Elder." "This I can do," replied the female lay disciple. So when the Elder came at the usual time, she provided him with a seat, gave him rice-gruel and hard food, and as he sat eating his meal, bathed his feet. Having so done, she took the water and asked the Elder, "Reverend Sir, I wish to sprinkle this water on the head of the boy." "Well then, sprinkle it," said the Elder. Accordingly they did so. Instantly the deity released the boy and took her stand at the entrance to the rock cave. When the Elder had finished his meal, he rose from his seat, and not abandoning his Subject of Meditation, departed from the house repeating to himself the Thirty-two Constituent Parts of the Body. When the Elder reached the entrance to the rock cave, the deity said to him, "Great physician, great physician, do not enter here." The Elder stopped right there and said, "Who are you.''" [172] "I am the deity residing here." The Elder thought to himself, "Has there ever been an occasion when I have performed the work of a physician.''" He surveyed the whole course of his life from the day when he stood within the inclosure and was admitted to full membership in the Order, and perceiving not so much as a freckle or a black speck on his virtue, said to the deity, **I see no occasion when I have performed the work of a physician; why do you speak thus.'*" Said the deity, "You see no occasion?" Said the Elder, "Precisely so; I see no occasion." "I will inform you." "Yes, pray inform me." "Let talk stand afar off for the moment. Did you, or did you not, on this very day sprinkle the water with which your feet were bathed on the head of the son of a female lay disciple who is your supporter, when he was seized by an evil spirit? " "Yes, I did so sprinkle water." "Do you not see this? " "Is this what you are talking about? " "Yes, this is what I am talking about." The Elder thought to himself, "The self within me is indeed endowed with right resolve! My conduct is indeed in accordance with the precepts of the teaching which I have received! Even this deity could not see so much as a freckle or a black speck on my virtue, which I have preserved in accordance with the four precepts of purity, and saw only the fact that I had sprinkled on the head of a boy the water with which my feet were bathed." And as he thought upon the perfection of his virtue, intense joy sprang up within him. Suppressing this emotion, without lifting a foot from the ground, he then and there -N. 4.1741s] The monk and the goddess 295 attained Arahatship. And admonishing the deity, he said, "Since you have foully assailed a monk like me whose virtue is pure and spotless, no longer remain here in this place of residence; depart hence." So saying, he breathed forth the following Solemn Utterance: [173] ' My life is pure, my monkhood stainless. Do not assail one who is pure; depart from this forest. The Elder continued to reside there during the remainder of the season of the rains and then returned to the Teacher. The monks asked him, "Brother, have you brought to a successful termination the duties which you took upon yourself as a monk.' " Then the Elder told the monks the whole story of his experiences, beginning at the day when he entered upon residence. "Brother," said the monks, "when the deity spoke thus to you, were you not angry.? " "No, I was not angry." The monks said to the Tathagata, "Reverend Sir, this monk utters a falsehood. He says that even when the deity said this and that to him, he did not get angry." The Teacher listened to what they had to say, and then replied, "No, monks, my son does not become angry. He holds converse neither with laymen nor with monks; he lives a life apart, desires but little, and is contented." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, 404. He that holds himself aloof both from householders and from the houseless. He that wanders about without a home, he that desires but little, such a man I call a Brahman.

[XXVI. 22] XXVI. 22. THE MONK AND THE WOMAN He that has laid aside the rod. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to a certain monk. [174] It appears that this monk, upon receiving a Subject of Meditation from the Teacher, retired to the forest, applied himself diligently to the practice of meditation, and attained Arahatship. Thereupon he said to himself, "I will inform the Teacher of the great blessing which I have received," and set out from the forest. Now a woman living in a certain village through which he passed, had just had a quarrel with her husband, and as soon as her husband was out of the house, said to 296 Book 26y Story 23. Dhammapada Jf,06 [N.4.i74isherself, "I will return to the house of my family." So saying, she set out on the road. As she went along the road, she saw the Elder. "I'll keep not far from this Elder," thought she, and followed close behind him. The Elder never looked at her at all. When her husband returned home and saw his wife nowhere about the house, he concluded to himself, "She must have gone to the village where her family lives," and followed after her. When he saw her, he thought to himself, "It cannot be that this woman would enter this forest all by herself; in whose company is she going? " All of a sudden he saw the Elder. [175] Thought he, "This monk must have taken her away with him," and went up to the monk and threatened him. Said the woman, "This good monk never so much as looked at me or spoke to me; do not say anything to him." Her husband replied, "Do you mean to tell me that you took yourself off in this fashion.'' I will treat him as you alone deserve to be treated." And in a burst of rage, out of hatred for the woman, he beat the Elder soundly, and having so done, took the woman with him and returned home. The Elder's whole body was covered with weals. After his return to the monastery the monks who rubbed his body noticed the weals and asked him, "What does this mean.''" He told them the whole story. Then the monks asked him, "Brother, but when this fellow struck you thus, what did you say.'' or did you get angry.''" "No, brethren, I did not get angry." Thereupon the monks went to the Teacher and reported the matter to him, saying, "Reverend Sir, when we asked this monk, 'Did you get angry.''' he replied, 'No, brethren, I did not get angry.' He does not speak the truth, he utters falsehood." The Teacher listened to what they had to say and then replied, "Monks, they that have rid themselves of the evil passions have laid aside the rod; even for those that strike them, they cherish no anger." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, -N.4. 17718 1 The four novices 297

[XXVI. 23] XXVI. 23. THE FOUR NOVICES He that opposes not. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to four novices. [176] The story goes that the wife of a certain Brahman prepared food for four specially designated monks, and said to the Brahman her husband, "Go to the monastery, have the steward pick out four old Brahmans, and bring them here." The Brahman went to the monastery and said, "Have four Brahmans picked out for me and give them to me." There fell to him four seven-year-old novices who had attained Arahatship, Samkicca, Pandita, Sopaka, and Revata. The Brahman's wife had costly seats prepared and stood waiting. At sight of the novices, she was filled with rage, and sputtering as when salt is dropped on a brazier, she said to her husband, "You have gone to the monastery and brought back with you four youngsters not old enough to be your grandsons." [177] She refused to let them sit on the seats which she had prepared, but spreading some low seats for them, said to them, "Sit here!" Then she said to her husband, "Brahman, go look out some old Brahmans and bring them here." The Brahman went to the monastery, and seeing Elder Sariputta, said to him, "Come, let us go to our house," and took him back home with him. When the Elder reached the house and saw the novices, he asked, "Have these Brahmans received food." "No, they have received no food." Knowing that food had been prepared for just four persons, he said, "Bring me my bowl," and taking his bowl, departed. The Brahman's wife asked, "What did he say.?" Her husband replied, "He said, 'These Brahmans sitting here ought to receive food. Bring me my bowl.' So saying, he took his bowl and departed." Said the Brahman's wife, "It must be that he did not wish to eat; go quickly, look out another Brahman and bring him here." The Brahman went back to the monastery, and seeing Elder Moggallana the Great, said the same thing to him, and brought him back home with him. When Elder Moggallana the Great saw the novices, he said the same thing as had Elder Sariputta, and taking his bowl, departed. Then said the Brahman's wife to her husband, "These Elders do not wish to eat; go to the Brahmans' pale and bring back with you a single old Brahman." Now the novices had had nothing to eat from early morning and sat there famished with hunger. By the power of their merit Sakka's seat showed signs of heat. Considering within himself what might be the cause, he perceived that the novices had sat there from early morning and that they were weak and exhausted. "It is my duty to go there," thought Sakka. So disguising himself as an old Brahman, worn out by old age, he went to the Brahmans pale and sat down in the most conspicuous seat of the Brahmans. [178] When the Brahman saw him, he thought to himself, "Now my wife will be delighted," and saying, "Come, let us go home," he took him and went back home with him. When the Brahman's wife saw him, her heart was filled with delight. She took the rugs and mats which were spread over two seats, spread them over one, and said to him, "Noble Sir, sit here." When Sakka entered the house, he saluted the four novices with the Five Rests, and finding a place for himself at the edge of the seats where the novices were sitting, sat down cross-legged on the ground. When the Brahman's wife saw him, she said to the Brahman, "To be sure you have brought a Brahman, but you have brought back with you one old enough to be your father. He is going about saluting novices young enough to be his grandsons. What use have we for him? Put him out!" The Brahman seized him first by the shoulder, then by the arm, finally by the waist, and tried his best to drag him out, but he refused to stir from where he sat. Then the Brahman's wife said to her husband, "Come, Brahman, you take hold of one arm and I will take hold of the other." So the Brahman and his wife both took hold of his two arms, belabored him about the back, and dragged him through the door out of the house. Nevertheless Sakka remained sitting in the same place in which he had sat before, waving his hands back and forth. When the Brahman and his wife returned and saw him sitting in the very same place in which he had sat before, they screamed screams of terror and let him go. At that moment Sakka made known his identity. Then the Brahman and his wife gave food to their guests. When those five persons had received food, they departed. One of the novices broke through the circular peak of the house, the second broke through the front part of the roof, the third broke through the back part of the roof, the fourth plunged into the earth, while Sakka departed from the house by another route. Thus did those five persons depart from the house by five different routes. [179] From that time -N.4. 18018] The Jour novices 299 on, so it is said, that house was known as the House with the Five Openings. When the novices returned to the monastery, the monks asked them, "Brethren, what was it like?" "Pray don't ask us," replied the novices. "The Brahman's wife fumed with rage the moment she saw us. She refused to allow us to sit on the seats which she had prepared and said to her husband, 'Make haste and bring an old Brahman.' Our preceptor came, and seeing us, said, 'These Brahmans who are sitting here ought to receive food.' So saying, he ordered his bowl to be brought to him and departed. Then the Brahman's wife said to her husband, 'Bring another old Brahman.' Then the Brahman brought Elder Moggallana the Great. When Elder Moggallana the Great saw us, he said the same thing as had Elder Sariputta and departed. Then the Brahman's wife said to her husband, 'These Elders do not wish to eat; Brahman, go to the Brahmans' pale and bring back a single old Brahman.' The Brahman went there and brought back Sakka, who came in the disguise of a Brahman. When Sakka arrived, the Brahman and his wife gave us food." "But were you not angry with them for what they did." "No, we were not angry." When the monks heard their reply, they reported the matter to the Teacher, saying, "Reverend Sir, when these monks say, 'We were not angry,' they say what is not true, they utter falsehood." Said the Teacher, "Monks, they that have rid themselves of the evil passions oppose not them by whom they are opposed." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, [180] 406. He that opposes not those by whom he is opposed, he that is meek among those that have taken the rod, He that is free from craving among those that crave, such a man I call a Brahman.

[XXVI. 24] XXVI. 24. DID BIG WAYMAN YIELD TO ANGER. That man from whom lust. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Veluvana with reference to Big Wayman. This Venerable Elder, when Little Wayman was unable in three months to learn by heart a single Stanza, expelled him from the monastery and closed the door, saying to him, "You lack the capacity » Cf. Story ii. 3 6 (text: i. 244). Text: N iv. 180-181. to receive religious instruction, and you have also fallen away from the enjoyments of the life of a householder. Why should you continue to live here any longer? Depart hence." The monks began a discussion of the incident, saying, "Brethren, Elder Big Wayman did this and that. [181] Doubtless anger springs up sometimes even within those who have rid themselves of the Depravities." At that moment the Teacher drew near and asked them, "Monks, what is the subject that engages your attention now as you sit here all gathered together?" When the monks told him the subject of their conversation, he said, "No, monks, those who have rid themselves of the Depravities have not the Contaminations, lust, hatred, and delusion. What my son did he did because he put the Law, and the Spirit of the Law, before all things else." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, 407. That man from whom lust and hatred and pride and envy have been made to fall. Even as a grain of mustard-seed from the point of an awl, that man I call a Brahman.

[XXVI. 25] XXVI. 25. THE FORCE OF HABIT » Free from harshness. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Veluvana with reference to Elder Pilindavaccha. It seems that this Venerable Elder was in the habit of accosting both laymen and monks with the epithet commonly applied only to outcasts. "Come, vile fellow! Go, vile fellow," he would say to everyone he met. [182] One day several monks complained about his conduct to the Teacher, saying, "Reverend Sir, Venerable Pilindavaccha accosts the monks with an epithet applicable only to outcasts." The Teacher caused him to be summoned before him. "Is the charge true, Vaccha," said the Teacher, " that you accost the monks with an epithet applicable only to outcasts?" "Yes, Reverend Sir," replied Pilindavaccha, "the charge is true." The Teacher called before his mind the previous abodes of that Venerable Elder and said to the monks, "Monks, be not offended with the monk Vaccha. Monks, it is not because Vaccha entertains feelings of hatred within him, that he accosts his brother monks with -N. 4. 18320] The force of habit 301 an epithet applicable only to outcasts. The fact is, the monk Vaccha has passed through five hundred states of existence, and in everyone of these states of existence he was reborn in the family of a Brahman. The use of this epithet has been habitual with him for such a long time that he now applies it to everyone he meets simply from the force of habit. He that has rid himself of the evil passions never makes use of words that are harsh and cruel, never makes use of words that cut hearers to the quick. It is solely from the force of habit that my son speaks thus." So saying, he expounded the Law, pronouncing the following Stanza, 408. Free from harshness, instructing the hearer, truthful: such are the words a man should utter; Thereby he will oflFend none. Whoso thus speaks, him I call a Brahman.

[XXVI. 26] XXVI. 26. THE MONK WHO WAS ACCUSED OF THEFT i Whosoever here in this world. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to a certain Elder. [183] The story goes that a certain Brahman of false views who lived at Savatthi, for fear his outer cloth might catch the odor of his body, took it off, laid it aside, and sat down facing his house. Now a certain monk who was an Arahat, on his way to the monastery after breakfast, saw that cloth, and looking about and seeing no one, and therefore concluding that it had no owner, adopted it as a refuserag, and took it with him. When the Brahman saw him, he went up to him and abused him, saying, "Shaveling monkling, you are taking my cloth." "Is this your cloth. Brahman.'" "Yes, monk." "I saw no one about, and thinking it was a refuse-rag, took it with me; here it is." So saying, the Elder gave the Brahman back his cloth. Then he went to the monastery and related the incident to the monks in detail. When the monks heard his story, they made fun of him, saying, "Brother, is the cloth you took long or short, coarse or fine.?" "Brethren," replied the Elder, "never mind whether the cloth is long or short, coarse or fine; I have no attachment for it. I took it, supposing it to be a refuse-rag." When the monks heard his reply, they reported the matter to Tathagata, saying, "Reverend Sir, this monk says what is not true and utters falsehood." Said the Teacher, "No, monks, what this monk says is quite true; they that have rid themselves of the evil passions do not take what belongs to others." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, [184] 409. Whosoever here in this world takes nothing that is not given to him, Whether it be long or short, coarse or fine, beautiful or ugly, him I call a Brahman

[XXVI. 27] XXVI. 27. SARIPUTTA IS MISUNDERSTOOD He that has no desires. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to the Elder Sariputta. The story goes that once upon a time Elder Sariputta, accompanied by his retinue of five hundred monks, went to a certain monastery and entered upon residence for the season of the rains. When the people saw the Elder, they promised to provide him with all of the requisites for residence. But even after the Elder had celebrated the Terminal Festival, not all of the requisites had as yet arrived. So when he set out to go to the Teacher he said to. the monks, "When the people bring the requisites for the young monks and novices, pray take them and send them on; should they not bring them, be good enough to send me word." [185] So saying, he went to the Teacher. The monks immediately began to discuss the matt«er, sayings "Judging by what Elder Sariputta said to-day. Craving still persists within him. For when he went back, he said to the monks with reference to the requisites for residence given to his own fellow residents, 'Pray send them on; otherwise be good enough to send me word.'" Just then the Teacher drew near. "Monks," said he, "what is the subject that engages your attention now as you sit here all gathered together.?" "Such and such," was the reply. Said the Teacher, "No, monks, my son has no Craving. But the following thought was present to his mind, 'May there be no loss of merit to the people, and no loss of holy gain to the young monks and novices. This is the reason why he spoke as he did." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, 410. He that has no desires, either in this world or in the next. He that is free from desires and free from fetters, him I call a Brahman. » Text: N iv. 184-185. -N. 4. 18715] Moggalldna is misunderstood 303

[XXVI. 28] XXVI. 28. MOGGALLANA IS MISUNDERSTOOD He that has no longings. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to Elder Moggallana the Great. [186] This story is similar to the preceding, except that on this occasion the Teacher, perceiving that Elder Moggallana the Great was free from Craving, pronounced the following Stanza, 411. He that has no longings, he that fully understands, he that entertains no doubts. He that has plunged into the Deathless, him I call a Brahman.

[XXVI. 29] XXVI. 29. RENOUNCE BOTH GOOD AND EVIL Whosoever in this world has escaped from the bonds both of good and of evil. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Pubbarama with reference to the Elder Revata. The story has already been related in detail in the Commentary on the Stanza beginning with the words, Whether it be in the village or in the forest; for it is there said: Again one day the monks began a discussion, saying, "Oh, how great was the novice's gain! Oh, how great was the novice's merit! To think that one man should build five hundred habitations for five hundred monks!" Just then the Teacher drew near. "Monks," said he, "what is the subject that engages your attention now as you sit here all gathered together.'*" "Such and such," was the reply. Then said the Teacher, "Monks, my [187] son has neither merit nor demerit: he has renounced both." So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, 412. Whosoever in this world has escaped from the bonds both of good and of evil. Whosoever is free from sorrow, free from defilement, free from impurity, him I call a Brahman. XXVI. 30. ELDER MOONLIGHT He that is spotless as the moon. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to Elder Moonlight, Candabha. The story from beginning to end is as follows: 30 a. Story of the Past : A forester presents a moon-disk In times long past, a certain merchant living at Benares said one day to himself, " I will go to the frontier and get me some sandalwood." So taking a large supply of garments, ornaments, and the like, he went to the border with five hundred carts, and halting for the night at the gate of a village, inquired of some youthful cowherds in the forest, "Is there any in this village who is a forester?" [188] "There is." "What is his name?" "So-and-so." "What is the name of his wife, and what are the names of his children?" "So-and-so." "In what place is his house situated?" "In such-and-such a place." The merchant followed the directions given him by the cowherds, seated himseK in a comfortable carriage, went to the door of the forester's house, alighted from the carriage, entered the house, and inquired for that woman, mentioning such and such a name. The woman thought to herself, "It must be some kinsman of ours." So she came quickly and provided him with a seat. The merchant sat down there, and mentioning the name of her husband, inquired after him, saying, "Where is my friend?" "Master, he has gone to the forest." "My son So-and-so and my daughter So-and-so, where are they?" Thus did he make inquiries after all the members of the family, mentioning the name of each individual. Having so done, he presented to them all of those garments and ornaments, saying, "When my friend returns from the forest, pray give him too this garment and this ornament." The woman bestowed high honor on the merchant, and when her husband returned from the forest, said to him, "Husband, the moment this visitor arrived, he mentioned the name of each member of the family and gave this and that." The forester rendered the merchant the courtesies which were his due. In the evening, as the merchant lay on his couch, he asked the forester, "Friend, as you have walked about the foot of the mountain, have you ever seen much of anything?" "Nothing except that [189] I have seen a good many trees with red branches." "Many trees?" " Yes, a good many." " Well then, show them to us." So the merchant accompanied the forester to the foot of the mountain, cut down a large number of red sandalwood trees, and filled therewith his five hundred carts. On the way back the merchant said to the forester, "Friend, -N.4. 19011 ] Elder Moonlight 305 my home is at Benares, in such-and-such a place; pray come to see me from time to time." Then he added, "There is no present I should so appreciate as red-branched trees; pray bring me these and these alone." "Very well," replied the forester. From time to time he went to see the merchant, carrying with him only red sandalwood. In return the merchant gave the forester a large amount of money. Subsequently the Buddha Kassapa passed into Nibbana, and a golden shrine was set up over his relics. Then that forester took a large supply of sandalwood and came to Benares. His friend the merchant caused a large quantity of sandalwood to be ground to powder, and filling a dish with the powder, said to the forester, " Come, friend, while the rice is cooking, we can go to the place where the shrine is building and return." And taking the forester with him, he went to the shrine and rendered honor to the relics of the Buddha with the sandalwood powder. His friend the forester, who lived on the frontier, made a moon-disk out of sandalwood and placed it within the shrine. Such was his former deed. 30 b. Story of the Present: Brahman Moonlight Having passed out of that state of existence, he was reborn in the World of the Gods, and after spending the single interval between Kassapa and Gotama Buddha in that state, he was reborn in the dispensation of the present Buddha in the city of Rajagaha in the household of a wealthy Brahman. From the circle of his navel proceeded forth a light like that of the moon's disk, and therefore they gave him the name Moonlight, Candabha. This, we are told, [190] was the result of his making a moon-disk and placing it within the shrine. The Brahmans thought to themselves, "If we take him with us, we can make the whole world our prey." Accordingly they seated him in a carriage and took him about with them. And to everyone they met they said, " Whosoever shall stroke the body of this Brahman with his hand, such-and-such power and glory shall he receive." People would give a hundred pieces of money, or a thousand pieces of money, and thus receive the privilege of stroking the body of the Brahman with their hand. Traveling thus from place to place, they finally came to Savatthi and took lodgings between the city and the monastery. Now at Savatthi five crores of Noble Disciples gave alms before breakfast; and after breakfast, bearing in their hands perfumes, garlands, garments, and medicaments, went to hear the Law. When the Brahmans saw them, they asked them, "Where are you going?' "To the Teacher to hear the Law." "Come! What will you gain by going there? There is no supernatural power like the supernatural power possessed by our Brahman Moonlight: they that but stroke his body, receive such and such power and glory; come have a look at him." "What does the supernatural power of your Brahman amount to? It is our Teacher alone who possesses great supernatural power." And straightway they fell to arguing, but each of the two parties was unsuccessful in its efforts to convince the other. Finally the Brahmans said, "Let us go to the monastery and find out whether it is our Moonlight or your Teacher that possesses the greater supernatural power." [191] And taking him with them, they set out for the monastery. The Teacher, even as Moonlight approached him, caused the moonlight to disappear. The result was that when Moonlight stood in the presence of the Teacher, he resembled nothing so much as a crow in a basket of charcoal. The Brahmans took him one side, and immediately the radiance reappeared, bright as ever. Again they brought him into the presence of the Teacher, and straightway the radiance disappeared, just as it had the first time. When Moonlight went for the third time into the presence of the Teacher and observed that the radiance disappeared, he thought to himself, "Without a doubt this man knows a charm by which he can make this radiance disappear." So he asked the Teacher, "Is it not a fact that you know a charm by which you can make this radiance of mine disappear?" "Yes, I know such a charm." "Well then, impart it to me." "It cannot be imparted to one who has not retired from the world." Thereupon Moonlight said to his fellow Brahmans, "As soon as I learn this charm, I shall be the foremost man in all the Land of the Rose-apple. You remain right here and I will retire from the world and in but a few days learn this charm." So he asked the Teacher to admit him to the Order, retired from the world, and subsequently was admitted to full membership in the Order. The Teacher taught him the Formula of Meditation which consists of the Thirty-two Constituent Parts of the Body. "What is this?" asked Candabha. "This is something which you must repeat as a preliminary to acquiring this charm," replied the Teacher. From time to time the Brahmans came to him and asked, "Have you learned the charm yet?" "Not yet, but I am learning it." In but a few days he attained Arahatship. When the Brahmans came and asked him again, he made answer, "Depart ye! now have I reached -N. 4. 1933] Elder Moonlight 307 the state of one who will never return." The monks reported the matter to the Tathagata, saying, "Reverend Sir, this Brahman says what is not true, utters falsehood." Said the Teacher, "Monks, worldly joy has been extinguished for my son; he speaks the truth J" So saying, he pronounced the following Stanza, [192] 413. He that is spotless as the moon, pure, serene, and clear. He in whom the essence of joy is extinct, such a man I call a Brahman.