Dialogues of the Buddha, Part II — trans. T. W. and C. A. F. Rhys Davids (1910)

3. [73] Then the brahmin Vassakara, the Rainmaker, hearkened to the words of the king, saying, ' Be it as you say.' And ordering a number of state carriages to be made ready, he mounted one of them, left Rajagaha with his train, and went to the Vulture's Peak, riding as far as the ground was passable for carriages and then alighting and proceeding on foot to the place where the Exalted One was. On arriving there he exchanged with the Exalted One the oreetinsfs and compliments of politeness and courtesy, sat down respectfully by his side (and then delivered to him the message even as the king had commanded1).

4. Now at that time the venerable Ananda was
standing behind the Exalted One, and fanning him.
And the Blessed One said to him : — ' Have you heard,
Ananda, that the Vajjians foregather often and frequent
the public meetings of their clan ? '

' Lord, so I have heard,' replied he.

' So long, Ananda,' rejoined the Blessed One, ' as the Vajjians foregather thus often, and frequent the public meetings of their clan ; so long may they be expected not to decline, but to prosper.'

(And in like manner questioning Ananda, and receiving a similar reply, the Exalted One declared

The wording of § 2 is here repeated.

8o XVI. MAHA PARINIBBANA SUTTANTA. D. ii. 73.

as follows the other conditions which would ensure the welfare of the Vajjian confederacy1.)

[74] ' So long, Ananda, as the Vajjians meet together in concord, and rise in concord, and carry out their undertakings in concord — so long as they enact nothing not already established, abrogate nothing that has been already enacted, and act in accordance with the ancient institutions of the Vajjians, as established in former days — so long as they honour and esteem and revere and support the Vajjian elders, and hold it a point of duty to hearken to their words — so long as no women or girls belonging to their clans are detained among them by force or abduction — [75] so long as they honour and esteem and revere and support the Vajjian shrines 2 in town or country, and allow not the proper offerings and rites, as formerly given and performed, to fall into desuetude — so long as the rightful protection, defence, and support shall be fully provided for the Arahants among them, so that Arahants from a distance may enter the realm, and the Arahants therein may live at ease — so long may the Vajjians be expected not to decline, but to prosper.'

5. Then the Exalted One addressed Vassakara the brahmin and said : —

' When I was once staying, O brahmin, at Vesali at the Sarandada Shrine3, I taught the Vajjians these conditions of welfare ; and so long as these conditions shall continue to exist among the Vajjians, so long as the Vajjians shall be well instructed in those conditions, so long may we expect them not to decline, but to prosper.'

' We may expect then,' answered the brahmin, ' the welfare and not the decline of the Vajjians when they are possessed of any one of these conditions of welfare, how much more so when they are possessed of all

1 In the text there is a question, answer, and reply with each clause.

2 Cetiyani, which Sum. Vil. explains as Yakkha-cetiyani.

3 The commentator adds that this was a vihara erected on the site of a former shrine of the Yakkha Sarandada. The teaching referred to is set out in full at A. IV, 16, but the persons taught are there called Licchavis.

D. ii. 76. THE BOOK OF THE GREAT DECEASE. 8 1

the seven. [76] So, Gotama, the Vajjians cannot be overcome by the king- of Magadha ; that is not in battle, without diplomacy or breaking up their alliance1. And now, Gotama, we must go ; we are busy and have much to do.'

' Whatever you think most fitting, O brahmin,' was the reply. And the brahmin Vassakara, the Rainmaker, delighted and pleased with the words of the Exalted One, rose from his seat, and went his way.

6. Now soon after heA had gone the Exalted One addressed the venerable Ananda, and said : — ' Go now, Ananda, and assemble in the Service Hall such of the brethren2 as live in the neighbourhood of Rajagaha.'

And he did so ; and returned to the Exalted One, and informed him, saying : —

■ The company of the brethren, lord, is assembled, let the Exalted One do as seemeth to him fit.'

And the Exalted One arose, and went to the Service