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

And again the second time the venerable Ananda said to the Exalted One : — ' But just now, lord, about five hundred carts have gone over. That water stirred up by the wheels has become shallow and flows fouled and turbid. This river Kaku///^a, lord, not far off, is clear and pleasant, cool and transparent, easy to get down into, and delightful. There the Exalted One may both drink the water, and cool his limbs/

24. Again the third time the Exalted One addressed the venerable Ananda, and said : — ' Fetch me, I pray you, Ananda, some water. I am thirsty, Ananda, and would drink.'

' Even so, lord ! ' said the venerable Ananda, in assent, to the Exalted One : and taking a bowl he went down to the streamlet. And lo ! the streamlet which, stirred up by the wheels, was but just now become shallow, and was flowing-- fouled and turbid, had begun, when the venerable Ananda came up to it, to flow clear and bright and free from all turbidity.

25. Then Ananda thought : — ' How wonderful, how marvellous is the great might and power of the Tathagata ! : For this streamlet which, stirred up by the wheels, was but just now become shallow and was flowing foul and turbid, now, as I come up to it, is flowing clear and bright and free from all turbidity.'

And taking water in the bowl he returned towards the Exalted One ; and when he had come where the Exalted One was he said to him : — ' How wonderful,

1 This is a most unusual way of speaking of the Buddha. In the Suttantas believers are represented as addressing him as bhante, lord or sir (the same form as that used by junior members of the Order in addressing their seniors) ; and as speaking of him by the epithet BhagavS the Exalted One. Unbelievers address him as bho Gotama, and speak of him as the Sama;/a Gotama.

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how marvellous is the great might and power of the Tathagata ! For this streamlet which, stirred up by the wheels, was but just now become shallow and was flowing foul and turbid, now, as I come up to it, is flowing clear and bright and free from all turbidity. Let the Exalted One drink the water ! Let the Happy One drink the water ! '

Then the Exalted One drank of the water.

26. [i3o] Now at that time a man named Pukkusa l, a young Mallian, a disciple of A/ara Kalama's, was passing along the high road from Kusinara to Pava.

And Pukkusa, the young Mallian, saw the Exalted One seated at the foot of a tree. On seeing him, he went up to the place where the Exalted One was, and when he had come there he saluted the Exalted One, and took his rest respectfully on one side. And when he was seated Pukkusa, the young Mallian, said to the Exalted One: — ' How wonderful a thing it is, lord! and how marvellous, that those who have gone forth out of the world should pass their time in a state of mind so calm !

27. 'Formerly, lord, A/ara Kalama was once walking along the high road ; and leaving the road he sat himself down under a certain tree to rest during the heat of the day. Now, lord, five hundred carts passed by one after the other, each close to A/ara Kalama. And a certain man, who was following close behind that caravan of carts, went up to the place where A/ara Kalama was, and when he was come there he spake as follows to A/ara Kalama : —

' " But, lord, did you see those five hundred carts goby?"

' " No, indeed, I saw them not."

1 The Pukkusas were one of the despised tribes. Compare M. II, 152; A. IL85; PP. IV, 19; Jar. IV, 205, 306; Lalita Vistara XXI, 17. But Buddhaghosa says Pukkusa must here be simply a name, as the Mallas were Khattiyas. He adds that this Pukkusa was the owner of the five hundred carts that had just passed by ; and that A/ara Kalama was called A/ara because he was Digha-pingalo, Kalama being his family name.

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' " But, lord, did you hear the sound of them ? "

' " No, indeed, sir, I heard not their sound."

' " But, lord, were you then asleep ? "

' " No, sir, I was not asleep."

' " But, lord, were you then conscious ? '

' " Even so, sir."

' " So that you, lord, though you were both conscious and awake, neither saw, nor heard the sound of five hundred carts passing by, one after the other, and each close to you. Why, lord, even your robe was sprinkled over with the dust of them ! " '

' " It is even so, sir." '