Vinaya Texts, Part II: The Mahâvagga V–X, Kullavagga I–III — SBE Vol. 17 (1882)

Then the Magadha ministers Sunidha and
Vassakfra, when they understood that the Blessed
One had accepted their invitation, went away.

* The event prophesied here, Pâsaliputta’s becoming the capital of the Magadha empire, is placed by the various authorities under different kings. Hwen Thsang and the Burmese writer quoted by Bishop Bigandet (‘Legend of the Burmese Buddha,’ third edition, vol. ii, p. 183) say that it was K4lasoka who removed the seat of the empire to PAéaliputta. The Gains, on the other hand, state that it was Udayi, the son of Agdtasattu. Most probably the latter tradition is the correct one, as even king Munda is mentioned in the Anguttara Nikfya as having resided at Pésaliputta. Comp. Rh. D.’s ‘ Buddhist Suttas,’ Introd. pp. xv seq.; H.O.’s Introduction to the Mahavagga, p. xxxvii; and the remarks of Professor Jacobi and of H. O. in Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morg. Gesellschaft, vol. xxxiv, pp. 185, 751, 752, note 2.

p. 103

1o. And the Magadha ministers Suntdha and Vassak4ra ordered excellent food, both hard and soft, to be prepared, and had meal-time announced (&c.1, down to:) on seats laid out for them. And the Magadha ministers Sunidha and Vassak4ra with their own hands served and offered excellent food, both hard and soft, to the fraternity of Bhikkhus with the Buddha at its head; and when the Blessed One had finished his meal and cleansed his bowl and his hands, they sat down near him. When they were sitting near him, the Blessed One gladdened the Magadha ministers Suntdha and Vassakara by these stanzas:

11. ‘Wheresoe’er the prudent man shall take up his abode, let him support there good and upright men of self-control.

‘Let him make offerings to all such deities as may be there. Revered, they will revere him; honoured, they honour him again;

‘Are gracious to him as a mother to the son of her womb. And a man who has the grace of the gods, good fortune he beholds.’

And the Blessed One, having gladdened the Magadha ministers Suntdha and Vassakéra by these stanzas, rose from his seat and went away.

12. Amd the Magadha ministers Suntdha and Vassak4ra followed the Blessed One from behind, saying, ‘The gate the Samaza Gotama goes out by to-day shall be called Gotama’s gate, and the ferry at which he crosses the river Ganges shall be called Gotama’s ferry.’ And the gate the Blessed One went out byp. 104 was called Gotama’s gate. And the Blessed One went on to the river. At that time the river Ganges was brimful and overflowing'; and wishing to cross to the opposite bank, some began to seek for boats, some for rafts of wood, while some made rafts of basket-work.

1 See chap. 23. 5, &c. Instead of ‘ Lord,’ read here, ‘ Reverend Gotama.’

VI, 28, 13.

was called Gotama’s gate. And the Blessed One went on to the river. At that time the river Ganges was brimful and overflowing'; and wishing to cross to the opposite bank, some began to seek for boats, some for rafts of wood, while some made rafts of basket-work.

13. And the Blessed One saw those people who wished to cross to the opposite bank, some seeking for boats, some for rafts of wood, and some making rafts of basket-work. When he saw them, he vanished as quickly as a strong man might stretch his bent arm out, or draw back his outstretched arm, from this side of the river Ganges, and stood on the further bank with the company of the Bhikkhus,

And the Blessed One, perceiving all this, on this occasion, pronounced this solemn utterance :

‘They who cross the ocean’s floods making a solid path across the pools—

‘Whilst the vain world ties its basket rafts : these are the wise, these are the saved indeed.’

29.

1. And the Blessed One went to Kofigdma.
There at Ko¢igama the Blessed One resided. And
the Blessed One thus addressed the Bhikkhus :

‘It is through not understanding and grasping four Noble Truths, O Bhikkhus, that we have had to run so long, to wander so long in this weary path of transmigration, both you and I. And what are

1 Samatitthika. This word is replaced by samatfrthik4 at Lal. Vist. pp. 501,528. Compare, however, Rh. D.’s note on Tevigga Sutta I, 24 (‘ Buddhist Suttas,’ p. 178).

p. 105

these four? By not understanding and grasping the Noble Truth of Suffering, O Bhikkhus; by not understanding and grasping the Noble Truth of the Cause of suffering; by not understanding and grasping the Noble Truth of the Cessation of suffering ; by not understanding and grasping the Noble Truth of the Path which leads to the cessation of suffering: thereby we have had to run so long, to wander so long in this weary path of transmigration, both you and I.

2. ‘But now, O Bhikkhus, the Noble Truth of Suffering is understood and grasped; the Noble Truth of the Cause of suffering, &c., of the Cessation of suffering, &c., of the Path which leads to the cessation of suffering is understood and grasped. The craving for existence is rooted out; that which leads to renewed existence is destroyed; and there is no more birth!

‘By not seeing the four Noble Truths as they really are, long is the path that is traversed through many a birth.

‘Now these are grasped; the cause of birth is removed, the root of sorrow rooted out, and there is no more birth.’

30.

1. Now the courtezan Ambapalt heard that the Blessed One had arrived at Ko¢igama. And the courtezan Ambapalt ordered a number of magnificent vehicles to be made ready, mounted one of these vehicles, and left Ves4li with her magnificent vehicles in order to visit the Blessed One. She

p. 106

And the courtezan Ambapalt ordered a number of magnificent vehicles to be made ready, mounted one of these vehicles, and left Ves4li with her magnificent vehicles in order to visit the Blessed One. Shep. 106 went in the carriage as far as the ground was passable for carriages; there she alighted; and she proceeded on foot to the place where the Blessed One was. Having approached him and respectfully saluted the Blessed One, she sat down near him.

2. When she was sitting near him, the Blessed One taught, incited, animated, and gladdened the courtezan Ambapalt by religious discourse. And the courtezan AmbapAli, having been taught, &c., by the Blessed One by religious discourse, said to the Blessed One: ‘Might the Blessed One, Lord, consent to take his meal with me to-morrow together with the fraternity of Bhikkhus.’

The Blessed One expressed his consent by remaining silent.

Then the courtezan Ambap§4lt, when she understood that the Blessed One had accepted her invitation, rose from her seat, respectfully saluted the Blessed One, and, passing round him with her right side towards him, went away.

3. Now the Likâfavis of Vesdli heard that the Blessed One had arrived at Kofigama. And the Linkhavis of Vesdli ordered a number of magnificent vehicles to be made ready, mounted these vehicles, and left Vesali with their magnificent vehicles in order to visit the Blessed One. Some of the Li#éfavis were dark, dark in colour, and wearing dark clothes and ornaments; some of them were fair, fair in colour, and wearing light clothes and ornaments; some of them were red, ruddy in colour, and wearing red clothes and ornaments; some of them were white, pale in colour, and wearing white colours and ornaments. And the courtezan Ambapalt drove up against the young

p. 107

Likkhavis, pole to pole, yoke to yoke, wheel to wheel, axle to axle. [4.] And those Ligsf/avis said to the courtezan Ambapalt: ‘ How is it, Ambapall, that you drive up against the young Liké/avis, pole to pole, &c.?’

‘My Lords, I have just invited the Blessed One with the fraternity of Bhikkhus for their morrow's meal.’

‘Ambapalt! give up this meal to us for a hundred thousand.’

‘My Lords, were you to offer all Vesali with its subject territory, I would not give up this meal.’

Then the Li#é/avis snapped their fingers (exclaiming), ‘We are outdone by this woman?! we are out-reached by this woman?!’

4. Then the Liféhavis went to the place where the Blessed One was. And the Blessed One saw the Likéhavis coming from afar; when he saw them, he addressed the Bhikkhus and said: ‘O Bhikkhus, let those of the Bhikkhus who have never seen the TAvatimsa gods, gaze upon this company of the Li&éavis, behold this company of the Likkhavis, compare this company of the Liékhavis, even as a company of T4vatimsa gods!’